post by leslie

I know that in the past I have mentioned these Day in the Life sessions that I am launching, but you guys, these sessions are so magical. I love spending so much time getting to know my clients, I adore making photos of the day-to-day moments that zoom by parents in the early years and I truly am in awe of how hard parents are working day and night (both for income and to make their kids happy!).The family I'm sharing with you today is in a very real struggle as they have an infant, a 2 year old and a high energy (BUT OH SO ADORABLE!) dog. Being with them reminded me of how hard those first months with an infant can be, but especially when you have another child in the house. You are suddenly split up into one-on-one defense (better than zone defense, I presume), and you are so exhausted. Middle of the night feedings? Yup. Potty training at the same time? You bet. Sucking snot out of your childrens' noses? Of course. But these parents? They laughed through it all, and we had so much fun. And I felt so guilty the next night when I slept for 9 hours and hoped that much sleep was in their future soon...Below are a few of my favorite shots. I also did a film for this family, which you can see here. Enjoy!

post by leslie

I mean, Canada is like a wilderness paradise. The fog. The water. The wildlife. It was so magical... but I think I've said that before.One morning we drove up to the tallest peak on the island and hiked around taking photos. Anyone want to meet me there for a family session?

post by leslie

One of our favorite things about the Pacific Northwest is the ferry system. Riding ferries is such a treat. You're being forced to slow down, to wait for the schedule, to watch the water go by (or as many locals do, to sleep in your car on the ferry).Ezra was mesmerized that we DROVE OUR CAR onto a boat. I was mesmerized by the seals we saw in the water, the breathtaking views and the magic of slowing down and enjoying the journey. Below are a few more photos from the boat. That's a seal! For your internet share today, I simply give you this.I know the ideas I'm about to express are not new, and I myself have been seeing them online a lot (and said more eloquently), but the idea that the men accused in the #metoo movement are being persecuted and that there is no safe place for them and that they are angry and afraid makes me irate.I have been living in fear of walking to my car alone at night since I was 12 because of what might happen. I have been checking under my car in parking garages for years due to this fear. How many men find their keys before leaving a place after sundown to carry in their hands as a weapon should they be attacked? Because this is normal behavior for women. Because we have been afraid our entire lives.We have been inappropriately fondled at school (for me it happened in 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th grade), and kept quiet for fear of what would happen to OUR reputations if we spoke out. I have had to think so quickly on my feet about how to respond to unwanted advances. How do I turn this guy down without angering him? How do I make this casual? How can I escape this situation safely?I have friends who have been drugged in bars to be taking advantage of, I have friends who have been assaulted. This is not uncommon. This is, sadly, normal.My father just called me last month to make sure I'm not meeting strange men in places for photo shoots that might result in danger. That I have a plan. That I know something about them first. How many male photographers worry about their safety before a portrait session?This is how women grow up. This is our reality. So the idea that men are actually afraid right now of being accused of something and they might not get a job they want? Sorry. I am not so sympathetic. 

post by leslie

One of the more touristy things we did on the trip to Canada (besides the whale watching) was a visit to Butchart Gardens. It made for a lovely morning walk, and they had a nice carousal for Ezra to ride. The colors were astounding, but so was the price! It was a lovely day, but I prefer the free gardens in Europe.

post by leslie

So we kept hearing that they had a great petting zoo in Victoria. That's not normally something that makes the guide books, you know? But this one did -- especially since Prince Harry's family visited a few years ago. Well if it's good enough for the royals, then it's good enough for us!You guys, this was the CLEANEST petting zoo I have ever been to. There was a woman in the pen with the baby goats whose No. 1 job was to scoop up poop the very second it hit the ground. The pen was spotless (Sidenote: Canadian public bathrooms are just as pristine! Those Canadians are polite AND tidy!).Anyway, here are my photos from the petting zoo because even though I think the forests and mountains and sea are spectacularly beautiful, sometimes it's fun to look at baby goats. This one kept trying to eat everyone's coats! He even took a sniff at my camera! They'll eat anything! No internet shares today -- too busy catching up still! Forgive me!

post by leslie

I promise I didn't fall off the face of the Earth. I've just been in Canada. And I might never return.Could I make a living here? Probably not. Would I love to swim to one of these Gulf Islands (or ferry, whatever) and never connect to the internet or hear the news again (until Trump is in prison anyway)? Hell yeah. Absolutely. Let's make that happen.I'm going to have to break my posts into themes for the next few days so you understand how amazing my very short three days in this country were (not counting the travel days).First up is the whale watching excursion. Yup, we saw Orcas, and we got to see them kill a few things, but luckily there are laws that we have to be 200 (meters? feet? I can't remember) away from them, so nothing too gruesome.We also saw amazingly huge sea lions, harbor seals, a sea otter, and way off in the distance, a humpback whale (which I did not get to photograph).Ezra thought all of this was pretty cool. In fact, I would lay money on him liking the BOAT more than the ORCAS, but whatever, he had a blast. Obviously, I am still in a cabin deep in the Canadian woods on an actual island, so internet shares are nil because I've been kayaking and hiking and watching out the back yard for otters and all that is way more fun than a computer. But enjoy the photos! Look at those rocks in the water. Look closer. Those are sea lions.Again, you see the one in the water? Look at the rocks behind him. And they were barking at us. I have a very handsome husband. That is all.In the middle of this photo is a sea otter. The captain kept telling us how rare they were and what an amazing sight this was, but I couldn't see a single thing and just took the photo to appear interested. Now, I can see it. Dead center, just below the half-way mark of the photo, you can barely make out a head. I really snapped the photo because look at all that kelp! Way out in the middle of the water! Crazy!

post by leslie

You guys, a friend of mine had a baby.Well, I should be clear, MANY of my friends and MANY of my clients are having babies right now. But this was one of those friends who is at my house a lot and who I adore both personally and professionally and who I ring in the new year with and who brought me dinners when I had my own baby.And she had a GIRL! Of all my super close friends who live in Minneapolis, this is the first one to have a girl (at least in the last 5 years)! And this baby girl has the most beautiful wavy hair and the longest and most elegant fingers and toes and she is adorable and I couldn't be happier. Of course I've taken photos. You can see them below.For your internet shares of the day:+ Urban Outfitters has some great furniture design lately, like this and this.+ Great financial advice.+ I don't know how I would ever recover from this.

post by leslie

Yesterday (and part of Monday), I was photographing another "day in the life" session with clients, and wow did I have an amazing time. I just dumped all the photos into my computer (thousands of images) and ran through them for the first time, marking my favorite 150 shots. I cannot wait to do an expanded post about this family and the magic that I witnessed.Having a young family is so much work, but there is so much love. I think these sessions truly capture all of it, and while it opens my heart to remember this time that I had with my own sweet boy (and the nostalgia of it all!), it also makes me so glad that we have outgrown it! Such mixed emotions.I'm sure there is a French or Spanish word that captures the longing for those times along with the relief that it is over, but I certainly can't think of a word in English that holds that definition.Below are a few photos of the father and daughter's bedtime routine. Enjoy.