funny face photography by sandra austin: Blog

A ruby anniversary

Sun, 26 Oct 2014 04:02:46 GMT

It was an honour to have been asked to join this family at a nearby park to capture some images to commemorate their parents' 40th wedding anniversary. Coordinating schedules, out of town travel, outfits, and collectively crossing fingers that the rain would hold off was no small feat for this crew. In the end, I think it paid off. We got to spend some time in the gorgeous fall colours, and I had the privilege of trying to catch a little monkey who apparently has a reputation of appearing as a cute blur of motion in most family photos. Who could ask for a better way to spend a morning?

Enjoy!

The amazing blur…frozen in time!

Catch me if you can!

Such an amazing bond between families…brother and sister…father and son.

Two months new. Pure perfection.

Ah, there's the blur! In this particular photo, it works. It gives you the sense that all of his energy is being channelled into covering his mom in those leaves.

Wow, 40 years…what an accomplishment! They imparted some words of wisdom: the first 25 years are the hardest!! So there you have it. Congratulations to you and your beautiful family. Cheers!

Fall is in the air!

Mon, 06 Oct 2014 03:16:02 GMT

Happy Fall!!! Autumn is absolutely my favourite season. I love the crisp, clean air, simultaneously wearing sweaters and sandals, getting back to business after a carefree summer, and of course, the gorgeous colours as the tree canopy transitions from one season to the next. In southern Ontario, we're just starting to see the leaves change to vibrant oranges, reds and yellows. That's our natural cue that the fall family portrait season is about to begin!

Many thanks to this family for inviting me to capture these images today. Enjoy this sneak peek!!

Brotherly love!

Showing off some serious superhero moves...

So much intelligence in those eyes...

Good Day, Sunshine! Sibling Session

Wed, 13 Aug 2014 19:35:46 GMT

Well, apparently it has been some time since my last post… Summer has been busy, busy, *busy*!! My grandmother always used to say that the older you get, the faster time passes. I've come to understand the truth in those words. I hope to go back and post some favourites from various summer sessions, but in the meantime, I'm using my daughter's nap time to edit images of these easy going, free-spirited sisters. They were certainly up for the adventure when I asked them to scale rocks and jump through creeks during our session --- what better way to spend a sunny summer morning?

They are athletic dancers, obviously!

Such a kindhearted big sister!

Love this fiery redhead!

Thanks for a great session, girls!

Terrific twos!!

Wed, 25 Jun 2014 01:26:35 GMT

Ahhhhhh, the Terrific Twos!!!! For parents, somewhere between 18 months and three years of age, we all revel in the joy of our children discovering their new found independence. Our cherished little ones begin to have their own opinions about the clothes that they wear, the food that they eat, and the relative level of cooperation they are willing to give on any given day! On this gloriously sunny morning at Whitby's Cullen Park, big brother Kade was all smiles, while Beckett (don't you just *love* their names?!?!) took just a little longer to warm up.

You still may be surprised though, by what we can pull off with just a little bit of patience… I just love this family and can't wait to see them again soon!

Waterfront engagement session - sneak peaks!

Tue, 17 Jun 2014 20:53:38 GMT

It has been a busy few weeks (both personally and professionally) here at Funny Face Photography, and this couple has been *uber* patient as they await their engagement session pics. The Whitby waterfront just before sunset provided some spectacular light, but this bride & groom-to-be were really the stars of the show. They arrived with professionally styled hair and full make up, wardrobe changes, took posing direction like rock stars, and are clearly very much in love... this is how it's done!! Personally, I had a really hard time choosing a couple of favourites for this sneak peak (more to be featured on the website galleries soon).

In addition to getting the couple (well, okay, the groom) "warmed up" to the idea of spending an hour having photographs taken on the big day, engagement portraits can be used as decor at pre-wedding parties, on shower gift thank you cards, and in slide shows / storyboards at the wedding itself. I'm so looking forward to being a part of the big celebration this fall!

headshots, headshots, headshots!

Mon, 02 Jun 2014 03:07:49 GMT

Three chiropractors, three registered massage therapists, three chiropractic assistants and one homeopath, oh my! Dr. Dianne Randall at the Whitby Chiropractic Wellness Centre is one of my favourite repeat clients. She has been with me since I started doing commercial photography a few years ago, and has helped to keep me in optimum health since before the birth of my first baby. Our photo sessions (much like my chiropractic adjustments) are always fun! On one hot, hot afternoon in May, we took advantage of all of the clinic's practitioners being in the same place at the same time, and braved the mid-day sun to capture some updated headshots.

We were going for a natural feel that incorporated some of the local landscape. Here's a quick look at some of my favourites:

Dr. Dianne Randall, BSc., DC., FICPA

Dr. Leanne Bruni, B.A.(Hons), D.C.

Dr. Kelly Caverly, B.H.K.(Hons), D.C.

Sarah Power-Smith, RMT

Duncan Ashworth, RMT

Lois Bridgeman, RMT

Chennelle

Sandi

Katherine

The most amazing team of chiropractic assistants!

Liz Ball BSc. DC. DS Hom Med.

The Whitby Chiropractic family!

What do your headshots say about your corporate culture? To discuss how we can create a cohesive set of images that gives prospective clients an idea of what your company is all about, please get in touch!

No time like the present!

Thu, 29 May 2014 04:08:49 GMT

It's true… I've been dragging my feet for a long while over adding a blog to the Funny Face website. In an ideal world, the visual aspect of photography - the work - should speak for itself, without the added verbiage. There's also some self-imposed pressure to keep on top of the multitude of media, including this website, a Facebook page, Pinterest, and the odd tweet here or there. However, there's so much more to the story behind our photographs. A story that often begs to be told. Here I will offer a little more insight into the 'behind the scenes' view of various photo sessions. You can decide whether the words are worth reading, or you just want to scroll through some pretty pictures. Either way, enjoy!

Recently I had the pleasure of capturing images for this sweet girl's upcoming first birthday. Her mommy & I headed down to the beach on an overcast day (a photographer's dream), but it was humid, and there were swarms of annoying little black 'midges' all along the shore. We were prepared with a few props, including some birthday balloons, and a quintessentially Canadian, kid-sized Muskoka chair. The birthday girl was much more interested in the rocks and the sand between her toes than smiling on cue for the camera, but that's the beauty. I'm thrilled that we captured her beautiful, squinty-face smile, but also the small moments in between.

Happy first birthday, Reese!