Corey Arnold

I can't remember how, or when, I first came across Corey Arnold's work. I think my friend Emily sent me a link to his site a year, or so, ago. He's apparently all the rage now, having done the photography for the latest ad campaign for Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch. You know how it goes, do some work for Discovery Channel and you can no longer leave the house due to the hordes of fans pounding on your door. Anyway, famous or not, Corey's work is simply breathtaking, in a very quirky way. The following photo certainly falls on the breathtaking side. I'm not sure if she's his wife, sister or friend. Regardless, you can't help but stare at such ethereal beauty.

This particular photo has been featured in several papers and magazines. I certainly harbor a fondness for it for obvious reasons: a) it's ridiculously charming b) I have a cat c) I purchased the same horse's head for a Godfather inspired Halloween costume a few years ago...

While Corey is best known for his photography aboard fishing boats in Norway and the Bering Sea, he has a knack for off-the-wall pieces. This one seems to feature a terrier (my other pet) and a squirrel? It reminds me Tim, the MIT Beaver.

Abelardo Morell

I first came across Abelardo Morell's work about six years ago at the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego's Balboa Park. I immediately fell in love with his camera obscura work. It's hard not to. Now that I have had the pleasure of visiting the Camara Oscura in Habana's Plaza Vieja, I wonder if he was inspired by it as a child. Though originally from Cuba, Morell now resides in Boston, where he is a Professor at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.

In a camera obscura, light passes through a hole and projects an image from the outside onto a surface within the "dark chamber". The image, however, is upside-down. The use of a mirror can turn the image right-side up but what's the fun in that? That's what cameras are for. The first two images above are of the Paris Pantheon and Manhattan. The two below are seasonal images of Central Park in New York.


Though well known for his images of upside-down urban scapes in lonely rooms, Morell also has a vast portfolio of more traditional photography. Perhaps my favorite theme of his is books. He plays extensively with texture, scale and of course, shadows to create rather arresting images.
Morell has even created an illustrated version of Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. I can't conceive of more apt images to depict a trip down the rabbit hole.

Bradley Hanson Photography

I did all of my wedding planning online. I would sit down with my little library of Seattle Brides and Martha Stewart magazines and visit every single link to any vendor that looked even remotely interesting. I would then systematically and unmercifully narrow down the choices down to two or three per market, who I would then contact. When looking for photographers, only one survived my cut-throat attack: Bradley Hanson.


Luckily, he turned out to be as charming in person as he did online. We first met with Bradley at Torrefazione in Pioneer Square, now Cafe Umbria. He immediately brought out albums from previous weddings and proceeded to essentially turn into an overly excited child. His eyes turned into saucers as he flipped through the photos and explained why he had taken each one. His elation was contagious and extremely refreshing. With just one wordless look, we agreed he was the one. We told him we were hoping for an August wedding since it was to take place outdoors. Though a full year in advance, he mentioned only having one Saturday open, the 14th. Our date was set.


Bradley showed up bright and early on our wedding day and took pictures of anything and everything. You wouldn't have known it though, for he was amazingly inconspicuous. He was also pretty wily when it came to getting candid photos. At one point, he told us that he needed to get some more film from his car, before disappearing. As soon as we tried to steal a kiss, he jumped out of a tree to catch us in the act. Perhaps the most compelling evidence of his professional nature is the fact that he turned down a dance with Emily, one of the very attractive single ladies at our wedding. Since 2004, three of my friends and colleagues have had Bradley photograph their weddings. I will never get tired of recommending him. Here's a link to some of our favorite wedding photos by Bradley.


As if it weren't enough, Bradley has been featured numerous times on Seattle Bride and other publications, such as The Stranger and Rolling Stone, for his rock and editorial imagery.