While reading business books, researching the internet for any information to help me along, and listening to other people who have businesses that I admire, I hear the same thing over and over again.  Do what you love!

Ever felt like that was an open ended statement?!  What you love!  I love a lot of things, seriously, I do!  How am I supposed to ‘Do what I love’, when there are so many things that catch my attention?

But one thing I’ve noticed when it comes to photography, is I love to shoot details.  But not just details, shoes especially!  Seriously, a pair of shoes can speak so much about a person’s personality, how they are feeling that day, where they they are going, or what kind of image they are trying to portray.

Here is just a few pairs of captured…and I love every single pair!

I have to get my wisdom teeth removed next month so I made an appointment with my orthodontist last week to meet him and get a better understanding of the procedure.  When I arrived they sat me down in the lounge with a patient questionnaire for me to fill out.  I quickly read through it and had a mini anxiety attack I think.  My breathing got a little heavier and faster.

I had to answer questions like:

• Last Name: …what is my last name?!  Having just gotten married I haven’t officially changed my name over, but, I did say I was going to take Adam’s last name. Since it was a medical form, do I say Tetlow, or Stefanski?  I didn’t know what to put down so my heart started beating a little heavier. I wrote down Stefanski since I figured I’d be coming back to the office and would eventually be using that name…but then I confused the assistant when she looked up my benifits package and she saw Tetlow.  I guess I should have just stuck with Tetlow.
• Employer: Ack!  I work for myself…and have never really said it before.  Faster my heart went…I’m self employed!
• Occupation: Photographer right?  I take pictures of people and that is what I do for work…so photographer…yes photographer.

I haven’t really had to answer any questions like that all summer, and considering the changes that have happened and getting all the questions at once, it was a little overwhelming.  But I’m happy to say:

I’m married to an amazing and fabulous man, and I’m excited to take his name…it’s quite an honour to be offered an opportunity to take on one’s name.  I don’t take it lightly.

I’m self employed and I love the opportunities, joy, and freedom it gives me.

I’m a Photographer, and a professional one, thank you very much! 🙂

Here is a photo from my office window when the sun was going down and the sky just looked amazing!  And the other photo is from a walk around Vancouver with a new friend.

Every once in awhile (like every week) you need to take some time to yourself and just be.  And lately I’ve been doing just that and have been loving every moment of it.  I’ve been reading, cooking, sitting and meditating, taking pictures for pleasure, and often staring out the windows towards the North Shore mountains.

I’ve found recently that taking photos for pleasure and taking the time to really think about what I’m putting the lens in front of is helping me grow with my photography skills that I feel like I hardly ever put the camera down anymore.  I love the feeling of thinking and clicking instead of clicking then thinking…if you understand what I mean.

So combining taking time for myself through cooking and taking photos I sometimes really like what I come up with.  Adam has been working some late nights making sure his project is top notch so I am usually making dinners for one.  At first it was a challenge but now I really enjoy making stuff up and it doesn’t matter if it tastes bad cause I have no one to impress with it.

This is what I made a few days ago, and I have to say it was DELICIOUS!  It’s a plum, feta cheese, and raspberry wrap!

I have some things that I want to tell you all about in the coming weeks so stay tuned for some maternity, newborn, and children photography!

This has been in the works for quite some time now. After getting everything together, budgeting, shopping for the perfect frames, sourcing a printer, and dealing with print issues it’s finally up!

It went from this.

To this.

To THIS!

So come and visit Vive Clothing in Port Moody!

I selected some of my favorite images, but working with such a small space (actually it’s not that small) and having so many favorites that I think picking out the photos took the most time!  Thank you to everyone for making this happen….which is you!  My wonderful and awesome clients!