Happy Monday! As I've mentioned (and will probably keep mentioning), the site was down for close to six months so I'm working on catching up on some much-needed blog posts! This one goes back to June (yikes!) and features the winner of the Mother's Day contest I held with Trixie Boutique (one of my favourite places to shop, located here in Bloor West). Jennifer won a $100 shopping spree at the store and a family photoshoot to show off her new clothes (and her cute boys!). This makes me long for spring...
The L Family | Toronto Family Photographer
This was my first shoot of 2013 and what better way to kick off the year than with a family that is near and dear to my heart. Big sister Veronica was happy to show off her little brother Jason and gave me some great smiles and giggles along the way
Macaroni + Watermelon | Toronto Family Photographer
As a mom, one of the things I feel most guilty about is not taking enough pictures of my child. (Side note: What's with the guilt that comes along with being a parent!?! – a whole other discussion for another day). "Whaaaat!?!?" you say to yourself. How can you be a photographer and not take enough photos of your own kid? Well, it's actually pretty easy to fall into a rut of not taking photos. The light is bad. We're too busy. My camera is too heavy. I'm tired. The list goes on. So lately, I've taken a new approach to the photography of my own family. Quality, not quantity. When my friends ask for tips on taking better photos of their kids, this is something I always suggest. Rather than trying to pull your camera out for every occasion, set aside time once every few weeks and spend a couple of minutes capturing the moment. By "capturing the moment" I mean, choosing an activity or event, and taking the time to document all the details. I'm using Robin's lunch today as an example. She's 18 months (almost 19 months) and I've only taken photos of her a couple of times in the last few weeks. Every time I look at her, I feel a wave of emotion. Pride (she's growing so quickly and doing more and more each day), laughter (she looks a bit ridiculous right now with her chubby cheeks and bowl cut) and this achy feeling which I can't really describe in words (my baby is not really a baby anymore). I want to capture her, right now, so I can look back in weeks, months, and years, and feel the same way I do now. To most people, photos of a kid eating her macaroni and watermelon aren't that exciting or spectacular. But to me, it's a glimpse into my life. My real life. Right now.
So after all this rambling, here's my tip for moms (or dads!). Every once in a while, stop and spend a few minutes taking photos of an "everyday" activity or task. Take as many photos as you can in those minutes. Stand back and get as much of the room as you can. Get in as close as you can. Shoot from every different angle you can think of. One of my favourite things to do is to take a shot looking down through our chandelier in our kitchen. Be creative. Shoot the details. If you are inside, what's on the walls or the floor? If you are outside, what's around you? Trees, flowers, signs, cars. When it comes time to put together a photo book (which I recommend you do!), you will be able to create a beautiful spread using multiple photos, which together tell the story of that time, moment, or event.
Rise & Shine | Toronto Family Photographer
I've been practising with a new lens lately so Robin has of course been my muse! It's rare these days that I have to wake her up from a her nap at the end of the afternoon, but it's one of my favourite times we share together when I do. She is just like Kyle and I – she loves to sleep and does not like to be woken up by others. It always takes a bit of coaxing to get her to open her eyes – she sometimes rolls over and just ignores me. But after some gentle nudging I will get a few groggy yawns out of her, and usually she is quite happy to see me.
Violet | Toronto Family Photographer
Violet celebrated her first birthday yesterday! It's so hard to believe that it has been a year since I first met her, and snapped a shot of her and her mom before they even left the hospital. Kristen and I met up during the March "heat wave" and had some fun with Violet walking along a path at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington. She is such a sweet baby and is always happy to smile for me.
Happy Birthday Violet! xo
The T Family | Toronto Family Photographer
I was lucky enough to meet with this lovely family twice this summer. Early in June I met the whole family together and we went to the park, and then again in late August to focus more on sweet little Lily. Being the baby girl of the family of course means that Lily is adored by everyone, especially her big brother Alistair. He is so kind and loving towards his sister – it melted my heart to watch him hug and kiss her, and at one point he announced that she is his favourite thing in the whole world... even more than lego.
Happy Friday! xx
Carolyn | Toronto Family Photographer
Well September certainly came in with a bang! I can't believe it's already mid-month! And over 2 weeks since my last post. Six photo sessions later and I'm one busy lady trying to keep up with editing while chasing after Robin (who is on the move and into everything these days!). This post is of one of Robin's adorable little friends, Carolyn! Her and Robin were born only 3 days apart and they sit beside each other in music class every Tuesday. It's been quite fun to watch them grow the past few months, hitting all the milestones together. (Although this past Tuesday, Carolyn motored around the room on her hands and knees like a champ, while Robin sat in the exact same spot for the entire 45 minutes staring at the guitar in deep thought).
Carolyn is gorgeous, and sweet, and funny. She had no problem hanging out with her parents for an evening, with me tagging along, and she gave us lots of smiles and giggles. I had a wonderful time getting to know her better and watching her interact with her parents. A truly loving family – people like this make me love what I do.
I've been working on some changes to the blog including how I post images. It might take me a few weeks to sort out so bear with me.
Have a great weekend! xx