Filed under Personal:

Remembering: I used to work with this youth pastor who used to tell us of his days selling alarm systems.  He told us he got used to hearing the word no when he approached people about the alarm system because he knew, one out of the 10 nos there had to be a yes.  Well today I attest to that.  I sent out 10 marketing emails telling some friends about family portraits, and one came back!

Combining Names: Tomkat, Bennifer, Bragalina, or even Speidi from “The Hills“.  I used to laugh at the thought of people combining their names.  *Cough* I take it all back.  Today while I was going through some youtube videos I saw the combined names of a TV couple and thought “how funny and cute, I want one!”.  Wait!  I do have one!! It’s called Adley!  Adam + Lesley = Adley!  Apparently we’re a super couple now!

Reading:  I’m really enjoying the library lately and decided to dig deep and find some interesting subjects to read.  I picked up a book titled “Portrait Photography”.  Wow, is this book old!  Soft focus, glowing edges, hardly any crispness at all!  It’s amazing what is mainstream and what trends come and go.

Listening: I used to be a music junkie.  I would spend hours at a time researching new and up and coming artists and then play their music non stop.  Once I started working in an office that didn’t really allow me to listen to my music I slowly fell away from it, but now that I’m searching for music for our wedding, I’m loving youtube!  I’m currently listening to these two songs over and over.

Sound: Spring Rain!  Can’t get any better then that.  Actually maybe spring rain mixed with freshly cut grass….but ya know.

Little Things: My wooden elephant.  I have a collection of elephants, but this is the only one that has made it with me to my new place.  Eventually, one day, the rest will come with me.

This new life that I’ve recently been living has allowed my eyes to open to the beauty that surrounds me.  I’ve always known it was there, but experiencing it and seeing it in my mind are 2 different things.  At the end of the week a very good friend of mine called me up and let me know he was going to be in town for the afternoon.  So we gathered up our cameras and headed out into my neighbourhood – Gastown.

I was determined to find some interesting/artistic shots since I tend to enjoy taking photos of people more.  Something I realized this weekend though – I *love* detail shots.  There is something about creating such emotion with a few little details that I get all excited about it!

We made our way to the New Convention Centre and whatever comment I might have made to him before we reached it (something along the lines of….”I don’t like it”) I immediately took back once I saw this beautiful location.  I’m swooning over this!

I’m a lover of shoes, especially shoes with heels.  I used to purchase heels that were quite plain and boring, but something happened a few years ago and I had a sudden urge to add colour to my shoes, and I am continually drawn to colourful fun shoes.

Well, my wedding is no exception.  I want a pair of fun colourful shoes under my dress.

Last summer I picked up these shoes while out on my lunch break.  First you’ll notice, they aren’t colourful.  But when I saw that these Stewart Weitzman shoes were on sale from $300 to $75 there was no way I was going to let them get away from me.  Yes I was being a designer snob but I had fully intended on getting them dyed so they wouldn’t be white.  Also, how could I turn away a pair of shoes with some bling a cute bow detail?!

I went out today with a mission to look for another pair of wedding shoes – I need to keep my options open.  Well I tried on both of these shoes below and fell in love with both.  Colour, straps, design details – everything I swoon over!  But I couldn’t decide, how could I decide when I didn’t have my dress in front of me?!!  The sales girl was very smart in convincing me to purchase the shoes “Take them home, try them out with your dress and see if they fit with the dress”.  So smart I tell you – great marketing skills!

So I purchased both of them, and still can’t decide.  I haven’t tried them on with my dress yet, but I was going to show you and see if you could give me some feed back.  Which ones do you like best?  Don’t worry about what my dress looks like…I won’t be telling you.  Adam reads this as well.  So just imagine what they will look like under a wedding dress.

These are blue with a cute bow/ribbon detail also with a little colourful bling from my favorite shoe designer: Nine West!

A designer I’ve never worn, but they are purple and it’s got a cute little flower!

So, comment away!!  I need some advice!

I just got back from my first visit to a public library in I swear…10 years; I had to sign up for a card and everything!  It is not that I didn’t want to go to the library over the past 10 years, it’s just….well….I was delinquent on returning some books back in high school that resulted in some…fines and now they won’t let me take out any more books – at the particular city.  Now I’m in a new city…muahahahaha.   Anyway, I had a mission and I went to the library to accomplish it.  Completely forgetting that there are computers now where you can enter in the title of the book you are looking for I just asked the front desk where the business section was.

“4th floor”.

So up I went.  2 escalator rides later I found myself on the 4th floor surrounded by rows upon rows of books.  If it wasn’t for the odd man sitting at a table laughing at my overwhelmed face, I’m sure I would have stood there longer trying to find my bearings.  But since he was chuckling at me, I charged right ahead into the sea of books.

I weaved in and out finding myself more and more confused until I saw a sign that said “Small Business”.  I almost put up my hand and screamed “That’s me!!”.  But don’t worry, I contained myself.  I turned the corner into the section and came face to face with an overwhelming amount of small business books.  I had no idea where to begin.  I knew the book I was looking for was already checked out, but I was here to get some more inspiration and information.  Where does one start when faced with more than enough opportunities?  Do what anyone will do who is attracted to things visually – look for the best title, some colour, and some good typeography.

Note: No I’m not planning on getting rich, it’s the front of the book (fishes!) and the content of the book that attracted me.

I’m sorry for the lack of posts; I never intended it to be this way.  A lot going on, and yesterday I had intended on updating you with another portrait session, but my head demanded a pillow instead and I ended up sleeping the whole evening away.  My apologies.

A few weeks back I went out for brunch with some new friends that I met in my photography course.  We’ve only had a chance to talk briefly during our classes together or on the mini field trip we had, but I felt an instant connection with these two ladies.  I am so excited that I got the courage to talk to them and get over my fear of small talk.  I’m blessed because of it.

This is a sneak peek into our “It’s so Alley” walk around Vancouver.

I have been busy planning, designing, photographing, working, running, travelling, and sleeping that I haven’t had a chance to really update anyone with what has been going on.

Today however, I was stopped in my tracks as I read this story on love.  Love goes beyond love between two people who have committed their lives to each other.  Love is just the bond and adoration between two people, whether its between lovers, friends, or parent to child.

This love story is about a grown man’s love for his father, about his father’s love for his mother, and about the glue that keeps them all together.

Check it out!

A friend of mine does it and flickr even has groups for it, so I figured why not do it as well.  It will be a great opportunity for me to see beyond the ordinary everyday things, to be creative in my own way and time, without the pressure of ‘getting the shot’.  It will give me opportunities to look at objects from different angles and situations.

I have much to learn on this photography journey of mine, and I want to learn everything possible to help myself become an awesome photographer.  Yes, I am being an over achiever, but I think it’s because it’s something I’m super duper excited about.

I’m starting Project 365! 1 picture a day for a whole year!!  Oh my gosh so much pressure and excitment, but I’m determined to do it.

Starting March 1 I’m launching Project 365!  I’ll let you know where my photos will be uploaded to, I still haven’t figured that out.

And because a post isn’t complete without a photo…

Who doens’t love a little purfume collection?

On Sunday Adam and I headed up to Chilliwack to spend some time with my grandma and her husband, and also a friend of mine.  After lunch with my grandma we headed up the side a mountain where these beautiful new homes were, where my friend and her family reside.

I remember the day Lindsay told me that she and her husband decided to purchased a place out in Chilliwack, I thought she was mad to decide to move that far away from ‘the city’, but she knew her priorities and what she wanted and wasn’t letting anything stop her.  At that moment I gained so much respect for her, cause she was willing to move away from her job, her friends, and all things familiar to her so that she had the opportunity to be the wife, mother, and daughter she wanted to be.

Adam and I spent the afternoon with Lindsay and her family while I took photos of them out at Cultus Lake (which I totally fell in love with) and inside their house.  You would think that running around with two boys under the age of 3 would be overwhelming, but I think Adam enjoyed the opportunity to see the love and dynamic they had with each other.  For me, it instilled the fact that even though I tell people that I don’t want children, I do.  I want 4 boys as cute, as adorbale, and as well mannered as Wil and Jake.

I’m still going through and editing their photos, but this photo jumped out at me.  This is what I love about being a family, sitting on a bed together having cuddle time or reading time and just enjoying being together.

Lindsay, Greg, Wil, and Jake thank you for letting me spend the afternoon with you.  Your love and energy has inspired me.   Oh, and the rest of your images will be up soon.

A couple of weeks ago my very good friend Chris called me up and invited me to hang out with him and my cousin for a walk around Gastown and shoot in the fog.  It was absolutely freezing out, but I said yes anyways.  Any chance to get my camera out, and I’m a very happy girl.

Every time I pass by this gate I have to take a photo of it.  There is something very ‘Secret Garden’ about it.

There was this beautiful brick building that had some feature lighting that went up the outside of the wall.  It accented the brick so well, and then it changed colour.

And then I saw this woman walk past with a ‘fro’.  I have a thing with people who have the confidence to pull off a ‘fro’, I find them inspiring.

I’ve always loved a good photograph; but now I find that I study the photograph more then I did before.  Initially it started with looking at wedding photography because everyone was getting married and I loved the emotion that was captured in them.  Now I find that I’m drawn towards more stylized photos like fashion shoots or portraits, something I’m egar to dip my fingers into.

I recently found a couple of photographers who really inspire me with their work.  First off Sam Jones; a celebrity photographer.  Of course it doesn’t hurt that he shoots people who are known for their beauty, but the way he is able to capture them, it’s surrel and lifelike at the same time.  I think he is able to capture a lot of symbolism in his photographs.

http://www.samjonespictures.com/

This.
This is the first blog post.
This is a new beginning.
This is a new start.

And I’m excited to be telling you all about it.