JeanClaire & Ben, Wedding

Oh Camp Colton, I hope I get to meet you again! Not only did we luck out with the weather on this one, but the sunshine and smiley faces and love that was all warm around everyone, made a beautiful wedding to shoot.

JeanClaire was the sweetest bride ever and Ben was patient and kind to every single guest. They are a wonderful couple and the day couldn't have been better.

Hailee, Senior Portraits

The weather was beautiful down at Willamette Park and Hailee was so great to work with. She's smart, thoughtful, loves philosophy and reading, and it doesn't hurt that she is also stunning. She's gonna pretty much rock her future's face off.

Hailee, all the best to you in getting into the school and program you want. Also, you'll be happy to know that Arcade Fire was the soundtrack to processing these photos, so if you don't like it, I'm blaming them. :-)

Uthmann Family, Portraits

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.

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

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?





















Jenny & Dave pass by these shoes every day going home. If I was them, I would stare at them for about 20 minutes before going inside. Even if it was raining...






















At the end of the night, they were totally willing to try out my new light sticks. It wasn't QUITE dark enough but the laughs as Ashley and I twirled around them with flashlights made it totally worth the humiliation.

Getting Older

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

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

Shot with Ashley Forrette.

End of Wedding Season

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

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

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.





































































I promise I do not drink on the job. This was taken by one of the guests. I promise. No, really.

A New Day for Aaron Courter Photography

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.

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!

TiltShifty Goodness, Seattle Edition

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.

Anniversary

Kristen and I have a nice getaway for our anniversary. Midweek too, and it didn't come too soon. Wednesday night, after her theater rehearsal (Sound of Music), we jetted off to McMenamin's Edgefield for a nice comfortable stay.

After sleeping in, I stuffed a waffle, egg, 3 sausages, and hashbrowns in my mouth before we swam in the hot salt soaking pool. Yes, I could do that every morning, thanks. After getting dried off, we soaked ourselves again in the rainy Columbia Gorge. The fall colors are ridiculous right now. Go there. We ended by immersing ourselves in books that weren't ours at Powells.

Thanks for a lovely getway, honey. I love you.

Emily & Brett, Engaged

Emily & Brett live in Portland. They were traveling through San Francisco. Ashley & I were in San Francisco. We took pictures of Emily & Brett IN San Francisco. My mind hurts!

Photo tip of the week: If needing a bathroom to change, and you are the subject of a photo shoot, grab a beer so that you can have permission to use the restaurant's bathroom. It will loosen you up, taste delicious, and hey, a bathroom!





























Brett shot this last photo with one of my cameras. He did very well.

A Few Thoughts on the Richard Avedon Exhibit

I am really not sophisticated in my photographic theory. I frame what I see in the most beautiful and best way I can in the moment.

I know Richard Avedon has long career of stunning portraiture and through the success and hard work he had to create what was new and interesting in his corporate and personal work. What I love about his photographs is simplicity. There may be greater technical photographers, or photographers who push the envelope even further, but his ability to find and capture a look was beyond exceptional. Check out the exhibit in San Francisco if you are in the Bay Area.

Karoline & Oliver

Ashley and I shot Karoline & Oliver near the De Young Museum in San Francisco. We made them be snuggly and I like their pictures. So there.

Carly & Nathan, Wedding

Oh Carly & Nathan. You two possess something each individually that is made even greater by your inloveness. It's coolness, hipness, kindness, graciousness, and lots of other =nesses that make you so awesome to be around. Your family and friends had an amazing time at your wedding and I hope Ashley & I's photos reflect a small portion of that.

Congrats, it's a big world, go eat it up.

Kacie & Todd, Engaged

These two are ridiculous. In a good way. Ashley and I drove down south to sneak in a library and make them hug and flirt and kiss. Super stealthy and so glad we did.

Congrats Kacie & Todd!