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Rachel Ray Photography Blog bio picture

The 411

I sat here imagining what it is that I wanted to portray to those of you who happen to stop by and ponder who I am.

I sat for a pretty long time.

I considered, maybe, that I should start with a cliche quote, such as 'pictures are worth a thousand words'. But I didn't want to sell out on a simple quote like that.

So I sat and pondered some more.

And really, the one thing that I can say about who I am is a photographer, is this:

"Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness" Psalm 115:1

I have been blessed with a passion and a gift, and I seek it out everyday for a purpose greater than my own. I find joy in capturing the true personalities of my clients, because I desire to pursue my passion with integrity.

So, I could sit here and tell you a story about pictures being worth a thousand words, a million words, maybe even an infinite amount of words. But not one of those words would speak truth to who I am or what I do.

So, instead, I give you me. What I do and why I do it; to the core. 

Honesty is the best policy, right? (Ok, one cheesy quote is acceptable).




 

101 Reasons why I LOVE my Mom.

Ok, I lied… I’m not going to LIST 100 things, although I’m sure there are at least 100 on the list. I’m going to give you my top ten favorite ones, starting with number 10 and finishing with my most favorite reason. It will also be paired with some lovely flashback photos of the last 5 years of my mom and I. Enjoy the hilarious hair styles I seem to have gone through during my post secondary “finding myself” phase.

Here is one for you to really laugh at before we get into the tear-jerker material.

I told you it would be funny.

Now let’s move on to the sentimental part of this post. Today is Mother’s Day. If you haven’t figured that out you should probably remedy the situation and go buy some flowers- or, if you live far away, bribe someone you know who lives nearby to bring flowers to your mom like you planned it all along. #1 child award right there. Maybe gift her the new J Biebs song on iTunes that he wrote for this very special day- Mom’s love that sentimental music stuff. [I personally just love the Biebs].

Today is my last mother’s day as a single woman. For every mother’s day from now on, I will be a wife… and I will also have the potential to be a mother myself. That seems really significant to me. The Bible talks about how a man and woman must leave their mother and father and cleave to their spouse…so this is my last chance to honor my mother before that whole ‘leave and cleave’ thing sets in on July 15- and I want to make it special. [Don't worry, Mom, you will still get loved on this day for many years to come- wife or not!].

My mom was just here in B.C., watching me graduate and helping me settle into my very first home as a home owner. Having that time with her really helped remind me of all the things I miss about her when she is gone. Mom- I love you dearly. Here are just a few of the reasons why:

10). Without you, I probably wouldn’t know how to put on make-up, tell the difference between designer jeans and fakes, or have any fashion sense at all. You’re my favorite shopping partner for life.

9). Even though people always ask if we’re sisters (and I always clarify that you’re *ahem* 49), I like the fact that I have some pretty hot genes to look forward to as I grow old.

8). I never get sick of people saying, “RACHEL! Your mom is a FOX”. Dang right, you are.

7). I’m pretty sure you social network better than any of my friends. I love constantly checking my phone for texts from you as we chat every single day. I never have those awkward social moments where I pretend to text so I can avoid eye contact with a random stranger- I genuinely HAVE to look at my phone.

6). This one time in high school, you told me, “You’re so FUNNY. We always thought your brother was going to be the funny one… and you just surprised us!”. [This was after the "Olga" incident, and I seriously still laugh every time I think about it].

5). You toughed out parenting the most horrendous, terrible, trouble-making child in the world. I mean, Luke was a real handful, hey? Ok, just kidding. I was the nutcase kid who would yell out the window to people passing by to call social services because my parents beat me (only because I was really mad you sent me to my room). Seriously- if you can survive raising me, I feel like you deserve a Nobel prize.

4). You didn’t just survive raising me, but you made me turn out pretty good, or so I think. I remember you telling me that you were reading something Dr. Dobson wrote when I was a young child about how 50% of strong-willed children reject their parents faith, and that you were determined to not let that be the case for me. I applaud the fact that not only did you make sure that didn’t happen- but you officially raised the first pastor that our family has ever seen. Seriously. Standing O.

3). You raised two young kids while your husband juggled boot camp, overseas deployment, residency, and life inside a rat-invested apartment. You fed us with money earned when dad took his Medicine textbooks to the Pawn Shop. That is just inspirational and I am so thankful.

2). You’re the most generous, loving, energetic, bubbly woman I have ever known and you are never found in a room without a friend or a person who deeply loves and admires you.

1). Whatever the role is that you are in- you give yourself to it in a way that honors God wholly and completely. You are one person in my life who I see take “nothing is impossible with God” to heart. I cherish your dedication, talents, and abilities, and I am so floored by the way that God is working in your life with the “Truth Unlocked” project. You found Jesus only 20-some years ago, yet you have lived a life worthy of at least 100 years serving our King. You have brought so many people to Christ, whether it be intentionally through a ministry, or just listening to the promptings of God in a clothing store, nail salon, or any other ordinary place. You place no boundaries on God’s works.

I love you and am honored to call you my mother. Happy Mother’s day to my best and most loyal friend,

Your daughter.

May 14, 2012 - 1:34 am Rosa @ FlutterFlutter - Seriously love this post Rachel. Now, I expect tips on how your mom kept you on the straight and narrow!!! :)

Sneak Peek at my first few days as a HOME OWNER!

Hello, lovely blog followers!

I’ve been on a hiatus for a while now… and many of you may know the cause! As of May 4th, Neil and I officially became home owners for the very first time!

Now, you can do the math. The wedding isn’t for just over two months now… which means I get to be the first to move in! Neil will just have to wait until he’s a husband to enjoy this place.  So, I’ve been moving furniture in, getting everything set up, and starting my transition into Wife-dom!

The move in day was FULL of hilarity. Neil had to work, so it was four of us girls (Thanks Jodi, Jes, and my mom!) and a U-Haul. Imagine it if you please, it was quite the show. We set off with our coffee in hand to the U-Haul facility, where our first truck didn’t start. Finally, we got a running (as best as a sketchy truck can run) vehicle and set off! First stop, Neil’s house. Not only was it a fun adjustment driving a giant, prehistoric U-Haul, but figuring out how to move furniture out of Neil’s parents’ garage into the vehicle was a WHOLE other story. You see, the Barkman’s live on a bit of a giant hill. It made no difference to our spirit though, and we set off to tackle the job. A few rogue dollies and laughter later, we finally managed to load everything into the U-Haul and then set off for my basement suite. We successfully packed everything up in record time and took our few extra minutes to have a traditional last breakfast at my beloved Cora’s.

The last week has been a bit of a whirlwind trying to adjust to this new stage in life. Most of my things lie in boxes in the spare bedroom, waiting to be sorted. There is a long way to go with this house- and some furnishings won’t come until after the wedding! However, I decided to show you a sneak peek of what it looks like so far! Not finished, but it’s starting to feel like home.

Enjoy!

May 11, 2012 - 11:11 pm Sheri Morrow - love it !!! So beautiful...however was there any doubt? Love you Rachel and welcome to the world of home ownership! You and Neil are so blessed to start your life out together in this wonderful space. :-D

Jaana: St. Albert Portrait Photography

Couldn’t wait to give you all a sneak peek at a session I had with Jaana the other day! I’m back in Alberta right now and I have always been a fan of the Alberta sun. I’ve also always been a fan of Jaana. Look at that beauty!

Treasures.

Today I was antsy.

Restless.

I needed to get out and experience something. Anything.

I spent some time in my Bible and then packed up my camera and headed for the Port Moody area. I indulged in the most delicious caramel machiatto at Starbs and went off exploring.

I like to explore and wander aimlessly with my camera and see where it takes me. Sometimes it’s nothing special, and other days… I find treasures.

Today I found a lot of treasures as I wandered, and it was so restful. Peaceful. Just what I needed.

I thought I would share some of the images from my walk this afternoon.

March 17, 2012 - 2:26 am Sheri Morrow - hey Rachel...thanks for calling and inviting us to join you ! What an awesome surprise visit. love how God pulls us together. SO so happy and proud of you...just saying and thanks for being YOU. YOU rock. Love you and your images are awesome...see you sooner than later...much love...me

Happy 7th Birthday to the Psuedo-Dog!

Last May I adopted a cat. If you don’t know this, you probably live under a rock- because since May this cat has been photographed, instagramed, tweeted, and status-updated a little TOO much (or so some people tell me).

Now, if you asked my fiance, Neil, he would tell you I’m a dog fanatic. Watching TLC’s Pick a Puppy is the most dangerous thing you could ever do with me. It typically ends with me frantically compiling a list of breeders in the BC area and emailing them ALL to adopt ALL the puppies.

So, why did I adopt a cat? Well, if you met Jasper, I think you would understand. But let me give you a handy-dandy list to help you out.

1. I live in a basement suite… by myself. It’s lonely and a cat is low maintenance. Basement suite + crazy life + low maintenance animal = temporarily appeased Rachel.

2. In a minute, you’re going to see some pictures of him-and he is the most beautiful thing you could ever lay your eyes on.

3. He was going to be homeless, and no one likes animals to be homeless. Sarah McLachlan made SURE of that one.

4. This is the best one. Jasper thinks he’s a dog.

Yes, you heard me correctly. Jasper thinks he’s a dog. He doesn’t have any of the annoying cat traits. To prove it, here’s another list:

-He likes to eat people food, and will normally knock over my garbage can and compost to find it.

-He has to be around you ALL the time.

-He waits by the door for me to come home.

-He likes to smell and chew my shoes.

-He hates cats. He even hates his own reflection, that’s how much he hates cats.

-When we play, he pants like a dog. TONGUE OUT AND ALL.

See? He thinks he’s a dog. Which is pretty perfect considering my affinity for canines. So this is why I adopted him. Every cat hater I know has fallen in love with him (ask my landlord, he has fallen victim to the cuteness of this critter).

But this wasn’t the point of this blog post. My pseudo-dog turned SEVEN on March 3! Which makes me sad, since I missed out on the first 6 years of his life and it means that I get to have him in my life for 6 years less… but birthdays are exciting nonetheless. I did a photoshoot with Jasper this morning to commemorate the occasion. He has gotten much more comfortable with the camera since I first introduced him to you. Enjoy the a-dorable images that follow.

Prosper.

“We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows that the great power is from God, not from us.”

2 Corinthians 4:7

I sat down today in Wendel’s Café in Fort Langley, BC, patiently waiting for my coffee date to arrive. I had the privilege of sitting down with Kelly Swanson of Kelly Swanson photography and sharing our passion for capturing people, places, and things through our cameras. While I was waiting for her much anticipated appearance, I opened up a new PDF devotional that I purchased the night before. To understand how revolutionary this devotional truly is- I need to tell you about how I really found my roots in the photography world.

In August of 2009, I began my journey back to BC from my hometown of St. Albert, Alberta. My best friend came along for the ride and we made a whole trip out of the experience, including a day trip down to Seattle, Washington. At this point in time I had just gotten a DSLR hand-me-down from my brother, and was shooting in the ever-so-artsy automatic setting. My friend and I were trying to take a photo of the two of us in front of the Pike Place Market sign when a man sporting two 5Ds walks up offering to help. Of course, the photographer in him takes over, and he asks if he can show me a few tips on how to use my camera for real- in MANUAL. For the next 5 minutes, he gave me the most simplistic and basic tips imaginable, then he snapped a few photos of us in front of the sign for a keepsake. As he was leaving, he handed us his business card, which read- Stephen Knuth.

This man showed me a few simple techniques and know-hows, but it transformed my life. This was the beginning of my growth as a photographer, and I owe everything to this man’s patience with me that day in Seattle. But the journey doesn’t end there.

Here is one of the photos he snapped for us! Don’t mind my horrible rookie editing job!

Last night on Twitter I noticed a retweet of a young woman with the last name, Knuth. Since the name means so much to me, I was immediately intrigued. Well, wouldn’t you know… this woman (Scarlett) just so happened to be Stephen’s lovely wife, and she had just written a devotional for Christian photographers. It didn’t take long for me to check out with paypal for this timely purchase. I was blown away by how small the world is, and how full circle my journey had come. Here I am, yet again, being impacted and encouraged by a photographer in a way that will forever shape the heart of my business- and she just happens to be married to the photographer who changed my life the first time. Un-freaking-real.

So while I was waiting in that coffee shop today, I opened up this devotional and started to read day 1 of the 40 days it provides. I was encouraged and challenged and deeply moved to continue to make the heart of God the heart of my business and what I do. But most of all, I was so thankful for the way that God orchestrated all of this to really SPEAK to me, my heart, and the passion that He has gifted me with. I am so excited to continue on this 40 day journey with Scarlett’s devotional, and I would really encourage all other Christian photographers to do the same. Let’s seek God in all that we do and strive to honor Him in how we use the talents He has blessed us with.

Again, I have to draw attention to this:

“We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows that the great power is from God, not from us.”

2 Corinthians 4:7

To check out Scarlett and Stephen’s website, click here.

To check our The Prosper Book, click here.

March 14, 2012 - 6:21 pm Sheri Morrow - Thanks for sharing RACHEL!!!! You are such an inspiration to me and I am always so excited to hear and see what you are up to. Love you sweet girl. Sheri

March 14, 2012 - 3:42 am Rosa @ FlutterFlutter - Wow, that is such a cool post Rachel!!! Amazing.

paper cranes.

I admit, every time I read this title I think of M.I.A and start singing, “Paper Planes”. Out loud. By myself.

But who hasn’t done that? Yeah, admit it.

But this story isn’t about paper planes. Obviously, it’s about paper cranes. A very special paper crane, in fact.

This paper crane is by no means extravagant, it was forged from the pages of one of my students’ exercise books, but the back story is what makes this crane the most beautiful one to have ever been made.

6 weeks ago I began my final practicum as a student teacher. This involves me full time teaching in a classroom for 10 weeks. When I began my practicum, I explained the process to my students, and the majority of them were overjoyed- except for one little boy. This little boy didn’t like me, and he made it very obvious. The next two weeks were some of the most painful and frustrating weeks of my entire practicum. He forget his agenda and his homework every day, he never listened to me, and he barely accomplished any of his work- and when he did, it was poor quality. He gave me overwhelming amounts of attitude, and when I spoke with him he would stare off into space and never respond.

Praying for this boy became a large part of my morning routine. I knew I needed to connect with him and just kept praying for God to reveal the perfect situation for this to occur. There was so big “THIS IS IT” moment where I jumped in and connected with the boy. It wasn’t right away. But I just started intentionally seeking him out every day. I began asking him about books he was reading, complimenting aspects of his work, and telling him a few jokes during break times. I took every opportunity I could to interact with him in a way that was outside of my perceived role.

And you know what?

He began to remember his agenda. He began to finish his work well. He began to speak, and I was eager to listen.

Yesterday, as the bell rung to signify the end of the last day before spring break, this little boy ran up to me and said, “Ms. Raymond, I made this for you.”

Inside his hand was a perfect, miniature, exercise book crane.

As he extended it towards me I couldn’t help but realize the journey this boy and I had been on together in the last six weeks.

It brought tears to my eyes.

It may be a simply folded piece of paper- but the story goes much deeper than that. As far as I am concerned, this is the most expertly crafted crane in the world-formed by the hands of a meaningful relationship.

This crane now sits on top of my fireplace, a cherished reminder to keep the goal of teaching at the center of my heart: relationship.

March 11, 2012 - 1:43 am Rosa @ FlutterFlutter - So sweet Rachel. I love that story.

March 10, 2012 - 7:29 pm Naomi O - Love this, Rachel :)

Baby Zoey: Langley Newborn Photography

About a month ago (yes, I am pretty backlogged!), I had the privilege of photographing Zoey- the beautiful product of Jason and Susanna. I am so incredibly blessed to have worked for Jason during my years at Trinity Western University, and can quite easily say that he was the most incredible boss! He was one who encouraged, supported, and challenged me in my faith in so many ways. I grew an incredible amount under his leadership! Which is why I jumped at the opportunity to photograph his FIRST child- the beautiful Zoey. We had an eventful afternoon with this little one…especially Jason! About halfway through the photoshoot, Jason came face-to-face with the perils of a diaper-less baby; ending up with projectile liquidy diarrhea all over his hands, arm, and coffee table (visitors of the Lavergne residence, be warned!). However, we handled it like champs (especially Jason), and got back down to the nitty gritty! Below are the beautiful images that resulted.

delicious baby rolls!

Congrats Jason and Susanna! She is SO precious.

Baby Asher: Langley Newborn Photography

You may remember the faces in this blog post from a maternity session I did a few months ago. Megan and Ryan had precious little Asher just recently and invited me out to their home to document all of his cuteness! Asher had a bit of a hard time settling in at first, but thanks to Mom and Dad and their expertise, he was a natural in no time! I had so much fun witnessing how Ryan and Megan have adjusted into their parental roles, and it was a blessing to spend a morning/afternoon in their home. Check out how adorable their FIRST child is!

Congrats you two love birds!

March 10, 2012 - 6:40 am Sheri Morrow - Rachel you are so amazing. keep shooting keep shooting. You make me smile

The day I photographed Meg Ryan. Fort Langley Maternity Photography.

Ok, I didn’t photograph Meg Ryan. But I did photograph Megan and Ryan, and they get the “Meg Ryan” joke all the time. I first encountered Megan almost two years ago when I worked for the fabulous Mercy Ministries Canada. Megan is in charge of the fitness aspect of the Mercy home, and she helps young girls complete their journey to freedom through physical fitness and positive body image. Megan and Ryan are two precious souls. We took so long for this shoot- over 2 hours- mostly because we talked so much. The day was filled with lots of laughter and excitement for the birth of their little one. We almost ran out of time since the sun started setting so early. Enjoy these lovely photos from one of my favorite spots- Fort Langley.

Sometimes the most blurry, imperfect photos are the best ones.

December 23, 2011 - 4:07 am megan - thank you for such amazing photos rach! you made us feel so comfortable. looking forward to seeing all of them! much love to you . . . !!

December 20, 2011 - 3:52 am Sarah@EmergingMummy - Gorgeous!

December 20, 2011 - 3:04 am Rosa @ FlutterFlutter - Beautiful pics Rachel! She has amazing eyes!!