ABOUT LAUREL “It must have been the chemicals,” my mom says. She likes to attribute my passion for photography to way back in the 70’s, when pregnant women were allowed to dabble in the darkroom. Thanks mom, for exposing me to such toxic fumes. I grew up in Southern California with a mom, a dad, a really annoying little sister (who now I realize just wanted to be like her big sis), and a whole bunch of dogs, cats, goats, ducks, and chickens. Oh, and some rabbits, too. And a parakeet or two. And some goldfish. I was going to be a veterinarian. We later moved to Washington, where I attended the University of Washington, aspiring to be a great psychologist (of people. not animals). Well, when I realized that I had taken all the psych courses that I needed, and all that was left was Rocks for Jocks, Astronomy 101, and art, I took a photography class to see what it would be like. You almost have to be a rocket scientist to figure out how the aperture and shutter speed work together, paired with the developing time and ratios of chemical dilutions. I gave it my all and I toughed it out. That’s when I decided that I wanted to be an artist, and go to art school, and make art all day long. So I transferred to the Art Institute of Seattle, where I graduated with honors with a degree in Commercial Photography in 2001. The rest is history. I love what I do. I love to travel, I love to be around happy people who love to let me capture their emotions and lives, and I love to see the world through a lens. I love the way the clouds part and the light comes through after a storm. I love the way the light looks just moments after sunset. I love the funny faces people make when they think no one is looking. I love the sound my Hasselblad makes, it’s a gratifying kerplunk that signifies that an image has been successfully impressed on film. And I love dirty martinis, super extra dirty, with extra olives. INVESTMENT Fabulously Photojournalistic, Plus a Dash of Fashion. Hello and Welcome. We are a boutique photography company. We don't have millions and trillions of clients. We answer the phone at all odd hours, email entirely too much, and we-heart-text-messages. We strive to keep relationships personal, ideas fresh, and products timeless. Things are seen with a teeny bit of a fashion flare: we've got a passion for creating rockin' portraits, all the while capturing moments as they happen. We offer exquisite Couture Albums, as well as modern Coffee Table Books, one, two, or three day coverage, and are available to shoot all over the world. We commit to photograph only a select number of weddings per year in order to provide our clients the most dedicated attention. Wedding photography commissions begin around 3700. Packages nicely done around 7700. The whole shebang is available starting at 14,200. Portrait commissions are nicely done around 500, super cool at 2500. Each commercial project is as individual as we are, so please contact the studio for more information on your advertising project. THE LATEST (THE BLOG) view our recent shoots, wedding albums, new products, and general happenings on our photography blog at http://www.laurelmcconnell.com/blog OUR CHARITY We are so proud to announce our non-profit organization, Get Hitched, Give Hope. GHGH is the result of many glasses of wine, some long long hours, and a strong feeling to give back to our community while unifying our already fantastic local wedding industry. Read how we raised $30,000 to grant wishes to terminally ill breast cancer patients at our first ever event in Seattle, see how you can be a part of our event, and buy tickets for our next shindig on our website, www.gethitchedgivehope.com CONTACT US our studio is located in the Greenlake neighborhood of Seattle, WA. Our mailing address is 8117 Stone Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98103 you can call us at 206.354.8487 you can email us at info {at} mcconnellphoto {dot} com