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i just sent my money to EverythingWedding.ca so that i can advertise with them this year, as one of their premium vendors.
i know, it's exciting isn't it?!!
i was never convinced that spending money on advertising, was the best thing for my small business. i have so many other expenses to cover, like updating gear, that i figured i would shy away from the big world of advertising. word of mouth would be just fine for me.
i guess things change.
recently, i have started to become good friends with Jayme Morrison, who is not only one of the brains behind Everything Wedding, but a phenomenal wedding photographer as well.
i am having a great time getting to know her, and she keeps telling me that i write hilarious emails and that i make her laugh! i am looking forward to getting to know Jayme even more this year, and i think we'll get along splendidly!
ok, sorry, i got all mushy and off topic.
Jayme approached me about joining Everything Wedding when they launch their vendor area in March, and i was super touched and deeply flattered.
i was flattered because Everything Wedding is only taking higher end, high quality vendors on their site, and to be asked (in my opinion) was a big honour.
i was especially flattered, because i found out that they are limiting the amount of photographers to only a handful , and that they are being very picky about who gets in.
ummmmmmmmmmmmmm...... so you want me? ok.
EverythingWedding is a site where brides from Windsor and Essex county, can not only become members of this area's ONLY Bridal Cafe (where they can chat about planning their weddings and all that goes with it) but where brides/couples can find everything they need to plan their wedding, in one location!
there are a few little (weird) sites already in use around Windsor, where people have tried to put together a list of local vendors, but they kinda suck in comparison to Everything Wedding (no offense you weird little websites).
i guess what excites me the most about getting on board with this project, are two things.
first off, i'm excited to have been asked to work and network alongside Windsor and Essex County's best wedding photographers. i am SUCH a big advocate of networking with other wedding photographers in the area, and this just means that i'll get to do it even more! i love supporting my peers, i love being able to refer clients to someone i trust (when i'm booked if course) and i just love meeting new people!
secondly, i am excited that Windsor and area brides, will now have a one-stop shopping kind of website, where they can find trustworthy vendors that offer great services, all in one place.
oh, and i also like the fact that i don't have to worry about there not being enough copies to go around, unlike the print ads.
The vendor part of Everything Wedding launches in March, but the Bridal Cafe is already up and running, so if you're a bride and you are curious about it, then give it a try, since it's free and all.
in other news.....
i've been sleeping crappy and i'm sooooooooo tired of it!
my brain is too busy with everything going on in my business, and i can't turn it off. i have so many brilliant ideas, so many things to say, and so many big plans, that sleep is becoming elusive right now. i toss and turn all night long, and it's making me insane (which isn't far from the almost-insane state that i regularly find myself in).
that's all.
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everything wedding
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i am blessed.
i know i have mentioned that fact before, but i'm saying it again.
if i ever forget that i am blessed, then i can just read this post and remind myself that it's true!
this past weekend, my son Josh came home from university for a break from school and some good old fashioned family lovin'!
we are a very close family, and i can't blame him for missing the love and support of his family, my awesome cooking skills, and of course, his own bed and ceiling fan.
along for the ride, was my daughter's boyfriend, Jake. he's a great teenager himself, and he's a great boyfriend to our daughter. no complaints here.
Jake and Emilie have just celebrated their 2 year anniversary (which had a little blip in the middle, like most romances) , and they asked if i would take a few photos of them.
of course they ask this of me when i'm making soup, making omelets for everyone, making cinnamon buns AND getting ready to drive in Windsor for my other son's symphony rehearsal.
sure, i'll just drop everything and do a photo shoot RIGHT NOW!!!
ok, so i'm a sucker for begging and i gave in for a few minutes.
before i share a few photos, i just wanted to take a minute and use this blog for a little soap-box preaching!
no, i won't get all 'Jerry Fallwell' on anyone, but i wanted to take a minute to talk about parenting.
it's just a minute, so please indulge me.
way back when our kids were small, Darryl and i used to dream of the day when they would be able to take care of themselves and move on with their lives!
i know that sounds horrible, but there were days that i really did dream of these things.
as a parent of 3 small children, i felt buried under the pressure to be a great mom, even though being a mom had never been a dream of mine. of course, some girls grow up and dream of being the best mom in the world, having 8 kids, and never looking back.
i didn't have these dreams.
i felt guilt over these feelings, but i plugged along because i loved these little drool-faces more than i could have imagined possible.
there were many weeks and days that i parented alone, since Darryl went from being in school full-time for 4 years, to working 2 jobs, then to a new job in Windsor that demanded lots of attention during RRSP & tax season (he's a financial advisor).
of course, there were days that i begrudged our choice to have me stay at home and be the domesticated mom. i had big dreams, big plans, and wanted time for ME!
being a full-time mom didn't lend itself to having much ME time.
of course, i loved the time with my kids most of the time, but i remember wishing they could wipe their own butts, do their own laundry, and even move out one day!
darryl and i dreamed of traveling and having adventures of our own, especially since we were 22 when Josh was born , and i was 26 when my last kid came around.
fast forward to today.....
i spend many hours wishing that my kids were small again, so that we could snuggle up on the couch and read books, play hide and seek , so puzzles and sing stupid songs.
how come i wished their younger years away, when i should have treasured every moment.
i should have treasured every snot filled, temper tantrum moment, because i didn't know how wonderful they were until they were gone.
of course, i wouldn't trade my kids in for anything.
i love them so much that it hurts.
our kids are all beautiful people, inside and out. they all follow the Lord in their lives, they are phenomenal students, and just the funniest kids around!
i always thought that i'd regret wasting years on being a full-time mom, because i didn't see the importance of it back then, but....
i have realized that my children wouldn't be the people that they are, if i hadn't given them every ounce of my being for all of those years.
my kids love science because i have nurtured a love of it in them, and looking at the world around us to see how awesome it is (which has included catching bugs, looking closely at worms, talking about chemistry, and looking at tadpole eggs , to name a few things). my kids love music because we have always exposed them to music from the day they were born, and they are all talented musicians. my kids have a warped sense of humour, which Darryl would say is his influence, but i think i can take credit for a good chunk of it.
my kids love each other because we have always treated each other with so much love and respect, that i can't imagine them not adoring each other like they do (my kids will still ALL snuggle up together on a couch and cuddle. it's a serious love-fest).
we never had the money for me to stay home, but we did it anyways.
i always regretted not having my own life, since i got buried in the lives of my family and their needs. i always wished i had finished university, but now i see that it doesn't matter at all.
i always wanted something that i didn't have, but now i realize that what i did have was much better than anything i could have ever planned for myself.
i do regret all of my wishing, wanting and regrets, but that's in the past.
i will move forward , help to raise my teens and young adults, and keep working on becoming a wonderful wedding photographer & person.
i have to write about something that melted my heart this weekend....
on Saturday night, we were all watching Elf. i was sitting on the couch , sandwiched between Josh and Darryl, which is always a good place to be.
at one point, Josh looked at me, leaned over, and put his head on my shoulder for a good snuggle.
my heart almost melted as i held back the tears.
my 18 year old son still needs his mom, at least for a little while longer anyways.
ok, so here are some photos of Emilie and Jake
now, this is Josh. he is all about music and more music. i miss the music when he's not around, but it makes me appreciate it even more when he's home!
Sarah Cipkar-Baert:
I just wanted to say thank you for sharing this heartfelt post! It brought a tear to my eye as I look forward to one day having kids ... (a long ways away if my mom is reading this lol).
Again, thank you for sharing your life with me (with everyone I guess) and I look up to you in so many ways!! You do have great kids ... can't wait to see the legacy grow that you've laid excellent foundations for! :)
Hope that you're having a good night ....
(11.23.09)
Wendy Rae:
Michele-I can't tell you how much this post meant to me to read. I have felt these feelings too many time and I have questioned my choice to be a stay-at-home mom so many times. Am I doing the right thing or is it more important for me to go out and work outside the home. Thank you for helping me realize the importance and value of my choice and the rewards I will benefit from it as my children grow and change.
(11.24.09)
Don :
It looks and sounds like you've got wonderful kids. That's what it's all about. Your photographs are delightful!
(11.25.09)
Anna:
Love what you wrote, and I really admire what you've done, raising a family so young.. for at 24 now it all still seems so far away, I feel like I'm still a kid myself. Anyway, the photos are just gorgeous too! LOVE the light! Glad you gave in.. :)
(11.25.09)
Brianna Phelan:
I loved this post. Thanks so much for your words and honesty and sharing your heart. Great shots :)
(11.25.09)
Washington DC Wedding Photographers:
Wow, I love these shots, it's so hard to have teenagers become emotional and free with you as a photographer but you did a great job. The post was marvelous and the pictures look superb. I love the emotion and playful atmosphere of the shots. Very well captured!
(12.14.09)
Barb:
Michelle, I've just spent the last couple of hours exploring your blog. What a wonderful family you have raised, beautiful children and your abilities as a photographer are extraordinary. Feel free to visit my blog and read about my life. (Darryl's) Aunt Barb xox
(05.06.10)
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three cute teenagers and my camera
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DISCLAIMER~ normally i don't post family portrait sessions on my wedding photography blog, but this is my family, so i hope you don't mind.
normally, i don't do very many portrait sessions, because i have been mainly focusing on building my wedding photography business. when a family member asks for a session, you give them a session, no questions asked.
Leanne and i, have known each other for what seems a lifetime. i started dating her brother when i was 14 (ummmmm.... Darryl was 14 too) and Leanne was the little sister, at 10 years old.
we're all grown up now, Leanne is married to Paul, and they have 2 beautiful little girls.
it was pretty insane having toddlers in our house again, and the mischief abounded! my dogs didn't know what to do with themselves, especially since Anika (the little one) kept trying to ride poor Simon ! HAHAHA!!!!!
the weather on Sunday was a bit cool, but we headed into Kingsville and to Lakeside Park. i love photographing families at a park or outdoors, since the kids can run off all their energy.
there definitely was no shortage of energy.
i think my nieces are pretty adorable, if i do say so myself!
Brianna is 3 1/2 and Anika is 1 1/2, and they are quite the pair.
I'm thrilled that Paul and Leanne trusted me to take their family portraits, and i hope they like them LOTS!
i do have to take the time to say, that i have the best in-laws EVER!!! i couldn't have asked for a better family to marry into, and the amount of laughs and euchre over the years, has been wonderful and truly a blessing.
you can just feel the love when we all get together. it's pretty spectacular.
ok, so i had to get at least ONE couple shot of the two of them, right? i'm a wedding photographer for crying out loud, i'm drawn to couples in love!
Darryl:
Don't I have such cute nieces. Good job Michele you're such a great photographer
(10.28.09)
Leanne Partridge:
Michele, these are fantastic. You did a great job, you really have a great eye for cuteness. Love that liquifying technique. Thank you so much. We had so much fun!!
(10.28.09)
Jodi S.:
These are so great Michele! You are truly a gifted photographer. It's been cool to how your business has gone from a dream to reality for you. awesome!
(10.28.09)
Bob D - NC Beach Portrait Photographer:
Love these... especially the portraits taken along the beach. ;) Letting kids be kids always makes for great family photos.
(11.03.09)
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my dear blog readers,
I apologize for the long space between posts, but i am i have been away for a few days.
On Monday morning, I packed up my ugly minivan, with camera gear, computer and clothes, and drove across the border and to the town of Ann Arbor Michigan. Is it a city or a town?
I don't know, so sorry if i offend any residents!
i was on a journey to the Finao head office, where they were hosting a workshop, lead by the incomparable Chuck Arlund .
i have to admit, that 2 months ago, i had never heard of Chuck Arlund, let alone had the desire to take a workshop led by him.
that all changed when Finao decided to sponsor a workshop, and have Chuck come for 3 days to teach his rockstar skills and some off-camera lighting techniques.
i got the memo, looked up his website, emailed Zach Gray (who's also from Nashville and i thought he might have heard of Chuck) and quickly decided that this was the workshop for me.
off-camera lighting has always been something i've wanted to learn and perfect, but i've never met a wedding photographer around Windsor, that even uses an off-camera flash, let alone wan to teach me!
i knew i was on my own, but eager to learn. i've been reading blogs, websites, and forum posts about the elusive off-camera flash, pocket wizards, and the like, but it doesn't all make sense unless you can see it in action.
after i got lost and ended up on a little dirt road in the middle of nowhere, i made it safely to the Finao headquarters and met Chuck and my 6 other classmates 3 of whom i already knew (yep, small world).
i have to admit, that on Monday, i had the feeling (a few times) that my head was going to explode from all the data being shoved into the small space that i have left in there for new things. Chuck went over about a zillion items, from posing to photoshop, to art and beyond, and then out the door we went for a field trip! we were learning to find the perfect light, or the sweet spot and Chuck calls it.
tuesday was flash day, and after we all got over our fear of taking the flash OFF the camera, and learning about pocket wizards and radio poppers, ring lights and video lights. we had another little field trip, with a cute little model, and spent the day trying to learn the technique of having light on our side, and not fighting with it so much.
it was inspiring.
i didn't get very many photos with the flash (about 5 or 6) since there were a few people in the group that seemed to want tons, and we were sharing one set of pocket wizards between us all. it doesn't matter too much, since even in those 5 photos, i could see what Chuck was teaching us, and the by observing i learned even more.
it was a long day, but my head didn't explode, so that makes it another awesome day! LOL!
the 3rd day was mostly spent just going over a few photos in class, and then we all headed out the door and to the Detroit Institute of Art, for and Avedon exhibit.
wow, that's quite the exhibit!
i don't know what it is......
i just love getting the chance to meet new people, and make new friends. when making new friends is combined with learning and growing as an artist, then it's even BETTER!!!!
in my heart of hearts, i know that photography is my way of being an artist. i am thrilled to have had to opportunity to have my eyes opened to new things, be inspired by artists i'd never heard of before, and get to meet Chuck.
it was a wonderful 3 days.
here are 2 photos from the tuesday photo session.
i will be spending the winter, practicing and perfecting the technique, so that i can start bringing an edge to my art.
Amelia Thornton:
Hi Michele...super fun spending time with and getting to know you better. Please keep me posted if there are any get-togethers with the new crew as I would happily make the drive to hang out and be inspired again. Talk to you soon...
(10.25.09)
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Chuck Arlund ~ a workshop report
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i realized, when i posted my last few photos, that many of my new blog readers wouldn't have ever read my old blog. my old blog is where i posted TONS of underwater photos, but now i post mainly wedding photos. i'm not saying that being a wedding photographer here in the good ole city of Windsor isn't fun or exciting, it's just not underwater.
i wanted to just follow up with last week's blog post, and post a few more underwater goodies.
i do have a wedding to blog about, but you'll just have to wait till tomorrow to read about Laura-Beth and Rob's beautiful wedding day.
All of these photos were shot in Roatan Honduras, in the warm and tropical waters that surround the island.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....
Eliud Matos:
Michele, these are fantastic! Love them all, but the squid one is super cool.
(10.16.09)
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a little more underwater goodness ~ Roatan Honduras
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Woohoo!!!! So proud of you!
You rock!
(01.25.10)