Tracy Connery- Destination wedding and portrait photographer: Invermere, BC | Canadian Rockies | Calgary, AB | Washington, DC

a happy perk.

03*12*2010 Posted in editorial, gratitude, mine. all mine.

OK… so my project 365 has been hit a little snag. As is often the case, life can just kind sort of get in the way. Not that I’m making excuses for this intermission… but… I’m making excuses.

The primary being my dear Petal, mother of our new babies, posted earlier this week, disappeared. Disappeared leaving three very needy babies, eyes only freshly opened… and me as pitifully inadequate surrogate. But I am perservering and they are thriving… but new kittens take time, frequent feedings and many, many cleanings.

Mother cats are truly miraculous! Until her untimely disappearance- we miss her dearly and know she would be here right now if she could be… we’ve searched, carried her squawling offspring up and down our street in the hopes their shrieks might bring her home- she kept her babies well-fed, spotlessly clean and wonderfully safe and comfortable. Trying to make up for this loss has left me scambling to clumsily do all of the above for these three tiny, helpless little tykes.

But, I’m happy to report, despite my dog, my other two adult cats, my kids, my husband and my camera all feeling sorely neglected, the babies are thriving. I’m also happy to report -gross-out alert!- I’ve got them peeing on demand right after they eat… next stop: pooping. They’ve not yet had one in the three days mama’s been gone. It’s up to me to massage them along. Like I said, mother cats are truly miraculous!

I shall post pictures of my sweet little orphans later today… OK, tomorrow morning. When I shall resume my project 365… as though no time had passed! But in the meantime, I received a happy little perk last night learning that a few of my photos from a shoot earlier this winter, when it was actually still winter, are out in circulation!

Right now it’s about the promo: The screenshot below from the FHSR website as well as a cool ski-golf promotion running throughout southern Alberta and Saskatchewan!

Tags: calgary sun, fairmont hot springs photographers, fairmont hot springs resort, fhsr

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{project 365} day 4: toes. sunshine. perfect.

03*04*2010 Posted in 365, gratitude, happiness is...., kids, mine. all mine., thoughts and images

Barefeet and playgrounds on the 4th of March? Crazy. Four days in… 361 and counting.

Today’s reading: MLG page 153. ISO Sensitivity… Thank you International Organization for Standardization for simplifying things… NOT!

Tags: 365, destination wedding photographer, family portraits, invermere portrait photographer, iso, iso sensitivity, magic lantern guides, project 365, simon stafford

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{project 365} day 3: still finding balance & new kittens!

03*03*2010 Posted in 365, gratitude, happiness is...., mine. all mine., pets, thoughts and images

Three days ago, while we were off striving to own our own little piece of the podium at the Golden Kicking Horse Invitational kids ski races, it seems our Petal was here at home in her favourite chair going for her own version of gold.

Kittens! It seems that as we circulated the neighbourhood with our New Years progressive dinner, young Petal was bringing in the new decade with quite the party of her own! But we now have three eensy weensy, perfectly formed, mirror images of their mother, who is only still a kitten herself. Nothing like the miracle of birth to brighten the homeschool!

It was something of a crazy day today, where I had intended to shoot more purposefully. But after working this morning, a quick few runs up at the hill with the kids and deciding that a wonderful day should be topped off with fresh, homemade french fries (BIG mistake- took me TWO hours absorbing hot grease into my every pore to fry up all the freakin’ potatoes we chopped!!) a shoot of the precious new kittens was all I could muster… which is nice… because like children, kittens grow up too fast!

Oh… don’t expect National Geographic here, folks! Trying to outsmart a protective new mother is tough… even tougher when the lot of them are all the same colour in a poorly lit room… feeling fresh from a grease bath with three pounds of potatoes! Using flash, bounced back and to my left… and try as I might, it seems I still left new mum concerned I was playing some freaky target practice with her precious cargo.

I will so enjoy capturing these little pips under better circumstances!

Todays’ reading: Magic Lantern Guides… Nikon D300. Page 100 Preset Manual White Balance. Apparently, according to the official D300 manual you can use a white card as well as a grey. According to MLG, the author Simon Stafford strongly recommends against it. Grey only. I knew it.

OK… no I didn’t, but having not actually read the official D300 manual, I wasn’t aware there even was a white card. But I had heard of grass for taking an accurate white balance reading.

Tags: 365, d300, kittens, magic lanterns guide, nikkor, nikon, pet photographer, photographing cats, project 365, simon stafford, tasra mar, white balance

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{project 365} day 2: fake laugh, history & white balance- fairmont

03*02*2010 Posted in 365, gratitude, happiness is...., kids, mine. all mine., thoughts and images

Y’ know how you read something, think you’ve learned it… and then forget all about it? Well, that’s me with the ‘white balance’… more on that later.

Today, with the glory of spring upon us, I took the gang out for a bit of a field trip. Not too far… just to the historic baths here in Fairmont where they tear around happily, discovering all kinds of nooks and crannies… and warm water gurgling from the earth… and goo.

We worked on a technique I fancy… the fake laugh. Usually within moments fake laugh turns into real laugh… at least with nervous brides and grooms… but with my miscreants, not so much. Fake laugh remained just that. But exuberantly, enthusiastically, good-naturedly fake, and today, getting so much satisfaction out of a good fake belly laugh was almost as good as the real thing… so I’m not complaining.

Today’s reading: Magic Lantern Guides Nikon D300; pages 89-93, White Balance. And really, if we can’t be balanced the white should be, no?

Tags: 365, children's portraits, destination photographer, destination wedding photographer, fairmont hot springs, fhsr, invermere photographers, invermere portrait photographers, laughter, lifestyle photographers, lifestyle portrait photographer, lifestyle wedding photographer, project 365, white balance

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{project 365} day 1: making a commitment- wilmer

03*01*2010 Posted in 365, thoughts and images

Inspired by what appears to be a blissfully early spring, I’ve decided to challenge myself before the heat of wedding and portrait season sets in.

I’m always looking for ways to move forward and keep growing and learning as a photographer and as a workshop looks unlikely this year, I’ve decided to take a different approach. Beginning today, I embark upon a 365 day photographic journey… a commitment to growth that falls squarely upon my own shoulders rather than those I’ve paid handsomely to provide for me.

The terms of this year-long commitment:

Shoot something, anything, everyday.
Read a page out of my manual everyday.
Record it here.

No sweat. Ummmm… right.

And so, without further ado… today’s entry. Given our extending hours of daylight, I thought it would be a good opportunity to shoot while waiting for Coral’s dance class. An hour and fifteen minutes to explore some areas around Invermere that I otherwise might not visit. So… off to Wilmer.

Not exactly works of genius, but works nevertheless.

As for the reading portion of the challenge…

Magic Lantern Guides Nikon D300 manual. Page 194. Focus Lock. Why it’s taken me all this time to find out what that little AF-ON button is for I’ll never know. But now, I do… and getting clear, crisp eyes, flower petals and baby drool will be as simple as the click of a button… or two.

Tags: 365, 365 project, autofocus, british columbia photographers, calgary photographers, calgary wedding photographers, columbia valley weddings, destination wedding photographer, invermere lifestyle photographers, nikkor, nikon d300, photography, tasra mar

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{portraits} grad season! forget the caps & gowns people…

02*25*2010 Posted in events, grads, portraits, specials!

The season is upon us… young people preparing to step out into the wild and wooly world of adulthood (for some anyhow- I might have been a late bloomer. Ahem.). Blank slates with open hearts and minds eager to taste all of the new experiences and opportunities this new phase of life has in store. Aaaaaahhhhh… youth!

Anyhow, in the spirit of new experiences, I’ll be in attendance at the first ever Mother & Daughter Graduation Extravaganza at our local high school. I will have a small booth, hocking my wares, hopefully encouraging mothers and daughters to consider an alternative to the standard cap & gown graduation portrait.

As with Susanne’s portrait session, where I wish to provide women pretty pictures of themselves in whichever stage of life they might find themselves, I think images from this particular place in a young woman’s life are so valuable. Treasures from a time we all look back upon with such mixed emotion. The possibilities. The anticipation. The choices. The fear.

I love these images from my shoot with Morgan last spring… she embodies a confidence and poise I know would have been entirely foreign to me at this age. I’m so pleased to have been able to capture it… though she made it very easy!

Keep scrolling for Grad Specials below….

As you impending graduates begin considering the spring and the demands of these coming months, I’d like to make a little offer to encourage you to step outside of the box in terms of your senior portraits:

If you book your sitting before April 1st, enjoy 10% off your sitting as well as a $25 print credit!

BFF’s: Groups can be a lot of fun… if you can organize a group of three or more, each of you can take 20% off in addition to a $25 print credit!

Please contact me for more information and don’t forget to ask about my unique photobooks and albums!

Tags: graduation portrait photographer, graduation portraits, invermere family portrait photographer, invermere photographers, invermere portrait photographers, lifestyle photographers, lifestyle portrait photographer

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{portraits} banff, ab: susanne!

02*12*2010 Posted in destination, portraits, specials!

Whew… how can you tell it’s the middle of February? I just want to curl up with my kids, our mushed up copy of The Lightning Thief and a pot of cheese fondue and my husband’s deliriously delicious fresh bread!

But, alas, that’s not what this week has been. It’s been crazy-busy and I’m later than I’d hoped with this post from last week’s shoot, not to mention the post on my new albums that I have to move from my monkey-brain to these here innernets! But, it’s the weekend and with Alberta’s Family Day Weekend upon us, it will be a good one to catch up!

And so, without further ado….

Susanne, a good friend of a good friend, wanted to get some portraits… something I heartily encourage for all women, I might add. It’s rare we see ourselves in pretty pictures, so I consider it a gift to ourselves that we all deserve!

We had a cold, but wonderfully beautiful morning in Banff, and the three of us headed down to the something-or-other-lakes below the highway with the most wonderful views all ’round. Along with the beautiful backdrop, the beautiful Susanne looked casually chic, rocking a pair of incredible boots, and was a natural in front of the camera… despite my getting lost in the viewfinder and forgetting to keep talking to keep my subject at ease.

In addition to Susanne’s comfort in front of the lens (a former model, hell-llooo!) and channelling the French Lieutenant’s Woman- wonderfully ethereal!!- I also have to thank friend, Jo, and her SS efficiency for keeping things rolling, relaxed and fun!

May I present, beautiful Susanne….

Had to include one shot of Jo…

Keep in mind couples… specials end this month, and I am running out of Saturdays, so book your date now!

Tags: alberta photographers, banff, banff photographers, boudoir photographers, british columbia photographers, calgary photographers, calgary wedding photographers, columbia valley photographers, columbia valley weddings, destination photographer, destination portrait photographers, destination wedding photographers, fairmont hot springs photographer, fairmont hot springs photographers, fairmont hot springs resort, golden photographers, invermere lifestyle photographers, invermere wedding photographers, lifestyle photographers, portraits, specials!

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{specials} impending valentines day: feeling romantic!

02*01*2010 Posted in destination, gratitude, specials!, thoughts and images

Call it the full moon, call it an air of impending romance (proposals, helll-llloooo!) or call it, I still have a few available weekends this summer… whatever you call it, I’m extending my package specials till into February.

~Ladies: Consider doing something special for yourself -and that special someone… go Boudoir. Nothing sets the Valentine’s mood like pretty (read: SEXY!) pictures. Until February 14th, take advantage of a 10% savings as well as a $30 print credit. A little intimidated to go it alone? Arrange an afternoon for yourself and four or more friends and enjoy your own sitting for FREE!

~Getting Married? Book your date before February 28th and receive 10% off any package price and add an additional $30 in free prints! Book before the 14th and you’ll get the remarkable bonus of calling the high-resolution images yours!

Planning a wedding in Mexico (Mayan Riviera in particular ?) We are making our plans for April/May as well as the fall, October into November. The weather, the sea, the light… there’s NOTHING like the Caribbean! I’m excited already!

For more pricing information, please visit the website or contact me for more information.

Tags: boudoir photographers, british columbia photographers, calgary photographers, calgary wedding photographers, caribbean wedding photographers, columbia valley photographers, columbia valley portrait photography, columbia valley weddings, destination photographer, destination wedding photographer, fairmont hot springs photographer, fairmont hot springs photographers, golden photographers, invermere photographers, lifestyle photographers, lifestyle wedding photographer, mayan rieviera photographers, mayan riviera wedding photographers, mexico photographers, mexico wedding photographers, yucatan photographers, yucatan wedding photographers

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{events} olympic torch relay 2010!

01*27*2010 Posted in events, families, happiness is...., kids

Last Friday marked the Olympic Torch’s journey through our fair valley. From Radium to Canal Flats festivities lasted throughout the day.

Invermere really put on a show and the turnout was really quite remarkable. Hermann Mauthner, husband, father, grandfather and the area’s foremost judoka, enjoyed thoroughly the honour of bringing the flame into the heart of the festivities.

Things continued into the night here in Fairmont. From the hotdog eating contest that kicked things off to the kids relay and ski races to the torch ski that ended the evening, fun was had by all!

Tags: columbia valley, invermere, invermere photographers, olympic torch relay, vancouver 2010, vanoc 2010

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{destinations} merida & the mayan riviera: ya-hoo!

01*21*2010 Posted in destination, families, i do, kids, mine. all mine.

We are makin’ our plans!

As far as winters go, we’re faring pretty well. I know the ski hill is suffering a little with all these mild temps but for those of us pining for the tropics… well, it just brings us that much closer I suppose.

Despite an easy winter, there’s a part of me that is always basking in the Caribbean sun, climbing ruins and eating the best damn pizza on the continent (Corleone’s in Merida Centro!)… and come the end of ski season, ALL of me really will be!

I will be available at locations in and around historic Merida and along the dreamy Mayan Riviera (and beyond… hello, Belize!) for this spring. If you’re planning your wedding or a family vacation in the Yucatan or Quintana Roo, I am happy to offer my services beginning early April and through the second week of May.

Edited to add: I can’t believe I forgot to mention that, for those of you planning further ahead, we will be back in Mexico the third week of September until well into November, 2010!

Contact me for details!