Wednesday, June 17, 2015

BAM!

We're just finishing up at Reitmans, they said, we'll be right there!  I smiled as I placed my phone down on the table then gave the room a quick look-through.  I was meeting one of my oldest childhood friend's mother in law, Debbie, in a coffee shop down town.  Debbie, along with her mother and sister decided to have a week-long mother/daughter vacay on Vancouver Island and thought they'd stop by before venturing the ferry over to Quadra Island. 

The four of us sat down at the dark wooden table, sipping on coffee (decaf, of course ;) and laughing the whole time.  We talked about Amanda's (Debbie's daughter in law and my best friend) wedding last July and the birth of her first baby later on this summer.  I sloshed more coffee around my mouth and swallowed as the warm liquid fell into the pit of my stomach.  They told me about their trip - the B&B they stayed at the past two days in Qualicum Beach, and the stops that are soon to follow throughout the week.  As our coffee began to run cold, we realized an hour had gone by much too quickly.  Before they left for the ferry, we thought it was only appropriate to take a few photos to remember such a fun time in their lives - and to spice up their trip that much more like one of Emril  Lagasse's famous dishes.  BAM!

Venturing out of the dark coffee shop we were blinded by the summer sunshine which greeted us on the outside.  After a quick look around I spotted a mere 4x4 foot patch of shade on the side walk and got some images if them just being them.  Crazy.  Loud.  And of course, all sorts of Fun.

Here are a few of my favourites...



Of course an all girl mother/daughter trip wouldn't be complete without shopping.  They all got matching hats because, well, why not?!  


Ok, Grandma, we get it, you're adorable.


Mama and her crazy girls.



I wasn't kidding when I said they were fun ;)



Off to the ferry they go.  In style no less.



Happy Wednesday!

Sunday, June 14, 2015

MORE ICE WATER, PLEASE!

Hiiiiiiiii! We both squealed as we ran towards each other, embracing in what was probably the worlds tightest bear hug.  Wait right there, I said as I made my way back to my car, I have something for you.  I reached over the drivers seat to grab what I was looking for and turned around as quickly as I could yelling HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! as I placed a potted pink cactus in her hands.  Her birthday was a couple of weeks ago, but hey, there's never a wrong time for presents, so I thought, what the heck!



I met Adina - the lovely girl behind Wren and Rook Photography - yesterday at Drinkwaters Social House in Port Alberni for lunch and to chat about business...life...and anything else we could think of.  If you don't remember when I talked about it here, but Adina is my little guardian angel.  When I first set out to start in this business, I reached out to local photographers to see if I could work with them - gain some experience in the life of a wedding photographer.  Adina being one of them, took my hand and reeled me in - and right from the beginning, we just *clicked*.  Somehow, beyond my wildest dreams, I was lucky enough to gain a mentor in the process to help me along my first year in business - which brings us to where we are now.  Sitting on a patio.  Basking in the sunshine.  Eating eggs benny.  Just another one of our monthly get-togethers.  How did I ever get to be so lucky?!

We talked about pricing as we sipped our bellinis through short black straws.  Such a tricky and often unspoken aspect in the photography world.  We talked for hours.  litterally.  The waitress had already taken away our plates, brought us about 8 refills of ice water, and the bill, which sat on the table already paid, until we were ready to go.  But I made it through unscathed with tons of helpful insight.  As we made our way to the parking lot to say our goodbyes, we talked (even more!) as we stood on the hot cement for about another thirty minutes until a horsefly bit me on the foot (actually!!!), it was then when we finally decided to say goodbye.  for realz.

As I pulled out of the parking lot, I couldn't help but think of how lucky I am.  Last year I was just a girl, living in her sister's basement, wondering where her life was going.  Now?  My dreams are coming true.  I feel like the luckiest girl alive.  My car came to a stop as I pulled up to the set of lights on the  last turn out of town.  I looked in my rear-view mirror only to see Adina coming up from behind me.  As I turned towards the passenger window to wave goodbye, I seen her blowing me kisses as her jeep drove through the green light.  I couldn't help but think how even luckier I am to have made such a great friend in the process.

Saturday, June 13, 2015

55 DAYS WITHOUT COFFEE

I'm not really sure how it all happened but fifty-five days ago, Coffee and I, well...we called it quits.  

I know, I know, this may come as a shock to some of you, but really we were never meant to be.  
He kept me up at night.  
Made me so jittery it was hard to focus on my daily tasks.  
And it was hard to even get out of bed without giving in to his oh so sweet pick-me-up attitude every morning.



In the beginning, it was rough.  I was cranky, irritable and had a constant headache for about a week.  Like for realz, yo.  But once I got through that terrible, dreadful withdrawal period where all I wanted to do was climb into a cave and die, life has been good.  I am falling asleep faster and not to mention my sleep quality has improved.  I don't feel as anxious and jittery all the time (I have really bad anxiety and the coffee just made it waaay worse).  I'm still finding it a bit difficult to get out of bed in the morning, but it all comes with time.  It's a work in progress.  

I do still miss the taste, though, and have since been known to indulge in a decaf americano from time to time.  Relax.  I swear it's not cheating.

Friday, June 12, 2015

PERFECT IS BORING

Oh, I love this song! I said as I reached over, turning the volume up so I could dance to the beat.  My friend and I were driving back to Vancouver from a friends wedding in the Shuswap back in September.  We all joked about how it was a mini reunion since we all attended high school together and we hadn't seen each other in years!  As we danced to the song, the sun scattered into the car through the trees as the wind blew our hair into tiny tangles in front of my face.  It was a perfect road trip moment.  That was until the song was over, Ricardo looked over at me and he said it.  The words that made me cringe at the thought of it, but he said it nonetheless.  Out loud.  So what are you doing with your life?  And being trapped in a car, there was nowhere to run so I started talking.

After the initial ahhhs and ummms and ra-ta-ta-tas, I began to talk, and I surprised even myself at times.  You see, we all get stuck in a mindset of what we think we're supposed to do.  Graduate High School.  Attend University.  Get a well paying respectable job.  Retire.  Make your bed.  After graduating high school I remember thinking, this is the start to the rest of my life and I pictured myself going to university, getting a well paid, respectable job, living in a house with a white picket fence and retiring in a nice home with freshly made beds.  That was until my life came to a halt.  My dad got very sick and in that moment I made the quick decision to drop out of university and move four hours away to take care of him before he passed away.  I always thought I would pick my life back up after, but that just didn't happen.  As people say, real life got in the way.  Five years later, I'm stuck sitting in a car, with my best friend wondering how so much time went by and I hadn't even thought about going back to university and continuing my "dreams".  But then it hit me...those weren't my dreams, they were someone else's - or more so, what everyone wants us to believe is our dreams.


In that moment I realized that perfect is boring.  We need to find what makes OUR hearts sing, OUR feet dance and OUR souls fly.  University?  Not for me.  I enjoy being creative and dancing to the beat of my own drum and while I was in Business School I felt like just another drone gliding from class to class.  The 9-5 life?  Nope, not for this gal.  Being the youngest of four, I am very stubborn and set in my ways and I've always wanted to be my own boss.  Being a wedding photographer is more than just my dream job it's a lifestyle.  It sets my heart free and gives me full permission to be creative and to be myself on a daily basis.  And as for my bed...it's not made.  The pillows are askew, the blankets are in a jumble on top and somewhere in the mess Chachi is having her afternoon all day cat nap amongst the covers.


Do yourself a favour.  Break away from what everyone else is telling you to be perfect and just do what YOU think is perfect.  Everything else is boring.





Ricardo, thank you for making me realize this for myself. xo

Thursday, June 11, 2015

LITTLE RIVER ENGAGEMENT : SAMANTHA + ALEX

They were introduced by friends some seven years ago, at a bar nonetheless.  Alex seen Samantha from across the room and it was like one of those movie moments where the whole room is dark with just a single spotlight on the girl.  There was just something special about that girl and he was prepared to do whatever it took to win her over.  anything.

At the time, Samantha was not interested in having a boyfriend and ignored his displays of affection.  Out of the blue he would send her gifts - flowers, chocolates, dinner invitations...the list goes on.  These displays of affection continued on for a year.  It was somewhere in that one year mark Samantha finally gave Alex the shot he'd been waiting for and they went on their first date...and the rest, they say, is history.  They have been inseparable ever since.  In the six years they have been dating, they haven't gone a single day without talking to one another - which just goes to show all Alex's hard work eventually paid off ;)


Samantha and Alex will be saying their I do's in front of close family and friends at the Shiprwrecks in Royston later this month and I cannot tell you how excited I am to be a part of their special day.  They are simply fun, sweet and amazing!  I had the best time at their engagement session, I can only imagine how wonderfully amazing their wedding day will be.



They decided to have their session around their home in Comox which has a beautiful back field accompanied by a nearby park and beach.  We have been blessed with a beautifully sunny June, but the two days before the shoot was nothing but dark clouds, rain and wind.  I kept my fingers crossed for somewhat decent weather for the day and the heavens blessed us with one killer day.  The air was warm and the sun was golden and everything around us was pure perfection.

These are a few of my favourites...




We started in a field just behind their house.  She even brought her bike...with a basket.  Love her!


After a quick outfit change, we made our way to a park just down the road.



Alex is a mechanic, so it was no surprise when he brought this '67 Chevy along for the shoot.



Samantha, you are FIERCE.




Alex was a little reluctant with my posing ideas, but I think he secretly liked it ;)




Samantha and Alex are planning their wedding in just three short months and Samantha forgot her ring was in getting fitted when we booked the engagement session.  Not wanting to re-schedule, she bought a couple fake rings for pictures...she saved the biggest one for last.  A girl can dream...



We ended the session on the beach, because, well...why not?  And these two looked perfectly adorable doing it.




This is my favourite photo from their engagement session, so I'll end on this lovely note...



To see more of Samantha and Alex's engagement photos,  CLICK HERE for a slideshow with Shaylee  & Scott music provided by The Music Bed!

Happy Thursday!

Monday, June 8, 2015

PINE LODGE FARM WEDDING: CIANA + TRAVIS

The sun broke through the grey clouds and stroked the day with its blessings.  Everyone downstairs was working like busy little bees...Organizing the flowers...Setting up the tents...Placing the chairs in perfectly straight rows...All preparing for what ended up being the most wonderful wedding. Ciana sat quietly by the window as her sister-in-law retouched the curls in her hair. As Ciana stood and slowly walked to the side door - careful not to be seen - the weightless white polka dot chiffon of her wedding dress danced above her toes. She paced along the shaded cement, drawing in deep breaths before descending down the walkway to see her future husband. 

Travis looked handsome waiting under the shade behind the gardens that surrounded Barbara's Garden at Pine  Lodge Farm. With his back turned, he waited patiently to see the woman he was to pledge his life to…whose grey hairs he wanted resting on his shoulders for eternity. Ciana stepped up behind Travis as he turned and looked at his beautiful wife to be and the world turned still and all that mattered, in that moment,was the two of them.

I was truly honoured to document Ciana and Travis's nuptials at Pine Lodge Farm in Mill Bay. Thank you for inviting me to share in on one lovely wedding day! From start to end, it embodied your care, devotion, and dedication to each other, but--more so--those around you.  For this -- and so much more -- I thank you.  Much Love and Appreciation...jj




Can we all please take a moment to appreciate the fact that Ciana's dress was POLKA-DOT!  Ciana, you are truly one of  my most favourite people.  ever.



Their beautiful rings and a close up of her dress.  #dang




The beautiful bouquets for the beautiful ladies supplied by Thrifty Foods.



Ciana and Travis opted to see each other before the ceremony for a first look and I was truly honoured to be a part of the experience.



I still can't get over her polka dot dress!




This is one of my favourites.  He just realized he is the luckiest man in the world.




They had both written personal vows for the ceremony, but being both on the shy side they didn't want to read them in front of everyone else.  They decided to read them to each other during their first look, and I have to admit...I got all choked up and teary...



Ladies and gentlemen, the most adorable couple in history.  Seriously.



The beginning of their forever.







As everyone gathered for cocktail hour, we ventured the farm for some some shade for the photos...it was so hot I'm surprised we didn't melt into the cement!





Love these two!





The happy couple.





I wasn't kidding when I said they are the cutest couple ever.



I am terrified of birds (no joke) but these two love birds are JJ approved!  And that's a good thing because they were all around...even in the decor...




Cheers!




To see more of Ciana and Travis's Mill Bay wedding photos, feel free to CLICK HERE for a SLIDESHOW for a fuller sneak peek of their day!