Family Blog
Last week I photographed little Sohana, just 1 week, and her family - big Brother Krishen and Mom & Dad. The last time I saw and photographed them all was when Krishen was just 8 months so I was looking forward to seeing them all again and meeting Krishen as a big 3 year old! So much fun with all of them and as per usual, I have a hard time keeping my preview to just a few images, so a few more ;). Many many more to come in a bigger post soon -
Admittedly, I'm not your typically Birthday Party photographer. Parents are usually thinking cake smashes or pretty posed photos of their children dressed in tutu's or little suit & ties. A birthday decorated for the pinterest boards made perfectly just so is not the birthday party I would be there to photograph. BUT when you get a family like this one - who are all for just documenting the experience and capturing the moments and all the little things that make a 2 year old.. well a 2 year old. That to me is capturing a birthday party for a child... because what other way would you want it captured, than to photograph who they are at that age on their birthday - their personalities and little expressions and moments that make them who they are rather than make it about something they are not. For this reason, I was so happy to be able to document Gabrielle's afternoon on her birthday spent with those who love her best of all. A small little preview and many more to come -
A few months back I met up with Mathias and Chelsea at their apartment to document a few morning hours with their new baby girl, Esme. She was adorable and mom and dad clearly already have the hang of this new baby thing. Such a sweet little family that I was so happy to spend my morning with.
MANY of my favorites from our time together -
I met up with Dean & Chloe (and mom & dad!) at their home on a sunny late afternoon/evening for a family session. I told them we would just hang out for the evening and I would capture their family just as it is.. so that's exactly what we did! I love these documentary sessions so much - capturing the little personalities of each member and the love they have for each other as they go about their evening with two little ones running around - often chaotic and busy, but so much fun and definatly a time to remember.
Many of my favorites from our evening together -
I love home newborn sessions.. particularly newborn sessions of first time parents.... watching them love on and adore their new baby. I loved when during this session after breakfast, mom and dad sat down with Francis (or Frankie as she's called) on the couch and just admired and loved her and obsessed over every perfect little part of her. And mom said 'this is basically all we do all day.. we just stare at her.' I miss that with my first. You do that with your 2nd of course, but it will always be different with your first.
Sleeping, baby stretches, and nursing, pankcake breakfast and lots of love.. many of favorites from my morning spent with Miss Frankie -
This is the 3rd time I've photographed this family - first big sister Charley, then her 1 year photos and now with new baby Wylder. This was such a relaxed and 'simple' session. hanging out at home in pajamas, playing, diaper changing (truth be told I missed the beginning of dad's dirty diaper 'look' below, but was quick enough to catch the tail end of it. One of my favorites!). A bit of playing outside and on the bed as Wylder was getting changed. I also love photographing new big siblings - so much love, a bit of hesitation, and a lot of curiosity. I love that I photographed her at this newborn stage and now as a big sister.
Thank you again to Liz & Noel for having me in your home to document your morning. xo
I got the call to document Imogen's birth at 1 in the morning. Of course this was a night that I had decided to stay up late to work so had only gone to bed an hour or so before the call. But, this being the 2nd birth I was photographing, I was pretty excited to get up, grab my gear and head out to Abbotsford where mom and dad were just getting to the hospital.
Mom, Jayme, is a photographer herself and has documented many births.. so needless to say, I was fairly honored when she asked if I would be interested in photographing her 2nd baby girl. This one ended up being a csection in the end and unfortunately I wasn't allowed to come into the room, but I was so honored and thankful to be present leading up to it. I love focusing on mom and dad's interactions and relationship during the birth - the hand holding and encouragement, and the little looks to each other. And I was happy that it worked out afterwards to meet Imogen and to photograph big sister coming and meeting her for the first time. Both births I've photographed have had an older sibling come and meet their new little sibling. I've teared up during this moment both times.. such a special time for siblings to meet for the first time and of course it takes me immediately back to when my oldest met his new little brother.
I'll leave you with some of my favorite images of little Imogen making her entrance to the world. Thank you once again to Jayme for having me there. It was an honor to document this for you. xo
Meeting up with Sheryl and Chris at their home in Vancouver and heading out for a little walk around their neighborhood to a few of their favorite places. Afterwards, up on their roof to catch a hopeful sunset but instead we were greeted by the first few drops of rain. It's that time of year in Vancouver and we finished up just in time!
I love these types of casual maternity sessions - walking around finding pretty little areas in their own neighborhood, documenting new parents to be, and chatting along the way. I can not wait to come back and meet baby very shortly now!
A few of my favorite images from our time together -
Mom and I have been trying to set this session up for some time now.. but it seemed that something always got in the way - weather, timing, sick kids. A bit of a last minute opening and sunny skies, I messaged her on a Saturday morning to see if they happened to be free that afternoon/evening and they were! I was happy and excited to head out and finally document a day for them. I think this is the 3rd (maybe 4th?) time that I've photographed them all. The first being when their oldest was just a few months old and I had had my camera for all of 2 weeks. Not having my own kids or really anyone to photograph, I asked if I could practice with them. I cringe at those photos now but she says she still treasures them (I think she's just being nice! ha!). Now they have a toddler and the oldest is going into kindergarten in the fall. How time flies! That being said, I do love going back and documenting families over the years. Adding new babies, new houses, and just seeing their little ones grow up.
Arriving just as they were returning from hockey practice with their oldest, we headed out to a few favorite little spots that they like to spend time at, and back home for dinner, bath time and bedtime stories. Thank you Leesons for letting me join you for an afternoon and evening to simply document your day together. Many of my favorites from our time together -
I have been wanting to document a birth for some time now and I can't even put into words how amazing and special it was to be present for this afternoon. I am so thankful for mama and this family for allowing me to be there. Such an honor. Welcome to the world little Owen. You are so loved.
Many of my favorites from Owen's Birth Day -
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit nervous to photograph this family.. 3 boys! But it was so. much. fun! And they are the sweetest nicest boys you've ever met! I had a hard time narrowing down a few for a preview so I thought I would do a mini blog post instead. So many more of this family to come soon.
A few years ago I had decided that I only wanted to shoot weddings. It seemed that families were only looking for perfectly posed photos with everyone smiling at the camera.. matching perfectly coordinated outfits and kids were told to be on their best behavior and they'd get a treat afterwards. That is SO not me. I started to really dislike my family sessions and decided that maybe they just weren't for me. I wanted to shoot what was real - the imperfect, the mess and the chaos, actual real moments of love between family members. I wanted to have families invite me into their homes and on their regular routine adventures to just simply document. The ups and downs that is parenthood and the little moments that show just how much love is in the home.. and of course the mess.. ohhh the mess! And then the most amazing thing happened.. I started finding these families who also felt the same. And this past year (particularly all the families I worked with this past summer & fall) have made me LOVE doing family sessions again. Seriously, if I photographed you and your family this past year you seriously rock.
So here is post of one such family. I drove up to Squamish and documented an evening with the Ponkey's - Mom, Dad, Brielle & Brooke. And I had so much fun. And I think they did too. Because really, when you can just be yourself and not worry about having to look perfect in front of a camera or if the kids are going to behave, how can you not have fun?
So please, if this jives with you too. And you also want to document this little bit of time in your life for what it actually is - please get a hold of me. I am loving these sessions so so much. And time is going by much too fast with little ones to not have some documented memories of what it was like.
I love watching new moms and dads with their babies. The look in their eyes that is the look of a new love they've never even come close to feeling before, how they unconsciously stroke their skin over and over trying to memorize every little bit, how little fingers and little toes are now a road map to the heart.
I photographed Klara's newborn session when she was just 5 days new to this world. She was such a sweetheart and this was such an enjoyable session to photograph. And big brother Bruce the dog - although not too sure yet about this new little baby, I'm sure they will be the best of buds in the years to come! I also just realized I haven't blogged moms maternity photos yet and since they are some of my favorites I've sho,t I just might do that coming up.
But for now, Klara's newborn images -
A month or so ago when Vancouver was warm and sunny and getting amazing sunsets, Lindsay got a hold of me to see if I thought it would be a good idea for her family session to take their boat out on the ocean and dock it at a private little beach. Obviously I didn't hesitate to reply that I thought that was the best idea ever! And it really was! Such a fun evening with this family. We met at the pier at Rocky Point and headed out on the water, docked, tried to catch jellyfish, hiked around a bit, played in the water and eventually came back. I love these types of sessions and I really do think I luck out in getting to photograph the best families.Thank you so much for bringing me along to document one of your summer evenings! A few of my favorites -
David and Emilie just turned one and maybe because I have my own almost 1 year old, but I just love this age! So much fun.. although I imagine it is so much busier with twin 1 year olds toddling around! We met up with mom and dad and their two big sisters at Deep Cove for an evening of playing and exploring. A few of my favorites from our time together -
I love when I get to take photos of families as their little ones grow. I can not believe Charley is already 1 and it has been a year since I took her newborn photos! For her 1 year session, we met at third beach in Stanley Park and had some fun in the trails and on the beach. I love that she was so into eating the sand.. because really what better way to capture a 1 year old than sand eating at the beach! And I love even more that mom and dad were cool with just letting her have fun with it! Such a great session! Some of my favorites from our evening together -
"Justine! I don't even know what to say. There are no words to explain how grateful I am to have this EPIC series of images of our family life. I thought I "knew" your style (and you know I was already in love with it), but these are so far beyond any expectations I had. The colours, the beautiful big wide shots, then these amazing details like hands on the monkey bars or me brushing Sarah's hair..., the expressions you caught in the tiny moment they crossed someone's face, the action shots!!!! You captured togetherness, and then individual personalities. Sorry, I'm rambling, I just can't even put it into words. The further I got into the gallery, the more tears came... tears of gratefulness? Just the feeling that I have these images to hold in my hands and look at FOREVER. Ahhhh, you're the best, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!! xoxoxoxox" I might have cried a bit as well after receiving that message. THIS is exactly why I love family photography. THIS is exactly what I want to leave families with. Thank you so much to Beth and her whole family for allowing me into your home to document an evening with you. This was the best session ever.. no seriously.. If all my sessions were like this and I could document every family I photograph like this, I would be the happiest photographer ever. And yes, I know I've been saying that a lot lately.. but seriously, I get to take photos of some pretty awesome little families. Or at least families who are totally cool just doing what they do best (which is basically just hanging out together and having fun).. and then throw in some backyard tree climbing, alley bike riding & hopscotching, popsicle eating (complete with popsicle juice face), bathtime and storytime.. yeah, a perfect evening of togetherness and family.
Sass & Benny you were so much fun to hang out with for the evening! A few of my favorites (actually a lot of my favorites.. I had a hard time deciding!) -
I met up with the Petersons (Kyla, Adam, Brett and Mom and Dad), a few weeks back here in Vancouver for photos. I often take photos of families with babies or younger kids so it was nice to change up to do a family session with older kids. And I have to say, taking photos of big kid is fun! And busy! Running faster, jumping higher and climbing.. ohh the climbing! I loved every minute of it and this just might be a new favorite session that I've photographed (although I tend to say that for all the sessions I photograph! haha). Many of my favorite images from our evening together -
I met up with this family in their home to jump on beds with Ea, drink wine with mom & dad, chase dogs.. and take some photos of course! After we headed through some local trails and blew dandelions, tried to get a decent family photo (their dog had other ideas!), ran and jumped, did cartwheels (well Ea did cartwheels!), and danced around the tennis courts. Overall a pretty fun little session in my mind! Ea is awesome and pretty much stole the show.. as I think you'll agree!
I used to work with mama Thea long long ago (actually it wasn't that long ago but it sure feels like it!), so when she got a hold of me to take photos of their little family when Bowen was just 3 months, I was quite excited to meet him. Especially since I had seen photos of this cutie on social media and could not wait to see his hair in person - seriously, best new baby hair I have ever seen! Thank you Thea, Micheal, and of course Bowen for inviting me into your home to document this time.
