Monday, March 30, 2009

It's never too late for engagement photos!

Candice and Bryce...possibly one of the most beautiful and sweetest couples I know! I have known Candice since my earliest days at Labatt and am fortunate to be friends with she and Bryce. Prior to Candice and Bryce getting married last summer - I repeatedly told Candice she should get her engagement photos done. But they didn't (sigh)...and they were married on a beautiful July day with laughter and many happy tears.  But...low and behold I start a photography business and VOILA engagement photos are now complete. Enjoy everyone! 

Much love and appreciation,
Hilary

A huge and heartfelt thank you goes out to my hubbie, Dave, and our sweet sweet little girls. How could I not thank him (he approves all large expenditures in this household) this early in the game?! Seriously though...he is loving my new found career, compliments my pictures and is reveling in my happiness (happy wife, happy life) now that I am doing what I really love to do (outside of spending time with him and the girls, cooking and cleaning of course).  And how could I not thank Claire and Kate who tell people that Mommy is a "TOPHOGRAPHER" now?!

So in love!









Getting started...

Welcome everyone to my blog!
I am the type of person that should never say never. I said I would never do a blog. And I am doing a blog. 

This is a very exciting time for myself and my family as we start down a new path in our lives. As most of you know my husband changed companies in the fall of last year and I left my "rock star" job as a beer representative for Labatt Breweries after eight and a half very fun years.  The transition to a stay at home mom has been pretty smooth outside of an eight week bout of every winter virus lurking around. LOL!!  I can chuckle now...well sort of.  It was NOT fun! And it's kind of embarrassing to admit that I am on a first name basis with our neighbourhood Shoppers pharmacist. 

Spring is finally here!! I am shouting that from the top of my lungs!!  And now it's time to get started.  Drumroll please...(have to find out how to add that onto my blog).  This marks the first year in my journey to become a family and children's photographer.  My love of taking pictures of people is no secret to anyone who knows me. Over the last few months I have been taking photography courses and doing plenty of reading and web surfing to help improve my pictures.  There is so much to learn and I have a LONG way to go!!!  I have a couple more photography courses to take and some photo editing programs to tackle this year and if all goes well I should be up and running with ONE FOR THE WALL PHOTOGRAPHY by the fall. I have not had a learning curve this steep since having Claire (when I thought having a baby was going to be a vacation from my day job). Needless to say I have years of learning, growing, making mistakes and creating pictures ahead of me.  I have found the toughest part of this whole journey thus far is keeping my confidence up.  There are days when I am flying above the clouds knowing that I can do this and other days I have felt like packing it in.  A string of not so great pictures and I am questioning whether or not I have it in me to do this.  

That is where you all come in!! 
I might possibly have the most incredible group of friends and family on the planet and thought that by starting this blog I would be able to share this journey into my photography business with all of its ups and downs.  You can all read and watch my "baby" being born.  And hey - if I inspire someone along the way to take the leap into their own business then I will really feel good. I am fortunate to know so many talented and creative people that are taking the chance and we could all use some cheering! I have to say an enormous thank you to a couple of people though.....where to start already?  That's easy. I want to thank Angela Smith (dear friend, neighbour, fellow aspiring photographer, "Laurelwood Lady" and personal cheerleader). She so graciously and generously gave her time and incredible talent to creating my logo and business cards.  A lifetime of thank yous would never be enough):  
And to Christine Kufske from CLICK photography.  I met Christine through a course she taught last November. I have to credit Christine with where I am today.  She is an absolutely jaw dropping family/wedding photographer out of Baden, ON.  I am inspired by her work everyday.  I have found a connection with her photographs and I am so fortunate to be taking courses from her and to be one of her "assistants" this summer (my palms are sweating already)!! I know there is much to learn from her.  This is a rare opportunity and one that I thank her quietly for everyday. 
I am surprised at how much more I could say...you surprised?? I will have more thank yous and in the weeks to follow , how I got my business name, the story behind my website write up and lots of new pictures.  Thank you for taking this journey with me.  ALL SET?! 

Much love and appreciation,
Hilary 

PS- Naturally Claire and Kate had to be my first picture posts):
PSS- Speaking of thanks. I love to say thank you to people. Probably because I am usually always asking for something....so I am going to do a weekly thank you to someone in my life that is helping me out along the way. The list is already so long!!!!