A Day in the Life of the Asper/Koop Family
February 28, 2017

When I photograph a Day in the Life I really get to experience what it’s like to be in that family. I get to see the daily routines, parenting styles, the individual quirks of each family member, and the activities that really bring the family together. Every family is so different, but I fall in love with each and every one of them!

On November 19th, 2016, I got to spend a snowy day with the Asper/Koop family. This family was such a treat! Lissa and Paul are the loving, laid back parents we all aspire to be. And their daughters Linden and Rowan are adventurous, clever, and sweet!

It was a fun day that began with a lazy morning in bed, breakfast in pajamas, and fun in the snow - including building a super cool snow fort. Later it was on to dinner at a pop up Taco Shop and ice cream at Regent Street Co-Op. They wrapped up the day with bath time play and sweet bedtime snuggles.

I loved watching Lissa and Paul with their girls. Like many families, there was a stark contrast between the way mom and dad play with the kids. Lissa would gently snuggle the girls, shower them in kisses, read to them, laugh with them, and comfort them in a moment of distress. Meanwhile, Paul would wrap the girls in a blanket and swing them high enough to touch the ceiling, whip them around on in a sled, and bury them in snow. And the girls clearly love it both ways!

Linden is hilarious. She makes wild faces all the time- sometimes to entertain others and sometimes just for herself. And Rowan is a delightful tease. She clearly adores Paul, but outwardly snubs him. She constantly requests “Mama” while giving him a sideways grin.

When I’m leaving a family at the end of a long day, it’s often bittersweet. There is the sadness of leaving a family I've gotten to know so intimately. But there is also the joy of knowing that through photographs that family will be able to hold onto that day forever. Years from now, they will be able to see exactly what their family dynamic was at that particular moment in time time.

A Day in MY Life
February 14, 2017

I've been putting it off for far too long, but I've finally gotten my act together, and I'm ready to blog! And what better way to start my blog than by sharing a day in MY life? So many clients welcome me into their lives to photograph their intimate family moments, so I thought I would share some my life with you.

I have always wanted to go to Paris, and this summer that dream finally came true. However, because my three-year-old daughter was along for the ride, it did not turn out to be the peaceful Parisian vacation I had in mind. My daughter managed to have more temper tantrums in couple of days in Paris than she had had in her previous three years of life combined (nearly anyway) - this was in stark contrast to the well-mannered French children, which seemed to be the only kind they had! My husband and I were completely shocked by our little travel companion. Ours was a trip marked by extreme highs and extreme lows, and the documentary photographer in me decided to photograph it for what it was.

We started the day with a lovely breakfast at an outdoor cafe.

The kiddo thought the Eiffel Tower was super fun to see up close, but rather boring from atop the Arch de Triumph.

Naturally, a stroll down the Champs-Elysees ended with an epic tantrum.

Getting a ride from daddy helped move things along.

Some exercise...and more meltdowns in Tuileries Garden.

Not so impressed by the Louvre Pyramid, but totally thrilled about a random set of stairs!

And tickles from daddy are always fun.

Yet another tantrum. My daughter was being so unreasonable that my husband finally resorted to carting her off over one shoulder. Much to our disappointment, we never saw the inside of Louvre. This is my favorite photograph from our trip, because it sums up what it felt like to be in Paris with a three-year-old in full-on monster mode.

Calling it quits on site seeing and heading to dinner.

Relief! My husband and I enjoyed a delicious and peaceful dinner as our daughter slept.

This collection of images is a prime example of why I love photographing “Day in the Life” sessions. It shows the highs and lows of a family’s day and how quickly the pendulum can swing from one extreme to the other. It brings to light the humor in the situation even though frustration was pretty much the only thing felt at the time. And when my daughter is all grown up and does not remember being in Paris, we will still have these photographs. She will be able to see how much she loved and hated Paris at the same time. And in retrospect, we will all be able to laugh about it and cherish times past.