Every spring, I look forward to the opportunity to work with the wonderful Sareen family and their two little ones: Mya and Aidan.  It was a bit of a revelation when it occurred to me that this was my fourth annual portrait session with them – how time flies!  With last year’s shoot taking place in the studio, we changed it up this year and I eagerly headed over to their home to chase after the kids with my camera in their own environment.

While there’s the usual surprise in seeing how much they’ve grown every year, the signs of change were rather apparent this time: you know time is passing when they’re out of diapers and have moved on to losing teeth.  But some things remain the same and as always, the kids were super excited, falling over each other to show me their latest toys, and all-in-all just a blast to be around. I spent some time following them around the house as they showed off their rooms and newly found piano skills (I don’t recall my kids being quite so focused as Mya was on the keyboard).  And with it being a bright and sunny afternoon, we headed out to the park, running after them as they pedalled furiously away on their little bikes.

Always a joy and a pleasure to work with – thank you to the Sareens for sharing your lives with me!  And some of my faves from the session:

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Usually early April is spent mucking about in mittens & rubber boots, stomping on puddles that froze overnight and form that thin covering of ice that’s so much fun to stomp, and wondering just how high the river is going to get. Not the case at all this year, as I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the warmest, driest, and nicest spring that I can recall since moving to Winnipeg.  It’s also afforded some much earlier opportunities to shoot portraits outdoors.

It had been a few years since I’d last been to King’s Park so I was looking forward to meeting Christel and Tony there for their engagement session. The weather certainly cooperated and it was almost surreal – bright sun & blue skies like summer, but with all the foliage still hidden away making it look quite like late autumn.  Made for some very nice combos of blue and yellow/orange.

And what a fun-loving couple to shoot!  Whether they were sitting patiently as I fiddled with my gear, or sending text messages to each other, or trying to strike a serious pose in front of the camera, it seemed hardly a moment went by without one or the other bursting out into laughter.  I must have spent half of the time either waiting for them to stop laughing or waiting for myself to stop cracking up. It’s always a pleasure to photograph couples who clearly enjoy each others’ company, and Christel and Tony exuded it in spades that day.  With this much fun on the engagement shoot, I can’t wait to see what their wedding day is like…

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Ellie is another little girl who I’ve had the pleasure of photographing every year since she was a little wee one (she’s the one blowing the dandelion with her dad in the rotating pictures at the top of this blog).  Her grandparents live just down the street from us on the river, so we took advantage of a beautiful autumn morning and the fabulous field in their back yard to take the family’s pictures this year. This time Ellie’s brother Eric was able to make the shoot and, between the two of them, it was non-stop shenanigans in the leaves and the tall grass.  It’s always so interesting to watch the progression of these babies and toddlers as they develop into little people – the first time I took Ellie’s picture, she was still on all fours and had just this little tuft of hair.  Now, armed with a full head of curly locks, she was inviting me for tea and biscuits along the river bank.  I can’t wait to see what she and Eric are like next year!

Tara and Karl are another one of the great couples who I’ve had the privilege of working with over the years – first for their wedding, then as part of the wedding party in her brother’s wedding, and now documenting their beautiful little daughter Hannah as she grows up.  We met at Fraser’s Grove Park on a lovely fall evening.  Hannah wouldn’t remember me from her baby shoots and wasn’t quite sure what to make of me at first.  But it wasn’t long before she decided that my camera and I were alright, and after that she got right down to business and started doing what any sensible toddler would do: check out the play structure and tear around the park.  We probably spent a good two hours climbing the structure, going for wagon rides, throwing leaves, finding sticks, and doing yoga, everyone pretty much enjoying being outside on a fine autumn evening.  Hannah is soooo cute and smart as a button – I can’t wait to see what she’s like next year!  Some of my faves:

One of the last weddings of the “summer” took place up at Camp Morton, just North of Gimli, where Cassie and Tyler tied the knot.  It was my first time back in nine years since I was there for a camp-out with friends and family after my own wedding, and I had forgotten what a picturesque place it was.  Another pleasant surprise was seeing our good family friend Heidi playing her beautiful blue harp for the ceremony.

Cassie was held up briefly en route to the wedding, which gave me time to catch a number of nice candid moments of Tyler and his family patiently waiting. It wasn’t long though before the bride arrived, looking every bit as picturesque as the scenery.  She made a lovely processional through the trees and met Tyler along the rock-walled edge of the field where they got married in a cozy outdoor ceremony.  Afterward, we took advantage of the wonderful greenery and the beach along Lake Winnipeg for a quick portrait session.  A shorter day than most for me, but still very much enjoyable and a pleasure working with Cassie & Tyler.  Here are a few of my faves from the day: