Hello friends :) I hope you've had an amazing summer! Its been too long since I've written an update, but as I've said, blogging is not really my jam, and also... MAN! I've been BUSY!
I've been learning a lot, and hopefully improving! Getting to know my Full Frame Canon has been fun, and the difference in the quality of photos is incredible.
Other than weddings, I've been photographing families, engagements, maternity, little ones, nature, aurora, and even managed to squeeze in a boudoir marathon as well!
At the beginning of August I went to Kamloops, my hometown, to do some work for one of my oldest and dearest friends from childhood, and was able to see and photograph my family, which was nice!
Becki, a friend I've had since I was 11 years old. Shes one of the most honest, hilarious, fun people I know. I'm lucky to have her :)
Earlier this month I went to San Diego to see my Bestie and do a little work there as well.
In the coming months, I'm hoping things slow down, even just slightly, as December our little man will be making his appearance, just after Christmas (be prepared for an insane amount of newborn photos as I'll have nothing else to do but practice :))
Bron, the other love of my life xo
San Diego, California
My god parents, my Aunt and Uncle, in Kamloops, during the worst fire season ever
This year, I will have done 9 weddings, which seems unreal to me. I feel like I'm living a dream! Everytime I start getting packed up and prepping for a couples big day, I always think how lucky I am to do this. If you havent already guessed, I am a HUGE sucker for romance and everything related to love. Being able to even attend 9 weddings in a year? So special.
How wonderful a job, to get to be a part of peoples most special day; a day to celebrate this wonderful thing called LOVE, and to witness the very first steps a couple will take in their lives together as married partners. Blessed, I am, very, very blessed.
Ive been able to see so many couples say I do, and get to hear their love stories: how they met, how they got together, and how they fell in love. Almost every time, I get a little teary eyed when I get all the mushy details....
See? Sucker for LOVE, right here!
I was wondering what I could write about, other than the magnificent weddings I've been to, and fantastic people I've been so happy to meet.
In addition, I wanted to share a little more about myself, in hopes of giving people a better idea of who I am if we haven't met, yet...
I also have been mulling over an "about me" section on this site, and when conversing with colleagues on exactly how to do that, they've all asked me the same (and most important) question...
"why do you do what you do?"
So, I decided the most important thing that I can talk about, is the LOVE of MY life; my husband, my best friend, my co-pilot, my baby-daddy, my everything.
I do it all for him, and our boys as well, but it all started with him.
My Sweet Baby Angel, Jeff.
Photo Credit-With Love Photography, on Vancouver Island
Jeff and I met at a time when neither of us were looking for a relationship. We had both previously been in long term situations, and were kind of enjoying the time to ourselves.
After having just gotten out of a painful 10 year relationship, I had sworn off anything serious for at least one year, or at least that's what I told myself. One cold night in December (after a mere 2+months being single) I was out with a girlfriend at an East Coast Bar, here in Calgary. We went to meet friends for a few drinks, some dancing, and a little fun on a Saturday night.
We walked up to the lineup, and there he was; this handsome, tall drink of water, just standing there, completely unaware of how adorable he was. It also helped he was wearing a cool, vintage-looking jacket.
So cool in fact, my first words to him were-
'did you get that jacket at Value Village'
He replied,
'yes, and I have another one just like it at home-I got a 2 for 1 deal'
LOVE
Right there on that sidewalk, on that cold winter night, I started to fall in love.
We chatted for a bit, and I was completely enamored. We went inside and parted ways, but I kept my eye out for him and hoped we'd have a chance to talk again.
Sure enough, sometime later, I saw him dancing up a storm, all by himself, lost in the music of his people (he grew up in Cape Breton, and has a thing for fiddles-whatever)
Again, LOVE
You gotta admire a guy who loves to dance so much, he doesnt even need a partner. (ps-Jeff has some of the sweetest dance moves I've ever seen, I'm not even kidding)
A little while later, we had an opportunity to talk, alone, and get to know each other a bit. We talked and talked and talked some more. We could not be separated until the bar closed at 2am and we were forced to leave. I couldn't really grasp what was happening-I felt dizzy, and silly, and couldn't stop smiling and just needed to be near him-I wanted to just crawl inside his arms and stay there forever. Of course, I played it super cool and kept my distance, but I knew there was something really magical happening, I could feel it right down to my bones.
We, and 4 others, shared a cab ride home. Jeff and I in the very back, and he held both of my hands in his. I thought it was the cutest thing I had ever seen.
When it was time for me to get out of the cab, we had a very small, innocent smooch, and from that moment, I absolutely knew he would be mine. I knew he would be my husband, the father of my children, the love of my life. It was some kind of a crazy chemical reaction; my body and his...I cant explain it. I just knew.
Over the next few weeks, we spent every moment we could together, just drunk on each others company, and never being able to get enough. It was insane. I had friends that were like 'are you sure? you just got out of that other thing? you wanted to be single?'
I assured them that this was it, Jeff was the real deal, and I was falling in love very hard, and very quickly. It terrified me, but I hadn't ever felt like this before, and I had no choice but to give it everything I had, despite my fears.
Just 3 short weeks later, after spending Christmas together (and, believe it or not, getting our FAMILIES to spend it together as well!) on New years Eve, Jeff (sweet baby angel) Brown, told me he loved me, right at the stroke of midnight, at a very fancy gala, downtown, in Devonian gardens.
That's really where it all began, our little love story. Its been almost 11 years, and I love him more every damned day that goes by.
Photo Credit-With Love Photography, on Vancouver Island
Our life together is really, really easy; we are always on the same page, we have the same ideas about how we want to live, work, how we want to raise our kids, and how we can be good partners to each other.
Jeff sacrificed his home life to go work in another province to support the family when, after having our second son, I closed my first business down to become a stay at home mom. We were both prepared to make sacrifices for the sake of our family, which is one reason why we make a great team.
Jeff is the reason I went to SAIT to get my certificate in photography; yes I wanted to do it because I LOVE photography, but I also wanted to bring in some financial support for my family. I love being a stay at home mom, but I am the kind of person that needs to work; I love engaging with people, being creative, having fun, and I love bringing home a paycheck.
Jeff supported me and encouraged me and had faith that I could make it work, when I wasn't even sure myself. I never ever thought I would be a photographer, even though I've loved it my whole life. I hadn't known that kind of support before, having someone believe in and encourage me like that.
He has shown me what true love actually is; unrelenting, patient, unconditional, consuming, ridiculous, fun, and never-ever ending...
I have always been a romantic, always wanted a really good partner to go through this life with, but Jeff really blew all my expectations out of the water. He is truly the most magnificent man I've ever met, and I count my lucky stars every day that I get to call him mine.
Photo Credit-With Love Photography, on Vancouver Island
He, and our boys, are why I do what I do. Jeffs loves inspires me to feel love, share what I love, to spread love, recieve love, and to be as loving as I can, whenever I can.
Im just a hopeless romantic, in love with the man of my dreams.
I think that makes me a good person to have photographing your wedding, your engagement, and all of those special moments that are about LOVE, don't you think? ;)
I'll be in touch again soon, xoxox
Reens
Ps, if you are ever are on the island, and are looking for a photographer (because I'm not available that is ;)) please look up With Love Photography.
http://www.withlovephotography.net/