3.30.2011

Australia- The First Days

I'm not sure how to adequately sum up my time in Australia. I could probably find a few words to give you a vague idea...

Amazing. Rejuvenating. Inspiring. Friendship. Worship. Latte. Latte. Tea. Tea. Love. Culture. And so much more.

I arrived in Adelaide early in the afternoon on Thursday, March 17. First thing's first... While my friend was getting her hair died I walked over to the nearest bakery and ordered a latte and pie. (Not fruit, meat. Meat pies are pretty much a staple food item down there. I think we should bring that into our culture as well. Pies. Mmm mmm.)  The day was spent with one of my closest friends at heart, but furthest friend geographically. I'm always amazed when I think about our friendship. Heidi and I met 8 years ago in New Zealand at bible school. We were room mates for the three months that she was there and instantly connected. Being so similar in personalities we bonded on a deep level, very quickly. We've stayed in touch over these last 8 years. A couple phone calls a year, yet after the "hello, how are you"s have been said, we delve right into the real matters of life. No surface level friendship here. We get down to the nitty gritty of our lives- the good and bad days, our strengths and weaknesses, our goals and struggles. We've managed to see each other 4 times within the last 8 years. I think that's pretty impressive!

Needless to say, spending a whole 10 days with Heidi was therapeutic! It was so refreshing to catch up with her, face to face. To reconnect over endless cups of tea- on her couch, overlooking Adelaide and Glenelg Beach in the distance- or over lattes at cafes. I haven't drank that much caffeine in a very long time! But there's something about Australian latte's that taste just so unbelievably amazing! Don't get me started on the names of their coffees though! That, I will never understand! =)

There was one day near the end of my visit when we had just gotten home from our facials and we were putting on our make-up in the bathroom, soft music filling the spaces around her quaint, Australian inspired decorated home, and I started to get emotional and I told her that this was a moment of worship for me. The presence of God of was so alive at that moment. The awe of the whole situation, of the whole process of all the events that led me to that moment. So grateful.

Anyway, the first two days were spent getting ready for her sister's wedding day. I basically tagged along to wherever Heidi and her family needed to go. I was pretty much useless at this point as jet lag had reared it's ugly head and I was ready to pass out by 3pm. When we arrived at the ceremony location for the rehearsal I knew this would be a great wedding. The location was amazing. A friend's front yard over looking some vineyards and a lake. Gorgeous. 

Saturday was the wedding, as you all know by now since you've probably seen the Sneak Peeks already. It was the only sunny, hot day of my whole visit but I'm glad that it was! I'll write more about the actual wedding day when I write the full blog post. But I will let you know that this wedding was amazing. It definitely encompassed so many traits that I'm drawn to and that I love photographing. Intricate details, lots of DIY projects (including the bride's earrings that were made the morning of the wedding! Now that's talent!), amazing style, and a gorgeous couple!

I'll finish off here and continue writing about the rest of my trip in the next few days. Here are two more pictures from the wedding!





3.19.2011

Australian Wedding Sneak Peek

Ok folks, I know you've been waiting to see some pictures from yesterday's wedding. I'm actually quite nervous to post these! I feel like all eyes are on me, the pressure is on! The day was more than beautiful and I think these pictures will speak for themselves.

First off: Congratulations Beth and Dan!!!! You have no idea how much I loved being part of your day! Beth, you looked unbelievably gorgeous and I still can't get over how beautiful your eyes are. Dan, I'm glad you got rid of the beard! =) You were both amazing yesterday and a pleasure to work with! I hope you love your photos and I wish you all the best as you go on your honeymoon and start this beautiful journey as husband and wife! Love you both!

Here they are...








Thanks for stopping by! From here on out the trip is all about visiting with Heidi and checking out the Adelaide sights!

3.18.2011

Featured

Good morning from Australia! What a beautiful morning it is, indeed! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, a bride and groom are getting ready with family and close friends as I write this. In just a couple hours I will be photographing an amazingly beautiful wedding. You have no idea what's yet to come and I love it! All the Do-It-Yourself touches that this couple has put into their day is unbelievable! And the venues are gorgeous! But I didn't really expect anything less for a wedding in Australia!

I'm sitting in my bed and my friend's house, drinking a cup of chai tea, looking at a wedding blog. Why? Because this morning one of my wedding's was featured on it! =) Please do check it out!!! I met with the owner and BC Rep of Weddings in BC the day before I left and I love what this magazine and company are doing for the wedding industry. I'm honoured that they wanted to feature Sharon and Geoff's winter wonderland wedding on their blog today! That was a fabulous start to my morning!

I'm feeling good about today, a few nerves but those will disappear once I've got my camera in hand! Time to finish getting ready and photograph the day away! Looking forward to sharing in this special day with friends who have become my Aussie family! What a special day, I'm getting choked up just writing this! Thank you Beth and Dan for inviting me over to capture all of your special moments today!

Sneak Peek to come tomorrow!

3.15.2011

Moments Away

It's 10:30pm on Tuesday night. I'm sitting at Gate D52. Another 40 minutes till boarding. Is this really happening?

When my friend and I started this idea of me photographing her sister's wedding in Australia it really was more of a pipe dream than anything else. But here I am, less than 24 hours away from my final destination!

I have so many mixed feelings at this moment. I'm so so so excited to see my friend and her family again. Heidi has been in my life for almost 8 years since we were first roommates at bible school in New Zealand. We connected instantly and have stayed in touch ever since. We've seen each other twice since then, this will be the third. That's pretty stinkin amazing considering we live continents apart! SO I'm thrilled to see her and her family again!

I'm so excited to be able to photograph another wedding, the first of the year. And in Australia of all places! It's technically my first summer wedding, I guess. That's right, I'm flying away from the torrential down pour of rain to the nice high twenty degree celcius weather! This wedding sounds amazing already, and I'm so excited to be part of it!

I'm excited for girl time. Just me and my gal for a solid week after the wedding. I know that week will be filled with so many conversations, so much lattes and cups of tea, probably some tears, definitely lots of laughs, deep conversations and encouragement, and a closer connection with God through those conversations. I'm so excited.

The one thing that makes me want to run back out of the airport and take a cab home is my little Girlie. I miss her already. I've never left her for this long before, nor have my husband and I ever been apart for this long. This is brand new territory for me! I can tell you for a fact, I will not be a destination wedding photographer! There's no way I could do this multiple times a year!

My husband had to work tonight so my dad dropped me off at the airport while my mom stayed at home while Cheyenne slept. My dad came in with me as I was pretty nervous about this trip. I haven't flown alone since I went to New Zealand in 2003. My husband is always the one that deals with all our documents and knows where to go in the airports and just gives me nothing to worry about. I'm doing it all on my own today! Which is fine, it'll be fine, it's just different. Anyway, I've been trying to compose myself all day, constantly on the verge of tears. After I said good bye to my dad and stepped into the line for security I started  tearing up. But that's all that happened.

And now I've moved past that and am really really looking forward to the next 10 days! These will be amazing days, unbelievable experiences and memories are going to be had and made! I can't wait to show you pictures of my trip and tell you all about it!

Those are my thoughts at this current moment. Moments away from stepping on a plane. I'm quite overly tired already so I'm not sure if my words were coherent or not!

3.14.2011

Vegas Portraits /FRANCES & JUSTINE

Remember I went to Las Vegas a few weeks ago? Of course you do. I talk about it all the time! =) Anyway, one afternoon between lectures, Frances, Justine and I roamed around the vibrant streets of Vegas, stopping every few blocks to snap some shots of each other. (You can see Justine's images here.)

Here are some of my favourites from our impromptu photo session!















So, tomorrow is the day. I'm flying to Australia late tomorrow night. I've got most of my things packed, still need to throw a few more things into my suitcase tomorrow. I'm a little nervous. I'm not a big fan of flying in general, but when it's a 15+ hour flight I'm even less of a fan of it! Travelling alone makes it a little bit more nerve racking, but I've got God to keep me company. And he will. As I pray non-stop when I'm flying!! Turbulence freaks me out! I'm hoping I'll sleep good on the flight over. Last time I flew to Australia I slept for 10 hours straight. Here's hoping I can reinact that scene. A lot of gravol and a looot of wine should do the trick! ;) And ear plugs and an eye mask!

I already can't wait to show you pictures from the wedding on Saturday!! I know it's going to be breath taking! The hardest part about all this will be leaving my daughter for so long. Especially at this stage because she's doing new and ridiculous things every single day! Thank goodness for video cameras and web cams, though!

I will be somewhat connected to the interweb while I'm away, but it definitely won't be my priority! =) Do check in every now and then, though, as I hope to update you on my trip as much as I can.

Enjoy the rest of your Monday!

3.11.2011

Jamie Delaine Workshop!

Most of you know that I'm an avid stalker  blog follower of Jamie Delaine. She was a huge influence to me when I decided to start pursuing a photography business. Well, she's having her very own workshop this June at her gorgeous little Studio in Fort Langley. I would LOVE to be part of that day!!! Not sure our finances will be able to make that happen at this point in time, but she is giving away one spot. I'm hoping it has my name on it! ;)

I love Jamie's blog. I love her openness about her life, her joys and struggles, her relationship with God, her love for photography. We met for coffee a couple months ago and she just has a great personna about her! At only 20 years old Jamie has greatly succeeded in her business and in this industry all together. I love that she has a passion to share her knowledge with other photographers. Thank you, Jamie!

Anyway, this is just a post to promote her workshop, to support her in her new endeavors even if I won't be able to be part of the workshop myself, and to thank her for all the ways she's impacted me and my business and my life!

Check out her blog!

Stanley Park Engagement Session /LUNA & AYO

I loved this session with Luna and Ayo. I think it's been one of my favourites thus far. But then again, I tend to say that after every photo shoot! I think it's because after each photo shoot, after all the editing and everything is done, I look back and I think of ways that I could improve for next time. Not that I did a bad job during the shoot or anything, but I just think of new ways that I could improve and change or try different techniques, etc.

I'll be honest, I was a little nervous going into this session because it had been a long time since I'd done a couple's shoot, or any shoot for that matter! I was nervous that my skills would be a bit rusty. But they weren't. I was highly satisfied with the outcome of this session. Throughout the whole thing I implemented different techniques that I had picked up at WPPI or from reading blogs or just things I thought of on my own. I challenged myself to go outside of my comfort zone a bit and it paid off. Big time. Not to get a big head full of ego here or anything, that's not what I'm trying to say! I'm just so thankful for all the amazing knowledge I've gained from such talented people over the last few weeks and that I'm able to start using that knowledge in my own photographs and shoots and editing.

Luna and Ayo picked me up from my hotel downtown and we drove a little ways to some docks by Coal Harbour. It was a little chilly out but that didn't stop these two from being amazing models! A little photography talk now- the sun was so harsh on this day. No clouds in the sky, middle of the day. We were out on the water on some docks. I found a little bit of shade, literally a little bit, coming from this little shed thing beside us. There was light reflecting everywhere around us- off the water, off the white boats, off the dock. It was fabulous actually! At first I was a little intimidated with all this openness and bright sun but when I saw that patch of shade I sighed relief! I was so thankful that I had watched Jasmine Star's creativeLIVE workshop where she did ten poses in a 10 by 10 area.

Anyway, you guys were a joy to photograph. You have so much love for each other and it just radiates off of you! And Luna, you've got some fierce eyes! Love it! You're a Top Model watcher for sure, right?! haha.

Enjoy these photos, and I know I sure do!

This is just my most favourite image of the day, I would say. Love love.

Seriously, they are TOO CUTE!

Yes, Ayo was pretty fierce, too. They make a good match!


Ok, seriously? So stunning! GorgeOUS.



Ayo is from England so this was a fitting backdrop for them!

Mmmm. So much goodness here!

Your eyes are like looking into a pot of bubbling hot dark chocolate! And that's a very good thing!



I adore Ayo's smile!! I couldn't not smile whenever he smiled!


Love.




After all the boating we drove to Stanley Park for a variation of nature and city backdrops.

I love the way Ayo is looking at Luna in this one.

Eeee!! This is a close second favourite!



I used a new editing technique with this one, thanks to the noted fashion photographer, Nigel Barker. (If you didn't read that sentence with your best Tyra Banks impression please re-read it now doing that impression. Thanks)

A little impromptu dance in Stanley Park.





Some people say direct sun on a person's face in a no-no, I say I like it in this picture. So there! =)



The End. Thanks for looking! Have a great weekend!

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