A Day in O-Town

Sam and I headed out today to check out the locations of a couple of my upcoming weddings. He was more than happy to model for me and he had a great time walking around downtown. The shots above are just a few of my favorites from our little jaunt. I'm happy to say that the locations look wonderful and I'm really looking forward to working at each one of them!

Could it Be? Is it? It's Here! Spring is Finally Here!

Whew! I hope I don't jinx it, but it would appear spring has finally made a real appearance! My son and I spent some time outside in the sun this afternoon... in t-shirts! What a glorious feeling after such a trying winter!





I'm beyond excited because this means I will be able to resume outdoor sessions! With only a few May sessions still available, I can't wait for my wedding season to officially begin in a couple of weeks! For those of you wanting spring sessions, please book them now to make sure we can get you in!

I hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy some of this wonderful spring sunshine.

What Happens When...

... you let kids be kids? Their personalities shine through and they show you just how amazingly fun they can be. :) The kids and I slipped away to have a little fun in front of the camera this evening, and of course we ended up with a few outtakes. As I sat down to take a look at the photos, I was drawn not to the images that were perfectly posed with not a hair out of place, but to the images that told me a story about who each one of them truly is. Honestly, these images are just perfect to me and will likely find a place on my walls.






Of course, when you make it fun, sometimes they'll cooperate and give you a few serious moments, too...





I so love what I do!

Back to School

Last week we "celebrated" spring break with the kids. To be honest, it went by waaaay too quickly. My husband took the week off from work, and we spent a lot of time just being a family. On Friday we decided to treat the kids to a movie (well, our friend was nice enough to give my husband a gift card to the cinema as thanks for helping him out with some car trouble so it was really his treat, but I digress...). It was opening day for Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who and we really thought we couldn't go wrong. Wrong! Very, very wrong! My husband and I both struggled to stay awake and at one point our middle child - who usually has no problem sitting through a feature length film - tapped me on the shoulder and informed me he wanted to go play. So, for all the parents out there considering taking their children to a movie - I highly recommend you wait for something else. If you decide to go anyway, don't say I didn't warn you!

Here are just a few photos of my brood hanging out and enjoying each other last week.









And upon picking this one up from school this afternoon, a little boy from her class proudly came up to me and declared that she is his girlfriend! I think he just might need to clear that with her father. Haha!



I hope everyone has had a painless transition to the kids going back to school this week.

Check back soon to see some previews from a recent maternity session!

Cabin Fever?

So, we've had a wicked spell of c-c-c-cold weather recently, and I must admit that I'm as sick of winter as the next guy. It's true: we Canadians enjoy complaining about the weather, no matter what the season.

Saturday morning, however, I was treated to a beautiful sight while en route to a session. We had received a very fine snowfall that covered everything, and the scenery looked completely surreal...

I think I hate winter a little less after getting the chance to take these, so maybe I'll stop complaining about it... at least for a couple of days.

How about this snow?

Just a couple of snapshots from this past weekend to show everyone what our front yard looks like (please excuse the unsightly power lines!). For reference, my husband is about 6'1". It seems like every time the weather man has called for snow, we've gotten a few centimetres more than what was forecast... I really think I'm ready for it to all melt away...

Art Imitating Life? Or is it the Other Way Around?

Such a proud moment for a photographer! They say that imitation is the deepest form of flattery, and in this case it was felt 10 fold seeing as it was my son doing the imitating. I love it when my kids show me what they've learned through observation. We'll have to work on his technique a little, but I must say it's a promising start! ;)


We took a few moments after that snap was taken to have a little old-fashioned fun. No matter what the source, genuine laughter is so magical when captured through the lens! These are the images I keep coming back to and truly cherish. A real smile - whether in person or in a photograph - is always, always infectious.

Motel, Food & Gas

We drive by this sign in Vars many, many times a week and I've often wanted to pull over and photograph it. Well, I got my chance this afternoon when my husband stopped to fill up our family-mobile. The sign is two-sided (one side is english and the other is french), and I'm intrigued by the fact that they did not place the words in the same order on both sides... Isn't it strange what we notice when we take a few seconds to really observe our surroundings?

Bandages Make Everything Better

Just a short post today...

Remember when you were a kid and all it took to make the world better again was a kiss and a bandage?

Honestly, as a mom of 3, I'm not sure how I'd survive without those little sterile miracle strips!

Sam stepped on something this morning (I'm still not sure what it was) and came to me in tears looking for comfort. I'm happy to report that the wound was superficial, and everyone is going to be just fine. :)

Winter Wedding

This fabulous couple had some special reasons for moving up the date on what was going to be a January wedding abroad. They were married in their home in mid-December instead, and it was completely apparent that where or when they tied the knot didn't matter - they simply belong together. There was a special buzz throughout the house the entire time we were there, and it was such a privilege to be present to witness you both promise each other your forever. Congratulations to both of you, and a heartfelt thank you for having us there!

It's a Dog's Life

It must be tough being a 1 year old golden retriever in a house with 3 children. Haha! Oh wait - I think it's probably tougher on me than on any of them! :)



This is Memphis, our beloved family pet. Most of his evenings are spent doing exactly this after playing with our 3 kids and putting up with their "affections". He's such a fabulous companion! We are all just completely in love!

Another Little Lady (Bug)

I completely love it when an unexpected photo opportunity presents itself. I guess you could say that's really what drives me to want to take photographs at all... being able to take an otherwise ordinary moment and turn it into something cool. It's so much fun to have a tool (the camera, of course) that allows me to see the world from a whole new perspective - I almost feel like a child again!

This little lady (bug) was sitting on the spray bottle that I was going to use to clean our kitchen table this afternoon. Instead of getting rid of it like I usually do with critters, I pulled out the camera! My daugther loves the photo, and she learned that the white spots are not the ladybug's eyes. :)

A Post, Just For Em!

Emily finally gets her post and it's obvious she's feeling much better! We got a chance to get some photos done for her birthday party invitations... These were my favorites. Everyone will have to wait to find out which one(s) actually make it onto the invites though. ;)

Yet Another Snow Day... And it's Only December 3rd?!

Of course, the best place to be on a snow day is out in the snow, right? Unfortunately, none of us will be heading out there today. The stomach flu has found all three kids, starting with Em on Friday, so we're staying cozy inside our warm house watching movies and catching up on the sleep we've lost over the past few nights. My husband is working from home today, and now has a better appreciation for how difficult that can be with three inquisitive youngsters around. So... seeing as we can't romp in the fluffy white blanket covering our little part of the earth, I'm posting a couple of shots of my resting boys. Emily will soon have her own dedicated post - as soon as I get her photos done for her birthday invitations! ;)

Ho! Ho! Home?

The Cantin household received a very special guest this morning! The town food drive was in full swing, and when everyone's favorite man in red noticed our three munchkins sitting in the living room bay window he came to the door! At first, Emily wasn't sure if she should go... "But, I'm in my pyjamas! " she wildly exclaimed. We quickly settled her fears by explaining that Santa truly wouldn't mind - it was Sunday morning, afterall. He handed each child a piece of candy, gave Memphis' fur a quick rustle and was on his way to visit the other neighborhood children. Living in a small town sure does have its perks!

Welcome!

That's right! We've jumped on the blog train! How fitting since those of you who have visited our home know that the train passes through Limoges on a regular basis! :) Honestly, what better way is there for me to keep up with my large extended family, my friends, and of course, my clients? This is where I will be sharing favorites from my recent sessions and, well, favorites from my own personal photographic collection of family treasures. To my customers: I felt it was only fair that since you allow me into your homes and lives, I do the same for you. So, bookmark us, settle in and enjoy! I promise to do my best to keep the content fresh - just like the beautiful snow we've received over the past few days! And on that note - here are some photos of Sam, our youngest son, playing in the glorious white stuff after dropping off his big brother and sister at school on Wednesday morning!