New New New!

As we began building our log home a decade ago, it was hard for me to get comfortable with people traipsing through when It! Wasn't! Finished! Yet!!! ;0) I learned two things through that process...

1) There are a lot of things in this life that will Never! Be! Finished!! ;0)

2) I'm not the only one who enjoys the journey and the process... Lots of people have fun seeing the "before", the "after", and even the in-between.

I've been working to revamp my photography business... the name, the logo, the branding, the websites, the blog, the brochures, the packaging... and on and on it goes! I keep wanting to wait until it's all done to present it to the world, but I think I'm going to go ahead and just start sharing things as they come to pass, and you are welcome to enjoy/endure the ride! ;0)

First up, I thought I'd share a few snaps my sis-in-law took of me, to use on the "about me" page of my new weddings website and such. I also thought it would be fun to share a couple "behind the scenes" shots that would normally be left on the "cutting room floor"...

Here's one I'll probably use:


...and here's where I almost took an unplanned dip into the Coos Bay soup:


Here's another one I might use:


...and the one I won't, because my eyebrow took a trip to Saturn:


...or maybe I will use that last one. It's totally me, after all. ;0)

(Thanks so much again for snapping some new headshots for me, Ash!!!)

To book a wedding or session, e-mail me at jamie.zanotti@gmail.com

Family: The O's (Part II) .... Eugene Oregon Photographer

Here are more of my favs from the O Family's Session! Don't you just love the energy radiating out of those girls??!?

This is one of my favorite couple pics to date. It's so simple. So comfortable. So Phil and Heather:




Heather is one of those people whom I think looks extra fabulous in black and white... Of course, she's beautiful in full color, too! I was just really drawn to a lot of the black and white versions of her images, for some reason:


Speaking of color... I can't get over the red curls, the pink and purple jackets, and the warmth of the terra cotta and brick we had for much of this session. It was an especially welcome break to the blue of winter...


Look at the kindness in this smile... I am RICHLY blessed to have Heather as one of my closest friends. I just hang out with her as much as I can, hoping and praying that more and more of her will rub off on me...






Did I mention it was COLD??? We had to stop for an extended hot cocoa break...








Phil is on staff at our church, and is a gifted teacher.  I love attending his Bible Studies!  I kept joking with him that their annual family photo shoot is my chance to tell him what to do...  I really did give him quite a hard time, and he was such a good sport, per usual:












Thanks, as always, for a super fun outing, O Fam!  Love you bunches!!

To book a wedding or session, e-mail me at jamie.zanotti@gmail.com

Family: The O's .... Eugene Oregon Photographer

WARNING: Cuteness overload ahead!! I had as much fun as you can possibly have in frigid weather, snapping pics of the most smiley family on earth, who also happen to be some of our dearest friends...

Enjoy your sneak peek, guys! More to come soon!!







To book a wedding or session, e-mail me at jamie.zanotti@gmail.com

You're Invited!

So this isn't exactly photography-related, but I wanted to invite all of my blog readers just the same! In addition to being a photographer, I am also a Pastor's Wife. And mushroom picker. And Pottery Barn lover. And no-running-water-tent-only kind of camper. And former tuba player.  And hot cocoa snob.  And devourer of historical fiction. ...but I digress! ;0)

I'll be teaching at our church's 2nd annual THRIVE Event in a couple weeks, and everyone (of the female variety) is welcome! The cost is $10, and if you'd be so kind as to e-mail your RSVP to me (jamie.zanotti@gmail.com), that would be great. (It's a laid-back affair, with fun eats and drinks... and some games and whatnot, too!)

CLICK HERE for a little taste of last year's event!

This year, we will be focusing on stewardship--of our time, our relationships, our physical health... Our verse of inspiration is I Corinthians 10:31: "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

I'd love to see you there.

There's always one (Thoughts on Bridal Party Portraits) .... Eugene Oregon Wedding Photographer

Well, it has been waaaay too long since I did a "how to" kind of post, so here we go! I've posted previously on some general ideas for getting your subjects comfortable and smiling, but I wanted to add this thought specifically for capturing bridal parties. It may not work for everyone and every style, but if you're after that fun, relaxed shot, here's an idea for you:

Identify the one.

There's always one. You know, the one who likes to laugh, and make everyone else laugh. The one who is in party mode all day long. The one who is game for anything.

I try to make fast friends with the one (which is easy, because they're laid back and fun-loving... if not, sorry to say so, but you've got the wrong one ;0) ), and they usually end up being the cornerstone of my approach to the bridal party portraits.

See if you can tell who the one is among these three bridesmaids:


As we were walking along here (above), I simply asked the bride's sis to share some marriage advice with the two single girls on either side of her...

It's easy to identify the one. When I walked into the salon, this is what I saw:





It was at this point that I went to her like a heat-seeking missile. ;0) And throughout the day, she didn't disappoint:





Here's another case in point...









(Thanks to Ashley for capturing all this hilarity!)

He was still going strong at the reception:



And of course he caught the garter, too... and promptly wore it:



Sometimes all it takes is simply telling everyone to look at the one:



In Alaska, apparently, the one looks like this:



Of course, identifying the one works for family groups and all kinds of groups, too... I hope this little thought is helpful!

To book a wedding or session, e-mail me at jamie.zanotti@gmail.com

2010 Favorites: Weddings .... Eugene Oregon Wedding Photographer

I was THRILLED to shoot a few more weddings this year, and hope to do MANY more in the future!! I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE photographing weddings...

















































A huge THANK YOU to you brides and grooms who trusted me to capture your wedding day. I can't tell you how deeply honored I am, and truly grateful. I thoroughly enjoyed the privilege of celebrating with each and every one of you!

To book a wedding or session, e-mail me at jamie.zanotti@gmail.com