I'm Getting Old : : London Family Photographer

Do you remember when you were a kid and you would visit with adults you hadn't seen for awhile and they always said, "I remember when you were born!  I can't believe how big you are now! I feel so old!" ?  And while you smiled politely on the outside, you cringed on the inside, thinking  "Why do they always act like I would stay small forever?", and you swore you would never say those things  when you grew up?   And the next thing you know, you have reached adulthood and you are saying those dreaded words, and realizing exactly why they need to be said.  No? Really?  Happens to me all the time. I recently celebrated my eight year anniversary with my hubby, and we planned a night away, including a peaceful, delicious dinner and, of course,  the other thing you do when the kids aren't around, which starts with an "S"....  Get your minds out of the gutter, people!  I mean SLEEP!  Ah, the blissful, sound sleep of parents who know there are no middle of the night pee breaks or demands for water-cup refills.  Beautiful.

The next morning, I awoke, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and headed out to meet my cousin and her two teenage boys for a shoot.  And this is what brings me back to my original point.  Eight years ago, these two guys were the ring bearers in our wedding.  They were then five and six years old, respectively, and absolutely adorable!  And while I have seen them occasionally over the intervening years, I was still dumbstruck when they stepped out of the car and were no longer those sweet little boys!  They are nearly men!  After taking a few moments to make the cringe-worthy proclamations in regards to their growth and maturity, we got down to the business of capturing some images.

The boys were such good sports, freezing in the bitter wind, one crouching with sore legs from a championship football game the previous day (they won!) and generally dealing with my odd requests and overzealous desire to see them in a dark, dirty alley.  They are both such respectful, kind young men, and I feel fortunate to call them my family.

First up is Cam, the older brother and Denver Broncos fan.  He has an easy smile that just lights up the room.

Next is Josh, the younger brother and a Patriots die-hard.  He is more serious than his older brother, but no less happy-go-lucky!

And here is one of them both.  Brothers and best friends.

Thanks Cameron, Josh, Kevin and Kelly for just being awesome!  Love you.

{M}

All you need is LOVE : : Kitchener Family Photographer

This family is one of those families where you can just FEEL the love.  It is in the little things; the laughter, the smiles, the hugs.  They are just really connected. I feel so fortunate to be able to work with such lovely families, and to see them grow and love each year.  This is my second time photographing this family and I can tell you, I enjoy it more every time.

We met on a lovely almost-fall day, taking advantage of the unseasonably warm tempertatures to capture some images.  We had to work fairly quickly, since those of you with toddlers know how tough it is to get them to stay in one spot for more than a millisecond.  However, we did manage to get a few beautiful images, which I know they will cherish forever (or at least until next year when we do it all again!).

Thanks Jen, Ben, Sarah and Molly for being such a wonderful family and great friends.

I had to include this one of Sarah, since it is one of my favourite images from the past year.  The missing tooth, the big grin and the sparkling eyes are just so adorable!

Mr. Roan is Growing!

I first met this adorable little man back in the spring when he was only three weeks old!  So when his Mom contacted me to set up a family session, I was so excited to see how much he had grown!  Here is one from that session.

What an expression!

Fall around here has been pretty wet and gross, but we managed to find a day that was dry, if not too sunny.  It was a tad cool but Ro was such a trooper, even though he is cutting teeth right now.  We kept the session short but sweet and got some great images.  They are a family that is so full of joy and laughter that is hard not to capture beautiful images of them.  You can always tell when a family has love that is real and not "for the camera", and the love here is 100% genuine.  I adore how in all the images Mom and Dad are looking with pride at their little man.  Makes my heart melt!

Roan and Mommy.

Daddy's boy.

Can't wait for the next session with this family in the spring!

~M

Blog Carousel - Faceless Self-Portrait : : Kitchener Photographer

This month the theme for the blog carousel is Faceless Self-Portrait.  I had lots of ideas, but executing most of them would have required more time and planning than can be allotted in my schedule, so I had to stick with something simple. I decided that I wanted to try to be really literal in my interpretation, so I started experimenting with different ways of covering my face (think masks, pantyhose, my hair - are you laughing yet at the visuals?), but they were all a little too crazy once I tried them.  I decided just set up my camera on the tripod, kneel on the floor and see what I got!  I think the result is a little weird but a really accurate representation of a faceless self-portrait.  My nose is a little Gerard-Depardieu-in-Cyrano-de-Bergerac for my liking, but I am just going to blame it on a bad angle... :)

Make sure you go and check out my friend Martina Wendland's interpretation of the theme!  She is a really sweet person as well as a talented family and children's photographer.  You will love her work!

My Girls : : Kitchener Children's Photographer

Last fall, I headed out to take a few images of my girls to add to the calendar that I make for my parents, in-laws and grandma every year for Christmas.  My mother liked them so much that she chose one to print and sent copies to all of our friends and family in her Christmas card. So this year, when she casually asked if I was going to have an updated photo to send out, I said "Sure, no problem!".  So of course, I went out and spent a small fortune on matching outfits (since I know my mom loves when I dress them alike) and set a date for the shoot.  I made props and chose accessories, explained the bribes carefully and away we went.  I was so excited that I even invited a couple of my photographer friends with kids to come and shoot their children as well.  Let's just say I was confident that we were going to have a terrific time playing in the leaves, posing playfully and feeling the love.  So wrong.

I will not recount the gory details, but let's just say there were tears, tantrums, kicking and screaming and I won't even tell you how my girls behaved! ;)  However, I did manage to get some shots that I love (one is already at the lab being printed as a huge canvas) and  everyone made it out of the woods alive (barely), so I will put it in the books as a successful day.

My mom hasn't chosen her favourite yet, so some of you may see one of these in your mailbox soon!

This next one is my absolute FAVOURITE!

Love you girls.  You are my everything.

~M

Urban Gentlemen : : Kitchener Children's Photographer

I love to shoot in the city.  Sure, parks and forests and lakes and fields are lovely too, and I enjoy shooting in those locations.  But there is something about the urban landscape that is so fascinating to me. Maybe it is the fact that you can turn a corner and have a whole new location that is nothing like the previous, or maybe it is just that I appreciate that a building always has one side that has some shade.  No light hunting for me! ;)

I headed out with these two adorable guys on a crisp Saturday afternoon to capture some urban images for my commercial portfolio.  I am starting to make some contacts in the children's clothing market and want to have lots of different looks for all different styles.  Plus, I have a bit of a boy shortage in my world, so it is always fun to hang out with someone who is not talking about Justin Bieber or asking to paint their nails!

I was lucky enough to photograph these monkeys with their parents last year and I knew that they would be perfect models for this shoot.  Zaccardi, the oldest, has amazing ice blue eyes that are crazy beautiful.  He is gonne be a lady-killer someday, since he already has the "smoulder" effect down to perfection.  His younger brother, Milo, is a big personality with the most infectious smile.  He loves to be silly and can really appreciate a good fart joke.

I am so lucky to have clients that are willing to share their time and their family with me.  Thanks Mackenzie, Danny, Zaccardi and Milo for braving the cold!

~ M

Shannon Sewell Workshop! : : St. Mary's, Ontario Children's Photographer

I was fortunate enough to secure a space at the coveted Shannon Sewell workshop, held in St. Mary's, Ontario at the gorgeous Westover Inn. Hosted by the talented Hilary  of One for the Wall Photography and Angela of Angela Smith Photography, it was a day full of laughs, learning and sharing.  It was nice to be with such a wonderful group of women photographers, so full of mutual admiration and support.

After a delicious lunch courtesy of the Inn's kitchen and sweet treats from Flavour Cakes , we headed outside with some adorable little models to watch Shannon in action!  She is so amazing at planning every detail: from clothing to shoes to nail polish to hairstyles, she's got a definite eye for style.  We were so lucky to have clothing and accessories provided by ZozoBugBaby and Lisa's Mini Mad Hattery .  C-U-T-E!

I was so busy listening to Shannon and watching her work her magic that I didn't get many shots, but I do have a few to share.  Thank you to our models: Claire, Asia, Nina and Lilly for being so fantastic.  I am sure it was overwhelming to be surrounded by the "paparazzi"!

Thank you again to Shannon (and Hilary and Angela) for making this workshop one of the most wonderful learning experiences I have ever had in my life.  I am looking forward to next year! ;)

~ M

T and Q : : Kitchener Children's Photographer

I met these two handsome little men on a gorgeous Sunday evening, with the sun shining and the breeze blowing.  Perfect weather for early fall. With their blond hair and blue eyes, these two are sure to be charmers when they get older.  I know both their mom and dad, and there is no shortage of beauty genes in this family!  I had a great time chasing them around and playing magic chair and king.  They kept me on my toes, that's for sure!

I'm already looking forward to next September for round two!

~ M

Ethan : : Kitchener Children's Photographer

This handsome little man just happens to be my daughter's boyfriend of nearly three years.  It began as a budding playdate romance and has flourished into a very committed and serious relationship.  Well, at least on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons when she is being cared for by his mom after school! ;) When I was heading out for Brielle's photoshoot, Ethan wanted to tag along and gamely agreed to be my second model for the shoot.  Of course, I bribed them both with Smile Cookies and donuts.  I am NEVER above bribing.  Ethan was absolutlely fantastic and so great at posing for me that I actually ended up with more images of him than of Brielle.

I guess if he may be my son-in-law one day, I might as well groom him now for a life of non-stop shutter snapping!

Near the end of the shoot, the young lovebirds wanted to have some pictures together....hmm, I wonder if I will be doing this for real in twenty years?

Miss Brielle : : Kitchener Children's Photographer

Of course, once Brielle saw that her sister had a "special" photo shoot, she had to have one too.  So we headed out on a sunny Saturday to capture some new images for her.  Actually, I am glad she wanted to do it, so I can order new canvases of both of them for the house! Brielle loves music and singing, so she wanted to have a rock-and-roll outfit for some of the pictures.  I think she got the rock attitude just right.

Next she switched to a more casual ensemble, with her favourite flats and super-tight tights.

I wanted to have a little series of Brielle faces, like I did for Emery, to put together as a wall collage. What a goof!

I love you Brielle Grace Anne.  You are so smart, sensitive and stubborn...just like your mother.  ;)

~M

Emery @ Four : : Kitchener Children's Photographer

My baby is four!  I can't believe how much she is growing and changing every day.  It makes my heart ache for the days when she was a babe in my arms.  But, alas, those days are quickly fading into memory as my little angel blazes her own trail out into the world. I took Emery out on a beautiful, sunny afternoon to do her fourth birthday session and we had a blast!  I must admit, there was a significant bribe of TWO donuts for good behaviour and cooperation, but I really think I could have done without, she was so great.  We headed downtown for a bit of an urban feel and to take advantage of all the great colours and textures of the buildings.  I should mention that she did have shoes for the shoot, but complained so loudly that they were pinching that I agreed to let her go barefoot.  Yes, I made sure there was no glass before I plunked her down!

Like most mothers, I think my children are the cutest kids on Earth, so this post has A LOT of images.  I know that her Nanny and Poppy in Newfoundland won't mind looking at more than one! ;)

She is such a ham and loves to be silly.  The next couple of images show her as she truly is, a little monkey who loves to laugh and smile.

I love you Emery Mary Violet and I am so excited to see where your go and how you get there.  Mommy and Daddy and Brielle are so proud of you.

~M

52 Weeks - Weeks 32 and 33

I know, I know, I missed a few weeks.  Life just got away from me and my blog had to suffer in silence.  But now I'm back and the posts will flow once more! My girls were headed to school over these 2 weeks and I wanted to share a couple of images from their first days.  I would like to point out that they chose their own outfits and it is entirely coincidental that they both chose to wear shades of blue.  However, it does make creating a coordinating blog post a little easier, so my anal-rententive heart is smiling just a little more than usual!

First up is Emery, my kindergarten girl.  She was so excited to be starting "big girl" school this year, even though her fourth birthday was only the day before she began!  I must admit, I was more sad to have her start than I was for my oldest, probably because she is my baby and still so young.  I had to miss seeing her off on her first day (which is probably better, I definitely would have been crying) but Daddy reported that she was nothing but smiles.  She is a funny, sweet, compassionate girl who is the first to comfort others if they are sad or hurt.  I know she is going to be growing so fast over the next few months - mentally, emotionally and physically - but I wish she would just stay my baby forever.  Every mother's lament.

Next is my oldest, Brielle.  At six years old,  she is already smarter, sassier and more charming than I have even been in my whole life. Seriously.  She has lots of opinions and loves to tell you what they are, but is a kind friend and a wonderful big sister.  She is off to Grade 1 French Immersion this year and I am so proud of how well she has handled being at school everyday (at least so far...I'm not expecting this cooperation to last!).  The first week she was already saying "Est-ce que je peux aller au toilet?".  Oh boy, I see an adventure to Paris in her future...

My girls are off into the world and all I can do is hope that I have adequately prepared them for all its challenges.

~M

Blog Carousel - Monochrome

Here we go with round two of the blog carousel.  This month's theme is Monochrome, which is basically a fancy way of saying black and white. I love images that are colourful and bright, but there is something about the nostalgic, timeless essence of black and white images is really appealing.  Maybe it is the dramatic tones, or the ability to use your imagination to create the colours in your mind, or even the stark reality of holding the viewer's eye without the distraction of colour.  Whatever it's appeal, it is an essential element of photographic art.

My image was taken during our summer vacation in my husband's home province of Newfoundland.  This sunset, looking out over the Main Tickle (or harbour entrance) featured dramatic clouds, glorious colours and an innate serenity that I just had to capture.  In monochrome it becomes an image that represents the falling of the day, the calmness of the water and the whisper of wind in the bold clouds.  Wow, I'm practically a poet right now! ;)

Make sure that you check out my friend Kate's interpretation of Monochrome.  She is wonderfully talented food and wedding/portrait photographer, as well as a really kind person and friend.  Happy carouselling!

Michael and Nicole : : Niagara-On-The-Lake Wedding Photography

Mike and Nikki are a lovely couple whom I met through a family member, after she referred them to me for wedding photography.  But here's the thing, weddings are not really my gig.  Don't get me wrong, weddings are beautiful, full of love and typically involve a plethora of gorgeous things to photograph, but I would rather leave it to those phtographers who truly enjoy the stress and pressure involved with getting the perfect shots on the perfect day.  One chance, that's all you get.  Gulp. However, after talking to Nikki on the phone and seeing pictures of their venue, I knew I would regret not photographing this wedding.  Mike's Uncle Ken and Aunt Judy had generously offered the use of their stunning backyard, which is surrounded by a vineyard and featured an immaculate (vacuumed)  lawn,  a garden that boasted flowers chosen to coordinate with the bridal colours and a fantastic stone terrace on which to have the ceremony!  It was an intimiate backyard wedding with a very personalized and loving touch.

And so, I took on the challenge of my second-ever wedding, bringing along my friend (and budding photographer) Terri-Lynn Penney to help me out and  to snag some shots from a different angle.  Thanks Terri-Lynn for tagging along!

The bridal party was really great, mugging for the camera and listening to my crazy directions.  The girls even put on their rubber boots and grabbed some umbrellas (brought along "just in case") and made me laugh so hard with their posing I could barely shoot!

I asked the "big, strong" groomsmen to lift our tiny bride, receiving the response, "No problem!".  Here is the result: a near disaster!

Nikki mentioned that she wanted a night shot of the tent, with the candle light and chandeliers glowing as the sun set.  This was the last shot of the day and well worth the wait!  If you look closely, you can see the new Mr. and Mrs. Lavell giving their thank-yous.

Thank you so much to Mike, Nikki and their wonderful friends and family for allowing me to share your beautiful day.

~Mandy

Summer Evening Light :: Kitchener Family Photographer

There is nothing more gorgeous than evening light in the dying days of summer. Rich, warm and bright, it is every photographer's ideal.  As the nights become cooler and the leaves prepare to turn, that beautiful light reminds me that summer is not yet ready to let go of her magic. I headed out on a beautiful, though slightly windy evening to take some family portraits for my dear friend, Jaime, and her beautiful family.  I have known Jaime since Grade 3 and we made it all the way through high school together.  Needless to say, we have plenty of great times to reminisce about every time we ge together, which is usually one evening a week for a rousing game of Boggle (yes, Boggle is exciting for us!).

I am lucky to have such great friends.

This charmer is little Miss Rachel, who recently celebrated her first birthday!  We took some time to get a few extra shots in honour of her big milestone.

Her big sister Sophie also celebrated her birthday a couple of weeks ago, turning three!  She is exceptionally bright and inquisitive for her age and certainly keeps her parents on their toes!

One Hour Photo #3 :: Kitchener Children's Photographer

Hair is my nemesis.  This may sound a bit extreme, but I can assure you, it is true.  Cursed (or blessed, according to everyone else) with extremely curly hair, I have battled my hair for the last twenty-five years in a desperate struggle for manageability.  It corkscrews, tangles, poofs, frizzes and requires frequent attacks with the stylist's thinning shears.  When I had my girls, I worried that they might face the same trials, especially when their little toddler curls appeared. Fortunately, they both have straight-ish hair with some minor curling and waving.  My oldest, Brielle, has extremely thick hair, with a straight layer on the surface and a curly  layer underneath, forcing me to now do battle twice daily, once with my own hair and once with hers.  She is not exactly cooperative, yet another reason that hair is my nemesis.

My youngest, Emery, somehow ended up with fairly thin, easy-to-brush hair.  Since my husband comes from a long line of bristle-haired heads, we are not sure what happened to give her such fine hair.  Don't worry, she does have a reason to make her hair my nemesis too.  I like to call it the rat tail, the low hawk, or the undercover mullet.  Basically, the hair in back of her head grows at three times the rate of the sides, so she always ends up with this long straggly bit at the back.  I can brush it out beautifully, and it looks okay, but within five minutes it has sort of clumped together to reform the hideous rat tail that looks like it belongs on a street urchin.  Are there really street urchins anymore?  Hmm, that is a whole other post...

School is just around the corner, and usually I take the girls for a fresh haircut at the end of the summer.  But last night, after brushing Emery's hair for the millionth time in a pointless attack against the low hawk, I decided I just couldn't stand to look at it anymore.  I bathed her, sat on her on the kitchen counter and cut off the offending hair.  Ahh, that looks so much better.

Sort of.  Maybe I should have waited for the pros to handle it?  I think I left enough to work with?  Oh well, it will grow back, right?

This morning, is the glaring light of day, it seems my trim was perhaps a bit hasty, not entirely even and frankly a bit of a hack job.  But Emery thinks she looks fab and even offered to pose for a picture (without a bribe!!).  So here it is, not from the back because I wouldn't want to offend any hairstylists out there, but from the front, where her beautiful face can distract the viewer!  LOL

This image took 32 minutes, including processing.  She ran away after a couple of snaps or it would have been longer!

Mandy

Blog Carousel - Summer Nights : : Cambridge Children's Photographer

Being a photographer can be a lonely profession.  After the fun of the session or event is over, there are many hours spent in isolation hunched over the computer; reviewing, editing, ordering, blog posting and scanning blogs and forums for inspiration.  To avoid full hermit-status, I am lucky enough to have found a wonderful group of ladies (who happen to be fellow photographers) to gather for a night out of food, drink and lots of photography talk!  We have been known to be the last table out of the restaurant, oblivious to the hovering staff who are eager to depart. A while ago it was suggested that as a group we should try a blog carousel.  Okay, I admit it, it was my idea.  Am I brilliant, or what?  LOL   Actually, it just so happens that I think that my friends are very talented photographers and I want you to see their gorgeous images and creative ideas.

My image for the theme "Summer Nights" was taken during a visit to Valens Conservation Area a few weeks ago.  You can see more images from this excursion here.  This image was included in the storyboards I created for that post, but I loved it so much I had to use it for the carousel (and make it a canvas for my wall!).

To me this image captures one way to spend a perfect summer night: fishing with a sturdy stick, some fishing line, a hook and a worm, waiting excitedly but patiently for the fish to bite.  I spent so many wonderful summer evenings fishing on the docks in my hometown of Port Elgin, with the sun setting around me and my sand bucket full of tiny perch.  Such a simple pleasure but one that I love sharing with my girls.

Check out my friend Sandra Medeiros' interpretation of the theme "Summer Nights" here.  She is an amazing wedding and portrait photographer and also happens to be my classmate at photography school!

Mandy

52 Weeks - Week 25 and Week 26 : : Twillingate, NL Photographer

Well, vacation is over and it is time to face the real world again. Sigh. I spent my time off with my husband and girls, visiting my wonderful in-laws in Twillingate, Newfoundland and Labrador.  Well, technically we were in the community of Durrell, which is on Twillingate Island and part of the larger almagamated community.  We spend time every summer soaking in the salt air, the cooler temperatures and the warmth and love of our huge extended family.  This beautiful town and its people have found a place in my heart and soul, and every year I look forward to "going home".

There is no place in the world like Twillingate, or Newfoundland in general, for that matter.  In some ways it feels like you are stepping back in time.  While there are plenty of modern amenities, many of the residents still adhere to their strong values and traditions.  These include catching cod, gutting and cleaning them on their stages and then drying the filets on racks, catching capelin with a cast net, baking homemade bread on a regular basis, keeping a family vegetable garden and putting clothes out on the line to dry in the salt breeze.

It gives me such a nostalgic feeling seeing clothes hanging out on the line.  It is a rare sight here in suburban Ontario, and it reminds me of helping my grandmother pin clothes to her line.  In Twillingate, nearly every home has a long, sturdy clothesline out back, weighed down on sunny days with all the family's laundry.

I love the simple life.

Mandy

Family Love : : Kitchener Family Photographer

I met this lovely little family on a hot, humid Sunday evening for a session at a nearby walking trail.   Mike and Nikki are actually one of my bridal couples for this August and instead of a traditional engagement shoot they opted for a family session.  Their adorable daughter and their pup joined us and we headed out to brave the heat and the bugs! They were so great to work with, so relaxed and easy-going and willing to help lug around my gear.  I know that their wedding in Niagara-on-the-Lake will be absolutely fantastic.  Thanks Nikki, Mike, Maddy Lou and Jersey for being such great sports and for being such a beautiful family, inside and out!

10+ Comments will earn this family a special gift!

Summer Day : : Kitchener Family Photographer

Yesterday we spent the day at a local tourist getaway, Valens Conservation Area.  Located between Hamilton and Cambridge, it has a small beach, lots of camping sites, barbeque pits and hiking trails galore.  The perfect place to spend a gorgeous summer day. We were invited by my best friend, who was camping with her godson and friends, to come out for the day to enjoy the conservation area's natural beauty.  So we packed a lunch, grabbed our swimsuits, bug spray and sunscreen and jumped into Vannicus Maximus (my name for our minivan).  Needless to say, we had a fantastic day swimming, hiking, fishing and enjoying camping life.  A campfire and S'mores rounded out the day and we climbed back into the van for the voyage back to reality, sunburned, dirty and gleefully bone-tired.