I am absolutely delighted to share that I was voted Readers’ Choice Best Photographer in Port Townsend by the wonderful readers of The Leader! This recognition from my community means the world to me, and I am profoundly grateful for everyone's support.

In advance of announcing this award, The Leader reached out to me to write an article about my business in light of this recognition. They sent over a set of thought-provoking questions that allowed me to reflect on my journey as a photographer. Along with my insights, they requested a photo of me and samples of my work to accompany the story.

If you have read my welcome message on my website, being in front of the camera isn’t exactly my favorite thing. I’m much more comfortable behind the lens! To tackle this, I submitted a photo of myself holding my camera—having something to hold definitely made it easier. I must admit that it has been over 10 years since my friend Kay took my last headshot. One should really not wait that long to update their photo. I need to follow my own advice that I offer to my clients.  

This experience has truly highlighted the importance of community to me and the connections I have built through my photography. Thank you to my community for trusting me to capture your special moments. I can’t wait to create even more memories together in the future! If you’re curious to read the full story, head over to The Leader’s website and check last Wednesday's paper with all the winners of the Readers’ Choice in Port Townsend.

I have included my updated headshot The Leader used here, along with one of my favorite images of a high school senior from his photo session out at Fort Worden. I haven’t picked up the certificate I received from The Leader, but I will post that when I get it. I want to thank The Leader for running this contest and all the readers who voted for me.

Deja Webster of Deja View Photography

Chimacum High School Senior at Fort Worden State Park

A mourning dove's beauty is an understated one: the colors of its feathers ranging through various shades of gray and drab violet, often with a striking splash of turquoise around the eyes.

Jonathan Miles

Since the closing ceremony at The Wall That Heals on September 13th, life has been a whirlwind of events. I’ve photographed a small wedding, family sessions, professional headshots & several community events. So I know I'm late in sharing some photos from the closing day & ceremony.

In just a short stay here in PT, The Wall welcomed over 8,000 visitors who came to honor their loved ones. I had the privilege of meeting so many incredible individuals who shared their heartfelt stories of loss—each one a testament to the love they held for their friend or family member. If the moment felt appropriate, I offered to capture their memories with photos, either alongside the wall rubbing they had created or next to the panel bearing the name of the Veteran they were honoring.

One story that truly touched my heart was from a friend who told me about her cousin. Michael Lee Parker, a Marine who, at just nineteen, tragically lost his life just nine days after arriving in Vietnam. I met another friend who was there to honor Byron G. Highland, someone his Father had known in Vietnam. Byron was a Marine Corps Combat Photographer killed in Vietnam in February of 1967 when his jeep struck a landmine. Alongside him was war correspondent & historian Bernard B. Fall, who was also killed during Operation Chinook II. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_G._Highland

These encounters reminded me of the profound impact of sharing stories and preserving memories. I believe these men & women honored on either the replica of The Wall, or the one in Washington D.C., will not be forgotten as long as we continue to say their names & tell their stories. A heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers & businesses that made it possible for The Wall to be here in PT. Visiting The Wall was an incredibly powerful experience. My partner, Donald Fauth, was seriously wounded on December 6, 1967, while on a River Patrol Boat & spent a year in a VA hospital. He celebrated two birthdays each year, one in May & the other on December 7th.

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.

When I spotted Johanna leaving the Rose during the Port Townsend Film Festival, I couldn't help but admire the vibrant colors she was wearing. I asked her to pose for a quick shot, and she was thrilled to chat about her days as a photographer in downtown Port Townsend. It was such a joy to have her daughter join in on the fun too. I have a feeling if they hadn’t had to dash off, we could’ve chatted for hours about photography. This was one of my favorite spots to ask people to pose for me. The light was soft and so perfect. Having the PTFF sign, the repeating yellow color in the image, and the historic Rose Theatre in the background all tell the story. With those lights, colors, and leading lines, I was in my happy place.

"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

Sometimes small things can become very large indeed. Maybe it's not about having a beautiful day, but about finding beautiful moments. Unknown

Port Townsend Photographer

Maybe the amount of extraordinary things that happen in your life

Depends on what you notice

Unknown

Thursday was a deeply emotional day for everyone who attended the opening ceremony of The Wall at JC International Airport. The ceremony featured poignant speakers, including Erik Brinch and Marvin G. Shields' widow, Mrs. Joan Shields-Bennett. She shared cherished family memories of her husband’s last visit home before he died in Vietnam in 1965. Her husband is the only US Navy Seabee to ever receive the Medal of Honor. Erik gave a very emotional talk about his long-term goal to bring the traveling replica of the Vietnam Veteran Memorial to Port Townsend to honor several local friends who lost their lives during the war. I’m sorry I didn’t make a note of their names.

Though I wasn’t prepared to take photos other than a few of the ceremony, the profound impact of The Wall and the heartfelt moments of friends and family making etchings of their loved ones inspired me to ask a couple of families if they would like photos. While I won’t share them here without permission, I gave them my email so they could reach out to me to receive their photos. One was the family of Stephen Lopeman, another was a woman honoring her father, Monte DeVere who died in Vietnam, and the last was a friend paying tribute to a well-known photographer from his Dad's unit. Byron G. Highland was a Marine Corps Combat Photographer who died in 1967. They brought a photo of Byron and stood before his name on The Wall.

I recall the controversy surrounding The Wall’s design by Maya Ying Lin and its dedication back in 1982. Yet, all that can fade away when standing in front of this replica and witnessing the solemn presence of over 58,000 names of brave men and women etched into The Wall.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Glenn_Shields https://www.vvmf.org/.../The-Wall-That-Heals-Port.../...

I heard the other day they have now outlawed music in Afghanistan & are destroying all the instruments. So sad since music has the power to unite and bring such joy to people's lives. As I watched The Unexpected Brass Band perform at the PT Main Street Uptown Fair today, it reminded me of how fortunate we are to have music in our lives. Their lively performance had everyone in the crowd dancing, clapping, & smiling galore. It was a truly unforgettable experience! Just check out the audience in the background of some of my photos. I hope the band knows how much we appreciate their attendance at community events they play at & the joy they bring to our community. Thanks to Main Street & everyone who took part in the short but magnificent parade. It was a beautiful afternoon.