Form submitted successfully, thank you.

Error submitting form, please try again.

Jamie Neilsen Photography: The Blog bio picture

Hi, I'm Jamie!

I know you have a choice.  There are a lot of photographers out there – which is a great thing because it keeps pushing me to be better than ever. When you choose me to be your photographer, I do a little happy dance and then I get right to work on creating the perfect portrait experience for you. While my craft is closely tied to gear and gadgets, I know that you are a person and you deserve a personal experience.

I promise to not only take “pretty pictures” but to take pictures that make your heart swell and your toes curl.

I promise to let you be you and photograph what comes naturally.

I promise to be silly, have fun and make you laugh out loud.

I promise to provide plenty of options and guidance so you get exactly what you’re looking for…and then add a cherry on top that you didn’t even ask for.

I promise to deliver high quality heirloom photographs that you can’t wait to hang on your walls…big.

And when it’s all said and done…

I promise to stay in touch well after your session because I value our relationship.

I’m Jamie Neilsen and I’d be honored to be your photographer.

Wanna know more?

I didn’t find photography. Photography found me.
Chewy chocolate brownies are my weakness. No nuts. No frosting.
My husband is my jeweler, personal chef and best friend.
I have nearly a dozen brothers and sisters.
I’m not a morning person.
I adore all things Italian – especially red wine and rich food.
I’m a PC by day and a Mac by night.
I don’t own a TV.
I’d rather dress up than wear jeans and a t-shirt.
I am a lifestyle and portrait photographer.

Delilah | Two Months | Seattle Baby Photographer

There’s a little questionnaire I ask my clients to fill out before we do our session. I ask questions about their family, what they want their kids to remember about their childhood, and what they envision the perfect images from our session to be. Kelsey told me her perfect image would be a family portrait with Delilah’s eyes open. Well Internet, I’m happy to report we got lots of those! It gives me great pleasure to introduce sweet, little Delilah…with her eyes wide open. She’s two months young and simply delightful. It’s a good thing Kelsey wasn’t hoping for sleeping shots because Delilah wasn’t having any of that.

I went ahead and saved the best for last here. Baby butts and tiny fingers are a pretty tough act to follow. Lucky for you, there’s a few more of those in the slideshow…

Click to view the slideshow!

Sharing is caring! Please share & enjoy:
  • Facebook
  • Google Bookmarks
  • email
  • MySpace
  • RSS
  • Twitter

DIY Custom Fragrant Bath Salts | Quick & Easy Valentine Gift

Wanna know a secret? My husband loves baths. He takes one almost every day. He naps in the bath. He watches movies in the bath. He drinks beer in the bath. So, after a month of him exiting the bath smelling of cherry blossoms I decided he deserves his very own custom blend of fragrant bath salts for Valentine’s Day. It’s sooo easy to do and sooo inexpensive to boot. For Steve, I chose a ginger and tangerine combo. It’s spicy and cheerful smelling which is just how I like him straight out of the tub ;) . And if you don’t have a Valentine to make this for, then you definitely should make a batch for yourself. It takes less than ten minutes to make and the hours of enjoyment soaking in your favorite scent will be well worth it. Happy Valentines Day!!

Customized Fragrant Bath Salts

1 cup Epsom Salts

1 cup Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Essential Oil (50 drops of your choice)

Mix all ingredients in a nonporous bowl with a metal spoon. Poor bath salts into a container with a lid to seal in the fragrant essential oils.

To enjoy, add 4 Tbls. of your custom bath salts to warm bath water. Relax. Breathe. Repeat often.

Sharing is caring! Please share & enjoy:
  • Facebook
  • Google Bookmarks
  • email
  • MySpace
  • RSS
  • Twitter

The Olson’s | Family Maternity Session

Rhododendrons. Daffodils. Cherry Blossoms. Clematis. The Beach. Sunshine. Paradise? Close. Spring? Not quite. We still have a month and a half left of winter but the flowers around here seem to be in a hurry. Unlike the Mid-Atlantic that’s being hammered with storms and snow, us Northwester’s have been enjoying our warmest winter on record. And it’s not just the flowers that are blooming. Meredith is growing a baby brother for little Annika! I met the Olson’s at Golden Gardens Beach last weekend for a family maternity session. Between the magical morning light and Meredith glowing like a goddess, I could have photographed this family all day long.

Ladies, I don’t know what her secret is but this hot mama’s due date is less than two months away. Doesn’t she look amazing!?

This next set just makes me squeal with delight. I love the expression Meredith and Eric are giving each other. That’s the kind of look you get when you have an awesome 2′ tall assistant that says, “say cheese mommy!”.

This last one on the right is what I like to call a “story-teller”. Every time I look at it I get sucked in to the moment and emotion. There’s definitely a story in there; don’t you think?

As always, there’s so much more in the slideshow! Take a tea break, turn up your speakers and enjoy…

Click to view the slideshow!

P.S. What do you think of my new picture layouts? I think I’m going to retire the polaroid branded look.

Sharing is caring! Please share & enjoy:
  • Facebook
  • Google Bookmarks
  • email
  • MySpace
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Dream, Grow, Inspire | Episode Two

Gooooood Morning Internet!  I imagine this photograph of last weekends breakfast will either make you hungry for huevos or it’ll make you want to gag a little. That’s how I feel about eggs anyway. I usually avoid them, being allergic to them and all. But sometimes, the yokey goodness is sooo tasty. Today feels like a good day for another episode of Dream, Grow, Inspire.

Dream: Steve and I are on the path to home-ownership. Talk about STRESSFUL. As first time home buyers everything comes out of the closet and you find yourself debating things that don’t even exist yet – like the paint color for the new office and what kind of dog will live in our imaginary yard. We did find one place though that tugs on our heart strings. A major fixer upper charming home with a lot of character in a land far far away neighborhood we know nothing about. We call this place, “Yellow House.” Last weekend we went to visit Yellow House and spent time in the neighborhood. We started with breakfast. It’s kind of our thang. A good breakfast joint is super important. This one passed the test and we spent the next several hours locating grocery stores, the post office, parks, coffee shops, a movie theater and bars. I think we’d be quite happy in that new neighborhood. It has all our favorite things delivered in exactly our preferred way. Does that make sense? Well, we can’t make an offer just yet…so hopefully no one else discovers all of Yellow House’s potential and snatches it away from us. We’ve got a mean, imaginary dog that’s guarding it for us. If you’re looking at homes in Seattle and come upon a cute Yellow House…consider yourself warned.

Grow: There is so much growth happening with JNP right now! First, I launched a new newsletter. If you’d like to receive future editions you can subscribe by clicking here. It’s also been exciting to watch the number of fans on my Facebook Fan Page grow. The reviews that are coming in absolutely warm my heart! Thank you, thank you, thank you. A goal of mine for 2010 is to connect with more photographers in my field, join organizations and attend workshops that will strengthen my skills, and give back to my community in meaningful ways. This month I’m attending a workshop with Sandy Puc, a nationally acclaimed photographer and business women. I’m hoping to be inspired, learn some new tips and tricks and meet some fab local photogs! But what I’m most excited to tell you about is the Littlest Heroes Project. I’m was recently approved to be a photographer for this great cause and have already been chosen to photograph a little hero next month. I encourage you to learn more about the organization and spread the word. If you’re a photographer, won’t you consider joining the cause?

Inspire: I stumbled across a video the other day that was so inspiring! It’s called Lemonade and you can watch it for free here. If you’ve ever been laid off, know someone who has been laid off, been afraid to follow your dreams or are stuck in a job you don’t like…this video is a must watch. Enjoy!

Coming up this month: babies, bellies, and lots of love birds! Did you know you can subscribe to this blog and get future posts delivered straight to your email inbox or reader? Simply click on the “subscribe” button at the top of this page!

Sharing is caring! Please share & enjoy:
  • Facebook
  • Google Bookmarks
  • email
  • MySpace
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Annie | Boudoir

“Unmentionables – those articles of ladies’ apparel that are never discussed in public, except in full-page, illustrated ads.”  ~Changing Times

Kids aren’t the only ones having fun in front of my lens these days. These boudoir sessions have been simply delightful. We sip tea and turn up the music. We crank the heater and pick through piles of lingerie. We giggle about owning some of the same unmentionables and wander around the house in search of enticing light. There’s no overwrought posing or cajoling. It’s truly just a couple of girlfriends “hanging-out”.

This is Annie’s boudoir…

Become a Fan on Facebook!

Sharing is caring! Please share & enjoy:
  • Facebook
  • Google Bookmarks
  • email
  • MySpace
  • RSS
  • Twitter