Carlye Lynnes Photography

Baby H

2011-06-06T21:56:00.028-06:00

This little lady was a little older than the babies I usually photograph. At 5 weeks she took a little longer to get to sleep, but once she got there she slept soundly the rest of the time. I think she also wins the award for the longest hair I've ever seen on a baby! She was a little sweetheart and this session definitely ranks up there as one of my favourites!

Newborn Connection

2011-05-19T22:50:00.004-06:00

I absolutely love photographing babies. There is something so serene about watching them slowly drift off to sleep. Then I am able to move and pose them to get those oh-so-cute shots. While I do love getting the popular shots that are so trendy right now, I have felt a shift within myself to capture something more natural. This goes right along with a discussion I had with some great friends last week about real emotion in photography. In addition to the perfect shot, I want to help parents remember exactly how small their little boy once was or how their little girl used to nuzzle into her momma's shoulder. I think that years later those are the more cherished memories.

Babypalooza - Part 2

2011-05-13T12:57:00.000-06:00

I was so relieved that this next little baby was overdue! (Even though the Momma definitely wasn't!) Right about now you're probably thinking I am a sadist, but to understand you need a little back story. When my sister-in-law was expecting her first baby she was due a few weeks apart from my sister. Both babies ended up coming on the exact same day, so I missed seeing my nephew for a couple of weeks while I was out of town. When my SIL told me she was expecting again, I couldn't believe the odds -- this time there were three people all due around the same time. Luckily, the fates aligned and all three babies came at their own time and I was able to see this sweet little girl right away!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE these next two!

Babypalooza - Part 1

2011-05-09T15:21:00.005-06:00

Earlier this year, there were three new babies added to our extended family within a one month period. They all live outside of Lethbridge which meant lots of travelling for me! This little guy was the first to make his appearance, so he gets the honour of being first on the blog :) I was able to spend two days doing mini-sessions with him so I have a TONNE of pictures, but these are just a few of my favourites!

PRODUCT REVIEW - Flourish Emporium

2010-12-14T22:30:00.005-07:00

I hope you've heard of Nichole Van's Flourish Emporium: Resources for Professional Photographers. Nichole Van was one of the first professional photographers I discovered and I've been drooling over her work since then. Her work has such deep rich colours and stunning textures. She has a way of taking the most mundane location and transforming it into something from the pages of a magazine. In fact Nichole was featured in the August 2009 issue of Rangefinder magazine and her image was on the cover! You can read more about it and see which image it was HERE.

The extraordinary thing about Nichole Van is that she WANTS to educate up-and-coming photographers. Her degree is in education and she loves spreading knowledge. She has created a highly-reviewed series of workshops that sell out almost as soon as she announces them! In addition to these in-person workshops, she has made all of the actions/presets she uses in her own work available to be purchased at her shop, Flourish Emporium.

Once you see what these amazing products have to offer, you will want them all! In fact I own about 8 or 9 of these and I LOVE them! All of her actions are robust and versatile; allowing for changes on each layer and customization for your specific needs. There is a product for everyone. Everything from her "Photo-Fix Action" which helps with basic editing problems such as blown highlights and under-exposure to her "Complete Workflow Action" which helps you take your SOOC image and turn it into a final client-ready print in seconds. Some of my favourites are definitely her "Color Raw Presets" and "B/W and Vintage Presets" for Lightroom. These allow you to apply the same effects as her popular actions to your raw image with just one click. Heavenly!

You will instantly fall in love with her texture sets. Just enough texture to add beautiful dimension to your images. And all completely adjustable. She also has some super actions that are just plain fun! Her "Sunshine Action" adds that extra little something that is sure to make you smile :)

Don't just take my word for it. Go HERE and check it out! You won't regret it.

This is an example of Nichole's soft colour pop action...

What a difference!

And this entire wedding was edited using Nichole's actions/presets!

AMAZING GIVEAWAY!!

2010-12-13T14:11:00.004-07:00

Nichole Van has an incredible giveaway on her blog right now. She has put together an AMAZING workshop that she holds in Utah multiple time a year. I have talked to past attendees who've said they learned more in that weekend than they had from all the other workshops they had attended! I was actually registered for one but had to pull out at the last minute due to illness. Definitely a sad day. I would give ANYTHING to be able to go and learn from her. OK... maybe not anything... but almost! One lucky person will win the opportunity to attend one of her in-person workshops for FREE!! If you haven't heard of Nichole Van you NEED to check out her work. AMAZING!! Go HERE and see for yourself!

Do you think if I ask Santa I have a better chance of winning?? ☺

Karin & Devon: BRIDAL

2010-07-23T00:07:00.003-06:00

*Super long post ahead. Don't say I didn't warn you!* ☺

I've had an insanely hard time choosing my favourites from the bridal session I did with my brother and new sister-in-law, so I decided to just show a bunch! I am incredibly lucky to be able to photograph such happy couples who are so obviously in love. You'd never guess we were being harvested by mosquitoes. Well those who decided NOT to wear bug spray were. I won't mention any names though right Richard?? ☺ And isn't Karin gorgeous?? Seriously people. Without any further ado...

Back from the USA...

2010-07-14T10:11:00.002-06:00

I'm back. For at least a few days.

We recently made the trip to Utah for my brother's wedding. It was a quick trip but we had a blast seeing everybody. Before we left Devon and Karin had an open house up here for all his friends and family in Canada and we had the chance to go out and do a bridal shoot. SO MUCH FUN! Although now they know exactly how crazy Richard and I are... not sure if this is a good thing :) I'll have a full post tomorrow, but for now one of my absolute favourites from the day...

Paige & Tyson: MARRIED

2010-06-18T09:37:00.076-06:00

"We just fit."

That was how Tyson knew that he and Paige were meant to be together. I met with them a few days before the wedding and I could sense it. Amidst the usual chaos of wedding preparations they were calm, sure, and steady. A sparkle in the eyes reserved specifically for one another. Huge grins and easy laughter when one would start to tell a story. This was love -- pure and simple.

The morning of the wedding began with a lot of fun with the girls getting ready at the hotel and it definitely set the mood for the rest of the day. Paige and Tyson were completely laid back and such a blast to photograph. We laughed as we explored Cardston -- especially at some of Tyson's pose suggestions! Even my face hurt at the end of the day from smiling so much!

When we were done with the portraits, we stopped for a much needed food break and headed to Lethbridge for the reception. The joy and laughter continued as Paige and Tyson were joined by family and friends gathered together to celebrate.

It was a privilege to be a part of this special day and a witness to the start of a beautiful eternal life together.

Enjoy.

Love, love, love it!

Okay... how fabulous are those shoes?!!

It helps to be surrounded by best friends who keep you laughing all day.
Especially when you drop your new husband, right Paige??

Yes it's been done a gazillion times, but it's still possibly one of my favourite wedding party shots ever :)

A little taste of adoration! *sigh*

A little quiet time...

What can I say? A barrel of laughs and one great party!

Love at its best.

To view the complete event click here.

Half way there!

2010-05-15T19:28:00.000-06:00

Well I've completed about half of the work towards the new look and feel of the blog. If only we could have endless days of uninterrupted time. Sigh. Hopefully it will all be finished in the next week or so and then I can get a bunch of posts up that I have in waiting.

Thoughts on the new look?? Any broken links? Help a girl out!

Big changes coming!!

2010-04-17T05:06:00.000-06:00

So I know I've been MIA from here for a long time. Insert slap on the wrist here! The past few months have seemed out of control time-wise, but I'm finally feeling like I have the time to give some particular attention to my sad neglected blog. There are big changes coming in the next few months. Stay tuned for lots of posts from the past year and a complete facelift to the appearance and functionality of the blog. It is tedious work, but I'll get there! In the meantime enjoy this image I shot of my nephew a few months ago. There will be more images from this session in a later post and we'll discuss the ultimate trick up a photographer's sleeve... BRIBERY!

Paige & Tyson : SNEAK PEEK

2009-09-17T15:47:00.000-06:00

Two weeks ago I had the amazing honour of photographing Paige and Tyson's wedding. Apart from being second AND third cousins (don't ask!), Paige and I grew up just "down the road" from each other. Her Mom taught me piano, and I think she was at every single pre-teen birthday party of mine since the age of 2 (I have the photos to prove it!). Basically, we go WAY back!

I was ecstatic when I heard that she had found the man of her dreams and even more excited when they asked me to participate in their special day. Despite some sketchy weather at first, the day turned out beautifully. You guys were a photographer's dream; completely relaxed and willing to try anything... plus the whole radiating love bit doesn't hurt :) I am loving the images we captured that day --- it has been hard to pick one for a sneak peak! This one is definitely in the running for favourite of the day....

Hope you guys have a blast at the reception this weekend in Kelowna!! I'll have the rest of the images ready soon!

Steph & John : MARRIED

2009-09-03T06:36:00.000-06:00

In June I had the amazing opportunity to photograph the wedding of John and Steph. I went to school with Steph and when she asked if I would photograph their special day I have to admit I was a little hesitant at first. I'd never shot a wedding and I was nervous about not being able to capture the day in the same way that a professional could. But Steph insisted that they had complete confidence in me and emphasized how important it was to them to have someone who knows them share this day. I decided to go for it and I haven't regretted that decision once!
And I hope they didn't either ;)

There was definitely electricity in the air surrounding these two as they prepared for the big day. You could feel the love and giddiness pouring from them both! I thought one of them was going to burst! Steph and John live in Toronto, but they decided to come back to Steph's hometown to be married in the beautiful, historic Empress Theatre. It is the oldest running theatre in all of Alberta and was deeply significant for Steph as much of her life was spent performing, working, and hanging out there. The fact that they were there at all was truly amazing. Earlier in the week, John had been hospitalized for some medical concerns and they didn't know if the wedding would happen as planned. Add to this the fact that the town had scheduled a community-wide power outage that evening, and the truly bizarre weather that day that changed from to sun to rain to snow (Yup SNOW in JUNE!) and back again! But somehow it all came together and with the help of so many people from John and Steph's lives it was a beautiful evening filled with tears, love, and laughter.

The ceremony was uniquely "them" and was the perfect way to start this next journey. One of their dear friends; the amazingly talented musician Katey Morley sang and played her auto harp during a beautiful slide show that Steph had put together. Be sure to check out her myspace site or facebook fan page! The ceremony was officiated by another friend of theirs, Abby Charchun, who did a fantastic job! What a difference it makes when all the people involved in your wedding are also a part of your life. It makes it that much more personal. After the ceremony, we cleared out of the theatre and headed to the community hall for the reception. The DJ, Steve MacKidd, is (you guessed it!) a friend of John's and I think that was the best mix I've ever heard at a wedding. He definitely kept the dance floor going into the early hours of the morning!! This was a beautiful night for John and Steph surrounded by all who love them. Thank you guys for including me in such a special experience. And now for what you all came to see.... ;)

Can you see how much fun it was to shoot these guys?! They couldn't keep a straight face and neither could I!!

Tears, love, laughter and of course a high five!! Truly them :)

This is what it's all about.... pure love.

This was so fun. Steph's mom Linda and her siblings wanted to recreate a picture from their childhood. You've all seen them... all the kids standing in a row from tallest to smallest! The one on the left is in homage to that and the one on the right is standing according to age. Love it!

I told you the dance floor was rocking! I don't think there was even one song where nobody was dancing :)

Definitely one of my favourites of the night. A stolen moment between two in love. Priceless.

Thanks again guys! It was a blast!

Edmonton Here We Come!

2009-06-08T05:14:00.000-06:00

I can hardly believe June is here already. Time just seems to fly by faster and faster all the time. It seems like just yesterday that my younger sister (remember this post?) called me to tell me she was engaged. I could tell right then that she had truly found someone she loved and he loved her back. Truly. Madly. Deeply. It has been such fun to get to know Nathan and to watch them interact with each other.

I am deeply honoured that they asked me to document their incredible day. It means so much to me to be able to do this for them, and I know it is going to be a beautiful day. So we're off to Edmonton for a few days for the big celebration... see you soon!

I'll do one better than a picture... check out this slideshow of the engagement session we did together back in February....

Day Two: Discovering the Mystery & Beauty within Your Subject

2009-06-01T04:38:00.000-06:00

After the somewhat personal start to the Discovery Workshop (see here for my recap of the first day), Day 2 was set up to lead into more concrete discussions about photography. Rick Chapman -- an absolutely amazing portraitist and all around nice guy -- was going to lead us through his methods of making portraits. Early Saturday we got in our cars and drove 30 minutes or so northwest to Rick's stomping ground, Stinson Beach. The road to Stinson Beach is super twisty and it travels up over what is referred to as a mountain ( Sorry guys! That is NOT a mountain! ) The fog was particularly dense that morning and it led to many queasy stomachs. Like we weren't nervous enough :)

When looking through my images from the trip, I came across these two shots I snapped in the car on the drive to Stinson Beach. I don't know, something about them has become quite metaphorical for me. They represent the feelings I was experiencing throughout the entire workshop; uncertain, foggy, enveloped, and sure that a beautiful destination was just around the corner.

Forgive the quality... these were shot through a rain covered windshield :)

We all arrived safely at the Community Center and gathered around a crackling fire. Talk about atmosphere. Rick has photographed just about every famous athlete under the sun, from Muhammad Ali to Lance Armstrong and all manner of celebrity in between. He faces unique challenges when photographing most of these people because they've had their picture taken thousands of times and generally Rick is given about an hour to "get the shot". His approach is the same when photographing someone famous or his neighbour down the street. It's all about connectedness. Sitting down with your subject and having a REAL conversation. Not just about superficial things, but what drives them, what moves them, and what fuels them in their lives. Something tangible that you can use to guide the portrait. Sound tough? You have no idea!

Rick showed us many of these portraits he has done (including a stunningly beautiful series he created of his wife Lesley) and told us many of the stories from the images. So funny! I don't know about everybody else, but it certainly made me feel a little better to know some of the difficulties Rick goes through as well! I think we could have listened to his raspy voice all day... :)

To facilitate our understanding, Rick had arranged to make a portrait of Leslie Robins -- a Stinson Beach resident, and AMAZING chef -- while we watched. She was also catering our dinner that night and let me just say, YUM!! It was incredible to watch Rick sit and talk with Leslie. He asked pertinent questions and, most importantly, truly listened to what she was telling him. Much of Leslie's life is centered around being in the kitchen, so Rick had asked her to bring along some of her favourite aprons. This was a starting point for the portrait and Rick also felt something of a regal presence from her. So in between bouts of rain, we headed out to observe Rick while he slowly drew her out for his camera. What a trooper! I can't imagine what it was like to have the 23 of us all watching/photographing you at the same time! Talk about a vibrant woman!

Don't you just love that apron :)

Givin' us a little bit of attitude! Love it!

A front view of Rick's "regal" shot . Look at those eyes!

Now on to the hard part of the day! Rick had made arrangements with 11 local residents to be photographed by us! We were divided into pairs and assigned one of these willing participants. Can you say terrifying?? Some were coming to us, some of us were meeting in predetermined spots, and some of us were going to their houses! There were all kinds of reactions; from nervous excitement to nausea and tears. Talk about stepping out of our comfort zone. I was partnered with Wendy and we were assigned to photograph Howard Schechter; a sculptor, ex-professor, and published author on human relationships. A little complex you say, Rick? So we set off for Howard's house and FINALLY make it there -- Rick had too many things on the brain and got LOST on our way!! Totally not helping the nerves. Howard was completely pleasant and interesting to talk with, but I have to admit, I wasn't feeling a firm connection with him yet. I know this was because I was so scared about actually taking pictures of a stranger that I wasn't opening myself up completely. Also, I think it was a little more difficult being two women sitting with an older man trying to find a common connection. We had only been talking for about 10 minutes or so, when the rain stopped and Howard suggested we go outside and get started. Not exactly the deep conversation we had intended, but why not right? GULP.

I went first and struggled initially, as I didn't have a clear vision of what I wanted to photograph. Howard was very excited to do some shots of him "working-but-not-really-working" on his new sculpture. One of the most valuable things I took from Rick's instructions in the morning was to give time to try the shots your subject wants. Ninety-nine percent of the time they do not make great photographs, but it is important in establishing a trusting and nourishing rapport with your subject. This was completely the case for me. I knew these shots weren't working, but we pushed on. I was too self-conscious about everything going on around me -- worried of looking stupid in front of Howard and Wendy, not having a clear vision, and FREAKING OUT because my camera was getting wet for the first time! Talk about panic. Eventually though, I managed to calm down and get to work. Wendy and I rotated back and forth shooting because we wanted to shoot at the beach as well and it didn't make sense to have to go there twice. This was so helpful as it gave us each a chance to regroup and think of new ideas. At least for me, I don't know if Wendy was nervous -- she was such a rock star!

Gradually, some ideas started to form in my brain. Howard was so connected to his sculpting tools I felt it was important to incorporate them somehow. You could tell when he held them that he was channeling strength, patience, love and care. These were all facets of his personality that really spoke to me. I could also feel all of these present in each one of his sculptures.

Truly a joyful person, and such beautiful sculptures. I wish I could have stayed longer to hear the stories behind each one.

Howard said the beach simply made him happy and I think this shot says it all.

A little quiet reflection pondering just where these tools will take him next. This shot was totally an afterthought and I was so proud of myself for asking him if we could do it.

Those deep eyes were so soulful, restful and knowing. I love this close-up of him. His life is written on his face and he's looking it straight on. A close 2nd for favourite.

This is my absolute favourite from the 2nd day. When I look at it I can feel the strength Howard feels when holding his tools. They're comfortable and reassuring, yet powerful. I feel like when I look at his hands I can see all of his life experiences present there. You know, I love this shot so much I think I'm going to frame it and hang it in my office!

Thanks for hanging on through this super long post! There's just so much to share, it's hard to figure out what to leave out. Stay tuned for Day 3!

Day One: Discovering The Artist Within

2009-05-28T04:50:00.000-06:00

Well I'm finally going to attempt to write about the amazing time I had in San Francisco at the beginning of the month. I had the amazing opportunity to attend the Discovery Workshop held at the beautiful Cavallo Point Lodge by Me Ra Koh, Brian Tausend, Garrett Burdick, Rick Chapman and his wife Lesley Ehrenfeld. We were also helped out by Genie Ohashi ("Touchpoint" for Me Ra Koh Photography and all-around phenomenal woman!), and Matt & Laura Reoch (an amazing couple who have to be some of the most beautiful people I've ever met). I have to say one of the most amazing things about the workshop was witnessing each of these people open themselves up to us on such a personal level. They were truly on a journey of self-discovery with us...

This was the first workshop I have ever attended. As most of you know, I'm just getting into photography and it has quickly become an obsession! I can (and have) spent all day browsing sites and looking at hundreds of articles to try and absorb as much as I can. I like to call myself a recovering perfectionist and I have always shied away from things where I'm NOT the best. It's a work in progress :) So this workshop was a HUGE step for me. To put myself out there with a group of people I had never met was crazy to even think about. It was a rather last minute decision to attend (see here!) and I was so caught up in all the details I didn't really let myself think about what was to come. In fact it was SO last minute, I had to pick up my passport THE MORNING I flew out! Yikes. Talk about cutting it close!

One of my fellow workshop attendees, Teri, had offered for me to stay with her at her home and I still can't believe her amazing generosity. I love you Teri! Those of you who know me, know that this was a massive step for me. But this workshop was all about stepping out of your comfort zone, so I let myself be taken wherever it would lead me...

The first day was focused on discovering the artist within. Me an artist... ha!! I was pretty uneasy going into this day. Before the workshop, Rick had assigned us to take and bring a self-portrait with us. I have to admit I dreaded this. I don't enjoy having my picture taken at all, never mind having to show others and share my feelings about it! It did not necessarily have to be a picture of us, but it had to somehow represent where we were in our lives at this moment. Rick and Lesley led us through some "landing" exercises to aid each of us in being present and feeling safe in our surroundings. Each instructor began by displaying their self-portraits and the other four, in turn, responded to the portraits by using three statements that Lesley had taught us.

"When I look at your portrait...
I see...
I feel...
I imagine..."

That was indescribably powerful. We had barely been together for an hour and we were already laughing and crying together. This truly created a safe and welcoming environment. There was no judgement here. We could open ourselves up to something new and we would be supported the entire way. I still get goosebumps when I think about it!

We then split everybody into small groups of about 5 or 6 people, with 1 instructor per group. We began to go through the same process that they had just modelled for us. My group was made up of Sharon, Elizabeth, Genie, and Brian and it was an awesome group! I won't go into detail what was said there, but it truly opened my eyes. It is amazing what someone else can see in a photo that you don't see yourself! Try it with friends... or strangers... you won't be disappointed!

Next, Lesley led us in a exercise in movement to push us even further in opening ourselves up. Following this we were all given crayons and paper and told to create a new portrait that would show how we were feeling. I have to admit I hesitated at this, because I'm TERRIBLE at drawing. But we were told to just put the crayons to the paper and go with wherever they took us. So we did, and the results were pretty amazing. It was interesting how similar these drawings were to our self-portraits. Using the three phrases from before ("I see, I feel, I imagine"), Lesley guided us into creating three "I am" statements that described our drawings. I don't have a picture of my drawing but my statements were...

I am a blur of unseen struggle.
I am clouded in comfortable isolation.
I am swirling in scared suppression.

Yikes. As Rick said about his... "this is some dark [stuff]!" We had an amazing share about what we had discovered so far and our next assignment was to go outside and create an image that reflected these statements.
Here's the self-portrait I took before the workshop...

And here's the new one I created that day...

We ended the evening with dinner at a great little Italian restaurant. The company was amazing and the food was delicious (at least the little bit I got to eat before my allergic reaction!) But that's a whole different story! Stay tuned for days 2 and 3....

It's all in the details....

2009-05-20T00:49:00.000-06:00

I have been doing lots of research into album companies lately, and let me tell you... there are WAY too many choices out there! Flush-mount, magazine-style, laminate finish, library bound..... you get the picture.

Unless you're made of money (I wish), there's no way to purchase a sample from each and every company out there. Reviews are great but when you read some positive and some negative how do you know which is true??

How does a photographer go about choosing who they're going to work with? Let me tell you. It's all about personal touch. One of the companies I looked into is Bon Match Albums. They have endless flush-mount options --- beautiful supple covers in a wide selection of colours, multiple styles to match your subject's personality, amazing print quality, and even fun matching cases and bags! With great pricing (plus they have an awesome sale going until May 24th-25th), and the fact that they're located in Canada, it was easy to place them among my top contenders.

But then something totally cool happened and they flew into first place! Only a couple of days after registering with them as a photographer, they phoned my house to WELCOME me and THANK me for joining them. Yup, you heard right! A real live person phoned little ol' me to thank me for my interest in their company! They asked if I had any questions about any of their products and let me know there was a welcome packet in my inbox. Plus they offered to send me a hard copy of the welcome packet -- including colour samples of their covers. All this without me asking for anything. Can you say service above and beyond the norm? Head on over to their site... you will not be disappointed.

I am so excited to order my first sample album from Bon Match Albums! Woohoo!!
Hmmm.... now what colour should I choose??

Pieces of his story

2009-05-10T11:22:00.000-06:00

This post is dedicated to my son, Jeran, without whom celebrating Mother's Day would be impossible...

Who loves to dance. He can't help but move whenever he hears music --- whatever it might be.

Who loves his "buddies" and takes them everywhere with him. And insists they "talk a me".

Who can't help but line everything up in crazy organized lines

Who loves to fly (and completely freak out his parents)

Who worships the ground his Dad walks on and truly thinks they're "best fends"

Who we're so proud of when he can actually chew an M&M

Who loves Superman and just recently stopped introducing himself by saying, "I'm Jeran, I'm two, I'm Superman"

Who finally at the end of the day, sleeps peacefully

I love you Jeran! Thank you for choosing me to be your Mommy!

So much to process...

2009-05-06T08:37:00.000-06:00

Indescribable. That's what this past weekend was. I'm still absorbing everything that we experienced. Plus a little jet lag! :) I won't be able to do the experience justice right now, but I will definitely post about it when I get the chance. In the meantime, head on over to Me Ra Koh's site and read what she has written about the first day of Self Discovery. Besides, she's a much better writer than me!!

But first, here are a couple of teaser shots for you!!

I'm leaving on a jet plane...

2009-04-29T03:38:00.000-06:00

"My bags are packed and I'm ready to go..."

Weird. I can't stand that song, but I can't get it out of my head. Doesn't that drive you crazy?

Guess what? I'M GOING TO SAN FRANCISCO!!!!! Can you tell I'm a little excited? I leave on Thursday for SF, where I'm attending a photography workshop with the amazing Me Ra Koh. If you haven't ever visited her site, you should. No really... stop reading this and go! Me Ra and Brian (her husband) are the principal photographers of Me Ra Koh Photography and they have a very successful wedding photography business. I first found Me Ra on a video chat on Photography Mentor, and when I saw the two of them together I nearly cried I was laughing so hard. Her blog is infused with funny stories, amazing adventures, awesome tips, and beautiful photos. I look forward to every new post.

A few weeks ago I read about this workshop and was intrigued but it was definitely WAY off the radar for this year. Then I read about this contest. I couldn't let it go. Something kept telling me to enter. So I stepped WAY out of my comfort zone and entered my story, and I won one of the spots. So, long story short.... I'M GOING TO SAN FRANCISCO!!! Woohoo!

I leave Thursday and I won't be back until Monday night. It's going to be an incredible four days with some amazing instructors... Me Ra (of course!), Brian, Garrett Burdick, and Rick Chapman. I can't even fathom how cool this is going to be! Plus it's the first time I've ever travelled alone AND left J at home. Weird! And because I don't like to post without a photo... here's a peak at the self-portrait assignment we had to complete before arriving. Eek.

Now where's that suitcase.....

Baby L - Newborn Session

2009-03-12T08:31:00.000-06:00

I love all newborns, but this little guy was extra special to me. When my brother passed away a few years ago, his wife of just over 2 years was left alone. They had wanted children badly, but it wasn't meant to be. When you marry into our family, you become one of us. We don't really believe in "in-law" titles and such. Rachel became my sister. So we were all overjoyed when she met Jared and they decided to spend their lives together! That was three years ago and just a few days ago they were blessed with the birth of a healthy baby boy. I was so excited to photograph little L (and I wasn't going to let the sudden snowstorm stop me!).

I had a wonderful time photographing your precious little bundle. Plus, he didn't soil all of my blankets!! He He! Here's a peek at one of the images from the session. I'll have the rest done soon!

It's A Boy!!

2009-03-02T09:31:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Rachel & Jared :)

It's a boy!

Born: March 1, 2009
Time: 10:25 PM
Weight: 6 lbs 11 oz.
Length: 21 inches

Welcome to the world Baby L!!

Danica & Nathan : ENGAGED

2009-02-18T00:06:00.000-07:00

YAY!! My little sister is getting married!

It was at a party where they first met. She was avoiding an ex and thought he looked like someone she could talk to. They joked together throughout the night and both sensed a connection. However, they left that night without exchanging details. She looked him up online and worked up the nerve to ask him out.

Laughter. Love. A whirlwind romance. A few short weeks later and he asked the important question. A resounding "YES"!

I was so honoured to shoot engagement photos for them. It took a while to co-ordinate our schedules as they live about 5 hours from me, but we finally connected on Valentines Day and that weekend was a blast! Well except for the freezing cold weather, right Nathan? These two are so in love, it was easy for me to capture it. Combine snow, wind, and crashing the Lodge, and I think we found magic! Here's your sneak peek guys! I can't wait for the wedding in June!!

Perhaps one of the most recognizable spots in Lethbridge, but it never gets old for me!

Good thing I didn't ask you guys to be serious! You couldn't keep a straight face!

More from E's Newborn Session

2009-01-29T07:16:00.000-07:00

I just couldn't resist sharing more from my newborn session with E. What a good baby he was! It was a day of experimenting and he went along with everything I wanted to try. It took us a while to get him in a deep sleep, but once we did, he let me curl and twist him into all sorts of crazy positions. I love newborns when they're this young; they're still so bendy and pliable :) Oh and the hats. Those adorable little hats...

Those cheeks. Those lips. I could've squished them all day :)

The debate is ongoing which one is my favourite.. This one or the first one? What do you think?

I think he might be scheming against me here... (see 2nd last shot!)

No matter what his Mom and I did, his feet would always end up crossed like this. His fighting moves, I think!

I think this was just after he peed all over the cocoon and the blankets! Thank goodness I came prepared :)

"Hello, operator? Can you get me out of here?"

Sneak Peak - Baby E

2009-01-12T23:09:00.000-07:00

I've spent months researching newborn photography. I can't seem to get enough of those fresh little souls! Fortunately for me, a dear friend from school was expecting her third child around Christmas. So naturally I pestered her to let me practice out some of the new techniques I had learned. Baby E decided to hang on until after the New Year, but he was so worth the wait!! What a scrumptiously plump little angel. Mama, thanks for letting me play for the day :) Enjoy your sneak peak... I'll have the rest of the images ready soon!

Hello world! ... is this mic on??

2009-01-08T05:37:00.000-07:00

Yikes. This blogging stuff is crazy! I've never been great at keeping a journal, so this is going to take a lot of work. Let me start by introducing myself...

I am a daughter, a sister, a wife, and a mother.
I struggle to fulfill all of these roles to the best of my ability. Who doesn't??
I grew up in a large family in a small town, but I've always been a big-city girl at heart.
I have lived in a small town of 3000 people and a city of 8 million.
I love movies, books, crafting, etc. Admittedly, I'm a techno geek!
I'm a self-doubting perfectionist.
The things I have experienced ALL contribute to the person I am now.

I want to leave a mark on this world...

I'm sure we have all read the same story over and over. "My love for photography really took off with the birth of my child..." This a common story because it is simply true. Two and a half years ago, I gave birth to a son. What an indescribable experience to create a new life! Watching this little person observe and absorb the world around him was amazing. He was growing and changing every day and I wanted to capture a little of his magic. I picked up the camera and it all seemed to "click"! (pun intended!) Being able to document our son as he made his first tentative steps in this world has been so powerful. I hope that one day he can look back at these photos and feel his story.

This is not officially a business. Yet. However, I am determined to turn it into one soon. So stay tuned!! And what's a post without a photo?? Meet J, the love and laughter of my life :)

An oldie, but still one of my favourite images of him!