Fabulous Face - Trena

"I'd love to get together and chat with you about your photography and how we can work together" was what her first emailed contained. Now there's my love language!  Talk to me about what I love!  I must admit I was a little nervous at first knowing I was going to sit across a table from someone who makes her living from polishing people's faces with her make-up.  Panic stricken I painstakingly applied my own make up that morning and fretted over every little spot.

Well the fretting was certainly wasted!  Trena greeted me with a hug right away and I knew that even though she makes others look beautiful she was already searching a little deeper than my skin.  She has this gift.  The gift of exuding warmth and friendship from the first meeting.  She is encouraging and very definitely challenging!  I walked away from our first coffee re-energized and excited about what could be ahead for my photography. I mentioned to Garth the other day that Trena is more than just a business contact, but that she is a friend and someone I look forward to getting to know better. 

I'm excited about what is ahead for us this weekend.  Trena (the little mover and shaker) has been in Calgary for 4 months and has already scheduled a photo shoot at a bridal salon for this Sunday.  I'm a little nervous about the whole fashion shoot thing, but like I said in an earlier post ....."it's all about the stretch!"  So look for some posts in the near future from Sunday's shoot (exciting!!).  Anyways you'll see Trena's skilled hand at work in those photos, but to see some now check out her site here .  Trena and I met for a little photoshoot and some coffee the other day. We found a great location for those days that aren't so great and Trena worked it!  You'll see below that this girl knows how to be infront of a camera.  I'm excited to see what the future holds.

 

Engagement Photography and Make-up Session

Well....have I got a deal for you!  If you are getting married and want some engagement photos done this is for you!!!!

Trena of Trena Laine has joined forces with c koop photography to offer you a great deal.  Book your engagement photo session by February 28, 2011 and you will get a one hour photo session with a disc of approximately 35 edited images PLUS Trena will use her expert skills and polish up your look for these important photos all for $300.00.

So....if you know of anyone that is wanting some photos done, please pass great deal along!!

Contact Carly at carly-koop@hotmail.com or comment below and Trena at trena@trenalaine.com

Remember When......Hearing stories were the best ever?

"Mom....can you please play with my hair and tell me a story about when you were little?" is a question I hear almost every night at bedtime.  Aahhhh, stories from long long ago huh? ;-)  Those ancient days where there were no t.v. remotes, no cell phones and music was played on a walkman....those days?  There are some nights where I am scratching my head trying to think of a story that they haven't heard before.....or hasn't been shared recently.  Some nights I skip the story and just sing a song while playing with their hair....kind of a relaxing way to fall asleep I must admit!  But...if I do have a story it usually revolves around family vacations or living on the farm.  Garth and I have now decided to record our stories in a journal so they have something to look back on.  Stories from our childhoods are included and I hope to include stories that involve them too.

I totally relate to the desire to hear about how things were for me growing up.  I can remember sitting on the floor of my grandparents living room listening to stories as a child.  How so and so scared the pee out of someone else by hiding in the hay and jumping out at the most opportune moment.  Anytime I go to visit my grandparents it always includes me firing off a pile of questions about their childhood so I can learn more about who they are.  Stories are so important, which is why I love that I get to record stories with my camera!

How cool was it then that Tys and Ry got to see the actual farm I share with them every night.  I was pretty excited knowing they were going to see the old travel trailer that I used to play in and run around the veranda and play in the trees surrounding the yard like I did.  Fiction comes to life!  Okay maybe not fiction because all the stories I told were true (or at least to my memory!!).  So imagine my disappointment when they really could have cared less about seeing exactly where I played what.  The final destination of grandpa and grandma's house was way better than wandering around through the tall grass just to see a broken down mess of what was once the world's greatest fort?  So they didn't want to see the real life details of the stories, but it doesn't stop them from asking to hear about the best stories ever.

I felt it was important to catch these few shots of where I grew up because this house is super old and you never know when it will come down.  Trespassing was involved and even though they said beware of dog, no dogs were injured in the taking of these photos!

Just Because - Jen - Calgary Lifestyle Photography

Picolo.....Pick-oe-low.....Pick.  Don't really know why I decided why that should be her nickname, but I called her that when she was 7 and it stuck.  I do remember it having something to do with Happy Days and the character of Jenny Picolo.  Now mind you she is absolutely nothing like Jenny Picolo from Happy Days except that she is as funny as her nicknamesake is.  (Okay..nicknamesake...is that a word or did I just come up with an addition to the Oxford Dictionary?)

Anyways, back to Pick....er Jen, my sister.  Let me tell you a little bit about my baby sister.  She has quite the imagination that girl!  If you ever sat down for a coffee with her and asked her about her childhood let me tell ya she could spin a tall tale or two I'm sure!  She seems to take some sort of sick pride in maligning my wonderful and good name.  To this day I can honestly say I have absolutely no recollection of pushing her down the basement stairs...AND... I didn't force her to touch the red hot stove top burner, I just suggested it to see how hot it was...she COULD have said no people!!!  She has been known at times to join forces with my other sister Nikki to further slander my good name.  Yup...a tag team effect those two...you never know what is going to happen when they are together!! Thankfully I think they've put those tales of days gone by behind them and have come to appreciate their older sister for who she is: older, more beautiful and way wiser! ;-) 

All joking aside I love my sister Jen.  She is an amazing woman, I've watched her deal with life's hurdles with humility, humor and grace.  She makes me laugh, she surprises me, she supports me and encourages me.  Our family was so priviledged to have Jen stay with us for a month a few years ago....it was a hard month health-wise, but having Jen there gave me a little push to get me through.  She is one of the three Charlie's Angels that always make an appearance at family gatherings, if she is acting up we make her be Bosley!She is a talented woman and has recently taken up photography (woot woot!) and I'm hoping she'll join me this summer for at least one wedding! 

These photos were taken a beautiful fall day in Regina where we wandered around Wascana Park and played with our cameras....I had a blast!  Jen lives way too far away for my liking, but I can't control her ....anymore!!  Even though we don't see eachother as often as we'd like I still count her among one of my best friends.  I love ya Jen!

 Every single shot I took of her in this set had her toes up....it must be some wierd genetic thing...I think Nikki has it too.

This is Jen making eyes at the strange guy riding his bike through our photo shoot. 

 I think she liked his circa 1970 adidas shorts he had going on!

Isn't she gorgeous?

I think I failed to mention that we look totally alike!

FYI - This is my blog and I can say what I like....whether it's true or not!

Right Nik? Right Jen?

It's a stretch

"So Carly, are you interested?" 
"Am I interested?  YESSSSSSS I'm interested! And totally freaking out as I say yes I'm interested."


Yup....a stretch. I'm facing a stretch in my photography.  I'm welcoming the stretch and trying not to freak out about it either.  I've been given a big opportunity in my little photo world and feel like I'm up to the challenge....for the most part.


You see...I deal with insecurities.  I think we all face our insecurities at some time or another.  It's just that some deal better than others.  How am I going prepare for this in time? I'm going to have to learn a few new things in the next 2 weeks...I learn by watching and there is nobody to watch.....aaaaack!  I'm fearful that I'm going to mess it up big time, and yet in the next breath I'm so excited about what it means for me and for c koop photography.  As hokey as it sounds...this is definitely a door I need to walk through to see where it leads.

That's where I'm at today.....freaking out and then realizing that I need to go to and spend some time with someone who will give me peace...Jesus.  So off I go to read and pray...and find peace in knowing that I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. 

Random Ramble - But Grandma will be so excited to hear this!

So...it's yet again another cold Monday and I'm trying to keep warm at my computer but it can be difficult because it's too close to the front door...time to bring the heater up I think! So I'm cold and wishing pretty badly that I could have a cut of hot chocolate.  Sadly...I can't! 

You see I started a new diet earlier this week for my skin.  Just to recap I was diagnosed with psoriasis just about 3 years ago.  Had a bumpy stretch of it, but it cleared up enough for life to be livable.  I've hit a little bump lately (little bump, compared to before!) and am waiting for some new medicine to come from India.  Yup...India....my sister Nikki found the guy and his meds seem to work.  I went off them for a while to see if they were actually working.  Well....it turns out the meds work!!  I've flared up, ordered the new meds and have decided to be proactive in the meantime.    So this new diet means I can't eat sugar, white flour, chocolate, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, processed meats...I could go on and on, but won't bore you with the details. 

So I found myself in the grocery store today loading up on a pile of veggies that you wouldn't usually find in my house.  I had to laugh (and I did) when I was in the produce section today. "Oh...if Grandma could see me now!" I thought as I sorted through the turnips to find some good ones. Yup...turnips.  Everytime I go to visit grandma she makes turnips and I always have a no thank you helping.  They are NOT my favorite, but I eat them because I love her and I know she went to some trouble to make them.  So I'm thinking that she would be rather excited to hear I'm now on the turnip bandwagon. (I should probably call her for some recipes I suppose!).

I mentioned on facebook the other day that I had downloaded some new music.  When I get new music I play it over and over and over and over and over.  (I could keep typing over and over so you'd get a better idea of how redundant it becomes in my house!).  Garth and I spent an afternoon over the Christmas holidays at the movies with our boys, and my sister's family watching the Chronicles of Narnia:Voyage of the Dawntreader....awesome movie by the way!  Anyways, I made Garth stay in the theater for the credits so we could find out more about the song playing....we never did find out that day..I think we were excited to go and eat some Chinese food (something I can't eat now...sigh).  I remembered the song the other day and downloaded and have now actually lost track how many times it's been played in our house.  I'm sure my boys could probably sing it word for word by now!  It's stuck in my head so I figured I'd share it with you....Carrie Underwood....her voice gives me goosebumps!  If I wasn't already in the midst of working my dream job I'd love to have her vocal chops and record a CD!  But my camera beckons! 

I've also attached a little sneak peek of an engagement shoot from earlier this month....so excited to finish the edit...I'm loving it so far!!

Amber - Just Because - Calgary Senior Photography

I  first met Amber over 17 years ago.....it was my wedding day and she was being held in her Dad's arms.  Now I don't remember much more than taking a peak at her as she slept as it was my wedding day and I was rather consumed by the fact that Garth and I were getting married!  She became a Koop just 2 months before I did (therefore she's got more seniority!!) and it's been my pleasure to watch her grow into a beautiful young woman. 

I remember well being 17 years old and trying to figure out what the rest of my life was going to look like.  And it ended up like nothing I'd imagined!  Better than what I imagined!  Amber is there right now....trying to figure out what's next for her.  What an exciting and anxious time!  I know that whatever Amber does she will succeed because she's driven.  I'm excited to see what the next 10 years look like for her (hopefully I'll get to shoot a wedding huh Amber?).

These photos were shot during Thanksgiving weekend (I know I know...what took me so long?), and we had a gorgeous afternoon in Regina's Wascana Park.   I wanted to capture this time in her life and what better way than to take some photos!  I love doing senior photos...they are on the edge of a new adventure and it's always great to document. It didn't take Amber long to warm up to the camera and we had a great time!  I loved being able to catch that smile of hers....it is constantly changing, you'll see evidence below of how many smiles this girl has!

Love ya Amber!!

To learn more about c koop photography click here

Most definitely one of my favorites of the day....this is true Amber
right here....definitely heading for the website!!



I had initially ignored this photo thinking it really wasn't my style, but
after looking a little longer I decided to edit...boy am I ever glad I did!

I love this little grin she gives...not too sure what she's thinking here
....okay Carly...enough talking already!  Just take the shot!

Hits and Misses - Just chillin on a chilly day

It's cold today....not suck your breath away in one second kinda cold but still cold.  More like the blast why won't the car start after being plugged in for 2 hours kinda cold.  Oh...you mean that the plug has to be in ALL the way? Oh....got it.  Yup that was the start to my day.  I was all ready to head to the boy's school to help out (like I do every Tuesday) and lo and behold....the car won't start.  Checked the plug, it looked okay...not all the way in, but still in enough that it should juice old blue right up.  I ran outside every 10 minutes checking the car trying to encourage it to start...nothing.  After about 4 trips out I decide to change the extension cord and see what happens.  10 minutes later?  Still nothing.  By that time I'd already called the school to say I wouldn't be there.  Finally after completely forgetting about the car I checked about 1 hour later...tada!! It started!  So a definite miss with this cold weather and stupid extension cords that don't plug in all the way.  That was all a miss.....

Onto today's hits and misses....

Hits

1.  Okay so I'm totally loving a book by Ted Dekker - "Immanuel's Veins" - if you liked Twilight I'd suggest giving it a read.

2.  My new Roots Sweatpants.  Garth bought them for me for Christmas and they are sooooo comfy, cozy and warm!  I wore them to pick up the boys from school today and my legs were nice and toasty!!

3.  The New Year in general....always love the fresh start that January brings!!

Misses

1.  This stinkin' cold weather that causes old blue to seize and not want to start!

2.  My laptop....for crashing just as I was about to burn a recent edit....boo on you! But yay for Memory Express who fixed it!

3.  Boo to whoever decided another season of Snooki and the Jersey Shore gang was needed.  Sorry if I offend any fans out there, but I am NOT a watcher of the show, I have much more important things to do than watch it....like....I totally need to get at those baseboards and clean them.

And so goes another round of Hits and Misses....stay warm!  I'm heading out to make sure old blue is plugged in for tomorrow's adventures.

I Heart Faces - Smile

I decided to enter a photo in the weekly contest at I Heart Faces.  I've never entered before but when I saw this week's theme I knew I had to enter.  This photo is now hanging in my living room and I love it!  I have a matching one but since I could only enter one photo for this contest I had to leave it's partner out this time.   My boys are two of my biggest models....okay scratch that...they are my biggest models whether they want to be or not!


We went back to my hometown in summer and during one of our walks we went to my elementary school.  Not a lot had changed in 25 years, except that they'd added a killer playground!  I went crazy snapping photos of the boys on the playground and then pleaded with them to let me take one photo each of them up against this brick wall.  The same wall that I leaned up against waiting for the bell to ring for school to start.  It was a beautiful sunny day and Tys gave me this beautiful smile to match! This photo is one of my favorites!!