Busy Bee!

I am so excited to announce I have not one, not two but THREE shoots this week! Today I have the honor of photographing the Praine family!! Check back often for photos ( Im sure I'll obsessivly edit at least a sneek peak!)

My Beautiful Baby Boy

almost 24 months :)

Red Color, New cut

an impromptu visit from my BFF often results in good times :) here is what I did to her this time :P

Doula ever wonder why?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC9RCAM8ghg

Follow this link to my newest video!! Please share it with anyone you know who needs

that question answered.!!

For a long time I was unaware that such a skilled woman existed. I knew about Midwives and but I always had felt so much safer behind the sterile obstetrical facade. I am now reformed. Well, technically I have been for some time but it really strikes me when I meet somebody to which the concept feels foreign and I am thrust back to the time when I felt the same way.  I remember watching the documentary by Ricky Lake called, "the business of being born". I was so struck, awed really. The idea of home birth and naturally birthing you children into a world without the effects of drugs was so rousing. But I was scared. Scared to hell actually. It wasn't until I really came to grips with the fact that I ( and the last 3 or 4 reproductive generations of women ) had been lied to that the anger started to set in. How was it that so many women were being told for so long that their bodies were incapable of birthing their babies? Who could ever possibly believe that birth was not normal, but a medically treatable "disease" that which required a whole string of interventions to happen correctly?.. Apparently I wasn't alone either. The more I read ( feel free to ask me what my top 5 MUST READ pregnancy books are ) the more I watched (100's of birth videos on YouTube) and the more I objectively formed my own opinion about the situation, the more I felt compelled to learn. Did you know that home birth has been PROVEN to be as safe if not safer (for low risk pregnancies) than hospital birth? or that natural birth is not only possible but AMAZING and can be almost completely pain free ( I have experienced this first hand ) with the right head-space, education and support? or the sad truth that in North America the Home Birth rate is about 1% but close to 20% in the Comox Valley? Turns out after all these years, including the last 2 years of straight upgrading to get into the Bsc or Nursing program (which Im starting in September), I have found my calling. Midwifery. One day I will carry the Certified Rn-Midwife title. I am currently training to be a Doula and am happiest when submersed in pregnancy, labor and birth. Contact me with any questions you have regarding what exactly a Doula does and what a truly loving and memorable gift you can give a pregnant woman and her partner. If you have decided you would like to document not only your pregnancy but your labor and birth as well , I also offer intimate birth photography and make full HD birth videos from footage I collect at your prenatal doula visits, the birth and the first days after. Here are some photos ( not taken by me ) of me and my husband and best friend after the birth of my second son, followed by a few from my home birth with my new baby.

We All Start Somewhere...

Sometimes it truly blows me away when I think of all the crazy experiences I've had In my life. A passion for photography and ending up here, blogging about it, for one. Im not surprised photography has come so naturally to me but I am surprised at all of the amazing support I've received by not only "regular" people (who just appreciate images for their simple beauty) but from a few other strong female photographers in my neck of the woods. Im grateful. More than words can generally allow. I've always been bad at taking compliments and not for lack of awkwardly trying, so putting myself back in the "spotlight" ( I used to seriously make music ), I am once again faced with the white elephant I dread so much. Thanks so much for all the wonderful words. Im calling my "ness" an akward phase that I'm working on... haha,. I'm currently trying to build a professional portfolio for displaying all of the creative shoots I've been doing lately, and allow them to be checked out by virtually anyone. There's something creepily wonderful about that. *smiles* Thanks for tuning in. This blog is about a Photographer, a Mother and an very ambitious spirit. Many MANY more photos to come