A Little Life Update

Hi Everyone,

I have been slacking on these blog posts lately. I wanted to jump on here quick to give a quick update on whats been happening. Life has been pretty hectic lately. I am getting married this summer to the love of my life and wedding planning is crazier than I ever anticipated! I have also been gearing up for my first Edmonton Seminar on April 6th (sponsored by Canon, Elinchrom and Vistek) followed by Calgary on April 13th. And unfortunately I have been dealing with the loss of my gorgeous boy Mac. I wrote about him in my last blog post. He had been getting better in January but for the last little while things just got worse. My family and I had to make the hardest decision ever. 

Anyone who knows me personally knows that Mac was my everything.  I love my dogs, I am a huge animal lover. My family and I got Mac when I was 16, he was such a blessing. He made our family whole. All of his life he suffered from heart problems. During the last little bit he had spondylosis which eventually spread all over his body. From the moment we got him we said we would never EVER let him suffer. He was our world. A little over a month ago we had to say goodbye. In the blink of an eye, my world completely crumbled. Mac saved my life, he taught me how to love and he listened to me when I needed someone. He was my best friend. Forever would not have been enough time with him by my side but I am so blessed to have spent almost 9 years with him. He took a piece of my heart with him, but he left a piece of his with us. Its taken me all this time to write about it. I have never experienced heartbreak and pain like that ever. My little girl Chloe is helping us all with the grieving process, and vice versa. She misses her best friend. 

Anyway, I am gearing up for my first seminar in a few days and thats helped keep us busy! I am super excited, I am working with amazing teams I cannot wait to tell you my story.

I will be a little quiet on social media for the month of May as I get prepared for our wedding. Keep an eye out for sneak peeks of images from my seminar!

Until next time,

Lisa-Marie xo

Run free my precious boy. My light, my love, my life, my Mac <3

ProFusion Expo 2016 & What's Been Happening Lately

Hey Everyone!

I'm finally caught up since coming back from vacation! I've been meaning to write this blog for weeks but when I came back from Scotland, Mac my eldest dog and my everything was having some issues. I don't want to get into too much detail but he has had heart problems all of his life and for the last 2 months things have gotten worse. For a few weeks there, it was the most scariest and hardest thing we have had to deal with. After taking him to the vet and getting him on some medication an monitoring his heart, he is doing so much better! I'm planning shoots again now that he's on the mend and is getting better day by day. We are just taking it one day at a time but he was my priority for the last few weeks.

Anyway! Onto my blog for today. I wanted to write a little bit about my time in Toronto at the ProFusion Expo. Buuut I go in depth in the February Issue of Practical Photography Magazine (out soon!). So be sure to pick up a copy at your local store to read all about it ;)

Thank you so incredibly much to Vistek and Elinchrom LTD! Thank you so much to Gary for giving me this opportunity and believing in me. It was a pleasure meeting everyone from Vistek Toronto and Bram from Switzerland! A huge thank you to everyone who came out to watch me speak. Thank you for coming up after the show to ask me questions, talk to me and even ask for selfies. The amazing team of ladies I had: beauties Olivia and Julia from Anita Morris Models and the wonderful Ann Oster. You ladies are incredible, I could not have done it without you thank you so much! Last but definitely not least I just want to thank my amazing fiancé. He travelled with me and was my assistant for the 2 days we were there. You were such a huge support and help for me. I can't thank you enough for everything you did for me. Love you! And my amazing parents, in-laws and everyone else who supported me from near and far. You have no idea what your support means to me. Thank you! 

For those who inquired about workshops/mentoring sessions please keep an eye out for an announcement. They will be happening!

I have some amazing editorials coming up after my winter sessions so be sure to keep an eye out! The New Year is looking to be amazing!

Until next time,

Lisa-Marie xo

 

Lisa-Marie Photography Turns 4!

Hello Everyone!

Today is Lisa-Marie Photography's birthday! This time four years ago I was in my 3rd and final year of University, I was experimenting with fashion and beauty photography and knew in my heart I had found what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I was unsure of starting up a Facebook page, I was weary about showing my work. As artists I think we are our own worst critics and I was scared that no one would like my style of photography. I'm going to get a little personal here, all of my life I have dealt with bullying. My self-confidence was completely shattered at a young age, and it took a long time for me to love myself. This came across in showcasing my work, I was terrified of how well (or not so well) it would be accepted. I contemplated for so long putting my work out there and finally on the afternoon of August 17th, 2012 I opened myself and my work to the world.

Words cannot express how grateful I am for everyone who has supported me from the beginning and to those who have recently found my work. The messages and emails I receive on a daily basis bring me so much joy, to know my work is appreciated all over the world is so overwhelming in the best possible way. I could not have dreamed of this when I first started four years ago. 

I love going back and seeing how much I have grown over the last four years, I love seeing my style evolve. Everyone needs to start somewhere, in 2012 I was so incredibly proud of this image. I was just learning studio lighting and was honestly afraid of it. I never knew how to control my light so when I captured this, I remember feeling so excited and couldn't wait to show it off. It was so well received and this image is what got my name out there in my city. Looking back at the image I cringe a little at the lighting and retouching but when I first shot and edited this I was so happy and that's all that matters. Now, four years later I am doing more studio/beauty work and getting out of my comfort zone. I didn't realize how much I have grown until I put these images side by side. If you're a photographer, I highly recommend you put one of your first photos next to one of your most recent and you will see such a difference. The image from this year is by far a favourite of mine, the team I worked with are such amazing ladies and we all pushed each other out of our comfort zone. I see a major difference not only in my lighting, but my retouching skills also. I'm so proud looking at these and seeing how far I have come. I cannot wait to see where my work will be in another four years!

The last 4 years have been such a journey. I have met so many amazing people and continue to meet such talented artists. I love this community, I learn so much from other artists and they help me grow as a photographer. I could spend forever individually thanking everyone I have met and worked with so I'm just going to write a big THANK YOU to all those individuals I have had the pleasure of working with, you are all amazing!

I am so happy that four years ago I swallowed my nerves and put my work out there, I created a little Facebook page to post my work and show my family and friends. Now four years later I have been internationally published, asked to travel to different cities and countries, internationally recognized and receive messages daily from people who admire my work.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I will be eternally grateful for everyone who has supported me. 

Thank you and until next time,

Lisa-Marie x

Growing as a Retoucher and Photographer

Hey Everyone!

Hope you are all doing good! Over the last 6 months or so I have been experimenting with my retouching. Photographers will probably understand where I am coming from but after some time I get tired of editing the same way. That time came for me a few months ago and I decided I was going to try new things. I watched Youtube videos for days, researched other photographers and read some books and then I started up Photoshop and took some old shots and started experimenting. I also started using my Wacom tablet and oh my word it has changed my life! How did I edit on a trackpad for so long? lol!

I started editing some old photos with my Wacom and honestly I almost gave up. To go from editing on a trackpad to using this tablet was, I'm not going to lie, frustrating. But the more I practiced and persevered the more I loved it and my editing time became quicker. For my natural light portraits I attempted a more 'fine art' approach and honestly I love it and have continued to edit this way. I even created a few of my own actions that I use on almost every shot right now. 

My beauty photography and retouching is something I am focusing on at the moment. I love beauty and studio work right now.  Studio photography used to scare me, I'm a natural light shooter and being in a studio with all of these lights made me uneasy until very recently. Now I prefer studio work and can't wait to keep experimenting with lighting. Don't be afraid to try new things, get some friends together and try different lighting. Try different angles. Experiment. Don't let it make you uneasy, get behind your camera and go for it. I'm glad I did because I can see my work evolving and growing each time I do a shoot in studio. 

Photography and retouching always requires you to grow and learn. There's always something new. I love that about this industry. I always worried that I didn't have a particular style but now looking back at my work, especially my newer work I see a distinct style there. To all you new photographers, don't hold back! I was told in University never break the rules and honestly now I love breaking the rules because your vision is YOUR vision. 

Here is some of my old editing style vs my new editing style. I love going back and seeing how much my work has grown over the years. There's nothing wrong with the old photos, I still love them but the newer work represents my style right now. 

Until next time,

Lisa-Marie xo

Meet Chloe!

Hi Everyone!

I've been somewhat quiet with photoshoots the last 2 months mostly due to family matters but another reason is because my fiancé and I welcomed this beautiful little girl into our family! Meet Chloe! At the beginning of the year we were talking about getting a dog but didn't tell many people until we officially got her. We met this beautiful little girl when she was 3 weeks old and we were smitten. We brought her home a few days after she turned 8 weeks old and she has been the best little thing to come into our lives in a while. 

She joins my boy Mac, who is also a boxer and turns 8 in July, and Jenny who is my fiancé's family Bichon! The dogs are quite taken with her but know when to put her in her place haha!

So next time you're over for a shoot in my studio you will not only be greeted by my gorgeous boy Mac but my little love bug Chloe! Prepare for lots of kisses!

Until next time,

Lisa-Marie xo