A Lovely Late Summer Wedding

photo credit: Meghann Hamilton

These lovely gents got married at Jericho Beach Park yesterday, and I just wanted to give them a shout out and a great big congrats while they're waiting for their photos! These guys hail from Australia and won their wedding in a joint Canada/Australia tourism contest. Today they're away on the included honeymoon, travelling to Victoria and Banff, among many other places.

Craig and Jason are so, so, so in love, and they had us all misty-eyed at their ceremony. They wanted photos taken at Kits Pool, too, where I'm afraid with the labour strike things are not looking so good. The seagulls have moved on in and taken up residence. It was kind of pretty, actually, as long as you didn't contemplate swimming in the yellow water. The photo of the two grooms was taken by my daughter and lovely assistant, Meghann Hamilton, who gets a shout out for being so ready to pinch-hit when my scheduled assistant had to cancel out.

Ground Zero

A businessman pauses to look at the rebuilding.

A viewing hole in the netting around the site.

A man peers through the netting surrounding the site.

People pause to reflect on the rebuilding.

We're back now from NYC, Kingston and Toronto; we had a ball.

It was good to be in New York. As a young NYU psychology student, I lived on W. 85th, park block, and the street is unchanged except that the sapling trees once zealousy watched over by a photographer named George, who used to blow a shrill whistle anytime my dog, a whippet named Clint, peed anywhere near them, are towering now. I was surprised to find Johnny's, a used book seller and neighbourhood institution, still still exactly mid-block on Columbus. Same awning, even.

On a sobering note, it was particularly painful to visit Ground Zero, the site of the destroyed World Trade Centre. One reflects on good, on evil, on hope and dreams shattered, on terrorism, on the scope of the overwhelming destruction. One thinks about the vast numbers of people lost on 9/11, and in such pain, and wonders in what ways some of them might have changed the world had they lived. Would a mother's influence on her young daughter have prompted her to go to medical school? Would a dad have encouraged a son to go play another ballgame after losing? Our footprint in the world is always larger than we realize, our influence subtle but full of impact. Losing all of these people, these moms and dads and brothers and sisters, is the loss not only of them as sisters, as aunties, as husbands, as sons, but of so much potential. I think of the babies soon to be born and consider how their lives were irrevocably altered.

I want to say to everyone: Have your family photographs made, because you never know when it will be too late.

My then-husband, Gary, and I used to work in the Towers. He was up on the 50-somethingth floor of Tower 2 working in international finance, while I toiled selling luggage in the basement. It's nearly impossible to connect the scar in the earth and the machinery crawling across it with that hub of industry and finance.

The small espiscopal St. Paul's Chapel is open again across the street. This was the sanctuary for the workers--where they came to find food and water and solace--where they came to have their feet rubbed. There are displays mounted of some of the memorabilia generated.

Run off our feet!

Oh my goodness, we've been run off our feet lately!

Our last session before going away was David and Brad's scrumptious wedding on Vancouver's Pride! It's a little strange to be working on Pride instead of revelling, but these two hubbies carried us right along in the bob and sway of their infectious joie de vivre. They looked fabulous in sharp linen suits, their wedding decor was to die for (think red accents, and oh such great good gay taste), they laughed constantly, and they had 100 of the sweetest southern guests I've ever met.

On that note, I just got one of my beautiful Graphi Studios books back from Italy. Totally yummy custom-design. The couple ordered leatherette, and there was no way on earth I could tell it wasn't leather when I unwrapped it. I even contacted Italy to insist that it was--but I was wrong.

I just wanted to post to let everyone know the studio is now closed for two weeks while we jet off to NYC and Ontario. Not a big trip for us, but hopefully a fun one.

Sorry the studio got so backed up there in July and the first bit of August, too, before we cut it off... I know there were several of you hoping to get in and see us that I just couldn't accommodate.

I wish I could say it will be better for September, but it's not looking all that free at this point. If you need an autumn session, drop an email. I'll have my calendar with me in NY and I can try to find you a slot. Anyone needing holiday images needs to get in before the end of October to have cards by December 1, remember!

Also, keep in mind that we'll be having another Fine Art Mini Session September 22 from 9-1 by appointment only. It's already half booked, so let me know on that one as well asap. Fyi, we're info@janephoto.ca.

Cool New Blend

Here is a blend of two little fellows I made portraits of in May. Isn't it beautiful? I just love this. Avaiable as a 16x16 or 20x20.

Below is a birth annoucement I've been working on in a movie format. Love this, too, though it couldn't be more different than the one above.

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

Early last week, I photographed a sad and poignant session for the important organization where I volunteer. I know I've mentioned Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep on the blog before, but I think it's worth mentioning again, especially because the word about us has not spread very widely in these parts.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep provides local volunteer photographers who will come to the hospital to do infant bereavement photography for families who are losing, or have lost, their babies. Most photographers offer not only the shoot gratis, but a slideshow set to music on DVD and a second DVD of high-resolution images. Last week I photographed a baby born early to a wonderfully warm and brave couple. Above is one of the beautiful photographs commemorating their young son.

Exuberance is Beauty

I've made a new wonderful blend. It's 16"x20" and can be printed either as a canvas or a print. Can you picture your own daughter's image here?

This is Julianne, and she's wearing one of our new and so fun poofs. This poof is pink with an orange ruffle, and it is simply the most delicious bit of clothing I've seen in a while. Julianne wasn't even in the mood for photographs, ham that she usually is. But the second she laid eyes on that skirt, away she went! It was all I could do to keep up with her. Come and have your little girls photographed wearing a poof! Studio or on-location--either would be great. Here Julianne is leaping off a garden bench. Let's get these great shots while the sun is still shining.

PORTRAIT PARTY JULY 21!

Check out these uber cool babios, eh?



Good news, folks. After a billion requests, we've finally got a new website address for everyone sick to tears of keying in all the ridiculous letters in my name! And we've probably even settled on a new business name (although we'll probably take some time to morph).

It's new, it's simple, it's easy as pie now to either enter our url--

www.janephoto.ca

--or to write to us--

jane@janephoto.ca
info@janephoto.ca

So get those fingers to typing it in and spreading it 'round!

There's a new portrait party the morning of July 21st!

We're just starting to get the word out now, and we're already half booked. If you want to see the photos from the last shoot, visit my site under Portraits/Menu/Proofing Online/Studio Portrait Party June 16. They'll be up for a sweet short week.

We're also still taking applications for folks who want to host a party at their house (though the waitlist is started)--or in our studio. Fill the day with just your friends and family, and when you're not in having your photographs made, you can be chatting and visiting with all your loved ones. Better still, you can earn valuable print credits! Hosts earn 15% in prints for parties in their own homes, and 10% in prints for parties held in the studio!

Digital painting done as gallery wrap

This painting just arrived as a 24"x30" gallery wrapped canvas, ready to hang. Isn't it beautiful? It was painted for us by Paintings by Stacey, and we couldn't be more pleased. Didn't Stacey do an awesome job? Just for the moment, before it goes off to its real home, it has a happy spot on our mantel where we can get our visual fill. The only thing I might not like? It's not big enough! I'd love to see this as a 40"x60"!

We've been working like fools around these parts of late. I just wish there were enough time to keep up!

We had to be out in Langley on the weekend shooting, so we made a point of dropping by Brad Jalbert's Select Roses Open House. Brad and Joy and I go way back to our fledgling days gardening--even before I started The Adequate Gardener column, back in the early days of On Our Hands and Knees gardening group. All our best performing roses come from Brad's, it's safe to say.

Joy and I got a first peek at a rose Brad has been hybridizing for us, called Wacky Sheila in memory of our mothers. It's pink and frilly and I know if they were here, tears would course down their faces to see it. All our gardening friends and relatives will be getting one next year when it hits the market!

I wanted to announce that we've decided to have some of our Portrait Party hosts host their parties in-studio! This is a big step for us, since originally we planned to have all the parties in people's homes. But for those who lack the space, this is a great alternative!

Happy Father's Day to all our dads out there!

People ask me what I mostly photograph, and I really photograph love.

I did a family shoot last weekend out In Richmond with a great family of four--mom, dad and two of the spriteliest kiddos, an 8 year old girl, and a 6 year old boy. As I made my way through their images this week, preparatory to creating a slideshow for them, I kept smiling, and I know I grinned over and over because of their transparent love for each other. Love and happiness are infectious--it's hard for humans to see other humans having fun without smiling ourselves. And that's what happened to me. They infected me with their adoration and high spirits. Wouldn't it be cool if this virus spread?

Speaking of being infected with love, the studio hosted our second Studio Portrait Party yesterday with ten families. We had a terrific, expressive group of families, with a whole lot of infants, and while it will take me a couple of weeks to finish up with the photographs, I can already tell everyone that there are many, many great shots. Joy, Meg, Greg and I are very pleased and proud of the results.

I will attach a few here, with a special sounding out to the dads in attendance who are celebrating what is, for many of them, their very first Father's Day. Congratulations to you all. Thanks again to everyone who helped make the day such rollicking good fun, and so fulfilling, for us all.













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Amy and Mindy

These two lovely Floridians came up to Vancouver to be married this week! Congratulations, Amy and Mindy! They are the first in their circle of LGBT friends to wed, and I'm so curious to know if their lovely nuptial day (yes, the rain held off, if not during their carriage ride then during their Stanley Park Rose Garden ceremony), and their freedom in Vancouver to express their love and commitment, will influence their community at home.

To see more from Amy and Mindy's sweet small wedding, please navigate back to our wedding site and click slideshows.

Congratulations, brides! May you have many, many happy years together.

Where does the time get to?

Okay, boys and girls, the June 16 Studio Portrait Party is completely full! We are taking names for the waitlist, because inevitably a couple families will have to cancel due to illness, but we are also booking our July 21 party! We still have a few spots left, but they are going swiftly!

The photographs have come down from Pictage, my online gallery, but you can still sample them by navigating to my portrait site (link at right) and looking under the Menu for Portrait Parties. I've made a short slideshow of images from the May 12 party.

Meantime, we've been busy shooting weddings, designing wedding books, designing baby announcements, and shooting kids and families in our regular sessions. These too are getting pretty darn booked up, so if you need to get your kids in, give us a quick shout and we'lll try to accommodate you.

Wasn't the recent warm weather delightful? I had to work most of it, but Joy and I did manage to get out in our extremely insane flower garden and clean up a bit. Of course I painted the front steps something like a half hour before the deluge started on Sunday! Doesn't it figure? Hope everyone's gardening was great, and don't forget this weekend is the garden show at VanDusen gardens. Always a pleasure.

The photograph attached is one of our tree peonies last year.

The Studio Portrait Party pix are up!

Hey everyone!

Good news! The party pix are finally online--but for one week only!

You can view them by navigating to my website and going to Portraits/Online Proofing and finding Studio Portrait Party 1. There is no password.

Meantime, here is a sample birthday card I designed for those thinking of invitations, announcements etc.

Studio Portrait Party!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, moms!

Meg, Greg, Joy and I were so pleased and happy to host all of you in our premiere Studio Portrait Party yesterday, May 12. We heard tell it was sunny outside, yet all of you took the time to truck down to my studio and trust me and my crew with your precious children. Thanks to each and every one of you, moms and dads too, who made the effort.

I've got the pix downloaded now, but that's about all. I just spent a couple of hours proofing an image from every family so you could celebrate just a little piece of Mother's Day by visiting my blog, so here they are!

Can't say when I'll have the pix up online for you, but as soon as humanly possible, and hopefully this week sometime. I'll be back in touch when they're up!

We're having another Studio Portrait Party June 16, so let your friends and family members know the date. We ask that no one who attended yesterday returns for another 3-6 months depending on the rapidity of the change in your child/ren, but you are surely welcome to pass the opportunity along to others!

And we are building that waitlist for Home Portrait Parties where we bring the studio to you!

Cheers everyone, and smell a lilac for me,

Jane