So, it’s still Friday. Just thought I’d point that out. I’m soooo busy right now and for the next few weeks. Things are a little bit crazy around here. Thank goodness for Wovenfare–an online menu planning service. Two incredibly ingenuous Calgary women head this company and I started using it a few weeks back after three seperate people mentioned it to me. Now I am spreading the love as to help everyone feel more organized and happy. They actually have a free online one that you can use, but I actually personalize mine(we don’t eat that much meat in our house) and I LOVE  how totally easy to use it is–all around. The fabulous grocery list, the easy to navigate website, and the easy to prepare meals(this is a must right now). So, a plug…for two women I’d say thanks to if ever I met them.

What keeps me busy? Well, this weekend it is a fabulous Sex and the City party hosted by the uberfab stylist, Kim Flanagan. Not only do I get to go, but I get to capture all the dolled up ladies a la the credits of the fabulous television series. Maybe I’ll even have a cosmo I’ll have so much to gossip talk about on Monday it should be fun

 Friday’s favorites…This week I am going to feature Shannon Sewell who I’ve been following for awhile, but I think that recently she has really started to rock the glass! She’s even up for photographer of the year over at Bludomain. It’s a tough choice…so is Fred Egan …check out her stuff! Have a great weekend!

From today…

One of the reasons I love capturing my own children is it gives me the opportunity to play around and learn new things. Today, we played. Georgia was extremely cooperative. I am extremely happy with the results.

So, I don’t really DO weddings. That said…I did one. It was fun, too, but I don’t think Calgary’s wedding photographers have anything to worry about I mean…I LIKE shooting kids. That didn’t come out right….but I do. In fact, there are a LOT of pictures of the kids that were at this wedding. So, this is the last post about it. I promise…but, isn’t she a beautiful bride? I mean…seriously. Hair and makeup thanks to the lovely girls(I think they were both named Jillian) at ‘Get Banged’ in Inglewood.

The groom’s son and best man did this unprompted when I asked them to kiss…I thought it was cute.

Can you tell that I am loving negative space lately?

They were good sports…it was FREEZING cold as you can tell from this shot.

I thought this was funny…especially the ‘caution’ sign in the corner. All my loyal followers know, I LOVE SIGNS.

This is her saying Yay! It’s done!!!! I can warm up now!

And, this last one is just me playing around. Thanks for checking in. Congratulations to this lucky couple!

So, I didn’t take many images at the workshop. Of the 20 or so that I did take, this one is my favorite, so I thought that I would share it. I know that many photographers whom I chat with online want to know what the workshop was like. Well, it was nothing like I expected…which isn’t saying much because I really didn’t know what to expect, but I must have had some hidden expectations because I know that it wasn’t what I expected. Which is a good thing I think. It really is an ‘experiential’ workshop as he says because we do a lot of experiments in self exploration which help…ummm…awaken something in everyone. Then, we relate it all to photography…you come away with a new perspective on your work and, consequently your life. It’s not easy to put into words what I learned there. I actually think that it is different for every one. That said, if anyone wants to have a conversation with me about the workshop, please feel free to contact me directly as I would love to talk about it further. One of the great things about having it here in Alberta is that most of the photographers were local and now I feel like I have a bigger network of Albertan photographers–which is something I value tremendously. The other great thing is that we all had the opportunity to be mothered by Jesh’s beautiful mother who not only makes fabulous lunches, but also radiates a peace and tranquility that I relished being around. What a wonderful, personal retreat it ended up being. Thank you to all involved…Jesh, Theresa, John, and all the other photographers who shared the experience with me.

Only rain can bring rainbows. Right? I spent the day celebrating Lisa and Lee’s wedding yesterday. Here are the first few that caught my eye. More to come I promise, but my husband just said to me–’I want my wife back’. How can I resist?

Here’s the rainbow …a little color…

I love how the groom’s son and best man has his shirt untucked. It’s my favorite thing about that image. I’ll pop in again soon. Promise.

Okay…hmmm…

{insert very long thoughtful pause here}

There are no images today. Maybe later today, but I wouldn’t count on it. I know I’ve been gone and I know I went without warning, but the thing is life got crazy and then I went away. That’s all. I just spent the last three days in the most amazing company and feel so incredibly enriched because of it. I had the extreme blessing to attend Jesh’s workshop this week. I am not really ready to talk about it partly because I don’t have the time to do it justice right now and partly because I haven’t digested it all. Know what I’m saying? Jesh…do you know? But, unbeknownst to him, Jesh gave me personally the biggest gift this week. He invited John Micheal Cooper to be the guest speaker. hmmmm…

{another long thoughtful pause}

Without knowing John or his work(yes, apparently I live under a rock), I was moved in a very special way by a slideshow that he did because I have been working on a slideshow project in my head for the last couple of months. Sharing that project with John lead to a conversation that will sit with me for a long time…perhaps forever because it gave me direction instead of a destination. And, now, I can’t wait to begin. Or continue really. From the flashlight of my soul, John…thank you. So, in honor of John and learning new things and meeting new people, I am going to tell you all to check out his blog. Then, you will all be REALLY confused, but that’s okay. Ladies and gentlemen–

John Micheal Cooper and Alt-F photography

 Thanks for hanging with me. Next week will bring many more posts…promise.

So, today I am going to post one of my early favorites and the very first photographer I ever got the guts up to write personally. Amy Coffey of Texas. If you check out her blog, go back a bit and see her photos of China as they are FANTABULOUS!

And, because a post seems empty without some sort of image or something, I am throwing up another blast from the past…it makes me want to dance and laugh hysterically at the same time. Happy long weekend!

Ghosttown part two. I’m just starting to dig into my mother’s day gift There are some new favorites. Thought I would share…

Happy Wednesday!

This post is going to seperate the moms from the photographers Most moms for mother’s day want to go to the spa or get jewellry or relax. Not me…no way. I want to load everyone up in our tiny car(we drive a VW Golf) and drive two hours to a ghost town. Then I want the children to cooperate for a photo shoot(this is asking a lot of my overphotographed children). Jack understood that concept better than Georgia. So, we had fun. I filled an 8gig card(with raw images that means about 1000) and then we suffered through the drive home with the kids fighting and our satellite radio not working intermittently(we have no idea why–well, we have some idea, but there isn’t much you can do about it in Three Hills). I must thank our friend, Scott Sherman–fellow photographer–who told me to google Ghost Towns of Alberta and see all the cool stuff there was within a short drive from us. Of course, the coolest Ghost Town was a couple of hours away. The film ‘Bye Bye Blues’ was filmed there. There are still 3 grain elevators(the skyscrapers of the prairies). And, a train station. It was fabulous!

How did this post seperate the moms from the photographers? All the moms went ‘What?!!!’ and all the photographers went ‘Coooooool’. Which one were you? With 1000 images, you are bound to see more, but here are some early favorites that I felt like sharing.

This is Georgia’s new favorite dress and she will not take it off(we have to peel it off her at night). You have been warned as I am sure that you will see plenty of it over the summer.

Yesterday while driving home from our long day’s journey(stay tuned for more details later in the week), I heard this song on satellite radio(love satellite radio). It made me think of junior high and going to see these guys in concert with Jodi Ramer. Our tickets were up in the balcony, but she was so cool and ballsy that she snuck us onto the floor and we stood at their feet with the other gaggle of teenage girls wearing gummy bracelets, mesh shirts and lace headbands. Ah…bliss.