Calgary Graduation Portraits

In 2023, I had the opportunity to photograph a lot of young men who were graduating from high school. I think parents of young female graduates always think about having portraits done because there is so much effort that goes into their dress, their shoes, their hair, etc…but, I love that the class of 2023 did not leave out the boys!! There is something so special about seeing these young people at this moment of transition in their life from their childhood to adulthood. Many of them are finishing up their youth sports or activities and making big decisions about what they want for their lives. I love hearing all about their future plans. Getting to spend time with so many grads every spring truly brings me hope for our future.

If you have a 2024 graduate and are thinking about having portraits done, watch here and on my social media for my Black Friday specials to grad $200 off a regular priced session. There will be a limited number of these sessions available and they will be released at 9:00am on Friday, November 24th. When, they’re gone—they’re gone ;) Over the next week and a half leading up that, I’ll be sharing more examples of what you can expect from a graduation session plus some tips to getting the most out of your own session….so, watch here.

Adventure Session Out At The Barn

Everybody always seems to be in such a hurry these days. Especially families with teens. We are so busy running them to all of their things. But, the thing is…as you near the end of your 18 summers(have you all read that quote about 18 summers?), you realize how important it is to take time to slow down and just be together. That’s the adventure that we did for this family. A night at the barn where their daughter spends a lot of time and all of their pets could roam comfortably and be a part of the session.

I know the trend is to go small with a portrait session now—to rush it and go for a quick mini session, but, for me, my heart will always be in these longer sessions. The time and space allows everyone to relax and just be themselves. We are able to create a space where your family can just be together without constraints or cell phones or worrying about fitting everything in. We give ourselves the time for things to unfold organically. Yes, you get a lot of photographs and maybe you think you only need a few, but if you haven’t seen these photographs yet—how do you know what you are missing? I can tell you that in a mini session, there is no time to capture the true personality of your crew. I also know that if you wear clothes that aren’t your own or your force kids into stuffy outfits that they are uncomfortable in, that you won’t see your true selves in the photographs. I want to show you who you are in your family portraits. Maybe that’s something you feel has been missing in your past family portraits—so, if you are ready to see the beauty of your life, try an Adventure Session with me this fall. I still have room in my schedule. before the snow flies.

East Village Junction | Calgary Family Photographer

7 years.

That's how long I've been photographing these girls for their dad. We have done all the things together--in home sessions where they drove their little battery powered car or swung in their hammock or decorated their Christmas tree. Mountain sessions where we just chased after their dogs. But, we had never done an 'urban' session and now that they are teenagers(or close enough anyways), I thought an urban session might be fun. So, we spent an afternoon hanging out at the locked up East Village Junction while their dad carried their purses and drank his coffee. And the oldest daughter's boyfriend rode his skateboard near by until we were finished. 

I know that I say this a lot, but...watching families grow...visiting them every year...that is a beautiful gift that my clients give to me. And, there is an ease that comes with using the same photographer every year...a familiarity that allows your children to really relax and just be themselves. It makes the whole experience a whole lot less painful--especially once they reach the 'teenage years' ;)