Julie Harrell: Photographer

Something interesting happened in my shooting love affair with Western Washington University’s campus, I needed a break. When a dear friend scheduled a family session I knew exactly where to take them–into Fairhaven at one of my other favorite locations! I haven’t blogged their session yet, but funny thing, as soon as I came home from the “new” location, I received a call from Shawn Ellars mentioning that they loved the colors from this photo session and curious if we could use it. Of course I said yes, chuckling to myself about the fact that it was same inspiring location from where I had just returned. Its wonderful to be inspired in a certain setting, creativity magic is made, resulting in truly honest photographs (well, sometimes anyways)! I met Shawn and Frank and their children for a chilly winter shoot at this lovely little setting. Frank’s daughter Caidee was visiting from England (Caidee, can I come visit you please?), and so to play on the whole English bit, we ventured out to the British telephone booth to snap a few frames too. It was very cold, however, so we ended our session with a couple frames at sunset at the bay and called it a night. I think their son Jenson was the most appreciative of the quick departure from the blistering breeze by the beach to head out for coffee. I adore this family, Shawn has always been one of those super creative people from whom I glean ideas, Maddie is amazing, and an excellent babysitter (my girls love her), and Keston is a true life of the party! Thanks for spending a cold afternoon with me Frank, Shawn, Caidee, Maddeie, Jenson, and Keston!

Cheerio! (said in my amazing English accent, just for you Caidee )
jewels

I was going to start this post by making you look at all the photos, and see if you could guess the location for the St. Hilare Family session… but I put it in the title, so you win! I was very honest when I said I’ve re-fallen in love with Western Washington University‘s Campus. I think each session has a completely unique look each time I visit. The nice thing about having the session on Campus was that the place holds meaning for the St.Hilaires. Andrew’s dad was the registrar while Andrew was growing up. We did the shoot on the steps of Old Main, and Andrew told me stories of when he was a boy how they would go sledding down the big hill… that was before the landscapers came in and made it impossible to do these days. I originally met Lindsay and Andrew early on in my shooting career when I did their engagement photos. Depending on how long you have known me or read my blog, I will remind you that they were the ones with the pet chicken (yes, you read correctly)! Lindsay, I totally forgot to ask if you still have Dymphna.. do you? Now they’ve added two sweet boys to the mix, one very recently. Lindsay just had Peter Julian 4 weeks before our session. For being outside in the late fall he couldn’t have been sweeter. I was also excited to meet their oldest son John (2 1/2 years old) and he was of course a boy bursting with levels of energy I dream about! John was set and ready for adventure and playtime, and he could smile for candy corn like no body’s business. I’m 100% pro-bribery on photo day if you didn’t know… Andrew and Lindsay, your growing family is so beautiful, I’m so glad we could fit in photos during your visit to the Ham!

Cheers,
jewels

Luke, Bonnie and Hudson met me at my current favorite location, Western Washington University’s Campus, for their family session. Bonnie and I met at MOPS last year and I have adored her fun loving personality and amazing smile. She smiles at everything, I’m pretty sure she smiles when she is sad and upset too… That’s a guess, she can let me know if there are times she’s not smiling Hudson, who is a year and a half is active and adorable. Playing/shooting him made me realize how great boys are, I am so used to girls, he’s a hoot! Thanks Kaemingk Fam for a wonderful fall session. I adore your photos, I hope you do too!

Cheers,
jewels

I said before I have found new excitement for shooting sessions at Western Washington University. Maybe its nostalgia of being back on campus, but the lighting is always perfect, and the landscaping and buildings are inspiring! Luckily there are enough trees changing leaves at different times in the fall season to accomodate “fall color” sessions during the majority of the Autumn months. The last time I shot the Miller family, it was snowing, so this time they wanted fall leaves. Even though we did the session early in the fall season, I found a fantastic nook with leaves and fall color. Next Miller session I think we will need the beach with palm trees… in Cabo… It was super easy to capture the laid back, fun loving nature of the Millers. After knowing them for almost 12 years now it makes the interactions very comfortable. Jaden only stuck his tongue out at me 27 cough cough 3 Times. It is a privilege to capture their beautiful faces once again! Enjoy Miller Fam!

Cheers,
jewels

I am so excited to share these photos of the Fullers this year. Mostly because this time we added some other special people to the photos. We had Deb and Danny (Grandparents) and Hope and Noah (Dee’s sister and nephew) along for a full family shoot at Paradise on Mt. Rainier. Deb and Dan are regulars at the same lodge, and have been coming here with their family since the girls, Hope and Dee, were little. This was a very special location for family portraits. Even more special as the location, was the relationships. This family reflect a similar beauty as the setting around us. They are joined together with so much love and appreciation for one another. A day spent with this family will rejuvenate your soul! Our family was blessed to spend a weekend up at Paradise with you guys! I hope you enjoy your photos as much as I do. They bring back wonderful memories for our family just looking at them! And as my mantra goes, I have too many photos posted in this post. Of course I’m in love with too many to narrow down, I think all the images tell a fun story!

Cheers,
jewels

When I first started shooting sessions, I use to use WWU all the time as my default session setting. There are a million little nooks and I can find decent lighting just about anywhere around campus most times of the day. I took a couple year hiatus from shooting on campus, though recently re-ignited my love for shooting there. I needed a very good location to shoot Lacey, Caleb and Callie. Caleb is a talented photographer himself, but he works for a local film company, Hand Cranked Films, as a director and on his own produces movies. We saw one of his films at the independent theater, the Pickford, in town last year. His most recent movie was in line to go to the Sundance Film Festival… All that said, I was a little nervous since this family knows good lighting, creative composition, and every technical detail Lacey made Caleb promise not to say anything about lighting while I was shooting! Once the butterflies settled, I was able to capture some amazing (at least I think so) images of this beautiful family. I hope you all enjoy them too!

Cheers,
jewels

Jackson is a football player at Meridian High school, and a golfer. I met Jackson and his family at their home to snap a few family photos, and instead moving on to my previously scouted locations for the rest of the senior photos, I ended up shooting the majority of his session at their amazing property. Jackson was up for whatever I had in mind, and of course I was able to get a few extra special smiles when I asked about his gf! Thanks Phillips family for a great evening! Your family is beautiful and so full of love!

Cheers,
jewels

So I am totally playing the same game of blog catchup, and have a few posts to come in the next days… but I’m excited to finally share photos of this beautiful family! I first photographed the Denton family when their first daughter, Riley, turned one. Now they have two daughters, and Sonja is in the “one year old” chair. When I first saw Sonja I thought I was looking at Riley how I remembered her! And it was difficult through out the session not to call Sonja “Riley.” I’ll throw in a photo of Riley from when she was one, next to Sonya at one. They could be twins. Both girls are beautiful and happy, and the camera loves them! Spending a warm fall evening at Boulevard Park at sunset with the Tyler and Elizabeth, and those gorgeous girls, made for a wonderful night. Hope you enjoy the photos as much as I do!

Cheers,
Jewels

And here is a side by side of Riley and Sonja

It was about time I got to photograph the Schmitt Family! Katrina and I do MOPS together, and for the past few years she has patiently waited for me not to be pregnant/on maternity leave/ or booked for a time to do their family photos! She kept on me and finally we planned a summer evening family session at Whatcom Falls Park. Katrina had warned me before hand that she doesn’t like photos of herself, so my goal was to give her at least one image of her beautiful self that she appreciated! I’m pretty sure I met that goal. You are one good looking family, and nice job on outfits! You all looked awesome! And as for narrowing down which photos I wanted to share on the blog? Well once again I am posting way too many, story of my life

Cheers,
Jewels

Little baby Emersyn is pure perfection. She did all the things a newborn photographer prays for the day of a shoot. She was wonderful to hold, I sometimes had a hard time putting her down as I changed out props and settings. You know the invigorating feeling of watching fireworks every time 4th of July roll around? The awe of the lights and booms, no matter how many times you’ve seen them? I have similar feelings with newborns. No matter how many times I see one I’m constantly saying, “I can’t believe how small he/she is!” I’m in awe at their tiny features and their super light weight When I came home to Juliet, who I still picture as a newborn, she seemed more like a big kid than a 7th month old. Its amazing how fleeting those first few weeks are. That window of time is almost magical… well if you consider being delusional and the blur of sleep deprived a form of magic. Either way its one of the most incredible occasions shared between a parent and child. Even though it seems like a hazing into parenthood, its beyond words. I’m privileged to capture a few moment of those weeks and blessed to hold such beautiful life with newborns sessions, and this session with Emersyn was as perfect as she!

Cheers,
jewels