About Me

Hello and welcome to my photo blog. I am Karen McKinnon, a Vancouver Island based photographer - a gal fortunate to be living my passion. The blog is where you can see recent sessions, keep in touch with what is new around here (and I promise you it is never dull) and get a better sense of who I am, what I love and how I show it. 

Thanks for visiting. Please leave a comment and let me know you were here - it really does make me smile! 

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October 12, 2009 // my life / portraits
The 9th to the 18th, that is birthday week in our hood, add Thanksgiving, and Halloween and is a brace yourself and go month. It is also a lovely month.

My darling niece Elishka turned 9 this week, which is hard for me to believe, because the first moment I held her is perfectly etched into my mind, as is the nights I spent babysitting her, running the washroom water because I thought it calmed her tears.
 
Today, Rowan turned 11. She is the same person she was yesterday, yet that jump from 10 to 11, kind of makes me look at her different.
Either way, she is just as stunning, unique and brilliant!

Happy Birthday wonderful Rowan.
(Just to clarify, the kids only get a birthDAY, birthdayWEEK is only for grownups. Especially because we have two, yes TWO, more birthdays to celebrate this week.)

rowan.jpg

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nicky:

Wow Rowan you sure have grown up, what a beautiful picture I bet grandma Sandi is so proud.

(10.12.09 @ 07:06 PM)
Keltie:

Happy Birthday Rowan!

Have fun birthday celebrations this week Karen!!!

(10.13.09 @ 10:49 AM)
Darcie Brown:

Happy Birthday Rowan! I hope you got a HUGE piece of cake. :-)

(10.13.09 @ 01:14 PM)
Jennifer Dodd:

Happy Birthday Rowan! Could you look any more grown up in that picture? Beautiful!!!

(10.13.09 @ 04:42 PM)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Birthday Week . TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.mckinnonblog.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/35
Generally, I am a pretty nice person, I am also incredibly impatient - brutally so, I am the gal that can barely contain a birthday surprise for friend. However, today I  am being a bit of a tease, and making the assumption the Sagadore's like a surprise, and am holding back their family photos (which I love,) and drawing out the anticipation.

Often when I am out with a family I try to get a breakdown of just mom and dad, and I love the emotion in this shot.

Sagadore041tw.jpgand of course the lovely, totally adorable boys

Sagadore056tw.jpg


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Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Sagadore's - Courtenay Family Photographer . TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.mckinnonblog.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/32
Adversity comes with gifts. Sometimes you can't see them right away, and other times they are right beside you helping you stand up.
One of the greatest things about my life is the amazing people, the list is endless.
When Maggie was diagnosed with Leukemia, John had just started working with the Petty Family. I had known the Petty family for a few years as clients, and as we had some mutual friends, but John was new to them. When our family hit this hard time, the Petty's were there,like we had been friends for years.
That is just how they roll.

Seeing the images of their beautiful family chocked me up a bit and are you kidding me Lisa, how do you look so stunning and handle those five boys?
petty011tw.jpg


 



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Amanda O'Brennan:

Gorgeous family, setting, and photograph!

(10.08.09 @ 11:55 AM)
corrie:

John ... you look so GQ and Lisa wow... you're gorgeous I like your bangs :) No wonder those boys are so handsome! You guys are such a sweet family! Karen....nice work! You are so talented !

(10.08.09 @ 03:39 PM)
mtaylor5716@hotmail.com:

Beautiful Family.

(12.29.09 @ 03:58 PM)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Petty Family Courtenay Family Photographer . TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.mckinnonblog.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/31
October 5, 2009 // portraits
This is the time of year where I find myself out and about with families. I also find myself and new fantastic locations - thanks to families like the Stowe's, who share some of their special places- it's a perk of my job!

Thanks Stowe's. You are an amazing, intriguing, beautiful and memorable family and being with you in that beautiful place was a pure delight.

Here are two of my favorites of the family.

stowe022tw.jpg

stowe005tw.jpg



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Debbee Smith:

WOW what amazing photographs they look like they should be in a magazine. What a wonderful and special day. Thank you Steph and Jessea for sharing such precious moments with me. Love you both Always. Debb xoxoxox

(10.06.09 @ 10:53 AM)
Janet:

Karen, I can't tell you how proud I feel to see our family together. We are a family of 5, hooray!! We will be plastering our home walls with all our family photos. Much appreciation for hanging in there with us and the littles to get these pictures. Warmly, Janet

(10.06.09 @ 01:46 PM)
Karen McKinnon :

Janet - you give me goosebumps!

(10.07.09 @ 02:34 PM)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Family Time . TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.mckinnonblog.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/30
October 2, 2009 // wedding
I believe that life is in the details, the little things, they add up, and they build towers of strong memories, they leave our hearts so full - those little moments of beauty have so much power.

Steph and Jessea's wedding was a thing of beauty, made of many special details. Their location choice of Seabreeze Lodge on Hornby Island was the stage, a stunning local, that has a romantic, warm, down to earth vibe. The decor details were stunning, from the flowers, to the table decorations they all pulled together beautifully (Krylea Creative rocked the decor.)
The gals were stunning, (the gals from Roots Salon came over from Courtenay,) and the men were handsome and full of swagger.

The ceremony was held just above the shore line, and the rain cleared just before Steph walked down the aisle - perfection.

Afterwards there were toasts, photos and a dream reception. What makes a reception a dream? Friends, with so many kind and varied words, speeches full of truths shared and hopes heartfelt. When I looked around the room I saw people looking at their neighbor sharing smiles and laughs.

I hope this day will always seem like yesterday for them!
 
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nicky:

Hi karen,
i can not get your blogs or e-mail do I need to join some how?

(10.04.09 @ 06:56 PM)
Steph :

Karen, what can I say other than these are “WONDERFUL”! I had to take a double take to make sure it was us standing in those photos …The pictures are stunning and I couldn’t be happier with the story that they tell ..It was a fantastic day all around and you have captured that exactly….Can’t wait to see the rest! Thank You for your hard work and dedication to our special day!

(10.05.09 @ 07:08 AM)
Ashley:

love these pics! Do you mind telling me how you did the rings pic? We're trying to figure out what's going on there.

(10.11.09 @ 10:39 PM)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Steph & Jessea . TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.mckinnonblog.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/29