our state | tiffany hill b&b

How lovely to arrive at Bed & Breakfast on Tiffany Hill after the hustle and bustle of a freelance photographer’s life!  Maria and I thankfully drove along the treed country roads and then up the driveway to this peaceful haven near Asheville, NC.  Of course, we were there to photograph for Our State magazine, but Selena Einwechter, the gracious innkeeper gives everyone the star treatment!

We were ushered to our beautiful rooms and shown all the wonderful amenities:  Keurig coffee maker outside the rooms, lots of yummy snacks, homemade peach tea and anything you could need really.  We unpacked our equipment and were able to spend some time planning for our shoot.  It is a luxury to have some time before shooting!

Selena is so warm and friendly and her goal is for each guest to have a peaceful and wonderful stay.  There are porch rockers, a quaint fenced herb garden and a wooded trail with little nooks to sit and read or just soak in the ambience.   The pineapple  has long been a symbol of hospitality and you’ll find that this bed and breakfast to be a fine example!

We were excited to have the cover of Our State this month!  Hope you enjoy seeing a little more of Tiffany Hill . . .

our state | christmas at the biltmore II

The Biltmore Estate is beautiful any time of year but they certainly do put on a grand show at Christmastime!  Here are a few more of my favorites from the shoot.  The only behind the scenes photo I took was the one of Maria & LeeAnn waiting on me outside by the lights . . .

our state | christmas at the biltmore I

Excited to have another cover of Our State magazine & a 20 page story on the Biltmore at Christmas!  Maria and I loved every minute of photographing at the Biltmore during the holidays – the trees and the lights were magnificent!  Thank you to LeeAnn Donnelly, the senior public relations manager, who hosted us for our Biltmore shoot!  Check back this week for more images from this shoot and a feature on an amazing collector of Spode china.

for the love of | cousins

After seeing the pear orchard near Fenwick, Ontario I was longing to do a little shoot there amongst the striking red leaves and greenish yellow pears.  My cousin Sylvia volunteered to be my model and she even had a retro red bike.  We had lots of fun running around the orchard – I even forgot to ask permission but no one seemed to mind.  .  . I have been encouraging Sylvia to do some modeling – she is so naturally beautiful, don’t you think?

more canada | firsts after 40 | bagpipes

We were thrilled to shoot another story for the “Firsts after Forty” feature in MORE Canada’s October issue.  Anne McKenzie dreamed of playing the bagpipes while on a memorable trip to Scotland and now she is pursuing her dream.  Check out the magazine for more of her inspiring story!  See the story below plus a few other favorites from the shoot.  Also, I was a featured contributor this month – thanks to Melanie Litchfield of Whitebox Weddings for the lovely portrait that has been published over and over!

more canada | firsts after 40 | cycling

This summer I had the amazing opporunity to shoot the Firsts After Forty grand prize winner in beautiful New Brunswick, Canada for MORE Canada magazine!  Julie Hébert lost her leg as a young woman but when her husband Simon suggested she try cycling she was game to try.  Julie won MORE’s contest and is now inspiring all women to pursue their dreams at any age no matter what obstacles they face.  My assistand Maria and I fell in love with Julie’s sweet and vivacious spirt and the beauty that surrounds her on the coast of New Brunswick.  A big thank you to our fantastic make up artist Sarah-Jane Britton and we look forward to working with her again!

My vizsla Simon came along for the ride to the Maritimes so we thought it was funny to take a photo of the two Simons . . .

canadian gardening | cherry blossoms

It’s cherry week!  Aren’t they divine?  I have loved them since I was a child, eating whole baskets with my Dad.  They stained our hands and mouths crimson but we couldn’t stop eating them!   I think the most amazing thing I have done with cherries is to roast them in the oven with lemon zest and a little sugar – I can’t even describe the intense scrumptious flavour that erupts in your mouth!

Over the last year I have had some amazing photo assignments that allowed me to photograph both blossoms and fresh cherries in season.  Hope you enjoy!

My dream to see cherry blossoms in the spring was finally fulfilled when I photographed at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens for Canadian Gardening.  To make the day even more special, my mother came with me to the fairyland of pink and white fluffy blossoms.  This story ran in the spring for Canadian Gardening and I’ve included a few other favorites from that day. . .

canadian gardening | portraits of erin mclaughlin

Some people are very photogenic and Erin McLaughlin, editor of both Style at Home and Canadian Gardening, is a prime example.  She is so natural in front of the camera and joy to photograph.  With the amazingly talented and super nice Jackie Shawn along to do makeup, my job was so easy . . .

garden & gun | capitol’s living wall

Another great assignment from Garden & Gun magazine!  Everything about this job was pleasing to the eye.  My subjects:  the lovely Laura Vinroot Poole, owner of the stunning couture boutique Capitol, and her talented architect husband, Perry Poole.  The backdrop:  the amazing vertical garden wall by famed botanist Patrick Blanc  in the middle courtyard of Capitol.   I was thrilled when I spotted a turquoise tête á tête inside Capitol!  I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

We were pleased to have the opening photo of Garden & Gun’s “Talk of the South” section – see more photos at Garden & Gun.  Below I have included the article and then a few of my favorites from the shoot.  Hope you enjoy!