New Secret Session Marathon Date!

***UPDATE: All times have been booked except 9:15am - if you'd like the last spot, please get in touch soon!


Here it is, the first Secret Session Marathon of 2009!

Need a great wedding gift for your future hubby?
Maybe an anniversary present?
Or perhaps something just to celebrate YOU!

A Secret Session is perfect!

What is it: a sexy, Vogue-style photo shoot in your favourite lingerie
Who is it: you, Laura Millin, professional photographer from Magnolia Photographic, and Tara Lasko, professional make-up artist, from Paint by Numbr
How much is it: $365 includes make-up, a one-hour photo shoot, $100 towards a custom designed Secret Album, sexy enhanced prints, or any of our other unique products, and a private online gallery to view your images
Where is it: a luxe Penthouse suite at a very posh Richmond Hotel
When is it: Sunday, March 29, 2009 - times available are
9:15am - 10:30am - 12:00pm - 1:15pm - 2:30pm - 3:45pm

For this marathon we've booked an extra-special, brand new Penthouse Suite! With it's gleaming wood floors and funky decor, the photo possibilities in this suite are endless! We'll also have gorgeous jewelry available to compliment your look, courtesy of talented local designer Brooke Mosher of Brooklyn Designs.

To book your session time, please contact Laura at Magnolia Photographic:
604.277.7452 or magnoliaphotographic@gmail.com (prices do not include taxes)

To see samples of past Secret Sessions, please check out the Intimate gallery in the Portrait section of our website at www.magnoliaphotographic.com

To see samples of Tara’s makeup, check out www.paintbynumbr.ca

To view and buy stunning jewelry from Brooklyn Designs, go to www.brooklyndesigns.ca

Jian - Maternity Session

Jian and Scott are expecting their first child in February, and I was so excited to document this special time for them! The session was shot in the comfort of their home - I personally enjoy shooting in a home environment because it lends itself well to the warmth and feeling evoked in maternity session images. Makeup artist Tara Lasko was also on hand to enhance Jian's already glowing look. Jian and Scott are such a sweet couple, and I can't wait to see their new little baby!

The Zimoch Sisters

Laura and Jen wanted to give their parents and grandmas something unique and different for Christmas, and thought a portrait session would be perfect! I met with them late in the fall up in Steveston, and we got a beautiful day which allowed me to take advantage of the warm winter sun. In fact, the great thing about shooting at this time of year is that you get a few extras hours of "magic" light, the time when the sun is low in sky and everything looks warm and golden - love that! I've known Laura for a long time, as she is one of my sister's dearest friends. It was so fun to photograph her and sister Jen, as they have a bit of a cat-and-dog relationship but love each other very much nonetheless! I recently talked to Laura, and her parents and grandmas were thrilled with their portrait session gifts - thanks to Laura and Jen for giving me the opportunity to create those memorable and beautiful images!

Ethan and Family

We were honoured to capture Nooneh and Chris's wedding a couple years back, and I was just as excited when they asked me to come out and photograph their new addition! Little Ethan is such a cutie-pie, he has the sweetest little expressions and the cutest little outfits (he must get his great fashion sense from his beautiful mommy). :) I love baby sessions not only because babies are fun, but also because there are so many great details to record - all the adorable decorations in the nursery, the baby's favourite toy, their little shoes - all those details compliment the portraits themselves, especially when put into an album. Ethan is a really special and sweet little guy, and I can't wait to photograph him again and see how much he's changed! Thanks again to Nooneh, Chris, and Ethan for a very fun session!

Ella and Family

I truly do love it when our wedding clients come back, maybe a year or two later, with new additions to their family! Alison and Rod were one of our most memorable weddings because of the beautiful snow that began to fall just as they exited the charming heritage church in which they got married, and because it was Christmas time and the golf club was all decorated, and because Alison and Rod are just such awesome people, and because... well, you get the idea! They now have little Ella, who is just precious and so photogenic with her big blue eyes and cute little blond curls. We headed out to Garden City Park for the fall colours and also discovered that a very fun playground had just finished construction - and happened to be very photographically inspiring! I had a great time seeing Alison and Rod again and meeting Ella - thanks to all of you for a great photo session!

The Lasko Family

Back in the fall I had the wonderful opportunity to do a session with the Lasko family. Tara Lasko is the very talented make-up artist who provides her talents at our Secret Session Marathons and many of the weddings we do as well - you can check out her work at www.paintbynumbr.ca. We wanted to do something a little different and fun for the Lasko session, so we thought we'd try a journalistic approach inside their home a la the Brangelina family shoot in HELLO magazine. Granted, the Lasko's only have one child whereas Brad and Angelina have, what, at least a dozen now? :) But I think the results were fantastic nonetheless! We then left the home for a shoot down at the beach, where little Amara was fascinated by the water and leaves. The beautiful lighting and backgrounds made for some great images.

Merry Christmas and Good Times to all!

We officially close for the holidays today, (we'll reopen January 2) so I thought I'd take this blog post to wish everyone Happy Holidays! No matter what you celebrate, I hope your time is filled with the warmth and love of dear family and friends. We are looking forward to celebrating Christmas with our families, and enjoying everything this season has to offer! Thank you to all our wonderful clients who have made this a great year - you inspire us and trust us with your precious photographic memories, and we appreciate it so very much!

I have so many fall portrait session to share on the blog, but most of them are part of Christmas gifts - so as not to spoil the surprise, I'll be posting portrait session images after the holidays. ;) We'll also be launching a new, fresh website in the New Year, and I can't wait to share it with the world!

So thank you again to all of you for making 2008 a great year - Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, and whatever else brings you joy this season!

Janice and Kurt - September 27, 2008

What a sweet couple and a sweet day! Janice and Kurt are just perfect together - they have this love between them that is quiet but joyful, often communicated in those subtle, "I-think-you're-wonderful" glances with each other. We had a fabulous time with them and their families and friends, who brought their support and a great feeling of togetherness to the day. After the beautiful ceremony at UBC Boathouse, it was off to various locations around Richmond for the bridal party photo session. They were all quite the troopers, as we dragged them over field, sand, and concrete, all in the name of photography! A tea ceremony was followed by the reception at Kirin Seafood Restaurant in Richmond - I must say that I very much enjoyed the decor in this Kirin, and Janice's addition of the cute kermit mum centrepieces went brilliantly with the room. The reception was filled with a lot of fun and games, some too saucy to post here! Ever heard of the "Egg Game?" 'Nuff said! Adding to the entertainment were the guests, who were required to sing a song with the word "love" in it to get the couple to kiss - good times! Thanks to Janice and Kurt for having us document your wonderful day!

Ley and Len - September 13, 2008

Ley and Len are a wonderfully sweet and sincere couple, and it was a pleasure to share their beautiful day with them. Their ceremony was held at the always lovely Celebration Pavilion at Queen Elizabeth Park, with many family and friends in attendance to show their support. After photos with the family, it was off to Locarno Beach for some windy photo fun (gosh I love long veils and wind!) and then a nearby heritage site, with a final stop at Richmond City Hall. Ley and Len both looked amazing in their wedding attire, and their wedding party looked equally fabulous - I loved the colour scheme of black, silver, and red - it came together particularly well with the bridesmaids' ensembles. The reception was held at one my favourite venues, Richmond Golf and Country Club, with the very cool decor conceived by Ley and Len and then created by friends and family. After an evening of emotional speeches (and a very, very funny video!), it was time to party - and wow, do these folks know how to get down! In fact we were amazed, impressed, and well - blown away - by an impromptu hip-hop dance performance by Ley's brother, Marvin, and Len's sister, Lana - definitely one of the coolest things I've ever seen at a wedding! The photo doesn't quite do it justice, but let me say these two were burning up the dance floor! Ley and Len also spent some time grooving with a few moves of their own, and in fact performed their own little dance routine earlier in the evening. Ley and Len, it was a fun and fantastic day - thank you!

Jessie and Jo - September 7, 2008

Jessie and Jo had one of those epic days - you know, the ones that start early in the morning and finish 14 hours later! A long day indeed, but a very fun one too! We started with coverage of the groom games (a.k.a "groom torture") where Jessie's friends and bridesmaids made Jo and his guys do all kinds of crazy things - let's just say there was a bucket of ice, some whipped cream, and even a little bit of karaoke! Next it was off to two tea ceremonies, and then the wedding ceremony at the beautiful Cecil Green. We followed it up with a a photo session around Cecil Green, Iona Beach, and Richmond City Hall. Now let me say that I have shot at Iona a lot, and it has always been a great spot. However, on this particular day at this particular time, it seemed that every mosquito in the world had gathered at Iona and was quietly waiting for our unsuspecting bridal party to arrive. Needless to say, our photo time at Iona was short! But I have to give major credit to Jessie, who, in her strapless bridal gown, did not have the barrier of Jo's tux and took more than her fair share of bites - fortunately, after seeing the photos she told me it was worth it! (phew...) All throughout the day, Jo always had his arm around Jessie or was ready with a big smile in her direction - he absolutely adores her, and it's clear that the feeling is mutual! The day concluded with a lovely reception at Sun Sui Wah Restaurant - thanks to Jessie and Jo for having us with you!