tracey l heppner photography

BIG NEWS: i have a new blog! || vancouver photographer

2010-05-18T21:35:00.001-07:00

hey friends!!!

the time has come - a new blog site! myfotojournal.com is the new home for my blog...the layouts are great..the photos are BIGGER..and it's all around a better feel for where i'm going with my business..

please change your feeds! and head over to my new "home on the web"

http://traceylheppner.myfotojournal.com

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meryl & brian || maternity session || vancouver photographer

2010-05-04T23:39:00.000-07:00

let me think...i've known brian since 2001..and meryl a couple years after that.. meryl was in our youth group! wow..suddenly i feel very VERY old. :p

regardless..brian and meryl headed out to vancouver about 6 months after we did. and rewind a little more - i photographed their wedding in 2005!

they are so much fun..and when they announced that "franklin" was gonna be a part of their family in may, i jumped at the opportunity to photograph their maternity session!

i had fun..i giggled as brian remarked, something like, "trace, i love photo shoots with you, i get to kiss meryl lots in public." :)

here's a few from our session down in the heart of new west at the end of april...

seriously..meryl is so stunning!!!!!! i love the next sequence..meryl laughing at bri as i tell him he needs to squeeze in there with her, meryl anticipating and then brian IN FOR THE DIVE! :)

how cute, hey? :)

brian was lovin' me..MORE KISSES!! :P

could resist with the CLEARANCE sign above.. hehehe.. :)

it took 3 tries but finally we got brian in mid-air at the right spot!

thanks guys for letting me be my cheezy self and allowing me to document yet another milestone in your lives. love you bunches...and can't wait to meet the little man. :) xoxo

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domi & angela || maternity session || vancouver photographer

2010-05-04T22:00:00.000-07:00

i remember meeting ang & domi at a wedding. they own the ever fabulous PHOTOBOOTH VANCOUVER. can i just say i LOVE photobooths..i think most photogs do..time to be cheeze in front of the camera.

ANYWAY, this blog post is NOT about that. :)

back to domi & ang.. they are so adorable..and their pooch is pretty darn cute herself! they are a surf lovin' couple who are so incredibly sweet. i just love them!

they had told me about an old tree with a tire swing maybe we could possibly do.. um, YES PLEASE! it was so much fun!!!

ang & domi..you're almost there! soon your little will be with you and you will be a family of FOUR! :)

much love and many hugs and squeezes to you both! xoxo

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shannon & omer - one true (wish) couple - the wedding || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-05-04T09:12:00.000-07:00

back before christmas when jeanie asked me if i'd like to give away wedding photography to a couple next year who were involved in "giving" to the community, i was all over it!

[that story HERE if you are new to the blog]

the decision was really hard; we had AMAZING couples send us their stories.

and then we chose omer & shannon. and what an incredible story they have.
two worlds coming together - she from langley and he from pakistan - over an
event - swing dancing!

we got to know them and their unique and beautiful personalities through their super-fun engagement session [look HERE for some of those fun photos!] this past march 2010.

their wedding was unique and beautiful just like the two of them.

i was so blessed by being a part of their day; it was evident the love they shared with each other. and the love that others shared with them. one of MY favorite parts in the reception was going over and waving and smiling to omer's parents, who were in pakistan, watching it all happen via skype. it made me tear up every time. i just love them!

i will let the photos of the day unfold and share the story of the day, through my lenses. :)

first we started with the ladies getting ready and getting shannon into her dress..

they had a first look where they girls were getting ready - the renaissance hotel- before the ceremony.. they were really happy to see each other, don't ya think? :)

then we got to have a little time to shoot these two..first some bridal portraits and then some of this GORGEOUS couple! :)

this was such a fun sequence of photos.. :) blue steel, giggles and kisses.. :)

and then off to the stanley we went to witness their ceremony..that started off with a really awesome movie of them.. of course! we WERE in a theatre, hello! :)

after the ceremony there was some milling around the red carpet..and an antique car of course!

a couple more photos around south granville...

and then off to kitsilano beach, where one of the couple's special spots were. :)

the wind was just so and so lovely with shannon's veil...it made for wonderful photographic opportunities.. ;)

after our lovely time at the beach, we headed back to joey's on broadway for a fun reception...

but not before we could get in just a FEW more bridal portraits!

omer and shannon really had some gorgeous details!!!!!! their reception was exceptional..the food, the speeches, the music, the fun..it was all so lovely.. :)

they had mendi for the ladies and photobooth with their wedding posters for fun throughout the night..

and of course they danced and danced and danced... :)

i love the way omer watched on as his bride danced with her father...

omer & shannon...thank you for letting us be a part of your incredibly beautiful day.. we truly hope your photos from "our true wedding {wish}" were all you could have wished for. :) much love and blessings to you both!

and my partner in crime and friendship - jeanie... i'm so glad you thought of this. and i'm so honoured you asked me to be a part. you are wonderful and i'm so blessed to be a part of your life..and work! :)
let's do this again! :)
trace xoxo

hop on over to JEANIE'S BLOG to view her version of the day! :)

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i have lost my mind || vancouver photographer

2010-05-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

yes..yes its true..i have lost my mind..

my friend shelley from saskatchewan has flown out and we are going to attempt the 1/2 marathon tomoro morning...at 7am.

HOLA!

here's the route map... and its supposed to rain. so can't wait (layers of sarcasm there)

we both just want to FINISH the race..chuckle... :)

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98 things has been forgotten || vancouver photographer

2010-04-29T17:08:00.000-07:00

april 10th was the last day i posted a "98 things"...geeeeeeez..that's, 18 days ago..

that, my friends, goes to show how RIDICULOUSLY crazy life has been.

enough talk..let's catch up with 18 "98 things" today... :)

22. invent a punch that will raise eyebrows and lower inhibitions.

23. don't indulge in one judgmental thought for an entire day. okay, an hour.

24. learn a few choice phrases in french or russian to use when flirting or angry.

25. stay in a convent for a week.

26. ride a motorcycle alone across the nevada desert.

27. make wine from dandelions growing in your backyard and send it to the CEO of Greener Chemical Lawns, Inc.

28. start a wild rumor that something wonderful will happen later this year.

29. squeeze a cute fireman because it's "public hero appreciation day."

30. learn to belly dance and integrate it into your lovemaking.
31. apply for a scholarship to an art, literary or spiritual retreat that intrigues you.

32. design a picni around aphrodisiacs- raw oysters, champagne, rose petal jam on chocolate fingers- then whisper in another's ear the sensual images that passing clouds suggest.

33. be someone's fairy godmother. wand optional.

34. write an unauthorized biography of your family, including embarrassing photos, a tribute to the infamous black sheep and favorite recipes.

35. serve something flambé.

36. on the hottest day in august donate matinee tickets to a movie in an air-conditioned theatre to kids living in a homeless shelter.

37. develop a substantial cackle big enough to grow into as you age. (a cackle is a giggle with
seniority.)

38. flirt with the airflight person just for the heck of it. (it's nicer than air rage.)

39. conquer one fear each year.

ok..i'm caught up.. enjoy :) and enjoy some venice beauty below.. ;)

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SNEAK PEEK: meryl & brian - maternity session || vancouver photographer

2010-04-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

just a little peek into our really fun session yesterday! :) more to come! xoxo

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featured on wedding style magazine blog || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-04-28T10:10:00.000-07:00

last week i had the pleasure of working with reine mihtla and soha event for the grace ormonde book launch here in vancouver at the vancouver club.

yesterday morning, while i was sipping on my chai on commercial drive, i was looking thru my facebook feed and saw that wedding style magazine used some of the photos i took at the party on their blog.

so fun, right?

can i just say i love my job? :)

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indescribeable - personal thoughts || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-04-28T09:00:00.002-07:00

do you ever sometimes stop what you are doing and really take a step back from this crazy thing we call life and look around?

people..mountains..the sky..stars..how they all work together just so (for the most part!).

i was sitting in church on sunday and my friend jj was singing this song that instantaneously brought me to tears..

here are the words...

Indescribeable by Chris Tomlin

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation's revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God

All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God

All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

Incomparable, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
You are amazing God

i don't know what your belief or value system is..but i had to stop and collect myself..every single bird that flies by my window. every tree that sprouts from the mountain to the northwest of me. every drop of rain that falls from the vancouver skies (and there are a heckuva lot!) every gorgeous cherry blossom that springs forth. they are all with purpose. god placed them in their little places here on this great earth.

and that i, too, have such purpose.. wow..

thanks god for stopping me in my tracks to reflect how fricking amazing you are, how you know i'm gonna fall on my face, and how i'm going to triumph. you rock. xoxo

i found this video on youtube..amazing..

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i heart second shooting.. || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-04-24T17:07:00.001-07:00

i have lived and worked as a second shooter in vancouver for 3 years. i have worked with some of the best photographers on the planet. yes - i'm gonna name drop..not to brag at all, but to let you see the amazing opportunities i have had with such amazing artists..

elizabeth soergel
sarah rees
erin gilmore
blue olive photography
jeanie ow
patricia minnis
michael wachniak
kristel wyman
sherri koop

fran chelico

kris krug

reine mihtla

each photographer has been so gracious...they have taught me so much..they have given me feedback, they have helped me in so many ways become a better shooter.

when thinking in retrospect the last few weeks about us leaving soon and leaving the community of photographers i wanted to do something to give back somehow. specifically to second shooters and those getting into the industry.

so...i tweeted a few weeks ago that the first 10 people to respond can come here me say what i know about being second shooter.

that's what i did today...had our "talk"...it was nothing fancy. it, of course, started off with freshly brewed lattes by moi..and then we dove in. i told them a bit about me and my journey to where i am today. and then got into the meat of what being a second photographer means. i had asked several principal photographers to help me out with giving their 5 things they would want every second shooter to know. so i integrated all their gold nuggets into my talk.

there were 9 of us. it was fun..i was a cheeseball. we laughed. i talked to much. ok, i talked a lot! (we were supposed to end at 3..it was 3:38 when we officially stopped!)

thank you miranda, erin, sherri, camille, quin, michael, amber & liz for your "5 things". they were invaluable. xo

and thank you kevin, jen, terry, sarah, sherry, lesley, bob and lani for listening...for a really...long...time. :)

xoxo

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my friend reine & the grace ormonde book launch party || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-04-22T07:36:00.000-07:00

when my friend and photographer reine told me what she had going on, i simply said, "hey if you need a hand, really..i'm all over it."

so when she asked if i'd come shoot with her i was thrilled.

you see, i have loved reine and her work for the better part of 3 years now. it's interesting how our friendship started. i can't recall if it was facebook or me "dropping" in.. :)

anyhow, i love the way she embraces life. i also love how freaking creative she is. everytime i see something new she's done or she tells me of things she's doing, i am constantly amazed. it was the last time i was at her place that i said, "you know what, i don't think i access that part of my brain! that's why people like you are in my life; so i can see the vastness of life and all it's creativity!"

the shoot today was absolutely wonderful. it wasn't just any old shoot. it was a shoot she was doing for grace ormonde, THE wedding woman herself.

that's when i was like, hola! this is gonna be fun!

and it was. reine also asked melissa to shoot too - melissa gidney is a FREAKING talented phenomena..her photography is so raw and real. i love it. and so after i successfully checked her out on the interwebs and "creeped" her facebook fan page, i was really excited for today!

the table settings we photographed were a DREAM. reine shoots medium format film - LOVE LOVE LOVE the feel of that, lemme tell ya! and so melissa and myself were shooting digital. and what were we shooting? DETAILS. oh my goodness. i pretty much was in my glory. i LOVE shooting details. :)

tonight grace had her book launch party at the vancouver club. it was my first time, today, being at the vancouver club. its so elegant. i loved everything about it.

after shooting 4 hours from 10:30 - 2:30 i put on my mom hat and got the kiddies from school. we headed to the army & navy legendary shoe sale and the kids scored 2 pairs of shoes each. :) they were happy campers.

we got home and i got "dressed up" and the kids approved of my attire.. :)

the evening was so much fun... so many wonderful, fun, really great people from the industry. from here and from seattle. grace was, well, so gracious...she mingled and then said a few words and then signed books. i had fun being the paparazzi and taking photos of everything that went on tonight.

check out grace's website where you can see what her remarkable book is all about. it's real purdy in real too. :) grace ormonde's book website.

there are scads more photos on facebook, but for now, here's a few photos from tonight's cocktail party. and click the link below them to take you to the ones on facebook.

more photos on facebook here.

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SNEAK PEEK: angela & domi - maternity || vancouver photographer

2010-04-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

angela & domi have this fun little business called THE PHOTOBOOTH. check it out!

i have gotten to know them thru meeting at different weddings throughout the season and at events. when i found out that they were pregnant, i was soooooo happy for them!

i went out to their place in whiterock yesterday to do a little maternity shoot...here's a few shots to tie you over..

ang & domi - you guys are freaking adorable! :) xoxo

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SNEAK PEEK: omer & shannon- {our true wedding wish} couple || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-04-20T21:50:00.001-07:00

just before christmas you may recall, oh faithful blog readers, the wedding give-away my dear friend jeanie of STUDIOjeanie and i were giving away.

the couple had to be getting married this year, on a date we weren't already booked, and be involved in giving back to the community in a non-profit organization.

jeanie and i had so many amazing couples enter the contest. and we had chose omer & shannon.

fast forward to a couple weeks ago - we shot their adorable engagement session and it was so much fun to see some of our shots incorporated into their wedding day.

their ceremony took place at the stanley theatre on south granville street. it was like a red carpet event - red carpet, paparazzi, tickets and a trailer before the ceremony.

their trailer and ceremony were so incredibly moving..of course i cried, hello. :)

i will write more in the big post, but here is a sneak of the gorgeous couple..

head over to jeanie's blog to see her sneek! :) www.studiojeanie.wordpress.com

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peter & gosia | second shooting w/fran chelico || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-04-20T00:42:00.001-07:00

when my dear friend fran of fran chelico photography asked me if i was free to second shoot a wedding with her in april some weeks back, i was so excited! i love frannie, as a i fondly call her. :)

and i loved shooting with fran! she is so calm..relaxed..fun..and gets the job done fast! my kinda chiquita!! :)

her couple, peter and gosia were freaking awesome! these two know how to have a good time and were working the camera for us big time! we started a quaint little church in surrey - in fact it is surrey's OLDEST church- headed to white rock to the pier and beach for some fun bridal portraits and down to peace arch for the cozy reception.

these are just some of the shots i got to capture from their fun day! enjoy!

frannie fran...you are remarkable. thanks for letting me shoot with you. i heart you. :) xoxo

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2 of my favorite people - eSession || vancouver photographer

2010-04-16T21:47:00.002-07:00

i had heard of her...her name was in the industry...i had never met her though. and when i finally did, it was a rather quick meeting. i hadn't known if she remembered who i was when i saw that she liked scrabulous on facebook too and started a game with her.

from that first game, i knew that we'd be friends.

fast-forward 2 years.

jeanie & ian just celebrated their first year dating anniversary last month...and to no one's surprise who know them, he asked her to marry him that same night.

of course she said yes! :) he proposed with a honda ruckus scooter (ask her about that sometime) and they are planning on getting married with their immediate family in...scotland. oh yes. her brother and fellow photographer here in vancouver, jeff ow of stu-di-o, is photographing their wedding. how exciting!

so when jeanie told me about her engagement and asked if we could maybe make those portraits i was going to shoot of them, engagement photos, i was totally thrilled!

note: it's always, i know for many of us photogs, nauseating to photograph other photographers. the only thing that made me feeling less pukey is that i have photographed jeanie before and know that her and ian are CRAZY in love and such a gorgeous couple, so that would make my job a dream.

i was gonna do one of those "here's one photo for a sneak" tonight, as i'm shooting two weddings this weekend and was going to go to bed early. but when i downloaded all my cards, i knew there was NO way i was gonna be able to pick one of the HUNDREDS of fun shots we took today.

so i chose 20. (remember - click on them to get a bigger look - my blog settings are crazy..will try and figure it out one day.. :)

we brought out the infamous ruckus too..

jeanie and ian - i couldn't be happier for you two. i'm so glad you found each other. and i'm so glad today wasn't very painful for you. :) (ian, yes, i do think you could go into modeling ) love you both so very much.

enjoy the sneek. :)

xoxo

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Art Show / Silent Auction for the Gentle Hands Building Expansion Project in Manila, Philippines

2010-04-12T10:43:00.002-07:00

THE VISION FOR THE ART SHOW
Gentle Hands is a child welfare and intervention agency based in Manila, Philippines. They are on the front lines of rescue and rehabilitation, providing for medical, social and educational needs of at-risk youth and children. They work towards improving human community through the love of God and community centered care.

I might add that Gentle Hands is one of 5 agencies that now do foster care forchildren to be placed in temporary homes while waiting for adoptive parents. They are the only agency in Manila openly accepting children with special needs or terminal illness' requiring hospice care.

I have deep connections to the Philippines...not only have my husband's parents been humanitarian workers there for 25 years, but both of our children were born there when we also lived there for 6 years (1996-2001).

As a family we have decided to leave our comfortable Canadian-style and go back to the Philippines, and work with Gentle Hands. It was started in 1987 by my motherinlaw as a midwifery clinic for the urban poor. In 2003 it evolved into what it is today.

We plan to move back by the end of this year. Yes..we have a lot to do before then. One of the things I wanted to put together before we moved there was an art show/silent auction where all profits would go to the Gentle Hands Building Expansion Project.

They are currently at full capacity and need to build onto their current building. They have been able to buy the lot beside them but now they are just waiting to raise the funds to actually start building.

How amazing would it be for us to be able to raise enough money for them to begin this project, or even finish the expansion?

THE ART FOR THE SHOW
Initially I was going to do a solo-type art show, as I have travelled lots and could do an assortment of different pieces. Then when a fellow photographer in the industry said they would love to donate a piece of his art for the show, something sparked in my brain...how cool would it be to get LOTS of photographers and artists together to showcase their donated pieces and raise monies for this event??

I have decided that the more people willing and able to give, the greater this event can and will be.

SPECIFICS
The dates we are looking at is either the weekend of the 15th of October 2010 or the weekend of the 22nd of October 2010.

The dates were chosen for October as it's just after the rush of back to school, wedding season for most wedding creatives is slowing down and before Christmas shopping really gets underway...what great gifts these pieces would make.

The venue is still not secured. We would ideally love a venue to sponsor the event by us being able to utilize their space for no cost.

GUESTS
The guest would purchase tickets for this event. We would have an early-bird fee of $20 and a last minute rate of $25. The proceeds of these ticket costs would cover the appetizers and drinks that would be served throughout the evening. Any other profits from the tickets would go directly to the Gentle Hands Building Project.

A side note: Gentle Hands is registered in Canada as a non-profit organization. Any monies given to Gentle Hands will be tax receipted.

ABOUT ME
I grew up in Vancouver and on the Island..so I'm a west coast girl at heart. After my husband and I got married, we moved overseas to the Philippines where I was a lay midwife with my motherinlaw at her clinic, Gentle Hands, which was then a lying-in clinic. We moved back to Vancouver in 2007 from being in rural Saskatchewan for 5 years where I started my photography business (2003).

In that time i have been able to involved in the photography industry here in Vancouver. In August 2008, a fellow photographer and i began a community where Wedding Photographers can network with each other. There is currently 250+ members and the group continues to be a valuable asset to the Wedding Photography industry here in Vancouver.

I am excited for our move..it was a family decision, as we have two kids, ages 8 and 12.
who are looking forward to being with their cousins and grandparents, as well as being a part
of the work at Gentle Hands.

HERE'S WHERE YOU COME IN :: HOW YOU CAN BE INVOLVED
If you are a photographer or creative, I would love for you to consider donating a piece of your work to the art show auction.

If you are a venue, I would love to be able to secure your location for one of the dates I mentioned. Or if you know how to help us secure a venue, your help and information would be invaluable.

If you would like to sponsor directly to Gentle Hands, that would most certainly be appreciated.

I look forward to collaborating with you for this Art Show.

Also if you know of anyone who you may think would be interested in partnering with us for this event, please feel free to forward them this email.

If you have any questions, email me.

For the love of the poor,
Tracey, on behalf of Gentle Hands

_______________________________
tracey heppner

tracey l heppner photography...traveling to the
ends of the world to give you neat photos. true story.

"voted one of vancouver's top 50 portrait photographers" by vancouvermom.ca

|e| tracey@traceylheppner.com
|p| 604.512.4679

www.traceylheppner.com
www.traceylheppner.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/traceylheppnerphotography
www.twitter.com/traceyheppner

co-founder of vancouver wedding photographers & second shooters group
www.vancouverphotogs.com
www.vancouverphotogs.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/vanphotogs

The existing building of Gentle Hands on the right.

The proposed Building Expansion to be built on to the left side of existing building.

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i heart my tee || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-04-10T15:31:00.001-07:00

ya pretty much i have the best tee shirt ever..and the very first print.. i think that it will be a hit, kym! :)

to order yours, most probably in assorted colors if you asked nice, go to herrohachi, the adorable little etsy store!

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the mother blogpost of all friday night blogposts || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-04-09T23:35:00.003-07:00

this is a freaking miracle of sorts i'm witnessing tonight folks... both of my children, who LOVE to stay up late on friday night both announced, separately, that they were going to be..and it was BEFORE 10.

i'm still a little stunned. and with Lover over at scott's tonight, i'm sitting here with my laptop! could life get any better for a social media addict/web surfer/photo taker-blogger person? i think not. :)

and so we will begin this blog post...

* * * *

i have been slacking on the 98 things the last couple days..no excuse other than a couple of WAY too busy days. so i will do up 3 tonight to make up for the loss. no..make that 4.. 1 more for good measure.

#17 - release one grudge a month.
#18 - organize a day spa for women living at a domestic violence shelter with services donated from a local beauty school.
#19 - audition for community theatre.
#20 - get published.

wow! i totally love EVERY one of those.

its so easy to hold grudges, no? not just for big traumatizing things that happened when we those little children, but even for those times when we are older and someone pissed us off, or hurt us - intentionally or unintentionally - or if for our significant other forgetting something really important.
there is something so freeing about truly, "letting it go". sometimes it seems like it is instant..and sometimes we have to let go of the same incident over and over for a month. but when we can feel truly free from that grudge - wow!! liberating with a capital L!!

(wow that was a soapbox..maybe i should sip my vino slower...!)

how i would love to collaborate with a beauty school to do something remarkable with women..and for me, i'd do it a step farther - take amazing photos for them to see their beauty on film.. wow.. i feel a project brewing. :)

auditioning for a community theatre. the last time i did that was in high school.
i will do it again. .maybe not anytime soon, as we are planning to leave vancity soon but i will do this i am thinking. how much fun would THAT be?!?

oooooooooooo..get published. i have been once. unintentionally tho. and my name wasn't on it.. chuckle. a wedding i second shot with a photographer a few years ago..they had submitted a wedding to WEDLUXE. and the publishers of the magazine chose one of my photos that the photog included, as the MAIN full page photo. chuckle. i kinda felt bad for my friend. for a minute. :) giggle..

but seriously..i will get published..one day.. whether for photography or writing or both.. i have far too much in the depths of my mac-brainage aka computer, that i would love to give the world.

just saying.. :)

* * * *

buona sera!!

come stai?

mi chiamo tracey!

io canadese..non italiana.

io sono bene!

ok ok..so i only know a few lines of italian from my very first class of italiano that i took on thursday night. i am SOOOO pumped! and my teacher, liana...oh my word...i love her!

why am i doing this, you may ask?

well because of the magical photo tour i'm organizing for this fall to tuscano and umbria. :)
if you are a photographer, this is JUST the photo tour for you. call it a glorified photo excursion if you will. :) castles, monasteries, medieval small towns...amazing food and wine...engagement and bridal sessions in ITALY. hello. for more info on the trip check out my FOLLOW YOUR HEART...TO ITALY website.

grazie mille for reading my italiano babble.. ciao!

* * * *
i have made a blog specifically about our journey towards moving overseas to the philippines. the kids have even blogged on it.. :) i love that they were such a part of the decision to go. honestly, we have amazing kids. :)

the humanitarian organization, my sisterinlaw, charity, runs.. check it out - Gentle Hands.
i can't WAIT to be there getting involved! i also want to dabble some in wedding photography in manila and asia..but we will see how that all pans out. :)

follow our blog at: http://heppnersinasia.myfotojournal.com/
and be a fan of our page to follow our journey, on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/the-HEPPNERS-in-ASIA/108047809222942?ref=ts

i'm already concocting a FOLLOW YOUR HEART....TO THE PHILIPPINES tour for next year. :) :) :)

* * * *

the vancouver wedding photogs & second shooters group i co-founded with michelle libby, affectionately called "libby" by some, has been one of the most incredible, fulfilling endevors i have been involved in, in a long time... to see something that was birthed, over lunch (greek lunch i might add! bring on the tsiziki!!) with the dream of building a community for photographers to collaborate together and better themselves TOGETHER, now be 250 strong and essentially functioning on it's own. WOW. simply wow!

i thought long and hard on how i was going to "hand it over" as we are moving...yes..i will admit - i take on a bit much sometimes...but only SOMETIMES! but i knew that the task to do everything i had been doing was rather..how shall i say.. daunting for just one. so i divided it up into a few parts..and HELLO! that was much easier to swallow!! so i'm so thrilled to have laura lui doing admin stuff like email, facebook, twitter, miranda lievers helping with website and putting together social GTG's, jason ho taking charge of getting some photowanders together throughout the year, michael wachniak coordinating workshops and such..and libby will continue to bring her steady, lovely, fun self to keep it all from getting to serious.. i'm so thrilled with the team that has come together..i know that the 5 of them will be able to do MUCH more than i ever could for the community...5 brains are better than 1. ;)

not gonna lie..a part of me is sad..to leave the community that is so "family" for me.. but i know that they will go places and to be able to say that i had a little part in it..that's good enough for me. :)

* * * *

just looked up and saw, that this blog post if a freaking novel!! hahahah

* * * *

to end i will boast of my amazing new tee shirts i have acquired today. a dear pinoy friend here in vancouver started this little "side" business that has grown into something freaking amazing. i bought a couple shirts just after christmas for friends -

[b]ecker owns this one in green:

and so does my dear friend lani..you have to know lani to know why i bought her this shirt. ;)

well i decided on sunday morning i was gonna order a couple different ones for myself. and did i mention she has these ADORABLE neenja buttons?!?!? ya she does..she's is the bomb. :)

well i got the package and when i opened it there was a surprise -

isn't it awesome? i am so happy. i can't wait to wear it. in fact..i washed it already tonight and plan to wear it tomoro.. :) and the other shirts i got, cuz i just had to have them:

thanks for the amazing goodies, kym!! to check out more of her stuff, go to her etsy store: herrohachi

* * * *

well friends..i am going to put you out of your misery.. :) and go to bed.. :) happy weekend!

xoxox

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98 things - #15 & #16 || vancouver photographer

2010-04-06T21:35:00.000-07:00

#15. write your own erotica.

#16. if you're lucky, learn to do one good impression, say, of clint eastwood; well, do you feel lucky, punk?

ok...sooooo..neither of these is applicable to me.. wait! i can sort do kermit the frog... :)

-----

on another note.. tomoro i start my italian language lessons..every wed this month for 2 and a half hours each. kinda excited! kinda nervous! but so fun, no!? :)

i leave you with some photos of italia..some with me in some of my favorite places in venezia.. and some just because they are dang lovely to look at.. :)

buon divertimento! [enjoy!]

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philippine reminiscing || vancouver photographer

2010-04-05T20:38:00.001-07:00

most of this afternoon i have been working on a photo coffeetable book for Gentle Hands, as a fundraiser for their building project.

i HAVE been doing some of my tax prep..but i had to take a break..it was just too much for the brain.

so after hours of emailing and trying to call on our vonage phone back and forth to the philippines with my sister in law, charity, we now have the 3rd draft finalized and i'm FTPing the photoshop files over there for them to print.

YAY!!!!!

and it made me miss all the wonderful things about the philippines that i forget about..here's a few photos from our may 2008 trip (sorry they are so low rez!) that capture a bit of regular life there...

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98 things - #14 || vancouver photographer

2010-04-05T00:03:00.000-07:00

#14 - buy a really expensive, well-made pair of boots.

i have the boots i want in my mind..i'm still looking for them.. they are a dull lime green. or chocolate brown.

once i see them i know. it will be love at first sight, i'm certain.

until then...i search.. :)

this is a photo from one of my friends' shops down in seattle, BLISS SOAPS. i LOVE that store. phil is one of the most talented people i know. and so cool. :)

i'll bet he know where i can pick up some really cool boots... ;)

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98 things - #13 || vancouver photographer

2010-04-03T23:46:00.000-07:00

#13 - go a month without shaving your legs.

how honest are we gonna be here? ok..it's my blog and if you judge me, well then.. such is life.. ;)

when we lived in the philippines form 1996-2001 i barely shaved my legs. it's not "necessary" there.
not a cultural faux paux back then. mind you i have very fair hair color. regardless. i can say i have done this. :)

this is me doing what i do..second shooting at it's finest. :)
happy easter friends! oxox

photo courtesy of erin gilmore

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WHAT THE DUCK - a little photog humor this blustery friday night || vancouver photographer

2010-04-02T21:26:00.002-07:00

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i love it when i actually take the time to learn something! || vancouver photographer

2010-04-02T14:02:00.000-07:00

by this i mean, i bought some actions to help me make better blogging images. easy. fast. BAM!
but i wanted simple ones..as in a simple look.

i bought these before christmas. it's now april.
i decided today was the day to "set them up".

i'm pretty happy with the final product.
i used some of my second shooting shots from some weddings with Blue Olive to demo them.
what do ya think?! :)

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98 things - #11 and #12 || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-04-02T10:28:00.001-07:00

i didn't do #11 yesterday.
i was hanging out with john mayer. :)
he played his guitar for me.. WOW.

just a few iPhone shots of the concert...

like i said..took them with my iphone. :) it was so great. our friends, shari & mike came with us.
(she's an amazing photog! her website is almost launched...i'll be shouting it out as soon as it is! :) in the mean time, you can check her out on her facebook page: ShariLee Photography)

now onto 98 things.. :)

#11 - order a whole Peking duck when dining out alone.
#12 - cultivate savoir faire - an effortless knack for saying or doing just the right thing in any situation.

seriously - i want to cultivate #12 more!! :) and the duck? hmmm...mental/visual issues with eating a duck. just saying. :)

happy easter friends!!

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98 things - #10 || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-03-30T22:32:00.001-07:00

10. sing to a dying parent.

ugh. that is a hard one to swallow. today was a difficult day this afternoon. one of my dear friends' 27yr old cousins was admitted to the hospital with liver and kidney failure, then went into cardiac arrest and they couldn't revive her. so terribly sad.
what's more...she is leaving behind her husband and 2 small children.

i suddenly was in shock. my heart went out to that young husband, who will now be a single dad..and lost his best friend..

my heart broke for them all. needless to say i spent the evening curled up on the couch with my kids.

my thoughts and prayers are with my friends' family members today and the coming days... xo

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portrait sesison giveaways! || vancouver wedding & portrait photographer

2010-03-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

if you follow me on facebook, you will have seen my post about giving away 3 portrait sessions.

it's true i am! :)

here's the deets:

1) portrait sessions must be in greater vancouver.
2) portrait sessions must take place during the month april.
3) you need to comment below with why you think you (or someone you want to have a portrait session should have it).

how will i decide once people post comments? i'll raffle them! you have until tomoro noon to post comments... three easy steps...now go! :)

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98 things - #9 || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-03-30T07:13:00.000-07:00

#9 - sing to a child.

the best part of #9 is when the child sings back.. or you break into a crazy duet and dance.. not saying that i've ever done this sort of thing.. :p this is probably one of the more fun things to do...try it if you have never. the child (or YOUR child) may look at you kinda funny if you don't do it often (or they might look at you kinda funny if you are a cheeseball - no experience there at all either..) it's guaranteed to be a good time, regardless. :)

here are a couple children i sing to..sing with.. :)

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the las vegas strip lights & neon! || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-03-28T09:02:00.001-07:00

while i was in vegas my mom texted me, "dont you just love the lights at night?"

didn't i?! i LOVED it!! i could have tooken WAAAAAAAAY too many photos of vegas at night. but i didn't. i showed some restraint. ;p i had to get the las vegas sign, the sparkly mcdonalds sign and of course the venetian hotel..which, strangely, didn't make me feel like i was in venice, even tho they replicated some of the monuments there.. there's NO place like venice..but that's for another post. :)

enjoy!

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98 things...#6, #7 & #8 || vancouver photographer

2010-03-28T08:40:00.004-07:00

yesterday was crazy...we cleaned our old house..had a good cry and said our goodbyes to the rooms and then came home for a nap before we went back to our amazing italian neighbors and had a fabulous meal and even more fabulous time together. (wow, that's a LOOOOOOONG sentence!!) they have been more than amazing neighbors..they are some wonderful friends. i love that geography doesn't change that stuff. :)

i apologize for not doing my 98 things. so today i'll triple up...3!

#6. tell richard simmons to just shut up and sit down.

#7. paint a mural of your imagined past lives.

#8. buy a pair of castanets and learn to use them.

not gonna lie..i had to look up castanets - and when i saw what they were, i was like, uh ya i wanna learn how to use those little bad boys!! :)

i only had my iphone with me last night, so here's a snipet of our lovely meal.. :)

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italian lessons begin! || vancouver photographer

2010-03-27T08:46:00.002-07:00

some of you may know i'm planning a photo tour to italy in the fall - if not, check out the site - FOLLOW YOUR HEART...TO ITALY.

in preparation for that trip, i have registered for....

CA08 - LET'S GO ITALY - Italian for Travelers

If you are planning to travel to Italy, what better way to enhance the quality of your experience than by acquiring knowledge of common expressions in Italian. In four lessons you will learn the basic sentences that will allow you to communicate in various situations you may find yourself in as a tourist in Italy.

4 Week Course Timeline: 4 weeks, one lesson per week: a total of 10 hrs of instruction

it's for the month of april..perhaps i'll do some more in june (may i'm gonna be gone for a week!)
i'm super excited! :)

just had to share.

ciao!
xoxo
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another season awaits || vancouver photographer

2010-03-26T23:40:00.001-07:00

many of you are gracious enough to follow my blog...follow me on twitter..follow me on facebook. why, i'm not sure, but you do!

even though some of you i dont know personally, there's a connection, you know?

so about some of the "big news" i was tweeting about... without further adieu..my dear "lover" penned this over the last couple days...

“Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see.”
19th century theologian William Newton Clarke

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go”
T.S. Eliot

3 years ago we started on a journey. Long story short...we purchased a home in Burnaby that we affectionately dubbed “the house”. Many people partnered with us as we dreamt. We loved on the community. We explored the dream of living out the reality of Jesus in this city. And we have had so many wonderful encounters with Him and with the people He loves in Vancouver. We lived something that I truly wish everyone could live. Faith. Hope. Life...in the beautiful mess of this wonderful city.

I love that following Jesus is a journey. It is not about accomplishment. But it is about obedience. It is about authenticity. It is about walking with Him. It is about pursuing the dream of the Kingdom.

I have been reflecting on where we are and how we have gotten here during a conversation with a young leader in Western Canada. He asked me if I still believed in what we were doing. We have worked hard to get here. We have had to spend lots of time raising money and travelling, which is a tiring endeavour. We have chosen to engage our community and learn to breath the air of this city. And sometimes we have had less than kind responses to our passion from fellow believers who ask ,‘What exactly are you doing?’

This is what I know today:
God has a dream. And the dream is called redemption. The transformation of men and women, boys and girls; of people of all races and colours; of all cultures and belief systems; of all languages and geographical locations; of all perspectives and theological persuasions; of all political perspectives and intelligences; of every kind of brokenness and reality; into a people who are captured by hope simply because they know Him.

I am more convinced than ever that Jesus has an incredibly high view of humanity and through the dream of redemption, people have the potential of greatness. I truly believe that He thinks we can change the world.

We believe that Jesus invites us to venture out...out of where we ‘know’ what we are doing and into places that sometimes require great risk. And sometimes...sometimes we have to venture over mountain ranges without a clear idea of what’s on the other side.

Having said that...we are in transition again. For some time we have been feeling that we are ‘finished’ here in Vancouver. I wish I could explain it more clearly. But that has been our sense. But whats next? We have had no clue...until now. Chuckle.

As some of you know I have been helping Gentle Hands raise funds. If you are not familiar with what Gentle Hands does, check out www.gentlehands.typepad.org

They are a child and youth welfare and intervention agency based in the Philippines. They are on the front lines of rescue and rehabilitation of the medical, social and educational needs of at risk youth and children. They work towards improving human community through the love of Jesus and community centred care.

We have decided that it is time for us to head back to the mission field and throw our energies, efforts and gifting to the work of redeeming the young people of the Philippines and Asia.

I know, it seems wild. But you have to run with passion. And we choose to.

When? Sometime in the next year. We have much to do in preparation.

We will keep you updated on our journey. I am sure you have questions. Feel free to email us and we will fill you in on the details as we have them.

Let me leave you with a prayer by Sir Francis Drake that my best friend, Scott Wall sent me. It has captured my heart and urged me on. May it be so with yours.

Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And push us in the future
In strength, courage, hope and love.

Jonathan, Tracey, Caleb n Rosie.

yes it's true. we are planning the next season. with anticipation..with excitement..yet..for me, with a little sorrow, knowing i will be leaving some very special relationships i have made here in my city, vancouver.

to my dear, dear vanphotogs - i have had the incredible opportunity to work with and have relationship with many amazing photographers in the city. all who have taught me so very much. i love our vancouver photogs community. libby, of course, is still involved.. (i'll leave her here!) and we are in the process of getting others involved, to take over different aspects of the group. what i have started there. it's a cool thing to pass the baton, i tell you. :) you guys are awesome. thank you for making the vanphotogs community a vibrant amazing community. you are it. :)

and to my friends - hello thank god for VONAGE and a 604#!! :) and facebook..this is not goodbye..this is "until we meet again".. i love you. you already know that though. :)

we don't know exactly when we are leaving..anywhere from this coming christmas to next summer...so we have time still..to coffee together..to eat together..to laugh and plan amazing trips to, oh asia, and of course italy together!

but i wanted to let you, my friends, know what was going on in our little life..because you matter. :)

with much love and affection,
tracey
xoxo

manila, philippines at night (oct 2009)

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#98 things || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-03-26T23:15:00.003-07:00

#5 vote from lust.

geeeeeeeez. i'm sooo not gettin' these last couple "things"... i did peek, however..and tomoro's is gonna rock. heheheh..

some more desert..cuz it was freakin' amazing..this was just as the sun was setting... mmmmmmmm :)

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las vegas || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-03-26T23:03:00.002-07:00

in a weird sorta way..there's something about vegas i really like..

maybe it's the busyness.

maybe it's the huge, cool hotels.

maybe it's the amazing neon lights at night.

i'm not quite sure what it is..but maybe i'll go back.

just maybe. :)

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freemont street (and the strip) - by day || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-03-26T22:37:00.008-07:00

i have never been to vegas until this last march.

i had pictures in my brain of what i thought vegas was like.

so when i got there and saw all the HUGE hotels on the strip, i was like..wow..this is not what vegas was like in my head.

until.

until we took a gander down to old las vegas, freemont street to be exact.

THIS was the vegas i knew in my head. :)

so this is a compilation of the strip and it's HUGE buildings and of old vegas..in the day.

(yes i took some at night too..but that's for another post!) :)

THE HUGE HOTELS AND SUCH ON THE STRIP:

AND GOOD OL' LAS VEGAS AROUND FREEMONT STREET IN OLD VEGAS:

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viva las vegas!! || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-03-26T21:57:00.007-07:00

at the beginning of march i, along with, oh 15,000 other wedding portrait photographers, made our way to las vegas to WPPI, wedding portrait photographers international.

i am gonna blog a whole buncha posts from my 4 days there.. i had some lovely adventures!

one adventure in particular was happening upon a newly married couple, ericka & justin, getting their photos taken in front of the infamous WELCOME TO LAS VEGAS sign by their limo driver. miranda, jeanie and i knew we had to intervene. :) miranda introduced us and in 30 seconds we were well on our way with a little bridal portrait session!

here's a few of my faves...i had my wide angle lens on that day.. oh baby..lovin' it. :)

and ericka & justin..thank you for being so gracious and letting us "snap".. have a fun life together!! :)

and of course the crazy photogs! :)

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98 things - #4!! || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-03-25T20:40:00.004-07:00

4. say grace to the goddess.

um..ok....?!? alrighty then..moving right along.. :)

here's an AMAZING photo i took while in the desert in nevada.
i took a ZILLION photos. no really..i did.
so i just picked one for you. :)

enjoy the greatness that god made. :)
xoxo

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98 things a woman should do in her lifetime...#3 || personal || vancouver photographer

2010-03-24T20:33:00.005-07:00

3. ride a train through europe (better yet, the orient express).

cha-ching, baby!! i rode a train through switzerland, germany, austria & italy in september of 2008!! dang i'm doing good at this book.. :) next time i'll try the orient express.. :)

speaking of europe.. here's a collage of shots from one of the train rides on that trip.. enjoy! :)

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shannon & omer - our one true wedding {wish} couple || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-03-23T18:41:00.009-07:00

if you are a follower of my blog, you will remember the wedding photography giveaway contest that i have collaborated with ms jeanie of STUDIOjeanie, back before christmas. and you may also remember us announcing shannon & omer as the lucky couple.

last wednesday, jeanie and i have the DELIGHT of finally meeting in person and doing their engagement lifestyle session.

HOT. FUN. FRIENDS. JOY. INTIMATE. REAL.

these are 6 words that i can honestly say describe them as a couple. the chemistry they had with each other..how comfortable they were with each other..how they expressed their love for each other with words or even with just glances. all was so breathtaking and refreshing.

it was an ABSOLUTE joy to photograph these two. jeanie and i are so incredibly blessed to be a part of their beautiful lives.

here's some of their session...enjoy. and leave them some love. :)

with affection,
tracey
xoxo

ps - check out ms jeanie's blog for her view...

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98 things...#2 - personal || vancouver photographer

2010-03-23T01:36:00.004-07:00

#2 - run for office, win, and then resign in a grand gesture of moral indigestion.

giggle.. that's fabulous.. :)

and i leave you tonight with a shot from vegas...(more to come in the following days!!)

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98 things a woman should do in her lifetime...#1 || personal || vancouver photographer

2010-03-21T22:55:00.004-07:00

i know, i know..not exactly photoblog material..but really..i found this cute little book and i decided i'd share it with my blog readers too cuz it was so good. :)

so for today...

allow your chewy salty heart to be marinated in the tender juices of a younger man's obsession.

saweeeeeeeeeet! i married a guy who was almost 3 years younger than me.. ACCOMPLISHED!

this book may be easier than i thought..

see you tomoro for the next one..and hopefully some regularly bloggity blog up on here too.. :)

(we moved, right after i got back from WPPI in vegas, so life has been CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!! but we are unpacked and i'm trying to find some sense of normalcy again....HAHAHAHA!)

and no blog post is complete without a photo..and its a photo of this younger man of mine when he was quuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuite a bit younger.. :) enjoy!

trace

xoxo

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gustafson clan - and baby makes 17! || vancouver photographer

2010-03-05T23:53:00.003-08:00

whilst i was in saskatchewan (doesn't whilst sound so cool??!) i did a few gigs, as you can see on the blog. one of them was for a family that is from a little town called macoun, sk.

the short of it? had one weekend to make it work, was hoping for outdoor in the middle of winter and hopefully the one sister wouldn't give birth yet so everyone came in.

we settled for a sunday afternoon..the skies were amazing and it was only -5*C outside and the baby decided to come a few days after the shoot.

it was a win win. :)

thank you for allowing me to photograph your family in so many memorable places for you all in and around macoun...good times!

tracey
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olympics gig || vancouver photographer

2010-03-05T14:56:00.005-08:00

three days before school was let out for christmas break, a friend of mine working with her event planning company, limelight events, called and asked if i could help her come up with a quick shoot for the olympic truce.

so we literally threw the shoot together - kids + origami seedlings. unfortunately after all the whirling around and work we did for it in such a short time VANOC decided to go a different direction...we still had a blast..and the kids were great!

so here's what we got...kids + peace + ethnicity+ the world = fun!

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the olympics did our country good || vancouver photographer

2010-03-04T08:47:00.002-08:00

we were out of the city for the duration of the olympics..some think that was silly; how can we experience this once in a lifetime thing being away?!?

that thought crossed my mind..but as this video shows, the excitement and energy that was right here in vancouver, we witnessed it first hand..in manitoba..in saskatchewan..in alberta.

yes..indeed, this olympic games changed our country.

and i think that's a good thing. :)

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and so it begins... || vancouver photographer

2010-03-04T08:19:00.005-08:00

we got the keys to our new home last night..we signed the rental agreement..walked thru the house with the landlord..he handed us the keys..we can begin moving our stuff over there.

i got home and suddenly it hit me: we are moving.

i knew we were moving. the missionburnaby house sold quickly and we had 2 months to find a new place. thankfully we found a place. we had checked it out before we left for our roadtrip..and got the "yes" a week ago. :)

so last night as i was laying in bed my brain was whirling...

* have to go thru everything and get rid of stuff we don't use as we dont have the space like we do here...the bedrooms are smaller...the closets are incredibly small.

* the tables and chairs we used to use for dinners we would host, they need to be put up on craigslist..sigh..memories..

* the garage & shed... oh dear... to have to go thru that...eek.

those are only 3 noted things..and 3 noted things that my brain completely seizes up on...so much so that the last time i looked at the clock last night was 1:30am...made me not want to leave my bed this morning...

and so here i sit..at my little breakfast table in the kitchen..drinking coffee, surfing for some inspirational/encouraging words on the interwebs.

i finally stumbled upon a daily thing i used to get sent back to me in the early 2000s (boy does that sound weird!). when i read the verse i was stopped in my footsteps:

"My grace is sufficient for thee."

2 Corinthians 12:9

nuff said. :) i will get thru today.

with a hopeful heart,

trace

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the text with the photo below :)

2010-03-02T13:53:00.001-08:00

I don't often blog about my very personal spiritual journey. in fact I don't know if I ever have.
that's just not 'me'..
but I know that my spiritual journey is something I value and know that those close to me respect and value too.

with that.. here is a glimpse into my heart.

this road trip has been different.
we have traveled many a mile.
we slept in many a town.
we have truly had a remarkable time together as family.

we, as a family, are in major transition time.
what is next in our journey is unclear.
where our journey leads us is unknown.

but there is one known: that this life is so short and we have one shot at making it remarkable.. at making a difference... at making it worthwhile.
at living it to the fullest.

the stirring in our hearts is one we have been familiar with a few times in our married life. it took us to places and situations we never thought... we only dreamed. that stirring has made us the people we are today. people of hope, courage, risking, celebrating.

and we cannot ignore that stirring.
and so here we are. in life, with the stirring. with the world as our canvas. wandering but not lost.

all I know is that we have to trust Jesus.

and then, as we left Banff, this song came on our cd mix whilst driving thru the mountains.

how fitting. :)

with a hopeful heart,

trace
xoxo

You are my portion, by Darrell Evans

Father I will not worry about tomorrow
and all of its questions

Father I will just trust You and i will be waiting for treasure from heaven

My heart is with You
and there my treasure lies
My eyes are on You
You are my delight

Though I may not wear the garments of princes
You are my portion
You are my portion

But You clothe me in Your righteousness
You are my portion
You are my portion

And I may not sit at the table of kings, its alright cuz
You are my portion
You are my portion

You feed me from the abundance of Your hand
You are my portion
you are my portion Lord

My Everything can meet my every need
You cover me and make me pure and clean

Sent from my iPhone
___________________
tracey heppner

tracey l heppner photography...traveling to the
ends of the world to give you neat photos. true story.

|e| tracey@traceylheppner.com
|p| 604.512.4679

www.traceylheppner.com
www.traceylheppner.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/traceylheppnerphotography
www.twitter.com/traceyheppner

co-founder of vancouver wedding photographers & second shooters group
www.vancouverphotogs.com
www.vancouverphotogs.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/vanphotogs

the run-away olympics road trip - the journey...

2010-03-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

indie i do - recap! || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-02-25T18:29:00.003-08:00

miranda & andrea, two amazing ladies, thought of indie i do over two years ago...and voila! vancouver's first alternative wedding show was birthed!

INDIE I DO's second annual wedding show was in january...and i had the DELIGHT to photograph the day... between capturing the amazing vendor booths, to candids of what was happening, to bridal fashion show & burlesque dancing, to everything else!

here's a few shots.. :)

miranda & andrea - you guys are AMAZING.

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all-canadian boys || vancouver photographer

2010-02-24T16:45:00.005-08:00

when megan asked me to photograph her ADORABLE boys with her and hubby, i smiled. her boys are ADORABLE! so cute..so smart..so happy. and meg got them all matching CANADA sweatshirts - cute!

we started inside for some fun ones then headed outside with the white snow backdrop.

and we snuck a few pics of meg & her man, nick.. :)

you guys rocked.. :) big big hugs! xoxo

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kimmy & matty - family session || vancouver photographer

2010-02-23T11:23:00.005-08:00

some of our dearest friends live out in estevan, SK.
one of the couples are kimmy & matty... i shot their engagement photos. i shot their wedding. i was there with her as a her doula with their first baby. and will be with her when she has her second this coming may.

we did some family photos, along with matt's sister. we had so much fun. :)

love ya guys!! xoxo can't wait to meet karah in may! :)

for more of their pics, check out the facebook album... kimmy & matty.

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taunia & aaron - eSession || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-02-23T10:57:00.004-08:00

one of my couples i get the pleasure of shooting this year is from estevan, SK. they are sooooo adorable! and their wedding is in october - super fun fall wedding!!

on the weekend we met up and shot their engagement photos in a little town outside of estevan, called bienfait. it was so great! :)

can't wait to shoot your wedding in the fall, t+a! :)

xoxox trace

ps - for more of their pics, check out the facebook album on my business page - taunia & aaron

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the run-away olympics - day 6

2010-02-23T09:30:00.001-08:00

after our 14 hr trek from calgary to south junction, MB, we slept until 1030am the next day!
we ate lunch at SHAKERS INN, where we were staying (there's a blog post on shaker's inn coming!) we drove the hour & a half to see jonathan's grandpa mcleod..

it was such a great time with him..he was so happy to see us and the kids just listened as he told stories.. we also went to the old church that jonathan's mom's family grew up going to..it was a cooooooooool old building.. :)

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"the run-away olympics road trip" - day 5

2010-02-23T09:19:00.002-08:00

the 15-hr trek from calgary, AB to south junction, MB...a few photos from out of the truck windows..and a quick stop in whitewood to photograph the gorgeous grain elevator. jonathan was a little boy here and so it has lots of history for him...it was really cool.

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the road trip continues..

2010-02-21T07:10:00.003-08:00

we have been without internet/wi-fi for most of last week..so much catching up to do!!

i'm going to work on my blog, emails and such other things that involve being "online" in the next day..

so stay tuned..i have lots of goodies..

here's a peek into yesterday's e-Session with taunia & aaron to hold you over til tomoro for more of their loveliness.. :)

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{our true wedding wish} winners!!! || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-02-14T20:16:00.003-08:00

**AND THE LUCKY COUPLE IS…*

shannon+omer!

before we introduce shannon+omer to our blog readers, we would just like to share that it was incredibly hard to select the couple whose story touched jeanie and myself the deepest. all of your life journeys were incredibly touching, and jeanie and i would like to thank each and every one of you for honoring our gift by sharing your deepest thoughts with us.

jeanie and i made our selection based on availability first and then followed by couple’s connection to the non-profit sector, as well as the story of how they met.

shannon+omer’s story related an incredible journey of destiny : despite them being on opposite ends of the world and from vastly different cultures, their worlds collided (in a good way) (; maintaining a strong and deep friendship from the very beginning, their story turned to love. shaped by determination at different seasons of their relationship, they persevered to bring joy and culture to a community with music, dance and love!

here is an excerpt from their story they shared with us : “omer and I found that despite being born on opposite sides of the world and growing up in vastly different cultures, we were like two peas in a pod. we didn’t know how to define our friendship. soulmate felt too romantic and kitschy. we never tried to give it a title, though one person once told us we were ‘twin souls’.”

…thank you for sharing your story with us, shannon+omer! congratulations from jeanie and i!

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a wonderful sight to wake up to || vancouver photographer

2010-02-14T14:30:00.004-08:00

when we left this morning, my breath was taken away.. ah, how i forgot how totally dreamy the hoar frost that only the prairies has truly is.. it's magical.. if you're not familiar with it, it's really thick frost.. sometimes i have seen it and inch thick.. it's like winter "icing".. :)

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our true wedding wish - contest closed! || vancouver wedding photography

2010-02-14T12:54:00.001-08:00

**CONTEST IS NOW OVER*

a huge THANK YOU to all of the couples who wrote in with their stories!

jeanie and i will begin our selection of the one lucky couple who will receive their true wedding wish! they will be notified by email at 5pm PST! A blogpost will be published as well at that very same time!

keep posted! (:

…and happy valentine’s day!

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"the run-away olympics road trip" - day 1... :)

2010-02-13T13:41:00.009-08:00

feb 12 was a day of lots of memorable things..

...we started our roadtrip towards manitoba... we are stopping in calgary, sprague MB, winnipeg, estevan, SK and back to calgary before we head for home the 2nd of march...

...the luge athlete from georgia crashed and died at practise up in whistler..sigh..our hearts go out to his poor family.

...the winter olympics started in vancouver...what an incredible spectacle it was..so very proud to be a canadian..

...14 years ago we, jonathan and i, moved to the philippines, just 6 months married and lived an incredible life as missionaries in manila...it was 6 years that has forever changed our lives and we'd never trade..

yes..feb 12 was filled with so much...

here's a few photos from our trek out to calgary... we stopped for lunch in kelowna, and dinner at golden..

we also did some "school work" and stopped at THE LAST SPIKE, where the last spike on the CPR railway was put...was very cool.. the kids really liked it..yay! :)

and then there was the majestic mountains...i always marvel at the hugeness of the rocky mountains we have here...ya.. :)

and then we had an overly expensive, not so tasty 50s diner meal for dinner.. :)

we arrived in calgary just before 10pm.. today's schedule? r&r and watching the 2010 olympic games on the couch. :)

xoxo

ps - caleb named our road trip.. he's so rad. :)

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and so it begins..

2010-02-12T19:22:00.000-08:00

we left r place at 7:44 this morning...heading east.. it's now 8:16
pm, Alberta time n we just passed Banff.. I'm typing on my iPhone.. my
first mobile blog post! :)

we had lunch in kelowna with my parentals n sis at moms amazing new
store.

we drive some more and stopped in golden for an expensive so-so 50s
diner for dinner.

I wanted to stop in banff.. one of my most favorite places. (we
honeymooned there almost 15 yrs ago...!) but lover wants to get to
Calgary before it's really late. :) so on the way home we will :)
besides, I have to do day 3 of the 30-day shred! :p

tomoro is sleep in day...! I will post some pics from today too. until
then, one of my "Ansel Adams" inspired mountain pics taken on my
iPhone. ;)

xoxo

a little thursday humor to get us to the weekend..

2010-02-11T07:51:00.003-08:00

yes i am posting something my dear sister-in-law sent me in an email this morning..it was really funny... had to share.. :) and being i have an almost teenager and all..

A father passing by his son's bedroom was astonished to see that his bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then he saw an
Envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow that was addressed to 'Dad.'

With the worst premonition he opened the envelope
with trembling hands and read the letter.

Dear Dad:

It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you.

I have been finding real passion with Stacy and she is so nice.

But I knew you would not approve of her because of all her piercing, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes and the fact that she is much older than I am. But it' s not only the passion...Dad she's pregnant.
Stacy said that we will be very happy.
She owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children.

Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone.
We'll be growing it for ourselves and trading it with the other people that live nearby for cocaine and ecstasy.

In the meantime we will pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so
Stacy can get better. She deserves it..

Don't worry Dad. I'm 15 and I know how to take care of myself.

Someday I'm sure that we will be back to visit so that you can
get to know your grandchildren.

Love, Your Son John

PS. Dad, none of the above is true. I'm over at Tommy's house.

I Just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than a Report card That's in my center desk drawer.

I love you.

Call me when it's safe to come home.

happy thursday friends.. :)

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{our true wedding wish} || vancouver wedding photographers

2010-02-10T12:42:00.003-08:00

**ONLY FOUR DAYS UNTIL WE PICK A LUCKY COUPLE**

hi everybody! just to let you know that there are only FOUR DAYS left until jeanie and i pick the one lucky couple who will receive their true wedding wish!

all submissions must be emailed to ourtrueweddingwish@gmailcom by 10am PST on sunday, february 14th, 2010. we are looking forward to reading all the submissions! (:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

greetings!

we have wonderful news! due to the number of responses we have had for our wedding gift, we are extending the deadline!

AND there is more!

as we have sifted through interested couples, we felt that we should ammend and expand who qualifies for the true wedding wish.

the new deadline is valentines’ day, 2010.

the new qualifications are that

…whilst work in a non-profit organisation is not necessary, a commitment to the non-profit community must be demonstrated. please substantiate with letters of references from communities and organisations that you (or both) are involved in.
…the wedding does not need to be in vancouver. tracey and i are both willing to travel. travel details can be worked out with the lucky couple.

we hope that we will make one 2010 couple’s wish come true!

…make it an outta-this-world valentine’s day, knowing that your wedding will be photographed by myself and jeanie ow of studio jeanie, two of vancouver’s TOP 50 PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS!

contact me || view my online portfolio || check out my facebook page || follow me on twitter

we got a road trip comin' on... || vancouver photographer

2010-02-09T20:53:00.005-08:00

it's 8:53 on tuesday. we leave friday morning for our family road trip thru the prairies to manitoba and back, with stops in between. it should prove to be a good time for our little family of 4. the last couple months have been awfully stressful all-around as a family, so it will be good to re-group together on our little adventure. :)

i have yet to pack...really, are we surprised? i intend to do the rest of the laundry tomoro while i'm at home hacking away at my lists of to-do's so i can pack thurs.

pacey gets groomed tomoro...he is staying at our house with our best friends. should be nice for him. :)

the torch comes through our neighborhood thursday morning between 10-11.. yay not at an ungodly hour. plan to see that.

did i mention i have a trillion things i would LIKE to get done before we go? ya.. giggle..

i plan to blog more on our trip..i plan to photograph for ME on my trip, as well as i have several gigs across the prairies on the trip too. good times.

we plan to visit the grandparents j has left, in calgary and manitoba...plus a few close friends along the way.

i feel emotionally tired and spent..so i am really looking forward to "laying low".

i will email..when i can. i will do my best to keep the www.vancouverphotogs.com up to date..as best i can. i plan to tweet some.. not lots..but some.. i will read my blog feeds and twitter feeds when i can. i plan to play an obscene amount of bejeweled and scrabble on my iphone, and if my words with friends decides to start working again, i'll resume that too.

we still haven't found a new place to live when we move out of here march 31. haha.. no i'm not stressed.. ;)

but my mother was gracious enough to pack up my christmas decor/tree while we were in idaho when she was here with the kids..chuckle..yes i had my tree up last monday.. dont judge. :)

we plan to continue to build our other business (www.saferforyourhome.com) on this trip too. i'm excited about that. financial freedom is on the horizon and that makes me very happy. :)

our best friends who live downstairs...ya..that's gonna suck when we move out..so much change.. not a fan.. gah..

well..that's the "real me" for a few moments.. it's now 9:03 pm and time for this chiquita to hit the hay and take some meds to get this headcold/cough/flu out of here..no time to be sick.

talk soon..thanks for reading.. :)

oh, and another photo from jackson hole, WY for good riddens. ;) these are our elk friends from the elk refuge. :)

xoxo
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wearing the blue olive hat || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-02-07T21:13:00.004-08:00

the last couple wedding seasons i've had the delight of working with blue olive photography.

reilly and miranda are not only fabulous to work with, but they have become some of our favorite friends. :)

last summer reilly and i shot a wedding...and i just noticed on their blog that it was in wedding bells magazine.. yay us! :)

thanks m&r for letting me wear a blue olive hat..i always enjoy it! :)

xoxo

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a trip to the wild west || vancouver photographer

2010-02-06T21:15:00.004-08:00

this last week, lover and i were flown to idaho falls, idaho for our business (http://www.saferforyourhome.com/) for a week of training and really, celebration of our business's growth. it was an amazing week! they also took us our last day to jackson hole, wyoming for the day. an hour and a half bus trip and we were truly in the wild west!

i'm going to blog some more photos, but i wanted to give you a sneak of just one.. the whole photo, then i cropped it close in so that you can see we saw up in the tree. we actually were able to get so close, it was crazy! this one was a good shot of the landscape and the sleigh's we were in. :)

more soon! :)

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follow your heart...to ITALY || vancouver photographer

2010-01-31T11:20:00.004-08:00

tuscania...orvieto...assisi...cortona...narni.. ah, yes..these are just a few of the many stop-overs that are on the FOLLOW YOUR HEART..TO ITALY photo tour i'm hosting in the fall.

i have been so blessed to get in touch with our tour/photog over in italy max brunelli.. he has been so amazing to get an INCREDIBLE itinerary for us.

if you haven't heard about the brief overview of the actual tour, here are the 7 full days of the tour:

- Day 1 - Roma airport ~ Orvieto We will be picked up by our host, Max Brunelli, a local expert of adventure and photographer, at the international airport of Roma. We will spend the day on the way to Orvieto and along the road we will visit a couple of wonderful locations: Tuscania & Civita di Bagnoregio. We'll spend the rest night in a 4-star hotel in Orvieto where we'll have an unforgettable dinner with local food.

-Day 2 - Orvieto ~ The second days is dedicated to Orvieto and its treasures, the Duomo, the Underground, the Pozzo di San Patrizio, the Torre del Moro and during the afternoon we will spend a couple of hours in the regional cellar of Umbria where we will taste a large selection of Umbrian wines. Dinner in a quaint restaurant located right in front of the impressive city of Civita di Bagnoregio.

-Day 3 - Orvieto ~ Spoleto Ready to leave from Orvieto early in the morning time to reach Spoleto and make a couple of stops along the road: -Narni & the Narni underground -The Marmore Falls Our group will be hosted in one of the oldest monasteries in Umbria, recently trasformed in a residenza dEpoca. The Eremo delle Grazie.

-Day 4 - Spoleto ~ Assisi Well spend the morning around Spoleto visiting the Duomo, the Tower Bridge, the narrow and characteristic streets of this medieval city. After lunch we will reach the home town of San Francesco, Assisi. A real jewel with an impressive basilica and the castle still on top of the city. Dinner in Spello in the biggest wine bar of Umbria.

-Day 5 - Spoleto ~Monteriggioni Time to say goodbye to Umbria and reach the Tuscan sun. First stop in Cortona and short tour of the city. Gelato all together in Max's favorite gelateria sitting on the square and doing the italian most important sport....people watching. We will drive up and down the Tuscan hills with frequent stops and Max will show us the hills with the cypresses and the original Tuscan Villas. For the last 2 nights we will sleep in Monteriggioni, a small castle still well preserved, surrounded by medieval walls and towers. The Hotel is located right in the center of Monteriggion and close to it we will have dinner in a fabulous trattoria ( a small restaurant run by a family )

-Day 6 - Monteriggioni ~ Siena ~ San Gimignano After breakfast we will reach the most famous monument of Siena Piazza del Campo and we will spend the morning around this unbelievable well preserved medieval city. In the afternoon time to reach San Gimignano and shoot lots of this medieval metropole famous for.....medieval skyscrapers. Dinner in San Gimignano ...trufe and wildboar!

-Day 7 - Monteriggioni ~ Roma Last day of tour, so, we will spend the whole day on the way back to Roma, but with surprises along the way! Time for a couple of quick stops. (a few secret places of Max's!) .. one being our last wine tasting. What a way to end a fabulous week!

like really?? sleeping in 5star hotels, monasteries and castles..
how about wine tasting in umbria's biggest wineries?
and some cooking lessons with an amazing tuscan chef?

ya, these are the NON photographer things we'll be doing (altho, you know there are TONS of photo opps, just in there!) the stop-overs that max has planned are mind-blowing and seriously i know i will need to buy more memory cards!! :)

for more info take a look at a website that i have built specifically for this tour: FOLLOW YOUR HEART..TO ITALY.

if you are photographer, then do consider coming on the tour.. only 15 will be taken..and 2 seats are already reserved. :)

viva italia!!

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vancouver wedding photographer || the [b]ecker hits vancity!

2010-01-29T21:25:00.003-08:00

as some may know, i co-founded a group in the city here for wedding photographers and second shooters. this last week we brought in [b]ecker, a wedding photographer from southern california, to do his crash course in kicking a$$ workshop. :)

the months of planning and details really paid off - i would have to say that the photogs who attended had a great time. :) from the workshop content itself, to the food by my lover, the networking galore and all-around good hang out times, the last couple days proved to be a success..

of course, i took some shots throughout the two days.. :)

libby, my partner in crime and co-founder of the group, put together some pretty sweet swag bags for us with a few little goodies in there.. :)

the most amazing vegetarian lunch EVER!

some networkin'!! :)

and then the walk-about watching [b]ecker shoot.. here's day 1:

thanks geoff and naomi for being wednesday's models!! :)

and of course for me, a photowander wouldn't be a photowander without some of my fave kinda shots:

then day two.. :)

thanks to jason and lena for being our models!

[b]ecker even took every single person's headshots too.. :) good fun!

yes..it was a good few days.. a big huge thanks to reilly & miranda of blue olive for letting us invade not only their studio but home for 2 days! and to my partner - in - crime, libby, for all the swag and keeping me sane. :)

and to all the AMAZING vanphotogs who came - you guys are the best!! :) xoxo
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AMENDED!! our true christmas [wish] || in collaboration with studio jeanie || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-01-27T01:17:00.000-08:00

greetings!

we have wonderful news! due to the number of responses we have had for our wedding gift, we are extending the deadline!

AND there is more!

as we have sifted through interested couples, we felt that we should ammend and expand who qualifies for the true christmas wish.

the new deadline is valentines' day, 2010.

the new qualifications are that

...whilst work in a non-profit organisation is not necessary, a commitment to the non-profit community must be demonstrated. please substantiate with letters of references from communities and organisations that you (or both) are involved in.
...the wedding does not need to be in vancouver. jeanie and i are both willing to travel. travel details can be worked out with the lucky couple.

this holiday season, we hope that we will make one 2010 couple's wish come true!

...make it an outta-this-world valentine's day, knowing that your wedding will be photographed by two of vancouver's TOP 50 PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS!

will you be our winning couple? :)

to view my website visit http://www.traceylheppner.com

tracey@traceylheppner.com || 604.512.4679

lotus events - headshots || vancouver photographer

2010-01-22T19:57:00.002-08:00

just before christmas andrea tweeted if anyone would like to take her headshots. "i would love to", i thought. so i tweeted back and we set up lunch and went for a wander afterwards and got some really fun shots.

her partner in crime and love, rob, was there too..he's a ham! and we got a couple cute shots of them together too. :)

if you need an AMAZING event coordinator or a day-of planner, call andrea & rob - lotusevents.ca
andrea & rob are helping me out with some day before prep for the [b]ecker workshop VanPhotogs is hosting next week - yea, Tuckers!! :) xoxoxo

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a proud mama || destination photographer

2010-01-22T11:41:00.001-08:00

just before christmas the fam headed across the great pacific ocean for a family reunion/40th wedding anniersary for J's parents.

our local paper, the burnaby NOW, has a section called paper postcard; if you bring a copy of it on your holidays and take a photo with it they may put it in the paper.

so being the geek mom i am, i toted along the paper and had my children (caleb was NOT impressed, i might add) pose on the beach of boracay, in the philippines. and this wednesday's paper had them in it. :)

(and here's the actual photo i sent in..)

and a pretty decent size i might add!

(photo from my handy dandy iphone using best cam)

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running sucks... || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-01-21T22:46:00.003-08:00

yes i JUST said that.

but lemme finish. "...but sometimes you just gotta do it."

gonna be candid here - i HATE exercise.

i LOVE food. ( and it doesn't help Lover is a trained chef!)

friends, those two are NOT a good combination. chuckle.

and i SUCK at going at it alone.

tonight my hubs said he would do it with me...exercise.

i am registered for the BMO Vancouver 1/2 marathon in may; in fact one of my best friends here is doing it with me, plus another is flying in from saskatchewan. I HAVE TO BE READY FOR THIS.

i am taking a fellow photog's (cathy empey) advice and blogging about it.

there i just did.. i can do this...

and a random photo cuz i'm like that.

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food is the key to this girl's heart..err, stomach :) || vancouver photographer

2010-01-20T21:32:00.002-08:00

as some of you may know, one of things i'm involved with is co-heading up the vancouver wedding photographers & second shooters group with michelle libby... its one of the most rewarding things i've been involved in for a very long time. the group of vancouver wedding photographers are such a rich and gifted bunch of amazing individuals who are all rockstars. they are the very essence of community in our industry. if i keep going, i may even shed a tear... ;)

moving right along.. :)

next week we are bringing in [b]ecker two 1-day workshops. we are hosting it at the studio of blue olive photography (thank you!) and andrea and rob from lotus events are helping with day-before setup (thank you GOD!) erin g from aislewalk got us the lodging at pacific pallisades for [b]ecker for NON-olympic rates (woooooooot!) and brett from technicare, one of the sponsors of the workshop, has the lunch cost covered for us! (yay you guys!!) and what are we doing for lunch, you ask? well, my husband, jonathan, is a trained chef and is catering for us! (freakin' eh!!!!!!)

tonight was the dry run at our place for lunch...

we started with spring vegetable salad w/basil pesto...

then had herb salad with goat cheese..

and then grilled vegetable sandwiches with sherry vinagrette and parmessan.

yes...i get to not only eat this man's food but i also get to sleep with him. ;)

yay, us, vancouver wedding photographers & second shooters! we are gonna have a greeeeeeeeeeeat! lunch!

ps - tomoro is the dessert run.. :)
pps - all images taken with my handy dandy iphone :)

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some more second shooting || vancouver wedding photographer

2010-01-18T20:22:00.000-08:00

i have also had the priviledge of working with erin g, as i fondly call her. :)

here's a few of "the tracey factor" from the last year of shooting with her.. good times.. :)

it was so much fun shooting with you my dear erin friend.. :) if you're ever in a bind or need a 3rd, you know my after-hours numbah.. ;) xoxo

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