Patrick Chondon 10/20/15 Patrick Chondon 10/20/15

Lucas' 2nd Birthday - Centennial Park

Centennial Park was the setting for yet another memorable session with Carol and her family. This was the second year in a row that we celebrated Lucas and his birthday. This time around he was turning 2. I still can't believe just how big he has gotten since one year ago. Whereas, the last time we did this, we were able to just plop him where we wanted and shoot away. This time around he was a lot more mobile, obviously walking and sometimes running on his own.

Regardless of his new found mobility, we had a fantastic session. He was actually quite cooperative and fairly easy going. As with most kids his age, he had his moments, but it wasn't exactly the warmest day of the year so I'm sure he was also a bit cold.

One of the first photos of the day was one of the most memorable. Carol and her family had brought a few props like balloons and letters etc... So we set up the first posed shot against one of the cabins and we got Lucas to hold the balloons. Although they were tied briefly around his wrist, I guess they weren't tight enough and after managing to capture a few quick photos, off the balloons went into the Fall sky.

From that point forward we just stopped in different spots and tried to keep warm. Although this day was centred around Lucas, I did still get a few shots here and there of the family as well. Anytime there are young kids involved, and we are at Centennial Park, I always try and head on over to the stable and animal farm. We did manage to do it this time around which was awesome. I find with kids, and adults to of course, I get some of the most natural moments when they are interacting with the animals.

Lucas thoroughly enjoyed the roosters and horses. Some of my favourite photos of the day stemmed from the time we spent there. Lastly, and certainly not least, we finished off by the park. After a few joyous minutes on the swings it was off to the slide. Lucas was brave enough to venture on a couple of the slides, obviously with a little bit of help. He did have a bit of a stumble on the last time down but he is as tough as they come.

I wish I could have spent another hour out there with Carol and her family but we simply ran out of time and it was pretty chilly. In any case, we came away with so many great moments that I hope Lucas and his family can look back on when he is much older. Thanks to Carol and her wonderful family for letting me be a part of Lucas and his birthday celebration.

Patrick Chondon 10/12/14 Patrick Chondon 10/12/14

Lucas' 1st Birthday + Cake Smash

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to photography Carol and her family again. Whereas last year we focused on the entire family, this time around it was a special occasion. Lucas just turned 1, so they decided they wanted to do a cake smash! This was my first cake smash so I really couldn't wait.

The location was the same as last years which was Centennial Park. As soon as I arrived I saw all the great props they brought. We made our way to the trail and eventually the cabin area. Once there we took some quick family photos and then it was all about Lucas. He sat perfectly agains the log cabin and then eventually the bench. He decided he was going to go the serious route for a few shots so we pulled out his little hockey stick and he warmed up a bit once he saw that.

One of the great props they brought was a set of blue balloons. This led to one of my favourite photos of the day. We moved to the open field where he was then handed the balloons. It turned into a very genuine and spontaneous photo.

After we were done with the balloons we set up a chair in the leafy path. This particular part was a bit tough for Lucas as he just didn't want to sit still on the chair. He had a little bit of a fall but he recovered very quickly and was still smiling the rest of the session.

The train tracks were the next stop and here we got another bunch of great photos. My favourite moment from this part was when they put the crown on him. He immediately started crying. It ended up being one of the funniest and most sincere photos of the day. It's easy to always get smiling photos but it's also the other moments that can lead to some interesting outcomes.

It was then time for the final portion of the shoot. The cake smash! Being a one year old, I wouldn't say he really quite smashed the cake but once we got his hands full of icing it was off to the races. He was simply in his glory the rest of the way. I will most definitely be looking to do some more cake smashes in the near future. I have a ton of ideas and I can't wait to incorporate them. Once again Carol and her family were so much fun to photograph. It was a pleasure to be part of Lucas' first birthday.

Patrick Chondon 10/23/12 Patrick Chondon 10/23/12

Carol + Family Portraits

My second session of the day took place at Mission Marsh. I had a couple wedding portrait sessions here earlier in the year but that was well over 2 months ago. I was hoping for more leaves on the trees, which there weren’t, but everything else was a nice golden brown which made for some great photos. It was a completely different feel from my earlier session but that is what makes every location in this city unique!

We started off in the picnic area where there was some long grass. Once Brynnly got used to being behind the camera she got more and more comfortable. Then it was time to head down the path, eventually to the water where we captured some great family photos on the log and in the high brush. It was quite difficult getting photos of their dog Sadie because she wouldn’t stop running but she did slow down once in a while to pose for some group photos.

There were still some leaves on the ground so we quickly tried a couple photos with them falling down on Brynnly. We then finished off the day by the lookout along the boardwalk. It was the perfect weather for the shoot and we came away with some really good candid photos as well as some great family shots. Thanks again to Carol and the rest of her family for letting me photograph her family. I had a blast!