JACKSON :: baby

Meagan and I endured 4 years of university together.  4 Years of ups and downs, success and failure.  Being a fine art students forces you to put it all out there...there's no hiding your feelings in art school.  So i guess you could say we became close friends.  Really I couldn't have gotten through without her...our studios faced each other...and it was comforting for me to know she was there.  When Meagan told me she was expecting a wee little one I was beyond joyed.  Meagan has a humongous heart, and i knew she would make a super fantastic mama. 

THEN, Meagan asked me to take photos of little Jackson and my heart kinda skipped.  Going back to art school, it was Meagan's approval of my work that gave me confidence! If I made something horrible...well lets just say I could see it on her face haha. AND...if Meagan liked it then I knew it was good.  THE PRESSURES ON!

The few weeks after Jacksons birth were stressful for this new family. Jackson was born with a rare condition that will require some attention.  He will be GREAT he just needs some extra loving care.  I can only imagine the feelings this family went through after his birth.  But i know that Meagan and her husband Josh will have the strength, love, courage and patience to be the best parents for this perfect little man. 

Needless to say our photo shoot was pushed back a couple of weeks. 
So here's 4 week old jackson...the cutest little thing...teeny tiny and totally alert...monkey didn't want to sleep...until i put him in the fur. ahah. Best faux fur I ever bought. 

Meagan AND Josh...enjoy your little man (and your photos).  This time will fly by and really you will never remember how teensy he once was :) 
xoxo

GRAD :: 2012

Terri is a colleague/mentor of mine who wanted some photos of her beautiful daughter as she was getting ready for prom.  I had never met her daughter but knew from staff room conversations that she was something special.  We had the most beautiful house to shoot but lets be honest,  i could have photographed her infront of a dump truck and the photos would still have been stunning! Not to mention her BFFs

..MAN THESE GIRLS ARE GORGEOUS! 
The dresses, the hair, the shoes.....ohhh the shoes. These girls have STYLE! I wanna go to PROM again...giggle.

I was thankful that there was no rain but the full sun can be quite a challenge especially when the view only faces one way. But like I said these girls are stunning and really whats in a view when there are BEAUTIFUL girls to look at. 

I hope you all enjoyed your night. Congratulations on your graduation and may whatever path you take lead you all to greatness. 

Enjoy your photos
xoxo

oh kids and their phones these days...ha

READY FOR BEAUTY OVERLOAD...

i mean really...

 STUNNING

GORGEOUS

BREATHTAKING

WOWzerz how lucky I'm I? this was sooo much fun I could have photographed you all all day long.

Time is FLYING

Well if you follow my post or even just randomly check things out you may have noticed that I have been lacking on keeping up the monthly posts of my wee little girl.  I'll catch up someday...promise. 

The last 2 months have brought on a whooolle lot of changes with the little one.  She's been eating solids, started swimming and can now CRAWL...military style...but she's a movin!

Here are a few snipits of what we've been up too!!!

Emmersons FIRST SWIM!

DAY AT THE PARK

Declan :: BABY

There is just no time for a SNEAK...this little man is TOO cute not to share!
Baby Declan came 4 weeks early...and this is him at 4 weeks! He's so teeny tiny but was bright eyed the whole shoot...ohhh baby Declan...those blue eyes were too gorgeous to miss.  AND those little baby grunts and groans made my day ;)

Congratulations Jenn and Dustin on your Beautiful family...Enjoy that little man (and your photos!)

BEAUTIES

Time to KICK it up a notch

Being a mom is the GREATEST job in the world...it's also the hardest! I know i know People say that all the time, and I would always agree but I could never really imagine. Now don't get me wrong....I am the luckiest girl in the WHOLE world, I mean, I get to be EMmersons mom! And it's AMAZING! The last 6 months I have dedicated 100% of everything I have to this brilliant little being...but my creative juices are flowing and my photography's lacking.
But Instead of working on my art during nap time I sit and stalk other photographers ha.

While all fun and games...and one might think i could learn from others (and I do...I TOTALLY do)But, more often then not, come away with a big judgement cloud looming over my life...my photography....growl! Now I know, it's no-ones fault but my own...but I just can't help compare myself to other amazing photographers out there. I SO WISH I could walk away with only the inspiration to push myself to get better...but more often than not I walk away feeling envy..this photographer has a better camera, she has more lenses, this one books way more than I do, she has more fans a proper web site...CONFIDENCE to put herself out there ect.ect.ect. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME! I know, I've never really immersed myself fully into developing a business (what can I say, my capricornian ways led me through university to get a REAL job) but I am so passionate about photography and somehow developing into the photographer I want to be.

 I was reading photographer jasmine stars article about the mistakes she's made and really thought she had written about me!
Here's what she said...
"I let others dictate how I felt about my work. Needless to say, this happens a lot in the industry. Sometimes business owners will talk so certainly about WHAT they have, WHERE they're going, WHO they're with, HOW many weddings they booked...and so forth. And though it might be unintentional, they made me feel less worthy to pursue my dream of becoming a photographer, and my work. They had that camera, so clearly they take better photos than me. They're off to that industry mixer with people who air kiss, so clearly they're cooler than I am and will get jobs as a byproduct of it. They just booked their 764th wedding for the year...and updated their Facebook status to let the world know. I walked around in a constant state of I Suckiness, and it wasn't until I tuned out the noise that I was able to define who I was...just plain old Jasmine Star. Once this happened, I was able to embrace my current situation: While I may not have the best camera, or party with the cool kids, or book weddings like a boss...I'm moving forward. And moving is always better than sitting still." 

Feeling less worthy...that about sums it up!

WELL FOLKS ITS TIME TO STOP! No more feeling like I suck! I don't suck...one could always improve...but I don't suck! I may not have top of the line equipment (maybe one day I will) I may not have the money for a web site (just yet) I may not have tons of contacts and copious amounts of photography friends (I'll keep reaching out) I may not have all the time in the world (I'm a mom to the best child and a wife to the greatest husband) AND that's okay....I have PASSION!
I know that with each shoot I'll get better I'll learn I'll be thankful. I am so grateful for everyone who has been in front of my lens and trusted in my vision. I am greatful for positive feedback and encouragement (it's what keeps me going) I am thankful For the ones who read this blog...though its not an "official" web site. If you back me, if your behind me, if you encourage me THANK YOu it means the world.

TIME TO KICK IT UP A NOTCH!

ASHER :: baby

I am soo over the moon excited for this post! We have been waiting for baby Asher for a long long time. Patiently we waited, Linden was ready to be a big brother and my brother and sister in law were READY for their second child.  I mean these 2 are awesome parents and could really have a house full of babies hehe.  Though it may have been frustrating...the journey of creating a 2nd child...but it just seems so RIGHt so PERFECT that ASHER is here with us now.

Being a new mom myself I have had little time behind the lens...I was soo excited to capture ASHER and all his newness, especially since I wasn't in the country when big brother Linden was born.

My husband was working in Kelowna so Emmerson and I Went up one night so I could take some photos of my new little nephew.  WOWWSERS what a day it was!  We had a 3 year old a 4 month old and a 5 day old.  I thought 3 adults would easily be enough...we could handle it NOOO PROBLEM.  HA!!! Was I wrong or what.  Emmerson...now almost 5 months...only wants to be around me.  Some of the pictures you see were taken while I was holding her haha.  Linden...who's 3.... hates the camera and apparenly hate it when others get their picture taken too. As I was trying to take a photo of ASHER he politely crawled on the bed, said he wanted to be in ONE picture and then asked me not to take any more of his new brother.  GEEZ this kid cracks me up. 

Jon and Stacey, Enjoy your family of 4...you have the sweetest boys around. 

 MELT