Vancouver Portrait Photography // Fiona and Andrey's 10th Anniversary!

When Fiona first asked me to photograph the 10th year anniversary party for her and Andrey, I imagined something simple. A few friends, some drinks and snacks, a typical gathering. What I did not expect was a glamorous winter extravaganza, but that is exactly what I saw when I arrived. The party was held at the Summers’ family home, and although I have been there plenty of times, the whole space was transformed. 

The rooms glowed with various shades of blue, and wintery decor was all around me. In the signature Summers fashion, no detail was overlooked. The living room, usually filled with couches, was transformed into a cozy banquet hall with the addition of round tables, each decorated with DYI crafting projects, no doubt a family effort. On the large flat screen TV in the back of the room, footage of their wedding looped, everyone looking so young and exuberant, a winter wedding with all the bridesmaids dressed in deep crimson. 

 Andrey and Fiona are witty, creative, hilarious people, and so it stands to reason that their friends would be the same. As I gathered everyone for photos on the stairs, I couldn’t help cracking up at everyone’s antics. One guy was teaching the others how to pose in a perfect imitation of a deep belly laugh, while a couple of the others were miming eating Fiona’s long-awaited gluten-free cupcake. 

What I will remember the most from this night is Andrey’s speech. I love, love, love speeches. Well, at least good speeches. As someone who hates smalltalk, hearing someone speak from the soul about what they feel is the perfect antidote to mindless half-hearted exchanges. 

When we heard Andrey speak about Fiona, the sheer passion of his love for his wife was enormous, and all of us in the room could feel it. The pride, the reverence, the joy he finds in her were so perfectly communicated by someone who just received his Masters in Creative Writing (or some such thing) were breathtaking. I wish I could remember the exact words that he said, because I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room when he was done. 

I wish them all the very best, and I look forward to photographing their 20th anniversary. 

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 // Peachland Family Christmas

When the Austins first suggested having Christmas in the Okanagan, I was not convinced. I am a city girl, and I am used to spending the holidays in the city. For the past few years since I have been with Shane, we have done some sort of combination of spending time with my family and his, usually ending up with having Christmas dinner at the Austin house, and meeting later for Russian Christmas or Old New Year (yes, that’s a thing), with my parents in White Rock. That was the routine and I was pretty comfortable with it. 

Now that I am older, Christmas has lost a little of its pure unadulterated joy because instead of just excitedly waiting for Santa to come, I in fact have to keep working right up until the holidays, while also attending various holiday events, and somehow still find the energy, during what are short, dreary, rainy, Vancouver December days to find and wrap thoughtful gifts for the whole family. 

You can see how the thought of having even less time to get all of that done, so that we can be ready to go to the Okanagan a few days before Christmas, was frightening. But, my brother and sister in law do live there full time, and after some consideration, I came around to the idea. And I am so glad I did. 

First of all, leaving home and driving the few hours instantly put me into a holiday headspace. What also helped was arriving to a snowy Peachland, something I have not previously experienced as I am usually there mostly in the summers. Walking along the lake in the evening, with a foot of snow on the sidewalks, and more falling was so peaceful, with streetlights illuminating yellow pools of snow. 

Of course, the best part was just having the whole family together, as we ate lots and lots of treats, hung out  in our pyjamas, watched Christmas movies, and (unsuccessfully) attempted a puzzle. Christmas morning was grander than ever, and Christmas dinner, hosted by Dean and Fadrina, was a warm and cozy affair. 

My favourite memory of the holiday was playing Cards Against Humanity with everyone after dinner. Watching our parents come up with the most hilarious answers, sometimes not even realizing what they were saying, and then laughing so hard they were crying. This is a moment I will treasure forever.

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Mel, Jacob and Sadie

I was sure struggling the morning of this shoot. It was one of those mornings, where even though I planned ahead and left myself plenty of time to get ready, I still found myself rushing out the door with all of my gear. Luckily, I had the address of the family punched into Google maps, so I set out on my journey to this unknown destination.

I arrived on a beautiful shady street, but something seemed wrong. Instead of a house, the address brought me to a small commercial building, an art studio of some sort. This was the point at which I realized that instead of choosing the directions to the house of my clients, I drove to an art studio which my manager volunteers at, and where she invited me to an upcoming event.

Whoops, I definitely learned my lesson about actually being certain where you are going. Luckily, Mel and Jacob were very understanding of my directional struggles, and we jumped right into the shoot when I arrived. The first thing I noticed about their home is the mustard-coloured door. There is really something about a door painted an unusual colour that adds a lot of personality to a house, without an insane amount of effort. We keep meaning to paint our own door green, but it hasn’t happened yet. 

Turns out, mustard is Mel’s favourite colour, and I saw a lot of it around, including their daughter Sadie’s outfit. We started outside, but my favourite shots definitely come from Sadie’s sunlit nursery. Something about preserving the memory of the family hanging around in the nursery feels really genuine and important to me, and I know I wish I had more of those photos from my own childhood. 

I am inspired by the fact that Mel and Jacob managed to stay interesting, outgoing adults, even with a new baby. I know the two of them through my friend Nina, and a couple of months ago, we were at a karaoke bar for her birthday. My favourite memory of the night was looking over at Mel, who was doing a spirited rendition of an early 2000s hip hop song, and there was Sadie sitting beside her in Jacob’s arms with her noise-cancelling earmuffs on, happy as a clam. That is definitely #parentgoals.

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 // Brendon and Ashley Engagement Party

 guess I am officially at that age now, because all our friends seem to be getting engaged, married, and having babies! I have definitely seen a shift on my Facebook feed from posts about how hard university is, and all the parties, to parenting memes, and wedding photo albums, and of course, a daily onslaught of baby photos. I can’t judge that hard though, because I am sure I will also think that my babies are the cutest babies to have ever been made, and that the world needs to see them doing everything from eating breakfast to going for a walk to napping with our future dog. And luckily (or not, depending on how you look at it), I will have gathered all this equipment to turn any ordinary family situation into an impromptu photoshoot: “honey, hold the reflector right there please, the light is perfect on the baby’s mashed peas.” I’m kidding, I hope. 

Luckily, I love taking family photos, so this time in my life means I get to capture even more tender moments for the people in my life, and in the process, get to know the people who are important to them. 

This set of photos comes from the engagement party for our friends Brendon (or as most people call him, B-Ray), and his lovely fiancee Ashley. The party was held at B-Ray’s grandmother’s house, and it is a home that is built for big family gatherings. There was a piano in the living room, and a tiny dog that you can cuddle. The tables were full of amazing food, and there were margaritas galore.

I had some great chats at this party, at one point getting some gardening tips from a fellow avid gardener, and learning more about the shenanigans of B-Ray’s dad, Wayne. He has more wild stories than I could possibly fit in my blog post, but one of my favourites involves him riding his motorcycle down to Mexico, and coming back with a chihuahua, also via motorcycle. How exactly he packed him is unclear, but that same chihuahua appears in these photos. 

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 // 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 // Andrey and Fiona Maternity Shoot

Another beautiful family on my blog today! Meet Fiona and Andrey (and future baby Theodore!)!

Andrey and I go way back. Our parents somehow knew each other back in Vladivostok in the 90s, and when my family immigrated to Canada in 2001, they were a huge part of our new community here. I was closest in age to Andrey’s younger brother Greg, and I’ve spent hundreds of hours at their house, playing board games and pool and MarioKart and neopets and runescape. 

We all really looked up to Andrey, he was the fascinating older kid. I remember there was a time where he got a job reviewing videogames for the local newspaper, and that meant he could get all the newest games for free, which basically made him the coolest person we knew. Plus he was always so quick and witty. 

At some point, many years ago, Andrey and Fiona found each other. And we are all so lucky that they did, because Fiona is an actual sunshine of a person. She is kind, thoughtful, creative, and so freaking funny. She sends beautiful Christmas cards, and bought me the best-smelling candle I have ever smelled (it’s clementine vanilla). 

Andrey and Fiona are both writers, and actually, the first ever Fringe Festival show was one of theirs. I don’t remember the title, but it was to do with Cthulhu and also a love story I think? In any case it was weird and whimsical,  staged in a small downtown Vancouver theatre, and it planted a lifelong love of the Fringe in my heart. Now I’m the person buying 10-packs of Fringe tickets every year. This past year, I saw a total of 12 shows. If you haven’t ever been, I highly recommend this brilliant festival. 

When Fiona and Andrey wanted to do a maternity photoshoot with me, I was so excited. I was even more excited when they told me they just wanted to have photos of them being their real, silly selves. We met in Pacific Spirit Park, and took advantage of the fall weather and scenery. Fiona, being the imaginative lady that she is, crafted wreaths for herself and Andrey to wear. After seeing them, I simply don’t know why every maternity photoshoot doesn’t have head wreaths.

What I remember the most from this shoot is how much we were all laughing. The wit, love, and creativity of this couple will make them amazing parents.

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Christine, Adam and Seymour: Family Photoshoot

First of all, full disclosure: I am obsessed with the cat you are currently looking at. His name is Seymour, and he is the best boy. He is not the cuddliest, but he is goofy and zoomy, and so curious and athletic, and just overall a 10/10 cat. 

He came into our lives about a year and a half ago, when, after posting a picture of the cutest kitten I have ever seen on her instagram, our tenant Christine approached us, and asked how we would feel about them getting a cat. I immediately asked if it was the one from the photo, and when she said yes, I looked at Shane with the biggest puppy dog eyes I could muster. Long story short, they got the cat. 

It took them a long time to come up with a perfect name, so in the meantime, we called him a wide variety of things, the best by far being Señor Black Balls (because he has huge black balls relative to his little cream-coloured cat body, in case that wasn’t clear). Even as a kitten, he was great at fetch. He has these yellow rubber balls, and he would go crazy chasing them, and then he would grab it in his mouth, and bring it right back to you. Never did teach him to put it in your hand. He was also really interested in shoes as a kitten? He would find a shoe and climb into it, and that was pretty freaking cute. 

It didn’t take long for him to make it clear that he did not appreciate being shut out from the top floor of the house, which turned us from tenants and landlords into roomies who shared a cat. I will say, Shane and I definitely lucked out on that deal, because we get all the cuteness with none of the litterbox. 

Seymour is obviously our favourite, but Adam and Christine are pretty cool too. Adam is the chillest guy I have ever met, and also a pro snowboarder who does crazy things on his board, and somehow makes it look easy. He also plays guitar, and as his upstairs neighbour, I am happy to say he is very good at it. Christine is a helicopter mechanic, which is badass as hell, and overall just a funny, kind, down to earth person. 


It’s been great living with them over the last couple years, and I simply had to take some family photos of them with Señor Black Balls while he was still small. The result is pure cuteness.

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Pumpkin Patch with Nina

This is one of my all-time favourite sets of photos. When Nina and I decided to go to the Richmond Country Farms pumpkin patch, we were hoping for a nice sunny day, but as we drove from Kitsilano into Richmond, it felt like we were driving into a dense milky cloud. Not to be discouraged, we donned our boots, and set off on our mission.

I have been coming to this pumpkin patch since I was a little Russian girl and another more Canadianized Russian girl and her mom took me here, and said it’s fall and this is Canada, and we must ride the tractor, and go into this muddy field and choose a good pumpkin, and then bring it home and then carve something into it, probably  a face but maybe something else, you have options in this regard, and in my humble opinion it's the best pumpkin patch out there.

If I am going to be heading out to a field to choose my perfect pumpkin, I want the whole experience to be as corny as humanly possible, and in that respect, Richmond Country Farms delivers. They have it all: farm animals, a band made up of singing vegetables bobbing around to country music, a pile of hay bales to play in, mini doughnuts and poutine for snacks, a tractor ride to and from the field, complete with a country singalong, and halloween scenes along the way. You can see skeletons and various other spooky characters, and also, an orange elephant for some reason. This one really boggles me. Like was another business offloading an elephant statue, and the enterprising owners thought: “perfect, we will paint it orange, it’ll look super seasonal”? In any case, it’s there and you will see it if you go.

On this day, the fog set a spooky mood in the patch. I'm not really one for scary movies, but I had fun getting these somber atmospheric shots. The colours just worked so well (fall is the undeniable winner for best-coloured season). Shout out to Nina for being an interesting photography subject in particular, and just a lovely human in general.

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 // Granville Island Modelling

Ksenia models her new trenchcoat and Andrei drops in for a few couples photos // Vancouver Portrait Photography

I follow Ksenia on Instagram, and I remember when a couple of years ago she posted some photos of pillows and sleep masks she made and embroidered. I thought they were cute, and a fun side project, but I would have never predicted that she would grow a whole online clothing boutique. These days she designs and sells all kinds of clothes, from dresses, to PJs, to shorts, pants, blouses, and now she is selling trench coats! She brought one with her to Canada to photograph, and I thought Granville Island would make a great location.

Granville Island is my favourite part of Vancouver, I love the views, the market, the cute shops and cozy cafes, and all the street art and performers. It’s where I go when I need cheering up. I chose a few different spots to shoot with Ksenia in her trenchcoat, because Granville Island has no shortage of picturesque backdrops. The sun was setting, and we were making the most of that cool, purple light.

Ksenia is always dancing, which helps give the photos a light and candid vibe. It always cracked me up when she carefully brushed out and arranged her long tresses, referring to them as her “Instagram hair”.

Her husband Andrei is a huge jokester and could not stand idly by while Ksenia was getting all the attention, so he snuck in for a few shots, picking her up and twirling her around. I love the way their energy is so similar and they egg each other on. I loved photographing them, and I will love photographing you too. No matter if you are in a couple or happily single, let’s shoot some great photos!

Vancouver Portrait Photography // A Cross-British Columbia Honeymoon Trip

Portraits of the happy couple from around our beautiful province // Vancouver Portrait Photography

 

When my cousin Andrei and his wife Ksenia came to Canada, we knew that we wanted to show them more than just Vancouver. Shane and I love nothing more than a good road trip, and so I took some time off work, and we planned a cross-BC road trip that would highlight some of the beauty of our province. We set out from Peachland, and spent one night each in Revelstoke, Banff, and Nelson.

Revelstoke is a place I’ve been to a few times before, and I love how charming its main street is. This time I particularly enjoyed walking across the bridge over the Columbia River. We got a great deal at a fancy hotel, and enjoyed pumpkin pie (Ksenia’s favourite new Canadian treat) followed by a soak in the outdoor hot tub under the stars.

While driving to Banff, we experienced a gradual season change from fall to winter. Even though we were only in mid-September, as we were driving through the Rockies it began to snow, and we were all nervously wondering whether we brought anything warm enough for this sudden winter. It was beautiful to see the pines lightly dusted with snow, and walking through Banff felt almost like Christmas. I visited the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel for the first time, and it is a super old and absolutely magical place, reminiscent of Hogwarts. I enjoyed imagining what it would have been like to be a young woman spending my summers there many years ago.

I have never been to Nelson before, and this cute little town absolutely stole my heart. I don’t know exactly what it was about it, but somewhere between the scenery, the garlic-themed restaurant, the thrift shops and all the street art, I found myself completely smitten, and I hope we get a chance to visit again soon.

The photos in this set were taken in these towns or somewhere along the way, and you can see the love this couple feels for each other, combined with our breathtaking province. They may have not gotten an engagement photoshoot, but I think they will keep these honeymoon photos for a long, long time.

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Tunnel Portraits

Using natural light and a tunnel to create stunning portraits // Vancouver Portrait Photography

 

One of my favourite Okanagan activities is biking around the Myra Canyon. This area used to be part of the Kettle Valley Railway, built at the turn of the last century, and is now a walk/bike path right at the steep edge of the canyon. There are 18 trestle bridges, which are old timey and ornate and great to look at and photograph, and also two tunnels.

We brought my cousin and his wife here during our time in the Okanagan, and were delighted to see that although fall was in full swing, the bicycle rental shop was still open. The weather was doing some weird stuff, going from bright and sunny to instant rain, and the attendant was kind enough to provide us with yellow and red plastic ponchos so that we could enjoy our biking adventure without getting drenched.

As soon as I remembered that this bike ride goes through tunnels, I got so excited because some of my favourite photographs come from tunnels. I declared that on the ride back we have to stop and take photos there, and everyone reluctantly agreed, although I could tell they were confused. There was so much breathtaking scenery around, why would I want to take photos in a dark tunnel? Luckily I knew what I was doing, and when my companions saw the photos; the even light, the sharpness, the contrasting dark background, they understood why I was so excited. Lighting is everything in a photograph, and I love being able to use my surroundings to create high quality photographs. If you are looking for some great photographs of you or your loved ones, contact me today!

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Okanagan Honeymoon Photoshoot

Belarus couple gets a romantic photoshoot in the Okanagan Valley // Vancouver Portrait Photography

 

In the summer of 2017 Shane and I had the opportunity to visit Eastern Europe, and one of our favourite parts of the trip was visiting my cousin Andrei and his (now) wife Ksenia in Brest, Belarus. The visit was only a couple of days long, but we saw so much, from the huge historical fortress on the border with Poland, to the train museum, to a blacksmith shop we visited late at night, where Shane got to try the melting and the hammering, and may have gotten hit in the head with an axe by the blacksmith to demonstrate the sturdiness of the helmet he made (gave me a small heart attack, but Shane somehow loved it).

When Andrei and Ksenia invited us to their wedding last summer, we decided to invite them for a honeymoon in Canada instead, and after a super fun visa application process, they were able to come this fall! After a couple of days in Vancouver, we packed our bags and headed for the Okanagan Valley, where Shane and I spend a lot of our summer days. Although they missed the hot summer weather, there was still plenty to do. We went out on the boat, hiked up to the top of Pincushion mountain, visited the local farmer’s market, saw spawning salmon, accidentally found a car show, biked along the trestle bridges in Myra Canyon, and toured some of the local wineries in Naramata.

I had a great time photographing my cousins, they are a beautiful couple, and are both “Instagram famous” in their hometown of Brest due to their businesses selling wood furniture and clothing. They were always dancing around in front of my camera, bringing about lively and lighthearted shots. I particularly love the photos I took at the apple orchard, the colours, the light, and my subjects all came together to create stunning images. I love photographing couples, and would love to photograph you and your significant other in Vancouver or the Okanagan!

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Dean and Fadrina Couples Shoot in Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Dean and Fadrina are full of love in this tropical Mexico shoot // Vancouver Portrait Photography

This shoot comes from a recent trip to Puerto Escondido, in Oaxaca, Mexico. I have never been to this part of Mexico before, and it’s now hands down my favourite place to visit. We loved that it was colourful and busy, and the people were friendly and cheerful, but that it did not feel overrun by tourists, and we were free to experience life in a way that was closer to the way the locals do. My love for Oaxaca was also helped by the fact that Shane proposed to me on this trip!

Dean is my future brother in law, and is a sweet and down to earth guy, and on top of that a pilot! Him and Fadrina make a great couple, and they are always hiking and travelling, or hanging out with their dog Brooke. Fadrina and I got along right away; we are both child immigrants from Europe, so we bonded over that, plus she is just such a funny and genuine person.

I shot these at our house in Puerto Escondido. We spent most of our days relaxing by the pool, but I couldn’t let those gorgeous beach views go to waste, so I cajoled everyone into getting dressed up, and took advantage of the natural light and beautiful empty beach to capture these romantic images of the couple. Check out the ones at the end for shots of the whole family!

Whether you are recently engaged or just want some high quality photos of yourself and your significant other, contact me for all your Vancouver portrait photography needs.


Vancouver Portrait Photography // Michelle and Travis West Coast Family Portraits

Family portraits in North Vancouver before a cross-country move // Vancouver Portrait Photography

I know Michelle and Travis through our friends, and was so excited when Michelle reached out to me to take some photos of her and her family before they made a big move out east. What made this time in their lives even more special was that Michelle was soon due to deliver their second baby, and she wanted to remember this time in their lives, when Michelle, Travis and Lucas were a family of three on the west coast, before they became a family of four in the east.

We met in Ambleside Park, along the beach, and although it was a pretty chilly afternoon, the light was beautiful. We were lucky enough to have Lucas’s grandmother there as well, who kept him busy on the playground while I took some photos of just the parents. Lucas is such a lovable and well-behaved kid, and was giving me his biggest smile the whole time. He also insisted on keeping on his sunglasses at all times, so even at such an early age he is already more responsible than a lot of adults I know.

I loved seeing this family laugh and interact, and as usual my favourite shots ended up being the candid ones. Although grandma was not planning to be part of the shoot, I am so glad we had time to include her in a few shots at the end.

Every family needs some great photographs, so contact me today!