Gratitude

As some big changes are happening here at Kim Kalyn Photography, I am feeling especially grateful for a lot of fabulous people in my life.  Friends, family and wonderful clients have made this a tremendous year for me so far.

I wanted to take a moment to thank some super sweet clients who recently blessed me with adorable thank you cards !

Thank you so much to Alina & Michael, Dana & Scott, Diana & Victor, Georgie & Leigh, and Krista & Ted for your beautiful words.  They truly meant so much to me 🙂

Thank you so much to Diana & Victor for these AMAZING orchids.  They are the same ones they had at their wedding!  Too sweet you guys 🙂

Carrie HassonSeptember 18, 2009 - 1:55 pm

I LOVE THIS!!! Makes me feel all warm inside…you have great clients!

SeanSeptember 15, 2009 - 4:13 pm

That’s seriously wonderful, Kim. Congratulations! What a great feeling!

Red Leaf Studios Workshop

At the end of August I was one of the fortunate few who were able to attend the Red Leaf Studios’ workshop hosted by the unbelievably talented husband and wife photography team, Amy and Richard.  To say that this workshop changed my business is an understatement.  This workshop changed the way I look through my lens and has in turn helped me improve not only my technical skill but my creative eye.  They pushed me out of my comfort zone and it was exactly the challenge I needed at this point in my career.  I will be honest, I have been comfortable in my photography and haven’t been pushing my creative boundaries as much as an artist should.  I had become comfortable in shooting in Aperture mode and not taking that extra step to learn to shoot in full manual.  Well that has changed.  I had become comfortable in my style of shooting and being surrounded by incredibly talented photographers for four days was exactly what I needed to inspire me to take my photography to the next level.  It was time to step out of my bubble of producing what is consistently safe, and to reflect on who I want to be as a professional photographer or photographic artist.   I did a lot of reflection over the course of that week.  I questioned business decisions I had made and thought deeply about where I wanted my business to go.

Amy and Richard and their business has been a huge inspiration to me since the first moment I saw their work.  It was in fact seeing their website for the first time that catapulted me into deciding this is what I wanted to do for a living.  I was that inspired.  Their work is something that I connect with in so many ways and meeting them was a dream to say the least.  They are two of the sweetest most giving people and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to meet with them, and that they brought me together to connect with so many talented photographers.

Since the workshop I have been working on a project with Richard and Amy and I can’t wait to share it with you !! Seriously, the suspense is just killing me!  I can tell you that it is big, and I am so proud and I can’t wait to share 🙂

Richard and Amy thank you for this amazing experience.  It has changed me.  It has changed my business and I can’t thank you enough.

Here are the first images I shot in Manual !  I have to say thank you to Stacie for being such an absolute dream to photograph.  Not only is she flippin stunning, but she is just so sweet and her laugh is the most adorable thing ever.  Thanks Stacie, you were a blast to work with and I hope I get to work with you again someday 🙂

Kim KalynSeptember 15, 2009 - 8:22 pm

Thanks for all the lovely comments everyone !!

Cathy EmpeySeptember 12, 2009 - 1:51 am

Oh my goodness are those ever amazing! Your eye is just amazing!

Keep up the great work, and I am excited to hear all about your secret project!

Bravo!!

Deyla Huss PhotographySeptember 11, 2009 - 10:34 pm

Fabulous! these are stunning shots Kim! I really love the 5th one!!

ShelleySeptember 10, 2009 - 7:25 pm

Amazing talent Kim!

NicoleSeptember 10, 2009 - 7:44 am

omg, kim – these are INCREDIBLE! can’t wait to hear the news! how exciting 🙂

BevSeptember 10, 2009 - 6:47 am

Kim
It was such a wonderful time meeting everyone. Can’t wait to see the secret project!! You will rock it I know!

DanaSeptember 10, 2009 - 1:09 am

Brilliant work! It was so much fun getting to know you and I am looking forward to connecting again when I return to YYJ for my necklace!

michelleSeptember 10, 2009 - 12:40 am

kim, i am so excited for your growth, you are a wonderful person. your spirit and personality totally infectious. these images are just stunning and i am very excited to see what richard and amy are up too… you deserve all the best!

AmySeptember 10, 2009 - 12:21 am

You are such a talented, passionate, and driven girl. We totally believe that you can do whatever it is you set your heart to. It has been a true pleasure getting to know you and now working with you. Thank you for your kind words and we look forward to a long friendship with you. Follow your dreams!
Hugs
Amy & Richard

JessicaSeptember 10, 2009 - 12:19 am

LOVE these Kim, especially the Film Noir one, very, very good! I can’t wait to hear the big news, I am so proud of you everytime I see a new post!

Introducing Miss Mackenzie!!

You may remember that a little while back I posted a maternity session with the beautiful couple Sarah and Joe (click here).  Well their adorable daughter Mackenzie has arrived and I was so lucky to meet this beautiful baby and take some special first family photos.

I know that Sarah and Joe have been waiting so patiently to see these.  And here they are ….

SeanSeptember 13, 2009 - 3:20 am

Oh my goodness… four and six actually make my heart melt a little bit. Sweetest photos ever, Kim. These are absolutely precious in the most perfect way.

Heather & Burt {Married}

This is going to be an epic long blog entry.  Narrowing down the shots for this post was darn near impossible!  Heather and Burt’s wedding oozed style in every way.  From Heather’s custom dress from Alida’s Gowns, her delicate bird cage veil and elegant ostrich wrap to Burt’s amazing white tux and killer shoes, this couple was looking hot from head to toe.  Heather and Burt carried on the vintage vibe to their wedding by renting an old school taxi which was an awesome prop for the photos!  We also were fortunate enough to shoot in the fabulous Bard and Banker pub on Government St which is a favourite of Heather and Burt’s.  Special thanks to them for being so accommodating and letting us have some fun photo time in their gorgeous establishment.

I arrived at the ceremony location and Heather couldn’t have been anymore relaxed.  She couldn’t wait to get the show on the road!  In fact she was almost completely ready when I arrived, even though we still had an hour to go before the ceremony would start.  Nicole Lopez from Mac (she did my wedding make-up!) was on-site doing their make-up, which is such a nice relaxing way to start your wedding morning, instead of driving around.  Nicole always does an amazing job and Heather’s make-up was no exception!  She looked fabulous!

Heather and Burt’s ceremony was held at Burt’s parent’s incredible waterfront home on Beach Drive.  The setting was spectacular and on a sunny day like it was, the views were just amazing.  Sarina from Bella Fiore did an incredible job on the florals, as always!  Heather’s bouquet was just stunning!

Heather and Burt, you were so much fun to work with.  Your energy and awesome ideas made your wedding one of my favourites this year.  Thank you for choosing me to document your amazing wedding day and I hope you love your images!  Grab a cup of tea, this is going to be a long one 😉

xo Kim

Heather you are so incredibly beautiful !!

Heather you are so incredibly beautiful !!

One of my faves!

One of my faves!

Ummm, you guys are kind of ridiculously good looking!

Ummm, you guys are kind of ridiculously good looking!

HUGE HUGE HUGE Favourite !!

HUGE HUGE HUGE Favourite !!

anna kimJanuary 20, 2010 - 10:06 pm

WOW! totally blown away by these images. Love, love, love them!

TerrySeptember 21, 2009 - 3:57 pm

Fabulous pictures Kim. It looked like a magazine photo spread. Kim it was a pleasure to see such an artist in action.

Terry

Alida LloydSeptember 16, 2009 - 1:59 pm

Hello, wow, your photography of Heathers wedding looks fantastic, would love to have some of the images for use on my website, and perhaps printing out for my studio. Please check out my website, it has a spot to feature brides I have had the privilege to work togther with to create the perfect bridal gown.
In return I can add a link to my resources page as well as a credit to your photography where ever it appears.
Let me know what you think.
Sincerely Alida

SeanSeptember 13, 2009 - 3:12 am

Hah! I love how you name so many favourites through the series, but I totally did the same in my mind while scrolling through them all! All of the car photos are ridiculously gorgeous… seriously… Wow. Just a drop dead gorgeous series altogether!

Nicole PaulkSeptember 9, 2009 - 9:10 am

Aaahhhhh!!! LOVE these! Those shots w/the taxi are FAB! Awesome, awesome work, Kim!

Bella Fiore Custom Floral DesignSeptember 6, 2009 - 3:40 am

Oh, these are GORGEOUS Kim!I LOVE the close up of Heather in her birdcage veil…soo beautiful! The image of Heather and Burt on the rocks STUNNER! Doesn’t Burt look handsome in that white suit?
These two totally rocked the shoot! Love the close up of the bouquet! I could go on and on. I can’t wait to see more 🙂 XOX

Heather HillSeptember 5, 2009 - 6:20 pm

Thanks so much for making us look so glam Kim! We had a great time too and loved having you there. Can’t wait to see the rest of the photos. You are so talented!

Heather & Burt

KathrynSeptember 5, 2009 - 4:52 pm

Beautiful photos Kim! I love the one of them kissing through the car windows. Great work!

Steve & Cheryl {Teaser}

Steve and Cheryl were married on a beautiful green at the Olympic View Golf Course in Metchosin.  Surrounded by Arbutus trees and greenery everywhere you looked, they stood in front of their closest family and friends and became husband and wife.  I knew this was going to be an extra special wedding for me, as I have known Steve since elementary school.  Steve is a kind, thoughtful and incredibly sweet person and once I met Cheryl I couldn’t get over what a perfect match they are for each other.  Cheryl is not only gorgeous on the outside, but her gentle and caring personality is immediately evident when you meet her.  These two are so smitten and comfortable with one another, that shooting them was a breeze!

I spent a bit of the morning with Cheryl and her beautiful bridesmaids as they got ready at the Westin Bear Mountain Resort.  What an amazing way to start the day!  It is just beautiful there too, and I wish we had more time to take advantage of the breathtaking scenery.   I could have taken photos of Cheryl there all day long 😉

The clouds rolled in and the wind picked up, but nothing the weather threw our way was going to stop these two from rocking it in front of the camera!

Steve and Cheryl, thank you for completely trusting me as your photographer.  You were up for anything and I can’t tell you how much that means to me!  I hope you love these images as much as I do.

PS – got to give a quick “shout out” to Jon who was Steve’s groomsman, as I am shooting his wedding on the 26th.  I have known Jon since pre-school and we both went to elementary school with Steve … small world 😉

Cheryl, you are stunning!

Cheryl, you are stunning!

JessikaSeptember 25, 2009 - 1:57 am

Beautiful pictures Kim, and congrats Steve! I still remember us at 4 and 5 years old, playing on the tree swing in my yard. Your new wife is stunning and you look beautiful together. Best of luck to you both if you see this 🙂

Alex BartaSeptember 10, 2009 - 11:03 pm

Dear Kim,

thank you for a great job done; rather, a work of love. I could not have done better…

Sincerely,
Alex (dad)

laurahanaSeptember 4, 2009 - 7:53 pm

Those are some epic waterfall portraits! And I just love no. 6. Sweeeeet~!

SeanSeptember 4, 2009 - 7:14 pm

AHH! WHY are these so gorgeous?! Amazing locations, but they wouldn’t be the same without your incredible eye & exposures! And Kim, seriously, the black & white… Oh. My god.

Ashley McCormick PhotographySeptember 4, 2009 - 6:16 pm

Um… I’m crazy jealous of your waterfalls, pine trees and amazing couple 😉 You did an awesome job!! These photos are beautiful. And as always, you’ve made me want to move to BC

NicoleSeptember 4, 2009 - 5:45 pm

Aww, Kim, every single one of these is just beautiful! What an awesome location and stunning bride! Wonderful work, my friend. 🙂

Christine MelenhorstSeptember 4, 2009 - 4:50 pm

Beautiful work Kim!! Love them all!