Every April, people plan entire trips around the tulip fields in Skagit Valley. I get to watch the season happen next door right out my back windows.

I live next door to RoozenGaarde, and my connection to these fields goes back further than my photography business. Before I went full time with photography in 2012, I worked in accounts payable at Washington Bulb Company, the company behind RoozenGaarde. My mom is the vice president there. These flowers, these fields and the people growing them have been part of my life for my entire life.

Now I get to bring people here and photograph them.

If you’re coming to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in April, we can plan a session around your visit. Families, couples, maternity, a trip with your favorite people. Digital photographs, 35mm film, or even a little movie of your time together on Super 8 or 16mm.

And yes, I’ll take care of your RoozenGaarde admission and send you home with a bunch of tulips.

Rhiley’s family, photographed on digital and 35mm film

I’ve been photographing Rhiley’s family since her daughter Ruby was a baby. By now, we’ve probably done 20 sessions together. Truly.

That kind of history is one of my favorite parts of this job. You get to know people. The kids grow up in front of your camera. Each session adds another chapter to a collection of photographs that becomes more meaningful as the years go by.

For this session, we photographed around sunset and into blue hour, with tulips and daffodils stretching out beside us. I used a mix of digital and 35mm film, natural light and flash.

We have wide photos with the mountains in the distance, portraits of Rhiley with her kids tucked in close, and frames of the kids running down the path together. I love how much variety we made in one evening.

The boots, the clothes, the flash, the flowers. It all worked. But what makes these photographs matter is the family in them, and the years of knowing each other that came before this particular evening.

Photographing the tulip fields with someone who lives here

If you’ve visited during the festival, you know April gets busy.

Knowing where to go and when makes a difference. Through my connection to Washington Bulb and RoozenGaarde, I can arrange sunrise and sunset access and photograph in permitted areas that give us more space away from the busiest visitor spots.

We’ll coordinate the specific location and access for your session when we plan it. I know where to look for quieter fields, and living next door means I can keep an eye on how the season is progressing.

You don’t have to show up with a map and hope for the best. I’ll help with the details so you can spend your time enjoying the place and the people you came with.

What a tulip session with me looks like

My approach is documentary with an editorial eye. I’m paying attention to light, composition, movement and how everyone fits together, while leaving room for you to actually be yourselves.

I’ll help you find your footing and give direction when it’s useful. We’ll make portraits together, walk a little, and follow what’s happening.

Kids can move. You can hold hands, scoop someone up, stop for a hug or laugh at whatever ridiculous thing your partner just said.

You don’t need to arrive knowing what to do with your hands. That’s part of my job.

These sessions work beautifully for families, couples and maternity photographs, whether you live nearby or are making a spring trip to Washington.

Choose your tulip photography session

Both options include digital photography captured on my medium-format Fujifilm GFX, an edited online gallery, RoozenGaarde admission for everyone being photographed, and a bunch of fresh-cut tulips to take home.

30-minute tulip session | $800

A shorter session in one planned location, with time for a mix of portraits and candid photographs.

This is a good fit if you want a focused session during your visit and prefer to keep things brief.

One-hour tulip session | $1,000

More time to settle in, move around and create a wider variety of photographs. We can give the kids a breather, work with the changing light and spend a little longer following whatever happens.

This is the option I recommend if you love a fuller gallery with a mix of close portraits, wide landscapes and the moments in between. It’s also the best starting point if you want to add motion picture film.

Add 35mm, Super 8 or 16mm film

Film is a big part of how I photograph, and these fields are an incredible setting for it.

35mm photography

Add 35mm film to your digital session for another layer of color, grain and texture in your gallery. Rhiley’s session included both digital and film, with color and black-and-white photographs throughout.

We’ll talk through film options and pricing when you inquire.

Super 8 film | Add $1,000

Your kids running toward you. The wind moving through the flowers. The way you lean into each other when you’re laughing.

Some things you’ll want to see move again.

The Super 8 add-on includes:

An edited highlight film set to music.
All of your b-roll footage set to music.
Still frames from the motion picture film included in your photo gallery.

A one-hour digital session with Super 8 is $2,000. You’ll have photographs and a film to return to as everyone gets older and life keeps changing.

16mm film

I also offer 16mm motion picture film for anyone who wants to take this a little further. Mention it when you reach out, and I’ll put together pricing and details for your session.

Planning your April visit to Skagit Valley

When will the tulips bloom?

April is typically the best month for tulips at RoozenGaarde, but the exact timing depends on the weather. Different varieties bloom at different points in the season.

We’ll plan with that in mind and choose your session location based on conditions as your date gets closer. If you’re traveling specifically for the flowers, some flexibility is helpful.

You can also check the RoozenGaarde bloom map for seasonal updates.

Do we need to buy tickets?

RoozenGaarde admission for everyone being photographed is included in your session. I’ll coordinate the ticket and arrival details with you beforehand, including any arrangements for sunrise or sunset access.

For additional visits or guests who aren’t part of your session, check RoozenGaarde’s visitor information for current ticket prices and hours.

What should we wear?

Wear something you feel good in and can move around in.

I love texture, layers, denim, boots, and clothes that have some personality. The flowers bring plenty of color already, so you don’t need to work too hard to compete with them. You also don’t need to dress everyone identically.

Look at Rhiley’s family here: the clothes work together, and everyone still looks like themselves.

Bring a warm layer and shoes that can handle some mud. These are working fields in a Washington spring. I’m happy to help you think through outfits before your session.

Can we photograph in the daffodils?

Absolutely, when they’re blooming. Daffodils generally arrive earlier than the tulips, though availability depends on the season.

If those are the flowers you’re most excited about, tell me when you inquire so we can plan around them.

Can we buy bulbs to grow at home?

Yes! Note the varieties you love during your visit. You can order through RoozenGaarde’s bulb shop for fall planting and flowers the following spring.

Your session includes cut tulips to take home, too. Flowers for now, and the option to plant some for later.

Come spend some time in my neighborhood

There’s something pretty damn special about photographing people in a place that’s been part of your own life for so long.

I used to work in the office here while building this business. Now I get to photograph longtime clients, meet new families, and share a little of the place I call home.

If you’re planning an April visit to Skagit Valley, I’d love to make this part of your trip.