When Teko needed some updated headshots, we also took the opportunity to squeeze in a mini family portrait session too! It’s always such a delight spending time with Teko & Gabrielle – they are such warm, generous and lovely humans. And their boys — SO CUTE! We had limited time for this session so despite the tiny 20-min window of time, we got lots of family photos plus a full collection of headshots for Teko. They are so photogenic and easy to work with, no wonder we nailed it in that fast of time! (plus their niece was a huge help in child-wrangling!!)
I was fortunate to be able to meet up with this delightful family earlier last month to capture a pretty important milestone in their life: their next baby on the way! The last time I took their photos was several years ago, so it was so much fun to see them again to capture new memories for them. They’re a super fun, super cute bunch and I can’t wait to meet their next little addition! Congratulations to you three!
Over the past few years I’ve had the great joy of photographing these two’s love story, and this year it’s growing with even more love! Veronica and Matt are expecting their first child in the next few weeks so we took this opportunity to capture the beautiful transformation that us mamas go through in order to welcome a human into this world.
The setting was nothing but gorgeous and as always, these two are SO easy to photograph! I had such a great time with them and I’m over the moon happy for them. I cannot wait to meet their baby very, very soon! A huge congratulations to you both! I know how exciting and WONDERful this time really is.
Here is a preview of our photo session at Winnipeg’s English Garden at Assiniboine Park:
What a beautiful morning for family photos! It was a bit chilly, but the sun was bright and warm and the colours were beautiful. I met up with the Derksen family at Munson Park, where the trees are beautiful and the Assiniboine River gives way to some gorgeous views. Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of taking their baby photos and family photos and it’s always such a delight to spend time with them! They are absolutely adorable and I love the kids’ energy. And Porter is pretty cute too! So thankful for these beautiful September days we’re having.
Last night I met up with the super fun, super delightful Borys family for their annual family photos! This year, unlike last year, we had a WARM evening and it made things so much more comfortable for everyone! The trick: scheduling the session before it gets too cold and too late in the fall season! These guys have big hearts, big love and a ton of fun together and it’s always a huge pleasure spending time with them. To be able to capture these memories for them is so special. And those grandkids!! Such cuties! And if you’re wondering if the English Garden at Assiniboine Park is still beautiful this late in the season — IT IS! So many beautiful flowers still remain to be enjoyed.
Last night I had the pleasure of meeting up with the Strocen family for their annual family photos. Aynsley Strocen is also a fellow Winnipeg photographer and it’s always such an honour when she asks me to capture her family’s annual portraits. This year they picked King’s Park and I had a lovely evening exploring the park and capturing these memories for them. It’s always a delight spending an hour or so with them and so special being able to document every year as the girls are growing older. The three girls are so adorable together, each with their own personality and character. They have a beautiful sister dynamic and it’s always such a joy to capture it!
What a beautiful evening it was for photos for Charmaine Toews‘s lovely family! It was so delightful meeting them all and quite the honour to be asked by a talented photographer to take her family photos! They were super fun to hang out with and it was a wonderful experience capturing these memories for them. We met up at Upper Fort Garry in downtown Winnipeg and had fun getting to know each other, talking photography (!) and exploring the park to get these photos for them. They are super easy going, incredibly nice people and really fun to spend an hour with.
– you get up at the crack of dawn and convince your clients to start a session at 7:45am!
It’s worth it, and the Grasso family is proof! Since their oldest was a newborn, I’ve been taking their family photos almost every year and it’s always such a delight capturing their journey. They are a fun bunch and always so wonderful to spend time with!
I got together with an emerging photographer for a one-on-one mentor session the other day to teach her some of my portrait photography techniques. She wanted to learn what settings to use, how to use light and what’s needed to make photos “pop”. Part of the mentor session involved having a family come pose for us so that I could demonstrate my techniques in real life. The lovely Simpson family stepped up to the plate and did amazingly well! They smiled, posed and also took my “posing candids” directions very well. It may not have felt like a normal portrait session (I didn’t get as many shots as I normally would because I was also teaching!) but we got some great ones thanks to the Simpsons being so patient and easy-going. Here’s the preview from our time at St. Vital Park!
Melissa and Steve have been friends of mine for several years and our photo journey starts many years ago when they got married far far away on a tropical island in the middle of a cold, Winnipeg winter! It was a delight taking their wedding photos and it continues to be a huge pleasure taking photos as their beautiful family grows. Recently they welcomed a baby boy and it was so fun meeting up with them to capture these memories and this exciting moment in their family’s life. Lifestyle newborn photography is one of my favourite types of portrait photography and it’s always a little extra better when it’s for good friends. Félicitations Melissa et Steve!
In 2019 I had the pleasure of photographing Miranda and Mike’s winter wedding, and instead of using the engagement session in their wedding package for engagement photos, they swapped it out for a future family photo session. The day finally came and I got to meet Annick, their adorable 1 year old daughter, who is full of spunk and curiosity. We met up at St. Vital Park to take photos in the flower garden and it was so much fun catching all these memories for them. What a beautiful family!
It was such a beautiful summer morning at St. Vital Park! We were worried about the cooler weather, but as soon as we got there the sun was warm and the temperature was PERFECT. I always cherish my time with this family, they’re not only my cousins but also great friends, and it’s always such a treat being able to capture memories of their growing family. Even though they don’t live close, we still appreciate the time we get to spend together! These photos are a great reminder of the beautiful summer we’ve had and how lovely it’s been to enjoy every minute of it before the kids head off to school. What a summer it’s been. I don’t want it to end!
What beautiful evening it was when I met up with the lovely Anderson Family! It was also one of those hot evenings where you are reminded that you are in the dead middle of summer (which I love!). This family always brings so much energy, fun and goofiness and I love it so much! With 6 kids, it’s really interesting seeing how each one of them has their own unique personality. It’s also really beautiful to see their closeness and friendships, all mixed into a large bunch of sibling dynamics. They are a joy to photograph and it was a pleasure being able to update their family photos this year!
What a year it’s been for the 2020 high school grads! Even though it may have felt really strange, it was also really great being able to bring a certain level of normalcy and celebration to the grads. We did exactly that for Makayla, who just graduated grade 12. She wanted senior portraits to mark this important milestone in her life so we met up at Upper Fort Garry park to take these photos. I had a lovely time with her and a ton of fun creating these images for her. I love her creativity, confidence and charisma!
Micah turned one! To mark this exciting milestone, his parents invited me to their home to take some lifestyle family portraits as well as to take photos of a cake smash in their backyard. We used my white paper backdrop, set up the cake and Micah did the rest. 🙂 We finished with a bubble bath and he was so happy the entire time! Happy birthday Micah! You are so cute!
When Almond Nail Bar reached out to me needing social media content photography for their Instagram account, I immediately knew that I would be bringing in Emily Janzen of Feast and Festivities to do the styling.
After a few meetings, brainstorming and creating a vision for the photo shoot, Emily and I gathered at the Kinship Studio with a few models to create these photos.
It was really rewarding seeing the final product after weeks of work on this project. Here are the final images that were delivered the client.
A few behind the scenes photos at the studio taken with an iPhone. This is Emily Janzen in action, doing her photo styling for the shoot:
Ashley approached me earlier this Spring needing some updated headshots for her business. If you know her, you know that smile: which comes from her authentic, joyful, bubbly self that is a constant.
She can light up any room and capturing these portraits of her was a true delight. I love her entrepreneurial spirit and she is an inspiration to many. I wish her continued success in her business endeavours, she’s amazing!
(Photos taken at the Forks near the Human Rights Building, Winnipeg)
It was time for updated photos for the lovely Blais Family so they chose King’s Park for their session this summer. We arrived at 6:30pm on a Sunday evening and the park was full of people! Can’t blame them, it was a warm summer evening and King’s Park is such a treasure to discover. There’s a waterfall area, beautiful walking bridges, a flower labyrinth garden, pagodas, pergolas, and everything else in between! (Did I mention the off-leash dog park too?! We saw some pretty cute pups on our way through!)
Their family is nothing but fun to photograph and the session was not lacking laughs and a few goofy shots too. They have a beautiful dynamic and I took WAY too many frames, but I look forward to sharing the full gallery of photos with them. For now, here’s their (not so small) preview!
If a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine how much more a film is worth.
As moms, we often question ourselves, struggle with feelings of inadequacy and we easily fall into believing we aren’t doing the best for our children. Motherhood is exhausting, chaotic and stressful. However, there are so many nuggets of beauty, indescribable love and incredibly deep connection. It’s just that often, the negative worries seem to weigh heavier and it steals our confidence.
Having been through 7+ years of the “early days” with kids at home myself, I can attest that although it’s hard and it feels like you’ll never be able to swim above water, before you know it, the phase is over. You start wondering if you read them enough books, cuddled them long enough, spoke enough words of affirmation, breastfed them long enough, played on the floor with them enough, laughed with them enough. Even though you may have, often the chaos of the early years blinds you from seeing that you did well.
This is why creating Family Films is so important to me. I want parents to be able to see their relationships with their kids from an outside view, so that they can see and believe in the beautiful riches of love that they are fostering in their home.
I also want their children to have tangible memories captured for them to look back on, to hold on to, and to treasure. I want them to remember the good moments, just as much as I want to affirm the parents in those good moments.
They’re there, and they’re beautiful. It may not be a grandiose thing, but it’s the little moments that kids are nurtured through, and I want to be there to document it before that stage in the parenting journey is over.
Last week I spent a morning with the Wall family in their quaint home on a quiet street in South-East Winnipeg. Chelsea wanted to make sure we captured the moments they cherish the most: reading books in bed, cuddling her toddler with his bottle, playing outside, and capturing their children’s beautiful eyes, blond curls and curious hearts. The moments were so sweet, especially when Iver whispered a secret into his dad’s ear. (you have to watch that part!) Every time I saw that clip during the editing, my heart just melted.
They are a sweet family with big hearts and strong love. It was an absolute delight capturing the “early years” for them. I hope that this film will forever be a reminder to them of the richness they are pouring into their kids on a daily basis.
If you’d like to book a family film, I’m offering introductory pricing (50% off) for a limited time.
After having Duncan second shoot weddings with me for 13 years, he FINALLY now has the perfect excuse to be in front of the camera: his adorable baby daughter Leo! Ginny & Duncan are raising an incredibly sweet and energetic little girl, full of curiosity and wonder. They chose their family garden patch as their photo shoot location and it was PERFECT. You are so loved Leo! (and sooooo cute!)
Last Thursday, while drinking my morning cappuccino, inspiration struck in an unexpected way. The idea of creating short films for families caught my attention. While finishing my coffee and browsing online, I found an online videography course which I followed over the next 2 days. By the following morning I had booked shoot dates with two families willing to be my guinea pigs for this new endeavour, and by Saturday morning I was at the Robin’s home, the first of the two families.
You may know Jenni from @jennirobins and @mykateandnorah on Instagram. I met her a few years ago through Emily Janzen, while styling one of my Spring mini photo sessions. She is the sweetest, most creative and endearing person ever. What I love most about Jenni is her deep love for her family and the amount of intention she puts into raising her two young daughters. Her home is a place of comfort and love with careful attention on growth, learning and building each other up. I didn’t know to what extent I would discover all these treasures in her family until I spent the morning there. It was so lovely.
She and her husband Chris share a beautiful dynamic and it was such a joy to create this family film for them. My goal was to capture the feelings and emotions of this time in their life so that they will forever hold these memories for themselves, but also for their girls when they grow up. To preserve these tiny details is so important and somehow they don’t quite get recorded in the same way when it’s just photos.
Enjoy the film!
If you’d like to book a family film, I’m offering introductory pricing (50% off) for a limited time.
My second wedding shoot during the Covid-19 pandemic happened as beautifully and wonderfully as ever! Although the bride and groom’s plans had greatly been downsized, they still put together a gorgeous outdoor celebration that incorporated all the delightful feels of the truest summertime wedding in Manitoba. Overlooking a pond and under a super hot June sun, Danielle & Sven tied the knot with 50 of their closest family and friends with what was a super lovely ceremony. The photography coverage for their wedding was only 3 hours from start to finish but it encapsulated some of the richest moments of their day: couple portraits throughout Stonewall Quarry Park, a heart-felt ceremony commissioned by their friend, followed by cake and cold refreshments as they mingled with their guests. It was such a joy to capture these moments for them and I’m so happy that not even a pandemic could put a damper on their plans. Congratulations Danielle & Sven!
Just when Chelsea was about to give birth to her third child, a pandemic hit the world and photographers in Winnipeg, including me, had to shut down temporarily. This meant she missed her newborn photo session for her littlest one, Nicholas. Although it was devastating to miss that milestone in photos, we were able to reschedule to a family portrait session a couple of months later. The 3 month baby stage is also just as cute in its own way, and I was so happy to be able to meet up with this sweet family that I have known for years. From their engagement photos, to their wedding, to multiple newborn and family photo shoots since, it’s always a pleasure seeing them and taking photos for their lovely family. I always enjoy my time with their kids, and last night was no exception! Félicitations Chelsea et Justin, Nicholas est adorable!!
This past weekend I was delighted to host another round of Spring Mini Photo Sessions here in Winnipeg, and what a gorgeous evening it was! All the families, kiddos and dogs were super fun to work with and I had a blast taking all these photos. There were a LOT of frames to cull through, but I narrowed it down to a few for the sneak peek, featured here, and I can’t wait to share more with all the families! Thanks everyone for making this mini session so successful, despite our social distancing restrictions! You have made it all so beautiful and lovely to be back at work. Enjoy!
It was such a glorious evening at Birds Hill Park with the super adorable Kastiro family! I can’t tell you how much this makes me happy, to be taking photos for my clients again. It’s been a long time coming – not just the warm weather, but the ability to be with my clients to capture these memories. Being shut down earlier this Spring really put things into perspective, and now I have a much deeper appreciation for my ability to work as a photographer and every single chance I get to document the beauty of family with storytelling photography. There’s nothing more precious.
This year I’ll be hosting a few photography workshops in Winnipeg for beginner to intermediate photographers who are looking to learn some new techniques. I hosted the first workshop last month and I’m excited to be adding a new date in March for the next one.
Have you ever found yourself in your clients’ homes where the windows weren’t letting in enough natural light? Or have you ever been frustrated with not being able to take bright, crisp and engaging family portraits because of tough lighting conditions or your lack of inspiration for directing and posing people?
In this next workshop, I’ll be covering what you need to know about directing families with confidence and engaging your subjects so that you get authentic and natural portraits. I’ll be talking about natural light and what you can do in camera to ensure that your photos are properly exposed, crisp and sharp, without compromising true colour or skin tone.
We’ll have a real family in studio so that we can apply the techniques I’ll be teaching and so that you can practice on the spot.
I’ll also be teaching on how to introduce artificial light in your natural light portraits so that you get better exposure and tonal range. It’s super important to me that artificial light looks natural, and undetectable as much as possible, so I’ll also be sharing some tips and tricks on how to manage your off-camera flash for best results.
When I first met Hannah at Richard’s sibling’s wedding a few years back, I immediately knew these two had something very special and that one day I would likely hear of their engagement. And my guess was not wrong. She was the right girl for him, and he for her, and before I knew it, I received an e-mail from them announcing their engagement! (cue in the happy dance!) Richard later told me that he knew within just a few days after they started dating that he would marry her one day. It’s one of those you-just-know-that-you-know love stories. And when you see them together, you can’t imagine that there was ever a day that they were not together! These two have a connection beyond words and to see their love for each other and their two hearts intertwined into one is incredibly beautiful. The ceremony was so moving (you can see all the emotions on their faces, and let me tell you, there was not a dry eye in that church!) and the rest of the day and evening had such a fun, celebratory mood. Their families are very near and dear to them and it was absolutely beautiful to see them so closely involved with everything. Even Hannah’s dad had the great honour of marrying them. I must also say that I absolutely love the venue they chose – Hawthorn Estates is such a great wedding venue, it’s just a short drive from Winnipeg, and best of all, they are fully equipped to accommodate photos in case of rain. (which we definitely took advantage of, as we did get a bit of rain throughout the time we had allocated for outdoor photos – it was perfect!). Here’s a preview of the photos from their wedding day!
The rain was coming down pretty hard as I was driving out to the getting ready location, and I wasn’t sure if we were going to rely on our indoor locations and umbrellas to get through the day. Fortunately, the sun started making an appearance just before the first look and then I knew that we were going to be able to photograph the story of their wedding day in the locations that were near and dear to them, and that made me so happy! We started at Bois-des-esprits for their first look – a gorgeous forest in the middle of the city and the second outdoor location that we were so looking forward to using was Mario’s family property in Île-des-chênes. The best part of the sun coming out was that the ceremony could actually take place outside as well, with a gorgeous Manitoba cornfield in the background, surrounded by friends and family and the history of their family all around. Not only for the locations, but the words that were exchanged, the looks they gave each other and the chemistry these two share, everything about their togetherness held so much strength and meaning and it was absolutely beautiful to witness! And the only time it’s ok to upstage the bride is when you’re the daughter of the happy couple and you are as adorable and cute as Cadence was! It was such a delight to document their story, their festivities and all the touching moments in between. I think my favourite was the first look – Mario’s face says it all, and the tears rolling down Aly’s cheeks hide nothing of her emotions. It was truly heart-warming! Félicitations vous deux!!
Can you relate?: You spent the last two days figuring out which outfits to wear, practicing in the mirror how to smile so that crooked tooth doesn’t show too much, next thing you know it’s the day of the session and you’re fretting over whether your kids got enough sleep to last the evening shoot, you’re rushing to hairspray every last strand in perfect place and as you head out the door, you hope everyone looks good and that your toddler doesn’t have remnants of dinner on her face.
But that’s not where it ends. You show up at the park, meet your photographer and suddenly that shirt you decided to wear just doesn’t fit well, you get flooded with a wave of insecurity and panic… and lo-and-behold, your kiddo has dinner all over their white shirt!
Preparing for your family photo session can be difficult to say the least, and all that stress often happens in the days and hours leading up to the start of the session. Your photographer hasn’t even taken one photo yet and you’re already wishing you could cancel.
This may sound like an exaggeration, but often, parents will feel some or all of these emotions before a session.
But I’m here to tell you that it shouldn’t be that way!
There are ways to alleviate some of that stress, if not all, with a few simple tips.
1. Decide what to wear several weeks before your session. This means that if you want your family photos done in September, start planning outfits in July. Choose a colour theme, then find the outfits (add a simple pattern or floral in the mix) and lay them out on your bed to see how they look together. If something doesn’t look quite right, adjust it, and if you need to buy new clothes, you’ve got lots of time to do that. Also don’t be afraid of sending the photo of your outfits to your photographer and getting their advice. Your photographer has lots of experience with what looks good on camera, what looks good in the location you’re using, and what looks good together. Also, look at what other families are wearing in photos and get inspiration from it.
2. Make sure your outfit feels good as much as it looks good. If you’re going to be wearing something new, make sure to wear it for at least half a day to see how it moves, fits and sits on you. If it’s too tight, too loose, or just bunches in a funny way, you’ll be able to know ahead of time whether it feels good, as opposed to just knowing that it looks good. How you feel in your clothes can show on your face in the photos.
3. Make sure you pick a time of day that has the best light. Your photographer should know this, and will consider that sunrise and sunset times vary greatly throughout the year. I personally love the second hour after sunrise and the second last hour before sunset. It can vary from location to location – some locations are darker, so you might want to aim for the 3rd hour, and some locations are brighter, so you might even be able to shoot in the last hour before sunset.
4. Prioritize your kids’ happy hour. The light may look GORGEOUS at 9:00pm in June in Winnipeg, but that doesn’t mean you should delay your toddler’s 7pm bedtime just to capture that sunset glow. This almost goes without saying, but for those who are hoping to push bedtime a bit late, be careful to not push it too much. A happy kid makes for way better photos than a cranky kid in gorgeous evening light. A professional photographer knows how to take good photos in challenging light as well.
5. Bring a blanket or wear clothes you’re ok to sit down in. Some of my favourite moments are with families sitting down, snuggling together and sharing laughs and hugs. If you’re wearing an outfit that makes it hard for you to sit on the ground, consider changing into a comfortable pair of jeans or bringing your favourite picnic blanket (check with your photographer first to make sure the blanket doesn’t clash with your outfits).
6. Check your pockets. And your zippers. And your buttons. Trust me, it’s easy to overlook tiny details when you’re having fun at a photo shoot. That’s why it’s imperative that you do a thorough check before you start the shoot. Are your keys and phone in your pockets? Is your fly down? (Trust me, this happens a lot!) Is your shirt buttoned properly? Is that bra strap you don’t want showing still showing? Are those little shoulder ribbon loops sticking out of your top? Is your hair elastic still on your wrist? Get your spouse to check you over and tell you if something looks awry.
7. Be open to new ideas and direction. Your photographer will be ready with suggestions for setting up moments/poses for photos. You may think a suggestion is too staged or out of the ordinary, but try and go with it. You might be surprised by how an awkwardly put together moment can actually turn into a fun, authentic interaction with everyone. And when in doubt as to what to do, smile, hug your spouse or play with your kids! You’ll never go wrong with expressing joy!
8. These photos are about the beauty of relationships and family love. So let go of your physical insecurities. I know, we could spend years working on attempting to succeed at this, we’re human and we all have insecurities about our body image. So I’m not saying this lightly, but I am still hoping to encourage you in this. If you can, try and forget about that crooked tooth you hate, that funny smile you dislike when you laugh, or that eye that squints funny… etc… because, you know what? The most photogenic people aren’t the ones who look the most perfect. The most photogenic people are the ones who let go of trying to control their “flaws” and enjoy the moment with their loved ones. Trust that your photographer is capturing the authenticity of your relationships in the most beautiful way. Don’t try and hide your flaws from the camera, instead let loose and enjoy everything good that comes from loving others and being loved. Show up with confidence because no one’s bothered by any of your so-called “flaws”. These photos aren’t about looking perfect, they’re about capturing the love and togetherness that you share with your family.
Gabrielle Touchette is a Winnipeg photographer and has been specializing in family photography for over 12 years. She is known for her playful and carefree approach in creating bright and colourful images. Photo sessions can be booked in and around Winnipeg, Manitoba. Please enquire for more information or to book a family photo session.
I love multi-generational family photo sessions! When you have grandparents, their grown children, and each of their own little families come together for a photo shoot, it’s so special being able to create images to remember this wonderful time in their life. I met up with the Malone family at St. Vital Park one early summer morning and what a fun time we had capturing all these moments!
