Lindsay + Brent

I'm finally back from an amazing week of shooting on Paradise Island! I met Lindsay & Brent the day after I arrived in the Lobby of the One & Only Ocean Club. We hit it off immediately and kept talking all the way through brunch. They're both very down-to-earth, fun and just great people. Lindsay is a fashion designer - check out her site at www.lindsayperry.com!

The day before the wedding, the bride's parents hosted a Welcoming Party at one of the private residences on the island for all the guests that had flown in. They couldn't have chosen a better place! It was right on the ocean !





Guests were served premium Bahamian Fare - grouper, conch, guava duff and an assortment of other goodies.

As the sun was setting I managed to grab the couple for some sunset shots on the beach. It was a little windy and I didn't want to get the bride's hair too windblown... I LOVE these backlit shots!



Stay tuned for some more amazing pictures of their WEDDING!

Paradise Island, Bahamas Sessions

I'll be in Nassau, Bahamas for several weeks in April. I'm shooting a wedding at the One & Only Ocean Club (where the James Bond movie, Casino Royale was filmed) as well as several other family/kids' sessions and even a couple of engagement sessions! I have several more spots available and I'm taking bookings for any other kids/families or couples who'd like to capture their adventures in the Caribbean! Call or email now to reserve your spot.

Winter's Wrath

I have the flu. I was determined not to get sick this year and I was feeling GREAT up until this point! If you call and get voicemail, if you email and don't hear back with my usual hyper-drive response time and if I've had to reschedule your portrait session; I truly apologize but will be back to my usual self in no time!

Health and Well-Being

People who have known me for a long time, know that I am very health-conscious and a bit of a fitness nut. In my early 20's I was a personal trainer, fitness nutritionist and semi-competitive body-builder. Nowadays I keep it down to running up to 8 miles a day and light-weight circuit training a few days a week. I've always enjoyed yoga on occasion and pilates has me quite intrigued. If only I could find a good pilates place in my area! Recently I discovered Bikram's yoga and I will never go back! For those who don't know what Bikram's Yoga is, it's mostly 'stretching' and 'compressing' muscles and joints in a room that is 106 degrees Fahrenheit at about 60% humidity. VERY hot! I go everyday for 90 minutes and it's amazing! Not only am I seeing definition in my legs, arms and shoulders, I'm also a lot more flexible. I'm very calm and relaxed throughout the day. I crave healthy food and not junk like I usually do. I've had lower back pain for quite some time and within a month it has completely disappeared! Even the aches in my shoulders from carrying all my equipment are gone! To top it off, I've lost a few pounds and several inches around my waist, hips and thighs. The biggest payoff for me however is the sense of peace and calm that I feel on a regular basis since starting Bikram's yoga. I'm more aware of my breathing which has allowed my mind (and those racing thoughts in my head) to become quieter. I LOVE hot yoga!

Parvinder + Jay's Engagement

I can't say enough about Parvinder & Jay! For the most part, engagement shoots are quite casual. However, Parvinder & Jay wanted to do something a little dressier first then change into jeans later. We started from their apartment and I noticed a little area in their back alley. Even though they were dressed up, they were willing to trust my 'vision' (in a back alley) and take my lead. I got some AMAZING shots that they were thrilled with too. Urban settings, no matter how 'rough' they may seem, can be transformed into unbelievable images!





From there we went casual down at the beach. I love hats and had a couple of ideas for Parvinder in Jay's car (a 350Z which, by the way, may be mine in the near future...).






But no matter what ideas I had and no matter what I had them do, they both were so willing to jump right in! They were so fun to photograph and I can't WAIT until their traditional Indian wedding in May!

Aruba & Dominica

Aruba... What can I say... I spent very little time scouting around Aruba. I bought a post card for my Mom and that was the extent of my excitement.

But Dominica! I LOVED Dominica! Yet another beautiful, lush, mountainous countryside with friendly residents and a culture rich in history. I was driving along a dirt road beside a river at one point and came across this guy washing his jeep in the river - bucket, cloth, soap and all. Coming back along the same road later that day, there was a family doing their laundry in almost the same spot. I know I see this on TV and I know this happens in the world but to actually witness it gave me a far greater connection. What hit me the most though was their visible joy. The children were laughing and playing, the woman was strong, diligent and also smiling. Earlier, the guy washing his jeep had seemed so proud to have a clean car! Back in North America I think I would be hard-pressed to find someone who would find pleasure in something that "inconvenient". It says a lot about how to find joy and happiness in all our tasks, and how to be grateful for everything we have... even the things we consider 'difficult' or unmanageable. I really believe that we create our own happiness and we can choose to look at things as being vexatious or appreciate our own good fortune - however modest it is.

Bonaire, Netherlands

Bonaire was a very pleasant surprise. It wasn't 'tourist-y' like St. Thomas or Aruba. It had a 'village' atmosphere but with all the modern amenities - casual bar/grills right on the dock over the ocean (don't you just LOVE this?!), some shopping and even a dive centre at the end of the road. It was quiet, relaxing, and soothing. Definitely not a place to go if you want to party all night long. There were a lot of beautiful and affordable vacation rentals right on the water too (I wouldn't mind staying here at all!). It's a place I would definitely consider staying for a longer period of time.

Grenada

I've ALWAYS wanted to go to Grenada! I remember my Dad telling me stories of his travels to Grenada when he was a pilot out of the Bahamas. He said it was his favourite place and that his dream was to one day live there. I'm sure it has changed a lot since 'his day' but I was absolutely fascinated by the landscape and the 'legendary' place my Dad thought so fondly of. Grenada is an agricultural wonder. All the farm land is on the mountainside - they harvest all their crops by climbing up the hills. There is no 'clear cutting' or landscaping. It's a hard life but their countryside is still 'untouched' by modern technology.





I also had the opportunity to photograph Christine & Jerry while they were on vacation. We didn't have a lot of time - they didn't want to miss their cruise line embarkation! They just wanted a few shots of their day. But we had fun nonetheless exploring the island, the buildings and a few local attractions.

St. Thomas

So far my travels have been quite exhausting and rather hurried. Today I was in St. Thomas which reminds me very much of New Orleans! The streets are narrow, the shops are plentiful and wrought iron balconies above are abundant. I kept waiting for the bands to start playing and people dressed in elaborate costumes to burst onto the streets! It's a great place for shopping but I was more interested in the lifestyle and the sights. Unfortunately, I wasn't there for long so I didn't get very many images.

Caribbean Bound

I'm off to the Caribbean for 3 weeks! I'm going to check out Eleuthra, Aruba, Grenada, Netherland Antilles and whichever other island calls my name. I will have limited access to my cell phone so email would be the best way to contact me. If you happen to be on any of these islands and want some images of you and your loved ones on your holiday, I'd be more than happy to meet up with you! I already have a couple of shoots lined up! However, do not expect a response on Sunday, February 3 as I will be glued to the big screen in Florida watching the Superbowl!