Leanne & Derek | Derby Reach Engagement Session

Leanne and Derek had a beautiful engagement session at Derby Reach Heritage Park. We had to omit the beach pictures because the Fraser River was all the way to the top of the stairs if you know the area!  I've taught both Leanne and Derek back in the day so this adds a whole other awesome dimension to a wedding day.  Leanne and Derek have known each other for forever (I think!) as they are neighbours and have attended the same schools too.  

I love doing engagement sessions because then you get to see pretty quickly how a couple works together and how they communicate.  These two flirt by bugging each other which is a little bit of how Gary and I work too :)  Leanne and Derek, look how great you guys look!  We are totally looking forward to your wedding day in September.  Happy wedding planning!    Love, Louise and Gary.

Paige & Naomi | Derby Reach Family Photos

We recently had a half hour photo session auctioned off at a fundraiser for seven students going to Sierra Leone over Spring Break.  The winners of this silent auction item were Rob and Christina!  Like many families, they have never had professional family photos done and I'm so glad they chose to do so.   Their girls are at a great age for it and I think they now have a bunch of wall worthy family images :)

Their eldest daughter, Paige, has been in our son Kai's class for the past two years so it was a good chance to get to know them better as a family.  We just spent some time wandering around Derby Reach Heritage Site which gave the girls some time to explore.  Paige and Naomi, you girls did such a good job!  

There's some good ones!  Enjoy.

{I have the exact same image of my boys giving me a kiss at this doorway...it hangs in our hallway. I love it.}

Melissa's Birthday | Family Photos

Our good friends, Brent and Melissa, have four ENERGETIC and adorable kids.  I feel like their older boys, Matthew and Ayden, sort of prepared us for what having two boys can be like :) Wild.  Busy. Fun.   Gary has known Brent for almost 20 years and they were actually roommates for a while too.  I was there to capture their daughter Amarys' birth   two years ago and it is a wonderful memory for me.  

As a gift for Melissa's birthday AND the fact that they are moving away, I did a mini family session for them.  Now, it was during the super cold part of spring break so the kids were super chilly but I think they did a pretty wonderful job!  

We will miss you Team V and we'll be coming to visit!

I know the picture below is funny but I included it because it's `them'...I think they were joking that Melissa was pregnant with #5.  She's not:) 

We'll miss you guys!

Love, Louise and Gary

Spring Maternity Session | Derby Reach

 I met Shannon through church as we spent time together in the nursery and at our Ladies Morning Out that meets once a week.  Shannon just started out a photography business so we have been in touch a lot more lately as she figures out all the ins and outs of having a business.  You can check it out here. 

Somehow this maternity session was scheduled on one of the first days of Spring when the weather was AMAZING!!!   LOVE IT. 

Shannon and John are parents to two energetic little girls and are expecting a baby boy in May!  We had a mini session to capture this special time in their lives.  Because the girls did so well during the session, they got to go geocaching!! Now that's the kind of treat that our family likes as well :)  

Looking forward to meeting your little guy!  Enjoy.

The D Family | Derby Reach Family Session

I would say that the one day in an entire week where it did not rain was the day we had this session!  So awesome.  It was really fun to take photos of `big' kids for a change...you know, when I don't have to make funny sounds and sing in my VERY terrible voice.  Being one of 5 girls, there is something special about an all girl family.  They got along so well!  Maybe they don't all the time, but wow, so nice to see.  Can't say that we were as affectionate growing up:)  

Sylvia is a colleague of Gary's and my first memory of her was actually 22 years ago!  I was in grade 8 and we were biking the Sunshine Coast to raise money for bleachers for our school.  I'm pretty sure I was the slowest biker (it may have helped to have practiced?!) and Sylvia was a young teacher on the trip and she stayed back with me.  Thank you, Sylvia!

It was pretty windy and cold but you can't even tell.  We started out at Derby Reach Heritage Site and then went to the entrance of Bedford Landing, I love that brick wall!  Without further ado, here are some pictures of this lovely family!   It's been a while since they have had family photos so we made sure to get a lot of different ones that are definitely keepers!   Enjoy.

Ben & Jacob | Fort Langley Family Photos

This was my last family session before our baby comes (we still have three weddings) and it was a good one. I met Anita and Jon just over a year ago for their maternity pictures while pregnant with Jacob and then we've stayed in touch and our kids have played together too. Anita is also a photographer and so the priority was to get a good family photo and photos that included Anita in them. I know what that's all about as I love getting our family photos taken by someone else because it's nearly impossible for Gary and I to take our own with the remote trigger. Well, it's possible but too stressful:)

Here are some pictures from our time together along the Fort to Fort Trail in Fort Langley. The kids did a great job, the sun was out, Jon has a perfect smile in every photo I took (seriously, I don't think he blinks!) and Anita had chosen some great outfits for them all. I don't know which location of the three I like the most so I'm glad we did all three:) Enjoy!

Anita and Jon, as always, great to hang out with your adorable family. How did all of our boys get so big all of a sudden? Such blessings, all of them. Anita, I love how we really `get' each other being momma's of two energetic boys:) Looking forward to seeing them grow over the years!