2 couples, (Jess & Whit, Michael & Elizabeth) one little man, one little girl, three dogs and a lot of love! They say if you love someone you have to let them go, and if they love you they'll come back. Flashdance is an idea that has been brewing for nearly a decade... Way back in the day Whitney and Michael dreamed of having their own company together. Looking for love drove them to the furthest corners of the country, (Seattle, Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles) falling in love brought them back together. Nearly 10 years later, with families in tow, they are finally doing exactly what they always wanted to do. (and nobody's telling them how to do it!). Hooray! We didn’t get into this business because we thought it would be an easy way to earn a buck, we did it because our weddings were the most amazing days of our lives, and so much fun, that we decided to trade in the grind of corporate events, music festivals, and nightclubs, to make love and happiness the biggest part of our lives. We think we made the right choice! BACKGROUND Whitney and Michael used to throw parties in clubs, theatres, & stadiums around Seattle in the late 90’s and early 2000’s as a way to showcase the amazing talents of all of their friends… When they started, Michael’s wife would make the flyers, Whitney would design and dress the stage, Whitney’s roommate and Michael would dj, another friend would make custom video projections, etc. 10 years later the budgets have gotten bigger, and the audiences smaller, but they are still doing what they love in a very similar way! Michael’s wife is an award winning art director and designer. Whitney and his wife are award winning photographers, Michael has travelled the world as a dj, and Michael & Whitney are still plugging away marketing and advertising their incredibly talented friends and family in addition to the art, music, and culture they love. Partial Client List Nike, Target, Apple, Microsoft, Armani, Nordstrom, Wallpaper, Levi's, Starbucks, Puma, Gap, Weiden and Kennedy, Bon/Macys, Mexx, Ben Sherman, Uniqlo, Seattle/Bellevue Art Museums, Seattle International Film Festival, The Truth.com, WOMAD Music Festival, What If?! Innovations, MSN, (red), Dell, Lucky Brand Jeans, Mad Men (AMC)… Concerts Produced -short list- ERYKAH BADU, PORTISHEAD, AIR, CHEMICAL BROTHERS, PEARL JAM, JURASSIC 5, BEBEL GILBERTO, BUSTA RHYMES, NEIL YOUNG, DAFT PUNK, SALT N’ PEPPA, DJ SHADOW, THE ROOTS, CRYSTAL METHOD, THIEVERY CORPORATION, LAUREN HILL, ICE CUBE, FELIX DA HOUSECAT, PUBLIC ENEMY, PAUL OAKENFOLD, JAMIROQUAI, TRICKY, MASSIVE ATTACK, AFRIKA BAMBAATAA, GRANDMASTER FLASH, MOBY, BOOTSY COLLINS, BLACK EYED PEAS, OUTKAST, WYCLEF JEAN, DE LA SOUL, KRUDER AND DORFMEISTER, Z-TRIP, DIPLO, FATBOY SLIM… and on and on We are not caught up in temporary trends or fashions (though we are fascinated by them!) we are not bogged down by arrogance and ego (we make fun of it!) We like house parties, and good art! We combine a DIY aesthetic with award winning production & design.

MUSIC The music that I play at any event is determined soley by the people in attendance. I can confidently cover the last 50 years of soul, jazz, funk, & rock. More recent stuff includes mainstream and underground 80's, 90's and current hip-hop, electronic, disco, house-party hits, and dance music of every variety. Paying homage to artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, Z-Trip, DJ P, Jam Master Jay etc. THJ plays EVERYTHING! Funk / Soul, & disco, Rock & Hip-Hop, club classics, top 40, & electro all seamlessly blend together and bring a feverish energy to every event. Live remixing, and on the spot & Blends (or mash ups) can make the sets, at times humorous, and ridiculous, because of the juxtaposition of the tracks that are used, but the people NEVER stop dancing! THJ doesn’t take himself or what he does too seriously, just the way in which he does it. Having shared the stage worldwide with artists such as: Diplo, Fatboy Slim, DJ’s are not Rockstars, Z-Trip, DJ P, 2 Many Djs, Swamp, Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Andy Smith (Portishead), Thievery Corporation, Jazzanova, Bebel Gilberto, NERD, Kelis, Eddie Veder (with Queens of The Stoneage), Groove Armada, Felix Da Housecat, The Rub DJs, etc. THE HUMAN JUKEBOX has gained the respect of booking agents, promoters, the press, and most importantly, the audience.

I AM NOT going to tell corny jokes on the mic I AM NOT going to play trance at your wedding! I AM NOT going to play desperate, crappy disco to try to “Please everyone” I AM NOT GOING TO PLAY DESPERATE CRAPPY ANYTHING! I AM NOT going to be an ego driven “artist” and only play what “I” want to hear I AM NOT going to be a shitty wedding DJ! I AM NOT going to play thug hip hop at your dinner (unless of course…) I AM NOT going to play ipods/cds I AM gonna play VINYL (remember that format?) I AM going to play the perfect music for the mood of the people in attendance. I AM going to be able to read the crowd and build the energy accordingly. I AM going to seemlessly blend from dinner to dance party I AM going to make you dance your ass off. I AM going to make you laugh I AM going to make you cry I AM going to make your friends jealous. I AM going to create lifelong memories… Hopefully you can do the same for us!

Here are a couple of blends off of my mix cd "Gangsta Pop" from back in 2005. I will be putting up more samples in DJ MIXES and full mix downloads very soon so check back in the coming weeks. Yeah! from the mix cd Gangsta Pop...

Yeah! Pt.2 from the mix cd Gangsta Pop...

PHOTOGRAPHY JESSE + WHITNEY We sincerely hope you're looking at our website because you're interested in unique photographs that capture real beauty rather than manufactured robo-photos that pasteurize originality. Don't get us wrong, we can do both -- but if an occasion is special enough to make you want to save it forever, why risk losing it with phony poses and staged scenery? We think you, your family celebrations, your friends and your true loves are beautiful, and any images that represent these milestones should illustrate the pure joy in these moments. In fact, the wife part of this husband-and-wife team will no doubt disarm you with her gentleness and charm while the husband part loosens you up with his cynical witticisms so that before you know it, you've got a miasma of artful photographs so achingly beautiful it will make your heart break like an egg. In fact, that is our hope here at Our Labor of Love Photography Studio, to break open everyone's heart, because a closed heart is not photogenic. But if you like the other kind of photographs, with the stilted posturing and the portraits where the subject looks as authentic as a big breast implant, we can do that, too, I guess. We're incredibly agreeable, but we'll probably try to talk you into loosening up. GRACYN Hello all, I am Gracyn, youngest of the Chamberlin clan and unofficial mascot of Our Labor of Love Photography. That title fits me well, as I am of course the one love that my parents labor over more than their great photography love. I greeted this world on the 3rd of October 2006 at 11:30 am and I have been a mover and shaker ever since- I went straight from crawling to sprinting in a very short time. I keep my eyes wide and inquisitive to everything- I am a Great Explorer and I have too much to discover to stay still for even a moment, so I don't. I love food of the small round variety- grapes, blueberries, black beans, cereal puffs – I'd really like to get my hands on some marbles if I could only find someone foolish enough to hand them over. I keep my parents on their toes and I love being star of the show - I am presently sabotaging as much computer equipment and photography gear as I can get my little grubby hands on to guarantee that I am the one true distraction in this household. Alas the more I get into, the higher it ends up on the shelf. But hey, I am a good climber too, so it is really only a matter of time! While I am something of a daredevil I am also a great pal to everyone I meet - with my friendly disposition, gappy smiles and infectious laughter I am sure to keep the sun shining wherever I happen to be. Oh and I would also like to mention the other person in my life that I love, Susan. She watches me when my parents are out taking pretty pictures.

PRODUCTION.....just a taste

MAX Hello. My name is Max. That's me in the middle there. Brand new to the world. Unaware of the joys wedding photography would one day bring me.

I’ve been a photographer since I was seven years old. That’s when I built my first camera out of paper and scotch tape. I believe in mystery, simplicity, spontaneity, surprise, whimsy, and instinct. I’m a student of design, fashion, and negative space. I love shooting weddings because they bring everything and everyone down to basics: fear, wonder, commitment, ecstasy, laughter, and love. It's amazing to be a part of this Flashdance family, to be surrounded by such talent, to be able to call everybody friends. I never thought I'd be doing weddings full time. But here I am, loving every minute of it.

ASHLEY My name is Ashley and I make stuff.

A long long time ago, in coffee shop not too far away, I met Whitney & Jesse for the first time - negotiating the terms of my wedding photography (which turned out awesome btw). I remember because it was late in the afternoon, and they were a tad short on time (they had an Arcade Fire concert to go to). I suspected then, as I've come to know now - these are some really cool & genuine people. So long story short, our client relationship grew into a professional one that quickly blossomed into friendship. Whitney & I have since collaborated on the production of many events, including the Free Wedding and Airhorns & Lasers. Together, we're bringing big productions back to the Flashdance in a big way. Need a wedding that isn't of the norm and has your style written all over it? Let me design something original and completely handmade, it's what I do. What else do I do, you ask? Well, the Smilebooth, of course... an innovative Whit & Jess original. The Smilebooth continues to develop and impress...now with backdrops to match. Inquires? Questions? Concerns? Rebuttals? Contact me, Guru a la Smilebooth.

i'm gonna be in new york for a few days. got a wedding on friday and had a wedding cancel for saturday so i'm playing a club show on saturday. kinda excited because it has been awhile since i've played a saturday club night. i'll be breaking out some booty, dirty south, jiggle music, and just a bunch of stuff that is a bit too much for a wedding! i'm gonna leave the love records in the bag for a change. anyway, if you're in ny and wanna come sweat it out leave your name in the comments and i'll put you on the list so you won't have to wait in line. i go on at 11.

while i'm gone elodie will be holding it down in la... her scratching is getting really good.

Mariachis & Margaritas & Mayan Ruins OH MY! Michael was booked to play at a wedding on the beach in Rivera Maya, so we packed up the baby and headed to the Yucatan Peninsula in search of coconut trees, turquoise waves and white sandy beaches. Oh, and hammocks! lots and lots of them for relaxing! We found an abundance of them in Tulum (where we stayed). We happened upon Coqui Coqui, a charming little hotel/spa/perfumerie (I came home with a suitcase full of 'Flor de Naranja' and 'Madera') where we slept under the stars in a stone house on the beach. Elodie played in the waves, we ate loads of fish tacos, went to some amazing Mayan Ruins, and Michael even found time to book another Mexico wedding! Max recommended a fabulous photo app for the iphone before we left and here are the results. enjoy! - ♥ wifey

this was made for a couple that had a certified brilliant idea... you know how some people put disposable cameras on the tables at a wedding? (by the way, don't ever do that!) well, they didn't do that! they are film nerds, they put loaded super 8 mm cameras out for their friends (a bunch more film nerds) to shoot with. they had brian (see below) shoot a bunch on top of that, then he had all of the film developed, converted to digital and he cut it to one of our favorite love songs! he is on the road now filming a couple weddings in the mountains outside of seattle, and in the woods in colorado so stay tuned for more of these beautiful little wedding music videos. want one of your wedding? it is not as pricey as you might think! email us

brian is one of our biggest behind the scenes contributors, he has had his hand in the flashdance since before we launched, and he has decided (after attending some obscene number of weddings with us this year) to start offering his amazing talent to the wedding world (we could not be more pleased by this decision). he is another one of our fairfield friends (more on this tomorrow) who studied film at the Maharishi University of Management and has since produced several shorts, music videos, and countless unique film projects. we have also toured together, performed together and become really great friends over the last couple years and it is with great pleasure that i introduce his work to you.

for those of you who don't use Google Reader (what are you waiting for?) you might have missed this post that i put up yesterday of all of the smilebooth photos from my birthday (which was kinda the best day in the history of ever!) it had, among other things, a cookie monster pinata which i beat the shit out of & the animation below illustrates wifey, and my good pal marisa helping to get me prepared to do battle.

you better watch your ass pal... you're number 1 on my list as soon as i'm done with this shot!

-WHIT