Michele Dyson Photography » Blog

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!

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. Okay…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.
The 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!

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!

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

Can 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!

No words. I have a feeling Mama may tear up from this one. Gorgeous little lady.
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.

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!!!

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

Classic Nevaeh. She stole this one from her Mama!

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

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!

I think this is a contender for one of the warm-fuzziest belly pics EVER!
33.5 weeks ( yup-I’m counting the .5) It was -14 degrees outside and Brooke still managed to make me laugh!February 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.Eve 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!

Possibly the best little ballerina pic EVER….look at all those hungry bums!Father’s Day. Love these.This 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..

These 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.

Nevaeh at almost 4 years old and Eve at 6 months. I could just squeeze them in these pics…..Our biggest girly-girl. Love you Miss.
Okay, come ON! If this pic doesn’t make you have baby fever I don’t know what will. Absolutely my favourite shot of her. Mmmm. Thanks again Brooke, man I adore this image.
Baby Miss. 
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!

My besties of the girls together. An impromptu session at home while Nanny was in town for a visit. Homemade tutus +cardboard crowns = adorable! Miss Nevaeh + her 4th Birthday Party :: Alice in Wonderland Style Perhaps the best “real” moment I’ve captured of them…..I can only imagine what Eve was thinking here!Christmas-time pics…..At 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. Love you so, SO much !!!! Mwah! xoxox

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.

My most “overworked” model and fab hairstylist Linds of Heiress Salon and Boutique…..could she BE any more beautiful?!
Just as pretty as her Mum…..And now a bigger girl of 6 months; yup,  she is definitely the daughter of a stylist!
Gorgeous baby Sophie at 3 months old…
Great friend Candice and her hubby Chris  pre-baby……And post belly…..isn’t Miss B a doll?!Love them. 
A gorgeous little man to mix things up…..


Oh yeah….twin girls! They couldn’t be sweeter if they’d tried. Thanks to Brooke for bringing me along, it was an experience!Another beauty visiting all the way from England…..
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…
And their new addition; Dex. Handsomest little man I’ve seen…..He really does make me want a little man of my own…..uh-oh!This one melts me…I wish I had one just like it hanging on my wall.

Along with the fact that I haven’t posted in a few weeks, paired with the constant reminders of my Mum that she hasn’t seen photos of our girls in too long….I thought it best that I pull up my socks and post a little something. Of course as every other person out there knows, it’s a crazy hectic time of year – and on top of client orders, Mummy duties, Christmas shopping, sick kiddos and party planning I’ve still got to remember to get a few festive shots of the girls. I got out the fancies the other day, but much to my surprise Miss Nevaeh was having none of the frills. She wanted “cool” clothes…..”like I’m six, okay Mummy”?! Well, why not. So, although there isn’t much of anything festive going on in these photos, try to imagine me singing Christmas songs in the silliest voices possible in order for them to pay attention….that’s festive, right?! Nevaeh somewhat cooperated, and Miss Eve?  Well, at 9 and a half months she is a little fireball. Go, go,go…I had to catch her with my feet while I was crumpled into a corner trying to fit them both into the frame. The things we do:)  I can’t wait to see what she’s doing in the next few weeks……she’s now able to stand completely on her own for a good 15 seconds and is saying her first little words…..Papa’s watch gets ” gick…….gock” ( tick-tock ) and “book” is pronounced with a “g” in front. Silly little thing. And at 4 years old Nevaeh is starting to learn about hand-eye coordination, as her Dad would say. She is learning to LOVE video games. Drives me absolutely nutso, but of course there are limits set by moi….. and she is pretty darned good at games, even if I cringe every time they play! Does this form of entertainment drive any other Mum’s bonkers?! Oh, it gets to me……..the hubby thinks it’s hilarious and says I’m just envious that she could kick my butt! 

So here they are….my attempt at some shots for Nanny to see how grown up the girlies are getting. I must say that this time of year feels soooooo restricting; these shots are the same ol thing I keep taking when it’s yucky out.  Next shoot I’ll attempt outside in the white stuff…..once it warms up a bit, of course:)  Alright, enough babble from me…..hope each and every one of you  has a fabulous Holiday Season and a wonderful New Year;  and don’t forget to leave a little blog love – it’s for a great cause this time of year…..1 comment = 1 can of food donated to the Food Bank.  What better reason is there?!  

Merry Ho-ho!!!!!This one makes me want to go wake her up for a snuggle:) 

How does time fly so quickly again?!
* Edited to add*  

I almost passed this one by…..one of Eve’s “firsts” – a mini play with her little friend Milla. I did 3 shoots at our home this day so we got in a lot of play time!  Little M is 6 weeks younger than Eve and I think they may be two of the cutest little things I’ve ever laid eyes on…..and can’t you just see the hair-envy in Eve’s eyes?  I mean, come ON !  

So, the last time I photographed Miss Milla she was all of 5 days old ( peek here). It was a challenging shoot to say the least, but ended up being one of my favourites. And her Mum…..I mean, come on! You can see here where the wee one gets her looks from; lucky lady!

Now, you’re probably wondering about how old this little beauty is; believe it or not she is almost 2 months younger than my little Eve. She is just 6 months in these. Amazing, right?! And the hair….it was a given. Mum Lindsay the owner of  the chicest salon in town, Heiress Salon & Boutique , so she just had to have great locks! Milla rocked it out for this session – I’m not kidding you. She was hands down the fastest baby I’ve ever seen. Rolling, twisting and trying to dive head first off my bed. She’s a busy little lady, this one! Good thing I had my fast pants on for this session….we flew through it in less than 20 minutes. Phew! 

Linds, I hope you love these – and I am totally looking forward to doing your family session up at the mountain. Can’t wait! 

Thanks again, 

Me.

Here is his; brand new Baby Evan. He was just 5 days old in his session and was a sleepy little man almost the entire time.  Thank you to Mum and Dad for coming over, and for playing with my  ”big” baby girl while I clicked away. I thoroughly enjoyed doing his first session, and of course getting my new baby fix! 

Michele

anyone out there who knows great online shops for knit baby hats? Please fill me in, as I’m in need of some new props:)If he were mine this would be hanging on my wall – BIG!!!   a gorgeous little man:) my faves…how can you not just drool over those teensy toes. so sweet. 

My first “mixed” post…..I don’t really enjoy doing this, but I guess when you take on too much that’s what happens:)  Hopefully my clients can all forgive me for making them share their sneak!  There will be full posts in the next few days of each of these sessions…. and more:)  Below are imgaes of 5 day old baby Evan, sisters Brittany and Alicia as well as Brit’s fiance Kyle, a fabulous After session with Chris + Christine…..who happen to be great friends of Mike + Cara, who also did an After session with me this past weekend.  Thanks all for being understanding, and I promise to keep working away on your images…..you were all truly amazing in front of the camera and make me love what I do that much more.

Thank you:)

Introducing sweet baby Evan. It took a bit, but once we got him down he slept like a dream. Thank you so much for letting me do his very first session:)

I had such a great time with Alicia and Brittany….it was raining, we were losing light and were absolutely surrounded by monstrous cow patties; I even stepped in a fresh one. Disgusting. But worth it – thanks for having such a good time with it girls!I’m crossing my fingers to be able to shoot Brit + Kyle’s wedding next year…..mid-fall, a great theme and perhaps a little choreography ?!  Let’s hope they like these!!!  This was my very first morning session; and for those of you who know me, sunrise + Michele = a bad situation. I actually have a 30 minute “don’t talk to me” rule when I wake up:)  Well, Chris + Christine just may have changed my mind….I was loving the early light, in the second image it actually poured down like spotlights on them. Yum-my!

And last, but definitely not least, Mike + Cara. You may remember them from their wedding just a few weeks back. Creative minds, great style and Cara just happens to be an avid watcher of “America’s Next Top Model.” I think she may take it seriously as her presence in front of the camera is stellar. Mike recently started his new job as a firefighter, so of course we needed to work that into the shots; LOVE them…..stay tuned for many, many more great images. Thanks so much guys!