Kelly Chandler

I had another shoot for Soulumination on Sunday…it was at Seattle Children’s Hospital.   I’ve photographed families for Soulumination throughout the fall, but each was a child with Leukemia and the sessions were on location. This was my first shoot inside Seattle Children’s Hospital.  I wasn’t sure how I’d respond, but I knew there was no better way to honor my son Grant (who ironically would have been 12 years old that same day).  I also knew I would be giving the Mother and siblings of this 9 year old child a gift that would last forever.  

Unable to speak, open his eyes or move much at all, this little boy has endured more than many of us will in a lifetime.  From a photography perspective the session couldn’t have gone better.  It took a little negotiation to get the younger siblings to do exactly what I’d like.  Visualize me giving them a “wagon” ride - (the carts to transport items back and forth in the hospital) around the hallways after they cooperated for photos.  In the end I captured touching moments between each child and their brother.  I know they will cherish these when they are older and can grasp what an amazing 9 years this little boy has battled.  My favorite shots are of mother and son snuggled up together in his bed.  You can feel so many of her emotions just looking at the images. 

I left the session feeling emotionally exhausted.  I felt anger at the disease, sadness for the siblings, a full heart from witnessing the unconditional love of a grief filled mother, and gratefulness for the health of my own children.  

I knew when I joined Soulumination that I was giving the gift of my photography talents to families who might not otherwise think to document the final moments in little lives.  But what I didn’t realize was the gifts I’d be receiving from these families.  I am constantly reminded that the little things in life really don’t matter.  My prayers go out to this little boy and his family as they search to find peace in this unbelievable struggle.

Wow, what a crazy season!  The to-do list just seems never ending this time of year doesn’t it?!  So many hats to wear, so little time…..mother, wife, photographer, custom card designer, party hostess, and finally Santa’s Elf.  The list goes on but you all share the same story I’m sure…so I’ll spare you the details.  Rest assured that the change of pace January brings will be a welcome one.  I’ve been behind on blogging, thanks for checking in though.  The jobs listed above all took over and blogging took a back seat.  I’ll be back soon though so come back soon.  My first wedding of 2010 is this Saturday, January 2nd….starting the year off with a bang.  In the meantime, if you didn’t receive my holiday card the front and inside are shown here.  Happy New Year!

Scott and Lindsey had a black and white affair at Pravda Studios with elegant touches of the past.  There were cigar girls greeting you at the door with real or bubblegum cigars for the men and heart shaped compacts for the ladies as party treats.  Scott wore a tux with a bow tie.  The bridesmaids outfits were black, sexy and even had feathers and netting covering their eyes.  There were white feather plumes, crystals, candles and black accent frames (with their engagement photos) on the tables….the event was spectacular.   Even more spectacular was the beautiful couple. 

The fabulous Stacey Yuchaz was second shooting for me and caught this shot.  I love how the reflection in the floor to ceiling mirror shows the details on the back of her dress and accents her tiny figure.   Notice the chandeliers and billowing fabric that Lyndsey had added to help turn Pravda’s tall ceilings into a cozy room.

We got lucky and had a beautiful day….every other day before and after their wedding day had rain.  But they must be living right….it was sunshine and blue skies.

Lindsey had funky black shoes with pink soles.

The ladies were so fun!  Trying to pose them so their feathers didn’t end up in front of another bridesmaid’s face was challenging but we got it.

Not sure what the groomsmen were saying here…but clearly Scott was getting razzed.

As the evening turned dark the lights in the room became more colorful.  The entire room had gorgeous up-lighting from Travis Terry.  I highly recommend investing in this feature.  It adds such beautiful accents to photos. 

Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Scott Schield! 

 If I don’t have a wedding to photograph on the weekend, you’ll find me standing on the sidelines of one sport or another, photographing my children and their teammates.  Rain, snow, wind….it doesn’t matter, I wouldn’t miss it. 

Dalton’s Eastlake Wolves Rookie Football Team Red had an UNDEFEATED season.  This past weekend, I got the chance to photograph something extra special, A CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!  At 9am on the ice covered turf of Mt. Si High School, these boys did what they had been taught to do all season long…..”Play like Champions!”  In front of about 250 fans, 37 Eastlake Cheerleaders, and with my husband coaching the defense, I watched the Eastlake boys defeat Lake Washington 12-0 in a shut out.  Our team lead the league in points scored (245) and fewest points scored against (45).

Dalton (#28) tackles a LW Kang.

Running to the outside.

Heading to the end zone!  Touchdown!

This LW Kang thought he was going to score…but Dalton got him from behind.

What a season….and what an honor to be able to capture photos of these boys from the sideline.  They handled each victory with class and made each and every coach and parent so proud.  Way to go Eastlake Wolves Rookie Red Champions!  For more on the team, you can see an article published in the paper at the following link.

http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/red/sports/70306152.html

It is my honor once again to be on display at Overlake Hospital in the Labor & Delivery - Mother Baby Unit.  It is particularly exciting this time as the hospital has recently remodeled the entire Childbirth Center.  It looks fantastic!  Gone are the peach and teal of 1980….you now see beautiful rich colors and warm dark wood furnishings.  Makes me almost want to have another baby just to hang out there.   Plus, you will find over 50 of my favorite images enlarged and lining the halls in this area of the hospital. 

This Sunday, November 8th from 11am-2pm Overlake will be celebrating.  They invite you to come to an Open House to see the newly remodeled center.  There will be guest speakers, car seat safety demonstrations, informational and educational booths, a family show by a magician, refreshments, and more….and it is all free.  Did you know that Overlake is ranked in the top 5% in the nation for Maternity Care!  Impressive! 

 So stop by on Sunday, take a tour, and check out some of my favorite baby and family images like this one. 

I met BriAnne Powell about 5 years ago when her she was a bridesmaid in her brother Josh’s wedding.  When she called to say she was engaged and she wanted me to photograph her wedding, I was thrilled.  The Powell family is one of the nicest group of people you will ever meet.  Gracious, loving, and very spiritual, this tight knit family was so excited to see BriAnne marry a man who shares those same wonderful qualities.  When I met Cameron and his family, I could see right away that they all fit together perfectly.

It helps make the wedding ceremony extra special when the person who performs it really knows the bride and groom well.  It adds that personal touch and makes a tremendous difference in the message.  So when Josh married BriAnne and Cameron, it was really special.  It was as if there were 200 people witnessing a personal conversation between friends about their commitment to each other, their marriage and to God.

It is a tradition that goes back generations in the Powell family that when the father of the bride walks his little girl down the aisle, he holds this family bible in one hand.  The bible is used during the wedding ceremony and then the groom brings it back down the aisle with his new wife.  I love Cameron’s expression of pride and BriAnne’s giddy smile right after they were pronounced Mr. and Mrs. Cameron Damskov.

A bubble filled send off ….

and more bubbles…..

Let the party begin….Inglewood Golf and Country Club was the scene for a party to remember.

Ceremony: Bastyr University Wedding Chapel    Reception: Inglewood Golf Club   Second Shooter: Stacey Y

 Wedding Event Design: Katy Leiser Unveiled Events 

Molly and Jim tied the knot at Villa Academy in Seattle.   Here she was full of anticipation, literally dancing down the aisle before seeing her groom.

This little cutie was all smiles, all day.  He watched from an upstairs window as the wedding party was getting photographs taken…..all this while eating snacks to keep his smiles and energy up.  At the reception, he said the cutest thing.  “Miss Kelly, can I follow you around?”  I told him he sure could.  After a few minutes of following my every step, he asked if he could take a photo of me….with my camera.  How could I say no.  So I carefully placed thousands of dollars worth of equipment around his little neck and showed him what to do.  He took a photo of me from about 3 feet away (so I could catch my gear if he dropped it).  He did pretty darn good for a 4 year old. 

I loved the natural lighting in the hallway before entering the church.  The warm light inside was so inviting as Molly and Jim walked into the church for a few moments of quiet before the guests began to arrive. 

A very proud father walked his little girl toward Jim.  Molly caught the loving gaze of her mother awaiting her at the end of the aisle.

It’s official, Mr. and Mrs. Lamb are officially married.  Congrats to you both!  Stacey and I had a blast photographing your day. 

I have been looking forward to Matt and Lyndsey’s wedding for a full year.  I met this adorable couple when I was photographing their friend’s wedding (Suzanne and Adam Jayne-Jensen 08.08.08).  I photographed Matt and Lyndsey’s engagement session last November and they were such fun.  I knew that their day would be full of classy, elegant details…not to mention they both are very comfortable in front of the camera! 

Lyndsey is the tiniest little thing…maybe 5 foot tall….and Matt must be 6 foot 5 or so.  Here her Mom is helping Lyndsey put on her super high heels.  They were sexy, gave her a few more inches of height to catch up with Matt…and Lyndsey said they were really comfortable.  Check out the calf muscles on this lady…now that is muscle definition.   

Okay, are they stunning together!?

LOVE the back of this dress.  If I had a consultation before the wedding to pick the PERFECT dress for Lyndsey, it would have been this one.  She pulls off a strapless dress like it was custom made just for her.

The Woodmark Hotel in Kirkland was the venue for their celebration.   Inside, outside…it just doesn’t matter.  Everything at this venue is beautiful.

We ventured out to a super bright and windy day.  Matt scooped up Lyndsey so she wouldn’t ruin her beautiful shoes on the docks.

Family and wedding party watched from the upstairs balcony…clearly approving of his decision to be chivalrous.

Now there are fun wedding parties and there are FUN wedding parties.  This group tipped the fun meter to SUPER FUN. 

I asked Matt to walk in front of his guys toward me.  I about fell over laughing as the guys started channeling the West Side Story boys in the background complete with side snapping and lots of laughter.

The very talented Stacey Yuchasz was second shooting for me and captured the girls getting a kick out of that scene. 

I love how Lyndsey is fighting back tears in this very emotional moment as she is about to be given away.   

After the ceremony, the wedding party retreated to a side room to toast the wedding.  You can’t script moments like this.  Here Matt enthusiastically shows off his new ring.  What followed was a tear filled toast to friendship, love, and a lifetime of happiness.

Matt and Lyndsey escaped the reception for a moment together at sunset.

Cheers to Mr. and Mrs. Matt Heinle.  What an event for everyone to remember.

It is always an honor to have photos used by other professional wedding vendors.  Brooke Arambula, owner of Event Envy, a wedding and event planning company, recently contacted me about using my photos on her new website.  If you click on the logo above, you will be taken to her website and can see some of my work.  Thanks Brooke for spreading the word about my photography.  I look forward to working with you often.

I had a blast with Dana and Jeff on their wedding day.  These two were so excited to be getting married.  Their enthusiasm was infectious to everyone around them.  We started out on Dana’s parents spectacular property on the water in Olympia.  I want to go back on a sunny day and play in the water there…such a great spot. 

I’d describe Dana in one word…spunky.  She is so full of life and a total delight to be around…the kind of girl you want to be friends with.  Jeff is a super guy too.  He can’t stop smiling and has so much love for Dana.  These two are forever.

The ceremony and reception were at the Olympia Golf and Country Club.  We hit the tide right and were able to do their group shots down on the beach. 

I went down later after the ceremony because I really wanted to take this shot.  The beach had shrunk from 20 yards to more like 2 feet from the break-wall.  I had to lay on the crushed shells to get this shot.   I was covered in shells when I stood up, but it was worth it.

Dana and Jeff released 50 Monarch Butterflies just after they were pronounced husband and wife.  They fluttered around everywhere!  All night long I was finding them inside and outside. 

Here one landed on Dana’s bouquet!

 Not fans of cake….who needs it.  How about 15 flavors and 10 toppings of Ben and Jerry’s Ice-cream….YUM!

One of the flower girls wanted Jeff and Dana to kiss her ice-cream. 

Dana and Jeff, thanks for your patience in getting this blog posted.  It has been a long time coming.  I have 4 more anxious brides and grooms waiting to see their weddings posted.  So keep checking….I’m slowly making progress on the processing of my photos from a crazy season.  Last night marked my last wedding for a few weeks.  So I’m hoping to catch up.  Wish I wasn’t so particular and could hand off the work to someone.  But I like to edit, crop, play with the photos.  It is like the reward for me after shooting an event.