This photo was taken with my new D600 while I took a photog half day session in Aruba. The instructor taught me how to find interesting images in much larger (busier) areas. The focus for this photo was on the shadow from the coloured gecko. 

I love this pic of Aruba's endangered burrowing owls. They are almost impossible to spot (the photographer is a rare local who knows were to look). I used his telephoto lens, as even my 300mm would not have been able to get this close. The owls are about the size of a human hand and our jeep was parked a few hundred meters away. 

This shot was taken using my tripod and a sunset camera setting. I liked this one in particular, as it is rare to see the sky still so blue once the sun is this low. The normal result for this type of photo is a yellow sky. I also love the pic because this was a wonderful group of yogis supporting each other even though we were all strangers when we arrived in Aruba.

I think that this is a cool shot because of the shadows on the water and the mist in the backdrop.  It was taken in Cheticamp (Cape Breton) which is my grandpa Chiasson's home town. I also love the image as it shows how easily my children can love a creature (even if we ate him shortly after this photo was taken!)

Cheticamp, Cape Breton Island. 

This photo was taken in St Margaret's Bay, Nova Scotia.  My daughter Sadie was hunting for crabs (she is holding a net) and it was so natural as she pushes her ocean salt-dried hair away from her face. The colours of the bathing suit make it even prettier.  

This photo was taken in "Froggieland" at my friend's cottage on Mosque Lake.  Cash was keen to kayak (like his nanny) so we ventured out at the first sign of rain slowing. I was happy with how my camera lens functioned even in the damp weather.

Beautiful Lyon, France

The Beauty of Cape Breton Summers

This image was taken with my Nikon D80 on Dunvegan Beach (Cape Breton) at the end of a wonderful summer day with family.  My three kids were having an amazing experience with their cousins and beach friends. I love the randomness of the poses (and my two-year old son confused with the instructions).

The was taken on my iPhone as I walked along a quiet road outside Dunvegan Beach.  This scene is typical of Cape Breton -- picturesque yet unassuming and unpretentious. The real beauty of Cape Breton island.   

I love this image of my 65-year old mom playing with my two-year old son.  My mom absolutely loves the ocean and wants to spread this experience to her whole family.  

This is a simple, uncomplicated photo of my son experiencing a summer day.  I love the naturalness of the pose, the gorgeous red contrasted with the blue water.

This was taken with my Nikon D80 and captures the amazing sky. I love the plane tracks in the sky with the colours of the sunset.  These photos remind me why I love my current lens... although I do want to upgrade my camera body this year.

Sometimes the photographer gets a photo taken... very rare

I love the detail of the kids posing in this new statue on the Halifax waterfront.  If only the buildings were not so prominent in the background... kind of ruins the photo for me.

Summer has arrived and we are ready!

This was a cool photo that I admit was purely an accident. My two daughters were playing with their dolls on our NYC hotel room window sill while we chilled out in the early morning. We had a great view of the Empire State Building (we were on the 45th floor of the Times Square Westin). Very proud of this little *mistake* photo. 

I love this photo because it reminds me why I love my Nikon 18-200mm lens. The focus is perfect on my son and his colours (taken on Canada Day), while the background images are just the right blur.  If I could change one thing, it would be the foot in the right hand side... but not everything can be perfect.  

This action shot was taken in my backyard just moments after we set up a new triple "slip-n-slide" on the grass.  I always have trouble capturing moving images so I am pretty happy with the way that this photo turned out.  The emotions on their face makes me smile inside.

I like this fun photo snapped in my backyard during an afternoon of mayhem water play.  Having the plant being the only object in focus sets up the *mayhem* of activity, including my son who was losing his bathing suit as he ran across the yard. A great depiction of our family life at times.

This image was captured as my oldest daughter bumped into her BFF on a bouncy castle at the local Canada Day celebration in our community. I adore the blues in the mat -- just look at how it brings out Lily's blue eyes.  Amazing.  The rest of the photo isn't grand, but they do care a lot for each other so it makes me smile to see it.

My Swing Kids...

This photo was taken with my small digital Canon Power Shot camera.  Oh how I wish that I had my SLR on hand, as it was the perfect Autumn day in 2010.  Needless to say, my oldest daughter loves this swing (as does her sister, her mom and pretty much everyone who visits the home of Lynn Poirier).  This photo will always be special... as it was my first newspaper cover (see next).

It's too bad that the newspaper had to turn the image into a landscape orientation, but it still shows well.  Lily loved seeing her newspaper cover up at school. Taken in October 2012 in Hudson (Pine Lake in background).

Using the timer on my Canon Power Shot, we caught a nice moment together. The sun coming through the trees is casting a gorgeous light on our faces. Makes me miss Autumn... just not yet.

While I did not do a very good job at this moving image (I can't seem to master the sports function on my Nikon), I love the girl's smiles on the swing.  They seem to even like playing together!  This was taken a week later on the same swing which is har to tell with the green foliage in the background. Amazing how different it looks without the sun and fallen leaves in the foreground.

Catching unplanned yet very special moments on film

This is one of my favourite photos that "just happened" at the park one day.  Sometimes it pays to have persistence with a camera. I am not sure whether Ryan was successful with his kiss, but Lily still has a crush on him today.

"The secret" is a nice reminder that these two sisters aren't always at odds.  I love when they team up together... even if it means that I am on the other side.  My dream is that they are best friends someday...

 The lovely Emma Lambert was a very good friend to Sadie on our walk through the farmer's fields in Prince Edward County.

 LOVE LOVE this photo of my own dad and my son.  It was such a natural moment that came and went very quickly.  Unfortunately, I only had my iPhone and the light coming through the top of the boat has decreased the quality of the image.  I don't care... I still love it.  It is printed on "grampy's" fridge too.

 My nephew Conner was teaching Cash to hold his very first hockey stick.  This was taken in our backyard and gives me the image of winter in Canada.  Maybe this is how Wayne Gretzky started?

This was taken last summer at the HYC beach on a random Friday evening with many of our Hudson friends.  I love the naturalness of the "girlfriend"closeness in their mannerisms.   However, the photo also scares me a little... they are growing up much too quickly.

A day at the Ecomuseum including watching the Otters swim.  I thought this was such a natural pose for my daughter and her friend Cristina.

Daytime beach scenes at random... take me away!

This is one of my favourite images from Prince Edward County on a great weekend getaway from life in Toronto. My friend Jen is super cool and urban, yet completely at home in a country setting.  This image captures her business [READ: investment banking] side, while also showing her ease at all things beach related (including her uber cool daughter Emma).

 Playa Grande in Costa Rica... spectacular view from our beach house

 Love this image of shimmering water taken at about 4pm in Costa Rica.  The sunset shortly after 5pm, so it was critical to be ready early.

 This was taken in early 2008 in Chile on our family sabbatical.  Fantastic views of volcanos, beached and ocean. Photo was taken with my Nikon D80 which made this month long trip.

 More Chile... almost deserted beach.

 I love this image of a Costa Rican fisherman in the sunset surf. He was successful with his fishing net method. Bravo!