Michele Dyson Photography

This After session was definitely the most unique and beautiful one I’ve had the chance to do. It took place a few days after the wedding, once everyone had a chance to chill out and re-energize. 12 of us packed into a ( 7 passenger)  van and  drove about 30 km outside of Mexico City, to a place called Xochimilco. I didn’t know quite what to expect, but I have to say that ( aside from the wedding reception) it was the highlight of the trip. The Xochimilco is 176 kilometers of canals builit for irrigation and transportation by the Aztecs, and it is beauuutiful.  Every once in a while a vendor will float past, selling anything from beer, grilled corn, fruit and treats. My fave? The mariachi or marimba bands which serenade you from their boats. Oh, it was wonderful.

Tania and Kane wore traditional clothing…the only piece we forgot was a long necklace of Tania’s which was made of large ( real) golden coins. Unfortunate as it would have been spectacular, but I loved everything they wore nonetheless. The images of them on the boat were taken in someone’s backyard; the owner let Tania change in her home while we poked through her incredible gardens. Talk about luck! The last spot was just before we finished our ride….I saw a random little alleyway and we decided to snap a few more. Lucky for us, the boat driver didn’t seem to mind. Did I mention I love the Mexican people? hehe. Can’t wait to go back again:)

Enjoy the pics…thanks for looking ( and listening)!

Mish.

Okay, if you know me….you know I adore succulents; these ones were about 2 feet across – how I WISH I could have snuck some on the plane:) And Miss Tania? Girllll…..you. are. stunning.I’m sorta crazy about these next two. Aren’t they adorable together?!The random alley…..And this last one? Makes me smile every time. Thank you so much Kane and Tania……it was truly unforgettable!

Here it is!!! The big day, and probably one of the largest, most surreal and unforgettable events I will attend in my life. This wedding was like nothing I could have imagined; you’ll notice I don’t have the “standard” shots I typically take – unknown to me this day was like no other I’ve been a part of, so I was learning as I went….the ceremony was at 9pm ( which posed a challenge for me, seeing as I am by no means a Princess of Darkness – I shoot natural light ONLY – can you say “scary”)?! Aside from the lighting situation being different than what I had thought, I think the images turned out reasonably well.  This wedding was so jam packed with fun, surprises and randomness that I truly felt as though I were in another world. The live music started around 11pm and went until 6a.m. Not only was the band crazy fun, but had “props”. For example :: a country song meant that 50 cowboy hats were thrown into the crowd – a 70’s song was played and huge afro wigs were passed out. Huh?! Here were some of the other things we got thrown at us …you ready?!  hot pink and blue wigs, statue of liberty crowns, funky glasses, minnie mouse ears, soccer ball hats, chef hats and aprons, wedding veils, and the best one ( IMO)….a very random wrestling ring magically appeared on the middle of the crowded dance floor and masks were handed out…Nacho Libre too, of course. All these goodies were ours to leave with….don’t you think the DJ’s  HERE should follow suit?! Monogrammed slippers for the ladies were handed out around 2am, spicy soup served about 3, and a mariachi band finished off the live entertainment at 4. And no word of a lie…..it seemed to me that all 350 guests were still up and at em even when the sun was up. Incredible.

Tania, Kane and all your wonderful families and friends….thank you so very much for welcoming me. I really did show up at the airport not knowing anyone, but I feel as though I made a lot of fabulous friends and had one of the best times of my life.  Hopefully I will make it there again:)

Michele

PS – I apologize for sharing the longest blogpost in the history of EVER – but keep in mind that I started shooting at 1 pm and finished the next morning at 6 AM – short a pair of shoes and the not-s0-proud owner of a cracked lens. Oops! This, my friends is why you should never drink on the job:) hehe.

Here is Mr. Kane, the handsome groom – and his Best Man Corey ( who happens to second shoot for his girlfriend in Vancouver….my ALL time fave Boudoir photographer…check out Ellen’s work here:) Isn’t Tania beautiful?! What I wouldn’t give for her complexion…..Their first time seeing each other…all smiles:)Check out their wheels…not bad hey?!Inside the car, and out of the rain:)The shot on the right was taken from our cab…it rained this hard every evening around 5pm – their wedding day was NOT the exception! The highways flooded in less than 30 minutes ( yes, I was freaking it wouldn’t clear up)!Adore this one.The venue. Absolutely, undeniably the most stunning wedding venue I’ve ever been in. This was a 350 year old colonial building which is a market by day and then….voila! It transforms in the evening. It is open air, but has some sort of airy white roof overtop. There is a fountain in the center, and all those teensy lights are strung across the entire courtyard on fishing line. I wish I could have photographed just how stunning it was….there is a strict rule against bringing in equipment for professional photography, therefore I showed up with my 5D and ONE lens…that’s right, I was NOT risking it!This shot was taken upstairs while my flash decided to stop working. ISO 4000, grainy as can be and I love it. Tania, you really are gorgeous.SO glad we snuck off for these; how she looks that relaxed amidst the chaos that’s just downstairs is beyond me. Thank you for being fab !A sampling of the craziness….that’s me on the right, just after my first drink and probably 2 or 3 in the morning.  And that weirdo with me ( it’s a wig, don’t worry)…is Aaron,  the one that hooked me up with the job!!!SO funny! This was the garter toss, but Kane decided to surprise the boys with a glass full of water….the black and white below  of Tania was after the bouquet toss…all the women wore veils, danced in a very long congo line and passed under her…..she’s pouring tequila in every one of our mouths. Mmmmm………( that tequila was TROUBLE)!!!The amazing Mariachi band. Possibly my favourite “real” moment of the night. This was well into the morning and these ladies were still hard at it… the “older” lady was such a ball of energy each and every time I ran into her throughout the week…..if I only had HALF of her stamina I swear I could take on the world. Anyways, this pic about sums up the evening. Incredible, fun, crazy, random and absolutely unforgettable. 

A few facts for those of you interested in the behind-the-scenes bits…..

The morning of this session Kane and Tania had been Mr and Mrs for 3 whole days. They had been up since 4 am driving guests to the airport. Since they had needed their sleep, Tania’s hair was still wet from the shower trying to meet me on time. I had been up until 4 am sick-as-a-dog. Alcohol poisoning, or something slipped in my drink – I’ll never know. But for my two caretakers….you know who you are….I. Owe. You. HUGE! One other thing….we shot these in 30 minutes all in the few blocks surrounding their home, and I literally jumped in a cab when we were done and raced to the airport. Talk about last minute.

PS – My camera was a little under the weather and my lens was smashed on the bottom, so if these don’t look very sharp let’s blame it on that – NOT my hangover!

This first image is outside the front door of Tania’s family home – also where I stayed. Isn’t it purdy?

Every one of these locations is just steps from their home…if I’d been feeling better and had more time we would have shot all day long I’m sure! Thanks for dragging yourselves out of bed..it was worth it, right?!

What can I possibly say to express how wonderful of a time I had on this trip? Well, I’m not so good with words, so it’s a darned good thing I like taking pics – and lots of ‘em! This is the 1st of 3 blog posts I’ll be dedicating to this trip – I was in Mexico City for a week and if it weren’t for missing my family I could have stayed much, much longer. The architecture, the food….and the people. Wow. The people were honestly the MOST welcoming of any city, or any country I’ve traveled to. Truly unforgettable. A huge thank you goes out to my wonderfully fab bride and groom – Tania and Kane, as well as Tania’s family for welcoming 15 of us crazy Canadians into their home. If I’m lucky I’ll get to visit again….

Enjoy the pics!Yup. There was some weiiird stuff going on downtown – some more disturbing than others:)I could have photographed up and down the streets….all. day. long.

Well, it finally happened! I found out where God’s Mountain B & B was, and had the perfect out-of-town couple in for an engagement session. Ryan and Jen -you two were so chill, such good listeners, and totally at ease with me. I hadn’t done a morning session in quite a while, and you two broke me in!  Jen + Ryan+ God’s Mountain = Perfection. I just cannot WAIT to shoot your wedding next June.  Hope you enjoy all the photos….thank you again for being fabulous!!!

Michele

BONUS info! The next couple to book a wedding with White Linen ( us) at God’s Mountain ( dream location) will receive an additional print credit of $500 !!  ( PS – offer valid only if booking the roofless room..hehe)!

Here’s a sneak from our session the other night….I’m sure Mum and Dad are amazed we got anything as these two little ones are BUSY!!!!! Hehe…thanks for being so laid back you two – it paid off as we got quite a lot in a short amount of time.

Michele

I’ll keep this post short and sweet, and let the images speak for themselves. So many wonderful couples…so little time to blog!!! Thank you so much to all of you for your patience, and please make sure to check in to our White Linen site in the coming weeks for the full posts of each and every one of these:)

Have I mentioned lately how fabulous my job is? Yup. I’m one lucky girl!

Enjoy…

Up first?  Kane + Tania, my uber-fabulous couple that had me stay at their home with their families in Mexico City. Make sure to stay tuned for their full post, as it was nothing short of incredible. Thank you so much for being such amazing hosts. I loved every second. Oh, wait…..almost every second. hehe!

Are you KIDDING me ?! This was one of their After sessions, and it was surreal. Kane and Tania wore traditional Mexican clothing, and we shot along one of the oldest manmade canals in the world. So very beautiful. Nadeem + Lila.  What can I say? These two were so full of personality and sweets that Brooke and I couldn’t stop smiling. Thank you both for being yourselves and putting up with our silliness!!I am SO in love with this image….canvas-worthy, non?!Shawn + Kelsey . OK Falls.  This was such a laid back, perfect day….complete with turquoise boots and cowbells. And this is their family property….100 acres at our fingertips? Brooke and I were in heaven!Ryan + Jen : God’s Mountain, Penticton BC. Loved loved this morning session…..the location was so serene, and Jen and Ryan? You guys were HOT!!! Mmmmm….I cannot wait for the wedding next year! Craig + Carly :: Linden Gardens, Kaledon BC.  Hmmm…. what could I say about this day?!  Let’s see. Perfectly overcast skies. The most relaxed wedding schedule we’ve ever shot, thanks to the fact that C + C agreed to a First Glance – we shot these portraits before the ceremony. LOVED IT!  And yes, in case you’re wondering – they have both modeled:) Our job was easy-peasy. SO, to each and every one of you….thank you thank you a million times over for choosing us to be a  part of your days. And remember to check back here and White Linen for the full blogposts…:)

Yet another wonderful session…..a late evening shoot for Steve and Andrea’s 1st anniversary. Open fields, wildflowers and even crickets chirping. Perhaps the most peaceful session Brooke and I have photographed.

Hope the two of you love these as much as we do!

Michele

Andrea, you are so very beautiful:)I can almost feel the quiet in this image. Love.

This wedding was simply wonderful. Relaxed, beautiful, meaningful and with the focus on friends, family and some big time FUN! Meghan and Cameron got hitched at the Summerland Rodeo Grounds on a very hot and sunny Saturday ( 40 degrees up where we were….whew)! but they rocked it! The atmosphere was one I won’t soon forget – Brooke and I actually had to FORCE ourselves to leave that night, we were having such a fab time. So, to the newlyweds and all their fabulous friends and fam – thank you. It was a great one for us!

Michele

Meghan’s beautiful gown was her “something borrowed”….it was her Mum’s dress!  – I absolutely loved it on her.
My fave Mum/daughter pic to-date. Makes me smile each and every time I see it:)See that smile? 100% genuine, and it never left her face. My fave. I think this would make a perfect canvas, right?!A lot of the guests camped out. Love it!This was a highlight of the evening : In order to pick tables for the buffet, a game of musical chairs was played and it ROCKED!!! So much fun!!Can you believe the details on the cake and cupcakes? Made with love by the Mother of the bride and her helpers. So very beautiful. Meghan and Cameron – I’m so glad you “found” me ( thank you Facebook)! You two are amazing together and your day reflected that perfectly.

A little update while I’m away in Mexico City shooting an exciting wedding….cross your fingers for me that all is going well – I may have a lot working against me! Rain (forecast calls for thundershowers all 5 days I’m there) nighttime wedding (ceremony starts at 9 p.m……ending at 5a.m. The challenge there is whether or not I can stay awake! And the 3rd challenge is, of course if I can make it a whole week without seeing my fam. I’m missing the girls terribly and have yet to leave for the airport. sniff

So, for now – here is a little sneak of what’s coming soon. Each of these couples Brooke and I were able to shoot together…SO much fun was had with each and every one of these sessions. The full posts can be seen in the coming weeks over at White Linen :: B and I have officially joined forces, and as of 2011 will be working together on all weddings – HOLLA!!!!  With that, enjoy the sneak…….:)

Mish

Cameron + Meghan

Steve + AndreaCraig + TeresaRyan + Ashley

Thank you to each and every one of you for being so, SO fabulous….Brooke and I truly feel like we have the best job in the world:) And just so you know B – I’ve made the decision to post a pic of us at work for each job we do…trying to follow in the footsteps of the uber-fab ( and ridiculously innapropriate) Bobbi + Mike. If you haven’t yet, make sure to click on their names to see their incredible work. An inspiration not only in their ability to capture such amazing images, but especially for being true to who they are…..Ms. Bobbi was the woman who let us know that it’s alright to show your REAL personality – even if that happens to be crazy, kooky and ridiculously innapropriate. I mean, you want to have FUN when you’re getting your pics taken, right?!