May 04, 2023 . Playing with shadows and reflections in photography.

As a photographer you can’t seem to help seeing things that maybe most people are not really paying attention to. It’s not that they are not paying attention necessarily but they just don’t see the things you see because it’s part of your job. I mean after all, that’s why people pay photographers. They pay for their ey and skill of seeing and creating images by using light, lines, shadows, reflections and other components all with the perfect composition.

Shadows.

Creating shadows in a studio space is like trying to mimic sunlight with your studio lights. As kids we all look and play with shadows on the pavement on a bright sunny day and it’s sort of the same in studio. To create shadows, you need a hard light. Soft light with a big light modifier helps to minimize shadows, so you definitely want to keep the light source a light harder. Just like the sun, when the sky is overcast, shadows start to disappear and if you shoot in midday sun on a very sunny day, the shadows are the most sharp.

The light source set at an angle to the wall, to cast a strong shadow. You can experiment with the distance and the angle of the light of your subject to achieve the desired effect.

Reflections.

You can find reflections everywhere but you have to look for them as they might not always be obvious. Look down and around to find them. They can add depth and a different perspective to your images. Experiment with angles and distance just like shadows to make the perfect composition. Nature provides lots of opportunities with reflections specially around any body of water. You can even find reflections in urban areas with building, windows or any shiny surface. Play around with perspectives and see what you can create.

2023 . A new year! New hopes and dreams! New goals and challenges!

January, 5th 2023

Every January we seem to find ourselves reflecting on last’s years accomplishments, challenges, events and memories. We look forward to the new year as a new beginnings as if it was the new dawn that will allow us the luxury of recreating ourselves, our dreams and explore new ventures we’re forever longing for. It seems like the momentum towards a new future is always easier when you have the next 12 months ahead of you for really curating the life you really want and do all the things you’ve always dreamed of but never get the chance to because life in the now gets in the way.

We make lists of goals, we plan, we buy new calendars and personal planners, we join the gym and promise to give up all the nagging habits and transform into the very best version of ourselves in this new year!

Promises to ourselves, to other family members, to our careers and to the universe to be better, to achieve more, do more and stay focussed. On the radio, the hosts talk about new year resolutions asking the audience “ Tell us about your resolutions!” Gym’s send out the new year membership discounts which everyone jumps on thinking this is it: “I’m getting fit in 2023”. Yap! This is my year to get in the best shape of my life!

Admittedly, I’m guilty of it as I’ve decided this year is my time to get more consistent with putting out more blog posts and being more consistent with my email marketing. But what if there was no start to the new year, would we set out such goals and be in such a rush to hit the pavement running with so many dreamy expectations that we’ll stay the course and be consistent on all levels?

Now I’m looking back at the past couple of years in my work and life to dive into what areas of my life as a mother, commercial photographer and human being I need to work on to be better, do better and accomplish the dreams and goals that will help bring me closer to the future and the life I envision for myself and my business!

A few images from last summer’s fun down at the Jericho Sailing Center and Windsure Adventure Water Sports!

Summer breeze, clear blue water and a great appreciation for our natural world!

“ The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”

Jacques Cousteau

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A day on the ocean can create memories to last a lifetime. On Monday, my brother, my son Finn and two of his friends had a little fun cruising Howe Sounds and around some of the nearing islands.

We left Squamish mid morning in windy, cold, cloudy conditions which was not necessarily reassuring weather to head out on the ocean for a day of fun in the sun with three kiddos. I mean, the boat ride alone is a novelty but I had prepared for a hot, sunny British Columbia summer day with watermelon, cold drink and paddle boards for some summer water time on our beautiful Pacific ocean. Clouds or no clouds the ride on the ocean surrounded by mountains, cliffs and the insanely stunning color of the water is a treat never the less.

Luckily as we approached warmer waters, we found a amazing sheltered bay for some swimming and paddle boarding fun. Just as we arrived the clouds graciously dissipated just enough to let the warming rays of the sun to keeping us just warm enough to enjoy the fresh water of the Pacific Northwest.

The kids had an amazing time, dropping in and out of the water, from Finn’s confident front flips, to diving contests, to paddle boarding. Even with the loud chaos of three kids splashing and thrashing around in and out of the boat, I managed to take in the breathtaking beauty of our environment, the ocean, the mountain, the trees and all the wonders of nature around me. Olivia said it well as we were driving back to Squamish at the end of a very waterlogged day filled with smiles and laughter. She looked at me and expressed how beautiful the scenery was and how the color of the water remind her of the Caribbean.

On our ride back I also started to notice all the clearcutting of the forest which you don't notice when you’re driving on the Sea to Sky and have your eyes on the road. As a started counting the spots I could see, I wondered how much more clear cutting of our forests that I couldn’t see with miles of mountains hidden behind the ones lining Howe Sound. Mesmerized by the color of the water changing from one shade of green to the next as we started heading back into colder and even colder water towards the entrance of the Squamish river, my mind wondered more questioning if one day if future generations will be able to share a similar experience or if this place would still look the same once climate change has reach catastrophic levels that our natural world would be changed forever. I consider myself a generally optimistic person but I don’t feel so when I read about the health of our oceans, forests and the never ending, mind boggling environmental disasters that we humans have created and still are creating for our kids and our kid’s kids, if they will even consider having offsprings of their own one day.