Category Family Photography

A Day at The Beach – Family Vacation on Kauai

1 Comment 5 on 5, Family Photography, Landscape Photography, Lifestyle Photography, Spaces and Places
A Day at The Beach – Family Vacation on Kauai

Waaaay back at the end of February, my family and I, along with two other families, met up on the island of Kauai. We had sun, rain, and everything in between over our week’s vacation. The kids learned how to boogie board, and I practiced my sun tanning skills. These images are from our trip.

We hit the beach even when the sky was grey. Telling the kids, “You’ll be wet, or you’ll be wet.” when they questioned why we were going to the beach when it was raining.  As you can see, they caught on quickly and we were prepared with our umbrellas to keep towels dry. We got a super awesome day of sunshine at Tunnels Beach. It took some serious work (not pictured) to wheel our wagon through the sand full of gear for 5 kids and 5 adults to the sweet spot. But it was totally worth it – and a good excuse of a work out to eat extra Doritos and sip a beer once we settled in. The house we rented was within a quick walk into Hanalei. So we made sure to take a few strolls into town. Early morning wanders led us to coffee, mid day for shopping, and afternoon walks for shave ice!
And we were also a quick walk to the beach. We made several spur of the moment, and not really prepared (no swim suits!) trips to the water for sand castle making.  When the rain was too heavy for even the roosters to crow (and oh my goodness did they crow!), we had a sweet house that fit us all. The kids played a few fierce games of monopoly and soaked up a bit of screen time after all the sand and sun. It was so wonderful to be back on the island where my husband and I spent our honeymoon 15 years ago. We even hit up a couple of places that we had been drooling over since that last trip. Don’t pass up the ahi nori wrap at the Mermaids if you are there.

It was so good to have some of my best friends and the kiddos with us for the adventure. It already seems like a life time ago already, so I am glad to have these photos to remind me of all the fun!Keep chasing that light, Vanessa

PS this post is a part of a blog circle. I would love if you hop on over to Staci’s blog to see what beauty she has to share with you this month.

November (Yellow) Fave 5 on 5

2 Comments 5 on 5, Family Photography, Personal Projects
November (Yellow) Fave 5 on 5

Last month we all went red, this month we decided on yellow. What am I talking about? It’s the monthly blog post where I get to share a few of my favorite images from the previous month- with a twist of a yellow theme.

When you are all finished here, head on over to Small Roots to see where she found pops of color during her month.

November my family and I traveled almost every weekend. I was able to squeeze in both personal and a bit of client work while back in Nevada for the holiday week and that is where these images were taken.  I might be stretching our theme a little bit, but here is where I saw yellow and gold in November…

Golden afternoon light on these kiddos


And more of that autumn evening glow on this sweet family

Yellow hills above Reno during an awesome 7 mile hike that we did with the kids and some dear friends.

Yup, November gave me so much to be grateful for!

Keep chasing that light,

Vanessa

October Fave 5 on 5

3 Comments Family Photography
October Fave 5 on 5

This month we (the other fabulous ladies in this blog ring) decided to mix up our five on five post. We wanted to shake up what we have been doing just a bit. So we picked the color red as our theme and are each sharing where we found pops of the color throughout October.

When you are done here, make sure to click over to Adriana’s blog- she has such a great eye for color, I know she’s got something lovely going!

Red … I found the color in the clothes and accessories that my clients chose for mini-session portraits.

And look at those autumn reds in this senior portrait session! Fall in Tacoma sure is gorgeous (and holy moly do I get good looking people for clients or what?!)

Keep chasing that light,

Vanessa

Language of Summer | From the Archives

0 Comment Family Photography, Film Friday, Film Is Not Dead, fuji FP-100c, Mortal Muse
Language of Summer | From the Archives

Summer time stretches out in front of us with waves and wishes. Backyard, air conditioning , picnics, weddings, sun screen, beaches, camping, and adventure all become part of our summer time vernacular. The following words are from a few summers past, but they still hold true this time of year. Enjoy.Summer, you are leaving me… almost gone, but I am not done tasting you yet.

I know you are going, because the evenings are more watermelon juice drips then perspiration. I can feel it in the morning air as I stir awake, you smell different this time of year, not so sticky, yet sweet.

I can see it in the gentle way you hold the velvet brown mountain silhouette. The soft, sky touch that can only be yours.

The dark comes earlier, the blue mix with peaches that hang heavy  in the tree, ripe and ready and in the blushing of the leaves in the strong sycamore that shushes in the exhale.

I still have a few things left for you, summer. Summer don’t fall too quickly away…

Keep chasing the light my friends, Vanessa Simpson

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This post was originally written and photographed by me for the Mortal Muses collaborative blog, and part of a new series I am calling, From the Archives. Source: Language of Summer | Mortal Muses

Living With The Camera – Inspiration | From the Archives

0 Comment Family Photography, Mortal Muse, Portrait Photography
Living With The Camera – Inspiration | From the Archives

This post was originally written and photographed by me for the Mortal Muses blog nearly three and a half years ago and part of a new series of posts I am calling, “From the Archives”. 

Source: Mortal Muses

______________

At the library I spotted a book on display, “Dorothea Lange – Grab a Hunk of Lightning“. I quickly picked it up and added it to the pile of children’s books that the kids had handed me, and we headed to the desk to checkout our goodies.  When we returned home, each of us plopped down in the small apartment living room that we are calling home right now, and dove right into our new reads.  I have really been wanting to understand what makes a beautiful and provoking portrait lately and this book was just the thing to get my head spinning. I want my craft to really speak to my audience and tell stories in a way that I know words can not.  I know my work is no where near what Dorothea was doing in her career, but by studying her images, the way she framed and used the light, I can begin to create a more powerful frame. 

I believe in living with the camera, and not using the camera. Suddenly, if you are working a lot, it takes over and then you see meaning in everything. You don’t have to push for it. That’s what I mean by the visual life. Very rare. – Dorothea Lange, KQED San Francisco Audio Recording 1964-65

The kids and I have been spending a lot of time together, and that means they are most readily available subjects. My son is now in a half day kindergarten and so we have all morning to get out and explore our new city. Luckily, they will humor me by being my models.  Well, most of the time anyway.  And if one won’t hold still for the shutter, the other usually will. These images are examples of what I have been getting.  I am purposefully processing these in black and white instead of color. Perhaps that is in part to looking through all of the Dorthea Lange images that have been floating through my mind, but I also get a totally different impact when the color is gone.  Stripping down the image to the whites, grays, and blacks seems to let their eyes and expressions do the work, rather than the colors happening around them.  Do you find that to be true as well?

Keep chasing the light – Vanessa

Afternoon at Chambers Bay – Tacoma Family Photography

0 Comment Family Photography, Pacific North West
Afternoon at Chambers Bay – Tacoma Family Photography

FocusInPhotography (390 of 414)It was a Saturday and the kids were getting restless with the afternoon, and to be honest, so were the adults. Plus, the sun was out – and you really can’t pass up the sunshine in late October/early November. That’s when my husband suggested we take out the rockets that he and O had built a few months back. We all loaded into the car and headed to beautiful Chambers Bay. Chambers Bay Family PhotographyFocusInPhotography (410 of 414)The girl and I played and spun and ran around in the grass while the boys got things set up for the launch. We ran the dog around and twirled in the afternoon sun. FocusInPhotography (392 of 414)FocusInPhotography (411 of 414)
Chambers Bay Family Photography FocusInPhotography (401 of 414)Chambers Bay Family PhotographyChambers Bay Family Photography Chambers Bay Family PhotographyWe had a couple of dud launches, and then a few really awesome ones! (Click on the next image to see a video of the landing, forgive my poor video taking skills! this one ends so perfectly!)
UntitledChambers Bay Family PhotographyWhat a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

Keep chasing that light, Vanessa

Five on Five – October 2106

0 Comment 5 on 5, Family Photography, Personal Projects
Five on Five – October 2106

On the fifth day of each month a group of photographers shares their favorite photos from the previous month. It’s a blog circle! Make sure to follow the link over to Adriana’s October post when you are done here. I still can’t believe we have been doing this for four years. These woman keep me shooting and posting regularly and it’s a treat to see what each of them were up to every month.  I attended Click Away 2016 in Seattle last month and was inspired to start picking up the camera for me again. I realized I had almost stopped taking images of the kids unless it was with my cell phone (no shame, there is a cell phone image in here or two) I realized I wasn’t practicing and that’s no good at all. The kids have been amazing this month in humoring my requests and allowing me to stick the lens in their faces regularly. As a result, I have gotten a few portraits that I am absolutely in love with.

Fifi –
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airportantics_web-10-of-12FocusInPhotography (395 of 414)
And O-boy
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FocusInPhotography (399 of 414)
And the two of them together…
Oregon Coast Family

It’s felt really wonderful to give myself permission to have the camera in  my hand for me again. And I truly believe that the more I pick up the camera for me, the better I will be for my clients. And that’s a win-win all around!

Now head on over to Adriana’s blog and see what October looked like for her.

Keep chasing that light, Vanessa

A Boy, a Book and a Cat – Tacoma Family Photography

0 Comment Family Photography, Personal Projects
A Boy, a Book and a Cat – Tacoma Family Photography

Can you believe that golden glow? It was cool out the other evening, but the setting sun drew us out to the backyard for a little last minute sunshine therapy before dinner. He didn’t want to put down his book, but agreed to join me.obookworm-3-of-14Someone else thought it was nice that we were outside, too. Hey kid, whatchya reading?
obookworm-5-of-14Harry who? Maybe if his name was Fuzzy I’d sit awhile.obookworm-12-of-14obookworm-7-of-14 Ooooh… wait, this book corner is good for a face rub, isn’t it? obookworm-11-of-14obookworm-9-of-14obookworm-10-of-14What’s that over there? Ahhh, the dog is outside now too? I’m going to go chase her. Have fun reading about Fuzzy, er I mean Harry.obookworm-13-of-14

Keep chasing that light, Vanessa

Front Yard Pumpkin Patch – Tacoma Family Photography

2 Comments Family Photography
Front Yard Pumpkin Patch – Tacoma Family Photography

In the spring, my husband worked really hard and built four big garden boxes for the front yard. He brought in yards of soil, and set up drip sprinklers so we wouldn’t have to think much about keeping the plants refreshed. Then, he recruited the kids who happily had a blast planting our garden – we had had so much zucchini (I have gallon bags frozen in the freezer for winter cooking), a ton of tomatoes (cherry, pear and early girls), cucumbers, beans, raspberries, and even a of couple watermelons!

But the favorite of the harrest around here is always the pumpkins. The vines grow and cover the hill in our front yard with their big green leaves. We get really excited when we spot the first golf ball sized pumpkind at the base of the yellow flowers and then, we keep an eye out as they get bigger and bigger. Making it a game as we pull in and out of the drive way through out the summer months.

When the days start to get shorter and the fog starts to fill the air. When the rain comes down a little more frequently and heavier – we know it’s time to cut the big orange orbs off the vine.  This year we ended up with a dozen of these beauties. All shapes and sizes. We filled the wagon and then walked it around the neighborhood to share with the other kids on the block. It’s a really fun tradition and something my kids get a huge kick out of each October. Who needs to go to a farm when you  have the pumpkin patch right out the front door?!pumpkinharvest2016-2-of-25pumpkinharvest2016-7-of-25Our cat, Ruben loves when we are out in the yard. Purring and chatting his meowing chat as we work. pumpkinharvest2016-24-of-25pumpkinharvest2016-3-of-25pumpkinharvest2016-4-of-25pumpkinharvest2016-5-of-25Sharing the harvest and decorating fun with Jojo (her grandma) back in Reno via Face-time. Isn’t technology so cool?pumpkinharvest2016-8-of-25pumpkinharvest2016-9-of-25pumpkinharvest2016-17-of-25pumpkinharvest2016-12-of-25pumpkinharvest2016-14-of-25pumpkinharvest2016-10-of-25pumpkinharvest2016-15-of-25pumpkinharvest2016-11-of-25 pumpkinharvest2016-22-of-25pumpkinharvest2016-18-of-25pumpkinharvest2016-20-of-25 pumpkinharvest2016-21-of-25

How about you? Do you grow your own or do you make a day of going to the pumpkin oatch each year? Either way, these little traditions help us mark the change of seasons and make for some really fun memories.

Here’s to a great Halloween, happy haunting everyone !

Keep chasing that light, Vanessa