We wait all year for the long days & the warmer weather here in Vancouver.
I am so excited to get back to shooting outside again.
My favourite time of day to shoot at is a hour before sunset. You get that nice warm glow to your photos.
I have a ton of great spots to do photos in North Vancouver, West vancouver, Downtown and even the Fraser valley.
I hope to capture your family this summer!
I am absolutely aware that photoshoots with kids are incredibly stress-inducing, but they are also TOTALLY worth it. You know how fast your children change, which is why having photos of them at different stages in life is so important. That being said, I one hundred percent understand how stressful the whole process can be.
Choose your outfits one week prior - yes, one week prior! Hit up consignment stores for accent pieces like vests or fun jackets. H&M and Zara are good places to get the basics. Solid colours are best, and usually, these bigger stores’ seasonal colours are on-trend and in complementary palettes that will work with your whole group.
Pick comfortable pieces your kids will actually wear - eliminate the frustration of fighting your toddler to wear something they don’t want to wear, for example, scratchy jeans or structured shirts. Opt for something they will put on their bodies and not flip out in the process of doing so.
Bring snacks and treats. Ah yes, snacks and treats, also known as bribes. Very little will get a toddler more motivated than a smarty or lollipop. This may not be for everyone, but, in these special circumstances, it can be very motivating to get your little one to cooperate.
Mentally prepare yourself for chaos, lower your expectations, and try not to strive for ‘perfect’. It’s often us, the parents, who put these crazy expectations on ourselves to create something that is perfect. When things don’t go in this direction (honestly, do they ever?), it can cause stress. Kids pick up on this stress and in turn, makes the whole situation tenser than it needs to be.
Work with a photographer who knows kids - a photographer who has experience with kids is likely going to be calmer around children. And honestly, we know that kids are always way better for people who aren’t their parents, right?
Bring help - it’s always a good idea to have help, whether it’s your spouse or a grandparent. Sometimes it’s an all-hands-on-deck situation where I’m holding the camera making farting jokes, dad is positioning the baby, and mom is trying everything in her power to get the baby to smile. It really is a workout so be prepared to get sweaty.
This isn’t meant to scare you, it’s meant to help prepare you for the wonderful chaos of a family photoshoot with little kids. Lower your expectations for your kids and yourself and we will do just great together!
Just before summer began, I did a Children’s Portrait Series and it was a big hit with my clients. These portrait sessions are perfect for adorning your home with high-resolution, striking prints of your little loved ones. Portraits are also ideal to use as headshots if your kids are involved in acting.
I learned via my Instagram polls, that many of you are interested in big prints like the ones featured in this now iconic blog post by Chris Loves Julia. There are tons of tutorials on Pinterest and the web, so I’ll highlight the basics like where to get prints done in the Vancouver area and what kind of frames I like to use.
Most of the tutorials online require you to do some photo editing to achieve the right look - I’ve eliminated this step by giving you colour and black and white edits to choose from. You also won’t need to fuss around with the resolution since these are professional portraits you can send right to print.
I highly recommend Kerrisdale Cameras for printing! They have an amazing online service that’s easy to use, great quality, and the turnaround is so quick. They also have locations all over the Lower Mainland and in Victoria.
You don’t need to spend a ton of money on framing every image in your home. IKEA has tons of styles of frames to choose from, they’re inexpensive, and they come with mattes. Matting can make a huge impact on a framed print, it keeps things cohesive and tidy, and can really make an image pop in your space. For big pieces like this you can’t go wrong with large RIBBA frames (which are now less than $20!), they’re light, easy to hang, and have a timeless modern look.
I hope this helps you make the most of the portraits you’ve had done with me, another photographer, or some killer photos you have on your phone. Also, if you’d like to have portraits like these done, stay tuned, I may do another shoot this fall!
One of the best parts of my job as a photographer is the relationships my clients and I build over the years. Family sessions can be so fun and rewarding - I’ve been photographing this family since their oldest was a baby. It’s been such a pleasure watching this family grow and see the children's personalities develop as they get older.
We lucked out with this family session because it was a perfect summer evening at Blackie Spit in Surrey, one of my favourite places to photograph. It’s an incredible location for family sessions because there’s a mix of backgrounds and textures including luscious green grass, a field for running, and the beach for those quintessential Vancouver family photos. I hope you enjoy these family photos as much as I enjoyed taking them!
Join me for a summer family mini session - they're quick, but I'm efficient! It's the perfect opportunity to get some updated family photos done in everyone's favourite season. Extended family is welcome!
Pure and Sweet Photography Summer 2021 Family Mini Sessions
These family mini sessions are $300 - this is a discounted price from my regular family mini session ($100 savings). You have two locations in Metro Vancouver and three dates to choose from. Click the links below to sign up for your family mini session.
Plan your outfits ahead of time to eliminate stress!
Coordinate colours - this doesn't mean they need to match, but they should be complementary.
Keep it simple - nothing too bold, but a texture or pattern can make an image pop!
Consider your location and choose something you may actually wear there.
I rounded up some items and places to shop for inspiration!
So much happens in the first year of a baby’s life. Sleepless nights, spit up, sleep training, crawling, first foods its all so fun and exciting. A first birthday is something to celebrate. Especially over covid- not a lot of people got to meet your baby, so this is a fun way to celebrate and show all your friends and family.
The difference between a newborn mini session and a full session is that you get more time to get multiple set ups and poses. We can do some sibling photos, mom and babe, dad and babe, family and posed ones of just baby posed on the bean bag and in a prop.
If you don’t need all of that, a mini session is perfect to still capture that sweet newborn of yours with a couple poses and a family shot.
The option is there to give everyone choices. Both sessions can be done in home or at the studio.
Milestone mini sessions are perfect for babies 3-12 months old. They can grab their feet, sit up or roll over, such fun milestones to capture and remember forever.
These sessions take place in studio and you can also bring along a sibling
What a crazy few months it has been because of Covid I was off work for over 3 months! Getting back to the studio felt so good. Back doing what I love!
First newborn back in the studio.
While the world right now seems like its turned upside down, a time that the whole world is going through the same thing, some have it worse than others but here in BC we have tried really hard to flatten the curve.
We aren’t allowed to visit with anyone outside of our household, no parks are open, schools are closed and most people aren’t working and if they are its from home or they are considered a essential service.
A lot of the time people can’t commit to doing family sessions because coordinating schedules is sometimes hard but now, everyone is home. Everyone and everything has slowed down.
A few photographers have offered porch sessions for families. I decided to do the same but give half the amount raised to Backpack Buddies.
“B.C. schools are suspended indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The nearly 1,500 kids we serve will not be returning to class as planned, and their parents who rely on school breakfast and lunch programs to feed them, are scrambling to make ends meet.” “All it takes is $15 to cover the costs of an enhanced bag of food. In addition to the 6 meals and snacks our kids would normally receive over the weekend, we are adding extra snacks, meals and whole foods including pasta, rice, soups, canned proteins and other pantry staples. As always, everything we pack will be kid-friendly, accessible and easy to prepare.”
Day one we raised $500 for backpack buddies.
Attached is some photos from the recent porch sessions.
Its nice to see Vancouver come together and help those in need.
