Meckelborg Family // Life Is Beautiful Session

These sweet and stylish people have been a longterm let there be light family & we are so grateful for the privilege of documenting their lives through the years. They are every bit as wonderful as they look and we could photograph them all day long! For this session we met up at Arbor Lake and captured some beautiful moments by the water, including one of my all time favourite sister pictures. Having three sisters myself, this image tugs on my heart strings.

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For there is no friend like a sister in calm or stormy weather;

To cheer one on the tedious way,

to fetch one if one goes astray,

to lift one if one totters down,

to strengthen whilst one stands.  

- Christina Rossett

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Ergang Family // Life Is Beautiful Session

We met up with the Ergang family one golden November evening, and seriously couldn't have picked a prettier night for pictures! We found a gorgeous spot right beside the stream in Confederation park; one of the only spots in the city where there was still leaves on the trees as well as plenty on the ground for the kids to play in! 

I am going to take this opportunity to write a little about my right hand girl. I'm so blessed to have the best second shooter in the world who happens to be wonderful with children, which helps when it comes to getting some photos of mom and dad. As a wedding photographers it' become very important to us that couples continue to take photos together, just the two of them, even after their family has grown! 

The day after the shoot Krystal texted me to say how much she appreciated Quiana being there for her kids..."I can't tell you how nice it was to have your sister there, she was helping you, but she helped us as well! We really love the new photos!" Those are the kind of texts that just fill us right up and make us fall in love with this job all over again.

Love this shot of Krystal and her baby girl! 

Wind Family // Life Is Beautiful Session

Friends as much as I love shooting outdoors, there is a time and place for indoor photos! For instance when a adorable baby boy joins your family in December.

We met the Winds early last year and had the privilege of turning there beautiful home into a photo studio for the morning to capture some newborn and family portraits. We loved this session, because of how relaxed it was...baby spits up all over Dads shirt? No problem, he can just run upstairs and grab a new one! Kiddos need a snack break? The kitchen is across the hall! 

So here they are, the six Winds with some very sweet little personalities & loads of cuteness!!!

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"Babies are such a nice way to start people." -Don Herold

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Manning Family // Life Is Beautiful Session

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As a photographer, you learn to work in all kinds of weather, but I have to say that with the variety of temperature we've had over the last few weeks, I'm so grateful that the evening we spent with the Manning family felt more like mid August than the first Saturday in May! 

We had such a delightful time with this family, from creating studio style portraits in the comfort of their own home to playing on the beach. There was so much love and some truly priceless moments that we felt so privileged to capture.

And what you might not see by just scrolling through these images is how dedicated these parents were to getting genuine smiles on the faces of their little ones. When kids are hot and tired, it's not easy to keep them smiling, so major credit for all these super adorable expressions goes to mom and dad for knowing their kids, taking snack breaks and having the attitude that made photo taking fun for everyone! So now you know the secret to great family photos.  Enjoy some of our favourite shots of these four.

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"Children learn to smile from their parents."  - Shinichi Suzuki

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Baby Ellie // Life Is Beautiful Session

So I'm just warning you, I have photographed some seriously cute babies recently. And there are serious perks to shooting newborns, not only are your clients completely adorable, but you also get to cuddle the baby between takes... especially when she's family. Yes, I'm related to this little sweetheart and her amazing parents! Micah is my first cousin and it's been so special to capture some big milestones for them over the past few years. First engagement photos after he asked Lorelei to marry him, then their wedding and now baby photos!!! I love watching this family grow and all you have to do it look at the photos to know how very happy they are to be a family of three!

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If one feels the need of something grand, something infinite,
something that makes one feel aware of God,
one need not go far to find it.
I think that I see something deeper,
more infinite, more eternal than the ocean
in the expression of the eyes of a little baby
-Vincent van Gogh

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McLaren Family // Life Is Beautiful Session

I'm excited to be able to share this beautiful session with all of you. 

There is a great story behind these pictures.  And it all starts back in 2012 when Sarah contacted me to set up a secret photo shoot as a surprise for their mom's birthday! We conspired and planned a time she would be away to capture some portraits of her five kids on their acreage. We used her birth date as the gallery password, and it turned out to be a lovely surprise for her! And those pictures have been on their walls ever since. But time passes quickly and kids have a way of growing up. So four years latter, it was Dad's turn to be surprised! Which is why I couldn't share these pictures earlier. It was top secret, until his birthday!

I love capturing siblings together. That bond is so close to my heart and therefore one of my favourite relationships to photograph.  On top of that this family just knows how to have a good time, and how to laugh!!! (it may or may not have been my posing demonstrations they found funny) but at some points I was the one laughing too hard to take pictures. Add to that the gorgeous spring sunshine, some chickens, the family dog, oh, and the bull who knocked down the fence and you have all the ingredients of a phenomenally a fun photo shoot!

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Life isn't a matter of milestones, but of moments.  

- Rose Kennedy

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Smith Family // Life is Beautiful Session

All the best things in life are worth waiting for! Babies are definitely high up on the list of "bests".

We've been anticipating the addition of this little one ever since last fall, when we had the privilege meeting this wonderful family and capturing a life is beautiful session for them in the season of anticipation while the leaves were turning orange & yellow.

And now it's spring, and along with green leaves and robins singing, came the arrival of their precious little girl! She couldn't be sweeter, or more loved by her Mommy, Daddy and big brother! 

I'll never forget this little girls birthday, because it happens to be the same as mine! It was so special to photograph her at just six days old. This family is beautiful and the warm and relaxed atmosphere in their home made for some really sweet and intimate moments. 
 

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"SOMETIMES THE LITTLEST THINGS TAKE UP THE MOST ROOM IN YOUR HEART"

- Winnie The Pooh

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This adorable little hat with the blossom on it was custom made by the very talented Elisabeth S. who just started selling them! I'm in love with her work and ordered three more to use in future newborn sessions. They are so incredibly cute! I'm going to devote a whole blog post to her lovely handiwork in the future, but if want to know how you can get one for yourself, leave a comment bellow I'll let you know how you can connect with her.

Barber Family // Life is Beautiful Session

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"Our brothers and sisters are there with us

from

the dawn of our personal stories to the inevitable dusk."

- Susan Scarf Merrell

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We've been photographing this precious family since we did the maternity portraits of their mom and dad, when were expecting baby #1!

Many exciting chapters have been added since then, including moving to another province and welcoming the twins. I am convinced they get cuter every time we see them.

This session we focused mostly on candids, capturing the busy world of these three little people and some pretty adorable sibling love!