Hello from New York City! After four days on the road, 3,000+ miles and more fast food than my waistline needed, we arrived yesterday afternoon in the Big Apple. I had hoped to blog on the road, but it turns out that WiFi is limited in central Iowa. Despite the moving craziness this past week, I wanted to share with you a sneak peek from a recent session I shot. This session is also quite special to me because it’s of my little brother, Bryan, and his beautiful girlfriend, Enid. These two are so sweet together….more from their session to come soon!

Also, I’m turning right back around to the PNW for several weddings and photo sessions in Spokane and Seattle over the next week. Expect many more posts in the weeks to come!

**SPOKANE FRIENDS! I will be in Spokane from next Monday (6/27) through Wednesday (6/29). If you’re interested in booking a session, shoot me a note at info@kathrynbradley.com)**

Earlier this year I photographed Megan and Bob’s wedding, so I was thrilled when they called me a few weeks ago to let me know that Jamison had arrived and that they wanted me to photograph their baby girl. It’s so wonderful to continue to be a part of such big moments in my client’s lives!

When I showed up for Jamison’s newborn session, my heart just about melted. I had never seen such a tiny, more precious little girl! Jamison was born several weeks early and weighed only 5lbs. 3oz. at birth. But she did so well during our session, even gracing us with a few little smiles and letting us put her in her dad’s firefighter helmet!

Megan and Bob, congrats on your beautiful baby girl! She’s lucky to have such wonderful parents!

Welcome to the world, Jamison Josephine!

**Today marks exactly one year since I started Kathryn Bradley Photography! Be sure to head on over and “like” my new Facebook page to stay updated on recent sessions and news!**

Well, the cat is officially out of the bag! As I mentioned on Facebook and Twitter the other day, I have some BIG news to share. WE ARE MOVING TO NEW YORK CITY! It still feels so strange writing those words, but it is indeed true. My husband Pat is graduating from UW’s dental school tomorrow (yay!) and he has been accepted to a residency program in New York to specialize in pediatric dentistry. While it’s a new and exciting adventure for us, this change sparks many mixed emotions. I have always dreamed about living in Manhattan. From the culture and energy to the people and history, the city has been a fascination of mine for years. It’s truly unlike any other American city. However, I am also very sad to leave my wonderful clients, family and friends here in the great Pacific Northwest. It’s been almost a year since I started my business and I’ve met so many great people during that time. But with this move, I am also transitioning out of my full-time job. Admittedly, it has been tough juggling my business, continuing to grow as an artist and hone my craft as well as working full-time. I am extremely excited that I’ll now be able to spend more time on my business and my photography.

My clients have been incredibly supportive of this big transition and for that I am so very grateful. But not to worry, I will be back! Pat’s program is only two years, and while I have learned to never predict what may happen in the future, we are planning on moving back to the PNW following his residency. Because of this, I am going to continue to serve clients in Seattle, Spokane and surrounding areas (although on a more limited basis). I already have sessions lined up for this fall and weddings booked for next summer in Eastern Washington and the Puget Sound region that I’m really looking forward to! So if you are interested in a session, please don’t hesitate to contact me! I will be posting travel dates and other news on my new Facebook page, so please head on over and “like” me!

Logistics for our move are still being finalized, but I will officially be living in NYC by July 4^th. In the meantime, I am working on some recent sessions that I will be posting them on the blog soon. THANK YOU in advance for your support during this time of transition!

(Below are a few photos from our walk across the Brooklyn Bridge when we were in NYC last week to find an apartment. I had a very “Carrie Bradshaw” moment where I found myself trying to convince my husband that it was totally acceptable to store part of my shoe collection in the oven…we are used to living in small apartments, but let’s just say that our new place takes the word “small” to whole different level!)

Meet Baby Jamison Josephine. She might be the cutest baby girl I’ve ever met! I only just shot her newborn session yesterday, but I couldn’t resist sharing a sneak peek of this tiny 5lb. 10oz. princess. More to come soon!

It’s been awhile since I last blogged a personal post, so I thought today was the perfect day to write and dedicate a post to my brother Bryan. This evening, Pat and I will be heading down to Portland, Oregon to start a weekend of very special celebrations in honor of my brother—tomorrow he commissions as an officer into the United States Air Force. Not only that, but he has been awarded a highly-competitive and sought-after pilot spot and will be moving down to Mississippi in June for several years of pilot training. Then on Sunday, we’ll attend his official graduation from the University of Portland where he will receive his bachelors of science in mechanical engineering. Talk about an overachiever!

Needless to say, I’m quite proud of my little bro…and I use the term “little” very loosely as he now towers above me in height. Growing up with a five year age gap between us wasn’t always easy. As a teenage girl, the last thing you want is your 8-year-old little brother hovering around you! But apart from the typical sibling rivalries during our childhood, Bryan and I have always had a close relationship. Our family moved around a lot when we were young, and often—whether we liked it or not—Bryan and I had no other option than to be best buds.

I’ve also learned that as you grow up, age makes less and less of difference. Over the past few years, Bryan and I have grown closer than ever and our relationship is something that I hold close to my heart. I am absolutely bursting with pride for all that he has accomplished over the last five years—a journey that has most definitely not been easy. I know that he is going to be an incredible pilot and I am grateful to know that he will be among the many military service members committed to protecting our country’s safety and freedom.

Bryan, congratulations on everything! I am SO proud of you and all that you have achieved. I love you more than you know…and no matter how big and strong and old you are, you’ll always be my little brother!

***By the way, Bryan is a pretty awesome photographer himself, so be sure to check out his portfolio here***

Meet Jessica and Jason…the sweet couple I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with the other weekend. They wanted a Pacific Northwest feel for their engagement session, so we spent our time exploring the downtown waterfront with Washington state ferries coming and going in the background. We later walked up to the always-bustling Pike Place Market and end at the Olympic Sculpture Park. These two are very obviously in love and excited to get married. Jessica is such a kind, sweet girl (with the most incredible blue eyes and red hair!) and Jason is her quiet protector, always looking to make sure she is okay. It was wonderful to spend some time with these two, getting to know them both, hearing about the details for their upcoming wedding and their plans for the future. This is what I love so much about engagement sessions. It’s such a great time for me to get to know my couples and by the end of session it feels more like hanging out with friends than anything else!

Jessica and Jason, thanks for all of the great laughs and for being up for whatever I suggested…even if it meant another few miles of walking! I can’t wait for your wedding in July!

 

Well, hello there. It’s been awhile, hasn’t it? I really don’t know where the times goes!

Despite my shortage of blog posts in the past weeks, things have been really busy and I’m excited to share what I’ve been up to. So stay tuned for more photos that will be hitting the blog soon! First up, a little sneak peek of this gorgeous red head and her sweet hubby. I photographed Jessica and Jason’s engagement session last weekend and we actually got quite lucky with the weather (I’ve completely given up hope for sun these days, but was thankful for clear skies and no rain). Much more of these two love birds coming next week!

Suzy is a total sweetheart. We met in a photography class at UW and quickly became friends. We found ourselves at similar points in our photography journey and I was so grateful to have met such a genuine, likeminded person to talk to about our businesses and our art. We’ve had some fun times together over the past year (one of my favorite weddings from last year was one I second shot for Suzy, check it out here) and I’m so excited for her next new adventure: becoming a mom!!! Earlier this week, we headed out for a quick photo session. Despite the frigid temperatures we’ve been having this week in Seattle, we had a blast wandering around the park and showing off Suzy’s adorable baby belly (seriously, isn’t she gorgeous?). We even convinced her hubby James to get in on a bit of the photo action.

Suzy and James, you guys are going to be such awesome parents! Can’t wait to meet your baby girl in just a few short weeks!

Newborn sessions are still fairly new for me. But from the several sessions I have done, I know they have a completely different feel and rhythm than my other shoots. While I absolutely love the fast paced tempo of weddings and the liveliness of photographing children, newborn sessions happen at their own pace. There is no timeline, no enforced structure and lots of time to chat with the parents between nursing and diaper changes. I often get to hear about the birth stories (which always provides reinforcement that I’m not yet ready for children of my own!) and about the baby’s first days at home. Despite the lack of sleep and other adjustments parents are facing in these first few weeks at home, this time really does seem incredibly special.

This was most definitely the case with first-time parents Maru and Jonathan, who are simply overjoyed with their little Diego. I don’t think the smile on Maru’s face disappeared once during my time there. The love they feel for this baby was completely intoxicating and by the time our session was over and Diego was happily swaddled and in his mother’s arms, I wanted to pack him up in my camera bag.

Maru and Jonathan, thank you for inviting me into your home to capture such a special time in your life. Diego is so lucky to have such wonderful parents!

Meet Baby Diego…the adorable little guy I had the pleasure of photographing this weekend! I’ve seen my share of babies, but this little one was something special. Many more photos from his newborn session coming soon!

Isn’t he the cutest?!