Forever Moments...

Annual Fall Portrait Event in the Park

2011-09-01T22:05:00.000-04:00

Take advantage of the Forever Moments Annual Fall Event.

Special offer only for this fall event includes a print credit with your session fee!

Session fee is $145 for 1 hour in the park at either Mill Pond in Milton or

Lowville Park in North Burlington, just on the west side of Milton.

BONUS: Receive $50 towards prints from your session.

New offers and bonuses available for 2011.

Contact Leah at 416-574-8991

Info@forevermoments.ca

www.forevermoments.ca

Don't wait, there are only 3 weekends

when the leaves are changing and only

certain days and times available.

Be sure to get the date that works for you!

Call today.

Always a pleasure to photograph someone beautiful, talented and smart!

2011-08-12T22:17:00.000-04:00

This gorgeous singer has a fantastic personality, is taking off to Europe to sing for some influential people in the Opera community and she has her B.Mus as well as her M.Mus. Wish her luck on this amazing journey.

Leah

Sisters

2011-08-07T14:11:00.000-04:00

These 3 beautiful sisters came into the studio this week and they were so much fun. They had great attitudes and were comfortable in their own skin which added to their lovely personalities. I can't wait to show them the rest of the images from the session!

Leah

Just having some fun.

2011-07-25T22:51:00.000-04:00

I was setting up for a session and my kids came down to find me. They wanted to help so I had them sit where I was going to have the baby positioned. They can either be the 2 hardest people for me to photograph or the best. This night they were great. It was a bit of a serious session but it was about 10:30 at night so bears and PJ's seemed to be the best attire.

Update before I take off for a few days

2011-07-12T15:31:00.001-04:00

It is summer time and with that, time to spend with great friends both away and here in town. Tomorrow the kids and I are leaving dad to fend for himself as we take off to a friend's cottage. The kids are pumped and can't wait to get there. I too am looking forward to some R&R with not much to do. I picked up at Wal-mart. These things are huge! A woman in line in front of us looked back and gasped "OMG, is that a marshmallow? How much sugar must be in one of those?!". Yep, looking to roast some mallows over the fire pit. My kids have never done it before and it has been forever since I last did it. I even picked up those long sticks to roast them on.

So, before I take off on our mini vacation, I thought I would post some of the pics from this little beauty's 6 month session.

Enjoy your summer!

Leah

We had a spashing time!

2011-06-28T23:15:00.000-04:00

This little man was only 10 days old when he came into the studio with mom and dad. One thing is for sure, he knew how to make a real splash. Even though this happens at just about every session in one way or another, it isn't always captured. Sometimes you just know it is happening but you can't see it and you hope that it is just wet.

At least at this age it is pretty much just water.

Love the images with a parent and their new baby.

Thanks for stopping by.
Leah

Design Bloggers Unite

2011-06-27T10:33:00.003-04:00

I had the pleasure of being at the Canadian Design Bloggers event where I met an amazing group of Bloggers with a focus on design. What a great group of very beautiful women (and a couple of stylin guys). They all had great style and were so enthusiastic about their passion for design. I am a design virgin and a blank slate for this very informed group to share their thoughts. They were all very excited to hear Tommy Smythe talk about design and his recent trip to Europe to learn about the history of Ikea. He showed us images from his trip where he had found great inspiration.

Tommy presenting to the group.


Daniella Z., Tommy Smythe and Andrea from IKEA.

Daniella and Vie were the organizers of this great event.

They had fantastic prizes that they drew names for. Delta had provided 2 different models of their touch technology kitchen faucets and a beautiful lavatory faucet, 2 really cool hand held shower heads as well as some beautiful books. IKEA donated a $1000 gift certificate and each person also received a Janjo work lamp in their take away bag! Crate and Barrel donated a beautiful bed set and CIL donated an iPad2 32G. I would have loved to have won any of these fantastic prizes but I have to admit I was most jealous of Sarah, of Redesigning Sarah, for winning the iPad 2. There was also a really nice Rowenta Garment Steamer.

Sarah with Alison from CIL.

Everyone was so well put together and beautiful. Check out this group!

Vanessa, Ana, Tommy, Sarah and Christine.

The blogs for these lovely ladies are as follows: Vanessa - Decor Happy, Ana - Second Wind Interiors, Sarah - Yummy Mummy Club, and Christine - Decor by Christine.

Delta Representatives and Vie.

I just loved this little man on the left, just tweeting about the event.

The Brassaii Restaurant on King Street near Spadina was

Thanks again ladies for letting me join in on your fantastic event.

Leah

Milton Orthodontics

2011-06-24T10:35:00.000-04:00

I have to say that I was very lucky that I didn't have to wear braces when I was a kid, but if my kids are not so lucky, I know exactly where they will be going to get them. Dr. Eva Berka is so friendly and easy going and her staff is so much fun that this is the place to go. My friends that go to Dr. Berka are thrilled with their results. They serve the communities of Milton, Campbellville, Action, Killbride, Carlisle and north-west Mississauga. Be sure to contact their office www.miltonorthodontics.ca 905-878-8865 for information if you even have to consider Orthodontic work.

New Backdrops

2011-06-19T23:31:00.000-04:00

I have a new baby coming into the studio tomorrow morning and I can't wait to try out a couple of new backdrops and flooring I recently purchased. Actually, I was too excited so I had to round up my own models to give them a try. Here are some of the images from my gang just having some fun.

Beautiful Interior

2011-06-09T16:57:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of working with one of my clients on a project of hers. She is an interior designer and she has done a beautiful job on this Milton home. In collaboration with her client/friend, Interior Decorator Vanessa Francis transformed a dated dining room into a bright, elegant space. The dining table, large scale pendant and original art make a statement and give the room personality.

Check out her blog for more details on this transformation.

Hope you are having a fantastic day!!
Leah

Ballet Class

2011-05-20T17:47:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of photographing the ballet class at Dance Etc. here in Milton where these lovely little girls were taking a class.

A Beautiful Board of Directors

2011-05-11T15:07:00.000-04:00

These lovely ladies are part of the board or directors at Milton Community Nursery School. I have a personal soft spot for this school as my kids both went there and had such a fantastic time there. The teachers are just amazing and the school is a co-op and I just loved meeting so many families here when I first moved to Milton. The board is a hard job, I know, I was on the board for 2 years and it was a fantastic experience.
I was selected to take the school portraits last year and was chosen once again for the honour this year. I just loved interacting with all the kids.

Thank you to these ladies and to all volunteers that put in so much of their personal time and energy to make things better for everyone.

Leah

First Communion

2011-05-10T15:52:00.000-04:00

It is time for First Communions and here are a few images from this year. They all look so lovely in their clothing. It was fun to chat with them about what Communion means to them and how they were preparing.

This little one is now 6 months

2011-04-02T15:52:00.000-04:00

Okay, you can't tell from these images, but she was so not having a good time during her session. Now with that being said, I was making headway with my comedy act because she is clearly killing herself laughing at my Dora and Boots jokes.

Best Friends!

2011-03-25T11:25:00.001-04:00

My daughter had a friend over and we decided to have a little fun in the studio. The girls loved it. These are so much fun and a I am loving being able to capture some fun images with her and her childhood friends. I wish I had move photos of my friends and myself growing up.

Now with all of the cell phone cameras around kids can take their own photos, but mine won't be getting their own cell phones any time soon. I am worried about when the kids post images on social networking sites and I want to make sure they have a clear understanding of what is inappropriate to post. As a former HR Manager, I know I would be searching out Facebook prior to the interview process. Things our parents didn't need to think about. Hmm.

4 days before the birth!

2011-03-20T22:33:00.000-04:00

This beautiful mom came in just 4 days before giving birth to a beautiful baby boy. She was doing great. I could barely move at this stage and I was ready to meet my child.

Baby Girls are so much fun!

2011-02-22T22:02:00.000-05:00

I love playing with all the little girl props when I get a baby girl in the studio. This was her first visit and at just 6 days old she was a delightful start to my day. She was putty in our hands when it came to giving us everything we asked of her and her parents were so amazing to work with.

9 months again

2011-02-20T20:58:00.001-05:00

I got to photography this little beauty again today for her 9 month session. Her sister had a similar session back in 2008 and we attempted to repeat a few of the images.

6lb 9oz of Sweetness

2011-02-18T12:06:00.000-05:00

Here is the joy of my day yesterday. What a little doll he was and did an amazing job as we moved him around and changed things up on him. I am really looking forward to producing these images for this lovely couple and their precious baby boy.

Leah

What a beautiful sight

2011-01-19T12:47:00.000-05:00

I love photographing a pregnant mom. They just glow and have a radiance to them. This is the first baby for this couple and I am so excited to meet the little one very soon.

She is now 10 months

2011-01-10T10:25:00.000-05:00

Got to love this child's head of hair. At 10 months we could actually put it up in a bun!

First Baby

2010-12-22T15:36:00.000-05:00

New parents are always so much fun to photograph. The joy and uncertainty that comes with that first pregnancy is so exciting and reminds me of a time 9 years ago when my husband and I started to grow our family. I loved being pregnant and was fortunate not to get sick. The morning sickness phase skipped me both times which was great.

This young couple is going to be spending Christmas with their new baby. Congratulations!

Darling little girls

2010-12-22T15:22:00.000-05:00

I just love to photograph this family. There is a large print on my table of this family back when their oldest daughter was about 9 months old. They will get stopped in the park and people have asked them if I am their photographer as they recognize their daughter. She is a doll and now she has a mini-me of herself. Here they are.

Everything old is new again

2010-12-12T23:18:00.000-05:00

I had a wonderful session today with two lovely girls. The sisters were into trying different hats and poses and they made for a delightful start to my morning.

It was nice to have a session with the carpet down in the studio and not the paint spotted sub-floor.

Thanks for stopping by. Please feel free to comment.

Leah

It has been more than a year...

2010-12-06T09:34:00.000-05:00

... since I met this wonderful family. We first met in October 2009 during Angela's pregnancy and she was a beautiful model for the Vitality Centre on Nippissing here in Milton. Look at this lovely baby belly.

Then I got to meet this beautiful bundle of joy.

Six months later this is how she had grown. We had so much fun during these sessions.

And this was her 1 year session just this past weekend.

Happy Birthday sweet pea.

Leah

The Studio is almost ready.....

2010-11-25T12:55:00.000-05:00

Oh I am sooo excited. I shot a few images of my sick little guy today who is home from school in the new studio area!!! Still waiting on carpet to arrive for the rest of the area but at least I can work now. I love having the fireplace on and it is so warm. We put extra special pad under the flooring so that it is warmer and it really does keep it a bit warmer than the other flooring. Still a few touches like a mirror hung in the bathroom and a toilet paper roll but I love it.

Thanks for stopping in.

Leah

Delightful

2010-11-23T00:27:00.000-05:00

This little beauty was 5 days old when she came in to meet me. Her parents were remarkably relaxed and calm and full of joy as all new parents should be. It was a real pleasure to photograph this lovely family.

Thanks for stopping by.

Please feel free to leave a comment.

Leah

The Learn to Love Hungry Food of the Day

2010-11-14T13:49:00.000-05:00

Many of my friends and clients have noticed that over a period of a couple of months at the end of the summer I lost some weight. 20lbs to be specific. I had joined a boot camp for 6 weeks in June and got up at 5:30am, Monday through Friday and I didn't move a single pound off the scale and my pants all fit the same! I did hurt, my knees felt like they were 70 years old, my face looked old because I was getting up so damn early so I quit. This was not the route for me.

I went on the internet and looked for menu plans. I knew that I wasn't any good at following a normal plan because if I didn't have a particular food, I fell off the plan and lost interest. So I thought that if I looked at a few different menu's I would pick and choose the items that I had or would keep around and make my own.

I found that the Chatelaine Website provided a number of different diets and I printed them all off and had a look at what I could take from each one and make my own plan. I noticed one consistent theme across all of the various plans. I WAS GOING TO BE HUNGRY!!! It really didn't seem to matter what I was going to eat, I just could not eat very much of it.

I started for a couple of days living on an egg for breakfast, a tuna sandwich for lunch and 1/2 of a chicken breast for dinner with veggies. I started to loose weight. I cut out all sugar which was the hardest part and when I would feel hungry, I would tell myself, "learn to love hungry and you will loose the weight", "you don't need to eat a lot of food to fuel your body." It was working. Inside of a week I had lost nearly 5lbs. I was tracking my progress on the Free Lose It app for my iTouch. Great Little app.

Then I had tea with my good friend and a massage therapist here in Milton, Martina Gyokery
and she was concerned that I was eating too much tuna and not enough good stuff so she took me shopping and introduced me to Quinoa (kēnwä|). It cooked up like rice, 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water and it was easy to eat so I picked some up. Her recipe was simple and easy to make but I decided to try mixing things up with items that I liked.

While shopping I also picked up some beans. I like beans so I thought they would work well with the quinoa. I noticed that the Blu Menu Soy Beans had more than double the protein than the other beans so I tried them. They have nearly no taste so they go with anything. I now even grind them up with some water and put them in my pasta sauce! So, I came home and started mixing them together. I began eating this each day for lunch, controlling my portions to about a cup to a cup and a half. I would even have some as a side to my dinner. Smaller plates also seemed to make a difference. No more large plates.

Well, I felt great and people were starting to notice and I keep getting asked for the recipe so here it is. I do feel that the real weight came off because I cut out sugar and ate less, but I do feel much better since I have been eating this regularly. It is always in my fridge and I just warm some up with I am hungry.

Quinoa - I pick this up at Costco for $8.99 but you can get it at the grocery store.

I cook up an onion because I like the taste of them.

Martina introduced me to Kale so I chop that up and throw it in after the onions cook down.

In the mean time the Quinoa is cooking up in another pot. I only had 1/2 a cup left so that is what I used. Normally I put in 1 1/2 cups.

Add the kale to the onion.

Next I put some Chicken stock in. These are the other items I used today.

Rinse the black beans (I used different beans each time but I particularly like these)

Rinse and drain the soy beans and throw them in the pot with the onions and kale.

Give them a stir and maybe put a bit more chicken stock in. I usually add a package of Knor Vegetable soup mix too but I didn't have any today.

I like cherry tomatoes in it too so I cut them in half and throw them in and toss in the can of corn because I like the crunch of the corn.

Then I toss in the diced tomoates. Initially I opened up whole tomatoes but I was too lazy to chop them up so I opened up a can of diced and I will used the other can for dinner with something.

I then toss in about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of Essence - Emerils Creole Seasoning. I use this a lot but I got it from a salmon recipe he makes.

The recipe for this is:

2 1/2 tbls paprika

2 tbls salt

2 tbls garlic powder

1 tbls black pepper

1 tbls onion powder

1 tbls cayenne pepper

1 tbls dried oregano leaf

1 tbls dried thyme

I then stir it all together.

Oh yeah, forgot the broccoli I had sitting on the counter to add so in that goes. If I had any other vegetables around I cut them up small too and add them in. I like zucchini and I have also added in a can of peas. Depends on what you like. Celery, carrots or anything would likely work well.

I almost forgot the garlic. I get lazy and use the stuff in the jar. It is not as powerful as the fresh garlic but I put a couple of these heaping tablespoons in and that is good. I may add some more chicken stock and I let it sit for a while. Have some and put the rest in the fridge for the rest of the week.

Well, for those of you that have been asking for it, here it is. I hope you personalize it and enjoy as much as I do.

Leah

Rub a dub dub.

2010-11-08T10:10:00.000-05:00

I just loved this image when I took it. The backdrop had such a fun colour to it and I just had to play with it. It reminded me of rain and water so I brought in other elements to enhance what I saw.

Have a great day!

Leah

Check out those eyes!!!

2010-11-08T01:19:00.000-05:00

These girls are just so lovely that I wanted to share them with you. I love images when everyone isn't always wearing a toothy grin and often not even looking at the camera. Seems many people I meet with will love an image but want everyone looking directly into the lens. These girls are clearly looking directly into the camera but with two very different expressions and I love them both.

I also really like the image at the bottom where no one is looking at the camera. It kind of reminds me of opening squares from the TV show, The Brady Bunch. Everyone looking around checking out everyone else.

I so enjoyed working with Sandy and her family. You may recognize her from her earlier headshots. Sandy Hatzis is with RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty. A very smart lady and fantastic Real Estate Agent.

Time to log off so that I can meet a new family in the morning.

Leah

Bella is 6 months old now.

2010-11-08T00:59:00.000-05:00

I get so excited when I am going to see a baby on my first year program. I can see the baby features from when they were newborn and how their eyes have gotten so big and round. I can enjoy all of the stories of how they are growing and what they have been up to and it is all so exciting for me. I am finished growing my own family but it feels like I still get to participate in the growth of my client's families. I enjoy it too when they come back with a new sibling that is joining the family. This little sweetheart is the first baby for this family, but a cousin to two other clients all who had their babies within a couple of months of each other. The grandparents are so proud.

This little doll is 6 months old and it was so delightful to see this family again.

Thanks for checking in.

Leah

I love a big canvas!

2010-11-02T13:34:00.000-04:00

I just picked this up today. I want it for myself!! This is a 30x43 canvas.

Okay, I have clearly not put this photo through photoshop but sometimes you just have to take the shot!

I can't wait to give this to the family.

I just can't get enough of this bundle of pure Joy.

2010-11-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

Little Mr. R is such a delight. One the happiest babies I have had the wonderful fortune to photograph. A little over a year now, he has grown so much since I first met him when he was only about 5 months old. He smiles constantly.

Fall 2010

2010-10-29T23:58:00.000-04:00

It has been a busy season with some fantastic weather. I have really enjoyed getting out of the studio for a while to capture the great outdoors. I loved these images and I just had so much fun with these families that I wish the season was longer. Maybe I will have to do some snow scapes this year and find some families that love the winter season!

Here are a handful of images from this season.

3 Beautiful Girls

2010-09-23T10:21:00.000-04:00

Brad is one lucky man. A beautiful wife and 3 gorgeous daughters. I have had the honour of photographing this family since the youngest was just an infant. I love capturing them! We headed out to my favourite outdoor location because it has so much to offer and we had a sunset session. The light at this time of the evening is just fantastic!

Night Scenes

2010-08-26T22:22:00.001-04:00

Tonight I wanted to play with a new softbox I purchased this week and I really love it. If you are interested in an evening light session, these are the types of images that I will be trying to capture for you.

This type of session is suited to families with children over the age of 5 or 6 as it is later in the evening and younger children usually don't last very long. Also, we have to work rather quickly because the light is fading rapidly and the older children are better able to hold a pose so that we can capture everything quickly.

We shot these images between 7:15pm and 8:15pm tonight.

If you think you might like to have an evening session, give me a call or send me an email.

Leah
416-574-8991
info@forevermoments.ca

Fall Family Portraits - Special

2010-08-26T09:17:00.000-04:00

Yesterday evening I sent out an email to my clients letting them know about a Fall Portrait Special I am offering in October. Actually, after years of procrastinating about putting some type of newsletter together, it was my first "mailing". I am one of those people who don't like too much email where I am one of many in the To: box. That is always in the back of my mind so my thought was to put something together only when necessary so that I don't bother people with things they didn't ask for. I decided that this year I wanted to be more organized about capturing family portraits in the park with the beautiful fall colours as the backdrop and to do that, I had to get on top of things now. I put together a simple sheet to show what colours I have captured on various dates and jumped right over my procrastination block (okay, after week of thinking about it), and hit send. Well, I was a bit surprized at how quickly people started emailing me with date requests. This is exciting and now I just pray for nice weather which is the only real down side to planning portraits outside.

October is already a busy month for Birthday's in our family, plus this year I have the honour of photographing the students of Milton Community Nursery School. My kids both went there and it was such a wonderful place with the best teachers around that I just didn't want to let go of my connection there. I was so excited when I was chosen to photograph the students this year. If you have been looking for a Nursery School or will be, you must check them out at www.miltoncommunitynurseryschool.ca. So I need to be very organized about how I schedule sessions this fall but this is something I really wanted to do and I am pleased that I just did it.

If you are interested in a Fall Portrait for a beautiful piece of art for your home that is of the people you love, contact me to grab a time on one of the 3 dates I have available.

Park sessions will be offered on Saturday October 9th, Saturday October 16th and Sunday October 24th. There are 6 sessions each day. A small deposit of $25 is requested to hold your date and time. This amount will be applied to the session fee of $149 and you will also receive a $25 print credit to use when you place your print order after the session images have been presented to you.

Well, I plan on enjoying what is left of the summer break and then my life will be come more organized once the kids are in school. I may have one more trip to Wonderland left in me!

Leah

Can you believe it?

2010-08-16T10:39:00.000-04:00

Mrs. L is having her 3rd baby! Yes, her 3rd and she looks fantastic. She only has 3 weeks to go until she meets this little one. She came to the session with a few ideas and cute clothing options that were fantastic. I just loved shooting her and the camera just loves her!

2010-08-08T15:41:00.000-04:00

I was so excited to see little Miss. M and when I opened the door I had to stop and stare for a moment. Now 3 years old, I could still see that beautiful baby face that I photographed when she was nearly 6 months. She was coming to introduce me to her new little brother who reminded me of her a lot. Here is what she looked like when I first met her.

Such a little doll. I love the left hand slightly reaching out like a real fairly princess.

Now she has this beautiful baby brother and she is a very sweet older sister.

Such a little doll. I love the left hand slightly reaching out like a real fairly princess.

And look at this little ball of joy! It was so great to see everyone and catch up on how everyone is doing.

When I was going through the images I realized that Little M had been in this tutu before! I didn't even realize when we put her in it for fun.

Little Boys

2010-07-11T21:16:00.000-04:00

I love the inspiration and the challenge that each new child brings to me. Each child has a unique personality that becomes my source of energy that determines for how I will capture who they are and ultimately what we will end up getting out of the session. This mom was an inspiration all by herself. Two boys, aged 3 and 2 who were full of energy and playfulness, and a newborn brother, not even 2 weeks old. I thought I was doing well with 2 children - 16 months apart. I see now that I had no idea.

The Firefighter and his family...6 months later

2010-07-09T08:49:00.001-04:00

Do you remember this stunning couple? I couldn't wait to see Baby A sitting up and moving all around. What a doll with the most captivating blue eyes! She is such a happy baby and it was wonderful to catch up with them and see how everyone is doing. I love my job!

That was quick.

2010-07-08T22:06:00.000-04:00

This lovely family was back for the return visit within a couple of weeks. The baby had arrived and he joins his brother in making mom and dad very proud parents. Congratulations everyone!

8 1/2 months!

2010-06-28T18:25:00.000-04:00

When this beautiful mom called me about a maternity session, I was worried when she told me that she was 8 1/2 months pregnant. That is usually getting to a point where mom's are getting uncomfortable and some (like myself) really are retaining water.

When I saw Mrs. A, I had to remind myself that she was so far along. We shot these images on June 14th and just over a week later she went into labour and had another little boy and I am very excited to meet him later this week.

New Borns are so amazing.

2010-06-22T21:13:00.000-04:00

I have the greatest job. I personally am finished with the baby making process but I get to hold and cuddle newborns all the time. This little darling was 6 days old! What a doll.

2010-06-09T14:13:00.000-04:00

I am always amazed when siblings look so much alike and these 3 cuties were clearly related. All are very close in age and looking through their baby photos it was clear that they all carried the same gene pool.

Big Brother was not quite as interested in participating in the family session which had mom pulling out every trick she had. I found out that he liked animals so I thought I might be able to win him over by telling him I had a dog. His eyes lit up and he wanted to know where it was. I usually keep the dog away from the studio. I think the sound of the lights sometimes bother him. I went to get our 13 year old Shih Tzu and big brother was off. Getting him back was now the problem. We did manage to get him back for a couple of snaps of the shutter but that was it. Our dog had a companion for the rest of their visit.

Graduation

2010-06-01T13:51:00.001-04:00

I was so excited to be asked to photograph the graduation party of this high school last week. Everyone was all dressed up and they looked amazing. Oh to be young again!
I hope they all had a fantastic time that evening. Here are just a few that I took at the pre-party.

And she has arrived!!

2010-05-23T21:15:00.000-04:00

Little Miss CHL proved herself to hold her own as a fantastic model like her big sister. She was a charmer and did everything we asked of her. Must be the magic fairy dust I sprinkle all around before the shoot. We moved her from position to position and she just went with the flow, rarely even waking to bat an eyelash at us. I can't wait for these girls to have CHL's 6 month photos. I am already picking outfits.

I hope you enjoy the images and thanks for stopping by!

Leah

2010-05-22T11:58:00.000-04:00

My brother and his family came out to Toronto last week and we all got to meet the newest addition to our clan, McKenna. She is 2 months old and has a ton of hair. That may come from her mother. It was sad to see them leave but he is working out in Calgary gaining great experience so we all must enjoy the little time we get to see them.

McKenna was just amazing. She had already been out to the east coast on this trip to visit her mom's side of the family, then they came to Toronto for a week to be with all of us which was wonderful. That baby girl never cried and she slept in anyone's arms and didn't fuss at all. Wow! I remember Adam having colic like my son and sleep was about the only thing they didn't do.

I am so pleased for them and it was wonderful that I was able to capture images of my niece while she is still so small. I may not get to photograph her again for a couple of years.

Leah

Baby N is here.

2010-05-22T11:34:00.000-04:00

I am a little behind on my posting but at the very beginning of May I got to meet beautiful baby N. I had wanted to try this image of the mom posing pregnant, then having her in the same position holding the baby. I was very excited with how well we managed to pose. When the images are played one after the other on top of each other they work really well.

Baby's first year packages are a wonderful gift. N&A received a maternity session and the baby's first year package as a special gift that will last a lifetime, not just until they grow out of them. Consider this gift for the next shower you are invited to!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day. Happy May 2010!!

Leah

Butterfiles and Rainbows

2010-05-06T22:44:00.000-04:00

That is what little girls are made of. A.S. was just a delight to photograph. Easy going, warm and friendly, we had a terrific time getting to know each other. I am excited to meet their first child and we wrote out her name in blocks but they choose two different names. We shall see what they decide...

Brothers

2010-04-25T23:43:00.001-04:00

Little M reminded and his older brother J were a delight to photograph earlier today. I shot one of my favourite images today. I just loved how this one converted to black and white.

Big brother J is always a joy to photograph and now his brother joins him.

These two will have the phone ringing off the hook when they are teenagers.

I think this look is "Don't mess with my brother or you will be dealing with me."

Thanks for stopping by!

Leah

Session Number 2 for Little Mr. R

2010-04-24T22:22:00.000-04:00

This has to be one of the happiest babies. He is always smiling and I just love seeing him. He has the whole session thing down now and he is ready to jump in as soon as he arrives. We were changing up the hats and he was at that stage where he was starting to crawl away when we would sit him down. Just as I would get everything set, we would plunk him down and he would start to take off. Only one solution to a moving baby...Cheerios! Yes, he got his first Cheerios from me. It was a special moment.

I remember the day my daughter got her first Cheerios. I took pictures, but you likely would have guessed that. Big eyes wide with the excitement of putting this somewhat flavorless item in their mouth and having it melt away. Once they get one, you have to have a small container full on hand.

Yep, that is a Cheerio he has in his hand.

He is just such a happy baby.

You guessed it, more Cheerios.

I just love this little back image. It is on the back cover of his album.

Again, just sooo happy!

I love this one and he just looks so cute in this hat!

I just love the way the red shows up on the black! He is so easy to put a hat on! Some babies get their hands up there so quick and pull it right off but he is happy as can be.

And here with his beautiful mom!

So happy to meet the their younger son.

2010-04-20T18:23:00.000-04:00

This wonderful family asked to to photograph their first son in September 2008 and I was so excited when they called to tell me that they had a second son and wanted me to photograph him too.

I love it when I get to meet new family members and capture them when they are brand new. Just a couple of weeks make such a difference in how an infant looks and they become so strong so quickly that it is just such a treat when I get to play with them.

Check out this beautiful smile! I love it.

I just love when the are all folded up like this.

Just a little break for a burp.

Siblings have a beautiful relationship that I love to capture.

What was he thinking??

He was laughing so hard we were all laughing with him.

Look at this beautiful family.

Mom looking lovely.

Another beautiful child on the way

2010-04-14T21:01:00.001-04:00

I was so lucky to have this family as one of my early clients from my first year that I started my portrait business. I started because my friend Kelly told me that I had to do it! So, with my Rebel XT and my husband's stage lights, I started to take photos. I picked up some material from Fabricland so that I had a white sheet to photograph people on. I used the stage light stands to hold the material up and I put the VERY hot lights on a table or the floor. They worked great to get started and to see if this was something I liked doing. Once I started doing it I was hooked! I loved it!! So, after I had photographed a handful of clients for next to nothing so that I could test the waters, I went to Sheridan College to learn how to take the camera out of auto mode and how to use lights. I loved each course and started to sign up for courses through other photographers too. Networking and learning from others in the field are a great ways to improve. I was just at a course on Monday night and it is just so energizing to be in a room with so many photographers, all looking to help each other.

Eventually I purchased a real backdrop stand that all fit nicely into one bag. It used to take me 2 trips for the backdrop stand and another 3 for the heavy hot lights. Now, I can carry it all in one trip. The problem with loving photography is that you become addicted to the gear. I have since purchased 3 more camera's and I don't think Canon makes anything cheap. Even the cables are crazy. If you are looking for a great place to start purchasing gear, I love Damon at Henry's and you should go talk to him. If you are looking for someone who knows what they are talking about and who will not try to sell you more than you need, go see him at the Mississauga location.

Anyway, back to my original story, this family was one of my first. I took their maternity photos with their first beautiful little girl. Then it was newborn images when she was just a couple of weeks old, then again at 9 months and at 1 year. Now, pregnant with their second child, we are all set to start this exciting process of documenting the growth of their family again. I am so pumped. They are one of my poster families, with a 16x20 canvas positioned right on the table where I meet with my clients. People stop them in the park and ask them if Leah photographed their family. I just love that!

Please enjoy a few images from their recent session.

Thanks for reading.

Leah

Guy is ready to give 110%

2010-04-13T17:20:00.000-04:00

I got to meet Guy Buchanan recently when he came to me to create some headshots for his real estate portfolio. Guy is an energetic and fun person and he was great to interact with. He had a wonderful story about how he met his beautiful wife and I hope that they will be back to photograph their family in the future.
Guy has some great ideas about how to start his career in real estate and with his energy and innovation I am going to watch for his signs around town!

2010-04-09T17:35:00.000-04:00

I met this lovely family when they came to allow me the honour of photographing their newborn son but I had the added pleasure of meeting their daughter who was a doll to have fun with. She just loved the big teddy bear and gave him some great big bear hugs. Kids at this age are unpredictable and full of energy and that is what makes photographing them so much fun. My job is never the same on any given day and I would not have it any other way!

I had posted a few of these photos on Facebook but just noticed that I had not posted any here so I thought I would love to share them with you.

Thanks for stopping by.

Leah

Main Street Quartet

2010-04-06T09:49:00.000-04:00

I had a terrific afternoon getting outside with Shantelle, Jenn, John and Frank for some photos for their portfolio. They were so much fun and it was a chance to get out in the middle of the day for a couple of hours and have fun without having to worry about anyone jumping in the mud before it was time or falling in the water :). Check them out at www.mainstreetquartet.net!

Check out the frozen water behind them! It was a beautiful day and there were birds walking on the pond a bit further back!

One Year Later...

2010-04-05T15:38:00.000-04:00

Well here we are. One year later. Little Baby M is one and it has been such a wonderful pleasure to photograph her over this time frame. Here are some of her latest images. Little Miss M always shows me many sides of her sweet little personality and has no fear of the camera and the lights. It is usually a bit of a challenge to keep a hat on a toddler, but not this one, she loves to play dress up too.

Thanks for stopping by!

Leah

Little Boy

2010-03-30T22:07:00.000-04:00

This little man was a delight to photograph. Full of great expressions and we managed to get him to sleep too which is always wonderful. I love this first image. The parents decided to mount it and it stands out 2" and now I want one for myself it just looks so fantastic.

Comfortable in daddy's arms.

I just love a little bare bottom!

Play time with mommy

I just love it when they fall into a deep sleep.

A quiet moment with mommy.

Go Team Go!!

2010-02-23T15:30:00.000-05:00

I have know Irene for about 13 years. She is my amazing massage therapist based out of South Mississauga. I always know that she will be able to fix me up when I am all knotted up. She has a gift for being able to locate some tiny spot on my back by my neck, even when I have not told her. I was so excited to finally get the chance to photograph her and her great looking family. Her son and daughter are all grown up now which was a surprize to me as I had not seen them in a few years. Thank you all for coming in and sharing Valentines Day with me!

This family is growing fast!

2010-02-08T10:52:00.008-05:00

Natalie and Andres are expecting their first child in mid-April and Andres' sister is expecting her second baby any day now. The cousins will be only a couple of months apart and we are going to photograph them together which is just going to be so adorable. Chatting with them about my experiences brought back lots of memories for me. I wish them a smooth and "easy" labour. I told them that my daughter ended up being breech so they offered to turn her and I was not open to that idea at all! Her delivery was an unscheduled c-section. My son came along only 16 months later so he was a planned c-section.

Look at these beautiful sisters! They are so happy and delightful and it was a real pleasure working with them. This is the first baby for their family and everyone is very excited.

My Practice Models

2010-01-17T13:57:00.000-05:00

I was really looking forward to a one year photo session with little Maya who I have had the pleasure of photographing from her time in her mom's tumming, and right through to 9 months. She was not feeliing well yesterday morning so we decided to make use of the time by letting my kids have some fun with the new backdrops I had picked up. Josh got into his Tux. That was the best $60 I have EVER spent on children's clothing. I purchased it when he was 2 for my sister's wedding but they only had a size 4 so I had to take it up quite a bit. Then, when he was 4, I let it down a bit. He has worn it to his nursery school graduation, Christmas concerts, dress up events and now even for a photo session with mom. Now at age 6 it is starting to look like he won't get much more time out of it but it has been great to have.

Isn't She Lovely?

2010-01-07T12:48:00.002-05:00

Sandy Hatzis is a Real Estate Sales Representative with REMAX Aboutowne and we had a great time creating some headshots for her but we also did some casual images just for fun. She is just too cute!

Some time for my Family

2010-01-04T20:27:00.006-05:00

Over the holidays I had an opportunity to capture some images of my family. It has become something that my children understand they just have to do every few months. It always starts out fun but at some point there is no more listening or too much goofing around and it all breaks down. That is when I call it over as we are just not all on the same page and eventually everyone succumbs to doing as mom asks. I may have had to fake tears or heartbreak, but I usually get at least a few shots that I really love. This year was no different.

He was 5 weeks early but look at him now!

2009-12-30T17:31:00.001-05:00

Originally I was going to photograph this beautiful baby boy before he left the warmth of his mom's tummy but he surprized everyone and arrived about 5 weeks early. I finally got to meet him when he was a month old and he is doing beautifully. He liked to be warm so we kept him that way as much as possible and he did everything we asked of him. He had a good workout. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. C on your beautiful baby boy. Thank you so much for the pleasure of photographing your family.

Mom and her son have a fun photo day.

2009-12-20T20:54:00.001-05:00

This mother and son team were so much fun. They were so close and so loving that is was a pleasure to spend time with them. It was great when Mr. C told me that he had so much fun during their session. It really made my day. I stive to make each session personal and a fun experience and I love receiving feedback that I accomplished that goal.

And baby will make 4!

2009-12-16T01:24:00.000-05:00

I was so excited to meet this family. They had seen my work at the Vitality Centre www.vitalitycentremilton.com and asked for my information. They had thought out some ideas that they were eager to try out and I am game for trying out different ideas! They had picked up a few props of their own and their first son made a wonderful element all by himself but he really added something special to the maternity photographs. I love when there is a younger sibling eager to meet their new brother or sister.

He was trying to hear his little brother... shhh...

Look at this wonderful face!

Little Miss L and Mr L

2009-12-08T13:29:00.005-05:00

Well talk about two little jellybeans with energy, life and tons of smiles for everyone! Miss. L and Mr. L were a joy to play with and photograph with those huge brown eyes. They had a great time at their first photoshoot and they were stars. I can't wait to be able to show them all of the images!

A Mothers Love

2009-12-01T20:59:00.001-05:00

I had an absolutely wonderful afternoon with this family. It was the girls first time having a photo session with a professional photographer and they got their hair done and all dressed up. They looked so pretty. Just like their mom.

2009-11-22T23:58:00.005-05:00

Well, Baby A arrived and I got to meet her on her 6th day here on dry land. We asked her to do lots of posing for us and she was fantastic. Once a baby gets older than a week you can really see the difference in their strength and they may really fight falling back asleep. I can't wait to see her again at 6 months when she is all bright eyed and sitting up. We are going to have so much fun again!

Thanks A&C for letting me play with her. Thanks Anita for helping me out too. I enjoyed working with you again!

Leah

Hitherfield Bazaar Winner of a Session and Print!

2009-11-21T20:07:00.004-05:00

Well I have to say that I had a great time today at the Hitherfield Christmas Bazaar. Some really creative vendors and I picked up some handmade soap from Tina at www.lusciousbubbles.com. It smells amazing and I can't wait to use it! Christine was there from Creative Memories www.mycmsite.com/sites/christinebush with all of her fantastic ideas to help people put their memories into wonderful albums.

While I was not selling anything, I was able to show off some of the images of my fantastic clients. I also had a draw for a free session and a free 8x10. It was great to see so much interest and I really enjoyed chatting with everyone. Thank you to everyone that stopped by.

At 3:50 pm my daughter shuffled up the ballots and we gave them a really good mix up before closing her eyes and picking out the winner.

Sarah Goncz of Milton is the lucky winner!

Thank you to everyone that took the time to fill out a ballot.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Leah

RK Gets Ready for Christmas.

2009-11-17T00:13:00.008-05:00

I am running behind on my posts but this has just been a crazy busy month and I need to still go downstairs and make lunch for the kids for tomorrow. I just could not help myself and I had to post a few images from my session today with RH. What a fantastic little guy. Full of fantastic smiles. He is 5 months old.

Leah

Noah turns One!

2009-11-06T21:28:00.008-05:00

I have had the pleasure of photographing Noah once before he was born, again just afterward and recently on his first birthday. This little bundle of joy was a delight to work with. He was busy cooking up a bbq for us and playing fireman. I can see him making it into the Firefighter Jr. calendar with those eyes. Happy Birthday Noah!

Angela and Chris

2009-10-09T13:24:00.004-04:00

What a fun couple! Chris and Angela are on fire, lucky they have that fire gear for when things get hot. I really enjoyed photographing them and I can't wait to meet their baby girl!!!

3 Brothers

2009-09-25T22:53:00.006-04:00

I am getting behind on updating this blog. It seems to make it on every to do list and each week I notice it make it on the list again. Well, it made it to the top of the list tonight!!

Here are 3 brothers, so adorable and so much fun to photograph. I am looking forward to photographing the NV's baptism this coming weekend.

A Beautiful Singer

2009-09-25T22:10:00.011-04:00

Clodagh came to me for some headshots and we had a blast. What a gorgeous girl with a great personality to match. As she heads off to school to study music with the goal of becoming a professor of music as a back up career. It was such a pleasure to photograph such a pretty head that is so well grounded.

2009-08-07T21:42:00.011-04:00

Well I have to say that I was so impressed with Rosa and Sal and their children. Two beautiful boys and just one more makes 4. Yep, twin girls was a bit of a surprise only a few months after her sister gave birth to twins! The girls were 5 weeks old and had beautiful dark brown eyes that I just sank into. The boys are such sweethearts that are still finding it a challenge to tell their two new sisters apart but fortunately mom can tell so we were not worried about having to figure it out. I found a couple of tiny ways to tell them apart which was like an a ha moment when I figured it out!

2009-07-13T17:15:00.018-04:00

Back in May I met Sandi, Jamie and their first son during their maternity session. I had so much fun with them! They had just moved into their new home and so much to deal with in settling in, and running between the old and the new house and preparing for their baby to arrive. They made time to fit in an special maternity session to capture this beautiful time in the life of the mother and the baby along with the excitement of their family. We moved around some furniture and boxes and made a make shift studio in their family room. Thank goodness they live on a lovely quiet street as they didn't have any window coverings up yet.

I got to go back once they had settled in a bit more and I was able to meet their new baby. He was going to make us work for our images but with a good stack of diapers and wipes on hand and we did manage to wait him out. I am sure that one day when he is having his looking at his own newborn child that he will be very happy that we did.

Sandi, I had so much fun with you and your family.

2009-06-25T23:54:00.008-04:00

Well, I had a blast at this high school senior party in Burlington. What a fantastic group of kids. Parents were invited so it was great to see everyone interacting and supportive. Some of the kids were a little apprehensive about jumping in to get their portrait taken, but it didn't take long before having your photo taken became the thing to do. I had climbed up on a 3 step ladder to get above the subjects, and I had them sit on a bench I had positioned in front of me. This is a great angle for shooting just about anybody!

As you can see, all of the students were already so youthful and beautiful, full of life and excitement and they images came off the camera wonderfully. I did do some glamour retouching to the photos here so that you could see what the difference is in a re-touched image.

Retouching is generally subtle little changes that make people look their best, like they do in real life. The camera will often pick up small things that are missed when you are with someone in person. For that reason alone, some people avoid the camera or don't think they take a good photo. As you will see from the re-touched examples below, the edits appear to be minor, but the image just has more impact.

If you click on the image you can see a larger version of it.

Maya

2009-05-21T12:03:00.014-04:00

Well, Juliana and Rob had their beautiful baby girl in January and brought her down for a great session. I completely see her mother in her eyes. What a little doll!

Seb's First Communion

2009-04-26T23:47:00.003-04:00

It has been about 6 years since I was last at this beautiful church in Mississauga. We got there a bit early and were lucky to have some cloud cover for a few outside shots but the wind would pick up and drag everyone's hair across the picture. Fortunately it would come and go. We moved inside and I found a sweet spot with a small circle of sunlight coming in from a high window.

I tested a few images before the family arrived to see what my lighting was like in the church. Fortunately there are large glass doors looking into the church from the main hall so I shot into the church to see what settings I would need. Once Nicole and her family arrived we took some images and we were approached by the Priest. Nicole explained that she had asked if we could take photos and it was okay? He said, no, I want to speak to her (and pointed his finger directly at me!). He took me aside and said that he had noticed me taking photos during the mass. I quickly explained that I was only testing lighting before the family arrived and he was satisfied with my answer. I felt like I had been pulled over for speeding and got off with a warning. All ended well.

Another Beautiful Baby by Sandra and Neeraj

2009-04-22T23:56:00.005-04:00

I just love to photograph children and though they come with unique challenges, it is so rewarding when you finally get the expression you have been doing crazy things to get. Even when the expression isn't a smile, it is so worth it. I even love to capture the crying images as one day they will see the image and wonder to themselves what it was that upset them so.

I love my job! Sometimes I get peed on, but not today.

Sandra and Neeraj, thank you so much for inviting me into your home once again. It is always such a pleasure to see you and spend time with such genuinely sweet people.

Sam's Baptism

2009-04-21T22:34:00.017-04:00

I had the pleasure of being invited to photograph two baptisms recently and they are always wonderful celebrations of Faith, Love and Family.

The Lamaccia family were warm and welcoming and so fun to work with. It was pleasure to photograph each and every family member.

The church was large and full when we arrived for mass, but after it cleared out, the family had the entire church to themselves and the priest was wonderful and took his time. He even posed for photos with the family.

The Church.

The Family.

It's about time...

2009-04-10T22:59:00.010-04:00

I had the amazing benefit of hearing [b]ecker speak. For those who may not be into wedding photographers, he is a well known and successful photographer out of Orange County California. He was in Toronto for two days and boy did I learn a lot. One thing I can't forget to do is blog and share some of my recent work that is not on the website.

So, I have a sore butt from the kick in the pants and now I am back on track!

These are some photos that I just love from an infant session. Elisha was 2 weeks old and perfect. She enjoyed the camera enough to easily fall asleep when we wanted her to so that we could get some of those precious sleeping images I love to capture. I remember that was when I could see but not hear my children. Those were the days! Now, I hear them long before I see them.

Thank you to Shannon for being so calm and easy going. You are such a wonderful mother and it was wonderful to see you again.

I love this one. It reminds me of a Jedi Padewan from Star Wars.

Baby Maya Isabel

2008-11-03T00:56:00.006-05:00

This was Juliana and Rob's first professional photo session and they were nervous but it didn't take long for them to relax and have a great time. I am so proud of the images we captured and they were fantastic subjects to photograph. Juliana has such a classical beauty about her that was wonderful to capture. I can't wait to meet Maya in December.

Fall is upon us

2008-10-29T12:01:00.013-04:00

Well, Fall has arrived and it feels as if it is almost gone as quickly as it came. Why does one of the most beautiful times of the year have to come and go so quickly. Seems like winter already and I have pulled out the winter gear. Still can't find my hat but that is nothing new. Even when I do find it, I can never seem to remember to grab it on my way out. Thank goodness that the weather held out for the families that had photo sessions outdoors this fall. Rotary Park is such a great spot for beautiful photos and it is often crawling with Photographers at this time of year. Here are a few of the images I took this fall.

And the WINNER IS.....

2008-09-11T13:54:00.002-04:00

I am so excited to be photographing a number of new and returning clients this fall. Lots of new babies on the way which is always so much fun.

Well, we have our winners:

M. Hedderson Family - is our First Prize winner of $150 gift certificate!
L. Carter Family - is our Second Prize winner - 15% off of their total order.
J. Graci Family - is our Third Prize winner - 15% off of their total order.
B. Hardie Family - is our Fourth Prize winner - 15% off of their total order.

Everyone who books an outdoor fall session between September 13th and November 2nd will receive 10% off of their order. Winners of the above prizes with outdoor sessions booked will also receive this 10%.

Fall Special - Book a date by Sept 10 to qualify for a draw.

2008-09-08T23:10:00.003-04:00

If you are interested in a fall session, it is worthwhile to book a date between September 13 and November 2 before September 10th and on the 11th I will post 4 winners of a draw. First place wins a $150 gift certificate, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place win 15% off their order. Everyone will receive 10% off if they book by the 10th.

Contact Leah for more details at info@forevermoments.ca!!

Happy Birthday Amelia

2008-09-03T22:29:00.006-04:00

Amelia has been a client of mine since before she was born. She is always such a joy to photograph. Happy 1st Birthday!

Before and After

2008-08-28T21:11:00.008-04:00

We are days away from the kids going back to school. I really need that couple of hours each day to focus on my editing or on learning a new skill. Today I thought I would try a new technique to make an image look like a painting. I love the effect!

A day at the Park

2008-08-26T01:15:00.000-04:00

The Walkers were ready for a fun family trip through the park in Oakville. Finally the rain held off and we could have our day in the woods. We were not there long before the mosquitos descended upon us. After a quick run to the car for the bug wipes, we were set for our session.

Tip for myself for next time, keep bug spray in the car always!

Such terrific boys!

2008-08-14T01:59:00.010-04:00

I had such a fun time meeting Ryan, Adam and Jacob. They have such beautiful eyes and wonderfully fun spirits that I would have loved to have taken them outside in the garden but unfortunately the rain kept us from enjoying the great outdoors.

Thanks for allowing me to have so much fun with all of you. Maybe I will see you at Chuck E. Cheese!

2008-08-14T01:22:00.011-04:00

Well, it is finally here, my new updated website. A couple weeks of 5 hours of sleep each night but I am very proud of the outcome.

I want to thank everyone for coming to visit, I am excited about having this place to update you with latest sessions and photos and showing you some of the wonderful people I get to meet while I do what I love to do most. Photograph families.Thanks for stopping by!

See you soon. Leah