Vancouver Portrait Photography // Lonsdale Quay with Hannah and Family

As a child from White Rock, North Vancouver was always a big mystery to me. It was fantastically far from my southern kingdom, and although I vaguely realized that we were in North Vancouver when we went skiing, the exact geographical details eluded me (much like they do today). When I got a little older, I braved the treacherous Sea Bus journey with my mom, and together we enjoyed the Lonsdale Quay market under the giant Q, with all its cute little shops and eateries. 

I did not give North Vancouver much thought until I met Shane, for whom it was a hometown. Suddenly, I found us regularly crossing either of the bridges onto the North Shore for visits with his family. I became intimately familiar with the roads around the local ICBC as Shane’s dad taught me to drive, eventually leading to me getting my license. I still get kind of anxious driving around the test route, feverishly trying to remember all the tricky signs and rules. 

When Shane first floated the idea of us moving to the North Shore, I was not convinced. I loved our downtown flat, our views, our ability to get around without driving. Sure, the streets were a little smelly, and our loft was technically just one large room we constantly both occupied, but that was all good. 

Eventually, logic won out, and we moved into Shane’s childhood home, where in the pantry you can still find markings as their parents recorded him and his brother getting taller. I am proud to say that my height has now also been recorded on that wall, and I have apparently not grown since 2017. 

The dock where I photographed Hannah and her family is the same one on which a couple years back Shane and I celebrated New Year’s Eve with a handful of strangers. I remember us walking quickly in the frosty December weather, and finding a good spot along the edge of the dock. We wore our Christmas cracker hats, and toasted with champagne, and watched the fireworks across the water. This northern shore is still new to me, but with each new memory, I put down more roots. 

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Nathan, Jyoti and Nash!

As promised, this week on the blog we have baby Nash, with his adoring parents Nathan and Jyoti. We know these wonderful people because Nathan used to work with Shane, and frankly, I am pretty bummed that he doesn’t anymore. I am of course very happy for him and his flourishing career as a geologist. I used to visit Shane’s office because we both work downtown, and inevitably, Nathan would be sitting there in his office, probably doing something very important, but always making time to chat and shoot the shit and catch up. Nathan has this unique combination of being super chill while also somehow being really caring and attentive. He is a zero-judgement kind of person, but genuinely seems to want to know what’s going on in your life. 

Soon after I met Nathan, I met Jyoti at their company’s annual Christmas dinner, usually held at the Keg. It’s a lovely time, we rent out the private downstairs room, and get all dressed up, and enjoy lots of wine and appies and surf and turf. Most of the other attendees are 30 years our senior, so Shane and I strategically sit with Nathan and Jyoti. One year, we managed to both attend the dinner, and sneak away to a Canucks game. Now that they have moved to Calgary, Shane and I will have to reconsider our whole Christmas dinner strategy. 

In Shane’s office hangs a photo of an alpaca that I took in a petting zoo in Victoria. Nathan always admired the photo, and one year for Christmas, Shane got him a huge print of it on aluminum. Not sure if Nathan was really gunning for that statement art piece, but now he has it. 

When baby Nash was born, we were dying to meet him. Unfortunately, once we finally found a window of time that worked, Shane was away racing, so I went over on my own, with our gift of a llama baby onesie in tow. Their apartment was in the middle of being packed up for their move, so we went out on their balcony, and this is where I took these photos. 

I love the intimate and relaxed feeling of these shots, no posing, no special outfits or makeup, just new parents and their little one. 

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Dustin, Taya and Ryder!

Today on the blog I have Dustin and Taya, at their wedding reception, along with their little baby girl Ryder. Have you ever experienced all the newfound excitement of a crush, but in a platonic way? That was Shane and Dustin. They met at one of the US motorcycle races, and quickly realized that they are somewhat neighbours, with Dustin living in Bellingham. From then, it was a whirlwind friendship. I could tell Shane was smitten, from the way he found everything Dustin said either hilarious or fascinating, and I knew that if I saw him smiling down at his phone, it was most likely at something Dustin had said. 

When I finally got to meet him at an awards banquet (where they had neither a fish or a veggie option, so I ended up just eating a really big plate of mashed potatoes), I understood what drew Shane to him. For one, he looked like a mini Shane, with a body size suitable for a gymnast (something he used to do at a highly competitive level), but with very similar facial structure and hair & beard combination. On top of that, he was just straight up bubbly and hilarious.

Dustin was at our wedding, and he is just the kind of guy who is easily loved by all. He was constantly cracking jokes, and always down for anything. He was the first one in the ocean to play in the waves, and I know Shane really appreciated having a riding buddy for all the awesome motorcycle trails around the house. One evening, I got on the back of Shane’s bike, and Marie got on the back of Dustin’s, and we went to visit Colotepec at sunset. The views, the ride, and just the general vibe of that outing is one of my favourite memories from our trip. 

When Dustin and Taya had Ryder, her birthday just happened to coincide with the birthday of Nash, who is the son of our friends Nathan and Jyoti, and who you will see on the blog next week. Ryder was a great choice for a name because on one hand, her dad rides (rydes) motorcycles, and on the other, Taya is a world-class golfer, and I am told that the Ryder Cup is a kind of golf tournament. But don’t quote me on that, I am just the girl with the camera. 

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Stella!

Guess who is back on the blog! It’s Stella herself. I took these photos during Canada Day weekend, hence the fully red outfit. Sadly Stella will probably be appearing on the blog less frequently, as she, along with her parents, has recently made the move from the Sunshine Coast to Nelson. I’ve been to Nelson once, and I absolutely fell in love with the feeling of this town, so hopefully we will be able to visit every once in a while. 

A little while ago, I got to babysit Stella for an entire weekend. I was so excited, I pulled out of my paints and paintbrushes, and planned lots of fun activities for us. On Saturday, I took her to the Capilano hatchery to see some salmon up close. Apparently we were not the only ones with that idea, so I had to park pretty far away. It was a cold fall day, but as much as I tried to convince Stella to put on her coat, she refused, because she was a princess, and princesses don’t get cold. This is what happens when children watch Frozen. (Frozen: not even once). I ended up having to carry her to the hatchery, but she perked up when she saw all the salmon. 

Next, we went over to my friend Amy’s house to decorate some cookies. Luckily, auntie Amy loves to bake, and she had all sorts of fun icing and sprinkles, and that occupied Stella for a while, and also had the added benefit of distributing the sprinkles all over the floor of the apartment. I am sure uncle Bruce was simply delighted. 

On Sunday, it was all about Science World. Stella had never been before, and she was mesmerized by all the activities and experiments. I saw a lot of little Nadya in her, as she approached each station with the intention of bringing it to order, like collecting all the purple balls in one area, while other children just ran amok. She also made auntie Nadya proud with her great listening skills during all the demonstrations, she sat in a safe area, and politely raised her hand when they needed a volunteer. I haven’t visited Science World with a kid since maybe the time my brother was little, and it made me realize how perfect it is, with so many things to do, you never need to worry about short attention spans. 

Most recently, Stella was the flower girl at our wedding. She took the job very seriously, and her mom Melissa even got her a flower girl activity book to prepare her for her big day. The one hiccup we did not anticipate is that little girls love flowers, and throwing them on the ground felt sacrilegious, and required some convincing. I was not surprised to see her later on, picking up the flowers and returning them to her basket. 

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Fiona's Baby Shower

Without much family in Canada, the Summerses have definitely taken on the roles of aunts and uncles and cousins in my life; people whose house you feel as comfortable in as your own, people who have seen you grow up, and people you know will be by your side to celebrate important occasions. When I was younger, our Russian community was maybe 10-15 families strong, and we would celebrate major Russian holidays all together in local parks, with food and games and sometimes even traditional costumes. There are definitely some photos out there of preteen Nadya in dresses and traditional headwear. Hopefully those photos continue to stay buried in the sands of time. 

But, as life went on and kids grew up, our Russian community dwindled to a few core families, one of them being the Summerses. There is no one I know who throws a party like Vera and Vera Summers. They are a mother-daughter pair, and they are so incredibly creative, hardworking, and overall inventive, that every time I walk into their home for birthday, New Years Eve, or in this case, a baby shower, the house is transformed with lights, photo collages, streamers, balloons, and of course all kinds of amazing treats. 

On this occasion, we gathered together to celebrate a baby shower for Fiona and Andrey, and their brand new baby Theodore, or Teddy. The shower was fairytale-themed, and the Veras really outdid themselves. All around us were toys and flash cards on which we could write well-wishes for the new mum, the drinks were Alice in Wonderland themed, the snack table was straight out of a child’s imagination, and on the wall there was a giant page from a book, beginning to tell the story of Teddy’s life. Perhaps the most whimsical part was the dessert table, where one of the attendees crafted a cake shaped like children’s books! 

It was such a bright and happy day, being able to celebrate this new baby, and just being surrounded by so much love and support. I was glad to have been there to capture all the moments for the sleep-deprived parents to enjoy in 18 years, once they finally have a nap. 

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Sergio and Family

This set of photos is really special to me, because I got to go outside my white tourist bubble, and see how the local people live in the town that I love to visit. A part of visiting poorer places is being forced to confront your own privilege which is easy to ignore and forget about when you live in a place like Vancouver, and think that privilege starts when you can afford a mansion in Point Grey or a Lamborghini. So with sharing these photos, I want to acknowledge my deep gratitude to Sergio for showing me his home and his family.

One of the reasons we love Puerto Escondido so much, is that it is not a town built solely on tourism. With no direct flights, there is not a single all-inclusive resort in town, and that means that for the most part, the kind of tourists that come here are surfers, or at least adventurers of some kind. Not a lot of “spring break” vibes over here. 

One day, Shane and I were riding the motorcycle around the area surrounding our house. Just across a highway, you immediately got onto this dirt road, that lead through fields and then came to a small settlement, with a few houses, a church, and a school. There was also a small lake, which we later found out housed a crocodile. On our ride, we saw a little girl at one of the houses, who waved at us as we went by. 

The next day, Shane’s mum, who is our primary Spanish expect, having lived for a year in Mexico City as a teenager, told us that Sergio’s daughter saw us in their village yesterday (Sergio is one of the staff who works at the house we rent). Looking to shoot more portraits on my trip, I asked Sergio if we could visit and photograph him and his family. He agreed, and a plan was made. 

The next day we made the trip back to the house where we saw the little girl. She was there, along with her younger brother, and Sergio’s wife. We spent the next hour or so trying to communicate in broken Spanglish, and I got a lot of photos I really love on that day. One of my favourites is Sergio’s daughter holding my diffuser. It was not planned, but I adore the way it turned out. 

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Christmas with the Olukas

I know it’s nowhere near Christmas, but I simply had to share these cozy holiday photos. The winter holidays can be such a hectic time, and there is so much to do and so many plans, but being at the Olukas’ and decorating the tree together felt like a much-needed breather. When I took the elevator up, walked down the carpeted hallway, and came to their door, I could already hear Owen on the other side yelling “Auntie Nadya!” Kids give pretty warm welcomes. 

In the middle of the living room stood a fluffy plastic tree, already all lit up with lights, just waiting to be decorated. The Olukas had a white tree theme going, with little pinecone and owl decorations, so once Kendra, Jade, and Jade’s boyfriend arrived, it was time to put them up. Surprisingly, a lot of them ended up on the bottom branch. I wonder why. (*hint*: it was Owen, he is not very tall). 

While we are on the subject, I want to take a minute and talk about Kendra. I haven’t photographed her yet, but I am sure one of these days we will get together and shoot. She has the most energy out of anyone I know. She works full-time, and yet somehow finds the energy to teach skating lessons and play hockey! She is always making plans, finding cool things to do, going on awesome trips,  and generally living her best life. During my bachelorette impromptu dance party, she totally killed it as the DJ, dashing back and forth from the party to her phone to cue up requests. You go Kendra. 

I met Kendra through Hannah, and the three of us have formed this little group of women who are so excited for each other, and interested in each others’ lives. I really value having both Hannah and Kendra in my circle. 

For these Christmas photos, I drove my whole flash setup with me to Hannah and Rob’s apartment. It can definitely seem like a lot, but the sharpness and vibrance in the photos make it all worth it. Another year of beautiful holiday memories preserved forever!

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Stella is Back!

Stella is back, and she is adventuring harder than ever! 

These photos are from a trip Shane and I took to the Sunshine Coast in November 2018. It was the Remembrance Day weekend, and I was just about to start my new position, which totally overwhelmed me for the first couple of months. So looking back at these photos is kind of like seeing the calm before the storm. Before I took the job I have now with the BC Federal Council, I was at a bit of a crossroads. I had two job offers at once (isn’t it always like that, when it rains it pours). On one hand, I had a job where the pay was higher, and it was a nice stable place to go work (basically, the kind of job you think of, when you think of government work). On the other hand, I had this not particularly well-paying job, but one that seemed so interesting, with a manager who seemed to be on a similar page with me, who was excited about the unique skills I could bring to the position (like my photography), and who promised me some great connections. 

Definitely a head vs. heart decision, and I luckily I have watched enough Disney movies and romcoms to know which one is the right answer, and here I am a year and a half later working for the BCFC, building the kind of career and work-life balance in the public sector that I didn’t think was possible. Good decision making Nadya, pat on the back for you. 

Anywho, back to Stella. On this trip we watched her go to ballet class, and it was just as adorable as you’d imagine to see a bunch of small children all dressed up in their tutus, taking ballet moves very seriously. Later that day when we got home, Stella got tired of always being the photography subject, and insisted that I let her try and use my camera, which she had to hold up on her knees because it was so heavy. But at 3 years old, she was using a DSLR, and learning how to frame her subject and focus and shoot. As an auntie, I am pleased as punch with this development. The ballet flats is her photograph.

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Family Photoshoot with Hannah, Rob and Owen!

Get ready for some family cuteness! 

I met Hannah at my first position with Transport Canada. I was a co-op, and she was recently graduated, and fresh off her honeymoon. We quickly bonded over our shared work struggles and personal lives. She was there on the day of my first date with Shane, watching me excitedly await the end of the work day, and she was there for our early days, when I needed input on a text I was sending, or when I just had to vent because boys are stupid. Basically, I was pretty needy and she was pretty amazing about the whole thing, and I am forever grateful. 

Meantime, she was starting her own marriage to a great guy named Rob. They are a couple who compliment each other well. Every time I talk to Hannah, she tells me of their self-improvement efforts; they are always striving, and dreaming big. It was always a treat to visit them at their cozy apartment: they put out an excellent snack spread. Hannah was also the person who introduced me to the Vancouver drag scene, and set me off on a lifetime love of all things drag. 

You can’t imagine how excited I was a couple years later, when, no longer working together, we sat on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery and she told me she was pregnant! The result was this awesome little boy Owen. When he was born, Hannah, our mutual friend Kendra and I scheduled weekly lunch dates, so we could catch up and see this little chubby-cheeked cutie on a regular basis. Now Hannah is living on Vancouver Island and we don’t get to see each other as much, but you better believe that her, Kendra and I are still scheduling weekly lunchtime phone calls to stay connected. 

I took these photos of Hannah and her family on a sunny fall afternoon in Stanley Park. When it comes to toddlers, you can’t do much in terms of direction, so I enjoy just going with the flow, and seeing the fun, candid shots I can get.

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Summerland Sweets Ice Cream

I’ve lived in Canada for 18 years now, and I absolutely love it here. The people are lovely, and the nature is undeniably splendid. However, one thing I miss is having being able to visit the place that I used to roam as a kid. Those places where I’ve made so many memories, like my grandparents’ house, or the courtyard in front of my apartment building are only reachable with the help of a very long, and very expensive flight, so I don’t get to go much. That is probably part of the reason why I love learning about Shane’s childhood memories in North Vancouver and the Okanagan, because I can sort of take them as approximations of my own, and actually visit the places and do the things whenever we want!

One of the top spots from Shane’s childhood in the Okanagan is Summerland Sweets. It’s a cute little shop, built at the end of a lane with orchards on either sides, with a little tractor in front for children to play on. Inside, you can find fruit jellies, fruit syrups, fruit wines, and of course, ice cream. The proper Summerland Sweets procedure consists of trying all the available fruit jellies, ordering your ice cream, and then eating it while going for a walk across a trestle bridge that’s just down the lane. 

When Shane and his brother were kids, the bridge did not have wooden boardwalks on either side of the train tracks, and felt altogether more dangerous. Shane knew that if they ran out onto the bridge, their mum would not follow them, so they took full advantage. Now we are able to walk across without a creeping fear that we’ll end up in the river below.

When my brother Daniel started coming with us to Peachland, I was excited to introduce him to the Summerland Sweets + trestle bridge tradition. In fact, it’s one of his favourite activities to do in the Okanagan. I think he also values the repetitive, traditional quality of the activity. These are some portraits I took of Daniel while we were out for an ice cream walk. 

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Daniel on a Motorcycle

Daniel tries out a trials bike while in Peachland for Thanksgiving // Vancouver Portrait Photography

Thanksgiving is one of my brother Daniel’s favourite times of the year. For the last few years, every Thanksgiving my family and Shane’s family come together in Peachland to enjoy a weekend of fall activities and delicious food. Daniel particularly looks forward to the turkey dinner, prepared by my lovely future mother-in-law, Clare. Being born in Canada but growing up with Russian parents has made Daniel crave those Canadian traditions, and Thanksgiving makes us all feel a little more Canadian.

We were lucky enough to have good weather for most of the weekend, and we made the most of it. We went off-roading, picked mushrooms, went to an apple barn, enjoyed wine and picnic at a winery, and had many, many campfires. In BC, the period between fire bans and torrential downpour is short, and we must make the most of it by having a campfire at every opportunity.

The first time Daniel came up to Peachland he was 13, so now he is 16, and it has been so interesting watching him morph from my kid brother to a young man who is now taller than me and helps me decide if clothes are “cool”. Daniel recently started dreaming of buying his own motorcycle, and Shane decided to help out by teaching Daniel how to ride a dirt bike. Daniel started off with a trials bike, which is tiny, and made for climbing and precision maneuvering. Worst of all, it has no seat so you are constantly standing. Daniel did surprisingly well! Over two days of practicing he went from complete newbie to being able to effectively go up medium hills. Didn’t even fall once! Seeing him be so concentrated and improving made me feel like a very proud older sister.

I love these shots of him riding, and I’m grateful that he always puts up with posing for me, because he knows it will be worth it when he is getting all those Instagram likes. If your Instagram feed needs an upgrade, contact me today!

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Puddle Jumping with Stella

Making the best of a rainy day on the Sunshine Coast // Vancouver Portrait Photography

One of my fiancé Shane’s and mine favourite weekend activities is visiting our friends Melissa and Galen on the Sunshine Coast. They have the coziest wood cabin, and we have enjoyed watching them transform it into a beautiful full-time home over the last couple of years. However, the best part of visiting them has to be seeing Shane’s goddaughter Stella. This kid is the best; she is smart and funny and unbelievably cute and already surprisingly athletic for her age.

We were there for the first time Stella kicked during Melissa’s pregnancy, and held her when she was one day old. Surprising no one, I was immediately in love with this baby, but the real shock was how instantly attached Shane got to her; as soon as we left their apartment that first day we held her, he insisted we drive to Richmond to buy a baby bath and a variety of other gifts for Stella. His immediate adoration of this tiny human earned him the Godfather title.

On this rainy day on the Sunshine Coast, we got Stella dressed for the weather in the cutest bright red MEC romper and packed her in her wagon to play in a nearby park. She was so happy to jump in the puddles and splash around with her dad, and I am in love with the colourful playful shots I got.