Photography Journal

Collecting the details | North Vancouver, BC

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Collecting the details before they blur. You fell in love with these details. The gold dipped roses. The monogrammed purses your mother sewed for you and your bridesmaids. Your grandmother’s handkerchief. The expression on your father’s face when he first saw you. The anticipation. The jitters. People that love you by your side, calm and reassuring. Despite the rain, everything would be as you had hoped.

Wedding preparations are some of my favourite moments to capture. I was delighted when my cousin-in-law asked me to photograph her and the closest women in her life while they got ready. Thank you for inviting me, Jana. The day was beautiful from beginning to end. Wishing you and Vince a lifetime of happiness!
xo
Hair: Denise Elliott Beauty Co.
Make Up: Rebeca Coloma – Make Up
Wedding Dress: Blush Bridal Boutique
Bridesmaids Dresses: Bari Jay

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Flower Whisperer | Sweet Pea Flowery | Winfield, BC

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Katie LaRone. Flower Whisperer.

On her one acre family-run specialty cut flower and herb farm, she and her partner, Shawn Hunt, farm using permaculture principles and are passionate about soil health. “Taking good care of the land makes the best flowers and allows our farm to be an ecosystem for critters big and small. We don’t spray any pesticides, herbicides or conventional fertilizers, not even ‘organic approved’.”

They believe in the importance of ‘slow flowers and local flowers’. “Most people don’t think about where the cut flowers they purchase come from and the majority come from South and Central America – roses for example are mainly from Columbia and Ecuador. They travel thousands of miles by plane to get here which isn’t very environmentally friendly. In addition, they are sprayed a lot. Some florists have to wear gloves because of their exposure to all these toxic chemicals on the flowers.”

Sweet Pea Flowery grows flowers for both the big moments in life and for everyday enjoyment. If you would like more beauty in your life, get in touch with Katie through Facebook or Instagram. A new website is on its way soon!

Gorgeous outfit and accessories (pictured above) contributed by Cento Wear in downtown Vernon. “Cento Wear boasts a beautiful selection of carefully curated feminine apparel and accessories from a variety of Canadian, American and European designers.”

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Refrigerator Graveyard | Gitxaala, BC

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Four young women. All talented, bright and inspiring. Makeup artist Arisa Davis applied some of her magic with hair beautifully done by Annalisa Jackson and Jane McKay. Models AnnMarie, Abi, Shailyn and Arisa. Thanks, ladies! Let’s do this again soon!
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Michelle & Chris | Victoria, BC | August 2015

“We asked Paulina to photograph our wedding after a beautiful outdoor family photo session the previous year. We were so impressed with her eye for capturing such beauty in simple candid shots, and natural ability to work with our children, we absolutely had to have her photograph our wedding.

We were a little worried about how things would go, as our little ones were 1 and 3 years old at the time and not big on standing still! Paulina did not disappoint! She managed to capture the most precious moments in a truly authentic way, allowing the unique personalities of our children to come alive in the photographs.

Paulina has such skill and professionalism, and she played a huge role in helping to create a truly enjoyable and relaxed experience for everyone involved. We chose to have a casual, intimate, family only ceremony and Paulina fit in seamlessly.

We are so thrilled with the quality and natural beauty captured in our wedding photographs and would highly recommend Paulina to anyone!”

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Ayren & Earl | Vancouver, BC | May 2015

“We had such a lovely time working with Paulina and her lovely assistant, Jeff. I so enjoyed splitting up the photo day into two days, that worked so much better for weather, timing, and keeping a certain toddler involved. I found Paulina to be very professional but relaxed in her approach, she took every opportunity with the lighting, timing, and mood to get the best picture possible. There were some posed photos, but we loved the spontaneous, involved, voyeuristic shots. I never felt I had to “hold a pose” during the wedding, as she blended into the crowd so wonderfully to fully capture the moment. I loved the way she got photos of guests, musicians, and events that were happening at the wedding and the focus wasn’t entirely on the bride and groom. Paulina’s generosity and time was so appreciated to document a momentous occasion for our friends and family.”

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Devyn | Herbal Bath & Breastfeeding Session

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I met this lovely lady just days before I photographed the birth of their first child two years ago. Capturing such an intimate and life-changing event creates an immediate bond between the photographer and family. I love the families I have met through this work and was super excited to meet their new addition.

Herbal baths are a wonderful opportunity for mom and baby bonding, healing and relaxation. This beautiful, sweet-smelling blend was created by Homestead Herbals, grown organically on an eco micro-herbal farm in Kitchener, Ontario. Included in their packaging is a little tag that informs their customers on which bee-friendly plants to grow. Read more about why we need to protect our pollinators and how to create a bee-friendly garden here.

Fifteen day new Devyn settled right in and was perfectly content floating in her mama’s arms.

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Anne & Victor

Otylia Photography {Weddings}

Two beautiful, brilliant friends were married in Boston, MA last summer. While many friends and family members captured happy moments over the course of their wedding day, they didn’t have the opportunity to have any professional portraits of the two of them.

Anne and Victor brought me to the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University and there, with the luxury of time and a beautiful sunset, we were able to create images they will delight in for a lifetime.

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Emma & Matt | Toronto, ON | August 2014

“We asked Paulina to be our wedding photographer after meeting her through a friend and admiring her work online. She is a wonderful photographer to work with – professional, passionate, friendly and skilled. During our wedding, she captured all the important moments with artistry and authenticity. She communicated exceptionally well, went out of her way to accommodate our ideas (for example, getting up before sunrise to do a waterfront engagement shoot) and impressed us with her polished final product.”

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Sheri | Victoria, BC | April 2014

“I have been to the local department stores for portraits, what I really ended up with was two fidgety children, tears, and endless fighting. These experiences practically left me in tears and saying I will never do this again. When I was approached to have to have a professional photo shoot done with my two children I immediately cringed. I met up with Paulina at a local farm and the kids immediately loved her. They warmed up to her and she let them be themselves. There was no set up, sit here or there, or do this. They were able to be kids and she was able to capture that. I was left speechless, and with no tears!

The pictures were amazing and she captured the essence of my children being children. Paulina is a genuine person who has the ability to see people for who they are and be able to capture it on film. I was extremely impressed and can’t wait for the next shoot.”

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SYDNEY & KEVIN | VICTORIA, BC | JUNE 2014

“My husband Kevin and I hired Paulina to photograph our June 14, 2014 wedding, and this was by far the best decision we made regarding our wedding. We were unsure whether we wanted to spend the money to hire a professional photographer because our wedding was small and casual, but looking back on all the photos and moments that Paulina captured… having her there was the best investment we made.

Not only were we blown away by the quality of Paulina’s work (there was not a bad photo in the hundreds we received!) she was also so personable and friendly and fit right into our small wedding as if she were part of the family. I don’t think people realize how much time you spend with your wedding photographer… it’s important to like them! We thoroughly enjoyed Paulina’s company and she made us feel completely at ease which resulted in the most natural, candid photos possible.

Paulina managed to get us past the “fake smiles” and had very creative and unique suggestions for taking photos. She was so thorough and prepared; she even took the time to find out “our love story” in advance so she could personalize the shoot and weave in meaningful pieces of our lives. She was incredible. She captured every magical moment and her attention to detail was evident. The photos from our special day tell a story; they are full of emotion and every time I look at them I feel like I’m reliving each moment again. I cannot imagine any better person to have documented our wedding day than Paulina.”

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