a peek inside the fishbowl

We have a winner! Thanks for your entries!

We’re slowly getting back to regularly scheduled programming around these parts. I have a lot I want to share about our camping trip but in the meantime I wanted to (a) fill you in on a family photo shoot we had with Fishbowl patron Sara McConnell and (b) spill the deets on a special photography giveaway.

SO.

I’ve known Sara for some time and have worked with her in various ways, but I’ve never actually been her client in this way, so this experience afforded me a new perspective. FACT: this lady is a pro: so organized and professional, right down to the details, it boggles my mind. Contracts protect all parties and keep things above board. Online payment is seamless. Instructions are clear. There are time frames. The photos come back promptly, which I appreciate because there’s no sense of WHERE ARE THE PHOTOS. I WANT TO SEE THE PHOTOS ALREADY.

The photos, oh, the photos.

Sidebar: I’ve taken a lot of photos of a lot of people but never quite feel comfortable in front of the camera. Sara makes the whole process very easy and dare I say, even FUN. I’ve also supervised a lot of photoshoots in a work-related capacity, and if the photographer is a good one, what you get back is actually better than reality. This was one of those times.

Our shoot took place at the Ornamental Gardens near the Experimental Farm. (I highly recommend this place, whether there’s photography involved or not.) Here is one of my favourites:

The girls were quite happy to have a chance to be intentionally goofy. :)

You know what makes me VERY happy about our photos – other than the fact that they’re gorgeous – is that I’m actually IN THEM. As the person who takes 99% of our family photos, I am in very very few family photos. And this has to change. (I’ve uploaded a few more from our session on the Fishbowl FB page if you want to have a look.)

Sara is offering some special beach sessions this summer. I’ve seen her beach shots and they’re amazing. They truly capture those magical childhood moments we want to bottle up and save forever. (And we can! In photos!)

The beach sessions are part of Sara’s ‘Imagination’ series, and they were inspired by her recent trip to PEI and a desire to bring a little bit of her vacation home. For Sara, it’s an opportunity to create a beautiful backdrop for parents to connect and play with their kids, and help create those wonderful memories.

Here’s a peek at what I’m talkin’ about here:

!!

You can also see an album of beach sessions on .

Would you like to win a beach session for your family? Read on:

• This giveaway is for one of Sara’s “Moment” sessions, which will take place on August 20 at 7 p.m. in the east end of Ottawa. Session has no cash value but can be transferred to another family. The session must take place on August 20.
• In order for your entry to qualify, tell me in the comments below: when’s the last time you had a family portrait taken? That’s it!
• One entry per email address please.
• This giveaway is void where prohibited by law.
• If you can’t post your comment for whatever reason you can email it to me for posting at andrea at quietfish dot com. Please note, I cannot be responsible if your entry is misdirected or gets stuck in my Spam folder.
• I will draw one winner using Random.org at noon EST on August 7, 2015.

If you don’t win, or just want to book a photo shoot before the summer ends, you can do so on Sara’s website.

That’s it! Over to you. Good luck!

p.s. And I really hope the winner shows me their resulting photos. :)

We’re back from our annual camping trip.

My friend K_ passed away suddenly while we were gone. A stroke. I’ve lost my mojo and am finding it very hard to muster up the enthusiasm and energy required to do anything.

K_ was a strong, adventurous type, and I think she would have liked our trip. I spent the latter half of our holiday trying very hard to be mindful of the moment at hand. I saw her in the waves of the lake, the flicker of the campfire and in the glowing embers. I heard her in the whispering of the trees and the beating wings of the loon and in the rain falling on our tent. She is everywhere. She is nowhere.

The world has lost a spark and is that much dimmer.

K_ and I worked together for a stretch and stayed in touch over the years. I liked her. Immensely. She was the smarter, wiser, older sister I always wished I’d had. The last time I saw her was at a colleague’s funeral on July 26, 2014. K_ was her good old self – bright and delightful as always despite the sad circumstances of our meeting. We made plans to get together for dinner as we parted. I suddenly missed her very much. “Let’s do it,” I urged. “Really, we have to meet for dinner.”

She read and commented here on the blog, and we followed each other and chatted on Facebook, but we never did get together for that dinner. Life got in the way.

K_ passed away on July 24.

My heart is hurting this week but I don’t want to make this post about me. I am terribly sad for her family, who lost someone much too early and so suddenly.

I fear for myself and my own family. This is something I have to admit. K_’s passing is another reminder that the time we have here is limited. We live our lives as if it’s a journey without end. We take our time for granted yet it’s the most valuable thing we own. Can I honestly say that I’ve lived? And done everything I’ve intended to do?