Centennial Beach Family Photos | Kuelen Family | Community Photography South Delta

I’m so excited to finally be posting this dreamy family photo session. Summer time, hands down, is the best time for family photos. The wildflowers are out and Centennial Beach is at it’s finest.

I met the Kuelen family in Bounrday Bay to start the shoot. Their outfit choice was my favourite, ever! Light, neutral colors always photograph so beautifully with my photography style. We played in the flower fields and the kids loved spending time with mom and dad. As the sun set, we made our way to Boundary Bay beach. The water was warm and I loved how by the end of the shoot the family were all knees deep in the ocean.

Thank you to the Keulen family for letting me take these photos for you. You guys are the best to take photos with! Hopefully we can do it again sometime soon :)

Paige :)

Centennial Beach Family Photos | Tsawwassen, BC | Community Photography South Delta

June family photos in Tsawwassen may be my favourite! The weather is warming up, the wildflowers are out and Centennial Beach is at it’s finest.

This photo session was special for me because these are two of my good friends and their sweet baby Bowen, who is just the sweetest little guys!

I met Candice and Brent for their family photos in Tsawwassen and we started in a flower field. Bowen was all smiles and the yellow flowers complimented the sun shining off the trees. When the sun set a little more in the sky we moved to the beach in Boundary Bay for sunset photos. It was approaching baby bedtime as the sun set so he just snuggled up against mom and feel asleep for part of our session :) I love big smiles from kids but I almost love snuggly moments more. Once the sunset, Bowen work up for one last hurrah and was all smiles for the send of the session. Seriously, scroll down, it doesn’t get any cuter!

Thank you Brent and Candice for such a fun and memorable family photo session in Tsawwassen. I loved taking these photos for you guys and I can ‘t wait for our next milestone session together.

xoxo Paige

Baby Jack Newborn Photos | Tsawwassen Newborn Photos | South Delta Newborn Photography

The only thing that beats taking newborn photos is when the client you’re taking photos for is an old friend. I met Jeremy at South Delta secondary school and now it’s so cool we are both back in Tsawwassen raising our kids together.

I went over to new parents, Hayley and Jeremys beautiful new home. It was the weeks following the birth of their first baby Jack and my first time meeting him. He was such a doll with his perfect baby chubs and beautiful skin tone. We spent the next couple hours cuddling, hanging out and loving on baby jack..while I sat back and took photos of it all.

Jer + Hayley, you too are the sweetest parents and I love seeing you as a family of three :) Thank you SO much for inviting me into your home to capture these first couple weeks as you transition into parenthood.

Centennial Beach Maternity Photos | Tsawwassen, BC | Community Photography South Delta

There is nothing dreamier than a snowy maternity session at Centennial Beach in Tsawwassen! I’ve had the privilege of working with Tiffany and her family from her first maternity session, through cake smash photos, newborn photos and now round two maternity photos. Every time we meet Tiffany does an amazing job with wardrobe choices and styling her session. She wore a maternity dress from my client wardrobe and the pastel pink matched perfectly with the sunset.

Scheduling a snowy photo session in Tsawwassen is tricky to do..because if you live in Vancouver, you know the snow never sticks around for that long! We were lucky enough to have her photos scheduled for a time when the snow did stick around for a week over the Christmas break. In the hour before the scheduled start time of the Drewlow families maternity session, the family was stuck in terrible traffic caused by a car accident. Tiffany and I were on the phone trying to make a ‘plan B’ in case they couldn’t make it. Luckily they arrived 30 minutes before sunset and we had just enough time to capture some very beautiful photos as the sun was going down! Her little daughter Ella was such a trooper in the cold winter weather :) she was so happy to be snuggling and playing with mom and dad.

I’m so thankful we were able to make this session happen. It was the most beautiful evening and the Drewlow family looked just as stunning to match it! Thank you for coming to Centennial Beach in Tsawwassen. It’s always my go to spot for family photos!

MATHONY FAMILY PHOTOS | BEACH SESSION, TSAWWASSEN

Being a photographer who lives just outside of Vancouver, even if our town nickname is 'sunny Tsawwassen', I still have to deal with the fact that it rains. All. The. Time. Especially as a family photographer, I have to be uber flexible with rain checks because what little kid will last more than 10 minutes in a rainy photoshoot? None! The Mathony Family originally had their family photo session scheduled for October, which was rained out. We moved it to November and it was rained out again. At that point we decided to move it to the spring, and hoped the third time would be a charm.

We didn't completely escape the elements for their photo shoot, for it was the most WINDY day I've ever shot it. A day when all of the kite boarders were out in Boundary Bay. A day too windy for people to set up camp at the beach. Like seriously windy. 

I met the Mathony family in the parking lot and I noticed two things right away. Their amazing outfit choices. This year I'm seeing so much more color than past years and they had amazing bright color combinations that fit together beautifully. Second, they all have the most striking eyes! All bright and icy blue. 

When we started to shoot their family photos, I was amazed at how natural the whole family was in front of the camera. Both kids took direction beautifully and both mom and dad were hands on and super fun; the kids just totally followed suit. We shot in a field for the first while (because it was protected from the wind) before we went down to the beach. The second we were exposed on the sand, holy smokes, the wind just took over! To keep warm we had to keep moving. I felt more like a drill sergeant than a photographer as the wind was so powerful I literally had to yell directions to the family to be heard. Even with the crazy wind, both kids kept smiles on their face and laughed the whole time. By the end of the shoot, the sun peeked through the clouds to make for some beautiful lighting for our last set of photos. Right before both kids ran off the beach and back to the shelter of the car. 

To the Mathony family, thank you for meeting with me on the windiest night ever down at Centennial Beach. You guys were the ultimate troopers for battling the elements and keeping smiles on your face the whole time. I'd love to do it again sometime. Maybe in the heat of July or August on a night when there isn't a cloud in the sky and zero wind lol. But seriously, you guys are the best. Thank you!

TIFFANY & BRANDON BOUNDARY BAY MATERNITY PHOTO SESSION

My favourite photo sessions are maternity shoots! There is so much to love about them. The mother-to-be is glowing. The beautiful baby bump. The way the partner looks at the woman who is growing his child in her belly. There is so much love, anticipation and joy during these sessions. And Tiffany and Brandon were the perfect examples of why I love these photoshoots so much.

I loved planning this session with Tiffany. When someone puts thought, effort and excitement towards the session, you always know it’s going to go well! We chatted about outfits and locations months before the shoot. We had originally planned to do the photos at the Abbotsford Tulip Festival but unfortunately, due to Covid - 19 the festival was closed this year, but Boundary Bay is a very good second option :)

Tiffany looked amazing wearing a dress from one of my favourite online maternity shop Acmami and her flawless makeup was done by Justyne. T + B were so lovely and kind and so easy to work with in front of the camera. It was such a pleasure to photograph both of them. Tiffany was glowing the whole time and the only instruction I gave to Brandon was ‘you’re job as the Dad is to just look at your beautiful wife the whole time’ and he totally nailed it. As the photographer, it's my job is to pose and instruct the the whole time, but these two often created the most amazing candid moments for me to capture. While we were out in the water, Brandon started to dance with Tiffany just like they had on their wedding day. Seriously SO special to capture.

At the end of the session both T + B headed down to the water to finish off with some beautiful water shots. The tide was just perfect to walk out and we had the most amazing pastel pink sunset to match Tiffany’s dress. What a perfect end to a perfect night.

Dear T + B, thank you for coming to Tsawwassen for your maternity photos. I’m happy our second choice shoot location was so dreamy for you on the night we took photos! I’m looking forward to meet baby soon now and do it all over again with your newborn photos :)

xo Paige

NATALIE LANGSTON CENTENNIAL BEACH FAMILY PHOTOS

You may be surprised to hear this, but the job of a photographer is a little lonely. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE what I do! But in reality, 10% of my time is spent with clients and the other 90% of the time is spent editing, marketing and taking care of business. That’s why meeting up with clients to shoot is the highlight of my job and it makes it even more special when they are return clients. It’s so cool to take photos yearly, or in this case, multiple times a year with a family. To see how much a baby grows and learns during the first year of life is AMAZING!

I’ve had the pleasure to shoot with Natalie and her sweet family multiple times in the past year. I first met her at a sunrise photo session at the Abbotsford Tulip Festival. She’s a blast to shoot with and makes my job so easy as she’d comfortable in front of the camera and totally knows what works. We also met up for her Halloween family photos, pumpkin patch photos at Emma Lea Farms in Ladner, Pierces 1st Birthday pics, her Christmas card portraits, the sunflower festival (take a look through my Instagram to check some of these pictures out!) and now I had the pleasure to meet up to take family portraits in Boundary Bay.

When they arrived for their photoshoot, the family looked amazing! Nowadays the first comment from most Moms is how ‘done-up’ they feel after months of not doing hair and makeup in quarantine. What a confidence boost! Natalie’s dress was beautiful and bonus! It was from Forever 21. Pierce had grown up SO much since our last time together in December. He was bigger, WAY faster and a big personality. Just the same way Tom was when he was that age :)

Once we started shooting, I quickly discovered Pierce had his own agenda, which most 1.5 year olds have. I like to call these ‘child led sessions’, which means we let them do their thing and we incorporate ourselves into whatever they are doing. And once you see the pictures you’ll see it totally worked! We were able to get some beautiful smiles and candid moments from our shoot. One cool highlight was it was Pierce's first time seeing the ocean! I loved capturing moments of him walking down to the beach and throwing rocks into the water. What a special moment to have caught on camera.

Thank you to Natalie, Gary and Pierce for coming out to Tsawwassen for your family portraits. It’s always a pleasure to shoot with you guys and I hope we can do it a bunch more this year!

xo Paige

Veen Family Photos | Boundary Bay, Tsawwassen

This session was a special one for me because it featured my sister and her beautiful family! My sister and my niece and nephew have always been gracious models (just check out my past blogs - you’ll see them more than once!). When I was a newby photographer they’d be patient with me as I snapped away with little to no experience. That was almost 4 years ago now! And in 4 years, I’ve never had the chance to take family photos for them; my brother-in-law is the Chef/Owner of Tap Restaurant in South Surrey and he often works crazy hours. The Covid-19 restrictions closed the restaurant for dine-in service and they have adapted to an awesome take-out menu. For once, my brother-in-law was off for the night and free for family photos. Silver lining right!

I met up with the Veen family in Boundary Bay, Tsawwassen. The first thing I noticed was Aron’s stunning Aritzia dress, which I knew would photograph like a dream. When I send outfit suggestions to clients, the first thing I say is dress Mom first and then choose the rest of the family's outfits. So much of the shoot revolves around Mom; just check out these photos you’ll see what I mean :) She is the focal point, the heart of the shoot.

We began our shoot and soon discovered our Tsawwassen beach location was the lady bug capital of the WORLD (who would have thought?!). The beautiful little creatures were EVERYWHERE! And knowing my niece and nephew, they love lady bugs. The first 20 minute of our shoot was a mix of taking pictures and catching lady bugs, which made for beautiful candid moments. The rest of our photoshoot was filled with love, joy and genuine family time. The Boundary Bay sunset was one for the books, which in my experience never disappoints.

To the Veen family, thank you for joining me in Tsawwassen for your family photos. I LOVED capturing these moments and memories for you. You’re love for each other is easy and true, which reflect so beautifully in your photos.

xo Paige

What To Wear: Winter Family Photo Sessions | Vancouver Family Photographer | Community Photographer

WHAT TO WEAR FOR WINTER FAMILY PHOTO SESSIONS

When winter arrives and temperatures cool, sometimes it’s just too cold for a dress and heels by themselves (no matter how warm your coverup overcoat is!). As a Vancouver family photographer, let’s face it, it’s chilly fifty percent of the year! Instead of only shooting in the warm summer months, I encourage clients to shoot year round! We are so lucky we live in a city where we have diverse seasons to make every family photo session unique! So I have some suggestions for the winter months that will still help you look amazing and keep your color tones camera friendly.

During winter, warm neutrals like camel, taupe, cream, champagne, and gray look amazing. If you’d like to incorporate color, choose jewel-toned versions of the primary colors. Here are some examples: mustard over yellow, crimson or burgundy over red, over orange, sage or emerald over green, and powder blue or navy over blue. These jewel tones will photograph beautifully in the winter when there is not much bright colors to contrast in nature. And don’t forget to layer up! Add a peacoat, tights, scarves and heeled booties to a form-fitting cocktail dress or skirt. Dress your little ones in wool hats, mittens and scarves to keep warm and add extra interest to the phot.

SNOW DAY SESSIONS:

A dress or skirt with a big peacoat can never go wrong! A neutral coloured coat with a touque, scarf and gloves or a warm, oversized, snuggly sweater with tall boots and a hat is a super fun look, perfect for the snow! The great thing about snow is it creates a beautiful white backdrop, so even though it might seem counterintuitive, soft pastel, muted colors like soft pinks and powder blues still look great! And, remember, regardless of the setting, you can never go wrong with neutrals with pops of colour!

MAUI FAMILY PHOTO SESSION | TOIGO FAMILY

Ever since I got into photography I always dreamed of shooting in Hawaii.

My husband and I booked our 2 year wedding anniversary in Maui this past November. Before leaving I connected with Steph and found out that her family would be there the same dates ( amazing!). My dream of a sunrise family photo shoot in Maui was coming true!

We met before sunrise, just at 6:30am. It was still dark but the sky subtly was changing to a morning blue. We headed down to Charlie Young beach in Kehei and were the only ones up at this time. By the time we began shooting, the sky had changed into the most stunning sunrise I had ever seen. The two boys immediately warmed up in front of the camera as they played with mom and dad on the beach. We spent the next hour playing on the shore line, taking photos and enjoying the most beautiful sunrise. Momma Steph looked stunning in her blue dress to match the sunrise. Dad did an amazing job wrangling his boys, playing in the sand with them and tossing them in the air to get the most precious smiles.

As a Vancouver family photographer, it was such a treat to shoot at a location new and inspiring. To the Toigo family, thanks for spending the morning with me playing in the sand and waves. It was a perfect way to spend a Maui morning :)

Tsawwassen Family Photo Session | Community Photography South Delta | Family Photographer

Last year, the Berglund family moved to BC. You would have never known this as you could tell they had a deep love for the beach, nature and the mountains. The perfect mix of a west coast family.

When I met the Berglund family at Centennial Beach, they were all very easy to talk to, good energy and very lovely to spend time with. We took some beautiful photos on a lovely evening. Everywhere we went that evening, the sun seemed to be following, making for beautiful backlighting. You could tell nine year old Kiera loved spending this quality time with her parents at the beach.

My favourite part of a family photo session, is when I give kids time to be themselves and show me a little of who they are. Kiera, totally just shone during this moment. As the sunset in Boundary Bay, she was doing cartwheels under a pastel sky with the mountains and city scape in the background.

To the Berlund family, thanks for spending the evening with me at Centennial Beach. Evenings like this, really make me love my job! Your family is a pleasure to spend time with, I hope you guys are loving BC and everything it has to offer :)

Diefenbaker Park Family Photos | Tsawwassen Family Photographer | Community Photography South Delta

From the moment I met the Malinek family in 2017 for a family photo session, I knew they were a special family. They are all kind and sweet and you can tell they all enjoy each other immensely. Fast forward a year and I was lucky enough to take their photos again.

When I arrived at Diefenbaker for their photo shoot, the first thing I noticed was Mom Ashili’s stunning red dress. I knew, at some point in the photoshoot, she would need to be twirling.

On every family photoshoot, I bring a white blanket for the families to cuddle on. I came to own the blanket after I noticed it at my moms house. The blanket is a unique white quilt and a perfect rectangle for families to sit on. The patch work is well made, it has served me well for the past couple years. My mom, who is an avid thrift store shopper, came across it a few years back at the Delta Hospice in Tsawwassen.

I pulled the white blanket out for the Malinek family to sit on during their family photoshoot. Ashli took one look at the blanket and noticed SHE was the one who made it! Ten years ago, she hand made that exact blanket, her initials were even hand sewn in the corner. Such a small world! She had given it to thrift years back. And here she was, with her family sitting on it.

To the Malinek family, thank you for spending the evening with me at Diefenbaker. You guys are always a pleasure to take photos for. I love seeing from year to year the way your boys grow into lovely little men. Ashli, thank you for making and passing along your beautiful blanket!

Centennial Beach Family Photo Session | Tsawwassen | Community Photography

It was a perfect winter day for a Centennial Beach photo session. It was cool, but not cold. No wind. A perfect sunset. I connected with Mom Katie through Instagram and was so happy how excited she was for her photo session. I always ask families to fill out questionnaires before the photo session so I can get to know them a little better. Katie, a couple times mentioned how her two boys were her world. By the end of the session, I could see they were her world and she was theirs.

The boys were busy. Which I LOVE. The energy was positive and fun which makes for the best candid photos. Right off the bat to our Centennial Beach photo session both of the boys had sticks in hand that would be with us for the rest of the shoot. Mom Katie, was relaxed and enjoyed the moment. We played, laughed and went with the flow of two boys. What I loved seeing the most was the boys always resorted back to Mom for a cuddle. Every time one of her boys came to her, she took time to enjoy the snuggle, never rushing a moment.

Katie, thank you for letting me capture you and your boys. It was such a pleasure to spend the afternoon with you guys :) Here are a few of my many favourites!