Just because I can. And because the sun came out for me for the first time on a session in a long time. And I needed that. And, they’re so cute

And, oh yeah–GO CANADA GO!!!!

Dana

The Pugh’s are going on a trip. In April. Down to lovely California to visit old friends and make some new ones. We’re camping in the Redwoods and we’re having our own family portrait session. It is very exciting. Word has spread amongst some already and I have a couple of sessions booked along the way. I still have room for a couple of more if anyone is interested. So, here is a very rough map of where we will be going. If you live relatively close to this path and would like a session with me, give me a shout! We’ll be leaving here April 1st and coming home on April 18th. I know that the first week will be in Southern California and on Friday we will head up to Northern California for a few days before heading up to Vancouver and then over to Kelowna for a couple of sessions I have booked there on the last weekend. I would love to add a couple more families to my list!!

The map is not entirely correct…we’ll head up the coast of California to San Francisco(one of my favorite cities EVER) and follow the coast all the way up to Vancouver. Our schedule is still fairly flexible, so I may be convinced to go a wee bit out of our way.

And, if you are a photographer who would like to connect, give me a shout as well. I may be able to squeeze in some social time If not, there is always WPPI. Who’s going this year???

Happy Thursday everyone!

Dana

I once had a Taylor…except I was dating Bob. I think I just used him for the extra shots. Don’t hate me   I love this…just something to make you laugh.

Did you know that the pronunciation of the name Janaya in Arabic means ‘fairy’? Look at her, this little fairy Her brother is inviting  you to come and meet her!!!

Remember them from their maternity session??? Their lovely little girl has arrived!!! Happy Monday!!

PS–someone once asked me to tell why I like certain images, etc…so here it is: I love the the first image of brother and sister in black and white…there is something so raw about it and the light is delish. I also love the image of big brother leaning in to give her a kiss…the sweetness of it. I love to recreate images from maternity sessions with the baby, so the image with mom and dad on the couch kissing with the baby on her lap is a favorite. I would display it on the wall with a similar one from the maternity. The family shots are some of my favorite newborn shots with a sibling ever–big brother was sooooo cooperative and good and the look he gives me in the one is killer. K.I.L.L.E.R. And, the final series of the parents with the baby I really liked how connected they were with her and with each other. I love how peaceful it all looks and knowing the truth of how ~ahem~ crazy big brother was at times, but how everyone was able to remain in the moment while the chaos happened around them. Is that enough??? oh! one little detail I love is the heart shaped bruise under daddy’s nail. I love that little detail. That is something one cannot plan

Thanks for checking in on me

Dana

Just a quick note to say that I am looking for a family of at least 4 to participate in a project that I am doing in March. I would prefer that the children be under 10. If you know of anyone who might be interested in participating, please have them contact me. My session fee would be waived($300 value), they would get 20% off any items they purchased and I would gift them one 11×14 print from the session. Please email me at dana@shortandsweetphotography.ca if you are interested.

*** thank you. I am overwhelmed with responses to this casting call. I am confident that I will find someone to fill the spot from those who have already replied.

Welcome Max to the world!!! This is one of my favorite newborn sessions ever. Not because I am biased and love the family(which I am and I do), but it just worked out that way I will let the photos speak for themselves…

 

I can’t wait to blog this session…it’s one of my favorite newborn sessions of all time. I know, I know–one should not play favorites, but it is inevitable. So, here is a wee sneaky peaky for Valentine’s day. All you need is love. And naps. And snacks. Snacks are important too…may your day be filled with all three Happy Valentine’s day!!!

I’ve been meaning to write about this for awhile, but for some reason never found the time. And then, after I wrote that last post, I thought that it would be extremely good timing to put this little plug in for my friend and life coach–Jennie Willings. I did some life coaching with her last year. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure what life coaching would be all about, but what I discovered is that it is about helping to discover your core values and beliefs and then help you learn how to remain true to them. Authenticity. It is at the core of what I do–discovering the truth of the family’s I photograph. It helps so much more when I am living in mine. That probably sounds a little hippy–but that’s me If you want to learn more, please contact my wonderful friend. Thanks to the miracles of Skype and web technology she can coach you no matter where you live!!

Since I can’t write a post without an image…here is a little ditty from the other day. Hasn’t it been the most spectacular winter? The fog and the moisture combining to create just the most wonderful amount of hoar frost…it almost makes the cold bearable.

My friend, Tara, had this idea to do some ‘family self-portraits’ and turn them into a book for herself at the end of the year. Once a month…which should be about all I can handle. We took this family self-portrait at the end of December before she announced this project out of sheer desperation to get me in some of the images. So my kids don’t look back on our life and wonder where I was. This will have to do for our January portrait. Us, in our living room on a cold winter’s night.

January is always a time for slowing down for me as the fall and rush to Christmas is just mind numbingly insane. This year, there was something incredibly different about the whole experience–Bob quit his job. Some of you know this, but I’m not sure that I have really talked about it. It is easy to dismiss the reasons as simply–he wasn’t happy where he was OR something had to give–but the truth is, what he did was something even more wonderful than that. He put his career on hold so that I could pursue mine. He did so for several reasons…not the least of which being that I am crazy passionate and in love with my work and it was consuming every ounce of me in and out of our family life. With him at home now, I have been able to breathe. Deep breaths. I have been able to read again. I used to read ALOT but that was one of the things that got lost in the busy-ness of running a business and a household. I read 5 books last week(I was also flying a lot of the time which also helped). There was more time for us to do things together…to sit and chat, to grab a coffee and to play games with our children.

In January, I was able to sit back and reflect. Especially with our holiday to Orlando. I was able to see that our children have grown even more attached to him than they used to be. When they need help with something, no longer do they just default to me as their saviour. Someone asked me if this makes me sad, I quickly answered no…not at all. It makes me feel more complete.  The transformation in our children has been the most shocking and wonderful aspect of all of this. Georgia has calmed down so much. Jack has been able to turn to his dad to help him discover all the answers to his increasingly more difficult for me to answer scientific questions. Don’t get me wrong, they both still have their moments(Georgia had a pretty major one about a half an hour ago), but watching them blossom into more creative play, more cooperative play, and wonderfully inquisitive, artistic children is such a gift. The perfect combination of the two of us.

And, well, most importantly for our family…my relationship with Bob has never been better. I am constantly reminded of why I married him and he makes me feel so beautiful and loved and we laugh…loud, houseshaking belly laughs all day long and end the day sitting in the living room after the kids have gone to bed listening to music and just smiling at each other. How perfect is that?

…is one of my favorite things about my job. Today, I visited this family for the third time. It is like going to see old friends and marvelling at the changes in their life. Here is an image from each of their previous sessions:

And, today…with her new little brother

 

I just love how she was napping and then opened her eyes and for the briefest of moments remained peacefully looking into my lens So lovely to see you all again!!! I look forward to our next visit!