Hey guys!

As my first official blog entry, I wanted to thank each and everyone of you guys who have liked, shared and took a peek at my site.  A special appreciation goes out to my friends and family (you know who you are) who have supported me through my decision to go back to school and pursue my true passion in photography. I wouldn’t be here without you guys and am so grateful to have such wonderful people in my life!

For those of you just finding me, I’d like to welcome you all to my site and look forward to meeting (and photographing)  your beautiful weddings and families. I am so excited to what the future will bring and the adventures my photography will take me on.

That being said, I  wanted my very first post to introduce myself and talk about what I have been up to in this past year, as well as what to look out for in the months to come!

First things first, I am a photographer in the Niagara region. I love capturing love on camera, whether it’s between a couple, family, or even your furry friends! I am a huge animal lover and spent the majority of my life on a farm which hosted a variety of interesting animals including horses, cows, chickens and even rabbits.  I simply cannot go without them in my life and have even worked as a veterinary technician for several years before venturing off to photography school.

I am happily married to a talented carpenter named Alex and together we have ventured into many interesting home renovations on the house we purchased in Welland.  I might be biased when talking about this, but I am sure I have one of the most adorable dogs on the planet; a five year old Goldendoodle who is known affectionately as Luis (Or Louberry, Boo, Luis-Lane, and all the other adorable nick names we call him on a regular basis).  Be prepared for images of this hilarious pooch on a regular basis–I am even considering getting him his own Instagram, haha!

I wanted to talk a little bit about my time at Niagara College, where I attended the Digital Photography Program. I simply could not ask for a better experience! From the amazingly talented professors, the professional lighting equipment and meeting some very talented classmates, I have learned and grown so much. And let me take a second to talk about the amazing opportunities that come up throughout the school year, as I was lucky enough to be able to photograph a beautiful house for the Niagara Homes and Lands magazine with two other students.

Having hands on experience was the most exciting part of school because it prepared me for what was to come after graduation.  There is also annual competitions and awards put on by the program to reward it’s students for their dedication and hard work. These events are sponsored by major leaders in the photography industry and include Henry’s, Nikon as well as Pikto. I had the privilege of serving as Chair of the Sick Pix Committee, a group of students who fund raised and helped plan the big photographic competition at the end of the year. We invited several talented judges and our friends and family to come out to witness all of the expertise of the photography students!

I was so fortunate to win Best of Show (winning photo below!),  as well as First Place in the Commercial Photography and First place in the Photoshop category! I won some great prizes that will help me out with my new business, including a pair of studio strobes graciously donated by Henry’s!  Congratulations again to all the other winners,  you are a very talented bunch and I look forward to working with you guys!  🙂

Another big part of school included the creation of a final portfolio on our subject of choice. Unfortunately, photographing couples proved itself too difficult with my busy school schedule as well as the horribly cold weather we experience this winter so I chose to photograph commercial products to hone my skills with lighting and composition, skills  that are easily applied when photographing people. Photography is essentially painting with light, and learning to control that light is essential to getting great images! I finished in second place at the portfolio competition out of the entire graduating year and below I’ve added a few photos that were in my portfolio if you wanted to check them out!  Congratulations goes out to all my other class mates who have worked so hard!

With Graduation coming up, I am looking forward to seeing all the familiar faces of the great people I’ve met during my time at school. I am proudly on the President’s Honour Roll and can say that I have truly found where my passion lies. I am so blessed to have had this opportunity and look forward to photographing what I love!

Be sure to check back at my blog, where I will be posting updates and other helpful information, as well as photos from my sessions with my wonderful clients.  Things to look out for include frequently asked questions, what to wear to a photo session as well as information about different vendors.

Hope you all have a lovely evening,

Lorie