Blue Window Creative Photography

Our images are non-fictional in subject matter, framed with intent, and beautifully processed.
We're observant, compassionate, and know our gear but connect with people better.
We edit all our images, start to finish, with a unique vintage feel that compliments our documentary style.
We are rarely satisfied-this pushes us to constantly evolve.
Our work is a consistent, but not predictable, illustration of people, relationships, and environments.
Life is not glossy and flawless-we see beauty in this truth.
We respect our clients, present and future, enough not to "sell" to them, but are here to inform and learn about what they need.
We shoot without judgement.
We shoot with love.

In love. Wholeheartedly, without reservation.
You might like to cuddle.
Possibly have taken a picture of your "morning hair" to record it's awesomeness.
You know that life can, and will, be difficult but that it's better to go through it with a teammate.
Maybe you've laughed so hard together that you cried.
Maybe you've cried together.
Perhaps you met while reaching for the same avocado, backstage at a dog show, or working the switchboard at an all-night telethon.
Maybe you just envisioned meeting that way and giggled a bit.
You're looking for something genuine.

We're not into fake, in any form, unless for amusement. (Like wigs, plastic hats, or music parodies.)
We live in less than 600 sq ft and love the way it makes us appreciate.
We got engaged six months after we started dating and married three months later;
afterward we went out for a burger and a movie in our wedding garb.
We were young and didn't know who we were when we got married, but we were confident in who we'd become together.
We like mustaches; they are the new form of "mullet hunting."
If our work were in a grocery store, it would be organic, all natural, antibiotic free, and taste like chocolate-covered rainbows.
Mary's "death bed" family secret is that she's descended from Irish gypsies from Bohemia;
too bad she doesn't have a sweet accent like Brad Pitt in Snatch.
We are deep, spirited souls but we don't "essence you" with our thoughtful gazes while caressing our chins.
We have cats and spoon with them, although Joel is allergic.

Although Portland(ia) is our home, we're a bit nomadic, and find a change of scenery inspiring. (And have almost mastered the various pretzel-like sleeping positions while flying.) Below are a few places we'll be traveling this year; always subject to change. If you're in the same place, maybe we can align times and get together.

Palm Springs, California: Days surrounding March 26th, 2011
Kauai, Hawaii: Days surrounding April 14th, 2011
Kansas City, Missouri: Days surrounding April 30th, 2011
Los Angeles, California: Days surrounding May 14th, 2011
Los Angeles, California: Days surrounding June 4th, 2011
Denver, Colorado: Days surrounding June 18th, 2011
Los Angeles, California: Days surrounding July 9th, 2011
Lake Tahoe (California Side): Days surrounding July 23rd, 2011
Vashon Island, Washington: Days surrounding August 13th, 2011
Denver, Colorado: Days surrounding September 4th, 2011
Aspen, Colorado: Days surrounding September 16th, 2011
Vancouver, Canada: Days surrounding September 24th, 2011
Sausalito, California: Days surrounding October 29th, 2011

Here are a few lovely blogs and magazines where our work has been featured:

Song + Dony on Rock N' Roll Bride
Michelle + Doug on Ruffled Blog
Katia +Marc Featured on Forget Me Knot (Part One) (Part Two)
Chelsea + Adam Featured on Grey Likes
Palm Springs Feature on The Loveliest Day
Katie + Jesse Featured on Green Wedding Shoes
Tiffany + Brandon Featured on Style Me Pretty
Sarah + Justin Featured on Forget Me Knot
Sarah + Reed on Ruffled Blog
Tiffany + Brandon Featured on Wedding Chicks
Megan + Ajay in KC Weddings Magazine

Here is a non-sensical, non-ordered, list of excerpts from our studio. These are generally as we're working into the long hours of the night editing photos. (Jamie is our magical Photo Editing gnome that helps us through the hairiest wedding months.) Here goes:

"Can we color calibrate our iphones?!!!"- Mary

"I didn't expect you to be right above me."- The Joel
"I'm always right above you...in the food chain! Om nom nom"- Mary

"This tea smells like grandmas."- Jamie

"What if cats were service animals instead of dogs?"- The Joel
"uhh... nothing would get done"- Jamie

"I'm Rick Rollin' my mom, hold ON!"- The Joel

"You get the donuts, I'll get Mother Teresa."- Jamie

"Is that a gradient filter, or are you just happy to see me?"-Mary

"That's what she said!!"- The Joel (and...Mary and Jamie...)

"The boats are here, its time to go to sleep."- Mary

After suffering through several, scribbled out, wordy paragraphs, that might (or totally did) have five-dollar words in them, we had to ask for help via Facebook. Here are some simple words used to describe ourselves and our work:

Authentic. Unintentionally Intentional. Lovely. Groovy Cakes. Gorgeous. Fanciful. Memorable. Splendiferous. Speechless. Nostalgic. Meaningful. Classic. Enduring. Reminiscent. Marvelous. Fantabulous. Fresh. Haunting. Like Neil Young on Vinyl.

Wedding Wire (Reviews that make us blush.)
{AG}WPJA (Mary's International, Award-Winning Images)
WPJA (Joel's and Mary's International, Award-Winning Images)
Founding Member of The Wedding Hive (2008-2010)