::Staci & James::

I met Staci a few months ago, and after many fun phone calls, I finally got to meet James at their Engagement Photo Session. What a lovely couple they are - full of life and love for one another. Here are just a few of the photos from our time together the other day.

::KINDRED SPIRITS::

Laurie Reviol, my most kindred spirit in this world (other than my husband!), was my Matron of Honour at our wedding. Laurie is a professional singer, based in Germany, and for those of you who were at our "Concert Wedding", I'm sure you'll remember as she sang coming up the aisle, and all of her wonderful singing during the wedding itself.

We see each other very rarely these days - once or twice every few years. But the sign that our friendship is genuine is knowing that we can fall immediately into our old familiar ways - with no awkwardness or strained silences. We laugh and cajole each other, just as we have since our university days. I was honoured to take her photograph today for a new set of publicity shots. In her signature style, Laurie wanted something a bit different: an unlikely setting for photos of a classical singer. I suggested the vintage 1930's restaurant Easterbrook's in Aldershot, Ontario. These are a few of the photos taken at this very cool and legendary hot-dog stand: 77 years of lovers odes carved into the wooden booths, the jukebox, arcade machines, even the locals add to the fantastic atmosphere. Take your best friend some time!

::HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!::

It wasn't until I became a mom myself that I truly began to understand what an amazing job my mother did (and continues to do!) for me and what 'being a mother' really means. And now she is such an incredible Grandma too! (Look at the loving glance from my girl to her 'grappa')!

To my mom, my mother-in-law, my Beppe, my sisters-in-law, my great aunts, aunts, cousins, and friends who are moms...this one's for you!

Have a wonderful day tomorrow!

love,

Me

::It's All About The Light::

I bought these "Teggs" at the hardware store - something of a novelty for our daughter: 3 glowing, malleable eggs, which morph into the full colour spectrum. If you time it right you can get them to synchronize their colours...Then you have fun with the camera!
Our teenage niece was game to give this unique portrait setting a try!

::Country Cousins::

My daughter had quite a monumental day yesterday: it was the first time ::EVER:: mommy had left her with someone other than daddy, grandma or her Beppe and Pake. She got to go and have a play date with her country cousins and had a ball getting all wet playing with 'the water table', having tickle-time on the carpet, eating grilled cheese 'sammiches', and seeing trilliums for the first time! I'm happy to report that neither of us was fazed by this new development (leaving her with others) - we both took it in stride! This is a photo of my darling gal learning a thing or two from her older country cuz!

::ALMOST DUE::

I met Brooke, the fun and fab mom-to-be in these photos, at the end of March and was so happy to arrange a Maternity Portrait Session for her - we just had to find the right time...and fast! She is due to have the little one on May 11 - and we were finally able to get together on May 2nd - nothing like taking it to the last minute! As you can see from the photos, we had an amazing time in the session - making each other laugh and talking 'baby stuff'! Brooke (who hasn't done any actual modelling), was so natural and confident in the session, that it was hard to remember this fact! It was truly a joy to take her photograph! Now I can't wait to photograph mommy and daddy and the new babe - whoever he or she might be!

Real Life...Weddings!

I was hired recently by a florist from Hamilton, who wanted me to photograph samples of her wedding bouquets for her website. Yesterday was the day we had selected and she had rented the Gage Park Greenhouses (in case of rain). Of course Sunday turned out to be an absolutely glorious day, and so we did a large portion of the photos outside, as well as inside the greenhouses. Adele had invited some good friends of hers to act as models, and they were amazing. They had never done any modelling before and I loved this fact, as it is in keeping with my slogan of "Real Life"...We had a great couple of hours together and these are just a few of the shots from the session.