Element Photography

It looks like Nina + Derek have their hands full!! With three year old twin boys and a newborn life looks pretty full from over here : ) But don’t be fooled! Marcus and Liam are pretty much the most chilled out 3 year olds I have ever had the joy of meeting. ever ever ever! They were totally skeptical of me at first and for almost the whole session! it was actually pretty funny! But we started to talk about batman and flash, hockey, and daddy’s stinky toots and I managed to crack a smile or two! These two bring quiet the serious “game face” and had me pulling out all the stops. Derek know’s all the right things to say to get these two going, so funny to watch them all together. Giggling like crazy! What an awesome little family!! The big brothers were super helpful with little Landon, quick to carry bottles, give kisses and cuddles whenever needed. We made funny faces, laughed at Dad and ran around in leaves and wrapped up the day with some street hockey!

Fun day guys! Fun family!! Enjoy your photos!

It was a long hot summer in Osoyoos! Here I am finally getting around to blogging Jes + Chris’ warm summer night engagement session! The lighting was perfect in one of my favooorite locations in the south Okanangan. I love the rolling fields and the amazing warm light we captured as the sun went down. No bugs, no wind just right for running around in the tall grass. Laughing and smiling throughout the whole session Jes + Chris knocked it out of the park! Such a good looking couple the camera adored them making my job oh-so-much-fun!

*photographers note – no one participated in any trespassing during this shoot! ha! totally have permission for this one : )

HURRAY! The comment field is working again!! Genevieve from Lilac Creative saved me this week. Sorry to everyone who had so much trouble getting their entries in for the giveaway! Thanks to those who persisted! I received 22 entries after publishing the blog post Maui – top 5 and a giveaway! Great big thank you to Sophie Grace for the jewelry gift! This afternoon Leeza my lovely assistant and I did the draw and it went a little like this!

Congratulations Krista Redenbach!!

Please contact me with your mailing address and I will put Jamie from Sophie Grace Maui in touch with you!!! Enjoy your gift – thanks for playing!

Hell00o gorgeous!

Meet Kim, a great friend of mine from Uni. Kim’s the girl who used to intimidate me a little around the faculty. For one, she’s a stunner. She hung around with the guys, she had sharp and quick wit and a serious dose of sarcasm to go with it all. And she was smartie pants, so smart she could sit in the backrow and act like it was no-big-deal. Note – I sat on the left side second row from the front, pretty much all the time. I wasn’t the smartest, I wasnt from Saskatchewan, I was pretty fun or maybe just funny looking,  and I liked to chat with pretty much anyone.  I cant remember the exact time Kim and I actually started to become friends but I remember spending alot of time with her in fourth year during study breaks while prepping for PEBC’s. good times. Our paths crossed constantly through student council and social events and many mutual friends. I remember when she got an offer for a job in Duncan, BC on Vancouver Island and she asked me for advice on the location. Well I couldn’t say enough good things about Van Isle, she took the job and off she went. Now I get to see her every time I go back with my husband! Our friendship continues to grow and its amazing to see what an incredible person she has become. Brilliant, beautiful, passionate about her career and her life. A love for travel, her furry friend Franklin, and her family. Her quick wit and sarcasm still gets me…when I actually catch on to the joke! A girl who is grounded. Honest. She talks to her mom back home weekly, daily maybe? Not to mention the covergirl for the Island Pharmacy billboards doting the highways of Vancouver Island (although if you ask her Franklin really stole the show and he can be spotted with her).

I snatched up the opportunity to shoot her while we were in Maui. Gorgeous, ocean-side location while taking in the amazing sunset. Looking at her sun-kissed glow reallllly makes me wish we were all still there!  The shoot was pretty impromptu “hey kim stand over there!” it took all of 5 minutes and it was a whoot! Here are the results!

Rachel + Bobby high school sweeties married in early September on a stunning lakeside property surrounded by all their family and friends! It was evident from the first time I met R + B that they shared a very close and intimate connection with each other. They fell so easily into any pose I suggested and the warmth in their smiles was so genuine. Bobby wrapped Rachel up in his arms and she just fit, perfectly. Meant to be.

The whole day Rachel + Bobby were together with their mutual group of friends who encouraged this relationship right from the get go. I had such a great time working with this wedding party, big wedding parties can be intimidating but this team was on board and up for anything. Everyone was just so happy!! It was contagious!

I was head-over-heels for Rachel’s Maggie Sottero gown. I have a small obsession with one-shouldered anythings. This style suited her to a T. simply gorgeous! And her outrageously sparkly cuff bracelet and earring were the perfect finishing touch!  Her girls sported versatile dresses, all the same dress just wrapped 4 different ways! Bright flowers from my favorite local vendor Polka dot Door added just the right amount of bright color, complete with billy balls!

Great big thank you to Rach + Bob for including us as part of your wedding day!

Brides’s Gown – Maggie Sottero from Bliss Bridal

Bridesmaid’s dresses – Isadora Clothing

Menswear  - Grant King

Flowers – Polka Dot Door

Hair – Innervisions

Makeup - Jamie Dochuk

Bride’s Jewelry - Anna Bellagio

Last week I jetted off across the Pacific to the beautiful island of Maui! I had never been to HI before and it did not disappoint. Maui is a quiet, laid-back island where anything goes and you will encounter anything but the ordinary and expected. Miles of pristine coastline and white sandy beaches, gorgeous turquoise waters and lush rainforest. I met up with my two great girl friends Rachelle and Kim, we lounged on a variety of gorgeous beaches, attempted the road to Hana (car sickness got the best of us), scuba’d and snorkeled, shopped, laughed at ourselves floundering in the waves while boogie boarding (waves 1 girls 0) and ate waaay to much tasty pineapple. While I was there I also covered a wedding for Mike + Jenn Flaman, my first destination wedding! hurray! More on that later : ) I loved Maui, really really I did. I will go back, next time I’ll take m. Christmas too early?!

For now I leave you with my top five must’s of Maui + some photos!

1. Big Beach outside of Wailea, big waves big fun. Not for the kiddies!

2. Paia town – dont miss Sophie Grace Maui island inspired jewelry. I picked up a dainty little stamped silver bracelet. Customized with ” m + e ” stamped on the small silver medallion. Other bracelets were stamped “loved”, “twins”, “blessed”, “pray” cute! I also couldn’t resist a pair of earring that shop owner and artist Jamie Shepherd was wearing. Vintage coral, with pyrite and turquoise on twisted gold hoops. I loved them so much I bought them right out of her ears!!

3. Cheeseburger Paradise (obviously) in Lahina + Coconuts fish cafe – best fish tacos Kihei

4. Snorkling with the local sea turtles

5. The smell of the fragrant island air, take a deep breath as soon as you get out of that airplane…amazing – ocean mixed with plumeria + hibiscus florals

we spotted this sunset wedding…awe.

SURPRISE GIVEAWAY! - Jamie from Sophie Grace is the sweetest lady around she’s giving away a piece of custom jewelery to one of my blog readers!

Here’s what you need to do to WIN!

1.  Friend Sophie Grace Maui on facebook by clicking on this link HERE

2. Like Element Photography on facebook by clicking on this link HERE

3. Once you’ve done both those things, and picked out your favorite jewels…Tell me about it! Leave a comment here on the element blog and a winner will be selected on October 25 2011.

easy peasy!

Aloha! Find element photography on facebook, see where we go next!

Just a little notice to readers that October is booked in full, still some availability in early November. Im thinking we will have late fall color well into November  - as you can see so far not much has changed! Drop me an email if your interested in booking a session!

Its been a busy fall so far I can hardly keep up with myself! We can check Thanksgiving off the list, and my first destination wedding – just home from a gorgeous Maui! Last wedding of the 2011 season too! Amazing to reflect on the last couple months, I cant believe I was able to shoot eight weddings from May to October! Incredible growth and experiences for me meeting so many fantastic couples and their families along the way! Thank you so so much to everyone who has commented on my blog page, shared, read one of my features on other blogs, and liked element on facebook. I cannot express how much I appreciate your support! Looking ahead the rest of October is jam packed with fun filled family sessions and then life will slow down again, and for that I am thankful too. My hubby misses me and it will be nice to settle back into a routine!

next up on the blog? Rachel + Bobby’s Oliver wedding!  stay tuned ; )

Keep up with element latest blog posts, availability, contests, and friday fab five! Find us on facebook!

“love you to the moon and back” – said the note that Tyler wrote Amanda that she read through tears as she got ready that morning. “that’s our thing, it what makes us – us.” she told me

Amanda + Tyler were married on a sunny afternoon at the Liebel residence here in Osoyoos,BC. The wedding party danced their way down the isle with the biggest smiles on their faces, you could tell everyone was so excited for this day to finally arrive. With vineyard for as far as the eye could see and a stunning view of lake Osoyoos A + T said “I do!” literally surrounded by their family and friends.  Amanda + Tyler opted for a traditional ceremony, the pastor did a great job of speaking about the importance of a strong marriage foundation, we were reminded of the values and strength of  our daily commitments to our partners. A great refresher for everyone their who had already tied the knot! As the sun shone down Amanda + Ty spoke words of commitment to each other. They laughed as Amanda did her best to get that ring on Tyler’s swollen hand and they both could not stop smiling all the way through the ceremony.

An outgoing and fun-loving couple Amanda + Tyler attract really fun friends. Go figure! The wedding party was a riot! We whisked away with them shortly after the ceremony wrapped up group photos quickly so we could spend a little more time alone with just the newly weds. We moved on to some more quiet and romantic locations and snapped away as the couple cuddled and whispered to each other, enjoying a moment together in their big day – just the two of them. Wrapping up at the hockey rink where we met up with the wedding party again for some crazy times on the ice. Tyler and Amanda met while he was playing hockey in the States, and has a long history with the sport. Needless to say the two of them have spent many hours at the rink while they were dating and so it was only fitting to hit the ice together for some fun photos!

Thanks A +T, your friends, and especially your families for their hard work getting the Liebel property picture perfect for such a great day!

Bride’s dress – Pronovias - Viva Bridal Boutique

Men’s shirts – Express

Bride’s flowers – Polka Dot Door

Bridesmaid’s dresses + shoes – Le Chateau + Payless

Bridesmaid’s flowers – Brides’s and Blooms

Jewellery – designed by the bride

hair – beyond beauty

makeup – Christine Fritz

Our wedding was featured as a top finalist in the RW & co we do, weddings contest! Hip hip hurray!!

Please help us win by submitting your vote here on the RW & co website! Look for Malcolm and his mighty men

Thanks so much!

I have been super busy wrapping up the wedding season with one more left to shoot next week! What an awesome summer it was!  Today we  round off the week with a sneak peek from A + T’s big day! Stay tuned for the complete post before the end of the month!