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Love Lives Here

04.24.2012

I worked with Mama briefly right before I had my first daughter. She was just coming back from one maternity leave, heading toward a second, and I was eager to hear about all her new-found wisdom of motherhood.  At the time, we also shared a strange addiction to spicy duck from the local food court.

When she contacted me for the shoot, it had been one week shy of five years since I had seen her. Since last seeing each other, I had two daughters, she a son, and was now only a month away from delivering her third child, a daughter. Despite this lapse of time and all the changes we had experienced in our lives, the moment we saw each other it was truly as though no time had passed. She was as beautiful as I remembered her, and her family, whom I’d only had a chance to see in photos was even more lovely in person. Interestingly, her husband attended the same highschool as me, but the photo shoot would be the first time we actually spoke.

We would end up doing three shoots together: a family, maternity, and finally, a newborn session of their family’s newest addition. There are many photos I am really proud of that came from these sessions, and so, I have decided to divide them up to give each of the images a chance to shine. Mama’s reasons for having a shoot at this point in her family’s life? In her words:

“I came to a realization that this very moment in our lives is one that I want to remember forever, simply because of the children’s ages and their very innocence in  sharing in this special moment in time with me and my pregnancy.   They have shown this baby such tender love and care and she is not even here yet.  I want to remember this forever and somehow, try to capture this on camera. “

As a mom, I immediate got it, and as a photographer I felt very flattered that they trusted me behind the camera. As I headed to that first session, I knew we had the same vision for their family’s images.

The moment you walk through the door of their home, you feel it. It’s a sense of calm, content, and comfort. It’s in the way they move, and speak, the way their children behave, as only little ones who know they are home in a safe place, do.

It is the way Mom and Dad look at each other, speak without words, and complement each other with their actions.

It is the pride in their eyes when they look at their children.

 It is the way in which you simply feel the tenderness and love that surrounds this family, much like a cocoon, and makes you feel, even as a visitor, safe.

To the T family, thank you for welcoming into your home with open arms, and even a hug from your little guy. You were all so accommodating, relaxed, and kind to me. I hope that in years to come, these photos will remind you of this special time for your family and how you felt as you waited for Baby Number Three.

Stay tuned for the next post featuring this beautiful Mama’s maternity images.

Filed in: A domicile, Client, Family, Maternity, Montreal Photographer, On Location, Photographe Montréal
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April 24, 2012 - 11:35 am

Nancy Roy - Wow, tout simplement superbe.

April 24, 2012 - 12:56 pm

Khim Hong-Tessier - such beautiful family photos. You guys look like such a happy family. Memories that will definately last a lifetime :) Love u guys xoxoxo.

April 24, 2012 - 1:23 pm

Kimberly Deveault - Once again you have captured the family’s magic. BRAVO! (Encore)

April 24, 2012 - 1:52 pm

Elisa Elliot - Merci Nancy :)

April 24, 2012 - 1:54 pm

Elisa Elliot - Thank you, Kim!

April 24, 2012 - 11:04 pm

Lise Bouthillette - Très belles photos, bravo!

April 24, 2012 - 11:50 pm

Elisa Elliot - Merci beaucoup Lise!

April 25, 2012 - 2:15 am

Virginia Armeni - Too sweet for words ( my own words I mean…your words captured the sweetness and beauty perfectly).

April 25, 2012 - 3:22 am

Anne-Marie Varanese - Beautiful Pictures Elisa, the story brings joyous tears…. Continue this great talent!

April 25, 2012 - 6:12 am

Francine Richer - Du même avis que toi Lise belle photo

April 25, 2012 - 11:16 am

Elisa Elliot - Thank you, Anne-Marie!

May 10, 2012 - 1:08 am

Kar-Rock Tom - Magic. That’s what I feel when I look at these pictures. I look at them all the time on my iPhone… on the bus, at work, at home. Thanks for capturing these moments and sharing those kind words. You’ve certainly exceeded my expectations on every level. Hope to see you again soon and Happy Belated BDay!

Freckles & Lashes

03.16.2012

I met Mom long ago, on the first day of Kindergarten, 1980.  She was wearing Kickers shoes, and I remained envious of them throughout the school year, specifically because of the red and green dots on the soles that helped you identify right vs left.  We went through most of elementary school together, as well as high school, where Dad also attended.

Because of this history, much of our conversation on that December morning was about those school days, who we were still in contact with, and all the stuff that has happened since we saw each other last, nearly ten years ago, right before their wedding, at our ten-year high school reunion.  While I recognize I have a family of my own now, it’s almost as though time stands still in your mind for those you have not seen for a long time.  It is a very special thing to meet up again with childhood friends, and to now see them as parents to their own children.  Surrounded by her Beloved and sons, there was a certain serenity, a palpable air of content in Mama’s eyes that was very moving for me to witness.

Of course, even more than important than the stories of what once was were the stories of what is, particularly their two boys who, although  I had seen online in many photos, had never had the chance to get to know in person.  Bright, kind, silly are words that immediately come to mind when I try to describe these boys.  And freckles.  And eyelashes.

Oh, yes.  Freckles & lashes.

As a side note, Mom had warned me that their older son was not fond of the camera. He actually even told me himself when I arrived,but when I reassured him that I don’t usually use a flash, he relaxed.  And this is what that looked like:
On the other hand, she had also told me that their younger son loved the camera, and he did not disappoint.

This little family lives a very exciting life, having lived in various locations overseas, and it was so interesting to listen to them share their experiences with me. What I personally loved most about listening to them speak about the life they had built for their family was how, as long as they had each other, they really needed little else. This was said with words, yes, but expressed in the way they looked at one another as they said it.  Since a picture is worth a thousand words, photographs  from their session will do a better job at explaining  that I ever could.

After taking some shots indoors, everyone geared up, and headed to a local park, where, as it turns out, Mom & Dad had taken their wedding photos years earlier.  Presently, this family lives in a much warmer climate than we have here, so a little fun in the snow was definitely in order.

Everyone was having a great time, throwing snowballs, getting pulled in the sled, until the dreaded “snow down the back of your neck” monster paid us a visit.  That’s never fun.

Lucky for me, this family’s calm nature didn’t let a little cold bring them down, and so, the fun continued.

It was such a fun and relaxed time, the couple of hours we spent together just flew by.

To the entire family, thank you so much for choosing me to capture you family as it is right now, for taking time out of an already very busy schedule during your holiday for our session.  I said it before, but for me, there is something very special of meeting up with people you knew so long ago, and to see with your own eyes what a beautiful, thriving family they have created together.  Thank you for trusting my eyes.

 

Filed in: A domicile, Client, Family, Kids, Montreal Photographer, On Location, Photographe Montréal, Photography
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March 16, 2012 - 10:59 pm

Victoria - Once again you have really captured the energy of this family. Those two boys are uber-cute and I think I stopped and stared at those first couple of shots of “Freckles & Lashes” for several minutes before I could even tear myself away to continue through the rest of the post… and then I keep coming back to those shots – which are beyond fabulous!!

Reading your words really made me feel like I knew this family – or that I would like to :-) In each of your blog posts, it always comes through how much you are genuinely interested in the people you photograph, and in telling their stories. I think your ability to truly tell a story is one of the things that really distinguishes you as a photographer.

Another job well done. A++

March 22, 2012 - 11:11 am

Larry Elliot - beautiful blog- wow you are good.

March 23, 2012 - 12:06 pm

Lance Watson - Larry your daughter is very talented and you must be proud. I enjoyed her blog very much.Beautiful photos

Magic

02.05.2012

I think what captures my eye the most these days in images, is a certain authenticity. I think that with many family photographs,  that unique intimacy is broken simply by the presence of the photographer, an intruder, and as a result, are sometimes lacking in authenticity. I think it is that authenticity I subconsciously search for and strive to capture in images.

In November, I was asked by my good friend to photograph her family. While I have visited her home for photo sessions on two previous occasions, here and here, this would be the first time that I would be photographing her, her husband, and all three of her sons, ages 5, 7 and 10 months at the same time.  I knew that this would be a whirlwind of a photo session, and that the energy would be sky high. Turns out, that would be the only predictable thing of the day. The two older boys who remembered our jumping shots of the previous year didn’t really want to sit still for long, Baby was getting more mobile, and Dad saw me and my camera being pretty much akin to the Grim Reaper (a nice Grim Reaper, but still). While none of this might be what you would want in terms of a “perfect session”, it was hilarious and fun, and full of energy. For me, the couple of hours we spent together flew by so quickly, I barely had time to even check what shots I had. The shoot, just like life with kids, took on a “just roll with it” kind of theme.

When I got home that afternoon, I was anxious to see what my shots…any of the shots… looked like. I was scared. I mean, a lot was going, but what if I didn’t capture any of it? It as when I finally was able to look at the images from the session that I saw it.

I saw that element I really strive for in my photographs. The authenticity. It was in the way he looked at his son. In the way she looked at them. The way he held his younger brother’s hand.

Magic.

With every shoot I do, I learn something, there is no doubt. By far, this one provided the biggest lessons for me. It required me to be on my toes because things had to move along and change quickly with three young boys. It taught me that while you must be prepared for any photo shoot, you have to be ready to go with the flow and accept the unpredictability of it all. And the greatest lesson I have learned is that that thing I love most in photos, that magic, is already there long before I arrive, long before the photo shoot is planned. It is not my job to create this magic, but rather, to give it a platform to present itself and to capture it.

To the entire K family, thank you for entrusting me with that task.

Filed in: Client, Family, Friends, Kids, Photography
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February 7, 2012 - 2:05 pm

Chefmarkie - Any experience with Jack Russels…We are gonna want Cloe in our famly pic.

February 7, 2012 - 2:09 pm

Elisa - There’s a first time for everything, but given the fact this will not be Cloe’s first photo gig, I’m not worried!

February 10, 2012 - 1:29 pm

Tamara Stimpson - Elisa,
You are amazing! These photos are incredible. You have to come and stay here for a weekend and take pics of my family. The end.
T
xo

That Smile

01.17.2012

Her first tooth came out on Christmas Day, 2007.

Over time, her smile has grown into what it is today…gap-toothed, imperfect, obviously belonging to a pacifier-lover, and so her.

And it is soon about to change.

Two days ago, that little smile got into a head-on collision with a wall. When it happened, she told me about it, pointing to her top tooth. I checked it and it still seemed solid. It was only that night when brushing her teeth I realized her two front bottom teeth were loose.

Ben & I were so upset, to say the least.

Aurelia at the dentist yesterday.

 

We went to the dentist the next morning, who confirmed that, in fact, three teeth are loose. Although one seems solid enough, the two bottom ones will likely fall out. After an X-ray to check for any fracture, the dentist reassured us that Aurelia’s adult teeth were already on their way anyhow, so it’s very possible these two teeth weren’t very solid before the accident anyway.

But still.

It is yet another sign she is growing up, something I openly admit, I have a hard time accepting. I will so miss that baby-toothed smile. For now, I will enjoy it as long as it’s here.

Filed in: Aurelia, Kids, Parenthood, Personal, Tooth
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