lindsay + mike + spencer

I was so happy that Lindsay + Mike invited me over to their place to take photos of Spencer. Hands down, he is the jolliest, happiest, smiliest baby I have yet to photograph - an absolute dream! We got some amazing shots from our session and I'm really excited to share some of my favourites here. Thanks again for a great morning of shooting!

on the grow

Remember sweet little Olivia? Well she's growing up and looking like a big girl now - toddling about and exploring the world around her. It was amazing watching her pick things up and examine them... I could just see the wheels in her head turning, trying to figure out what's what. As you can see below, she's just as sweet as ever with her gorgeous baby blues.

It was an absolute pleasure to be invited back to Garett and Kristal's home to capture this special time. It was great to see you all again - I had a lot of fun and hope you did too! Enjoy your sneak peek!

charlie turns one

I love birthday parties! And this one was especially fun because it was held at On the Grow in Bayer's Lake and the birthday girl was the cutest ever! There were cupcakes and cake, slides and things to climb on and of course, proud grandparents with cameras.

This was my first time shooting a party and I thought it was super fun. Thank-you Lindsay for inviting me to share this special day with you and all your lovely family and friends!

kyla + marc + karlyn = love

It's always a teensy bit nerve-wracking going to someone's home for a photo shoot. You never quite know what you're going to walk into and of course, I'm always plagued by the "what if I can't get a good shot?" doubts.

But the instant I walked in the front door, Kyla and Marc put my nerves at ease. These two are the most easy-going, warm and welcoming folks you'd ever want to meet. I felt comfortable right away and knew this was going to be an enjoyable hour.

Their baby girl Karlyn is an absolute pleasure. She was so well behaved and the camera loves her. I got some absolutely breath-taking shots of this blue-eyed beauty.

I wasn't able to capture an a-one traditional family portrait (it's hard to get everyone looking at the camera with a normal expression!). But what I think I did do, was capture a moment in time - a new family in love with each other and so very happy. (I'm sure Merlot the Cat is happy too, despite his grouchy scowl!)

Thank-you Kyla and Marc, for inviting me into your home and allowing me to share in this special time!

here comes trouble!

Another shot of Rhianna, this time enjoying a game of Trouble. I absolutely love taking shots of kids doing what kids do best - playing and having fun. It's such a happy and sacred time in our lives that I consider it a privilege to document it... and by doing so, hopefully remind people to hold on to this care-free attitude and embrace the importance of PLAY! xoxo.

four decades of love

Ever since I first started taking my photography seriously, I've wanted to do a shoot with Mom and Dad. But you know how it is - there's never time or it's never convenient. And one sad but true fact I've observed is that as people get older (and I'm talking sometimes 35 or 40!) they become more and more reluctant to have their portrait taken. I don't know why, as the stories on people's faces become ever-so-much-more interesting with every day that passes.

But I digress. One fine fall day this November as they were driving me back to Halifax, the sun was slanting at such an angle that I absolutely had to pull over and get some shots. My parents essentially had no choice in the matter. And just like that, their impromptu photo shoot began.

Have I mentioned before how amazing my parents are? Well, they are. And I consider myself a lucky pup to have witnessed the growth of a marriage - a delicate balance cemented by love - that I can refer to as a healthy and vibrant reference point when navigating my own life. For two people to have been in love every single day for over 40 years is nothing short of incredible. And I really do think these pictures highlight something magical. xo.

PS: This jumping shot was all Mom's idea. Seriously!! :)

the parkers

It feels like ages ago since Deb and I first chatted about getting together to do some photos. Exactly one swine flu and some Christmas craziness later, we finally met on Saturday morning.

I'm always nervous before a shoot because I never know exactly what I'm walking into, and I'm always scared I'm going to let people down. It's my genuine desire to create images that people will cherish forever so I put a lot of pressure on myself to get it right. Lately, luck has been on my side as I've snapped a few awesome pictures.

Deb and Frank's little guy Joey is beyond amazing. He was so serious and curious checking me out, trying to figure out just what the heck was going on. As you can see, he wasn't necessarily the biggest fan of the Santa hat, even though he looked adorable in it. Deb and Frank: thank you for being so kind, patient, encouraging and fun. I look forward to hanging out with you all again soon!

wayne et al

At first, I had no idea how I was going to take pictures of a family with five kids. You look at "family portraits" on other photographer's blogs for ideas and you mainly see Mommy, Daddy and Baby. If the family count is more than four, you get to see a whole lot of sitting on logs with white t-shirts and hands on shoulders... I knew that kind of photo was not going to fly for Wayne, Melissa and their kids. So, I was a little nervous.

But I soon learned there was no need to be. This group was so.much.fun. and up for anything! At first I think they were a tad skeptical when I told them to line up and hold hands but very quickly they caught on and were thinking up awesome poses on their own. What fun!

We got so many good shots from their session that I had a really hard time narrowing it down, so here are ten (yes, ten!!) of my absolute favourites. Can you see how much love there is in this family? It was a beautiful thing to capture.