lil mama photog - Calgary Photographer

Awesome Giveaway!

2011-09-23T13:45:00.002-06:00

Ok, I will admit that I'm a sucker for a good giveaway. Usually I don't enter too many of them, but this one totally caught my eye as it includes one of my newly favourite fellow photographers who, as part of this giveaway, will be offering up a mentoring session, so I just HAD TO enter! Definitely some cute stuff and I sure hope I win, but even if I don't, I am eternally grateful for all the sharing and inspiration that is going on within the photographic community these days. It is so wonderful to see some of the love and passion that first brought most of us photographers to the industry is finally coming back :) So, click on and enjoy!

http://reveriemine.com/inspired-giveaway/

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

9/11 - What Freedom Means to Me and Why We Take Pictures

2011-09-10T06:46:00.000-06:00

As this post is going up at 8:46am EDT on September 10th, 2011, it is exactly 10 years minus a day since a moment that changed history forever. On the eve of the 10th anniversary 9/11/01, a day which has possibly become one of the most iconic moments in recent American (and by default possibly, world) history, I am left to ponder what it means to me. Although this is a photography blog, this may be a little (or quite a bit...) off topic. However, as photographs are the path to memories for me and as this day is such a vivid memory for many people, it might not be that far off after all. In fact, I was inspired to write this post after recently being re-acquainted with the heart-wrenchingly vivid cover of Time Magazine that followed that fateful day. The photograph on the cover, taken as the two towers are burning, was captured by Calgary-born and bred Lyle Owerko which led me to ponder what that day must now represent for him in his life. And now, 10 years later, what does it mean to me and all the other citizens of the world?

September 14th, 2001 cover of Time Magazine. Image by Lyle Owerko

I am not an American, I am Canadian. Therefore, I feel a bit like a slight outsider in this tragedy(sort of like a close cousin, I would think). And even so, I do remember that day still quite vividly. I was living in Kelowna at the time. A quite Canadian city with close ties to agriculture past and present. I remember sitting in the small living room of our rented apartment and seeing the images and stories pouring out of New York just moments after it all started. I remember staring aghast at what was happening and at the response of everyone in the face of such tragedy. I remember being quite moved that even though this great event was taking place over 4,500 kilometres away (that's 2,800 miles for my American pals ;), that the whole continent, and even the entire world, was banding together and taking part to deal with the fallout. On that day, all the planes stood still and were directed even to our little local airport to help. And since that day, many from across the continent and across the world have travelled to New York to assist with the healing and rebuilding process. I remember what strength we were all given that day in the face of such horrible tragedy.

Rebuilding Freedom

Since that day, I also remember other things. I remember Americans and all the people of the world banding together for freedom against such tyranny. I remember those same freedoms being limited since then as a result. I remember soldiers being sent off to fight against those who had confessed to being the instigators of these events. I remember the horrors of those that fought to restore a tenuous sense of freedom, now being burdened with sickness. And more recently, I remember seeing a sea of flowers and hearing stories of compassion and love after a similarly senseless attack in Norway.

(Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) 25/07/2011

I remember this and many other terrorist ventures since that day, across the globe and through all cultures. I remember hearing that the purpose of terrorism is to instill a sense of terror and fear amongst a people for what they believe in. Yes, that day in 2001 was terrifying and has been ever since. Are we still terrified? Have we, as a world-wide village of humanity, found the power and the strength to rise up against this terror? Can we, as individuals living in this village find the strength and compassion to smile in the face of evil? It is my belief that those that died before that day, on that day, and since that day did not do so in vain. We must remember that the right to freedom, whether it be in the US of A, Canada, or anywhere else on this wonderful planet we call home, is sometimes a rather tenuous hold. When you think of freedom, what does it mean? To me, it is the freedom to be who I want to be without fear of oppression (so long as my freedom does not impinge on the freedom of others, as it did in such a grand way on that horribly fateful day). It is the ability to love and be loved without fear.

Freedom to grow and love. (Photo by M. Ummard)

That is what I remember now. I remember to be free and to love. And I try not to forget. It is for this reason that I take pictures and that I am a photographer. The images, the memories and thus the knowlege of the past are the key to our future. It is through images that we gain remembrance of things and people and places and learn to build a better future. I also remember being so glad that myself and my boyfriend at the time (now my husband of 9 years) were safe. And I remember feeling sad for those families that were so tragically affected. Later, as the memorials poured in, I was thankful that there were photographs of those lost to remember them throughout their lives and keep their lights burning. I remember being grateful that I have the opportunity to use the gift of photography to capture the joy and the love of the every day miracles that make a child, an individual or a family unique in who they are. And to capture the wonder of these moments for them, and for all those in the future, to treasure and look back on in remembrance for all time. This is why I love photography and specifically portraiture; it is because of this great art that we are able to achieve true time travel by simply looking at photos of the past. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, we are transported back to the moment that image was captured and enveloped by the wonderment of the person and feelings captured within. It is in this way that those in the photographs achieve a bit of immortality and we remember all that was good and is good and can be great in our little worldly village.

With love, our freedom will prosper. (Image by M. Ummard)

As a great writer over 2000 years ago put it, love your neighbour. "You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18), for that is freedom. No one ever said that freedom was easy or that love was easy (in fact, I have heard just the opposite more times than I can count). But I believe it is worth it and that we must strive for it every day. My sincere hope for the future from that day is that it continues to remind all people of the world that we are all neighbours and to fight for the freedom to love. Love; the very thing that was shown by so many around the world in reaction to those events on September 11th, 2001. The very thing that we should be living every day in defiance of the horrors displayed. Love one another and give those around you a little extra hug today, for that is what freedom looks like to me.

Do you remember? Show the power of freedom today by doing a random act of kindness. Or perhaps freedom is saying "I love you" to someone in need. Or share the feeling of freedom by paying it forward (have you ever bought coffee for the next person behind you in the drive through? It's an awesome feeling!).

Feel free to share your thoughts and leave a little blog love below or better yet, spread the love to those around you by sharing this post (just click the "share" buttons at the bottom of this post). You are all beautiful and are the reason why freedom will be forever just.

Cheers! (and love)

lil' mama photog.

Beautiful in Baker Park - Calgary Family Photographer

2011-09-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

I recently had the pleasure of photographing these gorgeous girls and their mommy and daddy. The F. Family has definitely grown up beautifully since I met them a few years ago and it was so much fun running around and playing a bit of chase among the flowers.

Mom & dad definitely know how to have fun too :)

I also want to say thank you for introducing me to this wonderful new location, Baker Park, in the northwest part of Calgary. As a "southie" myself it was great to have an insider/ "northie" perspective of where to go for some wonderful light and wonderful space.

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Calgary Urban Photography Location. Inglewood: My Fave Five - #1

2011-09-08T08:12:00.001-06:00

Lesser-Known Awesome Photography Location #1: Nellie Breen Park

Now, I must admit that as I am a mom as well as a photographer, I might be a little bit biased in choosing a play park as the #1 lesser-know awesome photography location in Inglewood. However, from a lifestyle photographer's perspective, a play park offers the perfect opportunity to capture genuine smiles and that little bit of extra spark that shows up in kid's eyes when they are at play.

No better way to get happy smiles from a little boy than put him on a slightly scary swing :)

This particular park in Inglewood is called "Nellie Breen Park" and is named after a long-time Inglewood resident and community leader. It offers a ton of different play structures for all ages and some that I have only found here and no where else in Calgary (such as this "spinning egg cup").

Even mom had to get in on the action. I love involved parents!

As it has a soft surface, a pile of different play structures, a gazebo and some wonderful open shade right in the heart of Inglewood, it's the perfect opportunity to catch some gorgeous pictures of gorgeous people. Next time you're in Inglewood for a photo session and you're looking to let loose a bit or the kids are needing to burn off some energy or the three year old is having one of those days where they just won't smile (isn't this the case for all three year olds during a photo session? ;), head on over to Nellie Breen Park; my #1 pick for lesser-know but awesome locations for family photography in Inglewood!

Nellie Breen Park offers wonderful light and the opportunity for genuine smiles.

Great fun and a great photography location for all in the family

I hope you enjoying this little glimpse into a tour of the lesser-known areas of this fabulous community and thanks for reading :)

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

One Rainy Sunday - Calgary Family Photographer

2011-09-07T08:08:00.001-06:00

It's hard to believe that it wasn't all that long ago that we were splashing through the puddles and the rain during this session (was summer really that short!?). I must say that even with the wetness, these guys did awesome during their session and were perfect little "duckies".

We even managed to get a fun shot of the whole family all together "enjoying" the wonderfully wet weather (I am so grateful for families that are as adventurous as this one!).

However, even with all that adventurous spirit, you can't fight Mother Nature and the sometimes awesome Calgary winds.

It was definitely time to head on in and warm up with some yummy hot chocolate.

Nothing better than a warm cup o' hot chocolate on a cold, rainy Calgary day

Come check out the session video of these true "rock stars"
Click here---> http://video214.com/play/hqcpIJYDNM7WmbNrkr6Ylw/s/dark

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Melissa M. - Calgary Maternity Photography

2011-09-06T18:11:00.003-06:00

I met this wonderful mommy just over three years ago when we were both attending the same pre-natal class to welcome our first-borns. It's hard to believe that's it already been that long and that now we are thinking about things like pre-school and potty training and such. It was also great to hear from her again as she was expecting her second gorgeous princess into the family and it was an honour to be able to capture all those wonderful last few precious moments of pregnancy.

I think little Miss M is going to make a great big sister :)

And I think she may actually be quite happy about welcoming another little princess too :)

Congratulations to the M. Family and I can't wait to meet your newest addition.

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Calgary Urban Photography Location. Inglewood: My Fave Five - #2

2011-09-05T08:10:00.001-06:00

Lesser-Known Awesome Photography Location #2: Walking Down 8th Avenue SE

As mentioned in location #3, the lesser known 8th Avenue SE, just a block of the main street of Inglewood, offers a variety of options for streetscape and "capture the moment" photography. As Inglewood is one of the older neighbourhoods in Calgary and the current residents in this area are taking beautiful care of these buildings and spaces, you can't help but want to capture the beauty of the place. With gorgeous front gardens, beautifully painted fences and buildings, a church and many cool things to check out along the way, it's a plethora of little photographic opportunities all in one quick and calm location.

A change meeting with one of the friendly Inglewood locals

Now, I bet you're wondering what can top this one and be #1 on our list of lesser-know awesome photography locations in Inglewood, eh? I promise I won't keep you in suspense too long so stay tuned to find out (and if you just can't wait, I will even post it early if someone comments here with a correct guess as to what #1 might be)!

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Calgary Urban Photography Location. Inglewood: My Fave Five - #3

2011-09-03T16:09:00.003-06:00

Lesser-Known Awesome Photography Location #3: White "Barn" Building

Although 9th Avenue is the "main drag" of Inglewood, I have found many of the most awesome locations are a block off this more beaten path, lying along 8th Avenue SE. One of these gems is what I call the "old white barn". It appears to be a now-abandoned building and field (it must have a care-taker though as the grass is usually nicely mowed...) with some gorgeous lines, wonderfully aged paint and it also offers some wonderful open shade for sessions that may take place in the middle of the day. And hey, because it's white, it offers a wonderfully neutral reflector for some awesome catchlights and shadow fill too!

A little place to rest in the shade or burn off a bit of energy in the middle of a session

Gorgeous fill, gorgeous texture, gorgeous clients ;)

Be sure to check back on Monday for #2 in our count-down of the best of unknown Inglewood...

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Catie & Isacc: Fun in Fish Creek - Calgary Children's Photographer

2011-09-02T08:05:00.004-06:00

Recently I had the pleasure of photographing these two cuties during a play session at The Ranche at Fish Creek Park.

Fun at the Ranche House

I love how there are so many "directed" play opportunities at The Ranche and how the eyes of these two gorgeous kids light up exploring them.

Running around at The Ranche House

Peek-a-boo :)

As these two were complete rock stars at being so cute, come check out their "rock star" video of the session by clicking here---> http://video214.com/play/ImHZdtP42urH5Eed1h1v8Q/s/dark

Thank you again to Catie, Isaac and their mommy for such a great session.

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Dear Photograph - Why we are photographers

2011-09-01T11:30:00.002-06:00

Here in the city of Calgary, today, September 1st is the first day of school for many children. As such, I'm sure there will be many shutters clicking and many tears shed as parents send their little ones off into the world of learning for yet another year. I thought it was fitting that I came across this poignant collection of photographs today. Dear Photograph is a collection of photos submitted by average people using a simple, but touching concept. Hold a picture of the past in the same location where it was taken in the present, snap the shutter and comment. This is why we are photographers; to capture moments of today for the future, when they will become the past. I am especially touched by the picture of the mom and daughter hugging goodbye on the first day of school.

Grab a cup o' tea, sit back (perhaps with a tissue or two) and click on through these great images and moments. http://dearphotograph.com/

And remember to always carry and camera and click on :)

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Calgary Urban Photography Location. Inglewood: My Fave Five - #4

2011-09-01T08:06:00.002-06:00

Lesser-Known Awesome Photography Location #4: Train Bridge on 9 Avenue SE

Like most photographers these days, I am slightly obsessed with finding those awesome grungy areas that are a bit of an oxymoron in that they look like you shouldn't be there, but they are safe enough to bring clients to. One such place that I found in Inglewood that offers some awesome architecture, is safe and really easy to get to is the underpass on 9th Avenue SE under the train tracks. I absolutely love the girders and the edgy look of all the rivets and rust offered by this little location. Put a little light in there using off-camera flash, a reflector or even back lighting when the sun is just right and you've got some wicked images!

A nook just the right size for some great children's photos

What litle boy can resist trains and girders with hidden alcoves? :)

Stay tuned for #3 in our coutdown of best lesser-known photography locations in Inglewood, coming up soon.

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Murphy Family Photography Session - The best thing since kilts to come out of Scotland

2011-08-30T20:13:00.005-06:00

For those that know me best, they know I absolutely love anything Scottish. So much so that when I "grow up", I very much want to be Claire Randall from the Diana Gabaldon-authored Outlander series. These are my absolute all-time favourite books and yes, I did just order my own personal copy of the 20th Anniversary signed edition from Diana's neighbourhood book store "The Poisoned Pen" (http://www.poisonedpen.com/) complete with cd of the new musical (eee!!!).
If you haven't yet read them, you must head on over to your local book store (my personal favourite for used books are the "Fair's Fair" stores here in Calgary), get yourself a copy and a nice cup o' tea and cozy in for the afternoon (yes, it will suck you in with the most wonderfully written characters ever! BTW ladies - in the world of fiction, Jamie Fraser is all mine ;) I also love a nice scottish burr, brown sauce, kilts and the mythos of Scotland (one day, I WILL get to go there on a trip!).

So, you may ask, where exactly am I going with all of this rambling on about Scotland? It is to introduce you to yet another thing that I have discovered that's great about Scotland; it's people. And more specifically, the Murphy family. They are recently (has it been 4 years already?!) moved to Canada and I am going to make the brash statement that we, as Canadians, are so lucky to have them here and I'm sure Scotland is missing a real treasure now (but I do sure hope they stay here in Canada ;) And don't they just look fabulous in front of the camera too? Awesome job to all the Murphy's for such a wonderful session. You were all rock stars in front of the camera!

Family Murphy - Inglewood

Little "C" is such an awesome location scout, he found this wonderful little nook and just cozied in :)

And of course his little sis had to give it a try too ;)

Miss "S" is definitely growing up to be a beauty!

And it's no wonder the kids are gorgeous with parents such as "C" & "P"

To view their "rock star" video of the session,

click here ----> http://video214.com/play/HKVQGU2LWW61HWtHcau1Pg/s/dark

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

P.S. - I am also working on a blog series about Inglewood, the awesome and eclectic neighbourhood where we took all these fabulous images. So if you're on the hunt for a few new ideas on an old community for photography, stay tuned :)

Calgary Urban Photography Location. Inglewood: My Fave Five - #5

2011-08-28T13:15:00.084-06:00

Lesser-Known Awesome Photography Location #5: Hidden Butterfly Garden

I find that one of the nice little added bonuses to being a photographer is that it offers the opportunity to explore your own hometown with purpose. Too often, we forget to be tourists in our own city and forget that there can be some wonderful and sensuous locations just in our own backyards.

Recently, while out searching for more urban locations for photography sessions, I made the choice to visit one of the more talked-about but not-often-visited locations within Calgary, the community of Inglewood. Inglewood is a little enclave of homes and businesses tucked in between the Bow River and a rather imposing and somewhat unlikely industrial area of Calgary.

As stated on the community website, Inglewood claims to be Calgary's "original main street" and as such, has a bevy of antique shops interspersed with cafes, home decor/ design stores and unique, one-of-a-kind opportunities to explore some different shopping opportunities. Most of these shops have gorgeous (and sometimes original) facades making for some great streetscape photography opportunities. However, these particularly well designed streetscapes weren't quite what I was looking for on this particular day as I wanted to find something a little bit different and slightly more undiscovered (that having been said, I am definitely keeping this main street in mind for future sessions ;) So... I decided to venture off the beaten path a bit and see what else Inglewood might have to offer.

Let's do a little bit of a count-down, shall we? Starting with #5 of my all-time favourite spots for photography in Inglewood, Calgary, we have....

Number 5: Secret "Butterfly Garden" & Train Track access

During my scouting of the neighbourhood, I found the most wonderful little secret "butterfly garden" (I think it's actually current vacant land but it looks like a natural garden right now) It has a gorgeous array of wildflowers which, to my delight, was found to be the home of thousands of friendly butterflies, crickets and ladybugs. I pulled over to the side of the road to check it out for access to the train tracks as I was looking for that kind of a look for an urban session (more on the track access further down) and decided to cut through what looked like, from the street anyways, as quite an uninviting, weed-infested, bit of land. As soon as I stepped onto the foot path, I was all of a sudden surrounded by hundreds of butterflys and grashoppers glowing in the mid-day sun. And many more sitting pleasantly upon the newly-blooming thistles and flowers along with their ladybug friends. I swear, it was like a scene out of a movie! Awesome to say the least :)

As an added bonus, the site does have rail access and quite a wide swath of land beside the tracks, which might make for some gorgeous grungy, urban shots. However, I don't think I would recommend going near to the tracks with a family (especially with younger kids) as the train tracks do appear to be quite active with potentially fast-moving trains.

Now, as I haven't had the opportunity to stage a session here quite yet, I'm going to keep the exact location of this sweet little find under wraps for now. Believe me though, once I find that right little session to fit this unique location, I will gladly share the images (and perhaps even a few more clues as to the location) here with you.

To see more of my Fave Five for Inglewood, check back tomorrow for Number 4 in our countdown.

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Zombie Engagement? - Now that's Creative Photography!

2011-08-24T08:36:00.004-06:00

In this fast-paced and ever-evolving world of professional portrait photography, we as photographers are continually striving to reach new levels of creativity and stretch our muscles. On that note, I would like to send a shout-out to this absolutely brillant photographer and her ridiculously creative idea that was posted the other day.

Amanda Rynda is a Los Angeles based photographer who, along with her clients, recently set up and shot what I have to say is one of the most creative engagement sessions I've ever seen.

Engagement session with awesome lighting + zombie invasion = brillantly creative!! in my book.

Come check it out here: http://www.amandarynda.com/2011/08/zombie-engagement-photos/

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

The best camera...

2011-07-19T19:53:00.004-06:00

Over the years, I have learned a few fundamental things about photography and equipment. A quintessential one being that "the best camera is the one you have with you". I was again shown the value of remembering this just this afternoon. We get quite a few spectacular summer rainstorms here in Calgary and today was no exception. On those days when we are lucky enough to get some heat during the day, we get some spectacular clouds that follow with the arrival of the 5 o'clock storms. While out walking the dog this afternoon, I caught the awesome beauty of some of these clouds, using just my iPhone 3GS.

So remember, always carry a camera of some sort, keep calm and click on :)

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

A little bit of sunshine - Calgary Family Photography

2011-07-19T17:32:00.002-06:00

I have the pleasure of knowing some wonderful women and their families who I met in pre-natal class when we were planning for the arrival of our little lightening bug. I can't believe that was three years ago now! I feel so blessed to know such a wonderful group. This gorgeous mama and daddy have been great friends of ours since that class and little miss TT is the miracle that arrived to them just a couple of weeks before we welcomed our little man. It has been so wonderful to watch as she grows into a little lady and to capture these precious family memories for them.

Click on the link below to view more gorgeousness from their session:

http://video214.com/play/OPsOpNJSqm20sem1K2HXmg/s/dark

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

The Wonderful Ms. Tanya - Calgary Photographer

2011-06-19T13:29:00.004-06:00

Recently, I had the pleasure of photographing the wonderful Ms. Tanya in a casual fashion session. Here's a taste of the images. Enjoy!

Calgary Photographer

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Emily has arrived! - Calgary Newborn Photographer

2011-05-06T16:57:00.002-06:00

A few weeks back, I had the most wonderful maternity session with this gorgeous mama (see it here: http://lilmamaphotog.blogspot.com/2011/03/gorgeous-tamara-calgary-maternity.html ) and now little Emily has arrived! She's just as wonderful as her mama, daddy and big sister are in front of the camera and at only three days old was the perfect little subject. Congrats on the beautiful new addition!

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Fun & Funky Urban Photography Session - Calgary Photographer

2011-04-30T16:59:00.001-06:00

I recently had the pleasure of photographing this gorgeous family in a fun and funky urban session. Oh how I love how it brings out their personalities! And who thought graffiti could be so gorgeous as a back drop!? I'm also honoured to be featured in this mama's blog (http://mamababydrama.blogspot.com/2011/04/things-i-love-fridays_15.html) as part of her "Things I Love Fridays" series. Thank you Heather for such a great session!

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Matteo & Clark - Calgary Children's Photographer

2011-04-12T05:28:00.001-06:00

During Spring Break my sister and nephew came to visit. It was so nice to have another mommy to hang out with all day and share the kids with. On her last day here, we did a professional session with Matteo and Clark. Such cutie little guys and such wonderful models. :)

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Happy Birthday Orin! - Calgary Children's Photographer

2011-03-20T11:51:00.001-06:00

I had a wonderful 1-year-old session to celebrate the birthday of this little cutie the other day. His name is Orin and he was awesome in front of the camera. Don't you just love his name too? I can personally appreciate how difficult it can be to name a new little person that you've just met and love the name that his parents chose for him.

Happy Birthday little guy!

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Matteo - Calgary Newborn Photographer

2011-03-12T13:23:00.001-07:00

A little while ago, I did a newborn session with a little sweetie named Matteo (yes, he also happens to be my nephew and I adore him to bits). Today, Matteo's dad is leaving for 28 days (his shift is going to be 28 days on and 7 days off) to go work up north to support his family. I really admire the strength of this family in making the tough decision to be apart for such long periods at a time, in order to take a chance at a better and easier future. Good luck to Matteo's daddy and mommy during what could be a difficult time. I believe in you and have great faith in your strength.

Here are some of the images from Matteo's newborn session. Enjoy and all the best!

lots of love to you guys :)

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

The Gorgeous Tamara - Calgary Maternity Photographer

2011-03-10T08:02:00.003-07:00

Last weekend, we had such a great session capturing the beauty of this mama-to-be and her gorgeous first-born. What an awesome session!

By the way, I simply love the song in the video (it's called Guardian Angel by Leah West) and it's my favourite so far. I love that by going through licensed sites for music (such as Triple Scoop or Animoto) I can discover new artists such as her (and hopefully support her in a little way as well). Enjoy!

P.S. - I just discovered that if you click on the little arrows in the bottom right-hand corner of the video, you get a full screen version. Wow! Who knew? (well probably many of you, but what can I say? I'm new to the whole "video on the blog" thing but I'm lovin' it!).

I love how wonderful Charlotte is around mommy's belly. She's going to be a wonderful big sister.

Every mama deserves a little "couch time". Although I'm sure that as busy as this one is, she sure doesn't get a lot of it.

Congratulations to you and I can't wait to meet your baby girl #2 when she arrives.

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Baby Alexia - Calgary Newborn Photographer

2011-03-09T16:03:00.001-07:00

I had the privilege of spending a wonderful evening last weekend with a beautiful baby girl, Alexia. Such a sweetheart and she still has that awesome, yummy new baby smell too ;)

I so love how the hammock Fred crocheted is working out for these newborn sessions. Thank you Fred, you rock!!

Enjoy and leave some blog love if you like as it's always appreciated :)

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Baby Dane - Calgary Baby Photographer

2011-03-02T20:15:00.002-07:00

Here's a little peek at the wonderful photo session I had the other day with baby Dane. Such a good little model.

Sweet baby boy fell asleep on the warm blankets :)

This lucky little lad has a nursery painted with and decorated with sock monkeys. So cute!

Daddy loves him so much and it shows.

Checking out the wonderful hammock (photo taken in a safe way! Please see post-scriptum below).

P.S - The photo with baby Dane in a hammock on tree branches was achieved through use of composite imaging. We shot a photo of the hammock (with a baby-sized object in it) in the branches and then one of Dane in the hammock (being held in the hammock, like in a blanket, by his loving parents), then the two images were carefully combined in post-processing. As a photographer, I think that some times little risks can lead to great shots. However, in my humble opinion, hanging a baby out of a tree is not one of those times, no matter how cool the shot may be. Especially when the cool shot can be just as nicely achieved through precise composite imaging in the hands of a skilled post-processor. That's just my opinion, but there it is...

Thank you to Dane, and his wonderful parents, for such a great session.

Enjoy!! :)

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Simply Love - WPPI 2011

2011-02-23T08:15:00.001-07:00

I am Simply Loving Las Vegas and WPPI 2011. So much inspiration and so much information :) It's actually a bit overwhelming to be honest, but I'm glad I have the experience of last year to fall back on and relax a bit (this is my second visit to WPPI - Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) conference.

So, I'm trying to sit back and enjoy all that this conference has to offer and even snap a few photos here and there. These were actually shot on my iPhone as I'm trying to travel light during the day and see things from a different perspective.

I Simply Love the way the Signature towers lights up with the golden sun-setting highlights.

I Simply Love the cinematic quality of the palm trees here (and the fact that there ARE palm trees here and I get to be here enjoying them!)

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Simply Love Project - Day 6

2011-02-03T21:32:00.000-07:00

I Simply Love the repeating pattern made by the arches of the Louise Bridge (such a seemingly simple design element that is indeed simply ingenious). I'm also still simply loving the photo editing app on my iPhone ;)

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Simply Love Project - Day 5

2011-02-03T21:29:00.001-07:00

I Simply Love watching my little man find creativity and learning in things that adults would usually just overlook. I also simply love that he is so mechanically inclined and likes to use screwdrivers and nuts and bolts to "fitix" things (maybe we have a mechanic in the family after all..)

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Simply Love Project 365 - Day 4

2011-01-31T20:04:00.000-07:00

I Simply Love the way the sun streams into the office window at my second job, especially on a really cold winter's day. I also simply love the little Camera Bag photo app that I have on my iPhone for quick, funky actions and edits.

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Simply Love - Bonus Post!

2011-01-30T19:18:00.000-07:00

As some may have noticed on my first Simply Love Project post yesterday, the photo was labelled as "2.5/ 365". I am labelling the photos to help myself remember what day they were taken in case I get behind in posting. What you may notice as odd though is that this first photo posted was not labelled "1/365". That is because I started my Project 365 the day before yesterday and I also couldn't help but doing two Simply Love photos yesterday. As such, here's the catch up photos from Day 1 and the first half of Day 2. Enjoy!

I Simply Love how my puppy sits at the window and lifts up her front paw whenever she is barking at something in the neighbourhood. It's like she's a little bit confused about her breed every now and again and things that she's a Pointer or something ;) It will take me a bit more time and patience to simply love the shrill barks she emits though...

BTW - she is a Mini Daschund/ Shiba Inu mix for those that are wondering.

I Simply Love the way freshly fallen snow looks in the morning from my office window. Especially when it's a Saturday and I don't have to go out in it. Yahoo!!

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Simply Love Project - Day 3

2011-01-30T19:10:00.000-07:00

I Simply Love a nice strong cup of tea. Especially when steeped in the teapot given to us by dear hubby's grandma. I also simply love that as dear hubby and I weren't yet married when she gave it to us, she called it our "Shack Up Gift".

P.S - I do apologize to all my British friends as yes, I do like my tea with a healthy shot of both cream and sugar ;)

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

On my way... - Project 365

2011-01-29T14:00:00.001-07:00

I have recently gained quite a bit of insight into why I have such a personal passion for photography. Sure, I grew up with it and I love looking back at old photos of my family and generations gone by. And sure, I have a bit of an OCD personality but really, can that truely explain how absolutely obsessed I am with photography? Somehow, I don't think so. I think that the reason why I love photography so much is partly due to the way my brain works. Some people recall things by receiving visual clues, others via auditory input and still others by smells. I think my memory recall is different that that even. I think I recall memories by remembering where I was. I came about this realization while having a conversation recently with my hubby. Every time he would say, "don't you remember saying that?"and I answered with, "where were we when I said that?". As soon as he told me where we had been when the conversation took place, the entire memory (smells, emotions, words said, what direction I was looking in, etc...) came flooding back to me. And it was from the recognition of how odd this was that I had my epiphany. I mean, why would it matter where I was?? But it did, and I discovered that's how my brain is wired. In order for me to have complete memory recall, I need to remember where I was. And what better way to record a history of where things took place than with photography?! So I think that's where my obsession blossomed from in part.

On that note, I would like to make 2011 a year to remember and as such, I am embarking on my own personal 365 Project. A 365 Project, for those that are interested, is one where you take a photo each day for a year, for 365 days. The theme for my personal 365 Project is going to be "Simply Love" (what better theme than that to start just before Valentine's Day :) ? Each day, I am going to take a picture of something I love and that can be something as insignificant and simple as the way snowflakes fall out of the sky. There is so much I am grateful for and so much of this "simple" life of mine that I love and I want to document that to remember myself for years to come and hopefully for others that come after me as well.

This 365 Project is not about taking the most awesome photos ever (although, I am hoping that a positive side-effect will be an improvement in my photography as practice makes perfect...) and I'm going to allow myself to use whatever tool available to take these photos, be it iPhone, "happy snap" camera, or dSLR. I'm also not going to stress too much about missing a day here or there, I'll just tack on a few more days at the end so that I end up with 365 days of memories (nobody ever said they had to be 365 consecutive days now, did they?). When possible, I will try and blog these photos of Simply Love. I would also love to put everything together in a simple scrapbook at the end. 365 pages. Each page just a photo of something I simply love and a small, handwritten description of how it is simply love. I might throw a bit of ephemera in here and there when the mood strikes me, but again, I don't want to stress too much about getting too complicated (as with most people, stress is not something I simply love, so why make it a part of this project?).

So, that's my Simply Love project for 2011. Anyone want to join in? A 365 Project is a great way to hone your photography skills, whether you are a MWAC (Mom with a camera), DWAC, hobbyist, semi-pro, pro, happy snapper or just a slightly crazy person like me that loves photography. It's not about being perfect or having the perfect images using the fancy schmansy equipment or scrapbooking it all with perfectly co-ordinating colours and a Cricut (mind you, if that makes you happy and doesn't stress you out, I say totally go for it!!). It also doesn't matter what day you start, it can be any day. It can even be today! I'd love to have you join my in this project with your own 365 Project. Make up your own theme or join me in Simply Love. Either way, enjoy the journey of the next 365 days and remember to simply love.

Simply Love Day 2.5 - I Simply Love the way my little man looks in the fabulous new winter jacket he got for Christmas and I simply love that I was able to actually get all his snowgear on (including jacket, snow pants, boots, hat AND mitts) and get him outside and he was still happy!!

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Another Gorgeous Calgary Family

2010-10-29T07:23:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of capturing the personalities of these three gorgeous sisters in pixels. It was such a great session with such gorgeous colours. I sure am grateful for such a gorgeous fall following such a dismal summer here in Calgary. It's rare that we get such a good stretch of gorgeous fall colours. Thank you for the opportunity to get out and capture the moments. I had a blast!

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Kelowna mama-to-be

2010-09-06T15:22:00.001-06:00

On our last trek out to Kelowna, I had the privelege of photographing this gorgeous mama-to-be. It's hard to believe she is only weeks from delivery at this session. And I can't get over how beautiful all the mama's-to-be are in Kelowna. It must be all that sunshine and yummy fresh fruit ;) Enjoy and all the best to Mrs. D; you're gonna be a great momma with one good lookin' kid.

An impromptu photo shoot with my lil' man

2010-09-05T21:30:00.000-06:00

Recently, my little lightening bug has developed a certain penchant for taking the dog for a walk. He wants to take her out at any opportunity he gets. He stands at the door, holding her leash saying "Annie??" "Annie, outside??". Funny thing is, our dog's name is Peanut, so I'm not sure where he got the name Annie from, but hey, we'll go with it. Either way, while out on a few of our recent walks in the evening after work, I noticed that the light at the little dog run behind our house is absolutely gorgeous and kept thinking about trying to capture it. As such, last week, I took my camera along, hoping to catch a few images, taking advantage of the gorgeous golden evening light. Luckily, my little lightening bug didn't mind indulging me at all and he was a fabulous little model for me (I think it helped that he was quite enthralled with the wheat-like grass that grows along the path). Here's a few images from our little mini-session. I hope you're all having a fabulous long weekend. Enjoy!! :)

He had to have a little sit-down and contemplate life a bit before getting really into the walk ;)

And he's off!! That boy sure has come to love his puppy :)

So excited to be out for a walk on such a gorgeous day.

It's amazing how fascinating the littlest things can be when you're 2.

A real cheesy grin just for the camera ;)

See, what did I tell you? Gorgeous light :)

And of course, we can't forget a picture of our sweet little "Annie" either.

It's amazing how lucky I feel to have these little moments in my life. Thank you little lightening bug for teaching me to how to see them.

The T Family Maternity Photos - Kelowna Maternity Photographer

2010-08-11T22:56:00.001-06:00

It was once more a busy week full of gorgeous mama's to be. The first session was with the gorgeous Mrs. T and her husband. Aren't they one of the most photogenic couples you've ever seen? I'm sure their little bundle will be gorgeous just like their mama and papa. And hey, what do you think? Pink or blue? These two are going against the modern grain and waiting to find out until the birth if this is a little boy or a little girl. Either way, it will be very loved and very welcomed. We can't wait to meet you little Baby T! :)

Sweet mama-to-be, Miss "R" - Calgary Maternity Photographer

2010-05-16T21:51:00.006-06:00

Awhile back, I had the privelege of photographing the gorgeous Miss "R", her man Mr. "J" and her beautiful belly. Recently we got to meet the little man that was in her tummy causing so much rucous and have to say that he is just as gorgeous as his parents with a beautiful mop of black hair.

Isn't she just the most gorgeous mama-to-be?

Cheers!

lil'mamaphotog

Cutie Baby "E" - Calgary Newborn Photographer

2010-05-12T21:00:00.004-06:00

I recently had the pleasure of photographing this little cutie. Once his mom and I had settled him down into the shoot, he was the perfect little, sleeping model. I love it when the newborns are like that! So sweet :)

Like a cute little stack of Oreo cookies with the sweetest icing on top....

I love all the cute little baby bits. It's amazing when we can capture a shot like this one. So much love and cuteness :)

And we can`t forget his big brother. What wonderful lashes he has!

Like I said, he was the perfect little sleeping babe. Just gorgeous!

I do love the baby sessions. Especially when they`re as wonderful as this little guy.

Cheers!

lil`mamaphotog

Calgary Photographer - Lets all be the best amateur pros we can be!

2010-05-07T10:48:00.002-06:00

I am currently reading Visionmongers by David duChemin. Beyond being a great photographer, I am finding David to be a very inspirational writer. Even though I'm only a couple of chapters in, this book is already challenging everything I know and love about photography and being a photographer (in a good way, that is). Last night, I had one of those "A-HA!" moments in regards to our industry.

Lately, there has been much tension and debate over the use of the words amateur and professional to describe various groups within our industry. In recent times, the word amateur has gained quite a bit of negative notoreity in our industry for some reason and the word professional has been elevated to almost god-like status. I will admit that I have been defining myself as an amateur, as I currently have another "day job" that pays 'dem bills (Gasp!!), and feeling quite guilty about it. I know there are many, many of your out there, photographers and others who are in the same boat and we must rise above the titles and FREE THE GUILT!! Medically and creatively speaking, guilt is a very, very bad thing and I don't know why we carry so much of it around. Especially for such an odd reason; I feel guilt because of my passion??! Hmmm...

Consider the following from David's book; the word amateur comes from the French verb meaning to love (aimer) and thus an amateur is someone who loves their craft or does what they do for the passion of it. The word professional comes from the Latin root to professio meaning someone who claims to be good at their occupation. Unfortunately, the former, in current popular language has mutated to mean someone who is a hack or fraud and the later to mean someone who is brilliant at what they do. BUT, does the fact that I love what I do (amateur) mean that my art is somehow less valuable than someone who just thinks good at what they do (professional)? I, as David does, would like to disagree. In fact, I believe that having passion and love for what you do makes a person better at their craft. So, yay for amateurs! Whether they be someone who shoots on weekends only or 7 days a week, if there is a love of the craft and a passion for the industry, then beauty will prevail. In fact, I believe we should all strive to be amateur professionals; people who love and have passion for a craft while upholding industry standards. Ah... what a wonderful world it would be... come on, sing it with me now... I know you wanna'.... ;)

Therefore, I propose a revolution of the industry for us to take back the meaning of the word amateur and re-instill the true meaning into our industry. Ask almost any photographer out there why they do what they do and 99.9% of the time, I'm sure they'll first say (as I do) that they do it for the love and passion of their craft, and professing to be personally brilliant at their craft to earn a wack-load of money will follow a very, very distant second (or maybe 52nd or 352nd....) on that list. So, say it with me (photographers and all those who do what they do for love and passion): "I AM AN AMATEUR PROFESSIONAL, and I love it!!"

Thank you and I am now done with my soapbox :) I wish you all fabulous days filled with inspiration. Don't forget to leave some blog love/ comments below.

Cheers!

lil'mamaphotog

WPPI & Vegas

2010-03-26T16:50:00.003-06:00

WPPI and Vegas were absolutely fabulous. It was so great to see so many of our industry's best all in one place. I was especially inspired by Jim Garner and his introduction to the "experiential style". It just gave me goosebumps as I was sitting there listen to someone put into words and give a name to exactly my shooting style over the last few years. It was like finally making a breakthrough into another language and being given the tools to communicate my vision with others. What a breath of fresh air! That having been said, keep your eyes and ears open for many new things to come in the future for MU Photography and the lil' mama photog' It's gonna be grand!

I was also quite excited to see all the entrants in the 16x20 competition and to have one of my photos score a 78!

Cheers!

lil'mamaphotog

Here come the Calgary Photographers (and the rest of the world....)

2010-03-01T19:33:00.004-07:00

Watch out Vegas! Here come the Calgary photographers and 12,000 of our closest buddies from around the world! I am so excited to be going to WPPI this year and look forward to sharing all about it when I return. A week-and-a-half of fun, sun and tons, and tons of learning about all things photog :) Luckily, I wrangled my husband into holding down the fort and looking after our little lightening bug while I'm away. I'm sure I'll miss him tons but I'm also very much looking forward to exploring more of the photog side of my life and leaving mommyhood behind for a bit (if only for a bit...). See you all in Vegas (or when I get back).

And just because I can't resist putting a picture up with every post, and so that I can log in and look at a pic of our lightening bug while I'm away, here's a little something from our recent trip to Cuba :)

Cheers!

Lil' mama photog

Taking a Stand

2009-11-24T15:13:00.003-07:00

It's been an exciting week in our household; my little lightening bug finally took a stand and started walking. Co-incidentally enough, it was on the same day that a friend of mine stood up to her boss about something that's been bugging her for over a year. She has been quite worried about this particular issue for quite some time now and as such, it seems to have been negatively affecting her. I was so proud of her for standing up for her beliefs, it was amazing to see. I highly recommend it for everyone. Now, I'm not talking about imposing your beliefs on others (if that were the case and we all had the very same perspective on life, it would be a very crowded corner of the world if we were all packed together looking out from exactly the same perspective, now wouldn't it? And that's just not right). I'm talking about standing up for yourself and making the world a better place in the process. It's great to see that such joyous things can come from a good dose of self-esteem, some hard work and a wee bit of courage. Whether it's taking a stand and walking (as my little guy did) or taking a stand for your sanity (as my friend did), a little bit of good might just come of it. And we're off into the big blue yonder!!

Baby Belly Laughs

2009-11-16T08:29:00.004-07:00

Don't you just love those baby belly laughs? It's so wonderful to hear such a happy, uninhibited sound from such a beautiful creature. It's too bad that we have less and less of them as we grow up and get all "serious" with our lives. I was reminded recently of how wonderful it is to have a good ol' belly laugh where nothing else matters. It's makes a person feel so good and brightens up even the darkest days. It's amazing how kids sometimes have things all figured out in a certain way and how we forget about these wonderful tools as our mind gets filled with daily concerns. So, in honour of today having arrived, why not take a moment and have a good ol' baby belly laugh. It's good for the soul and is a great way to bring joy to an otherwise ho-hum day.

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

Lovin' the Camera

2009-11-14T15:09:00.011-07:00

I seem to have been blessed with what every mama photog dreams of; a baby who "loves the camera". However, there is a little problem with how my little lightning bug loves the camera. You see, most of the time, when you hear that expression used, it's meant to say that someone is a wonderful model and knows how to "work it". Of course my little guy does know how to do that, when he wants to, as he's had a camera pointed in his direction pretty much every day of his life since the moment of his birth (and even before that... now that I think about it - maternity sessions and such). But that's not the issue. You see, because he has seen the camera and he has this rather unhealthy fascination with all things button in nature, he loves the camera whenever I pull it out. In fact, he loves it so much that he really would rather be the photographer rather than the model. As such, this has presented a wee bit of a problem when trying to capture those cute little moments of life. Right now, it seems that most of his moments are captured as a scrunchy face and an outstretched hand (coupled with a rather insistent whine to indicate extreme need). His "finest" moments lately have looked a little like this:

And then it gets even more insistent (and no, he's not just constipated :)

(don't worry, that's just paint on his face left over from his first venture into using watercolours as an art medium)

Even a face-full of yummy food (again he seems to like to use it as a make-up product... I'm not too sure what that's all about), can't distract him.

And it really does interfere with the whole feel of things if we ever try and do a formal photoshoot, that's for sure:

Oh well, I guess I have to say that he comes by it honestly though and at least we know what Santa's bringing for Christmas this year ;) Just give him a camera and he's the happiest little guy on earth (hmmm... does that sound a bit like his mama? I wonder if it's genetic? I'll have to look into that...)

And hey, maybe we can look forward to some beautiful pictures from our little photographer in the future :)

Cheers!

lil' mama photog

2009-11-10T21:02:00.006-07:00

Welcome to the new lil' mama photog blog :) My new venture in combining my two passions, being a mama and being a photographer. I have recently discovered that to undertake either venture (photography or motherhood) requires a slight bit of instability in one's personality. However, they are also both truly fulfilling occupations in which a spectacular moment can happen in the most unlikely of circumstances. It is these fleeting moments of inspiration that I hope to share here. As in photography and motherhood, it is the small things in life that make a moment special. So please join me as I look forward to sharing all the small things and moments in the life of a lil' mama photog and I look forward to hearing from all you other photogs and mamas out there experiencing your own little crazy ride called Life.

Cheers!

lil' mama photog :)