Video

In the last six months, I've had the opportunity to learn and produce a number of short videos for the The Seattle Times. It's been an awesome to experiment with different storytelling methods— combining video, audio, photographs, etc. I love, love, love the power of still image photography and photojournalism. That will never change.

But, it's been challenging and rewarding to shake up my world with some movement and sound. I'm still pretty new at all all of this, but, I'm starting to post several of my favorite videos. Most of the pieces are shot and produced within a day or two.




The historic Paramount Theatre presents silent movies with house organist Dennis James.




An all-female troupe of aerial performers practice in heart of Fremont.



Mak Fai Washington Kung Fu Club, led by Grand Master Hin Fai Mak, performs for the Lunar New Year celebration in the Chinatown-International District.

The Ruby Room

Volunteer Charla Pereira, 32, gazes at Krystal Baker, 17, as she walks out of the dressing room and exclaims she found the perfect prom dress Saturday afternoon at The Ruby Room. “I tried it on and looked and myself and it was perfect,” she said.

It's the peak of prom season at The Ruby Room, a Capitol Hill nonprofit boutique where low-income teens can shop for free formal dresses.

A steady stream of high-schoolers, each matched with her own personal shopper, scoured the racks of gowns, shoes, purses, wraps and jewelry for the perfect ensemble.

By the end of the season, as many as 200 gowns will be given away.

"We treat these girls as clients, and their shopping experience is like any experience they have if they are shopping at Nordstrom," said Ann Tran, a volunteer personal shopper. "Deep down, we all want to feel like a princess or a movie star."


(center) Ann Tran helps Francheska Route (right), 18, find the perfect necklace to complement the dress Route will wear for her senior prom Rainier Beach High School. Tran, a volunteer, worked Route’s personal shopper in the boutique. After trying on strings of pearls, Route finally decided on a delicate gold chain with a small diamond.


Chelsey Kimball, 17, matches necklaces to prom dresses as her daughter Trinity Humphrey, 10 months, and her foster mother Mary Aykens watch alongside Saturday afternoon at the Ruby Room. Kimball, a senior at Discovery Alternative High School in Port Orchard, visited the Ruby Room for the first time this weekend. Volunteer and personal shopper, Ann Bensley, helps Kimball with her accessories.

Folklife

Each year, the Northwest Folklife Festival draws huge crowds — this year organizers were expecting 250,000 or so. One hall is dedicated to contra, square, zydeco, etc. Attached it an image from the contra crowd swinging to the tunes of Spare Thyme.



Found this image, taken months and months back, from a car-free day at Alki Beach.



Cherry-blossom trees at the beginning of their bloom.