Spring showers, April flowers

When it's pouring rain one minute and sunny the next, it can be hard to plan even an hour outdoors, let alone an entire day. But the fickle weather hasn't hindered us here at DSII-- we're going outside to play no matter what! Whether it's dodging raindrops at Central Park in New York City to capture engagement photos or rocking shorts and sunglasses for a warm afternoon among the Skagit Valley tulips, we're taking every opportunity we can to enjoy the changing seasons from coast to coast. Here's the latest round of images from this season-- we're already off to a great start!

Central Park engagement shoot with Adam and Anne, New York, NY

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival with Ethan Henry, Mount Vernon, WA

We also caught up with Billie and Scott in Snohomish, WA last month to capture their engagement photos. We had a blast hanging out with the happy couple in their quaint and colorful hometown, and we're looking forward to photographing their wedding in Stanwood, WA this Saturday. Congratulations, Billie and Scott!

As always, thank you to our fabulous subjects for your enthusiasm and cooperation; it is a joy to work with each and every one of you. Because of you, we are able to continue the legacy capturing true romance and the beauty of life in all its forms. We appreciate you!

Cheers!

-DSII

We're back!

After two weeks of non-stop shooting and traveling, Ryan has returned to Bellingham from his latest New England expedition, armed with thousands of images from his latest adventures. Unfortunately, he left the sunshine back in Washington and was welcomed to the East coast by stormy weather, but that's never stopped him before. This spring's trip included an engagement shoot in Central Park with Adam and Anne, as well as Ryan and Lorraine's beautiful outdoor New Jersey wedding, for which the weather couldn't have been better. An added bonus of the trip afforded Ryan the opportunity to collaborate with world-famous fashion photographer Richard Warren at a historic mansion in the Bronx, New York as part of Warren's latest project. Ryan also had the opportunity to contribute some of his multimedia work from their photo shoot to Warren's website.

Check back with us soon for some brand-new images from Ryan's fabulous trip, as well as a tiptoe through the tulips with 19-month-old Ethan Henry at Skagit Valley's annual Tulip Festival.

Cheers!

-DSII

The results are in

Congratulations to the 2010 nominees for Business Person of the Year, as selected by Northwest Business Monthly magazine. This year's award winner is Wes Herman, owner of The Woods Coffee shops in Whatcom County. It was a pleasure to photograph the candidates, and we would like to thank them for inviting us to their places of business.

Wes Herman, The Woods Coffee

NMBM 2010 Business Person of the Year

Tony Bon, Samson Rope

Nancy Jordan, Northwest Economic Council of Whatcom County

Cheers and congrats,

-DSII

Springtime spells traveling

It's here!

Once again, wedding season is approaching, which spells BUSY for us here at DSII. But we've never been ones to shy away from hard work, and this year is no exception. A return to the East coast kicks off the spring season for Ryan, who has been avidly adding dates to his out-of-town calendar. Weddings, engagements, family portraits and model portfolios are just the tip of the iceberg. And although Ryan is the only one of us making the trip this time around, his New York City-based assistant, Curry, will be joining him in New Jersey to shoot a wedding.

In anticipation of the impending trip, here are some of our favorite images from last year's New England visits for you to enjoy in the meantime...

Chelsea & Erik's Connecticut wedding

Mike, model portfolio

Quinn family portraits

Cheers!

-DSII

Baby, it's cold outside

This year's snow drought has translated to slim pickin's for the skiers and snowboarders who frequent the Mount Baker slopes. The warm weather has made for a slow winter, and Ryan, an avid boarder, hasn't had near enough fresh powder this year to suit his taste. In spite of the drought, though, we've been making the best of the little snow we do have.

The proof is in the pages of the Spring 2010 edition of the Mount Baker Experience, which features three of Ryan's images from the beginning of the 2009-10 season--including a coveted cover shot! The Legendary Banked Slalom race, celebrating its 25th year in 2010, yielded some fantastic images for Ryan as well, and was a great opportunity hit the mountain and play in the powder.

And now, without further ado, the images du jour...

Nick Ennen (cover image of Mount Baker Experience Spring 2010)

Dan Irwin (Mount Baker Experience)

Michela Hackett (Mount Baker Experience)

A selection of winners from the 2010 LBS race...

Temple Cummins - Winner, Pro Men

Tim Carlson - Winner, Pro Masters

Cody Warble (right) - Winner, Next Generation

Cheers! (and keep your fingers crossed for fresh powder)

-DSII

Extra! Extra!

Read all about it! Duclos Studios II is proud to announce the launch of our BRAND NEW website!

We've got a fresh new look, the links are easier to navigate, and let's not forget those sexy new pop-out slideshows for each of our image categories: Commercial, Lifestyle, Portrait and Wedding. There is also a new section, Testimonials, where we feature some of the feedback we have received from our clients. We have put a lot of love and labor into this new site, and we want to know what you think!

Great new look, same URL: duclosstudios2.com

We always welcome feedback (especially glowing reviews), which you can submit to us here, right on the blog, or drop us an email: duclosstudios2@mac.com

If you are a past or current client of DSII, we encourage you to submit a testimonial of your experience. This will help us become the strongest team we can be, and it is also a valuable resource for potential clients. You can tell us your story directly from the Testimonials section of the new site by following the link to leave your own comments.

None of this would have been possible without you, our clients, helping us create fantastic images and a quality brand. Special thanks also to Patrice Valentine of Net Solutions for designing and creating our fabulous new site.

Cheers!

-DSII

East coast lovin'

One of DSII's recent cross-country voyages brought us to Windham, New Hampshire this past Christmas for the wedding of Jon and Ashley Nicosia. A visit to the East coast is always a treat for Ryan, who is native to the area, especially when our work feels like play! We had a blast at the wedding, and we wish nothing but the best for the Nicosias and their new life together. Congratulations, Jon and Ashley!

Cheers!

-DSII