Wow, what an incredible experience watching the 2025 Canoe Journey as they arrived out at Fort Worden today. The greeting on the beach by Tribal Members and Elders as each canoe arrives, listening to the singing coming from the canoes out on the bay, watching 20-30 people lift beautiful cedar canoes on their shoulders and carry them to the beach. What a sacred event to witness. Safe travels as their journey continues tomorrow. #2025canoejourney https://paddletoelwha.com/ 

A couple of photos from last week at Concert on the Dock with Abracadabra Trip. This week's band starts at 5 pm with Lowire. https://ptmainstreet.org/concerts-on-the-dock/ 

deja view photography

“I know I am but summer to your heart, and not the full four seasons of the year.” ― Edna St. Vincent Millay

Fewer Swallowtails with each passing day. Spotted dozens daily at the first part of June. Miss seeing their stunning silhouettes backlit by the sun.

Way too short of a lifespan, especially in their glorious final stage. To think they started as an egg the size of a pinhead.

Have so enjoyed watching their freedom as they dart and dash effortlessly. Seemingly avoiding each other and an apparent lack of commitment to a partner, as if failing at speed dating.

They soar as if pulling positive and negative G's, always avoiding a crash or the deadly inverted flat spin, often unrecoverable.

Such a fleeting visit. I hope they have enjoyed their stay. I know I have.

Back in 2014, I had the pleasure of capturing these stunning ladies during Steampunk Weekend. It's hard to believe it's been that long! The evening light was incredible the evening I captured these images. I think we all had a great time. Steampunk Weekend is back in Port Townsend this weekend June 13-15,2025. Visit their website for information on purchasing tickets and to view the schedule of events. It should be great fun. https://brass-screw.org/

Port Townsend Photographer Port Townsend Photographer

Some more street captures as Steampunk participants wandered around historic downtown Port Townsend during the festival. 

Port Townsend Photographer Port Townsend Photographer

Today would have been my parent's 75th wedding anniversary. I treasure this and other family photos I have collected over time. Years ago my Dad passed boxes of old family photos on to me saying, "No one but you will appreciate these when we are gone." My passion for photography and preserving memories for my clients is influenced by having photos like this one of my family.

In 1950 my Dad was in the Army, just back from Japan and I think stationed at Camp McCoy in Wisconsin when they were married. Those bow ties are something else, that seems a bit wild for my Dad. I love that I have a print of this image which has held up amazingly well. I have several other photos from their wedding day too. I have only worked with a digital camera, so I'm really impressed with the ability of the film Photographer from the Montgomery Studio in Harvard, Illinois.

My Dad passed a couple of months before their 70th anniversary and my Mom passed six months later. After Mom died, my cousin, Andy shared a news clipping from the Beloit Daily News “Especially for Women” section from June 1, 1950. I knew they were married at the Christ Lutheran Church in Sharon, Wisconsin but I was surprised to learn it was a candlelight service on a Tuesday at 3 pm. It was a single-ring service before 100 friends and relatives. Sharon was a small community then with only about 1200 residents. I marvel that 100 people were there at the church on a workday afternoon. I wonder if in the early 1950’s was a mid-week, afternoon candlelight, single ring ceremony with sweet peas bouquets popular?

The newspaper wrote an incredibly detailed description of Mom’s dress. “The bride wore a gown of white marquisette, fashioned with a double ruffle of lace styling the decollete neckline, fitted bodice with tiny buttons up the back and a fully gathered skirt draped aside to reveal row upon row of ruffled lace, and terminating in a swirl of trains. Her fingertip veil of the gossamer white net with an edge of lace was held by a crown of lace and scrolled satin. She carried a bouquet of white roses and pale blue sweet peas, centered by pink roses.” She/he went on to describe the three-tiered cake, the song, I Love You Truly was song by Dorothy Lee, details of the clothes my Grandmother’s wore, even the tan suit with white accessories Mom was to wear on their honeymoon. I can almost picture all of this without a photograph but how precious it is to have one.

It is amazing all the questions you find unanswered after losing your parents. Learning the details of their wedding day is something I wished I had asked about when they were alive. How wonderful they had each other for almost 70 years. They made quite a team. 

Ready to capture some beautiful memories with your family? As your family photographer, I'll help you freeze those precious moments in time. From posed group portraits to individual images, I'll create a collection of photos that you too will treasure for years to come. Let's make memories together! Give me a call today to book your session. (360)385-2662

Bad hair day in Port Townsend

"I'm still passionately interested in what my fellow humans are up to. For me, a day spent monitoring the passing parade is a day well-spent." Garry Trudeau 

I'm finally wrapping up editing photos from Rhody Week. Port Townsend knows how to throw a festival with a variety of parades! Every year, I look forward to capturing the vibrant spirit of our community during the Grand Parade. 2024's edition had the floats, bands, and smiles zipping by a tad faster, challenging me to click as quickly as my shutter would allow! I dodged candy and bubbles (all in a day's work/volunteering 😄) and caught my breath as Summer Martell soared above us in her stunning biplane. 🛩️ Out of nearly 500 shots, I've created a 5-minute slideshow with some of my favorites.  I hope you enjoy the slideshow, whether you were there on Saturday or part of the parade, or missed seeing the parade. Thank you to all the parade entries and to all the volunteers who made Rhody Week such a success.

If you're not in the parade, you watch the parade. That's life. Mike Ditka

Port Townsend 2023 Rhody Parade

Everybody loves a parade, especially in Port Townsend. 

A little video/slideshow I put together of some of my favorite photos from last year's Rhody Grand Parade. I have hundreds, maybe thousands of photos that I have taken over the years so I had trouble narrowing this video down to just over 100 images. Putting the images together, by year, as a slideshow feels like an easier way to finally share them. I think this video represents the uniqueness of our community and shows the amount of effort and hours of hard work from volunteers to make this parade such a fun yearly event.

I've added a couple of silly parade quotes just for fun. I love a good quote or two. 

And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow. Gilbert K. Chesterton 

Style is when they're running you out of town and you make it look like you're leading the parade. William Battie 

Parades are man's attempt to make traffic exciting. Demetri Martin 

Never let the guy with the broom decide how many elephants can be in the parade. Merlin Mann 

"I'm still passionately interested in what my fellow humans are up to. For me, a day spent monitoring the passing parade is a day well-spent." Garry Trudeau 

Here’s another throwback video from our Port Townsend Rhody Parade—this one is from 2018! 🌺 I have a treasure trove of photos I've been eager to share, and with this year's parade kicking off at 1 PM today, the excitement is in the air