Amy and Steven are dear to my heart. When they explained to me how much food plays a part of their relationship, I could already visualize how great this Seattle cherry blossom engagement session would be. We started at the Le Fournil bakery in Eastlake, where Amy and Steven would hang out during college, and then moved on to the rows of cherry trees at the UW quad. Throughout the entire shoot, food was a source of inspiration. I loved that they brought their own picnic basket with sandwiches and desserts. I can’t wait to shoot their wedding. Their love for each other and their fondness of food will make for a very special wedding.

Seattle Wedding Photography | Mastin Studio | Seattle, WA (206) 651 4038 - Seattle Wedding Photography and Seattle Engagement Photography

Haydee and Aleem are adventurous. And classy.

I was very excited to shoot off the beaten path and discover something new in my hometown of Seattle.

Their Seattle engagement photography session covered the secret and very M.C. Escher-like Freeway Park, and the hip and hidden Rob Roy Bar in Belltown, a center for nightlife in Seattle. We moved from place to place, and I shot a lof of film in both 35mm and medium format. I thought the Rob Roy Bar would be a challenge considering how dark it was, but with my fast lenses it was no problem at all. With Haydee and Aleem in front of my lens, the entire session seemed to go by in a flash as we were having such a great time.

Thank you Haydee and Aleem for being so much fun to photograph and for showing me something new in my own city.

Seattle Wedding Photography | Mastin Studio | Seattle, WA (206) 651 4038 - Seattle Wedding Photography and Seattle Engagement Photography

Summer is over. Bring on the cool tones of Fall.

One frame from today’s session.

Seattle Wedding Photography | Mastin Studio | Seattle, WA (206) 651 4038 - Seattle Wedding Photography and Seattle Engagement Photography

Let me introduce you to Jocelyn and Austin. You’ll be seeing them again soon after their wedding this fall. For now, here are a few pictures from their engagement shoot on Capitol Hill here in Seattle. As you can see, Jocelyn and Austin are a really fun couple who were up for anything. I knew that about them from the first time we met at the studio. They make my job easy! We had the best time shooting this session and I am really looking forward to a fantastic and creative wedding shoot as well.

Seattle Wedding Photography | Mastin Studio | Seattle, WA (206) 651 4038 - Seattle Wedding Photography and Seattle Engagement Photography

Four images from the engagement featured in the behind the scenes video created by SHEP Films.

These are taken with my beautifully beat up Pentax 67 with 105mm f2.4 lens.

Shot wide open at f2.4 with Portra 160. Developed and scanned at Richard Photo Lab in LA.

Seattle Wedding Photography | Mastin Studio | Seattle, WA (206) 651 4038 - Seattle Wedding Photography and Seattle Engagement Photography

Poonum likes to laugh. Atul loves to make Poonum laugh. They are in love, and are an amazing couple. Perfect!

Atul and Poonum have been dating for eight years and are soon to tie the knot at an Indian wedding in California. I was lucky enough to shoot their engagement in Seattle and we had a lot of spontaneous fun while doing so. I think spontaneous is the right word for this engagement as you will see…

Kerry Park
211 W Highland Dr
Seattle, Washington 98119
(206) 684-4075 ‎

After shooting engagement photos in Kerry Park, we headed to a secret spot in SODO that I’ve really wanted to shoot. It is THE place to see amazing graffiti.

As the day progressed, we went from shooting in nice sunny weather to slightly more ‘Seattle’ weather – drizzly and overcast. Never to fear though, Atul and Poonum were ready for a picnic on the beach and more engagement photography at Myrtle Edwards Park in downtown Seattle.

Myrtle Edwards Park
3130 Alaskan Way
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 684-4075

We had hot coffee and cupcakes from Seattle’s own Cupcake Royale. Red Velvet and pink frosting for Poonum, and a Peppermint Patty cupcake with green frosting for Atul. In case you didn’t know, Cupcake Royale is a Seattle institution and they have INCREDIBLE cupcakes. Yummy.

Even in the rain and drizzle, Poonum and Atul’s love and warmth for each other made the day seem bright and cheerful. I wish them the best at thier wedding. I KNOW it will be fantastic!!

-Kirk, Seattle wedding photographer

Seattle Wedding Photography | Mastin Studio | Seattle, WA (206) 651 4038 - Seattle Wedding Photography and Seattle Engagement Photography

Last weekend was amazing. I met the winners of my yearly Valentine’s Day photography session giveaway and we had a blast. Eric and Kristin wowed me with their contest entry and it formed the basis for our session. Georgetown is the perfect fit. More photos soon!

Seattle Wedding Photography | Mastin Studio | Seattle, WA (206) 651 4038 - Seattle Wedding Photography and Seattle Engagement Photography

I have to say I was a little bit nervous when asked to shoot Erich and Amy’s engagement and wedding photography. Erich is an accomplished wedding photographer based in Salem, Oregon and he has high standards as you can see by his wedding work.

However, as it turns out, the fact that Erich is a wedding photographer is a huge bonus. He and Amy are great subjects because they are both very familiar with the camera and lighting.

I had a secret place picked out for an engagement session and I waited until the right couple came along that fit that location.Although they don’t do weddings and wedding photography at the Frye Art Museum in Seattle (currently) they may in the future. In either case, I wanted to shoot in the Frye because of this one fantastic room covered from floor to ceiling with oil paintings. I don’t do random and generic engagement sessions. I firmly believe an engagement session should reflect some aspect of the couple and the more thought that is put into it, the better the pictures turn out. Erich and Amy were perfect!

Seattle Wedding Photography | Mastin Studio | Seattle, WA (206) 651 4038 - Seattle Wedding Photography and Seattle Engagement Photography

Congratulations Erik and Kristin!

Your story was incredible and full of love and beautiful imagery. I’m excited to create a unique photography session just for you to celebrate your love for one another.

Of course, we will have a photography giveaway next year at the same time and I may even have a ‘secret’ giveaway sometime before then if I have time.

Thanks to all who entered. Your stories are very inspiring.

Erik Johnson’s winning entry:

It’s hard to write a short paragraph about Kristin. She was the girl next door, we went to high school together, and we shared the same friends, the same mountains, and the same lakes for ten years. We used to backpack together, bantering like siblings, and then we learned to swing dance.

Kristin’s an incredible dancer. She’s agile, quick and light, and just a little mischievous, which is perfect for swing. When you spin her, she smiles, and if you lift her, she lands on the balls of her feet and never breaks form. It’s fun. For the first half of our twenties we’d spin each other around the dance floor on New Years, or on the beach by an Independence Day bonfire. We dance well together.

Then my old middle school called me and asked me to chaperon their Valentine’s Day dance. They knew I knew swing, and thought a simple lesson would encourage the boys to dance. I needed a partner, and I called Kristin–promised her dinner if she’d help me out. And it was odd day. I cut my hair, spent 20 minutes picking a tie, and arrived early with sweating hands to pick up a girl I’d known since I was 16. She didn’t tell me until later, but she was doing much the same thing–bought a new top, brought 3 changes of clothes in case she changed her mind. At the dance, I couldn’t banter with her anymore. I brought her punch instead–watched myself do it. And it was different dancing with her that night. I can’t quite explain it. Something had sparked, and we weren’t just friends from high school or former almost-neighbors–we were a team, we knew how to move together.

We got the middle school boys to dance with the middle school girls, and when their night was over, Kristin and I kept dancing, barefoot, beside my car under the moon. At my house we started talking about everything we never could when all we could do is banter, until she fell asleep on my shoulder.

That was last Valentine’s Day. By next Valentine’s Day, if everything goes well, we’ll be engaged. Over the last year, I’ve been able to meet her like she was someone new. I love her.

Seattle Wedding Photography | Mastin Studio | Seattle, WA (206) 651 4038 - Seattle Wedding Photography and Seattle Engagement Photography

Mastin Studio Seattle Wedding Photography Best of 2010

2010 was a fantastic year. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I don’t only shoot wedding photography in Seattle. I get to shoot everywhere.

Here goes:
I shot beautiful couples on riverbeds deep in the forest…

…in rowboats in hidden lagoons…

…and on top of skyscrapers in New York…

…I had a red deer pass before me  and sniff my hand as the waves crashed on the shore on Orcas Island…

…I became a regular at a two different country clubs…

…and last but not least, I started a family.

A big year indeed.

Here’s to more wedding photography in Seattle and worldwide!

Seattle Wedding Photography | Mastin Studio | Seattle, WA (206) 651 4038 - Seattle Wedding Photography and Seattle Engagement Photography

Over the weekend, Robin and I took our one month old baby Maeve to the Frye Art Museum near downtown Seattle. We wanted to expose her to the arts at a young age (ha, ha.)

It was really nice to get out of the house and feel brave enough to bring our new baby to a public place. It seems that walking with Maeve in a baby carrier or pushing her in the stroller, makes her really really happy. And to top it off, it also makes her tired enough to sleep at night. A perfect combo.

This is the one time of the year that I’m not jetting about or shooting wedding photos in Seattle.  I’m so happy that Maeve was born at THIS time of the year so that we can take her to places like the Frye Art Museum (with its amazing ‘Tete-a-Tete’ Frye personal painting collection as seen above) without feeling stressed by work yet to be finished at the studio.

Wedding photography season is just around the corner, but for now Robin and I are having a great time in our new life together as parents.

Seattle Wedding Photography | Mastin Studio | Seattle, WA (206) 651 4038 - Seattle Wedding Photography and Seattle Engagement Photography

In the second part of Behind the Scenes: Row Boat Engagement, I want to talk about the power of shooting with film and directing.

Why film? Why is it special?

Film is the opposite of digital. It is grainy, often imperfect, and organic in feel. It is the equivalent of a vinyl record (as opposed to an MP3.)

Over the last few years, many photographers have turned towards ever more megapixels, sharper and sharper images (unnaturally sharp if you ask me) and crazy over-saturation and contrast. Digital photography made people excited because you could tweak the image SO MUCH in Photoshop.

Eventually, images were being tweaked with unnatural textures, crazy toning, and more.  I have nothing against it, but it is not something that I like to do. I want my images to have an emotional impact as a result of the natural chemistry of the subjects, the lighting, and the imperfection of the natural image itself when captured. I don’t want to manufacture that emotion.

In 40 years, I think over-processed images (yellow skies, textures etc.) will be akin to spot color on bridal bouquets, or the couple-in-the-wine-glass type pictures popular during the 80s and 90s.

So how can you get something to naturally look ‘vintage’? Well, try shooting film.

Each type of film has its own look built into it. You don’t even have to spend hours behind the computer trying to make a digital image look like it was pulled from an old shoebox.

In this case, I shot Fuji 400H, underexposed 2 stops and pushed 1 stop in developing. Why? Because I knew that this combination of intentional under-exposure and then pushing the development, would produce a very moody, grainy look.

Like something from a French film (at least that was the thought going through my head when I shot this).

If I expose the same film correctly for the exposure, the mood changes and you get a nice airy and clean photo with muted colors:

Now that I had the look I wanted, I had to create the right mood. It is all about directing, which is the real reason a professional photographer should shoot your wedding photos.

What is directing?

Think of it as directing a film. You have your subjects, you have the light, and you have a great setting. The last thing that will make or break a great photo is how you direct your subjects.

I’ve never had professional models as clients. With most wedding or engagements, I’m working with people who are camera-shy. By carefully directing people and making them feel comfortable, you can achieve amazing things. Through directing, you can amplify the emotion of an image, making something uniquely beautiful for a couple.

For this particular picture, I waded into the water with my Contax 645 and a 80mm f2 lens (equivalent to a 50mm lens on a 35mm camera.) Shooting wide open at f2, I directed the couple into position, and then talked to them about this moment and their upcoming wedding to get them to relax, open up to each other, and create a beautifully moody photo.

Almost anyone can learn how to operate a camera. And, anyone with enough patience and money can learn to confidently shoot film.

‘Directing’ on the other hand, is something that takes a lifetime to master. I feel like a beginner with directing, but I understand the importance of it. I think it is ultimately the vision and the ability of a photographer to direct people that justifies hiring a wedding photographer at all. As digital cameras continue to improve and it gets harder to ‘take a bad picture,’ personal vision and directing will become the most important factor in choosing a photographer.

Seattle Wedding Photography | Mastin Studio | Seattle, WA (206) 651 4038 - Seattle Wedding Photography and Seattle Engagement Photography

This was one of my favorite engagement shoots of the year.

Adrienne and Mark met at Berkeley while in graduate school. When they came out to Washington for the Summer, we set up an engagement shoot at one of my favorite places, the Washington Park Arboretum.

We rented an aluminum rowboat and rowed across lake Washington into the arboretum at the golden hour. I think it was about 2 hours from sunset.

My idea for this shoot was to capture the magic of a warm summer day, with the classic romanticism associated with riverboats, rowboats, and old French movies. Climbing to the very end of the bow, I was far enough away to create environmental portraits of Adrienne and Mark, while not being so far away that the portrait would lack intimacy  (like standing on the river bank and shooting with a long lens.)

As we maneuvered the boat to a specific area of the arboretum, I made sure to keep the setting sun behind Adrienne and Mark allowing for a golden rim-light. I exposed for the shadows and the result was exactly what I was hoping for: Beautiful skin tones, great rim-light, gorgeous background colors, and most importantly a directed but natural moment of real romance.

For the pixel peepers out there:

Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 50mm 1.4 lens, shot at f2
No flash or reflectors. I prefer natural light.

In the next part I will show a different photo from the engagement shot on medium format film with my Contax 645. It has a completely different feel.

To see the rest of the photos from this set click here.

Seattle Wedding Photography | Mastin Studio | Seattle, WA (206) 651 4038 - Seattle Wedding Photography and Seattle Engagement Photography

As the chill sets in the air, it’s hard to think back to the summertime, isn’t it? However, it was just a short time ago. This is one of my favorite sessions from the summer. Dan and Laura are a wonderful couple. They are incredibly easy-going and kind. It was such a pleasure to shoot this portrait session for them.

The trees in Solstice Park in West Seattle really provided much needed shade on a very warm evening. They were also the perfect backdrop for this loving couple.

I love how the apples were both part of the photo shoot in terms of color and as a snack too.

Thank you, Dan and Laura. We had a great time that evening at Solstice Park and Lincoln Park. It’s really a joy to look back over these photos today. You are a fabulous couple!

Photos by Seattle wedding photographer Kirk Mastin of Mastin Studio

Seattle Wedding Photography | Mastin Studio | Seattle, WA (206) 651 4038 - Seattle Wedding Photography and Seattle Engagement Photography

Adam and Annie were a joy to shoot because their chemistry is so apparent and easy. As such, I used only film on this engagement shoot. No digital shots. No second takes were necessary.

New York’s Prospect Park has beautiful light and we were lucky to shoot on one of the last warm days of fall.

Adam and Annie, it was an honor to spend the afternoon with you at Prospect Park in Brooklyn. What great sports! Even the chill in the air on this brisk Halloween weekend did not dampen your cheerful and playful spirits. Bare feet in late Fall? Absolutely!

Thank you. I cannot wait to see you at your wedding in August.

Seattle Wedding Photography | Mastin Studio | Seattle, WA (206) 651 4038 - Seattle Wedding Photography and Seattle Engagement Photography