Surrond yourself with people who make you hungry for life, touch your heart, and nourish your soul.
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Lynae and my mom worked together at the Neerlandia Co-op, so I'd heard a lot about this quiet girl from BC before I even met her. Part of me felt like I needed to know her, and part of me felt like I already did. I met Lynae in person for the first time when I was getting groceries one day. Some of my initial thoughts were "she's really nice" and "she seems kind of shy", but more than that, I knew instantly that I needed to photograph her. Finally after a few days I went back into the store and asked Lynae if she would do a shoot with me. She said yes. I was ecstatic. It was all I could think about the entire day. and the next. I don't think I've ever needed to photograph someone as much as I did with Lynae. When I say photograph I mean more than just take pictures, I'm implying an entire session. To me a session is a chance to connect with someone on a personal level and capture who they share with me in that time. This consisted of deciding what to wear, driving to multiple locations, walking through forests and fields, and talking all the while. It was the most refreshing evening. We laughed, talked, and shot for 2 - 3 hours. However much I thought I needed this session didn't even compare to how I felt while it was happening. I get such a creative high from a good shoot. The feeling I experience towards the end of a session when I truly connect with the person in front of my camera in indescribable. That is when the magic happens. That is when everything other that the exact moment I'm in becomes a blur. That is when I know I'm where I need to be. An evening of beautiful light and honest conversation was exactly what I needed before I left for Toronto. It grounded me to one of my greatest passions while I set off to pursue another. It satisfied my creative hunger. It's driven me everyday since. It's made me finally admit to myself that I need to make portraits. I need portraiture to fill up this part of me that nothing else can touch. So that's what I'm going to do.
Thank you, Lynae.
