30 minutes in the life - May 2020

Dancing the lines between spring and summer.

The trees are full, flowers are blooming and little bits of the garden and starting to break through the ground. Our adventures these days are close to home at a pace slower than we generally get to experience. We have spent a good deal fo time outside watching the world come to life around us. I’ve always thought of fall as my favourite time of year. Who doesn’t love a good PSL, a chunky sweater and the smell of crispy leaves? This year though I’ve gained a new appreciation for the time of year that isn’t quite spring but not yet summer. The evening sun is warm, colours are vibrant, and everything around us seems to get a little more beautiful by the day.

30 minutes in the life is a group of photographers who have come together to document 30 minutes of their day each month - next up is Blueberry Hill Images

30 Minutes in the Life - Office Dance Party - November 2019

I’ve always been the type of person who takes life pretty seriously. Sure, I have fun from time to time, but it’s easy to get wrapped up in the day to day. There is satisfaction in crossing things off the to-do list…..and I have lists….so many lists. I love a good goal, working towards it, reaching it and setting a new one. But one of the goals and I am working on, is to put down the list more often and just embrace the moment. Have fun, let go, laugh, be silly, and just relax. Fortunately I have three amazing kids in my life who know exactly how to do just that, and I couldn’t think of better people to spend these moments with. So here is a brief look into a recent weekend where we put everything aside and had an office dance party.

Next up in the blog circle is the super talented Kristina Dominianni , sharing 30 minutes from her month http://www.hellooliviaphotography.com/long-island-children-family-photographer-blog-365/30-minutes-in-the-life-november

30 minutes in the life - The power of a walk

Here we are in September and I find myself right in the middle of what seems like a crazy storm of back to school routines, extra-curricular activities and commitments. The month of September is always a busy one as we try to settle and find balance with the new school year. October always seems to bring that balance but getting there sure can be a bumpy road.

I was recently reminded by a good friend of the importance to take time to be outdoors, and we are working on that. It is amazing how refreshing a walk with some sunshine can feel.

On a recent Sunday evening with a never ending list of things to do, weekly preparation, household chores….we put them all on hold. We got outside and for 30 minutes didn’t think about any of the other stuff.

And we all came back a little more relaxed, a little more refreshed, and ready to tackle that to-do list.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read about a brief moment in my life this month. I’ve teamed up with a group of super talented photographers who are dedicated to photographing 30 minutes in their lives every month. Next up in our blog circle is Sharleen Stuart

Why in-home Family Photography Sessions are the best

When many people think of family photography sessions they think of a beautiful outdoor location during the summer. Even I am guilty of this, during the winter I sometimes have to remind myself to pick up my camera to even take my own family photos, which is just silly. There are so many reasons to plan a photography session in your own home.

Lets talk about the most obvious reason. The weather. Now here in Saskatchewan sometimes we get a nice spring and it seems like months of endless summer, but other years we have snow on the ground right into April with a cold and rainy May. Lets not even talk about those early winters with snow in September. It’s a pretty short season, and this makes outdoor sessions harder to plan for. As a photographer I hope that out outdoor session blesses us with a beautiful sunset on a calm warm evening but often that is not the case. Sometimes there is rescheduling, sometimes we work between wind gusts, and sometimes we have to stop to warm up during the session. Plan a session in your home and we worry about none of that. There’s way less rescheduling, you can wear what you want, and we don’t need to worry about wind messing up everyone’s hair.

The other amazing thing about a session in your house is how comfortable your kids are. Regardless of where we hold your session, I give kids plenty up time to warm up to me. But sometimes with younger ones especially, we get to our location, but it’s new, I’m new, and it takes longer for everyone to get familiar and comfortable in the space before we start to get those beautiful images that show that connection we are going for. In your home, you’re child can show me their favourite toy, they can cuddle up on their favourite chair and they have all the familiarity of home.

Now I know what your going to say! Maybe your home is due for some updating, or maybe the kids have toys everywhere. Maybe you just don’t feel your home is quiet camera ready. Well, I am here to assure you, it is! When we plan your session we can talk about what rooms you want used, and which ones you don’t. Your home does not need to be spotless and in show home condition. If you have clutter, which if we are being honest, who doesn’t? Do not worry! I suggest you gently clean one or two rooms and we focus on that area. Put some the the clutter away if you like, but make sure to keep the essence of your family present throughout. Open up the curtains and let your windows light your home ( and don’t worry you don’t need big picture windows either) and I will take care of the rest from there. During your session I use the best angles and light availability to make sure you and your home look great so that when you look at your images you see nothing but love, connection, and sweet family moments.

I usually suggest we book sessions during the daytime hours of 10-2pm and that we book the session around when the kids are happiest.

What to wear you ask? Well if we aren’t outdoors, you can wear whatever you like. Maybe your kids love wearing all shorts, all the time, or maybe they have a favourite dress that they love to wear but it’s just too cold to wear outside. Basically I want everyone to be comfortable and feel like themselves. For me, as a Mom. I know I am all about the leggings, a basic tee, and a long cardigan. This is perfect for an in-home session.

Still have some reservations about holding a family session in your home? Let’s chat! I am always happy to answer any questions you have.

Connecting over Coffee

My journey into photography was similar to a lot of Mom’s that pick up a camera . Having kids gave me the opportunity to slow down. Not in the sense that life got slower, because we all know that’s not what happens when you add kids into the mix. But it gave me time to sit, time to observe, it reminded me to be present. Between rocking babies to sleep, sitting on the floor and setting up endless block towers, I started to notice light. I would watch it throughout the day. I noticed how the right light could make the most ordinary moments seem extraordinary. That light drove me to pick up my camera, and start to chase it, start to try to capture those moments as I saw them. As my kids get older, it seems those moments become few and far between. The kids don’t always want the camera around, and with school, activities and friends, those days of sitting on the floor are behind us. I find myself missing those moments and opportunities.

One afternoon while having lunch with my Grandmother, as we were sitting catching up on life, we started talking about food she would cook when I was younger. She use to make us THE best oatmeal. I have tried her recipe on my own and I can only assume she makes it with special Grandmother magic because my oatmeal tastes like garbage compared to hers…… But I digress. Sitting there talking with her, in her kitchen, a kitchen that holds memories of my childhood, watching her, completely comfortable in her own environment. I felt like I really saw her. In the same way that I “see” my kids. I really felt like I needed to capture that moment. I got up to grab my camera. She tried to tell me she wasn’t camera ready, her hair needed to be fixed, the table needed to be cleaned. Fortunately I convinced her that everything was just the way it should be and that image is everything I think of when I think of my Grandmother.

That lunch with Grandma, reminded me that my life is full of amazing people, and moments I should be capturing. My kids might be getting older and sure there will still be many more great moments to photograph with them, but there are also so many other special people in my life that I need to be making time to sit and connect with. These last few months I have made taking the time to connect over coffee a priority , and if the moment presents itself to photograph those around me during our time together I am going to continue to take it.