Comings + Goings

I find I have not much to say about these photos only that I LOVE THEM! It's so rare that I get a chance to sort through, edit, and share photos from my personal life, but with so many visitors and visiting of our own lately I carved out time to make sure these received my attention.

Here are a few highlights from the past couple months' comings and goings:

-My parents' visit after the holidays. We had a great time showing them the city and our favourite wineries. We kill ourselves laughing every time we're together and I wouldn't have it any other way. I also bested them at Scrabble which was a lifetime first. They're fierce competitors and I was pretty proud that I'd finally schooled them!

-Bronwyn's 10-day visit on her way from Texas back to Calgary. Let me just say that we put away some pretty amazing food while that girl was in town. She's a truly inventive cook and a we spent a good bit of time not only cooking but talking about food and trying local specialties.

-Our trip to SoCal. Will had never been to southern California before, so we took the long weekend to go down and stay with the Jonkers...a family that's been like family to me for the past decade. On the Saturday I took Will out to Aguanga where I lived the year after high school (working on a ranch of sorts) and on Sunday we all went out to Anza-Borrego State Park. It was a quick trip, but a great chance to visit with good friends and get out on the road.

-Lauren & Elena's visit. My cousins from Saskatchewan (gorgeous girls with Disney princess eyes) came for a week during their school break and we had a great time bashing around the city, picnicking in the hills, and eating loads of great food. No wine-tasting though ;-) A favourite: Celebrating our Mennonite heritage and cooking beet borscht and baking rhubarb & strawberry platz. Oh. Yum.

Isn't my dad SO striking in this B&W pic!? He has the most piercing eyes!

I love deserts when they go through a brief stint as green and grey places. I especially love when late afternoon light hits the land and dark skies loom in the background...it's my all-time favourite lighting and I had to get a photo with it! I also have wanted to photograph this tree for over ten years and finally got my chance!

Talk about a stunning view from the loo ! And speaking of stunning...isn't Shannon just RADIANT?! And I have to say, my man looks pretty awesome too!

Oh San Francisco...how I love this newly adopted city!

I'd love to know which photos are favourites of yours!!! It feels so good to finally share them!

Carmen + Joni {A Post-Wedding Shoot}

So the great thing about a post-wedding shoot is that...well, there are SO many great things about post-wedding shoots! Want the run down? Nah, you probably just want to check out the rest of the photos! I'll catch you at the end of the set...

Gorgeous couple right? Yup. And relaxed as ever. Which is the main reason I recommend post-wedding shoots for couples who want the time to enjoy an extended, creative shoot, but don't want to see each other prior to the wedding ceremony. Other bonuses: No worries about getting back to your guests, the option of various locations, and my favourite--no pangs of hunger plaguing the expressions of the bride & groom!

For this shoot Carmen, Joni, myself and my husband Will, headed to the lakeside town of Arbon where we stopped at the 16th century castle for part of our shoot. As soon as we arrived I spotted the salmon-coloured wall across the street and in between our photos at the castle and on the shores of Lake Constance, I squeezed in a few shots along this gorgeous wall. Which of course was possible because we had all the time in the world (or at least as much time as Carmen could manage in the cold weather...we all were freezing, but that girl was a total trooper--Will had the luxury of staying warm in the car!). Anyway, the shots along the wall were my favourite and I had to share them with you. Sorry it took so long...it's been a bit of a wild month!

Carmen + Joni Tie the Knot in Switzerland!

The last month has been an incredible whirlwind! Will & I both celebrated our birthdays one week before Christmas, then we flew to Mississippi to celebrate with Will's side of the family, (and do some hunting of course!) and THEN we flew to Switzerland for the much-anticipated wedding of Carmen & Joni! I've been super-excited for this trip for a while and I know there are many itching to see photos from our travels, but I know the two MOST eager to see photos are Joni & Carmen, which means travel photos featuring snow-covered chalets and foaming glasses of beer are going to have to wait!

Here then, are just a few of the stunning couple on their wedding day! I'll be posting more photos featuring a few of the festivities as well as shots from their post-wedding shoot, but here are a few just to tide folks over!

There's nothing more romantic than candlelight, if you're the ones kissing by it, but photographing by it can feel a lot trickier. However, thanks to leaping into the world of full-frame with the Nikon D700, I'm able to shoot by dim, ambient light and not wind up with images saturated in digital noise. Okay, that's a bit of lingo, but basically, this camera (and the lens) SHONE in that dark castle tower and Joni & Carmen looked AMAZING. Anyone else using the D700 in dim light? I'd love to hear what you think.

After our shoot at Frauenfeld Castle, the limo pulled up to the reception location and there lining the entrance way were all the dinner guests holding torches and streamers...horn & trumpet fanfare ushered the glowing couple down the red carpet, but not before I hopped out of the limo first, cringing knowing everyone would be expecting Carmen & Joni! "Just me!" I cried, and the crowd feigned disappointment with a humourous sigh. We had debated who would get out first, but Carmen, Joni, and I decided that I needed to get the photos so out I went! Between the trill of the trumpets bursting through the crisp winter air and the firey display of the torch-lit processional, I turned giddy with excitement at the drama of it all! Of course, my own reaction was nothing compared to Carmen & Joni's, which I think was captured well here as they made their way to the reception hall. Aren't they GORGEOUS!!!???

Stay tuned for more!

Jaimes

Two For One Blog Post

So this post is going to be a 2 for 1 seeing as how tomorrow we hop on the red-eye to Mississippi for Christmas. First off, the final December Giveaway...

I know that those who voted on the Jaime Lauren Photography Facebook Page are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the winner of the Best Kiss of 2010 award--especially those couples whose photos were voted on. So I'll get to the winner without any further adieu: Seija & Josh, the $100 gift card to your online photo gallery at www.jaimelaurenphotography.com is yours! AND, since so many people got online and voted, I'd like to spread the Christmas cheer by surprising the 3 other couples with the most votes (Becky & Bryce, Brooke & Andrew, and Benita & Cory respectively) with a $20 gift card to their client gallery. I sincerely appreciate the turnout, the enthusiasm, and all the awesome feedback that came with folks commenting on their photo of choice. I've also been really enjoying the interaction that comes from comments and votes...it sure makes the solitary aspects of my job (posting, editing, etc.) much more fun! Keep the comments and feedback coming folks...they're what makes my work better!

Seija & Josh

Long Beach Lodge Resort, Tofino, BC

September 2010

All right, Numero Dos for today is one last fall-related post (yes, yes, it's December 22nd, but here in the Bay area it still feels like fall, so I'm justifying a final autumnal posting! Beside, yesterday was only the first official day of winter). This was a shoot for my dear, looong-time friend Skye and her fiance Wes who are getting married this spring. My absolute FAVOURITES from the shoot are the first ring shot which you'll see right away, and the middle photo in the second-to-last spread--Wes & Skye cuddled up in a Scottish tartan blanket purchased on the Isle of Skye. Skye's really proud of her Scottish heritage (and is the only girl I know who can pull off a pretty amazing Scottish accent) and I love that this prop was incorporated into the shoot. It's not cheesy or contrived--neither the kiss or the blanket. Anyway, we shot these in Kelowna outside of a little boarded up heritage church and I thought the colours of the building brought out all the fall hues really nicely. And of course, Skye & Wes looked mighty fine as well!

So, as we leave fall behind, here's one last look at a shoot from the year 2010. You'll hear from me next either from Mississippi if I get a chance, or from Switzerland which is where I'm heading for the New Year. I'll be ringing it in with my husband (who will be missing his team play at the Gator Bowl, bless his maroon & white heart) in Switzerland where I'll be shooting a New Years wedding for an old friend and his bride. I am having trouble containing my excitement even now, so beware, because by the time I get back to the blog I just might explode with a jumble of words and images!

Thank you for all your contributions to the blog throughout 2010. I can't wait to see what the New Year will bring but before I get ahead of myself, let me wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Here's to the next week filled with Mississippi family & friends, hunting for deer, and meditating on the birth of Christ!

And the Winner Is...

In my blogging/posting rampage this afternoon I forgot to announce that I'd drawn the winner of the Morocco photo book. Thank you to those who officially follow the blog and have for some time, as well as those new followers who've signed up recently...I really appreciate your support and would love to interact more with you through comments etc. Feel free to add your two cents!

Anyway, I know you're all dying to know who the winner is so without further adieu...

Elizabeth Klauer, (otherwise known as 'Biz') YOU are the lucky winner! If you could email me with your preferred mailing address, I'll have your Morocco coffee table book shipped off to you asap!

And to all you other fabulous folks, feel free to check out the giveaway posted below and vote for the Best Kiss of 2010!

Adios!

Jaime