Sam at 5 days old

Charlie at 7 weeks old

Spencer at 8 days old

I promise to share more of Spencer very soon.

* All of these images were taken on location in the clients home.

Thank you Nicole, Scott, Nevis and Lochlan for another great session, and I really can’t wait to see how you boys have grown at our next!

FACEBOOK :: WEBSITE 

It was a super easy session, she was well fed and content and sleepy.

Thank you Kristin, Jose, Eva & Zoe for a wonderful visit. I look forward to seeing you again in June!

Be sure to check back soon, we are waiting for our new website to go live and there is a whole lot of new stuff on there. Not only new images in the galleries but also a new section about Gina, her images and the special sessions she is now offering!

WEBSITE :: FACEBOOK

However, today I saw something truly disturbing circulating among the online photographic community. It made my heart stop, my stomach hurt and my hands shake. I am sitting here feeling so completely sick over this image.

I am seeing this trend to “outdo” each other in newborn photography. Instead of taking adequate time to learn and grow and gain the valuable experience necessary to be a professional newborn photographer many new/inexperienced photographers are jumping ahead and trying to mimic work done by those with years upon years of experience.  I feel that newborn photography in large, has become about “the shot” more than the babies themselves, that the safety of the baby is secondary to getting that shot. I feel that these innocent babies are being treated as objects instead of the precious little people they are. I fear deeply for what may happen to someones baby one of these days.

The image I speak about above had a newborn baby wrapped in a knitted sack and hanging from a tree outside. The baby is clearly distressed and looks like she is being choked by the “sac”. It truly makes my heart hurt. What scares me the most is this is only one of several examples like this, (as well as various other unsafe poses and prop use images) I have seen over the last few days. The photographer who created it? If I had to guess -  I would say by looking through her work that she has less than a years worth of experience, yet she is attempting to recreate an image that was originally created by a newborn photographer with many, many years of experience and training. She is LITERALLY trying to recreate an image that was a composite to begin with, as (I believe) no respectful professional photographer would actually hang a baby from a tree! I am not saying this to be mean, I am not judging her personally. I am saying it because its happening EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

Too many inexperienced beginner level photographers are putting babies at risk!

So,

To all my clients, and future clients.

I promise you;

I will NEVER put your child in harms way for the sake of a shot.

I will RESPECT your children and treat them as the beloved beings they are. After all, there is nothing in this world more precious to you than your children.

I will handle your children with LOVE, as though they are my own, in the same way I would want someone else to handle my own children.

I will never, EVER suspend your newborn baby from anything. Please don’t even ask. While many very talented and experienced photographers safely do these types of images, I honestly don’t think my heart could handle the “what ifs”. Its just not worth the risk to me

I will put 100% of my HEART & SOUL into creating images for YOU, about YOU! The current trends in the industry are not my concern. Working with you to create beautiful and timeless images that speak to your heart is my goal – always.

Sincerely,

Danna

Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to check back soon. Some cool news will be announced and a new website launched. You can also keep up to date on everything before it even hits the blog by checking out the facebook page, where all announcements are usually made first.

“Images of Hope is the premier annual fundraising event for Generations of Hope.

Conceived and coordinated by volunteers, Images of Hope is an exhibition of professional photographs of, and stories about, IVF-conceived children and their families.

Each year, a new group of families who have undergone treatment at the Regional Fertility Program volunteer to be the subject of professional photography portraits and to tell their stories of their journeys through infertility, treatment and hopefully, success.

The exhibition is an evening event and features a catered reception with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, and silent and live auctions.

Images of Hope gives a unique glimpse into the lives of those who have been through the emotional and financial toll that accompanies not being able to have a child naturally. Our talented volunteer photographers frame this emotion with beautiful images of beautiful children. We then read the family’s story and, for a brief moment, are brought into the lives of those who have been through a very unique journey, a journey most don’t have to travel.”

This is the 3rd year I have volunteered to photograph one of these very unique families. Its been such a pleasure to meet them all, as well as some of the people behind the scenes of this amazing organization. I really REALLY recommend you consider checking out the event, the auction items are always incredible (and so is the food!!). I will be donating to the auction as well so be sure to head on down and put a bid on my package and help a really great cause too. You can find all the event information and purchase your tickets HERE. I will also be attending so please be sure to say hello.

I decided to share the images in color 1) because he has the most incredible eyes and hair color..right??!! and 2) because the chosen image will be printed and on display in b&w at the event. I for one, cannot wait to see all of this years images.

First up : For this year I have decided to slow things down a little. My current client base is pretty big. I have a really high number of repeat clients and referrals from those clients. This keeps my schedule about 75% or more full. In order to give each and every client my best as well as have the time for my family and personal projects that I need and want I am limiting my new client intake by about 50% this year.

So, if you are thinking about booking a session with me this year and are a previous client, this does not affect you, as a previous client you will always be a priority and I will always do my best to fit you in, of course, this will be easier if you do give me some notice!!

As a potential new client, if you are interested in having me photograph your family please do get in touch ASAP so we can talk about your needs and see if I am a good fit for you. The sooner you get in touch the better because sessions are very limited and I typically book up 2-3 months in advance.

I believe its really important to find balance between family, career and personal projects its absolutely necessary for me in order to keep my life in control. It also, I have come to realize, is what helps me keep my work fresh and creative because I don’t allow myself to get burned out.

This year I have several personal projects in the works, including a much needed return to the traditional b&w darkroom. Trust me, if you have never worked in a b&w darkroom and learned the process from start to finish you are missing out. There is nothing more gratifying than shooting the film, developing it and then printing the images. Its so bizarre to me (being that I started out this way), that it is now considered an alternative form of photography. It truly is photography as an art in the purest sense of the word.

I also am donating much more time this year to organizations and families that are in need. I have quite a few families lined up already as a result of my 12 days of Christmas promo. I was only offering 4 sessions but I got so many amazing nominations that I decided to offer several more on top of those. I also have a few “other” kinds of projects in the works that are not really photography related. One such project is a new personal blog I have started. It focuses more on my personal interests in things like yoga and finding a healthy lifestyle that works and fits with my family. My current project 365 using my iPhone as well as other ramblings can be found there as well. If your interested in checking it out feel free to send me an email and I will send you the link.

Secondly: I am participating in a really awesome retreat for photographers next month. Its going to be an incredible experience, I have been to this part of Florida before and trust me, its nothing short of magical!! If you are a photographer and looking for something to re energize and boost your business to the next level be sure to check it out. I think there are still one or two spots available.

Visit The Swell Retreat website for more information.

Oh! and one last thing. The new website is having some final customizations being done and then it will be ready to launch in the next couple weeks.

I cannot believe it is already the end of January! I hope the rest of this year does not fly by as quickly as this month has.

This month our blog carousel topic is alternative cameras. I had lots of hope to be able to share some great images taken with my old Polaroid Spectra and the new batches of Impossible Project Silver Shade Polaroid film I had picked up in the New York Store/Gallery last year but either the film, camera or photographer is faulty!! Clearly I need to play with it some more and see if I can get it working better.

This was one of the shots I took with it, not great but much better than the previous attempts…so I am getting somewhere it would seem! LOL

I guess it does have a certain charm.
I was sure to take some with my Canon 5DMark2 too, along with some using my iPhone.

All the rest of these images I have taken using my iPhone over the last couple weeks. I use my iPhone for all things I don’t use my “real’ camera for. It has taken its place in our family as our point and shoot camera, and when I travel I take most of my pictures using my iPhone, its just easy since I always have it on me.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Be sure to follow along on the carousel and check out my friend MaryBeth, Grand Rapids Newborn, Family and Senior Photographer’s really awesome post about her alternative cameras.

On the 11th Day Of Christmas-  Today’s giveaway goes out to photographers of any level.

I am offering 2 hours of mentoring. This mentoring can be done by phone, over skype or in person here in Calgary. We can talk about anything business or photography related that you like.

How to enter?

1) email me at bowesphotography@shaw.ca and share with me why you think you would benefit from this.

2) then “like” or comment on this blog post. The winner will be announced in the New Year.

On the 12th Day Of Christmas- I am donating 4 sessions to families in need.

If you know a family that has had a hard time and you know they would really appreciate the gift of memories please email me about them between now and New Years Eve. If I choose your “nomination” I will get in touch with you for contact info for the family.

I have shot quite a few sessions of this type in the past. Usually I am brought together with the family through a mutual contact, the Children’s Hospital or some other random way. It is always such an honor to spend time with a family and really capture who they are, and how much they mean to each other.

So, until New Years Eve I am accepting emails from people suggesting a family they think would be perfect for such a gift. I want to mention that this does not have to be a family in financial need necessarily.

One submission came in last year for a family that the nominee felt would benefit from something like this on an emotional level. I welcome all submissions and really look forward to working with some new families as an outcome of this promo in the New Year.

They will receive 1 location session (or in studio if preferred) and a full set of digital files.

Value $2400.

I want to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season. I have many babies, & families  to catch up on sharing on the blog but that will have to wait a bit. I am unplugging (for the most part) to spend the holidays with my family.

Head over to the Bowes Photography -baby art facebook page to participate

See you there!

I also am sorry for dropping the ball here on the blog. I was away for a week (will share more about that soon ) and I have been super busy getting all my clients orders out to them in plenty of time for the holidays! Many more blog posts to catch up on, and I promise to get to them soon so don’t give up on me.

FACEBOOK :: WEBSITE