Trying to find the right photographer to capture a special moment is a tedious and stressful…read moreprocess. There are so many photographers to choose from that it can be overwhelming. You want someone who is easy to work with, responsive, professional, and above all that will give you a QUALITY product, right?! Makenna Hickman Photography hits ALL those marks! Makenna is really easy going, super fun to work with (she's hysterical), and a total professional. What makes Makenna a real pleasure, is that she will do just about anything to get the perfect shot, whether that's indoors, outdoors, rain, shine, storm, or whatever; she's kind of been there done that. This is a fantastic trait; especially if you're uncomfortable in front of the camera, you're a family with small children, or have a pet that struggles to sit still. Makenna will take care of you throughout the process. She is A perfectionist so you know you're going to get quality pictures that you'll want to hang in your home for years to come. I've trusted Makenna Hickman Photography with the most important moments in my life - baby pictures, engagement pictures, and maternity shoots. I have hundreds of her pictures in my gallery. She delivers above and beyond my expectations EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I wouldn't choose any other photographer - there's just no point. What's really special, is that Makenna will bring you behind the lens and let you see the shots she's taking so you feel great with what she's capturing. She truly wants her clients to be happy. After the session, she will get to work on her incredible editing and polishing. She really takes her time and makes sure she digs into all the little details. Because she is a solo artist, working with her is really a top notch experience. I highly recommend her services.

From the owner: Makenna Hickman Photography is a Bellingham and Whatcom County based photographer who specializes…read morein Child, Family, Maternity, Couples and Individual Photography.

Sterling offered such a safe space and easy going atmosphere for my photoshoot. Her energy is…read morenaturally grounded and calm, which helped me feel spiritually connected to the nature we were surrounded in. The photos are absolutely stunning - Sterling was able to intuitively capture my essence within both professional and artistic shots. I would recommend this to any small business owner who wants to show their light to clients and customers, as well as anyone who wants to cherish their beauty for years to come!

Sterling's presence is calming and grounding. She has a very special gift that I've both…read moreexperienced and also learned from -- she is present, genuine and comforting, it may sound simple but it's a treasure and one not commonly encountered. The breathing and meditation exercises we did before the photoshoot helped me to feel comfortable in front of a camera. Sterling helped me to feel comfortable in my own skin - which to me is priceless. As a light-skinned Pacific Islander, I often felt uncomfortable with my appearance... until I moved to the continental us for college. But even then while I felt adequately assimilated, my soul felt split. This experience has helped me to love myself wholly and fully, marrying my two selves that I had kept separate for too long. Never would I have thought that a photoshoot would allow me that. Sterling's talents are very special and unique. I am forever grateful that our paths crossed. To anyone thinking about an embodiment photoshoot, I say go for it. And if an embodiment photoshoot doesn't really sound like your thing, still consider it :) I thought the same, but I'm really glad that I did it. I've always wanted to be able to capture the moon's beauty as seen through my eyes... not easy. But Sterling seems to do just that in her photography. Capturing the pure beauty and magic of another!

We waited 2 years to have our photos done with Eden due to the pandemic. The wait was worth it! We…read moreare so happy with our images! They came out beautifully. Not only that, Eden was amazing with making us comfortable and at ease so we could actually enjoy our session. Chemistry with our photographer is super important to us! We love her!

I've reviewed Eden previously when she worked in Vancouver…read more I am just as happy with her work a year later! She has a wonderful eye for detail and was one of the best newborn photographers in Vancouver... Was sad when she relocated to the U.S. Newborn safety and comfort is important to her. She works with your colors, preferred poses and style to create a memorable collection of life's special moments. Her price point is higher than some of the other photographers, but you get a top quality product and we would have used her again if she was still in our area!

Heather photographed our 3rd child's home birth and we are so incredibly grateful…read more She is professional and prompt and had edited photos to us very quickly. She has such talent, and a keen eye. The composition of her photos is beautiful. I am so grateful to have these pictures forever to document such a fleeting and monumental moment in our lives. She captured the true essence of it all. I recommend her highly! We plan to have family photos with Heather soon.

Heather and Grayson are both talented and personable! They did an amazing job helping us feel…read morecomfortable and beautiful, and managed to get so many great shots while 'staying out of the way'. Photos came out sharp with great color, and a very fast turn-around. Heather is especially friendly and reassuring for any stressed out brides. If we were getting married twice, we'd choose them again!

We had a wedding in May and James did and oustanding work. Ones we saw the finish product, we knew…read morethat everything was worth it :) Thanks James!

When choosing a photographer you have so many choices to choose from. It seems like everyone knows…read moresomeone that has a great camera who can capture sharp images. However, it's very rare to find someone with an artistically creative eye for detail wrapped up in such a warm, relaxed, caring person who somehow gets the best, most amazing shots. We loved his photos so much that we convinced my brother-in-law to hire him for their wedding. I know you're torn between making a decision right now & I can assure you that James is your man! His prices are great too!

Had our family photos done by leah. Great experience all around. Leah was great with our six year…read moreold son and was able to keep him engaged for the whole session. A first for us, he is usually over it before we even start. Very comfortable experience from start to finish and the final product was beyond our expectations.

Short Answer: Courtney Holcomb is amazing. Save the time…read moreit will take to read this review and make an appointment with her before she is all booked up. She is that good! Longer Answer: I needed a "headshot." Truth be told, I would prefer having a tooth pulled than having my picture taken, especially when it is just me. Thank you, no. I am 62, and I have finally come to the conclusion that I am never going to get taller or younger...I know, right? But I digress... After receiving more than a few proposals for my YELP request (which is one of the things I love about YELP) and filtering through them, I found I kept coming back to Courtney's website. After speaking with her on the phone, I knew she was who I wanted to work with. I mean, really, I can only take so many bad selfies, even with all those festive "apps" before I realized I wanted find a real photographer. Courtney is more than just a real photographer; she is an artist. When I showed up for the photo shoot, I was as nervous as can be. It's silly but true. Put me in front of a crowd of people to speak, a high school full of students, even when faced with that service writer about to tell me "Lola" (my car) needs "a bit more work than we were hoping...". That I can handle. No fear! But point a camera at me? Yeah...no. But I digress...again... Then I met Courtney Holcomb. Courtney has this amazingly calm manner and this kind smile that would help anyone relax. She listens. She asks questions that actually apply to the photo shoot. She wasn't trying to schmooze me. She was trying to make sure I got what I wanted. She explained exactly what she wanted me to do and how she wanted me to do it. She is patient. She smiles. She gets me. How cool is that? And I loved the studio! Come to find out, Courtney has access to several amazing studios, from basically the US/Canada border to the Seattle/Bellevue a rea. This makes it so much more convenient for me, and it was perfect! It was in this old building in Everett with these incredibly tall ceilings, tons of natural light (even that day when it was on the verge of raining), these gorgeous billowy curtains, and lots of furniture possibilities. It has a great dressing room area, too. In fact, the whole place is spacious enough for a herd of family without feeling cramped. Perfect. Now, let's dash to the INCREDIBLE proofs! First, I received them incredibly quickly, and the platform she uses to review them is very easy to use. The pictures themselves? WOW. They are wonderful. They made me feel beautiful. I felt like she found how to make me look kind and strong, which was exactly what I was hoping for. Did I mention her prices are more than fair? Did I mention I am already scheduling another sitting with her for our family? Final Words: HIRE HER! Seriously, you will thank me

Courtney has a natural talent for not only photography but interacting with those being…read morephotographed. Her kind gentle calm demeanor radiates. I shared with Courtney my concerns about being photographed which she took great care to keep in mind during all photos taken that were candid as well as posed ones. No one even knew I was being"directed" on angle, pose, etc. I felt cared about, respected, & empowered in a sense. It's one of those things that's hard to put into words because it was so profoundly moving and emotional...in a good way. She captured the moments and who we are so well I was in awe and not expecting that. We received our images in a beautiful gallery that was very simple to access and use. We will forever be a client/customer.

In terms of wedding day investment, Courtney Bowlden was the best money spent the entire day. She…read morewas more than a photographer. She was a huge resource for vendors, she was a calming presence to our family and friends, she even helped me restyle my hair for my reception in under 5 minutes. (I actually liked it more than before!) Courtney was warm, professional, enthusiastic and made us feel extremely special on what could've been a hectic day. Her photos were positively magical and so romantic. A perfect blend of candid moments (that we seriously cherish) and effortlessly directed photos...where she made absolutely everyone look good. We feel incredibly lucky to have our day documented by this artist. She was phenomenal and unforgettable.

Courtney was amazing to work with! We found her on Instagram and her website, we loved her style…read moreand the editing of her photography was flawless. We chatted on the phone first and knew she was perfect. Courtney rolled with the punches alongside us when we had to postpone our wedding from June to August, and went from 250 guests to 30 of mostly family members due to COVID. She kept us laughing and comfortable the day of, and I could not be more grateful. Courtney has a ton of industry knowledge and local wedding vendor intel. She offered to help with other vendors, planning advice, and would even just check in with us to see how we were coping with all the changes due to COVID. When it comes to the photography, wow. We were blown away at the beautiful natural light, how many candids, and beautiful shots, nothing was missed. I would definitely recommend Courtney, she's amazing!

Steve is so amazing. My (now) fiancé hired Steve to secretly photograph out proposal on our trip to…read moreSan Juan Island in August this year. We went to the lavender farm on the island and a few minutes later, he proposed in the lavender field! I didn't know it at the time, but Steve was a few rows over photographing us! After the proposal (and I found out what was happening) my fiancé and I got to take engagement photos for the remainder of our time there. Steve was so easy to work with and despite me being in shock over just having gotten engaged, I felt comfortable around him. My fiancé says he was easy to plan with and I'm so happy Steve was able to be part of our day. The photos were amazing!!! Thank you, Steve!

Definitely 5 stars! We had a group of 24 people for our Mom's 90th birthday with one hour to…read morephotograph everyone in many groups. We made the deadline and the pictures are fantastic. We highly recommend Steve who was professional beyond expectations and a pleasure to work with.