Greetings dear friends,
This journal had been put on mute as I've been transitioning through a move and business change these past months. With two young children in tow, time simply slipped me. Now with a better routine and my office setup, I am feeling a bit more balanced to write.
Let's begin with a personal change and how it also triggered a professional one too....
Last Winter we made a firm decision to move a lot closer to my parents and receive some much needed help in managing our schedules with kids. As a self employed mom of two it had become harder to balance a household and a business without extra help. Many know my husband works long hours and when home he will spend every spare moment with the kids but our time together as a family was becoming more difficult to organize, as when he was home I would be out working. We truly needed to change our lifestyle and become more family orientated, as there is nothing more important to us than to be present in our children's lives. Living closer to my parents would give us the extra help I required during the week and give the kids a much more vibrant relationship with their grandparents. It was a win-win for all. Now we have our primary home in Ottawa where my parent live and I travel to Toronto for work assignments to which I very much enjoy. To all my Toronto families who still allow me to capture their loving families I appreciate you dearly. My photography career wouldn't be where it is today without each and every one of you. I am truly grateful for all the wonderful people who have supported my journey as a photographer. Welcoming me into your lives with the same respect you show each other. You are all amazing souls and touch my heart.
During the same time, a professional change began to blossom as I began digging deeper into understanding the artist I was evolving to and how my views and ideas where changing. I am certain any photographer or artist reading this knows exactly how hard it can be following your heart and questioning the creative mind. Today, I am very grateful for the support I have received during my capture transition, thank you!
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All the images you see below this post where taken on film ~ yes a method you may of heard of, most likely talked about by your parents or grandparents. Of course, in today's world, it may feel uncommon to hear of a photographer using this medium to create work as we are accustomed to referring to photography as instantaneous and fully digital. But in truth, the root of my studies in university where all in film and I assure you that was only 13 years ago ;) So digital is really just a baby in how our predecessors learned and worked in preserving the "moment".
What I am enjoying most about this process is the honest ability to slow down, and connect more authentically with the people in front of me. It connects the technical side with the human side of memory in a more meaningful way. It also makes me happy to offer a more nostalgic piece of work in a world that has more pixels than prints. This slowed down process makes creating and capturing more fulfilling for both myself and clients as we patiently wait the arrival of the negatives.
Today I am capturing most of my baby and family sessions using film. I do bring my digital equipment along too but I find its is not my main tool anymore. I would love to hear your feedback on how you see film and what your understand of it is compared to digital. Send me a note or leave a comment!
Hope you enjoy these images of my little family ~ my daughter is 7 months old here and her last cheeky smile at 16 months!
Film: Kodak Portra 400
Scanned: Canadian Film Lab
