Holiday Cheer

Santa Baby

What could be cuter than a Christmas themed newborn shoot? Not much! It was a longish day, as we had to keep taking breaks so baby Ava could be fed, but once she was comfortable it made things much easier to  have her snoozing away. Her big brother Kaden wanted to be in every picture with her, which was pretty adorable. This was only my second newborn shoot, so I am definitely still learning things, but I was really happy with the way these shots turned out, and the family loved them so much, it always puts a smile on my face when people are excited about their photos.

Girls in the Garden

 

As a small business owner myself, I can appreciate the need for barter and trade systems within a community setting, so every once in a while I will get together with my friend Jamie-Lynn who owns a local hair studio, and we do a commercial shoot that is mutually beneficial for all involved. She finds a few girls to use as models, as well as her friend who is a makeup artist and has me do the photography, so all of us get something we can use for portfolio/marketing purposes. And it's not too shabby that I get free hair services later on! It was a fun day, we had a lot of laughs and despite the coldness, it turned out amazingly. Everything was shot on-location at the hair studio in and around the house & gardens, with only natural light. I think it's important for small business owners to support each other whenever possible, especially us talented ladies, and I hope to do more shoots like this in the future.

Hair by: Jamie-Lynn Fehst, A Small Hair Studio  &   Crystal Walley, Crystal's Salon at Home

Makeup by: Amanda Jay

Country Charm

The past few weeks have been a flurry of photoshoots as everyone is starting to get ready for the holiday season. My busiest weekend started with this family, and despite the extremely cold day we managed to get some great shots during a rustic, country themed day. Melissa was the one who hired me to do photos of her with her husband & two kids, along with her mother and father, brother, sister and her sister's fiance. I chose a local abandoned farm for our location, and it fit perfectly with the clients' love of all things cowboy.

 

Road Less Travelled

I have a love-hate relationship with winter. I hate the cold, the inconvenience of it and the lackluster, colourless days when the sun hides behind a darkened horizon. But I cannot help but love the first snow, the way it blankets the landscape in a perfect, crisp white. How the flakes cling to the trees, making them look both eerie and beautiful; their branches like pale spidery arms reaching out to you, calling you home.

 

And Baby Makes Three!

This past weekend I got together with Seana & Braden, my maternity clients from this summer, to take some photos of their new arrival and all of them together as a family. I think it went fabulously, despite it being my first experience with photographing a newborn & having the cold weather limit our outdoor shots. But this little cutie was a joy to shoot, and I definitely want to work with this family in the future.

Welcome to the world Arlo Issac Ford, 6 weeks new.

Engaged - Amy & Casey

Living in a small town area, the majority of my business tends to be people who know people I know, and good news travels fast. I have been friends with the groom-to-be's sister for a long time, so she was the one who suggested me for him and his fiance's wedding next year. We got together to do some engagement pictures with the autumn colours last weekend at two local abandoned farms. I quickly realized that Casey hates having his picture taken, so it was a bit of a challenge getting him to relax, but Amy was great about keeping him interested, even after he made fun of my cheesy props. Haha.

Let Me Fall

You can have your bright city lights, your bustling streets and tall buildings... I wouldn't trade my view for anything. Small town life rewards you daily, weekly, monthly; the ever-changing landscape reminds you that as much as time is constantly progressing, there is also a consistent feeling of home. Some days the tiniest detail can make you smile, whether it's the glint of sunlight off the bright autumn leaves, or the smell of the grass on the breeze after a storm. I love it all.







 

We Three

I love doing family portraits, especially when there's an adorable kid involved! It was a cold, windy, fall day but we all managed to keep our spirits high, even when we finished up the last few shots during a hail/sleet downpour. By the smiles on their faces you would never know it wasn't the best weather, and I have to say Leyna, Matt & baby Lennox were the perfect clients: they brought props, dressed for the occasion, and non of them were shy in front of the camera! I had such an amazing time working with this young family and hope I get the chance to do it again in the future.







 

Now and Forever

My third and final wedding of the season was probably my favourite. I have known the bride, Chantelle since elementary school, and we've been friends for years, so I was elated when she asked me to be her photographer. After meeting her finance Mike, I was even more excited for the wedding because the two of them are both such amazing people and totally in love, which makes my job very easy. The morning ceremony & lunch reception took place at the gorgeous Hockley Valley Resort; short and sweet, with close family and friends present. It was a perfect day to wrap up my summer of wedded bliss, and I know these two will be together for a long long time.







 

Tying the Knot

The first weekend of this month was the season's first formal wedding; I ended up being with the clients all day, from 9 am with the girls getting their hair and makeup done right to midnight when the reception was just getting into party mode, so by the end I was pretty exhausted, but excited to have been a part of it all. The bride Sarah and I met in public school (we even were in Girl Guides together when we were younger) so our families have known each other for a while, and it was nice that I already had a great comfort level with everyone. Plus her now-hubby Taylor is such a genuinely nice guy it was hard not to be happy around them, and all their family & friends. The ceremony and reception took place at the beautiful Nottawasaga Inn, and we made a short trip to the nearby heritage house of Sir Frederick Banting for some couple shots afterwards. It was a day full of love, laughter and tears, as well as a learning experience when shooting a full day wedding! :)

 

Summer's Last Fire

Sometimes it's nice to take a break from paid jobs & I have been doing so many weddings lately, so I got together with my friend Nicole, who is a visual artist and model in her spare time. This summer I had acquired a few vintage dresses but had yet to use them for a shoot, so Nicole and I decided a fun creative session was in order. We spent the day in and around Creemore at a few of my abandoned locations getting some amazing shots of her with the brilliant red/pink hair colour she's currently rocking.

In-Between

By the recent lack of updates, you'd think I was on hiatus from photog-ing but its actually the opposite. I have been crazy busy with weddings the last few weeks, but I make it a point to let the clients see their photos before posting online. So at the moment I am up to my eyeballs in wedding edits, as well I have an upcoming meeting with the ad executive from the local "Itz Your Day Wedding Guide" publication. I am hoping they want to do a feature on me as fresh new wedding photographer in the area. Wish me luck! :)

Creemore Farmer's Market

Every Saturday between 8 am - 12:30 pm I can hear the hustle and bustle of the Creemore farmer's market behind my house. It brings so many people together, offering not only a tasty selection of food options, but also some artistic things as well. There's something amazing about having the whole town come out to support local farmers, artisans and community groups that makes me so happy; little things like that were so missed while living in the big city a year ago. As I always say, home is where your heart goes to when you are lonely. It could be a place, a person, a feeling... but more than ever these days, I know my home is here.

Copper Kettle Classics

This weekend was Creemore's Copper Kettle Festival, which is a fun filled day celebrating the community and the beer that is brewed here. Part of the excitement is seeing the huge collection of antique & vintage vehicles which line the main street for all to see. This year had the most cars thus far; not only was the entire street filled, but every parking lot and side street along the way as well! It was also the first time I have ever seen the "rat rods" on display, which are ever funkier because the owners purposefully add rust, scratches and interesting items to the car itself, setting them head-and-shoulders above the rest in terms of utter coolness.