{ENGAGEMENT} Cara & Noah

Each year city-girl Cara would pack up her dorm room, adamant that she would never return to St. Stephen's University, or to small town New Brunswick, ever. But every every year Cara would return because Love ultimately had a much different plan in mind!! During the fall of Cara's final year Noah was visiting his family in St. Stephen when their paths crossed for the first time and by the following July Noah had planned the perfect engagement and asked Cara to be his wife while they were dining on cheese and wine on a Paris rooftop patio.! Their love story has been whirlwind, and full of long-distance phone calls as they have spent more time apart than together, however everyone that knows these two knows without a doubt that the chapters of their lives were always meant to create one beautiful love story.

Cara and Noah will be married in Toronto this August, but Cara emailed me a few weeks ago to see if I  was available to shoot some engagement photos for them in Saint Andrews while they were home visiting Noah's family. She really wanted engagement photos East Coast engagement photos because this is where Noah is from and where they met and fell in love. We set out to plan "the perfect Saint Andrews day," which included a walk about town, fish and chips at the Red Herring Pub, Picaroons beer, ice cream, a gorgeous New Brunswick sunset, and a diusky walk on the beach. 

I love the creativity of this engagement session. But what I adore is the infectious joy and adoration for each other that Cara and Noah exude!

One last thought... Cara and Noah's love story is indicative of many things, but one worth mentioning: never say "never." 

Thank you Red Herring.. and especially to Emma for the great service!!

Love & Sunshine,

Shannon-May

{FAMILY LIFESTYLE} Gord, Bryana & Family

I love everything about this lifestyle family photo session with Gord, Bryana, Davin, Addy and Will. And, this session is indicative of my ideal family photo session!

Firstly, Bryana coordinated their wardrobe perfect. Not matchy matchy, yet there is a colour story and great use of patterns! Secondly, it took place at a gorgeous location cherished by the family - their summer lake-side cottage. Thirdly, it is chalk full of activities usual to how they spend time together as a family at the cottage - playing on the beach, kayaking together, throwing rocks in the water and playing and blowing bubbles together around the cottage.

When Bryana first emailed me about booking a family session she wrote that she wanted photos that were natural, candid and captured her children as they are! And I was completely on board. We discussed things that the kiddos enjoyed doing and things that they could all do so we captured everyone together. I came prepared to be a photojournalist versus a director of photography, and Bryana  made sure that everything needed for the planned activities were on hand.

I am so pleased with the images we ended up with. They tell a story of what a day in the cottage life of this family is, and captures the personalities of each child at their particular age (Davin - serious and dramatic, Addy - serene and compliant, and Will - on the go-go-go!!) which is so much more valuable than a traditional posed family portrait, though I did manage to get one posed photo before Will beelined it for a toy!!!

I hope you enjoy this family photo series as much as I do!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are interested in booking a family photo session and have some creative ideas then I would LOVE to hear from you!!

Love & Sunshine,
Shannon-May