Peeta loves Katniss - A Hunger Games Creative by Salt and Light Studio

Like millions of readers world wide, I too have been bitten by the "Hunger Games" bug.

The truth is, a year and a half ago I stumbled upon Suzanne Collins' novel series and have been utterly unable to put the books down (with more than 6 read-throughs, I may officially be called a Hunger Games expert at this point!).   

For those of you living under a rock the past few years, the story centers around a 16 year old girl forced to fight to the death in a dangerous outdoor arena as amusement for the totalitarian government of a future North America known as "Panem."  The book introduces the reader to protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, and fellow competitor, Peeta Mellark, chronicling their fight for survival both inside the arena and out and the complicated relationship that grows between them. 

Call me a huge geek but.....I adore this story!

I loved it so much that I just knew I had to use it as inspiration for a stylized photography session.  I knew the story I wanted to tell visually.  I knew I wanted to find models who could bring the characters of Katniss and Peeta to life, that I wanted to capture their "relationship" on film.

As a Stylized Portrait Photographer, I specialize in creating sessions that are a true reflection of my real world clients here in Ottawa.  Pulling from their own life stories to create a session that is uniquely them.  In working on this session, my goal was always to honor the "true story" of these fictional characters.  I approached the shoot with this question:  "If Peeta and Katniss were a real couple and this was their real story, what would their wedding look like?"  Based on that, my team of great local vendors and I pulled inspirational details from all three books in the Hunger Games series, deciding to pick up the story almost at the end of book three (BEWARE OF SPOILERS IN THIS POST IF YOU HAVEN'T READ ALL THREE BOOKS!).

For fellow Hunger Games enthusiasts, I hope you will appreciate the attention to detail we put in this shoot.  It was a true labor of love with a wonderful team of local Ottawa vendors, all of whom came on board with very little notice, a love of The Hunger Games books and a commitment to excellence.

Our little Adventurer - Ottawa baby photographer

 Can you believe that this guy is already 7 months old??

I am stunned, frankly.

With this being our third and final child (God willing!), I think I have paid extra attention to those important baby milestones with our sweet Adler boy.  Not that I have a lot of photographic evidence of this fact, *gulp, I am the overworked mother of three, after all.

But, I promise you, if you could crawl inside this thick ol' noggin' of mine, you would say "ah yes, you did notice, cherish and hold onto that moment when your baby smiled/rolled over/sat up/looked at you with love/tried to crawl/ate his first solids/slept through the night/clapped his hands and/or made you fall completely in love with him," the pictures are all up there swirling around for my own personal enjoyment.

I wish I could show them to you.  But then again, I don't because these are mine all mine and sometimes it's good to be truly IN the moment rather than having half of your brain there and the other half deciding what f/stop you should capture this moment in.

What I can show you, however, is a tiny glimpse into my growing-way-too-fast-7-month-old's adventurous spirit.  It simply delights me to dream about all the things he can/might/will do on his path to becoming who he was made to be.

I hope he's a dreamer.  An explorer.  An adventurer.

One Fish Two Fish - Ottawa Child Photographer

I don't know about you but I am a summer lover.

Give me stinkin' hot humid summer days and I am one happy happy gal.

The fact I live up here in Ottawa, with it's snowy winters 5-6 months of the year is sort of mind boggling to me.  I can't tell you how often I daydream about moving to Texas or Arizona or somewhere no one ever wears a snow suit.

Sadly this is not really possible so I must try and embrace my Canadian winter reality.  This year I decided not just to curse the snow with shaking fists from the comfort of my cozy home but to actually venture out into it.  Snow suit and all.  And I realized something while I was out there gritting my teeth against the cold;  I realized that winter could be inspiring.  Not just the shimmering snow and dangling icicles but even the winter culture, winter activities.

With that in mind (and a giant cup of hot cocoa running through my veins!), I began to dream of a Winter Stylized Portrait session in true Salt and Light Studio Style.



May I present:

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish - An Ottawa Ice Fishing Adventure

 Starring Mr. O

 

Kissing Booth Awesomeness for Ottawa Photographers

Some times I have these "ideas".

Pretty much, every two days, actually.  Unfocused, much?

It's true, I do struggle with focus.......SQUIRREL......("Up" movie lovers giggle here)

If I'm honest, I would tell you that I don't mind being a bit unfocused in general because I know that when I need to I can hon in on something with pin point accuracy.  And the best thing about having a mind that wanders is that it seems to know no bounds.  Yup, this big ol' noggin' of mine is constantly, and I mean CONSTANTLY, coming up with new creatives.  Things to do, things to make, things to try.  I feel like I'm constantly pushing myself to new places with high levels of risk and the promise of big rewards to keep me motivated.

Sometimes, I don't make it to my goal.  Sometimes I aim big and come up short.

I'm only human, that way.

But I believe in BIG DREAMS.  I believe in the power of possibility and I believe that maybe, just maybe, if I work hard enough for long enough, I might get there.  Wherever "there" maybe be.

One of the ideas I have ruminated over rather obsessively was creating a Kissing Booth that could be used for adorable family shoots, engagement shoots and even Valentines Day mini-sessions.  The trick was that I not only wanted an impressive wooden structure but I also wanted it to be transportable in the back of my SUV, light enough for one person to carry alone, easy to set up AND able to be converted into other types of booths or stands by changing out details and color schemes.  A candy stand, or lemonade stand, for example.

Coming to America...er...Alberta

For those of you who do not know:  Alberta, is my home.

I was raised amidst vivid yellow canola fields, muted barley and wheat fields, crumbling wood barns and skies that seem to go a full 180 degrees.  With it's hovering mountains just a stones throw away, Alberta is indeed a place chalk FULL of inspiration.

I loves me some Alberta.  (somewhere my English teacher shutters...)

Thankfully, my dear client and friend, Christine will be tying the knot in picturesque Canmore, Alberta and I have been lucky enough to be her photographer of choice.  Yay, me!  (High fives self)

It's going to be absolutely awe-inspiring.  I'm kind of giddy about it, frankly.

Since I'll be in the neighborhood, I figured, hey, why not toss in a few photo sessions, too.  The icing on my proverbial cake, if you will.  Plus, some of you have been practically beating down my (online) door asking when, oh dear when, I would be coming back to Alberta to photograph you and your gorgeous husband/boyfriend/kids/parents/dogs.

So, dear friends, I'm coming.  Go ahead, give yourself a high five too. ;)

You can find out all the details by clicking on the new tab way up there titled "Summer Loving Sessions - Alberta"  or by clicking HERE.

Until next time,

Lisa

Girly Girl

It's no secret that I'm a bit of a girly girl.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not afraid of spiders and I have been camping and hiking.  I've even gone a week without showering on several occasions.  There aren't a lot of showers available at 3000 feet up a mountain, you know.

But given the choice between rugged wilderness and say, the luxury of a good hotel, well....check me in, sir.

I try to showcase these two parts of me in my work.  I love to blend the opulent with the honest beauty of creation.  The textures of a boutique hotel set in natures reverie.  The best of both worlds.

My children are a wondrous mix too.  My son is a sensitive soul, easily wounded by the harshness of the world, and yet full of fierce determination.  My daughter is as at home covered in dirt head to toe as she is demanding to put on her princess dress and have her nails painted.

I love the complexity of people, that way.  They can't be boxed in, defined by one moment alone.  I think that's why I enjoy photographing families, kids and couples rather than turning my talents on the beauty of nature alone.  To me, a beautiful place to photograph is made even more beautiful by the people that interact with it.  Without people, it's just a place.  Devoid of the character and charisma that only a person can bring.

In that way, the people define what a place is.



My kids, for example, turn my house into a home.  The living room space becomes a play room complete with couches to jump on and cushions to toss.  My kitchen becomes the dance floor and two times a year (actually, THREE now if you read my previous post!), my dining room becomes the party room as we celebrate the birth of these incredible little people who's character and charisma bring definition and purpose to our space.

For my daughter's recent 4th birthday, our dining room turned into a tea party room.

Complete with real china tea cups, lace table cloth, handmade felt flower centerpiece, some adorable little girls and heaps and heaps of pink.

Three.

It is unbelievable to me how fast time seems to go.  I know this is a cliche sentiment but SERIOUSLY, how does it go so ridiculously fast??  I'm stymied, frankly.  One second ago I was 10 and misguidedly running away from home, then I blinked, got married, blinked again and had three kids.

Yup, THREE.

For those of you who are new here, THREE kids is new around here.  Regular readers to my irregular posts may note that the last you heard from me there were, in fact, only two small people demanding my attention and running away from my camera.  Their numbers have multiplied in the interim between my last summer post and this very overdue one.

Sept 7th was the official date of kid multiplication.  Or is it simple addition?  I've never been very good at math....

So yes, THREE, explains why I am so tardy in updating this here blog of mine.  THREE, is also the reason my house is a mess, all of my camera batteries need recharging and I can't even think about what I'm going to do for New Year's.  Stay in, probably.  Because I have THREE KIDS.

What say I go ahead and introduce #3 to y'all, hmmm.  Sound like a plan?

On behalf of Salt and Light Studio, yeah, that's just me being all "formal" and stuff......I present to you,  

THREE!! (We call him Adler) (insert rowdy applause here.)