Welcome Back! Fall Sunset Sessions Available for Booking
Outdoor Photo Sessions
(Plus a Fun Summer Bucket List!)
It’s official! I began shooting outdoors again, and boy does it feel good!
It’s been such a privilege already, seeing how much your family has grown throughout the pandemic, hearing all about your experiences and getting to take care of you again.
Since my fall calendar is now open for booking (September is already booked up!) I’m talking about all things outdoor photo sessions in this blog! I’ll be running these special sessions throughout summer and fall so read on to see what you can expect in your outdoor family, baby, or maternity sessions.
In this blog, you’ll see the collection from my first photo session back with the Perkins family! This sweet family of four has come to me for many big milestones throughout their family’s story, from maternity to newborn, six-month, and first-year shoots! It’s such a pleasure to get to capture their growth through each new season.
To Everything There is a Season:
Hey Mama, I know you’ve had a long year.
The kids have been home all day, every day. And so have you.
Trying to teach them school work while juggling your own work. Making more meals and cleaning up so many more messes with everyone stuck in the house (and without the relief of traveling or vacations or date nights out).
The struggle has been real.
So. Real.
You’re not alone if you feel like you’ve lost your sense of direction. It’s probably been a long time since you felt like you were in the sweet spot of balancing your own needs with work and parenting.
But I’m here to tell you that it’s summertime.
This is a new season now.
This summer, you can find your flow again. This summer doesn’t have to just be more of the same “survival mode” … you can give yourself permission to do more than survive. You can thrive.
“We can use these warm summer months to reconnect with God, ourselves and each other so that this fall, we can truly have a fresh start like we’ve never experienced one before. ”
We can use these warm summer months to reconnect with God, ourselves and each other so that this fall, we can truly have a fresh start like we’ve never experienced one before.
I think that being outside in nature, intentionally soaking up the beauty of the outdoors is key to finding that natural rhythm again (or hey, maybe even for the first time). We can go on this adventure together this summer and fall at outdoor photo sessions!
What Do You Need This Summer?
What do you want to find in nature this summer?
Rest?
Wonder?
Play?
Peace?
New beginnings?
Love and compassion?
Grace and forgiveness?
Trust?
In my experience, many of these feelings we long for can be found in nature. It’s as if God knew we’d need constant reminders throughout our lives so he put them all around us. It’s incredible how nature can support us on our journeys every single day:
There have been studies done to measure the positive effects of bird songs and the sound of water moving on our mental health. Research has shown that the sounds of nature have amazing effects on our emotional well-being. Humans innately know that when they hear the sound of birds, there are no predators around, so it tells our bodies that it’s safe to be in a state of calm.
When I am really stressed out, or feeling the weight of life situations, I love going for nature walks to remind myself that I am not the one in control. That no matter what happens, it isn’t my responsibility to teach the birds to fly, and that I don’t need to worry about the sun rising and setting, and that no matter what I do I’ll never be able to change the direction of the wind. I love these reminders that I don’t have to have everything figured out, and the world will keep on spinning.
When out in nature, I am always comforted by the truth that “there is a season for everything.” That just like nature, we are constantly “becoming” … always on a journey through new challenges and joys, especially as mothers! Flowers bloom, leaves fall, and the baby bunnies in my backyard eventually turn into rabbits. Nothing stays the same and this truth is both comforting and yes, terrifying. But through the years, I’ve seen the way my family and I continue to be held by the same loving hands through it all.
So if some of the deepest truths of our lives can be found in nature, let’s never stop looking for them!
So I have a plan! Want in? (Hint: Say yes, there’s a lot of really good things in it for you!)
Niagara Landscapes:
The Perfect Setting for Your Family Story
This fall and summer, I’m taking family photo sessions on an adventure into the incredible views of Niagara! Your family story deserves the magical settings of Niagara’s landscape.
Just look at the magic we can capture in nature!
We’ll preserve genuine family moments in the great outdoors. Before winter hibernation begins again, you’ll have fresh new photos on your walls and in your albums so you can embrace the new beginnings this next year will have to offer.
Where Will We Take the Photos?
No matter how many times I see it, I never stop being fascinated by the way kids are naturally delighted by nature. We don’t have to teach them to be in awe of it, or curious about it. They just are; they want to feel the sand between their toes, they want to throw stones into the water and watch the ripples, they want to imitate the sound of the seagulls and run around trying to catch ladybugs.
It’s obvious that we were designed to be deeply in love with nature right from the start.
Let’s capture those divine moments between you, your children, and nature at your fall and summer photo sessions.
Pro Tip: I’ve lived in Grimsby for much of my life, so I’ve had a lot of time to scout out the most picture-perfect spots for your family photos.
We’ll talk about specific locations during your consultation, but typically:
First, we’ll start at the beach to get some light and airy photos of you by Lake Ontario. I love shooting by the water because of the wonderful, neutral colour palettes it paints for your photo backgrounds: beiges, greys, and blues with a rosy hue over everything. We can thank the light sand beaches, smooth grey stones, and pale blue water for that – not to mention a gold and pink horizon line that looks like it could go on forever. You and the kids will be able to play in the sand, skip stones, dip your toes in the water and enjoy the calming vibes of a waterfront photoshoot.
Next, we’ll end the evening by taking sunset photos in a nearby field. This is where we’ll capture those golden-light sunset photos we all love so much! There is such an ethereal quality to these photos because of the delicate tall grass your kids get to wade through and the golden-beige tones of the field at sunset.
At the Perkins’ recent photo session, we also began the shoot at a beautiful walking path nearby to begin their collection with a rustic set of photos. I brought a little picnic blanket and we got some great photos with the family surrounded by lush greenery and natural wood accents. These shots are the perfect accent to the photo collections I’ve created for them in the past. I’m so excited to add these most recent photos to their family history.
How Should I Prepare for An Outdoor Photoshoot?
All you have to do is be there, dear friend. Once you’ve arrived, I’ll take care of the rest.
What to Bring: Nothing! Just yourselves and any amenities you might want (ie. water bottles, snacks, sunscreen, etc.). I provide wardrobe for you and your family (Dad just needs to wear a pair of neutral coloured pants!)
How to Plan: I’ll do all the planning, like coordinating the best photo session times for your family with the best times for lighting. I’ve written an entire blog post on the considerations we’ll make when we decide this, from sunset times, to average monthly temperatures. I know many of my clients love fall photo sessions because it’s easier to coordinate an earlier sunset with bedtime schedules! And not to worry - if it rains on the day of your photo session, we’ll reschedule for another time soon!
How to Mentally Prepare Yourself: I find the biggest relief for my clients is knowing that I have captured all kinds of families – shy ones, outgoing ones, loud ones, quiet ones … and I adore them all! I’m a mother of four so I know how to make children feel comfortable wherever we take your photos. I’ve been called the “baby whisperer” by more than one client, so there’s no need to worry about how your kids will react at your session; I’m an expert at helping them just have fun and getting the perfect photos without overwhelming them with directions. I’ve written a whole blog on how to have a meltdown-free family photo session in fact! One of the biggest hits in my sessions is playing “Slow Motion Super Heroes” where your kids have to slow-motion-run to save Mom and Dad with a giant hug.” It’s a blast!
Plus, at a photo session with Reflections you’ll also get:
Access to my studio wardrobe (*New - I now help style your whole family with a range of clothes for every age!)
Hair and makeup services for Mom, with artists who will travel to you the day of your photo session (*New - now included in your photography packages)
An Image Reveal where we can sit down and look at your new photo collection! I can offer consultation on which photos to arrange together, which frame colours will best suit your home and
Gallery wall installation (*New - professional installation of your photo wall is now included when you purchase wall art)
For 15 years, I’ve been perfecting my sessions to ensure that they result in breathtaking photography you can cherish in your home. Your level of comfort, fun, and authenticity has a big impact on your photos, so I put a lot of work into making your family feel at ease, and you, Mama, feel luxuriously cared for (something I know can be scarce when we enter motherhood).
How to Make the Most of the Season Outdoors:
With summer upon us, and fall not far behind it, we want to make these moments last by turning them into beautiful memories. That’s what I do at Reflections– save you time and preserve your memories.
While you wait for your fall family photo sessions to arrive, let’s go outside to explore Niagara (or beyond) and make a summer full of memories that can culminate with your gorgeous new family photos.
I’ve come up with a list of summer adventures that will help you make the most of summer, see your life in a fresh new way and leave you all a little extra sun-kissed, sparkly-eyed and mothered-by-nature:
Go on a Foraging Adventure With Your Kids: Teaching our kids to see the beauty in nature, while also respecting nature is such a great lesson to teach early on. Taking your kids on a foraging adventure could be an excellent way to teach them when it’s okay to take what you need, and when it’s best just to look. You can make your own foraging scavenger hunt with common plants in your neighborhood, or if you’re feeling really ambitious, there’s a great list of edible plants found in Niagara you could collect throughout the summer and fall!
Go Forest-Bathing: Have you heard of forest bathing? It’s a concept that originates in Japanese culture and it encourages people to go into nature and soak in all the sensory experiences it provides like you’re taking a bath: listen to the various sounds of the birds, feel the ground beneath your feet, smell the different woodland smells of a forest, look at things far in the distance (instead of close up on our screens). Forest bathing is a beautiful practice to help you slow down and be mindful.
Learn How to Garden: I wish I had spent time learning how to garden from my dad when I was growing up. But, having kids is a great way to learn from scratch, because you can both learn together! Planting those seeds early on can lead to some pretty incredible results over time. Plus, just think how many beautiful fresh flowers you could have around the house, and how many delicious fresh vegetables could be on your plant!
Visit a Farmer’s Market: I love taking my kids to the Grimsby Farmer’s Market, where we can pick out our fresh food for the week, support local farmers, and make grocery shopping feel a lot less like a chore – it is so fun!
Pick Your Own Fruit: Or you could go right to the source and find a farm to pick your own fruit! Try strawberry picking in the early summer, peach picking in mid-summer, apple picking in late summer/early fall, and pumpkin picking in October! Kids love the adventure of getting to pick their food right out of the ground. Plus, it can become a wonderful tradition over the years … I like to think that they will think back on those moments one day and feel nostalgic.
Visit Splash Pads: Aka. Your best friend. Trust me Mama, there is going to be one morning where there is a pile of cereal bowls in the sink. One kid is screaming, one brother is planning his great revenge on his older brother, and your daughter just “I’m Bored” for the 27th time. And it’s only 9 a.m. This is when you shout, “Pack up! We’re going to the splash pad!” And watching them splash around in the water and makeup games like “Don’t get sprayed” will be sweet, sweet relief. The Town of Lincoln offers some really great splash pads for kids during the summer. This was always a favourite with my children!
I hope these give you some ideas of ways that will make the summer days on stay-cation more fun, and less demanding on you! Getting outside is a great way for all of you to rest, and refuel together. And when your photo session arrives, you’ll get the perfect moments of you and your family enjoying the outdoors together.
Conclusion:
I am so thrilled to be back behind the camera, capturing your beautiful family moments! It’s an honour to be your family’s memory keeper, and I can’t wait to capture this milestone season in your family’s story.
You can book your outdoor photo shoot today (Fall sunset sessions are filling up quickly! Don’t wait too long!)
Fill Your Home With Effortless Family Memories
How they made their house feel more like a home.
About This Beautiful Family
Traveling with the Perkins family through maternity, newborn, 6-months and 1-year milestones has been a true joy! Their family has developed a beautiful bond through each new stage, and now they have photo collections documenting each chapter of their family journey.
Client Testimonial
"From the moment you walk into the studio, Karen makes everything wonderful. She makes you feel relaxed and comfortable. She's full of such positive energy it pours throughout the entire session. We just had our second photo shoot and we love being there and can't wait to go back." - Amy Perkin
Want to shop the studio wardrobe?
Hi there!
I’m Karen, a professional, trained photographer in the Niagara Region of Ontario, specializing in maternity, newborn, baby and family portraits. Hundreds of mamas just like you have come to Reflections to capture the stories of their family’s growth.
As a mama of four, I understand the busy-ness of everyday life. I’m here to help you slow down time, even just for a moment, to embrace the beauty of that busy, full life.
