Seattle Travel Photography // Seattle Wedding Photographer // Redden // A Week in Seattle
I've reached the point in my young adult life where I really want to decide on the city where I will firmly plant my roots. Up until now, every place I've lived (Charleston, Chicago, Colorado) have all been pretty happenstance; with decisions being made off of things like proximity to mountains, friends or the ocean. But as someone who is really starting to lean into their career, I want this decision of where to live next to be really intentional; I want it to be a place where the ceiling of opportunity is beyond the cities I've lived in thus far. So, like the millennial I am, I've planned a few trips to all the top cities I am considering, and last week, I returned from my first stop: Seattle.
I first jumped on the opportunity to visit Seattle because a business workshop I had been itching to attend, Hustle and Flow, was hosting a 2 day class there. So around this workshop, I planned a week of activities and had the chance to hang out and photograph some pretty awesome Seattleites and Photographers.
I shared an airbnb downtown with my friend Shannon, and on our first afternoon there we decided to do allll the touristy things Seattle has to offer.
It was very apparently Tulip season; and as the tulip festival approached, Pike's place market was full of them.
As an individual who has had puppy fever for almost a year now; There was no hesitation on the street photography of the sweet pups of seattle.
Equal parts disgusting and amazing; The Gum Wall in Seattle.
There's a lot of freaking gum, and it's pretty freaking gross; but I left a business card, you know, In case anyone needed it.
All saliva aside, It is pretty impressive And I love that something so strange and goofy is one of the best known tourist attractions in the city.
So this is my friend Shannon, of Sloane Photo, she's a total goof and a real keeper (go check out her bomb instagram) and together we creeped on strangers' dogs and ordered way too much food.
This is the beautiful airbnb we shared - A loft in the center of Seattle with the dreaaaamiest light. (and windows).
We explored around Seattle for a couple days, learned some crazy photography business skills in-between, and ended up at Frankie & Jo's Ice cream.
Frankie & Jo's is a plant based Ice cream shop (pls go and try the vanilla thnk u) that specializes in quirky, healthy flavors and really, really, really cute walls.
(These walls are so cute right?)
The workshop was so information intensive (and business focused) that I didn't get many pictures. however, I did take these two (haha) a double exposure of Brittani Hon being bombarded by questions and a picture of Benj Haisch taking a picture of me taking a picture of him. It was a good day.
As much as I had been itching to get home and apply what I learned at the workshop, I hung around for a few more days and explored all the adorable quirky shops and restaurants of Capitol Hill. First: General Porpoise Doughnuts.
This cute little doughnut shop is owned/was started by the same woman; and she has three restaurants right in a row on the same block. The Bateau restaurant and the Bar Melusine. Each place gets more and more classy as you walk through them, all nautically and French themed.
The Bar Melusine.
The Cutest Little Bathroom. Too weird to take pictures inside.
The Restaurant Bateau
Lenaig Delisle and I had champagne at the bar melusine and she was such a breath of fresh air (and so freaking cool). She has dual citizenship in France and the US and is refreshingly down to earth. We laughed a lot, took pictures of eachother in public, and then had cupcakes afterwards.
I managed to catch Emma Johnson (the bombest Kansas City Photographer) before she caught her flight back home, and together we did more touristy things. But mostly we ate strawberry sweets and drank coffee.
She's one of those people that has THE most beautiful skin (along with one really, really adorable cheek dimple).
We found our way onto the market balcony, and I got to take some pictures of her pulling off whatever those hats are called and some amazing snake skin boots.
She snapped one of me and how cool I look (all the time, really). Check the umbrella strapped to my belt loop.
She cute.
I did some location scouting for a shoot later in the week; and completely fell in love with this place. The Volunteer Park Conservatory.
My friend Chelsea was kind enough to show me around the Seattle Art Museum, and let me take lots and lots of weird double exposures of her. Thanks Chelsea.
She's an adorable Hawaiian turned Seattleite, and she is radiantly adorable and ridiculous.
she kept giving me free coffee and taking pictures like this one, so I think I'll keep her.
Radiant & Ridiculous (ly adorable).
Jessica Taylor, who so graciously agreed to model for me for a bridal shoot, explored the conservatory with me and together we interchangeably chatted about photography and took pictures of plants. It was great.
If you're looking to move somewhere, I so recommend renting a car, and staying for an entire week. It wasn't until the 3rd day that I really got a feel for Seattle, and as my first choice prior to this trip, I can't say it's still first. It was so incredibly beautiful (and full of so many photography opportunities, like I expected) but it didn't quite feel like home. So here's to exploring 4 more cities, for 4 more weeks.