Mar 5, 2016 | Engagement, Wedding
One of the best ways of printing photos for my couples is by designing a guestbook album using their engagement photos. Guestbooks are popular at weddings but traditionally, they’ve been blank pages with space for guests to sign on. As an alternative, making a book that displays engagement photos with blank spaces for guests to write on is such a great idea. Not only do you get to show your engagement photos to all your guests, but you also create a book that holds two very special memories: your own photos and all the personal messages you received on your wedding day. Below is a guestbook I made for Jocelyne & Paul’s wedding. It’s an 8.5″ x 11″ lay-flat hard-cover book with 20 pages. It includes 50 photos and a custom photo cover. Ready for the guestbook table at their ceremony & reception!
Feb 29, 2016 | Newborn
How do you enjoy and display your newborn photos? Geneviève’s parents chose this option: a gorgeous 8×10 white leather bound photo album containing high-quality photographic paper flush mounted onto sturdy pages. This album was crafted with style and simplicity in mind and will last for generations to come. Here’s a preview of their album!
click on thumbnails to enlarge:
Feb 29, 2016 | Engagement
I met up with these two as they were celebrating their recent engagement in Winnipeg. It was a cold winter day, so we started the session indoors at Winnipeg’s beautiful and historic Hamilton Building on Main Street. But a winter photo session wouldn’t be complete without going outdoors in the snow so we then headed to St. Vital Park to capture a few more portraits. Congratulations to these two lovebirds, who will be heading out of country for their wedding in just a few short months!
click on thumbnails to enlarge:
Feb 25, 2016 | Baby, Family
Stephanie & Mike just added a second little kiddo to their family and to help celebrate the new addition, we all got together for a fun indoor family photo session in the middle of January. We all know how quickly the baby stage goes by, so it was important that we book the session right away and capture some of the unique dynamics a family enjoys when kids are still really young. August was a champ, sporting his fancy bow tie and giving adorable smiles in between a few grumpy spells. Emily is amazing at her job as big sister, giving her baby brother tons of kisses and cuddles throughout the session. I had a lovely time with the four of them and I’m happy that they now have these photos to remember this time in their family journey!
click on thumbnails to enlarge:
Feb 21, 2016 | Newborn
I had the pleasure of meeting up with Jude for a mini newborn session in his home when he was just an 11-day-old newborn. He is the cutest little peanut ever, with his big inquisitive blue eyes and furrowed brows. He also gave us a few sleeping shots including sleep smiles. He just melts my heart! His mom loves sharks, so naturally she wanted one included in the photos. Newborn shark snuggles… what could be cuter?
Christy and Byron started their journey to parenthood in Spring of last year. Unbeknownst to Byron, Christy had found out she was pregnant but decided to wait before telling him the news. First, she wanted to plan a special moment to reveal the news to him. That perfect moment came as a beautiful sunny evening under cherry blossoms with one extra element to it: me and my camera!
And so it happened – Christy finally told him the biggest news ever: they were going to become parents together, and the surprise and joy that I captured on camera is absolutely priceless. They shared in that moment, taking in the news but not fully understanding what it meant until this past January, when Jude was born. They are madly in love with him and I’m seeing it in the way they care for him and gush about him. Jude’s story is just beginning, and it has been a great privilege for me to take photos for them.
Below are some of Jude’s newborn photos, but you can click here to see the photos from Christy’s pregnancy reveal session.
click on thumbnails to enlarge:
Feb 20, 2016 | Engagement
Jan 7, 2016 | Family, Photography
It’s back! Styled mini photo sessions are now being booked in Winnipeg for Saturday March 19, 2016! This year’s theme, a children’s bedroom with simple toys, will be styled by Danielle of MÛR Lifestyl. If you’re looking for a quick and beautiful way of having your kids photographed, this is for you! A spot is $150 + taxes and includes a proofing gallery and your choice of 5 high-res images.
Playing with toys, snuggling in blankets and care-free play: all this happening in a natural light studio in the heart of Winnipeg. To book your spot, please contact me here.
click on thumbnails to enlarge:
Jan 3, 2016 | Wedding
I can’t imagine kicking off 2016 any better than by photographing Sharon + Mark’s wedding celebration yesterday! It was a balmy -2 degrees Celsius in Winnipeg, which made the decision to take outdoor photos with the whole wedding party a no-brainer. The girls looked gorgeous with their fur stoles over their blue dresses and the guys looked great with their beige cardigans and leather suspenders. We had some great indoor locations too: Broadway First Baptist church, the Manitoba Legislative Building, the Millennium Centre on Main Street and finally the Winnipeg Centre Vineyard church for the wedding ceremony. Every last detail was planned out perfectly, including a Café Postal coffee bar, a s’mores station and a romantically lit dinner & dessert buffet. Being their wedding photographer was a real pleasure! Here are some highlights:
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Jan 3, 2016 | Wedding
2015 came to a close and as I looked back at all the weddings, families and newborns I photographed in the year, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. With each passing year I am reminded of how much I love being able to capture so many stories of love. Sometimes it’s a big wedding and other times it’s a simple at-home family session – big or small, the occasion to take photos usually centers on one simple factor: love. Thank you to each and every one of you who made an appearance in front of my lens in 2015 – your stories and connections speak more than a thousand words and I’m honoured to photograph it. Here’s a handful of some of those memorable moments.
Dec 24, 2015 | Engagement
Today I had the pleasure of meeting up with Ashley and Jeremy at the Forks for some lovely winter engagement photos. There was a light dusting of snow and relatively mild temperatures for this time of year so we took full advantage of the beautiful winter scenes along the Assiniboine River. Here’s a sneak peek for now, more photos coming soon!
Nov 18, 2015 | Engagement
With only a few short weeks before these two tie the knot, we wasted no time picking a date for Sharon and Mark’s engagement session. It was late October but surprisingly mild, which is always a great thing for Winnipeg this time of year. We started off with one of our favourite local coffee shops: Little Sister Coffee Maker. Mark is such a huge fan of coffee and although we weren’t there for very long, he managed to enjoy two back-to-back cappuccinos while I snapped a few shots of them in the café. Why not!
They chose two other awesome locations around the city, one alongside the quiet banks of the Red River and the other location on an empty bridge overlooking the city. Time flies by when I’m taking photos of them – they’re always chatting and laughing together and so evidently in love. It’s obvious they’re on the same path and journeying together with a closeness that is rooted in something far deeper than can be seen. I’m honoured to be able to photograph these first few chapters of their life together and cannot wait for their winter wedding!
Nov 10, 2015 | Family
This growing family just welcomed its newest member: a new baby brother, Rhodes! I drove down to Steinbach on a beautiful autumn day to capture some of the love and togetherness that these guys are now experiencing with the birth of their second baby. Of course, big sister Analeigh is the proudest of them all, giving Rhodes so much attention and kisses. It’s such a joy being able to photograph families in these precious moments together. Doing the photo session at home always creates such a relaxed and candid environment and the photos in turn speak a thousand words. This is real life at home, with all its joy, cuteness and of course crazy-ness – Kevin and Jerrah-Lee are over the moon happy and it was a huge pleasure being there to document it.
Sep 29, 2015 | Wedding
Planning an outdoor wedding in Winnipeg in the summer comes with a bit of a gamble – not knowing if it’ll rain or not definitely was on Stephanie & Mitch’s mind, and certainly on mine too. The Leo Mol Garden at Assiniboine Park was booked for their wedding ceremony and thankfully we had a beautiful rain-free day! We started the day with some getting ready photos at the Fort Garry Hotel and the Viscount Gort, and after the ceremony we had a bit more time to use the Leo Mol Garden and English Gardens for family photos and a few wedding party portraits. Stephanie and Mitch reserved a table at Cibo on Waterfront for them and their wedding party and it was such a great way to get fun & relaxed candid photos of their group in the afternoon. We also snuck out for a few more couple portraits along the Red River and I have to say, Stephanie is one adventurous bride! She was always game for hiking through riverside trails no matter how damp or muddy it was – she was fearless! These two are super easy-going, full of love and life and completely dedicated to each other. It was a beautiful thing to see and an even greater honour to be there to photograph their special day. Congratulations you two!
Sep 24, 2015 | Wedding
Rosie and Mitch celebrated their wedding with their closest family and friends at the beautiful historical Fort Gibraltar. The setting was perfectly charming and rustic, and their wedding celebration was fully enjoyed by everyone present. These two are such sweethearts, and seeing how full their hearts are when they are together made me realize how special their love for one another is. There were tears of joy and lots of laughter, there’s was an abundance of delicious food, hilarious speeches and lots of great dancing. It truly was an unforgettable evening and I’m so honoured to have been a part of it. Congratulations you two!
Sep 6, 2015 | Wedding
Josée and Andrew, along with the help of a lot of friends and family, put together a beautiful wedding celebration to mark the beginning of their married life. It was an honour being their photographer, not only because Josée is a dear friend of mine, but because of the love I’ve seen grow between the two of them over the years. They are truly a perfect fit for each other and it’s been so much fun watching them on this journey towards becoming husband and wife.
The day started off with some weather stress – will it rain? will we be able to use our outdoor locations? The weather in Winnipeg this summer has been quite a crazy ride, but for the most part, I’ve seen clouds part and rain vanish just in time for wedding photos outside. And just that happened for them! The heavy downpour in the morning scared us all, but in due time, the thunderstorms lifted and we were able to use all the outdoor locations they had chosen for their wedding day. These locations held meaning and special memories to them both and it was such a treat taking their photos there.
Josée & Andrew, thank you for the beautiful day and for letting me capture these memories for you – it truly was an honour! Félicitations!
Sep 5, 2015 | Wedding
Ashley & Tyson have been waiting for this day for a long time, and to say they were excited for it is an understatement. A tremendous amount of planning and thought have been put into this day and the results definitely show for it. Ashley and Tyson have a deep love for each other and their wedding day celebration had so many details that all pointed to that truth.
The photography came together with a handful of great locations – at home getting ready, a backyard first look, outside the beautiful church where they got married, inside the Hydro Building, outside the Manitoba Legislative Building, down some treed residential streets and even around the Assiniboine Park Pavilion. Ashley had a clear idea of what she wanted and I was so happy to pull it all together for her along with my second photographer.
This couple exudes love, generosity and kindness – they are some of the warmest people ever, and what a treat it was to see them getting married. One of my favourite shots is of them taking a selfie moments after they ran out of the church and hopped in a car to go take portraits alone with me. How adorable! After 2 years of planning this day with them, I’m happy to have seen it all come together and I’m excited to share these photos on my blog. Congratulations you two!
Vendor list: Diamond Gallery, Bliss Bridal (wedding dress), EPH Apparel (groom’s suit), Grace Hill Mobile Salon (Amy McLauchlan for makeup and Steven Matthew for hair), The Floral Fixx, Qualico Family Centre (reception venue), Divine Weddings (wedding coordination), A Moving Picture Studios (videography), Planned Perfectly (linen rentals), and Serino Sound (DJ).
Sep 5, 2015 | Maternity
Meet Marlis, my friend and fellow photographer/coffee enthusiast – she’s expecting her very first baby and I’m so excited for her! Marlis and Ken are just a few days from meeting their first child and as the due date is fast approaching, the maternity session came together on one beautiful sunny evening in Winnipeg a couple of weeks ago. The best part is that these photos were gifted to her from her dear friends back in Vancouver, her former home. This gift card came as a surprise to her and I had so much fun (secretly) bringing it all together for Marlis on behalf of her friends on the West Coast. Marlis is now a Winnipeg photographer and has also become a good friend, so it was such an honour to photograph this amazing journey in her life. Soon I’ll also be taking photos of their newborn, so stay tuned for that! Can’t wait! Congratulations Marlis, you’re absolutely glowing!
Aug 25, 2015 | Wedding
After your wedding day is over and your wedding photos are all processed and edited, the first thing to consider is how you plan on printing and displaying them. It’s nice being able to keep all your digital image files on a sleek USB but having an actual photo album on display on your coffee table is such a great way to readily share your wedding story at any time.
After researching lots of wedding album companies and looking at different products, I’m always drawn back to the leather covered flush-mount albums. These heavy duty albums display wedding photos with such elegance and quality while still holding strong through years of handling. The flush-mount pages display the photos from edge to edge and each album is custom-designed by me. All you have to do is choose your favourite photos and the whole design, layout and printing gets done for you. And this, within a few short weeks of your wedding date.
These albums are impressive and luxurious – I’ve included a few photos below, but it isn’t until couples hold a sample in their hands that they truly get wowed by them. If you are looking to enjoy your wedding photos and showcase them with true quality, these albums are made for you.
Aug 24, 2015 | Creative
I’ve been working on a creative video project for my photography business this summer and in the past few weeks we’ve finally started shooting for it. After many planning meetings and audio recording sessions, it’s so exciting to finally be in the shooting phase!
My amazing videographer Jeff of JAG Video Productions has been fantastic to work with and we are so excited to bring these ideas to life. Through the shooting process I’ve also been having fun taking photos, especially this past week. While looking for a location, I found one which instantly caught my eye because of its super interesting architecture and lines. I love modern architecture, especially when it’s right in the middle of a natural woodsy landscape, so using this location was a no-brainer.
A big thank you to Danielle & Joël of MÛR for modelling and to my husband for assisting on this shoot. We couldn’t have done it without them! Here’s a peek at some of the photos I took while Jeff was taking video:
Aug 19, 2015 | Family
This family holds a soft spot in my heart – over the last few years, I’ve had the pleasure of photographing two of their daughters’ weddings and now this year, with the addition of two new grandbabies, we had a family photo session out at their rural countryside home. These guys are so much fun and so adorable together! And now with two super cute babies, the family is getting bigger and even more adorable! I was happy to take these photos for them and look forward to sharing the full gallery with them. Here’s the sneak peek!
Aug 19, 2015 | Wedding
I first connected with Ashley and Tyson two years ago when they first got engaged and instantly I knew we were going to be the right fit! These two are so sweet and kind but also madly in love and a ton of fun to be with. After two years of prepping and anticipating for their wedding day, August 8th had arrived and what a picture-perfect event it was! I was thrilled to celebrate with them and to capture the story of their day with these photos. For now, here’s a sneak peek. More will come soon!
Aug 7, 2015 | Wedding
Last weekend I had the huge pleasure of being Lauren and Justin’s wedding photographer for a full day of fun celebrations, multiple ceremonies and traditions as well as amazing locations for portrait photos of the couple and their wedding party. We all had a blast! There were so many photos taken, but for now I’m sharing a sneak peek. Here it is… congratulations you two!
Jul 21, 2015 | Wedding
The day Amanda and Cameron got married, Winnipeg was in the middle of a hot and humid heat wave with heavy clouds and looming thunder storms. Yet despite the intense weather, we managed to catch the perfect time of day to take all our outdoor photos – and the moment dinner was served indoors, the downpour began! It was an absolutely lovely day and spending time with them was a breeze. They’re easy-going, fun and always so positive. They’re not only super in tune with each other, but also very well surrounded by family and friends, and the love was overflowing! The connection they share has been built strong over the years and it was an honour to be there to photograph their wedding. Congratulations Amanda & Cameron – you’re a perfect match for each other!
Jul 17, 2015 | Maternity
Back in May I got a sneaky little e-mail from Christy with the subject line “question” and the first line read “can you keep a monstrous secret???” – immediately I was all ears! She had recently found out that she was pregnant, and since this came as a surprise, she was scheming up an awesome idea of a photo session where she’d surprise her husband with the news all while having the whole moment photographed. I was so in!
It took over 2 weeks to plan and nail down a date for the photo session, and after sitting on this secret for that long, the time had finally come for Christy’s big reveal to Byron. I can’t believe she managed to keep the secret from him the entire time leading up to the photo shoot!
As is common with most guys, their idea of fun on a weekday evening is not a portrait photo shoot where you get all dolled up for the camera “just because”. So it was no surprise that Byron, though polite, looked slightly uninterested in the photo shoot when they first met up with me at the park. The way we got him to come was by telling him that I wanted more 1st anniversary photos for my portfolio. And seeing as they had just celebrated their first wedding anniversary, it worked on him. The poor guy! How kind of him! Little did he know the reason we had him there was for a much bigger and better cause!
At first, we took a few photos just for the sake of it, and about 10 minutes in, I got Christy to pull out some props she had brought. With their two chalk boards, I told them to write something they cherish about each other, being careful not to show what they were writing just yet. While Byron was busy with his message, Christy was descretely writing the exact 5 words she had waited so patiently to tell him: “We’re having a baby”. I got them ready for the camera, told them to slowly reveal their chalk boards to each other… and the rest is history!
The pictures show it all: Byron dumbstruck at the message and speechless and motionless for a good 25 seconds! (yes I checked my camera’s counter!) After the initial shock, he quickly went over to Christy for a big hug and they stayed close together as the reality of the moment set in. It was such a priceless and amazing event to capture on camera! As they continued soaking it all in, I continued taking photos and the rest reveals one of the truest, most real moments of love and togetherness between a married couple.
I’m so happy Christy had me involved in this amazing pregnancy surprise photo shoot and that she was able to plan it so flawlessly. These photos will forever be with them as part of their growing family’s beautiful story and I couldn’t be more thrilled for them. Congratulations you two! Words can’t describe how happy I am for you!
Jul 8, 2015 | Wedding
October weddings in Winnipeg can be a little dicey with the weather being on the verge of getting very cold and miserable on a dime, but Erin & Travis totally lucked out and had a picture perfect wedding day! The sun was warm, the clouds added texture to the bright blue sky and the leaves in the trees were in full vibrant colour. Having that combined with the gorgeous bold colours Erin chose for her day, the result were absolutely beautiful together. And to top it off, Erin & Travis along with the whole wedding party were so much fun to work with! While my second photographer was taking photos of the guys getting ready, I was with the girls capturing all those early day moments. Separately we took wedding party photos making sure to get a few extra photos in before Erin and Travis were set to see each other for the first time at the ceremony. The guys went walking around downtown while the girls and I went for a stroll through the forest in Royal Wood. We all met up at Fort Garry Hotel for a lovely ceremony and then headed out to the iconic Esplanade Riel to get some great shots of the wedding party with the Winnipeg skyline in the background. The whole day felt very meaningful, joyful and fun – and I think that’s a true reflection of these two! The following is a handful of the photos that we took on that beautiful day, starting off with the guys having fun with split-second moments.
Jun 30, 2015 | Maternity
Back in May I got a sneaky little e-mail from Christy with the subject line “question” and the first line read “can you keep a monstrous secret???” – immediately I was all ears! She had recently found out that she was pregnant, and since this came as a surprise, she was scheming up an awesome idea of a photo session where she’d surprise her husband with the news all while having the whole moment photographed. I was so in!
It took over 2 weeks to plan and nail down a date for the photo session, and after sitting on this secret for that long, the time had finally come for Christy’s big reveal to Byron. I can’t believe she managed to keep the secret from him the entire time leading up to the photo shoot!
As is common with most guys, their idea of fun on a weekday evening is not a portrait photo shoot where you get all dolled up for the camera “just because”. So it was no surprise that Byron, though polite, looked slightly uninterested in the photo shoot when they first met up with me at the park. The way we got him to come was by telling him that I wanted more 1st anniversary photos for my portfolio. And seeing as they had just celebrated their first wedding anniversary, it worked on him. The poor guy! How kind of him! Little did he know the reason we had him there was for a much bigger and better cause!
At first, we took a few photos just for the sake of it, and about 10 minutes in, I got Christy to pull out some props she had brought. With their two chalk boards, I told them to write something they cherish about each other, being careful not to show what they were writing just yet. While Byron was busy with his message, Christy was descretely writing the exact 5 words she had waited so patiently to tell him: “We’re having a baby”. I got them ready for the camera, told them to slowly reveal their chalk boards to each other… and the rest is history!
The pictures show it all: Byron dumbstruck at the message and speechless and motionless for a good 25 seconds! (yes I checked my camera’s counter!) After the initial shock, he quickly went over to Christy for a big hug and they stayed close together as the reality of the moment set in. It was such a priceless and amazing event to capture on camera! As they continued soaking it all in, I continued taking photos and the rest reveals one of the truest, most real moments of love and togetherness between a married couple.
I’m so happy Christy had me involved in this amazing pregnancy surprise photo shoot and that she was able to plan it so flawlessly. These photos will forever be with them as part of their growing family’s beautiful story and I couldn’t be more thrilled for them. Congratulations you two! Words can’t describe how happy I am for you!
Jun 20, 2015 | Wedding
I’m obviously a few seasons behind in blogging so I’m very happy to share with you Jen & Matt’s wedding photos from last October! They had a beautiful wedding at Bridges Golf Course, just a few minutes outside of Winnipeg, and despite the dark and stormy looking October skies, we were able to take the majority of their wedding portraits outside. The golf course has such great woodsy areas and I was so happy that all of the girls were up for taking photos outside, even in the bitter cold! They were such troopers! It was clearly evident that everyone was having such great fun and were so happy to celebrate with Jen & Matt – there’s no other reason why they toughed it out in the cold! Jen and Matt are such an awesome couple – super easy going and fun, but most of all, completely in love with each other. Together with their super cute kid they make such a great family unit and it was a huge pleasure being there to photograph their wedding day. And to top it all off, only a few short weeks later, they had approved their album design and in no time they had their wedding album in hand. Such a beautiful way to preserve and display the photos from their day. Here’s a sneak peek at the album:
May 31, 2015 | Newborn
I love getting e-mails from my past wedding couples letting me know that they’re expecting a new little baby! It seems to be happening often these days and it’s always so special to me being able to follow them through all these wonderful milestones in their relationship. Indira and Warren is one of the sweetest couples and meeting their little one was such a treat! Maria is such a cute little newborn and it was such a pleasure taking these photos. Together they make a beautiful family unit and I’m so glad we were able to capture such great moments in the comfort of their home. Here are some of the highlights:
May 31, 2015 | Family
I know it’s going to be a great photo session when I meet up with the Wiebe family – this energetic and oh-so-cute family is just about the darlingnest thing you’ve ever seen and so much fun to photograph! The Fall season in Winnipeg is very short and every year I try and squeeze in as many family sessions as possible before the colourful leaves fall off the trees and the temperatures plummet. The best time of year for fall family photos in Winnipeg seems to be in the last 10 days of September and about a week into October. After that, the weather goes crazy and is unpredictable which makes missing that window of opportunity easy to do! So I’m glad we were able to schedule a day with these guys to take advantage of the rich colours at St. Vital Park. We made a slow walking loop around the duck pond and captured some super fun shots with all of them. Their kids are so adorable and before we knew it, we had finished the loop and I had racked up hundreds of photos on my memory cards! Here’s a sampling of some of my favourite shots from the session!
May 31, 2015 | Family
What a delight it is to come into a perfect stranger’s house to find a beautiful family full of love and liveliness! Leanne first contacted me by e-mail and we schedule the photo session in their home to catch some great family lifestyle portraits. The warmth of their home is made up of each member of the family and that was clear to see the moment I walked into their house. Leanne & Brent’s daughters are just too cute for words and it was such fun photographing the sisterly bonds they share. We also made sure to catch a few photos of just Leanne & Brent together – they are the strong team that keeps this family ticking and it was important to catch a few quiet moments with the two of them. These photos were taken a few months ago, and since then I’ve had the pleasure of taking more photos of these sisters during my Spring mini photo sessions last month. And now we already have our next Fall session lined up so I can’t wait until then to take more photos of them again!
