Musings & Daydreams

Divine Inspiration

2012-02-19T16:20:00.002-08:00

I was cleaning the house, getting dinner prepped, etc...but I envisioned these parrot tulips in their glorious fading beauty and I was driven by divine inspiration.

Published in PrintAction

2012-02-16T11:44:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to see my photos of Nikos Kallas, President of Vancouver's Metropolitan Fine Printers, published in the most recent issue of Print Action magazine. Here is are the photos in the spread and below are some of my own personal favourites from the shoot.

Orange Parrot Tulips and other Valentine's Day Observations

2012-02-15T11:52:00.001-08:00

I love parrot tulips

The boys enjoying their valentine lollies

Getting ready to make the dough for the valentine cookies

Turning on the kitchen aid or as my boys call it "the cookie maker"

What happens when you turn it to the high speed...

Rolling out the dough

Success!!!

Valentine Cards stage 1

Stage 2

all done!

Words of Love

Inspiration on East 16th Avenue

2012-01-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

A few random observations from a Wednesday walk along Kingsway and East 16th Avenue.

Music Obsession

2012-01-18T10:35:00.000-08:00

When I love a song, I usually listen to it repeatedly, all day, all the time - you get the picture. This time I am obsessing over a series of songs I recently put together.

I love the songs and the sequence of this playlist I but I think I need a few more songs to beef it up a big. I need your help. I'd love it if you left any suggestions in the comments below. Thanks!!!

1. Video Games, Lana Del Ray
Forget that Saturday Night Live ever happened, ignore the fake lips, close your eyes, and enjoy this one.

2. Love in Vain, The Big Pink

3. Called Out in the Dark, Snow Patrol

4. Beautiful Trash, Lanu

5. Cameras, Matt & Kim

6. Don't Stop (Colour on the Walls), Foster the People

7. The Only One, The Black Keys
This isn't the official video, but it's the best thing I could find on youtube.

Thanks for listening and don't forget to leave a comment if you know of any other great tunes that would work with this playlist.
xo
kyrani

Tulip studies

2012-01-14T16:04:00.000-08:00

A Lovely Libertine

2012-01-12T16:04:00.000-08:00

Looking for the coziest lineup of knitwear in Vancouver? Look no further than Libertine Boutique which opened last fall on South Granville. Their sweaters are simply the best!

A Mobile Retrospective 2011

2011-12-31T06:30:00.000-08:00

I am often inspired to shoot with my iphone rather than my DSLR. I have found that working within the limitations of the iphone is a great way to challenge myself creatively. Below is a collection of my favourite iphone pix of 2011. All of the images below were captured using either the Hispstamatic or Instagram apps.

A Modernist Lego Masterpiece

2011-12-29T14:14:00.000-08:00

The other day my husband used some of the lego our kids received for Christmas and built this house...I love it so much I couldn't wait to photograph it. I will definitely miss it when the boys get their hands on it.

This house reminds me of a quote from Steve Jobs, "Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower". No manual in hand, this is what my husband built. Be sure to scroll to the very bottom to see what the lego manual suggests...definitely an innovator, don't you think?

Imagine beautiful aluminium framed glass sliders...

The house the lego manual says you should build

Main Street Magnificence

2011-12-19T11:09:00.000-08:00

I love love love Main Street's cool and eclectic businesses.

The Regional Assembly of Text

Lucky's Comics

A Baker's Dozen Antiques. This store doesn't have a website to link to but they have the most interesting, antique toys and collectibles. They are located at 3520 Main Street and definitely worth a visit.

Melissa Mercier: a photo essay

2011-12-13T15:58:00.000-08:00

Over the last couple of months I have been working on a photo essay of fine art photographer, Melissa Mercier. In particular, I was fascinated by her ongoing series of self portraits she is doing as a way of overcoming the fear of being photographed. In looking for a subject, I thought this would be a fun challenge to shoot portraits of self portraits. I was a little nervous, shooting not only another photographer (we can be so picky!), but one who doesn't like being photographed. What was I thinking? Needless to say, I was honoured when she agreed to let me into her world and to document aspects of her life and the creation of her fine art, especially the self portraits.

You can view the photo essay below but I still see it as a work in progress for now. It's about three minutes long so sit back, enjoy and feel free to send me any feedback.

And below is an impromptu portrait of Melissa that I love. I shot this one afternoon when we were visiting the Rennie Gallery in Chinatown.

You will no doubt want to know how Melissa felt about all this. Read all about it here along with more photos that "didn't make the cut":
http://manfrottoschoolofxcellence.com/2011/12/12/melissa-mercier-a-view-inside-my-word/

To view Melissa's fine art visit www.melissamercier.com and to find out what interests and inspires her visit melissamercier.com/Blog/.

xo
kyrani

"And God said, let there be light...

2011-12-09T14:25:00.001-08:00

and there was light. And God saw the light and it was good." These are obviously not my words and of course come from The Book of Genesis. But it best described my thoughts when I saw this beautiful light streaming through the window.

Remembrance Day

2011-11-11T18:53:00.001-08:00

Playing Trains

2011-11-06T16:51:00.000-08:00

Drive-by Shooting

2011-10-09T14:56:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like no traffic on a Sunday morning for a little drive-by shooting.

Beauty is...

2011-09-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

...aspiring opera star, Olivia Kurth.

Kudos once again to Blo for the fantastic hair and to Alexa at Beautymark in Yaletown for her great make up artistry.

Maple & Iris

2011-09-24T16:04:00.000-07:00

A Creative Collaboration

2011-09-17T23:16:00.000-07:00

The series of photographs below explore the reciprocal relationship between myself and Jana and the creativity that results out of our collaboration. We love working together and when we do it's instant chemistry always resulting in a great series of images.

Sometimes however, a catalyst is needed to get the creative juices flowing and for me, it is often the works of other photographers. This particular series was inspired by this photograph:

The original source of this image, as far as I know, can be found here:
http://amypink.tumblr.com/post/216109924/girlsofacid-via-strawberryswisher

The photos that follow are the ones that resulted from this creative collaboration.

From this point onwards, we ditched the flowers and the session took on a life of it's own.

So in love...

2011-09-15T11:03:00.000-07:00

with my house. Especially the kitchen and dining room.

Photos for Famine

2011-09-05T15:02:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

Here's the 411 on my next fundraiser. This time we are raising money to help with the famine in Somalia. All the funds will be matched dollar for dollar by the Canadian Government.

What: Photos for Famine a family friendly, photographic fundraiser.
When: Saturday September 10th , 2011 from 10am -1 pm and 3pm-5pm
Where: saf & benjamin, 1081 Marinaside Crescent, Vancouver, B.C
Why: to raise funds for the famine in Somalia, and to give you a chance to get an updated modern portrait of your family, your kids, or yourself.
RSVP: Email Noelene at noelenes@shaw.ca and to book you a time slot or simply for more info.

If you can't make it, don't worry. I would appreciate it if you can share it, facebook it, like it, tweet it, whatever...just pass it on, and spread the word.

Thank you and I can't wait to see you all this Saturday!

xo
kyrani

"Do I Dare Eat a Peach?"

2011-08-25T15:31:00.000-07:00

An Elegant Side dish...

2011-08-08T12:45:00.000-07:00

...according to the Silver Spoon cookbook, are green beans in egg cream. The recipe from the Silver Spoon cookbook is as follows:

4 1/2 cups of trimmed green beans
3 tablespoons of butter
2 small mild onions, chopped
2 eggs
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
salt & pepper

Cook the green beans in salted, boiling water for 15 minutes, then drain and chop. Melt the butter in a pan over low heat, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add the beans, mix well and cook for a few minutes more. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl, stir in the parmesan and season with salt & pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the pan, stirring constantly, then remove from the heat.

I consider recipes to be more like guidelines, open to interpretation and improvisation, and so you will see from the photos I made various adjustments.

Green onions picked from my brother's vegetable garden

The eggs & romano cheese

The egg & cheese mixture

The final product

Sunday Stripey Sunday

2011-08-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

courtesy of J.Crew...

The Princess Bride

2011-07-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

Words simply don't do justice to describe how beautiful this bride was in her stunning Vera Wang bridal gown. Kate Middleton eat your heart out.

Searching for Summer

2011-07-19T18:07:00.000-07:00

So far we haven't had much summer in Vancouver, one minute its fall, the next spring...but I do know it's somewhere out there. A couple photos of Vancouver summers' past do prove it. It's just around the corner, I can feel it. Let me know what summer means to you by commenting below. All names will be entered in a draw to win a portrait session. We will be drawing a winner on August 15th!

Deliciousness is...

2011-07-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

...double cream brie, eau-de-vie infused chevre courtesy of Benton Brothers Fine Cheese on Cambie Street. We enjoyed these and other cheeses last night in our brand new kitchen. Throw in some crostini, fig jam, and a small selection of Benton Brothers charcuterie and we were in heaven.

Home Sweet Home

2011-07-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

No matter how unfinished, imperfect, dirty or messy, there's no place for me like home.

The boys sitting on the interior stairs

The Garage facing west

The Garage facing north

Soon-to-be dining room

Sebastien playing in the soon-to-be kitchen

Happiness is...

2011-06-27T11:53:00.000-07:00

...riding around the neighbourhood in the rumble seat of a 1931 Ford Model A.

Featured in Real Weddings Magazine!

2011-06-06T13:09:00.000-07:00

Though not for wedding photography...but a family portrait I had shot of CTV News Anchor, Tamara Taggart and Dave Genn's family. Needless to say, it is so exciting to see my work in published in Real Weddings (check out page 18 if you've got your hands on the print edition, or view it online here).

Here's the spread ...

... and here are some of my faves from last fall's session.

Holy Hardwood

2011-05-24T22:50:00.000-07:00

It's true. This maple hardwood flooring is holy. It came from a church that was being demolished on Oak Street and is undergoing a resurrection of sorts this week in our home. This hardwood is especially lovely as it has great fiddleback and birdseye character seldom seen these days. I cannot wait to see it finished.

Now how does one come across such gems? Turns out Port Coquitlam-based demo contractor, D. Litchfield & Co., takes reduce, reuse, recycle very seriously. Beyond just a demo contractor, D. Litchfield strives for the highest levels of salvage and recycling in all their demo projects. They are so successful that they are able to reach 75% of the demolition debris from being diverted from our landfills. Even more impressive is the fact that they were able to reach 95% of all materials from going to the landfill on a demo project just last week.

Music to Make Love To

2011-05-11T22:38:00.000-07:00

Or I should rather say, music to listen to while you are doing something you love. In my case it is making pictures.

Here's my top 5 right now. Hope you enjoy.

1. Home, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

2. Norway, Beach House

3. Boyfriend, Best Coast

4. Pumped Up Kicks, Foster the People

5. Heads Will Roll, Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T16:01:00.000-07:00

(Not So) Instant Gratification

2011-04-26T07:02:00.000-07:00

In this age of iphones, ipads, laptops, email, text messaging - you get the picture - I can honestly say that seeing these two young girls so enthralled with their vintage manual typewriters was nothing short of refreshing. Visit Joe Vintage on Etsy.com to check out these typewriters in more juicy colours, along with other cool retro pieces.

Fading Beauty

2011-04-12T17:22:00.000-07:00

Please Help Me Help the Kids!

2011-04-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

I shot these photos two years ago when I volunteered my time to shoot the children at a second stage transition house during a mother's day event put on by Cause We Care. Looking at these photos again and the faces of the children prompted me to help them, and others like them.

Cause We Care is a wonderful organization whose mission is to help improve the lives of other women and their children who are less fortunate. As a mother myself, I cannot imagine what single moms go through to raise their children happy and healthy, let alone if they are living in abusive relationships that they had to leave and now have to live below the poverty line. In fact, approximately 1 our of every 4 children in Metro Vancouver are living below the poverty line, this is shameful considering we live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. This is not their fault nor did their mothers make poor choices that resulted in living in poverty. A combination of factors, such as a lack of child care and housing, low minimum wage rates, a reduction to funding in education as well as the challenges balancing work and parenting responsibilities. Can you imagine if this was you?

This is why I want to help. Having hosted a few successful mini photo session fundraisers in 2010, I thought this would be a great way for me to help. I ask that you please help me make a difference in these children's lives so please share this post and come to my fundraiser and get some great photos of your kids and help other kids in need at the same time - a win-win!

In a nutshell here's the information you need to attend the fundraiser:

Date: Sunday, April 17th, 2011 from 10 to 1 pm

Where: Pebble Baby Store located at 2675 Arbutus Street, Vancouver, BC

RSVP to Noelene at noelenes@shaw.ca

What you get: No one will be turned away but we do suggest a minimum donation of $50 per session. In exchange for your donation, you will receive a jpeg sized to print up to 4x6 when you leave your email address.

For more information on the event, you can view the invite here and for the press release, please click here.

Hope to see you there!

Quant'è Bella Giovinezza

2011-04-05T19:44:00.000-07:00

The title of this post comes from Leonardo de Medici and in English means "how beautiful is youth" which, in my opinion, nicely sums up this series of portraits of my niece. If you love this series as much as I do, you will surely love this one also.

How To Toilet Train Your Kids In One Week Or Less

2011-03-28T17:56:00.000-07:00

This is my son Nicholas. He is adorable, loves music, dancing and dogs. He is also a free spirit who does not like to take direction. He prefers to learn on his own, at his own pace and does not like to be told what to do. His brother Sebastien, is the opposite. He has the patience to watch and learn and try new things. Nicholas will watch Sebastien and copy him sometimes. Both boys were late bloomers in the walking department - Sebastien took a few steps at a time for a few weeks and then started walking. Nicholas saw his brother do it, and got up and walked. No baby steps necessary. I had hoped that toilet training Nicholas would work the same way. Sebastien responded to the textbook system of rewards with stickers and candy etc and within 3 weeks was fully toilet trained with no more rewards necessary, his sense of accomplishment was reward enough. So, like walking, I thought Nicholas would watch his brother and just do it. And I would have the pleasure of toilet training just one. Not so, unfortunately.

Nicholas had zero interest in using the bathroom. I was feeling very discouraged as my 2011 new years resolution was to have both boys fully trained by their 4th birthday. 5 days to go before they turned 4, Nicholas still showed no interest. The rewards didn't work for him. I read books and looked online for any tips and nothing helped. I felt like a failure.

I decided that I needed outside help. So I called Desiree Cluff, a baby consultant of Rockababy.ca. Desiree is known as the baby guru, and friends of mine had sworn by her service. I talked to her about Nicholas, his temperament, personality and my own concerns. Desiree put together a program that was specifically tailored to us. She said it would be difficult and frustrating but to hang in there...that in 3-4 days there would be a breakthrough. 3 days went by and nothing...no interest from Nicholas, and I was ready to give up. I would email Desiree to tell her the progress (or rather, lack of it) and she kept my spirits up telling me to hang in there and also giving me more tips on how to handle it. I was so impressed by how available she made herself to me that I couldn't give up. I would do everything she told me to do.

Day 4 - Desiree was right, there was a breakthrough, he asked to make a pee on the toilet, and he did it! And since then he has been using the toilet regularly. And I achieved my goal to have both my boys fully trained by their 4th birthday. Hiring Rockababy was worth every penny! Now if only I had known about Rockababy when I was trying to sleep train them as babies...

Happy Birthday to my boys!

2011-03-21T15:36:00.000-07:00

Today has been like Christmas morning for my boys. I had hoped to have a party for them at our home for their 4th birthday but, as usual, renovations take longer than you think. So instead, I had some delicious lemon meringue pie and they got spoiled rotten by family and friends who brought over gifts. They are very happy and don't care about a party (thank goodness for me!). Needless to say, I have been left alone to go through thousands of frames to post for you of their first 4 years.

Sebastien (Twin A) March 21, 2007

Nicholas (Twin B), March 21, 2007

6 days old

April 2007

May 2007

August 2007

October 2007

February 2008

June 2008

July 2008

August 2008

November 2008

January 2009

February 2009

March 2009

July 2009

September 2009

Christmas morning 2009

February 2010

May 2010

First Day of Preschool 2010

September 2010

Hallowe'en 2010

January 2011

February 2011

March 2011

A Tribute to Gaetano

2011-03-09T21:03:00.000-08:00

The photographer who has inspired and influenced me the most is by his incredible body of work is Vancouver photographer Gaetano Fasciana. He is, hands down, my favourite photographer. His style and vision has always taken my breath away and the way he creatively uses natural light leaves me speechless. He has been a constant source of inspiration for me and I visit his website often to borrow ideas

I feel so honoured to have had Gaetano document the most important events in my life so far - my wedding, my pregnancy, my boys' christening and most recently a much needed portrait of myself with my two boys shot a year ago today.

I called his cell number today as I have been hoping to get some updated portraits of myself. His mother answered and told me that he passed away this past Sunday after a long, long battle with cancer. I am so sad. I will never see him again, or hear his voice, or have him photograph me and my family again. I knew it was coming, but I was hoping that it was not going to be so soon.

The world has lost a burning, creative force. We will remember him by the iconic legacy of mesmerizing images created over his amazing career. He was not just an amazing photographer, but an amazing person. I often told him he was the most spiritually evolved person I had ever met. Every time I look through the viewfinder to compose a shot, I think of Gaetano and wonder, would he shoot this subject, in this way, or would he approve of my vision? Any advice he has given me is like gold and I treasure it. Being with Gaetano, I experienced authenticity and the divine. I always left his presence being inspired in some way.

I cannot grab any photos from his webpage to post here, so please visit www.gaetano.com and be inspired. I have no doubt you will find his work as incredible as I did.

I leave you now some of my favourite images he took on my wedding day and my sons' christening.

The Luck of the Irish (or rather the Irish Heather)

2011-02-26T16:22:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had an impromptu shoot with one of my muses. I had grand ideas about the look I wanted and was eager to execute them. Things were not looking good however. I had to pick her up from Downtown Vancouver at 2 pm. I was running late to begin with, but then got stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic which I have decided to blame on Mayor Robertson's bike lanes along Hornby, Georgia and Dunsmuir. I would have no problem with this if there were cyclists actually using them...In any case, we finally met up and drove to Gastown. We got there quickly, but it took at least 20 minutes of driving before I found parking. I wanted to start the shoot at the Irish Heather Pub at my favourite table, the round one that is right beside the window by the front door. To my dismay, there were two gentleman sitting at that table enjoying their beers...were they going to stay? were they going to go? The waiting was driving me crazy. Lucky for us, they eventually finished their beers and left. I snagged the table immediately. Here is my favourite image from the Irish Heather.

By the way, if you are ever looking for a great spot to shoot portraits, try out the Irish Heather. The staff is so nice and accommodating, the window light is amazing...not to mention the french fries with curry sauce.

Afterwards we proceeded to Blood Alley and wandered towards Alexander Street for a few shots.

And then we came across the gorgeous Hotel Europe on Powell Street. At the time, I actually thought it was a hotel but I have since found out it is government subsidized housing. We tried the back entrance but it was locked so we headed to the front. Before we could open the door, someone was walking out and let us into the building. The gorgeous evening light was spilling through the windows over the original tile and marble in the lobby and we, of course, took advantage. I wonder, if I hadn't been running late, if those two men weren't sitting at "my table" at the Irish Heather, thus delaying our shooting, would we have had access to the Hotel Europe and had the opportunity to capture these images with this beautiful light in this splendid building?

A Girl Should Be Two Things...

2011-02-24T11:59:00.000-08:00

Classy and Fabulous. This is according to Coco Chanel and I'm sure you will agree, applies to these three young women who are about to graduate high school soon.

They spent the hours before the shoot, getting dolled up. First they had their hair done at BLO, then on to makeup at Kiss & Makeup, and then they met with stylist Helen Baker of Stylefinder, to get their wardrobe organized. The girls felt great, and looked amazing!

I remember this time of my life well, and looking back I realize how beautiful I was but did not know or appreciate it at all! How I wish I had revelled in it a little more! I am hoping these images will help these young women realize their own beauty, and how the rest of the world sees them.

A taste of France...

2011-02-05T23:06:00.000-08:00

...in Richmond...yes, Richmond. In fact, once you enter the courtyard leading to the restaurant's entrance, you will forget you are in Richmond, or BC, or Canada for that matter. So, if you are ever in the mood to leave Vancouver and want to experience something extraordinary, visit Gudrun, a lovely cheese, meat and wine tasting room in historic Steveston. The photos say the rest.

The courtyard that greeted us with Serge Gainsbourg's classic "Je t'aime moi non plus"

The Kitchen

The Wine Rack

Tonight's Menu

Chacuterie B, before

Charcuterie B, after

The fondue

More Songs to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing

2011-02-04T12:16:00.000-08:00

To continue from my previous post...

7. A Song For The Lovers, Richard Ashcroft.

8. Playground Love, Air.

9. Crash Into Me, Dave Matthews Band.

10. L'anamour, Serge Gainsbourg.

11. Hit Me Baby One More Time, Travis. You will no doubt agree that Travis does it better than Britney.

12. More Than This, Roxy Music.

Enjoy everyone and happy daydreaming!

Once a Muse...

2011-01-24T15:21:00.000-08:00

...always a muse. When I first got into photography, I started taking photos of my niece who was still in diapers at the time. A fun-loving and mischievious toddler, she helped me hone my skills as a photographer of children. Last weekend, we hung out at Dundarave Beach in West Vancouver and I had my camera with me. She still is one of my favourite people to photograph.

Songs To Get Your Creative Juices Flowing

2011-01-20T16:41:00.000-08:00

Here is a short list of songs that have lately gotten my creative juices flowing. All of the songs are currently on repeat mode now, or have been sometime in the past. I am sure you will enjoy them as much as I do.

1. At the top of my list these days is Adele's Rolling in the Deep. Currently on repeat mode.

2. Florence and the Machine's Dog Days Are Over. Also on repeat mode right now.

3. She and Him's Why Do You Let Me Stay Here. If you loved 500 Days of Summer, you will love this.

4. The Temper Trap's Sweet Disposition. Another great song I discovered on the 500 Days of Summer Movie Soundtrack.

5. Metric's Help I'm Alive. What's not to love about Emily Haines?

6. The Arcade Fire's cover of the Talking Head's This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody).

That's it for the songs that help me get inspired. I'd love to hear what songs get your creative juices flowing.

Iona Beach

2011-01-08T15:52:00.000-08:00

A gorgeous day to take the boys out to Iona Beach; though as you can see, only one was in the mood for having his photo taken.

Food of Love

2011-01-07T17:27:00.000-08:00

Shakespeare once said that music was the food of love. I disagree. Chocolate is.

Last week, my niece (who happens to be a baker extraordinaire) baked a chocolate cake in celebration of my birthday. It is such a loving gesture to have someone cook or bake for you - we women do most of the cooking and baking, giving so much of ourselves to nourish others. I feel so grateful to have been on the receiving end of such a divine and thoughtful gift.

In Retrospect

2011-01-02T21:12:00.000-08:00

What a great year 2010 was. I feel so blessed to work with the clients that I do, that they trust my creative vision to make not only gorgeous memories for them, but images I am proud to have taken.

Special thanks go to my boys for always being such a great source of inspiration. And to my muses Thor, Jana and Anastasia - it is such a pleasure to work with you and I cannot wait to work with you again soon! Below are just a few of my favourites.

"O Wind, if Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?"

2010-12-22T08:21:00.000-08:00

Every winter solstice I think of Percy Shelley's Ode to the West Wind, reminding me that even though winter has just begun, light is coming back and spring is near.

Magic, Whimsy & Masks

2010-12-12T23:33:00.000-08:00

The thing I love about shooting parties is creating lasting memories for people and actually being a part of the event itself. Last Saturday night, I had the good fortune to cover one of the most stunning and unique events I have attended in a long, long time.

This West Vancouver party had cirque de soleil-inspired decor along with guests disguised in masks, whimsical entertainment by the enchanting Dusty Flower Pot Cabaret, Sleight of Hand magic by Travis Bernhardt and contact juggling by Chris Murdoch made for an amazing and unforgettable evening. The photos say the rest...

Vote for Lord Selkirk Elementary School!

2010-12-09T15:54:00.000-08:00

Lord Selkirk Elementary School in East Vancouver desperately needs our help to build a new playground that is safe for children to play. A couple of weeks back I had the opportunity to help out the school by spending a Saturday afternoon doing mini-photo sessions. Below are a few photos of the kids that came to the fundraiser.

Unfortunately, the BC government and the school districts are no longer providing funding for playgrounds and the parents have to do the fundraising themselves.

Lord Selkirk Elementary still has a long way to go and you can help them out by lifting your finger and not spending a dime. They have applied for funding through the Aviva Community Foundation and all you need to do is vote once a day for the next five days and help them get as many votes as possible.

And you can of course vote for other projects that need funding as well. Read more in today's Vancouver Sun about other BC communities that have also applied for funding through the Aviva Community Foundation. Kudos to Aviva for doing this!!!!

I have to say I thoroughly enjoying helping out the school and if you know of any other schools that are in need, please comment below. I would love to help out again.

My Top 10 Do-It-Yourself Holiday Photo Tips

2010-12-03T10:54:00.000-08:00

1. Prep your kids. Dress down. Save the fancy clothes for parties, they always manage to look stiff and too formal in portraits. Try using texture instead. Ruffles, denim, and layered looks look modern especially in black and white photos. Dress everyone in the same theme, whether in their pajamas, or all in denim.

2. Get down. There are too many photos out there with kids' heads cranked up looking at the camera. Get down to their level. This isn't an absolute rule, and higher up can create some fun shots too, but get into the habit of taking shots at their level and fill the frame so the background isn't always the floor.

3. Turn off that flash. Direct on camera flash can produce a harsh unflattering light, especially the flashes on point and shoots. Turn it off and play around with your camera’s ISO settings. These day’s digital cameras can be set to very high ISO speeds making them very sensitive to lower light situations. So turn that flash off and have fun – not to mention you will lose the red-eye.

4. Take advantage of our overcast skies. Forget about sunny weather when taking photos. Direct sunlight is harsh and produces unflattering shadows. Take the kids to the beach this winter, or have them stand in a doorway for some beautiful even natural light.

5. Let it Snow. Get some great shots of your kids in the snow. A snow-filled scene is like having a giant reflector and fantastic for shooting portraits.

6. No cheese please. Don’t ask your kids to smile and look at the camera. As cute as that is, it’s not very original nor does it produce a very dynamic portrait. Engage them in an activity and let them be themselves doing what they love and you will find that the picture will just happen.

7. Do something random. You don’t always have to be cute and fluffy with the shots you take. Get into a habit of being randomly creative. Snap a shot of them in an empty grocery cart in an empty parking lot, or at a garage sale on the used book table. You already know the standard dog petting/potty training pics are on their way, so turn any scenario into a creative backdrop and make memorable shots that standout for a life time.

8. Classic black & white. Nothing much needs to be said here. All of the basic photo editors that come with your computer will allow you to convert to black & white and make other basic adjustments.

9. Go big or go home. Set your camera to the highest jpeg setting and have the potential to produce big, gorgeous works of art for your home.

10. Have fun! Don't stress out about getting the perfect picture. Take lots of photos and I mean LOTS. Not only will you potentially create a beautiful series of images, but like they say, practice makes perfect.

Give Me Some Sugar...

2010-11-30T10:03:00.000-08:00

...Sugar Studios that is. If I had to describe the perfect space, this would be it. Located in East Vancouver on Powell Street between Commercial & Woodland, this space boasts white walls, modern white furniture, very large south facing window with a ton of natural light coming in. Pristine and perfect. Dying to go back there!

Home Reno Hell

2010-11-27T19:17:00.000-08:00

My family and I are currently in home reno hell. Anxious to get back into our home, I popped over this morning to see the progress made thus far. In spite of the complete chaos, calmness overcame me as the beauty of the this morning's autumn sun lit the house.

Regaining A Sense of Wonder

2010-11-25T09:40:00.000-08:00

I think that one of the best things about having children is regaining our childlike sense of wonder and appreciating the beauty around us. I had definitely lost it. There have been countless days where one of my boys will stop in his tracks and exclaim "look mama, a tree!" as we are leaving our house, rushing to go somewhere. Or stick out their tongues on a windy day to experience how the wind feels. There are many of these moments that will take forever to list here but each serve to remind me of the extraordinary in the ordinary.

The photo above is one of those moments, still in pj's watching the snow fall, reminding me of how beautiful the snow is, and getting excited at the fun we will be having shortly, playing outside and building a snowman for the first time. Not to mention the great photo ops that await me!

What were the moments in your life where your kids helped you regain your sense of wonder?