Capturing the beauty and craft of designed landscapes

I photograph gardens as landscape designers see them—living systems shaped by intention and ecological understanding. Beyond capturing beautiful images, I understand what makes a garden work: the plant communities, seasonal rhythms, and spatial relationships at the heart of your design vision. Based in the Pacific Northwest and available for travel, I create images for portfolios, awards, and publications that truly represent the depth and craft of your work.

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Working Together: What to expect

Getting Started

I’ll need to understand which garden(s) you’d like photographed, their locations, the purpose of the images (portfolio, awards, publications, client delivery), your timeline, and any seasonal or lighting considerations. We’ll discuss when the garden is at its best and identify any deadlines.

We’ll choose shooting dates with weather backup options, develop a detailed shot list together (entry areas, key features, plant combinations, lifestyle shots), and define image usage needs. I’ll provide a quote, contracts, and property/model releases. A 50% deposit secures your date.

You’ll help develop the shot list, review and sign contracts, collect signed property and model releases from homeowners, and ensure the site is camera-ready (weeded, hardscape clean, hoses/personal items removed, access arranged). After delivery, you’ll review images and handle your own downloads and backups.

The Photo Shoot

Full-day shoots run 4-6 hours onsite; half-day shoots are 3-4 hours. For early morning light, I may arrive pre-dawn and work independently before you join.

Your presence is welcome but not required. If you attend, plan for the first 30 minutes to walk through priorities. If we’re including lifestyle shots of you in the garden, we’ll do those first and you’re free to leave afterward.

Final shoot/postpone decisions are made the morning of, based on light conditions. As a Pacific Northwest photographer, I’m optimistic about our weather, but I also know when to call it. One weather-related reschedule is included at no charge. Sites over 50 miles from Bainbridge Island may incur a modest reshoot fee for additional trips.

I can make minor adjustments like moving a chair and will return items to their original positions. However, I cannot handle major cleanup or move private artwork. If a garden isn’t ready, we might need to reschedule, or I can shoot the best angles while omitting distractions—though this may reduce the total number of deliverable images.

Image Delivery & Editing

You’ll receive 50+ edited images per site (or 25+ for half-day shoots), organized by shot list. Images include standard color correction, exposure adjustments, and removal of minor distractions. High-resolution files optimized for both print and web use are delivered via cloud gallery.

Images are delivered within 2 weeks of the shoot date through an online gallery.

One round of color adjustments or additional cropping is included within 2 weeks of delivery. Additional editing (like removing larger distractions) is available at $125/image.

I may use standard and AI tools to remove minor distractions but will never add elements that weren’t there. I don’t retouch headshots or change appearance beyond color correction and exposure (unless you have spinach in your teeth and it can be fixed without obvious distortion). AI may be used to resize images for specific aspect ratios.

Files are available for 30 days after delivery. After that, backups are your responsibility. If you need me to retrieve images from my archives later, there’s a $150 retrieval fee plus $2 per image.

Usage Rights & Licensing

Everyone is a photographer and copyright owner at point of click (yes, even you with your smartphone!)

As the photographer on your projects, I retain copyright for these images. You receive a license to use the images for your business purposes.

You may use images for: portfolio, client presentations, client gifts, website, social media, print marketing, advertising, awards submissions, and your own workshops/ presentations.

The license term is 3 years from shoot date. Extended licensing (5 years) is available for an additional 25% at booking, or you can renew for additional 3-year terms at 50% of the original rate.

Images cannot be altered using digital or AI methods beyond basic cropping and adding text. You cannot distribute images to stock agencies for resale, sell printed or digital images, or submit them to photography competitions. High-res images can be submitted for design awards, but publication negotiations must go through me as copyright holder.

Yes, I retain the right to use images for my portfolio, marketing, presentations, articles, books, and items for resale. I’ll delay posting final images on social media for 3 months or until you post first, whichever comes sooner. I may share behind-the-scenes content earlier without identifying location or designer unless requested.

Attribution to my photography on your website or social media is requested but not required. I’ll give attribution to you as designer and to builders upon request.

Property releases give legal permission to photograph private property and use those images commercially—think of it as the garden’s modeling contract. The property owner must sign.

Model releases are required if any identifiable person or copyrighted artwork appears in images. This includes homeowners, designers, contractors, or anyone whose face is clearly visible, as well as from artists who created distinctive sculptures or murals.

I can edit out house numbers, creatively omit pictures of the house/cars/people/artwork by framing shots to exclude them, and schedule when people won’t be present. I always strip GPS metadata from images before delivery.

Pricing & Policies

Every project is unique, so I provide customized quotes based on your garden’s location, scope of coverage, and timeline. Reach out and I’ll send you current 2026 rates and discuss what works best for your needs.

  • Full Day (Seattle/Local): includes ferry/travel, 4-6 hours onsite, 50+ edited images delivered within 2 weeks
  • Half Day (Seattle/Local):  includes ferry/travel, 3-4 hours onsite, 25+ edited images, ideal for seasonal updates or specific features
  • Portland: Full day rate plus hotel/travel (approximately $1,600-2,000)
  • International: Full day rate plus travel/hotel, minimum 3 days
  • Seasonal Reshoot: 60% of previous contract rate, 25+ images
  • Multi-garden Discount (per calendar year):
    • First garden full price,
    • Second 80%,
    • Third 60%,
    • Fourth+ 40%
  • 50% deposit due upon contract signing.
  • Final 50% due upon delivery of preview gallery (Net 15 days).
  • High-resolution images are released upon receipt of final payment.
  • Payments accepted by check or PayPal (+3% fee).
  • Seattle/Local: No fee if postponed more than 48 hours in advance; otherwise $100 (waived for weather or warranted circumstances)
  • Portland/National/International: No fee if postponed more than 72 hours in advance and hotel is refundable; otherwise travel expenses apply
  • Seattle/Local: Full deposit refund if cancelled more than 14 days before shoot; 50% refund if 3-14 days before; deposit retained if less than 3 days before
  • Portland/International: Same as above plus non-refundable travel expenses
  • After shoot completion: deposit retained and I retain full image usage rights

Final shoot/postpone decisions are made the morning of, based on light conditions. As a Pacific Northwest photographer, I’m optimistic about our weather, but I also know when to call it. One weather-related reschedule is included at no charge. Sites over 50 miles from Bainbridge Island may incur a modest reshoot fee for additional trips.

Yes, I carry general liability insurance covering personal injury and property damage (Hartford Business Owners Policy, 59 SBW BD4KAA)

 

In cases of genuine emergency (serious illness, family death, natural disaster), we’ll work together to find a fair solution.

Ready to discuss your project?

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