Pictage User Group (PUG) Meeting - June

We had a fun and informative meeting last night for our monthly PUG meeting. We discussed blog, their benefits, the different styles and approaches that can be used to make them most effective, and keeping in mind your audience. We also talked about workflow including Lightroom, post-processing and making good use of your time when editing photos. It was great to see everyone again. Next months meeting will be announced next week. If any photographers would like to attend shoot me an email and I will send you the details when they are available.

Have a great day!


Here is Bryan with his camera, and the camera that he would like to have. 

We had a quick review on light meters and what they can do. At first there was some confusion!

After playing around with it, we got the hang of things. 

Bryan and Kayla talking about David Jay's Showit Web slideshow program. n

Deep thoughts!

I'm not sure what was happening here. 

Talks went well into the night. 

Thanks to our hosts at the Freeway. Great place to meet and wicked sandwiches too!

That little thing called "worry"

In our modern, busy society, where a thousand things a day are vying for our attention, we have a thousand things to do and a thousand more things we want to do, and a thousand more things that we need to think about doing sometime...our tendency to worry is increasing. We worry about the things we need to do, the things we haven't done yet, the things that might happen if we don't get things done. We worry about what others think about us, we worry about how others perceive us, we worry we worry we worry. It's no wonder that there are now so many psychological problems that we are prone to! Worrying creates stress in our bodies, in our relationships both familial and professional, in our lives.

This isn't a new thing either, though we sometimes think it is.

I've started reading the book "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living", by Dale Carnegie. In it he quotes the Roman poet Horace, who would have been writing this in about 30 BC.

Happy the ma, and happy he alone,
He, who can call to-day his own:
He who, secure within, can say:
"To-morrow, do thy worst, for I have liv'd to-day."

Carnagie talks about day to day living being the key to surviving worry. To focus on living today, to not spend the day worrying about tomorrow, for that is not living.

It's an interesting book so far, I'm looking forward to reading more.

I'll leave you with a final quote, which funnily enough was used in the recent movie Kung Fu Panda.

Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is mystery.
Today is a gift.
Eleanor Roosevelt

Wise words indeed.

Lindley & Jay's wedding album preview

It's here and it's fabulous! Our album company Pictage does such a fantastic job with our wedding clients albums we just had to post a few shots.

Lindley & Jay - it will be in your hands shortly! I hope you are as excited as we are!

Gillian's Place Golf Fundraiser

I had the pleasure of donating our time to shoot the Gillian's Place Golf Fundraiser event a few weeks ago. Gillian's place is a wonderful organization that helps women in need in the region. I applaud their efforts and admire everything they do.

Over the past 10 years this event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. It is one of the most successful fundraising events I have ever seen, and it is all thanks to the local community of business owners and citizens. Congratulations on your success!

Not only is it a great cause, as you can see the event is super-fun too! Check it out!






The registration desk staff hard at work. 

Warming up on the green. 

Steady now...steady....

And the caravan of golfers is off!

Mr. Archie Katzman on the first tee. Excellent form!

Taking care of the final details. 

In this one day they raised $54,000 in donations, sponsorships, silent auction and live auctions. Truly a remarkable achievement. Congratulations! 

For more information on Gillian's Place, or to donate, visit their website at www.gilliansplace.com/

Kathryn & Drew - Engagement

Kathryn and Drew were wonderful to work with! We headed down to Niagara-on-the-Lake for our shoot. Drew had worked in Niagara for years and I had worked at the Shaw Festival for a few years too, so between the two of us we were able to find some great locations!

We visited a few of the parks, found some great buildings and stairways and ended by this old house just north of Fort George. It was a great day and I had lots of fun with them. Enjoy the images and don't forget to view their slideshow.

Click here to view Kathryn and Drew's Engagement slideshow.

Don't forget, there are more images to come! Click here to register to view all the images from their engagement session when they are available.

Pre-register to view their wedding images when they are available by visiting here http://www.pictage.com/409849.

I can't wait for the wedding you guys. It's going to be awesome!


We found this great little bench with beautiful light. 

So in love!

Dancing in the middle of the street! And dip!

So tender. 

Don't forget to view the slideshow!