Michelle England Photography

Happy Monday morning everyone!! Here's a little update on what my week looks like. EDITING.... I will be at my desk all week. I am hopping back to the end of September to finish up a wedding gallery and then all of you that are waiting from the past week or so will be back in line. This fall has been absolute madness for me, but I'm feeling pretty good about it. This weekend is my "farm shorts" event and I will be sending out all the details to everyone who booked today or ...tomorrow. I can't wait!! I had a cancellation so I have a couple time slots open Nov. 7th at 2:45 and Nov. 8th at 3:30. DM me if you would like to claim a spot. Just to get crazy, I thought I would open a slot for Friday night (the 6th) Couples, in home, whatever! If you've got an idea, let me know <3

"Upon this day, our hands we bind, A symbol of our hearts entwined. To witness this, we ask of thee, Our union forever blessed be." - Author Unknown... Surprise!!! These two made it official yesterday in the most beautiful, unique ceremony. Every tiny detail of the day was carefully created by the love that binds them. The love for their children, of nature, mycology, and games . They did it their way! Congratulations to my friends, Jeff and Amy! So much love to you <3

It's been a while since I've done a proper, get to know me, post. There are many new faces around here, so it feels like a good time. I'm a photographer and a self portrait artist. It took me much longer to call myself the latter. All of my life I have hidden for fear of what others might think, but late into my 30's I was reminded that life is short and precious, and I put my fears in my back pocket and haven't looked back. It feels good. I'm awkward and animated. I couldn't... keep my hands still if they were tied to me. I often put my foot in my mouth, as it reacts much quicker than my brain, and I'll wonder for days if someone really knew what I meant. I'm an introvert. I'm quite content alone in total silence. I find it quite hard to expand my circle, because I am slow to trust. I don't think I ever fully give myself to many. I've had the same, constant best friend since I was 5, and have been with my husband longer, in life, than I was without. That's likely set me up for failure due to comparison my whole life. I spend a lot of time trying to learn the why's in life, regarding mental health. I find it fascinating. Our brain is such a strong tool and once we learn to identify why we do, behave, and say things, we can harness the power to change and recreate ourselves. I haven't finished changing myself, I don't think we ever do, but I live for the re-creation, and the observation. Oh, and one more thing. I drink around 5 cups of coffee a day. I don't think of this as a bad habit, I not trying to cut back. It's a lifestyle and a happiness I totally enjoy. Thanks for being here.

I always tell my clients I'm an over-shooter. I never stop clicking the shutter. During our session I'm shooting for myself as much as you. I approach it like I do when I'm with my boys. I'm not overly concerned with eye contact or smiles and perfection. I'm looking for slivers of magic. The way her pigtails and fine baby hairs blow in the wind. The way her sweet, tiny fingers grab and explore everything around, and the way her eyes light up when she's reaching for mama. I'm looking to create the kind of timeless images that don't go out of style, that 20 years from now take you right back to how it felt to be with her at this age. I'm an over-shooter and I hope I never stop.

If I can stick ya right in the weeds, I will! It's not the weeds or the foliage that I'm worried about, you're the focus, but they add to the frame, they draw the eye in. Plugging away at edits, in between shooting, this week. Answering emails and booking up the last of my "farm shorts" event (first weekend in November). It's a good week! Tomorrow we're off to the IWK for an assessment on my son's broken wrist. Keep your fingers crossed for us

Mama's I know! I know that booking a family session and getting everybody ready is hard. I know it's not everyone's favorite thing to do, that it feels incredibly vulnerable to step in front of the camera and try to "act normal". We often envision a session and how it will go, to have it go in a total different direction, but that's OK. I tell my clients to play, to let the kids run the show, it makes it easier on everyone. I am never looking for perfection, I'm watching for ...your moments, even the ones I help you arrive at. The moments that show your love for each other, your silliness, your togetherness. When our babies are grown, I want you to look back and feel all of that again. This family. I love them! The kids made me work, but it's when I'm happiest. I want the real stuff. Life is crazy and chaotic, wild and beautiful. Let's remember just how incredible that really is <3 Love you, Erin! So thankful to call you my friend <3

Yesterday. I am still processing how it felt. It was like I was just sitting in a room with friends, because I was. As the day buzzed along my nerves seemed to fade away. I was worried I wasn't technical enough, that they would leave disappointed, that they would want more. In the space of a few hours I knew I didn't need to teach them how to shoot, but how to believe they were worthy of it. Worthy of allowing themselves that love. I think I smiled all day, we ate together, w...e encouraged each other, we were women loving on women. We need more of that in this world. I made them compliment my t-shirt because it's matches my personality when sometimes I don't think my face does. #quirkyforlife Sure, Brave is my concept, but it was built with so much support from the amazing people around me. My sweet husband @chris.england, who always has my back, the sweet @stitchedbysuzanne, who constantly holds me up and together, @carlamariaphotography, who sadly had to miss the day but sent me flowers and so much love. My soul sister @erinveinot, who helped me give my attendees a beautiful gift to remember the time they said yes to themselves, and @deedeemorrisphotography who swooped in and saved me, because she is kind, loving, and luckily in my corner. Yesterday I felt supported, loved, and brave. I am thankful to each and every one of you that gave that to me. Women you are worthy, you are more than your negative thoughts. You are wild and light, fierce and fire. You are perfectly made and you are enough.

I have felt so nervous, like every time I mention it, I might in some way jinx it. When I launched the idea of BRAVE back in January, I think a small part of me never thought it would actually happen, and then my first date had to be canceled in April. It crushed me. I was sure that was it for my little workshop that could. When I decided to try again, I was sure it wouldn't work. But, here we are. It's the day before my dream finally comes true. I have a list a mile long to... complete to be ready, I have had hiccups, and stresses, and I just know I won't sleep tonight. 7hrs. 9 women. Self love, self care, self acceptance, self portraiture. It's happening. Last night I got a message from an amazing friend. She said, remember the name of the workshop... You can do it.... Guys, I'm so ready. I am BRAVE!

I never really imagined how I would feel after completing a full summer of feminine portraiture. When I started to advertise and offered a model call, I knew it would be hard to get women to trust me, to put themselves in a space of being 100% vulnerable, to admit to themselves that they wanted to be the focus for a change. I couldn't imagine how full my heart would feel after spending time with these women, talking before and during our session, and watching them push themse...lves to come into their real beauty. In the valley, we are 10 minutes from the shore. There is a deep connection to that water. Something about growing up with it, it's beauty always changing, but remaining constant. We all brag about our "world's highest" tides, and we all equally shudder with the frigid temperature of the Bay of Fundy. There is something about it, you're afraid, but you want to get in. Jillian and I met the night before the hurricane blew in. The tide was high and the wind blew so loud we had to yell to speak. The waves were some of the largest I've seen that close. She knew she wanted to get in but we waited until it was perfect. I told her that she would have to try an relax as the freezing cold hit her, to breathe deep, and then as the sun dipped, I said, "GO"... That water, it cleanses you, it embraces you and it leaves its mark. This moment was unimaginable for me as a photographer. She trusted me, I gained her friendship, and I was her cheerleader. I felt proud of her, in awe of her confidence for her age, I wished I could have been like that. This session was the best way to end my summer. I'm so proud of what WE, my amazing clients and I, have created this season. I set out to help women see the value in being documented and at the end I found something that set my creative heart on fire. I'm so thankful.

I posted on my IG stories today and thought I should share here too. I treated myself to a small print order to update the photos in my house. I picked a few of my very favorite images from the last year or so. I ordered from Atlantic Photo Supply in Dartmouth. Their prints are heavy, textured, actually stunning. I could have honestly cried when I opened them today, just to see how perfect they were. It's the only place I order prints, and if we've worked together, you know i...t's the only place I recommend, and in fact, I tell all my clients I will not stand by my work if it is printed at any kiosk style printers. On occasion I have wondered if clients actually take my advice ... I assume some do not... and full truth in the past I have needed images super quick, headed to Walmart, and came home disappointed. I remember when my youngest was star of the week at daycare. I procrastinated and was so embarrassed to give them the prints I had. The colors were bad, the clarity was brutal... I was sure they would laugh at me, a professional photographer with terrible photos. That was the last time! I will never again spend a single penny on less than perfect prints. AND, you shouldn't either. If you spend your hard earned money on a session, you should allow yourself the gift of printing, at least a few of them, for your home. You should trust that the images printed are done in a way that your photographer intends for the work to look. All screens have different resolutions and different tones, but prints should exactly match the screen that your photographer works on. So quality prints guarantee you that the art created for you is as beautiful as you expect. Its true what they say, you get what you pay for... Treat yourself. You deserve it!

Summer break ended. It always does. For the past 6 months life has felt the same in many ways, but different. We had absolutely no schedule, we didn't see many people, and we really didn't go anywhere. It was hard and lovely all the same. These 3 fine boys don't understand the need for privacy, or my equal love of quiet and loud music. They don't always follow the rules, they aren't always helpful. There were days that I wished I could just escape for a bit, not keep it toget...her, and just not cook another meal... but for the longest amount of time in our whole lives, we spent all our time together. We argued, but definitely less than we laughed. We ate. We fell in love with creating and enjoying family dinners again. We settled into the slow pace that the world offered us, and we felt total contentment, well at least I did. These 3 fine boys are back in the classroom today. Grade 2 and 6, and 9. I had a real work day at home, and they came home with happy tales of what they did and who they saw. Today was 100% positive, I felt it would be. Today felt normal and it just feels right.

I said if I ever felt crazy enough to offer minis, I'd call them "shorts"... So here we are... The Farm Shorts!! *half price regular sessions *30 min *farm field location (exact location shown below)... *family, motherhood or couples sessions available Only 4 time slots left. Don't wait on these, November light is the best all year! DM me if you have any questions <3

Two weeks today we'll gather. We'll lean into the art of self portraiture, while learning that it begins with self love, self discovery, and self acceptance. You'll learn to carve your own path and create for yourself. Allowing the freedom from structure and rules, of standards in creativity. In my images I get to create who I am. I am in charge of who you see. Self portraiture has changed my life and I cannot wait to share that. Ladies...welcome to BRAVE

September and October are fully booked!!! Thank you to everyone who messaged me to claim a spot <3 I am wondering if there would be any interest in some November sessions. I have never done it before but I was thinking of throwing together some short sessions. November is such a beautiful time of year. It's perfect for cozy sweaters and blankets. You can basically just come for a snuggle and leave with some memories. * half price (regular together session fee is $300)... * 30 minutes * at our family farm * first or second weekend of November Comment below or DM if you'd like to book or have any questions. If there is enough interest I will post available time slots later today.

This year has felt so different to me. I've really pushed myself and the way I shoot. It might not be obvious to anyone else, my work might not look different to you, but I've taken more chances. I've pushed myself in new ways with light, location, and with clients. I've found myself saying, "let's just go with it", where before I would have doubted and been uncertain. The rewards have been plenty. This beauty is one of those rewards. Cassandra applied for my model call a few... months back and was chosen to participate. I had never seen a photo of her (I didn't ask to, it didn't matter to me what she looked like), she lived very far from me, but her story instantly made me feel a connection to her. We agreed to meet at Conrad's Beach, 2 hr drive for me (each way). Right away I knew the session would be magic, she's magic. I drove home after on a total high. I love my job, I've loved this season. Take chances! It's just so damn worth it! @ Conrad's Beach

I'm terrible at posting when I take the actual photos. Sometimes it takes me a little while to come up with what to say. "friends enjoy time together on a sunny night", just isn't enough. I say it all the time, but this job gives me so many new and amazing experiences, over and over. I feel so lucky to do this, just so lucky. I met the wonderful Laura Boyko earlier this summer at another session I haven't posted yet. I have long admired her talents behind the camera and was s...o excited to meet her. A little while later she asked me if I could do a session for her and some girlfriends. I jumped at the opportunity! Friends play such a big role in our lives, they often feel like family, we lean on them when needed, and we share our whole selves. So why shouldn't we have that documented? We chased the sun with a bottle of wine and laughed until our cheeks hurt. Ladies, grab the people you love and book a session. Friendship deserves it!

It's been a busy week and a slow Sunday was just what we needed. We had lunch with friends and chilled the afternoon away. Always a sit down supper and another load of tomatoes picked at the perfect shade of red. I'm obsessed with the imperfect shapes and sizes. You'll likely be seeing them for weeks to come as the vines are still full despite all we've eaten. This summer has had its burdens, it's worries, and stresses. But, it's had a lot of goodness too. It comes in the form of time together, lazy mornings, late nights, too many snacks, and gorgeous red tomatoes!

Parenting a teenager is uncharted territory. It's scary and hard, it's fun and frustrating. He's creeping in on my height. He's up later than me every night. He makes mistakes, and he uses good judgment from time to time. He eats everything in the house and sneaks the chips I have hiding. Last night I got home from a session at 6:30, we hadn't eaten, but he needed help changing his scooter grips. Dinner could wait. I changed the grips. He said, "I know you were just working, but the sunset is gonna be nice. Did you want to go to the park and shoot?" Guys, we went to the park and stayed until dark. We came home and boiled corn after 8:30. Dinner can always wait. Little boys grow up, it doesn't get easier, but once in a while a day like this makes it feel 100% worth it.

!!SOLD OUT!! I had an attendee switch to the October workshop, so that open's ONE seat on the September 19th date!! If you are new to photography or a pro looking to learn more about self portraits, don't wait... This seat could be YOURS <3 Message me for more details!!

I've talked about how much I love couples sessions right? I mean come on... I'm a self professed LOVE lover. It makes me happy to see them snuggle in, to get close. See how they're both laughing in that second photo? I told them I wanted them to get weird. I was going to line up there faces just so. I said just go with it!! My favorite thing in the world is clients who get me, or at least pretend they do <3 I've got some space in my calendar for some Love sessions. I'd love to book some couples who want something different and love to laugh.

I told you I'd post more about it later. Tara decided to get in the water at her session, and it was magical. She was freezing, but she loved it. I loved it! When I got home I looked through the images and sadly, as I get to the water ones, something was on my lens. I must have gotten splashed or smudged it. It was a big dark mess right across the middle of her. I was bummed. I could not just deliver them and pass them off as good enough. They weren't! I asked her if she wou...ld like to do a reshoot of just the end of the session, and I crossed my fingers she would say yes. She did. You guys, she agreed to get in the Bay of Fundy twice... That's BRAVE. Tide was in and it was wavy.. I mean wavy. The fog way rolling in and the sun was dropping fast. She got in and tried her best to relax while freezing and then a wave crashed hard and high. She was drenched. We laughed, like that deep to your soul laugh, and something caught her eye. There was a lady on the beach taking a photo of us with her phone. She was laughing right along with us. What a night! This is why it matters to me that women put themselves first once in a while. Put yourself in situations that push you, that make you feel brave. You deserve it!

My fall booked up fast. I only have 4 dates left. I'd love to hang out with you and your kids at a location that means something to you. You can play and connect, and I'll capture it all. These sessions are totally documentary/lifestyle based. You just get to be you. *all inclusive pricing (all edited files delivered)... *styling tips available *online gallery *loyalty pricing for repeat clients (These dates are available for the Love or BRAVE sessions, as well, at a different price structure) Reach out, I'm here for it

Take me to the ocean. Give me rocky coast. Place it upon me like a weight, I can bear it. Open heart.... Setting light. Wash it over me, I can become it. This is Deedee. She is a mentor, a friend, and the free'est spirit I've ever known. I am grateful for her and thankful for all she has given me.

I listened to a podcast on deadlines last night, and man... did I need to hear that. Deadlines are often the crusher of creativity and we need to change our mindset towards a start line instead. Now I'm not the busiest person I know, but I do battle the up and downs of overwhelm. I really feel the tug between my work and my family. Having a husband that travels and can be gone months at a time, usually leaves me feeling stuck in the game of tug of war... but it's me tugging o...n both sides. I battle extreme guilt if I am late getting galleries out, even though I clearly communicate that it usually take a few weeks because... real life. I lay awake stressed at night that I will disappoint my clients and always apologize. Every time it is met with, no apology necessary. They get it. I am so lucky! I have had a couple months to work on a course I am delivering through an online retreat, and I have had brain paralysis even getting started. Words aren't easy for me, if only I could just build a slideshow and be done, lol. Like so many other mothers, I feel it with every breath, that my boys are growing up fast and I am afraid of missing it all. So most of the time I choose being with them and pushing my deadlines even further. My husband just spent the last 3 weeks home with us. It was incredible, trips to the farm, drinks by the fire bowl almost every night, and long porch sits with coffee. Some day the tug of war will feel different. And for all the days I feel overwhelmed, I wonder if it's just happiness and I haven't figured out the difference yet.

Our shorelines have been thick with fog, you can almost grab, this summer. I think it's adds such beauty to the frame. The soft lighting, subtle scenery. A lot of clients can shy away from it, thinking it's "bad weather" for a session, but not Tara. She loved the idea that it was something different. While we walked the beach she mentioned about hoping to look powerful, she kind of shrugged it off to an, oh well. I think at times we as women feel silly in wanting to see ourse...lves or feel a certain way. It even takes courage to say it. Power can show itself in many ways. It's not a one photo fits all kind of thing, sometimes you may not feel it but it can still be seen. When I look at this photo, I see strength and power, and I see courage. I see a woman who took a deep breath and gave herself a gift of self love. I see a mama who works hard for her children, and someone brave enough to get in the ocean, not once, but twice (more about that another time). This is just one photo from our session, but I see it! Thank you for trusting me