Sandi Heinrich Photography

Meet My New Buddy Evan!

2009-07-12T22:28:00.001-07:00

Sometimes it takes kids a little while to warm up when they meet me the first time… in fact sometimes it takes a few shoots with me for them to figure out I’m okay. This was definitely not the case with Evan! This two year old cutie face was ready to roll as soon as I arrived. We wasted no time in getting down to exploring the beach at Boulevard Park – I’m certain every future family visit to this park will result in the turning over of big rocks by Danielle & Mike, Evan’s mom & dad, in order to find the scurrying crabs hidden below : ) Here are some fun shots from our adventure!

We found lots of creepy crawly bugs, too!

When we met, Danielle’s belly was bursting with Evan’s baby brother, Andrew. In fact, her labor started the very next day! Andrew’s newborn photos will be featured in an upcoming post- and yes, he’s every bit as adorable as his big brother!

Evan thought his mama’s belly button made a great hiding place for rocks : )

Stay tuned for more photos of Evan, Danielle and Mike with sweet baby Andrew!

Photo Featured In The Weekly!

2009-07-08T11:59:00.001-07:00

I love the way things sometimes evolve from one thing to another… as it turns out, taking my camera to the Mount Baker Theatre on Inauguration Day not only won me top prize in the Essence of Bellingham Photography Competition, it has turned into a volunteer gig with the theatre. Anyone who knows me well knows the Mount Baker Theatre holds a very special place in my heart, so the opportunity to support it by doing what I do best is a true honor! This week the Cascadia Weekly features a photo I took at a rehearsal for Butterflies Are Free. Tonight’s performance kicks off the theater’s Summer Rep Series- maybe I’ll see you there!

Announcing July Special on Photo Shoots!

2009-07-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

These are tight times for many of us, but that doesn't mean anyone should have to go without beautiful photography! For the month of July, I am offering a savings of $50 off all full service photo shoots and packages. Here are more details:

Service does not need to be completed in the month of July. You may take advantage of this special for shoots planned later this year, but your nonrefundable $50 deposit for services must be paid by 7.31.009, with your remaining balance due on the date of service.

All services paid for with this discount must be completed by 12.31.009 or nonrefundable deposit will be forfeited. Alternatively, you may purchase a gift certificate at the discounted rate to be used at any time in the future. Gift certificates must be paid for in full at time of purchase

Discount does not apply to Buddy Packages, Quick Shoots, Play Group Shoots, or Head Shots and may not be applied with any other discount including Referral Bonuses or Smart Trips discount.

$50 discount may be applied to three hours of wedding coverage or more.

Discount may not be applied to previously scheduled shoots or weddings.

Keep in mind, framed photographs make beautiful, affordable holiday gifts for your loved ones. This is your opportunity to stretch your holiday spending limits a little further!

In Other News...

You might have noticed some changes to my blog! Lately I've spent a good deal of time making it a more inclusive site for clients. I've added links to pages where I have shared rates, information including where to make prints and how to prepare for shoots, as well as a place to share all the wonderful words my clients have shared with me in response to the work I've done for them. Please take a look around! Be sure to check out the "ways to save" page for a host of ways to save money on my services. I recently added the Quick Shoot as a permanent service... be sure to check out the details for how you can arrange your own Quick Shoot day with friends and family!

I hope you all are enjoying our beautiful summer weather! Please let me know if you have any questions about this special, and be sure to pass on the news to everyone you know! I'll look forward to seeing you soon!

Everyone Loves A Naked Baby!

2009-06-29T13:07:00.001-07:00

For me, it’s difficult to imagine anything sweeter than the soft peach of a baby’s skin surrounded by simple white…so much so that when my son Asher was little, I dressed him in solid white pajamas for as long as I could find them in his size- until about the age of four : ) When little Cameron’s mama Connie contacted me last month for an eight month shoot, I suggested we use my all white bedroom as our setting. The natural light reflects so beautifully in this room that I was anxious to test it out as a backdrop, with exactly these pictures in mind! I think you’ll agree, there’s nothing sweeter…

You can see photos of a clothed Cameron (and some with his mommy Connie!) in an album on my Facebook page!

Happy Father’s Day!

2009-06-21T19:07:00.001-07:00

It’s time again to share my collection of photos of all the great dads I got to work with in the past year! I hope you all are having the wonderful day that you deserve for working so hard to be such great parents!

Lately I’ve been working a lot with newborns, so I thought I would start out this year’s Father’s Day entry with a few photos of some super happy daddies who are just getting to know their newest little ones!

JB & Alexander

Mike & Makena

Scott & Ivy

Mike & Andrew

Mike & Avery

Old Favorites: He’s Definitely Not A Little Boy Anymore

2009-06-06T18:04:00.001-07:00

My son Asher shaved for the first time last week… which made me think of these photos of two-and-a-half year old Asher in the bath tub playing with Dad’s shaving cream. I’m sure I said something like, “Someday, when you’re a big boy…”

Looks like that day has come. *sniff *

Results Are In!

2009-06-04T10:35:00.001-07:00

Blissfully Unaware : First Place, Best of Show

The results of the 2009 Essence of Bellingham Photo Competition are in and I’m a little giddy : ) My photo titled Blissfully Unaware took top honors this year! You can read the whole story and see the rest of the winning shots on my Soulstice Imagery blog.

Red Boots Design is Today’s Featured Seller on Etsy.com!

2009-06-03T12:58:00.001-07:00

Today is a big day over at Red Boots Design as my pal Erin Boyd is basking in the glow of being today’s featured seller on Etsy! Erin has been one busy bee since she received the news that she’d be in the spotlight, and she’s been keeping her photographer pretty busy too!

We started May with an on-location shoot at Joy of Pilates. With the help of Ella Eastham, JOP’s owner, Erin gathered a group of fit women to model her new line of workout gear!

For our second shoot, Erin gathered her friends Michelle and Craig along with her cool boyfriend, Erik to model some new products for adults.

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Next up I enlisted some of my favorite kids to show off Erin’s new designs for the shorter set.

And finally, just two nights before her big Etsy debut, Erin and Erik came over to my place to wrap up the show with a few remaining adult designs waiting for their turn!

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Way to go, Erin! I hope your day in the spotlight brings you record sales : )

You can visit Erin’s Etsy store here, find her on Facebook here and see my previous work with Erin here!

Ivan & Jen Celebrate Their Fourth Anniversary!

2009-06-02T12:37:00.000-07:00

As a photographer, it’s easy to forget how it feels to be on the other side of the camera, so I believe it’s important now and then for photographers to spend a little time there to keep their empathy with clients in tact. With this in mind, my friend Jen of Jen Martin Studios and I regularly lend each other a hand when we’d like some nice photographs of our own. Most recently, Jen and her husband Ivan took their turn as models as a way of celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary!

Jen really loved the idea of doing a trash-the-dress session but upon trying on hers she discovered it no longer fit the way it once did! So at the last minute, she hit the thrift stores in search of something fun and came up with this lace covered vintage gown. Paired with her beloved black & white striped socks and a single red rose, it makes for a frivolously fun outfit- perfect with Ivan’s classic button-down vest and a great contrast for Bellingham’s gritty alleys.

I made them work for this shot… getting that tiny space between the lips is key! They really didn’t seem to mind the assignment : )

This picture took several attempts… I really wanted to capture Jen & Ivan’s reflection in the mirror but several cars parked in the alley were ruining the shot. I was thrilled when all three of them left simultaneously, leaving the focus on Jen & Ivan!

This smashed in window was just waiting for this shot! I love Jen’s “wicked” expression : )

So cute! Happy anniversary, you two! It was fun celebrating with you : )

Amanda & Peter … How Cute Are They?

2009-05-21T13:16:00.001-07:00

I met Amanda and Peter last Thanksgiving when Peter’s mom Kris asked me to do a family shoot while she had all four of her sons and their girls together for the holiday. Kris had mentioned to me that she thought Peter would be proposing to Amanda sometime soon and hoped I could get some pictures of the two of them together. She really didn’t need to ask…various combination shots are part of every family shoot and there’s no chance I could keep my lens away from this adorable couple anyway! I mean really, how cute are they?

I had so much fun on that family shoot that I was almost giddy when Peter called me about six weeks later to ask about wedding photography. It turns out he had asked Amanda to marry him a few weeks after I’d met them : ) The three of us got together a few weekends ago to talk about their wedding plans and spend a little time getting more familiar with each other. Woodstock Farm made for a fabulous spring backdrop and the three of us got along famously! Here are a few of my favorite shots…

I love it when I don’t have to coax a pose out of a couple… this moment just happened naturally. Peter is clearly madly in love with his girl : )

I love Woodstock Farm for all of its wonderful textures for backdrops! The fresh, spring green is a gorgeous contrast to the red stripe in Amanda’s dress.

Not only are the grounds gorgeous, but the water view at Woodstock Farm is incredible! We couldn’t go without capturing it in a few shots…

I was so busy last fall that blogging took a backseat for awhile and the family photos I created for Kris were never shared, so I thought now would be a good time to do it. First up, a few of Peter & Amanda, pre-engagement!

And now a few of Peter and his best men John, Mark and Aaron… oh the antics!

As you can see, I had a really great time with this family : ) Who wouldn’t have fun with four handsome, towering brothers who only get together once a year? I’m honestly not sure I ever stopped laughing during that shoot… which makes me that much more excited to be part of Amanda & Peter’s wedding day : )

Photo Contest Entries!

2009-05-16T09:14:00.001-07:00

I shared my entries to this year’s Essence of Bellingham Photo Competition on my Soulstice Imagery blog… you can check them out here!

Lucky Shot

2009-05-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

Once in a while when I take a series of action shots in rapid succession, I end up with one image in the series that is blurred everywhere except in the center. While this phenomenon usually produces a throw away image, sometimes I get lucky and it actually makes for a pretty cool picture. I thought I’d share this one of little Rory swinging through the air in front of a blossoming apple tree. The effect makes it look like everything is in motion *except* the one thing that is!

Celebrating Mom!

2009-05-10T12:10:00.001-07:00

It’s time again to share the variety of photos of moms and their children that I’ve collected throughout the past year! I hope you all are enjoying a lovely day with (or without!) your kiddos : )

This year’s Mother’s Day tribute is dedicated to my dear friend Naomi who became the last of my childhood buddies to join the ranks of motherhood in October with the birth of her little man, Durkin. Here are a few photos I captured when I last visited them in February…

Motherhood seems to suit her well, don’t you think? And now, onto this year’s collection of beautiful mothers… have a great day, ladies! Thank you so much for your support throughout the year: )

And last but not least… a shot of me and my boy Asher, taken last month by my sister!

Congratulations Dylan! Ferndale High School Class of 2009

2009-05-05T14:48:00.001-07:00

When I first talked to Dylan’s mom Sheri last month she was a bit hesitant about pursuing senior portraits for Dylan after the experience she had a couple years ago with the local studio that did those of her older son Matthew. She explained to me that after spending a great deal of money on a large print package, she liked the photos so little that she didn’t order any prints at all. I assured her if she didn’t like the photos I created the first time, we’d do it again until she did!

Considering that most of the guys whose senior portraits I have shot were acting only under strict orders from their mother and could easily take or leave the whole ordeal, I figured I needed to get it right the first time with Dylan. I met him on a sunny afternoon at Hovander Homestead Park in Ferndale and the two of us wandered around the park in search of shady locations. All in all, Dylan proved to be patient with me and fairly tolerant of the whole situation… in fact he may have *almost* even had a little fun, although I doubt he’d admit it : )

It always makes me a bit nervous to work with clients who’ve had a bad experience with another photographer, so it was really great to have Sheri call last night to tell me she loved every one of the photos I created of Dylan. Hopefully he likes a few of them too : )

Catching Up With Miss Maddy P: A Girl On the GO!

2009-04-19T22:38:00.001-07:00

I’ve known Maddy since she was six days old, but I had not seen my little friend since last spring when I joined her and all of her pals for a play group shoot. Her mama Karin is pregnant with Maddy’s little sister so she wanted to document her family-of-three one more time before the new baby girl arrives at the end of May. Before we met this time, Karin sent me an email explaining that Maddy can be a bit timid around people she doesn’t see regularly. I thought this sounded like the perfect occasion to pull out a trick that I call “The Rory Approach” … where I arrive early, leave the camera in the car and spend half an hour or so playing and being silly with the child I’ll be photographing. This was my second attempt at this approach with a toddler and it worked like a charm! Maddy quickly decided for herself that I was on the “approved list” and ran for her shoes as soon as we asked her if she was ready to go play at the park. Success!

Once we arrived at the Park at Bothell Landing, Maddy was off and running, eagerly showing off the mad skills she’d developed during the long winter indoors. It was so great watching her toddle about in the warm spring sun, free at last! This park has so many great locations for photos that I was a very happy camper- just like Maddy!

Her feet are in motion even when she is sitting down!

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve seen a kid holding onto Dad’s ears while riding his shoulders I’d have… well, about four bucks: )Regardless, this seems like a pretty common safety tactic for the toddler set!

Maddy is 100% Daddy’s Girl : )

I really love shooting at this park as it features several historical buildings that offer lovely color and texture. We explored every single one of them while searching for doors to be opened and blooming daffodils to be sniffed!

While Mike was busy chasing down Maddy, Karin and I managed to sneak in a few solo photos of her and her burgeoning belly… can’t wait to meet the new little girl next month!

And just so Maddy won’t forget me between visits, I handed over the camera for a minute so she has something to remember me by : )

See you next month, Miss Maddy P!

Hanging At Home With My Girl Everly (And Co.!)

2009-04-16T15:08:00.001-07:00

Once things settled down a bit after Everly’s birth, I spent some time at the Kiniry home to capture some photos for the birth announcement Lindsey was preparing. We ended up with so many great photos that I just *have* to share!

Parker wasn’t all that interested in being photographed on this day… he was far more into finding cheerio-filled Easter eggs hidden all over the house : ) We managed to talk him into a few shots and he ended up stealing the show with his exuberant shouts of “BIG BROTHER!!!”

Or by showing off his hulking muscles : )

Here is what the finished product looks like!

And just because it seems I can’t tout Lindsey’s creativity enough, I have to share photos of the beautiful mobile she made for Everly’s nursery… how cute is this?! I want one for myself!

Welcoming Ashenafi: Brothers of Many Sizes and Colors!

2009-04-14T16:20:00.001-07:00

Several months ago, we learned that Asher's little brother Christian and his mama Erin were planning to bring home a new baby brother from Ethiopia! One month ago, Erin returned from a grueling trip to Africa with little Ashenafi (pronounced ASH-uh-NOF-ee) who is now almost eighteen months old. After a few weeks of "cocooning" at home with his immediate family, little Ashi was ready to spend some time with his other fans. After months & months of impatient waiting, I *finally* got to train my camera on this happy little guy (who I personally think could possibly be the cutest little boy ever born!!!) On a warm Sunday evening, Erin brought the boys over to play and while the big brothers romped around the yard in the sun, Ashi was subjected to his first professional photo shoot. Here are some of my favorite photos of our adorable new friend... and a few with the big brothers too : )

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The name “Ashenafi” means “winner” in his native language of Amharic. I have to say it seems quite fitting from my perspective… I’m not sure who is more in love with who here : )

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Christian had just pulled out his first upper tooth the night before so of course we had to get a shot of that gaping new hole in his smile!

At the orphanage in Ethiopia, the little ones loved to sit in boxes…. so naturally Ashi climbed right in when he found this bin outside my back door!

Little Ashi decided Big Ashey needed a little forehead bump!

Big Ashey is pretty stoked that Little Ashi is finally here too : )

I’m sure it won’t be long before we see pictures of Christian trying out these torture techniques on Ashenafi!

He was quite interested in the pinwheel he found in my garden…

until he pulled it apart (multiple times)…

and so decided to work the “big brown eyes” angle (for which, it turns out, I am a TOTAL sucker.)

Nothing makes Ashi happier than a “quas”… Amharic for “ball”…

although banging together some bamboo sticks with the big boys was pretty fun too : )

To Erin & Christian: We are so, so, SO thrilled to have Ashi join our quirky little “non-traditional family.” I am so thankful that you are giving this beautiful little boy an opportunity for a happy, healthy life and for allowing us to shower him with the love he deserves : )

New Blog Feature: Old Favorites!

2009-04-08T23:00:00.000-07:00

As he grows further from being a child and closer to being a man, I continually find myself wishing I could spend a just few minutes with two or five or nine-year-old Asher. Thankfully over the past thirteen years I have amassed a pretty large collection of photos of him! I thought it would be a fun addition to my blog to occasionally share with my readers some of my favorite photos I've created of Asher throughout his childhood. Photos are worth little if they are hidden away in a box in storage, so this is a nice way to share some personal photos with you while giving myself the opportunity to revisit life with my little guy : )

First up, a few from the "Dirt Dobber" series. I had been working on reclaiming most of the backyard from an out-of-control raspberry patch with the idea of creating a construction site for Asher to play in with all of his cool trucks. Of course any time you expose dirt during spring in Washington you run the risk of creating a mud pit, which, to two-year-old Asher's delight, is exactly what happened here. Interestingly, there is no apparent difference in the magnetic quality of dirt between the two-year-old and the thirteen-year-old!

Photography.... The Gift That Never Stops Giving

2009-03-29T22:58:00.000-07:00

It was a few days before Valentine's Day when I got a call from Tom, who was wanting to give a photo shoot to his wife Laurel as a gift for the special day. I was glad to hear Tom was finally wanting to schedule a shoot with me as he'd been Asher's Little League coach when my business was first getting started and he and Laurel had mentioned several times that they needed an updated family portrait. Apparently Tom was sporting a mustache and a full head of hair last time the family gathered for a photo shoot- a clear sign it's high time to make an appointment with your photographer ; )

A couple weeks after Valentine's Day, I met Tom and Laurel and their sons Ben and Sam at Larrabee State Park on a lovely pre-spring morning. The light was wonderful and the colors Laurel chose for the family to wear were perfect for this quintessential Northwest setting. Here are some of my favorite photos we created for Laurel's gift...

Such a happy, handsome couple!

This was actually the very first picture I took as we were just getting started. Tom reached out to help Laurel navigate the rocks and I got off one shot. I think it makes a very sweet picture : )

I love that even the sea worm Sam found on the beach matches the family's color scheme!

There was still a bit of snow on the ground on this February morning and, as little brothers often do, Sam went about taunting his big brother into a snow ball fight. With strict instructions that they avoid my camera, I took a chance at capturing the scene and am so glad I did... I love this action sequence- especially the way a very amused Sam runs right out of the frame just as Ben fires the retaliatory shot : )

I am always very excited when a client wants to give the gift of photography to a loved one. I personally believe a photo shoot is the best gift to give just about anyone as great photographs have a way of bringing unending joy that many gifts lack, and not only to the recipient of the gift! I also believe all gifts should be pretty, even if they are just a piece of paper representing a gift to be received in the future. With this in mind, I commissioned my graphic designer Lindsey Kiniry of Queen Bee Ink. to help me create a gift certificate that is a gift in itself. I must say, I love the final result and was so pleased to provide Tom with something so lovely to give his Valentine : )

Please contact me if you'd like to give the gift that never stops giving to someone you know!

Welcoming Everly: Should I Stay or Should I Go?

2009-03-23T23:55:00.000-07:00

You'd never know it by her peaceful demeanor, but the baby girl pictured above caused much anxiety for her photographer before finally arriving Sunday morning! Two days before her due date, her mama Lindsey was already dilated to six centimeters. As I was scheduled to attend a family funeral five hours from home on Saturday, I spent most of last week deliberating over how to proceed if labor had not begun by Friday. Childbirth is my very favorite experience to document and I reeeeeally did not want to miss this baby's arrival into the world. At the last minute Friday evening, with Lindsey's encouragement, I decided to make the trip. As I drove out of Bellingham I threw out a wish to the universe that went like this: "Please, oh please, just once, let me have my cake and eat it too! Please!"

It worked! Asher and I returned home Saturday evening at 9:45. At 10:20 I received a text message from Lindsey... "Welcome home! So not in labor...you happy? I'm happy you are home" I went to bed soon after that, completely exhausted after so much driving in so little time but thankful I'd won that roll of the dice : ) The next thing I know it's 1:06 a.m. and the phone is ringing. It's Lindsey & Jeremy's doula, Jen, calling from the hospital to tell me Lindsey is pushing! Before I knew it I was at the hospital documenting the most incredible birth I've experienced yet!

With her first child, Lindsey pushed for several hours without success and eventually required a cesarean birth. This time she was determined to deliver naturally, which made for such a different vibe from every other birth I've attended. Not only were we all so excited about the birth of the baby, but everyone was so committed to Lindsey's goal that I felt I was an integral part of a team (albeit the team member with the easiest job!) After a little more than two hours of pushing, little Everly arrived to a room full of people grinning ear-to-ear : ) Here are some of my favorite photos that tell the story of Everly's birth...

I love this photo of Lindsey and Jeremy. I can say without hesitation that I've never seen a man work so hard to bring a baby into the world. These two are truly a dream team.

2:42 am... after a lot of pushing (and a little comedy!) Everly Gracen Kiniry is born with eyes wide open, weighing 7 pounds, 15 ounces and measuring 21 inches. It was me who suggested the spelling of her middle name and I am thrilled beyond belief that they decided to go with it!

Proud daddy Jeremy delivers the news to the grandparents!

She's got big eyes just like her big brother Parker. You can see for yourself as a photo of him at six months is featured in my blog banner above!

Everly got straight to work on the whole "wrapping Daddy around fingers" thing : )

Before the grandparents arrived, Jen and I took turns posing with Everly. I had no idea that this was Jen's first birth experience as a doula! She is a natural : )

I'm thanking Everly for patiently waiting for my return : )

I think we can all agree: there's nothing like a new grandbaby to make grandparents smile!

I finally left the hospital around 4:30a.m. with plans to return at 9:00 for the introduction of siblings! I arrived to greet a two year old who was very excited to meet his new baby sister...

Parker got right down to the business of checking out all the details...

Their first photo as a family of four... so beautiful!

Once the presents started rolling out, Parks was not so interested in Everly : ) His gift to his March born baby sister was a stuffed lamb, so naturally her gift to him was a stuffed lion... in like a lion...

out like a lamb : )

Eventually it was time for Everly to start expressing some personal style. (I've decided I need a hat just like that in big girl size!)

A diva in the making? I swear she's posing for me!

What a proud big brother he is : )

*You can see some of Lindsey's maternity photos on my Facebook page (by the way, you don't need a Facebook account to view pages!)

Dear Lindsey & Jeremy... what an honor it was to be present while you two brought your beautiful daughter into the world. I'm still in awe of your teamwork and I'm STILL grinning ear to ear : ) Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of your team for this incredible event... I hope the photos I've created for you always remind you of the amazing feats you are capable of when you work together! Congratulations!

Au revior... cheerio...farewell...

2009-03-13T23:30:00.000-07:00

This blog entry now has been sitting in my drafts for more than two weeks while I waited impatiently for the perfect words to come to me. As I laid in bed the other night, berating myself again for having not yet completed it, I finally realized that no perfect words were coming... because I'm living in a big, fat state of denial! Yes, it's been more than a year since I first learned Jennifer and Sebastien would be taking their girls away from me... errr moving... but that doesn't make the reality of it any better. Nor does the fact that we were able to squeeze in one more shoot last October when I thought last April's shoot would be our last. It especially doesn't help that they moved out of the country... and not just to Canada, mind you, but all the way to England!

Of all of my long-term clients I've accumulated in my short photography career, I've been documenting the lives of Anais, Maelle and Camille the longest. Dubbed early on as "My Three Little French Girls," I've grown very fond of Jennifer & Sebastien's beautiful, spirited children and will miss them all very, very much! It was always such a delight for me to see the girls tumble excitedly out of the doors of the family van in anticipation of the fun we were going to have. I loved knowing they were as excited to see me as I was to see them : )

Thankfully, I was able to bid everyone farewell at the going away party thrown last month by their friends and family. For some reason, it wasn't until after I left the party that I came up with the idea to put together into a book a group of my favorite photographs from each of our shoots. Once I gathered all of the images, I decided sharing them together on my blog would be a fabulous way to show potential clients what I strive to create for my families... in essence, a collection of photographs that over time, document your family's growth and changes with an emphasis on capturing the spirit of each individual and the relationships between you.

It occurs to me now that not only do these photos document Jennifer & Sebastien's family over the past three and a half years, but they also span the length of my endeavor into professional photography as I met this family just a month after I finally "took the plunge." I must say selecting these photos was a humbling task as I spent a lot of time cringing while going through the shots from our first two shoots. In fact I was a little bit in awe that Jennifer ever asked me to work with her family again! The experience made me so incredibly thankful for clients like her and Sebastien who let me make guinea pigs of their children. When I first started, I had no concept of how happy this work would allow me to be, or how fulfilling it would be to create something so meaningful for the people I work with. Thank you... all of you... for allowing me to do what I firmly believe I was born to do. And now... on with the pictures..!

Lighthouse Park, Mukilteo
November 2005

Whatcom Falls Park, Bellingham
November 2006

Bob, the family pug!

Birch Bay State Park, Birch Bay
September 2007

Woodstock Farm, Bellingham
April 2008

Cornwall Park, Bellingham
October 2008

It was on this bridge in Cornwall Park that I taught the girls how to play "Pooh Sticks," a game invented by one of my literary heroes, Winnie-The-Pooh. I was so delighted that Anais remembered this when I saw her at the party that I found the story in a used book store and sent it to the them as a going-away gift. They'll be living about an hour from the original Pooh Sticks bridge in England and now I can't help but think how great it would be to photograph them playing this game in the real Hundred Acre Wood : )

Going Away Party
February 2009

When I first arrived, I thought I would leave the camera in the car and just relax and have fun, but once we all gathered to toast the family's new beginning, in England I quickly slipped into photographer mode as I knew capturing these meaningful moments for the family was essential.

The whole house was decorated in red, white and blue to represent the family's ties to England, France and the United States. The kids could not wait to dig into that cake!

What's a party these days without a little fun with the Wii? It turns out I'm the first person to beat the twins at bowling!

Because rabies doesn't exist in the UK, Bob doesn't get to join the family there until August when his six month quarantine period is over. I made sure they got a few new pictures of Bob for them to look at when they are missing him most : )

This final picture has quickly become one of my favorites... my heart swelled when I stepped into the bathroom, closed the door and found this charming scene behind me. I knew it was something so familiar to Jennifer and Sebastien that they would never think to document it, so I sneaked back into the bathroom with my camera and did it for them! I thought it would make a perfect housewarming gift for their new home in England, so I surprised them with a framed print of it : )

To Jennifer, Sebastien and My Three Little French Girls... I won't say good-bye again and I can't possibly say thank you enough so I'll just say I think of you often and hope you all are adjusting well to your new life in Europe! Whether here or there, I know someday I'll take pictures of your family again and oh, what fun we will have!

Rory Goes To College

2009-02-07T17:00:00.000-08:00

Last summer when I met up with Aurora for her 8 month shoot, she was a little reluctant to give up the smiles so for the final shoot of her First Year package, her dad JB and I conspired to come up with a different approach. (Rory actually turned one back in November but between me moving, their family vacation, the holidays and this winter's crazy weather, it was mid-January before we were able to figure out a time to get together!) This time we decided it would be good for Rory to have a little "Sandi time" without the camera before we got to work and it seemed to do the trick. By the time we got down to business, Rory and I were old buds : )

Rory's mom Karen is a professor at Western Washington University, and ever since I met this family last year I thought it would be really fun to document JB and Rory visiting her at work. After a little visit at my house, we headed up to campus to visit Karen. Here are some photos from our on-campus adventure!

Elevator buttons are SO COOL!

Whenever I stopped to take a shot, Rory would stop and turn to make sure I was coming along : )

I think she's saying "Are you coming or what, lady?"

Mama!

Playing with all the fun things in Mom's office was Rory's top priority.

After a bit we headed outside to have some fun. Karen is pregnant with Rory's baby brother so a stop at the restroom was in order. Rory was not interested in staying in the hall with me and decided at the last minute to go in with Dad- which left me free to prepare for the priceless shot below!

Rory's version of "stink-eye".

I love this family shot!

Playing peek-a-boo with Mom...

which Rory thought was hilarious!

I had this girl belly laughing... it was great : )
Rory makes a run for it!

You can see Rory's newborn and four month shoots here and here!

Happy Birthday to.... Me!

2009-01-18T08:43:00.000-08:00

Today I turned 40 years old. To some this might be a birthday to dread but as I was facing 40 for the past few months, I decided that rather than dreading it, I was going to help pave new roads for younger generations and completely embrace this milestone instead. To celebrate, last night I had a few of my best girls over for a good old fashioned, no-boys-allowed slumber party!

Each of us either just turned 40 or are about to and all I wanted for this year was to remind us all of our youthful spirit and girlie-girl nature... so I decorated my house with balloons and streamers and requested that everyone wear pink : ) Throw together a bunch of itching-to-boogie girlfriends and some good food & drink with a disco ball and non-stop hits from the 80's, and I had myself the best 40th birthday celebration I could ever wish for!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Parks!

2009-01-08T09:33:00.000-08:00

Today is my little buddy Parker's second birthday so it seemed like a good day to share a few photos from last month's shoot with him and his mom & dad, Lindsey & Jeremy. As crazy as I think they may be, this family's favorite season is winter! There is a really beautiful field near my new home that provides an amazing backdrop for photos. A soon as the snow starting falling I knew just who to call to do my first shoot there! This family of three (soon to be four!) braved the icy roads on a frigid Sunday morning to join Asher and me for a little arctic fun. I'm so glad they did because this shoot yielded two photos that went straight into the "All Time Favorites" file... the above photo of Parker being one of them. Parks was watching big boy Asher play in the frozen creek when I sneaked up behind him. I knew if I could get him to look at me it would be a priceless shot. Thankfully Parker cooperated! When I said his name he turned toward me and click! He gave me exactly the expression I was hoping for : )

This photo of Linds & Jeremy is my other favorite from this shoot. I always try to get a photo of mom & dad together too, but often have a hard time getting couples to not fall into what I call the "senior prom" pose. Sometimes suggesting a kiss will do the trick, which was the case here. A little kiss turned into a big hug and here is the result. I love this photo, looking at it makes me sigh! It just has L O V E written all over it. Not bad for a couple who's been together for ten years : )

On this wintry day, Parker learned a tough lesson in cause & effect... when you refuse to wear mittens in the snow, your hands get really, really cold!

After we'd stayed outside as long as we could stand, we headed back to my house to warm up and introduce Parks to our new kitties, Maverick and Crash!

While I'm at it, I might as well use this opportunity to formally introduce these punks who joined our family as my gift to Asher for his 13th birthday. So far they are smelly, noisy and pretty much all around annoying, but we love them anyway!

Crash & Maverick... conjoined twins?

Find Me On Facebook!

2009-01-06T12:00:00.000-08:00

A small time business girl always has to be looking for inexpensive ways to market her skills. In fact, as many of you know, I grew my client base by posting free ads for my services on craigslist! Over the past couple of weeks I have been reading everything I can about the Facebook "page" and how it can work for me as a means of reaching potential new clients. I know a lot of my current clients have Facebook profiles and often upload the photos I take for them to their photo albums to share with friends and family, so I thought having a SHP page would not only be a fun way to interact with current clients, but a great way for you to help me create new ones!

Of course I will continue adding photos and stories to my blog, but a proper blog entry requires a good deal of time and I'll never have enough of it to blog photos from every shoot that I do. The Facebook page provides a place for me to share more of my work. (I've uploaded a bunch of photos I created in the past couple months when I was too busy to blog- go check them out!) Not only will fans of SHP receive an update when new photos have been added, but I've set it to update them via Facebook when I've posted a new blog entry here as well.

One thing about the page that I am very excited about is the album I created for fans to upload their favorite photos that I've created for them over the years. My favorite photos are rarely the same as yours and I am always curious which ones you love most and why! I thought this would be a fun way for clients and myself to interact and for some of my older photos that I have archived to be shared with others. Clients are also able to tag themselves in photos I've uploaded to other albums, automatically sharing them with their friends.

I also want to use this opportunity to remind everyone that I require clients to credit me for the photos I've created whenever they are uploaded to any online location, whether it's your Facebook or MySpace profile, the family blog, etc. The best place to do this on Facebook is in the caption space provided when you upload your photos. Simply writing "Photo by Sandi Heinrich" or "Photo Credit: Sandi Heinrich Photography" goes a long way toward getting my name further out there and keeping your personal photographer very happy : )

You can find my Facebook page by clicking here or on the Facebook badge I've posted on the right side of my blog or by searching Facebook for Sandi Heinrich Photography. Also, just FYI, as a fan, your Facebook profiles will remain private to me- only your interactions on the page will be visible!

Thanks so much for your ongoing support- see you on Facebook!