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). ;)

4:00 In The Morning

My Father is a real nature lover and he enjoys taking pictures just as much as I do. He keeps telliing me that sunrise is the best time of day for taking nature pictures. Personally, I prefer to sleep through sunrises. I am not a morning person so he really had to twist my arm to convince me to get up at 4:00AM and take a scenic drive into the country with him. Well Dad was right (as usual). It was worth it!

The Wild!

I love going for a drive into the country without a particular destination. For some strange reason, going down a road I have never been down before, excites me. Last weekend, I had the opportunity for such an adventure... and WOW, it sure paid off! My first great find was on a grid that had a small bridge with a large slough on both sides of the road. I spotted something swimming in the water so I got my Husband to stop the truck and let me out on the bridge. When he pulled ahead to park, the critter swam closer and closer. I got my camera ready and snapped some shots as it approached and continued shooting until the critter swam under the bridge. It was a mink!!! My Father is what I would call a "nature nut" and he said that in all his years, he has NEVER seen a mink swim. I was so excited! Our road trip in the boonies was coming to an end. The sun was getting low in the sky and my five year old Son was getting tired of touring and hungry. We started making our way back to the city when out of the corner of my eye, I saw what I thought was a bird's nest move. I have heard stories of porcupines climbing trees, but in all my years, I have never been in the right place at the right time. It was not a bird's nest... IT WAS A PORCUPINE IN A TREE! It was time for some off-roading! As we approached the trees, I could see the porcupine in a panic trying to make his way out of the tree, but we got to him before he got down to the ground. He froze... quills flared. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins! I was close enough to reach out and touch him. He wasn't moving a muscle, so I got several pictures before stepping back and letting him go back to doing his own thing. This road trip made my day!! I was smiling ear to ear and couldn't wait to get home and download the images! Here are a few of my photos from the day!

Land of the Living Skies

I am most productive and do most of my creative thinking between midnight and 2AM (I think I was a nocturnal creature in a former life!). I was born and raised a Saskatchewan girl, and I appreciate the beauty of this province's Living Sky... especially at night! When the Aurora Borealis start to dance, a thunderstorm rolls in or the meteor showers start in August, I run for my camera and order my Husband to get me as far away from the city lights as he can! Sometimes the camera doesn't capture what the eye can see, and other times, the camera sees so much more that is seen by the eye. The photograph here was taken on an evening when the Northern Lights were faintly dancing in the sky. I wasn't sure how vivid the colours would show up, but I was pleasantly surprised when I got home and downloaded the images. Enjoy!

Good things come in "Two(s)"!

Here they are! Two wonderful two year old children. They are the first set of twins that I have had the opportunity to work with... and luckily for me, on more than one occasion. The first time their Mother brought the twins to the studio, she wasn't feeling overly optimistic that the two would sit still long enough to get a picture that wasn't just a blur. She had been turned away from a big chain studio because the children were "too active". Her story touched me and I was determined to make this work for her. I have raised a family, so I know how challenging it can be to keep the attention of two year olds! Everything was great! Patience is a virtue and having a helpful Mom, Dad and Grandma on the sidelines being actively involved made the job so much easier... Thank-You guys!

Trying something new and exciting!

This is the first time I have ever tried a blog. I thought it would be a fun way to communicate with friends and families who have opened their hearts and homes to give me the opportunity to capture their lives through my lens. I am looking forward to getting more familiar with "blog life" so I can share my comments and the photographs of people who have given me a quick glimpse into how they live and love.