Documentation and Presentation

You'd be surprised how many people look at their wedding images and see something they don't remember at all... Sometimes it was something they never got to see but often, it's something they actually participated in - like hot rollers being put in their hair... I have to tell you - I LOVE this. It makes me feel like if we hadn't been there to document the day's events, something would have been lost. Shooting a wedding is a HUGE responsibility. And moments like this make me feel like we're doing something right.

On another note, yesterday was a BIG day for Art from Life. We did something completely new! We put together a same-day slideshow!!! What a rush! Immediately after the ceremony was over, while David did the formals, I put together a slideshow of the day's events to be shown at the reception. I had an hour to get it done & I'm thrilled to have pulled it off! It felt like one more thing we were able to add to this very special day... More on this to come soon - Just had to share ;) Oh - and you car buffs out there.... Just WAIT 'til you see the images!

Happy Sunday everybody!

M.

Amber & Paul - Hitched!

It's all in the details....

People often ask us if we ever get bored of weddings.... The vowing, the kissing, the dancing... Week after week... This question is answered with a look - first of confusion, then of horror. In fact I'd like to be standing in front of a mirror the next time someone asks... I'm sure it's hilarious.

Here's the thing. Every wedding is NOT the same and that's what makes every Friday night like Christmas eve around here! We can't wait to see what awaits us in the morning! People are amazing because they're different! The world would be boring if we were all the same... Haven't our mothers all told us this when we were teenagers and wanted a particular thing that was just like everyone else's?? In my case, it was a particular pair of Buffalo jeans. I wanted them so bad I borrowed them from my friend Anne.... And took what I'll call "a while" to give them back. And still my mom refused to give in... I hate it when she's right ;)

Ok - so back to my point.... People are defined not by their similarities but by what makes them unique. It's the same with weddings. Each one has it's own special stories to tell. The stories are most often told by the details. You have to have and open heart to recognize them and understand their importance. Like secrets waiting to be revealed.

It's in the way every curl is carefully placed... It's in the way a couple looks at each other... In Paul and Amber's case, it's in the way he holds her by the waist... It's in the way they nuzzle while they dance... It's how Amber gave her girls beautiful watches presented to them in 'toy chests' - wink wink... It's how Paul's answer to rehearsal jitters (Amber tried to place his ring on his middle finger) was the use of a sharpie and an arrow... It's how instead of a guestbook, this couple asked their guests to sign fabric squares (more Sharpies!) which will then be made into a quilt - one that will continue to warm them throughout their marriage... It's how Paul was walked down the aisle by his teenaged daughters... It's how having a few minutes to kill resulted in stopping for a pint in a local pub - and shooting pictures ON the bar... It's how her bouquet was made of wooden blue roses (Yes - wooden!)... It's how her grandfather was watching over them... All of these little things are what made this day so special for them... And for us.

Paul & Amber were completely open to the whole experience. I think it resuted in a collection of beautiful and creative images that will help them remember the Big moments as well as the details.

Thanks for letting us in :)

M.

Lady in Waiting...

Ah spring....  Trees are budding, flowers are blooming and BABIES are coming!!!

There's something magical about parents who are waiting...  The room is done (or almost), the crib is made, the bags are packed....  all that's missing is the baby!  A precious little person who will change their lives forever.  The energy in the house is almost palpable.

A lot of the time, when we photograph a belly, we've previously met the lucky parents but every once in a while the pregnancy shoot is our first meeting.  What a wonderful time to come into a life...  Just before it begins.  Right in the middle of the magic.

This particular mom-to-be has this lovely comfort about her that makes her very easy to photograph.  I love the natural feel of the photos.  I think they illustrate that comfort, as well as her husband's sheer excitement.  It's also a lot of fun to deal with clients who are photography enthusiasts.  We love when our photos provoke an emotional reaction.  That's our payoff.  But it's also cool when clients understand the process as well...  A little shop talk is ok once in a while... hehe.

This little one should be here anytime now...  Enjoy the adventure!!

M.

Sweets

Happy Easter Everyone!!!

There was some serious anticipation goin' on in our house tonight...  There are two little girls tucked in and waiting for the Bunny to show up and leave his sweets.  I have always loved Easter.  Spring time and fresh starts, the first signs of better weather and the promise of things to come...  Our second daughter's name means Easter - and her arrival certainly signified a new beginning for us...

As for most things, having kids has ony intensified the joy of Easter time...  I have the feeling this year will be particularly wonderful as our youngest is really into the treasure hunt now :)  I'm looking forward to watching them follow the trail of treats. 

Our oldest was born a few days before Easter...  6 years ago.  I remember it like it was yesterday...  I just dug up the gift I gave her on her first Holiday...  A soft & sweet little ducky that she loved so very much...  It has seen better days - I won't part with it.  I can remember that need to remember every little thing she did... to document.

That's part of the reason shoots like these are special.  I love helping parents document their child's growth and discovery of the world.  I love being part of their 'firsts'.  And, I gotta say, I love spending time with the babies!!!  We were so warmly received into this baby's life and into her grandparents' home.  It is clear that her entire entourage is completely smitten with her...  Right down to her uncle who provided the wardrobe change :)  And it's easy to see why.  She's just such a doll!  It was so fun to watch her examine the things around her...  It wasn't easy to get her to look up but I actually prefer that.  I love the 'realness' of it.  The intense curiosity, the examination. 

I also loved the opportunity to reconnect with an old friend.  So many things in life change...  It's wonderful when some things don't. 

I hope that today is a very special day for this beautiful baby and her parents - and I'm positive she's being spoiled rotten :)

M.

Great expectations

We love weddings.  We make no secret of it.  We love being part of a couple's happiest moments from behind the scenes...  I've discovered that nothing completes this better than the opportunity to watch our couples grow into families. 

When we photograph a wedding we get a very special glimpse into the lives of our couples.  In fact getting to know our brides & grooms in one of the best parts of what we do...  Forming a connection... Being invited back into their lives when a baby comes into the picture is both a pleasure and an honour. 

It was so fun to come into their home and witness the small changes that have occured over the course of a year....  The most obvious being all the baby gear that has appeared, the most interesting being the quiet excitement that exists in the waiting...  Still the picture of grace, this mother-to-be has changed ever so slightly...  She is that much more beautiful.  I'm sure her husband would agree. 

It's clear that this new life has brought so much joy already...  The changes are subtle.  They are still the same people we watched walk down the isle...  Just more so.

Lucky baby.

M.

Sleeping beauty...

      Meet 'Butternut Squash'... this is what her mom lovingly calls her while she looks into her eyes. Which, I gotta tell ya, is much more endearing than 'Fuzzbucket', which is what I used to call my own daughter...

      Brings me back to those first weeks of motherhood. The absolute awe and amazement of it all. Funny how time lets us forget the sleep deprivation, the hard work and the feeling of complete helplessness we feel when they cry... We remember the way they smell, the softness of their skin, the look of absolute trust in their eyes, the silly names we gave them... Beautiful. I miss it.

      We had the pleasure of spending some time with this particular little miracle today. She was a real trooper too! She actually slept like an angel through most of it - which made our job really easy ;) A real life sleeping beauty... I think the best part for us was when her dad brought up his instruments... A guitar & a bass drum... Part of the reason I love going into people's spaces is because we can roll with the ideas as they come. The above shot of her curled into the guitar case says so much about her dad... So much about what her life might be like - filled with music...

      Amazing isn't it? Just how much love the world has for such a small being... It's clear that this little one has her entire entourage wrapped neatly around her little finger... And it's clear to my why. She's absolutely precious. I left her home feeling happy. Happy that she has such wonderful people around her... Happy those people have HER around them... Happy we got to witness it...

M.

Julie & Luc.... by Me

Julie & Luc... Playful, silly & madly in Love. It was a real pleasure to share a winter adventure with these two. We've been waiting for the perfect time to shoot their engagement session. They pictured big fluffy snow, perfect for snowballs. This shouldn't be hard to come by in Northern Ontario... We thought. With winter drawing to an end and Julie & Luc soon setting off for new adventures, we took advantage of a mild early morning with a dusting of fresh powder. Not sticky snow... useless for snowballs... but GREAT for snow angels...

The images above are my interpretation of Julie & Luc. I love the intensity that exists between them. But it's not an obvious intensity... It exists beneath the playfulness, almost in private... I had the pleasure of seeing it in the moments between shots... behind the scenes. It exists in the way Julie looks at Luc, in the way they cling to each other. I hope my images illustrate it.

I feel that I am by far the luckier member of the Art From Life team. I get to shoot strictly with my gut, without any expectations other than my own. I get to experiment freely while David bears the burden of "getting the shot". I thank him for this. It has been the most valuable learning experience I could ask for. I am proud of these images. I saw them, I shot them... I even edited them (this is something I normally leave to Dave... again, I'm spoiled). I feel that I captured something of Julie & Luc. I hope they see it.

M.