Senior Portraits on Lake Washington: Celebrating Lexi’s Next Chapter

High school senior portrait sessions are at their best when they capture both who a student is right now and where they are headed next. For Lexi, a high school senior and dedicated soccer player who will be playing at the collegiate level next year, we wanted a session that balanced classic portraiture with subtle nods to her athletic passion.

We started the afternoon at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens, using the lush greenery and manicured pathways as a backdrop for family portraits. Getting family members together during a senior shoot is always a great way to ease into the process. We took a mix of full family groups, shots of Lexi with her siblings, and then transitioned into individual portraits of Lexi as the garden light filtered through the trees.

Visual Storytelling for Civic Infrastructure: A Day with the City of Redmond

Documenting the work of a city government means capturing the intersection of public policy, operational maintenance, and community engagement. During a recent single-day assignment with the City of Redmond, the focus centered on local sustainability initiatives, municipal services, and public park usage across several sites.

Municipal photographic coverage needs to be versatile. In a single shift, the environment can range from active maintenance sites and technical installations to environmental restoration zones and candid public spaces. The goal throughout the day was to create clean, authentic images that communicate how city investments directly impact the daily lives of residents.

High School Senior Portraits at Discovery Park: Natural Variety in One Seattle Location

Seattle isn't short on incredible locations for senior portraits, but finding a single spot that offers the sheer variety of Discovery Park is rare. Within a single park, you get forest, open fields, dramatic bluffs, a historic lighthouse, and a natural saltwater beach. For Bella's senior session, that diversity allowed us to capture a wide range of distinct looks all in one morning.

Roaring Twenties Holiday Celebration at The Ruins: A Speakeasy-Style Corporate Event

Corporate holiday parties come in all shapes and sizes, but every so often, a company plans an evening that feels less like a traditional office gathering and more like stepping onto an immersive theater set. That was exact tone set for a recent 1920s flapper-themed holiday event held at The Ruins in Seattle.

Cory ParrisSeptember 28, 2026The Ruins

Capturing the Campus Experience: City University of Seattle

When City University of Seattle needed updated visual assets for their South Lake Union campus, the objective was clear: capture the genuine energy of their community in a way that felt authentic to their everyday environment.

The shoot covered a wide mix of environmental portraits and collaborative moments between students and faculty. Working throughout the campus building allowed us to leverage natural light across common areas, study spaces, and shared work environments. These situational images highlight the active work culture and day-to-day engagement that marketing agencies and higher education admissions teams look for when building campaign libraries.

City Hall Vows and Rooftop Views: Ren and Eric’s Seattle Municipal Court Wedding

Ren and Eric chose the Seattle Municipal Court for their wedding day, a location that offers a clean, modern aesthetic alongside wide-angle views of the downtown skyline.

We started the session exploring the architecture of City Hall across the street, finding a red wall as a backdrop for sharp, high-contrast shadow work and clean silhouette portraits before heading upstairs.

Seattle Industrial Photographer | 520 Bridge Construction for the Ironworkers' Union

Building and expanding major infrastructure requires raw physical labor, precision, and relentless consistency. When photographing the expansion of the SR 520 bridge connecting Seattle and Bellevue, I spent time on site watching local ironworkers prepare the structural foundation long before any concrete was poured.

Cory ParrisSeptember 8, 2026

John and AJ’s Seattle Elopement at the Municipal Court

When John and AJ planned their Seattle elopement, they didn’t expect the city itself to become such a big part of the day.

The grooms wore matching blue suits and brown shoes. As we started walking through downtown before the ceremony, something unexpected happened. Total strangers kept congratulating them. From people on the sidewalks to drivers waving as they passed, the spontaneous support from random Seattleites ended up being one of the most memorable parts of their afternoon.

Warehousing and Logistics Stories

I learned a lot about warehousing and logistics shooting for some very cool clients just south of Seattle. I set p to get some motion blur on a pair of forklifts. This particular warehouse is fully dedicated to appliances.

Headshots vs. Marketing Portraits

It came as a bit of a surprise to me when I found out that many photographers price headshots and portraits as completely separate product lines. To me, they have never been two different things. You have a portrait session, and a headshot simply ends up being a part of that by cropping the photograph a little tighter.

A Natural Narrative: Audrey and Alex at Willows Lodge

The wedding of Audrey and Alex at Willows Lodge was a beautiful example of how a setting and a story can weave together. From the first quiet moments in the gardens to the exuberant energy of the reception, the day followed a wonderful narrative arc that was a joy to document.

Behind the Lens: Engineering an IT Professional’s Portrait

I recently had the pleasure of photographing John, an IT professional, for a magazine feature. While the final image needs to stand on its own, I find that explaining the "how" can be just as interesting as the "what." This session was a great opportunity to lean into some core lighting principles I’ve used throughout my career in Seattle.

One of the best perks of being a commercial photographer is the "backstage pass" that comes with the job. I get to walk into buildings and construction sites most people only see from the street and witness the fascinating, complex work that keeps our world running.

The Visual Edge: Why Commercial Photography is a Business Essential

In a world of limited time and shrinking attention spans, your business, brand, and products are in a relentless competition to be noticed. While long-form articles and detailed descriptions are essential once a customer is interested, you first have to convince them to look.

That is where professional photography comes in. Brands that are instantly compelling and communicate their story with a single glance are the ones that get the opportunity to tell their full story.

Building the Aquarium - Behind the Scenes with the Ironworkers Union

Now that the Seattle Aquarium’s Ocean Pavilion is a completed centerpiece of our waterfront, it is easy to forget the massive amount of work that went into creating it. But long before the first gallon of water was added, I had the privilege of documenting the beginning of this project: the massive amount web of steel that holds it all together.

The Craft of the Cocktail: Photographing the Smoke Top Experience

There is a specific kind of craftsmanship that goes into a great drink, especially one that involves fire and smoke. When I was asked to capture the Smoke Top in action, my goal was to make the viewer feel like they were sitting right there at the bar, smelling the charred wood and waiting for that first sip.

A smoked Old Fashioned is as much about the process as it is the flavor. To do justice to the product, I wanted the lighting to feel as warm and inviting as the drink itself. This wasn't just about a "product shot"—it was about capturing the focus of the bartender and the unique atmosphere of the space.

The Old Fire House: Documenting a Legacy in Redmond

I recently spent the day in Redmond documenting a significant moment for the community: the Legacy Celebration for the Old Fire House (OFH) Teen Center. The City hired me to capture the day as they prepare to transition the site for the new Teen Center Project.

For over 30 years, this building has been a hub for young musicians and a second home for a lot of people. The energy was a mix of a celebration and a nostalgic farewell.

PNW Elopement Photographer

Johanna and Scott had the perfect Spring day for their Willows Lodge elopement.

20 Stories in 12 Hours: The Art of the Trade Show Headshot Marathon

Trade shows are a whirlwind of networking, tight schedules, and high-stakes meetings. For a company bringing its global team together in one place, it is often the only window of opportunity to update their visual branding. A few years ago, I was given a unique challenge: provide 20 distinct, individualized professional portraits over the course of a single 12-hour day during at event at the Seattle Convention Center. Luckily, their office was within walking distance.

Seattle Senior Portraits at Golden Gardens

Senior portraits in Seattle at Golden Gardens. What a beautiful day, place, and a truly nice guy to photograph.