A gorgeous, warm summer evening, a gorgeous mama to be, a handsome little man and a doting dad = perfection! We are so lucky here in Durham region to be so close to the beautiful shores of lake Ontario, perfect for those long, golden summer evenings. And when one of your good friends asks you to document her growing family, nothing could be better!
DDSA Winter Portrait Sessions
I am so excited to have partnered with the Durham Down Syndrome Association for some exciting winter family portrait sessions! My own Evie is one of the lucky few with and extra 21st chromosome, so photographing some of her friends was an absolute treat! Was it a little chilly? Sure! But we were too busy having fun to notice.
I could just drown in those gorgeous baby blue eyes!
Moms, dads and siblings all came out for a lovely winter stroll and some fun in the snow.
When mom and sisters are all best friends, we have the best time! Wonder Woman is the superhero of choice, of course, for this princess!
When you have a brother, that means a build in best friend!
Thank-you for the partnership DDSA! I can’t wait to see you all again soon!
Do you want to see another winter, family photo shoot? Check out this adventure session.
Mom + Me Portrait Session
As parents we take so many pictures of our children, but we often forget to get in the frame ourselves! A parent and me portrait session is the perfect way to make sure that you are present in your kids’ childhood photos. This gorgeous mama and her three kids had so much fun during this summer Mom and Me portrait session.
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Dandelion Field Adventure Session
Our children are constantly changing and growing! I love to capture those simple, everyday moments that capture their interest and personalities at every stage! Candid images are my favourite! No need to for fancy outfits or special occasions to capture beautiful memories. This dandelion field adventure was captures just around the corner at the local park!
To explore more of Willow + Ivy Photography’s images, click here.
Winter Family Portrait Session
No matter the age of your children, it’s so important to capture your family at all their stages! This lovely family of an adult child braved the chilly, Ontario winter to capture some images of their family at d’Hillier park in Whitby before their son headed off to university and before they became empty nesters!
Even the fur baby joined in the fun! Pets are ALWAYS welcome at a Willow + Ivy Photography portrait session.
We of course included several headshots that could be used when he heads off to university!
Even Grandma joined the fun! She must be so proud of this grad!
It was absolutely frigid out!!!! But the weather didn’t stop us from finding that gorgeous, evening light! And there’s no reason to travel far! These images were just taken at the local park!
You can see how proud these parent’s are of their son!
Congratulations on your new chapter!
Click here to learn more about Willow + Ivy Photography’s portrait sessions!
Autumn Family Portrait Session
It’s always an honour to be asked by another photographer to take her family portraits! As a photographer, the struggle is real to get in the frame yourself, so I was happy to help this amazing momtog update her family photos. Our children grow so fast, and we want to document every stage, but moms, please remember to get into the photographs yourself! So on a mild autumn day, we found some gorgeous fall colours in a local Whitby Park and had such fun snapping some updated family portraits.
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Grandma's Surprise Portrait session
There’s something about that special bond between a grandparent and grandchild. This special grandma was surprised with a photoshoot with all seven of her grandchildren for her birthday! So on a gorgeous, late summer afternoon, we headed out for some fun and games … and an extended family photography session!
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The Friends we make at Camp
Overnight summer camp is a childhood right of passage. I remember horseback riding, camp fires and games of capture the flag from my days at summer camp in Muskoka. And yes, I was captured. And yes, I got pied in the face. But as the memories of those childhood adventures and the friends I made all those years ago have begun to fade, it reminds me of the importance of photography! There is no better way to help preserve those memories!
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Nathalie + Christopher's Backyard Wedding
Congratulations to the happy couple! I am so happy to have been the photographer at Natalie and Christopher’s socially distanced backyard wedding. In spite of many planning challenges caused by COVID regulations, this bride and groom took it all in stride and were one of the most laid-back and happy wedding-day couples I have known!
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Extended Family Fall Portrait Session
This autumn, one of my favourite young families was lucky enough to have BOTH sets of grand-parents come to visit at the same time. So what to do when your extended family is visiting and the fall colours are just GORGEOUS, book an outdoor portrait session of course!
With a little one in two, this mama didn’t want to travel far for her session, so McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve right on the lake in Oshawa, with it’s beautiful winding trails, was the perfect option.
It was the very end of autumn, so we were still hoping for some fall colour. Did we ever get lucky with the weather, because the very next day the snow fell, the last of the fall leaves came down, and that was the end of the autumn season.
Of course, the main goal of the session was to take a few formal portraits of the whole family together. Then of course, each set of grand-parents wanted their turn to snap a photo with their first grand-child!
Autumn is my favourite season for many reasons. The colours, the textures, the rich earth tones, the fresh weather … there is no better time for a family portrait session!
This little lady was feeling all the love. What’s better than snuggles with Mama and Daddy?
Our little lady’s mama was hoping for some more candid shots of her little girl exploring, but as we know, life with toddlers never goes according to plan. Mama chose 10 as the perfect time for photos, fitting in perfectly with her little girl’s nap schedule. Low and behold, on this particular day, our little superstar decided she wanted to wake at the crack of dawn, before 5 a.m.! Hence, there were many tired tears when portrait time finally rolled around. This little lady didn’t want to be let go!
Tired tears
Don’t put me down!
Grand-ma kisses save the day!
Exploring with Grand-ma.
I think I see a smile!
What’s better than one Grand-ma? TWO Grand-mas!
Being a mama myself, I know the most important thing when photographing children is being flexible and patient. At Willow + Ivy Photography, I love to go with the flow, follow your child’s lead, and explore together. This allows us to capture images organically and to capture authentic emotions and expressions.
Let’s explore over there! But dooooon’t put me down!
Piggy back rides with Daddy are a sure-fire way to get some smiles!
Thanks for stopping by! If you’re interested in booking your own extended family portrait session, you can find more information here. Please don’t hesitate to contact Meaghan with any questions!
Family Snow Adventure Session
This family adventure in the snow is probably my favourite session of all time to date! The perfect golden light, warm earth tones and a playful family in the snow!
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