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Eve :: 1st Birthday

Here she is….the Birthday Girl in all her glory!!! The party was as successful as a room full of wee ones can be – we had a lot of bodies crammed inside on a cold day and it was a bit chaotic to say the least!….now I understand why women plan to have warm-weathered babies! The littlest Miss enjoyed all the kiddos, her presents and especially the cake. SO very different than her sissy was on her 1st. Nevaeh was oh-so delicate, almost prissy – not wanting to get even a finger dirty. But Eve on the other hand? She dove right into the raspberry colored icing and covered herself in it in a matter of minutes. Hair, face, clothes and even her eyes were smothered. It was fabulous!  Thank you very much to my Mum for flying in to celebrate  (and help out), Brooke for helping with the decor and Brandi for pointing me in the right direction for Eve’s dress… I was looking for something not so light and airy like we always do for parties ( I kind of wish I’d gone with the light tones as the decorations could have hung in her room….I’m going to have to start renting this stuff out so it doesn’t go to waste)!

As for the lack of “people” pics….other than the birthday girl, of course ?! We had so much chaos going on that it really was tough for B or I to get behind a camera, but I’m loving what I do have to remember Miss Eve’s special day. I have to admit I cheated a bit and took a bunch the day after:) Thanks for your photo contributions Brooke…love em!

Found this gorgeous Asian inspired dress at Tea Collection. Love it! The flower is a hair clip I made for Eve…super easy and very sweet….click here for the how to :: Mum and I made one for each girls’ plate – the plan was to attach each to a pin so they could leave with a brooch. Of course, not enough time for that.eve21525
eve4Miss “La” with the birthday girl…..at least next to her buddy she still looks like a baby!
1770The brown flowers are made from 6 paper lunch bags….easy- peasy. Click here for Martha’s how-to. eve3nev1024The favours for the party were these beautiful campanula plants – they almost made me forget it was still yucky outside!foodckeThe aftermath of her first sweets…..by the time she finished she was covered, I’m talking  sleeves of raspberry icing, a pink mohawk, and stained eyebrows from rubbing it all over her face. Quite entertaining for us all!1092Obviously pre-cake. And if you’ve noticed the multiple hair clips? It’s not because I’m indecisive……the little monkey is a typical one year old and won’t keep a darned thing in her hair.
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03/10/2010 - 5:33 pm devon - WOW! seriously you are beyond fantastic! she is the luckiest little 1 yr old i have ever seen :) and i think ive said it before but if this whole photography thing doesnt pan out for you..i think you could find a career in party planning/deco in a heartbeat! amazing! oh. p.s. you kinda rock lady.

03/05/2010 - 9:25 pm Gina - sooo cute! i love the cake looks soo yummy!!!

03/04/2010 - 9:29 pm Meg Borders - Michele- you are giving me so many ideas for my girls' birthday parties. I've got my babies coming up in a couple months. LOVE the details you put into it! Just beautiful!

03/04/2010 - 12:15 pm Brandi - It's official, I HAVE to commission you for A's next birthday party! Gorgeous decorations, etc as always! And that dress is so adorable on miss E, love it! Happy Birthday sweetie!

03/04/2010 - 10:20 am brooke bowland - ha. she is so cute its killing me! love that girl. i think the day turned out amazing! you did a rockin job and it was nice to do something a wee different from what we would have normally done. the colours are fab on her! beautiful. she makes my girl look like a chunker. hehe.

03/04/2010 - 9:59 am Mandy - oh my gosh... happy birthday sweet little angel! ooh michelle she is adorable! and i love her sweet outfit... can we please introduce zack and her to eachother? haha..... fabulous post!!!

03/04/2010 - 7:55 am s h e r r y - Soo cute! <3 <3 Love ALL the hair clips, haha. :) And Happy Birthday to Eve! :D

03/04/2010 - 7:27 am Kristi Steeger - Okay....so in your free time you should be a party consultant...I absolutely love how you decorate and entertain! Great shots - she's a little beauty and you captured the special day perfectly. Happy Bday little miss E!!

03/04/2010 - 5:12 am Tasha - Oh my goodness, that dress!! So so sweet and the light is divine! Great shots as always Michele.

Almost One.

Well, here it is. Time has passed oh so  quickly, and the Littlest Miss is nearly one. This time last year I was driving my friends, fam and especially my hubby nutso trying everything in my power to get this girl out. She made her entrance ( with a little help) on February 22nd and has kept us smiling since then. I’d thought at first that she was going to be this sweet, passive, girly little thing….but I may be wrong. The last few weeks she’s been showing us another side. A very sassy, very in-your-face kind of side. Oh no, am I going to have TWO fiesty girls?!  Anyways, here I go on rambling again…..the point of this little shoot was to take some “portraits” of Eve in her birthday clothes – before the craziness of the party. Well, she didn’t want the dress on ( yes, that has started already) so I put her in some cozies and then decided that my big girl needed some new “pretty” pics as well. I bribed her with a popsicle:)  I can’t say it was easy getting the shots….my house was seriously trashed; it took all of 10 minutes to make a huge mess while moving quickly to keep Eve relatively happy, and Nevaeh? Well, like I said – she’s old enough to bribe. Oh yeah, I do it when necessary…..

So, here they are – Eve’s One Year pics as well as some of her big sissy……I sure do love these two munchkins.

** Brooke, you’ll be happy – I finally captured Eve’s “cartoon” smile…the last photo of her ( yes, I know…she’s still toothless, takes after her sis:) SO glad I got it!

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03/03/2010 - 10:15 am Amanda - I just happened upon your blog today and i'm super happy I did because you are extremely talented! i am super curious about your settings and post production for this session ;) Can't wait for your next session!

03/03/2010 - 8:03 am michele - A big thank you to every single one of you who stops by and leaves some love...it always brings a smile to my face:)

02/26/2010 - 8:55 am Mary Marantz - OMG!! I LOVE these!! What a cutie!!

02/23/2010 - 6:39 pm carla - i am not sure how i stumbled upon your website but i am so glad i did. i adore all your images. they are great inspiration! absolutely gorgeous work. i will be back lots!

02/22/2010 - 8:58 pm Jacqueline Pomponio - Pretty in Pink, they both look angelic!! (but I'm sure Mom knows better) I sooo want you to photograph Pina and Isabella whenever we get to it.

02/20/2010 - 8:01 pm Gina - Beautiful photos! Happy Birthday to Eve! Look out those February girls have personality and sass to go with it! at least mine does!

02/19/2010 - 2:46 pm lacey - LOVE,LOVE,LOVE your pictures!!! They are really somthing for me to strive for!! great shots!

02/19/2010 - 8:40 am Meg Borders - So beautiful!!!!! Your girls are gorgeous and you know I am a huge fan of these airy pics of them on the bed. So romantic and timeless. I am inspired.

02/19/2010 - 8:40 am Rebecca - So beautiful! They are going to be so happy that they have all these photos one day.

02/19/2010 - 7:26 am Cara - Fantastic! You just keep out doing yourself Michele... what little beauties.

02/19/2010 - 4:14 am Tasha - Awesome shots Michele! Your girls are so beautiful!

02/19/2010 - 1:08 am laura bunker - Beautiful!

02/18/2010 - 11:17 pm Brandi - Such gorgeous girlies you have!! I can't believe that Miss E is going to be ONE!! Happy Birthday little miss!

02/18/2010 - 9:00 pm candice - Beautiful Mish! Gosh, Nevaeh has such gorgeous teeth!!! They are perfect! I love the "cartoon" smile on Eve! Your girls are little super models, ha ha.

02/18/2010 - 8:20 pm Chantelle Turgeon - OMG Michele! She is such a DOLL!!!!! Your girls are just stunning and so are the photos! What a great way to celebrate!!!! They are so lucky to have you, your such a great mom, and I LOVE the softness of these photos! Stunning...... :)

02/18/2010 - 7:51 pm brooke bowland - oh i cannot believe she is going to be ONE. ahhhh. it feels like we just met her. sigh. she is every bit of friggen adorable that girl of yours. love them both. love these. LOVE. the colours are perfect...and the models...well, they are even more perfect. Vaya's hair like that is insane and that cartoon smile...melts me. These are some faves for sure. You did a rockin job. Happy 1st Birthday you lil' munchkin. Love you mean it!

02/18/2010 - 7:46 pm jen sander - Michele your girls are absolutely beautiful~still anxious to see the littlest miss' dress!!!

02/18/2010 - 7:40 pm Jodie - Beautiful girls! Happy Birthday Miss Eve! :)

They Got Moves!

Here it is people – take note of some of THE best dance moves 2010 is sure to see!  Early January I had Si for a few hours and him and “his girl” decided they wanted to shake it. Well, I decided there should be a dance-off  ….for candy! Oh yeah, I bribed them and of course pulled out the camera. They worked it to ” Boom Boom Pow” and seriously….the two of them are kind of really good. Nevaeh’s not the most coordinated, but she makes up for it in attitude and sass and determination. And Si, he wasn’t giving up….even tried to take her down a few times. I think I may need a few lessons from these two. Man oh man thave they got personality. Bloody hilarious to watch them in action.  And for the record – Si won 1st place for the boys team, and Miss N won for the girls. Surprisingly enough they didn’t even question it:)

Enjoy the pics!

PS  - This would be SO much better with sound…..the tunes of course, and little Miss Eve who was down at their feet squealing her noggin off. Fun times :)

41She gets her “Elaine” gene from me:)9997
Okay, if this doesn’t crack you up then somethin’ is wrong!20bwst1They can both shake a meeaannnn  tailfeather!
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02/17/2010 - 4:49 pm brooke bowland - ha. love em'. these kiddos can shake some serious booty. si is loving these too and has asked me to look at them 10 times today! thanks for capturing one of those "moments" that we can look back on and smile!

02/17/2010 - 9:21 am Tamara Walker - So cute and funny! Camille has one leg that doesn't appear to be under her control when she is dancing. Every couple of seconds she sends it flying out in a random direction. It's hard to describe, but hilarious!

02/17/2010 - 9:16 am Jodie - Oh my goodness!!! LOVE IT!!! Super super cute!!! Simon, that face is PRICELESS!!

02/17/2010 - 7:09 am Jodie.olson@viha.ca - Way to cute!!

Anticipation…

Lately the days have flown by even faster than usual. I’m not sure if it’s the fact that Eve is busier than what I’m used to, that I’ve been going to 4 workout classes a week, Brooke and I meeting most evenings on launching our new joint venture, or the many albums I’ve been trying to work on……that’s a whole other story ( who does everyone use for album companies, as I’ve literally wasted 2 weeks of work with the current company…..what a waste of staying up until 2a.m.)! Whatever the reason is though, I am so thankful that I have photos of the girls….I still need to work on taking more snapshots, but it’s a tough thing to do when you automatically look through lens with “the shot” in mind. I found these oldies from the summertime; I think Brooke may have shot these ( if so, thanks B)! as for the others of Eve…. I took these a few days ago – isn’t she getting so big?!  We’ll be celebrating her first birthday next weekend and I just cannot believe it. I can’t wait to see what the next year will bring……

And for those of you wondering about the new business goodies Brooke and I have been losing sleep over…..it will be debuting on Valentine’s Day. Stay tuned here on the blog or else catch up with me on Facebook or Twitter. It will be well worth the wait. I promise you:)

Now on with the pics…that’s why you stop by, isn’t it?!

Don’t you LOVE the drool….luckily thats’ stopped for a while…and still no teeth to show for all the wet shirts she went through.  * This image edited with get TRA get faded neutral at 20% and Kubota’s magic sharp. 9510lOkay…looking back the headbands were obviously overkill, but Nevaeh insisted. I love this shot:)  * Processed with Nichole Van’s light black and white, TRA burn out- oh snap at 15% and of course Kubota’s magic sharp.
9565The goods for the next 2 images::  Canon 5D, 105mm macro, 1/240 f.4.0  For processing I used TRA’s lighten up ( LOVE this action) faded neutral at 15%( I masked off her eyes)-burned the edges at a low opacity and finally Kubota’s magic sharp…..yes, her eyes are this incredible all on their own. Of course the macro didn’t hurt either:)
Thank you to my “ex” neighbor Ella for the great chair…….LOVE it!78737835l

02/18/2010 - 2:06 pm michele - Thanks ladies!!!! Of course they have their moments, but all in all they're pretty darned sweet:)

02/15/2010 - 2:14 pm Cathy Empey - Oh wow! Sweet girls, and sweet images! My favourite combo! Beautiful Michele!

02/14/2010 - 5:31 pm Carol - oops! wrong post! * tapping my watch* It's VALENTINE'S DAY!!! What IS it??????

02/11/2010 - 7:15 am Gina - I'm so excited to see what you are launching!! can't wait! beautiful photos as always :)

02/10/2010 - 11:12 pm alana bourque - Love all of them but the last one!!my oh my!

02/10/2010 - 7:39 pm Marlene Sandback - Could your girls get any cuter!!! They are beautiful!!! So enjoy your pics!

02/10/2010 - 1:40 pm Meg Borders - Lovin' these photos and lovin' the headbands. Thanks for sharing your post processing! Now you won't have crazy people emailing you asking you "How did you do that??" **wink**

02/10/2010 - 12:49 pm brooke bowland - ha. those headbands...ah yes. actually...i love them, i wish they had been different colours though...but the bw is dreamy. oh and miss wild ones eyes are stunning. seriously...those lashes go on for days! Yumma.

02/10/2010 - 11:51 am Tisha - soooooo Gorgeous Michele!!! Cant wait to see what your up to!!

02/10/2010 - 9:10 am s h e r r y - :):) They're ADORABLE! I love their headbands, and the drool. Haha. Too cute.

Miss La :: 16 months.

These have been a long time in coming, but better late than never, right?  At the end of summer I was watching Brooke’s kiddos and got the bright idea of sneaking my camera into her house and capturing pics of her kids. The plan was to frame a few up for her in time for Christmas. Well, it’s now almost 6 months later, it’s 2 a.m. and I’ve only just edited a few. Sorry Simon, the little lady beat you out in the pretty department…you’ll be featured next, I promise!  The reason I love these pics of Miss Isla is that the look so airy, romantic and carefree. And SO not how the session went. Whoa. It was a toughie. I dressed her up, stripped down Brooke’s bed and accessorized it with bits from around the house in order to look more “girlie”. I had also prepared for the worst….my pockets were full of lollipops, jewellery and mini  marshmallows ( they are perfect bribery as they don’t make a mess and you can hardly see them…..look closely)! It took a lot of me dancing around like a fool, hooting and hollering at the top of my lungs, but guess what?!  The Miss and I worked things out ( I think she sensed I was desperate)! and I seriously think these may be my new faves of her ( no offense B, they are just So Girly)!

And the reason I decided to get my butt in gear and post these?! Brooke was kind enough to drag her kids over to my place and help me get a logo done this afternoon. Not only is my name not anywhere to be found on my blog, I don’t even have business cards with the proper info….and we’re going to be at WPPI soon. I NEEDED to get it together!  A month of me going back and forth trying to figure it out, and she puts something together I’m crazy about in 2 hours. For real?! I knew there was a reason I kept you around !! It feels so ME….I really am drawn to anything girly and pink; can’t help myself. Don’t be fooled, though…..a fellow photog ( thank you, Rebecca) I met not too long ago said to me, ” Wow, I totally thought you’d be different after reading your blog.”  I said, ” Really? How’d you think I’d be?” She said….” Elegant and sophisticated.”  I said…..well, I don’t think I said anything because I was laughing too hard!  I’m definitely NOT elegant or sophisticated although I like the look of things that are. That’s allowed, right?!  So, these photos are a little thank-you to Brooke for being fab and helping me get my s*@# together…..I know you’re probably going to yell at me for posting it when you’re still playing, but I just couldn’t help it.

Love!lace logo2

Now for the Miss…….really, could she be any more beautiful? I think not!

1829lCan you see the marshmallows?  I’d stuck them in between her toes to gain a few extra seconds of her being still…..worked like a charm!
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1864lbw1862lNo words. I have a feeling Mama may tear up from this one. Gorgeous little lady.1871l
And Brooke, if you ever want to get rid of those pillows you know when my birthday is! Anyone reading this who sees those floral beauties at Winners…..I will give out a free session in return for them. I don’t joke around when it comes to pillows.

02/08/2010 - 1:51 pm Gray Photography - Zach & Jody - Great set! Thanks a ton for coming to our blog as well! If you are serious about us coming out for some workshops then we would love to chat about it! Shoot us an email and we can chat about details. Have a great day and we will chat with you soon!

02/07/2010 - 1:08 pm Cathy Empey - Ooooh love the images, and I LOVE the logo! It is beautiful, and totally you!

02/02/2010 - 4:04 pm Kia Gregory - Wow! this is the first time I've commented on your blog! I LOVE the new look of your logo. Are you going with that one? It's gorgeous if you are! And great captures of your bestie's babe! Beautiful!

02/02/2010 - 6:02 am Sarah - These are breathtaking! So soft and lovely! What a beautiful little girl, looks like you captured her perfectly! xo Sarah

01/30/2010 - 10:32 pm michele - thank you thank you ladies! And of course to B for the logo, and Miss Isla for being such an adorable model:)

01/30/2010 - 6:25 pm Inland Empire Wedding Photographer - lovely~!

01/30/2010 - 10:37 am Rebecca - Oh how do I love that pink lace! I love love love it. So perfect. I can already see your pretty pink packaging and business cards. Drool.

01/29/2010 - 7:25 pm devon - you really are something else, ya know that miss michele?? I mean that as nothing less then a compliment, just in case you took it in any other way ;) Brooke's lil lady is a beauty..the last one almost made me tear up..geesh..that little face is pure perfection. oh.. love the new logo..its so...you. (or maybe its the online perception of you??? lol) either way..love!

01/29/2010 - 6:44 pm s h e r r y - Wow, these are GORGEOUS! (I love the pink lace of your maybe-new-logo too). Marshmallows are super discreet, haha! :D And the pink pillow is AMAZING. I want it too...

01/29/2010 - 2:19 pm brooke bowland - and stop trying to steal my pillows. ha. they are pretty hot eh? i so love them. i want to build my entire room around them. not sure how mark would feel about it...but is that really relevant??? ha.

01/29/2010 - 12:33 pm brooke bowland - love. love. love. the photos. thank you. she is quite the diva isnt she. for sure ranking as one of the toughies to get photos of!! as for your logo...you know i am always happy to help where i can. so not my thing...but hey, i try. i hope that we can tweak it and make it just right for you!

01/29/2010 - 11:40 am Simone - oh my, how cute is she. Actually she quite gorgeous! I got to meet her last week and she has such a fun and sweet spirit and you can definitely see that in the photos. I love the logo so pretty and fresh!

01/29/2010 - 10:49 am Gina - I love your new logo!! LOVE! you are going to have so much fun at WPPI! Adorable photos too!

01/29/2010 - 10:39 am Daniela - She's gorgeous Michelle. Love all of them.

01/29/2010 - 9:53 am Jodie - Love them! The last one is my fav!!! Great logo too :) I will keep my eye out for pillows! So when are the three of us gonna get together busy lady!!??!

Nevaeh + Eve :: Bathtime

So, it’s been quite a while of me thinking about taking some shots of the girls in the tub, and I finally got around to it. The way they interact with each other cracks me up! Of course bath nights are more work, especially with Eve’s age and Nevaeh’s….well, very particular ways:) But, it is always SO entertaining. And who doesn’t love free entertainment, right?! Eve isn’t yet walking…..standing quite well but doesn’t try to take steps on her own. Except in the bath. Don’t know what it is, but she goes a little wacky once she hits the water. Crazy splashing, wants to stand at all times, and literally climbs overtop of Nevaeh. I just wish I had audio to go along with these…..she sounds like such a little alley cat. Nevaeh, on the other hand, has always been pretty mellow, but now that she’s got a partner in crime I think we may be in for it. The peel n stick tiles have definitley got to be replaced with some real ones. haha!

Anyways, enjoy the pics…..I obviously have no idea how to use my flash, but in this instance I don’t really care!!!

In other news….make sure and keep checking in; there is BIG news coming in the near future and I can’t wait to share!!!

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Now, is it just me, or does she look oh-so-grown up in this one?!  11 months old….CRAZY!!!!

277bwClassic Nevaeh. She stole this one from her Mama!

289Come ON – is she not a spitting image of Jack Nicholson in The Shining?! Gotta love her, crazy little lady!247b

02/11/2010 - 3:39 am Jacquie - Michelle, your girls are just precious!!!!!!!

01/29/2010 - 1:53 pm Laurie Andres - Awesome pictures as usual Michele. I love looking at your work!

01/29/2010 - 1:52 pm Laurie Andres - Awesome pictures as usual Michele, love looking at your work!

01/29/2010 - 8:35 am Tasha - Too cute! I cracked up at the last one. She is a dead ringer for Nicholson. I might have had nightmares if she wasn't so dang cute!

01/28/2010 - 10:02 pm Gina - so adorable!

01/28/2010 - 9:40 am Rebecca - That third one is freaking awesome. :D Can't wait for the big news!

01/27/2010 - 10:22 pm danielle - So cute! Love the second one. I'm a sucker for bath photos too :)

01/27/2010 - 9:32 pm Mandy - haha those are adorable...zack has that drumstick and takes it everywhere with him...lol love love love these!

01/27/2010 - 6:29 pm devon - they are so darling...this just brightened my day :)

01/27/2010 - 6:25 pm brooke bowland - okay that last one...hilarious! these are fab. oh and love love the one of nevaeh over head...great angle and love that bit of crack. hehe. xo.

Best of 2009 :: Us.

A year in review. Wow….time really does fly by, doesn’t it?!  The past year has definitely been one of the best I’ve had.  Mistakes were made, the learning is ongoing, and I’m still dreaming. Big. There have been times I’ve questioned what I’m doing, if I’m doing the right thing…but the fact that I actually enjoy working away at 2 a.m. must mean something, right?! There’s a quote I read on Tara Whitney’s blog a few days ago, which was so fitting ….” If you want to know where your heart is, look where your mind goes when it wanders”. Well, my mind is always a wandering – all over the bloody place. That’s the problem with being Gemini – I can’t stay focused long enough to finish a thought. Luckily for me I have great friends and fam who (try) to keep me on track( you know who you are)!

This past year or so has brought so many changes…..a new home, new jobs and of course our new baby girl Eve. Lucky for us, big sis Nevaeh thinks she’s just as sweet as we do and we haven’t had to deal with jealous fits of rage, pulling hair or eye poking. Well, yet anyway. Eve’s personality is really becoming apparent, and I’m pretty sure she isn’t going to be the quiet, mellow timid little thing we’d first thought. She may just follow in her “big sissies” footsteps and have a very outgoing “look at me world” kind of outlook.  As long as they can pause for a moment once in a while for me to snap a few shots of their cute little faces, I don’t mind.

Be forewarned, this post is ridiculously long…..I never realized just how many photos we really do have. And to think that the majority of these are the “portraits”.  I’ve been working on a coffee table album for my blogover the past year, so had to include these faves for the end of it. Wondering who I’m doing it through? Blurb. They will actually “slurp” your blog and print it up all fancy for you to hold onto. Something to show for all our late nights, right?! A big thank you to my hubby for never complaining about how much I work in the evenings( well, rarely complaining)! I promise that 2010 will include me coming to bed at least a few hours earlier each night. And of course I couldn’t possibly post with saying thankyouthankyouthankyou to Brooke for capturing all the pics of our fam , as well as a bunch more in this post; love each and every one of them and feel insanely lucky to have you around.

So, here it is. The biggest post ever. And just so you know, it was never intended to be so lengthy….I just started to get all mushy and sentimental and, well…they’re just so darned cute!  I suppose this post was kind of for me to look back at ( perhaps when I’m having a “yuck” day and wish I could have an on call nanny to deal with not-so-fun Mum stuff)! These are pretty much guaranteed to make me smile:)

Enjoy…..

These were taken a few months before Eve arrived :: thanks Brooke!
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I think this is a contender for one of the warm-fuzziest belly pics EVER!
459401949_aDGDi-Obbb1900bwbb33.5 weeks ( yup-I’m counting the .5) It was -14 degrees outside and Brooke still managed to make me laugh!st1bFebruary 22nd, 2009 at 3:30 she arrived. Eight pounds one ounce and easy-peasy. I guess it was a hint of how she was going to be as a baby…..we couldn’t have asked for a sweeter little thing.famstory1webstrybig3Eve was under 5 days old in the pics above, and just a few weeks here. What I can’t believe is how much Nevaeh has grown up since then…she still looked so wee here!
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Possibly the best little ballerina pic EVER….look at all those hungry bums!bstory4bbFather’s Day. Love these.132webbb173hluxhnywebbbThis image needed a LOT of editing to salvage it; bad lighting and a lot of noise to start with, but it is one of my absolute faves….Eve was just 12 weeks here and looks like such a little doll..
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nev1bbbThese were taken by Brooke on her daughter’s 1st birthday… I’d photographed Miss Isla and Brooke decided to grab a few of us. So glad you did.grsbbb

Nevaeh at almost 4 years old and Eve at 6 months. I could just squeeze them in these pics…..girlsbbbOur biggest girly-girl. Love you Miss.
2686luxflare57BBB4013hny5x7BBOkay, come ON! If this pic doesn’t make you have baby fever I don’t know what will. Absolutely my favourite shot of her. 3819osBMmmm. Thanks again Brooke, man I adore this image.2033BBB
Baby Miss. evestbbb
These don’t really fit, I know….but here are some summertime pics of B and I. Thank you thank you to Andrea Blair for the images us together – so much fun!
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bmstory1bMy besties of the girls together. An impromptu session at home while Nanny was in town for a visit. Homemade tutus +cardboard crowns = adorable! n1ebbbne2bbMiss Nevaeh + her 4th Birthday Party :: Alice in Wonderland Style 3166lbalicebbbPerhaps the best “real” moment I’ve captured of them…..I can only imagine what Eve was thinking here!7846l57bbbChristmas-time pics…..girlsxmasbbAt last a family pic…..this really truly was the 1st taken of the 4 of us; not even a snap before this one. I dragged B out in the cold and had her shoot us for 10 minutes before she met another fam. Couldn’t have been more thrilled. 6633b12x16bbb6670faibbbLove you so, SO much !!!! Mwah! xoxox

01/27/2010 - 6:46 pm Daniela - Your girls are so beautiful Michelle, just like their mama:) I absolutely love your images and am totally jealous of your talent. You and Brooke make a great team and I'm so looking forward to seeing what you have in store for 2010. hopefully one of these days you two can make it down to Kelowna for our monthly get-togethers so we can meet (again...we met briefly at the [b] workshop in Calgary.)

01/26/2010 - 12:22 am michele - Thank you again Morgan and Meg - so appreciate the blog love, always makes my night!

01/25/2010 - 5:52 pm Meg Borders - I just ran across your blog somehow... OMGSH, amazing imagery! I am a new fan!!

01/22/2010 - 7:50 am morgan - You have the most gorgeous family! I loved each and every one of these lovely shots! As always, love to read your blog!

01/17/2010 - 9:52 pm brooke bowland - this one had me all choked up. everything about this post is beautiful...especially your girls. those faces...sigh. thank you for sharing these, totally made my day. of course thank you for mentioning me yah dork. i am so fortunate to have found such an amazing friend...i could not be more happy if i tried! so thank you for being a great person, photographer and all around bff (hehe). you rock!

01/17/2010 - 9:10 pm Simone - Ok. SERIOUSLY! You have the best pictures of your family. How do you do it? Besides having such extremely gorgeous girls, how do you make every photo look so effortless? Seriously, you should see my family photos. hehe! I love your girls, i love your lighting and your home looks beautiful! You are so talented Michelle. Your photos are so full of emotion... FYI-You and Brooke make a great team. I can't wait to see you what you guys have in store.

01/17/2010 - 8:24 pm laurie - wow. your family is beautiful and what precious memories you have captured!!

01/17/2010 - 2:54 pm michele - Wow. Thank you for the comments. Of course these photos are my absolute faves...I could look at them over and over and not tire of them....of course it's a bonus that others enjoy them as well! And yes Devon..... I absolutely know how blessed I am....I wouldn't change a thing; we're very lucky. Thank you for your comment; you always know how to make a girl's day!

01/17/2010 - 2:40 pm devon - ok well... i dont even "know" you people and i almost burst out crying a few images in...lol seriously ...do you really know how blessed you are? how stunning those little girls are? I have a feeling that you actually do know...Thank you so much for sharing the re-cap...it just made my whole day. loved it.

01/17/2010 - 12:21 pm Brandi - *sigh* love, love, LOVE all of these!!! You have such a gorgeous family, Michele!

01/17/2010 - 11:39 am andrea blair - I LOVE how you captured your family moments....I melt, these are sooooo sweet. AMAZING :)

01/17/2010 - 10:57 am Gina - georgus girls....you just gave me major baby fever this morning in hopes of another sweet girly!

Best of 2009 :: Weddings

So, it took awhile to get things in order, but I pulled together my favourite images of 2009 to share with all of my wonderful clients, friends and blog followers ( that still seems hilarious to me – strangers coming to my lil ol blog to check things out…seriously?  SO appreciated)!!!  Anyways, here are the fab couples. They really, truly were. I’m pretty sure I laughed my a** off , and made a fool of myself with every single one of you. So much fun…..thank you thank you a million times over for choosing me to document such an important day in your lives. I am so thrilled to be doing this, and can’t wait for what 2010 brings. I’d also like to say a very special “thank you” to Brooke for being my partner in crime….it seriously is double the fun having you to work with – I don’t know if anyone else could deal with my bossiness/quirkiness/flightiness as well as you do ! Stay tuned to us both as we put some amazing plans into action in the coming year……

Happy 2010!

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02/14/2010 - 5:30 pm Carol - *tapping my watch* It's VALENTINE'S DAY!! What IS it????????

02/08/2010 - 11:03 am Jeanette LeBlanc - What an utterly fabulous collection of images. AMAZING.

01/16/2010 - 9:13 pm Mandi - Lovin all these!! Beautiful work!!

01/16/2010 - 10:08 am Amy - Amazing! I love them all - Great work

01/15/2010 - 9:44 pm michele - Thank you ladies - Sara, I agree; the image of Ashley and her Dad is definately my fave "real" moment to date. I was a blubbering fool while she was walking down the aisle..good thing I had a second shooter as most shots were out of focus! And Brooke, thank you as well....I suppose I am a dork but I pride myself in knowing that; Nevaeh just said to me minutes ago, " Mummy, you're weird. But if you're not weird or silly, you're boring, right?!" Couldn't have said it better myself:)

01/15/2010 - 7:39 pm Sara K - the photo of your bride walking down the aisle holding back tears is amazing - what a beautiful moment to capture.

01/15/2010 - 9:32 am Gina - Love them all!

01/15/2010 - 8:39 am brooke bowland - wow. WOW. i was so thrilled to wake up and check this out this morning. you had an amazing year!! seriously amazing. oh and thanks for the mention...dork...ha. no, really...i feel exactly the same way. now i will have to make up not having a little chatter before my fave photos. maybe i need to do a specific "michele is fantastic" post. :). MWAH.

Best of 2009 :: Portraits

A bunch of my faves from the year…..there were so many images I adored it was tough to choose, but these were some that made me smile the biggest. Thank you all for workin’ it in front of my lens, and for having me be the one who got to capture all these wonderful little moments.

Michele

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01/14/2010 - 10:32 pm devon - what a rock'n year!!! cant wait for 2010 loveliness!!!

01/14/2010 - 8:28 pm Jessica Zais - Absolutely fantastic! You are definitely one of my top 3 favourite photographers in the Okanagan! : )

01/14/2010 - 3:45 pm brooke bowland - what a year. super fantastic! love so many of these. you rock. oh and thanks for putting my ugly face up there. hahaha.

01/14/2010 - 12:01 pm Robyn - You have some amazing shots, I love them all!

Best of 2009 :: Babes n Bellies

What a wonderful year 2009 has been. Lots of learning, meeting new people, making new friends ( I know, you’re thinking I’m a sap but it’s TRUE)!  I still have so much to learn, but going back through the last 12 months has made me realize that I am moving forward…constantly striving to be better and learning from my mistakes ( and trust me, I make a LOT of them)!  Thank you, thank you, thank you to each of my gorgeous Mum’s to be and their new bundles for choosing me to document these moments….. I really am so lucky.

107cbl9054lblMy most “overworked” model and fab hairstylist Linds of Heiress Salon and Boutique…..could she BE any more beautiful?!
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Gorgeous baby Sophie at 3 months old…
s2bls1blGreat friend Candice and her hubby Chris  pre-baby……245lbl337blAnd post belly…..isn’t Miss B a doll?!5567blLove them. 5589lbl
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Oh yeah….twin girls! They couldn’t be sweeter if they’d tried. Thanks to Brooke for bringing me along, it was an experience!7210blAnother beauty visiting all the way from England…..128bl1195lbl
I know what you’re thinking…how did I get so lucky to have such good-looking models?! Honestly? I don’t know. This was such a great session…7221lbl
And their new addition; Dex. Handsomest little man I’ve seen…..6240bwblHe really does make me want a little man of my own…..uh-oh!6997lbl7222lblThis one melts me…I wish I had one just like it hanging on my wall.

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01/15/2010 - 9:05 am Cathy Empey - What beautiful images! You have an amazing talent. Not only for babies and beautiful twins!! (LOVE that image!!) but for all things photography. I am so excited for you!

01/14/2010 - 10:36 pm devon - WOW! im blown away by the sheer volume of love and fuzzy moments that you have captured this past year...some really touching moments between parents and babies...love. love. love. and for the record..i think you owe it to mankind to have another baby..a boy for sure...b/c you make some gorgeous kids! a serious shame to stop those genes from having a chance in the world! lol

01/13/2010 - 11:35 pm Jennifer Holland - I love this post Michele!!! You sure are good at what you do!!!

01/13/2010 - 9:58 am michele - Thank you all! Funny how I'd thought there would be so much more....I always feel busier than I am, which I don't want to do this year....I'd like to slow it down a wee bit and focus more on the business end of things. Gina, thank you, you are a doll! Brooke - so glad I went with you as I adore what we got, but twins are tough! And Rebecca; I just realized this image was from '08 - doesn't really belong up here but I suppose it does deserve a spot on the faves list! Thank you!

01/13/2010 - 9:48 am Rebecca - I love that first shot so much - I would kill to have that in my portfolio!

01/13/2010 - 9:39 am Gina - Beautiful photos as always, Michele....wish I lived closer so I could bribe you into mentoring me!!!

01/13/2010 - 9:33 am brooke bowland - i love looking back over the past year. you did some truly wonderful babe and belly work. i so wish we both had that last image with our wee ones...what is with us and not getting enough photos of US with our babies?? Lets try harder! the twin shoot sure was an experience...but man oh man...when you walk away with images like the one you just posted it makes it all worth while. love so many of these!

01/13/2010 - 8:59 am andrea blair - BEAUTIFUL! These are breathtaking!