Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Quickly dropping by to say Merry Christmas to all! I wanted to mention how much it means to me that you all read these posts. I love the support coming from family and friends and can't wait for another amazing year. I'd like to end this one (as I will most likely not be posting during the holidays) by highlighting some of the major events that happened this year. Instead of explaining them all, I will document them in photographs. Enjoy, I certainly did.

Mont Tremblant 

Skying at Mont Tremblant with my Love

China, Bejing (With Natasha!)

The Great Wall, China, (me and the Gang)

China, Downtown Bejing (The Gang)

Prom <3 ( The besties)

Graduation

First shoot with my Nikon D7000 (the lovely Nat)

Summer cottage look ( Nick <3)

Amazing Friend with lost of Courage. (helped me with a project)

Amazing Friend with lost of Courage. (helped me with a project)

Awesome shoot with Rebecca!

Christmas Portraits at School (Jay & her bo)

Christmas Portraits at School( Taylor)

Photo Session with my love <3

Photo Session with my love <3

 I wish I could have incorporated so many more, but this is what I leave you guys with. Thank you, Nick, Nat, Anik, Justine, Taylor, Sarah, Jay and many more. You guys have been awesome this year. I can't wait to start another and make even more memories. Thank you for the ones we have created together. Merry Christmas you guys! and Happy New Year! :)

Inspiration

Inspiration can come from everywhere. Today, I found it in a song : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UcQ5GcckQc. I found myself immersed in images and concepts that were seemingly unborn. I haven't drawn much lately and I really miss it. Scouring the internet for images, I remembered a report I wrote for my history of photography class.

©Irving Penn

This image takes my breath away. How can I not draw it?  Tonight I find myself immersed in a graphite drawing once again while surrounded by country music.

Santa Baby

Christmas time is coming, but you already knew that. Chances are that you’re finishing up gift shopping, finding that perfect dress for the party and decorating that big tree. I love Christmas, the warm sweaters, the hot chocolate and the smell of winter in the breeze. My concern is that we’ve forgotten when it all really means. 

Getting the best deals on the perfect gift for your loved ones means standing in line for hours on end. Working non stop to get the money necessary to buy everything and fix up that fancy dinner for you in-laws. The stress of the holidays can really wear on someone, trust me I’ve seen and experienced its effects. So why do we do it?

We do it because we love them. We do it because deep down, part of us knows what the holidays should really be doing to us. They should bring us closer together and connect families in ways that are almost impossible on a daily basis. It gives us an excuse to spoil the ones we love, to show them what they mean to us. We go through the stress of organizing dinners and parties to stay close to those we appreciate.

The only thing that people seem to miss in all of that is this: you don’t need expensive gifts to show someone that you love them. You don’t need a fancy dinner or an elegant bash to show off your cooking and organizational skills. All you really need is a smile and a warm hug. Invite them over for drinks, go out to a restaurant, be their friends and sped time with them. That’s all we really ever ask for in our friends. As for families, well I know it can be hard to spend time with them sometimes. They are critical and difficult to live with; they mock you and show your old baby pictures to your new boyfriend/girlfriend and share stories that make you want to crawl under a rock. But they made you who you are today. They are the people who loved you unconditionally from the very start. They share their stories to make others fall in love with you. Honestly, those stories and pictures may be embarrassing but he or she will just love you that much more for them. Trust me.

This season, slow down, take the time to tell other that you love and miss them. Tell them they look great and spoil them with compliments. Lend them your ear and understanding. People need to listen more to the ones we love to hold up those strong relationships. Most of you don’t know but you are horrible listeners. Put your phone away, turn it off, the person in front of you is more important then the ones who are messaging you. Smile, pay attention and give advice (only if you’re good at it though, otherwise just listen).

"Christmas Portrait Assignment, the lovely Jacynthe Blanchard & her bo"

"Christmas Portrait Assignment, the lovely Taylor O'Connor"

"Christmas Portrait Assignment, the lovely Taylor O'Connor"

Above all else, be yourself because those who matter won’t mind and those who mind don’t matter.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Why pay for professional photographs?

People are amazing. They learn, they grow, the believe and they change. There is something fascinating about studying a person. Every expression, every movement, every word. The world is filled with uniqueness that seeps through to every corner.

I can think of nothing more terrifyingly challenging then to photograph and capture one's soul. It is my challenge. It is my inspiration and my beautiful dream to photograph others and make them feel something. The one thing that captures me the most is a smile. Every single one out there is beautiful. The genuine ones are those that I am talking about. Not the forced, awkward smile of a braced teenager posed infront of a screen and told "SMILE for the camera!" for school photos.

Many people wonder "Why should I pay good money for pictures that I can take with my own quality camera?". MY answer? Because you don't know your camera like I do. There is so much that can be changed and calculated behind those safe doors of the automatic mode behind your DSLR. I understand them. Unlike others who have previously told you that P (Program) stands for professional, I know that M (Manual) controls everything. Composition is another thing to consider that amateurs do not. The decisive moment (invented by Henry Cartier Bresson). The concept that you should know what you want your final product to look like before you go out and shoot it (Ansel Adams' concept). The shutter speed, the apperture, the ISO, the focal length, subject to camera distance, circles of confusion. A photographer knows these things. Uses them as tools to create art.

A photographer's best buiness is not the family down the street or a weeding shoot; it's other photographers. We understand the importance of captured moments. Framed memories. They last forever and if you have the photographer that touches your heart, you chose the right one. Please, don't go looking for the cheapest person you can find. There is a reason their prices are so low. The market is hard. Business is tough. People don't value their time and effort like they should.

Although, don't get me wrong, there are a lot of people out there who charge good money for horrible photographs. if you want some examples, check this site out : http://youarenotaphotographer.com/

Do your research. I beg of you. If you don't feel comfortable with your phtographer, don't use them as your photographer. You should feel like yourself with this person. Nervous is okay, exited is awesome  Keep in mind that real photographers know the difference between good and bad shots. They want to make YOU, the client and happy as possible. It's what we live for.

So please, THINK! I promise you that my photos will never end up on yourarenotaphotographer.com.

“The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.”~Ansel Adams

       

Simple Beauty

I've already gone on my rant depicting that everyone is beautiful. You all know what my mission is. Incase you don't though, here's a recap: I want to make you feel amazing, if not for a moment, then for the rest of your life. How I am going to do that? By shocking you into believing this with a mirror image of yourself that you've ever seen before. 

This is Rebecca. One of my good friends from High School whom I will never forget. She has a great smile a sweet personality and has a fear of animals. Nonetheless, she is part of my past (watching the Twilight series the first day it came out and staying in line for five hours being one element of my past I shared with her <3) and will remain in my future. Cheers to you, beautiful woman! I hope you all enjoy these images, we had a lot of fun taking them, despite the cold weather.

Thank God It's Friday

You know those days where everything just seems to fall into place? When the sun rises into a beautiful morning and the birds sing their cheerful songs as the crisp air dances in the fresh autumn leaves. Yeah, I love those mornings too. Especially when it means the weekend is coming.

Wake up. Yawn. Look over my shoulder. Smile fondly. Caress his cheek. Heart pounds. Kiss his forehead. Get up & take a shower. Brush teeth, fix hair, get dressed. Breakfast. Write a note. Place it beside his pillow. Treck to school.

This, in simple terms was my morning. Although it did also include a gorgeous sunrise, crisp autumn air, amazing fall leaves rustling and country music. I do love waking up next to my love. Partially because I actually got some sleep the night before and because I can't get enough of him. He makes me feel whole and bubbly, makes me want to dance in the rain in my best dress. ( Wich btw I did do on his prom night when the weather was less then agreeable.)

There are very few people who are able to define me the way I want to be defined. Ask some of my best friends, they have a pretty good idea. But ask him, and I am sure he could go on for days explaining the intricacies of my odd personality. He has seen me at my best and at my worst and somehow still decides to be with me. IT has been almost two years and I still can't get enough.

All in all, our story is pretty different from other couples. We met strangely, we fell fast. I will spare you the details but this is what I learnt. You can go looking for love. The more you look the more it'll run from you. You have relax, concentrate on other things. Get distracted and everything will just fall into place. That's true for a lot of things. Just relax, let things happen and it'll all be okay. Stop worrying. Be happy.

I will leave you off with a couple of links to some songs that make me really happy no matter where I am and what mood I am in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7Gf2SOmz5Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtQ7TXvZOPI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqgHosrqJ8o

The Power of Photography

Paul Fusco documented the atrocities that came from the nuclear disaster Chernobyl. He shows the children, parents and the community that was destroyed by this disaster. Tugging at the heart and invoking painful emotions, the images he took are heart-breaking. These children can't speak, can't move. They are subject to fits, they are deformed and their minds are destroyed. They don't recognize their own parents. These are the images of a destroyed life. Decades after the explosion, the consequences continue to effect he people of Belarus. The video was captivating. The images burn my heart. The stories will imprint on my soul. 

http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essay/chernobyl

Darcy Padilla followed the life of an 18 year old, HIV positive mother. For 18 years, she followed her story, capturing heart-wrenching images of her struggle through life. Sexually abused and discarded, thrown through a window by her own step-father at the age of 14, Julie is a fighter. She fled from home, escaping the woes of her broken home. Getting into drug abuse and contracting HIV, she now has five children and struggles through  life. Darcy is trying to inspire awareness of the lives of people who have AIDS. Using the images form Julie’s story, she paints an unimaginable sad picture of those who live on the fringes of welfare to support family.  Her mission is sad, her words about the abused woman are captivating. She was able to bring me to tears in a 4 minute video using only the simplest of words and many painful images. Darcy is an inspiration to me. Her images captivate and bring forth need for change, for help. I strongly believe in her cause. This story captured my heart and my soul and will remain burned into my memory.

http://www.darcypadilla.com/

The power of images goes beyond words. It goes beyond media. These images are unforgettable. The stories are deeply imprinted in every photograph. Photography is Powerful. 

Gorgeous Girls

So many of us doubt. We worry. We fuss. What we seem to forget to do is BELIEVE. As women, the barbie girl image has been burned through our minds since we were young children, and for many of us, it becomes hard to believe that we are beautiful. No matter how many times our friends, boyfriends, husbands and family have told us otherwise, our mind is programmed to favor negative information. As soon as one person has said "did you put on weight?" or a saleswoman give you ones of those looks, you know the one; it says "Yeah, good luck getting into those shirts/dresses/pants.", we seem to remember and believe those hurtful passes. I admit, I am just as offended as the rest of you when these things happen, and I doubt myself every day, my boyfriend can vouch for that. The one thing I am here to tell you is that you are beautiful. You are strong. You are powerful. You are a woman and no one should take that from you. Strut down that street. Flash that dazzling smile. Knock 'em dead. Let's keep our head, heels and standards high! Each and every one of you has a unique factor that shines through. Forget the makeup, leave your hair alone and be confident. They'll fall at your feet, no matter who you are. Confidence is sexy. It doesn't take big breasts, small waists and luscious hips. Confidence takes pride. Harness it, use it.

As many of you already know, I did a photo session with one of my very good friends last month. She is gorgeous, fun loving, sweet, humble, stubborn, and has some of the most amazing eyes (aside from my boyfriends', sorry Nat) that I have every seen. As an all around amazing woman, she walks with her head high and her spirits flying. Always trying to hold in barely-contained laughter, she can make others feel happy with one smile. I love spending time with her and I hope you will enjoy these images as much as I enjoyed taking them, although that is doubtful; we had a blast.