fleurishfoto

So…if for some odd reason you follow my blog religiously…you will notice not much has been going on. Things have been quiet! I’m in the process of switching blogs…which is quite a bit of work! Soon I will have TWO fancy new blogs…one dedicated to my wedding work and the other, my boudoir work. Soon enough I will be blogging all my 2010 weddings on that new blog. Man, I am terrible at keeping up! I shot 25 weddings last year (a combination of shooting weddings for my clients and second shooting for other companies) so my new blog is going to be really busy! But I felt that this post could not wait…

This morning I got an e-mail from my former bride, Heather. I have asked a few of my couples if they would provide me with some testimonials…so you know, people think I am legit and all! :) Her message brought tears to my eyes. Here is what she wrote about her experience with me…

When my then-fiance, Brad, and I were planning our wedding, one of the first tasks we assigned ourselves was finding a photographer. Brad is REALLY into photography and knew the style he was looking for, while I just really wanted to work with someone who I would feel happy about sharing the day with. Luckily as soon as we met Blake, we knew we’d hit the jackpot. We loved her edgy, photo-journalistic style, her flair for capturing the moment and most of all, her personality. From that first meeting, I felt like I’d met a long-lost friend and that feeling has never gone away. One of the things that isn’t really emphasized enough on wedding planning sites and blogs, is how important it is that you actually LIKE your photographer, After all, this person is sharing in one of the most memorable and important days of your life and immortalizing it in photos! I can honestly say that having Blake (and her super cool assistant) with us throughout our wedding day was a total blast. I felt comfortable and happy that she was with us during every step of the day and confident that the photos would be amazing because of her skill. She perfectly captured the feeling and emotion of our wedding day and our photos are drop dead gorgeous - absolutely magazine-worthy! I feel incredibly thankful and honored that Blake was there with us; it was like having a friend (albeit a super talented friend) with us on our wedding day. Thank you so much, Blake! As always, you rock!

Here is a peek of Heather and Brad’s wedding day…

This message reminded me why I do what I do. Sometimes the off season can be difficult…you got more time to think…you wonder how much you can handle next year…if the heap loads of work is worth it. And then something like this comes and reminds you that it is SO WORTH IT. As a photographer, I strive to take awesome images. As a person, I make it my goal that my couples know how much I love them. Sure, that might sound trite, but I genuinely love them. I don’t want to be the photographer who shows up, takes some pics, gets paid, and goes home. I want to be a part of the day. A part of the experience. Photography and people are my passion. The two go hand in hand for me. There is not one without the other. 

I am really excited about 2011. I am trimming back the number of weddings I am shooting this year, limiting myself to only 12. I did this for a few reasons…but mainly because I pour so much of myself into my clients day that I just wanted to focus on that. I am also falling more and more in love with boudoir photography and want to invest more time into learning and honing that craft. I am meeting with lots of awesome couples for my 2011 year. I can’t wait. I had an AMAZING consult last night…got me so excited for the things to come. And I am embarrassed to say it…but I showed my brand spanking new slide show for the first time last night. I cried. Ya. LOSER. It isn’t that my own images are so gorgeous that it brings me to tears…but I care so deeply for the couples I photograph…that it makes me so happy to see their happiness. Cheesy, I know. Sorry for the long post…just got some things I thought I would share. So here’s to 2011…it’s going to be an awesome year. :) 

Blake xoxo

Courtney and Clark were married in Jasper on a what started out as a rainy August day. As Courtney walked down the aisle and Clark saw her for the first time, the rain stopped…and the sun began to peak behind the clouds. Courtney and Clark were married in intimate and casual ceremony before their closest family and friends. It was a beautiful wedding because it was just at they wanted it and so very true to who they are as people. I felt very honored to be a part of their day…and their family treated me as I was one of their own. I was so very thankful that Courtney and I got an hour of time alone so I could take some bridal portraits. She is so gorgeous. I remember telling her, as she sat at the end of the dock, just how beautiful she was. She said to me “I appreciate that. But all that matters to me is that I am a good person.” Well, Courtney…you are. And on top of it all, you are a loving mother. I wish you, Clark, and Hunter a lifetime of happiness. 

Claire and Esteban are dear friends of my husband and I. They were at our wedding. They took us in for Christmas last year when we had no where to go. They kick our butts at wii. They are wonderful, loving, kind and gentle people…and they are bringing another one of them into the world! I honestly can’t wait to meet their little one. Gotta say, that kid is going to have amazing parents…and awesome genes. These two are GORGEOUS!!! Love you, Claire and Esteban!! 

Holy doodle…do I have a TON of blogging to catch up on. Let me start here. I love this shoot. Two sisters. Two beautiful sisters that clearly love each other to pieces. When they showed up I asked them if they like each other. If they are close. I asked because if I had done photos with my sister at the same age as these two, it would have looked MUCH differently then this shoot. Maybe something out a UFC magazine. :) These two were great. Giggled incessantly. Talked about boys. And truly love each other. It made me miss my sisters. 

I have three sisters. My sister Bethany lives in Australia. She followed her heart and a boy to move thousands of miles away. We were never close until only a few years ago. She is smart. SO SMART. Strong. Gorgeous. I miss her. This is Bethany (Photo by my Dad).

My sister Madeline is 8 and three quarters (that is how she would tell you how old she is). She lives in Seattle. She has the biggest heart of anyone I know. She loves her Webkinz like they were real animals. She cries when I have to leave after a visit. She slept with my family’s ailing dog every night on the kitchen floor. There are very few hearts as big as hers. And she looks exactly like me. This is Maddie…once again photo by my Dad. 

My sister Fiona is Maddie’s fraternal twin. She is the older of the two. My sister Fiona is a fighter. Both Maddie and Fiona were born three and a half months premature. Fiona had the rougher go. She has cerebral palsy. She just recently started walking. But man, is she tenacious. And stubborn. But she looks like a porcelain doll. Don’t let her appearance fool you. Like Mohammed Ali, she floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee. She’s a sweetie…and I love her to pieces. This is Fiona…and yup, you guessed it, taken by my Dad. 

This shoot I did with these two lovely sisters made me miss mine. It also made me realize that there is not one single picture of all four of us. When I can get us all into the same country…It will be my mission to have a picture of us. I hope you enjoy these images. 

 Thanks so much for taking a look! 

Blake xoxo

For those of you who don’t know…I shoot boudoir in Edmonton for the amazing Vancouver based photographer Jennifer Williams. Jen has trained me herself for months…and I am honored that she has chosen me to do work for her in Edmonton. With that said, I am shooting a boudoir marathon for Jen soon! Spots are filling up fast! 

Have you ever heard that Vampire Weekend song called “One (Blake’s Gotta New Face)”? It’s kind of one my favorite songs. Whenever I am making a huge change in my life…I can hear it in my head…mainly because my two awesome buddies Shaun and Steph Scade will sing it to me. :) Well… sing it with me people…BLAKE’S GOTTA NEW FACE!! 

So…big things are changing in my life right now. I am launching my new website today. With that new website is a new name. I am no longer Fleur-ish Foto. A lot of people have asked me why I am changing my name. Here’s why…

I picked the name Fleur-ish Foto because I thought it was cute. I am HUGE into the cute thing. My husband said if cute were an Olympic Sport, I would win gold. I thought that my work would naturally be cute because I am cutesy. Strangely enough, my work has evolved to not carry the cute vibe. Also, I picked the name Fleur-ish Foto when I wasn’t proud of the work that I was putting out…I was able to hide behind the name. I know I have miles to go and tons to learn…but I am proud to put my name on it. I am proud to have me associated to my images. Another reason I am changing my name is because I have been shooting a lot with my dad recently. His company is Loates Art. I am just proud of the Loates name I suppose. :)  

Some more news…I am BEYOND honored and excited to be an associate photographer for Jennifer Williams Boudoir. Jen is a very close friend of mine. She is an AMAZING photographer and a leader in the boudoir photography industry. She recently moved to Vancouver and was still receiving tons of requests for shoots in Edmonton. I have been studying with Jen closely for a while and I will now be shooting for her in Edmonton. It’s pretty exciting for me. And I feel so lucky that she trusts my skills enough to put her name on it. It’s pretty awesome. 

So…that’s what is going on right now in my world. Lot’s of changes. I totally have a new face. And I am pretty excited about it! 

Just to let you know, this blog will be shut down soon and I will be starting up a new one with a fresh and fancy domain! Fun! :)

Thanks so much to all of you for your support in the past year. It has been a ridiculously busy, fun, and somewhat stressful year. I have learned a freakin’ boatload…and I believe I have come quite far. I have so much more to learn and room to grow…and I look forward to it.

I also wanted to thank Jen for skyping me endless hours and helping with so many things and being such an awesome friend. Harvey for constantly giving me pep talks. Rachel for continuing to be the best mentor ever. To Haley and Michael, for letting me tag along to some pretty awesome weddings. My Dad…for being the number one photography best friend and creative guiding force…I LOVE YOU LIKE MAD!!! And the biggest thanks to my husband Jay. Thank you for being so supportive this summer and believing in me. It takes a very special and patient man to encourage his wife to chase her dreams. I apologize that you have been wifeless for the past 5 months. LOVE YOU!!! 

I am especially thankful to my clients who have been so supportive and patient with me. It’s been a great year…and I couldn’t have done it without you. So from the very bottom of my oozing heart…thank you. 

Lots of love…

Blake xoxo

Hi Everyone! 

I recently second shot a wedding with my Dad in Seattle…here are some of the images I took! I hope you enjoy them! 

Blake xoxo

Such an amazing Jasper wedding…more to come! Stay tuned!