I love surprises, especially good ones!

When I book a shoot with a new client it's always a bit of a mystery. What will the family be like? what will they look like? will the weather cooperate? what will the location be like?... so many unknowns.

This past Sunday, I travelled to Toronto for a shoot. A shoot with new clients at a location I suggested but have never seen. You can't believe how thrilled I was when I arrived there to find out the location was AMAZING, the weather was ideal (mild, overcast... perfect in my mind) and a family with some of the most amazing red hair and freckles I have ever seen!

Thank you mom, dad and boys for a great shoot. Here are a few of my favourites from the morning...

Just a little newsflash...

I've donated 3 photoshoots to a contest running from now until April 2010. Do you think your baby/child is cover material? (I think every child is)

Each month for the next six, one child and one baby under one to will be chosen to receive a professional photoshoot and keepsake album. From those monthly winners, another winner in each category will be chosen to be on the cover of the 2010 New Parent Guide and School Age Guide.

All you have to do is drop off a toy or two non-perishable food items to one of the specified locations or make an on-line donation and then upload a photo of your child. Check out parentguide.ca for more info.

Maybe I'll be photographing your child in the coming months : )

No looking back...

I admit, I've been neglecting the blog for a while now - it's just one of those things that can fall behind when things get busy - but I'm back! I've had a change of pace lately - working on some commercial stuff and most recently my high school senior venture.

Here's my first senior - gorgeous, sweet and a natural model. Thank you Katelyn for weathering the cold, and giving me some great shots! I'm looking forward to shooting more of this age - they look when you ask, look away when you ask, there's no chasing, no bribes necessary... easy work and fun too! It's such an important age to capture - and those cap and gown shots don't quite do our seniors justice.
















Our nice days are now numbered so if anyone is looking for an 2009 outdoor shoot, contact me asap - we may be able to squeeze you in. Otherwise I'll start booking for the spring in a few weeks.

Here comes the rain...

So... still in Kingston. Still threatened by rain, I finish session two and start heading to session three. Windshield wipers are going and hoping for another clearing. Drizzle starts to fade as I get close and once again the rain stops. We start to shoot - another beautiful family, more gorgeous fall colours... what more could you ask for.

This time we get in about an hour before the rain hits. Just enough time. Yes, we could have went longer but I think we got what we wanted. Here's the last Kingston family and their adorable dog Clancy who was more than willing to pose for every shot!

(this little guy is going to be a heart breaker in a few years!)








Thanks for a perfect end to a great weekend of shoots.

Out of our hands...

The weather is something that I have yet to find a way to control. And yet it kind of makes or breaks a shoot. I have NEVER had to cancel due to weather - ever! I've postponed for an hour or two but never cancelled so when I woke up in the hotel room Sunday morning and looked outside to see wet pavement and light rain my heart sunk. Kingston was not where I wanted to be when I had to cancel my first shoot. We had been planning these sessions for some time now and I did not want it all to fall apart because of a bit of rain.

Then, something rather miraculous happened. The rain stopped just as we were about to head outside and shoot. Although it threatened us a few times during the next couple of hours, we got our shoot in - with seconds to spare before it started to rain again. We literally had the perfect window of time to head to a trail, take in some gorgeous surroundings, head back home for a change and snack and do a bit more shooting. And to be honest, although everyone tends to wish for sun, a cloudy sky produces the most beautiful light for photos and this day was no exception.

Here's the second of three family shoots from this past weekend. Another amazing family (I seriously lucked out on this trip!)

How fast they grow...

Why does it always amaze me? I have two boys - I know how fast they grow and how quickly they change but why, when I see it in another family, does it surprise me so much?

I travelled to Kingston for three shoots this past weekend and had a great time with some super nice families. I met this first family last year in Toronto at an extended family shoot at Riverdale Farm. A gorgeous family - adorable kids... what more can I say?

This little guy wasn't even walking last year - now he doesn't stop (except of course for the 30 seconds it took to take this shot).





And his two older brothers... well, they simply got more handsome.










Thanks guys for a great day and the chance to travel a bit.