Uthmann Family, Portraits

Posted by Aaron - 30/11/09 at 06:11:00 pm

Weather this nice in November should not be allowed. And little Joy is just too cute. Rachel is the sister of the bride of one of my recent weddings and I was honored to photograph her family. The sun was out, Joy was adorable, the wind was brisk, and it felt like we just played.

As a note, Tim, Rachel, and Joy live in Rome, Italy working with International Teams, an organization who works with refugees. They told me Joy is the center of attention, and I now know why.

Thanks Uthmann’s! All the best to you as you travel back to Roma. Ciao, pace e bene!

*As a side note to photographers, yes, I used a Nikon 45mm PC-E 2.8 tilt shift for some of the shots.

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Jenny & Dave, Engaged House-Boat-in-Seattle-Style

Posted by Aaron - 26/11/09 at 12:11:00 am

Sometimes people run into hard luck. Other times, people run into friends who have a house boat and who happen to be leaving for a few years and wanting you to house-sit for them. People like that are named Jenny and Dave and if anyone deserved that lucky break, it’s them. They are sweet, kind, fun, and patient.

It’s pretty easy to photograph a couple in love on a houseboat on Lake Union in Seattle with SUN SHINING ON US, so we fought Seattle traffic over to the Seattle Zoo where Jenny and Dave still kept smiling and being in love. Then Ashley and I made them stand out on their cold porch as night crept in but they still were happy. Ridiculous. Still waiting for a frowny-pants engagement session. Any takers?

> > > See MORE pictures of Jenny & Dave, Engaged House-Boat-in-Seattle-Style…

Getting Older

Posted by Aaron - 25/11/09 at 11:11:00 pm

My kids are now 3 & 5 years old. Happy Birthday kids. You are awesome and Daddy is so proud of you. Now be still and don’t smile for the camera.

Kendra & OJ, Engaged

Posted by Aaron - 25/11/09 at 01:11:00 am

The light during and after rain is way underrated. But Kendra & OJ’s coolness was just the right amount.

Shot with Ashley Forrette.

> > > See MORE pictures of Kendra & OJ, Engaged…

End of Wedding Season

Posted by Aaron - 23/11/09 at 11:11:00 pm

It’s the end of wedding season (of course, unless some crazy couple calls me with an urgent need for a photographer in the next month and a half).

Ashley and I shot a beautiful wedding in San Francisco this weekend and had to celebrate by a walk to the ocean to do some Judo. Photographing a wedding is hard work when you are passionate about doing a good job, so when you get an open trail to the ocean and a good sunset, it’s nice to just have fun and get creative.

Special thanks to Ashley Forrette this year for an amazing wedding season. We shot a lot together and it’s an honor to shoot with a professional who cares so deeply about making beautiful images. She is off on a long vacation with her man, also an insanely creative web developer, to the bottom half of the world. Get some relaxing done you two, you deserve it!

Friday, GearHead Edition

Posted by Aaron - 20/11/09 at 11:11:00 am

Because I get endless questions about the gear I use (I don’t but I really wanted to start off this post sounding important), I thought I’d take this time where I am packing for a wedding in San Francisco and share some of my favorite pieces of equipment that will surely be poking the person seated in 12F in the eye very soon.

Bag:
*Lowepro Flipside 400 AW. I love it so much. It’s good for nature shooting (has a pull-out rain cover) and it’s not bad for weddings either since I carry lighting stuff too. Twirls around my hip when I need to access the inside and feel what it’s like to be pregnant.

In the Bag:
*Nikon D700 (I love you D700! You know I do! Mwah!)+ Grip
*Nikon D90 + grip (awesome backup/2nd camera)
*Lenses
-Nikon 24-70mm 2.8
-Nikon 50mm 1.8
-Tokina 100mm 2.8 macro
-Tokina 11-16 2.8 ultra-wide
*Flashes
-2 Nikon SB600s with diffusers
-1 Nikon SB26
-Set of 3 CyberSync wireless triggers (essential and awesome!)
-Justin Clamp (SO extremely handy)
-Manfrotto light stand, collapsible
-umbrella, collapsible white shoot-through with black cover
-Honl Grids, 1/4″ and 1/8″. I LOVE these so much. Great control of light
-1 billion SD and CF cards
-3 stop ND filter (nice for getting motion on a bright day and trick shots)
-homemade bounce card with velcro, 12″ high, spreads light and again helps with control

New item that won’t fit in the bag
*Bogen Monopod. Because I want a steady shot and don’t want to sedate myself to get it.

What’s great is that it all fits in my Lowepro bag. If I need to shoot with it on my back, I can without too much work.

So advice? First, learn to work with what you have. Second, get a flash or two and practice with them all you can. Also, when you swing your bag around, don’t hurt people.

That is all. Off to San Francisco!
-Aaron

Suzanne & Ken, San Francisco Wedding

Posted by Aaron - 20/11/09 at 12:11:00 am

Big day for Suzanne and Ken. Why? Look at the pictures! They got married! Hooray! I took pictures there in San Francisco with Ashley Forrette.

Also, looking back, I’m glad I did not leave Suzanne and Ken’s rings in the gift shop hanging next to the San Francisco tourist keychains. Maybe I’m crazy, but when the bride and groom hand me their rings, I feel a bit like Gollum. Finding some weird corner to hide in and take pictures. Oh well, I was released from the power of the ring this time and gave them back. See? Photographer NICE to clients! OOOhhhh yesssssss my precioussss.

Ok, I’m crazy.

> > > See MORE pictures of Suzanne & Ken, San Francisco Wedding…

A New Day for Aaron Courter Photography

Posted by Aaron - 19/11/09 at 01:11:00 am

As some of you know, I’ve been working a day job outside of this photography business for a long while. Nine and one half years in fact. A job that paid well, provided limited professional growth, but was never a fit for who I am as a person. Zero creativity. Zero outside-of-the-box thinking. For years I’ve been conflicted, both knowing that I have to support a family financially while putting my energy into something that will never be fulfilling. The weight of that at times has been way too much to bear. I know you people relate to this because I’ve talked to you. Risk or stability? I ran across a quote via Twitter today, “…there’s no reward in tiptoeing through life only to make it safely to death.”

Photography has been my sole creative passion for a few years now. It’s a way to share how I see the world, but at the same time allow myself to be changed by what I see. To notice what has not been noticed. Nothing makes me more fulfilled than to creating a photograph that reveals the beauty of its subject. During this year, plans to make the transition to full time photography were in gear and, in a quick, unplanned motion of events, yesterday I found myself released from my former career and into a wide open space.

No doubt this will not easy. There are a bazillion point two photographers in the world, and a cadrillion of them are good. But they aren’t me and many never even try. So here I am, ready to jump.

Make pictures with me.
-Aaron

Stephanie Is a Senior and She is Awesome.

Posted by Aaron - 16/11/09 at 01:11:00 am

I loved this senior portrait shoot. Stephanie is a tremendous softball player hoping to continue playing in college (currently choosing her prospects). But also, she’s laid back, gorgeous and fun. We went over to Peninsula Park in the eerie fog and then down Killingsworth.

Thanks Stephanie!!! Best of luck this year!

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TiltShifty Goodness, Seattle Edition

Posted by Aaron - 14/11/09 at 09:11:00 am

This week was intensely busy. And as you should do when facing any difficulty, it is best to run away and go do something else, which Ashley and I did Wednesday. We had an engagement shoot (which I will showcase later) in Seattle, on a houseboat, on Lake Union, with some cool people. But since it’s like a 10 hour drive one way and uphill with traffic, we decided to make use of being in Seattle by taking pictures with our favorite lens, the tiltshift.

This lens stretches, pulls, and rotates, giving you control over the line of focus. Below are some of my favorite images from the trip.

look for it