And we find ourselves....

...at another long weekend. Dance your ass off and enjoy every minute of it.

Love reminds us...

....that nothing else matters. Enjoy your weekend!

Adorably, Adam.

Introducing....Adam! This was my first baby shoot and I was so excited to capture first time parents Josie and Joe with their three month old baby bundle of boyish joy. Adam already has so much personality and loves to dance to Bob Marley. I am already looking forward to his one year birthday cake smash.

With amazing parents like these, you're in for a great life Adam. Thank you for smiling at me all day. You are already loved by so many.

xoxo

Help yourself.

Michael came to me this weekend and named a few artists who had passed away at 27 years old. I haughtily shrugged my shoulders. I normally could care less about celebrity blah blah blah.

He said to me, "you'll care about this. Guess who else got added to that list?"

When he told me Amy Winehouse, I literally gasped "NO!" I don't know why, but I am deeply bothered by her death. I've followed her music since she was young and drug free. It's amazing to see the transformation of self destruction. Her music moves me and she has the soul of someone well beyond our generation.

It bothers me that we're cheated of any more amazing albums. It bothers me that she probably died alone. It bothers me when people make rehab jokes, and the irony of that hit song is just too obvious for people to not poke fun at.

Rest in peace to a one of a kind musician. I wish you had more time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQTOGTV9_BA&feature=fvst

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lEgNyJQ2is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqSKVv6YO8g

Sugar Sugar

Summer time calls for all things sweet: ice cream, slushies, margaritas and sugar.

The truth serum

It was that first year Philosophy course I took in school that almost had me quit University before I even had the chance to experience it. I always did well in school but this course had me pulling out my hair. The professor spoke in such riddles and rhymes such as: "The essence of a triangle is the triangleness of a triangle."

Huh?

If I wasn't so intrigued in figuring out what the hell he was talking about, I would have walked straight out and wasted my mom's hard earned money on my degree. Fortunately for me, my B.A. never consisted of any further Philosophy courses, but I'm glad I completed at least one.

We scratched our heads trying to figure out how to tell if you and I see the same reality. For example, there are certain truths that confirm that we both see the same brown table. It's square in shape, hard in surface and dark in colour. These truths we can agree upon. But how do we ever really know if we are seeing the same exact table, except through description? Is truth that subjective that there is no real correct answer? In life, if we are so sure about the truth, why do we seek other's opinion on a matter? Does their affirmation of your truth confirm to you that it is truth? Is truth determined by the masses? For example, 99 out of the 1oo people see something as true so it must be?

I'm on a mission in life to seek truth and be around like minded people. In an earlier blog post, I discussed meeting some wonderful people when Charity and I shot a wedding in the Dominican. All of our stories somehow brought things back to what was true. What is truth though? Is it what we tell ourselves to believe? Is my opinion of someone else the truth if someone else thinks differently? Is it only God who sits above and watches us all who solely and truly knows what's really going on?

One thing is for sure. I'm truthful to myself. I know my faults, my flaws, my strengths and I know my gut. We as humans have trouble revealing the truth to others as it makes us appear weak and appearances are then unveiled. It's only at night when we are alone in bed that we really can be truthful with ourselves. You can lie to everyone else but you can't lie to yourself. That nagging feeling in your stomach, heart and mind tells you what the truth is, no matter if it's negative or positive, right or wrong. It used to madden me that people didn't live in their own reality. How can they not see what's going on, I would often ask myself? Do they honestly not see how they are behaving and can't see the forest through the trees? My mom always told me that as long as I knew the truth, that should be good enough but is it?

Have a swig of the truth serum, dig deep into what you know to be right and true and to hell with everything else. People are right out of their minds these days.

Live in your truth, fully and wholeheartedly.

Have a great weekend.....

Love,

Wendy

xo

Keep cool.

Finding ways to cool down.....80's records are as cool as they come.

xo

A hot and steamy night.

Tara and I grew up together. She was like an older sister to me. We lost touch over the years and through the magic of Facebook, we reconnected. She has two adorable children. She met Tony back in highschool. They were sweethearts but drifted on separate paths with different people. Tony has three children. Together through space, place and time they found each other again.

She is the ever optimist. He is a realist. She is beautiful and loving. He is strong and rugged and adores his bride-to-be. You know when you can just tell?

Last night must have been the hottest night of the year so far. The air was still and sticky. Michael came along and helped me shoot portraits. He is an amazing second shooter and we work very well together. Tara and Tony never complained once and were game for every location we chose. It's rare that you find people as good looking, humble and kind as these two and to boot, they are completely and madly in love. Even despite previous lives, different countries and roadblocks thrown in front of them, nothing could keep them apart. What can I say? It was meant to happen.

In just a few short weeks, "T 'n' T " will be married at the Ancaster Old Mill, in front of their closest family members in an intimate outdoor ceremony. These are the kind of weddings photographers dream about.

Tara and Tony, we hope you enjoy your "sneak peek" of photos from last night. The countdown is on!

Love,

Wendy

xoxo

I can't go for that.

Why is it that we intrinsically try to please the ones who put in the least amount of effort, over and over again? Do you ever find that the more poorly someone treats you, the harder you try? Have you ever found yourself in a position where you give 200% and the person next to you gives 50% yet gets all the glory and praise? Then, in frustration, your loved ones pay the price because there is no remaining energy to give, even though they are the ones who deserve your affection and attention. It seems no matter the age, we revert to children who are seeking approval from their peers, friends, family and parents although the irony is at our adult age, we feel childish calling someone out on their behaviour. That honesty makes us feel vulnerable and needy and in turn perpetuates the person in question to ignore us. I've seen it happen in the workplace. I've seen it happen with siblings and parents. I've seen it happen in friendships.

Are we all suffering from abandonment issues so badly that we constantly reach out to the ones who slap us in the face, over and over again?

Au contraire over here. I can't go for that. I hear warning bells and run the other way.

I run like hell.

The world is a vast place full of different opinions, thoughts and perspectives. Seek your own approval however you shall. I found mine in a field of dreams.

Love,

Wendy

Great Expectations

Do you ever feel like you're disappointing everyone and no matter how hard you try to please the masses, you do your best to juggle multiple projects, expectations, errands, commitments and events, yet still fall short of making everyone happy?

What good are you to anyone if you have no time to make yourself happy?

It's been a rough week. I'm glad it's Friday.

What's it all worth?

You know how the saying goes: Is it better to have loved and lost then to never have loved at all? Is the moment greater than the pain? When it doesn't fare well, it's always farewell.

The heartache of love gone awry is sometimes too much to bear, even when it's not me, but someone else I care about going through it. I pang for those lost souls who yearn for their lost love back.

There truly is no exquisite pain like it.

Everybody's got a story.

The large and gorgeous model home to the right of us was up for sale for some time. An Indian family moved in and Michael was speaking to the husband who excitedly told us about his new job at Walmart. Michael and I couldn't figure out how someone could afford a $450,000 home working at Walmart and instantly drew the conclusion that multiple families moved into the home.

We scratched our heads in confusion as he would come home at late hours after his shift at Walmart. Last week, Michael went to pick up his prescription, came home and asked me to guess who he saw working at Walmart? He told me he saw our neighbour. He was the pharmacist who handed Michael his prescription.

You just never know, do you?

Now who can read the mind
Of the red-headed girl next door
Or the taxi driver who just dropped you off
Or the classmate that you ignore
Don't assume everything on the surface is what you see
'Cause that classmate just lost her mother
And that taxi-driver's got a Ph.D

~ Amanda Marshall

...and I owe it all to you!

Last weekend I headed to Owen Sound with Charity and another girlfriend to shoot a wedding. Leading up to the big day, you're never quite sure what type of events will unfold. When you spend time with the couple and their wedding party prior to the wedding, it makes shooting the day of, so much more relaxed. It's a feeling of friendship and an honour to be part of their day.

The night before, we all headed out to a local bar, tore up the dance floor and had many many laughs. As always, my stomach was in knots the day of the wedding. I had to overcome a personal fear of getting lost. I felt like I was six again and petrified of not being able to find my way home from school. I was shooting the groomsmen on the 14th hole of a large golf course, while Charity was with the bride and her girls. I had to find my way. I had no choice. When I showed up, there were 13 clowns that I had to boss around in order to get some good shots. We had some laughs, they told dirty jokes and I felt like I was one of the guys. Sometimes you just have to treat people like your friends, not clients in order for them to feel comfortable with you.

The day was a beautiful one...but scorching hot. In the 95 degree heat, Charity and I shot the wedding ceremony. They guests filtered in one by one. We assumed position and captured as many angles as we could, performing the dance that photographers do to stay out of each other's shot. At one point, the dance led us side by side in the aisle as we shot the groom kneel down to the bride's daughter, present her with a ring and ask her if he could officially be her dad. Between the sweat dripping off my brow and the tears flowing down my face, I looked at Charity and she was just as busy wiping her camera screen off from the weather and emotion.

Melissa and Jay, we wish you nothing short of the wonderful life you deserve. It's not every day that I get emotional at weddings but this one had me in tears for a good part of the day and laughing for the rest. Thank you for allowing us to capture your day!

Love,

Wendy & Charity

Let it go

A few days in the sunshine with some good friends, my wonderful man and a lakeside cottage is exactly the recipe I needed to clear my much cluttered head last week. Sometimes all you need is some music, good food, wine and a sunset off a sparkling lake to really unwind. A little trepedation from some bad memories has turned into joy for the new ones that have long replaced the former. Life goes on, you live and learn, forgive, forget and let it go.

See you all this weekend for Michael's 40th birthday party(s).

Let it go

Let it go

Let it free your body

Let it move your soul
Let it go

~Luba