My Favorites- My Guys

I've decided to fill some of empty spaces between actual shoots with some of my favorites. Be it people, food, landscapes, whatever - will share what I like best!

So in starting this time out I figured that my first favorites should involve those that are my most favorite - my guys Garth, Tysen and Rylen.

The 3 of them definitely keep me busy whether it means playing street hockey, building a lego gun, running through the sprinkler or going for a bike ride or doing something Tysen and Rylen want- my time is full! I wouldn't change a thing about these 3 other than that they maybe not grow up sooooo fast! Well Garth has already grown up (somtimes questionable but fun!)so maybe just Tys and Ry. I do find myself sometimes wondering what it would be like to add another female to the mix of the house, but it quickly passes when I get a hug for no reason, a door opened for me or hearing someone say "Don't worry, I will always take care of you!". Treasured things to hear for sure. And really what female could pass up the attention and adoration of 3 men! Anyways, Garth, Tysen and Rylen are my favorites. Yup! You can't help but love the armpit farting contests, who has the smelliest burp opportunities and "check out this scar" memory times. I LOVE IT!!!

These photos were taken on a hike in Mt. Robson park and have become my favorites.

Virgil and Lori - Engagement Peek

I had a great time with Virgil and Lori on Saturday night. After my token Starbucks treat and a visit about their wedding we headed out to take some photos! Again we hit the outdoors at a perfect time for light and got some GRRREAT stuff! I love it when I can get great light and early evening right now is the perfect time for it!

Again I could have shot for hours, but tried to reign myself in. Lori herself is a photographer and knew exactly how I was feeling and because of that I took a little more time.... thank you Virgil!! I did mention to them that it was the longest day of the year and that we had a few more hours of light, but my trigger finger was getting tired so we wrapped it up and said goodnight.

Anyways, I had a great time with you two and I'm really looking forward to your outdoor wedding in August!

Here's a little peek at what I got!

Work it Lori!!

Not too sure yet, but this may be my favorite from the night, again the light is making it hard to choose my favorite one.

Well today I am one year older. And it's becoming more and more apparent to me that I'm only getting older. I am not even too sure how to define my age group anymore! What is 36? Mid 30's? Late 30's? Aaaack!

And let me tell you that being one year older I found that it was a struggle to get up and get moving! All I wanted to do today was stay in bed, but..... nope! Got up at 5:40 hit the gym, had breakfast served to me by my two sweet sweet boys (who even poured my milk into my cereal bowl!), hit the showers and then off to work at the gym. What bliss to get home and sit on my swing with Ry Guy! If I'm feeling it already, what happens at 37??

But getting a year older isn't all that bad I do have lots to be thankful for.How blessed am I? I have a Lord who is filled with grace, mercy and forgiveness and awesome power. I have an amazing amazing husband (who gives soul warming hugs, listens to my gripes, dreams and hopes and willingly goes to chick flicks with me), two sweet and caring boys who fill my heart with their thoughtfulness and giggles, a family that loves me and a great crew of friends that support me. And I can't forget those people who maybe aren't involved in my day to day life anymore but still keep in touch.... yup my facebook friends! It's pretty cool to get birthday greetings from someone I haven't seen in almost over 2 decades (yipe!). They shared my sweet 16 with me and now congratulate me on 36!

I'm sure that 36 will hold some interesting times for me as 35 did. And speaking of that year now gone and past I had a pretty cool experience yesterday. It was sports day at school and of course the afternoon held the usual foot races and tug of war challenges. Everyone gears themselves up for these races and spend time deciding who and how they will cheer for eachother. It was pretty neat to hear Tysen's friends all cheering on Rylen (the preschooler) during his race. I think his head grew a little bit after that! But even cooler was when my boys cheered me on during the mother's race! I must admit to a little heart palpitation occuring right before the principal said go - sure I admit it, I'm competitive! Well, I prevailed and placed 2nd although my boys do claim that if the race would have been just a little bit longer that I would have won. But competitiveness aside, what was the best was hearing go Mommy from my two little men. That and the cheers and hugs and "good job Mommy! You did great Mommy" after the race! Sigh! That will be tucked away and treasured always. So in that note I do think that all you Moms out there should involved yourselves in a foot race now and then against other moms just to hear the voices of your children cheering for you!

I spend a great deal of time cheering them on that it's nice for it to be on the other side. Below are a couple photos of when I am found cheering on my guys. Baseball season is actually almost done up here (at the least the league we're in this year) and my guys have loved it (all 3 of them!).

Have a great day!!

Family - Kadonaga Preview Peek

I had the pleasure of meeting up with Jason and Jana-Rae on Sunday evening to take some family photos. Niklas and Owen are soooooo cute! I had a blast just following them around the park, strategically leaving the playground until the end!

Here's just a few shots of the evening. And for those of you looking for new family photos, may I suggest taking them in the evening? The lighting was amazing..... AMAZING!!!!! I sooooo loved using my new lens in this light. Loverly!! Anyways, enjoy!

Happy 1st Shawn and Tamara!!!!!!

So my girl Mara totally shocked me about a year and a half ago in a couple of ways. First off she mentioned that her mom was in Calgary visiting her and I though wow, how fun! They were shopping for a wedding dress. Wah??? You're engaged! So much for keeping up to date on my girl Mara! Secondly she asked if I would photograph their wedding. Yipes! Of course I said yes for a couple of reasons, first I love Mara (she was the first youth I ever really connected with and she will always always have a very special place in my heart), second I love photography and weddings so it was really a no brainer. But a nerve rattling, shake my confidence, what am I doing kind of no brainer. Their wedding was my first solo wedding (of course I had my main man Garth along to help but he knows less than I do about photography!) So we did it and it turned out great! Mara had always said that she'd get me to sing at her wedding and to be honest I was a little hurt that she'd found someone better than me (just kidding!!!!)- in hindsight I had the best job of the day. I got to hang out with her and her amazing amazing family the whole day. I was with her from the moment she got dressed until her dance was in full swing - I got to share in some wonderful moments and whisper in her ear that she was the most beautiful bride. I got to shed some tears with her mom and watched her Dad's eyes fill up at the sight of his girl heading off on a new path. So all in all - singing would NOT have been fun not compared to what I got to do- I had the best job of the day!!!!

I can't believe it that one year has already gone by for my girl Mara. It only seems like a little while ago that I awoke to her wedding day hoping and praying for a great day. And it was a great day for Shawn and Tamara just not for a person's body temperature. I'm sure that the Lord held a watering can over Calgary all day! It rained literally that whole Saturday! And not the warm oh we can still get some great shots in the light little drops falling, BUT there is no way we can get out there without a tarp and heater! It was cold! But you never know about Calgary and June, and apparently it did it again this weekend(except that it snowed!!). Anyways enough about the weather, it was a beautiful day in the fact that the Shawn and Tamara were in love with eachother and with the Lord and it was so evident throughout the whole day.

So in honor of their amazing day here a few of MY favorites.

Can't help but wonder what is going thru her head at this point, I think she was just shocked at the fact that she was now a Mrs.?
So we couldn't get outside for a whole bunch of shots, but her aunt and uncle's place totally made up for it. Amazing location! And I liked the day even better when we got them alone.



Not a great shot technically BUT, I love the emotion coming from both father and daughter. Such a tender and bittersweet moment!
Beautiful! Just Beautiful. BEAUTIFUL!!! I could stare at her photos all day long, but I don't cuz that would be kinda creepy I think.

A Cooker

Well today is a cooker (by which I mean it's hot outside) and I LOVE COOKERS!!!!!! While others may bemoan the fact that it's too hot for them or that they could fry and egg on their car you will not find me complaining.

I spent the better part of my free Thursday(the one day of the week that I have no obligations to work, school... anybody except Ry cuz we're home together and that's not an obligation) anyways I sat on my deck, in my swing, filling the paddling pool, turning the sprinkler on and off while reading my Bible and a good fluffy fictional book and flipping through photography books and wedding magazines. I spent my day sipping iced tea ,after an emergency iced tea mix run to Costco and had a nice quiet exceptional day. As I sat outside I couldn't help but remember another cooker day that happened two years ago at the end of our church's soccer camp. It had to have been the hottest week of that summer and I found myself driving to Purden Lake every afternoon that week. Yup, give me sand and some water and I'm almost in heaven! Anyways, it was hot and our kids were outside every morning doing soccer drills and playing games and they were perspiring rather well. I had been asked to shoot photos of the camp and kids there and was super excited when I heard what was in store for the end! I'd just gotten my camera and was still babying it pathetically, but abandoned any fears when I discovered that a nearby firehall was going to come and spray on the kids for a while. WOO HOO!!! Here are few shots from that morning. Lots of fun and my camera survived the shower!!

Wedding ~ Gavin and Dawn

Their eyes met across the crowded hallway of their high school and it was love at first sight. No no wait, they'd been friends since grade 2 and finally one day they realized that this was more than just a friendship. Wait, wait this one is even better..... they were complete polar opposites who would have never believed that opposites attract and now just said "I do". So which one was it? I can't say it for sure, but in reality that doesn't really matter because she walked down the aisle towards him and they pledged themselves to eachother forever. The hall was filled with a lot of emotions that afternoon, but the love that shone in Gavin's eyes as he saw his bride coming down the aisle trumped everything else. She glowed and was almost shy like in approaching her groom but there was no tentativeness when she took his hand and they started out their lives together.

Thanks for letting me share in your day Gavin and Dawn. It was a pleasure to spend so much time with you, I look forward to getting to know you better and to finishing up our photo shoot. The rain and wind cut our time together a little short and I have big plans to finish up one more location with them. We'll have to save it for when they get back from Jamaica - have a great time on the beach!!

I hope you enjoy the photos below.... I am really having a hard time deciding which one is my favorite.

Isn't she a beautiful bride?

They certainly enjoyed holding eachother, I actually had to find ways to separate them!

Dawn's shoes were gorgeous, and they didn't really hurt her feet, they just seemed to get in the way and why wear shoes when you can get carried around all the time? And she did get carried quite a bit that afternoon!!

The wind behaved very nicely that afternoon and I had a lot of fun playing with it!

Okay so I said I was having trouble deciding which was my favorite... I think this may be it!!Things got nice and relaxed and quiet once the wedding party had said goodbye - I love the attendants, but the atmosphere definitely changes when it's just you and the couple. Nice atmosphere huh?