Sweet Sisters

I met these two lovely ladies when their Mom met me on the way home to Montreal. Mei Lan (the big sister!) and An Li were such gorgeous, spirited little girls, and I just followed them around while they explored the beach. Mei Lan was quite comfortable in front of the camera, and gave me lots of great smiles. An Li was a tougher nut to crack, but eventually she warmed up and we got some beautiful photos. Both of the girls have such big, beautiful eyes, and I swear I could see my own reflection in them. Thanks for bringing them to me, Marie! :)

Heather and Dave ~ August 29 2006

I spent Saturday with Dave and Heather, who got married on the past weekend. It was such a blast being with them throughout the day, and to see how much they really love and respect each other. Heather, who introduced me to Blogging, is so much fun. I swear, I've never heard the word 'Asshat' used in so many colourful ways, so I thank her deeply for that! :) Her bridesmaids were wonderful, and I just want to slip in that I am still available for June 23rd, if anyone is still asking. ;)

First off, Rev. Kristiane Charlton from Trinity United Church officiated, and did an absolutely beautiful job. I would recommend her in a heartbeat, I was incredibly moved by the service. She is also a great singer, and quite a dancer as well....a triple threat!

There was a little unpleasantness with a certain limosine company. The driver basically left the entire wedding party at the park, and hauled off to another wedding job. Unacceptable. Any reputable wedding vendor will make certain to leave plenty of time time complete a job before booking another.

Once again, mother nature did her best to mess with the plans, but good weather prevailed and it was a beautiful day.



Congratulations Heather and Dave!

Northumberland Kids Casting Call! :)

Just a quick note to put the word out that Northumberland Kids Magazine is looking for a few good kids! :) We are shooting for next months issue this Thursday (August 31st) and we are looking for babies who sign, a family willing to hike, kids aged 9-12 for an article on good homework habits, and a family willing to open their home and smile for some interior shots. If interested, please call or email me Val at Northumberlands Kids: 905 372-1668, or val@northumberlandkids.com

Please don't be shy! Call right away, we love to hear from people who want to be a part of the magazine!!!!

Getting Closer....

I'm so excited to see the studio starting to come together! After the past week of non-stop work in the studio area, it has been transformed. All of this drywalling, mudding, taping and painting (hopefully today!) means that I am inching closer to being able to re-open the studio space. Next up will be some flooring, and then we will be ready! It has been an awesome summer of using the environment as my backdrop, but I am looking very forward to moving back into the studio again. I have a bunch of wee babies and toddlers scheduled in the next couple of months, and I can't wait to get them in for some fun in the new space.

In other news, it was another weekend of hand-wringing over the weather (stupid Weather Network!), but as it turned out, we had beautiful weather for both weddings on the weekend. Check back in the next couple of days for an update!

Fore! A Day at Dalewood

Some times people get lucky. I mean, real lucky! The temperature was perfect, the day was perfect, and the rain that threatened to break through the clouds never materialized. There were more than a few of us looking toward the skies to see if the rain was going to hold off, and thankfully, it did. Jennifer and Ryan were married near the first hole of the Dalewood Golf and Country Club, where the bride and her attendants rolled in for their grand entrances on golf carts. Thankfully there were no errant golf balls chipped in our direction (although the minister shared some stories of some pretty close calls!).



Congratulations Jennifer and Ryan!

A Funny. :)

I read this one the other day, and it made me laugh. I thought I'd share. ;)

There was a man who was an avid photographer. He had just returned from vacation and was visiting friends for dinner. While there, he shared his vacation photos with them. They were awed by the great images he captured. Finally, the woman of the house said to him, "Those are great photos. You must have a really great camera." The man just smiled and nodded. As the man was preparing to leave, he graciously thanked the host. Then he said, "That was a great dinner. You must have really great pots and pans."

Still laughing at that one.... :)

The Sound of Music....

What a beautiful day for a wedding! Brenda and Carl were married at what seemed like Westminster Abbey, with all of the beautiful music that played that day. An entire orchestra performed before and during the ceremony, and it was absolutely magical. They are so lucky to have such amazing musicians as friends and bandmates.



They also had three of the most awesome little ring bearers! These boys were so patient, performed their jobs flawlessly, and didn't make a peep during the ceremony. I was very impressed, considering what a big job it was!

Congratulations Brenda and Carl!

A Scottish Wedding

What do you do when you have a wedding where all the men are in kilts? Well, you get ready to ha'e a fun day, let me tell you! :)

Sarah and Colin were married in Oshawa at one of the most beautiful churches I have ever had the privilege of photographing in. Huge, cathedral ceilings, stone walls and beautiful light all worked together to create a magical ceremony.



After the ceremony, it was off to a park where there was a revolving door of brides and grooms arriving and departing (none other WITH a permit, we might add!). Luckily our fierce Best Man was able to do a little permit waving, and opened up the path to some of the more desirable locations. We also learned (courtesy of a spunky, but ill-dressed photographer) 'What NOT To Wear' when photographing a formal affair. Note: Hot pink, and go-go boots fall under the previously mentioned category. We had quite an eyeful as we departed. On the subject of departures, we were being shuttled around by Dino, the driver of the coolest wedding bus EVER!!! Sarah and Colin rented the limo-bus (oohhhhh so cool!) and it was a complete blast. I didn't even mind that Dino kept calling me Sherry. Much. ;)



I will also take this opportunity to thank Chris, the best darn reflector/scrim holder EVER. Period. :) Best wishes on your upcoming wedding Chris!



Congrats Sarah and Colin!

Chuck and Katherine Get Married!

Okay, this post is way overdue!

Katherine and Chuck were here this morning to pick up their wedding photos, and it reminded me that the only photos I have of them are on my website, and not on my blog. I thought I ought to upload a few here as well.

We had a few laughs talking about the events of their day....twisters, leaves blowing in from the parking lot across Katherines dress, the weather (oh Lord, the weather!) and the importance of having a back-up plan. Katherine and Chuck (and assorted members of the wedding party) had made extraordinary efforts to make sure the antique fire truck was at the church, and available as the 'getaway car' and for wedding party photos.



Well, unfortunately, as the wedding unfolded, the sky began to get darker and darker. The wind picked up, and I for one began to search the sky uneasily. It was that dark. Of course, as luck would have it, the rain began to pour, and all hopes of using the firetruck vanished. I knew they were more than disappointed, but they stayed positive and didn't let it effect their day. Instead of the photos we had carefully planned at the park, we ended up using 'Plan B', and still ended up with some beautiful photos anyway.



Just as we were preparing to finish things up, one of the wedding party noticed that there was a rainbow over the lake.


Now, if that isn't a good omen on your wedding day, I don't know what is! :) Congratulations, and many happy years together Katherine and Chuck!

Congratulations Stacey and Mike!!!

Stacey and Mike came to see me a few weeks ago for some maternity portraits. It was a blast working with them, and they were total naturals!




I recieved a message in my inbox today from Stacey, letting me know that the lovely Paige Madison Mabel was born yesterday, August 15th, at 2:38pm, weighing in at 8lbs 4 oz and 20 inches long. Paige arrived 5 days early, and everyone is home now and doing great!



Congrats again, guys! I am looking forward to meeting Paige in person. :)

We're LIVE, Baby!!!

That's right. It's true. After what seems like months (well, a month anyway!) of hard work, my new website went live this afternoon. I am so happy with it, and I hope my clients will enjoy the more exciting interface.

Check it out.....

:)