Svetlana Yanova-Calgary Wedding Photographer (403)-440-1826

THIS IS THE LAST POST ON THIS BLOG

2010-10-24T18:02:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, thank you so much for being a part of my life! I have some exciting news and I hope you will be as thrilled as I am!!

The ever amazing Stacy from www.sarelia.com has created a new website/blog for me so please bookmark it and I'll see you there!!!! :))))) I have lots of photo sessions to share with you..:) I'm also planning to start a weekly (or at least a bi-weekly post) which you will love!

Oh did I tell HOW EXCITED I AM TODAY??:))

Check out my new baby here:
http://svetlanayanova.com/

and please let me know what you think!

Hugs!!
Svetlana

Calgary Wedding Photographer

2010-10-21T08:40:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to say thank you guys, for being so patient with me since I haven't been posting much lately.

My family and I just got back from a little vacation out in BC (blog post is coming!) where we had an amazing time, I'll share all the details with you all in a few days..:) I mean who doesn't love British Columbia? Every time I go there I can see why people are sooooo relaaaaaxed there - just look around! You can't rush anywhere because of the narrow winding roads and I feel like the life is much slower there than what we have here in Alberta. Love it.

Here you will see photos of my amazing clients from past weddings! I love them all and I hope you will, too. :) I shoot weddings in Calgary and area and am avaliable for destination weddings as well (mmm...warm beaches!). Please contact me if you would like to book me for your wedding! info@svetlanayanova.com or 403.383.8663.

Can't wait to hear from you!

Cheers,

Svetlana

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

2010-10-11T10:44:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I missed you!! It's Thanksgiving weekend in Canada today..:) We moved to Canada 5,5 years ago and honestly I am still yet to figure out when exactly a Thanksgiving dinner should be - Sunday or Monday? When do you guys have it? To me it's not about the day, of course, but who is with me. Our whole families are back in Russia and of course we miss them terribly especially on days like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter...Those of you who have all your family around you I just want you to know how lucky you are! Even to have your family in one country is a huge blessing!

I moved away from my family when I was 17 after spending my last semester of high school in Texas as a foreign exchange student and then teaching English to 5th and 6th graders for a year after I came back home. Yep, that's right - I taught at school when I was 17! I worked both morning and afternoon shifts and had over 100 students. Fun times!! :) My friend was there with me (Hi Yul'!! :))) and we had a blast preparing for classes...Oh memories..:)) The reason I went to work at school and didn't go straight to the university was because I missed my family after 6 months in high school in Littlefield, Texas (I need to do ablog post about that, don't I?:)) and I wanted to spend some time with them before I left to go continue my education in a different city. And even though teaching was hard I never regretted it...because I could be with my family. Hope all of this makes sense, I'm bad with words...maybe that's why I love photography so much?:))

As some of you may know the ever amazing Stacy is working on my new website and blog - so a complete facelift is underway!! To say that I'm excited would be an understatement haha :). I can't wait to share with you when it's all done! Basically that is the reason I have not been sharing a lot on this blog lately, I'm saving all the goodness for the new blog...stay tuned! I still want to give you a bit of a sneak peak though, more and more to come!

Meet all my recent wonderful boudoir models, families and couples!

I'll Be Honest With You...

2010-09-24T17:04:00.000-07:00

Last few weeks have been pretty amazing - I got to photograph some wonderful families and even had a short getaway in the Waterton National Park with my family. For those of you who have never been to Waterton it's this beautiful little town right on the boarder between Canada and US and offers Ahhh-mazing views! It is a bit of a drive and our GPS almost sent us the wrong way but we found our way out..haha:))

I have been sort of neglecting my blog for the past couple of weeks...oh who am I kidding I was neglecting my blog as I recently had the need and desire to spend more time with my family. I still did a lot of shooting and my life has changed a lot since Tim started Grade 1. Story of the day: I went to a Parent/Teacher interview this morning and was told that Tim is very popular...with girls! They all just adore him. Oh my! I'm getting panic attacks just thinking about it! Does anyone have experience with it?? Please share!

So here's a preview of the things to come!

Ruth and Ed:

Handsome Hayden:

Beautiful Arianna:

Fun fun fun with Elaine and Drew:

Gorgeous Sue:

Lazy bisons:

and more more to come!!

Thanks so much for all your support!!! I have some exciting news that I will be announcing soon so stay tuned. It starts with a "W"..:)) Any guesses? Also check out my fan page on Facebook . I'll be doing a giveaway once we reach 500 fans so make sure to "Like" me and forward the invite to your friends..:)))

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Merry Christmas 3 months early!

2010-09-17T15:15:00.000-07:00

Being a complete geek (and an artist at heart) I was so excited yesterday when I got 2 packages at once - one with my sample boudoir album shipped all the way from Japan and one with DVD cases for my clients. Yeepeeeee!!!! It felt like Chrismas right away (I am not going to mention the fact that Calgary did LOOK like at Christmas time this morning with all the...s n o w)...you know when you're a kid and you get exactly what you wish for. That's how I felt yesterday.

Today Tim and I are at home...the poor kid is getting over a pretty bad cold with caughing, ear ache and all the "fun" stuff that comes with it and I took a moment to blog while he's napping. Question to you guys - what do you do when your kiddos are sick? He doesn't feel like reading or doing anything, just watches TV. Your thoughts?

And since every blog post is better with photos, here's a couple of my yesterday's gifts:

Enjoy your weekend! Stay warm! :))

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Gina & Robert {Full Post!}

2010-09-09T17:33:00.000-07:00

It's been a few days since I wanted to post more (and here I mean MORE :)) photos from Gina and Robert's beautiful wedding! Sorry I made you guys wait so long (especially Dani, the bride's awesome sister, who was dying to see the photos more than anyone else! :))

When I think about this wedding 3 words come to my mind - fun, loving and relaxed. And these words were spot on when it came to the couple's families, the photos after the ceremony, the reception (they had an AMAZING DJ!). The whole day was filled with laughter, hugs, jokes, and crazy gymnastic tricks (Gina's brother and sister are awesome gymnasts). I loved every minute of it! Gina and Robert, welcome back from your honeymoon and hope you love the photos! :) Feel free to leave some comment love if you feel like. :)

The girls had their hair done at Eveline Charles. They did a beautiful job!

Gina's super fun sister Dani!

Gina's mom when she saw her daughter all beautiful...melts my heart.

Sarah was getting her make done at home...looking gorgeous!!

Noelle did an amazing job doing the girls' make up!

Gina's grandmother looking over Noelle's shoulder at her stunning granddaughter:

Melissa and Jennifer...:)

Love this photo of Melissa!

I absolutely loved Gina's dress and bouquet!!

Girls being...well, girls! Laughing and crying..:)

Looking at Gina getting her dress on...

Before photos we stopped for some ice cream..:) nom nom :)

Gina and Robert are great at making each other laugh!! :)

I like how those guys are staring! :)

Gina striking some great poses for the camera!

Ok this may have been the longest wedding post EVER! :))) I hope you enjoyed looking at the photos as much as I loved shooting and creating them! Much love to you guys!

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Gina and Robert {Wedding Sneak Peak}

2010-08-29T15:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to spend the day with Gina and Robert celebrating their wedding day and documenting it. Ekaterina was my wonderful second shooter! Thank you sooo much, my friend! :) It's always a pleasure to shoot with you!

I am feeling a bit under the weather today so I had time to work on a few photos..:)) So right now I'm posting just a little sneak peak - 10 out of many many photos we took that day! Gina and Robert, thank you so much for being so wonderful and I'm also thankful for your amazing family and friends! We could not have wished for better weather (we had sun instead of showers - never trust weather forecast! haha) and we had a blast taking photos! Can't wait to go through them all...and here's a few that caught my eye...:)

Gina's gorgeous dress in her parent's front yard:

Beautiful ceremony in Crestmont Residents Hall:

First kiss as a married couple:

I loved Gina's wedding bouquet!

Such a sweet loving moment...

Do you also see the "heart" shape of their heads and arms?....:)

Loved this moment during the first dance!

Congrats once again, guys!! More photos to come! :)

Calgary Portrait and Lifestyle Photographer: Harley+Dukati

2010-08-24T21:12:00.000-07:00

When I got an email from Jim about the photo session he had in mind which involved two AWESOME bikes I was thrilled (to say the least)! I went searching for a perfect location for the session and came up with a deserted (or so I thought) area by the airport - it turned out it was a high security construction zone and we got booted out in half an hour into the shoot. I have never been asked to leave the location where I was shooting and it felt great! Like the forbidden fruit, it made the photos even more special. :))) Jim totally rocked this session, his passion for the Harley and Dukati is unbelievable, he really takes pride in this ownership and can see why. These machines are amazing!! Extra special koodos go out to Mike Kehn for being a fantastic assistant, not only helping me with lighting but also helping Jim to unload/and then load the bikes! Thanks Mike!!

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Kasia and Doug {Wedding}

2010-08-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Princess Obolensky Park here in Calgary. I was super excited for Kasia and Doug's wedding because everything about it was not typical of a wedding - Doug helped Kasia with her dress, they came to the location together in a beautiful antique car, they only had less than 25 people to celebrate their day (love intimate weddings!!), the wedding was very laid back and we had champaigne during our portrait session! :) The reception was hels at Murrieta's downtown Calgary, lovely setting, great food, live music...beautiful!!All in all I really enjoyed the day with such amazing people and wish Kasia and Doug many many years together!!

Marcel was explaining the meaning of wedding rings:

Classic of Doug!! haha

One of my faves from that day!

Kasia, you're stunning!

Doug is a war veteran, fought almost everywhere!

Annnnd......that's typical Doug!:))

We had lots of fun getting photos done..heehee:)) obviously!

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Maggie and Greg {Engaged}

2010-08-13T19:33:00.000-07:00

When Maggie first phoned me and we got talking I felt like I had known this girl forever! She's just on the same wave! :)) We chatted about her and Greg's engagement and upcoming wedding and I knew this couple would be amazing to photograph! They both wanted a picnic themed engagement session and I was happy to do that for them! (actually I was jumping on my bed with excitement! haha) It's great when you get couples who want to step out of the box and have a unique photo session! I was ecstatic! So off we went to the Nose Hill Park where we got some beautiful light and a fantastic setting for a picnic. Greg plays a guitar and he was playing some wonderful songs to Maggie, I'm telling you this man has some serious talent!

Can't wait to shoot your wedding next year!!:))

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Kasia and Doug {Engaged}

2010-08-08T14:13:00.000-07:00

A couple of day ago we had a short and sweet engagement session with Kasia and Doug and I loved every minute of it. These two are perfect together! The way they look at each other, the way they walk together...it was like I was reading a definition of love in the dictionary and they Kasia and Doug were the illustration. I can't wait for their wedding day this coming Saturday!

harmony....

Perfect kiss.:)) haha I think Doug missed just a little bit.:)

I loved Kasia's dress!! So summerl-ly!

Beauty!

What a stud!

Peter Lougheed House Wedding: Carla and Tom

2010-08-06T18:15:00.000-07:00

I just love this couple! Carla and Tom's love story goes back 10 years when they first met...I'll let Carla tell the whole story..:)

"We met the first time at a house party summer 1994 dated for 3.5 years and went our separate ways. Then in May 2009 Tom went to a wedding in the Cayman Islands a girlfriend of mine was at the same wedding...they started talking about me...she made sure we got back into contact and by Aug we were living together.

Tom's easy going/silly nature makes me smile...he does silly accents that make me smile every time....

....What makes him smile about me...i'll have to ask him...he said my beautiful eyes, my smile and my laugh..then he added...even when I'm being my bossy cute self....

.....Proposal... Tom and I went to Europe Oct 2009, we were in Vienna after a long day of sight seeing and walking, it started to rain at about 3 pm, so we ducked into a little restaurant for a late lunch and drink...over pizza (our favorite over there Diavlo which we had at our wedding) and beer, we started chatting about us and our future... at some point of the conversation Tom looked at me and said.."well i guess we are engaged'. I laughed it was perfect. I knew it was 'real' when we left the restaurant and walked towards our hotel and were talking about how to tell people and a ring etc, at the corner waiting for the lights to change, I looked at Tom and asked if he was serious, he looked at me and said, "Carla, I lost you once and I will never let that happen again". I chocked back the tears and we proceeded to check out Vienna. We headed to an area we hadn't seen earlier in the day and it was the shopping district. It was about 5 pm at this point. We window shopped at some jewelry stores but considering the armed guards outside realized these rings were out of our price range. We went into a Swarowski crystal shop and considered getting a 'pretend' ring just to make it official and have something to show people when we got back. I thought we should just wait and get the ring I love and will never take off. We went past another shop and I saw something in the window and pulled Tom back and into the door. We both thought it would be waaaayyyyy too much but went in anyway. I feel in love with the ring, it was 5:45 and the store closed at 6:00 pm. Tom said if I wanted it, he would buy it. We decided to sleep on it, I didn't sleep that night at all, we were at the stores doors step the second it opened : ) I love my ring not only is it perfectly me, but it is the best story of ring buying ever : ) We drove that day from Vienna to Salzburg and I starred at the ring the entire way... good thing I wasn't driving!

...My flowers were from Les Fleurs in Glamorgan -Sheila is the owner (near Glamorgan Bakery!) They were so great to work with and the prices were by far the best compared to anywhere else! I highly recommend them...they also do wedding planning.

Meagan did all the hair and makeup. She owns a salon in Kensington - http://www.urbanartist.ca/

I got my dress at Calgary Bridal Centre - I was impressed by their one on one service...heads over heals over other places like Ethos!

Other things to maybe make mention of - Catering Dagmar Wilke went above and beyond with the food and the servers - Euro Catering.

Marriage commissioner - yes she is my aunt, but I think it's harder to do when it is a family member...she was great. She made the ceremony fun yet meaningful! Partricia Ablett..."

I loved this story! Hugs to you guys!!

Many thanks to my wonderful second shooter: Iryna Moriyama !

The beautiful dress:

I am sooo happy for you two! And wish you many years of happiness together.:)

Calgary Boudoir Photographer: Sexy Miss L :)

2010-08-01T22:11:00.000-07:00

I was genuinly surprised to find out it was August already. I mean seriously, where did summer go? What were you guys up to? We have our family visiting from Russia so we're taking them a million different places.:) I grew to love Lloyd Centre here in Calgary for roller skating - what a cool disco place to skate! Tim picked up roller skating and is getting ridiculously good at it. I tell ya that boy learns so fast! You should see him on the rink - he's trying to do tricks and all, and it's his 5th or 6th time on the skates...oh boy!:))

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of photographing this amazing woman who wanted to have boudoir photos done as a gift to her future husband (hint hint all of you brides!:)). We had an amazing time taking photos, her hair was beautifully done by Irina Anderson and make up masterpiece was created by Julia Baranovskaya. Hope you like photos as much as I do!

Calgary Boudoir Photographer: Gorgeous Miss D!

2010-07-29T15:54:00.000-07:00

As I promised in my previous post here are more photos from our boudoir sessions. :) Hope you like this session because I LOVE it!

Calgary Boudoir Photographer: Stunning Miss A :)

2010-07-28T18:08:00.000-07:00

I love doing boudoir sessions - and love bringing out the most beautiful in every woman. I had the pleasure to photograph 4 stunning ladies and over the next few days I will be posting photos from those sessions.:) Can you handle it??:)) Enjoy!

Please email me to lanaphotography@gmail.com if you would like to book a session.

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Are You Ready For This?

2010-07-26T20:12:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I've neglected my blog for over a week! It was not done intentionally though, I could barely find time to edit and deliver photos to my clients (on time! :)). I thought I'd give you a little preview of things to hit the blog soon, I get excited just thinking about all the future blog posts and the wonderful people who will appear on it! eeek! :)) Hope you come back soon and check for new posts, make sure to subscribe to be the first to know!

I had several boudoir shoots recently and here're just a few images from them. These ladies look absolutely gorgeous!! Wait till you see more photos from these!

I did a beautiful wedding for Carla and Tom which was held in the gorgeous Laugheed House here in Calgary. What a perfect location for the ceremony! Carla was a stunning bride! Love the smile here.:)

Last week I did an amazing engagement session for this cute couple - Maggie and Greg. Serioulsy they're adorable together, so in love. Their wedding is coming up next July and I'm super excited for it! We chatted about their ideas for their special day and I'm super thrilled to document the day for them!

Jim showed up cooler than cool with his two (2!!) freakin' awesome motorcycles on an early Sunday morning and I was just blown away. I was itching to start taking photos right away but had to be patient until him and my wonderful assistant for that shoot Mike unloaded the bikes. Can't wait to share more from this session!

Stay tuned for MORE!:)

Calgary Ukrainian Catholic Church Wedding: Lindsay and Alex

2010-07-15T19:31:00.000-07:00

Couple of weeks ago I had the absolute pleasure of second shooting for Ekaterina Ulovich. We had such a great time! The wedding was at one of the most gorgeous churches I have seen in Calgary - Ukrainian Catholic Church of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. When I entered the church it literally took my breath away. I gasped and I think my head started spinning trying to absorb all the beauty that was around me. Lindsay and Alex chose the perfect spot for their wedding!

The ceremony was B E A U T I F U L, filled with Ukrainian Wedding traditions like lots of prayers for the couple, chorus singing from the balcony and holding the crown above he bride and the groom's heads. Amy and Steve were such troopers, I could bet the crowns were very heavy!

Congats once again to Lindsay and Alex, all the best in your life together!

Yes THAT is the ceiling! How amazing is that??

THE kiss! :)

I just loved this little girl! She was walking around snapping photos of the bride and the bridesmaids..sooo cute!

Ekaterina rocking it! :)

Gorgeous girl!! Lindsay you looked like a bride from a magazine!

Amy and her beautiful family!

Sneaking a kiss....

Cool dudes! :))) These guys were hilarious!

Um...can I say this was one of the most beautiful bridal parties I have ever seen! These girls must be models!

Love this photo of them!

Amy:

Heather:

Whitney:

Julia:

Justine:

I was trying to figure out which of the boys did that awesome jump!

Hugs to you guys!! :) It was a great day!

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Tammy and John {Engaged}

2010-07-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July to all of my American friends!! :) Woohoo!

I wanted to share this couple's story with you. Meet Tammy and John. They are amazing and we had a wonderful time shooting at the coolest locations including King Eddy's where the whole area was restricted due to construction (which obviously did not stop us!) and Inglewood (do I ever love Inglewood!!). John plays the guitar and let me tell you he can play darn well! I loved listening to him sing to Tammy, it melted my heart! These two belong together and I was so happy to document their love.

Tammy is looking stunning!!

John can always make Tammy smile and laugh! :)

Love it when my couples get goofy!! :)))

Hugs to you guys!!

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Carla and Tom {Engaged}

2010-06-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to post there FOREVER! Carla and Tom are getting married this Thursday and I can't wait to shoot their wedding, it's going to be gorgeous! Something I gotta tell you guys before you look at the photos. :) Tom said to Carla before the engagement session that he didn't want to to kissing photos..:) Yep you heard me right! :) Hmm....let's see what happened..:) Disclaimer: I am guilty of asking my couples to start making out during our sessions. A lot. :)

Both Carla and Tom luuurve biking!

The most adorable dog ever! Frida! :)) I think she was giving me the eye..:)

Seriously this guy is my hero now. I can't even walk in flip flops and he can RUN in them!

Oh yeah! Let's bring out the goofy side of them!

My Favourite Ice Cream Place! No really, that's how it's called! :))

One of my fave ring shots! I was sooo sad to say goodbye to the ice cream though.

Can you guys be any more stunning?? Oh I can't wait to see Carla in her wedding dress!

Calgary Wedding Photographer: First Video with Canon 7D starring Tammy and John

2010-06-25T20:04:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, this is a short video that I did for Tammy and John during their engagement session this past weekend. I know it's not anything extraordinary but I love how John just plays and sings for Tammy. I will be posting the photos soon! :)

I shot this short video with my Canon 7D and Canon 17-55 2.8 IS lens. Thought it's too cute not to share! Tammy and John are an amazing couple and the love that they share shines through them! It was a real pleasure for me to take their photos and walk around Calgary documenting their love! Big hugs to you guys!!

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Tanecia in Priddis Valley

2010-06-23T20:13:00.000-07:00

For the past two days I have been like this editing machine going through hundreds of photos and catching up on blogging..:)) I still have two friggin' awesome engagement sessions that haven't made it to the blog yet and I can't wait to post them! As I was editing Tanecia's photographs I was listening to the "Rock That Body" song by Black Eyed Peas (LOVE YOU GUYS!!! oops did I go a little overboard?!! :))) and was thinking that this girl definately knows how to rock her body! It was a real pleasure working with you, Tanecia!! 'nuf said, let the photos speak for themselves:

All the shots below were taken with TS-E 24mm f/3.5 Tilt-Shift Lens which I absolutely loved! I know this lens isn't for everybody but I think we clicked..:)))

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Elaine and Drew

2010-06-22T19:46:00.000-07:00

Oh I'm so behind on blogging! Not enough time in a day to do everything...I love it when my friends hit the blog and this couple is very special to me. Drew and Elaine together are this amazing mixture that's like a tornado - so powerful and intense that you feel it right through your bones. Hugs to you guys!

There were a couple of really hot and steamy photos but they are for Drew's eyes only...sorry folks! :)

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Erin and John

2010-06-21T20:07:00.000-07:00

I couldn't wait to post these and I know some of you couldn't wait to see them, so here they are - one of the couples from our Priddis Valley photoshoot. Erin and John. There are so many things that come to mind when I look at them - laughter, beauty, romance, smiles, goofiness, strength, style...What do you see?

While we were shooting John was in charge of BBQ. Don't be misled by the 2 feet flames lol..:)) The sausages turned out delicious!!

One of my fave shots of Erin and John together!

Oh here we go!

I don't know how she did it but she did!! :)

S T U N N I N G!!

Can't do a photo shoot without being super cheesy and goofy! :))

I'll be posting more photos from that session in the next couple of days! Stay tuned! :))

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Photo Shoot in Piddis Valley

2010-06-15T21:03:00.000-07:00

Funky styles, funky location with bird cages and doors in the forest, photographer friends and gorgeous models - I mean what else could I wish for when doing a photo shoot? Well for me it was a perfect combo. I went to Priddis Valley Gardens for the first time with my friends in the beginning of May to celebrate one of the Russian holidays - something like Labor Day here in Canada. But honestly it was just an excuse to get together...heehee :) I couldn't believe I didn't know such an amazing place existed! Kelly - the owner of Priddis Valley Gardens is so great, she is doing such a wonderful job maintaining this beautiful place! That's when I got an idea to do a photo shoot at that location. I'm still going through the photos and editing them but I wanted to share a couple for now. I will definately be posting more in the next couple of days so come back soon.

It was so much fun to play for the whole day with friends! Elaine, Erin, Tanecia, Drew and John, you guys ROCK!

Wish all the girls could be in this photo!!

And here's a few photos back from May: isn't this place simply outstanding?

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Fish Creek Park Family Photos

2010-06-07T20:34:00.000-07:00

-He likes the word "bubbles". It makes him giggle. :) And if we feed marshmellows he will sit for as long as we need.

This is how Melissa replied to me when I asked her about her son Braxton. I mean it can't get any cuter than that, right! :))) Needless to say we said "bubbles" a lot and fed the happy kid 5 pounds of marshmellows...jk. :) ok not 5 pounds but enough to get some adorable sitting shots..:) It was such a pleasure to photograph this family, Melissa is a photo enthusiast herself so it was great to share some technical details with her.

Mike and Braxton: many moments of love

I absolutely love this photo! I think mom and dad's love for their son just radiates from it.

Calgary Wedding Photographer: My Little Brother Is Getting Married

2010-06-03T17:09:00.000-07:00

My little brother is getting married. He's not little of course :), he's 27 now. My mom and I only met his adorable fiancee Masha through Skype (thanks goodness!!! for Skype) and my mom is going back home for their wedding. I wish I could go!!! It breaks my heart that I won't be there for them. Boo..:((( Have any of you missed your sibling's wedding? How did you handle it? I'm just so sad I can't be there...

After yesterday's post I was thinking about something I could tell my wonderful readers about myself. The timing couldn't be better as I just got this photo from my Dad. He took it with his cell phone a couple of days ago. I was so surprised to see all the green trees and grass! So jealous of the great weather they have been having! :)) It's the image of the river Chibjyu, very close to my house. The school I went to (well one of the schools) was on the other side of the river (picture right) and I remember in winter we would not go to the bridge (which was like 50ft away :)) but run across the river on ice back home. Did you know that in Russia you go to the same school from Grade 1 to Grade 11 (yep you read it right, 11!:)? The building simply has several wings for elementary, middle school and high school kids.

So here's the glimpse of my Russia:

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Wednesday

2010-06-02T11:06:00.000-07:00

So I've been thinking about starting a weekly blog post lately. The problem is I wasn't not quite sure what it should be about - me personally or me as a photographer. And then I thought why not do both? duh! I've got my camera practically glued to my hand anyways so might as well use that. :):) Also, over the past couple of years of having this blog I have realized I'm not too good with words (to tell you the whole truth I completely suck at expressing my thoughts on paper - I mean the blog posts sound so much better in my head than when I actually post it! Any tips btw?? :) I greatly admire photographers who not only post awesome photos but make their blogs interesting to read, too. Did I tell you I love reading?? :)

I found this little clip from my fave movie UP 'cause somethimes I feel like this:

Can you say a slight case of ADD? :):) Where was I? Oh yeah, blogging! So I would really appreciate any input from you guys as to what you would like to read from me - photo wise (before and after's in post-processing, photo tips to the best of my knowledge of course! :), etc) or anything more personal. Who will go first? :)

Calgary Wedding Photographer: 5 years as an Immigrant

2010-05-31T17:43:00.000-07:00

Here I am sitting eating a watermelon (oh yeah me and watermelons have a special relationship!) and thinking I should tell you about something that happened to us last week. On Friday my family had the privilege of participating in the Citizenship Ceremony. How awesome was that?! It was a very blissful event and I am so glad I could be a part of it! There were quite a few Russian speaking families there (from Ukraine, Kazakhstan as well) and over 70 families from 25 other countries. One thing united everyone - the amazed look on their faces and pride for becoming a Canadian Citizen.

Rewind. Alex, Timofey and I came to Canada in July 2005. We had friends here whom we met online a few months prior to our arrival (Olya, Taras - you guys are the BEST and we miss you so much while you are in US, please come back to Calgary! :)). I remember Alex telling me before we got to Calgary: "Are you sure these guys are legit and won't kidnap us?"...haha It seems funny now but back then after living in Russia for so long it was kinda hard to believe somebody can simply be kind to complete strangers and even offer their home.

3 years have quickly passed and we applied for Canadian Citizensip. And then we waited. And waited more. :))We waited for a year and a half to write our citizenship tests (follow the link to see what those tests are like, they say it's Canadian school program). We were so thrilled when we got letters from the government saying we passed! woohoo! The long wait was over and we got to the Harry Hays Building early Friday morning along with almost 100 other people.

I am proud of my Russian heritage, my accent, and the fact that I look Russian.:) My son speaks both English and Russian at the age of six and we hope he keeps his native language. I am happy to live in Canada, I love Calgary (no seriously I do!, I think it's a great city and I keep discovering more and more about it!) and I can't wait for Stampede each year! :) I am now Russian Canadian and I love it! :) Lots of love to all my friends - both Russian and Canadian! Love you guys!!!

Tim and his new buddy:

My Mom and I: :)

In the ceremony room...it was gorgeous!

He looks pretty happy, doesn't he? :)

Love the Calgary Tower on my head..:) haha

The Judge and kids singing the National Anthem:

My camera settings were way off in this one as I gave it to my Mom to snap this photo: I like it anyways. :)

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Harvest Hills Alliance Church Wedding {Maria and Mike}

2010-05-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

Both Maria and I were checking the weather forecast for the day of the wedding every day of the week before the event...It showed rain one day, then it would go back to cloudy, then sunny, then rain again...And guess what - the weather was perfect! Just as Maria and Mike hoped for. They had the perfect day for their wonderful wedding! And both Ekaterina and I were thrilled to be there and document it for them.

Maria and Mike are a very special couple, when you're around them you can just feel their love for each other, it's literally in the air. They have an amazing way of making each other laugh and smile. Mike is so caring and protective of his girl, she's all he wants and she's the one he is making happy. I am lucky to be a witness of such love and I am so happy for you two! Much love and enjoy the photos! :)

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Rocks, Swings and Laughs

2010-05-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

I love taking pictures of April and her family! First of all, she's so much fun to be around and she's a beauty, too! I love hanging out with you, April! :)) Her boys (and here I mean her wonderful husband Glenn and her adorable baby boy Garrett :)) are a hoot. Couple of weeks ago we April and I got together again and took Garrett to a nearby park. We all had so much fun, Garrett was exploring the world that was new to him and was having an amazing time - meeting new friends, running around, going on the swing with his beautiful mom, and digging in the rocks (I mean can it get any more interesting than diggin' in the rocks??:))

Still a bit suspicious of the huge camera:

Loving the cute smile Garrett has!

Awww....chubby cheeks!

Oh did I mention laughs?:))) I liked it when Garrett would speed up like a rocket and leave his mom and me behind. haha :) I had to switch to my 70-200 2.8 IS if I had to keep up with this little Dash..:)

-Hello, anybody there??

-So should I rake first or dig?

A quiet moment with mom....

Garrett on the run! :)

Pure fun! Or is it determination?

Hugs with mom are the best!!

Love you guys!!

I can't believe Garrett has grown so much! It's wonderful to watch your friends' kids grow and being able to document it - those moments go by too fast and they're truly precious!

Dane Sanders' Fast Track Photographer Workshop in Calgary

2010-05-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking so much about what I will write in my blog post about this workshop but what I'll probably do is I'll just let my thoughts flow and I will type as fast as I can. :)

....I'm happy. I'm content. I'm full of energy to change things in my life and move forward. I'm ALL IN. I love this feeling! It's amazing, enlightening, invigorating, freeing, and I want to remember it and come back to it if I ever feel down. I look at people around me in a different light now. I want to smile big and make it contagious! I am ME. Thank you, Dane. You and your words have touched my heart more than I thought and I needed that wake up call (aka kick in the butt) to start doing something about how I run my business.

...I could not possibly imagine anything like that and definitely not at a photography workshop. The things Dane touched upon were so deep, the questions he asked were so complex that it was impossible to answer them in 2 words and maybe hope he will move on to the next person. It did not work that way. I am so used to hind behind safe phrases, excuses, settings that when I was listening to other photographers reveal their fears and hopes and expectations I felt like I wanted to do the same - share, commit and open up! We were there FOR EACH OTHER, we all bonded so much during the 2 days and now I can't wait for our first Calgary Fast Track meeting! I would love to see everyone's progress and just be in such a wonderful group of people again. Love you guys!! It was awesome to share the laughs and the tears with you, together we can be so much stronger!

I'm happy to see this workshop to be such a success and feel grateful to everyone who attended it! Art and I could not have done it without you! Dane, you were more than we...oops I mean I expected! You are a wonderful person with such a good heart and it was such a pleasure to finally meet you! You have an extraordinary ability to talk, teach and listen and I still have so much to learn from you. I wish I could attend Escalate 2010 in person! Wishing you best of luck with it!!

Special thanks to Danna Bowes for offering her beautifil studio for this workshop! Danna, you're amazing! And I still have your key, let's get together!

so many great people in one room!

Our technical guru Noel Dodd, don't know what I'd do without you!!

Marketing tips while watching Polar Express. Loved it!!

I think Dane was trying to make his point here..:)) Look how impressed Geoff is!:)))

Have you bought your copy of Fast Track Photographer by Dane? I sure hope so!!

Kristen had her birthday and she was lucky to get Dane and Kevin Kubota's books as a gift! :)) Happy Birthday once again, sweet Kristen!! hugs!

Dane's editor Andy phoned for updates..:) hi, Andy!

lots of laughs!! :))))

Jenna-Marie had the tough task of naming everyone in the group in the morning of the second day and she did so well!

David and Quin Cheung from DQ Studios spent some time with us as well! It was so great meeting them, they're so much fun! :)) Hope we will get to hang out again..;))

We also did some shooting and beautiful Stephanie Leblond was my subject. She was so easy to photograph!

Kristy and Brian..:)))

Look how busy Joelene and Christina are reviewing their images..:))

Ok here's te photo I would like to tell you a bit more about. We got the most fantastic gift from DC Fast Trackers on the second day of the workshop - a very beautiful slideshow of their images from their workshop with Dane. Dane was very touched as well as everyone else. These guys were amazing! Feuza, thank you so much!!!!

"Love Life".....

Commit to a change!!

Dane touched on editing in Lightroom and yes that goofy face is mine..haha :))))

A formula for a CHANGE.

I barely slept in these two days because so much was going on in my head, I could just feel new ideas growing and breaking through like young seeds trying to break trough the tough surface. I feel passionate about my photography and I feel that I am more equipped now with the tools necessary for me to succeed. And I have my wonderful friends who have my back and will support me all the way! FEO - For Each Other!

With love and peace,
Svetlana

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Not Enough Hours in a Day

2010-04-30T22:20:00.000-07:00

Oh I miss blogging! I have gotten so used to share my life and passion with you all that I have been feeling deprived of it. The past few weeks have been very busy and it seems like life is speeding way too much..:) Can you give your life a speeding ticket, I wonder? hmm....I was busy shooting, editing, designing albums (I just got samples in today so I'm very excited to share it with you! Art Yochim and I have also been busy planning the most amazing workshop for local phoographers - Dane Sanders will be in Calgary teaching to a group of lucky photographers next Wednesday and Thursday. There's still a chance for you to jump on the train and not miss your chance to learn from the one of the best in the wedding photography business!

Lots and lots of posts are yet to go up on the blog and I promise I will get around to them. :) The photos below are of the gorgeous Irina Anderson who was kind enough to come out and help me on a few of my boudoir shoots from the past weekend. She's amazing, really! A fantastic hair stylist and such a stunning beauty herself! Please show her some love and leave a comment.

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Off Camera Lighting Workshop in Drumheller

2010-04-19T12:49:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I had a great chance to go out to Drumheller with 6 other photographers and 2 beautiful models to practice off camera lighting techniques. I.HAD.SO.MUCH.FUN!!!! We had a blast shooting, chatting, laughing, trying out new ideas and stepping out of the box. I tend to go with the safe choice but last weekend I learnt that the safest choice is not always the best - you have to challenge yourself!! I am very happy with the results and I think I managed to achieve 2 different looks for our models - more edgy for Jessie and more subtle for Magda. The girls were so much fun to work with! what do you think?? I know some of my readers are photographer so I'll be posting some behind the scenes shots within the next few days just for you guys..:)

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Casting Call for a Vanity Fair Style Shoot

2010-04-10T14:09:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about my photography lately and want to add a little something to my portfolio. I have a few ideas that I would L O V E to try out and on that note I'm looking for 3 STYLISH and RELIABLE couples for a Vanity Fair style photoshoot on June 12th-Jun13th later in the day. The exact time will be communicated to the chosen couples. Preferrably 1 couple should be caucasian, 1 asian and 1 african-american. You have to be easy going and be natural in front of the camera. :) You will get a disk with 10-15 photos and a free 8x10.

Email me at lanaphotography@gmail.com with your photos and a story about your relationship.

Please share the invite with your friends!! :)

Calgary Wedding Photographer: A Spontaneous Trip to WEM

2010-04-03T22:34:00.000-07:00

So today we went to WEM (West Edmonton Mall - the biggest mall in North America for those who don't know :) , totally spontaneous, not planned at all. Just decided in the morning that we want to drive 3 hours to swim in the gigantic pool with waves and slide from a couple of crazy slides (Tim even went on his own!! which scared me A LOT until I saw the look of absolute fun and joy on the kid's face as he flew into my arms from those waterslides). lol :) Btw I'm a chicken and I never lay down when I go down a slide - tooooo scared of speed! I always sit and gradually make my way down. haha :)) And still somehow end up with cuts and bruises. How is that even possible?! Anyway after a 3 hour swim we stopped at Starbucks, had a little coffee and Tim had milk there. What was in that milk that made him dance like that?? :)) haha:) jk He obviously had some tunes going in his head and we had a blast watching him perform. :)

check out the video of Tim dancing (the whole video was shot with Canon 7D, I want to try and play with it more):

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Hand Made Jewelry By Judith

2010-03-29T17:54:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I had the pleasure of taking photos for a very talented lady named Judith who makes gorgeous one of a kind jewelry here in Calgary. All bracelets are made out of silver and copper and each of them is unique. Check them out! Which one is your favourite??

Calgary Wedding Photographer: A Walk in the Park

2010-03-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

What I like about Calgary is that there're so many parks here to go to! With winding paths, hills, little bridges, smiley dog lovers, determined cyclists and just the whole atmosphere of freedom and relaxation. I love being outside and I'm happy my family shares this passion! Last weekend Tim and my mom headed out to a park along Beddington Trail so we could watch airplanes take off and land from afar. It was a bit chilli but nonetheless we enjoyed every bit of our little trip..:))

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Win a Free Photo Session

2010-03-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I've been thinking a lot about one thing lately and here it comes! I want to give back to my community and give away a free session (family, newborn, maternity, couple's). All you have to do is:

1. Become my Fan on Facebook if you haven't already done so.

2. Invite as many people on your friend's list to my fan page as you can and email me a print screen of how many people you have invited to lanaphotography@gmail.com . For print screen instructions go here. If you can come up with another way to show me how many people you have invited that will work, too, e.g. if you forward this blog post to your friends via email and CC me at lanaphotography@gmail.com! :)

3. The winner (person who has invited the most people) will be announced on April 2nd, 2010 and we will plan their photo session here in Calgary! yippeeee!!

And because every blog post is better with a photo here's my latest rendition of the clock on Stephen Avenue in Calgary. Hope everyone has an amazing weekend! Enjoy your time with friends and family!

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Calgary Downtown

2010-03-17T17:21:00.000-07:00

Today we got together with a couple of friends over lunch and walked along 8th Ave to get some photos of Calgary. Did I tell you how much I love Calgary? I think it's an amazing city, I'm hoping to photograph sunrise tomorrow (keeping my fingers crossed for a nice sky!!).

This was the sky on the way home today. Wow!

Timofey's 6th Birthday

2010-03-16T12:59:00.000-07:00

I love kids' birthdays - they are so much fun!! Especially when I could plan everything for our son, Timofey..:)) As a surprise for him we went with the whole pirate theme for his birthday - went to Canuck Amusements and got a whole bunch of pirate supplies - eye patches, telescopes, balloons, spiders, etc...so cool!! And then phoned Just Kidding to invite a pirate over to our house. Kids were mesmerized by Toro the Pirate (can you tell?:))) who did an amazing job being a pirate, teaching kids how to be real pirates, showing them tricks and creating balloon animals for them!

Story time...

Apparently it was a scary story! :))

After the kids left Tim, Alex, my mom and I went for a walk in Nose Hill park, we live on the east side of it so we had to quite a bit of climing to get to see the beautiful sunset that day...We were still a bit late for it, but that's ok - we'll catch it another day. :)

View of the mountains and Canada Olympic Park (COP).

On Sunday we went to Bowness park for more fun!! :) we had kids from Tim's dayhome and it was great to see them play and laugh together even though they haven't seen each other for so long since they all moved on to kindergarten.

Getting the fire going for some yummy BBQ. num num num

My Mexican couple - Brendon and Kaytlin.:)

Tim was trying to do a huge bubble and poured all the soap out instead..:)oops:)

Pinata time! YEAH!

Everyone had a try in hitting the happy star!:)))
Little Yura was our cook for the day...jk.:))

Mia was enjoying all the attention she was getting from the kids and my camera.:)

Can you tell they're from one family?

Mia's footprint on Svetlana's jeans.:)

Some boy time...checking out new toys.:)

"I swear to listen to my mom all the time and do what she says"...(hehe I wish!)...:)

Happy Birthday once again, my love! hugs!!!!

Canon Olympic Mug

2010-03-12T06:24:00.000-08:00

Guys, you GOTTA check it out:
http://www.digitalweddingforum.com/blog/update-canon-70-200-is-olympic-thermos

Appareantly they will be avaliable for sale in Canada soon!! They used to give them away at Canon photo centre during the Olympics (why oh why wasn't I there?!)...

"Yes, you may have read the big news that Canon created, released, and gave away these very rare mugs/thermoses at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The mug is a replica of a Canon 70-200mm f/4 IS lens which begs to ask two questions:

1.) Does the f/2.8 version keep your coffee hotter longer?
2.) Are we going to see a rise in coffee mug theft (that looks real)

These sought after collectables are no longer available but according to CanonRumors.com, they will soon be selling in Canada for approximately $30. No word yet of a US release."

Can't wait to get my hands on this mug! UPDATE: YOU CAN NOW PRE-ORDER THE CUP IN CALGARY THROUGH THE CAMERA STORE!

One more important news ;-)) - it's Tim's birthday today!!!! Our little man turned 6!!! We love you, honey!!

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Wedding Slideshow for Kaytlin and Brendon

2010-03-06T20:28:00.000-08:00

The song to this video was created by the talented Brendon aka The Groom and his wonderful band! I simply love this song, it goes so well with the wedding theme - beach, ocean, sun and laughter..:) Kaytlin was also walking down the isle to this song...it gives me chills, it was so romantic! Enjoy!

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Kaytlin and Brendon's Destination Wedding in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Full Post

2010-03-03T17:31:00.000-08:00

I couldn't wait for the day when I can post many many photos from Kaytlin and Brendon's amazing wedding in Puerto Vallarta! And this day is today! YEAH! I love asking my couples for their love stories and listen and read how the relationship started and grew strong.

How did you guys meet?

Brendon and I worked together at an agency for adults with developmental disabilities. I confused him for a client (just joking) and his first impression of me was that I was a snob (that, sadly, is not a joke). One of my friend's was about to get married and she asked me to sing at her wedding. Knowing that Brendon was an amazing musician I decided to ask him if he would accompany me on guitar. Apparently we "clicked" and the rest is history.

What qualities bring a smile to your face when you think of one another?

Brendon: I think of Kaytlin's love, strong enough to show me that what I need is right in front of me.

Kaytlin: First thing I can think of is Brendon's amazing creativity and ability to make people see a completely different side of life. He makes me appreciate things I never would have noticed before.

Got any goofy story to share? :))

Hmmmm.... I guess kind of goofy is when I was first trying to "court" Brendon. He was clueless and had no idea I was interested in him. He lived in a true "bachelor pad" with no real kitchen, no utensils, and the nastiest bathroom known to mankind. As a gesture of interest in him I brought him a box full of kitchen utensils and old pots and pans to use in his place, offered him rides home, and just basically tried anything to get his interest. No bites. Eventually he asked me out for a high class lunch on break one day from work to the fanciest restaurant in town "Bun on the Run" and bought me a grilled cheese sandwich. He proceeded to sit in front of me telling me about how he: 1/would never date another woman seriously again, 2/didn't like children and didn't think he could handle being around them all of the time, and 3/would never be able to settle down in one place for more than a year. Needless to say, I consider this goofy because none of it came to pass (aside from the settle down thing, Brendon will always have the travel bug but at least he's settled for most of the year).

Why did you decide to get married in Mexico? Are you happy with your decision?

We decided on Mexico because the prospect of getting married here was overwhelming - too many guests to worry about, expensive, and lets face it, who doesn't want to get married on a beautiful beach? And don't forget the teradactyls... they were ultimately exciting for us and Ella. So happy we decided on Mexico that I almost want to do it again!

What is the most exciting time in your relationship?

The most exciting time is right now and it will always be.

Thank you guys so so much for letting me share your day! I L.O.V.E Mexico, it's relaxed mood, it's gorgeous sunny skies, it's warm ocean waters, crazy drivers, wicked flee markets, running man on the street lights, time measured in mexican minutes, humid air, funky buses, oh the list can go on and on and on...Thank you!!

Getting a pedicure on the day of the wedding...I'm telling ya I don't know how Kaytlin did it, I would have probably been jumping all over the place..:) She was just an image of calm.

Erika did a marvelous job with Kaytlin's feet!

I loved this beautiful shadow of the palm tree, the photo is straight out of camera, I just cropped it a bit.

Lovely Spa Salon, Kaytlin and her family were pampered there..:)

Audrey, the beautiful maid of honor, is getting her hair done at the salon as well.

Peeking through the tinted glass to get a look of the relaxed bride..:)

Kaytlin's daughter and Mom really like what they see! :)

Little Ella is waiting paitiently for her turn to get the hair done, she was the star!

Ok I'm having a serious case of envy here - look at those gorgeous eyelashes!! wow!! this girl is going to break a lot of hearts when she grows up..:)

Ella is playing a game with her mom..

Beautiful dress!

Loved the flowers!! So bright and vivid!

Puting the dress on.

The little princess is getting ready, too!

Love this photo of Kaytlin, Susan and Audrey minutes before we had to go downstairs...

Kaytlin's friend created wedding jewelry for her - she's so talented!

The groom is waiting...:)

Kaytlin glancing down on the beach:

Mom can't hold back the tears as she looks at her daughter - truly the happiest day in her life!

Kaytlin's Dad meets her downstairs in the hotel lobby - look at the joy in their faces!

The gorgeous bride definately got a LOT of looks and cheers as she was walking to the ceremony location..:)

Ella did so great throwing the petals!

Kaytlin sees her man...

Brendon holding his breath as he watched Kaytlin walk down the isle...

Dad's giving words of wisdom....:)

Gorgeous location!

I'm yours and you're mine...

Married!!! :D:D:D

Love this pic of them walking away...

But I also had t post this one as well!:) People were constantly snapping photos of Kaytlin adn Brendon! Well no wonder, they're a beautiful couple! :)

I can positvely tell they're HAPPY! :)

We left the hotel to get some photos done...I absolutely love this one!

Hawt diggidy dang!

The rings:

Walking down the streets of Puerto Vallarta:

Oh did I tell you this couple is extremely goofy? lol :))))

Kaytlin, you are.....Stunning!!!

I want this bright orange wall in Calgary!! pretty please!

Practically risking our lives getting this shot as the light behind the couple just turned green! :)

In line to get the ice cream...:)

...which we used for this: :)

Loved this booth! Rocking hot!

On the beach right before the reception...oh!

Hugs and love from Ella! awww....

Wendy and Brent - they were so much fun as were the rest of the guests!

Love when the couple's kissing when noone's watching...

Tekila, baby! :) Kaytlin, Courtney and her mom created these cute little bottles and buckets themselves! Awesome job, ladies!

Ella and lollipop - the story of the night :))

Kaytlin's mom was giving a toast..:))

Brendon dancing away with Ella! I actually believe it was Ella teaching Brendon how to dance..:)

There was another couple who was renewing their vows after 30 years of mariage on the same day and they came over to wish Kaytlin and Brendon much happiness on their day.

We stepped away from the reception for a few minutes to take a couple of photos at night.

I think this photo is one of my absolute favourites from the day! Much love to you, guys!!

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Fun in Bowness Park :D

2010-02-25T17:48:00.000-08:00

I love Calgary. Whoever says it's boring doesn't know what they're talking about, really - there's so many places to go and see, so much fun stuff to do! This past weekend Tim, my mom and I made a little trip to Bowness Park in Calgary - the weather was beautiful and it was so nice and warm! Here're some pics from our adventure...:))

Tim loves swings. A LOT. :)

Crazy boy! :)))

My mom is watching Tim swing in full force..:)

Love this pic of my little guy! Why do kids grow so fast??

We even had some fun on ice though we didn't have ice skates - got lots of giggles still! :))

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Walking around Puerto Vallarta with Kaytlin

2010-02-20T14:49:00.000-08:00

So a day before Kaytlin and Brendon's wedding I took my bride out for a walk - first of all to see where we can take couple's photos the next day after the ceremony and also to look around for myself as I've never been here before...:)

Off we went! :) First stop was across the street from the hotel (well actually the little green area right on the road in front of the hotel)...

As we were taking this photo I could feel stingning on my feet and thought I had stepped on some weird plant...well....when I looked down I saw a whole bunch of fire ants on my feet! A-a-a-a-a!!! I guess I was standing on an ant hills without knowing - note to self to look down before shooting...haha:))

Mango fruit??

Some gorgeous looking trees...

Are those roots of the tree??

As we were walking back to the hotel we saw that the gates that we had passed before were open and took our chance to get in and take some photos in the yard. Soooo glad we did it!! There were some cool looking walls and windows for us to take photos.

Kaytlin looking amazing!! So relaxed one day before the wedding..:)

Thanks for being such a wonderful model, Kaytlin! It was fun to walk around with you and I loved our little adventures! heehee

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

2010-02-17T21:05:00.000-08:00

I got to Puerto Vallarta for my destination wedding when it was already dark so I could barely see what was around me, but I knew one thing right from the getgo - once I stepped into the hot and humid air outside of the airport I realized I loved this place. Fo real. I felt like I was bathing in the air and it felt so good...I did a bit of a research before I came so when one of the taxi drivers offered a ride to the hotel I knew I wasn't overpaying. Plus I got a little bit of a tour on the way to me destination...heehee.:)

Me: How far is the hotel?
Taxi Driver: 10 mexican minutes away, senorita! /how cute is that?! 10 mexican minutes! :))/

My amazing bride Kaytlin met me at the lobby and we had a late supper with her and her friend - good times, good food...:)

This was the view from my room when I woke up in the morning...GORGEOUS!!

I actually ventured to the local Walmart as there was a flee market nearby, I wanted to check out local goods. And yes, I walked to Walmart aka risked being run over by crazy drivers (which reminded me of Russia a little, nostalgia!)...:) It was lots of fun to walk though as I did see more than if I was going on the bus or in a cab, for sure.

I did take the bus on the way back for the sake of the experience..:)

So I met someone special on the beach...:)

The ocean view from my room...awww:

Yeah yeah I'm lame, I take pictures of myself in the mirror plus this is how I look without make up :)):

This trip was so good, I met so many nice people, all I can say is wow!!

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Kaytlin and Brendon's Destination Wedding in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

2010-02-15T11:39:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I had the greatest opportunity to shoot my first destination wedding in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for an amazing couple - Kaytlin and Brendon! I first met Kaytlin when Tim started to go to the same dayhome that Kaytlin's daughter Ella was going to. I had such a blast with you and and your friends, guys!!! Thanks so much for letting me capture your day, my warmest congratulations to you and much love to you both!

Posting a few teasers for now...:) As usual I am always open to some comment love.:)

Gorgeous bride:

Happy Valentine's Day!

In the streets of Puerto Vallarta:

Kaytlin looking stunning!

Kaytlin, you and Brendon melted the walls!

I loved every minute of your destination wedding! I'll be posting more soon!! :))

Calgary Wedding Photographer: Ask Me Anything

2010-02-07T17:27:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

What a great day it has been (and I'm not talking about the weather here lol :)...I finally washed my car and haven't been able to get into the driver's seat through the driver's door ever since - I guess some moisture got into the lock so I was getting into the car through the passenger's seat...doh! Not so convinient I should tell ya plus I keep knocking the radio off with my feet as I struggle to get to my seat! :))

Also my good pal Tanecia had a taping of her BodyJam video today so a few of us came over to support her by dancing with her. She did amazing!! What a talent! We had such a blast just being there for her. I can't imagine how hard it must have been to have to be constantly aware of the video camera and remembering all the choreography! Tanecia, way to go girl! Wish you all the luck in your next video!!!

Hey don't forget to fire off any questions you may have for me (photography related or not) on Svetlana Yanova formspring.me. I have the form integrated into my blog, it's right below my bio info on the right hand side - can't wait for your questions!! It's like a fun game to me. :)

And since any blog post is better with a photo here's me and my son...I found this photo that Alex took of us when we had no heat in our apartment on New Year's and were all bundled up.:)))

My D-R-E-A-M house!

2010-02-04T17:28:00.000-08:00

Ok we've been house hunting lately (just to get an idea of what we want, not like we're moving right away! haha)...so Tim and I we're playing a couple of days ago with more of his construction toys - my goodness is that ever fun!! - anywho this is what we came up with....drum roll please...:)))

Our Dream House:

For those of you who are photogs all of these except for the last photo were shot at ISO2000 with my Canon 7D with minimum processing (just resized for web). I love the ISO performance on this camera and colors are amazing!!

Our future pet, I think he's super cute: I wonder who that is?? what do you guys think??

Tim created furniture for the living room: it has a sofa, a firreplace, a chair and a TV with a TV stand.:) What else do you need anyways? :)

When we move we're going to have a huge PARTY!!! All are Welcome!!

Helicopter view of our new house! Just playing with off camera flash and my new 8mm fisheye lens: FUN!!

3 things that brought me joy today!

2010-02-01T19:55:00.000-08:00

I have the best husband ever! really! I came home today to another yummy cinammon apple pie...and I mean yuuuummmmyyyyy! My hips hate these pies but I love them! :)) And then I add a little bit of french vanilla ice cream on top while it's still hot and it melts all over the cake...mmm..:)

Oh Tim! I just absolutely adore and love my little guy, he's the best! He loves playing with his magnetic construction toys and builts some extraordinary things with it. So proud of him!

I got my new business cards in mail today, I order them through Moo Cards down in England, they also have an office in the States. Love the product quality + they are environmentally friendly because they're made with 100% recycled paper. And they're so silky in touch, they feel so good in your hand and they're very sturdy.

It's been a very good day!:)) What about you?? Anything exciting happened today? :)

DANCE4LIFE 2010 in Calgary - update with photos! :)

2010-01-26T20:48:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I posted an invitation to a rocking event that takes place every year in one of GoodLife Fitness gyms called Dance4Life. It's a fundraiser for AIDS awareness around the globe that falls on the day of the new BodyJam release (dance based class - I LOOOOOVE Jam!!)..:) So basically it's one huge dancing party!! I mean it can't get any more fun than that! Last year I shot this event by myself but this time I thought it would be even more interesting to bring friends along with me and they did an amazing job! Thanks sooo much for coming out to shoot with me guys!! You can check out their photos here (our Facebook Dance4Life page), Ekaterina Ulovich , Iryna Koleganova and Julia Eskin. We had TONS of prizes in donations and were able to raise $800 that day...If you would like to support AIDS awareness fund please go to our Facebook page and get in touch with the best Jam instructor EVA - Erin! :))) She'll let you know how you can help.

We had 80 people this year! YAY Jammers!!

Rocking team of the most wonderful Jam instructors!

Go Robin!! :) Sweet moves!

My great pal Elaine! You were great up on the stage, my friend! Great intro!

Noone could have warmed up the crowd better than Elaine!

Loved the new tunes from Release 51! Can't wait to learn the choreography.

It's all about having fun and good time with friends!

Adrienne is really givin' er!

Love this pic!

Calgary Family Photographer: Elena and her Family.

2010-01-24T18:56:00.000-08:00

We had such a blast taking photos of Elena and her great family - her husband Doug, her mom who was visiting from Germany and her two lovely dogs - Mika and Molly. Seriously I have never seen dogs with longer eyelashes! That was amazing!!

Cute little Molly:

First time using my new 8mm fisheye lens:

Some fun moments we had with the dogs!:))

Look at the eyelashes!!

Elena and I both loved the sky above downtown on the day of the shoot!

Her and Doug are such a fun couple!:)

Thanks so much for inviting me to take your photos, guys!

Dane Sanders Fast Track Photographer Workshop in Calgary - May 5-6, 2010!

2010-01-19T19:33:00.000-08:00

What we've all been waiting for is finally here: Dane Sanders has announced his rocking workshop here in Calgary that will take place on May 5th and 6th, 2010 (yes, a TWO DAY intense workshop with lots of practical knowledge and tips plus Dane's marketing ideas for photographers!). If you missed Chris Becker's Workshop last November and though to yourself: "Man, I really should have gone and learnt some great stuff that's applicable to my business!" you really should go to this one! Plus you won't feel left out when everyone posts photos from the workshop on their blogs and Facebook and tags your friends...haha jk. :)))) Join the Facebook Group to find out about all the updates and be on the mailing list. If you're new to the industry (just like I am!) it's a fantastic way to network and make new friends among photographers and interact in a great and friendly environment learning new things about you, your business and your clients. So come and meet 40-50 photogs in your area, bring your photography gear, hang out and learn from one of the best photogs in the wedding photography industry!

I suggest that you read Dane's book Fast Track Photographer, it was mind blowing for me!

And if you decide to register please click here! See you at the workshop!! Oh and by the way Dane is offering A LOT of goodies for those who attend the seminar! It's just too good to miss.