*a quick note about availability…August is booked–save one evening session available on August 9th.

 Soooo…the lovely Brittany invited me to tag along at an evening engagement session at the Stampede grounds in early July. I have been dying to shoot at night with available light and with off camera flash, so I jumped at the opportunity. The willing couple was Luke and Alyssa who I would like to say were up for anything, but the truth is…well…it’s the first time someone said ‘no’ to me. It was good for me, really, to have someone deny one of my silly requests. Humbling. But, somehow, Luke talked himself into it and the resulting image is…well, honestly…one of my favorite images of all time. So, Luke…thank you for getting past your fears and having the courage to make out with your woman sitting on the grounds of the stampede in amongst the throngs of carnival goers. It made the whole evening worthwhile for me!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is lots of light happening at night on the grounds, so the next four images were explorations using that light. They were so great–holding as still as possible for my slow shutter images…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the rest of the images from that night. It’s a LARGE number of images but I simply could not narrow down my favorites…these two are just too cute!! Congratulations you two!!! Enjoy this time in your life as much as you enjoy each other…

I’m a prairie girl born and raised. I love the big city. I really do. I love the hustle and bustle of a busy street; the small, unique shops with items you will never find at a big box store; the corner grocery stores and the independent coffee shops. I flee to big cities whenever I have the opportunity….but…no place fills me with peace as much as the wide open spaces of my home.

I wanted to talk about this challenge a bit. Mostly because I can’t believe how many of you complained about it. When Tara was picking her challenge, she emailed me and told me she had two ideas. She asked me which one I wanted to do…I told her I wanted to do the other BUT because I was shying away from the self portrait, I thought that was the one she should pick. Self portraits are hard. They really are. This is my third attempt at them. I have attempted them twice before at two different workshops and at neither was I happy with the results. But this time I am happy with the results, but I am happier with the process. I’m going to force myself to do this more often. To stop and take stock of who I am in a certain moment and try to capture that through my own lens.

If you participated in our challenge, please leave a link to your blogpost in my comments section. I would love to see what you came up with. Next month it’s my turn again…

This is a unique kind of a session. These cute boys were saying goodbye to a beloved nanny after she had cared for them for many years. I agreed to this session because I, too, used to be a nanny and my ‘employer’(I put it in quotes as she was so much more than that to me and I to her I believe) did this for me before I left. I still have those images on display in my house. And, the 5 year old little girl in the images, is now…well, she is 19 years old and all grown up. I like to look back on those images on a daily basis and remember that time in my life. I hope that these images will be to this wonderful woman what those images are to me. I also hope the little boys have lovely images for themselves to look back on and smile.

We had a lovely afternoon just walking around their neighbourhood…climbing trees, talking Lego Indiana Jones, and going to Fiasco Gelato for a treat. I love their awkward adult teeth, crazy belly laughing, and their skinned knees. I love how goofy and fun they were…AND, I love the flare on the front step, the close up black and whites, the three of them in the tree and the freshness of the gelato images. Summer, my friends, has finally arrived. Run down to Fiasco and grab yourself a treat!!!

Look at me blogging about this!!! I didn’t think I would actually have time to do it ha! So, this one’s for all the photographer’s out there–this weekend’s challenge is to take 1-3 self portraits this weekend. Images to be posted on Monday and then your blogs can be linked in my comment section if you like.  Let the games begin!!

I promise…an actual blog post with images is on its way…

It really is. Awesome that is.

I participated in a world wide project called Giving Is Awesome where photographers donate their talents to special families who were nominated based on their current situations. I have been so blessed in my life…truly, I have. More than I could ever express. And, they seem to grow all the time–my blessings. It only makes sense to pass on this feeling of being blessed. This is my Giving is Awesome family. They have been so kind to me…so kind. It was awesome to give them something that they so appreciated. It was especially awesome because now that these girls are growing up and moving on, their mother will have something to look back on…as will they. I know that as parents we often overlook ourselves when it comes to family images BUT it is so important for your children to have images of you.

For me, this was a bit of a different session–I don’t often have the opportunity photograph teenagers. Guess what they listen!! They do what you ask. It’s weird. A good kinda weird And, these girls are so gorgeous it made it all worthwhile.

I encourage you all out there–reading my blog from all corners of the world(I can see where you come from!!!) to give back this weekend. Pass on the gratitude for the life you have to someone else. You know what? It will feel AWESOME. I know it will…because GIVING IS AWESOME.

Recently, I was asked to participate in a maternity session for the incredible Ashley Skjaveland … incredible because she is absolutely gorgeous, but also because she is one of North America’s premier newborn photographers. Her work is so simple, so pure and so emotional. It is always an honour to photograph another photographer, but this time it was even more so because I was asked by another photographer–the fabulous, Andrea Hanki from Pink Sugar in Edmonton to come join. Rounding out the group was the incredible Alicia Price. It made for an incredible day(yes, an entire day) of running around Central Alberta looking for places we wanted to shoot. We even had a major location fail…there was a particular trailer in the middle of an open field that took quite a bit of effort to get to…and once we got there we found it was…well…it was full of poop. Yup. Seriously. I mean FULL OF POOP. Piles and piles of it. It was totally worth it as I still laugh about it when it comes to mind

We did find two awesome spots…the first of which was an old car.

When Bob saw this image, he commented on how amazing it was to see the scene like this…as a snapshot…and to realize the importance of looking beyond the obvious to find the beauty. It is not the most flattering picture of Andrea or Alicia, but I think it is interesting to look at and then to look at the images that we have all created.

The second location we saved until the sweet light of early evening graced us…an abandoned school yard. Ahhh…the beauty of Central Alberta. Ashley was such a trooper in that slip. It really wasn’t all that warm and she toughed it out like only another photographer would so that we could all get the shots we wanted.

So…thus ends the longest post in my blog history-ha! It was a LONG day, but worth every second. I was totally tired after shooting a wedding the day before, but we passed the time in the car rocking out to ‘Beat It’ and ‘Billie Jean’…thanks to all my lovely friends for letting me tag along that day!!! When are we going to do it again???

I thought I would add this because I’m obsessed with Regina Spektor’s voice. Not to mention that this song graces the trailer for 500 Days of Summer which I am DYING to see. I saw this(the official music video) on Youtube and about freaked out with how fabulous it is…I had to share…And, just in case you were wondering…we are AWESOME!!!

These shots are hot off the presses from this morning…I know that many of the photogs who follow my blog are waiting for me to post a certain maternity session I did with a certain photographer…and I’m dying to share. Soon. I promise!!! happy Sunday!!

Soooooo…a wedding? hmmm…those of you who follow me are wondering what is going on. Dana shot a wedding? Well, I’ve been considering taking on a limited number of weddings each year, but before I can make that decision or not, I have to see if my style of shooting and my personality suit them. So, the wonderful Brittany Staddon has agreed to let me tag along and second shoot at some of her weddings this year. This was the first…a wonderful couple named Neal and Laura who were married in Canmore with the mountains as a backdrop and a harp joined by the birds and the bees as the symphony. It was a beautiful ceremony. I have never in my life seen a groom beam so widely as he walked down the aisle. Such a wonderful couple.

I was assigned to follow the groom and his band of men as they got ready. They were ready far before the bride and her lovely ladies, so what to do? What to do? Oh yes, my style really suits going to the Rose and Crown for a drink It does. Funny that the barmaids working there all recognized them. Hmmmm…Canmore is really a special place for them, isn’t it???

Location: http://www.canmoregolf.net/
Cupcakes: http://www.cozycavebakehouse.com/

Without further ado…here is a sampling of my images from the day.

Soooo…I know it might seem early to book your fall session with me BUT there are some things that need to be done sooner rather than later. For example, my August schedule is nearly booked. I have room for one or two more sessions and that is it. There is still some room in July, but August is nearly full.

Fall in Calgary happens in September. Well, that is, if you want leaves on the trees and beautiful fall light. September. Okay, early October is okay as well…What I have done this year is pick 4 Calgary parks and put them on 4 different weekends. Bowness, Fish Creek, Edworthy, and a special little late fall spot. I will be booking both full sessions and Short & Sweet sessions at those spots. There will be limited spaces available. The sessions will be scheduled for the Saturdays, but IF IT RAINS they will happen on the Sunday. And, there will be all sorts of specials for people who secure these spots…so, act fast…they will be gone before you know it.

Short and Sweet Sessions

Session fee: $100 — for that you get a 20 minute session and one 8×10 print. Approximately two to three weeks after your session, you will get an online gallery with a guaranteed 7 images. The complete set of digital files will be available for $750(usually the price of 5 files). Buy prints, canvases, and christmas cards–it is the best deal of the year! If you are pregnant and around 32 weeks–this is the perfect opportunity to have an outdoor maternity session!

Signature Session Special Offers

For all the clients who secure a full session with me on one of those weekends, buy the digital files($1700) and get an 11×13 coffee table book for 50% off($250). It is the perfect compliment to your digital files. But, heck, if a coffee table book isn’t your thing–I’ll give you 10% off the purchase of any canvas or 9×9 album.

So, check my availability calendar to see where I am on what days and get in early on the best days of the year!!! Stay tuned for a wedding blog post tomorrow!!! I’ve been shooting sooooo much lately that I have tonnes to share.