Kim Kalyn Photography » Travel

Best Surprise EVER !!

admin — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 14:29:35 +0000

Guess where I am ??! Go ahead take a guess !! Give up ?!! I am in the MAYAN RIVIERA !! And do you want to know why ?!! Because one of my clients and looooong time friends, Miss Dawn Marie, has an AMAZING, no scratch that, an UNBELIEVABLY FLIPPIN AMAZING mom.

This surprise started way back in May. Dawn and Billy had started planning their destination wedding in Tulum and had invited Darren and I to attend and also they had wanted to hire me as their wedding photographer. Now as much as I soooo wanted to attend their wedding and be apart of their day creating beautiful photographs in the Mayan Riviera, Darren and I were hoping to be pregnant by May or June and depending on how that went I didn’t actually know if I would be able to fly and shoot their wedding come late November.

Now here is where it gets good, real good. In the meantime, I was contacted by Dawn’s mom, the unbelievably awesome Lynne mentioned above, who had decided that for her wedding gift to Dawn and Billy that she wanted to secretly fly Darren and I down to have me shoot the wedding. By this time Darren and I had found out we were indeed having a baby and that the timing would probably be perfect as I would just be six plus months come late November. So Lynne and I tried to decide on a story to tell Dawn as to why I “couldn’t” shoot their wedding. We decided to say that I wouldn’t be able to make it as I would be too far along at that point to fly. Little white lie. Sorry Dawn!!! I felt like a horrible friend, but knew this surprise would be SO worth it. So Lynne and I planned and schemed away and to make a long story short Darren and I were flown to Mexico to surprise these two lovebirds with some amazing wedding photography for their special day. How amazing is that ?! Such an fantastic wedding gift.

So as you read this I am probably lounging poolside sipping a delicious virgin lime margarita while basking my big baby belly in the fabulous sunshine. Go ahead and hate, because when I left Victoria the weather forecast was calling for snow, so I feel bad for all of you, really I do

I can’t tell you how excited I am to shoot this wedding and to share the gorgeous images I know we will create.

No post is complete without pictures, so here are just a few snaps from my latest lovebird session with Terrill and Dan. Enjoy!

Travel Snaps Tuesday – Blue Mosque

admin — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 21:15:09 +0000

I am sitting at my desk sipping my decaf vanilla Early Grey tea with my blanket on my lap and watching the leaves blow by outside my window. It is a blustery day and I am perfectly content to be sitting here working away and feeling nothing but cozy. As much as Summer is by far my favourite time of year, days like this make me feel good … and fortunate to have a warm home to be inside.

What better day than to edit some travel pics and reminisce about our amazing time in Turkey. I think I probably only have a couple blog posts worth of images from this trip left to share, and then it will be on to my next travel adventure.

So today I am sharing with you images from the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. As you can tell I had a thing for the ceiling detail. Hope you enjoy!

Travel Snaps Tuesday – Randoms

admin — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 23:00:19 +0000

I am almost finished editing our trip pics from Greece and Turkey. Only six months after our honeymoon, not bad right ?!

As I was finishing up editing our images from Goreme and just starting on some from Istanbul, I came across an assortment of random images that I wanted to share. There is no sort of cohesion to this post, but that’s ok. Often I think that random images like this can really help tell a story.

This shot was taken out the window of our bus. Couldn’t pass up a picture of a camel on the side of the road!

Darren getting his ‘model’ on and looking hot. Love the fairy chimneys in the background too!

Thought I should rub these and make a wish!

Travel Snaps Tuesday – Underground Cities

admin — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 02:15:40 +0000

When Darren and I were in Goreme, Turkey, we did a day trip to explore the Goreme Panorama, the underground cities, and Pigeon Valley. My mom and Don had done this tour when they travelled there and really thought it was worth checking out. I was fascinated by the underground cities and couldn’t wait to explore.

My step-dad is a tall dude. And when they returned from their trip and were telling us stories of Don almost hunched in half trying to squeeze through these narrow tunnels and not being able to stand up straight till the hit an ‘open area’, we were all howling with laughter. I think it was one of those conversations after a couple glasses of wine and you maybe had to be there, but it was hilarious. Don is a retired Victoria firefighter so he is always thinking of how one would escape from a particular environment. With only one way in and one way out and with people lined up like a never-ending conga line, there would be no way to get out in a hurry. A little disconcerting. So needless to say an experience like this wouldn’t be high up on the old ‘to-do’ list for people who are in anyway claustrophobic, or afraid of earthquakes.

All that aside, Darren and I were pretty excited to check this out. It didn’t disappoint. The pictures I post below in no way do this place justice. And thank goodness for high iso camera capabilities because with the exception of a few light bulbs in the pathways, there really wasn’t any light until you hit an open area. What these pictures also won’t convey is the extreme body odour and damp musty smell. I guess I never really thought too too much about air circulation before we entered. The smell could have made me gag repeatedly. And by the end of our tour Darren and I were both dizzy. One because we were probably oxygen deprived, and two from the body odour, I swear!

The purpose of these underground cities was to hide from invaders. I was amazed at how well they were built and all that they took into consideration while building. There was a church, stables (imagine the smell then!), an area for grape crushing and making wine (my kinda city!), and even a cemetery. There were even big boulders that could be pushed across to block invaders, Indiana Jones style! So neat.

I am not a tall person at all and I found it quite uncomfortable being hunched over for so long. So I really felt for Darren who is 6 feet. Well I laughed at him then, but I did feel sorry for him. After walking like that we would eventually come into a clearing where we could stand up. You can imagine my surprise when we enter a clearing after following the school class in front of us, and there is a photo exhibition on display of Goreme. Awesome.

Anyways here are a couple poor quality shots, but you get the idea.

This is Darren’s “enough pictures already look”.

Travel Snaps Tuesday – Goreme

admin — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 23:22:26 +0000

Goreme has to be one of the most bizarre looking places I have ever seen. When we arrived there I felt like we had stepped onto a movie set, or a backdrop for a new ride at Disneyland. I have attached a link here which explains a lot better than I ever could, how this crazy landscape was created.

Darren and I enjoyed sleeping in our ‘cave’ hotel and exploring the fairy chimneys. We had fun touring around the caves and making up stories about the various ‘interior design’ trends. I could have peed myself laughing. I also tried really hard to ride a camel here, but it just wasn’t in the cards. Goreme was one of my favourite places in Turkey. There really just isn’t anything like it.

I LOVE Turkish tea!

Some of the beautiful reliefs inside the fairy chimneys

Travel Snaps Tuesday – UK

admin — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 23:27:06 +0000

Darren and I were reminiscing last night about our trip to England to visit our dear friends Jo and Dan. We miss them dearly and we can’t wait to make it back to visit again. So for today’s post I wanted to post a little memento from our trip. This is Darren and I in front of their front door in Bristol. Click on the link above to see some snaps from our trip.

Travel Snaps Tuesday – Mixing it Up

admin — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 23:44:05 +0000

I love Maui. It is somewhere I could go back to every year. I miss it …. a LOT. And I can’t wait to get back. So for today’s post here is one shot from my last trip there.

Travel Snaps Tuesday – More Doors!

admin — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 21:09:13 +0000

After the first posts I did featuring doors in Greece, I had a number of comments and emails asking to see more. It turns out you guys are just as obsessed with doors as I am! My neighbour Marilyn, who is one of my newest blog followers, (thank you!) even bought one of the door prints for her home and has inspired me to do the same. I will be printing this beautiful door for my home, just not quite sure where to put it yet. Thanks for the idea Marilyn

Hope you enjoy these newest door additions. I apologize for the number of vertical shots, it takes a bit more scrolling to see them all.

Travel Snaps Tuesday – Turkey!

admin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 20:37:38 +0000

Darren and I made our way into Turkey via a ferry from Samos, Greece to Kusadasi, Turkey. When we arrived we spent the day getting settled and enjoying the market. We plunked down for a meal and planned our excursion to Ephesus. Ephesus is a major historical site and was on our must-see list in Turkey. If you want to read more on the history of Ephesus, click here.

View from our room.

Travel Snaps Tuesday – One Shot

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:08:52 +0000

Sorry this weeks travel post is going to be a bit weak. I am a busy bee trying to keep up with editing my 2010 weddings and I am afraid the travel editing is taking a back seat right now. I couldn’t get away with at least posting one image, so here is a single shot of another favourite door in Syros.

Travel Snaps Tuesday – Syros

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:39:20 +0000

It’s finally raining. And I am loving it. I think my body has been craving the rain. I’m not sure why, maybe I am getting lazy about watering my garden. But I really think I just needed it. There is something so refreshing about the rain. I love how green and healthy the grass looks when it is wet. I also love the smell. It reminds me of camping in a tent and being cozy warm inside. Today I wanted to be cozy. To sit by my computer with a cup of tea, my blanket and get some good editing done. It is hard to sit at the computer all day when the sun is beaming through the window and begging me to get outside. So perhaps the rain is a way of telling me to buckle down and get to work?

Today’s post is about a beautiful island in Greece that we had no plans on visiting. Darren and I had no intention of stopping in Syros, but the universe had other plans. Anyone who has travelled in Greece knows how absolutely chaotic and bizarre the ferry schedule can be. Island hopping can get complicated. The ferry schedules are a mess and can flip your plans upside down in a moments time. That’s what happened to us. But so often these unexpected circumstances in life turn into a wonderful experience and I am happy to say that this accidental island visit was just meant to be. Syros is gorgeous. It is a beautiful combination of old and new. I could have wandered down their marble and cobblestone streets for hours taking photos. And yes, there are several places in Greece we visited where the streets were made out of marble slabs! Amazing.

Some snaps of stunning Syros.

Travel Snaps Tuesday – Curiosity

admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 01:26:57 +0000

Do you ever find yourself looking at something, perhaps an odd object, something that catches your attention for one reason or another and your mind starts wandering. Maybe it is even something you see everyday. Or perhaps it’s a person you are drawn too and you can’t explain why. Do you find yourself curious and wondering, asking yourself questions and wanting to know more? Wanting to know the story. Where is it from? Why is it the way it is? Who does it belong to? What is its purpose? How was it made?

When Darren and I were travelling in Syros, Greece, I became fascinated with all of the amazing doors on this island. The intricacy. The detail. The age. The texture. But more so I wondered, who lived behind these doors? What is their story? What do they look like? Have they always lived here? Are they happy, sad, generous, angry, hopeful?

I love how when I travel I am able to step outside of my ‘normal’ life and everyday worries or habits and start to really see more of what is around me. I start to see more beauty in the everyday and little things and I love that. I stop to smell the roses (or notice beautiful door knobs). And I start to nurture my curiosity. It makes me feel so balanced and relaxed and I feel good about myself.

I could do an entire post dedicated to the doors of Greece and Turkey, and maybe I will. But for now, just one. I think it’s beautiful.

Travel Snaps Tuesday – Santorini Part II

admin — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:05:09 +0000

If you missed my first post on Santorini you may view it here.

Here is a little information about this magical island I gathered from these two sites dedicated to Santorini, here and here.

Santorini is the southern most island of the Cycladic group in the Aegean Sea. The entire center of the circular island sank into the sea during the tremendous volcanic explosion 3.500 years ago. The eruption caused tidal waves which virtually wiped out the advanced Minoan civilization of Crete 70 miles to the south. Some scholars believe that the island is part of the legendary lost continent of Atlantis which supposedly slipped underwater during the disaster. What remains today of Santorini is a large crescent-shaped island enclosing a vast bay, the largest caldera on earth (7X14 miles).

The volcanic rock that covers the island is an eerie reminder of just how active this volcano has been. The colours of the rock it created and the layers you can see almost everywhere are so incredibly beautiful. Not to mention the insane drops into the sea with homes built right to the edge. Darren and I had a fun time exploring the island. We were staying in Imerovigli, but were easily able to walk to some of the neighbouring towns. I particularly loved Fira. They had all the cute donkeys, need I say more

Most of these photos were taken on a fairly overcast day and I think they provided a bit of a moody feel. We ended up having a wild storm that night and we lost power for the whole night and up until noon the next day. I thought our adorable villa was going to blow right into the sea!

Now on to the photos!

All of the above photos were taken from our hike to this amazing lookout.

I know my last travel post was all about kitties, but here is another cute one I overlooked.

Travel Snaps Tuesday – Meow !!

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:55:35 +0000

Ghandi once said that “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. ” This quote is always in my mind when I am travelling in other countries. It is amazing how differently animals are treated, valued and respected from one country to another. Here are a few of my favourite kitties from Greece and Turkey.

This mama was a warrior for her kittens. A minute after I took this shot we watched her attack a dog that got too close.

Travel Snaps Tuesday – Santorini

admin — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:17:08 +0000

The power of a photograph is amazing. When I look at these images of Santorini I can feel the sun’s heat on my skin, smell the fresh crepes from the restaurant a short walk away and feel the soft breeze. I love that about travel photography. These images take me right back there in a second.

Out of all the places I have travelled Santorini holds a special place in my heart. It is where I always imagined spending my honeymoon, so making it there was a dream come true. It is such a spectacular and magical place. And I truly hope to go back one day … or shoot a wedding there! Just putting that out there

These are just a few images with more to come next week.

I had a bit of an obsession with the vases, you’ll see.

Arriving at our AMAZING Vallais Villas

Travel Snaps Tuesday – Athens Continued

admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 04:27:08 +0000

Ahhhhh Athens. I just loved it there. The character. The history. The ruins. The culture. The fabulousness.

Here are just a few more of my faves. Then it’s on to Santorini !!

*Sigh* I heart Pronovias

Riot Police ! It’s time to go.

A little bit of “bling” at a museum in Athens

I called my Mom and Don at this phone booth. Guy on the scooter waved for the photo

Darren taking out money. We did that a LOT in Greece!

My mom and Don saw this man too when they were in Athens.

Neat old movie theatre entrance

Travel Snaps Tuesday – Food Focused

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:15:28 +0000

It is no secret that I LOVE food. I LOVE IT. So when Darren and I were planning on where to go for our honeymoon, I was paying particular attention to the local cuisine I wanted to sample. Greek food has always been a huge favourite of ours and so it was no surprise that we quickly settled on Greece. Besides the food you can’t go wrong with that turquoise Mediterranean Sea, perfect cobblestone alleys, and picturesque views from every angle. But really for me it was about the food in a big way. I have to say that Darren and I have been fortunate enough to travel a lot. And Greece wins HANDS DOWN for having the best food out of anywhere we have been so far. I could have survived on the olives alone. Or maybe just the baklava. Ok, or the Moussaka. No maybe just the Spanakopita. You get the picture. So I have decided to dedicate this post strictly to the food. Here is just a few shots to give you an idea of some of what Greece and Turkey had to offer.

Yes that is a GIANT slab of Feta

Our favourite drink there the Freddocino

Turkish Delight YUM !

Travel Snaps Tuesday

admin — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:25:16 +0000

So here it is. My first instalment of “Travel Snaps Tuesday”. These shots are from our honeymoon. Darren and I ventured to Greece and Turkey this past May for our incredible honeymoon. I will be starting these snaps from the beginning. I like order So it begins in Greece. Athens to be exact.

Greece is a magical place and it was everything I hoped for. We spent our days exploring ruins. Sipping lattes or white wine while nibbling on Baklava and enjoying the hustle and bustle of the Plaka and Montastraki districts, while in the shadow of the Parthenon. Amazing.

Getting there was a dream come true. I know I will go back.

In the airport in Brussels. YUM!

Staying at our friend Katya’s place right in the most beautiful suburb in Athens.

Our first glimpse of the Parthenon. Can you see it ??

Gone Camping :)

admin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 16:58:05 +0000

Darren and I are sneaking away up island for the weekend for some R&R with some of our fantastic friends. It is a secret spot that our friends Melia and Cam discovered and we are so grateful they shared this bit of west coast paradise with us.

What’s a post without a picture?? So I will leave you with a shot from our honeymoon in Santorini. Gotta love self-timers! See you Sunday!

Travel Snaps – UK Style {Part II}

admin — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:03:37 +0000

I have been in such a great mood this week. It could have a wee something to do with the fact that it is my first week officially as a full-time professional photographer. I have a hunch that it might have a little something to do with that It could also be influenced by this amazing bright thing in the sky that I haven’t seen for awhile. Love it !!

I am just feeling so lucky and blessed. Don’t you just love it when things feel like they are falling into place. Sort of like there is this calm and peace that things are right where they are supposed to be and everything is in balance.

Well before I get too gushy on you I guess I should get on to the pics. Speaking of gushy though … am I the only one who cannot watch the Olympics without bawling their eyes out ?! Seriously, Darren is beginning to think that I have some emotional hypersensitivity disorder these days. The commercials, medal ceremonies, victories, defeats … everything is making me cry ! In a good way though I feel incredibly proud to be Canadian right now.

Those are all individual tea bags !