At the beginning of this awful pandemic, a bunch of local Peterborough Photographers wanted to do something special to show our appreciation for our local health care workers. We got together and decided to offer free photography sessions for the front line staff and first responders at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC). These complimentary sessions are being offered this fall, in September and October. 
Today, I'm introducing you to a lovely couple, Jami and Shaun. Jami is a nurse in the ICU at the hospital. We had a fun filled photo session! What a joy to meet these guys.
Read Jami's story below.

Thank you Jami, for working hard and protecting all of us. We can only imagine the stress and emotions you went through and we thank you and your work partners in the ICU for your commitment and dedication.  

​Last Saturday I met a wonderful couple for a fun couples shoot. When the clouds rolled in and the rain came, we ducked for cover, but not before getting a few shots in the rain. And then.... GUYS.... THIS HAPPENED!
CONGRATS!! Alison and Mack, I know you will have a great life together. Your love for each other shines. I was happy to capture this moment for you

​Finally...I can announce, after lots of planning and searching, we are offering.....UNICORN sessions!
We are so excited! We have found the PERFECT PONY called Bella who will be transformed into a magical unicorn with the help of the talented Auntie Mimi from Auntie Mimi's Apparel. And, we have beautiful flower crowns for children to wear, thanks to Auntie Mimi.
This is a ONE DAY ONLY event on Saturday, September 26th (rain date will be Sunday, September 27th).
Please email or message us for all the details!

This small and intimate barn wedding was wonderful to photograph. Even though the day was extremely hot, the barn was cooler with a beautiful breeze coming through. The bride and groom had been together for 17 years, and decided to finally tie the knot. Only immediate family was present. It was a very relaxed and wonderful ceremony. Their grandson was the ring bearer and their granddaughter was the flower girl. 

There are cake smashes and then there are cake smashes. This was a CAKE SMASH. This little guy hit the ground running. Cake all over. And thoroughly enjoyed himself. I was laughing soooo hard it amazed me I was able to get some photos! Outside smash cakes are THE BEST. Clean up is easy. And the squirrels and chipmunks (and my dog) are thankful.

The Tubby Shots we did were hilarious too. Isaac loved the water and lounged about like he was there for the whole day. Tubby shots which we do afterwards gives the birthday boy a chance to clean up and have more fun. 

The late afternoon sun with the beautiful backdrop of our new property in Cobourg was the location for this beautiful couple's engagement session. The love between them was so evident. And they were so much fun to work with. I just love engagement shoots. I love emphasizing them as a couple and their connection with each other. Congratulations Autumn and Andrew! 

Summer is really a fun time. And it's fun to shoot outdoors. When we offer outside photo session, it's perfect for special birthdays, like a first birthday. The mess normally left in studio is cleaned up by birds and squirrels! And the backdrop is so pretty. So, for ALL SUMMER LONG, we are offering $25 off a cake smash photography session for little ones. Put your little one in a tutu, diaper and tie, or just diaper or bare bum. It's so cute to see. And your photos will be cherished in years to come when they have grown older. We provide props.

This year is so special for all our 2020 grads. We are so happy to make memories for them. This session took place in beautiful Northumberland County, just north of Cobourg, Ontario. Love how it turned out. Congratulations to all 2020 grads from CatsMac Photography!  

When you bring your sister along for your graduation photos and she gets a little silly. Best grad shoot ever! Thanks for making it fun.

2020 has proven to be an unprecedented time for graduates. With so many grads missing out on their ceremonies, dinners and dances, CatsMac Photography have tried to make grad photosessions a little fun. Love these graduates with a sense of humour. We know that this Covid-19 pandemic has dampened so many plans, so it was nice to get a little laugh in during our graduation shoots. Thanks to all.

Expecting a little one? Know someone who is? We are offering maternity sessions at our new private outdoor location in beautiful Northumberland Ontario. Just a few minutes North of Cobourg. Partner and siblings welcome. Maternity dress and wrap available. We also offer gift certificates for a mom-to-be. Makes for a great gift. www.catsmac.com 

Well, we have moved! As many of you may know, we've left Peterborough and are now located in Cobourg, just north of the 401. We will continue to service Peterborough and the Kawartha area with photography (still have a number of weddings to do this year). And, we are looking forward to meeting new clients and making friends in Cobourg and Port Hope area of Northumberland, Ontario. With Trenton and Brighton, Hastings and the western part of the GTA close by, we are extending our reach.

How pretty is this? Slater St. 5 Acres in Cobourg, Ontario. Large pond with a canoe. Lot's of great backdrops for photography.

Excited for some maternity and engagement sessions here. And of course, some great family photo session too. 

As a photographer, I was recently asked to shoot a unique photo session. Unlike family, weddings or children’s photos, not everyone thinks about getting professional pictures of their furry companions in the last days of their lives. Those who cherish their pets as members of the family, are going to feel an incredible loss when it’s time to say goodbye. Many of these devoted pet parents are eager for high quality images to hold on to after their beloved four-legged family member has gone. Some people wonder why – or how – I did this session: “Wasn't it sad? I’d be a mess!” “Why would someone want a picture of their dying dog?” While it was definitely emotional, I saw this as an opportunity to celebrate the joy pets bring to our lives. 

I met up with this beautiful baby and her loving family to work together to get some great shots for them to remember her by while she was still active and able to walk. She looked and acted like a healthy dog and enjoyed walking during our session. She played in the water, she ran beside her brother, and basically just enjoyed the outing. 

I wanted to talk about something today that usually doesn’t get addressed until there is a problem or an issue. I, like most wedding photographers, require that my clients provide myself and my second shooter with a meal during their wedding reception. I ask that we are able to eat immediately after the wedded couple - before the rest of the guests. Today, I want to share with you why this little request is so extremely important, why it seems to cause unnecessary drama and how to talk to your catering company when they push back.

• Food is fuel. We need to eat in order to function.
• Photographers do bring their own snacks. However, these snacks are not a replacement for a real meal.
• On a typical wedding day, most photographers will only eat one actual meal - the one the couple provides at the reception. We scarf it down in 2.2 seconds and then get back to work. Seriously, you’ve never seen anyone inhale mashed potatoes that quickly.
• All wedding vendors work hard to provide their couple with an incredible day. Photographers are not more or less important than any other parts of the vendor team - we simply have only one opportunity to step away during the reception, and that's during the meal.
• Our days are consistently around 10 hours of working with anywhere from 1 - 2 hours of driving. We’re talking 12 hour days and 25,000 steps. It’s both mentally and physically exhausting. Most people have absolutely no comprehension of what we do on a wedding day. 
• We don’t take breaks. From the moment we walk in to where the bride is getting ready on the wedding day to the time we get in the car at the end of the night we are moving, shooting, working.

When my clients sign a contract with me, they will see the clause that requires them to provide us a meal. We can be served a plated meal or go through the buffet line. How the food gets to us isn’t the important part - it’s the when.
I require that we are able to eat immediately after the wedded couple and their immediate families - before the remaining guests are served.
No, I’m not selfish. No, I’m not impatient. I’m a planner. I’m a big fan of smart logistics and logistically, this is the only time that makes absolute sense for me to be eating. Don’t get me started on food waste but that’s honestly what happens! Meals go to waste. My biggest point here is that I asked my couples to spend money feeding me and then, at no fault of their own, that meal which they paid for sits there uneaten when we are fed last.
​
If you think about a typical wedding reception, it probably flows something like this:

• Photographers capture both cocktail hour and the reception room details simultaneously
• Cocktail hour ends and guests enter the reception room and find their seats while the wedding party lines up for entrances (photographers capturing guests candidly)
• Guests are seated and grand entrances begin
• Newly wedded couple enter
• Some combination of reception “activities”: speeches, toast, blessing, first dance, parent dances
• Wedded couple are served dinner
• Everyone else is served dinner, the couple are finished their meals and begin mingling
• After most are finished eating or even slightly before, there may be additional speeches, parent dances, anniversary dance or simply an open dance floor
• Dancing and other reception activities

The only time during that timeline that the photographer isn’t shooting anything is while the couple are served and are eating.

Why aren’t you shooting anything while they’re eating? Absolutely no one wants to be photographed while they are eating especially when they’re visiting with and sharing a meal with family and friends. The entire goal of my work as a wedding photographer is to make people feel comfortable. I want even the guests to remember me positively and feel like I took care of them. If I’m wandering the space with my camera, trying to capture people during this time, it will make them feel uncomfortable and reflect negatively on me. Plus, this is not a time where I can shoot images that the couple will cherish for generations. The details of the reception space must be captured before anyone enters the room so aside from taking candids of people, there is nothing for me to be shooting during this time. Therefore I have two choices - stand around and waste my couple’s investment with me or eat.
Why not step away during dancing? I could. I absolutely could. But like I mentioned above, I cannot be shooting while people are eating so if I’m not eating, I’m going to be standing around. I don’t think it’s respectful to my couples to waste their investment of time with me. If there is dancing happening, I’d like to be shooting it!
Why couldn’t you just eat with the rest of the guests? The wedded couple are always served first and no matter how hungry they are, 9/10 times they eat a little bit and then are up to mingle with their guests. This is a time where they go table to table and chat, take selfies with their friends and spend time with the people who have come to celebrate them. During this mingling, I try to shadow the couple because it’s very common that they look to me to capture a quick, impromptu snap of them with a guest. It reflects positively on me to be there in that moment plus it’s always something that my clients want. Their questionnaires always list “photos of us with our guests” as priorities.
I just want to deeply thank all of the incredible caterers who have served me and my team beautifully over the years. Some of them even go above and beyond to make sure we are fed and happy - which is incredible and appreciated. If you’ve ever brought us the extra salads or a few warm rolls, I worship you. I always remember their hospitality during those parts of the evening when we are exhausted and need to refuel to serve our couples.
I hope this post helps couples understand why the timing of their vendor meals is so critical and how to address this with their caterer!

As each wedding approaches or once there is a firmer anticipated timeline for social distancing and self-isolation to end, we will reach out to each of you to discuss your wedding. Your health and safety, and ours, is of utmost importance to us. Below we have addressed our current stance on what will happen if you need to reschedule or cancel your wedding.

How does this impact my wedding?
Depending on the duration of the COVID-19 restrictions and the date of your wedding, this will be different for each couple. Depending on these factors you may need to reschedule your wedding date, cancel your wedding or change to an elopement style wedding with a limited number of guests. There is no one right solution for everyone so we are happy to work with each of you to ensure you have all the resources to make the best decision for your wedding, whenever that may be.

Will you still come out and photograph our wedding?
100% for sure, as long as there is not a government restriction in place for us to be there.
Recommendations for weddings in the next 4-6 weeks:

• Reach out to all your vendors and see how they are recommending to proceed.
• If your venue is putting pressure on you to make a decision, don’t panic, connect with us and any of your other most important wedding day services, so we can help you select the best course of action for your day.
• Assess which of your wedding vendors are most critical. This could be based on several factors, amount you are spending with them, most restrictions around deposits and retainers, or ones that you consider most important. Touch base with them weekly to reassess the situation as it evolves.
• Be patient, take things on a week by week basis and proceed like the event is still going to happen.

Recommendations for weddings in June or further out:

• Plan like your event is still going to happen as planned.
• Read up on the cancellation policies for each vendor to see how they may affect you.
• Reach out to us if needed as we are here to support you in any way we can.

What if we have to cancel our wedding or event? Or move our date?
In the case where you have to reschedule, we will be handling it on a case by case basis. If we are available on your new date, no need to worry, we will just reschedule for that new date. If we are not available on your new date, we will refund your retainer. If you are doing this, we recommend that you contact all your wedding vendors to get their availability over a 2 month period so you can align as many of them as possible, to the same date. In these cases we will apply your previously paid retainer and anything else already paid on your current contract to the new contracted date.
If you cancel your wedding - As per our contract, all retainers and monies paid are non-refundable. As this is a loss for us and based on the situation we are unable to refund anything.

1. Invest in hair and makeup. If you’re doing a photo session for a special occasion, I would recommend going the extra step and investing in professional hair and makeup. You want to look like the most elevated version of yourself, so stick with a look that feels true to your style.

2. Be colour conscious. Be conscious of how the colours you wear may reflect on your face as well as the surroundings you’re shooting near. A forest can create a green cast onto your skin, just as a bright pop of colour, can reflect and pick up on your skin as well. I do tend to recommend lighter colors, but ultimately you should go with whatever makes you feel the most confident (even if that’s something darker). Confidence will show when you’re posing for your photos.

3. You can always turn to your “good side.” Don’t worry too much about standing on your “good” side. For a more dynamic shot, turn your back and lean into the group. I actually prefer this to the typical “hugging” shot where everyone’s arms are around each other. Overall, aim for poses that feel more natural and fun, rather than stiff and staged, by looking for new angles and connections.

4. Try to coordinate outfits without completely matching. When people ask me what they should wear for family photos, I recommend they create a cohesive color palette without being completely matching. If everyone is wearing the exact same color, everyone kind of blends together in the shot. I’d also recommend making sure only one third of the people in the shot are wearing patterns. If there are too many competing prints, the focus will be on the prints rather than your family’s faces.

5. Have an extra set of hands. If you’re taking a photograph with kids or pets, I’d always recommend having someone on hand to help out and help wrangle everyone. The photographer will be busy capturing the shot, and the people in the shot will be trying to pose, so an extra set of hands never hurts.

6. Get close—closer than you think! Whether you’re posing with family, friends, or your significant other, look for points of connection and get tangled up with the other people in the shot. No one should look like they’re standing on the sidelines, so make sure everyone is very close together. It will make the photos look much more intimate and connected.

​7. Try an alternative to the hand on the hip. A lot of people like to do a hand on the hip pose to create more space between their arm and their waist, but it can look overly staged. Instead, try finding space in more organic ways. If you’re holding a dress, swing it by your side. If you have a purse, pull it forward. These are all ways of creating a visual “belt” for your waist. For bridesmaids, I always recommend holding your bouquet near your belly button for a pose that’s natural but flattering.

​8. Create angles and dimension. Whenever you can, create dimensions with your body for a more dynamic shot. I like to add a bend to my knees, or do what I call the “Barbie toe.” Take a slight step and point your toe forward. This elongates the leg and makes the shot a little more visually interesting than when your feet are standing straight next to each other.

9. Get moving. If you’re not comfortable in front of the camera, move around. Think of each shot like a Boomerang, instead of holding a smile in one pose. If you need to shake off your nerves, walk around. I like to capture couples walking together right at the start of a session because it makes everyone feel relaxed and at ease.
Above all, be confident going into your shoot. It’s the photographer’s job to capture the best version of you, so have fun, relax, and smile!

Once again we are heading toward Christmas and it's time to think about booking your Christmas family photos! We are excited to announce booking for our Christmas Sessions is now taking place. 
Sessions will be held on two dates: 
Sunday, Nov 24th (outside location - Chemong Road north of Lindsay Hwy) 
​Sunday, Dec 1st (inside location - 15 Cindy St.) 
We will add more dates if needed - so if any of these dates are not good for you, please ask! 
The cost is the same as last year: $125 for 15 images by digital download 
Sessions are approx 20 minutes.
Please note: This year our inside set will be a wooden backdrop with a small Christmas tree! And lots of props too! Send an email to book your spot!