Seize the Season

I love looking through old photo albums from generations past. The stilted families in formal studio settings with everyone in their Sunday best – starched white collars, choking cinched ties and stiff itchy crinolines forcing skirts out in daringly bold angles. I smile as I wonder how the children felt about this unnatural environment – and how the parents struggled to get them into those clothes.

There were no uncomfortable outfits, sweltering lights or stringent rules in a family shoot I did recently. We went to a gently slopping hilltop adorned with a gnarly old tree. It's branches spread wide and it dusted the ground below with a gorgeous palette of autumn leaves. I came prepared with a rake, some baskets, bubbles and apples. As the two older siblings raked and tossed leaves, played hide and seek and blew bubbles, I took photos.

This is the season when Mother Nature offers us the perfect backdrop for family photos – rich warm tones and gorgeous lighting. 'Seize the season' and book your family portrait now.

The Big Picture

Sometimes we become so focused on the things right in front of us that we fail to look at the big picture. I was reminded of this on my recent trip back to Saskatchewan to visit family and friends. The prairies are a great setting to shift your perspective – step back and see how each thing is a part of something so much bigger. Acres of bright yellow canola fields, massive round bales dotting the landscape and a sense of open space that makes you stand taller and breathe deeply. Ontario has been my home for over twenty years but my heart still beats a little faster when I step off the plane onto prairie soil. 

Photographs should not only show you at your finest – they should reflect who you are and where you're from. Choose a setting that holds meaning for you. Include an item that is an important part of your life – a fishing rod, a quilt you made, your newly published thesis – think of what fun it would be to have a family portrait done in the backyard, everyone proudly showcasing an item special to them. What a great way to show your family as a cohesive entity, comprised of unique and interesting individuals. Let's put your true sense of 'family' in your next family photo.

Take a moment and click through the prairie shots below.

Shown in background my hometown of Rouleau, Sk., better known as Dog River, site of comedy series Corner Gas.

Great Time for Family Portraits

Before we know it we will be in the midst of frantically trying to decide what to get for friends and family as holiday presents. Wouldn't it be great this year if you could smile as others scrambled about –  knowing that you had it all under control? You can by arranging for a family portrait now, while location possibilities are endless.  You can have beautiful photographs, framed and wrapped, waiting to delight the recipients. In your backyard, at the beach, in the park, casual or formal, there's no gift more treasured than the smiling faces of those we love. I'll work with you to capture a series of photos that shows the true essence of your family. If you've been spending time by the pool, at a soccer field, on your boat, at the cottage, on the tractor or with your horses.....then maybe that's where you want your photos taken. We can make that happen. If a picture paints a thousand words – then this year forget the holiday form letter! Steal their hearts with a beautiful family portrait that reflects who you are and what you love.