2014 in Review

2014 went by in a blur... but it was so full of life. Full of days with my puppy by my side, a new camera and all the beautiful things I got to see through its viewfinder, work that I really enjoy, becoming a dedicated Apple product user, and I made a best friend; we had an amazing International Convention in Seattle, I drank way too much coffee for my own good, had one amazing day with my mom and our dogs, second shot a wedding with my friend Bre, had the pleasure of being Poopsie in our local production of The Pajama Game and helped my little sister set up her YouTube channel and Facebook page for her music. Hard to believe its over. But I'm excited for 2015 and the adventures it will bring. A new business venture, perhaps some new flooring for our house, and many more photoshoots. Welcome 2015!! 

What are some of your highlights from 2014?
What are you most looking forward to next year?

Katrina Fricke: Little Sister and Musician

My littlest sister Katrina is a very talented musician. She is a singer/songwriter who has been writing her own songs for years now. This past week I spent a few days with my family in Canada and took the opportunity to capture some pictures of Katrina and film her very first video for her brand new YouTube channel. It had started snowing, and I just love the feeling the slowly falling snowflakes gave the images. I also created a logo for her and a cool header image with some of the pictures we took. 

I am really proud of the woman she is becoming, and I can't wait to see where her music takes her. 

Here is her logo and header image. 

And these are my favorite pictures. She doesn't look 16 years old, does she? She is so beautiful, inside and out. I'm proud to be her big sister. 

And I am so excited to share with you her very first YouTube video: a country version cover of Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off." Such a unique take on the song. 

Please subscribe to her YouTube channel, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter. We've got a lot of great stuff coming in the near future, including some of her amazing original material. 

Moses Lake Maternity: Tiffanie + Josh

It was the first real cold spell of the season... the temperature well below freezing, and, like usual it was windy. So windy that I couldn't feel my fingers as I pushed the shutter on my camera during this shoot. But their smiles were real; their love warming them as they tried to hear me give them direction through the gusts of wind. 

We only lasted 15 minutes... but we captured some special images to help them remember this time preparing to welcome their little one into the world. I'm glad we braved the cold, even for just a few minutes. I treasure the opportunity I had to take these pictures for them. Here are some of my favorites. 

Alberto + Jazmin: Love in the trees

Alberto and Jazim were married in May of this year, and I had the pleasure of capturing their day. It was a day full of families and laughter and dear friends. A warm spring day with sweet moments and wholehearted interactions. These are my favorite images from our portrait session in the park. The light was perfect.  

I put together an album for them as a gift, and the coolest part of Shutterfly is that I can share on here too. I loved putting the story of their day together in something they can hold and look back on for years to come. 

Click here to view this photo book larger

2014 has been such a thrilling year for me behind the camera. I can't wait to see what else is to come. 

My Favorite Memory of 2014

You guys, its December 9, 2014. 

Are you serious? Yeah... it's almost 2015, and I sometimes still write 2013 on my checks. This is kinda crazy-pants! 

But here we are...and oh what a year it's been. 

I wanted to share my favorite memory from 2014. To chronicle it. To savor it. To embolden my ability to tell the stories of my life. 

There wasn't anything necessarily particular about the weekend of September 20th. But I was literally  diving head first into the hardest month of my life. Not to be overly dramatic, or anything. Just stating facts here. And so I needed to get out of town. Or "get out of Dodge" as they say... 

So we packed up our pillows and our puppy and drove the almost 2 hours north to my parents house. Dad was away, so it was a bonus that we got to keep mom company. But there I was...in a house I used to call home with the 2 people (and 2 dogs) that love me more than anyone else in the world. My husband and my mom. 

Saturday morning came easy... we slept in. Had some eggs for breakfast. And took our first cups, of what would end up being 4 pots of coffee, out to the front porch. And for the first time in a long time I smiled for real...and breathed in deep what it felt like to just be. 

I didn't put a bra on that day. I remember telling people about my weekend after the fact and this was a big revelation! No bra = extreme comfort and acceptance. Is it weird that my favorite memory involves me not wearing a bra? Maybe, but this is happening. 

My mom has made her front porch the epitome of home. They've hung up the porch swing my Dad made years ago from old Kingdom Hall chairs and Mom covered it with blankets and pillows. There are candles of all sorts of colors and smells on every surface. And the bouquet of flowers Dad brought home for her that week sitting next to the other bouquet she got from the dentist. But that's another story... There are two rocking chairs and a vine growing along the railing and hanging pots full of flowers. She calls it her "Porch Resort" and we even made a little sign for her to hang that day. 

So we got comfy out there, sometimes just Mom and me...sometimes Chris joined us. We read and talked and slept in the warmth of the late autumn sun. Chris played music on his guitar for us, we talked about the new iPhone update and worked through the new features together. 

But all day we let the dogs run loose. And this part of the weekend makes me smile the most. My parents have a mini-schnauzer named Tucker. They got him when I was 15 and he was my buddy when I lived at home. He got to sleep with me and still does whenever I visit. He is the reason I wanted a mini-schnauzer when Chris and I decided it was time to get a puppy for ourselves. We have had Gibson for 2 years now, and he lights up my days. 

Tucker and Gibson had interacted once before. Tucker is kind of an old man now...set in his ways. He doesn't like strange dogs in his house with his people. So he usually gets jealous and tends to mark his territory. So we hadn't made it a habit of bringing Gibson with us when we visited. Its Tucker's house...I get it. 

But this time it was a last minute trip, and we didn't have a plan. So Gibson came with us. And it turned out to be my favorite part of the weekend. Tucker and Gibson became best friends.

Tucker has a long history of running if he gets loose. He takes off and comes home 2 days later covered in yuck. He is always looking for a way out. Gibson on the other hand, loves to explore, but he always comes when he's called. It was like a revelation to Tucker. "Oh! If I don't run away and come back when I'm called I get to explore and roam around this huge yard we have?! How cool!"

And that's exactly what they did. They chased squirrels and ran out into the field and took turns chasing each other around the pond. But whenever I would call Gibson, they would both come. It was awesome. I was a super proud puppy-mom that day, and it made me happy to see Tucker enjoying his freedom too. 

So, my favorite memory from 2014 was a day spent with my 2 favorite people and my 2 favorite dogs, without a bra on. Yup. Pretty much a perfect day. 

What is your favorite memory from 2014? 

Intimate Leavenworth Wedding: Gerie + Brandon

She is strong and sweet and openhearted. He is kind and giving and a firefighter. I was honored to be their wedding photographer. And I'm grateful to call them friends. 

Their special day was earlier this year in Leavenworth, WA. They booked a huge house for the occasion and their family and closest friends were invited for the weekend. Everyone all got ready together and the house was full of laughter, some country music and at one point, the Macarena. 

I will never forget showing Gerie the picture I took of her shoes...she got tears in her eyes, and in that moment she became a bride. A stunningly beautiful bride. 

We casually walked around the grounds taking some portraits of the bride and groom. They never stopped smiling. And then it was time to make it official. They didn't really have a plan for where they wanted the ceremony, so they just asked me what would be the best for pictures. It had begun to rain a little, so I suggested the back deck. We set up a few chairs and their dear friend officiated the bringing together of their two families. As they said their vows the sun pierced through the clouds and the rain stopped and it was magic. 

And then we ate, and danced and everyone took a turn speaking to Brandon and Gerie's love and friendship and hopes for their future. It was such a special, personal, intimate day, and I was so privileged to be involved. 

The Sweetest Family - JC, Madison and their kids

Mama's little mini-me knew how to work the camera, and the sweetheart of a boy with hearts on his socks had just woken up from a nap and was very confused by this stranger in his house with a camera. But the sun was shining, the day was lovely, and even the dog was cooperative. Here are some of my favorites from this family's session. I can't wait to see these images up on their walls. It was a pleasure to get to know them better. 

Are you in the Central Washington area and looking for some family portraits this fall/winter? I would love to your choice for a photographer. Give me a call or send me a message. Let me capture the story of your family this year. It would be my pleasure. 

Something to brighten your day

This is my cousin Hannah's sweet baby girl, Harper. She was born with a cleft lip and pallet and has been through so much already in her short little life. I've been visiting them lots lately and Harper is starting to remember me. Her little face lighting up when she sees me makes me so happy. 

A couple weeks ago when I was there to get my hair done the three of us went to the hair supply store together. While Hannah found the color, Harper and I walked around. She picked up a hair brush and carried it around with her until it was time to go. We walked back to the isle where it went and when she put it back in the exact right place I said "TADA" to her. And then she said it back to me with a big grin on her face! "TADA." And my heart just melted. 

You see, because of being born with a cleft lip and pallet she is a little delay in talking. So it was a big deal for her to learn and say a new word. She is so smart! And I was so proud of her. I just had to try and see if I could get a video of her saying it. So once we got back to the house I held her on my lap and tried to get to say "TADA" again. And this is the result. It just kills me!! You'll want to watch it more than once...its gets better and better.

A video posted by Shaina Longstreet (@shadylane_14) on Nov 11, 2014 at 12:46pm PST

I watch this video every time I need a little pick-me-up. It was such a special moment for me to teach her a new word. I won't soon forget this afternoon with little Miss Harper.

Little Baby Austin

I am getting to that age where all my friends are starting families and having babies. And it has been my pleasure to take some special pictures of these little ones. My dear friend Monica, who I've known since we were in grade school, and her husband Josh, who I've known since I moved to Spokane in 2007 welcomed sweet little Austin this summer. Chris came with me and the 4 (and a half) of us spent the day together. I love the images that I was able to capture of this new family. 

Congrats, my friends on a beautiful little boy. It was such a joy to help you celebrate this new life.

Andy & Julie - Maternity Portrait Session

Andy and Julie have been friends of ours for a few years. They helped us move into our house and whenever we always call "Handy Andy" to do things like hang the track lighting in my office and move furniture. He's good to us. We're glad for their friendship. 

They found out they are having a little boy, and he will be coming into the world in early December. I was so honored that they chose me to take some maternity portraits for them to celebrate and remember this special time in their life...the last few weeks before becoming parents. 

It was a brisk 19 degrees out on the Wednesday morning we'd scheduled the shoot. But they braved the cold and it was all made perfect when the sun came out for just the right amount of time. We took some pictures with their dog, Tank in their yard and then we went down to my favorite spot by Soap Lake. 

Their love for this baby and each other was unmistakable. I can't wait to meet their sweet little boy. 

The Hair Diaries - Copper Blonde

Now that the show is over, and I am no longer playing Poopsie I decided it was more than past time for a new hair style and color. I have been pinning ideas on my Beautiful Hair board forever, and a couple of my newest ones stood out to me. I fell in love with the idea of a coppery blonde color. 

These pins are a little darker than I ended up with (I mean, I was going from white hair to this, so...) but I love how it turned out. Hannah and I always have fun experimenting and we both are comfortable with the "wait and see how it turns out" style of processing. And this one turned out great! I love the dimension and body it has. Hannah has sweet skills. 

Here are my Before & After shots. 

I love changing my hair. It is an integral part of who I am. Platinum was an enjoyable season and surprisingly, my hair is still in great condition. Hannah helps me pick out the right products and I try really hard to not use too many hot tools on it, and let it air dry some days. I think I'm going to grow it out a little now... 

Here's to fresh hair and a new season of life. Hooray for copper blonde! 

The Pearl Family

I have known Lisa for almost as long as I've lived in Ephrata. She was always my go-to girl at our credit union, and we became friends during loans and transaction.  And then at her recommendation, we became co-workers. I started working at the credit union and we got even closer. We'd talked for a long time about getting together for family pictures for her, and this year we made it happen. 

It was a cold, but beautiful autumn day, and Lisa picked some great coordinating outfits for her family portraits. Her family glowed in the sun and they were a pleasure to work with...great smiles and fun interactions between siblings and parents. I'm so glad we made it happen. 

I love it when acquaintances become friends and then when I get the chance to give them the gift of photography. Capturing Lisa's family exactly as they are this year was a true pleasure. I hope these images help them remember 2014 with a smile. 

The Pajama Game - Becoming Poopsie

It has been quiet on the blog front, but not quiet in real life, that's for sure. The biggest thing that has filled my days has been local Masquer's Theater's production of The Pajama Game. I was cast as Poopsie in August, and we just finished up 5 weeks of shows. Friday and Saturday night and then a matinee on Sundays. Phew! It was a lot of work...but sooo rewarding. 

Becoming Poopsie was such a fun journey. She is a fun-loving flirt with a fondness for Monday mornings and a pep in her step that could make anyone smile. Poopsie works with her best friends at the Sleep Tite Pajama factory in Ohio, and they are all in a battle for a 7 and a half cent raise. The play is set in the 50's so we had a set full of vintage sewing machines, terrific bright colors, lots of polka dots and a cast wearing amazing, time period costumes. And I got my hair and white as possible, cuz that's how Poopsie would do it. 

I also had the privilege of doing the poster and program design for this production. And I got to be on the poster!! It was so neat seeing my work up all around town. I had a lot of fun working with 50's colors and fonts and vintage sewing ephemera to create the designs. Then I made little personal invitations for each character to share on Facebook and text to their friends to invite them to see the show. They were a big hit. 

I had 8 costume changes, including a pink pair of pajamas and some adorable houndstooth pants.  This play is full of amazing songs, great dance numbers, funny one-liners and characters you can't help but fall in love with. Another great part of this play was having Chris in the cast too. Our characters got to flirt a little and it made it extra special. 

Also I got to be in a special dance number called Steam Heat with 4 other girls. We wore fishnet stockings, black shorts, white button up shirts, bow ties and bowler hats. It was probably the most rehearsed musical number in Masquer's history, but it was so much fun. Glad I got to be a part of it. 

Here are some of my favorite images from the play. My friend Marta came to the show and took some of me so I would be able to have the memory of being Poopsie forever. I love these pictures. 

I am so grateful to my dear friend, and director Holli for casting me as Poopsie and believing that I could do her justice. It was a highlight of my year. I made some new great friends and loved sharing this journey with them. 

Nate & Auti - Love Session

I met Auti just a couple months ago. We're doing the musical at Masquers together this fall and we've forged a friendship. She is a sweetheart and makes me laugh so hard. Her and Nate, her husband, were just married this past June in my favorite park in Ephrata, WA. So we decided to return to "the scene of the crime" for their fall portrait session. 

It was an early Sunday morning, the air was crisp, the light was perfection and their love for each other was so evident, even on their sleepy faces. 

I am thankful for a new friendship, and for the chance to get this sweet couple in front of my camera. Here are some of my favorites from their session. 

Feel free to pop over and view all the images from their session on my Facebook page. We had so much fun together. 

Maddie & Brandon–Ephrata Wedding

I am so excited to share some of my favorite images from Maddie & Brandon’s wedding that I was asked to assist Bre with. It was such a gorgeous day for photos, and I had a chance to be a bit more creative in my angles and poses since I was the second shooter. I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon.

I love photographing people in love.