all packed up.

the car is loaded. i just need to locate my ear buds and to pick up a bottle of wine. and i off to a camping adventure for the weekend. it's been three years since my last camping trip, thankfully this one is only three nights in a tent versus two months!

but... as i was packing the car this morning the thought occurred to me: what is so desirable about packing up our homes to go a live outside for a period of time? what is so attractive [for a holiday] that requires sharing public toilets and showers, cooking outdoors and washing dishes in not so clean conditions [that you'll end up having to wash again when you get home], and fighting to fall asleep admits the sounds of other campers sleeping [snoring, babes crying] or partying!?

i suppose it's the nature. the waking up to the sounds of the wind in the trees, the sound of the river rushing and the birds and woodland creatures chattering [sounds so romantic doesn't it?].  or perhaps it's the back-to-the-basics living that one ususally embraces when camping. or it's simply something different to do that forces one to get outside herself and her daily life to just be.

i think for me, when i think about camping and my experiences camping, what i find most attractive about the whole idea is the company of friends. i associated camping with friends, with spending time with them, playing games, going for walks, cooking together, eating together... simply being together for an extended period of time.

what about you? why do you think camping is such an attractive holiday?

st. stephen portraits: lindsay-jane + john

marriage requires a willingness to lay down your own needs, wants and dreams in order to pursue the needs, wants and dreams of your partner and the life you are creating together. and to make adjustments when surprises come along. being strong together and recognizing that you are in a partnership with a mutual journey to a shared goal is not easy.

when i look at lindsay-jane and john's journey these past few years i see two people who embody the above thought. lj and john relocated here just four years ago so that john could attend university. lj uprooted her life to encourage john's endeavours and together they have built a home here in the face of adversity that often comes with the stress of university, being in the new people in town, starting new jobs and being new parents.

when john graduated this past april i gave them a [couple's] portraits session because i wanted to create a space for them to reconnect... and to focus one each other, and the love and commitment that carried them these past four years. this past week we finally got together and it was great fun and there were some super sweet moments.

i like to call this kind of session... you're still the one!

lj had the idea to bring along john's favourite novel of all-time, the catcher and the rye, and her favourite novel, anything she might have on her kindle! reading together is one of their favourite past times, and lj used to have john read to her all the time!  

we couldn't resist creating a little story in pictures. girl sees boy, girl puts the moves on boy, girl gets boy, and girl gives boy a really smooshy kiss!  

 

 

lj and john! i'm so glad to know you and so glad to have you both in front of my camera! seriously one of the funnest photo shoots today... you had me in stitches! 

love & sunshine,

shannon-may

comfort in pancakes

saturday morning in my house growing up usually consisted of pancakes. my mom usually worked so it was my dad's duty to make breakfast and pancakes was a specialty.

i remember helping him in the kitchen, always eager to pour the batter and flip the pancakes. but mostly i loved eating the teeny little pancakes that occurred when i [accidentally] dripped bits of batter on the grill.

i thought about this memory as i was preparing my supper tonight [white cheddar cheese pancakes with real maple syrup] and thought of my family and the geographical distance between us. *tear.*

nut it's okay. i will find comfort in my pancakes.

God's love in the company of friends

there was a time i couldn't find the words to describe why this place made my journey in life much more bearable than home. i had the same scars, the same wounds that would ache from time to time, and in some ways there was much more pressure and mental stress, especially when i was writing my thesis and trying to finish my degree and to finish well. 

and then i read a column by ronald rolheiser...he wrote that you encounter the love of God when you encounter others who abide in His Love [my paraphrase]. 

that's it. those are the words. that is why this place makes the ache from my wounds and scars less painful; easier to endure. it's because i am consistently encountering the love of God. from life's daily moments to my biggest experiences i am surrounded by God's love because i share life with people who are the embodiment of Christ's love for me.

today i recognize my need for my community and thank you for being Jesus with skin on. 

ps: i did not know this when i set out to write this, but ronald rolheiser is currently battling colon cancer. i ask you to partner with me in pray for this man whose writings have been a huge encouragement for me the past few years.

high school senior portraits!

i haven't had the opportunity yet to do many high school senior [girls] portraits but it is definitely one of the niche's i will cater to in my business. last year, when esther and i ventured out with my camera [when i was playing around to see if i could/should/liked this whole photography as a business] to do some photos, i had some much fun! esther was a blast to work with and i loved her ideas for poses and locations; i loved the clothes that she brought, and i loved that we collaborated together to create some really lovely photos that are uniquely hers. these photos remain amongst my favourites from this past year!

i remember being in high school... i did not like having my picture taken, especially since my mom didn't know how to take a decent photo [it's not artistic when your mom cuts of your head in a photo because she can't figure out how to use the camera!] and the school portraits that were taken were bland. there was nothing original about the photos with the blue or grey backdrops and the photographer who just pushed students through as though we were on a warehouse assembly line. don't get me wrong, studio backdrops and traditionally posed portraits have their place but when i was a 17 year old thinking about her future i wanted photos marking my graduation to be unique, inspired and something i could be proud to show off; and it would have been great to work with a photographer who made me feel good about myself! i especially would have loved pictures of me in the prom dress that i had designed and had made for me that i could look back on and remember how beautiful i felt! my parents spent a lot of money on my dress, my mom and i spent hours scouring the malls for the perfect shoes and hand bag to match, and when i put everything on that sunny june day i felt like a princess.

i want to give girls graduating from high school the experience i never had. the opportunity to design their graduation photo shoot! so, once you book your high school senior portraits with me we will meet up for coffee [on me] and do some brainstorming about location, clothes, hair/make-up, props etc... you name it we'll talk about it! i'll encourage you to bring along your favourite book or magazines, favourite article of clothing or jewelry and anything else that we can draw inspiration from!

i am working on putting together a booklet that i could send to if you express interest in booking a photo session with me, and it will be peppered with information and photo shoot options, etc... because one standard just does not fit everyone, right! oh, and if you are interested in getting your senior portrait photos for free, see below!

love & sunshine,
shannon-may

click here for more information

a whole new look

to celebrate the official launch of shannon may photography i am so pleased to share with you my stellar new website!! built [once again] with the best website builder ever - showit! [of course i used my novice photoshop skills to design the backgrounds, story boards, logos etc...].

this new website - the look, the vibe, the colours, the layers and depth... etc. this is what i had envisioned. the first day i did a mock up of the landing page in photoshop one rainy afternoon the whole look and direction i was going with this felt right. i am much more confident in the overall impression is gives people about me and my owrk, and i have found the process of developing my packaging and print marketing materials so much easier. i feel like the image of shannon may photography is finally coming together.

you'll notice changes to the content as well. i did away with the super lengthy bio [my story] and added a 'these things i love' page, a 'the places i've seen' page talking about my travels and where i hope to go next [africa, please? people get married there how about i come as your photographer!?]. i couldn't do away with storytelling completely because it what i love to do! so i included a new little page where i have written a couple of brief little stories about myself, and will likely add to them or update as i remember moments from my youth and childhood, or as new stories emerge [tends to happen happen after a glass of wine or two].

information regarding my services and products [and fees] are now available along with some faqs that are likely to pop into one's mind when perusing the site. if you want more detailed investment info email me and i'll email you a copy of my handy new investment guide [only available for weddings thus far but my portrait guide is close to being completed].

and of course, i couldn't update my website without updating the blog!!! i am so sorry about all the pink in the last site. i went a lotta overboard! it happened o innocently! i was inspired by my kelly moore [camera] bag!

poke around the site and tell me what you think! as i am a habitual publish with out editing type i am sure there will be errors that you are welcome to bring to my attention! there is still some work i need to do on the site but it is just tweaking, and adding some information that i want up there etc but do not have that all pulled together!!

whew. now that this is done i can finish kate & chris's wedding photos [i'm so close], and i can make some final decisions about packaging etc, which i am excited to share with you when all that comes together!!

thank you for reading my blog, and always encouraging me! 

love & sunshine,

shannon-may

new river beach [bay of fundy] engagement: trish & eric [and max]

the more i meet with brides and grooms that more i realize how unique everyone's story is... and in some cases it seems so likely that their marriage was written in the stars. i definitely think that is case with eric and trish. the way they interact and look at one another is like they've know each other forever. they've defintely know each other, er rather knew of each other, for quite a while. she was crushing on him before she even knew him...  mutual friends were their connection... years later he looked her up on facebook and perused her profile a little to often. and so began the rest of their lives.

trish and eric are getting married in october. an oceanside wedding in the fall, doesn't that sound divine!? their ceremony will be held under these old lovely trees, which should be brilliant in their fall colours of red, gold and copper. i cannot wait! makes me think of the ceiling in the foyer of bellagio in las vegas - a venetian glass ceiling full of colour!

last week i met up with trish and eric at new river beach to shoot some engagement photos together.  their wee little boy max also joined us and the shoot quickly became a family centered session, however we were able to get some lovely shots of just the two of them while max played with his grandma!

love & sunshine,
shannon-may

ps: to see more photos from their engagement session, please check out their slideshow.