Hi all!

I haven’t blogged in the past few weeks because I have taken a glorious 2 weeks off from both of my jobs (Photography and Nursing) and have really enjoyed relaxing around the house, reading and enjoying the beginning of Spring. We are in the midst of getting our condo ready to sell, which has taken time and a lot of work, so I haven’t been able to take on many photography sessions. I am itching and dying to get out and shoot though and have a busy month coming up with newborns and babies! I am soooo thrilled and happy Spring is here and every time I am outside I smile when I look at how GREEN everything is becoming. I love love love getting outside for sessions and love even more to show off how beautiful BC really is with the old growth forests. A photographer friend,  Andrea Joki, came last year in May from Finland and absolutely LOVED the outdoor locations we have here for photographing in. She specializes in environmental photography and had commented on many occasions how GREEN BC is.. I am excited that this week I have a few sessions lined up outdoors in one of our beautiful forests. If you are wanting an outdoor session, book soon, Spring is one of my favorite times of the year for getting outside, despite the rain!

Over the past few weeks the Professional Photographers of Canada have had both their national photography convention and image competition as well as the BC provincial convention and salon image competition. I had the opportunity to attend the BC convention and attend the awards ceremony last month for the first time. It was a three day event including photography speakers well known in the photography world from both Canada and the US. It is always very inspiring to be around other photographers who photograph a variety of different things from portraits, weddings, sports to landscape. I always walk away feeling very inspired to get out and shoot and learn new things. There is never enough to know in the world of photography and I absolutely love photography in so many ways and am always interested in learning more and shooting more variety. The wonderful thing about photography is the number of endless possibilities. Photography truly has given me the ability to see the world differently and I will forever be grateful for finding this love and passion of mine.

It really does ooze out of my every pore. Of course my true love lies with photographing portraits, in particular children and babies, but I love photography in general and love to get outside with nothing more than me and my camera. I don’t often share anything but my portrait work on my blog, because obviously my business is focused on shooting all of your beautiful children. However, I thought it would be fun for me to post a few images that I have shot just for fun and just for me. Macro photography has turned into quite a love of mine. Getting outside with a macro lens is a bit like therapy for me. It’s quiet and it’s a great time to focus on the smallest things in life and appreciate nature for what it is….amazing! I had no idea how many ladybugs and dragonflies were in existence just steps from my house until I went outside for the first time with my macro lens. Capturing the waterdrops as they are just ready to drop and looking at the reflections in the water drops gives one such an opportunity to appreciate what is in your backyard.

I entered images in both the BC and National image competitions for the first time and was very humbled and flattered to have an image earn a merit in the BC competition and an image earn an excellence in the National competition as well as become part of the Professional Photographers of Canada’s 2011 Loan Collection.  It was great to be a part of such talent in Canada and has given me to inspiration to become that much better of a photographer in the future.

This image earned a Merit in the BC competion and an acceptance in the National competition. My friend Ashleigh Wells and I shot this beautiful couples wedding last year and embraced the pouring rain with our last shot of the night. We were so grateful this wonderful couple agreed to go outside in the pouring rain during their reception so we could capture a vision we had. It turned out just as we imagined it would and we were both pleased with the result. In Vancouver, you really have to work with rain and not against it. Ashleigh and I are teaming together and are going to shoot weddings together in the future. We are in the process of getting together are official wedding website and will announce our business in the future.

This image received an excellence in the National competition. This is the highest standing you can receive. I was very flattered and honored to have had very talented photographers judge my image and give it such an amazing place in the competition.

I was even more humbled to receive this in an email:

It really is quite an honor and one I am very grateful for.

I thought I would also share a few other non-portrait images I have shot lately.

I hope everyone is enjoying Spring!

I have been working on a secret project over the past few months and hope to share with you all very soon!

Thank you all for your love and support, I truly appreciate each and everyone of you. xx