Kendal + Kevin
Kananaskis Lifestyle Family Photographer
As I drove up the gravelly, dusty road from Canmore to this family photography session I had a moment of pause and that buzz of panic as two thoughts entered my head. The first was, wait, I don’t really photograph families, what if I totally bomb this? Followed by, oh man these are two local photographers I super respect, so if the first comes true, well, hello embarrassment and neverending shame. As I pulled up to the spot we had predetermined to meet the sun slipped behind the western peak – a misjudgement on my part by thirty minutes. After living in Canmore for eight years the mountains still on the odd occasion thwart me as I slowly map out the light patterns and locations according to the seasons.
They pulled up shortly afterwards and despite my only meeting them once from afar at a wedding photographer hangout at a noisy little bar, all my worries were gone. Dangnabit, if they aren’t the loveliest people, with the most engaging kid, and and absolute joy to spend an evening with.
We explored a little meadow (you may perhaps recognize from The Revenant, although with far less bears I am happy to report). Some of the ideas were mine, many of them Kendal and Kevins, and perhaps even more Brighton’s. As I reflect on my own personality as a three year old, I was mostly peering out from behind my mum’s legs, mute. Brighton on the other hand introduced himself with a joke, for which he is well known for on his parent’s Instagram, and kept the quips and questions rolling through our time together. He was game for races, and climbing rocks, of snuggles, and posing as a hero.
We left our movie set meadow for a hidden lakeside retreat. There they poured themselves glasses of wine, and some Clearly Canadian for the little guy, and enjoyed an artisan pizza from local pizza joint Rocket Pie in Canmore. The last of the light reflected off the peaks into our valley, the clouds opened the way for a waxing moon to adorn the top of the frames. They dipped their toes in a lake fed by glaciers, then a wild sloth, hungry for pizza appeared.
Thank you so much for giving me the honour of photographing your family Kendal and Kevin. You three are a local treasure.
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