JAMES HODGINS PHOTOGRAPHY

You have heard me say it before, sometimes the best images are when your subjects are not even looking at the camera.  We just finished the “water” session with the family and kids were having some fun before the next shoot.  I just love the faces of the two brothers as their sister takes control with the splashing.

This week I got the pleasure to hang out with Kevin & Mariza Bissonnette of  www.kbphotography.ca at their home studio to talk shop and discuss lighting techniques and marketing.  I think it’s good practice to get to know the other photographers in your area and not treat them like “competition” but more like “allies” in the trade.   It’s great when you have other photographers that you can bounce ideas off each other, help out if they need it, or request help if you need it. 

The image below was taken at Kevins studio where we were discussing different lighting techniques and how to get those big  O’l catchlights in those beautiful eyes.

Now that Chris, Kirsti and Aila have picked up their wall portraits for their home I can now post some more images from their family portraits session.  We love the fact that some of these images will be hanging on their walls for years to come, everytime they walk into a room they will remember their family at this moment.   If you are going to put some sort of art on your wall, why not make it a portrait of your family?

Yesterday (on our day off) Joce and I had the pleasure of hanging out with our good friends Cindy & Gaston.  We opted for a motorcycle ride to Manitoulin Island, a trip that we have planned for a few months now, but unfortunately has been rained out everytime.  Even yesterday as we left our driveway, the showers started, but by the time we got into Lively the skies cleared and we had beautiful weather for the rest of the day.  We have said this before and we LOVE the fact that is keeps getting proven to us year after year, our clients are our friends.  We met Cindy & Gaston (and their lovely family) when we photographed their wedding at the Saenchiur Flechey Resort just over 3 years ago.  I remember being at their reception after we were all said and done and the both of them sat at our table talking to us for quite some time.  This was their wedding, with all their family and friends, but they sat at our table and we chatted for a good 45 minutes.  I also remember after being there for the first 15 minutes as Cindy was getting ready, looked at Joce and I and said “I am SO GLAD you two are here”.  Little things like this stick with us for a long long time.

After the wedding was all said and done we agreed that we would get together another time and “just hang out”.  It’s hard you know, to find the time.  We are busy, they are busy (running a successful dairy farm and raising 3 wonderful children) but we seem to  make time at least once a year.  It isn’t a lot, but we do jam pack it with memorable experiences.   The next time we met was at their farm where Cindy & Gaston took us out horseback riding on their property.  I can ride a motorcycle, a horse?…………..not so much, but it was fun, and after that we photographed their family portrait as the sun was setting and the wind was dying down.

Here are some images of the from the wedding, to their family portrait to our recent  fathers favorites event.

It’s amazing how they change in such little time.  These girls are growing up to be beautiful ladies.

You never know, I might be in this business long enough to photograph their weddings, wouldn’t THAT be something?  It’s amazing how we get to see these ladies grow up year after year, and Jocelyne and myself feel very privileged to be the ones to capture those transitions.  But let’s not forget about Cindy & Gaston eh?  We had a great ride yesterday checking out Bridal Veil Falls, having fish ‘N’ chips of course and let’s not forget Farquars ice cream “TIGER TAIL” (that’s my favorite), finishing it off with some Hodgy’s Famous BBQ and Cindy’s famous Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips.

Luckily I remembered to pack the Canon G11 in the saddle bag.

Let’s hope that year does not go by between visits OK?