A First: Family Photos {& a Giveaway!}

Getting family photos done is something I’ve wanted to do for the last two years.  Yet somehow, I just haven’t made it happen.  There was excuse after excuse after excuse…  It started with we’ve got way too much to do before returning back to Kuwait with a 20 day old baby, to it’d probably be really hard to find our kind of photographer here in the desert, to let’s just wait until we’re more settled back here in Vancouver.  The problem with the whole situation is that before long, you have a 2 year old {who is going on 5} and a single family photo that was taken in the living room with a blanket draped over the mantle and a camera propped up on an ottoman and a stack of books. Not good.

So when Bethany, of Images by Bethany, contacted me and offered us the opportunity to have a family photo shoot with her, I jumped on the opportunity.  I had originally met Bethany at vancouvermom.ca‘s Top 30 Mom Bloggers celebration, where she took head shots of each of the 30 mamas, so I already knew how beautiful her work was. We selected a date and planned to meet at Granville Island, a place we love and frequent regularly.

Somehow, amidst a rain-filled week, our shoot landed on a gorgeously sunny afternoon with not a rain cloud in sight.  We met with Bethany, she immediately made friends with Grae, and we got started.  

Now if I’m being honest with myself, the biggest reason we probably haven’t had family photos done until now is that I really don’t enjoy having my picture taken.  The awkward poses, my smile that quickly becomes fake… It’s just not my idea of a good time.  But with Bethany, it wasn’t like that at all.  In fact, it kind of just felt like we were walking around the island chatting with a friend who occasionally snapped a photo or two.  And to me, that was the best part. It felt natural.

On the night of our viewing session, Brad and I made our way downtown to Bethany’s beautiful little studio.  She greeted us with hot tea and world’s most amazing organic doughnuts (made of locally-sourced ingredients no less!), and turned on a slideshow of our images. They were stunning.  

The photos spewed Gracen’s little personality and made the simplest of things – walking hand in hand, collecting leaves, marching, and buying bread – look beautiful.

We’re so very grateful to have our very first set of family photos and I’m beyond excited to share that Bethany is generously offering one lucky Mama.Papa.Bubba. reader a chance to win a complimentary family portrait session of their own!  The prize includes a 1 to 2 hour photo shoot in a Greater Vancouver location of your choosing (a $350 value!), an in studio viewing session, a month long online photo gallery, and an 8 x 10 print of your choice (a $30 value!)  HUGE, right?

The contest is open until Sunday, November 18th and there are multiple ways to win (be sure to leave a separate comment for each).

 

To enter to win a complimentary photo shoot with Images by Bethany:

Leave a comment below telling me your idea of a perfect Greater Vancouver photo shoot location.

 

For additional chances to win:

–> ‘Like’ Mama.Papa.Bubba. on Facebook, then come back and leave a second separate comment saying you did so (or that you had previously).

–> ‘Like’ Images by Bethany on Facebook, then come back and leave an additional separate comment saying you did so (or that you had previously).

–> Tweet about the giveaway {Lower Mainlanders: Win a FREE family shoot at www.mamapapabubba.com ($350 value)!} and leave an additional separate comment saying you did so.

 

Don’t forget to leave your email address!  The winner will be announced on November 19th and contacted via email.

♥

 

Details: Family portrait session will be done on location (Greater Vancouver area only) and will be 1 – 2 hours long ($350 value).  Session must be booked for January – April, 2013.  Includes an in studio viewing session, a month long online viewing gallery, and an 8 x 10 print of your choice ($30 value).