About the photographer
Rachel Rausch-Johnson
Portrait, headshot and event photographer. Based in Kirkland, serving Seattle and the West Coast.
Most people come to me because they need good photos. They leave because they finally saw themselves clearly, and liked what they saw.
"I believe that photography is magic."
What it's like to work with me
I photograph executives, business owners, teams, families, artists, and women who are finally ready to be seen clearly. Most of them were nervous before their session.
So I interview every client before we shoot, because the best portrait isn't one I imagined. It comes from knowing who you actually are and where your photos need to work for you. Then I direct the whole session, so you're never standing there wondering what to do with your hands.
What clients tell me afterward is that they didn't expect to have this much fun, and that they finally have photos they're proud to use.
How I got here
I grew up in the Hollywood Hills. My mother, a model and singer, took our family around the world before I could read, and I never lost the habit of looking.
In high school, a math teacher named Fred Carrington led summer hiking trips into the High Sierra and came back with photographs that stopped me cold. I went on nine of those trips. Later, commercial photographer Bobbi Lane taught me to love light and people, and I've spent 30 years photographing both.
The 50 Over 50 project
My 50 Over 50 portrait project celebrates women in their fifties, sixties and beyond. Each woman gets the full portrait experience, shares her story, and is celebrated in a gallery exhibition of the finished portraits. It's the work I'm proudest of.
Outside the studio
I'm still that kid on the High Sierra trail. I hike every chance I get and photograph the outdoors: wildflowers, waterfalls, early mornings, late nights and star-filled skies. Getting outside keeps my eye fresh, and the patience it takes to wait for the right light is the same patience I bring to every portrait session.
At home, I share my studio with my husband, Eric, and our cats, Butch and Sundance, two felines who have photobombed more sessions than I care to admit.
At a glance
Based in: Kirkland, Washington. Serving Greater Seattle, the Eastside and the West Coast.
Photographing people for: 30 years
Services: business headshots, corporate team photography, event photography, personal branding and portraits
Google rating: 4.9 stars from 35 reviews
Women-owned and LGBTQ+ friendly
Let's talk
Whether you need a single headshot or a full personal brand shoot, it starts with a 15-minute call.
Schedule a Consultation >Or call 425-655-1438