Jamie

I had the absolute please of working with Jamie yesterday.  What a beautiful woman she was.  She was such a trooper too.  We hoisted her into concrete window frames, she endured New Westminster's brutal hills with ease (in her high heels I might add)......and she jumped over concrete barriers, dodged semi-trucks and their incessive honking, and risked her life on the railway tracks!  All this for some of the most amazing images!!  Thank you Jamie, it was so nice working with you yesterday......and for someone who had never done on-site shooting, I can't wait for the next time we get to work together!

Meave

My grandmother passed away in a really lovely lovely way recently.  I can't help but remember a number of conversations that we had over the years.  She was an amazing artist.  There were some pieces that she completed that I would love love love to own.......though she sold them prior to her death.

When she passed, I felt the urge to go out and capture the emotion essentially imediately following the news.  I put those images away for months....until tonight.  This is what I came across.  There is a rule that I have when it comes to my work....don't ever delete an image, there will come a time in the future when that image will be 'right' for you.  Tonight, my grandmother came to visit me through this image.  I love you dearly, and miss you and grandpa every day.

Meghan

What a beautiful day in the old apple orchard it was, and to top it off, I got to spend the morning with an absolutely beautiful bride shooting an after-the-wedding shoot!  There is nothing more exciting than having an adventurous bride on the other end of the lens....you know, the one who has no issue with mucking around in an old barn, climb the fence posts and offer to jump into the lake.....all the while with the biggest smile on her face and the sweetest giggle!  Wish I could be a fly on the wall when she gets a glimpse of these!

Closet Artist

Okay....confession!  I'm still a closet artist.  Why is that?  Why is it that I just can't come out to the world and say, "Hey, this is what I do!  This is who I am!"  I get a high from what I do, and love to talk to people about it.

For Father's Day, we went to Steveston Market and hung around for a little bit going from booth to booth seeing what people are growing and making.  Another confession, I get a kick out of going into some of the photographers booths.  I love to see what other people are shooting and selling.  Not only to see what other people see through their lens, but also to find out what other people are selling.  One day, I would love to have the balls to sit out in the elements every Sunday from May to September trying to flog my 'art' to Joe Public.....but, I am still too chicken.  You see, the other side to this....and this is going to sound really bad, but I don't get it.  I don't get what pushes people to buy some art.  It is not for me to understand, though it is not always my 'style'.  You see, I get thrills from images that I would love to blow up, frame, and hang on my wall!  I don't want to blow up and hang three quarters of what I see being sold at these markets across BC.  Sorry, no disrespect for those artists out there.  The sad part is this....they sell their images, I don't.  Part in the fact that I am not out there flogging my 'masterpieces', and I think that if people are buying all this other art, they are not going to buy mine!!  And then there he was!  Rick (irony in the name as that is what I was to be named.....I was supposed to be a boy).  I walked around the corner and said to my husband, "now, that is my style"!  He has the same eye as me.  I would hang his images in my house!  And, dah dah dah, he was a closet artist too up until about two months ago!!  After talking to him for a little bit, I had to chase after my family and take a call, but I grabbed one of his business cards and dropped a line in the hopes that maybe HE can pull me out of my closet.....keep your eyes peeled......I may be out of here yet!

Buddhist Experience

I am blessed to live in an area close to the Buddhist Temple here in Richmond.  The thing is, as close as I live, I have never taken the time to stop.  It is an experience that I have been wanting to have since moving here three years ago......not only for religous reasons, though also to tickle the artistic side of me (the architecture is stunning and beautiful!)  Well, low and behold, the photography club that I belong to planned an excursion there this past weekend.  STUNNING!  Not only with regard to the beauty of the buildings and surrounding area, but also for the overwhelming sense of emotion that I was confronted with (I am a hypersensitive person when it comes to auras and external powers.....whole different post)!  Not a single regret was had.  I knew that there was a possibility that I would not capture as many images as I would like because I would be going through something entirely different than anyone else involved.....and I was right, I could only walk around the grounds in awe.  I definately plan on going back, not only to encounter some of the emotions that I encountered, but also to view the stunning grounds again....and again, and again!

Angel

There is an angel in every little devil!  Love this girl.  Have known her since she was a baby and have watched her grow in front of my eyes.  Ya, she has not made the best choices around every corner of her life, though she has to be one of the most beautiful people that I know both inside and out. She would be someone that I would consider spending many coffees sharing thoughts and feelings with!  I would suggest to anyone out there to get to know the soft soul that is inside this hard core!  Love you Brianna, you are an amazing person!  Oh, and such a hoot to work with!

Human Canvas

Some of you may know that I am on the executive team of our PhotoClub Vancouver.  It is a position that I take seriously, and try to lead by example.  So, when our monthly challenge was presented as being 'human canvas', my mind went into overdrive as to what it was that I could do for my challenge image!  Well, low and behold, I was presented my muse on a silver platter when I went for a night out in Steveston a couple of weeks ago.  I did three things I don't ever do.  1. Saddle up to the bar.....usually I sit at a table off in the corner so that I can people watch.  This one evening, I was feeling very social (took that one from my husband's handbook).  2. Hand my business card to the bartender telling him I was interested in photographing during my next scheduled photoshoot.  3. Not blush or get all giddy!  You see, Vince, the bartender at the Blue Canoe is many things.  He is an amazing bartender and can whip up a dynamite martini (no worries, I only had two)!!  He has an amazing personality (his girlfriend is one really lucky woman).....he has a way of making everyone around him feel super comfortable and welcomed!  So, that is how I came across Vince!  Not a single regret.  Can't wait for the next time I see him......1. Anticipating his fantastic martini making skills.  2.  Handing off his stunning images.  3.  Being in the company of someone I now feel I can call a friend! 

Confidence

Confidence is something that you can gain pretty quickly and lose even quicker.....and it is something that we work on our entire lives to maintain!


As an artist, confidence is something that I lack from time to time (more often than not).  Well, that is also something that some of my subjects lack as well.....until they see an image as stunning as this.  Then the game is on.  I can't wait to see what our next shoot is going to look like....I have it envisioned in my head already, lets see if we can capture it!
 

Arianna

There comes a time when there is an image that you really aim to get is in your head......and then the perfect girl lands in your lap!  Woohoo....Arianna was my dream girl!  She stood up to the challenge of working with me with glowing colors.  What a darling, and a looker.  The images turned out smashingly.  Now, it is all thanks to the work of the wonderfully talented James Valiant (Hair Guru) and Gillisha Wharf (MakeUp Artist Extraordinaire).  I feel bad because I did not get to see them too much during this shoot.....though their work really shone through the camera.  I feel my images getting stronger and stronger, and it is all due to the talent that I am blessed to be working with both behind and in front of the camera!!  Thanks everyone!