Meagan + Phil // A Valens Consveration Area Engagement Shoot

Meagan and Phil are a special couple to me. Meagan and I go way back to elementary school. She was one of my idols even though she was only one grade ahead of me. We continued on to the same high school where we road the bus together. You see, I grew up in Cambridge Ontario but lived in a rural area. Meagan also lived out in the country so we had loads of long bus rides together. We have lost tough throughout the years but when I got her wedding inquiry I recognized her name immediately.

Let me tell you, it makes a HUGE difference when you feel like you know your photographer (and in this case, she already did!). It’s one of my biggest business goals to connect with my couples. For the main reason that I want them to feel comfortable being themselves. When a couple can just be themselves their photos become real memories and tell a real story of their relationship. So one of my questions during a potential client interview is, “what are your hobbies? what do you like to do together?” Sorry, that’s two questions! This lets me in to see what kind of engagement session we can have, I love to do something during an engagement shoot that the couple already does together, making them even more comfortable.

When I asked Meagan this she said she would love to do them at Valens because they love to explore the park and they do it quite often. I was super excited! That’s where I grew up, my childhood home is in the conservation area , plus my love of water and voila! the perfect engagement session for them!

They decided on a November session so they could be all cozy and warm and cute and man were they ever. Add that splash of red to a beautifully overcasted evening and I was doing happy dances every time I checked the back of my screen.

We had a lovely walk around the lake, to the iconic Valens Lake bridge, then to some beautiful yellow leaves that stayed just for our session so we could add some fall colours in and have some fun leaf throwing.

These two were perfectly in love and I could see it with every frame. I’m super excited for their wedding day and the magic these two will create with me!

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!