Justin + Stasha | Engagement

I think engagement photos are quickly becoming my favorite. You only have two humans to worry about capturing and it makes it easy when those two humans happen to be madly in love with each other. It also makes it easy when the couple is hot, like seriously HOT. Enter Stasha and Justin!

We completed our weekend trip to Seattle with a rockin' engagement shoot with this awesome couple, whose wedding we are photographing at the end of August in Spokane. Stasha and Justin live in Seattle and it was Stasha's brilliant idea to do their engagement photos on a ferry to Bainbridge Island! It took me all of two seconds (and a little self-restraint not to scream with excitement) to reply, "Ummm...YES! We are so there!" I love it when our clients come up with great ideas that are fresh and out of the box. :)

Stasha and Justin have actually known each other since high school. Side note: We all actually went to the same high school where I'm pretty sure each and every one of my good guy friends had a huge crush on Stasha... had to throw that in there. ;) There is nothing better than photographing a couple who has a ton of fun together, is REAL, and whose relationship is visibly just rock solid. Stasha and Justin have all of these things and much more. We could go on and on about how much fun we had with them (and how yummy the French Toast we ate at Bainbridge Island was), but we'll cut to the chase and show you some of our favorite pictures! And let me tell you, we had a heck of a time narrowing it down...



We are so excited for Stasha and Justin's wedding in August!

Holly + Kyle | Engagement

Like I mentioned in this post, our Seattle trip a couple weekends ago originated because I scheduled two engagement shoots in Sea Town, the first of which was of Holly and Kyle! Holly and I both played volleyball at Whitworth, although we never got to play together. We actually became good friends when I was coaching her senior season at Whitworth! Holly is a total anomaly to me -- on one hand, she is one of the most naturally athletic, crazy competitive people I know; on the other hand, she is a total girly girl and LOVES pink! In all seriousness, Holly is one of the sweetest girls you will ever meet and is genuinely beautiful inside and out.

It was actually during Holly's senior volleyball season when she met Kyle, who played football for Whitworth. I remember numerous bus trips and late nights in hotel rooms during the season when Holly would gush about the new cute boy in her life. :) It was so much fun to be a small part of the beginning of Holly and Kyle's relationship and then be able to take their engagement photos! Kyle and Holly moved over to Bellevue a couple years ago because Kyle is coaching football over there. Because they wanted their engagement photos to reflect their daily lives, how they spend their time together, and who they are as a couple, we did the shoot in and around their neighborhood, which is a first for me! They have these lush, gorgeous trails near their home (which is where Kyle proposed to Holly) and a nearby park they frequent with their dog, Titan. This shoot was personal, simple, and very much a reflection of this couple, which I love!

Without further ado, here are some Flat 4 favorites of Holly and Kyle...



We are so excited to be able to attend and enjoy Holly and Kyle's wedding in July! :) And here's to hoping they'll be moving back to Spokane soon...

Sea Town

I think for the most part, I am a pretty simple person. The little things in life -- think Zac Brown Band's Chicken Fried -- leave me pretty darn content. But I have to admit, there is something completely alluring about a big city that seriously quenches my soul...
 I think it's the sensory overload that gets me. The frenetic sounds of organized chaos, the smell of the exhaust from buses and the subways, constantly being surrounded by the rush of hundreds of people you will never see again... Sometimes I think I was supposed to live smack dab in the middle of all of that in another life. It's not every day, but sometimes I ache for that energy and excitement of a big city.

At least a couple times a year, Jord and I make a road trip to Seattle to get our fix. Do not ask me how it happens, but we always seem to pick the perfect sunny weekend to end up in Sea Town (which, let's be honest, is not a common occurrence considering the city is cloudy 226 days a year!) I had scheduled two engagement shoots in Seattle for the same weekend, so we decided to each take a day off work and make a long weekend of it.
 I can pretty much sum up our whole trip in five words: shopping, friends, family, sun, and photography. We got to spend time with so many people we love and it was exactly what we needed. And yes, Urban Outfitters does fit in to my category of "people we love" even though it's not a person. Don't judge. ;)  Okay, so one of my goals (besides not getting kicked out of Anthropologie for asking to live there) was to take pictures of us and our friends. I think I got about a C- in that department. So if you're not pictured and we saw you over the weekend in Seattle, please don't take it personally. Just blame it on my lack of memory and effort to pull out my big camera and make you pose for a picture -- yes, I realize I'm a photographer and this should come naturally. I have no witty comment or explanation for why this doesn't happen.


One of my favorite things to do in Seattle is to walk around Pike's Place Market, even if I don't buy anything. I don't feel like my Seattle trips are complete unless I've walked through the Market from start to finish, usually with a Starbucks drink in hand. Only this time, we decided to stop at a little outdoor cafe overlooking the water after our market trip; just me, my love, cold beers, some appetizers, and the sunshine. Now that, my friends, is perfection.
 On our last day in Sea Town, we did a morning engagement shoot on a ferry to BainBridge Island -- how fun is that?! The weather was gorgeous, the couple was smokin' hot and super fun, and we got to explore Bainbridge Island, which is the cutest little marine town you've ever seen. Oh, and we ate the most scrumptious French Toast which was actually voted the Best French Toast in the Northwest by Rachel Ray. Try not to be jealous...  Thank you, Seattle, for completely fulfilling your role and big city void in my life. You were good to us and we will be back again soon.

Flat 4 Video Interview

As a preferred vendor for Apple Brides, we were approached to have a video interview done about Jordan and I and this little business of ours, Flat 4 Photography & Photo Booth. I was a little hesitant at first because I am usually really awkward and uncomfortable in front of a video camera, but we decided we were all in and we went for it! And let's be honest, Jordan is a big fan of being on camera and would probably have a 24-hour reality TV show of himself if he could. ;)

The video was created from start to finish by Megan and Rob of Rogue Heart Media, who are not only an awesome duo but who are extremely talented, fresh, and super professional! Seriously, if you ever need a video team for any reason (wedding, business, personal use, etc.), you must check them out... and while you're at it, go like them on Facebook. :) 

We really had no idea what to expect and we were absolutely floored by the outcome. Although there were, of course, a few choice comments from Jordan and I after we first watched the video: "Wow, I need a tan!"... "Do I really sound like that in real life?"... "The camera adds 10 pounds, right?" I guess everyone is their own best critic! 

Thank you so much Apple Brides and Rogue Heart Media! Now go check out the awesome video featuring yours truly...

The Story of Flat 4 Photography & Photo Booth from Rogue Heart Media on Vimeo.

Birthdays, Belly Bands, Bones, and Black Beans

Judging by the title of this post, you've probably already figured out that it's going to be one of those random, off the wall posts. And there are a lot of B's in the title. Don't be scared...

Birthdays.

I turned 27 about a week ago. It was the first year someone asked me how old I was going to be and I actually couldn't remember. I'm pretty sure the "I don't know" answer is only acceptable if you're under the age of two and can't really form words anyway or if you're over a (ahem) certain age. I remember my parents always answering that way when asked how old they were or were going to be, and I secretly thought they were either lying or trying to be funny. I mean, come on, who doesn't know how old they are?! Apparently you join this elite group on your 27th birthday...

This was also the first year where I didn't want to have a big to-do. Jordan and I had purchased a fabulous Groupon deal for a one-night stay at the Montvale Hotel downtown (I'm really not a secret spokesperson for Groupon -- swear!), so we decided my birthday was a good enough excuse to use it. We had a fabulous night out with a dinner at Catacombs, followed by lunch at The Elk with my family the next day. It was lovely and just what I needed. And I think the best part of doing birthdays this way is you get to extend the one-day celebration into a week-long string of lunches, drink dates, and dinners with close friends. Who said you don't get wiser by the time you're 27... or was it 26?

Belly Bands and Bones.

Life has thrown me a lot of circumstances lately where I'm left asking myself, "Why am I the least bit surprised by this??" You know, circumstances that most logical human beings would foresee in their future so the emotion of surprise is simply not warranted. Here is one, well actually two of those situations...



If you're still with me and haven't exited out of our blog, you're probably pondering a nice, little, three-letter acronym in your head right about now...

WTF? or WTH? Whatever floats your boat.

My thoughts exactly.

To put it bluntly, our youngest dog, Max, is kicking our ass. Plain and simple. I have never met a dog as smart as this guy is, but who would be giving us the finger about 75 percent of the time if he was physically capable of doing so. His latest phase of puppyhood (although I'm not sure you can call a dog who's 1.5 years old a puppy) has consisted of "marking" in our house. The dog is fully potty-trained, yet his instincts are telling him to mark what he thinks belongs to him. The last straw? Apparently he thinks I belong to him. Twice. Once in my Ugg boots. Okay, they're fake Uggs, but still... Something had to be done, and so a dog diaper (aka "Belly Band") actually appeared on our credit card statement a couple weeks ago. You can only imagine Jordan's excitement about that...

And the bone was purchased in the same trip to PetCo, and I simply couldn't resist showing you physical evidence of what Max can do in two months. TWO MONTHS, before and after. The picture of the bones is pretty much a direct correlation to our house, pre-Max and post-Max. Did I mention this dog is only about 23 pounds?

Oh, and as a side note, the Belly Band did not work. Max: 92. Jordan & Whitney: 0.

Black Beans (Pizza, That Is.)

Let me preface this by saying I am a big, fat copycat. My friend, Amy, posted this recipe for Black Bean Pizza on her blog about a month ago. Not only was it delicious, it also met all my requirements for sharing it with other people. Mostly, it was a recipe I could handle without sweating and swearing. Although, I have to admit, Jord helped. ;) And we both LOVED it.



Please take a stab at which picture is stolen from Amy's blog of her pizza and which one is mine...? I'll give you a hint: my pizza is ugly. Nevertheless, it still tasted good! By the way, do anyone else's cooking creations never turn out half as good-looking as the cookbook picture? Or is that just me? Okay, maybe don't answer that...

BLACK BEAN PIZZA RECIPE

Crust
Dissolve:
*2 teaspoons yeast in 1 c. warm water (let soften a few minutes)
Add:
*1 teaspoon sugar
*1 teaspoon salt
*2 Tablespoons oil
*2 cups white flour
*1/2 c. whole wheat flour
Knead a few minutes, then rest a short time (about 15 minutes). Roll out and bake @ 425 degrees for five minutes before adding the sauce & toppings.

Sauce
In food processor or blender combine:
*one can black beans, rinsed and drained
*3 Tablespoons olive oil
*2 Tablespoons chopped, fresh cilantro (or more!)
*1 teaspoon cumin
*1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
*1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Spread bean mixture on pre-baked pizza crust. Add the following toppings:
*small can sliced olives, drained
*1/2 c. or more diced red bell pepper
*1/4 c. sliced green onions
*8 oz. jack/cheddar blend cheese

Bake at 425 degrees for 7-12 more minutes. Serve with sour cream and salsa!


Thanks, Amy, for the great recipe! We are actually making it tonight for the second time. Yum. :)