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"We who live in quiet places have the opportunity to become acquainted with ourselves, to think our own thoughts and live our own lives in a way that is not possible for those keeping up with the crowd" - Laura Ingalls Wilder
At the end of May I made the drive to Banff to learn, create, and be inspired. Dave Brosha, Paul Zizka, and Wayne Simpson put on an amazing workshop in Banff called Portraits in High Places.
Now lemme say I am not all that outdoorsy. I was a little nervous about freezing in the mountains, getting eaten by a bear, or getting lost. All slightly dramatic fears but non the less. ….. I will say it was a tad chilly. As a Canadian girl from the prairies one would think I was accustomed to the cooler weather but even with all the layers (seriously I wore all my sweaters one day) I was chilly. Truth be told, I hide indoors for most of the winter. Hot coffee, chucky sweaters, and board games keep me occupied throughout the winter. …I digress.
Banff. ….well, It was amazing! I like to try new things. Even if they scare me a bit. I like to live with the idea that putting ourselves in situations where we are uncomfortable is how we push ourselves, that’s how we grow. Photographing models in the mountains seemed like the perfect way to push myself a bit. Try new things, meet new people, and just get away for a bit.
The trip met all of my expectations and then some. I spent the week with seriously the best people. Models, participants, and instructors …all of them were so great. There wasn’t a time ….even when the wind was whipping at my face, that I would have preferred to be anywhere else. Watching how other photographers approach taking a photograph, seeing their perspective and vision come to life is amazing. Seeing new sights and visiting new places was so amazing.
Now that I have gone through all the images I look forward to sitting back and reflecting more on the experience, seeing how it will impact my work going forward, and setting some new personal goals.
Until next time. Peace out Banff.
Spring break this year felt a little like winter break, am I right?
We made the most of it by hanging out and having fun around the house. Playing with favorite toys, games, and baking filled our days.
I had pictured a spring break filled with puddle jumping but instead we jumped on the bed. It was much warmer and everyone had just as much fun.
Sugar cookies are usually our go to for Easter baking but this year we opted for bird nests made from rice crispy squares and mini eggs. The best part was the kids were able to do everything independently and the clean-up was much easier.
Here is to hoping for warmer days ahead but until then we will be perfectly happy finding fun things to do while staying warm and dry indoors.
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
