Out On The Farm

I always feel like each of my family sessions are unique to the family featured in them. And, every family is so unique that maybe there lacks a certain ‘flow’ to my portfolio when my goal is to simply capture them as they are in that moment. At times, I have definitely struggled with that lack of consistency and worried about what my peers might say, but right now, I am embracing that. I see it as a reflection of my ability to truly see people and reflect their uniqueness back to them in my own quirky way.

So, this family is extremely unique…sometimes they live in town…sometimes they live on the farm. This little girl has a half brother(and another half sibling on the way) plus step parents and a strong network of friends that feel like family(or at least that’s the sense I got from the time I spent with them). So, for me…the very last image is super special as it shows this little girl sitting with her half brother while her mom adjusts her hair and her step mom adjusts her half brother because IT TAKES A VILLAGE plus TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK. I kinda love that image as an example of modern day family. The things that stick out about a scene in front of you is what makes each photographer’s vision important. Like the ‘mystery box pick with eyes closed’ image. Or the one of mom and daughter in the kitchen(mom is an amazing cook—she turned me on to making my own pickled red onions for which my family is forever grateful). So, during a session when I am chatting with you and asking all sorts of curious questions…it’s really just my way of getting to know what’s important to you…without necessarily coming right out and asking that question. I just like to see what you are going to show me and somehow incorporate that into the images I create.

The mom in this image is also my friend and fellow photographer, Ash Nayler. Make sure to go take a look at her amazing work as well. And, if she ever offers to cook you a meal out on the farm—do not hesitate to accept.

Toronto Family Session

I took a bit of a breather in the first half of the year. I’ve been in business since 2007 and busy raising my kids so ‘a breather’ has never really naturally happened and I just felt like it was time. My goals for my work were to sit back and evaluate what it was that I truly wanted to do going forward. I was niave to think that I’d have all the answers in a few short months, but I did come up with a some of them. And, for now, that will do!!

One of the things that I was sure about was that I wanted to move more towards more Adventure Sessions. This is where my heart is…capturing families as they are…typically where they live…all the while showing their true personality. While I can appreciate the loveliness in a very curated photography style, I felt that by moving that way, I was sacrificing a family’s personality and forcing them to fit more into some imagined style I had in my head. It wasn’t working for me—much like fitting a square peg in a round hole. I just wanted to show the families who hired me exactly how beautiful their life looks. This session in Toronto is a recent session that just felt like all of that for me. Old school Dana Pugh.

It’s funny because it has occurred to me that if one’s own vision or ‘photography style’ is as unique as say a thumbprint(and I would argue that is true), then it would also mean that becoming more comfortable with yourself, would bring you more comfort with your vision. I am feeling more comfortable in my skin that I ever have…which is maybe why I just want to be me in my work. More than ever before.

So, THANK YOU to this family for braving the parking/driving situation in this part of Toronto(during a baseball game which I didn’t realize when I suggested it) and for just showing up with their hearts as their true selves. Even if dad is wearing his ugly runners that mom was mortified to realize upon starting ;) Even if some of the street shots have complete strangers in them(I actually kind of love that about those images, but I did secretly edit out a person or two). Your kids just came as themselves and showed me their awesomeness which made my job super easy.

And, OH…the mom in this session is also a photographer. Check out here work here: http://www.nicolekathlyn.com/

Make sure to scroll through all of the images because the ones at the end are all the heart eyes for me :)

Enjoy!! I still have room for a couple of Adventure Sessions before Thanksgiving if you are thinking this looks like something your family would be up for!

~ Dana

Because I Love It -- Teenage Bullrider

Earlier this year, I decided to focus on a couple of different personal projects. One of them has the working title ‘Because I Love It’ and it’s a project about teenagers and the hobbies/activities that they love. This young man, Holden Atkinson, agreed to be my first subject and I got to go ‘backstage’ at a rodeo documenting him and his friends while they did their thing. It felt great to get out and photograph something just for me and I am super excited to start sharing more of these little projects(and photographing more—so, if you know of someone who would like to participate, please have them reach out).

Eventually, this will be a diptych project, but I thought it would be neat to show you the series of images that lead to the eventual diptych(two closely associated photographs put together).

So, here’s Holden…go check out his Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/HoldenCashAtkinson/

This is such an important step for me—moving out of my comfort zone and photographing something that, although inspired by my own kids and their love of their past times, has truly nothing to do with either of them. I feel like I’m all grown up now…stepping into a different arena of photography entirely. And, it’s exciting!

Calgary Engagement Photographs -- Fire and Rain

I’ve secretly always wanted it to rain during a session. I mean…I know that many clients would be upset if that happened, but there are so many cool things you can get—photographically speaking—if it is raining. So, we could see the rain coming and I kept saying—if it starts to rain, we are staying out here. And, then when it started I was like ‘I know it’s cold, but let’s push through’…and I’m so glad we did. It took this session to the next level. So THANK YOU to Josh and Amanda for sticking it out. They are getting married at the end of this month and I am super excited to be photographing it. Maybe I’ll bring along my prisms that day as well…even though I’ll be praying for sunshine.