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This year I started a personal project where each month I will focus on one area of my home and photograph mainly from there. Seeing how January is cold and kind of crumby we spend a good chunk of time in the living-room so it seemed like a good place to start.
Our days aren't all movies and couch cuddles but I am not gonna lie that's how we spent much of our weekends last month. #noregrets
So without further ado here is January’s photos.
It is hard to believe another 365 days have passed and it’s even harder to put into words the gratitude I feel towards all my amazing clients, family, friends and cheerleaders. I have met so many amazing people this year. I have met nothing but supportive encouraging people this year that I am now happy to call friends.
On the education front, 2017 was a year of growth. I attended 2 in person workshops and 3 online workshops. Learning from Dave Brosha, Wayne Simpson, Karen Osdieck, Colleen Hodges, Sarah Driscoll, and Jayme Ford. All of these photographers are super talented , their workshops pushed me a little further and I took away some valuable lessons from all of them. I was also introduced to some wonderful online communities that continue to be a inspiring, educational and supportive.
I find that submitting my work keeps me accountable to myself, and keeps me on track with my goals. This year I submitted and received accreditation through the PPOC in both Children and Infant portraiture, and Child Study. I also received an image in the top 100 of the Children category of the Shoot and Share contest, and received a merit recognition with NAPCP in their 2017 image competition. In June I received the exciting news I was listed in the top 25 of the NAPCP New and Emerging artist contest of 2017. I am so appreciative for the amazing opportunities that have come my way this last year and to have images shared on various websites and blogs.
It was a busy year but I wouldn’t trade any of it. With all 3 kids in school this year for the first time it was a year of finding our footing and easing into new routines. For me it meant stepping out of my role being home full time with the kids and balancing work and family life. Thinking that with all the kids in school I would have so much time on my hands was a bit of a stretch. With appointments, extra-curricular activities, homework and all that fun stuff it is a lot to manage but I can say that 12 months in, I feel good about where we are at.
So what’s in store for 2018? Each January I set out with a list of goals and this year in no different. Lots of continued learning. I am currently enrolled in 2 in person workshops and 3 online communities with ongoing learning. And I am working with a mentor this year! I was fortunate to be accepted as one of Dave Brosha’s mentor students back in July which has been such an amazing experience. He is a phenomenal photographer and the experience is one I really just am so thankful for. This year I want to push myself creatively. With a few personal projects on the go I hope to try a few new things this year and can't wait to see where this year takes me! I am also very excited to soon be offering photography classes! So get ready to dust off that camera that you have sitting around, or bust out that new one you got for Christmas because I will be announcing details and opening up session dates within the next two weeks!
I am looking forward to all the new and old clients that I have the opportunity to photograph this year. Last year I took on 45 client sessions, and am so thankful for each experience. Helping you tell your story is something that is important to me and something I don’t take lightly. Whether it’s the big moments or the small ones, in-home sessions or the park adventures. The real faces, the tiny gestures, and little details. I want to help you preserve all the details and memories that make your family what it is today.
Thank you to all of those people who have stuck by me, encouraged me, and followed along on this amazing journey. Pursuing photography is a dream, and I feel fortunate every day to have the opportunity to work hard and continue to do this thing I love.
Thanks to Ian Proctor of Spirit Photography in Calgary Alberta for grabbing this shot of me at a workshop this spring
With the kids back in school this week it sure is quiet around here. This Christmas break we opted to stay close to home. We watched movies, stayed in our pajamas all day, played board games, and gave the kids the time to just be their silly selves. I honestly wouldn’t have had it any other way. I love watching the relationship they have with one another. I love how if given the opportunity they will use their imaginations and play for hours on end.
I focused on being in the moment this holiday season which meant not picking up my camera and documenting all of the moments but taking them in and experiencing them. I took the break for me and them. Taking the time to play 50 games of monopoly (seriously soooo much monopoly!) instead of photographing it. We spent the days cuddling, playing, and baking. It was a much needed break to refocus, re-energize and get ready to tackle 2018.
Spending this time as a family really draws attention for me, to the fact that everyone really is growing, changing and maturing so quickly. Some days it seems they wake up a whole year older. So I did take a few moments to quickly capture the silliness the was ever present during this break, and I am so glad I did.
Gingerbread house decorating is my very favorite holiday tradition. When the kids were younger they would decorate a house together but now that they are older they each get their own house. We take a trip to the store together and pick out some special candies and then we put on some Christmas music and they go to town.
They will spend the entire afternoon layering icing onto candy. The day ends with the table covered in a thin layer of icing, sprinkles all over the floor, and the house smelling of delicious gingerbread.
I love watching how seriously they take this project. The care they put into precisely pipping the icing, delicately placing candies strategically all over the walls, and then sneaking samples of candy and icing when they think no one is watching.
After their pieces have dried we assemble the houses, and I am happy to report this year there were no house casualties.
This is my sister Nicole and nephew Daniel. Daniel is almost a year old and I just cannot get enough of him! (my sister is pretty great too lol) It has been amazing to watch Daniel grow and develop throughout these last 11 months.
During my time with them my goal was to tell the story of their afternoon. When I arrived for the session I began to notice those little things that help tell the story of their day. All those medical syringes, the binder my sister uses to document and keep track of Daniel’s health, the blood sugar monitor, and of course his baby toys. In the few hours I spent with them I captured a whole gallery full of images but here is just a small glimpse into their day.
Daniel’s days looks a little different than most babies and that’s what I set out to document for my sister. On this particular afternoon I showed up during nap time. Daniel had a nice long nap which meant Nicole had some time to prepare his meds for the week. After nap, it was snack time for Daniel and a call from Daniel’s nurse for my sister. Then Daniel and Nicole got to enjoy some playtime. Daniel is working on perfecting his sitting, and loves playing with his toys.
Ps. If you want to follow along with Daniel’s journey he has his own Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/DailyDoseOfDaniel/
