Author Archives: daniellelynnphotography

About daniellelynnphotography

On-location, Natural light photographer specializing in newborn (baby), children (child), family and servicing Ottawa, Ontario Canada and the surrounding area. Custom portraiture (portraits) services and a la carte print available.

Ottawa Photographer :: How do I display my photos?

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So you’ve booked a family photography session with me, we’ve had our session and you are viewing your photos in your online gallery. As you scroll through the photos admiring the beautiful memories we’ve created…..you suddenly feel overwhelmed. What do I do now?! What should I buy? What sizes will work? How do I arrange my photos so that they actually look GOOD? I get it. Trying to choose which photos will look best in a grouping and knowing what to buy can be daunting and confusing. Hopefully I can help!

Wall gallery arrangements seem to be one of the more popular ways to display photos in a home these days. Why? Because creating a wall gallery allows you to essentially create a large piece of wall art in and of itself. It’s interesting, it tells a story, it’s modern and it allows you the flexibility to make it as large or small as you like to fit any space in your home. This is a perfect option if you have a number of photos from your session that you would like to showcase rather than just commit to one large focal piece. This tends to be a common dilemma amongst my clients. ;)

Last week I had a client contact me about this exact thing – they loved the idea of a gallery wall but weren’t quite sure how to make that a reality when it came to purchasing products. So after asking them a little bit about the space they wanted to fill and getting a feel for what sizes they may want, I created a few photo arrangement options for them…

 

 

 

This one I included the possibility of displaying the photos with another decorative wall piece (an initial of their last time - these are often found at home decor stores). They loved the idea!

On an on-going basis, I’d LOVE to help my clients choose an arrangement and assortment of products that work best for them. Are you thinking about booking a session but aren’t sure what to DO with the photos afterwards? Have you had a session, purchased a disc and/or set of prints from your session with me and aren’t sure how to work with what you have? Send me an email (info@daniellelynnphotography.com) and I’d be happy to help you figure out an arrangement, just like the examples above, that will work for displaying your treasured family photos!

Spring is here!!! Thinking about booking a family photography session with Ottawa’s Danielle Lynn Photography? I am currently booking custom portrait sessions for April and May 2012! Please contact me today to reserve your spot! :)

 

 

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Ottawa Food Photography :: Chicken Fajitas with Pineapple Mango Pico de Gallo!

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The creation of this recipe was inspired by a recent visit to a new little taco place that opened up here in town. The other day I ate some SUPER delicious tacos there and I have not been able to stop thinking about them since! This of course got me thinking about the amazingness of Mexican hand foods, and how very little I cook it despite really enjoying it. Now like any ethinic food I attempt, I make no claims to the authenticity of this dish. I simply cook based on my own tastes and what I think my family will eat! I do, however, guarantee that this will be one of the most unique, delicious, colourful and flavourful dishes you will ever make in your own kitchen! It’s also surprisingly easy to prepare if you don’t mind a bit of prep work! Probably the best thing about this dish though is the presentation. It LOOKS like you spent hours crafting and preparing this masterpiece…when in fact, it was even less involved than I initially thought. The flavours and textures mingle so nicely that it almost creates a unique flavour all it’s own. Highly recommended as a cool and impressive dish for entertaining this summer!

 

1 ripe mango cubed
1/2 fresh pineapple cubed
1/3 of an english cucumber peeled and cubed
12-15 sweet baby tomatos sliced into quarters
1/2 red onion finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic finely minced
A small handful of cilantro roughly chopped (or however much desired)
Juice of 1 large-ish lime.
sea salt to taste
(Optional ingredient ideas: Avacado, Jalapeno peppers, Tomatillo, Red/yellow/orange peppers.)

Place all chopped and peeled fruits and veggies into a bowl. Squeeze the juice of one lime over the ingredients. Salt to taste. Toss all ingredients together and refrigerate covered for an hour or two before serving to let the flavours ‘mingle’. Serve cold on tortillas over top of fajita chicken (see recipe below) Note: This Pico de Gallo will keep if covered in the fridge, however the mango and pineapple will likely get mushy very quickly so eating quickly is a good idea. Not that this would be a problem of course. ;)

 

 

2-3 cubed chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4  teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or more if you like it spicy!)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 chicken bouillon cube, crushed
Heat a few glugs of oil in a skillet and cook chicken over medium heat until completely cooked (no pink). Add 1/2 cup of water (or lime juice) and 2-3 tablespoons of seasoning mix and stir well. You will have some left over fajita seasoning after making this recipe. So you could easily use more than I’ve recommended, or store the left overs it in an air tight container for next time. Alternatively: Any of the fajita spice packets available at the grocery store would work for this too, and would save a bit of time. We like the sodium-reduced house brand stuff at our local Loblaws.

 

 

Aren’t the colours phenomenal?! If food could be sexy, I believe this would be it! ;)
Are you an Ottawa or Gatineau area bakery, restaurant or cafe owner who is in need of some unique images of the delicious foods you serve? Perhaps you’d like food photos for a website, blog or menu? If so, I’d love to discuss the possibilities with you!

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Ottawa Family Photographer :: The Walsh Family

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When JoAnne contacted me a few weeks back, I know it was with a heavy heart. Her email explained that their family had a dog who was suffering from some health complications and that they weren’t sure how much longer they had with her. What touched me most was that they wanted this family photo session to happen so that they could document their time with Lucy, since they knew that there was a possibility that she would not be around long. So we booked the session and I anxiously anticipated meeting them!

Last Sunday, the 6 of us and Lucy, the white Boxer, met down at the Arboretum and Ornamental Gardens here in Ottawa for our session. We spent some time walking the grounds and enjoyed the GORGEOUS weather we’ve been having. The kids were wonderful and fun, the moments were perfect, Lucy was sweet and very well behaved – we really couldn’t have asked for a better day. On my way home, as always, I was feeling very grateful that this family had contacted me for this. With two dogs of my own that I love dearly, I am always especially touched when someone decides to include their pets in their family session. In this case, even more so knowing that Lucy’s health was declining and that these photos would mean so much to this family.

On Monday morning, the day after our session, I received an email from JoAnne thanking me so much for the session….and letting me know that Lucy had passed. I was shocked. As I sat in my car preparing to meet a friend for lunch that day, I got tears in my eyes as soon as I read it. Less than 24 hours and Lucy was gone. It was almost like she waited. Her health held on long enough to give her family the gift of these precious memories. Gosh…my eyes even well up with tears as I type this. Because it’s stories like this that remind me why I do what I do. They reinforce how truly valuable our time together is with the people and animals that we love. I’m certain that I will never forget the story of Lucy and her family and how fate made it all happen when it did. Lucy was such a lucky dog to have owners who loved her so much. And what a lucky family to have a dog who left them with such a valuable gift.

Thank you so very much Walsh family for choosing me to capture this for you. Big hugs to all of you as you deal with the loss of your sweet dog. xo

If this blog post receives 15 unique comments (that’s 15 comments from 15 different people!), the Walsh family will earn a little surprise when they place their order!!! So please do these wonderful people a favor, scroll to the bottom of this post and leave them some love in the comment section below!

 

Ottawa Pet and Family Photographer, Danielle Lynn Photography, is currently booking lifestyle photo sessions for spring! Please contact me today to secure your very own appointment!

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What I’m Loving Wednesday ~ Week Three

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This week has been a little calmer for me. Which is great. It’s March Break and I’ve got two kids home from school who demand quite a bit of my attention. ;) I’ve been very fortunate though in that my husband has been able to take a bit of time off. So we’ve spent our down time playing Monopoly Junior, visiting Grandma and Grandpa and watching movies. A pretty great week if I do say so myself!

Here are some of my faves this week:

1) Now those who know me know that I am a VERY loyal coffee drinker. But recently a friend piqued my interest on the wonderful world and HUGE varieties of David’s Tea – and I’m hooked! So many lovely flavours to choose from, and an equally awesome assortment of teapots, mugs and accessories to drink your tea in style! I fell IN LOVE with this little teapot and mug set. I bought it it blue…but I’m SO going back for the coral!

* Just one note about David’s Tea – I was recently made aware from another friend that many of their teas contain artificial flavours. If this is something you’d prefer not to have, check their website before making your tea buying decisions!

 

2) Downton Abbey paper dolls!!! I’m sorry to have to mention this show two weeks in a row but this was just too darn funny not to. ;) I died with laughter at the Countess’ “expressions” below. Anyone who’s seen the show can appreciate how funny these are. You can find them to download and print here!!!

 

3) Fossil Bags! This week I finally got a new bag. I’ve always loved Fossil bags but have never been able to justify the cost. Well……my birthday is Friday. So I bought this lovely one and I’m just so happy with it. :)

 

4) ReStyle Shop’s Prints on Etsy! I bought this photography themed print a couple of months back and I absolutely love it. I was going through some things yesterday and realized that I’ve yet to frame it and find a space for it in my home! LOVE the style of this art. I want one of each!

 

5) The Right Brained Business Plan book (available at Chapters). This is for all of my artist friends. I know I am not alone in my hatred for numbers and all things dry and boring when it comes to business. This book is FABULOUS! Definitely worth the read if you serious about planning your business. You can even download the work sheets for free from the website!

 

6) ONE more from my boyfriend Michael Franti. ;) I promise, you’ll be glad you watched this video. One of his most moving songs and videos ever. :)

 

What are you loving this week? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below! :)


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Ottawa Headshots :: Kelly from The Gouda Life!

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Okay…I can’t even type ‘The Gouda Life‘ without feeling SERIOUSLY hungry. If you aren’t familiar with Kelly or her sinfully delicious food blog, do yourself (and your waistline) a favor, drop everything and GO. I’ll wait right here until you get back………………

……………………It’s pure, delicious naughtiness isn’t it?! ;)

Yesterday I blogged about Kelly’s sister Laura’s headshots and today I wanted to share with you the lovely images of Kelly. You see, the thing about both of these sessions was that I actually felt as though they were images that I would want of myself. Maybe it’s because Laura, Kelly and I are of similar ages, and have similar interests (I pretty much live for food and photography – hello!) – but I genuinely enjoyed everything about this session from the shooting right down to seeing the finished product! So I sincerely hope you like them as much as I do ladies. Otherwise I have a good mind to Photoshop my own head on to them and use them for myself. <insert evil laugh here> ;)

Another huge thanks to the folks at Pressed for letting us use their cafe for the photos! The vintage, homey feel to their restaurant definitely added to the warmth and comfort of these images. Now I just have to find another excuse to bring my camera in here. More headshots at Pressed anyone?! ;)

Thanks so much for allowing me the pleasure of photographing you Kelly! I can’t wait to see how you use the images on your blog!

If you are an Ottawa area blogger, entrepreneur or artist who is looking for a professional set of non-traditional, lifestyle headshot images like these, I’d love to hear from you! I specialize in telling the stories of the individuals I photograph and creating a set of photos that are authentic, fun and uniquely you! For more info about my signature headshot sessions, please click here!

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