What other country would host such a fun wedding?

This is just a teeny tiny itty bitty sneak peak on how I spent my weekend with Nancy & Miguel! Yup, a bride that was all over lacing up her hockey skates and tossing the puck around for her new husband…in the middle of winter…in a wedding dress…Now that’s love!

They were the sweetest couple (even if they are Leafs fans…ahem…) and I have oodles more images from their beautiful day to share! Can’t wait!

Can’t wait to see you guys!!  xox

Here are a few more from Jade’s session.  So much fun and variety!

I love this image because it speaks volumes….it’s raw and it’s pure.

My other favourite b&w from the session is this fun one…I tell you, clients have the coolest things for me to play with!

But who can’t help, but love an image of sisters?

Or the love that a mother has for her child…and like wise.  This is one tough family and I am proud to know them!

Jade heads in for another biopsy soon and then maybe some answers as to when the “big surgery” will take place…here’s hoping!

Shona xox

Imagine you just turned 9.  You’ve been sick for a year.  Your bones are becoming brittle and break.  You’ve had more biopsies, bone marrow tests and poking and prodding to last a lifetime.  And you still.don’t.know.what is wrong.  You watched your friend become crushed under a play structure and be told she probably won’t make it.  You cry at night for her.  Not.for.you.  And now imagine that your face may have to be reconstructed due to the drastic surgeries that may be taking place soon…

Your heart just fell didn’t it?  When I heard Jade’s story (and believe me, this is oh so abridged), I knew I had to capture her spirit with my camera – and soon.

We tried to do our session in late December, but she was too ill from her last surgery.  She wasn’t well on Friday and her Mom worried she wouldn’t be able to do the session again the next day.  But she woke up feeling strong and excited…so did I!

These are just a couple of the many beautiful photos that we captured during our session…I promise to post more, but I wanted to give her Mom something to look at while Jade is at the hospital again.

We had the perfect day full of laughs (especially since Mom had to translate for me since my french is…painful) and we realized that some things break all language and age barriers {monkey poop!}!  But what was really special was my drive home from Cantley…It was cold with a slight snowfall, but it was sunny.  And guess what?  I saw a rainbow!  Right then and there I knew Jade would be okay…I sure hope I’m right.

Thank you for Opening Your Hearts ~ It is so worth it to connect and give.

Shona xoxo

(ps.  The little girl mentioned is out of her coma and ‘out of the woods’ so to speak!  Yay!!)

First let me say, Merry Christmas!  Ours got off to an interesting start with my in-laws being stranded in Britain due to the storms/airport closures, my sister-in-law being super sick and then on Christmas Eve my poor daughter threw up at church.  BUT, these issues pale in comparison to what other families are going through at this time of year….

I received some beautiful and very heartfelt nominations for my Open Your Heart campaign and I had an EXTREMELY difficult time choosing.  However, there was one submission that struck such a chord for me as the nominee’s future is very uncertain at the moment.

The winner of the Open Your Heart giveaway is…

Jude! This wee girl (and her family) has had to endure more this year than any 9 year old should ever have to face.  She is a strong and mighty spirit who had another surgery this past week, but I was so very thankful to learn she was able to sleep in her own bed last night and wake up with her family on Christmas morning.  2011 will continue to be challenging for her and her family, but with our collective positive thoughts I hope that they will find the strength to face whatever challenges lie ahead.  I can’t wait to meet and photograph you Jude!!

Jenna & Mariette ~ Your letter was beautiful, thoughtful and heart wrenching.  Thank you for Opening Your Heart to me and trusting that I will help however I can.

Thank you again to all that put forth a nomination.  I did not make this decision lightly and I will continue to keep you and your family/friends in my heart.

Much love & healing thoughts,

Shona xox

Have I got a fabulous post for you!  For the first time I am teaming up with two AMAZING photographers (and ladies) for a very special Christmas project.  Kelly MacDonald Photo in Woodstock, Ontario started this idea and Melissa Weicker (Whitecourt, Alberta) and I have decided to join her.  It’s such a fabulous project and I just want to say a big THANK YOU to these wonderful women for opening their hearts and encouraging me to open mine…Please check them out and if you know someone in their area, encourage them to submit entries!!

Without further ado, here it is!

I had a gorgeous wintry Christmas Card mini-session with these two beauties yesterday and it was magical!  I definitely got into the Christmas spirit and can’t wait to design their card!  I’ll post it once Mom makes her final decisions!  Have fun choosing S!

Previous clients:  It’s not too late to order some Christmas Cards!  I’ve recently updated my prices, so please contact me for the changes.  Time is running out!

Shona 🙂

Just one more of this beautiful fall wedding on 10/10/10.  To see more, check out this out 🙂

I miss the fall!!

Shona xo

I almost fell over when my daughter said that on Sunday morning…it was c-c-c-cold.  But I had a new hat (prop).  I was hopped up on coffee.  AND, I was all pumped up to try new techniques after watching a photography course all weekend (that goes back to a previous post on irritating my family with my constant drive for challenges and improvement).

Now, in all fairness, I warned her that it was cold and that she couldn’t just chuck the hat on over her pj’s.  She agreed to my styling and braved the chilly morning to grab these beautiful images of her with her new short hairdo….sigh….I had a hard time getting that chopped off earlier this fall, but I had promised!

And she was a human Popsicle by this point, so our final shot of the morning was…

Stay warm!

Shona xo

…Like an orange!  Trying to get every last lovely bit out of it before the snow flies…which shouldn’t be too far away as my fine friends in Alberta are getting a nice taste of it today!  Aw well, the upside is that it puts you in the mood for Christmas!

Here’s a few images from a lovely siblings session that I had, but shhhh, it’s a gift for Mom!  If you know them, don’t spill the beans 🙂

Don’t forget that Christmas is coming and if you’re wishing to purchase images, books, cards or canvases (even if it’s from a previous session this year) time is running out!

Enjoy the beautiful fall weather!

Shona 🙂

It all started at the Children’s Museum here in Ottawa.  In passing I said to my friend, “If you ever see any old cameras, grab them for me and I’ll pay you back.”  She instantly responded with, “My Dad has some cool old cameras and he’s coming to Ottawa next weekend.  I’ll see if he could bring them.”  Little did I know I would inherit a Russian camera from the ’60s that is on par with Leica cameras, but even more importantly I met a man with an amazing past.

This is a man who is from Poland and who was taken from his home, in the dark at 4 in the morning and told nothing other than to bring warm clothes.  He and his family were whisked off to Siberia.  I asked him how he was treated while he was there and he said quite well.  (Note:  The following is paraphrased)  “As long as you worked, you had food.  There were no barbed wire fences as we were in the middle of Siberia and had no idea where to go!”  When the war ended, he and his family were set free, but they really weren’t sure where to go.  His father was part of the Polish Army and they ended up traveling their way south through Europe.  They couldn’t go back to Poland so after months of traveling, they ended up in Uganda as there was a British Military Camp there and it was safe.  Through his travels he not only learned Polish, but Russian, Ukrainian and, get this, Swahili!!

He later visited the house where he was taken from and slept in the same room.  Although he was in his 30s, he couldn’t sleep.  That fear that a 7 year old boy felt was still there…

Once they left Uganda, they traveled to England and then eventually were sponsored to come to Winnipeg.  He ended up in Southern Ontario working for a newspaper.  This is most definitely an abridged version of his life and the rest of his stories I shall cherish.

It is the stories from the past that we need to remember as well as the sacrifices of the men and women (and their families) currently serving for our country so we can live such privileged lives.  I will never forget the kind soldier in Staples who saw my children looking at her prosthetic leg and were asking me questions.  I was trying to answer them as best I could, but she took it one step further.  She called the kids over and showed them how it worked and graciously answered all their questions.  She was still going through multiple surgeries and I thanked her for taking the time to talk to my children.  Her response was, “You’re welcome, but it actually helps me to talk about it.”

So please, take the time to remember today…for the past and the present.

Shona