Brynn

 

Oh my gosh do I love love love little kid energy! I love the challenge of getting them to connect and focus for a millisecond.  There is just something so satisfying when it all comes together and they feel safe and comfortable enough to be their fabulous little selves. My shoot with Brynn was just like this.  I love her pink tutu - it's perfect with the rustic backdrop and other than a touch of wind, the day was just perfect! Here are a few of her final shots. Enjoy!

 

xo

Jen

Chace and Co.

Bharb and Ted have been friends of ours for a long time.  And we have had the pleasure of watching little Chace grow for the last couple of years, though we don't get to see him nearly enough! So when we got a chance to go play and take some super fun shots on the weekend, I was all over it! Chace wanted no part of anything remotely structured, so using some super awesome toddler psychology we manipulated him in to more or less doing what we wanted. Here are a few of the shots that we got - enjoy your sneak peek guys!

xo

Jen

Gravity Kidz and Chipperfield Photography

Our latest shoot at Gravity Kidz is live and hanging in the store! Every year we take real kids, our clients and friends and go play. It's a chance to show what we do and create an amazing experience for the children we choose to work with. What we have seen and heard from the kids is incredible and is a testament to why we both base our business on connecting with people!  We love the self esteem that is built when kids feel special and we love the sense of self that shines. Being a model makes them feel like a star. When they see the final pictures they have a sense of awe....wow- that's me! They feel like it's a window to their soul. Many of the kids have said it changed how they perceive themselves. That they tapped in to their inner cool.

So now with two shoots under our belt working with kids we are familiar with, we are ready to open this opportunity up to our customers. Our next shoot will be summer 2013. Keep your eyes open for how you can get involved!

Back to School Photo Tips

 

There's only one "first day of school" for every child, so capture the day accurately with extra special photos! Whether it's kindergarten, first grade, or any year thereafter, you'll want to preserve that special day forever... and here's how!

Tip 1: Plan ahead. From clothes to lunches to backpacks, there are many things to get together for that first day of school! Don't be scrambling for camera, batteries, and memory cards as you rush your child out the door... make sure you have those things ready beforehand! Hurried activities will only add stress, so the more relaxed you are, the more relaxed your child will be!

Tip 2: Be sensitive to your child’s emotions and needs. Preparing your child for the first day of school AND the first day of school photo is important. The additional stress of taking a photo before heading off to school might prove a bit taxing for your child. Its a good idea to talk about that first day of school photo beforehand with your child... knowing what to expect is a stress reliever for everyone!

Tip 3: Decide where and when will be the best place and time to take photos. If your child’s going off to school on the bus, waiting at the bus stop might be a great place to start! If you’re picking your child up after school, you might want to take the photo in front of the school. This can even work out better because the anxiety over the first day of school will have subsided.

Tip 4: Make it a tradition! The first day of school is a great time to chronicle, in photographs, the growth of your child.  Try taking their picture in front of the same tree or in the same pose each year, and frame or scrapbook all the images together to see their growth right before your eyes, from kindergarten to college!

Tip 5: Don’t forget to photograph those who may not be going off to school. -- younger children, friends, or even dad! The images of those watching can create some wonderful and completely spontaneous images!

Have a great school year and don't forget to keep taking pictures throughout the year!

xo

Jen

Ashton and Alex

 

click to enlarge

 

This is why I love being a photographer. A gorgeous summer day, a family that I have been so fortunate to work with a few times and beautiful children. There is nothing about this that feels like work! Even when Alex didn't want to be a part of...well...anything...there is always a way around it.  Playing airplane with his dad or walking with his grandmother brought smiles to his face.  And as always, I love the moments that capture ALL the moods of the day.  Here are a few of my faves from the shoot!

xo

Jen

Back to School

Back to school is one of my favourite times.  It always feels like New Years to me...the true start of the new year. Everything feels like a fresh start and there is a certain energy in the air. As a student my favourite thing was to go shopping for school supplies. Woolco would have these huge bins of pens and paper and pencil crayons out.  The sheer multitude of stuff made me heady with delight! I loved the pencil cases and binders.  And the second I got home, I would dump the bags of stuff on to my bed and organize absolutely everything. 

Then there was the nervous anticipation for the actual first day.  What should I wear?  A new outfit for sure...nothing too fancy, but something cool. Something that made me feel special. That new outfit feeling fades after the first week, but it was part of the fresh start.

Carter started Grade Two this week.  And at a brand new school on the other side of town.  She has been looking forward to this since we found out she would be attending in May.  But it still didn't come without a touch of apprehension for all of us...change is exhilarating and scary! She can't wait to go back...I love her courage and excitement.

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These shots are from her first two days - New Student Orientation and the actual first day.

xoxo baby girl!

MacDonnell

For me, there is absolutely nothing better than working with kids and families that I have seen grow through the years.  I have known James and Emily since they were wee babes - long enough that I can say that and they aren't allowed to get mad at me!  I have seen them grow through all the different stages so far and I love that every year I get to capture that.  And that every year there is the "struggle" to get them to be together in a shot.  I know that deep inside they will be happy to have these shots when they are older.  Until then - Aunty Jen will just make it happen!

 

 

 

Love you guys and can't wait for the next shoot!

Amy...and co.

One of the things I love the most about what I do, is watching families grow...and growing with them.  This is certainly the case with this lovely family.  I have been invited to photograph each of their beautiful children when they were about 8 months old and it is so cool to see each of them at a similar stage.  This family is so real and I love any time I get with them. 

So without further ado, here's Amy!

 

 

 

 

 

(and a couple of her lovely siblings)

xo

Jen

Nico is Two!

Two years olds have so many amazing and intriguing qualities about them.  They are learning to communicate - and are learning to choose when they communicate! Choosing to say no.  Choosing to grace you with a look or a smile.  Many believe that this is a difficult age to photograph, but I love it.  I love that moment when you earn the trust - and get the look. Nico put us through the wringer, but at the end, I was completely exhilarated from his lovely energy.  

Here are a few preview shots from our shoot on the weekend.

 

 

 

 

  

xo

Jen

Kash - 1 year!

 So so negligent with my posting.  These Life Art pieces were from a few months ago and as I was doing some routine tidying in my computer, I realized I hadn't posted them yet! These pieces were created from their own images to finish up Kash's 1 year album. Enjoy!!

xo

Jen

Pinkie

eyes luminescent bright light shining through reflecting what is inside where do the words come from what have i seen where do i extend to next pools of soul falling dropping like splashes on the page

the next pretty girl

xo

jen

Ali, Dola and the kids!

 One of the best parts of being a photographer is watching a family grow, in all ways. I have known Ali and Dola for years and I love that I now get to know their kids as well.  Here are a few (long overdue) shots from their session this fall.

 

 

 

 

xoxo

Jen

Two of my Fave Kids

 I have known James and Emily since they were babies.  Literally.  James was 10 months old when we moved in across the street. So to see them as teenagers sometimes still takes me back a bit. How can they be that old?  How does that happen that time flies so quickly? Wasn't it only yesterday that Em was doing Britney Spears dances on the front porch and James was chasing butterflies? I love our pics from this past fall as it shows the constant evolution of two of my favourite kids - and that I am lucky enough to be a part of their journey.

 

Kyler is One Year!!!!

 This year has flown by - I can't believe that Kyler is one! And oh! Did his parents get a workout at this shoot! Wrangling a one year old and a toddler may be the most challenging shoot to take on - save adding a cat in there too...want to try that next time Jill? Enjoy your sneek peek!

 

 

 

xoxo

First Portrait

Mommy - will you show me how to draw girls like you do?

Ok - here, I'll draw and then you draw, ok?

Mommy - I don't want to be a dentist anymore.  I want to be an artist like you.

(And then I melted in a pool of goo - kids are amazing, aren't they?)

Here is Carter's first official portrait - she's 5 1/2...I think it's pretty incredible!

Kyler

Kyler is 6 months old! And just in time for some lovely fall leaves - oh...and an impending storm, just hovering overhead! But we perservered, found a nicely sheltered spot with lots of character and were able to capture some lovely shots. Here's a sneek peek!