Backyard wildlife | Bellevue Portrait Photographer

I had a little visitor about 30 minutes ago.  It made my day!  

Seeing and photographing the wildlife on the property brings me such joy.  It's very different from photographing client portraits, it's so much more challenging if I'm shooting through glass and even outdoors as these beautiful creatures do not remain idle for long after they've smelled, seen me or heard the click of my shutter.  Of course, mama is never far behind, which is something to be mindful of at all times.  I'm just as passionate about photographing wildlife as I am my portrait clients. Wildlife is like a spark and a wonderful compliment to my day job as a portrait photographer.

BUT THIS made my weekend!  Enjoy!

Reflections | November 2015

The triplets (deer) are still coming around.  I saw them this morning and it's so sweet how two of the three are always together while the slightly bigger one always close by foraging.  

I've taken advantage of the beauty that comes with the freezing temperatures we've had the past week and I photographed some of the leaves and mushrooms from my yard.  The frozen leaves look like they are coated with rock salt and some even show the tiny formations of ice crystals resembling snow flakes.

Reflections | August 2015

The hot and dry summer made for a few sleepless nights, but on a positive note there's been virtually no mowing this summer.  Our community and water association asked us to let our lawns go dormant to conserve water. I'm hoping it will come back to it's usual lush green once the fall rains return. 

I hope you've all had a wonderful summer xo.

This is one of the triplets, he and his sister came to the sliding glass door and waited for me.  When I opened the slider to say "hello" they got scared and the wildlife cam caught this guy prancing off.  His sister is in the background high-tailing it into the bushes where they sometimes bed down at night, although they did come right back a few minutes after this image was captured.

Here are two of the triplets coming back.  I took this shot from my office.

One of the biggest thrills this summer when I downloaded the images from the wildlife cam was when I saw this mama with her fawn in tow.  I haven't actually seen them walk by when I've been working and it's times like this that make having the wildlife cam such a gift.

I spent part of the afternoon out photographing with my nephew and we stumbled across this yellow jacket on a flower while we were trying to focus stack a scene.  (This is a single image and is not focus stacked.)

I am fascinated by cloud formations.  For years now, I'm always looking at the clouds--mesmerized by their beauty and at times fierce nature.  When I am swimming laps, I'll often look up and see these interesting clouds and decided on this day to CAREFULLY take my camera (client camera) out into the middle of the pool and shoot looking straight up and here are the results.

My nephew David is heading off to college in just a few weeks.  I don't see him nearly as often as I'd like due our schedules and I am going to miss him so much!  I was a puddle when these images were taken and I hope when I see him for lunch next week one last time before he leaves that I don't completely embarrass myself and start the waterworks all over again.  It's just hard...  I'm excited for this next journey and milestone in his life, but from a selfish standpoint I'm sad to see him go too.  I love him so much xo.

My brother captured this authentic moment that speaks volumes as to how I feel about this kid.

At a get together at my mom's this past week before David leaves for Denver, my timing was right on the money when I captured David doing a cannonball just before he hit the water..  Fun times!

Reflections | February 2015 Roundup

Here are some of the random images for February's roundup.  Enjoy :)

So I've been working with this young one, getting him used to the camera's shutter clicks.  He is so tentative, as he should be and also why his expression is so cute.

As I was trying to get him comfortable with me, he did move in closer.  In this image he is 18" away from me and no glass between us.  Take a look at what I saw in the viewfinder coming up in the background.  Now that was exciting!

Look at him sneaking up on the younger male.  They are the same height, but when you really look at their faces, it's like looking at Simba and Mufasa, they are very different--baby to mature adult.

I have photographed so many sunsets over the water and came across this sunset in the agricultural area of Woodinville one evening on my way home. I had to stop and take a few images.

I took this image from West Seattle this past weekend.  It was a beautiful day for the last day of February.

Reflections | January 2015 Roundup

January is a good time to refresh, so I thought I would share some of what goes on around here in a given month.  The images aren't meant to be pretty or showcase my work.  They're just for documenting a monthly recap.

He turned around because he heard my shutter clicks through the glass.

This is one of the triplets looking for Finn (below.)  The other two just just off to the right pulling and tearing the St. John's Wort as they make their way past my office window.

This is what Finn was doing (napping) when one of the triplets was looking for him.

This little guy was adorable sitting on this tiny birdhouse having a mid morning snack. 

I happened to be on the phone one morning when out of the corner of my eye I saw this shenanigans going on, so I grabbed the camera and took a few images, while giggling watching his antics (to myself, of course!)

I made myself a beauty dish to use for boudoir sessions.  I felt borderline "genius," ha! ha!  It works fabulously!

Here's a new visitor to the property.  I do not know if this is a male or female, but he/she very much loves marking on my property and then coming to see Finn.  I don't mind this visitor (and I do think it's a little lady) because it's very docile, unlike some others that have shredded my screens and tried to fight with Finn through the glass.  Polite visitors are welcome anytime!

Triplet update | Bellevue Portrait Photographer

This makes me incredibly happy to see that the triplets are doing so well! They came by this morning. I haven't seen their mom, which is a bit concerning, since I know that they are still nursing at this age, but they are able to pull and tug at the bushes when foraging and they look healthy.

Backyard Wildlife + Bulking up for the rut

He's been coming around for a couple weeks, eating berries as high as he can reach.  I've seen him out in the early mornings and very late at night roaming the property or passing though.  Such a majestic creature, however not long ago I was editing late at night, about 1 a.m. and looked up and saw something quite unexpected looking back at me and that did startle me until I realized it was him.

Triplet update | Bellevue Portrait Photographer

Sadly, the triplets are now twins.  I knew that it would be a rare event if she could manage all three.  They came by yesterday morning and I was only able to see them through a small window with the screen.  So last night I decided to go clean my office windows on the chance I'd see them again, since I saw them at dawn and sure enough, not 45-minutes after cleaning all the windows I saw an ear flapping out of the corner of my eye where they have been known to bed down on my property, suddenly mom gets up and the twins followed and I was able to capture some images of the twins nursing.  Such a joy to see that they are all healthy and doing so well.

You can view previous updates here:

The doe on the first day I noticed she was pregnant: Click here.

After the birth: Click here.

They've arrived... and it's triplets!

Several people have been asking me about the pregnant deer I posted back in late April.  Click here to see that post.  I told everyone then that I should see one or possibly twins by late May or early June, but never did I think I would see triplets!  She was pretty big, but I didn't expect three!

I was thrilled to see three healthy strong fawns this morning.  They were on the move (they don't stop and pose for me.)  They are so cute and I hope to see more of them over the coming months as they pass through the property.

Backyard wildlife | Bellevue Portrait Photogrpaher

Well, good afternoon!  Look who stopped by to say hi today?  It is a wonderful feeling to watch these beautiful animals from the time they are fawns, yearlings and then a majestic buck.  He still came to the window looking for Finn.  After all this time, he still remembers...

Backyard Wildlife | Yearlings

I woke up this morning to see these two nursing right where they're standing in these images.  I crept into my office from my bedroom and grabbed my camera, but as I raised it the Doe ran off.  The little ones hung out for a bit, then one ran off and the other stayed a while longer.  I don't know that I'll ever have the opportunity to shoot them nursing again, but at least I was able to see it, which was wonderful.

I have documented this family since the fawns were born.  You may recall the one of the little ones had a crooked leg, but look at her, she's managed so well and can run as fast as her sibling.

I started as a nature and wildlife photographer for 20+ years and in 2007 started my portraiture and boudoir business in the Bellevue, Redmond and the surrounding Eastside areas.  The passion for nature and wildlife photography has never left me and I am so blessed to see such a variety of wildlife right outside my window every week.  I am equally lucky to have wonderful clients to photograph throughout the year.

Backyard Wildlife | Lost Fawn

This little one got separated from mom and it's twin.  It was looking all over for them.  Mom and the twin appeared about a minute later and all were reunited.

Backyard Wildlife | Summertime

This doe and her new fawn came by, the fawn appears to have a problem with it's right hind leg, but is keeping up with mom just fine.

Photo of the Month - July 2013

These two look like they were having a little conversation.  They've been coming around since they were spikes.  It's wonderful to see that they are growing and healthy.

Bellevue Portrait Photographer | Season's Greetings

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Bellevue Portrait Photographer | Morning visitor

Woke up this morning to snow, which didn't stick around long.  I was sitting in my office editing when I saw some antlers poking right above my monitor.  I grabbed my camera and was thrilled to see this buck.  He doesn't come around as much as the other wildlife I get here and he sure doesn't pose for portrait either!  He just sauntered through.  Like I always say, "I am blessed" to live where I do!

Bellevue Photographer | Fawn

I am so blessed....  When I see something like this little one come past my window, I really want for nothing more in life, truly.  It's so exciting and makes my day and I don't ever take it for granted how lucky I am to live in a place where wildlife passes by my office window on a regular basis.  It's a photographers dream...

Pin It

Bellevue Photographer | I haven't seen this guy since April 2008!

I haven't seen this guy since April 2008 when his antlers were just tiny little velvety bumps on the top of his head.  He came through yesterday and he sure has grown into a majestic looking buck.  Initially, I missed the shot of him walking past my office window and honestly, I was so struck by seeing him that I just followed him around watching, no camera in hand.  I was just blown away by how big he is and then Finn wanted me to open the bathroom window so he could get a better look and it was then that I thought if I don't grab my camera and document this, I may never see him again!  

The first shot was through the bathroom screen.  Actually, the sound Finn made caused the buck to look right at me.  I then decided to head outside and see if I could get a better picture and the next two are the resulting images, and then I caught Finn watching the whole thing.

Pin It