I’m constantly amazed at how life brings you unexpected surprises that amaze and please many years later.  Some 16 years ago I was interviewing for a job in Sydney Australia. The whole thing wasn’t exactly planned, the company I was working for at the time in Europe had been acquired and I had some friends in Sydney so I decided to head down there on a whim.  Just about one week later I found myself dressed in a suit doing the whole interview thing. I had already had met with a number of interviewers when this larger than life guy walks in and I get up to shake his hand as he introduces himself as Iain McDonald.  I don’t remember much about the interview apart from the fact that we got on really well and I guess that he told someone to hire me!  At the time I had no idea but that was the start of a friendship that has grown and grown over the many years that we have known each other.  

Iain moved to Seattle about a year or so before I did and it was as two expats that our friendship really grew.  There are many stories that could be told of our adventures in Seattle and the many other places that we have traveled together and a few that shouldn’t as well!  As my photographic hopes and dreams developed Iain was there for me as the trusted friend.  As a fellow artist he has always encouraged me even when I wasn’t really sure what direction I was going, basically nourishing my spirit and soul. Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of photographing him multiple times, some of my favorites have to be the ‘headless’  photograph and Iain playing at the EMP here in Seattle.  For anyone that has the pleasure of knowing this ‘larger than life’ gentleman you can easily understand what a great photographic subject he can be. 

But it’s this new phase in Iain’s life that has to be the best time to photograph my longtime friend.  For as long as I have known Iain its been very obvious that he has always wanted to be a father and I can’t tell you how excited I was when they told me they were expecting.  Back in late December Iain and his beautiful wife Melanie had their first babies, twin girls.  Since then its been full on parenthood and as any new parent will tell you pretty much everything changes and with twins you obviously have to double that, maybe even more!  I have always been a believer that change is mostly a good thing and in this case it’s an excellent thing.  It’s so exciting to watch Iain and Melanie grow as new parents and I once again find myself very lucky to be one of their friends at this special time in their life.  

In today’s world when most people come into our lives and leave way too quickly, it is the special few that come in and leave a footprint in our hearts.  It’s those special few that change us forever. Iain and now Melanie are too such people and I’m so fortunate to have them in my life and even more so now with their new family.  I’m very thankful as a photographer I can give a little back to them by capturing some memories of this special time.  This post has to be in honor of my good friend Iain, the proud father. 

If by the chance, many years later that their daughters ever read this and ask me who is that with Dad I will have to come clean and own up to the fact that I just don’t know!  I’m still not able to recognize which one is Sophie and which is Mason and even when I guess I’m wrong, which is pretty silly considering I have a 50% chance.   Bad friend!  

Back to work now, I have to do some framing.