In the Dark of Night

Sometimes, insomnia gets the best of me and I find myself sitting in the backyard with my camera, tripod and cable release, watching the amazing sky above me, capturing it to the best of my ability. I am never completely satisfied by my night shots, because I don't think they quite live up to the real thing; photos don't speak loudly enough to describe how incredible you feel seeing the milky way on a clear night in the country.

This time last year, I was living in Toronto, a place where you are unlikely to see any stars at any point in time due to the immense light pollution. And to be honest, it killed my soul a bit to not have that sense of awe, feeling so small in the world under such a vast blanket of stars. I missed everything about it.


But I am truly home these days, I enjoy these quiet moments, and I never take that view for granted.

House of the Moody Blues

I found this abandoned house years ago but never had the right chance to explore it; instead I watched it sit, empty for the longest time, waiting for the opportunity to arrive. When it did, I discovered a treasure trove of retro junk, piled high in almost every room. Obviously someone is/has been using it as a storage locker for their stuff, though it doesn't appear that anyone had been there in a while. My favourite part was the retro blue paint in several rooms - I call it "Moody Blue".

The Gowan Sisters

These two sisters wanted to give their parents some portraits for an anniversary present, seeing as they will both be away at school next year. We spent an hour in the later afternoon sun wandering around their grandparents farm in the Creemore hills. I think both Nicole & Carlee had a lot of fun during the shoot, and I'm glad they loved how the shots turned out; no doubt their parents are going to be very happy to have some nice photos to hang in the house once the girls have left for college.

 



 



 

Young Love

My youngest sister, Tatiana and her boyfriend Brandon wanted some couple portraits done, so even though it was the hottest day of the year, we set out to spend some time at Harborview Park in Collingwood.

Creemore Dairy Days

This past weekend my small town with the big heart held a day-long celebration for the opening of our new local dairy production farm. The Miller's have been planning this little dream of theirs for many years; to produce, bottle and sell Jersey milk - from their own property, in an environmentally sustainable way. The community was excited to welcome the idea of fresh, local milk & cream, and the day was full of music, tours of the farm, and the best damn chocolate milkshakes you have ever tasted.

 



 



 



 

The Wagner's

Vanessa and I have known each other since public school, so when she asked me to take some family portraits of her with her hubby and three kids, I was happy to oblige! We all spent a gorgeous summer day at the Sunset Point park in Collingwood, and the kids (Amylyn, Rebecca & Jakob) had a blast getting their picture taken. I loved how comfortable they were just playing around, grabbing my hand so we could walk in the water, or making silly faces at the camera.







 

Re-Wedding Vows

Mary Anne & Kit had their 10th wedding anniversary this year and decided to celebrate with a vow renewal, surrounded by family and friends. The rustic country venue belongs to Don Miller of Don Blanche who created the space to serve as a platform for artists and creative minds alike. I was so inspired by the beautiful location and very happy to be a part of their evening, filled with fun and laughter.

Oh Canada!

Happy Canada Day, my fellow Canucks!

I got some great shots of the amazing fireworks show here in Creemore tonight. And I must say, for a small town, we sure do put on a damned good celebration!