Mommy and Me Mini Sessions

So often we Moms are the ones behind the camera and we forget to include ourselves in the pictures with our children.   But when our children are older, it's the images with their Mom that will mean the most to them!

In honour of Mother's day, I will be offering special Mommy and Me mini portrait sessions for Mom's and their children.  These mini sessions are the perfect solution to focus on you and your relationship with your little ones (or you with YOUR mom if you'd like...Grandmother's are welcome)

I only have a few spots available so send me an email at michelle@barbeau.net or call Michelle at 613.599.0839 as soon as possible if you would like more information or are interested.  Gift certificates available if you would like to book a session as an early Mother's day gift.  The prints make great gifts for Dad's

Friday Inspiration - Featured Photographer

This week i'm excited to introduce you to Lee-Ann Dueck of Ginger Snaps! Natural Light Photography.   We started our photography businesses around the same time and it's been so fun to have her to bounce ideas off of.  You can see her website here

City/Country of business : Leamington, southern ontario

Favourite Subjects to photograph? Why? I don't know if I actually have a favorite.  I couldn't tell you a favorite color or food or smell either!  Maybe I'm just indecisive?  I love working with expectant moms because of the hope they have in their eyes, new babies because they ARE hope, children because of their innate ability to be themselves, families because I love that I can get a sense of the connection between everyone, people in love, well, that's just romantic! 

Type of camera you use: Nikon D90 but I have my eye on the D700...

Favourite lens: I really like to use my 28-105mm.  It gives me more room for creativity, plus it's a macro so I can get those lovely shots of newborn lashes and toes!

Studio or Natural Light? why? Right now, natural light.  I am a pretty simple person.  Using natural light lets the only thing between me and my subject be my camera.  I am also a realist, in that, I like to be very sparing with my editing.  My goal is to have the picture's colour and light be what I saw it as I took it.   I hope to have a studio someday, a dedicated work space outside of my home.  With four kids, the interruptions and the guilt tend to pile up like the laundry.  It's natural to want to be with your mom, and me with them, so separating work from family time can be tough, especially when under a deadline.  A studio would alleviate some of that.

tell us a little secret about yourself that nobody knows:   Ok, but don't laugh at me!  I recently discovered that I LOVE a peanut butter (the natural kind) honey and olive sandwich!  Before you say "gross" go try it.  Delish!

Where do you look for inspiration: I find inspiration all around me!  Colours and lights, conversations with people, nature, but mostly people.  I see something in everyone that is beautiful, absolutely everyone.  It may sound a little airy fairy, but when I connect with others I can see their potential, their light, and if they are on the other side of my lens somehow this shows up in their images.  I love this, it's almost magical to me, like a little surprise when I open up the files. 

Where would we find you when your not busy taking pictures? Either taking care of my family, or reading about how to take better pictures!  Or if I'm lucky, sitting on a beach listening to the waves.  It's like meditation.  I can send all of my worries out over the water and they are carried away.

Who or what would you love to shoot that you haven’t already?  This summer, I am shooting my very first wedding.  I can't wait!  Weddings are like a day long stylized shoot.  All the details have been attended to, everyone looks their best, plus, this Bride to be is stunning!  This wedding is overlooking Lake Erie and is going to be so beautiful! 

Favourite TV show or movie?  AH!  Very good question!  Every time I admit to really loving a show, it gets taken off the air!  I'm not kidding!  Felicity, Party of Five...since I started studying photography, I haven't really watched tv.  It's been a blessing, really.

Thanks so much Lee-Ann!

Friday Inspiration - Cute Headbands

I love little headbands on babies and girls (could be because i hate seeing hair hanging in my daughter's face :)) so thought it would be fun to make some for my upcoming photo shoots.  With the help of my daughter and my good friend Jane, we made some adorable flower ones this week...I'm so thrilled with the way they turned out!

They were so fun and easy that we ended up making a whole bunch

Lucky for me, my two favourite models were on hand to try them out

this one is my daughter's favourite and she has claimed it as her own.  I think it looks cute with the triple flowers

The colour of the flower really pops when using this seventies action on the photo

Friday Inspiration - Featured Photographer

As a photographer, I'm always on the search for new inspiration to keep my photography skills growing.  I feel so lucky to have had the chance to get to know other photographers all over the world and share ideas.  As a new feature of my blog, i will be posting a section a couple of times a month called Inspiration Friday.  Hope you enjoy it!

Today i'm excited to introduce you to Jill Candland...I just love her fun and candid style.  I actually had a chance to meet Jill In Arizona last year and she's so sweet!  If you would like to check out her work, please visit her blog at: http://littlejillsmemoir.blogspot.com/

Without further ado, here's Jill and some of her amazing photographs.........

City/Country  you call home:
Mesa, Arizona

Favourite Subjects to photograph? Why?
HMMM I love high school Seniors because they are at such an exciting time of their lives--and I can do more creative things with them. But I also LOVE super laid back families that I can capture candidly. 

Type of camera you use
 Canon 5D

Favourite lens 

My favorite lens is my 50mm 1.4, because I can get such a shallow depth of field with all of the dreamy bokeh.  But the lens I use the majority of the time is  my 24-70 f 2.8.  I love it because I like to shoot wide--and also it gives me versatility.

Studio or Natural Light? why?
Natural light.  Because I love to go anywhere--and shoot in fun locations

tell us a little secret about yourself that nobody knows
I always go into the first stall of public bathrooms because my best friend's mom did janitorial work when I was in high school and she said that that was the one that she had to change the toilet paper in the least.  So I think it's cleaner.

Where do you look for inspiration
I like to check out other photographers work.  It challenges me to keep up on my game.

http://shannonsewell.com/theblankpage/
http://www.purplenickel.com/offthegrid/

Where would we find you when your not busy taking pictures? 

Ignoring chores around my house.  I have a husband and 4 kids--and  I love to chill with them.  I also love to bake.

Who or what would you love to shoot that you haven’t already? 

I would love to shoot me with my family--I would like to be in the pictures without having to set a timer and run.  Is that possible? If someone figures it out let me know.

Favourite TV show or movie? 

I am a fan of 30 Rock--except for when it gets too trashy--I turn it off.  And  Modern Family. those two shows make me laugh out loud.  And So You Think You Can Dance--who DOESN'T love that show?

Jill...thanks so much for taking part in my Friday Inspiration Feature!

New Website

I'm so excited to announce that the new Michelle Barbeau Photography Website is up and running!  Go on over to http://www.michellebarbeauphotography.com and let me know what you think.