Movin’ On…

Please update your RSS feeds as this blog is movin’ on up & over to:

http://shonareidphotography.com/blog/

Looong winded explanation on this post:

http://shonareidphotography.com/blog/?p=913

Basically the same stuff, but it looks MUCH prettier 😉

Thank you & see you over there!

Shona

Love :: Ottawa Family Photography

A funny thing happened on the way to making this image…you see I bought some candy hearts to photograph.  I’ve always wanted to do this {and a macro lens would have made this oh so much more fun ;), but I digress} and what better time than on Valentine’s Day.

And then, I made my fatal mistake…

I left them alone with my son…

No, he didn’t eat them all, but he did lick the sayings off of most of them!  Lucky for him they were pretty lame {hot date, urgr8, lost love etc.}, but come on!  Ah well, never a dull moment with the boy! 

Here’s what I managed to capture along with one of my favourite poems by Roy Croft {which was also read at our wedding}:

Love

I love you
Not only for what you are,
But for what I am
When I am with you.

I love you,
Not only for what
You have made of yourself,
But for what
You are making of me.

I love you
For the part of me
That you bring out;

I love you
For putting your hand
Into my heaped-up heart
And passing over
All the foolish, weak things
That you can’t help
Dimly seeing there,

And for drawing out
Into the light
All the beautiful belongings
That no one else had looked
Quite far enough to find

I love you because you
Are helping me to make
Of the lumber of my life
Not a tavern
But a temple.

Out of the works
Of my every day
Not a reproach
But a song.

I love you
Because you have done
More than any creed
Could have done
To make me good.
And more than any fate
Could have done
To make me happy.

You have done it
Without a touch,
Without a word,
Without a sign.

You have done it
By being yourself.
Perhaps that is what
Being a friend means,
After all.

Happy Valentine’s Day! xox

Valentine’s Day & Newborn Reminder :: Ottawa Family Photographer

Not sure what to get your sweetie for Valentine’s Day?  Or maybe you’re like me and you just get yourself something because, well, after 10 years of marriage, you know how that goes… 😉

How about a beautiful, hand crafted gift certificate from Shona Reid Photography?  Beautifully made and customized to fit your occasion/wording and pre-wrapped to take the stress right out of it.

I hope to hear from you soon & look forward to working with you!

Shona

REMINDER: If you are expecting or have already had your baby, please contact Shona immediately to secure a session.  Newborn sessions are best done within the first 14 days of life before that first big growth spurt. They are more likely to sleep, be curled up and look like a brand spankin’ new babe, so don’t delay!

48 Hour Canvas Sale :: Ottawa Photographer

If you didn’t get that canvas for Christmas that you were dying to get, now is the time!!  Canvases are a gorgeous way to display your images either on their own or in groupings.  Best part is they are ready to hang, so there is no additional cost for framing.  Here’s a sample of one of my recent canvases (it’s 20×30 and g.o.r.g.e.o.u.s.):

Beautiful 1 3/4″ thick canvas that truly shows off your photographic art!  Depending on the image, you can have a coloured border or wrap your actual image around the sides.  In this case, we didn’t want to lose any of the image on the side, so a black border was used.  Looked stunning!

UV protected and durable too…The Mom of this little cutey even remarked that the canvas made it almost look like a painting 😉

I may be switching canvas companies for various reasons and if I do, my prices will have to go up.  So, now’s the time!  Get ’em while the goin’s good at 10% off the already low prices.  Your images will thank you!

Deal ends midnight this Friday (January 22nd, 2010), so don’t delay!

Shona

I {heart} Maternity :: Ottawa Maternity Photographer

Yup, I do.  I really do.  I can’t stop editing this session, but I must as the gallery is now bulging at 40+ images…that’s nuts!

Here’s just a few more of ones I’ve fallen for:

I love this one because it has a real “film” feel to it.  Believe it or not, I REALLY miss shooting film.

Okay, okay, last one…I’ve got to stop showing all the files!!

Nighty night 😉

All Canadian Girl :: Ottawa Maternity Photographer

Those who know me well know that I am an outdoors girl at heart.  I LOVE the mountains, hiking, fresh air, cross-country skiing in quiet solitude (or pulling my screaming kids behind me in the Chariot  😉 ).  So when I was contacted by {J} to do a maternity session outside of Ottawa, in the woods, with a log cabin I jumped at it!  It was actually a little disconcerting driving out there as after about an hour, when the snow became thicker and more magical, the roads a little more narrow and the quiet more present, I could literally feel the tension oozing out of my shoulders.  Why is this a bad thing?  Well, although uncomfortable at the time, I like that little shot of adrenalin to get my “game face” on and it keeps me on my toes!

After driving down the snow covered lane to the house (oh, and did I mention it was on a lake?), I leaped out and said, “Are you kidding me!  This is amazing!  AND, would you be up to going back to that run down farm on the road back there??  Please, pretty please?”

Being the awesome all Canadian girl that she is, she was up for the challenge!  However, we had to get warmed up and do some more classic shots first:

And then we left the boys behind and went out to play!

And probably my favourite shot from the session just because we were laughing so hard (I was seriously glad she didn’t go into labour as she’s 37 weeks!)…I think I’ll call it “Waiting”.

Thanks so much for having me out and being such great sports!  I truly loved this session and can’t wait to see your wee babe 😉

*Clink*! Resolutions Being Met Head On! :: Ottawa Photographer

Although this image is from last year (okay, it’s only a week old!), I took it with this post in mind.  I wanted to officially say “Cheers!” and Happy New Year by unveiling my brand spanking new website!  I am beyond thrilled to finally take this step in my business and showcase my work in a way that I am proud.  Now don’t get me wrong, perfectionist Shona will probably be tweaking it on a daily basis, but I am happy and I’m finally ready to let it go!

In the coming weeks, my blog will also be getting a much needed facelift and I’ll be show casing some new products for 2010.  I have also created a business page on Facebook and would love for you to visit me there!  You can find the link in my website so go and check it out!  So, without further ado, I give you….

{drum roll please!}

www.shonareidphotography.com

Check it out!!

Shona xox

Happy New Year!

“It’s never too late to be who you might have been.”  ~ George Eliot

2009 was a year of incredible growth…my kids (how’d that happen?), my photography and myself.  With growth often comes growing pains and believe me when I say there have been plenty.  However, I have met some incredible people in unexpected places that have helped to push me through.  They have believed in me and, in turn, I have begun to believe in myself.  So to those friends, both near and far, I say thank you from the bottom of my toes!!

My website will be live just as soon as my hosting company flicks the switch (a VERY exciting step for me!) and my blog will be changing in the New Year as well.  I will keep you posted on all of the exciting changes, new products and, of course, the photography that will make 2010 my best year ever!!  🙂

May the new year and decade provide you with the same excitement, good health and many laughs!

Shona xox

And to All… :: Ottawa Maternity Photographer

A good night 🙂 

It’s Christmas Eve and not a creature was stirring, except for this mouse.  I really wanted to give this beautiful Mama-to-be a preview before Christmas as she was drop.dead.gorgeous and oozing with sweetness to boot.  I kid you not!  I almost got a cavity editing these images! 

But seriously, this couple was amazing!  They were up for anything I suggested, enthusiastic, comfortable in front of the camera and so very loving to each other and their baby bump.  I can’t wait to meet him!

Enjoy your sneak peak & have a very Merry Christmas!!

Shona xoxo

Guilty Pleasures

Before moving east, I had the pleasure of meeting Brandy Anderson, owner of Fresh Sugar Photography in Calgary.  She is such a sweet person and very generous with her knowledge.  She also introduced me to Danna Bowes of Bowes Photography (also in Calgary and equally sweet).  Well, this dynamic duo have really outdone themselves this time.  They’ve created another company called Two Photogs.  They are educating photographers on various topics pertinent to the business and they are also going to provide online mentorship in January.  As an introductory offer, they put together a little photo challenge called guilty pleasures…the winner gets a seat in their mentorship program…um, yes please!

So, after much soul searching (boy do I have a lot of guilty pleasures 😉 ), I chose:

bubble bath + candles + purdy toes = my guilty pleasures…

Let me tell you, self portraits are no easy task.  But hey, I’m always up for a challenge, why not include electronics, water, lit candles & the potential to expose a little more of oneself than anyone needed to see!!  I had a few humorous outtakes, a couple of almost falls on the wet bathroom floor & by the time I got to the toe shots, they were prunes!  BUT, my camera gear was unscathed, so that’s the main thing! 

So without further ado, my guilty pleasures:

Good luck to all who took the challenge…there are some amazing submissions!!  And ladies, keep up the good work!  Wish we still lived closer 😦

Shona