Thank goodness for our Saskatoon photography studio!

Throw back Thursday to this session I shot when we just moved into our Saskatoon photography studio.  I can't wait to have somewhere warm to shoot that is simple and stunning all winter long.  We have a few fall sessions still available and are booking into the chillier months.  Once I'm all caught up with editing, I will be posting some of the sessions we have been working on. 

Beautiful baby girl - Saskatoon photographers

This couple first graced our camera a few years ago, when we shot their engagement session!  We have since shot their wedding and now newborn photos here in Saskatoon.  I'm actually a tad bit behind with posting, as they just brought their beautiful baby girl into the studio for her 3 month photos last week.  She is so beautiful, and lucky to have such wonderful parents!  I honestly can not say enough good things about this little family. 

Meet the newest addition to the family... their gorgeous baby girl!  

Busy, busy, busy! Welcome to life with two kids:).

I photographed this little girl when she was a baby.  It was so cool to see her so grown up, and oh so busy!  She sat so good at the beginning of the session then we just let her run around and I chased her.  LOL.   And her little bro.  Equally adorable!  Gosh, this family has become near and dear to me.  And their kids.... so freakin' adorable!!!!  I tried narrowing down a selection for viewing.  Obviously it was way to hard, so here are over half of their images!  So many great shots. 

Danielle - Shooting photographers...

Tonight Danielle, of Danielle Stasiuk Photography, and I went out in the city to capture each other.  We both agreed that we needed some new head-shots.  While this one isn't a head-shot,  I love how this one turned out!!!!  So bad ass!  Danielle specializes in weddings and boudoir!!!  She was so much fun to photograph and while I was in front of the camera, she made me feel at ease and gave a ton of direction, which I love!  You can check out her amazing boudoir work Here

Tidbit Tuesday - PPOC

While doing my own search for a photographer for my annual family photos, I realize that so many photographers put very little on their websites about themselves.  I find this so odd, because in my opinion, the person behind the camera is just as important, if not more important than their portfolio... so I decided to write a little something about me over the next little while.  Every second Tuesday, I will write a little tidbit, naming the blog posts, Tidbit Tuesday.  This week's Tidbit is all about an association I'm a part of, the Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC).  You can check out their website, Here

Memories by Mandy

We are so proud to be an accredited member of the PPOC.  We currently hold an accreditation in weddings, and working on our accreditation in families.  What does that mean?  Here is some great information from the PPOC website. 

Memories by Mandy

Why Choose an Accredited Professional Photographer?

PPOC’s accreditation process recognizes photographers who have reached a nationally accepted standard of proficiency and knowledge in photographic arts. Achieved by submitting samples of photography to a PPOC Board of Review, this peer-reviewed program challenges candidates to demonstrate their capability of delivering exceptional quality photography in a chosen category.

As a specialist in their chosen field, a PPOC Accredited professional photographer has the proven experience, knowledge and equipment to provide you with a quality product in their area of expertise. 

Memories by Mandy

Why become a member?

PPOC welcomes photographers of all genres to join our community.  Meet new friends and mentors and take advantage of the wealth of experience and knowledge.

PPOC offers photographers a way to rise to professional status.  Educational opportunities, networking, direct member benefits and the ability to earn awards and designations will assist in your potential for growth and economic improvement.

Once an Accredited member, your personal area of specialty and images are promoted on our website so clients and other photographers making referrals know who to contact.

Memories by Mandy

There are currently only a handful of photographers who hold an accreditation in weddings in Saskatoon, and we are so proud to be one of them!  This is really the only type of organization across Canada that recognizes and holds photographers to a higher standard.  In my opinion, this shows so much more value to our clients.  When in reality, anyone can go out and buy a camera and start up a Facebook page.  How do we separate ourselves from the rest?  We keep pushing ourselves to become the best photographers we can be, as there is so much competition in Saskatoon.  The PPOC helps us achieve that.   

Saskatoon Photographers

Frames, Frames, Frames!!!

Well I got some bad news the other day... our super, wonderful, Canadian, frame company is closing its doors.  My house is full of these frames, and now I will no longer be able to add to my collection.  Total bummer... I know!  But, the good news is, they are still accepting orders until July 30, so we will be happy to accept any orders until then.  I thought lets go out with a bang!  All frames will be sold empty (without images) and I can offer them for 40% off if you buy two or more.  We would be more than happy to print professional prints for the frames as well at at discounted price of 20% off our regular print price. 

So, you can get these frames for a steal!  Here is the pricing:

30x40:  $749.40 (reg: $1249)

20x30:  $407.40 (reg: $679)

16x20:  $221.40 (reg: $369)

11x14:  $149.40 (reg: $249)

8x10:  $71.60 (reg: $179)

The frames are amazing quality!  And I'm saddened as I haven't found a company that is Canadian and comparable.  So until we find another great company to supply us, this will be the last time you will be able to score some frames from us!  Here are some images of the frames.  They come in a variety of different shapes, can come distressed or not, and you can get them in every color of the rainbow!  Our last day to accept frame orders is July 29, 2014!!!  

 

Tidbit Tuesday - Getting to know your photographer!

While doing my own search for a photographer for my annual family photos, I realize that so many photographers put very little on their websites about themselves.  I find this so odd, because in my opinion, the person behind the camera is just as important, if not more important than their portfolio... so I decided to write a little something about me over the next little while.  Every second Tuesday, I will write a little tidbit, naming the blog posts, tidbit Tuesday.  This week's Tidbit is all about my love for travel.

Our first family trip out of the country was when I was in grade 6, we went to Costa Rica.  Our little family of 4 rented a car and drove all over the country seeing everything we possibly could.  While I don't remember too much from that trip, I do remember getting up early one morning and heading out in hopes of seeing wild toucans, and not seeing a darn thing!  I also remember the rain forest (walking in the clouds), monkeys stealing food from tourists on the beach, and the smells of San Jose, which mostly consisted of exhaust and pollution.  This first trip was so exciting and has instilled the 'travel bug' in me at a young age. 

4 years later our next family trip was Jamaica.  Not an all inclusive resort trip, but again, renting a car and traveling across the whole island trip.  It was pretty cool to see the whole island and seeing all the culture there.  I do have a few more memories from that trip, like climbing the dunns river falls.  Partaking in beach parties in Negril, getting lost in the most dangerous city on the island, Kingston, (which we luckily didn't get shot or robbed, lol), as well as the abundance of marijuana and having the locals pushing it on us (mostly our parents), even though us kids were right there beside them.  After this trip, the travel bug hit hard! 

The following year, in grade 11 I went on an exchange to France.  It was such a positive experience!  For the first few days we toured around Paris, seeing all of the touristy things, like the Louvre (seeing the Mona Lisa in person, as well as the original painting of the last supper was pretty cool!), the arc de triomphe, the Eiffel tower, along with many famous castles etc.  Once we arrived with our host family, the next 3 weeks weren't nearly as eventful, but never the less, we made the best of it and ate cheese everyday for dessert and hit up the bakery for 'pain au cholcolat' (chocolate chunks baked in bread) on a regular basis.  

Our grade twelve year, for the class trip, we had the opportunity to travel to Africa.  Tunisia to be exact!  I'm so thankful that my parents really valued travel and pushed me to go on all of the trips that we had the opportunity to go on.  We did a 10 day tour around the country where we slept under the stars in the Sahara Desert, rode camels through the Sahara Desert, and swam in the Mediterranean sea, just to name a few.  This was such a cool trip to go on!!! and even several years later, have so many memories from it.  

The year following high school, a friend of mine who worked for Air Canada at the time, asked me if I wanted to take a trip to Europe.  Of course I said YES!  We hit up 5 countries in 3 weeks, and spent a lot of time waiting in airports (the beauty of flying with an employee is the buddy pass, the draw back is flying stand by).  We did Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, Holland and Germany, where we got delayed a few days due to 911 happening.  It's funny that you always remember where you were when 911 happened.  I was in a shoe store in Germany that had TV's everywhere, and seeing these two planes crashing.  Because I couldn't understand a word of German, I thought it was pilots who were just out of control.  A little while later, we found out it was terrorists.  The trip was a whirlwind, but I was so thankful to do it!  

Fast forward another year and I took the TESOL course (Teaching English as a Second Language course), which took me to Veracruz, Mexico, where I lived for a year.  Again, another amazing opportunity!  It was pretty cool living and working in what I like to call 'real' Mexico, where the pot holes put Saskatoons to shame (hard to believe, I know!), the tacos were delicious and the sweat dripping down every inch of your body even at 11pm, was completely normal, because we were too cheap to turn on the AC.  Some of my fondest memories were from living abroad, and if you are considering teaching English somewhere, go for it!!!!  It was an amazing experience!  I have to admit, I'm so glad I did all of these things when I was young because the older I get, the less desire I have to be adventurous.

Each year following my living abroad, I have gone on a trip.  Mexico a few times (a couple of those to shoot weddings), Jamaica (again, to photograph a wedding), as well as Maui for the last few years.  We've fallen in love with Maui, as it he scenery is that beautiful, tropical palm tress, without the litter, harassment and food born illness that seem to come along with third world countries. 

So... as you can see, I love to travel!  Even if it is just up to a northern Saskatchewan lake for the weekend.  Getting away for a while is good for the soul!!!  I feel so thankful I'm able to do it.

I leave you with a few images of our first year in Maui.... why we fell in love!