Laura and Derek

Well, it has been a wild few days (or week).  With a mid week amazing wedding at Tigh-na-mara in Parksville, a few extra awesome maternity sessions, family sessions, headshots, engagement session, another amazing Filberg Wedding in Comox, it's been far from boring.  And all full of fantastic.

My Tigh-na-mara adventure involved the fabulous Laura and Derek, who absolutely rocked from the first moment I met them.  They are just so great together, into each other and so much fun.  I love her hand made dress dress, so elegant and romantic and everything was just so incredibly relaxed. They saw each other before the ceremony, in fact just walked up to the gathering of people started mingling and then said, "Ok, we're ready". Perfect!  My famously awesome sidekick Shannon and I had an amazing time with these two, and I just have to share these images with you NOW!

Special thanks to the folks at Craig Heritage Park Museum for allowing us to use their property for some fun images!

Looking forward to more posts as soon as humanly possible! Are you thinking Old Hollywood movie star? I am. I'm not really a 'ring shot' kind of girl... but I love this one! I've recently heard it said, "show what you want to shoot". This my friends, is how I love to shoot. So clearly into each other.

Kelsie and Jason (and Preslee)

There was never any doubt that Kelsie would be a beautiful bride... but really?! She was STUNNING! Kelsie and Jason were married at the Campbell River spit, on a beautifully sunny, yet wonderfully windy day. Have you ever seen anything as cute as little miss Preslee also? Wild. Congrats to you both! Here are my favorites! Jason didn't look too shabby himself! A pretty special little guy, Mark Anthony walks Kelsie down the isle.

Fleeting moments

From the moment I spoke to Raya on the phone, I was hooked. Absolutely.

I knew their wedding would be different, spirited, beautiful. I knew that by the sound of her voice. When I met her on Sunday, in Powell River, BC. I knew, without a doubt in my mind, that her images would be among my favorites. She didn't want to sit still. In fact, she couldn't really. Raya didn't want what everyone else wanted. She didn't want to focus on 'photos' or doing things the way you think they should be done. Not only did she challenge those around her to do things the Raya way, but she challenged me to melt into her day, to not do what I usually do at a wedding. (ie: have some control over when the photos are happening) but rather rely solely on my photojournalistic roots and absolutely go with the flow. Move with the crowds, blend in, the entire time. Even during 'photo time' it wasn't in my hands.

To be honest, it was absolute magic really.

I kept thinking, "oh, I hope this is what she wants" and I really hoped she wouldn't be disappointed with my images. Her email to me just now, confirmed that we were all on the right track. Her email in fact, may be the most candid and touching I've ever received from a beautiful bride. So much so, that I actually burst into big beautiful tears while reading it, a few times.

My word for Greg would be solid, and for Raya... fleeting. Catch her if you can.

Meet Greg, Raya, their family and friends. Enjoy their wedding images, I certainly do.

We photographed the first look between Raya and Greg before the ceremony, here Raya is making her way towards Greg. Which I loved, as after the ceremony it was all about celebrating, connecting and enjoying the day. p.s...She doesn't wear shoes while in Powell River. Yes, this place is real.

So stressful.

With Neil Young on the Ipod, the shoes are bound to come off. Greg's dad warmly and emotionally welcoming Raya into the family. Raya and her nephew and, niece.. Swimming? in the ocean? at a wedding!? AWESOME.

Some of the best speeches I've ever heard, came from this wedding. Soulful, sweet, and not to mention absolutely hysterically funny. This was during Raya's friend Erin's speech... "again, I was in awe of my friend Raya." Congratulations to you both.

Inspiration in Ancestry

We all grow up with the weight of history on us. Our ancestors dwell in the attics of our brains as they do in the spiraling chains of knowledge hidden in every cell of our bodies. ~Shirley Abbott

When I dove head first into photography more than ten years ago. I had no idea that it may not have even been my idea. But an idea that was handed through a long line of photographic blood running through my veins.

Perched on a stool in the basement of my photography school, eyes wide with excitement. The darkroom became my sacred place. The room seeping with mystery, darkness, tools, light, negatives, I was in awe of the images forming in front of me. The smell of chemicals, the wet paper, the tongs, the thrill of it all.

The first time an image took form on photographic paper before me, I cried. Overwhelmed by the beauty in creating images. I was drawn down into the darkroom for hours on end, time after time, I was there when it opened and begged for just one more minute, as they would be trying to close the doors at night.

The darkroom became a sacred place. A place where I found my peace through images, art and creating.

A few years ago my Uncle Jim had been doing some research into our ancestry. Where the Wallis' came from, how we got here, who we were and if it may evolve into clues as to who we've become. He mentioned something about a great relation being a photographer. 'Oh cool' I thought, and carried on my way. Never realizing how incredibly inspiring it was. I was preoccupied.

The ERIN WALLIS PHOTOGRAPHY studio is now built and I started to think about what Uncle Jim had said those years ago. Who? Who was a photographer? Are there more photos? Could I see them? Could I have a copy and put it in the studio?

So I asked. The response, gives me goosebumps and chills and makes me smile all over.

My great great great Grandfather was William Gillard, an Artist Photographer from Gloucester, UK. He owned and operated his own photographic studio for a number of years. His daughter Enid De Samarez Gillard also a photographer married Henry James Cribb Wallis who later became a photographer as well (my great great grandparents). Enids brother was also a photographer. This is so incredibly inspiring as I've been able to see images created by them. It makes my heart dance in thinking that behind the lens of a camera over a hundred years ago, my ancestors may have also felt the same peace, or thrill.

(Henry James Cribb Wallis and Enid De Samarez Gillard both Photographers, my Great Great grandparents)

I have always been fascinated by photographs. Nearly every time I've ever been to my grandparents home, I would inevitably wind up digging through old photographs and asking questions, and listening to stories of the images. Some photographs had amazing stories, for some, the people in them, remain nameless their story lost with time. I could look at them for days, and repeatedly, and have done so for the past 30 years. I will do it forever.

I find something so magical about seeing faces of our past. Of my past. They may not be famous, or be interesting to anyone else. But to me, I care. I want to know their stories. I want them to live on. I want to be able to say to future generations, this is your great great grandfather, he loved to golf. He ate tomatoes right out of the garden like they were apples and made his own wine from grapes grown off his own vines. I can look at those images a thousand times. I will do it forever.

This all brings me around to the importance of photographs to me now. Documenting life, moments, people, history, and doing so artfully, honestly and with passion. Won't we all be memories one day? Who knows, maybe no one will be searching through my old photos looking for clues about who I was, or what fueled me through my life.

But, maybe someone will.

My Great Great Great Grandfather William Gillards Medals and Accolades for Photography 1879.

On my moms side, my Grandmas mom, Great Grandma Maisie born in Ireland personality as big as the world. Maisies Daughter my Grannie Goodheart living in Victoria, BC.

Second from left, my Grandpa. Don, who grew every kind of vegetable and created his own breed of apples.

My dads grandparents.

My grandma with great Gran and right image is my dads mom and dad (one of my all time favorite images) This is my papa, I love this photo more than I can express. Here's to you all!

As the Lakota Sioux say so eloquently to honor all relations and those who've walked before us, simply "All my Relations!" or Mitakuye Oyasin.

Katie and Kyle

I have so much to share. I have no idea how to get it all on here!A really awesome post containing images and story (history really) of a long line of photographers in my family. Of which I was unaware!! Then we have a gorgeous family, a wonderful couple, a recent grad, and a new baby.... 2 weddings... So... lets start with Saturday's wedding.

Katie and Kyle.

The girls getting ready consisted of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. The guys getting ready? KFC and Lucky. Hilarious and very entertaining!

Katie looked at me, and said when I arrived "You can fix this right" (the pouring rain) My response, "Absolutely I love it. It doesn't even phase me". In fact, these days rain + wedding= inspiration overload. If you can deal with a bit of dirt on the dress, a bit of water... well, I'm in. I'm your gal.

It was sprinkling with rain, then it was pouring, then it was really pouring. Then it was silver light and dramatic clouds and a bit of blue sky. None of it could have been more perfect. In my mind, if I can feel the rain, it means I am alive. If I am alive, I have the opportunity to create. If I can create, anything is possible.

And besides, if there is no rain, there is no dramatic clouds or light. If there is no dramatic clouds or light... life is no fun. Here are a few of my favorite images from Saturday. Katie has a radiant smile. Truly. Kyle and Katie.