the birds

I was sitting here this morning at my computer, and I looked out the window to see a ridiculous number of birds in the tree in my backyard. It's early February and here in Halifax, we have had our share of good, old-fashioned snow storms this year, so I wonder about these birds that have flocked to my tree.

Why here?
Why now?

I wonder if these birds know that traditionally on this very day, I should be enjoying a poolside tropical drink on a warm beach in the caribbean. Alas, circumstances have kiboshed our annual trip down south this year so I sit in front of my laptop and watch the seemingly endless number of birds in my backyard instead.

I wonder if the birds do not, in fact, return with the onset of spring, but if, perhaps, the spring returns with the onset of the birds.

Then, after philosophical me takes a bathroom break and lets photographical me back at the keyboard, I decide to post some shots of other visitors I've gotten to share a moment with.

This blue jay is actually from 2004. He and his compadres would visit our balcony in droves to collect the peanuts my husband would throw out for them. Rain or shine, they would arrive and generally hang around just long enough for me to get a shot.

A hummingbird shot from a friend's patio on Canada Day of 2010. They are notoriously fast, but consistent in their patterns so I was able to capture a shot or two of this little guy by focusing on the feeder and waiting only a few minutes for his return.

This woodpecker landed in my very own back yard back in October and pecked away at the trunk long enough for me to dash inside for my camera. This was all I was able to get before he flew off to wherever it is that birds fly off to.

 

This black-capped chickadee is a resident of Peter's Field in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The field is a provincial park and is stocked with homemade bird feeders hung from low trees all over. The chickadees are everywhere, but they're also fast and not nearly as predictable as the hummingbird so, despite the abundance of subjects, I played quite a waiting game for this one.

While I'm not a bird-watcher per se, I will be watching out for more of these delicate little creatures in the future. We often don't realize just how beautiful and detailed they are as they make their way past us in their busy lives and being able to capture just a brief second of that beauty is part of what makes being a photographer so rewarding.

And then there were three...

Neal and Amanda are a photographer's dream. They're crazy over each other, and not afraid to let it show in front of a camera, so it makes my job easy. Don't believe me? You can check them out here and here.

So when Amanda told me she was pregnant, I was ecstatic. As I was working with her at the time, I got to watch her belly grow day by day... and grow she did! By January, at 6 months, it was time to shoot my first maternity session, and there was plenty of belly to go around.

Although I teased her about twins, possibly triplets... quadruplets... (You get the point) they knew they were having just one - a daughter. My photographer's brain automatically inserted tiny little pink shoes here.

How could this child not be gorgeous with parents like these?!

 

  

I am quite pleased with the way the session turned out and am grateful to Amanda and Neal for once again taking me into their lives in such a personal way. Here's to a happy and healthy baby girl, and parents who keep on smiling for years to come.

The holly and the jolly

2010 was hands-down the most roller-coaster year of my life. The highs were incredibly high and the lows were pretty unmistakable. The highest of highs for the year happened on August 11, when my husband and I officially became home owners for the first time. Fast forward to the end of December, and the need to commemorate our first Christmas in our first home.

A new home also meant a little more decorating for me. When I was a child, we always had this wreath made of pine cones hanging on our wall at Christmastime. It lit up with Christmas lights and had small toy ornaments on it. My mom and I collected small pine cones from a field in Cape Breton when I was home in November, and I was able to recreate the wreath with the help of a glue gun and a lot of time.

And what would Christmas be without everyone's favorite annual holly jolly portrait of Christmas elf Simba!

Hope everyone's season was wonderful, and all good things for everyone in 2011!

She's not only gorgeous...

Back in November, Georgina and I headed to Cape Breton to visit our families and investigate the old stone church we both grew up attending. You may know me well enough by now to know that by "investigate", I really mean "take pictures at" so she toted along her wedding dress to see if the cold would beat it into submission, seeing as the ocean had previously been unsuccessful.

While she changed, I hung out with her brother and his family, which included the overly-excited and incredibly photogenic Chevy.

Then we strutted across the yard to the church, only to find it is crumbling with age and we were unable to get inside. That Georgina, however, is a trooper and was willing to flaunt her stuff in a lowly 10 degrees celsius to get a few good shots before the biting wind got the best of both of us.

I swear, I don't choose my friends based on how photogenic they are (well, not SOLELY on that, anyway) but seriously... look at this girl! She's not just gorgeous... she's GEORGEOUS!

If you don't believe me, here's a closer look.

Alas, the dress is also a trooper and is not yet willing to give up. I expect you'll be seeing more of it in the not too distant future.

Monique & Steve

September 17, 2010 was a Friday. Black Friday as it jokingly became known as in our little social circle. It was on that day that we married off the last of our group of girls: the lovely Monique Innocent. Now, I normally don't use last names in my posts, but how could I possibly overlook a 'Little Miss Innocent got married on Black Friday quip'? Add to that the fact that the lucky man, Steve, starts with an "S" and I'll leave the naturally following S&M jokes to you, because I know I've heard them all already: that's just how these two work.

The ceremony was held at Hatfield Farms, just outside of Halifax. There was no better choice for horse-lover Monique and outdoorsman Steve, or for my photographer self for that matter.

I began with the details Monique so painstakingly prepared, starting with the ideal footwear for a cowgirl about to walk down the aisle...

...and the pearls and brooch finally settled on after a number of purchases and returns...

...and wine glasses engraved with only days to spare.

On the day of the wedding, it poured rain, and the wind blew so hard that the drops fell sideways. Not to be deterred, Hatfield Farms simply moved the ceremony inside and, much to my delight, did an amazing job with white lights wrapped endlessly around wooden rafters and the vows themselves being framed by a massive stone fireplace adorned with lit candles.

 

They also provided use of a horse and carriage, which the girls arrived in for the ceremony and the bride and groom were given a tour of the grounds in afterward.

At one point, I was taking photos of the wedding party and turned around to find Monique chatting it up with this beautiful creature.

Oh my gosh, Monique, DON'T MOVE.
Score one point for candid photography.

The supper was also wonderful, the food fantastic, and the reception magical. I'm not sure what Steve was expecting allowing the now-blog-infamous Georgina to make a speech...

...but clearly she nailed it!

Afterward, the new Mister and Missus allowed me a brief moment to soak up the grounds with a few night shots...

...before Monique donned her custom-made Bride 2010 sweatsuit and joined the wedding guests on the mechanical bull.

Hatfield Farms puts on a fantastic evening, and I can't wait for another opportunity to shoot there. Monique and Steve also put on a fantastic evening, and I wish them all the best for a long and happy future together.