Dazzling Spoons Counseling {Seattle small business branding session}

Dazzling Spoons Counseling {Seattle small business branding session}

One of the more joyful parts of my job is getting to be the photographer who gets it — who doesn’t push, who doesn’t rush, who has the accommodations and modifications ready so that capturing branding photos is a good experience for disabled and ill clients, not just something to be endured.

Bonny Chipman & Accessible Yoga at Yoga NW: Accessible Yoga | Small Business Branding & Visuals Photography in Portland, OR

Bonny Chipman & Accessible Yoga at Yoga NW: Accessible Yoga | Small Business Branding & Visuals Photography in Portland, OR

It was a pleasure to pair up with Bonny Chipman and her studio at Yoga NW to create a collection of inclusive yoga stock photos featuring folks with a wide variety of body sizes, ethnic backgrounds, skin colors, and mobility needs. Here’s a little bit about Yoga NW: “At Yoga NW, our mission is to…

Magical Tea Party Session | Body-Positive Stock Photography in Renton, WA

Magical Tea Party Session | Body-Positive Stock Photography in Renton, WA

One of the cooler aspects of my job is the privilege of not only capturing individual people’s bodies and lives, but their relationships. At this tea party-themed session, you can see the warm support of a circle of close friends shining through, accompanied by a gorgeous cake, lots of sweets and tea, and a beautiful…

Eron Huenefeld & Amanda Underwood of Fat Face Feelings | Small Business Branding & Visuals Photography in Seattle, WA

Eron Huenefeld & Amanda Underwood of Fat Face Feelings | Small Business Branding & Visuals Photography in Seattle, WA

Fat Face Feelings is made up of Eron Huenefeld and Amanda Underwood, two women on a journey toward fat liberation, and sharing that journey with the world via podcast. Their podcast is fun, funny and vulnerable, and they’re both a delight. For some sessions, my subjects come in with a firm idea of how they’d…

Fun Outdoor Portraits at Seattle’s Gasworks Park | Body-Positive Portrait Photography in the PNW

Fun Outdoor Portraits at Seattle’s Gasworks Park | Body-Positive Portrait Photography in the PNW

One vital skill I didn’t expect to develop so thoroughly as a photographer is the ability to read someone instantly upon meeting them and then tailor an entire session to not only their personal style, but their personality, the clothing they’ve brought, and any mobility needs or limitations they might have. It’s a process that…

Intimate Portraits with Ms. J | Body-Positive Outdoor Boudoir Photography in Seattle, WA

Intimate Portraits with Ms. J | Body-Positive Outdoor Boudoir Photography in Seattle, WA

One of the reasons my studio is located in my home: It gives me the ability to offer intimate, private spaces both indoors and outdoors. For Ms. J’s session, we took advantage of both kinds of spaces for lush, botanical photographs, starting with a sunny open space, then moving to leafy images that remind me…

Mermaids and Beach Babes Stock Photos at Seattle’s Alki Beach | Body-Positive Portrait Photography in the PNW

Mermaids and Beach Babes Stock Photos at Seattle’s Alki Beach | Body-Positive Portrait Photography in the PNW

One of the factors of living in the Pacific Northwest is that the landscape tends to look like the Pacific Northwest — for better or worse. We tried three times (!) to have a sunny, summer beach photo shoot, and finally decided to roll with what Mother Nature gave us: low clouds, seaweed, chill, and…

Diverse Massage Therapy Stock Photos with Century Massage | Small Business Branding & Visuals Photography in Seattle, WA

Diverse Massage Therapy Stock Photos with Century Massage | Small Business Branding & Visuals Photography in Seattle, WA

Lyn at Century Massage and I partnered to produce a collection of stock photos focused on massage by and for people of color. It was a privilege to help represent women and men of color while also working with a massage therapist who’s helped me and my body personally. Century Massage is located in Renton,…

Author & Coach Thekla Richter | Small Business Branding & Visuals Photography in Seattle, WA

Author & Coach Thekla Richter | Small Business Branding & Visuals Photography in Seattle, WA

Thekla Richter’s small business branding photography session was so much fun! The weather cooperated perfectly, which is rare for Seattle in November: a beautiful sunny day with air crisp enough to keep us from getting sweaty. Thekla (pronounced Tech-luh — I was dying to know, too) writes middle-grade fantasy books (ask her about the space…

Intimate Indoor Portrait Session with Ms. M: Body-Positive Portrait & Boudoir Photography in Seattle, WA

Intimate Indoor Portrait Session with Ms. M: Body-Positive Portrait & Boudoir Photography in Seattle, WA

Content note: Contains artistic nudity I’ve started calling this kind of session a series of intimate portraits: not necessarily the intentional sexiness of boudoir, more vulnerable than a regular portrait session. An exploration of the body in a relaxed setting, guided but free to move in ways that feel good. This is such a good…

Wildest Dreams Session with Ms. D in West Seattle and Olympic National Park | Body-Positive Portrait Photography in Seattle, WA
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Wildest Dreams Session with Ms. D in West Seattle and Olympic National Park | Body-Positive Portrait Photography in Seattle, WA

Recently, I talked a little bit about the risks of movement in a larger body. In Ms. H’s hula dance portraits, you can see that the reward for her taking that risk is a beautiful, skilled, graceful performance. Through her Instagram, Danielle Bex (@danielle.bex) also demonstrates daily how joyful movement can be. She often posts…

OHME Fat-Positive Jewelry | Small Business Product Photography in Seattle, W

OHME Fat-Positive Jewelry | Small Business Product Photography in Seattle, W

It was such a delight to work with Mia Stephenson of OHME shop for a recent small business branding session! I first encountered Mia’s at Curves in Bloom back in February, and I β€” and everyone else at the event β€” fell in love with the clean lines of her feminist, fat-positive jewelry. Mia, makeup…

Intimate Fat-Positive Portraits with Ms. R | Body-Positive Boudoir Photographer in Seattle, WA

Intimate Fat-Positive Portraits with Ms. R | Body-Positive Boudoir Photographer in Seattle, WA

Content note: Contains artistic nudity Major life changes can cause us to lose sight of who we are: our own needs and priorities, our values and goals, even our sense of self or self-worth. When you feel at sea, it can be hard to know what makes you, you. Ms. R was in the midst…

Camp Heal Highlights 3: Eating Disorder Recovery Event Photography in Los Angeles, CA
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Camp Heal Highlights 3: Eating Disorder Recovery Event Photography in Los Angeles, CA

Some events are just events. Some events are transformative for everyone involved, and Camp Heal was one of the latter. Around a hundred people gathered in Angeles National Forest for three days to explore, laugh, cry, improve their body image, be vulnerable, move forward in recovery from eating disorders, and enjoy a body-safe camp experience….

Fat-Positive Portrait Session with Ms. H on Camano Island | Body-Positive Portrait Photography in Seattle, WA

Fat-Positive Portrait Session with Ms. H on Camano Island | Body-Positive Portrait Photography in Seattle, WA

As people who inhabit larger bodies, when we move those bodies, we take risks. We risk being stared at, made fun of or catcalled. Since often, no one has ever taught us to appreciate those bodies and the way they move, we risk trying to move them in ways that are unwise or not a…

KT Kusmaul & Body Home Fat Dance | Small Business Branding & Visuals Photography in Portland, OR

KT Kusmaul & Body Home Fat Dance | Small Business Branding & Visuals Photography in Portland, OR

Body Home Fat Dance, created by artist and performer KT Kusmaul, creates performance and offers dance classes centering our fat community. Their goal is to inspire joyful movement, connection with their bodies, and creative expression, while honoring their unique abilities and challenges with self-compassion. They’re co-creating a resilient community, building an empowering and nuanced dialogue…

Mother & Daughter Portraits in Salt Lake City | Body-Positive Photographer in Seattle, WA
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Mother & Daughter Portraits in Salt Lake City | Body-Positive Photographer in Seattle, WA

I stopped briefly in Salt Lake City while traveling, and this session shows how much we can accomplish even during a very limited session. Forty-five minutes, one hotel room, and two generations of one family willing to be vulnerable and explore the stories of their bodies. Most photographers would have done things like “brought out…

Camp Heal Highlights 2: Eating Disorder Recovery Event Photography in Los Angeles, CA
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Camp Heal Highlights 2: Eating Disorder Recovery Event Photography in Los Angeles, CA

Some events are just events. Some events are transformative for everyone involved, and Camp Heal was one of the latter. Around a hundred people gathered in Angeles National Forest for three days to explore, laugh, cry, improve their body image, be vulnerable, move forward in recovery from eating disorders, and enjoy a body-safe camp experience….

River Portrait Session with Ms. E | Fat-Positive Photography in Seattle, WA

River Portrait Session with Ms. E | Fat-Positive Photography in Seattle, WA

In this peaceful outdoor body-positive portrait session, Ms. E and I spent some exploring what it means to reclaim the right for our bodies to move in and enjoy public spaces. I’ve found that one of the best ways to support people in this is to give them lots of things to do where their…

Bevin of Fat Kid Dance Party & Queer Fat Femme | Small Business Branding & Visuals Photography in Seattle, WA

Bevin of Fat Kid Dance Party & Queer Fat Femme | Small Business Branding & Visuals Photography in Seattle, WA

Bevin is a study in contrasts. Bevin is best known for her work as the mind behind Fat Kid Dance Party, the nationwide (and now online) body-positive dance and fitness classes for all ability levels. For this session, though, she chose to explore the softer side of her nature. In addition to her work with…

Intimate Fat-Positive Portraits with Ms. A in Las Vegas | Body-Positive Photographer in Seattle, WA

Intimate Fat-Positive Portraits with Ms. A in Las Vegas | Body-Positive Photographer in Seattle, WA

I met Ms. A in a hot tub in Vegas. No, seriously. Those of you who know me know that Vegas isn’t my scene and are probably doubting this story already, but I swear it’s true. At the last @naafaofficial conference there was a delightful pool party after hours, and Ms. A and I met…

Gardening with Mx. O | Body-Positive Portrait Photography Sessions in Seattle, WA

Gardening with Mx. O | Body-Positive Portrait Photography Sessions in Seattle, WA

Environmental portraits — where the subject is involved in an activity or an environment they love — are some of my favorite photographs to create. Almost everyone is more relaxed when they’re doing something they enjoy in a place they like to spend time! For Mx. O’s session, we chose a topic together: gardening. I…

Camp Heal for Project HEAL: Eating Disorder Recovery Event Photography in Los Angeles, CA
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Camp Heal for Project HEAL: Eating Disorder Recovery Event Photography in Los Angeles, CA

Some events are just events. Some events are transformative for everyone involved, and Camp Heal was one of the latter. Around a hundred people gathered in Angeles National Forest for three days to explore, laugh, cry, improve their body image, be vulnerable, move forward in recovery from eating disorders, and enjoy a body-safe camp experience….

Beautiful River Portrait Session in Washington State with Ms. G | Body-Positive Photography in Seattle, WA
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Beautiful River Portrait Session in Washington State with Ms. G | Body-Positive Photography in Seattle, WA

It’s generally quite cool year round here in the Seattle area, but in the summer it can get hot enough to make a dip in a nearby river refreshing. Ms. G and I spent her body-positive Confidence portrait session at Flaming Geyser State Park (named for a flame created by coal miners discovering a methane…

Wildest Dreams Session with Ms. D at Red Rock Canyon | Body-Positive Photographer in Seattle, WA

Wildest Dreams Session with Ms. D at Red Rock Canyon | Body-Positive Photographer in Seattle, WA

This plus-size beauty queen and Nevada’s Red Rock Canyon = magic. It was 95 degrees at sunset, but luckily Ms. D is used to the heat and I had plenty of water with me, so we took lots of breaks and it worked out fine. Better than fine, in fact. She’d chosen a sparkling sequin…

Huge Tracts of Land: The Lingerie, Bra and Panty Guide for Plus Sizes
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Huge Tracts of Land: The Lingerie, Bra and Panty Guide for Plus Sizes

“The truth is, the other person in your bed is just so happy that you want to have SEX with them that they aren’t focused on your imperfections. They are INTO you, and into the fact that you are into them sexually. Live out loud and let go of your insecurities, and that is when…

{body positive boudoir} You don’t have to smile to be sexy
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{body positive boudoir} You don’t have to smile to be sexy

Β  You don’t have to smile to be sexy. Or be sultry. No, seriously. Your natural expressions are what’s sexy. Some people are serious. Some people are giggly. Some people are both, or neither. And whichever comes naturally to you, without feeling like you’re “performing” sexiness, will be the perfect expression for you. At her…

{Body positive boudoir} Boudoir party at Fierce Love Yoga

{Body positive boudoir} Boudoir party at Fierce Love Yoga

  The boudoir party I hosted in coordination with Fierce Love Yoga was such a great experience! As far as I know, no one else has done an explicitly body and fat positive boudoir shoot like this before, so we’re breaking barriers, y’all. <3 Here’s the way I described the event, to refresh your memory:…

{Body positive portraits} Adventure session with Ms. G

{Body positive portraits} Adventure session with Ms. G

Β  One of the most wonderful things about a Sweet Amaranth adventure session is that since we have a full day, we get a chance to take photos in really amazing locations around the Pacific Northwest. For Ms. G’s adventure session, we headed out to Lake Cushman, a gorgeous lake in the Olympic Mountains that…

{Body positive portraits} Ms. H + Curves in Bloom, Feb. 24
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{Body positive portraits} Ms. H + Curves in Bloom, Feb. 24

I was delighted to have Hannah Schnabel join me for a portrait session for Representation Matters.me, my body positive and diverse stock photo site.Β Hannah is the mind behind plus-size clothing line Belle Ampleur. Hannah Schnabel has over a decade of experience designingΒ clothing for stage and film. She’s designed and built everything from corsets, to a…

The Big List of Portrait and Boudoir Ideas
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The Big List of Portrait and Boudoir Ideas

Here’s an ever-evolving list of boudoir and portrait session ideas to spark your inspiration. Some are serious, some are silly. Use them as a launching point for your imagination! See an idea you love that seems more appropriate for portraits (that you wish you could do for boudoir) or for boudoir (that you wish you…

{normalizing bodies} double chins
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{normalizing bodies} double chins

A woman in one of the plus-size groups on Facebook made a really good point the other day: We rarely see women with double chins represented in images. Many, many women have double chins. It’s a completely normal thing. But we hide them in photos. We stretch out our necks, raise our chins, tilt our…

{body positive boudoir} Siren L’s Doctor Who and TARDIS-themed boudoir session

{body positive boudoir} Siren L’s Doctor Who and TARDIS-themed boudoir session

I’m a little ashamed to admit that I don’t know the first thing about Doctor Who. I only know that the TARDIS is a time machine/spacecraft/command center/vehicle of mystery because I looked it up. Siren L here has no such issues. In fact, she turned up for her Who-themed shoot in a corset of the…

{body positive boudoir} What do I get out of a boudoir session?

{body positive boudoir} What do I get out of a boudoir session?

Body-positive boudoir and portrait sessions are tons of fun. There’s the laughter, the silliness, the looking and feeling like the most gorgeous thing to hit this planet — it’s a pretty amazing experience. But what happens afterward? Yeah, everyone knows about digital photos — they’re great for sharing on Facebook and making physical prints from….

3 ways to destress and relax before your boudoir photography session

3 ways to destress and relax before your boudoir photography session

Which of these situations sounds better? A. You rush into your boudoir session sweaty and stressed. That workout took longer than you expected, and then you need to return those library books before the fees started piling up. B. You stroll into your boudoir session happy and relaxed, a spring in your step and a…

{plus size style} Curvy Lily collegiate sweater
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{plus size style} Curvy Lily collegiate sweater

Now that it’s colder, I’m looking for some nice fall and winter pieces. This is a new sweater from a brand called Curvy Lily. This is an unusual piece for me. I’m not a huge super-tight-sweater person and I’m not a β€˜crop top/barely-comes-down-to-the-line-of-your-pants’ person, so I’m not sure how I feel about this one. It’s…

Why I don’t Photoshop the life out of your skin

Why I don’t Photoshop the life out of your skin

I get a lot of questions about retouching and skin, so today I thought I’d explain my philosophy on retouching — especially regarding skin — and how I arrived there. Modern portrait and boudoir photography incorporate a startling amount of body alteration. So much of what makes up the story of our bodies gets removed:…

{plus size style} Reborn Collection long dresses

{plus size style} Reborn Collection long dresses

Today I’m reviewing three dresses from a line called Reborn Collection. I got these via Zulily, which is a daily deals site here in the U.S. All three dresses actually worked out pretty well, though they’re all very thin. This is the thickest-looking of the three. It’s sort of a marled fabric and it’s still…

haute couture
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haute couture

“Sorry, I don’t think she heard you,” said my husband to someone standing behind me. I turned from my observation about the price of cashews and California drought to the girl, twentysomething, chubby, ponytail who said, “I love your shoes!” “I know, right?” I said. “I have a pair in pink,” she said, “but I’ve…