ABOUT US: PHOTOGRAPHERS: DAN DeLONG

I have a lot of unflattering portraits of myself as a kid - in homemade clothes the color of sunflowers, in dorky historical outfits, in tight turtlenecks, and all with bad hair. But they probably were the reason why I became a photographer. At some point, I decided it would be more fun to be on the other side of the lens.

What a great decision that was. As a lifelong photographer, I’ve always felt it's an honor and joy to document life as it unfolds. I'm grateful for the trust people place in me to chronicle moments intimate and historical, and create photos that evoke emotion and enrich memory. I've always loved shooting weddings - they're scenes of dramatic ritual and spontaneous joy, all crammed into a crazy, momentous day. And I enjoy getting to know a couple before their wedding and working with them to capture their love, humor and uniqueness.

Before Red Box Pictures, I was a photojournalist at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper for more than a decade, where I shot everything from breaking news to in-depth projects to Super Bowl XL. I twice went to Iraq, first to document U.N. sanctions in 1999 and later to chronicle wartime conditions in 2003. I've covered Mariners playoffs, the WTO protests, mental illness, the Dalai Lama, and combine demolition derbies in Eastern Washington. My work has won many national honors, including a first-place National Headliner Award in 2005 and the James Aronson Award for Social Justice Journalism.

Originally from Pennsylvania, I live in Seattle's Montlake neighborhood with my wife, Vanessa, two geriatric cats, and my all-time favorite photo subjects, daughters Kalena and Lola.