I've spent the last 18-plus years photographing weddings, events, family portraits, headshots, engagement sessions, kids, and more. My #1 goal is to bring experience, positive energy and calm to your most chaotic day.
Wanna know more about me, my life and my approach to the work I love? I've put all the answers to questions nobody actually asked into convenient Q&A format, so read on. There are a few bad words and a lot of bad jokes ahead. Consider yourself warned.
My role: Owner, photographer, web designer, sales rep, client relations manager, receptionist, bookkeeper, IT tech, facilities manager, custodian, cat wrangler.
I’m from: So far south in West Seattle that it might as well be Burien. But it's not. If you know, you know.
I currently live in: Bremerton, Washington, with my husband, two boys and one cat who needs to be on my lap, like, all the time.
Education: BA in journalism from Western Washington University
First camera: My dad’s 1978 Pentax K1000 film camera that 12-year-old me operated like a BOSS
Biggest “duh” of my life: I spent high school torn between becoming a dancer or a journalist, when photographer was RIGHT THERE the whole time.
Career path in 10 words: Preschool teacher → ballet teacher → newspaper reporter → public relations → photographer (finally)
Vibes I’ll bring to your wedding day: Composure, organization and positivity.
Yes, I have: Horror stories. No, I won’t: Tell you the worst ones (at least until your wedding is over)
I love: My family, democracy, golden hour, the color green, Sunday afternoon Mariners games in September, coffee, this amazing state we live in, swearing, sarcasm and yelling out the answer to Jeopardy clues like Ken Jennings can hear me.
I hate: Bigots and the Oxford comma.
Nerdiest obsessions: Doctor Who, Great British Bake Off, Star Trek, figure skating, trivia game shows, Agatha Christie books and Blackadder (that one’s a deep cut; look it up, kids).
When I grow up I want to be: The Dowager Countess of Grantham.
Favorite pizza: Hawaiian. I said what I said.
I’m 100% done with: Keeping politics out of business.
We ride at dawn for: Democracy, public education, kids with autism and intellectual disabilities, trans rights, feminism, abortion rights, marriage equality, free and fair elections, dresses with fucking pockets already, did I mention democracy?
We’re not a good fit if: You think human rights are negotiable.
I'm known for: Being unflappable on wedding days.
Most-used phrase on a wedding day: “OK, now kiss!”
Most-used phrase, family photos edition: “If you’re tall, you know where to stand.”
In MY family photos, I'm always: In the front row.
I will absolutely cry: During your vows.
I always carry: Scissors and an endless supply of dad jokes.
I promise I will: Use your preferred pronouns and make sure you eat something.
I promise I will not: Swear (at least out loud) or talk politics at your wedding. Unless you want me to.
Hill I will die on: Your wedding day isn’t for your mom, your grandpa, your friends or your social media followers. It’s for you and your partner. Wear what makes you happy, eat what you want, dance to the music you love. I'll be there for all of it.
You’re safe with me if: You’re a human who wants to feel respected, comfortable and celebrated for who you are.
You’re extra safe with me if: You’ve been told you’re “awkward in photos.” You’re not. You’re just a real person.
Where are you located and how far do you travel? I'm in Bremerton, just across the water from Seattle. I regularly shoot weddings throughout Western Washington from Bellingham to Vancouver, Wa. Further travel is a little more challenging because I have a child with special needs,, but I'm willing to consider extended travel for the right clients - just ask!
How can I find out if you’re available on my wedding day? Check my availability calendar! It's updated in real-time.
Do you accept LGBTQ+ clients? Of course! Lemonade Photography welcomes all kinds of families and supports all kinds of love.
How far in advance should I book with you? For weddings, I recommend booking at least 9 months in advance, before my calendar fills up, especially if you’re getting married on a summer Friday or Saturday. However, I usually have a handful of dates open for last-minute bookings; check my availability calendar for your date! I accept bookings up to 2 years in advance. You must have a date and venue locked in to book with me.
How do I start my booking? Get in touch: start your wedding booking here and your family portrait booking here. Or call me at 360-286-4394.
What are your prices? Wedding package prices are available here. Family portrait prices are available here.
What are your payment terms? For weddings, I require a non-refundable 30% retainer toward your package price. Your balance can be paid in installments or in one payment; the final payment is due one month before your wedding. Payment plans are available. For family and portrait sessions, your session fee (due at booking) is your retainer. Digital Image Collections are purchased after you have viewed your proofing gallery.
What comes with my wedding package? All wedding packages include edited high-resolution digital images, transferred online, and a signed release giving you full printing and distribution rights. Prints, custom flash drives, photo albums and wall art are available for an additional cost.
What comes with my session fee? For family portraits, the session fee covers my time and travel at your session. No images are included with the session fee. Digital Image Collections are purchased after viewing your proofing gallery and selecting your images. Prints, wall art, albums and more can be purchased directly from your final gallery.
Will there be any surprise costs after the wedding? Nope! You get everything you need to print your own photos, however and wherever you want. You may purchase print products through Lemonade Photography, but it's not required.
How many photos will I get? For weddings, it depends on a number of factors: The length of the wedding, the location and lighting, how many different activities are packed into an event, etc. A very general estimate if you’re hiring Lemonade for a wedding or event: Expect at least 50 images per hour of shooting. I frequently send clients way more than that, but it’s a good place to start. For family sessions, you'll usually get about 40-50 images in your proofing gallery; you decide how many to purchase and keep.
But you must take way more photos than that. How come I don’t get every picture you shoot? Like any photographer, I hunt through hundreds of images looking for the best ones so you don't have to.. What you don't get are duplicates, photos with people blinking or making awkward faces or poses, missed focus (it happens!), and other photos that don't meet my standard for quality.
What kind of editing do you do? For most photos, I use Adobe Lightroom and/or Photoshop to make minor adjustments to brightness, color, contrast and tone in order to provide you with clear, vivid, beautiful images. My preference is to send clients bright, warm, colorful images that represent their event as accurately as possible. I keep an eye out for major blemishes, stains, unsightly hairs out of place etc - but for the most part, I want your photos to look like YOU and not a photoshopped version of yourself. I do accept special Photoshop requests for an additional fee
How do I get my photos? You will receive a link to an online gallery with edited, downloadable images. Please read your gallery email carefully and follow the directions to download your full-size images.
How long do I have to download my photos? Galleries are available for 3 months; after that, they are archived. If you need access to your gallery after it is archived, I charge a $30 fee to reinstate your gallery for 2 weeks.
Do you save all the images from my session? To save space, I delete RAW files from your session after your gallery is delivered. Final, edited images are archived but I am unable to guarantee they will be saved forever.
I want to put prints on my wall! Can you help? Of course! You can purchase standard prints, fine art prints, canvases, metal prints and other wall art directly from your gallery, as well as customized cards and albums. These cost a little more, but they come from a reputable professional printing lab and are guaranteed to have true colors and resist fading. Your digital download also includes a print release, so you are free to take your images to your photo lab of choice for printing. However, I cannot guarantee quality of prints from outside sources.
What equipment do you bring to a wedding? I shoot with Nikon mirrorless cameras and a range of lenses. While I prefer to shoot with natural light when possible, I always bring battery-operated, remotely-triggered flashes to set up on stands around the room, just in case the ambient light isn’t enough. I’m also prepared to shoot outdoors in the rain with a trunk full of clear umbrellas and rain covers for my cameras.
What happens if your gear fails? Well, first I might cry a little (that stuff's expensive). But since I always shoot with two cameras and have a third available as backup, I'm usually able to adjust quickly and keep shooting - most couples will never even know I'm having a problem! Well, except for the crying.
How do you protect my photos after the wedding or session? Lost/corrupted images are a big concern for me (I have nightmares about it) so I do everything I can to make sure that never happens! I shoot on dual memory cards, so every photo is recorded to two different cards in case one card becomes corrupted or is lost or damaged before I can upload the photos. After I get home from a session, I immediately upload your photos to two external hard drives and back them up to. One copy of every memory card is also filed away until your gallery is delivered.
Do you have insurance? Yes! I am covered for property damage, bodily injury, medical expenses, damage to my camera equipment and more. I'm happy to share a Certificate of Insurance if you'd like a copy for your records.