photo j

I've moved!

2009-11-12T16:20:00.001-08:00

I'm now blogging at photoj.net. Thank you for visiting here, and I hope you'll continue to look at my pictures at the new site. (It's a work in progress -- I hope to have galleries up soon.)

Mapplethorpe at the Henry

2009-10-25T21:38:00.001-07:00

Provocative pictures will draw fame, or at least notoriety. I get it. In the '70s and '80s, Robert Mapplethorpe was trying to push buttons with his bondage pictures, but now the shock value's worn off. (Visit the Seattle Erotic Art Festival and you'll know what I mean.)

Mapplethorpe's Polaroid portraits in the Henry's new show, however, were gorgeous studies. Each small composition was a joy to examine up close.

The man also had a sly sense of humor. I loved this invite to his first solo show.

From the text panel:

"Mapplethorpe opened his first solo show on January 6, 1973, at Light Gallery, 1018 Madison Avenue, New York. For the invitation, he took a self-portrait in the mirror, holding his Polaroid camera in front of his bare crotch. Hundreds of gelatin silver prints were made from the negative and embossed with Mapplethorpe's name.

"A label was affixed to the back of each photograph with information about the opening's location and time. Either a red or a white paper dot was applied to the front to conceal the penis -- a tongue-in-cheek dig at earlier laws forbidding the circulation of nudity through the mail.

"The invitation was then slipped inside the protective paper that came with Polaroid film, and was posted in a cream-colored Tiffany envelope."

Sure beats an Evite!

In her shoes

2009-10-25T20:53:00.000-07:00

Chris gives me a hard time about my silly shoes, made for looking cute, not for walking. Pointy toes, pencil heels, four-inch platforms -- I know they're ridiculous, but I can't help loving them.

I saw these shoes at the Henry, and even I had to agree, they don't look very comfortable.

Woman's stilted sandals from the 19th century, probably made in Syria.

From the description:

"Chopine is a term used by costume historians to refer to extraordinarily high platform shoes that were worn in Europe between the 14th and 17th centuries. Venetian women were particularly enamored of the style, allegedly adapted from similar shoes called kabkab worn by Turkish women in the bathhouse. ... Like the Turkish women who wished to keep their feet high and dry above wet bathhouse floors, Venetian women perhaps likewise wanted to protect their feet and clothing from the infamous high water of their city.

"The shoes that had modest origins in public bathhouses as purely functional footwear were increasingly used to represent a woman's social standing. The shoe's height enabled women to wear longer dresses displaying more fine fabrics and embroidery, resulting in a clear demonstration of wealth."

Discovery Park

2009-10-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

Seattle was blessed with a beautiful fall Sunday, sunny and breezy, perfect for a walk. After living in the area more than four years, I visited Discovery Park for the first time.

Chris and I hoped to spot a cougar, but the closest thing we saw was a lady in a WSU hat. A bald eagle flew directly overhead, low, while we sat at the beach. My initial reaction was, "It looks just like the eagles in pictures!"

Yes, I know that's a seagull, not a bald eagle. I was too thrilled and stunned when I saw the real, live bald eagle to pick up my camera.

Paradise

2009-09-27T21:50:00.000-07:00

Chris and I took advantage of a rare day off together to visit Paradise on Mount Rainier. The alpine meadows were blooming a brilliant red.

I'm the ultimate indoors city girl. Three years ago, there is no way I could even imagine wandering around a volcano. Bugs? Bears? Sun? Not for me!

Chris was gentle introducing me to the great outdoors. We stuck to paved trails, and we shared the path with elderly and very young hikers, even a woman in a sari. We basically stayed within sight of the swanky new visitor's center. (Yay for indoor plumbing!)

Zig zag shadows

2009-09-24T19:32:00.000-07:00

When the wife and husband team Weiss/Manfredi designed the Olympic Sculpture Park, they had to find a way to navigate across Elliott Avenue and railroad tracks.

Their graceful solution is a walkway that zig zags over these obstacles. You can see the pattern from the air, and also echoed in the late afternoon shadows on Elliott.

Morning light

2009-09-24T19:12:00.001-07:00

I'm an obscenely cheerful morning person. (Hard to believe I worked the night shift for almost three years, when I'd regularly stumble home after 1 a.m.)

I love watching the sun rise. First pink, then gold streaking into my kitchen.

Men of Jambool

2009-09-22T16:20:00.000-07:00

Photographing software developers isn't quite the same as photographing a couple in love. Nonetheless, the Jambool guys obliged me with their GQ best. Team San Francisco was in town, the perfect opportunity to make a group picture.

We walked three blocks from their office in Pioneer Square to Seattle's City Hall, all clean lines and open public space.

Who says Seattle is cloudy and gloomy? It was hard to keep our eyes open with all that sunshine.

I stopped on James Street to catch a bus home, while the guys headed to back to, um, develop more software.

Karen and Blake, married!

2009-08-06T20:53:00.000-07:00

Karen and Blake ended their international courtship with an intimate wedding at Parsons Garden on Queen Anne.

A hug for her new mother-in-law.

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Karen's sister and mom.

"Much love, Mom and Dad." Karen's mom signs the guest "book," which will later hold a wedding picture.

Congrats, Karen and Blake! Thanks for letting me be a part of your big day!

Karen gets ready

2009-08-06T19:45:00.000-07:00

Karen borrowed her sister's hotel room at the Westin to get her wedding hair and makeup done. The room was perfect, on the 18th floor with a big picture window that let in lots of natural light.

Flats, for easy walking across the grass.

Her veil had beautiful beading along the edge.

Karen's sister gives her a hug before it's time to head to the ceremony. "You look like Grace Kelly," she said.

Karen and Blake, engaged

2009-07-27T18:57:00.001-07:00

Karen and Blake are friends of a friend, and I'm so excited to photograph their wedding next week. They are the cutest couple and most obliging models. Thanks, too, to Reza, for letting me shoot at the Jambool office.

Ferry ride to Bremerton

2009-07-21T19:43:00.000-07:00

With Seattle hitting 80-plus today, the cool breeze on the water never felt so good.

At $6.70, a round-trip ferry ticket from Seattle to Bremerton is a recession-friendly treat. I caught the 12:45 p.m., which was empty enough for passengers to enjoy private window seats.

These ferry windows remind me of a strip of film.

No one looked twice at me walking around the ferry taking pictures. You can read an archive story from the P-I about two men who were reported as suspected terrorists for doing the same thing. Turns out they were European business consultants.

Zoom!

2009-07-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

For my last week at The Bellingham Herald, I stayed with Gus' family. No matter what kind of day it had been, I knew it would have a good ending. Little feet raced to the front door as soon as the knob turned, and I'd be greeted with a great big smile from this little guy. Somehow, it always helped put things in perspective.

This weekend I got to visit with Gus, who's about to turn 5 and is as full of joy as ever. As a baby learning to walk, he'd zoom everywhere. (The momentum kept him from falling down.) Gus still zooms, except now he's all arms and legs. I can't believe how tall he is getting!

Gus, of course, isn't the least bit camera shy. His dad (holding him below) is the photo editor at The Herald, and a mentor and friend.

Best staff meeting ever

2009-07-15T21:22:00.000-07:00

In late 2006, when the Olympic Sculpture Park was still under construction, some of the P-I's curmudgeons kvetched about losing the parking spots by Myrtle Edwards Park.

Those parking spots -- and the neighboring industrial waste site! -- have now been replaced by a waterfront sculpture park. It houses world class art, and it's completely free and open to the public. Nothing to bellyache about there.

A museum docent led the admissions department on a private tour following our monthly staff meeting. I was seduced by the beautiful light and made a couple of pictures while walking along with the group.

Hannah walks through Richard Serra's "Wake."

The Neukom Vivarium houses an 80-foot long nurse log, a hemlock from the Green River Watershed. The decaying fallen tree is home to many smaller plants, including this fern. The Vivarium is staffed entirely by SAM's incredible volunteers.

On weekend morning runs, I loop through OSP and around Myrtle Edwards Park. There's nothing nicer than being surrounded by art, water and mountains. Here, Marie's looking out on Elliott Bay.

Some of the amazing ladies I work with. Behind them is Perre's Ventaglio III by Beverly Pepper.

This type is so tactile and functional. What a smart solution to attaching type to a surface that slants inward.

It was the best staff meeting I've ever been to. Thanks, Emily!

Imogen Cunningham at SAM

2009-07-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

My part-time job at the Seattle Art Museum comes with one unbeatable perk: free admission. Chris and I went for the opening weekend of a show by Northwest photographer Imogen Cunningham (1883–1976).

Cunningham's work made me lust after my own macro lens (look at this beautiful image), and inspired me to carry my camera around. On our walk back, I made a couple of quick pictures.

Smith Tower. An 84-year-old SAM volunteer told me that when he moved to Seattle 50 years ago, Smith Tower was the tallest building in town. Now it's hard to find it between all the skyscrapers.

Beautiful architectural details downtown.

Two views of Pioneer Square.

Honeymoon at Cannon Beach

2009-06-23T20:21:00.001-07:00

The weeks following our March wedding were hectic, and not just because of the usual wedding-related stress. We also said goodbye to the print Seattle P-I, and Chris started a new job with the online venture.

For our own sanity, we postponed our honeymoon until now. We spent a relaxing long weekend at Cannon Beach in a room with a spectacular view. From our balcony, looking to the left:

And to the right:

We went for long walks along the coast. In the distance is the famous Haystack Rock.

Pelicans fly north in tidy strings. Late for the 4 p.m. news meeting?

I could stay here forever.

Downtown Cannon Beach is the definition of picturesque. We wandered through the galleries and shops absorbing art and stopping occasionally for fuel, beginning with two pancakes and two eggs and ending with a maple bar and a mocha.

When I win the lottery, I'm going to lease this space: a gallery with skylights and a little kitchen area, nestled in a beautiful courtyard. I'll sell cookies and seashells. Or maybe cookies shaped like seashells. Anyway, you'll have to come by and visit.

Engagement postscript

2009-06-17T20:54:00.000-07:00

Two more pictures from Sunday's engagement ceremony of Minh-An and James.

All the bridesmaids gathered in front of the house for a run-through of the ceremony. There's something about this picture that I really like. The girls all looked so pretty, and I think they were a little anxious too because they wanted to do a good job for Minh-An.

And anyone who knows Khoi, Minh-An's brother, can tell you this picture pretty much sums him up. Enthusiastic, cheerful and willing to do anything for his sister. He ran the logistics of the festivities, and took his responsibilities very seriously.

Minh-An and James' engagement ceremony

2009-06-14T21:59:00.000-07:00

Minh-An and James formally celebrated their engagement Sunday with a gathering of both families at the Bothell home of Minh-An's parents. I made engagement pictures of the couple earlier this spring; this traditional Vietnamese ceremony made the engagement official for their families.

Minh-An's mom had been busy readying the house for festivities. She decorated the house with fresh blossoms from her garden.

Minh-An's mom also prepared an incredible spread. Wraps, spring rolls, rice, meats -- and cream puffs from scratch!

The two families and close friends celebrated the couple. Here, James gets a toss from his groomsmen.

Minh-An's father, left, and her uncle, who emceed the ceremony.

Minh-An tapped the skills of her talented bridesmaids, dear friends from high school and college. One baked her a two-layer cake with strawberries and cream.

Two friends assembled a bouquet and bouts for the men.

The girls got pretty, then helped Minh-An with her make-up.

Look how beautiful she is!

James' family assembled in a small park across the street. Here, James' sister reviews the detailed itinerary.

She also pinned a bout on James, made by Minh-An's friends.

The groomsmen prepared to line up bearing traditional gifts for Minh-An's family. One of the gifts was an entire roasted pig. The red fabric covering each container symbolize happiness.

The men lined up in front of the house facing the ladies, then handed the gifts to the ladies to carry into the house.

Minh-An and her dad.

NJC scholarship reception programs

2009-06-07T20:03:00.000-07:00

This is my fourth straight year designing programs for the Northwest Journalists of Color scholarship reception. Each year, I try to come up with something eye-catching but inexpensive to produce. "Eye-catching" is the easy part; "inexpensive" translates into me spending many hours coaxing the laser printer and slaving over the roto trimmer.

Whining aside, I love this year's result. It's my favorite program yet!

For the cover, I wrapped a papercut chrysanthemum around 81 pound gold paper. (Hand model Chris Grygiel)

The inside of the program is copy stock. I wish I had the budget to buy nicer paper (to avoid show-through) but I don't think the average reader will notice. The type is all set in Franklin Gothic. Vanilla, I know, but one of my favorites.

Asian American Journalists Association is one of the four organizations behind the NJC scholarships. Although I'm no longer working as a journalist, I was glad to be able to help out again with this year's reception. AAJA gave me a scholarship to help me through grad school, and the networking through AAJA is how I landed a job at the P-I.

To the young scholarship recipients, best of luck!

A morning at the beach

2009-05-24T13:27:00.001-07:00

I photographed my other niece and two nephews this morning at the beach.

Thomas, 1, is has the bluest eyes and is cuter than any Gap model. I saw him two months ago at our wedding, and already he's gotten so much bigger! Look how grown up he is, with his polo shirt and cargo shorts.

Morgan, almost 5, has beautiful curls and the sweetest smile. Here's a joke from Morgan: "What kind of dog has no tail?"

Answer: a hot dog.

Jack, 7, is a terrific big brother. He taught me (well, tried to teach me) how to throw a baseball. Here's a joke from Jack: "Have a nice trip! See you next fall!" (Get it?)

We walked around Fire Island along the water. The beach was so stunning it looked like a movie set -- and it's within easy reach of Manhattan. Except for one stretch of nude sunbathers, we practically had the whole beach to ourselves.

At first, Thomas wasn't sure if he liked the sand. Mom piled it over his feet so he could get used to wiggling his toes in it. A few minutes later, he took off in a wobbly run down the beach and didn't even need the reassurance of his mom's hand.

And one more joke from Morgan: "Why did the boy throw the clock out the window?"

(He wanted to see how time flies.)

A picture of the whole family. Morgan started feeling under the weather, so after some snacks at the beach, we headed back along the boardwalk.

Jambool's co-founders

2009-05-18T22:30:00.000-07:00

My career in newspapers has made me uniquely qualified to answer phone calls from angry people and talk them off the ledge. I'm applying this skill in my new part-time job in customer support at Jambool, a Seattle tech company.

Here are Jambool's hard-working co-founders, Reza and Vikas.

The company is located in an building downtown that's been re-configured to house modern office spaces. The bones of the gracious old building are still there. Every day I go in, I have a strong urge photograph someone in the beautiful stairwells and windows.

Jake's senior pictures

2009-05-10T00:31:00.000-07:00

Understandably, Kathy was a little worried about the two people driving around in her Honda. One was her teenage son, Jake, with a learner's permit; the other was me, a city transplant who hasn't driven in three years.

Jake drove back to the house without hitting anyone, and I got a great tour of West Seattle. It was the most beautiful Saturday in weeks, the perfect day for doing senior portraits.

Jake is headed to Eastern Washington this fall. Look at that blingin' tassel!

Jake suggested this picture against the concrete wall along his driveway. I like the way it turned out. We did get some funny looks from Kathy, who pulled into her driveway to see me sprawled out flat on the ground to make this picture.

A photo book for Nora

2009-05-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Just finished making Matt, Jan and Nora's pictures into a photo book. There's something I love about turning printed pages, and I'm not just saying this as a former newspaper designer. It's one thing to hand someone a DVD with jpeg files, but it's much, much nicer to leaf through a book of pictures.

Besides, the book gives me extra chances to show off pictures of my niece!

The finished book ended up with 26 pages. I could have easily gone on many pages beyond that, but I restrained myself with some good picture editing judgement.

I'm planning on bringing over the book next time we're in the Tri-Cities -- I hope they will like it!

Baby Finn

2009-04-21T23:51:00.001-07:00

The sweetest, most mellow baby in the world is right here.

Finn's mom and dad, Angela and Lewis, are former colleagues from the P-I. We went to Pike Place Market because it's one of their favorite places in Seattle.

Finn, 8 months old, was a little trooper during the photo shoot. He kept peering at all the exciting sights and smells. He loved the dogs -- "Dog!" is one of his first words -- and the other little babies at the market. It's amazing how babies seem to recognize each other in the big people world.

I love Finn's little toes. Too cute!

Happy anniversary, Matt and Jan

2009-04-14T15:41:00.000-07:00

My brother-in-law Matt and his wife, Jan, are celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary this month. We made family pictures in Richland's Howard Amon Park, also known as "the big fish park."

Model extraordinaire Nora stole the show, but I think her Mom and Dad won't mind too much. Let me tell you, it was hard work keeping up with a kindergartener!

Congratulations, Matt and Jan, on your many years of happy marriage. And thank you for setting such a good example for Chris.

Bunnies, eggs and pretty dresses

2009-04-14T15:05:00.001-07:00

Chris and I went to his parents' house for Easter -- my first trip to the Tri-Cities as a daughter-in-law. Just like at Thanksgiving and Christmas, the meal was amazing. I ate seconds of everything -- it was too delicious not to! -- and had to run a few extra miles to account for my gluttony.

Niece Nora, who is five-and-three-quarters years old, looked so pretty in her Easter dress. Mom even curled her hair for the egg hunt.

The Easter bunny left eggs filled with chocolates and jelly beans and loose change in Grandma and Grandpa's back yard. The hunt wrapped up just before it started to rain.

Boys will be boys

2009-04-08T20:42:00.000-07:00

I just had to share these studio pictures of Weiwei and his big brother, Yipu. Looking at these two makes me think everyone should have a brother -- I highly recommend it!

Look out! Weiwei is armed and dangerous!

Khoi and Yin's engagement

2009-04-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

Khoi, you are one lucky man.

Khoi proposed to his beautiful fiancee at Seattle Center, the same place where they met, at Bumbershoot in 2006. True to his tech roots, Khoi arranged to have video recorded documenting his ingenious and very sweet proposal.

We returned to Seattle Center for their engagement pictures.

Goodbye, P-I sunsets

2009-03-30T14:31:00.001-07:00

Things I miss most about the P-I:
1. The amazing group of people who worked there.
2. The beautiful sunsets over Elliott Bay.

Every evening was different and spectacular. In late summer, we see deep reds and pinks; in spring, dramatic clouds. This is one of the last sunsets I watched from my desk.

Diana and Dai's wedding

2009-03-29T23:12:00.001-07:00

My sister, Diana, married her high school sweetheart, Dai. Yes, their names really are Di and Dai -- it's too cute. I borrowed a friend's studio space to make these portraits on their big day.

Violinist for hire

2009-03-29T23:01:00.000-07:00

My little brother, Andrew, is one of those annoyingly gifted musicians who never has to practice. He flew to Seattle earlier this month to play at my wedding. We walked down the aisle to Canon in D, and back to Ode to Joy.

Andrew is now pre-med at Cornell; I made this photo of him when he was still in high school. If you are looking for a musician to play at your wedding, I'll book him for you (and take a finder's fee, of course).

Minh-An and James' engagement

2009-03-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

The cherry blossoms were a beautiful backdrop for Minh-An and James' engagement pictures. Both of them are students at UW, and they showed me some of the prettiest spots on campus.

Congratulations, you two, and good luck with the wedding planning!