dogs, kids and cake [oh my!]

I know I say this every time I post photos of a kid's birthday party, but I think they are one of the best occassions to hire a professional photographer. With all the decorations, presents, activities, family, friends and happy kids, it's a very photogenic day and a great opportunity to document a milestone in a child's life. This is the second time I've had the lucky opportunity to photograph this sweet boy's birthday and I'm so glad I was there. He's just a delightful little guy with a bright smile, a wonderful heart and a great love for Batman! What a fun day it was. Big hugs to you Bat Boy!

giddy up [cowgirl]

I can't believe that THIS little sweetheart is already one year old! I loved working with her family on our first session together last Spring and was delighted when they called me to document her first birthday. It was a great day at Maplewood Farm with a fun cowboy theme, great friends & family, yummy treats and of course, the farm itself, which was fun for all the guest to enjoy.

Thanks for the great day Patrick and Louanne. I can't wait to see you again soon for your holiday photos.

Yee Haw!

fun [festivities]

I have to admit I was a little a lot nervous about shooting this birthday party. The gorgeous birthday girl's dad, Hamid Attie, is a very successful photographer here in Vancouver and has been an amazingly kind mentor to me ever since I first met him, so you can imagine how much I wanted to impress him!

Luckily, it was the perfect birthday party, with fun games, thoughtful decorations and, of course, lots of giggling kids and laughing adults - easy work for a photographer! The food was especially delicious... no wonder since Hamid's wife is in the catering biz. Oh, and did I mention that one of Hamid's clients is none other than the legendary chocolatier Thomas Haas, so the birthday girl's birthday cake masterpiece was made by Thomas himself?! Yuuuuummmmmmy. I had to stop myself at only one piece!

To Hamid and Rachel, thanks again for inviting me into your home for such a special occasion. I had a terrific time. c

And I couldn't resist including a photo of these yummy yummy yummy root chips. I think I ate about 100 of these delicious treats!

[monkeying] around

I know I say this every time I do a birthday post, but I just love taking photos at kid's birthday parties. What's not to like? Cake? Good! Ice Cream? Good! Presents? Good!*

This little guy's third birthday party was more fun than a barrel of monkeys. I especially loved the venue of Jump! Gymnastics. What a great place to have a party. The kids just loved climbing all over the equipment and playing in the ball pit and bouncing on the trampoline. I've already got my daughter excited about the idea of having her birthday party there next year which means I should probably give them a call right away!

Anyway, thanks to Jen & John for inviting me to document such a special day for your little monkey. It was great spending time with you and catching all the action. xo c

* I should probably point out a little "Friends" reference I just had to slip in there. Remember when Rachel made a mistake with the trifle recipe on Thanksgiving? It tastes like feet! Check it out HERE on YouTube. The best part is Joey at around 3:46. Too funny!

happy birthday [twins]

I've said it before and I'll say it again... I think children's birthday parties are an excellent occasion to hire a professional photographer. You're renting the bouncy castle, you're inviting all your friends and family over, you're planning activities and you're baking a cake (or at least buying one), so why not let me capture all the excitement with photographs while you enjoy the party?

When I had a photography session with THIS amazing family last fall, the mama to these adorable twins was smart enough to book me in advance for their birthday party a few weeks ago. It was a terrific day and I'm so glad I was able to take care of documenting everything while Jacki & Warren took care of hosting the wonderful party.

Which reminds me, be sure to contact me well in advance if you're thinking of hiring me for your next event. I'm taking on a limited number of sessions this summer and already have some family events scheduled so my calendar is filling quickly. You can always find out my current availability by clicking the "Contact" link under my header at the top of the page.

And while I'm at it with the housekeeping, thank you to all of my wonderful new clients who booked at my promotional rate. I'm almost finished all the sessions at that price and all new bookings will be at my new rate. You can find all the details about my new pricing by clicking the "Rates" link above.

Finally, exciting developments... I will be photographing two weddings in the next couple of months and I'm really looking forward to developing my porfolio in that area. If you know anybody getting married in the late summer or fall, please let them know I'm available for wedding photography. My rates will be highly negotiable and reasonable and I'll have two weddings under my belt by then. I would love to hear from any brides (or grooms!) who are interested in booking a keen and enthusiastic photographer who LOVES what she does and will put everything into documenting their amazing day. As an incentive, I'm offering a reduced rate engagement session so you can test drive my photography before hiring me for the big day. Click HERE to send me an email to spilledmilk(at)shaw.ca and we can discuss the details.

Anyway, thanks to Jacki and Warren for hiring me again to take photos for your amazing family (and sorry for hijacking your post so I could make a few announcements). I can't wait to work with you again, or at least run into you in the village! xo c

And now for the photos... aren't these two adorable?!?!

prettiest princess [brooklyn]

I love the idea of hiring a photographer for a children's birthday party. It may seem extravagant, but birthdays are such incredibly special occasions in a child's life and yet how many times do parents whirl through the hustle and bustle of hosting a fabulous party, only to realize they didn't even have the chance to pick up their camera?

I know exactly what it's like. I'm a photographer and yet if it wasn't for my brother - who is also an avid photographer - I probably wouldn't have photos from any of my daughter's first three birthdays. Special occasions are the perfect time to capture great memories with photography. You're already dressed up, having fun and celebrating with friends so why not get someone else to tell the story while you're busy enjoying life?

This is why I was so pleased when Brooklyn's mom hired me to take photos at her daughter's third birthday party. What a fun day full of giggling kids we had. The birthday girl was the prettiest princess I have ever seen and all of the details were perfect. A fluffy tiara, lots of balloons and yummy pink icing cupcakes (I had one, they were delicious!)

Thanks for the great day Judie and Brian... and just look at how sweet your little birthday girl is: