When the weather is dark and gloomy, it doesn’t mean everything has to be!
If you are feeling glum, take a look around you, and figure out a way to see light. To create light. To spread light. To be awesome.
There truly are no limits to what you can create. Seriously!
I’ll leave you with a favorite quote.
Better to light a candle,
than to curse the darkness.
-Chinese Proverb
Tis the season for fabulous families.
It was cold, so cold that little Ayla wasn’t having so much fun. Her little hands were so cold! Poor thing! Emmitt however, was all smiles!
Such a great bunch and another fabulous addition to my last sessions in 2009.
Enjoy the last few days of November, before you know it, it’s Christmas… then New Years… then wedding season again… (oh wait… and NEW BABY somewhere in there too!)
Here is a few of my favorites from such a sweet little session.
Meet sweet Ayla
And her poor little cold hands.
Here’s adorable Emmitt
Look at these perfect colors!
And these beautiful people!
I’ll leave you with this sweet little image.
At times, when you least expect it… the sun will surprise you on the west coast, and shine. Out of nowhere, out of what seems like a never ending sea of dark clouds, the sun is hiding somewhere. Occasionally it will tease you with a ray here or there, and sometimes, if you’re really lucky… it will just up and burst through the clouds. Seemingly reminding you that it was there all along.
Boys will surprise you too. They are like the sun. Their smiles can be just as elusive, their moments in front of the camera are certainly as fleeting as the west coast sunshine. And every bit as beautiful. Oh, Matthew and Liam, you gave me a run for my money… but I caught you still.
Seriously? I love these images. How gorgeous is Shannon?
This session has been booked for ages, and it wasn’t until recently that we realized we were in the same prenatal yoga class.
I had such an amazing time creating these images… I feel so fortunate to meet such amazing people. To photograph such milestones in peoples lives, and to get to convey the beauty I see in everything.
I know for sure, being pregnant… you don’t exactly feel glamorous and pretty all the time (or most of the time), and I can’t tell you how much I love being able to show expectant mothers how gorgeous they really are. Shannon, you my dear… are radiant!
Perfect.
A Vancouver Island wedding photographer, nears the end of a busy wedding season. Armed with her favorite cameras, lenses and a kick a$%$ assistant, she boards a ferry to Quadra Island, then another to Cortes Island.
She tries not to complain, but is somewhat worn down. Pregnant. Emotional. Not feeling entirely herself. (Yes, I said pregnant) Tired. Suffering from a bad tummy and feeling nauseous. Trying desperately to shake it all off, and get down to brewing up magic images that will be different from the last wedding, from any wedding. She couldn’t shake it. Until meeting Lauren. Something happens, you can see everything lift off, evaporate into thin air… not thinking, not nauseous not even feeling odd. But better, vibrant and more alive. She is just better as the camera lifts to her face, and moments stand still within each frame. She can’t explain it. She doesn’t try. Just chooses to believe in the magic.
Lauren and Ben are from San Francisco, Ben spent every summer of his life on Cortes Island. His grand father built the church there. His intense connection to the place, the surroundings and the venue, made it completely meaningful, absolutely wonderful and inspirational. It is not easy co-ordinating a wedding on an island that takes two ferries to get to from Vancouver Island, especially when the majority of your guests are from San Francisco and everywhere but Vancouver Island. But, if you can pull it off… it is worth it.
Lauren oozed sweetness, warmth and has energy about her, that makes you want to be her friend instantly.
Ben has a calm, gentle, lightness to him, that you would also equally like to be around. The two of them together, effortless.
I believe there is something to be said about weddings with a lot of not only thought, but heart to them.
Lauren and Ben’s beautiful wedding, was exactly what I needed to fuel me up, and inspire me to finish off this wedding season with a bang. There are not a lot of weddings left for me this year. In fact, there are only five. But I believe now, after Lauren and Ben… I am ready to conquer the rest of them, with the same gusto, passion and spirit as if I were at the first one.
Here are a few of my favorites.
p.s… British Columbia… You are beautiful.
Ben and Lauren chose to have their portraits together before the ceremony, which I love. Here is Ben’s first look at Lauren
Don’t you just love them???
We prepare to go to the ceremony.
Waiting in the church that Ben’s grandfather built for the ceremony to begin, one of my all time favorite images was created.
The ceremony was so beautiful, intimate and full of emotion. Yes, I was crying… a lot.
Apparently Lauren and I weren’t the only ones with tears, love this image of Lauren’s wonderful mom caught up in the moment.
How radiant is Lauren?
I’ll leave you with a favorite of the newlyweds after the ceremony.
Hope your weekend is full of love.
