How is this much cuteness even possible? Abdu totally stole my heart. We had a fantastic shoot at Cordova Bay Beach. Lots of fun was had by all. This family has an ease and grace about them that is so inspirational. They were oozing with love and respect for each other. It was a privilege to spend the afternoon with them.
This family was such a joy to shoot. I adore it when love transfers so well onto “film”. The boys were so sweet and full of life! Check out this precious love:
I just had the Lucas family back for another wonderful photo shoot. Philippe’s mother was in town so it was a great chance to capture the magical bond between grandmother and granddaughter. I just love shooting family love; especially when three generations are involved ;)
Little Sophie stole a piece of my heart when I first met her (you can check out our first Lucas family photo here). She is such a little darling!
I got a very sweet email from Philippe after I dropped off their cd of images. A bit of it went like this…”Mary and I are once again blown away by what a wonderful photographer you are. We love the slideshow montage, and my mom will lose her mind. We remember the day as one in which Sophie would barely cooperate, but the shots that you got are amazing.”
The reason I share Philippe’s response is that it highlights what I feel is my mission as a photographer. It is my responsibility to peel away your layers of anxiety (baby didn’t nap today, child not cooperating, feeling unphotogenic, etc) to be able to capture images that are true to who you are. I am here to witness your love and to pass it back to you in a tangible treasure that you can celebrate forever. All relationships evolve and change constantly. You will never again be at this time and place. Unfortunately, a photograph’s worth is not usually fully understood until it cannot be recreated.
A few years ago when I was working at a camera store in town, a mother and daughter came in holding a 4×6 print. It was hard to make out the facial features of the man in the underexposed photo. They apologized for not having the negative but they hoped I could scan the image, crop to his head and shoulders and enlarge it to an 11×14. I looked up at them to warn them of what they already knew…the quality would be horrible. Their eyes welled up and the mother explained that the image was for her husband’s funeral. He had always hated and refused to have his picture taken so this was the ONLY image they had of him. The mother made me make a promise that day. She left me with the following message:
“No matter how much you don’t like your picture being taken, allow it to happen. It is not for you. It is for those that love you.”
I thank that woman for teaching me to appreciate the magnitude of family photo shoots.
Speaking of family photo shoots, let’s get back to some images of the Lucas family.
Tracy and Jonathon are a lovely couple that are getting married this coming May. I am really excited about photographing their big day. We just got together to shoot their engagement session down at Cattle Point. The day was REALLY windy and cold but we stuck it out and got some great images. Here are some from the adventure:
We create custom albums for our baby portrait clients. This is one template option; however, we can customize colours, styles, text, size etc. This is a fabulous way to display your little one’s precious images.
One of the headshots that I did for Philippe Lucas is in the July issue of Village Vibe. Check it out:
This is my first attempt at stop motion photography. It was a blast and I’m already plotting our next adventure. It’s all a learning process but I thought I’d share the journey with you!
We just got back from a GORGEOUS wedding in Naramata. I was really excited to have Anna back shooting with me for the wedding as her law studies have kept her from shooting so far this year and I’ve been missing her energy and great eye. When we arrived at the location we felt like kids in a candy shop…the spectacular arid cliffs, the stunning blue water and a venue that was a gem! It was the kind of location that photographers dream of! The scenery was nothing though compared to the magic that was so evident between Dom & Robyn. There were many times throughout the wedding when there wasn’t a dry eye in the place, resulting from laughter or sweetness! Congratulations Dom & Robyn. It was such an honour to be a part of your big day.
On my way home from the cob building workshop on Salt Spring Island, Ella and I took a detour to Sacred Mountain Lavender Farm. Sadly, we were missing the lavender festival by two days but I thought we should still take the opportunity to go by the farm. It was soooooooo worth it. The lavender was GORGEOUS! Oh, the heavenly smell! The farm is a fabulous working demonstration farm where they encourage you to get in there and experience it. I think it is so important these days, with the prevalence of the disconnect between our plates and the farmers, that we try to engage the public in the growing process. Sacred Mountain does just that. Thank you!!! Here are some shots from the day:
I spent an incredible week on Salt Spring Island at a Mud Girls Cob Building Workshop. The Mud Girls are about promoting and enabling the construction of natural building (mostly cob) affordably. A group of about twenty of us came together to live as a community for a week and build a cob cabin. We all camped in a beautiful apple orchard, swam/bathed in the pond, and were treated to three delicious organic meals a day (the chefs were brilliant! mmmmm). In return, we worked our butts off…literally! They were long, hot, hard days but so rewarding! One of the really amazing things was that almost all of the people that came to participate were mothers that brought their children. The Mud Girls said that they would provide free childcare and I think all of us moms jumped at the chance to really throw ourselves into a project while our kids were entertained. Well entertained they were! Paula, who looked after the kids, is a superwoman. I have honestly never witnessed someone so fantastic and engaging with kids. Paula, you are my hero! Molly and Claire, who taught the cob building, were not only awesome women but great teachers and mentors. I can’t recommend the workshop enough. Not to sound dramatic but it was life-changing. Check out their website for more information: http://www.mudgirls.ca/
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