Meet Mahdi Yari — The Photographer Behind PhotoYari
Meet Mahdi Yari — The Photographer Behind PhotoYari
Hi, I'm Mahdi Yari — most of my couples just call me Yari — and I'm the founder, lead photographer, and cinematographer behind PhotoYari Photography LLC. For more than a decade, I've documented over 200 weddings, elopements, and intimate celebrations across the Pacific Northwest, from Seattle waterfronts to Mount Rainier meadows, the Olympic Peninsula, Portland, and the Oregon Coast.
My Story
I came to wedding photography through photojournalism. Before I ever photographed a first dance or a tearful father-daughter moment, I was training my eye to read light, anticipate emotion, and capture stories without interrupting them. That foundation is the reason my work feels quieter, more observational, and more grounded in real human moments than the heavily-posed style that's common in the wedding industry.
I founded PhotoYari Photography in 2015 and built it around a simple idea: wedding photography shouldn't feel like a performance. It should feel like the day itself — only saved.
I'm based in Bothell, just north of Seattle, and I've made the Pacific Northwest my creative home. My heart belongs to the wild edges of the PNW — the foggy ridgelines of Mount Rainier at sunrise, the moss and ferns of the Hoh Rain Forest, the driftwood-strewn beaches of the Olympic and Oregon coasts, the cherry blossoms on the University of Washington Quad in spring, and the alpine lakes of the North Cascades that mirror the sky on still mornings. Some of my favorite weddings have been the ones where couples chose to skip convention entirely and elope somewhere wild — just the two of them, the mountains, and the people who matter most.
Over the years, I've documented 200+ weddings and elopements across Washington and Oregon. I made an early decision to specialize in the Pacific Northwest rather than spread thin across the whole country, and it's the best decision I've made for my craft. Knowing every venue, every park, every alpine trail from the Cascades to the Columbia River Gorge in real depth means I can give my couples something a generalist can't: the photographer who already knows exactly where the light will be at 6:47 PM in August at Kerry Park, or how the fog rolls off Tipsoo Lake in October.
How I Photograph Your Wedding
Three principles guide everything I do.
Real moments over performed ones. I document your day as it actually unfolds. I'm the photographer standing quietly across the room while your grandmother adjusts your veil. I'm the one catching your dad's expression during the ceremony when he thinks no one's looking. When I do direct portraits, the guidance is gentle — small adjustments to find better light or a more flattering angle, never long, stiff poses. The goal is for you to look at your gallery years from now and recognize yourselves, not a performance of yourselves.
True-to-color editing. The Pacific Northwest has some of the most beautiful natural light in the world, and my editing protects it. No trendy filters, no orange skin tones, no muddy shadows, no overly-warmed or overly-cooled looks that will feel dated in two years. Your photos will look just as honest and timeless in twenty years as they do the day you receive them. This matters more than couples often realize — wedding photography is a long-term investment, and editing styles age faster than the moments they capture.
Calm, organized service. Wedding photography should reduce your stress, not add to it. From the first inquiry, you'll know exactly what to expect, when to expect it, and what's next. Sneak peeks arrive within seven days. Full galleries within six to eight weeks. Cinematic films within ten to twelve weeks. No exceptions, no excuses. I keep communication clear, timelines realistic, and the experience supportive — because the photography is supposed to be one of the easy parts of your wedding, not another thing on your worry list.
Credentials, Experience & Recognition
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10+ years of professional wedding photography and videography
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200+ weddings and elopements documented across Washington, Oregon, and the Pacific Northwest
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Founded PhotoYari Photography LLC in 2015
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Background in photojournalism
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PNW specialist — I focus on the Pacific Northwest (Washington & Oregon), not as a generalist destination photographer
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Featured vendor on The Knot, WeddingWire, Zola, and Unscripted Photographers
Rated 5.0 stars across 80+ Google reviews
Bilingual service: English and Persian
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Based in Bothell, Washington — serving Seattle and the entire PNW
Equipment & Reliability
Every wedding is photographed and filmed with professional-grade gear and a complete backup system. The behind-the-scenes infrastructure matters because your wedding day cannot be re-shot, and reliability isn't optional.
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Multiple professional camera bodies — no single point of failure
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Backup lenses for every focal length used during your day
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Off-camera professional lighting for receptions and evening portraits
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Dual memory card recording — every photo is captured to two cards simultaneously, so a memory card failure can never lose your images
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Same-day cloud backup of all wedding files before I sleep that night
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Weather-sealed camera bodies and lenses — essential for unpredictable PNW conditions
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Drone capability where venue policy and FAA regulations permit
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Comprehensive professional photography liability insurance
If you're comparing photographers, ask about their backup systems. The difference between a professional and a hobbyist often shows up not in the photos themselves, but in what happens when something goes wrong.
Where I Photograph — Across the Pacific Northwest
Most of my work happens within a two-hour drive of my Bothell studio, but I travel anywhere in Washington, Oregon, and the wider Pacific Northwest for couples whose vision aligns with my style. Locations I know in real depth:
Seattle & the Greater Puget Sound: Seattle (Sodo Park, Within SODO, Fremont Foundry, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Block 41, Olympic Sculpture Park, The Edgewater Hotel, Discovery Park, Kerry Park, Gas Works Park, Pike Place Market, Ballard), Bothell, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Kenmore, Tacoma, Edmonds, Everett, Bastyr Chapel in Kenmore, and the University of Washington and Seattle University cherry blossoms.
Washington Wine Country: Woodinville (JM Cellars, DeLille Cellars, Chateau Ste. Michelle) and Snohomish wineries and barn venues.
The Cascades & Mountain Weddings: Mount Rainier National Park (Paradise, Sunrise, Reflection Lakes, Tipsoo Lake), North Cascades National Park, Snoqualmie (Salish Lodge), North Bend, Snoqualmie Pass, Leavenworth, and Stevens Pass.
Olympic Peninsula & Coast: Olympic National Park (Hurricane Ridge, Hoh Rain Forest, Lake Crescent), Ruby Beach, Rialto Beach, Second Beach, Port Angeles, and Sequim.
Washington Islands: San Juan Islands (Friday Harbor, Roche Harbor, Orcas Island), Whidbey Island, Camano Island, Bainbridge Island, and Vashon Island.
Oregon & the Columbia River Gorge: Portland and the surrounding metro area, the Oregon Coast (Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Pacific City), the Columbia River Gorge, Hood River and Mount Hood, and Bend and Central Oregon.
If your venue or PNW location isn't on this list, I almost certainly cover it — share the details and let's talk.
Beyond the Camera
When I'm not photographing weddings, you'll find me exploring new PNW elopement locations, scouting trails in the Cascades and Olympics, and spending time with my family. I believe the best wedding photographers are the ones who actually love being present at a wedding — not the ones counting hours until they can leave. I genuinely enjoy this work, and I think it shows in the images. There's no version of this job that works without that genuine care.
I also work with a trusted second-shooter team on larger weddings across Washington and Oregon, so when you book PhotoYari, you're booking a small, coordinated team — not a faceless studio passing your wedding to whoever's available.
For couples who prefer Persian (Farsi), I offer full bilingual service — from the first consultation to the final gallery delivery. This makes PhotoYari a natural choice for Iranian-American families planning weddings across Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.
Let's Talk About Your PNW Wedding
The best inquiries start with three things: when, where, and what matters most to you. From there, we'll figure out the rest together. I respond to every inquiry within 24 hours, and our first conversation is no-pressure — just a chance to see if we're a good fit.
If you're planning a wedding or elopement anywhere across Seattle, the Pacific Northwest, Washington, or Oregon, I'd love to hear about your day.