carolyn & alex: engaged
July 1st, 2011 by sharaleep | No Comments »
i feel like i’ve been dwelling in love town lately and i’ve got to say, i don’t mind it at all. this past week held three weddings and an engagement shoot…all unique and lovely couples with completely different styles and personalities. but all very much in love.
i met carolyn a couple of years ago when she was spending a lot of time hanging out in our basement. i haven’t seen her in awhile, so it was so fun to reconnect and meet her main squeeze/soon to be husband.
these two are getting married in ontario in october and i’m so sad i won’t get to be there because i know carolyn is going to be the most beautiful bride. can i get an amen?
jon & latisha: married
June 29th, 2011 by sharaleep | 6 Comments »
i knew from this couple’s engagement session that they were in love. yes, they’re young and yes, they’ve got a lot of change coming in the year ahead, but i really admire their readiness to commit to one another. for life. i think there are a lot of people out there who could learn from these two!
their ceremony was simple and beautiful, involving their family and closest friends. it was an emotional tribute to where they’ve been and where they hope to go. and there were so many sweet details (including personalized m&ms) to top off what was a very. lovely. day.
and possibly my favorite shot of the day…
Venues: Clayburn Church & Old Clayburn School
Flowers: Willow Designs
Bride’s Gown from Image in White Wedding Gallery
Mens’ Tuxedos: Moore’s
Cake: Icing on the Cake
miss ev
June 21st, 2011 by sharaleep | 3 Comments »
there’s something about walking into a home where a new baby has just arrived. there’s this joyful hush throughout the house (especially when it’s a first child). everyone looks exhausted, but they’re so. happy. and there are usually a few extra bodies hovering just waiting for an opportunity to snuggle the little. this house was no exception.
how cute is this butterfly collage from etsy? this little girl’s nursery was just lovely.
i’ve never seen a dad smile so much after being peed on. ever.
sleep tight, baby girl!
three girls.
June 17th, 2011 by sharaleep | 4 Comments »
i was one of three girls. so i know what it’s like. especially looking in that dad’s eyes…i recognize that look. that “love my little girls even though they drive me crazy sometimes and i’m not sure what to do with them…they’re so beautiful and i would do anything to make them happy…though i know the teenage years are coming and if ‘anything’ means letting them take my car to meet their boyfriend they’ve got another thing coming…but thankfully i’ve got a few years before that so i should really soak up every moment they are still daddy’s little girls” kind of look.
these girls were SO into exploring. we could barely keep them still for a moment…they were so excited to discover something. anything!
it just wouldn’t be right if i didn’t wrap it up with a little “mischief”…what else can you expect with three girls!!
latisha & jon: engaged
June 15th, 2011 by sharaleep | 4 Comments »
i was first introduced to jon & latisha via a phone call from jon’s mom who used the words “artistic” and “big holes in their ears” to describe them. that was all i needed.
not only are these two incredibly cute and totally natural in front of the camera, they have two life altering events to look forward to: their wedding in just under two weeks (which yours truly gets to photograph) and a baby girl who is joining their family in the fall. 2011 will be their year to remember.
we had to fit a couple belly pictures in, just for good measure.
alison & duncan: engaged.
June 11th, 2011 by sharaleep | 14 Comments »
when i started corresponding with alison, one of the first things she mentioned was that she and duncan loved to fish. she also used the word “weird” to describe them as a couple, which her mother quickly redefined as “quirky”. so with those two things in mind, they picked a location and i described my inspiration for their engagement shoot as huck finn meets norman rockwell. confused yet? well you won’t be when you see how beautifully it all came together 🙂
did i mention that alison’s parents own a very successful photography studio? and that alison used to work for them? totally not intimidating at all. thankfully alison and duncan were completely flexible and up for anything i had to throw at them. case in point:
we laughed a lot. duncan was shocked when i knew the word emo because he had assumed i was about 45 and we learned of alison’s “irrational” fear of dead bodies (isn’t everyone afraid of dead bodies?!). i know their wedding (let alone their lives together) is going to be completely unique and i’m thrilled that i get to be the one to capture all the details. and by the way: quirky = wonderful.
art is good.
June 8th, 2011 by sharaleep | 8 Comments »
one of the many fabulous contacts i made at the old school market was with the lovely debbie.
she invited me to come to the grand opening of the 4Cats arts studio here in abbotsford to document the festivities. i had heard of 4Cats before, but had never been in one of their studios. what an incredible place!!
i really wanted to let the kids feel comfortable and like they didn’t need to perform, so i tried to capture natural expressions instead of forcing everyone to say “cheese”. it was amazing to see the range…from intense concentration to pure elation.
one of my favorite things about this idea is that it gives kids a place where they can totally unleash their creativity and it allows parents to take a step back and really see how artistic their kids are…while not having to worry about cleaning up the mess!! you just walk away. they get to do things here that you secretly dream of letting them do at home. and kids do not disappoint, i tell you. you would not believe what they are capable of. i’m so excited that our city finally has a place like this and i can’t wait to enroll my kids in a class. congratulations, debbie and your 4Cats team!
the toropocs
June 6th, 2011 by sharaleep | 7 Comments »
it’s been awhile since i got to take pictures of a little little baby and i have to be honest, i was kind of nervous going into this session. thankfully, this dude was a perfect gentleman. he slept a little and then was awake a lot…he even obliged his affectionate sister and stayed still while she showed him a little love.
you may remember this family from a shoot we did while breana was pregnant. we had planned then to do some pictures right after their little boy was born, but i got a call the day we were scheduled and they told me tudor’s mom had suddenly passed away. he had to travel home to romania immediately and was gone for two weeks. i was so sad to hear this news as we had just been talking a little bit about his mother when i had been with them a couple of months before. in the midst of all of this, a series of verses kept coming to mind that are found in the bible in the chapter of isaiah:
“He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted…to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” to see this beautiful little boy and the joy that he brings to this grieving family…i can’t help but feel like he’s a living testimony to this verse. not to minimize the sadness, but to know that even in sorrow there is hope. and new life.
you guys are an amazing family – i’m so blessed to know you. tudor: your mom would be so proud to see the father you have become.
the nyvalls
June 1st, 2011 by sharaleep | 1 Comment »
i first had the privilege of meeting this lovely lady at a women’s group i attended a few years ago, back when i was the pregnant mother of one and she was expecting her first. oh how times have changed!
she had been asking around to see who could do their family pictures and had a friend recommend me…we hadn’t seen each other in quite sometime and she had no idea i was even a photographer! it was so great to reconnect and meet her beautiful family.
i think i might be a bad mother.
June 1st, 2011 by sharaleep | 14 Comments »
reason #1:
i let them dress themselves.
reason #2
morning snack consisted of "chomper sticks" (a way cooler name than licorice, if you ask me)
reason #3:
even though it was only warm for about 10 minutes this afternoon, i got out the pool. it just felt like time.
reason #4:
apparently i'm raising yet another butt-crack bandit.
reason #5:
i'm pretty sure those are simon's teeth chattering.
reason #6:
i'm pretty sure this is simon asking to get out of the pool, which i eventually allowed only because it was starting to rain and i didn't want to get wet myself.
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