Hello! Welcome! If this blog were a real shop with a physical space, I’d be delighted to see you. But the reality is, if you’re a future client, we probably haven’t met yet. And if you’re a past client, I may have only seen you for a few hours in the past year! Who knows who else visits this space. Really, who knows!? When I check my blog stats, I know that hundreds of people visit this site each month. But why!? And who are you!? Well, it’s time to find out. And for that I will reward you.

In my line of work, bribery is totally okay. Encouraged even. I carry Dum-Dums in my camera bag and as past clients will tell you, there are always a few surprise goodies in the packages they receive from me. This week, I’m bribing you with your choice of a $30 gift card from Swink or Amazon.com!! If you don’t already know, Swink is an awesome style bar in Seattle voted “best place to get beautiful” by Seattle Bride. And of course, Amazon.com is the online retailer who carries just about everything. All you have to do is complete this survey!

Here’s how to play:

1. Click buttons and fill in the blanks to the questions below.
2. Leave a comment at the end of this post stating that you completed the survey and share your favorite thing about Spring (it’s almost here! it’s almost here!).
3. Saturday morning (2/12/11), everyone with a comment below will be entered to win their choice of gift card. The winner will be chosen by the tools at Random.org and announced that day.

You’ve got nothing to lose and fun things to gain! Happy survey taking….

You choose Jamie Neilsen Photography for unique, interactive, custom portraiture with a modern flair. So why wouldn’t your holiday cards be the same!? I’m so excited to introduce this year’s new line of holiday card ornaments. Choose between 5 two sided designs with complete personalization options for color and text. These 5×5 round ornament cards arrive ready to hang in the homes of your friends and family. It’s a truly inspiring way to send your holiday greetings this year.

A little too bold for your taste? Not to worry. These designs can also be made into 5×5 square flat cards for a more traditional look and feel. You can check out the whole collection with front and backs here: Ornament Holiday Card Collection

As amazing as these ornament cards are, I know some of you will still want a larger card you can fold and stick fun things into (like 4×6 photos and family letters). I’ve got you folks covered too. My collection of 6 expertly designed 5×7 press printed cards will standout from all the rest. This aint your Uncle Bob’s glossy, flimsy, post card sized holiday card. No friends, these designs allow you to include multiple photos with your choice of card colors and text. They’re printed by my favorite professional photographic print house on state-of-the-art HP Indigo digital printing presses with real liquid ink for amazing color quality and consistency just like you receive with your photographic print orders. You can see all 6 designs here: Folded Holiday Card Collection

When you’ve picked out your favorite designs, give me a call or shoot me an email and I’ll help you with the ordering process. How about that? You don’t even have to leave the house or stand in line. Your custom holiday cards will arrive on your doorstep ready for you to address and stamp. Sweet!

Today is my un-birthday. My half birthday. The day that everyone tells me I should be celebrating my birthday on because my actual birth date sucks. It sucks because on December 14th most people are up to their eyeballs in holiday parties. They have plans to see the Nutcracker. They have the flu and can’t drive in the ice and snow. They’re broke and hate buying birthday presents on top of Christmas presents. It’s a pretty sucky date to have your birthday.

Today I’m celebrating my birthday in the most radical way I know how, doing the thing I love most, with the people I like best. Today is the day that anyone and everyone in the Seattle area can sign up to have their very own custom photography session and receive youthful, original, modern portraits of their fabulous lives. Because today is…PAY WHAT YOU CAN DAY!!

I told my husband about this and he nearly fainted. “You’re really going to let anyone pay whatever they want?” What if they make you some ridiculous offer? This sounds Ca.RA.Zee.”

Well, I’m a crazy kind of girl. I’m impulsive. I love to help out my friends and I love a good deal. Maybe you do too? Take advantage of me…er…it…er…whatever. This could be a total blooper or the best idea I’ve ever had.

Here’s how it works:

1) Leave a comment in the comments box and tell me what price would make you smile big. Then I’ll send you a PayPal invoice. If it makes you queasy to publicly declare that your Mastercard is maxed or you only have $27.32 in the bank and you’d like to send me three postdated checks for $20 each, over the course of three months, well then, email jamie [at] jamieneilsenphotography [dot] com, and we’ll make it happen.

2) Once you pay, we’ll find a date for your session (sometime between now and my real birthday, December 14th).

3) Go tell all your friends. They should get in on this too.

Here is my emotional disclaimer (so I don’t give my husband a heart attack):

• My portrait sessions retail for $225. Many people have paid this price knowing that it is a fair and competitive fee to other custom photographers in the area. All the details of what is included in a custom portrait session can be found on my portfolio website under the details menu.
• If you’ve already paid full price for an upcoming session, thank you. This birthday offer is not retroactive.
• If you’d like to GIFT this offer at the pay-what-you-can rate, wonderful! Tell us who the lucky recipient is.
• If you feel inclined to pay the full price anyway, feel free.
• If you’re independently wealthy and want to pay more than the regular price, Jesus and my husband will probably high-five you (well, I’m not totally sure about Jesus, but you can ask him).
• I will accept multiple payments over time. Just tell me what your plan is.
• This offer will end TONIGHT at midnight (PST), just like birthdays do.

Still need convincing? You know you’re going to get family pictures done this year anyway. Why not buy early and set your own price. Whatever you can afford today. This way you don’t have to cram it in last minute. You’ll have plenty of time to design the perfect holiday card -  one that doesn’t look like everyone else’s. Let me save you from Fall Frenzy. Consider this the early bird gift!

Don’t want to have pictures of yourself? Maybe you know someone who’s experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances. Maybe you know someone who deserves a reminder of their family’s spirit, love, and beauty. This is the gift of awesome. You and I can partner together to make this happen.

Why am I doing this? Because I am deeply committed to providing the fabulous experience of custom photography to as many people as possible. I believe that pictures are an invaluable keepsake and I want to preserve the memories of your fabulous lives with portraits that are youthful, original and absolutely fantastic.

So, what are you waiting for? Let me grant your wish….

Transitional Resources helps adults living with the most serious and persistent forms of mental illness by providing respectful and optimistic recovery-oriented services, affordable housing, and advocacy against discrimination which works to break the cycle of incarceration, hospitalization and homelessness.

We value the same things that those with mental illness do:
• decent housing;
• feeling needed and wanted;
• being a part of a community;
• working and engaging in meaningful, age-appropriate activities; and
• having hope for a highly personalized form of recovery.

One of the ways TR executes their mission is through their certified organic garden which is the smallest one here in Washington state. The garden serves as more than just a beautiful, tranquil space for their clients and staff to enjoy; it’s also an educational and vocational training ground for their clients living with mental illnesses. And, as if that weren’t enough, they even donate the produce harvested from the garden to the local West Seattle Food Bank. A.Ma.Zing.

The Garden Party, in it’s sixth year, invites community supporters to take a tour of the grounds and help get the garden ready for growing season. This years party couldn’t have landed on a better date. The sun shined brightly all day long in one of nicest days we’ve had in awhile. Planter boxes were filled with colorful flowers, fresh wood chips were laid for walking paths and the weeds didn’t stand a chance.

The big finale of the event was a cooking demonstration by Chef Jennifer Meyer of Cafe Revo, a local Italian restaurant. Jennifer picked fresh onions from the garden and prepared deliciously mouth watering bruschetta for everyone to sample. I made sure to grab a recipe card and can’t wait to make some this weekend!

I feel so lucky to live in a community that is supportive and inclusive of values I find of utmost importance. It’s more than caring for our sick and struggling. Their commitment to pesticide free gardening, whole food education, and growing meaningful relationships is no small effort. I wish I could share more of the pictures from this special day but I’m sure you can understand the privacy issues involved. If you’d like to learn more about Transitional Resources, the many services they offer and how you can help, check them out here: http://www.transitionalresources.org/.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Oh, yeah, baby. Just in time for Mother’s Day I’m offering a special Mommy & Me Mini Session event! These special mini sessions will focus on the mother and child relationship.

We all know how often moms aren’t in photos with their kiddos because they’re usually the one behind the camera. Well, this is the perfect time to remedy the problem.  A Mommy & Me Mini Session is a great gift to give that special mother in your life….or to give to yourself! Come on, admit it, you want…no…deserve a beautiful portrait with your child.

These Mommy & Me Mini Sessions will take place on Saturday, May 8th at Meridian Park in Seattle. I’ve chosen Meridian Park for it’s grassy open spaces, shade providing orchards, organic Seattle Tilth gardens, architecturally stunning historic Good Shepherd building and the coolest playground in town. Please email or call me to reserve your special mini session.  The sessions last approximately 30 minutes and will include at least 10 unique images of you and your child/children.

Session fees are $100 and include two complimentary 5×7′s.  Proofs will be available to view online in a password protected gallery. Albums, prints and storyboards will also be available for purchase.

I look forward to photographing you with your children!

(credit National Geographic)

Happy Monday! This weekend was full of goodness and this morning I’m feeling a little in love with life. My blogiversary is just a week away and I find myself taking pause and reflecting on this past year’s achievements. Just seeing the Fall leaves around my neighborhood brings me back to those days last year when Shutter Sisters pushed me to take pictures in ways I never had before. I put my camera on the ground and shot from the hip and learned how to have fun photographing the simplest things.

Perhaps the most shocking thing is to go back into my archives and see the kind of pictures I was proud to share back then. What was I thinking? I was excited just to shoot and didn’t think about the technical stuff at all. I was still shooting auto everything and was pretty certain I’d never read my camera manual…ever.

Along the way I met so many great people who inspired me and made me crave to know more and get better at my craft. Somehow I found my calling back to people photography and can’t thank all those people who believed in me and pushed me to keep going enough. I’m pretty sure that only a couple of friends and my grandma read this blog in those early months but today Feedburner and Backstage tell me their are hundreds out there who stop by to see my world and read my words.

And so, it is because of people like you, dear reader, that I have grown so much this past year. It is because of you that I strive to keep growing and give back more. Today I’m giving away a picture book from National Geographic (the holy grail of awesome photography). This picture is from the cover of the book.

In their words, “This enchanting book celebrates the depth and diversity of love—at many moments in history, and at every human age—in an exquisite collection of photographs from National Geographic’s famous archives and beyond.” “As life-affirming and surprising as its namesake, the book is a beautiful keepsake for lovers and a must-have for all who admire classic photography.”

You want it don’t you!? Well it’s easy-peasy to win. All you have to do is leave a love themed comment below before midnight (PST) on Tuesday (10/13). Wednesday morning I’ll run the comments through Random.org and a winner will be announced later that day. Feel free to comment as often as you like. The more comments you make, the more chances you have to win!

P.S. There’s still time to enter “The Funnest Family” contest! We have a few great entries so far. I know you want to win a FREE family photo session so hurry on over and start nominating!

“Waiting for a train to go.
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or No
or waiting for their hair to grow.

“Everyone is just waiting.”

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.”

-Dr. Seuss

It’s that time of year again! Grads of all ages, sizes, and expertise are ready to take the plunge into the next chapter of their lives. It was actually ten years ago this month that I had my own high school graduation. I remember posing for pictures in my royal blue gown under a giant cherry tree in our driveway. I wore a yellow shirt and black pants and I was having a good hair day. I broke up with my boyfriend that morning and went shoe shopping that afternoon. I remember it was hot and sunny and I smoked a cigarette in a mini van with four other grads across the street from our school. We didn’t talk about the upcoming ceremony. We didn’t talk about college or summer trips. We just sat in that car…waiting…and smoking to kill the time.

My mom, an associate dean at a local college, has a tradition of giving grads a copy of Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” on graduation day. It’s the ultimate graduation gift with a thoughtful letter to the grad scribbled into the front cover. As if that weren’t special enough, she requires the grad to sit and listen as she reads the story out loud. Every time I hear it makes me tear up a little. Dr. Seuss is genius.

So, ten years ago I sat in my mom’s arms as she read me this story. It starts off so profound,

“Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to great places! You’re off and away!”

 

It’s all very exciting with, “brains in your head” and “feet in your shoes”.  It talks about life as though can’t lose!

“Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.”

 

And then, the story takes a turn. And this is where one of my favorite lessons were learned.

“Except when you don’t because, sometimes, you won’t. I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true and hang-ups can happen to you.”

 

And ain’t that the truth!? Life is not perfect and it doesn’t always go the way you though it ought to. Sometimes you’re in the dreaded waiting place. Sometimes you’re left all alone to make impossible decisions. Sometimes you’re required to jump without seeing the bottom. Life can be a scary place. And although we may not have all the answers; although we may not have all the best tools; somehow we do make it through. With the help from our families and high fives from our friends; nods from our neighbors and kind words from blog land; hugs at church and pats on the back from coworkers – we get through it.

So to all you grads out there, ”Congratulations!” You’re on your way…

“You’ll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You’ll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!”

To read the whole story, click HERE!

This weekend we broke down and bought a new Mac Book so we’re finally back to a two computer home. Now I won’t have to feel guilty for hogging the computer anymore! Tomorrow I have a very exciting photo session with two of my favorite ladies. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. It went from 90 degrees to 60 degrees practically overnight and the clouds look threateningly dark. Fingers crossed….

{click to view larger}

Here are a few of my favorites from their session. Be sure to check out the slide show for more newborn sweetness!

CHECK OUT THE SLIDE SHOW!

I’ll share pictures of Gimley later this week but today I want to show off pictures from Memorial Day weekend in Portalnd. The Rose Festival was in full force along the waterfront and you could smell the sugar in the air. Giant elephant ears, cotton candy, chocolate covered everything….I don’t know how people go on rides after all that!

I’ve really been draw to black and white pictures lately and couldn’t resist doing the same to a few of the fair pictures. Here are some of my favorites!