Contest Winners // Alex + Evan + Del

First off, I love hosting photoshoot giveaways. Not just because I tend to boost my following but also because I get to meet really great people who I might not have met otherwise! When I first relaunched my business I held a giveaway for Southern Ontario. My existing followers did a great job of spreading the word and trying to get my name out there! It’s so hard to start over in a new city and so this photoshoot giveaway was the perfect opportunity to spread the word that I’m back and I’m here in the KW area!

*Fun fact: I actually grew up in Cambridge! I love being back in the tri-city area, especially since we are so central to so many great locations for pictures and amazing wedding venues!*

After my giveaway closed I entered everyone’s names into a random generator and I got the cutest little family! Alex and Evan are engaged (and hadn’t done engagement photos yet) and they have the cutest little baby girl Del, who just melted my heart. I’m such a sucker for chunky cheeks! Plus they also brought their fur baby along and we got to capture the whole family as well as sneak in some engagement photos!

I love how these turned out, they were so much fun to work with! We went to Victoria Park which is a really popular location for pictures because there is so much variety and beautiful landscape, but since I’m new to this area, I haven’t done any shoots there yet! I loved it! I love all the bridges and the willow tress and the klittle creek. I’m definitely excited to shoot there again!

Usually there are a few jitters at the beginning of the shoot when we’re first meeting and start taking some pictures, but not this time. Alex was a pro and you could tell that Del was comfortable in front of a camera! Evan was great and they all took direction so well and were just such a joy to photograph. I love seeing the relationships and personalities in front of the camera. Seeing the love that Alex and Evan had for each other and for Del was so cute and I had so much fun that we definitely spent more than an hour taking pictures! It’s so hard for me to stop when I’m having so much fun!

A Golden Engagement // Erin + Dan

Okay, how is it that I am pretty good at keeping up with my personal blog but when it comes to my professional blog and drag my feet? Anyway, that’s just been on my mind lately!

Back in September I booked my first wedding since rebranding and relaunching my photography business here in Waterloo! I was super excited to meet Erin and Dan, they were so easy going and relaxed, it was definitely a good start to working in this area! It’s always hard to start building this kind of business again and again and so I’m super excited that we are in the Kitchener Waterloo area to stay and I can develop lasting relationships in the wedding industry here and meet new, amazing clients!

So after booking, the fun begins! Erin and Dan are having a Niagara wedding next year and although they are excited, Erin had originally dreamed of getting married under a big tree before they fell in love with the Niagara vineyards (which are super timeless and a very good choice for weddings!). So her only request as far as locations went for their engagement shoot was a big tree. She still wanted to have those pictures so I kept that in mind as I looked for places.

While I was looking, I had volunteered to photograph a small race in Cambridge at Riverbluffs Park. When I pulled into the parking lot I saw these beautiful willow trees and I immediately thought of Erin! Plus the Slit Barn is really close to Riverbluffs Park and that is also an excellent spot for pictures (and weddings!). We met up there and although it was a little bit chilly, they powered through and we had a fun time and they got to watch me climb and jump and hide in bushes!

This is why I love engagement sessions and despite the advice to take the out of my wedding packages, I leave them in because I love this opportunity I get to work with a new couple. It helps me get to know how they photograph and how they work in front of the camera. It helps them warm up to me and get to know my style of shooting and be more comfortable in front of the camera on wedding day. So my advice as a wedding photographer is to do an engagement shoot with your photographer!!! I promise it’s worth it and you’ll get some really fun pictures. Some of my favourite pictures are still my engagement photos, even though that was 9 years ago and we rocked the white shirts and jeans!

An Apple A Day // Fall Mini Sessions

I love fall mini sessions. If Christmas was in the fall it would be my favourite season ever but because Christmas is in the winter, I’m torn. Anyway, I love hosting fall mini sessions especially because here in Ontario we have (in my totally unbiased opinions) THE best orchards ever. If you don’t believe me just take a look below!

I am new to the area of Kitchener-Waterloo so it made sense to host some mini session for my first fall as a photographer here! I had so much fun with these families, my face hurt from laughing and smiling so much! I can’t wait to do them again next year!

I was able to shoot at Martin’s Family Farm and it was the perfect locations for fall pictures. As much as I love the changing leaves, nothing screams fall to me like an apple orchard. How awesome are those red apples on these trees? It was absolutely perfect. It was a chilly day sometimes sunny, sometimes cloudy but it all worked out so well.

After such a successful season and a lot of happy families, I can’t wait to have these mini sessions again next year!

Love at the Harbour // Becca and Phil

Whether you just got engaged or you’ve been married for a year or ten, it is always a good time to have pictures with the love of your life! I love these couple shoots because they are so much like engagement pictures, which are typically a lot of fun and super easy! Add a cute doggie in the mix and you’ve got yourself an adorable family.

Phil and Becca knew they wanted some pictures at the harbour as a change from some of the more common field, forest, and “green” backdrops. I love the way the boats added depth and the water was just perfect!

I love finding new places to explore so that I always have a handy list of locations for any photography inquiry. Since moving to Kitchener-Waterloo I have start exploring just a little bit but now that the busy summer is over I plan on hitting some awesome locations, stay tuned for a post all about it!

Lifestyle Maternity // Allie

I was pregnant alongside one of my best friends, her with her second and I with my third. When I say right alongside I mean it, we had the same due date! As always though, my baby came late and hers came early so our boys are about ten days apart. I was with her throughout her whole pregnancy so it only seemed natural that I also take her maternity pictures.

Since we were due in January and it was freezing, she opted for an in home, lifestyle session. It was perfect because they had spent a lot of time and effort making their home such a beautiful space! Plus the light coming in from the window was absolutely perfect and created that soft glow that I love so much.

So the thing about Allie is that she loves being pregnant. I do not, not at all. But being pregnant at the same time as someone who loves it definitely gives a new appreciation to it. She was sad that she would no longer feel her belly move, or the soft hiccups, and that feeling of maternal protection surrounding her baby. Of course she was so excited to meet her little guy but watching her love on her baby bump definitely soften my eyes to mine!

Plus how awesome is that nightgown?!