personal:: good friends

i am a native of Vancouver BC... well not Vancouver exactly but how many of you know where Langley is? anyway, living in St. Stephen, NB means that i am living on the opposite side of Canada from my family, and the friends who have known me my whole life. i am happy to be here - this is a choice i made after many, many sleepless nights during my final year of university as i thought ahead to post-grad life. i determined that staying in St. Stephen close to the academic community i have come to know and love, and many good friends that have become family was how I wanted to spend the next year as i figured out post-grad life and move into the next academic phase of my life (should i continue to pursue my studies). however, this does not mean that i miss my family and friends any less. in fact, the last few weeks as i have sought to balance working full-time in a lovely little eco shop in Saint Andrews, build a photography portfolio, and set up a new home i have found myself longing for the company of old friends and my family, who have always been amazing support and willingly helpful hands when i am in transition or feeling overwhelmed by the responsibilities of life. so, when i received an email a few weeks ago from my best childhood friend Jill in which stated that her parents - who have known me since I was an infant - were going to be visiting the East Coast for six weeks and wanted my contact info i was overjoyed!!

Don and Colleen met me in Saint Andrews last weekend and we spent a lovely day together walking through the town, down the pier, chatting over lunch (at The Gables), watching the kites fly at the kite flying festival, and meandering through the gorgeous gardens at Kingsbrae Gardens. it was a beautiful day, and for a time i was able to miss my family and friends a little less. thank you Don and Colleen for bringing a bit home to me! It was a great day and I hope to see you both for a final visit before you head back West.

The featured photo is a shot  I took at Kingsbrae Gardens - you really should check this place out before the season is over!

st. andrews portrait session:: mark

a few weeks ago (while at work between customers) i was thinking about ways to promote my business so that i could increase my bookings. particularly on my mind was the upcoming LSAT registration and that three portrait sessions would enable me to register (i have been on track the past few years for law school and continue to pursue this other dream while i test the waters for photography and develop a business plan). the moment this thought was complete in my mind, in walked mark. a mutual acquaintance had referred him to my photography services. he was in need of professional portraits - he is a realtor with Coastal Realty in Saint Andrews, NB - and I was happy to be hired!!!

we booked the session for a thursday, which turned out to be a rainy, dismal day not ideal for professional portraits! thus we postponed the photo session to the following friday, which was sunny, warm and perfectly inspiring! mark's wife dawn came along to encourage and support mark, but ultimately she provided entertainment for both of us, making the session fun and super casual!!!

it was important to mark that his portraits not look stiff - that his portraits portray the casual and easy-going guy he is while also communicating to potential clients that he is trustworthy and dependable. i hope my portraits have captured this for him!!!