Reflecting

It has been one year since I took the leap of faith and turned my passion for photography into a small business. I have learned so much along the way!
I need to send a Big THANKS to:
The people who have, in essence, paid me to learn.... aka my customers! You took a chance on a photographer in training to capture your family's precious moments. You enabled me to grow and test my skills. When I asked for feedback, you provided praise and constructive criticism. Many of my customers have become friends and they have proven to be better advertising than money can buy! You are the best!!!! Thank-you!
My family. They have sacrificed TIME with me on weekends and evenings to allow me to book sessions, travel to Regina for classes and edit photos; SPACE because I have taken over an entire bedroom for equipment storage, and every weekend I fill the living room with lights, backdrops and send them to the basement so I can invite families into our home for their session; MONEY... lets just say that the first year was rough financially and everyone in my home has made sacrifices to enable me to grow my business. Every cent I earned taking pictures was turned back into training and equipment (not to mention a big investment from our household income). They have not only compensated for my absence in the home, but they have also been my cheering squad and Guinea Pigs. Without them, I would not be where I am. Thank-You!
Lori Maxim, my teacher, my mentor. I love your style of teaching and I have learned so much from you. I realize that I have a long way to go, but I am honoured to be under your wing and value our growing friendship. Thank-You!
All the other people who have played a role in getting me where I am today. Those who have given me advice, shared knowledge, given me business tips, encouraged me, lent a helping hand, etc. You are too many to mention but you know who you are! :) Thank-You!

Yorkton Flood July 1, 2010

Yorkton residents celebrated Canada's 143rd Birthday under water. We had over 5" of rain fall in less than an hour, and more rain followed. Wind gusts uprooted trees and blew roofs off of houses. Hail stones fell that were up to the size of golf balls. Power outages affected many areas of the city, so sump pumps and shop vacs could not operate, which compounded water problems. Streets were closed due to water levels. Stalled cars and fallen trees scattered the streets. A state of emergency was declared and many residents had to evacuate. An estimated 75 homes are inhabitable (some homes had water fill their basements and rise into their main floor. I have never seen water levels rise so high that basement windows are completely covered by water. Most residents have spent the last four days cleaning up debris and pumping water out of their basements and yards. Businesses are closed and don't expect to be open for business for months. And good luck to anyone trying to get a call through to their insurance company, or trying to purchase a sump pump, shop vac or dehumidifier. Our home suffered only minor damage compared to many others in the city. My heart goes out to those who have lost everything.

Grad Photos

Taking these pictures was like an adventure! We went to several locations and came up with ideas and poses as we went along. This young lady was willing to take on mosquitoes, wood ticks and thistles to get something unique. We had a great time and giggled a lot! These photos are unedited.

Miss "T"

This little lady was a welcomed addition to a family full of boys... Sarah finally got her princess!

Getting Organized

I have been asked to keep updating the Blog by those of you who are not Facebook followers (which is where session images are uploaded). Facebook has images from sessions, and the Blog is a more personalized space where I share my professional and personal photography. I am determined to get myself organized enough that I can post sessions on both my Facebook Group and on the Blog. So, (you know who you are!) I hear you loud and clear, and I will work at including more on the Blog! :) Thanks for the advice!

Kendra

Baby "K"

This little man is a real Gem with a happy soul! He was so cooperative; smiling and cooing through most of our session! He didn't seem to be bothered by the flash or by being moved around and posed. This session was a lot of fun!

Another Early Morning Adventure

I enjoyed the last early morning adventure so much that I was eager to agree to go again! This trip out into the wilderness was deep into the bush to find the Great Blue Heron rookery that my Father has known to be in existence for many years. I was sworn to secrecy before he would agree to take me to its location. The Great Blue Heron are most often seen foraging along the waters edge, but people rarely see their nesting areas. They typically nest in heavily wooded swamp areas, that are not traveled by humans or other predatory mammals. Human disturbance has contributed to the Great Blue Heron's nesting failures. The Great Blue Heron are very sensitive to disturbances while they are nesting. They have not been deemed an endangered species, but have been assessed as a species of "special concern" by The Committee on the Status of Endangered Species in Canada. So, you can understand why I am so thrilled to have had this opportunity! After trudging through the bush, having to detour around swamps, and making mental note of all the Black Bear dung I was seeing along the way, finally, I could hear the sound of the Great Blue Herons. I could see them flying above, and then, I saw the nests, high atop the poplar trees. My Father said that the last time he had been to the rookery there were only about six nests, but I counted closer to two dozen. It was breath taking! I was so caught up in the moment that I was neglecting my camera, which is not typical Kendra behaviour! Anyway, here are a few of the photographs from The Great Blue Heron Adventure... which was worth getting eaten alive by mosquitoes, covered in ticks, and trudging through heavily populated Black Bear country (armed only with a camera). ;)