Family Portraits They Can Be Fun

As i grew up the idea of getting our family portrait "done" loomed over us every few years
and honestly I don't know why people have such an aversion to them. Certainly in my day, it was such a formal event but here we are now in 2018 and the style of family portraits has definitely changed .
Clothing and photo styles? Funky clothing,unusual locations and less formal studio setups,more relaxed "poses",bringing in our wild and crazy pets ( a must in my opinion) but most importantly the "feeling of connecting" with real expression.

Recently the Mayor Lyn Hall and his wife Lorrelle and daughters and beau  along with Arlo the adorable mini Aussie (who stole the show). We were doing a formal Portrait for the Mayoral B&W Ball,  but the for the family, we wanted a lighter side so these are some of the ones we created for them.

                                                                               

Maybe its your first family photo shoot or its been a few years,let us help make it a fun process as we know how to make it enjoyable.

Exist in your photos as waiting to be the "exact" person you want to be can go on for years and your families will change and sometimes it just doesn't get done.

Give us a call and let's talk at least about it and start booking a date and soon you  will be looking at your proofs ordering the images for your home and sitting back and looking at them over and over saying " I am so happy we finally got it together and had them taken, it was alot of fun to do , what were we so afraid of?"

Last Session of the Year

  

Can I say that Family Photo Sessions are my favorite to do? Yup Guess I can when I am the one writing the Blog right?! It may be stressful getting everyone together and over the holidays it seems nearly impossible that it will happen but when your family is only together during the holidays it becomes the Gift you give yourself that means the most. 

Thank you to this family who I have worked with over the years since boys came on the scene 18 years ago and their little sister a few years later. We wanted an outdoor session with everyone in the family which means the family dogs who both were super. 

Happy New Year Everyone. Thank you for making me your Professional Photographer to photograph the events in your life that are precious to you. 

Maybe next year you will consider asking us to do the same for you .

5100 Instagram Post

Tonight I am posting my 5100 Instagram photo and I saved this image for that very Post.
These are some of the people who have supported me by making me "their" photographer over this year and several more than once. I have to say a heartfelt thank you to each of them ( and to other yes so please forgive me as i only had a 9 block to fill). You are the reason I am still in business and honestly if it weren't for people like you who hire professional photographers we would not be able to stay in business.Thank you for recognizing how valuable YOU are to Hire a Professional. I am delighted to be in this community as a photographer for 27 years. If I haven't seen you yet,give me a call as I don't think it will be another 27 years !

Summer Time and Family Time

Family Time.Catching the moments we so take for granted.This is what I want to give you back in our family sessions which include a book and a print. Call us and we will go over the details.Just loved working with this family. I have photographed them as their daughters were born .Their youngest was still cruising so catching her holding onto her great grandmother's bureau in her parents bedroom was so precious.Celebrating her Birthday within a few days of the session was also important hence the balloon. The closeness of the family is evident without seeing all their faces.These are the raw files meaning I haven't removed the stool in the family pic!Had a lovey morning doing this session so thanks all of you.

A New Year...The New Adventure Continues Jan 2016

Well our year has begun with a change of location within the walls of our space at 1127 3rd Ave.
Melanie Desjardines is coming upstairs with GROOP GALLERY and I am taking my studio -Philomena Hughes Photography downstairs.
We are always open by a simple phone call but won't be reopening our doors until April 1st ( kind of a play on the fact it will be April Fool's Day and not a joke that we will be open).

Both of us have many endeavors coming up that we are a part of.
TANGLED .. on Feb 5th Tickets are going quickly so cash only at Nancy O's $15 each.
( see you there ps it is my birthday that day too!!)

Feb 13th we will both be at 11 am - 5pm
Northern Lights Estate Winery 
 Northern Lights Winter Wine Festival 

Northern Lights Estate Winery would like to welcome you to a new event that will take place during the “Prince George Winter Festival”.  “The Northern Lights Winter Wine Festival” will be Saturday February 13th, 2016 from 11 am to 5 pm.
This will be our 1st Mulled Wine Contest with Teams participating from The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group, Ohh Chocolate and The City of Prince George just to name a few.  The mulled wine event is a ticketed event costing $20.00  with two time periods to choose, either 12-2 or 2-4, with partial proceeds going to the Railway Museum.
White Goose Bistro will be onsite as well as seven of Prince George’s well known Artisan’s selling their products during the day.

Tickets will be on Sale Feb 2nd at Northern Lights Estate Winery, Ohh Chocolate and the Railway Museum.

Please call 250-564-1112 for more information.

HOPE WE SEE YOU AT ONE OR BOTH OF THESE EVENTS!!

Give the Gift She/He Really Wants in a GIFT CERTIFICATE

The Festival of Trees...and Studio Fair always are the signs of Christmas in the air for me..but truly we have been working on our Christmas gifts for our clients since August as we have to photograph it first and then work on the orders to have them ready for your Christmas. So if you haven't had that chance you can still ask us to be apart of your Christmas by pre purchasing your Gift Certificate and then let's book you in for your 2015 Session.It can be a updated family session,Glamour ( bring your beautiful outfits/dresses etc) and maybe your daughter/mother for one of these popular sessions.
A Maternity session or Grad Session or a Boudoir Session ( exclusively designed studio for these particularly sessions)  ALL SESSIONS are $385 which include hair ,makeup and photo session.And we also include a second session for you to either share with a friend or use your self in the same year. Yup, hair makeup and photo shoot included.  Merry Christmas.

PS We donated to the SPCA Festival of Trees Tree..for their pet portrait!! Can't wait to meet who that will be !!

My Mother

 

What Does MOTHER mean to you?

I am so so lucky to have my Mother still number one.I know that is not the case of many of my friends and many of you so believe me I do NOT take it for granted. I do know that we only have today. My Mom has just moved back to Prince George after living in Chemainus for  the past 20 years. People say that they don't understand To PG after moving to the Island.  We know why,  Mom came to Canada in the late 50s and settled here in Prince George.Then  she met my Dad and raised a family here for 40 years.It is as she says like "coming home" now. She experiences a lot of firsts in her life now, including purchasing  her first condo.She absolutely has modeled for me a woman who has taken what life has given her. Mom has decided that she is going to make the best of the situations and make life count.She challenges herself and has expanded the number of people in her life .WE are her family.WE love her and she in turn loves and shows her love for all of us.She has shown us how to be a Mother and to each of us here who are mothers in one form or another ( cause I think mothering is interactive love of others ),THANK YOU Mom from all of us.You mean EVERYTHING to me and to so many many others.

Young and Old....Sisters forever

I have to tell you that yesterday's session was a really lovely opportunity to photograph Sisters..at different stages of life.Jaylene  one of the co-owners of Chinook Yoga ( where I go for Yoga in PG ) brought her Mom and Aunt over for a photo session and her 3 gorgeous daughters and their family Dog Kodi. It was a chance for them to see their Grandma in a "new light",one where she radiated beside her sister. We did lots of pics with the girls both the young ones and the more "mature" ones. Jane is seated and beside her is her sister Mary ( Jaylene's Mom).They immigrated to Canada over 50 years ago and though one lives here in PG and the other in Victoria they are extremely close to each other.You can see the love they have for each other. Now the granddaughters of Mary had lots of energy in the beginning but as the afternoon went on they came to the end of it..which really makes the bottom image great as they quickly went into a position they found themselves and I just refined it a bit.And look at Kodi he is an older dog..but as Jaylene said he looks 3!! See even dogs love us! Thanks for coming out and being such great people to work with.
Hair and Makeup for Mary  and Jane was by Christina at Razors Edge and Makeup with Theresa also at Razor's Edge ...who have moved to their new location behind Starbucks and the Bank of Montreal on 15th and Central. Great job Christina and Theresa as always!!

Welcome Back

Diane came back to us with her family after a number of  years since her last session and alot of changes in their family . She looked even more radiant and that was probably because of her grandchildren.. You can see how gorgeous they are.

 Thanks so much to those that hired our studio and brought us back together again quite by serendipity.

For our past clients we sure would love to see you again too!

Hair and Makeup done by Razor's Edge.Beautiful job.

Women Graduates.University of Northern B.C.

So Congratulations to all the grads in PG..either high school college or like the gals here University

It was a pleasure working with each of you and hearing your stories of hard work and perseverance.
May you all know how beautiful you are and how very proud so many people are of you.Thank you for
choosing our studio to make these images for you.               

!!

Happy Mother's Day

Mother and Daughters relationships

are one of our most popular sessions these days which have been even more pleasure since we

introduced the hair and makeup included in our sessions.Double hair and makeup that is.So when Rebecca purchased a session with us she couldn't wait till her Mom came . Mom doesn't live in town so it was a really great chance for them to spend time together being pampered and coming for their session. If you want to have a session with your Mom you don't have to wait till next Mother's Day.Start planning it now and make any day Mother's Day...as the best time to do something is Now. Happy Mother's Day everyone. 

Celebrating 5 Generations of Love

 

Five Generations came together today and how beautiful it was to see all these strong women together.They truly radiated in the room.Little Marlee has strong wonderful role models in her life.My friend Lana is the lady on the bottom left and over the years I've met her grandchildren Sarah and Jess here and daughter Candy.Jean I only met today but I felt like I had known her a long time.For Marla it was a busy day with her first photo shoot and baby shower to follow.Hair and makeup for Lana,Jess and Candy was done by Razors Edge.

Grad Season is Here A video.

My clients who are coming to me year after year I so appreciate  but have to say this family is one that has come EVERY YEAR ( ok save one!) and now this year their twin daughters are graduating. Both girls had gorgeous dresses for this event so I wanted people to "feel" what it was like to come a professional session..
Mom saw it for the first time today. Yes there were tears ..for both of us.
.Let me know what you think after you've seen this.Either here or on my FACEBOOK PAGE...Philomena Hughes Portrait Design page. Thanks to each one of you in this video..Andrew for making it.Shine Megan and Jackie for the hair and makeup sessions.

Spring Has Sprung Studio Tour 2414 McBride Cres THURSDAY APRIL 11TH,2013

Hard to believe it is SPRING..but we are going full steam ahead and celebrating regardless with our event.
So if you have received an invitation to our Studio Tour we look forward to meeting you all and sharing our fabulous businesses with you ( and give you the chance to win some wonderful prizes!)

If you have 2 friends and want to come terrific you are welcome ( sorry no photographers please!)

Starts right at 5pm and every 15 min we have one of these gals talking and giving away something so don't miss out and come for the entire time and someone is going to also win a PHOTO SHOOT !!!!

Happy Holidays..family portrait session with a twist

With families gathering for the holidays we often go on location in and outdoors for sessions

and this past weekend we were at the university to photograph 20 people 10 under the age of  5!

They were marvelous.We did this as a fun one on the steps. Happy Holidays to all our clients

of  past present and of course the future ones too!!

Weightwatchers Draw Today Bringings Double the Joy

Oh what a wonderful way to start the day .
Once again we gave a full makeup and hair makeover  plus boudoir session with
Philomena Hughes Photography . Jody at Craze Salon will be the makeup and hair artist.
 The winner was Sandra!! Her Mom was absolutely THRILLED...and screamed when she heard her daughter's name called.Paddy did the draw at the  Saturday morning  Weight Watcher meeting ( the one I regularly attend) and received hugs from both her Mom ( upper right pic), me ( bottom left) and the previous winner (bottom right) from last year.Fern knows how much Sandra will love her experience.We will be doing the session the first week of January. After they both told me separately that they wished were hoping that the other would win it.The icing on the cake is that Kathy is one of my swimming buddies so it just makes me smile ( alot all day so far!). I know Kathy feels she has won just because Sandra did.
I love the expressions on those around Sandra and Kathy too! Thanks everyone.Next year we are opening it to all members of WW  here in PG at the 1st & Tabor location..Details will be announced at all the meetings in 2013.!! Congrats again Sandra!

Children Grow Up..but our Memories Linger

 When the mother of these children hired me  years ago to photograph her family and her Mom who was visiting.. I always want to take the session beyond what I am asked for by looking for the tender moments that sometimes we take for granted and seeing where it takes us.We asked to them to  sit there at their tree-house. The little girl was protective of her little brother.  He had a stone that he didn't want to let go of .I asked her to stay close and if she could give him a kiss and this is what happened.
I love the  colours.I really love  their curled toes and though we do not see their faces enough information is visible.
What is not "visible" is what we feel when looking at it. And that is what makes it so memorable.That is a "successful" image.Not the awards it wins ( which it did) but the feeling it gives us.
 Flash forward to this year 15 years later and now the  sister is leaving her little brother to live in Australia.
Their father asked if we could make some images before she left. I've never forgotten this image from years ago and near the end of our session  suggested we try to working with it..The emotions were there, knowing that everything would be  changing soon for them, nearly as much as they had since this image was taken I took the kids to my studio garden where I asked him to choose a stone to hold .These were fake stones with a words engraved on them.. The choice was  Integrity or Endurance.He chose Endurance.That spoke volumes to me.
The last image is one of my favorites...as it represents the reverse role..of he being protective of her but the kids preferred the happier look,so you choose and send me a note about your thoughts below on the comments.!  Thanks again for asking me to come into your lives again..and I look forward to our next meeting.

GrandPa and Granddaughter

Proud Grandpa and his Granddaughter who stayed awake a long time...not wanting to miss anything.This was a newborn session with Mom Dad and GrandMom too.She was under 2 weeks old but very very alert!

Any Day Now.

Oh I LOVE Boudoir and double that when it is for a new Momma to be.
This was such a beautiful session that we did for our Bridal Winner from Storybook Wedding Show back in

January. She looked radiant as you can see.Thanks so much to Renata at La Tienda who did her hair in this very 50s ish style and to Crystal of Blessings Studio who did the makeup.Both ladies put their talents in with us to give a wonderful experience which she just can not say enough positive things about.She said "everyone should do it , even my Mom!!" Hear that Mom ...or soon Grand Mom (for the 3rd time!) I think that would be super!!  And we are super excited because in a couple weeks we will be seeing her back again with her little bundle of joy!!Our Winner's Boudoir Sessionhttps://www.facebook.com/crystal.desharnais.9?ref=ts&fref=ts

Newborn Week!!

Baby Arianna

Maybe it is because I do so many boudoir sessions ( someone
said to me) but I have been also doing as many ( not quite)
newborn/baby sessions!! But that isn't always true - right??

Just thought I'd share this pic that  Amy's husband John took
for me on my NIKON D300 at the end our newborn session.
We were all exhausted...except Arianna this past week.
My excuse: it was one of 3 newborn sessions this week!!

Thanks John and Amy and yes you too Arianna!You were
fun to work with.