Vancouver received a surprise winter wonderland over the weekend and it was probably the prettiest snowfall we could have had. No wet, pelting, mushy stuff and no freezing temperatures to ice up the roads, just big fat fluffy flakes endlessly floating down over us and coating everything in a 1000 count blanket of perfection. Some photos from the great snow.
DAY 1
DAY 2
DAY 3
DAY 4
They really do love the snow.
It was a nasty and windy downpour of a Sunday in Vancouver, but inside Main Street's Heritage Hall, a special group of women were gathered around tables, dry, cozy, warm and enjoying hot tea and mini sandwiches. Spinal Cord Injury BC held their Annual Women's Tea where women of all ages and wakes of life that live with spinal cord injuries or complications were pampered and served for an entire afternoon. This year's theme was Hollywood/Oscars and the women of SCI BC did a fantastic job with their props, decor and their slideshow of old school Oscar Winning movies!
Lovely teas provided by local Bayswater Tea Co.
Relaxing Massages by Marisa + Ren
Make-Up and Hairstyling courtesy of Students and Graduates of Blanche MacDonald
Two musicians graced us with their talent. Kristina Shelden performed for the first time since her spinal cord injury which affected her ability to play.
Sylvi MacCormac, has been performing and composing soundscapes since diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in her early 20's. Many of her compositions have been published in the Canadaian Music Centre and Canadian Electroacoustic Community and she is the creator of WHEELS Soundscapes: Voice of People with Dis Abilities at the Vancouver Adapted Music Society.
The amazing ladies of SCI BC
A few goodies from the photo booth!
As you can see, a great time was had by all! I love being part of this event. It is so uplifting to be surrounded by women who struggle on a day to day basis with the fluid mobility that many of us take for granted, to be in awe of their strength, humbled by their vulnerability and melted by their joyful smiles. It was lovely to see so many familiar faces and know that this tight knit community has great support both from and thanks to SCI BC.
I was so excited for my shoot with Chloe, I had no ideas of what I was going to do with Moses. Our home is always upside down when the studio set up comes out and trying to make room to have dinner was starting to get on our nerves. Of course, as soon as I had everything ready, we realized that Moses had a mild fever and was not in any condition to take photos. I gave him half a chewy Advil and sent him for a nap while Chloe and I snuck out to see Frozen (her first movie theatre!). I know, I know, kind of mean, but we had to cancel the previous day and she was really looking forward to it. We needed a girls outing and Moses has been to the theatre twice already. I have more excuses but I'll leave it at that. By the time we came back, he was in great spirits and ready for photos.
The Boy Next Door
You can't go wrong with jeans and a white tee. It's inarguably classic, fashionably timeless and like a blank canvas, it leaves room for endless possibilities. Dress it up or dress it down, it's hard to go wrong when you're keeping it simple. Jealous of Chloe's rose photos, he asked to have photos with the rose as well. Sweet as pie.
The Goofball
When I say this guy is "ready for photos" I truly mean it. With Chloe, you never know what you are going to get, you never know what mood she'll be in and she often refuses to take direction so photographing her is often a painful and frustrating process. Moses on the other hand, is so natural. Always eager to please, he takes direction extraordinarily well, does not get disheartened when corrected as realizes their is a reason to the madness, he is capable of making small movements that change an entire image, and he offers an array of facial expressions. He is so pleasant and so easy, he's a photographer's dream model.
The Rockabilly
The Greaser
The James Dean
The James Franco
The Hopeless Romantic
The Party Animal
The Hipster
The Johnny Depp
The Edward
In conclusion, I am pretty damn stoked about what I got out of this last minute session, this last minute attempt to capture something fun and new for his Valentine's Day photos. This last weekend was more emotionally taxing than usual for our family, and having both kids with a fever did not help. Thankfully they were mild fevers and they were both up and running in no time. Family Life continues to be crazy, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Have a lovely Valentine's Day Weekend
XO
Happy Throwback Thursday my friends! I've decided to post my Valentine's Session with Chloe today and my session with Moses for tomorrow. Kim Anderson's images are just too iconic and nostalgic to not honour him for a Throwback. I don't recall the exact moment that his images entered my thoughts (or why), but the moment the image of The Girl with the Rose came to mind, I immediately knew I needed to recreate this image with Chloe. I opened Google to track down the image and after almost 20 years, there it was, the ultimate Throwback to my childhood.
Amazingly, I managed to put together a strikingly similar ensemble from the original from our own closets.
Sweater - Wilfred Free. Scarf - Nicole Bridger. Beret - Handknit from a high school friend. Grey tights - Mayoral. Patent Leather Boots - Benetton.
This is my absolute favourite of the bunch
I totally remember hanging out at Carlton's Cards and Hallmarks, secretly trying to spend my pocket money on the mini cards to give to my current crush at school but never being able to decide which one to get. And 20 odd years later, it is my inspiration for photographing my daughter for Valentine's Day. I just loved this idea. I loved knowing that it was not just a part of my personal childhood, but that so many others who fell in love with these images as kids would be able to connect with my updated version. It was exciting to be able to draw inspiration from this very nostalgic part of my childhood, and at the same time I was very nervous over the execution: How I would be able to translate it and reconfigure it to be my own?
I'm over the moon with these images. I love how they turned out and I love this feeling of having achieved my project goal. It reminds me of my art school days, being able to successfully bring multiple elements together to create a cohesive piece. The images pay homage to the original artist and yet they have been altered in enough ways (lighting, mood, colour, richness, backdrop vs natural environment, etc…) that allow them to stand on their own for those that may not know the origins of their inspiration.
My prints are arriving this afternoon, I can't wait to get my favourite shot up on the wall!
xo
As any photographer will attest, seeing your art in a physical and tangible form provides a rush like no other. The closest feeling that compares is opening presents on Christmas morning as a child or maybe kind of like Charlie from Charlie and the Chocolate factory, nervous and excited and shaking, carefully tearing the wrapper from the chocolate bar hoping to find that Golden Ticket. It elevates your work to a new level.
Real Weddings Magazine Fall 2013
I shot Caela + Brian's engagement session last summer, and just in the nick of time. I was elated when Caela mentioned Real Weddings wanted to include a photo from the session in their Fall 2013 Engagement section!
Prints, Save the Dates, postcards and canvasses are always a fun surprise when they arrive. Going over to clients homes and seeing how proud they are to display their photos is the best reminder of why I do what I do. However, it is less often that I get to see my work in book form, and in this case, in a larger format! Caela needed a little convincing on the larger 11.5" x 15" size. After assuring her she would not be disappointed with the extra WOW factor that a couple more inches would provide (… that's what she said..), I can now assure you she and Brian have zero regrets. In fact I'm pretty sure they are thankful for my Asian persuasion. Ha!
When investing in your memories, we have to remember it is not just for immediate gratification. Of course, it is thrilling to have a big book to share with your spouse-to-be, your families and your current group of friends. These memories will not end here. They will have life breathed into them with each new member of your family and ever-growing circle of friends, including your own children down the road! Oh and let's not forget the new mom friends you will acquire who will no doubt share in your misery as you look back on your days of absolute freedom and radiant beauty. Was I ever actually THAT stunning?!!!
Time is not on our side. The sun and moon rise and fall without notice of our aging souls. These moments need to be captured and remembered. When we hit rough patches in life, sometimes photos can help remind us of the love that started it all and give us the strength we need to push through.
Without a doubt, one of my favourite things to do at my grandparents' homes is to sit with a pile of old photo albums and look through my history and see photos of my parents when they were young, before they became parents.
C'est l'amour
XO