Capturing Seattle's Beauty: My 10-Year Photography Journey in the Pacific Northwest

I'm Bryan Saxton, a Seattle-based photographer with over 10 years of experience capturing special moments through my lens. My passion lies in portrait, family, and wedding photography, and my work reflects my unique approach to storytelling.

Having lived in the Seattle area for a decade, I have developed a love for the Pacific Northwest's natural beauty. The region offers easy access to nature and hiking, and I use this to my advantage in my photography. I believe that the best photos come from those captured in a natural setting, with natural light.

I find that photography provides me with a way to express things visually that cannot be done through words. I love the creative process of capturing moments that tell a story and evoke emotions. For me, the best photographs are the ones that tell a story and evoke emotions.

My work is characterized by natural light, genuine emotions, and stunning landscapes. Whether it's a family portrait session, a wedding shoot, or a personal project, I work closely with my clients to understand their vision and bring it to life through my photography.

If you're looking for a Seattle-based photographer who can capture the city's beauty and your unique story, I'm the perfect choice. Contact me today to book a session.

Three Poses You Can Use For Your Next Session.

Posing can be difficult, so it’s always good to have some creative looks memorized for any shoot that you can fall back on. Play with these to find out what looks best. Remember to think about leading lines, what’s closest to the lens and  where the front shoulder is in relation to the camera.

Arms out, thumbs in pockets

Arm on hip

The model rest her weight on one hip, resting her arm on top of that. The hip should be closest to the camera to help create flattering curves, and the arm on the hip creates separation from the body, for a thinning effect.

Hand on shoulder

This look creates flattering curves, while applying a thinning effect and creating interesting leading lines that add visual appeal. The model leans her weight on her back hip, while sticking her other foot forward at an angle. She rests her hand on the shoulder with her elbow angled at her body.

Have you tried any of these? Or have questions? Please either share below in the comments, or feel free to get in touch with me directly. I'm always happy to chat.

Five Things You Should Bring To A Portrait Session

Portrait sessions can be exciting, but with a bit of prep work you can go from average looking shots to excellent, and save money on post processing. Spending a couple dollars on a few small items will make you look better, feel better and overall help you have a more enjoyable experience.

Here’s what I recommend bringing along:

1. Lint Roller - Lint, hairs and other materials catch easily in photos, even if it’s not apparent to the eye. This becomes especially apparent when wearing darker clothing.

Lint may appear invisible to the eye, but a camera picks it up easily.

2. Lip Balm - Dry lips stand out as off-color flakes look a bit off on a bright red background. A quick swipe of lip balm will make you look your best, saving your photographer hours in Photoshop.

3. Change of Clothes - Depending on the time, location and how fast you can switch outfits, a change of clothes will help you get more value out of your session. If you’re looking for ideas, use this Pinterest board to help you get inspired.

4. Props- Depending on your shoot and how you want to use your portraits, think about accessories that will help you tell the story you want to tell. If you’re a makeup artist, bring your brushes. If you do wedding decorations, consider bringing your flowers or lighting designs.

5. An Assistant - Photographers’ assistants are expensive, but friends are free. Bring a friend to hold your change of clothes, carry your lint roller and lip balm, and keep track of items you need to be comfortable. A friend can also help with lighting basics, such as holding a reflector to block unwanted light.

Let me know what you think should be brought to a portrait session in the comments. Or if you want to hear more, feel free to drop me a note.

Christa

We met up for an hour to do some head shots in Marrymore park. The many landscapes and the park's shadows allowed for intresting lighting. Christa was great to work with - she knew the look she was going for, and it was a quick "Get in, get the shot" scenario. That gave us a bit of time to explore different backdrops, using some of the trees, fauna and structures around the park.

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All credit to Seattle for giving us a break from the rain, because the lighting conditions were perfect for shooting. The park also gave us the famous green background that the west coast is famous for.

Late Spring Portrait Session

Contrary to popular belief, cloudy days are great for photography. The light is nice and diffused, creating flattering shadows that photographers pay good money to simulate in their studios.

Such was the case when Myriam and I met up. We took some outdoor profile shots with serious tone, before working on some more candid photos. And of course, we took advantage of the natural deep green palates in the outskirts of Seattle.

If you are interested in a similar shoot or just want to learn more, feel free to contact me, or send me a note at bryancsaxton@gmail.com.

What do you get at a portraiture session?

I shoot the majority of my portrait sessions outdoor areas in or around the Seattle area. The people I work with get seven images that can be used for professional, lifestyle or social media. I aim to have my outdoor photos reflect the Pacific Northwest - from our unique urban environments to the plethora of forests, parks and mountains surrounding us. I leave the location up to the people I shoot with, but I have a handful of beautiful locations in Seattle and on the east side that I'm more than happy to recommend.

One hour is usually enough time for a quick wardrobe change, if the location allows for it. Usually that's time to change sweaters, coats or accessories. 

Before every session, I like to meet with the people I'm shooting with to get a sense of what they want to use the photos for. This ensures I capture the photos that work best for them.

Take a look at the photos below for a sense of what you'll get from me at one of my portrait sessions. And if you're interested in booking a session, feel free to reach out.  

Vancouver, British Columbia

We took a weeklong trip up to Vancouver for a bit of business. Of course, I had the camera in tow.

Vancouver, despite being smaller than Seattle, feels bigger, more densely populated. It's definitely "built up" more. Even though we're missing our Seattle creature comforts a bit, there's no denying that the food is a bit better here. We also met a ton of really cool small business owners who made us feel like we were eating amongst friends instead of at a business.

We're definitely looking forward to the next visit.

Portrait Session with Joshua Holland

Joshua Holland is a friend and former work colleague who freelances in Seattle. We met up in the southern part of downtown, which has gotten a lot nicer since when I lived near the area. We started shooting around the historic Smith Tower before moving down the street to a cool little alley that had some interesting architecture.