Alaina-188b-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina! Senior at Skyline High School, Class of 2022! We came up with a vision... forests, rivers, and sunflower fields... so we took a little road trip :) 

(Just a note: this portrait session was during a magical time: we were post-vaccinations and pre-D-variant...thus.. we rode together!)

Pre-session:  Salon 074 in Sammamish for a quick blow-dry for sleek & smooth hair, with Stefany :)

1st leg of our Road Trip: Fall City:

Oh, would that I had a daughter with pink hair! ~ my dream since each of my 3 were born!

As I wait for that momentous hair day, I thoroughly enjoyed photographing you, Alaina! Alaina-006-Jeannine-Pound-Photography-5Sunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

Alaina-001-Jeannine-Pound-Photography-1Sunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-002-Jeannine-Pound-Photography-1Sunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-003-Jeannine-Pound-Photography-2Sunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

One thing I love about portrait photography - we get to PLAY!

I just think "play" brings joy, contentedness, and peace.

Cardio exercise, agility, stretching and strength training all keep our bodies happy & healthy.

I think creative-physical play - like learning a new dance, or playing charades, or performing a photography session scenario, does the same for our minds.

We may start with something "normal" for us, and then "imaginate" to take off on any different trajectory, in a safe environment. And in "play", your finish line is in your control... 

Alaina-011-Jeannine-Pound-Photography-10Sunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-013-Jeannine-Pound-Photography-12Sunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

Alaina's mum, Jeannine, joined our car in Fall City.

Next Stop: Top o' the Pass

with one Alaina & two Jeannines :)

To Kittitas

Bliss is a babbling brook!
Alaina-026-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-039-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!
Yes, Alaina chose a forest scene with a river because - beautiful! and so PNW -

& we had a second reason - a forest green theme seemed perfect for... 

our Girl Scout cookies scenario!
Alaina-042-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

Alaina just doesn't brag,

she doesn't announce her accomplishments with blinking lights,

she doesn't shout about her winnings from the rooftops,

but

she is a WA State record holder!!

This young woman has SOLD

more Girl Scout Cookies than any other,

year after year after year... yummmm!!!

Alaina-021-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!
Alaina-047-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-040-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-041-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!  

Ok, I ❤️❤️❤️ the semi-serious shots where my client's eyes are windows to her soul (farther above),

and the laughing mischievous shots transitioning to pure out-and-out crack-up moments :)

3rd Leg of our Road Trip:

To Kittitas

I like for my clients to choose some favorites from the Pinterest board I curate for my own inspiration, to help get ideas rolling for their own session. One of Alaina's favorites was my niece, Taylor, in the sunflower field that her Daddy planted & raised specifically for Taylor's senior portraits :) Acres upon acres upon acres of gorgeous healthy sunflowers :) Taylor's senior portrait session is here. 

 🌻 Thankfully, Brent & Kirsten have continued to grow sunflowers! 🌻

The 3rd stop of our Road Trip was at Taylor's family's home, in Kittitas.

The talented hair artist who created Taylor's curls, 

Kristen Hoffmann

blessed us by meeting us at our venue, armed to curl :)

Alaina-048-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-049-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

I feel so incredibly blessed that Taylor just happened to be HOME from college & from summer counselor work, on the very day that Alaina & Jeannine & I arrived to make sunflower portraits. Taylor was way excited to join us as official assistant and make more sunflower magic :)

Taylor, the Ellensburg Local, took us to the local photography background spots :)

Graffiti wall, ever changing art

& 

a party dress :)

Alaina-061-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-064-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

Alaina-075-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-073-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-080-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-058-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!
& fun with backlight & white fabric:

Alaina-087-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-089-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-093-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-088-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

Next, our in-house local guide took us to those mid-town Ellensburg old crumbly alleys

new & old and official & unofficial murals

& the patina of age and sun, wind & weather:

Alaina-096-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-098-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-117-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-115-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-120b-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina loves musicals, and I kind felt like we were in one, we didn't go so far as to bust out singing, but... it wouldn't have been out of place :)

Alaina-125-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

Alaina-148-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-144-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!
Alaina-124-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-129-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

Alaina-135-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-136-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

Alaina-137-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-139-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

Alaina-131-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-132-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-126-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

Alaina-150-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

And onward, to the Sunset, to the Sunflower Fields... this was along the way:

Alaina-151-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-153-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-160-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

& after bumping and lurching and trusting Taylor that my vehicle could make it through some tall grass and over a little bridge: The sunflowers were there waiting for us!

Alaina-164-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-170-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-174-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-171-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-175-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-176-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-178-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-177-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-180-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

Ok, so there was this idea... of floating petals all around our girl... so Taylor & Jeannine (mum) gathered & tore, positioned on each side of the camera

... and threw!

                         Alaina-185-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-186-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

Alaina-188-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-189-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-191-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

At this point, the sun had set; we were on our way home... but there was this truck... Alaina-212-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! So...

Alaina-205-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-206-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-208-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all! Alaina-211-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

Alaina-202-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

And that was our finalé :)

We gathered sunflowers for our homes, compliments of Taylor's family,

and we were stocked with drinks and Girl Scout cookies :)

as we meandered back west, over the Pass, to home! 

Alaina-217-Jeannine-Pound-PhotographySunflowers, crumbly brick alleys, farm truck, forest, rivers, our Ellensburg location shoot had it all!

It was a bountiful good time :)

I am so happy to have had this playful adventure with you, Alaina & Jeannine!

May the Lord bless you so richly with lives full of play :)

^ I love this song, Pocket Full of Poetry, by Mindy Gledhill :)