A recent review from a cherished client on my Yelp account truly warmed my heart, and I wanted to share it with you. Since capturing their first family photo in 2017, our relationship has blossomed into a long-distance friendship as they live in California but occasionally visit Port Townsend. She was in town on New Year's Eve so we went out for a delicious meal at the Fountain Restaurant together. Our visit was a reminder of the special connection photography brings into our lives.
 

Deja is an absolute jewel of a photographer! Our family had her take portraits on the beach in Fort Worden five years ago and each photograph was stunningly beautiful. This past summer, our family held a Celebration of Life and asked Deja to be our photographer. We discovered later, she had just had surgery but didn't tell us and graciously accepted the invitation. You would have never known! Everyone attending our event not only fell in love with her photographs, but with her charming and delightful personality. Her meticulous attention to detail is quickly evident when you receive your gorgeous photographs. She will go to the ends of the earth to make your order perfect. Deja created the most beautiful book of photographs from our celebration and we loved it so much, we had two more books made. Deja is extremely gracious, kind and extraordinarily talented. She is truly the perfect photographer.

Family Reunion at Fort Worden

“I try to find a reason to laugh each day. Somehow, if you can incorporate laughter into your day, every day, it really helps. It’s the little things in life that make me happy.”– Faith Hill

Celebrating National Cookie Day with a throwback to 2006 and a snapshot that's close to my heart—captured with my very first professional camera. 🍪 On a rainy Sunday morning at Bread and Roses, coffee in hand, I was just beginning to see the world differently, through the lens of my newly discovered photographic passion. It was then, mid-sip and post-cookie bite, that I realized the perfect shot was right in front of me—if only I'd savored my cookie a bit longer. Even though I can't recall the type of cookie, it's no secret that the chocolate chip cookie reigns supreme in America, and it certainly has my vote too. What's your all-time favorite cookie?

Crafting the perfect group photo with 32 individuals and five spirited dogs at Quimper Village is more than just a click of the camera—it's an art form. Over the past five years, my lens has captured the evolving spirit and heart of this vibrant community, culminating in this most recent gathering that symbolizes their unity and growth. This is my third time photographing the group and those cherished images now grace the walls of their common room, immortalized in 10x20 prints. Beyond the camera, my journey intertwined with Quimper Village when I was hired by Charles Durrett's to take photos of the community, many of which are in his book, "State-Of-The-Art Cohousing: Lessons Learned from Quimper Village." This book is just one of his co-housing books available on Amazon that offers a view of their shared experiences in co-housing. Celebrating holidays and special moments with this group over the years has deepened these ties, transcending the mere act of photography.

Recently I received these kind words in an email from a headshot client I photographed at my Port Townsend studio. Her words just filled my heart with joy and made my day. She wrote, "I thoroughly enjoyed my photo session and appreciate your expertise and style. I felt like I was visiting an old friend! Your talent for capturing the inner essence of a person, along with your technical prowess to produce the best image, is truly a gift." This feedback is a lovely reminder of my commitment to making everyone feel at ease, even in the vulnerable setting of a photo session.
 

A heartfelt THANK YOU to my wonderful clients and friends who showed their support for Deja View Photography, by voting me as Jefferson County’s Best Photographer! This recognition is not just an honor for me, but a celebration of our shared memories and moments I’ve captured since 2005. Your trust in my lens has allowed me to document the essence of our community, both through my volunteer work and my business as it has grown over the years. From my days as a vendor at the Farmers Market to opening my Port Townsend portrait studio. I'm reminded every day how blessed I am to do what I love, thanks to you. Have a special memory or photo I've taken for you? I'd love for you to share it.

In a special studio session, we worked together to capture the essence of creativity which is Eric Ode, a masterful children's author and musician. With his guitar and one of his favorite children's books, ‘Dan the Taxi Man’ we told a story beyond words. It's not every day that you meet someone who can weave tales through music and writing, making this shoot uniquely inspiring. I found myself enchanted by his poem, My Dog, and the illustrations in his book 'An Elephant Sitting in My Bathtub'. It was a fun experience photographing Eric with these props unique to him that tells Eric’s story versus a more traditional headshot. You can visit his website to see more about his work, upcoming events, and poetry workshops.  https://www.ericode.com/

“People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are made by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote—a very different thing.” – Walter H. Judd

"An apple a day keeps anyone away if you throw it hard enough." Stephen Colbert

"Why not upset the apple cart? If you don't, the apples will rot anyway." Frank A. Clark

"If life gives you lemons, make apple juice and make people wonder how the hell you did it." Gurbaksh Chahal

"If you put good apples into a bad situation, you’ll get bad apples."  Philip Zimbardo

Lovely ladies out and about in Port Townsend celebrating Girls' Night Out and supporting women's health care services for our community. Thanks to everyone who struck a pose for me when I asked them to show me their Main Street tote bags. Thanks also to Main Street, local businesses, and sponsors who helped make this fun event such a success. You can read more about how the funds raised are used for, the businesses that participated, and all the sponsors by visiting this link. https://ptmainstreet.org/girls-night-out/ 

Celebrating 20 Sparkling Years of Sisterhood and Support at the Annual Girls’ Night Out! 🎉For a decade, I've had the pleasure of capturing the laughter, glam, and generosity of this heartwarming event. Every year, incredible women dress up and unite for a cause that's close to our hearts, all while painting Main Street in hues of unity and fun. It's more than just an event; it's a powerful act of support for our local businesses and for the Jefferson Healthcare Foundation, helping provide essential health screenings for local women in need. 

This year, let's make Girls’ Night Out even more memorable! Last year I think nearly 400 bags were sold. This year grab your goodie bags for $25 and raffle tickets for $10. These can be purchased on October 3rd at Girls’ Night Out Headquarters, nestled in the warm, inviting Vintage by PT Vineyards at 725 Water Street. And don't miss out on the Wrap Party from 7-9 pm to share stories, laughter, and perhaps a photo or two with me!