Suprun Family Photos & 1st Birthday Cake Smash | Tsawwassen Family Photos

I had the pleasure of photographing one of my fav little families the other evening! I met Ana over Instagram last year; she was expecting her first child and looking for a photographer to capture this momentous time. We had two amazing shoots; her maternity shoot at 2nd beach at Stanley Park and at home newborn photos a couple months later. It was such a pleasure working with her that I was so thrilled when she reached out for me to take photos for her son's first birthday.

Leading up to the shoot, she would send me pics of her preparations for his 'cake smash' set up. Just check out the pictures, it turned out amazing! The actual cake smash didn't go totally as planned...lol baby wanted nothing to do with the cake and did basically anything not to touch it, let alone eat it! None the less, we still managed to get adorable photos :)

The rest of the shoot was easy and dreamy. They looked amazing and photograph so well as a family of three. Baby M was a little trooper as a cold ocean breeze blew in at the end of the session, but he had no problems cuddling with Mom and Dad.

Dear A + A, thank you for allowing me to capture all of these beautiful milestones in your life. It is a true honor and I love seeing you guys every time! I can't wait for our next session together!

xo P

Tsawwassen Family Photos | Centennial Beach | Community Photography South Delta

My favourite type of new client is a referral client. It means they have heard a raving review from a friend, family member or colleague, most likely seen my photos and are ready to make the investment in their family portraits. I love my clients so when their friend drops an email to have their family photos taken, I know they will most likely be as lovely and cool as the person who referred them.

This was totally the case with Daria. From the start, she was excited to have her family photos taken and so lovely over email. I had taken her friend's maternity and newborn photos last year and she wanted me to create the same images for her. Her family photo session took place a couple weeks after the Covid - 19 restrictions began lifting; the session was booked back in January so I was so happy we were able to finally go ahead with her session!

When I met with her family, I asked them if they would be okay walking a block because there was a gorgeous patch of wildflowers that I knew would photograph beautifully. And I’m so thankful we did! You’d never guess we were in a small ally that led to the beach. It looks like we are in a meadow far away from everything! The dynamic of this family of three was everything. The more time we spent shooting the more fun everyone was having. We nailed so many beautiful locations during this shoot making their gallery diverse and stunning. I loved the dynamics between both mother and daughter and husband and wife, making so many beautiful special moments.

Dear Daria and family, thank you for making the drive to Tsawwassen for your family photos. It was a true pleasure meeting you and taking your photos on this summer evening. I hope we can do it again soon :)

xo Paige

Wells Family Photos | Centennial Beach, Tsawwassen

We had the Wells family photo shoot originally scheduled in Tsawwassen for March 21st. Due to a world pandemic, it was postponed. That feels like such a crazy sentence to write and I sometimes need to pinch myself that the past 3 months actually happened! It was a dark time for me and my business as Covid-19 hit the news, every one of my bookings was cancelled or postponed. At the time, I had no idea if the shoots would be postponed a couple weeks, a month or a year? Even when restrictions started to ease, would people want to book a family photoshoot with me? And thankfully the answer is yes! I think after being on lockdown for three months, people have seen the importance of their family unit and are ready to capture memories on camera. Also, Moms are now looking for an excuse to do their hair and put on mascara :)

I was so thankful when mom Lyndsay reached out to me and told me she was ready to have their family photos taken. We met up in Boundary Bay for their photos on a perfect May evening. The 'perfect May evening' was not in the forecast. I'm not sure if anyone else is noticing this but the Weather Network's predictions are just bananas these days! Changing constantly, always calling for rain and every single network is contradicting one other! I had been checking the weather constantly for the past 24 hours trying to see if we should cancel our shoot because of rain or move the time to make sure we have enough light (if you've shot with me before, you'll know I'm obsessed with light). Lyndsay (bless her!) was so flexible and trusted me to make the weather call for her. My mission was to find the best light to get them the best family photos possible!

We decided to go ahead with the shoot as scheduled, and I'm so happy we did. Despite the weather prediction, we had a perfect evening with little clouds to make for a beautiful sunset. Shooting with the Wells family was a pleasure, they are so lovely and natural in front of the camera. There were so many beautiful and candid moments created and we had the BEST colors at sunset. 

To the Wells family, thank you for holding your booking with me and taking the time to come out to Tsawwassen for your family photos. It was a pleasure to meet you guys and I really hope we can do it again in the future :)

xo Paige

GUIDON FAMILY PHOTOS | TSAWWASSEN, BC

I’ve called Tsawwassen my home since I was 4 years old when my family moved here from Toronto. I spent my youth exploring ever inch of the neighbourhoods beaches, trails and forests. When I became a Tsawwassen family photographer, I thought I knew ever single photoshoot ‘secret spot’. That was however, I connected with another local Delta photographer on Facebook. She had the most beautiful work and stunning images of children playing on what looked like a river bank. Something you’d find down south in North Carolina or Florida. I met up with the other local photographer for a coffee at Petra’s. She had been in the photography game for a long while and now that her own children were grown, she was planning on getting out of the family photography business and move into commercial and big production photography. so bless her, she told me of he secret shoot location in Tsawwassen!

I couldn’t wait to test the location out for myself. When my dear friend Nicole, who I spent my early 20s working at Earls on Robson street with, families photoshoot was nearing, I suggested we tried this new location. Nicole and her beautiful family arrived looking as stunning as always. The last time I photographed Nicole she was 8 month pregnant with her second daughter, so it was amazing to see them as a family of 4.

The new shooting location was nothing short of amazing. The Guidon family was so loving and easy to work with. Older sister was so happy to be infront of the camera and play with mom and dad, while little sister wanted to hug onto momma - which made for beautiful photos. I’m capturing this time in your lives after all.

The highlight of the shoot was walking out onto the glassy tide flats at the end of the session. The sun was glowing the most beautiful golden hue onto the water. Some colors I’ve never photographed before. And as we were walking out, we had eagles soaring all around us. I know I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, we are SO lucky to live here!

Thank you to the Guindon family for coming and meeting up with me and testing out this new shoot location :) I love seeing you guys and love seeing your beautiful family all together.

Another HUGE thank you to Rebekka Logan for taking the time to sit with me over coffee and let me in on one of your favourite shoot locations. You’re so talented and I thank you!

MATHONY FAMILY PHOTOS | BEACH SESSION, TSAWWASSEN

Being a photographer who lives just outside of Vancouver, even if our town nickname is 'sunny Tsawwassen', I still have to deal with the fact that it rains. All. The. Time. Especially as a family photographer, I have to be uber flexible with rain checks because what little kid will last more than 10 minutes in a rainy photoshoot? None! The Mathony Family originally had their family photo session scheduled for October, which was rained out. We moved it to November and it was rained out again. At that point we decided to move it to the spring, and hoped the third time would be a charm.

We didn't completely escape the elements for their photo shoot, for it was the most WINDY day I've ever shot it. A day when all of the kite boarders were out in Boundary Bay. A day too windy for people to set up camp at the beach. Like seriously windy. 

I met the Mathony family in the parking lot and I noticed two things right away. Their amazing outfit choices. This year I'm seeing so much more color than past years and they had amazing bright color combinations that fit together beautifully. Second, they all have the most striking eyes! All bright and icy blue. 

When we started to shoot their family photos, I was amazed at how natural the whole family was in front of the camera. Both kids took direction beautifully and both mom and dad were hands on and super fun; the kids just totally followed suit. We shot in a field for the first while (because it was protected from the wind) before we went down to the beach. The second we were exposed on the sand, holy smokes, the wind just took over! To keep warm we had to keep moving. I felt more like a drill sergeant than a photographer as the wind was so powerful I literally had to yell directions to the family to be heard. Even with the crazy wind, both kids kept smiles on their face and laughed the whole time. By the end of the shoot, the sun peeked through the clouds to make for some beautiful lighting for our last set of photos. Right before both kids ran off the beach and back to the shelter of the car. 

To the Mathony family, thank you for meeting with me on the windiest night ever down at Centennial Beach. You guys were the ultimate troopers for battling the elements and keeping smiles on your face the whole time. I'd love to do it again sometime. Maybe in the heat of July or August on a night when there isn't a cloud in the sky and zero wind lol. But seriously, you guys are the best. Thank you!

Veen Family Photos | Boundary Bay, Tsawwassen

This session was a special one for me because it featured my sister and her beautiful family! My sister and my niece and nephew have always been gracious models (just check out my past blogs - you’ll see them more than once!). When I was a newby photographer they’d be patient with me as I snapped away with little to no experience. That was almost 4 years ago now! And in 4 years, I’ve never had the chance to take family photos for them; my brother-in-law is the Chef/Owner of Tap Restaurant in South Surrey and he often works crazy hours. The Covid-19 restrictions closed the restaurant for dine-in service and they have adapted to an awesome take-out menu. For once, my brother-in-law was off for the night and free for family photos. Silver lining right!

I met up with the Veen family in Boundary Bay, Tsawwassen. The first thing I noticed was Aron’s stunning Aritzia dress, which I knew would photograph like a dream. When I send outfit suggestions to clients, the first thing I say is dress Mom first and then choose the rest of the family's outfits. So much of the shoot revolves around Mom; just check out these photos you’ll see what I mean :) She is the focal point, the heart of the shoot.

We began our shoot and soon discovered our Tsawwassen beach location was the lady bug capital of the WORLD (who would have thought?!). The beautiful little creatures were EVERYWHERE! And knowing my niece and nephew, they love lady bugs. The first 20 minute of our shoot was a mix of taking pictures and catching lady bugs, which made for beautiful candid moments. The rest of our photoshoot was filled with love, joy and genuine family time. The Boundary Bay sunset was one for the books, which in my experience never disappoints.

To the Veen family, thank you for joining me in Tsawwassen for your family photos. I LOVED capturing these moments and memories for you. You’re love for each other is easy and true, which reflect so beautifully in your photos.

xo Paige

What To Wear: Winter Family Photo Sessions | Vancouver Family Photographer | Community Photographer

WHAT TO WEAR FOR WINTER FAMILY PHOTO SESSIONS

When winter arrives and temperatures cool, sometimes it’s just too cold for a dress and heels by themselves (no matter how warm your coverup overcoat is!). As a Vancouver family photographer, let’s face it, it’s chilly fifty percent of the year! Instead of only shooting in the warm summer months, I encourage clients to shoot year round! We are so lucky we live in a city where we have diverse seasons to make every family photo session unique! So I have some suggestions for the winter months that will still help you look amazing and keep your color tones camera friendly.

During winter, warm neutrals like camel, taupe, cream, champagne, and gray look amazing. If you’d like to incorporate color, choose jewel-toned versions of the primary colors. Here are some examples: mustard over yellow, crimson or burgundy over red, over orange, sage or emerald over green, and powder blue or navy over blue. These jewel tones will photograph beautifully in the winter when there is not much bright colors to contrast in nature. And don’t forget to layer up! Add a peacoat, tights, scarves and heeled booties to a form-fitting cocktail dress or skirt. Dress your little ones in wool hats, mittens and scarves to keep warm and add extra interest to the phot.

SNOW DAY SESSIONS:

A dress or skirt with a big peacoat can never go wrong! A neutral coloured coat with a touque, scarf and gloves or a warm, oversized, snuggly sweater with tall boots and a hat is a super fun look, perfect for the snow! The great thing about snow is it creates a beautiful white backdrop, so even though it might seem counterintuitive, soft pastel, muted colors like soft pinks and powder blues still look great! And, remember, regardless of the setting, you can never go wrong with neutrals with pops of colour!

Welcome Baby Ace | Tsawwassen Newborn Photos

When walking into the home of a new client, you never really know what to expect. The layout, the light, the colours. And what about the family, are they open-hearted, high energy, nervous, a bit of everything?

Turns out this photo session had all the good things; beautiful light, a gorgeous family, lots of love, and the perfect amount of energy from the two little ladies :) You could tell the family was all in shock that they had welcomed a baby BOY into the mix. With two big sisters and not finding out the gender of the baby, it was a big surprise to everyone!

Mom Kristin is a birthing queen. A trained doula herself, she had an all natural birth at home. Well done momma, well done :)

Lifestyle photography is about telling your story, capturing your connections, full of heart and honesty. The chaos, the mess and the love that holds it all together.

Thank you so much for inviting me into your home, words can’t describe how much I enjoyed this session.

Stanley Park Maternity Photos | Community Photography South Delta

I’m a Tsawwassen girl, and to be honest, I don’t often venture out of our neighbourhood for photo shoots. Saying that, when a client suggests we shoot at a new location I’m always game! A new location is like a new playground for a photographer. When taking photos somewhere new, it sparks your creativity and allows you to play with new light and landscapes. When beautiful momma to be, Ana suggested we take her maternity photos at Stanley Park in Vancouver, I was super excited! I asked my wedding planner sister Briar of Epic Events for suggested shoot locations in the area as she often does weddings at the Tea House and other Stanley Park venues.

She suggested 2nd beach, when I went to scout out the location, fell in love with right away. The reason I loved it for the maternity session so much was within a 5 minute walk, you went from a beautiful forest setting to a Vancouver beach landscape.

When I met up with Ana and Alex for their maternity photos, the first thing I noticed was Ana’s stunning dress choice and her flawless makeup. The gorgeous couple, and Ana’s perfect little baby bump made for such a dreamy team for the forest photos. As the sun was setting, we took a five minute walk and quick outfit change that brought us down to 2nd Beach for the second half of our maternity photo shoot.

Once again, Ana totally nailed her outfit choice with a soft pink dress that would compliment the sunset perfectly. At this point in the photo shoot we are all relaxed and having fun, which you can totally see through their photos.

Ana + Alex, thank you for choosing me to capture such a milestone moment in your lives. It was so wonderful meeting you two and thank you for allowing me to venture out of Tsawwassen to take your maternity photos!

R + B Couple Photos Session | Centennial Beach Tsawwassen | Community Photography South Delta

Ray Win and Bruce are two of my kids favorite people. I’ve known them for 2 years now when I trusted Ray Win with the day to day care of my children at her daycare. As a mother, choosing a daycare is hard. Harder than I ever imagined. I went to check out a bunch when Tom was one and immediately when I walked into Ray Win’s I knew this was the place I wanted to send my kids. Georgia, will always reach for Ray Win when we arrive in the morning and is so happy when I leave her for the day. Bruce began calling my son Tommy Gun and now Tom insists that’s what we call him. Bruce, I’m not sure I’ve told you this, but when Tom see’s you at daycare, he talks about it, a lot LOL!

We planned their photo session originally in November. They had just eloped in Hawaii and wanted to do some local portraits. After our photo session was rained out 3 times we decided to wait for the summer and I’m so glad we did!

I met Bruce and Ray Win down at Centennial Beach. It was a perfect evening. Warm with light cloud cover, I knew we would have a beautiful sunset. We spent the hour we had together just having a good time. They were so relaxed and we just took our time capturing some great photos.

Ray Win and Bruce, thanks for hanging out with me at Centennial Beach for your photo session. It was such a good time! I really hope we can do it again soon! You guys are a dream to photograph!

Mom + Son Sunset Session | Centennial Beach, Tsawwassen | Community Photography South Delta

There are some photos that when I look at, there is so much love, raw emotion and joy it actually makes me smile to myself. Lauren and Cameron’s mother and son photo session at Centennial Beach had many of those moments.

I first met Lauren when I was 6 years old and she was my cool sisters cool friend. I haden’t seen her for year as she lives overseas but she reached out that she was coming back to Tsawwassen for a visit and wanted family photos done. We discussed location and the timing of her session. She was a little worried about a sunset session in July because it was pushing baby Cameron’s bedtime by a couple hours. With two babes of my own I know the importance of baby bed time. But here is a fun fact, in my experience of being a family photographer, if a kid is outside at the beach they are totally happy! And yes, they will be tired by the end of the session, and then we’ll get the cutest baby cuddle photos.

Our session was full of smiles and beautiful candid moments between mother and son. Cameron was a text book angel baby and was all smiles for the first half of our shoot, and then with a few rubs of his eyes near he fell fast asleep in him moms arms.

Lauren, it was so great to re-connect with you and meet your gorgeous baby boy! Thank you for allowing me to capture these moments for you!

Centennial Beach Family Photos | Tsawwassen, BC | Community Photography South Delta

I met up with Indy, Matt and there adorable son Adrian at Centennial Beach in sunny Tsawwassen for their family photos. I’m not sure if it was the time of day, the setting, Indy’s dress or ALL of the above, but the color tone of these photos are so magical. Well, almost as magical as Adrian’s smile throughout the shoot :)

Adrian honestly made me feel like the funniest person on the planet. He would laugh and smile at all my ‘jokes’, which included playing peek-a-boo, tickling him with a soft plant, making funny faces. As long as he was cuddling with his mom and dad he was a happy camper.

Indy and Matt, thanks for allowing me to capture your family photos. You guys have such a happy, fun little boy and you all were such a pleasure to photograph!

Motherhood Sunset Photo Session | Centennial Beach Tsawwassen | Community Photography South Delta

May was my month of the Motherhood Sunset Sessions at Centennial Beach. It was a month of me capturing Mothers with their children as they laugh, played and loved down at the water in Sunny Tsawwassen.

This session was a special one for me. As a photographer, the biggest compliment you can recieve (in my opinion) is when ANOTHER photographer asks you to take their family photos. This was the case with Sioban of Siobhan Deol Photography, another family photographer in Tsawwassen.

The evening at the beach was calm, bright and we had a beautiful sunset. It was the first night where it really started to feel like summer was here. Calm ocean with beautiful pastels.

You could tell her kids were used to being infront of the camera. There were so many special moments between her and her kids. One of my favorite was when her little dude had his ‘mommy and me’ moment of candid photos on the beach. He just embraced the moment and loved snuggling and playing with his momma.

Sioban, thank you for trusting me in capturing your Motherhood Session at Centennial Beach. I look forward to getting together and geeking out of everything photography over coffee..or wine..probably wine!

Welcome Baby Emmie | Newborn Photos | Community Photography South Delta

I first met the Camire family at Centennial Beach for their maternity photos in Tsawwassen a few months back. The day at the beach was sunny but windy, bringing in a cold ocean breeze. Sweet little Isla was such a trooper for their cold and windy photo session. So when I went to the Camire’s house for their newborn photos, I knew Isla must remember me as the lady who made her play at the beach when it was FREEZING! And when I saw her at their house on a sunny and hot May afternoon, I said to her, ‘Hi Isla! Do you remember me?! We took photos at the beach together!’ all she said back was ‘it was cold’. LOL!

I thought I would have to regain her trust and take some time with her to warm up in front of the camera. I was totally wrong! On a scale of 1-10 how well behaved little Isla is, she was a 12. She loved cuddling her new baby sister Emmie and was so proud when it was her turn to hold her. Isla absolutely shone at the end of the session when we had a family dance party in the living room. This is the way I like to end most of my newborn sessions (if there are young siblings), as it brings the energy back up and creates beautiful genuine moments.

The Camire family, you guys are such a pleasure to spend time with! Thank you for inviting me into your home to take your newborn photos :) It was such an enjoyable afternoon and I look forward to the next time we can take photos together. Congratulations on baby #2, you guys are totally rocking the two kid thing :)

Bloom Tulip Festival Photo Shoot - Abbotsford, BC | Natalie Langston + Pierce | Community Photography South Delta

If you want to see a baby smile for an hour consecutively, take them to the Abbotsford Tulip Festival!

I was awake at 3:45am and on the road, leaving Tsawwassen at 4:15am to make it for a sunrise photo shoot at Bloom - Abbotsford Tulip Festival. When I arrived, the sky was a soft blue with the sunlight slowly creeping up over the mountains. I’d never been to the tulip fields before and oh wow, was it a sight to see! Endless rows of tulips spread out over endless farm land.

I met up with Natalie just before sunrise for our photo session. Natalie is an accomplished Canadian TV personality and Momma to her beautiful baby boy Pierce. If I thought I deserved a pat on the back for waking up early, this girl deserves a trophy! She looked AMAZING, arrived earlier than me to tend to her babies needs and was all smiles. The. Whole. Time!

We spent the next hour playing in the tulip fields while taking photos. Pierce was so happy to be surrounded by the colors, smells and cuddling with his mom. Natalie was a dream to photograph and her Wilfred dress choice such a perfect choice for the delicate flowers. There were only a few other people out in the fields at this time, but we had a whole bunch of cows meters away checking out our situation.

As a family photographer, I’m SO passionate about taking photos of motherhood. I’m also am passionate about working mothers who are finding a balance pursuing a career they love, while being a rockstar moms. And Natalie is TOTALLY one of those ladies, finding the balance between the two!

I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I LOVED taking them :)

Tsawwassen Newborn Photos | At Home Session | Community Photography South Delta

When my son Tom was born, it took about 6 weeks until I realized he was mine. To keep. Forever! I know this sounds so strange, and your probably thinking ‘yeah girl, that’s why you have kids, to raise them!’. I just found being a new mom, the love you experience with your baby is a new love, one you have never experienced before. The love is so intense I found it hard to get my head around. You just created this tiny human, you love it SO much, and the best part is, it’s yours to love forever!

When I was photographing first time mom Kritika, I could tell she was experiencing these same emotions that I was experiencing with Tom. The loving way she looked at her baby girl, and she even said a few times in our shoot ‘I just can’t believe I get to keep her’.

The only way I can describe our newborn shoot together was dreamy. We had a dream baby to photograph, she slept the most of the newborn photo session and when she was awake, she would look around the room with her big beautiful brown eyes. Kritika was such a cool mom. She allowed me to try my new baby wrapping techniques on her daughter (which turned out super adorable by the way), and was so photographic and natural in front of the camera it made my job so easy. They family cuddled, loved and enjoyed their time together for our 2 hour photo shoot.

I also had the pleasure of working with Elisha Sander of Haymaker makeup. She arrived at the house 45 minutes before the photoshoot with her mobile studio. Having a professional makeup artist makes for such beautiful photographs, and the big bonus, you can cuddle your sweet newborn as you get pampered! I’ve included some of the getting ready photos, so you can check them out below!

Centennial Beach Family Photos | Maternity Pictures | Community Photography South Delta

Mom and Dad Alison and Nathan have had lots of adventures together. They met in Milan Italy and he proposed on a beach in Sir Lanka. They lived in Singapore before coming back to BC to start a family (what a life!). And now they are onto their next adventure of welcoming baby #2 into their lives this coming May.

I had met the family before at a Centennial Beach wedding I photographed last summer. The wedding couple were the sweetest, down to earth couple, so you could only imagine they had the sweetest guests! That’s how I connected with Mom Alison.

We met at Centennial Beach for their family photos/maternity photo shoot. It was a beautiful, clear evening, but right before the shoot started a super cold ocean breeze picked up! We headed down to the beach and sweet little Isla lasted a total of 5 minutes before she was cuddled up in her parents arms. It made for the sweetest connection in the photos. She had her head barried in her parents arms, and every so often would pop her beautiful little face up for a picture. We didn’t last on the beach until sunset because it was so cold. We moved to the back field for some shelter (which we didn’t really get) however it made for a beautiful spot to take photos for sunset :)

To the Camrie family: I had a blast taking photos with you! Regardless of the wind and cold, Alison, Nathan and Isla, your smiles outshone everything! I’m so looking forward to meeting baby sister this May. She is one lucky gal to be welcomed into a sweet loving home :)

Tsawwassen Family Photo Session | Community Photography South Delta | Family Photographer

Last year, the Berglund family moved to BC. You would have never known this as you could tell they had a deep love for the beach, nature and the mountains. The perfect mix of a west coast family.

When I met the Berglund family at Centennial Beach, they were all very easy to talk to, good energy and very lovely to spend time with. We took some beautiful photos on a lovely evening. Everywhere we went that evening, the sun seemed to be following, making for beautiful backlighting. You could tell nine year old Kiera loved spending this quality time with her parents at the beach.

My favourite part of a family photo session, is when I give kids time to be themselves and show me a little of who they are. Kiera, totally just shone during this moment. As the sunset in Boundary Bay, she was doing cartwheels under a pastel sky with the mountains and city scape in the background.

To the Berlund family, thanks for spending the evening with me at Centennial Beach. Evenings like this, really make me love my job! Your family is a pleasure to spend time with, I hope you guys are loving BC and everything it has to offer :)

Diefenbaker Park Family Photos | Tsawwassen Family Photographer | Community Photography South Delta

From the moment I met the Malinek family in 2017 for a family photo session, I knew they were a special family. They are all kind and sweet and you can tell they all enjoy each other immensely. Fast forward a year and I was lucky enough to take their photos again.

When I arrived at Diefenbaker for their photo shoot, the first thing I noticed was Mom Ashili’s stunning red dress. I knew, at some point in the photoshoot, she would need to be twirling.

On every family photoshoot, I bring a white blanket for the families to cuddle on. I came to own the blanket after I noticed it at my moms house. The blanket is a unique white quilt and a perfect rectangle for families to sit on. The patch work is well made, it has served me well for the past couple years. My mom, who is an avid thrift store shopper, came across it a few years back at the Delta Hospice in Tsawwassen.

I pulled the white blanket out for the Malinek family to sit on during their family photoshoot. Ashli took one look at the blanket and noticed SHE was the one who made it! Ten years ago, she hand made that exact blanket, her initials were even hand sewn in the corner. Such a small world! She had given it to thrift years back. And here she was, with her family sitting on it.

To the Malinek family, thank you for spending the evening with me at Diefenbaker. You guys are always a pleasure to take photos for. I love seeing from year to year the way your boys grow into lovely little men. Ashli, thank you for making and passing along your beautiful blanket!

A Very Special Centennial Beach Family Session | Community Photography South Delta | Family Photos

“Tomorrow, they’ll be a little older than they were today. Today is a gift.”

I was first introduced to Sharon through my sister Briar. Briar and Sharon work together in the wedding industry. Sharon, however, for the past year has been on a leave from her job so she could be by her oldest sons side as he battled an aggressive form of brain cancer. 

Cameron, Sharon's seven year old son, in the past year has undergone numerous surgeries, along with chemo and radiation. When Sharon was with Cameron in the hospital, they made a list of things they wanted to do once they were out. For Sharon, family photos were at the top of her list.

I arrived to Centennial Beach in Tsawwassen 20 minutes before the session began and it was raining. It had actually been raining the past 2 weeks. The session was date sensitive as a key family member was only in town for a couple days. There was no rescheduling for weather. I pulled my umbrellas from my car, however, minutes before we began shooting the rain stopped.

The dynamic between the family was loving, kind and fun. Mom Sharon has an infectious smile and they all laughed super easily. Both boys, took to the water. Mid winter in Vancouver and they were jumping over the waves in their boots. The light broke through the clouds as we were finishing our session. It was a perfect afternoon.

To the Bulger family, your courage and love can be seen from miles away. Allowing me to capture your family photos has been a privilege. Thank you for allowing me to capture this special moment for you :)

If you would like to donate to help improve the lives of children living with childhood cancer, please visit:

Ronald McDonald House

BC Children’s Hospital oncology