Donna Larmour Photography

Fiddling

2012-01-17T06:04:00.001-08:00

One of my favourite presents from the holidays. My husband found this over a century old fiddle and he is restoring it for me. Violin restoration is a new thing for him and he has the outside looking incredible while still maintaining it's character (no after pictures yet). The placement of the sounding pin is supposed to be pretty tricky. Apparently if it is 1 mm out of the place the fiddle can sound like a screaming cat. It has to be better than the howling dog when I currently try to play!

A talented young lady Lindsey Sterling. Not only can she play a mean violin but she can dance at the same time!

Newborn sprawl

2011-12-15T08:20:00.001-08:00

The sprawl of his little 3 day old fingers, the constant stretching, groaning and funny faces, his fresh newly-baked skin.

2011-12-15T07:31:00.000-08:00

I am in awe of other people's talent and other people's talent of things I didn't even know talent was required.

This young woman has changed my view on pole dancing. She has some serious talent. I cringed at the pain I would feel if I did some of the moves she did and I was ooohing and ahhing at how easy she made it look.

dapper fella

2011-12-05T06:31:00.000-08:00

A fun session last week with a handsome young man. We are officially into the hybrid sessions - inside and out.
Have a great week,
Donna

Renee and Dallas, engaged!

2011-11-28T19:50:00.001-08:00

These two are so crazy in love. It was so nice to see and so natural to photograph. More to come on the webpages on Wednesday.

A peek

2011-11-22T20:03:00.000-08:00

at something new that I am excited to offer ...

containing multiple gorgeous images and wording that means something to you. easy to frame without glass or backing - no picture puckering (is that a term?) and no reflective, dusty glass.

Good Dogs

2011-11-18T07:21:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of dogs in Ottawa and the outlying areas waiting for a home. Good Dog in Manotick rescued our Sasha and chose her for our home when we were ready for a new dog in the family.

Pet photography on it's own is not my specialty, but I wanted to contribute in some way when the rescue saved 17 dogs in one day. These beautiful dogs were all about to be put 'down' because no homes were found for them at a shelter. I won't go into the politics of why there are so many dogs in shelters but I will tell you that these dogs are wonderful. If you have a temporary or permanent home to give a dog or if you have money burning in your wallet (they always need funds for food, surgeries, etc.) you can contact Good Dog by joining their Facebook page (Good Dog Rescue).

Families with dogs come in all shapes and sizes and, if they are a good fit, it is mutually benefiting for the dog and the family. We fostered a doberman (yes a big scary doberman - a new breed for us!) a few weeks ago. He was a wonderful fella and all of us got attached to him - in fact we considered adopting him. The kids played and fed him, he hung-out with me while I edited photos and the two pooches were partners in squirrel-huntin'.
We wish him and his new family all the best.

Some of the dogs at the rescue (I believe there are almost 50 waiting to be adopted - someone please correct me):

The lovely week

2011-11-10T18:45:00.000-08:00

This week the weather has been fabulous! Who can complain when we don't have to wear coats in November?

With the clock change, sessions have been bumped-up by an hour to get everything in before the dark.

One of my favourites from this week. A little one, fresh from her afternoon nap. Perfect timing!

les carottes

2011-11-09T07:51:00.000-08:00

This is what my hubby pulled-out of my garden this weekend! Lots and lots of character-filled carrots! My first year with a garden (he has had plenty of successful gardens) and it was completely neglected. It was an evolutionary garden - if it can't survive then it shouldn't be there, at least that is what I am going with now. The carrots, cucumbers and beans thrived, the tomatoes - not so much. I must say the carrots were the tastiest ever (carrot soup, carrots in pot-pie, carrots in stew, carrots as a side, carrots as a side again and again, carrots to the neighbours, etc., etc.).

I have been crazy busy and I haven't posted any client sessions lately. Some cuteness coming-up soon.
I hope all is well!
Donna

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T07:42:00.000-07:00

I hope you are looking forward to your Halloween night as much as our family. We have some crazy creative neighbours in Ottawa who go all out in their decorations. The lengths people go to in order to make children laugh (or scream) always amazes me.

As we listen to the hail

2011-10-20T06:41:00.001-07:00

It was not too long ago that the weather was warm. If fact, it was only two weekends ago when we had that REALLY nice surprise of warm weather! Now we are getting ready to buy ski passes and having to drag each other out of bed in the dark mornings (more like two little ones come snuggle with us in our teeny, tiny bed and push us off the side!).

Have a great day.

Fall Mini Super Sessions

2011-10-03T10:34:00.000-07:00

Some of the beautiful people from last Fall ...

For those returning fall sessionites I changed things up a bit. This session is for immediate family photos (the whole family and nothing but the whole family!) only. Additional people such as grand-parents, aunties and uncles may be added for $10. Groups of five friends as an alternative to family (friends are family right??) are also welcome to book a session. No individual photos will be taken and the price and time (15 minutes) reflects this change.

Please refer to the "a la carte" pricing on our "Family Lifestyle" site.

For a more intimate family session with individual and interaction photos in various backgrounds you should consider a full family session.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or to chat!
613.882.4650, info@donnalarmour.com

the salty air

2011-09-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

Our vacation in Mahone Bay and area in Nova Scotia. We can't wait to go back again.

Hello Sunshine!

2011-09-07T19:06:00.000-07:00

I hope you are having a wonderful time,

feeling well,

enjoying the details of the day,

and spending it with good friends.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-19T19:21:00.000-07:00

For those of you with the decorative touch ...

2011-07-19T18:18:00.001-07:00

or if you plain just want to borrow some ideas. Take a look at how this family decorated their home with pictures. Simple and beautiful - love it!
Simply Life Photography

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-12T20:36:00.000-07:00

Amanda & Chris ~ Ottawa Wedding Photographer

2011-06-14T09:29:00.000-07:00

A really quick peek from Amanda and Chris' wedding this past weekend at the Britannia Yacht Club:

boy.

2011-05-17T10:59:00.001-07:00

Our week

2011-05-09T18:24:00.000-07:00

This is our week of photos. Why, you ask? Because they will do it for me as a Mother's day gift. Sweet little kids. What beautiful presents they give :) Of course I did get other wonderful cards and presents.

Just a few outtakes from those 32 pictures taken to get that one:

Tiny Lights ~ Mason

2011-05-01T18:11:00.000-07:00

It was so nice to meet little Mason and his parents for their Tiny Lights session. Poor Mason was not too keen on being outside on such a windy day but he did give us some cute smiles and laughs.

a seriously cute little fella :)

More photos and Mason's story will be posted soon on the Tiny Lights website.

March People's choice ~ I ♥ Faces

2011-04-03T18:12:00.000-07:00

This is the March best face contest.
Of course, this face is absolutely irresistible (says the woman sporting the mommy-goggles).

7 month old sweetie

2011-03-29T06:59:00.000-07:00

What a great age! Some of you may remember Sophie from her newborn session. She is such an incredibly happy little child at seven months, laughing and giggling. Thanks for having me!

A subset from our session:

she loves her mom :)

Definately one of my favourite baby images to-date!

Have a great day!
Donna

The Tiny Light Foundation

2011-03-24T19:51:00.001-07:00

I am proud to announce that Donna Larmour Photography has joined the Tiny Light Foundation. The Tiny Light Foundation is a non-profit foundation that provides photography to families who have been faced with a life-altering diagnosis. Please visit their site and pass it on to anyone you believe could use their services.

~ Donna

Just when we thought it was gone

2011-03-21T18:10:00.000-07:00

this happened! And I couldn't have been happier!

She is such a joy to be around and a joy to photograph.

Thanks for looking and leave me a comment to let me know you popped-by!

News: My session pricing has gone through a re-org. There are more options available to people who want something smaller or different than a full family session as well as some digital pricing options. Please check it out and feel free to let me know if there is anything missing.

I ♥ Faces ~ Faceless

2011-03-01T06:22:00.000-08:00

Fix-it Friday #88 at i heart faces!

2011-02-25T21:09:00.000-08:00

Friday is for fixing-it at "i heart faces"
This week's photo was provided by Angie Arthur photography, an IHF contributor.

A girl about the age of my daughter and a decent exposure - what a great photo to edit!

Colour
I thought this would work well with a soft and warm feel to it.
Workflow:
- RGB S-curve,
- bumped-up the reds
- ran an action at low opacity
- sharpened the eyes a bit but they are out of focus
- high-pass filter

Black and white
I love contrasty black and whites!
Workflow:
- gradient map
- S-curve - enough to add contrast while avoiding blowing the whites and blacks
- bump up the reds a wee bit
- high-pass filter

SOOC (straight out of camera)

On a high

2011-02-19T18:45:00.000-08:00

I nearly believed it when I heard the rumour that certain parts of my life will change when I had kids. I nearly sold all of my gear for all the crazy sports I did before the kids came. How can you go climbing, downhill skiing, wilderness camping, etc., etc. when you have children? How will you have the time, the money, the energy, the patience, the want to do those things you did "before"? I was very wrong. These things were not fun before, at least they could not have been this fun. It is amazing to watch them and to do sports with them. Of course, now I need new gear since mine is a bit dated. (Right honey?? :)) (Seriously, the climbing gym guys loved my climbing shoes saying they were classics and that "they don't make them like that anymore!". I love my dated gear - most of it anyways.)

The way we glide

2011-01-04T19:34:00.000-08:00

We are definately a winter family. We like the summer but the winter is our time of the year. In the past week, the big smiles on the kids' faces turned upside down as all of the beautiful snow slowly melted. In our yard, the snowmen and snowwomen's (the girls made girls and the boy made a boy) carrot noses popped-off and their bodies became freakishly disproportionate with pin heads. Luckily there are some great facilities in this city of Ottawa to keep us entertained so we could continue a favourite winter activity.

Cheers to the temperature getting COLDER and the air continuing to fill with those floaty white things!!!

(New Year's resolution - get in more pictures regardless of any excuse imaginable)

Taking a break

two little cousins at Christmas

2010-12-20T18:39:00.000-08:00

These adorable little fellas are first cousins and only two months apart. There is nothing like holding and cuddling an adorable little one before Christmas and I got to hold and cuddle two of them! They were both so happy and content.
One more on the website
Merry Christmas!

I am sorry but I LOVE his expression in this one! "What the heck is that and why is my shirt off???"

Such a sound, tolerant little sleeper.

Just a few

2010-12-20T18:10:00.000-08:00

of the beautiful people who are stuck with me.
My sister in law (aka sister) who can do anything when she puts her mind to it.
She is my favourite line partner in ballhockey (the rest of the ladies are awesome too!) - we just know where the other is, if that makes sense.

My little brother who is still a pain in the butt... Just kidding. He is an awesome brother and father and uncle.

And last but not least the littles. My sweet little nephew and niece who we love being around.
All together now:

Excuse me while I catch-up in my posts ...

I ♥ Faces {B&W Scenic}

2010-11-30T04:10:00.000-08:00

The contest at iheartfaces this week is scenic black and white.
One of our sweet, little explorers.

Clients of 2010

2010-11-25T06:07:00.000-08:00

There is just enough time to get in another batch of Christmas cards using photos from your session. I just received a batch in the mail and I have to say they are AWESOME! Give me a shout ASAP if you are interested.
~Donna

♥ . ~ Ottawa Child Photographer

2010-11-23T18:06:00.000-08:00

... because big sister did it

New things happening

2010-11-16T06:47:00.000-08:00

I am a wee bit behind on blog posts but it is all for good reasons. There are some changes going to be happening around here: a new website, re-jigged packages, baby and wedding shower registry specials, and a whole other branch to our business, among other things. Anyways, enough boring marketing .... onto the visuals!

Just one from earlier this year. My, how they grow.

Sweet Fall!

2010-10-24T20:43:00.001-07:00

Enjoying the Fall

2010-10-23T16:38:00.001-07:00

Such a sweet, happy, little girl with such adoring parents...

Sweet Autumn Baby Maya ~ Ottawa Newborn Photographer

2010-10-14T17:51:00.000-07:00

I got to photograph the most adorable little girl this past weekend. I used to babysit her mom when she was a child. It is so nice to see her as a mother and a wife.

Amanda & Chris, engaged. ~ Ottawa Wedding Photographer

2010-10-06T18:47:00.000-07:00

This session was such a hoot. Amanda and Chris - you are such good sports! We even had some sweet little kiddos to sneak into the photos. I am looking forward to the wedding next year!

Fall minis are next weekend! Ottawa Family Photographer

2010-09-25T20:45:00.000-07:00

The Fall mini-sessions are next week. There is one more time slot available so give me a call if you want it.

Please check-out the song on my website. Kim Beggs, a very talented canadian artist, has been kind enough to allow me to use it. Her website is http://kimbeggs.com.
More to come on her.

location, location ... ~ Ottawa Portrait Photographer

2010-09-16T16:09:00.000-07:00

What an amazingly volatile sky we have had this week. I keep walking outside without my camera and kicking myself that I didn't bring it!
We went out to enjoy that sky one day this week. It was an average cloudy day but we could see huge clouds looming on the other side of the water - it was pouring out there. Then the clouds rolled-in and drenched us!

Mini-sessions are coming-up and this is a VERY small taste of the location (before we ran out of there!). There are two more spots left.

~ Donna

Watching everything roll-in ...

(The self-inflicted haircut that just WON'T go away!)

I ♥ Faces ~ Photojournalism Challenge

2010-08-31T18:21:00.000-07:00

Entering iheartfaces challenges are addictive! What a great site for face-loving photography enthusiasts of all levels.
"Cooling Down"

~ Fall Mini sessions ~ Ottawa Family Photographer

2010-08-24T18:29:00.000-07:00

Suzanne & Neil Part II ~ Ottawa Wedding Photographer

2010-08-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

This is the part two blog post to Suzanne and Neil's wedding that I shot with Julie Butler. Thanks for having me - it was tons of fun!

Sophie, 5 days ~ Ottawa Newborn Photographer

2010-08-16T19:58:00.000-07:00

Meet sweet Miss Sophie. She is the first child of a good friend of mine who we trusted with our children when we didn't trust many. Sophie is a little darling who I got to hug and snuggle for a few hours. Sorry for disrupting your slumber little one.

How wise are these eyes??

Suzanne & Neil Part I ~ Ottawa Wedding Photographer

2010-08-15T12:56:00.000-07:00

What more could you ask for at a wedding? Beautiful locations, wonderful people, delicious food and loads of fun. There were so many great shots from this wedding that I am having a hard time narrowing them down for one post. Thanks to the fabulous and talented Julie Butler for having me as her second.
Venue: The Billings Estate
Fun shots: Julie's wall, secret train tracks, downtown on the market
Drinks location: The Social
Ceremony: Juniper Kitchen and Wine Bar

Part deux coming-up!

The car guys - Rideau Carleton Raceway Car show

2010-08-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

The men in our family are car guys. They love to spend every spare moment working on them (they always need bigger engines and tires right?) and driving them. The Rideau Carleton Raceway has a huge show to show-off mechanical pride and joys every Wednesday. There are tons of cars, trucks and motorcycles of every size and shape. I have to get the boys to send me more information on their vehicles. In the meantime, here are the pictures.

My dad and his beautiful '27 Chev. My dad is McGyver (if anyone remembers who McGyver is) when it comes to vehicles. This car has been in many weddings, including yours-truly's. More info to come ...

Little brother, AKA Leno, and the Sprint/Herald. He put a really big engine in it and replaced the backseat with tires, among many more things.

The pampered truck that gets the best seat in our house :) 1950 Chev and the proud papa.

A sneak peek for those motorcycle buffs. A motorcycle specimen that was getting a lot of attention. You would know why by this picture ...

Angel? Devil? The former, of course :)

I would love to use this car for a girls' day-trip
(Finally an excuse to use this processing)

Same questions as before, although at this particular moment not the same answer. TIP: never bring an energetic, tired, three-year old to a car show that has rocks on the ground.

a bride and her bridesmaid ~ Ottawa Wedding Photographer

2010-08-03T17:19:00.000-07:00

I have a lonely wedding dress and a very fun and spunky cousin who fits into it perfectly. What else could we do?
Thanks for coming out you two - it was lots of fun!
If you are visiting please leave them some comments and tell them how cute they are!

♥ . ~ Ottawa Child Photographer

2010-07-30T20:22:00.000-07:00

She is such a joy to be with - an easy-going, happy-go-lucky little child.

.. and quite a character.

Sam's family, from the 'bad' ~ Ottawa Family Photographer

2010-07-28T20:54:00.001-07:00

It was really great catching-up with this family on the weekend. I grew-up down the street from them - BBQs, pork-roasts, cross-country skiing, etc., etc. They are always so much fun to be around. Their children were younger than we were but they are not children anymore!
Here is a quick peek.

The adorable dog Sam. My husband said that I can get one just like him (right honey?? :))

(evidence of the torture I put them through - sorry about the black fly on your foot Alicia!)

Julie & Amirali ~ Ottawa Wedding Photographer

2010-07-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

I had a lot of fun at this wedding. Julie and Amirali were obviously crazy about eachother! Special thanks to Julie Butler, a friend and awesome photographer, who allowed me to tag along with her.

The (second) littlest cousin ~ Ottawa Children's Photographer

2010-07-22T21:12:00.000-07:00

We were extremely fortunate this summer to have family drive all the way from Newfoundland to visit us. There are four little cousins in this family and we are so happy that we are finding ways that we can all spend time together. This is little Miss Madeline. She is so content in her mom's arms- she is content pretty much all the time. She is such a character, always playing shy and wanting to go outside with the big kids.

more to come ...

a beautiful bump ... continued ~ Ottawa Maternity Photographer

2010-07-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

Isn't she just adorable!

Looking forward to meeting little Miss M!

a beautiful bump ~ Ottawa Maternity Photographer

2010-07-12T06:53:00.000-07:00

Just a quick peek ...
(shhhh this is a surprise for Dad if you recognize her!)
More to come from this sweet mamma who was so open to everything!

What summer is all about

2010-07-05T19:05:00.000-07:00

friends, camping, getting dirty, swimming, swimming, swimming, getting dirty, bugs, dead snakes, daydreaming, ...

CHEO BBQ ♥ ~ Ottawa Event Photographer

2010-06-14T18:20:00.000-07:00

I was honoured to be able to photograph the CHEO BBQ this past weekend. I am ashamed to say this was my first year attending. What an ABSOLUTE BLAST it was! Everyone was there for the cause and had fun doing it. Kudos to the amazing organizers (!!!), sponsors and volunteers. Your effort really paid off, both in the funds raised and in the good times people had. Next year I will be attending and potentially playing - the kids are at a great age to run around while we hit a few balls.

♥ . ~ Ottawa Family Photographer

2010-06-10T20:04:00.000-07:00

Mackenzie

2010-06-09T04:34:00.000-07:00

I first photographed Mackenzie when she was a newborn. She is still extremely easy-going and (obviously!) adorable at three months.

I ♥ Faces: play

2010-06-08T18:22:00.000-07:00

print day!

2010-06-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

There is nothing more satisfying as a photographer (at least to me) than getting my photos back as prints, BIG PRINTS! For those who are having a difficult time trying to choose sizes, here are a few so that you can see their relative sizes.

Top of piano:

- one really old (really old) picture of moi in a broken picture frame

Sheet music holding row:

- 11x14 styrene backing (really light, can be framed or stuck on the wall as is),

- 20x24 canvas . this photo does not do it justice - it is big and beautiful!

- 16x20 styrene backing

Piano key row:

- 8x10 bathroom series

Piano bench:

- 16x20 canvas

It is extremely difficult to decide what size and groupings of prints to get. I am definately not a decorator so I don't have much advice to give but I will try. Go around your house and decide which walls to use. Sketch your preliminary layout based on your needs (e.g. four children = same amount of prints each, a larger family print, etc.). Grab your friend who has a knack for decorating (we all have one unless we are one) and get them to give you a second opinion. Of course, I have a biased opinion but bigger is better as are groupings - an 8x10 by itself looks lonely while three 8x10s look classy. Custom photography is an investment - it is ok to fuss over the details!

To help you gauge size, this is a full-sized piano.

Some very helpful places to visit:

The awesome Becky Earl: http://beckyearlphotography.com/blog/?p=1764

The fabulous Amy Ro: http://amyrophotography.com/blog/bigger-really-is-better-providence-photography/

my beau

2010-06-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

Nocturnal ♥

2010-06-01T06:17:00.001-07:00

She is so very, very tired. Her internal clock prefers to stay at least three hours later than her current schedule dictates (just . like . her . mother . !) What an awesome little girl though.

Us

2010-05-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

This is us post-fishing trip (for one of us) and post-camping. Hair was styled with the help of the previously removed ball cap and makeup was provided by a late night by the campfire. I love this man. We will have been married ten years this month - I think a party is in order!! (Or at least a trip for just the two of us)
Thanks little daughter, for standing on that picnic table and clicking the shutter button.

Getting sentimental about a tooth

2010-05-29T17:37:00.001-07:00

She is growing-up too quickly. They all are. I know her face will never be the same. It will be just as happy and beautiful but older. She uses those teeth so much, always showing that bright smile.

2 things: CHEO and contest

2010-05-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

The CHEO BBQ is coming-up quickly. It is on June 12th and they need pledges. You can help by pledging here: CHEO BBQ pledges, by playing sports or by just showing-up. I hope to see you there!

There has been a lot of great entries in the photo contest! All entries will be put into a hat and a winner will be drawn. Time is running-out so get those entries in. If you have any questions feel free to send me an email at info@donnalarmour.com.

♥ .

2010-05-13T19:59:00.000-07:00

Celebrating Mom ~ I ♥ Faces

2010-05-11T19:07:00.000-07:00

Celebrating Mom Photo challenge.
I had a few to choose from but I chose this one because the whole family had such a great connection. Mom is the type who is cool enough to wrestle, tickle and goof around to get a smile.

Our superhero

2010-05-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

Nice weather in here! ~ Ottawa Family Photographer

2010-04-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

This was such a fun session. They were such good sports, the kids were an absolute hoot and the weather was beautiful!

SMILES ~ I ♥ Faces

2010-04-26T12:36:00.000-07:00

This one tugs at my heart strings ♥ ♥ ♥
This is my smiles entry for I ♥ Faces. Please check-out the link below to enter and/or to see all the great entries.

Updated with new logo. Wow - what an honour to be in the top ten with so many amazing entries!

I love these contests :) not because I am super competitive but because they force me to go outside of my comfort-zone. Although this one is smack-dab in the middle of my mine.

2010-04-26T12:14:00.000-07:00

This is another young woman I had the pleasure to meet during the studio session. I never thought I would like studio but I really enjoyed it. Seriously - what amazing eyes she has!

Heading-out to the paying world

2010-04-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

I met this young woman at a college class where I was guest speaking. She is heading-out to job interviews this week and I am sure she will do well - she is so sweet and very keen.

To other students in this class, I do have your photos so please contact me since I want to confirm the releases. (you don't necessarily have to have your face on my blog if you want the photos :)) It was great meeting all of you!

the kiddo's collage

2010-04-20T17:31:00.000-07:00

Our amazing babysitters were working on this with the kiddos this afternoon. It was so huge and colourful!

I have to say that some of the proportions are off though ;)

There was actually a heart underneath the bottom right one - awwww!

I ♥ collages entry ~ I ♥ Faces

2010-04-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

I love checking-out everyone's entries on I ♥ Faces. What a great site for people who love holding cameras and shooting faces.

Chicken Pox??

2010-04-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

All three of our little ones woke up with itchy spots this morning. We are not sure what they are but I am sure time will tell. I kept them home which was fun but a little bit crazy since it was rainy and miserable outside. The rain was coming down so hard that there were small, fast-moving streams running down the side of the street. We made some paper boats after looking up the instructions online (what did people do before the internet??) but the boats pretty much melted in the rain. The time spent making them and getting out for just a little bit made up for the small pile of boats still in the driveway. Next time!

CHEO BBQ needs your help!

2010-04-15T18:51:00.000-07:00

The CHEO BBQ is on Saturday, June 12th and they are looking for sponsors, volunteers, volleyball teams and pledges. Come on out show your support for a cause that touches us all.

I will be there with camera in-hand, so please come by and say hello! For those of you who went to high school with me, check-out who the founder/organizer is and how it all started.

I ♥ Dessert entry ~ I ♥ Faces

2010-04-13T11:01:00.000-07:00

My current favourite dessert. Chocolate chips melted with a dab of peanut butter. Chocolate addict here.

I would love to hear from fellow addicts - tell us about your favourite homemade chocolate contraptions!

My blue-eyed men and some chit-chat

2010-04-11T07:20:00.000-07:00

We can't wait until the back-up brakes are put in the truck so we can take it to some old side road and get it dirty (shhhhhhh... don't tell Rob that is the plan :))

It has been and is continuing to be a very fun weekend. Yesterday I was a guest speaker at a course at Algonquin. The students were so much fun and we got to do some studio work, which is not something I normally do. I can't wait to post some of the pictures once I get some releases signed (if you were one of said students please contact me otherwise I will see you next weekend).

Tonite, we will be hosting a crazy cousin's night at our house. Despite busy schedules, the T cousins try to get together once in a while and it is such a blast. It is funny how we all resemble eachother (my daughter resembles one of my cousins so much you would swear she was hers!) and laugh the same. I wish Granny was still here to join us.

Travis and Brooklyn ~ Ottawa Child Photographer

2010-04-09T12:51:00.000-07:00

My little neice and nephew. I haven't been able to get many photos of Travis before so we had a wee bit of Travis and Aunty time this past weekend.
He has such a sweet, shy smile and the most beautiful eyes.

... sweet, shy smile and eyes coming this eve ...

ADULTS! Get in the pictures!

2010-04-05T18:43:00.000-07:00

I hate being in front of the camera. I am aphotogenic and it is embarassing. I always smile big and squinch my face so that I am all teeth and no eyes. I know from experience that I am not the only adult who hates getting her picture taken. I say this but I look back at all of our family photos and I am just not there. I am missing. My mother is the same way - she is always behind the camera. You forget how to be comfortable after a while of being on the other side.
Here is a challenge for anyone who cares to join me. GET IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA. Ask people to take pictures of you too. Plan a shoot with a friend if you have to have perfect hair and clothes. Practice your smiles and face angles (cheesey but it does help). Don't be too fussy on the results. Movie stars are retouched before and after the shoot - don't expect to look like them.
If you don't want to do it for yourself then do it for your children/future children and everyone else who is close to you. They want pictures of you too.

P.S. anyone who want to try to take a decent picture of an uncomfortable, aphotogenic person please click on the contact link ;)

Sleepless in Ottawa

2010-03-30T18:14:00.000-07:00

Last night was yet another sleepless night that I thankfully cannot blame on the kids. All I could think about was a particular image (which turned into other images) that I just couldn't get out of my head. How to get this image into pixels was the problem to solve for the night.
This morning the little fella and I searched around town for clothing for him to wear. Among other places we went to a local costume shop. Besides being way over my budget they just didn't have what I was looking for. The girl who was helping us though was also getting excited about the idea which got me going more! It is amazing how working on an art can elicit so much passion in people. Photography is *not* all about getting people to stand in front of a pretty tree and say cheese. It can be so much more than that. (Of course, that type of photography definately has it's place)
I have never had a passion for an art before this - now I understand! Many more sleepless nights are coming so please excuse the red eyes.
The image hasn't come into pixels as of yet. We still have wardrobe issues and have to wait for the right light.

Since we can't have a post without an image, here is one. If you read this far (sorry for the book) you will see that you can mouseover to see two different versions. I couldn't decide which one I liked best but they both had a different feel for me.

{and for those fellow coding geeks out there - GRRRRR javascript - I don't miss you (the javascript, that is) at all!!}

some action shots

2010-03-29T17:48:00.000-07:00

Sarah (aka, Ella's Mom) was kind enough to take some actions shots while I was working.
Thanks Sarah!

wearing my preferred work clothes and hair-do ;)

Ben(ji) ~ Ottawa Pet Photographer

2010-03-28T18:44:00.001-07:00

Hence the name ... What a gentleman of a fella who is completely spoiled by his family (as well as he should be!). It is hard to believe he is 13 years old.

He may be 13 but he still has 'it'.

Miss Patches, trying to bribe me to let her out

2010-03-26T11:34:00.001-07:00

Details, details, details ...
Where: Some secret location to be disclosed at a later time. Some place with a lot of colour that will cry SPRING!
When: Sunday April 25th, late afternoonish. Please call or email with session/retainer payment to reserve your slot
Who: Under five people or creatures. Come with your family, your friends, your motorbike or your dog, come by yourself. If you are looking for a lot of closeups, interaction shot and family shots please consider booking a full session. 8-10 shots go pretty quickly.
How long: 30 minutes of shooting time. Please arrive early to get yourselves ready and adjusted to the environment.
Details: $75 for your 30 minute session which includes a $20 print credit. This does not include the cost of images. Please see the image pricing section of my website before you book. I will put 8-10 edited images in a private online gallery for you to choose from.
Bookings: Give me a call to chat at 613.882.4650 or send me an email at info@donnalarmour.com

A $50 non-refundable retainer must be paid in full to reserve your time slot. Time slots are limited so book soon. Sessions may be rescheduled based on weather.

part-time photographer, full-time mom ~ Ottawa Child Photographer

2010-03-25T11:31:00.001-07:00

I am extremely fortunate to stay at-home with our children. Until the summer, it is only our youngest who is home with me a couple of days a week (I only work two days a week). Our day is usually all about going on some sort of adventure, somewhere. I can honestly say that I have *never* spent this much concentrated time with one person. And what a wonderful little person to spend it with (and two more great little ones that I am looking forward to spending time with this summer)!

I admire people who are able to balance having young children and working full-time (my husband included). We tried it for a bit and it just wasn't for any of us. Don't get me wrong, I am extremely excited that my new career is taking-off but I am holding back on the reigns a bit so that this time with the children is not lost. I think my husband needs to stay home soon - he would definately make an awesome stay-at-home dad :)

Disclaimer: There may be days where you will hear me complain and the morning-getting-on-the-bus confusion is not the prettiest (I am not fully awake until 9:30 and the one-coffee-a-day addiction does not help!)

Spring marathon event to be posted tomorrow!

I am just in love with these faces ~ Ottawa Child Photographer

2010-03-24T17:45:00.000-07:00

The 80 lb guard dog. ~ Ottawa Pet Photographer

2010-03-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

Just a few more. ~ Ottawa Newborn Photographer

2010-03-22T08:12:00.000-07:00

An outtake - poor little thing. I swear she barely cried the whole time!

the week of sickness ~ Ottawa Child Photographer

2010-03-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

We have been pretty lucky this year with sicknesses so this week was our turn. Thankfully it is all gone now but so is the March Break :(

~ Ottawa Child Photographer

2010-03-19T21:06:00.000-07:00

I just got a lens back from repair - happy day! I went through a few weeks of frustration, self-doubt and banging my head against the wall until I realized it was the darn lens.

Brooklyn

2010-03-18T06:17:00.001-07:00

My sweet little niece.

It's raining sweet lil' baby girls lately!

2010-03-17T16:44:00.000-07:00

Despite being 12 days old, it was Ella's due date this day! She was such a little darling, rarely complaining but happy to be awake. I actually used to babysit her mom when she was two years old so it was so nice to see her all grown-up as an attentive and loving mother. Thanks for sharing her with me!
Just three for now. More are coming on here and the website.

SPRING!!!!!

2010-03-09T10:14:00.000-08:00

To celebrate Spring there is currently 40% off session fees for regular sessions that occur during this March. To reserve a spot please contact me to discuss a time and make your payment.

Engaged couples casting call!

2010-03-07T10:36:00.000-08:00

Lots of casting calls lately. I doubt I will settle on one age group for photography since I love variety. I am currently searching for fun-loving engaged couples.
These couples must be getting married later than July and must not, as of yet, have a photographer for their wedding. Please contact me and tell me a bit about yourselves (spill it!). The lucky couples will get the complimentary session (2+ locations, outfit changes, ~1 1/2 hours long), one 8x10 and a watermarked webphoto. Photos will be put in an online gallery for 10 days for them to choose from (additional photos can easily be purchased). There are no other obligations to the couple but they will receive a discount if they book their wedding with me.

Mackenzie ~ Ottawa Newborn Photographer

2010-03-07T10:31:00.000-08:00

Talk about a bright-eyed baby! This little sweetie managed to keep herself awake for four hours before she finally fell asleep. She was content the whole time though and mom was extremely comfortable in her job despite being brand-new at it.

Super baby!

Mikaela ~ Ottawa Children Photographer

2010-03-07T10:26:00.000-08:00

This little girl was so sweet and quiet during her session. We had to cut it short because it was a bit colder than we had planned for that morning. Mom has the most amazing taste in clothes!

She looks so much older to me in this picture.

One last hooray for mittens. GO SPRING!

2010-02-27T18:24:00.000-08:00

Ben ~ Ottawa Baby Photographer

2010-02-25T18:43:00.000-08:00

Little Ben is the lucky little brother to three other boys. At three months old he already knew how to turn-up the charm with those blue eyes. I loved every minute of this session with him and his parents who were so easy-going (I guess you have to be with four boys!). Here is a sneak peek.

Exhausted after all of his hard work.

Newborn casting call! FILLED - thanks for your interest

2010-02-25T06:22:00.000-08:00

Donna Larmour photography is looking for a few newborns to bulk-up the portfolio (no it has absolutely NOTHING to do with the fact that she is getting the itch to hold some adorable, squishy newness!).
Some details:
The baby(ies) ideally should be under 14 days old in order to catch them in that squishy, bendable, sleepy phase.
The session can take up to 3 hours since the majority of the time will be spent keeping the little one happy, sleepy and fed.
I know how difficult it is to get out of the house during this phase so I can come to you with all of my equipment. Please do not feel as though your house has to be immaculate and take the session time to sit down and relax.
In exchange for your time, you will receive the complimentary session, one 8X10 and a watermarked webphoto. Your photos will be put in an online gallery where you can view them for up to 10 days.
You can contact me at 613-882-4650 or info@donnalarmour.com.