andrea brown photography & design

New company name, new blog

2010-09-17T15:14:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone.

first and foremost, i want to say thank you to all of my followers these past few years. What a great adventure I am having!!!

I have done a lot of thinking in the past few months and have decided to change my business name. There is another andrea brown with the company name of Browns photography here in edmonton and more and more I am getting clients either going to her or hers coming to me. Because she was here first, I have decided to change the name of my company to Andrea Nicole Photography and Design. I hope that this will relieve the confusion in the upcoming year and years. Andrea, I'm not sure if you read this, but i hope that I have not caused you too much grief.

On that note, I have also decided to change blogs. I like blogspot but with my company moving forward I am wanting to move onto a blog that gears itself towards photographers and creative professionals. my new blog can be found by clicking HERE!

Thanks again. I can't wait to see you on my new blog!!!

Andrea.

Marilyn and Brian

2010-08-30T16:46:00.000-06:00

I did a session for Marilyn and Brian a few weeks back and had a blast with them. I spent an afternoon with their whole family but would like to share some photos of just them for now. Marilyn and I have known each other for two years and I was so excited when she asked me to shoot a formal session of her family before her daughter turned the big 3-0 this week. She is a pretty stunning wife, mother, and grandma if you ask me!!

I have lots of fun images to share with you over the next little while so check back soon!
andrea

Adam and Shelley Married!

2010-08-09T12:36:00.001-06:00

On the weekend I had the honor of shooting Shelley and Adams wedding. They came up from Lethbridge to be with family and friends so we had only met a few times before their wedding. They put their complete trust in myself and my second shooter, Kelly and I am so glad that they did. I think what we came up with was pure awesomeness.

Amanda and Ron part 2

2010-07-29T15:59:00.000-06:00

This couple is awesome. So we decided to do another mini session to show off amanda's cool wrap that she bought. She is only a few weeks away from meeting her little one. yippee!!!

we found a fantastic set of rules for the baby laying on the ground... we were confused about what # 4 meant.... here they are:

Mountains

2010-07-27T16:13:00.000-06:00

My husband and a few friends went to the mountains this weekend to hike and enjoy nature. Waking up to the mountains and the sound of a waterfall nearby is wonderful. It never fails, I go there and never want to leave. Before the hustle and bustle of my next few months, i thought i should share some quiet, nature shots of what we came across this weekend. Stay tuned, more maternity, wedding and family sessions to come in the next little while!!

this is Mia. my puppy... also known in the mountains as a bear cub. she likes to make people scream and run across bridges. i think it's funny but i'm sure the family of three who did that didn't think the same. does she look like she could harm anyone!? i didn't think so either....

Jeff and Angela

2010-07-21T16:57:00.000-06:00

This wedding was nothing but beautiful... Beautiful bride, beautiful wedding party, beautiful photo locations, and beautiful day!! The bridal party was a lot of fun. Great laughs and did pretty much anything that i asked them to do!! I had a really hard time choosing which photos to post as there are a lot of ones that I fell in love with. Thanks again Angela and Jeff. I had a blast and I am so glad I could be a shadow in your lives on this important day. Hope you two have an amazing time in Egypt!!!

Halifax and PEI

2010-07-06T11:02:00.001-06:00

I got back on Monday from a fantastic trip to the East Coast. I had never been out there and had heard a lot of stories prior to my trip about how beautiful it was. The stories were true, I fell in love with that side of Canada. I felt right at home. Here are a few photos from the trip that i thought i would share with you all.

If you are waiting for an email from me, I promise, i will answer you back this week!!
andrea

amanda and ron maternity

2010-06-23T13:04:00.000-06:00

I had the pleasure of capturing Amanda and Ron's maternity session on fathers day. It was such an amazing evening and it left me refreshed and excited about life. As i was shooting this session, i was imagining what the finished photos would look like. This session had it all, great light, interesting "props", a pregnant lady who would hop over a big wooden fence and climb on top of tractors and a husband who you can tell loves his wife more than anything in this world. It also had mosquitoes, a dog that loved to kiss my face when i was down on the ground, cows that lined up for pictures and a crazy storm that came suddenly (thank goodness just as we were finishing up outside). Amazing evening. Thanks you two. I can not wait to capture your little baby when it makes it's debut into this world.

Courtney and Conroy maternity session

2010-06-19T23:03:00.000-06:00

The main reason I went up to Vancouver was to visit my friend Courtney and her husband Conroy. They are pregnant and I hadn't seen her since she told me the news in December. I met Courtney in college, in an econ 101 class, where we randomly started impersonating our teacher together. It took us the whole semester to learn each others names but I'm glad that we did. My parents always told me that I would meet friends that would last a lifetime in University and they were right. I am so glad that I could do this session with the two of them. I hope that you two look back on this time and remember what a miracle you helped bring into this world. See you when baby turtle starbuck arrives. :)

Oh and Conroy... Happy almost fathers day. :)

Kristen & Rob

2010-06-17T14:56:00.001-06:00

I had the opportunity to spend a few hours with Rob and Kristen on Saturday night when I was in Vancouver. I have known Kristen since grade six and have been working with her to get some of their wedding design work completed. We all decided that it would be fun to head out and shoot some engagement photos so that we could make a guest book. These two met at Vertically Inclined Rock Gym in Edmonton. Needless to say, I wore the wrong shoes for this session... next time i hang out with them i'll be bringing my hiking shoes. :)

I had an awesome night hanging out on the rocks with you two. You picked a perfect spot.

Ekkert Family

2010-06-15T14:03:00.000-06:00

I flew up to Vancouver for a busy weekend and this session was the last session that i had booked but i've decided to blog it first. this family has touched my heart in so many ways in the past and i wanted to give them a family session that was full of meaning and a way for them to start some new memories. They brought along a violin and some other instruments and artwork that belonged to their son and brother and I was more than happy to capture images with them in there so that the whole family could be in the photos. Even if it was just in spirit. This family has an adventurous spirit and we got through the photos with some minor cuts and bruises but no broken bones! I hope you all enjoy the photos. Thank you again for allowing me to glimps into your lives. God Bless.

the boys liked to jump off the bridge the best.

but the girls wanted to show them up... and remember... the girl on the far right is 7 months pregnant!

Alisha & Troy Reception

2010-06-09T12:21:00.000-06:00

One nice, sunny saturday night i shot alisha and troys wedding reception. It was a lot of fun and I couldn't capture enough funny, heartfelt and amazing moments. congrats again. you two love birds won't know what to do with yourselves now that your weddings are over!!

xoxo

the light was just too perfect so i grabbed alisha and we went outside for some fun.

but don't worry, we didn't miss any of the party.

i'm heading off to Vancouver for a few photo sessions. lets hope that it's not as rainy as it is in edmonton!! fingers crossed everyone!!!

bonnie

2010-06-09T09:20:00.000-06:00

Bonnie has been my friend for years. She was one of my bridesmaids. She is beautiful. This is her.

Alisha & Troy Married in Vegas!

2010-05-26T15:47:00.001-06:00

What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas. these two love birds had a ceremony there over the weekend and I had the honor of spending the day with them once again capturing their love. It was an amazing time and Vegas is a photographers visual dream. Take a close look at the parking lot photo... you might recognize it from a part in the movie "the hangover" where a naked guy jumps out of a trunk!

Alisha and Troy, it was super awesome shooting this portion of your wedding. i'm looking forward to your reception on June 5th. until then, here are a few of my favorites from your day.

here is a photo taken by one of the bridesmaids... i shot a wedding in a betsey johnson dress... first time for everything!!!

and here is my shot from this photo.

Shields Family

2010-05-18T14:12:00.001-06:00

I got to spend a few hours on sunday with a family that means a lot to me. Growing up my brother, sister and I would go to spend a few weeks with them and the kids would come spend a few weeks with us. They were basically family, a second set of parents and brother and sister. Over the years we have all grown up and have gone our different ways, meeting up once a year when we all have dinner together or if there is a special event such as a wedding, baby shower or whatever the case may be. One thing stays the same, our memories of what we used to do "back in the day". I absolutely loved capturing them and their growing family. This is what makes my job worth while. It's a different feeling and emotion when you watch people you care about from behind your camera. I hope you enjoy what we came up with on this hot and sunny afternoon in Sherwood Park!!

Andrea

and with that, i'm off to Vegas and will return all emails when I get back!!

xoxo andrea

Alisha & Troy

2010-05-17T10:21:00.000-06:00

I had the honor of attending and photographing a private ceremony on Saturday for Troy and Alisha. It was my first time shooting such an intimate wedding and I must admit, I think that it is the way to go. I loved the emotion of the ceremony and loved that the two of them surrounded themselves with the people that they loved the most. It was amazing. Here are a few of my favorites from the day!!
andrea

T Girl power session!

2010-05-14T09:46:00.002-06:00

I had such a fun time in April photographing this lady!! This was my first ever boudoir photo session and i think that both T and I rocked it!!! this post is semi pg rated. so please, if you get offended easily, don't continue viewing this. - andrea

Dara and Clint maternity

2010-05-11T15:00:00.001-06:00

I was super excited to meet up with clint and dara and family on mothers day weekend. they are expecting their third child in a couple of months and came to edmonton for a session. i had a blast with the four of you and can't wait to meet the newest family member!! here is a little glimps of what we came up with!

and a special thank you to lion and tiger for being so amazingly awesome!!

andrea. :)

tanis and jeff get married!

2010-05-04T10:08:00.002-06:00

I had the honor of shooting jeff and tanis's wedding on the weekend and i was just so excited to start editing their wedding day. these are just a few of my favorites that i found while looking at the collection but i think that this will work nicely for a teaser!! jeff, tanis and the wedding party, you guys were so awesome to work with. i loved how much laughing there was and that even though you weren't sure sometimes about what i asked you to do, you did it anyways. tanis, you are one kick ass bride for climbing over dirty parking lot signs and onto brick wall ledges.. jeff, you rock.

until next time. :) andrea

Stu: actor headshots

2010-04-25T10:50:00.002-06:00

I had the pleasure of working with Stu on Saturday afternoon. He is an actor here in Edmonton and has been in many commercials, and a t.v. show that was filmed here. It was a lot of fun spending a few hours with him. One thing I have figured about actors is that they laugh at nothing when you are taking photos just so that they get a great smile. Might be something i tell my brides and grooms to do from now on!!!

Alberta Mortgage Funding logo

2010-04-21T16:05:00.001-06:00

I am pleased to show you a new logo i have designed for a mortgage company called Alberta Mortgage Funding. This has been a long time in the making and it is soon to hit local internet and business cards near you!!

Tara and Patrick get married

2010-04-21T09:07:00.000-06:00

I had the honor of second shooting my first wedding of the year with Blake Loates-Smith. I must say that her and I rocked this wedding. but how could we not... amazing weather, bride was stunning, groom was handsome and all of the wedding party was fun and eager to do what we wanted them to!! It was an awesome way to kick off the start of wedding season!!!

Stay tuned for another wedding in the next couple of weeks!!!

xoxo Andrea

Why I do what I do...

2010-04-14T14:29:00.002-06:00

I watched a video about the reason behind why the national geographic magazine uses the photos that they do. The man in the video was talking about how everyone in the world can take at least one or two “great photos” and cherish them but only a few can take these great photos every time.

That made me think… why do I do what I do?

Photography was something that was always around me but that doesn’t make everyone love it and want to do it for a living. My brother and sister both hate being in photos and they have point and shoots that they carry around on occasion to capture that vacation that they went on etc. Why was I the lucky one to be able to be given this gift of wanting to capture other peoples lives?

Something happened to me a few weeks ago when I was at a baby shower and I really didn’t know what the lady meant by what she said. I introduced myself and she said “wow, I thought you were going to be a lot older than you are”. I kind of laughed at this and wasn’t sure what she meant by it but then she explained.. “you have a lot of emotion in your photographs, beyond your time”. Little did she realize that this would open the doors to me thinking about what I do and how photographs really do effect peoples lives.

I love what I do. But until that conversation I didn’t realize WHY I love what I do.

So… why do I love being a photographer?

Answer:

People have memory triggers that set off very strong recollections of past experiences. A memory trigger can be a sound, a particular scent, or something you see that flashes you back into your past. These triggers cause you to relive long ago times so intensely, nothing else exists but the moment you are reliving. Memories relived so strongly, so vividly, you feel the same feelings you felt when the memory was born. Photographs are a key and a link to the past that you “left behind”, to these memories. They are a piece of you that you can take with you to show the people you care about who you were and where you came from. They are the only thing that you can leave behind.

A few years ago, before I got married, my families house burnt down. Tragic? Or was it a gift? Was it something that was put on us because we became so dependant on what “we had” and not on what we needed? After my conversation with that lady at the shower I went back to my new house with my husband, went into the basement and grabbed the only two small boxes that I got back and kept from the house fire. One box was full of my photos that were semi salvageable and the other was a bunch of artwork, school work, report cards and badges that I had in a “school memories’ book that my Gido had given my brother, sister and I when we started school. I was putting off going through this stuff since getting it back because I was afraid of the negative emotions that I would get from the smell of the paper and from looking at these photos. My reaction was better than I had imagined. I looked back on the photos of me growing up, of the artwork that I drew and read a few pages of a journal my grade one teacher had made me write to her. It put a big smile on my face to be able to go back and remember things that I had forgotten about. I don’t miss anything that I have lost from the fire. Not one thing except for those photographs that I had lost or had thought I had lost. They were the only things of importance to me. They were the only thing that I had that showed who I was and what I had accomplished.

Every time I step behind the camera I want to capture a small moment, a smile a wink, an amazing connection that people have with each other because that is the only thing that matters in this world. Love. Relationships. Interacting with friends, family, a lover, co workers (or even the lady behind that counter at a grocery store) are all a small piece of who you are and what has shaped who you will become. Photos can show your milestones in life and I am so excited that I am a shadow in my clients lives because I get to share in a small piece of what shapes them as an individual, a couple or a family.

Moments in time are what are important. And this is why I love what I do, and I do what I do… I get to freeze those moments, capture those emotions and allow my clients to remember an amazing time in their lives.

So, you know who you are who said those words to me at the baby shower… I thank you from the bottom of my heart for saying that to me. Because now, I know why I want to capture what I do and the reason why I love it so much.

Sydney and Regan

2010-03-20T11:29:00.001-06:00

Sydney and Regan meet world... world meet Sydney and Regan. these two little ladies came into this world in december but have only been home for a couple of weeks. I was so excited to be able to capture an evening back at home. they belong to Kara and Kent you will be able to see their maternity post here! andrea

Kasia + Piotr engaged!!

2010-03-17T16:46:00.001-06:00

before you actually sit down and read this post please, grab a coffee, a snack, whatever you need to do because this is a LONG one!!! I had such a great time with Kasia and Piotr in the mountains over the weekend. They are more in love than anyone i have ever seen before and I was truly and honestly blessed to be able to capture their love. If I could, i would post their whole session on this blog post but since 1. it won't let me and 2. i don't think that you want to sit here for hours... here are the photos that i fell in love with the most. Kasia and Piotr, the love that i saw through my camera was incredible. thank you.
- andrea

told you it was long!!! until next time... xoxo andrea

Piotr and Kasia - teaser

2010-03-14T21:17:00.000-06:00

this weekend was fantastic. here is a small glimps of what is coming your way in the next few days!!!

andrea.

Otra Ola Logo

2010-03-08T11:21:00.000-07:00

Well, what an exciting week it has been for Andrea Brown photography & design. I've been working on a couple of logos. This one that I'm posting today was actually just approved and sent out to my client about 30 minutes ago!!! I'm so excited about it because well, this client is from Ayampe Ecuador!! They are initially from Edmonton however have moved down there to start up a hostel. This logo is for a multi-purpose business of surf, Spanish and yoga lessons! If anyone is interested in heading down there, drop me a line and i will give you some contact information for them!!

Lake Louise

2010-02-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

My husband and I spent the weekend in Lake Louise. It is probably one of my all time favorite places in the world to go. a 5 1/2 hour drive is worth it when you get to experience nice weather, hiking and a day of snowboarding. here are a few photos from the weekend!!

boy scouts of edmonton

2010-02-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

boy scouts + MEC = awesome. I had a blast on sunday morning with these 5 boy scouts. they were so amazingly fun to work with! thanks!! and good luck sleeping 1001 nights in elk island this year!!!

Edmonton Boy Scouts & MEC

2010-02-07T20:53:00.001-07:00

Today was fantastic. here is a two picture teaser of the awesomeness that is on it's way!! enjoy!

Butterscotch Palace

2010-02-04T11:45:00.005-07:00

I haven't posted anything on this site in what seems like years! it has been nice taking a break but I'm excited for some upcoming sessions this weekend. in the mean time, I have been working on a couple of corporate identity projects for businesses around Edmonton. i have decided to post a little logo project that i have been working on for butterscotch palace i'm so excited for the look and feel of this logo because it's just so much fun! This is a freelance writing and real estate company. check her out!!!

I'm going to play in the snow with the boy scouts of edmonton and MEC on sunday. stay tuned for some fun photos!!!
xo andrea

Isabella.

2009-12-15T12:04:00.000-07:00

I had an amazing time on saturday morning capturing this little lady and her mom and dad. Congrats again Kylee and Elias. She is beautiful.

Ryan and Tabitha

2009-12-14T12:23:00.006-07:00

I met up with Ryan and Tabitha on THE COLDEST DAY EVER!!!! for a little mini shoot for some christmas photos that they wanted to take. well, it just so happens that even though the shoot was only 15 minutes, It was probably one of my favorite shoots of the year...(yes, even though it was -32) it was so much fun!!!!

kent and Kara + two

2009-11-30T09:58:00.000-07:00

I am extremely lucky to have been able to spend the afternoon with this rad mom and dad to be. You two are going to be amazing parents and i am so blessed to have you as friends. here are only a few of the photos that i have fallen in love with. I can't wait to meet your two little miracles in the months to come. p.s. i love my job.

Krystal and Rob e-session

2009-10-27T12:48:00.001-06:00

Now that you know a little bit about krystal and rob, let me tell you another fact about them... they love to laugh. Sunday afternoon was full of jokes, and a lot of laughing. Thanks again you two for an amazing afternoon and a wonderful glimps into the love that you share with one another.

xoxo andrea

and with that I am off to Vancouver to see U2!! i have a few sessions while i'm down there so check back soon!!! .a.

Krystal and Rob pre-teaser

2009-10-26T20:37:00.000-06:00

Krystal and Rob have been together for 4 years now and got engaged in the summer time on a camping trip. As soon as I met up with them i knew that i would have a blast. easy going, didn't mind hiking into the bush and love watching desperate housewives!!! Here is the first of many that I love from sunday afternoon. stay tuned for more from their awesome e-session in the next few days!!!

andrea

Tyler and Thant Continued.

2009-10-22T16:33:00.001-06:00

these two are the definition of what romance is. Tyler and Thant are amazing. i met up with them in August to talk about their wedding and i'm so honored to be able to capture their day. they had an intimate ceremony with close family and friends and the three of us headed off into edmonton and did their formals. we couldn't have asked for a better fall day. Thank you so so so so much for sharing with me what love is all about. you two are the reason why i love my job so much!!!

xoxo andrea

Tyler and Thant Teaser

2009-10-21T12:54:00.002-06:00

Saturday was awesome. more coming soon...

Amanda Hamilton Designs: part 3

2009-09-22T16:52:00.002-06:00

The final chapter to our awesome weekend of shooting. this is where the serious... aaaannnddd not so serious photos took place. Leave two artistic people in a retail store (alone) for a morning and here are a few things that we came up with!!

xoxo andrea

And finally, my favorite from the day....

Balmoral Heights

2009-09-22T14:19:00.001-06:00

Balmoral Heights is in a community in Strathcona County. Here are a few photos from a shoot that I did on Friday.

Alisha loves Troy

2009-09-16T09:50:00.005-06:00

Alisha and Troy met at work. they are both mechanics at an auto body shop in edmonton. It was an awesome experience sitting in the back seat while driving around to all of our random locations with them because when a car that isn't working too well drives by, they both give each other these "what the heck are is wrong with this guy, doesn't he know that his car sounds like junk" looks. too cute!!! i had a blast on Saturday and I can't WAIT to be able to capture their love in edmonton and VEGAS in May 2010.

xoxo andrea

Amanda Hamilton: Part 2

2009-09-16T09:43:00.005-06:00

Part two of Amanda Hamilton's session was her portfolio work. here are a few mixed up samples of her work.. no particular order.... it was a great weekend. shot a really awesome loft, Indian restaurant and two pub/restaurants. part three is where the fun begins again and you'll just have to wait a few days longer for that post.. in the mean time... if you want to chat with her about how she can design your world, drop me a line and i'll put you in contact with her. her website is on it's way...

xoxo andrea

Amanda Hamilton Designs: part 1

2009-09-12T18:14:00.004-06:00

If you want to see a very talented lady, spend only a few minutes talking with Amanda and you'll fall in love with her... and i'm not just saying this because i've known and have been practically sisters with this girl for 21 plus years. I was so excited when she asked me if I could 1. take photos of all of the amazing spaces that she's designed for her portfolio and 2. do a session of her for her website. I had a blast. it's not very often that you can spend time shooting a close friend. I hope you all enjoy these photos as much as i loved shooting them!!! this is part 1 of 3 blogs for her. Next is her designs and the third is yet another more "formal" session of her...

xoxo andrea

stay tuned for more awesomeness if a few days!!!

sneak peak of what's coming

2009-09-09T16:17:00.004-06:00

WHAT A WEEKEND!!!!! I made my way up to calgary to help a long time friend. I shot a ton of amazing spaces that she designed. I also got the opportunity to shoot a mini session of her for her website coming soon!!! here is a sneak peak of the awesomeness that is on it's way... the black and white photo is me showing Amanda what I wanted to see out of her and the one in color is her interpretation of what it's like to be a rock star.. and honestly, as you will soon see in the next few days... she is one.

xoxo andrea

Ahnika and Jeremy

2009-09-02T16:33:00.005-06:00

I met Ahnika when I was in school to do some training for photography. She recently got engaged to Jeremy and I was honored when she contacted me to shoot their engagement photos for them!! Everything about sunday night was perfect... amazing light and amazing company!!! I think that we all had fun!!! Thanks you two for an all around awesome evening! I hope you like your photos!!!

xoxo andrea

I'm off for an amazing weekend with a very talented friend of mine. (see the triple flip photos) We are doing a two day power shooting marathon of all of her work in Calgary!! Stay tuned for some awesome interior design ideas in the next few weeks!!!

Grandma...

2009-08-21T09:52:00.006-06:00

My family is probably one of the best families out there. we are small enough that everyone gets to see each other and be goofy together all of the time. a few years ago something happened to my family that really brought us all together and has made us really realize how important we are to each other. everything happens for a reason, ours was obvious... it was Gods way to make us realize how important our grandparents, brother, sisters, moms, aunts, uncles, and cousins are... My grandma, awarded the "most beautiful baby in South Africa" is amazing. growing up i never understood why she would teach us the "proper way" to fold the corners of our bed or why we had to take off our dirty socks when we went into the house after playing. and when my brother stepped on a bee why she wasn't concerned about how he was but said to him "that's what you get for walking outside with no shoes on". But now that i've grown up, I realize that my grandma is as real as it gets. She is caring, loving, and cherishes each and every person in her life. She is the strongest lady i know. I came up with this idea to have a family photo shoot with the "crerar" family because doing what I do, i felt that having these memories with your mom, brother and sisters was really important. These photos just radiate love and i hope one day I can do this with my brother and sister and maybe have my daughter or son take the shots. (if they are interested in photography that is lol)... my grandma, 82 years old in September, is the most beautiful grandma in Canada.

xoxox andrea

Grandma and her boyfriend, John....

What's coming in a few days...

2009-08-14T16:17:00.004-06:00

I don't normally post a teaser post for my "teaser post" but man, who couldn't post a photo of such a cute little baby like this little man.... I had such a blast and left the Fox family feeling refreshed and excited about life.. you guys are awesome. I will be posting a bigger post of this family in a day or two!!!!!!

xoxo andrea

davis family

2009-08-04T21:10:00.005-06:00

I had the opportunity to do a family session for a friend of mine and his family. his son had recently turned two and they take photos of him every year. Even when they thought I was crazy getting them to hike into the forest the morning after a big storm hit Fort Saskatchewan, they still did it for me!!! I had a blast with you guys. what a great day!! Warm weather, sun shining and a great family. I could feel the love between all of you. Hope you enjoy your photos!

andrea.

adam & lisa

2009-07-27T13:38:00.008-06:00

I had the opportunity to be Jana Kendall's second shooter for Adam and Lisa's wedding on Saturday. The +33 degree weather was a little warm but we had fun hiding in the shade at the University for their formals. I had a really hard time picking out my favorites from the day so I'm posting more than usual. Thanks guys for a kick ass day!! hope you have fun in Quebec!!!

xoxo andrea

Rob and Brandi

2009-07-09T10:49:00.004-06:00

Wow, so talk about an awesome day. I was invited by Rob and Brandi to come to edson to shoot their formals for them on their wedding day. I was a little bit nervous because after watching the weather reports for a few days prior, I was planning a lot of fun things with umbrellas. However, Edson was beautiful!!! Three words to describe Rob and Brandi; calm, collected and excited!! from the moment I walked into Brandi's moms house i knew that the day would be so much fun. (and it was). Thank you so much you two for such an awesome day. I am so glad that you chose me to spend it with you. I love how you guys were open to do anything and everything that I asked of you. and I hope that you love your pictures!! p.s. i have to point out that Brandi and a friend made her bouquet... it looks better than the prose!!

xoxo andrea

Mike, Erinn and Smith

2009-07-04T07:14:00.004-06:00

I met up with Mike, Erinn and Smith on a bright sunny Canada Day before the traffic started up in the park. It was almost a little bit strange to be the only ones in the parking lot but what better way to have every place open free of traffic!! I had the best time with this family. Every time a plane flew by Smith would think that they were flying to Hawaii and by the end of it he was calling me grandma and giving me kisses on the cheek!!! Oh... did I mention what we also got some killer rock throwing in as well?!?! Erinn, Mike, and Smith, you guys are awesome. I had a blast with all of you on Wednesday. You have an amazing family!! Hope to see you soon!!

xoxo andrea

andrew & aileen

2009-06-27T14:46:00.009-06:00

Three words to describe my day with andrew and aileen: fun, fantastic, and phenomenal!!! I had THE best time with them and their family. I honestly think that their slideshow was the best thing since sliced bread and the love that they share for one another just radiates off of them and their family. i loved the culture and traditions that were incorporated into your day and i know that everyone who attended your wedding had almost as much fun as kasia and i did!! thank you for asking me to spend the time with you and for allowing me to capture the love that you share for one another. i had a hard time narrowing down these teasers.

xoxo andrea

Website Launch

2009-06-09T10:17:00.002-06:00

So I have some really great news for you all!!!! With winter (kind of) leaving Edmonton, I have been hard at work getting some business stuff up and running!!! I am pleased to announce the launch of my website! click here to view it. There are a few bugs that i still need to work out (like a song that I have been trying to use from my friends band). So, lets here it for an exciting new step in my adventure!!! Thanks everyone for their support!!!

xoxo andrea.

ashley & Jason

2009-05-27T13:29:00.006-06:00

i learn something new every time i shoot a session. this time i have learned that i am not a fish nor should i think that my camera likes the water. (and also that the rivers in the mountains this time of the year are FREEZING!!) thank goodness i have reflexes like a cat or my camera would have taken a swim with me. i thought it was funny... thank goodness it was hot outside!!! now, to write about the real reason why i am posting. i was super excited when i got an email from ashley and jason asking if i was able to do their engagement session in the mountains. of course i jumped at the chance and the day was unreal. amazing couple, amazing mountains and amazing weather. i had so much fun with the two of you. the pictures speak for themselves about how much love radiates off the two of you! this post is p.g. rated... there is a lot of smooching going on! (they were too cute not to post though)

xoxox andrea

The Desert Run 2009

2009-05-21T09:16:00.001-06:00

So i don't normally promote these kinds of things but...

The vision was born in the fall of 2007 and Arno Ekkert and Mathias Fast, though both working and in college, were itching for a new challenge. They were both quite athletic - why not try a long distance run? Why not a really, really long run, say from their hometown of Richmond, B.C to the Ekkert family’s annual vacation spot, Osoyoos - 400km away? Running for a cause seemed even better and so the idea to raise money for water in Africa, a cause Arno was particularly passionate about, was born. Training began in November 2008, overwhelmed by the logistics of planning such a run, the idea was slowly grinding to a halt. And then in February 2009, while travelling in Australia, the car Arno and a friend were in collided with another vehicle and both young men were killed upon impact. A week after the accident Johnny Friesen and Phil Seel approached Mathias - they wanted in. Soon Tim Walton and Arno’s borther Conroy Ekkert also joined and the run was again a go. The goal: to raise $50,000 for Lifewater Canada by running 30+km a day for almost 2 weeks from Osoyoos to Richmond. The redefined reason: to provide fresh water for Africa and to commemorate their friend and brother, Arno.

ABOUT LIFEWATER CANADA
Lifewater Canada is a Christian, non-profit organization drilling wells, building washrooms, repairing hand pumps and providing health & hygiene training in Africa. Since we are all volunteers working from our home, our overhead is under 5%. Your money goes where it is needed most - providing safe drinking water and sanitation services in African countries like Liberia and Nigeria.

Now it's your turn...

I'm not asking you to donate if you don't want to, but just go to the website and check it out, educate others on this and tell anyone you know that might care about this cause. This is a start of a really wonderful thing for the people in Africa and this run might be the start of bigger things in the future. My dear friend Arno wanted to start something that would change the world and I think that we should help him...

http://thedesertrun.com/wordpress/

Carrie and Jebb

2009-05-08T23:13:00.007-06:00

I had the honor of being the second shooter for Carrie and Jebb's wedding last weekend. My day started out with a little mini shoot at the boys house followed by the ceremony, an awesome session with the bridal party at a fire hall and skate park and then off to the reception. I had so much fun with Jana. Thank you so much again for asking me to be your second shooter! Carrie and Jebb, you guys are awesome. I had such a good time with the two of you. Thank you for letting Jana and I share in your day!! Have a blast being married and I hope that you make it to Europe one day together!! p.s. Jebb, Vancouver might make it far in the playoffs but Boston is still going to win the cup. (even though they aren't doing to good right now!!)

.andrea

Courtenay and Jim

2009-05-06T09:20:00.004-06:00

I had the pleasure to hang out with Jim and Courtenay who are expecting their first little one in little over a weeks time. I met them in Fort Saskatchewan and we headed out to a little farm near by. I had an awesome time shooting you guys and the little miracle that is about to make his or her debut!!

xoxo andrea.

Ryan and Tabitha

2009-05-03T10:16:00.003-06:00

I was so excited to be able to shoot Ryan and Tabithas one year anniversary photos (their anniversary isn't for another few weeks but I just thought we would could jump the gun a bit). Edmonton is finally starting to look like spring and we were able to stay outside for a lot longer than usual!! Our night was awesome. We saw everything. from getting lost, to dealing with people asking us for smokes, and walking in a lot of garbage... i think that the photos speak for themselves about how successful our night was!!! It was a blast hanging out with you and being able to shoot your love for each other!!! It was so hard to narrow down my favorites on these ones. I hope you enjoy!!!

xoxo andrea

Bonnie and Curtis

2009-04-30T15:35:00.005-06:00

Wow, so i just realized that i haven't written on my blog for awhile!!! So, because of this edmonton weather that we are having (snow, rain, sun, snow, blizzard conditions, sun... etc etc) i haven't been able to meet up with any of the clients that i'm supposed to shoot!!! In that case, my husband and I have friends who started to date who we are missing pretty dearly right now. they are away in europe for another few days. I shot these pictures a year ago but in honor of them.. here they are!!!

enjoy!!! xoxo andrea

Details of Rings

2009-04-14T10:17:00.002-06:00

So I decided that I needed to start taking some detail shots and what better way to do it than taking shots of my husband and my rings!! I just needed to share a few of my favorites with you all.

xoxo andrea

Danielle & Matt

2009-03-26T20:50:00.008-06:00

Danielle and Matts wedding was one of a kind. I started my day off with awesome music in the girls room and then headed to the boys room where there was short tie tying and jokes all around. The day went off without a hitch. Even the snow that was falling added the the magic and excitement of the day. The highlight, a borrowed fire truck from the Lake Louise fire department! I had so much trouble picking out my few favorites. and i hope that you enjoy these and the many more that are on their way!

xoxo andrea

March 14th, 2009

2009-03-19T08:42:00.003-06:00

On march 14th I shot a wedding in Lake Louis. I'm still editing away but got an email from Danielle with this picture. I couldn't resist giving you a sneak peak of the "prop" that we used in some of the wedding photos. Here I am on top of an amazing fire truck!!! Thanks again to the Lake Louis fire department for letting us use every inch of the truck for our photos.
.andrea

Rebecca & Ed

2009-03-12T11:00:00.005-06:00

I had one of the best times shooting this maternity session on Monday.
Rebecca and her Hubby Ed were filled with so much joy with their baby, Owen just weeks away from making his entrance into the world. Our evening was filled with excitement, anticipation and a love that only a mom and dad could feel. It was "magical".

I got an email from Rebecca a few months later and with great regret, she informed me that Baby Owen was born on March 31, 2009 but entered God's hands on April 2, 2009.

"Perhaps they are not stars in the sky, but rather openings where our loved ones shine down to let us know they are happy". (an Eskimo legend).

Rebecca and Ed, I know that Owen was the luckiest little miracle to have the two of you as his mom and dad. I also know that he will always be with you, in your hearts.
God just needed him more. You will be with me in my prayers.

God Bless, andrea

Mya

2009-03-05T14:59:00.004-07:00

I took a some photos of a little lady named Mya a little while ago. After all of the tears, we ended up with some photos that will last a life time. Congrats on your beautiful new daughter. Mya is a gift. I wish you all the best.

x0x0 Andrea

The Fresh Air Fund

2009-03-04T17:08:00.002-07:00

I had received an email from a really nice lady named Sara asking me if I thought her fund was good enough to post on my blog. After researching the non-profit organization a little bit, I do.

THE FRESH AIR FUND is an independent, not-for-profit agency that has provided free summer vacations to more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877. Nearly 10,000 New York City children enjoy free Fresh Air Fund programs annually. In 2008, close to 5,000 children visited volunteer host families in suburbs and small town communities across 13 states from Virginia to Maine and Canada. 3,000 children also attended five Fresh Air camps on a 2,300-acre site in Fishkill, New York. The Fund’s year-round camping program serves an additional 2,000 young people each year.

The Fresh Air Fund is accepting applications for counselors for this coming summer of '09. They hire staff members with a wide range in some amazing fields. They are looking for college-aged men and women who love to work with children. They put together this social media news release which explains it all:

http://freshairfundcounselors.smnr.us/

They are also always looking for Fresh Air hosts for the summer to open their homes to a child.
If anyone is interested in more information regarding this please feel free to email:
sara@freshair.org .

As you all know, I love helping out children. This program seems like a great thing to do if people want to learn more about other peoples lives, and experience the joys of the world around us.

xoxox. andrea

Chris and Monique

2009-03-01T09:42:00.003-07:00

My husband Chad and I were guests at Chris and Moniques wedding a few weeks ago. It was an amazing day. full of laughing, story telling, tears, and just great fun. I wasn't the photographer but i couldn't help but pull out my camera a few times during the day. here are a few of my favorites. Hope you guys have a great time on your honeymoon. I wish you a lifetime of happiness!

xoxox andrea

Aileen & Andrew

2009-02-02T12:36:00.001-07:00

When Aileen asked me to take some photos of her fiance Andrew and her, I couldn't say no. Aileen is one of those people who radiate kindness and i knew that the photos would turn out fantastic. We spent our Saturday morning in the 90 km winds and were freezing within about 45 minutes! Coffee was a great idea afterwards to warm up our faces and my hands! i need to go and invest in some better gloves for this!! Thanks Andrew and Aileen for spending the morning with me! i had a blast and i hope that you guys like your pictures.

xoxo. andrea.

h
t

2009-01-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

Because I decided to take this really strange shot and i'm not using it for anything, I have decided to post it on here so that killing my plant never went to waste. I wanted to take this shot as a "contrast" photo. I love contrasting things, different color walls, texture etc etc... I'm so glad that the photo turned out good enough to post. rest in peace my little money tree. The shot was worth it!xoxo andrea

The Kempin Family

2009-01-20T12:21:00.000-07:00

I had the honor of taking photos of the Kempin family a few weekends ago. We had a blast running up and down stairs, sitting in chairs, or just hanging around. thanks guys for being great sports!

I had a blast and i hope that you did to!

xoxox andrea

Kent and Kara

2009-01-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

Kent and Kara called me up to do a shoot of them on the weekend. How could I resist. Spending a day with good friends and being able to take some photos of them and their family (those are soon to be posted). I thought that the session went pretty well minus the being yelled at by security guards!

thanks guys for a wonderful afternoon!

xoxo andrea

photography assignment 1

2009-01-12T12:39:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a creative design class for my photography right now. The first assignment was to go around and take some photos that showed "line". This was a challenge for me because I feel that line can be just about anything. One of my biggest challenges with my work is taking photos at night. I thought "what better place to test out my abilities then the legislature grounds at night, with a full moon". Even though the night was a bit creepy (especially after just finishing the book about vampires that i had been reading ... aka twilight), here are a few of my favorites.

xoxox andrea

Big Brothers, Big Sister Show Home

2009-01-07T16:53:00.001-07:00

I have gotten a chance to go into the Big Brother, Big Sister show home because well, I helped do some stuff for it. Today I was asked to do a mini shoot of the space for my work's advertising for it and for our developement. I hope that the home goes to a family that is well deserving. Tickets are $25.00 each and the money goes to helping our young people!!

Big Brothers, Big sisters is such a great charity and I am so excited to be able to be apart of the whole "dream home" event!

enjoy!!

xoxoxo andrea

Amanda

2009-01-02T14:06:00.000-07:00

I was a bridesmaid for a long time friend of mine back a few months ago. Even though I wasn't her "photographer" I couldn't help but bring my camera along to take some photos of her big day. I couldn't post anything without her permission because I wasn't sure how she would feel about the one picture that i fell in love with. I was so blessed to be a big part of her day!!

Thanks for letting me post this Amanda! you looked so beautiful on your wedding day and I am so excited for you and Cress!!!

xoxo Andrea

Honeymoon

2008-12-20T12:22:00.000-07:00

So I recently got married to a wonderful man named Chad. for our honeymoon we went to an all inclusive resort in Mexico. The resort was awesome. However, my favorite part of the whole thing wasn't the resort but this really cool Myan village that went to. above is a picture of what their homes look like.

I have also put a picture of a really neat window display that I liked. As a designer i love looking at these kinds of things...

xoxox andrea

Courtney & Conroy

2008-12-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

Courtney and Conroy and I went for a walk in Stanley Park a little while ago and they were telling me that they didnt' have any photos of the two of them for a little while. I decided to do a little "mini" shoot of them. They were really great sports and we had a really good time. we even let the parking meter run out!! here are a few shots of our day together.

I love you guys! xoxo andrea

Starting off

2008-12-16T16:24:00.000-07:00

So today is the first day that I am going to start this blog. I haven't even given out the blog address to anyone, just starting off to see where this photography stuff takes me. I was in Vancouver a few months ago and took a great photo of the city scape from the park. These are just a few shots that I have taken in the past few months that I thought would make for a good first post.

We'll see... xoxox Andrea