Baby Christian Joseph

Oh, I love this family. I seem to stumble across them in every aspect of my life. Paula's nieces are in school with my daughter, we go to the same gym (of course Fern happened to be there on the day I forgot my hairbrush...ahhh!) and Paula's sister is one half of the amazing wedding planning duo Ultimate Affairs (http://www.ultimateaffairs.ca/).

Paula and Fernando were married just last year and recently welcomed baby Christian Joseph into the world. You can tell this wee man's going places just by looking at his wise little face.

Welcome to the world baby boy!

Sam I Am!

Here's my boy! I usually don't post too many of my own kids because I'm just too busy.... but I had to take a moment and share this one because Sam (3 years old) NEVER EVER slows down long enough for me to get a shot like this!

Here's my boy...now if I could just get a shot of my daughter Grayson where she ISN'T sticking her tongue out at the camera!

WPPI 2007

I returned Thursday from Las Vegas and I'm still trying to organize all the amazing information I brought home from the WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) Convention. I could probably blog on for pages and still not cover everything that amazed and moved me. First of all, I got to travel with my fabulous pals Jenn (http://www.jenniferkirkphotography.com/) and Emma (http://www.barebonephoto.com/) who are also both photographers so I could talk photography from morning until waaaaaaaaaaaay late into the night!

Two of the most memorable sessions were given by Tania Niwa, an amazing Kiwi photographer based in Sydney, Australia and by Kevin Kabota, an amazing and talented photographer/Photoshop guru and exceptionally skilled business man. His session was most interesting because it ended with a moving message of peace presented through photos by a colleague who had travelled to Uganda. (very few dry eyes in the house). (and yes, I did get to meet and chat with Mike Colon...another amazing professional!) I came away with so many great ideas and techniques that I can't wait to use throughout this upcoming season!

On the last day, we were so overloaded with info that we rented a car and drove into the dessert to make images all afternoon. What fun that is...with such a hectic professional schedule, it seems that I rarely have time to shoot for the sake of shooting anymore. It was better than a day at the spa!

Thanks to Emma and Jenn for helping make this weekend a blast.

Viva Las Vegas!!!!

We'll I'm off for the next 6 days...off to Vegas that is, but not really off work. I'm heading to the WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) Annual Convention in Vegas with my close friends Emma from barebone photo and Jenn from Jennifer Kirk Photography.

I'm so pumped. I've been trying to get to it for the past three years but I've always had scheduling conflicts. I am going to be attending sessions given by some of the brightest stars in wedding and portrait photography. One of my favourite US wedding photographers, Mike Colon, will be battling it out with the legendary Yervant on Monday night at the "Champagne Shootout"!!!!!!! I'm not sure if I am more excited about seeing Mike work or the ice cream sundae bar featured at this event!!!

Anyway, three fabu Canadian girls in Vegas with cameras...I'm sure there will be some interesting photos coming out of this trip...we'll see if any are appropriate for the blog!

The best part...all the great new ideas and techniques that I will tuck into my camera bag to use in the upcoming wedding season!

You've come a long way baby!!!!

A year ago a good friend of mine asked me to photograph his colleague's 3 week old baby boy. Little did I know that Gwyn would be the poster boy for all my 2006 children's photography ads. The pose wasn't even my idea.

When I was back at the their house this past weekend to capture Gwyn in all his one-year-old glory, Mum and Dad couldn't agree whose can up with the idea in the first place (I know but I'm not telling). Anyway, being a VERY mobile wee man, Gywn did all his own posing on Saturday, hamming it up for the camera and dancing along to Dad playing Jungle Book songs on the guitar. Great fun, can't wait 'til he's two!

Dale & Katie

One of my colleagues complained the other day that I seem to get more than my fair share of good-looking couples. I could wax philosophical and say that I find the inner beauty in everyone (blah blah blah)but the truth is is that I really DO seem to have the best looking people show up at my door all the time. After this engagement session with Katie and Dale, I can't wait to do their wedding!!! EARLY on a cold cold Saturday morning (and they had to drive an hour to get to me), they were game for just about anything! My favourites shots had nothing to do with any poses but were of Katie when she scrunched up her face to giggle out of control. Don't worry guys, wedding day will be MUCH warmer!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Hey! I've been shootin' up a storm this past week...all sorts of neat stuff, from some commercial product pieces to engagements in the snow to 1 year baby photos of a wee Irish lad on St. Paddy's day!

I'll post some of this soon but I just has to mention this new website/store I just discovered. We signed a new couple this weekend and the bride, Melissa owns a dog boutique..seriously, how cool is that???? Anyway, when they left, I had to check it out. The website is FULL of great stuff.

So if you have the latest cool accessory...a pampered pup, check out The Discerning Dog at www.thediscerningdog.ca .

Simply Baby Is Here!!!

I'm so excited...my cousin, Andrea Pyle has this amazing line of baby gifts that is now available in Toronto at "Dick & Jane" on Younge Street!!! When my first wee monster was born, Andy's stepmom sent me out a bunch of "Simply Baby" stuff, some of which I still use myself....like the microwavable crib warmer.

So if you are on Younge, looking for unique baby gifts, stop in at Dick & Jane, otherwise you can always find her stuff at www.simplybaby.ca

Big Day...Big Family...Big Love!

Congratulations to Adrienne and Winston, married yesterday amidst much much much family and friends. Winnie's 10 brothers and sisters were as big in personality as they were in numbers, a perfect foil to Adrienne's family of four! Top the day off with a rowdy reception complete with 14 children under the age of 10 and I was pining for my big extended family out West.

Thanks to the Brown Brothers for all the belly laughs!

Romance at The Old Mill

Melanie and Martin hired me after many emails and a couple of phone calls. We met for the first time just a few weeks before their wedding when I toured their venue, the Old Mill in Toronto. After just a few minutes of strolling through the old windy hallways of this charming Old Inn, I knew that this couple had really put themselves rather than the latest trends into their wedding. A morning ceremony in a sunlit chapel led into a quick walk through the snow covered courtyard for a few quick formals and then into a cheery, chatty, frolicsome luncheon. Martin surprised his bride by appearing at their wedding clean-shaven (when I met him he had a full beard) and Mel was elegant in a simple gown with an exquisite bouquet of tropical flower s and peacock feathers. "Very auspicious" apparently!

Stephanie & Tim...was it cold outside?????

Who knew and who cared...it was hot inside! Fiery red bridesmaids dresses and a red-hot romantic love made this c-c-c-old February day seem like a heat wave. Stephanie and Tim were married Saturday Feb 10, just one day before their 8th anniversary and it was like they'd been dating for just a few months-they were still that google-eyed for each other.We had so much fun with this couple, from continually making the bride spit out her gum to quickly identifying the "bad-son" brother, we laughed and joked well into the reception..

Thanks to Tim, Stephanie and both of their clans for a great day!Sweet, shy Katie

"Trouble" (a.k.a Xander)

Wow Anna WOW!

When Anna first walked into my home office, I knew she'd be a beautiful bride but honestly, I was paying more attention to her wee son Brennan's chubby cheeks than to her high Russian cheekbones. So wedding day was this past Saturday and she was runway model material standing next to her new husband James, impeccable in tails. The whole day was beautiful, loving and festive. Thank you to James, Anna and all their family and friends for making our job so much fun! What a way to chase the winter blues away!

Punta Cana-Oh Yeah!

Twilight at our beach

Well, I'm just barely back into the swing of things after throwing myself onto a pool chair in the Dominican Republic and not moving for 7 days!!!!! Just kidding, we did a bit of sight seeing but seriously it was quite a shock to my system to slow down that quickly after we had been running at such a hectic pace for months on end. Though I didn't really shoot much while I was there (And I will spare you the images of me in a swimsuit), here are a few neat little shots from our time away.

Our beach, my man!

When in Rome????

Mamajuana...Apparently these herbs mixed with honey, red wine and rum are the equivalent to Viagara...

Congratulations Noah & Jenn

Well, we kicked of 2007 with a beautiful early evening wedding set amidst the equally beaming and teary-eyed families of Jenn and Noah Train yesterday at Whistlebear Golf Club. It was so much fun to work with a couple that is so completely happy with each other. It has been an honour to work with these guys right from the beginning of their stair-rail-sliding engagement shoot up to now. Thanks for inviting
me along for the ride!

Congratulations Vertical Magazine!!!

After a long (and wonderful) day yesterday shooting the first 2007 wedding , I set out this morning to capture some promo portraits of my friends and publishers of Vertical Magazine, Mike and Linda Reyno. The reason for these un-seasonable portraits was to promote the recent accolades awarded to their publication. Presented by the HAI (Helicopter Association International), they won the Excellence in Communications award. This prestigious award is no surprise to those of us who know Mike and Linda well and have seen them sweat blood and tears for the past six years as they continue to make an already excellent magazine better and better with each issue while still remaining focused on their three equally-exellent children (who I made them bring along for a few family photos too). Congrats guys!

Happy New Year!!!!

Well, it looks like it's going to be a very busy year in 2007. The spring, summer and fall are almost booked solid, we start shooting weddings this weekend and are meeting will all sorts of couple for 2008! Don't worry if you are planning a short engagement and are just calling now for your 2007 wedding, I do have a few hand-selected photographers that are shooting weddings for me this summer so we may be able to accommodate.

I'm feeling really on top of things already this year because I started on my New Years Resolutions back in the fall!!!! Here they are:

1. Get in shape! Thanks to the crew at Naturally Fit personal training and their specialized "Bootcamp" program, I am in better shape than I have been in a long time. Check them out at www.naturallyfit.net. There was actually an engaged couple in the program in line to get fit for the upcoming wedding.

2. Spend less time doing "the business of doing business"!!! (and more times shooting and providing even better customer service) So I hired a fabulous book-keeper that is keeping my accounts in line and freeing up my time to work with you!!! (Okay and spend a little more time with my family). AAU Financial (aka Laura Coughlin)is actually already working for colleagues of mine because I can't stop talking about her. You can find her contact info at www.aau-financial Tell her I sent you!

3. TRY TRY TRY to blog more regularly...Hopefully I'll be able to give you a few samples of what I've been up to each week. GULP!


That's all...I believe in making resolutions that I can keep!

I want to thank Kate and Andrew (married August 2006)for inviting me and my family out to their fabulous family farm this holiday...we had a blast!