Alison and Rod - November 25, 2006

What a perfect way to end our year! Alison and Rod's day was simply amazing - it was the first wedding we have ever done when it was actually snowing. I have to give full credit to Alison for braving the freezing cold in a stunning strapless gown - after seeing the images, we agreed that her risking pneumonia was worth it! Picture this if you will: the ceremony ends, the happy couple walk back down the aisle together, the bells are ringing, and they step outside a charming little church into the snow just starting to fall - how great is that? And it actually happend at Alison and Rod's wedding! After the ceremony we proceeded to Quilchena Golf and Country Club, which was fully decorated to compliment the approach of Christmas. When the photo session was finished, it was off to the reception to party and be merry! Thanks again to Alison and Rod for having us photograph your wedding - it was truly a wonderful way to end 2006!

Kristi and Martin - Engagement Session

Kristi and Martin are a very cute couple, and we had a great time photographing them around Granville Island. As with Jenn and Scott's session (see post below this one), Kristi and Martin's session had been rained out - several times! Finally the weather got a little better and we were able to do this session (I think it was our fourth try at getting a non-rainy day!) By their own admission, Kristi and Martin are a little camera shy, which in fact makes them the perfect example of why we do engagement sessions: to get our clients used to being in front of the camera so that they are totally at ease on their big day! Think of the engagement session as the "photography rehearsal" for the wedding!

Jenn and Scott - Engagement Session

Ahh, you gotta love this time of year - rain, rain, and more rain! After rescheduling their engagement session due to rain, Jenn and Scott finally got a day where it was decent for a while - and then of course, it rained! Fortunately our session was pretty much finished by the time the skies opened up, so we had ample opportunities to make some great images of this couple. When Jenn initially contacted us about wedding photography, I knew her name sounded familiar - turns out we went to the same school and graduated a year apart! Jenn and Scott's wedding is in May, a month which doesn't see much rain compared to November (fingers crossed!)

Gary and Tiffany - Engagement Session

I love shooting sessions in the fall, and Gary and Tiffany's was a perfect example! Although it was pretty late in the season, there were still plenty of gorgeous fall colours at Queen Elizabeth Park. The sun lit up the red and yellow leaves beautifully, creating just the right ambience for Gary and Tiffany's images. We even did some neat shots of these two cuddling in the leaves - which wasn't easy, considering they were lying on our reflector disc and it didn't provide much insulation from the freezing cold concrete beneath it! We had a lot of fun with Gary and Tiffany and we're very much looking forward to their wedding in April!

Mission Accomplished!

Paul, curator of the Rainforest Reptile Refuge, with Laura and Spud the Tortoise (who was a little camera shy!)

Back in October, we decided to do a fundraiser we called "Portraits with Pumpkins" (see this entry for details). Our goal was to raise $1000, and I'm proud to say we made that goal and actually even exceeded it! It was with great pleasure that we delivered a cheque to the Rainforest Reptile Refuge for $1100.00. We are so grateful to everyone who participated in Portraits with Pumpkins - the support was overwhelming, especially from our own Blue Magnolia clients.

We'd also like to thank the Richmond News, who came out and did a story on our project, and G. King Photo, who kept our costs low by giving us a very generous discount on prints. Of course, thank-you's would not be complete without thanking the Rainforest Reptile Refuge, simply for existing and taking on the care and conservation of these animals.

Paul Springate is the curator of the Refuge, and it was an honour to meet and talk with him about the animals he cares for so very much. I don't think we have ever met a more passionate person - to say this man is dedicated to his cause would be an understatement. Paul explained how the Refuge is a symbol of much larger problems in our society - it represents the need for conservation of endangered species, tougher laws against the exotic animal trade, and protection for our own native environment and species. With increased awareness and education, change can happen - and that's something we're very proud to support! If you're interested in learning more about the Refuge or would like to donate, you can check it out online.

From us, from Paul, and from the animals - thank you so very much to everyone who made this event possible!

A few photos from the Portraits with Pumpkins sessions:

Nooneh and Chris - October 21, 2006

What a great day we had with Nooneh and Chris! These are two of the nicest people you'll ever meet, and photographing their special day was a delight! It started off with Chris going with the guys to photograph their getting ready time, and me with the ladies doing the same. When I walked in and saw Nooneh's dress hanging there, my jaw dropped - it was truly an amazing gown, and I have never seen one quite like it (check out the photos to see what I mean!) Chris and I met up at the ceremony inside a very colourful Greek Orthodox Church, and after that it was off to Yaletown for the photo session. Nooneh and her bridesmaids braved the October chill in their strapless gowns, which were a yummy dark chocolate colour. The flowers by Bloom Room were gorgeous, and complimented the pink-green-brown colour scheme perfectly. After the photo session we headed to the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club for family photos, Armenian dancing, and a fabulous reception. Thanks to Nooneh and Chris for having us photograph your wedding!

Dave and Kathy - Engagement Session

We had an amazing evening for Dave and Kathy's session - the light simply glowed! We took full advantage of the warm fall sun as we shot around Steveston Village. If you're familiar with village, you'll know it's not very big; and yet, we manage to find new photo opportunities every time we shoot there (and we have shot there a lot!) It's great when you have clients who are familiar with the area as well, and can suggest some cool spots - Kathy thought it might be neat to shoot around an old green boat which is now part of a park; it was a great idea and worked out beautifully! We also braved some very thorny branches and a rather steep descent towards the water to get a gorgeous image of Dave and Kathy on a curved tree. We're really looking foward to their wedding in April (and I promise, no thorny branches this time!)

A Shout-Out to Crow Toes Quarterly

Attention - the crow has landed! It's time for a shameless plug for Crow Toes Quarterly (CTQ) magazine, Chris' new little project. When he's not working for Blue Magnolia (which is rarely these days!), Chris is working on CTQ, a children's literature magazine. The magazine features works from authors and artists across the country, and is geared towards 9-13 year olds. This won't be your typical children's magazine - think Tim Burton-esque, darker, intelligent literature that will challenge a child's imagination. The very first issue will be out in January by subscription only, with news stand circulation beginning on the second issue in the spring. Needless to say, we are very excited - if you are too, check out www.crowtoesquarterly.com.

Berry Family Portrait Session

As an anniversary gift, the Berry kids decided to get Mom and Dad a family portrait session with us - what a great idea! The plan was October 1 at Centennial Beach, which sounds good in itself; but add in a cool retro couch, and you've really got something special! The French Provencal couch (which I found free by the side of the road - yippee!) was just shabby-chic enough to be perfect for the environment at Centennial. We did the big family portrait on the couch, and then individual shots of each son/daughter and their respective significant others. We then proceeded to the beach area (sans couch) to have some fun in the sand and the surf. It was a great session and I think we got some very memorable images of this fabulous family!