One of my favorite things about being a Montreal wedding photographer is that I get to meet so many new and interesting people.  I realized though, that on the day of the wedding, everything is often so fast-paced that I don’t really have the opportunity to spend “quality time” with my clients, just relaxing, talking and learning about who they are and what’s important to them. 

For me, photography is all about telling a story and since every couple is different I didn’t want to photograph people’s weddings with a cookie-cutter formula.   I decided that I needed to get to know my clients before the wedding so that I could photograph their special day in a way that would be true to who they are as individuals and as a couple.  With that in mind, I decided to include an engagement session with every wedding package, so that I could spend a leisurely day taking photos at a location that is meaningful to my clients – and we could get comfortable with each other before the big day.  These sessions are some of my favorite to shoot, because this is often where clients start to become friends and since we’re not pressed for time, we can relax and just have fun together.

 When I met with Candice and David earlier this year to talk about their wedding, they asked if we could do their e-session on the grounds of McGill University.  The campus itself is beautiful, but what makes it extra special is that McGill is where they met and fell in love.  Both Candice and David are now teachers, but they first met in room 627 of the Educational Pavillion - I know this because we actually went back to that very room for part of the session! 

As we got off the elevator, they looked nostalgically at an old couch in the hallway and Candice said to me, “This is where David used to take naps”.  The whole day was like that:  “This is the table where we would eat lunch”, “This is where we would study”… I felt as though we were reenacting their love story – and THAT is what made the session so awesome.  I know so much more about this fun, spunky, hard-working, romantic couple now that I will be able to tell the next chapter in their story that much better in August when they get married.  In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite shots from our session.  Enjoy!

Stay tuned for what are sure to be some amazing wedding photos when Candice & David tie the knot on August 17th this year.

I’m not sure what I was doing at the age of 25, but it certainly did not involve writing a business plan, getting a bank loan and expanding my already successful business, which is what baker extraordinaire Randi Deskin has been up to.  Saturday June 25th marked the grand opening of the new storefront for Baking Sweet, Randi’s West Island Cupcake Emporium (located at 4806 St. John’s Blvd. in Pierrefonds).

This beautiful bakery is home to an exquisite selection of homemade baked goods, with recipes passed down from Randi’s grandmother. Every mouthwatering morsel is made with only the finest ingredients that are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth!  Choose from an amazing assortment of cupcakes in flavours like chocolate, vanilla, chocolate mint, lemon, carrot and my favorite:  red velvet.  But wait; there’s more!  Randi also makes birthday cakes, wedding cakes and cookies  

I stopped by to wish Randi well… and in between mouthfulls of cupcake, snapped off a few shots.  Congrats Randi on a wonderful Grand Opening and what is just another step in what I am sure will be a long and successful career!!

Some people don’t like to have their picture taken.  I’ve been living with Gaby for 10 years (or is it 11??) and when I point my camera in his direction, I have about a 50% chance of getting The Hand.  So I get it.  I really do.  In fact, one of the reasons that I love being BEHIND the camera is that I happen to hate being in front of it!   So when I met Lauren and Al to discuss photography for their wedding next summer and Lauren told me that Al didn’t like to have his picture taken, I could totally relate.  Fortunately for me, Lauren is pretty persuasive and was able to convince Al to do an engagement shoot with me to “practice” for their wedding.  She even managed to talk him into cutting his hair.  OK, well, if we’re being totally honest, she bribed him with a new guitar   Gotta give the girl props for her ingenuity!!

Since both Lauren and Al like to explore the outdoors, we decided to do our session at Cooper’s Marsh Conservation Area on Lake St. Francis, which is a beautiful natural marsh with long winding boardwalks and paths through the woods.  Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate and we had to reschedule due to rain at least twice.  I’m sure Al was devastated each time!!  Finally, last Saturday, Mother Nature gave us a break and we had a warm, sunny day for our shoot. 

We met up in the parking lot at 11 and I promised to keep the session to under two hours.  As we walked towards the boardwalk for the first set of shots, Lauren and I chatted about the wedding plans while Al trailed along behind us strumming his new guitar.  Every now and then, I would sureptitiously glance back, nervous that he would disappear into the wilderness, but I have to say that once he had committed to the shoot, he was really a GREAT sport about everything. 

Here are a few of my favorite shots from our session:

After seeing these shots, I’m sure you’ll agree:  Al has no reason to be camera shy, especially not when he’s got a beauty like Lauren in his arms!  As for me, I’m looking forward to hearing  what Lauren has up her sleeve to convince Al to wear a suit for the wedding next summer

Jasmine, JD and the CreativeLive 5 at the end of shooting today.

Today was the final day of our epic wedding photography adventure with Jasmine Star and Creative Live.  It’s been a whirlwind, roller-coaster ride of highs and lows, with lots of laughs, but also many emotional moments for everyone involved.  I feel as though I’ve been at a month-long summer camp for the past 5 days; spending my afternoons engaged in fun activities meant to help me develop as a person and my nights giggling with newfound friends on Twitter.  So tonight, as the credits rolled, the mikes were unplugged and the cameras were packed away, I felt like summer camp was coming to a close and I would be leaving all my new friends to go back to reality.  It was rough.  I had to leave the studio and go take a breather in the back alley.  I didn’t want to be a sobbing mess on air.

For those who watched, tweeted and chatted along with us, you also spent 5 days soaking in Jasmine’s radiance, warmth and energy, so you know what I mean when I say that sitting in my hotel room, looking at my packed bags, it feels as though someone has snuffed out the sun.  Tomorrow I’ll be boarding a plane for Montreal instead of settling into the comfy couches at the Creative Live studio and listening to Jasmine belt out California “What-evah”s.  I won’t hear Sachin’s accent or see Stephanie’s smile.  Nate won’t be sitting across from me making funny faces and Audrey won’t be reading me the comments from the chat room…

Despite the sadness I feel for leaving these new friends, I also feel a little spark of light shining inside me as I begin to anticipate what lies ahead.  In a few short days, Jasmine has inspired me to try new things, to embrace who I am as a photographer and as a person (flaws and all) and to accept that not everyone will like me and THAT’S OK.  What matters is that I remain true to myself as I continue to grow and evolve as a photographer.  I’ve learned so much in these past 5 days, about photography, business, marketing, branding, even JD’s grades… but most of all I’ve learned about myself.  I’m excited about getting home and applying that knowledge in a way that will move my business and my brand forward.  I’ll keep you posted about the impact this week has had and will continue to have on my life in future blogs, so stay tuned

Thanks to everyone from Laura & Billy to Chase Jarvis and the CreativeLive crew, to the Tweeters (is that a word??) who showered us with tremendous support, to the other students and of course:  Jasmine and JD, without whom none of this would have been possible.

When I woke up this morning, the butterflies in my stomach from yesterday felt more like a flock of birds.  Today, I would be shooting a part of Billy and Laura’s ”First Look” and CreativeLIVE would be filming and broadcasting everything LIVE, on the internet, to thousands of people.  Ok, cool, I could handle that, no biggie (yeah, right!!)… What made those little bird wings beat even faster, however, was the thought that JASMINE would also be watching!! 

To put this into perspective for you, imagine that you were having a little get together at your house with some friends & family to watch the video you shot of your recent vacation to Disney World.  You’ve got this intimate little gathering planned, you’ve got everything under control, you’re in your element and you can’t wait to show your video and see how your friends react to the cool new things you’ve learned to do with your video camera.  Then your crazy cousin Louise shows up with Steven Spielberg and announces that he’ll be staying for the show.  Yes. Exactly. PANIC!!  Suddenly your cool special effects seem just… mediocre. 

Well, that’s how I felt knowing that Jasmine would be watching me work.  Not because she’s even remotely judgemental or critical, but because I am extremely judgemental and critical of myself .  So yeah, for everyone out there in cyberspace, it’s safe to say I was more than “a little nervous” about today.

Luckily, I was meeting Sachin and Audrey for breakfast, so I was able to put my performance anxiety out of my mind while we wandered around looking for an interesting place to grab a bite.  We eventually found an organic bakery and decided to check it out.  Audrey pointed out a sign by the cash register that said, “Try something different.  If you are not entirely satisfied, we will refund you entirely.”  I tried a gluten-free, vegan apple-walnut tart (it was goooood) and thought about the sign.

TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT

That’s what I came here for.  To try something different.  To learn something new.  To push myself creatively and get out of my comfort zone.  I can eat pancakes for breakfast, or shoot with my “lazy girl lens” anytime when I’m at home.  How often do I get the opportunity to eat a gluten-free, vegan apple-walnut tart – or to shoot wedding photos with no pressure to deliver a collection to a client?  NOT VERY OFTEN!  So I promised myself that I would make the most of this amazing opportunity and try something different today.  

And I did.  I shot with only one camera body (I usually have two bouncing around on my hips) and my new Shootsac packed with only my 70-200 f/2.8 and my 14-24 f/2.8.  I shot Laura and Billy’s first look inside the venue with my 50mm f/1.4 (awesome!!), then when we moved outside I actually swapped in my 14-24, which I have NEVER used at a wedding for fear of making the bride look warped… but I think my favorite shots of the day were taken with that lens.  I will be sharing some of those photos next week and you can let me know what you think, but right now, looking at them in Lightroom, I am SO glad that I pushed myself to try something different. 

Laura and Billy were wonderful to work with too and I have to give them props for being so flexible and willing to work with each of us.  They went along with anything and everything that was asked of them.  They were natural and spontaneous and so in love… it was hard not to get caught up in the moment myself.  Laura was so beautiful… I mean, really, really stunning and so natural and comfortable in front of the camera that you’d think she had been modeling for years and not the one behind the lens.  Billy was looking and feeling great too.  He even razzed Chase a little about his formalwear. 

I am looking forward to tomorrow’s wedding with a renewed sense of purpose and confidence after having a nice dose of cyber-hugs from many new friends.  Thanks to EVERYONE who took the time to read and comment on my blog, add me as a Facebook friend or follow me on Twitter (@KookyCatChick).  Your comments and questions and encouragement are SOOOO appreciated and really made my day.  I am not ashamed to admit that I sat here and cried because I was so touched at the outpouring of suport (yeah, I’m emotional like that!). 

Anyhow… I REALLY need to get some sleep.  So here are a few behind-the-scenes moments from today and I’ll catch you all on the flip side.  Enjoy  

JD helping Jasmine get miked up.

Billy: "I see you got dressed up for the occasion today Chase"

What do a bunch of photographers do when they're waiting for the workshop to start in the morning? Shoot each other, of course!

Nate impressed us with his athletic prowess.

Setting the stage for the big day. I can't wait to see the final results!!

Audrey gets a little wistful as Billy sees Laura in her dress for the first time.

Jasmine & Super-Hubby JD working side by side. It's amazing to see them work together and share that silent communication that only couples really have.

Today was the first day of the CreativeLIVE workshop with Jasmine Star.  I felt like a kid on the first day of school:  Nervous and excited, not sure what to expect, full of questions and expectations… and just hoping that people would like me so I would have someone to sit with at lunch time. 

As it turned out, our little posse (Nate, Audrey, Sachin, Stephanie and I) met Jasmine on the sidewalk just after we had finished our yummy breakfast and were headed to the studio for the workshop.  We were laughing and talking amongst ourselves, and then suddenly someone said, “There she is!!” and it was like we had just spotted Brad Pitt or something:  5 adults just gushed with total giddy excitement.  Only Jasmine was not surrounded by an entourage and did not disappear into a conveniently parked limo, instead, SHE seemed just as giddy and excited as US.  Seriously.  She bounced over and hugged us all and it was just… well, I don’t know, but better than meeting Brad Pitt!  JD was there too; the perfect balance to Jasmine’s exuberant personality.  He was super sweet; recognizing and greeting each one of us by name with a big sincere smile.  This impromptu meeting set the tone for the rest of the day.

Jasmine's laughter and positive energy bubbles up inside her and pours out like fizz from a shaken soda can, spilling over onto anyone in the immediate vaccinity.

Jasmine in person is exactly like Jasmine on her blog.  She talks like a California valley girl (like totally!!) and she KEEPS IT REAL!  She is funny and genuine and insightful in a down to earth way that I can completely relate to.  She shared so much of herself with us and was not afraid to open up about the challenges and struggles she has faced both personally and professionally.  I laughed, I cried - then I got mascara in my eye and cried some more.  But mostly I just listened and absorbed and was truly inspired. 

Tomorrow we will be shooting Laura and Billy’s “first look” with Jasmine and JD… and I’m back to having the first-day-of-school butterflies about that.  I did have a full table of new friends at lunch today though, so I’ll be walking with a more confident swagger tomorrow

Just to ramp it up a notch, I’ve challenged myself to shoot with my 50mm 1.4 – especially since Jasmine called my trusty 24-70mm the “lazy girl’s lens” today!  I don’t usually shoot with prime lenses, so this will be a little out of my comfort zone, but that’s what learning and growing is all about, right?  Just to get warmed up, I took a few behind-the-scenes shots with the 50mm 1.4 today.  I’ve posted a few of my favorites below:

Sometime after this crazy week is over, I promise to dedicate an entire blog to the many faces of Nate!

Sachin experiencing iPad envy for Chase Jarvis' cool white iPad.

During our lunch break Jasmine showed us about natural reflectors using a warehouse wall and the lovely Audrey as a subject.

Stephanie and Jasmine hamming it up for the paparazzi.

Whew!  Today has been a long day…  After spending the whole night packing last night for my big trip to Seattle (finally wound up with FOUR bags, and that’s AFTER purging non-essentials!!),  I slept for about 2 hours then headed to the airport at 5:00am to board my flight to Toronto.  I arrived in Toronto at 8:00am, then rushed through cutoms to get on the flight to Seattle and settle in for a nap. 

Despite the turbulence, I was able to get about an hour’s shut-eye, then woke up with an urgent need to pee.  As I went to the front of the plane to use the facilities, I bumped into the HOT captain, who was headed in the same direction.  Although I have a wonderful man at home (who rescues baby birds in the nude – see previous post), the hunky captain reduced me to the state of a babbling teenage girl.  Seriously, the man was GORGEOUS - and who can resist a man in uniform?  I mean, just because I’m on a Gaby diet doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the dessert menu, right?  Anyway, he graciously offered to let me go first.  Now, keep in mind, I have had like 3 hours sleep at this point, so I cannot be faulted for not being able to find the flush button!  But how could I not flush, knowing that our captain was standing right outside, waiting to go next?  I searched and searched and pressed everything that resembled a flush button.  No dice.  Then I start getting stressed because surely he was out there wondering what the heck was TAKING me so long… Finally, I gave up, peeked my head out and sheepishly admitted that I could not figure out how to flush the toilet… what a marooon!!  The captain smiled (he had DIMPLES), leaned in and said, “It’s right here” and FLUSHED FOR ME!  Of course, the button was cleverly hidden right beside the toilet paper roll and identified with those confusing hieroglyphics that only aviation crew understand, but still… how mortifying!!

So that was how my trip started.  I clearly needed a little pick me up, so I booked a spa appointment at Frenchy’s Day Spa downtown.  It was just what I needed (especially the pedicure, because I just could NOT appear live on the internet with skanky feet!) and after having a relaxing facial with wonderful and friendly Tie, things started to look up.

Tie has just recently started working at Frenchy's Day Spa on Madison and I would definitely recommend asking for her if you're in the area and need a facial. My skin simply glowed when she was finished with me.

Next on the agenda was a meetup at Pike Street Market with Sachin, Nate, Audrey and Stephanie, the other five photographers who were chosen to participate in the CreativeLIVE workshop with Jasmine Star this week.  We thought it would be fun to get to know each other a little before we were officially thrust into the spotlight during tomorrow’s broadcast, so we walked along 1st street and had a delicious dinner at an eclectic little Polynesian restaurant called Ohana.  What a GREAT bunch of photographers.  I can’t wait to spend the next week hanging out with them!

Left to right: Audrey Smit, MOI, Nate Perks, Stephanie Miller, Sachin Khona (The pig is not with us).

Since it’s now 4:30am Montreal time (1:30 in Seattle), I will summarize a few other observations from day 1 before I crawl into bed:

• Nate is just as endearing in person as he is on his video, though he does have a competitive streak…
• The wireless internet connection at the Red Roof Inn is slower than the dial-up at my grandmother’s apartment in Cornwall… but the fact that they have free HBO with True Blood almost makes up for it
• Stephanie is super sweet and a champion Googler!
• Downtown Seattle is VERY hilly and I am sooooooooooooo glad that my rental is an automatic.
• Sachin is uber-cool in that way that only guys from the UK can pull off.
• If you ever have a problem with a lock on your luggage, a bolt-cutter at the hotel front desk sure comes in handy!
• Audrey makes me have travel envy – and is one of those fearless confident women that I always admire… maybe some of that will rub off on me this week?
• Even when you cheat at trivia and get disqualified for excessive use of an iPhone, you still get free OHANA t-shirts for being 5 people at a table from 4 different countries

Julie was in Montreal last week on business and asked if we could do a photo shoot together while she was here.  I had a pretty packed week myself, but we managed to squeeze in some time in Point-Claire Village on Monday before her flight home.  

I have not had time to go through all the shots yet, but I had to post at least one, because I still can’t get over what an absolute HOTTIE Julie has become!!!  Maybe it’s the absence of the lab coat and goggles (yeah, I forgot to mention, she used to wear goggles at work too!!), or maybe it’s her newfound confidence… whatever it is, she looks GREAT and I can’t wait to share more photos from our shoot (soon, very soon, I promise!).

OK, maybe just one more:

Luv ya girlfriend!!

 This was my first year participating in Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photowalk so I had no idea what to expect – or what to pack.  Considering that the walk was to take place in Old Montreal, from 2:45ish to 6:00pm, I knew it would be hot so I wanted to travel light.  Well, if you know me, you know that even when I travel light I wind up with a very heavy camera bag! 

It must be my years of being a Brownie with that motto of “Be prepared”, because I always fret over not bringing something and then realizing halfway through a shoot that I should have brought it because I need it now!!  Most of the time this is OK, because I can fit almost everything in the back of my CRV, but when I have to WALK… for 3 hours… and carry everything on my back… yikes!!  STRESS!!!!

For this field trip with the Lakeshore Camera Club this is what I finally decided to pack in my camera bag:

• Lenses:  50mm f/1.4, 14-24 f/2.8, 24-70 f/2.8, 70-200 f/2.8
• Flash:  SB-900
• Batteries:  2 camera batteries & 16 AA batteries
• Extras:  Flashlight, Gary Fong difuser, lens pen, lint brush & cleaning cloth
• Camera:  Nikon D3S

This is what I did not pack… and wished I would have:

• Polarizing filters (Why do I always forget those?!)
• A second body (Much easier to have a second body than to fiddle with swapping lenses when doing street photography).

Alas, despite my packing issues, I had a wonderful time on the walk.  I led a small group of Lakeshore Camera Club members as well as some new friends from Nikon-Digital.ca through the streets of Old Montreal where we photographed everything from street musicians and artists to cityscapes and flowers.  At last count we also came across six weddings! 

By 5:00pm we were starting to feel a little parched, so I allowed my fellow walkers to twist my arm into hitting the (AIR CONDITIONED) restaurant a little early.  We made our way to Méchant Boeuf where we settled into their plush, comfy chairs, ordered some sumptuous libations (the raspberry mojito is to die for) and relaxed to the eclectic collection of tunes from DJ Skwik E Kleen.  A delicious dinner followed as we compared notes, shared photos from the day and chilled out – literally.

Here are some of my favorite shots from the day: