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February 16, 2012

WE ARE STILL HERE!

I’m sitting here in our (still feels new) home office (we moved a couple months ago), at our new lovely and large two person desk (finally we both have a spot to work at!), and I just thought I’d write a little something here since it’s been a while. We are still alive, actually feeling more alive than ever, but our days have been full, a good kind of full.

We came home from a conference (which I blogged about here) a few weeks ago simply BUZZING with ideas and new life. I read a friend’s blog this morning (who’d also attended the same conference) and she reminded me again of something that was said during one of the classes that really challenged me at the time, and still does. As small business owners and creative entrepreneurs, each and every one of us has taken a huge leap at least once in our careers. That “leap”, that stepping off the ledge, came when we had the courage to even go down this path and start pursuing our loves as a business. We had the courage then, but what about the second ledge that came along? How many of us have the courage to take a second leap, or a third or a fourth? Because life isn’t about taking one big risk and then coasting on the fumes of that one decision; it’s about risking again and again in pursuit of what makes you truly come alive as you grow and discover who you are.

The real reason I haven’t been blogging so much lately is because most of my time at my computer is being taken up by preparing for the launch of a new blog & website, which I am super excited about and hope will be ready in the next month or so. We’ve also been working on something pretty near and dear to our hearts that has been on our minds for a while, but that we now have the extra bit of courage to actually pursue and put into motion, which I hope to be able to share and get underway soon too! I’m excited beyond belief, seriously the days go by way too fast planning all of this! And although it’s scary beyond belief stepping off that ledge, I’ve never felt more comfortable in my own skin, really.

- Jenn xx

Just a few random images from our life recently…… does everyone else find the last frame of the photobooth strip as hilarious as I do??! I laugh every time I look at it. Toronto, February 2012.

by JENN

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January 17, 2012

UNPLUGGING IN MAUI

Posted in PERSONAL | TRAVEL

My parents have been visiting the island of Maui in the island chain of Hawaii for the past few years, and every time they come home Dave and I are bombarded (in the best of ways) with many stories, macadamia nuts, and photos from what has quickly become their favourite place on this planet. And every time they return, they tell us “you should go” and then “no, really, you have to go”, until finally last month they surprised us with a trip down south for a week to wrap up our 2011, and now we get it.

Maui to me will always be remembered as stepping off the plane into a pure and sweet-smelling air (yes, the air there just smells better). I’ll always remember when the breeze blew in the right direction and being hit by the aroma of one gorgeous bunch of flowers after another, or walking along a path that is littered not with garbage but with flowers that have fallen from the trees like leaves in the fall…… I mean, what an amazing place — their litter is mostly made up of flowers! We had a car for the week and got to see the island — some of our highlights include the morning we got up at 3AM to drive up the HALEAKALA CRATER (not before stopping for some sustenance in the form of coffee at the amazing CRATER COFFEE cart) and watched the sun rise from 10,000ft — amazing. Then we enjoyed a lazy descent down the mountain while defrosting (it was chilly up there!) stopping in at a few places along the way and a delicious lunch at a gorgeous tucked away spot called CAFE DES AMIS, which we wholeheartedly recommend if you’re into Indian food as much as we are.

Mostly though, Maui will be remembered as a time where we were able to unplug, from email, twitter, facebook, and this whole online world, take a run along the beach path as the sun rose, stroll over to HONOLULU COFFEE after breakfast for a latte, and just sit out, read through some good books, talk, and just get back to what matters. I really felt like during our time away I was able to shut out some of the periphery and extraneous and just get back to truly listening to my own inner voice. We reflected on the year we’d had and talked through lots of ideas about where to go from here……. Maui will definitely be remembered most of all as a turning point on this great journey of life : ) Enjoy these few frames we shot along the way!

- Jenn xx

Maui, December 2011. For the photography nerds in the crowd, Dave and I both challenged ourselves to manually setting our white balance on this trip (honestly, I usually stick to Auto, or maybe play around with the “cloudy” preset) and I’ve got to say we both really loved the challenge, and the results! I’d definitely recommend trying it out if you haven’t. I learned a lot!

Tags: hawaii travel images | jenn and dave | maui travel images | personal travel images | we like to travel

by JENN

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January 2, 2012

2012! LOOKING AHEAD AND INSIDE

Posted in PERSONAL | THE BUSINESS

Hope you all had an excellent New Year’s, however you chose to celebrate! Just thought I’d take a minute here while I wait for the paint to dry (is that a saying? I mean it literally though, we really are waiting for paint to dry before another coat goes on the walls of our new office…..!) and as I finish up a delicious bowl of yogurt and blueberries, to think a little bit on the past year, the new one that’s ahead, and what it all means to me. I have some thoughts to share too, if you don’t mind.

This past year has been a huge one for Dave and I in terms of coming into our own as photographers, artists, creatives, and business owners. I think for any creative jumping into their field of choice, it’s a bit like a kid learning to ride a bike, a little bit swerve-y at first, just hoping to stay on most of the time. That’s a lot of what our first year was like, when I think back on it now. There were a few moments to look around, have small successes and enjoy the ride, but it was mostly clutching to the handlebars, trying to push out the fears, and watching and learning from as many other people as we could as we tried to find our feet. This past year was our second full year, and when I look back on 2011 I see it as an immense period of growth and of discovering who I was as not just a photographer but mostly as a person. A person beyond a wedding photographer, or even a photographer or creative, and discovering the reasons behind my passions and the things that get me excited and fired up inside. I’ve spent the last little while really diving into those reasons….. I’ve loved it and have learned a ton!

There’s still a few more shoots that I want to share from 2011, but from here on out I’m taking some time to re-examine the direction I want this blog to go in, one that fits exactly with our hearts and goals. There will be some changes happening over the next few months, for which I hope you’ll stick around to see! I might not be on here as much over the little bit as I want to really focus on these things, but I’ll still be around : )

Businesses are a lot like houses — sometimes you need to paint a few walls, fix a few things on the surface, and sometimes it’s a bigger project. I think you always need to be prepared to knock down a few walls, as painful as that might be, if that’s what it takes to build up something truly great and that satisfies those things you believe in your core. We are looking into 2012 ready to push made up boundaries, expand our horizons, put our blinkers on and stay true to our voice and who we authentically are. We’re digging deep into ourselves to discover what it is that drives us as people and the causes we want to champion that reach out beyond ourselves.

So grateful for each of you that supports us and reads along. Here’s to a bright 2012 where we are all able to hear and listen to our own voice from within…….

- Jenn xx

Tags: jenn and dave | share | update

by JENN

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December 28, 2011

THE STORY OF 2011

I thought and thought, started and re-started this post to sum up 2011. I picked out some images from this past year that caught my eye and pulled at my heart, then thought about all the stories we’ve helped tell this year with so many great people, and how would I ever compile that into one big story, the story of our photography journey…… kind of overwhelming! Something I’ve done this year that I’m pretty happy about is kept a proper journal, where I’ve written down my random thoughts, ideas, things I don’t want to forget. I’ve loved it! I haven’t written everyday, but I also haven’t beaten myself up for not doing so, and it’s been really neat to read through the year……. so I thought I’d include some excerpts to go along with the images. Hope you enjoy : )

A NEW YEAR… 01/01 Happiness has got to be something portable that you can carry around with you… it may be raining, the sky may be grey, there are no fireworks or big parade, but it’s a new year and I’m determined to figure out a way to store up happiness and carry it around in my pocket, whatever my window may happen to look out upon.

TRAVELS TO VEGAS + CHICAGO… 02/13 One of the things I want most is to do something that leaves a ripple. Dave said it was good to feel this way and that people who are satisfied all the time can’t possibly have enough motivation to keep moving forward. I’d rather be constantly moving forward.

BUSY SEASON WELL + TRULY STARTS… 04/17 I’ve been thinking lately as my life as a story… one that could be made into a movie, where people would leave the theatre feeling inspired and happy. I thought about what my “inciting incident” would be, and thought about the time I was laid off my teaching job in the UK. But then I realized that really life needs to be made up of a series of inciting incidents, not just one. Life isn’t a movie with a happily ever after at the end, real life keeps on going.

THE PACIFIC-NORTHWEST… 07/03 We are currently driving through hills covered with tall, narrow evergreens and yellow wildflowers by the sides of the road. It is cool and cloudy, just how I pictured it being here… this feels like the west coast I imagined. Dave’s wearing a checkered shirt and I’m in my new scarf and we’re lazily talking about whatever comes to mind… I keep trying to remind myself to stop and really be present in these moments. (Images of us by Anda Marie & Sarah Rhoads!)

SUMMER… 08/09 In the end I think everybody is, in some way, an artist. Put on this earth to create something out of nothing from their own unique perspective and experiences.

ROADTRIP… 08/29 It really is true that sometimes the good things in life come in bunches… beyond grateful.

END OF SUMMER/START OF FALL… 08/25 There is just something about that part of the world – the fingers of the lakes, the lichen-covered stone, the pines, the colours, the quiet. The mother of the bride yesterday read out an essay called “leaving home” that the bride had written in high school and then she went on to say that for them, it has always been better to reach the peak of a mountain top than the gain of any material things. That just inspired me to no end. It all just tugged at me inside, telling me to live a better life, one that I would be proud to have told.

ROUNDING OUT THE YEAR… 11/17 I’m sure that when I look back on this year, I will look back on it as a year of realizations about myself – what I need to have, what I want to be, who I just am. The new year for me feels like a time to start over in a way, to start being that person I’m discovering that I am.

Sitting here at the end of 2011, 2.5 years after starting on this crazy dream, and I’m looking ahead more than anything. If we are anywhere, it is because we stand on the shoulders of giants — our friends + family who encourage us, and the beautiful people we have gotten to know this year, who you’ve just seen in these many preceding photographs. 2011 will forever be a memory of an awesome year of growing and discovering…. thanks to all who were a part of our lives and who made it what it was. Here’s to 2012!

Many x’s and o’s!! - Jenn & Dave

by JENN

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December 23, 2011

MOVING & A HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Posted in PERSONAL

Exciting news — I’m sitting for the first time at my desk in our new place! Up to yesterday the room that would be our office was piled high with boxes, with a small path down the middle, and I suddenly got really antsy to have my desk all set up!! I’ve felt a little lost without it. Whether that’s a sign that I’m a workaholic, like to feel super organized, plain crazy, or really passionate about what I do, well that’s up to you to decide…… : )

Even though there are still many boxes, I feel like we’re almost there with the craziness that was: going on vacation, and then moving three days after coming home, which also happened to be one week before Christmas. Oh, and we also decided we’d like to host our families over for Christmas this year. This plan, I would probably not advise to anyone! Although it’s been stressful at times, it’s also been fun and an adventure and we would be nowhere without our family and friends who have pitched in along the way. We’ve been the recipients of some wonderful Christmas spirit over these past few days and are so grateful. Thank you also to everyone also who’s taken the time to write us as well! And to everyone who’s emailed me over the past couple weeks, thanks for your patience as I wade through my inbox!

I still have a few more things I wanted to post before the end of the year — a couple more weddings hopefully and a bit of a ‘year in review’ — but for now, I’ll be signing off for the next couple of days to enjoy one of my favourite times of the year. Dave, Cleo and I just wanted to wish everyone out there a wonderful holiday season…… take some time to sit under some twinkly lights with a warm drink with your feet up! Pretty sure we all deserve it!

- Jenn xx

Tags: christmas | jenn and dave | update

by JENN

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