Rich Passage I is a 77′ low-wake passenger ferry designed by the Bellingham-based company All American Marine. The vessel was designed specifically for Kitsap County to provide an efficient low impact commuter solution that would not erode the coastline. I shot both stills and motion clips with a Canon 5D Mark II from a helicopter near Blake Island (between Bremerton and Seattle).
Rich Passage I – Aerial Video from Daniel Nelson on Vimeo.
As a photographer, I love watching how couples identify what is most important to them and then shape their weddings around these core values. During Patrick and Bethany’s wedding day, I was moved to see how their relationship mirrors the deepest hopes of their faith. Their passion and sense of humor also made photographing their day really fun! This was important because, working in downtown Renton, I felt a little like a fish out of water (if you follow my work, you may notice a bias toward forests and beaches). Their enthusiasm made their environment rock. Congratulations Patrick and Bethany and blessings on your marriage!
View the full gallery and order prints here.
I had the privilege of shooting the debut performance of a new jazz-soul band at LUCID Jazz Lounge. It was super refreshing to do a little improve collaboration with these guys on the images. And besides, now I can truthfully say that I shot The Trophy Buck.
Bonus! Here’s a little behind-the-scenes peak at our high end photo studio ;)
This summer we had the joy of welcoming a new nephew, Peregrine Kenneth Emmanuel Nelson. So far we know that he loves sunshine and that he has the same wrinkles on his forehead as me. His name means wanderer or pilgrim.
Congratulations Andrew and Rachel!
View gallery with more photos here.
Recently, I was invited to photograph a local Indonesian wedding in a village near where we stay in Cisarua, Bogor. The reception was an afternoon-long receiving line where friends, acquaintances and family come to give their blessings and gifts, and then enjoy a buffet of food and live music. The wedding was very formal, but atmosphere was also lighthearted and very relaxed. Personally, I had a lot of fun with the challenge of capturing a wedding in a new context.
Congratulations Robert and Dia!
This photography season came to a close for me with Tobin and Sarah’s autumn wedding at the Evergreen Arboretum and Gardens in Everett, Washington. I loved how comfortable Tobin and Sarah were with stripping down the usual wedding trappings, while really honoring what mattered to them. Since the wedding guests consisted only of their parents, siblings, and a couple of others, I felt very privileged to be a part of their day.
Congratulations and all the best on your future together!
Steve and Tracey designed one of the most quirky and guest-oriented weddings that Liz and I have had the privilege of capturing. The Georgetown Ballroom in Seattle seemed the perfect place for their creative flare and warmth. From the photo booth guest book to the cupcake tower to Tracey’s pink heels, the day was full of fun alternatives to the normal wedding status quo. We had a particularly fun time running an (un)photo booth for the first time (see the results here).
Congratulations Tracey and Steve!
Rob and Danielle are two of the funnest most energetic folks that you’re likely to meet. Liz and I love outdoor weddings, so we were excited to photograph theirs at Kitsap Memorial State Park by the Hood Canal. More importantly though, we loved witnessing their adorable affection for each other and the enthusiastic support of their friends and family.
Congratulations Robert Higgins and Danielle Du Nann!
View full gallery and order prints here!
Rather than a formal portrait session, hanging out with William (who happens to be my brother-in-law) just felt like a fun afternoon walking through the park and exploring Seattle. He’s a great guy with a passion for theater and classic musicals (someone’s got to do it!). I hope these pictures capture a bit of his quirky personality and sincere heart.
Will – you’re awesome!
If you’d like to see more, check out the Facebook gallery with the rest of the shoot.
Mark and Erika are the sort of people that instantly make you feel comfortable when you’re around them. They’re thoughtful, funny, down to earth and full of laughter. At the end of a month-long stretch of shooting over a wedding a week (not to mention moving and pulling off a thesis show), their low-key celebration out at a remote cabin in Index Washington was a welcome change of pace. While editing, I enjoyed experimenting with cross-processed color and low contrast black and white. Let me know what you think!
Colin and Rachel contacted me last minute to see if I could photograph their rehearsal dinner. Because Colin’s dad had been in a serious accident shortly beforehand, it was especially important to capture memories from the evening. I was glad to be available and hope these pictures do justice to a beautiful evening. Visit the main gallery here if you’d like to see more (just so you can see for yourself that Urban Light Studios actually has a wall covered in antique paint by numbers, and, among other things, a stuffed tiger).
Yes that’s mineral water going into the champagne glass. Awesome.
When Kate and Brian first contacted me about photographing their wedding on Lummi Island, I immediately got excited about capturing their day in a place close to my heart. (I grew up looking out at the San Juans from my bedroom window and doing kayak/sailing trips through the islands each summer). They held an intimate ceremony and reception at the Willows Inn, which is one of the most beautiful and unpretentious venues I’ve had the opportunity to work at. Throughout the day I loved witnessing Brian and Kate’s quirky unassuming love for each other and their community. Here’s to a beautiful life together!
For more photos visit the full gallery here.
