Phoenix Rising Life Photography

"Family isn't defined by last names or by blood; it's defined by commitment and by love" Love love loved this shoot with the Shaylors! So happy we were able to reschedule, despite the less than ideal temperatures! @kristenshaylor... @brettshaylor See more

"What good is the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetness" Loved my last fall sessions with these amazing families Winter is coming ... @msjmoreland @the_heat17

My fall photo sessions are almost over! Cold, rainy, and unpredictable weather is always a risk when booking fall sessions! *Insert angry fist shaking at Mother Nature* With yesterday's surprise high temperatures and sunny skies, I had to take advantage and take some shots! Seeing as I didn't have anything booked, my family got to be my lucky subjects! These pictures remind me of why I started doing family sessions! There's often bribery and frustration involved with planning... photos; So many things to consider! Outfits, hair, make-up, nap schedules, fussy kids, annoyed husbands... ;) None of this changes when I do shoots of my own family! I go through the exact same emotions! But at the end of the day, when I see the pictures hanging on my wall, I forget all of the negative. Smiles, love, laughter.... they create more smiles, love and laughter. To capture that, to share it, and to create positive memories, is why I love photography, and is why I began this journey.

Rain, rain, go away; please don't come back next Sunday! The DiGirolamo were such great troopers, willing to put up with the rain for our session today! This is the 3rd Sunday I've had to postpone shoots because of the weather! Just stopppp mother nature!... @brittemac

"Life is a colorful journey; some colors are bright, while others are dull"

In honor of International Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day. In January, 10 women came together in support of raising funds for the Neonatal and Pediatric Ward at Soldiers Memorial Hospital. To date, I haven't had a more meaningful shoot. From struggle, comes strength. Charlee's Run

"Cause everyone's living in black and white; but we see each other in a different light" I often stray away from doing b&w's for clients; I feel that we can feel emotion through color. But every once in awhile, the grayscale really makes the moment pop! @sarahlbakker

Fall Minis 2020 have begun! Yesterday's session was extra special; I got to photograph one of my besties @crystaldferg, an old friend from my former crossfit gym @k8te30, and my cousin and her adorable family @sarahlbakker

Who else is this excited for my fall shoots to start this Sunday!!!

Just in case anyone needed to be cheered up from this horrible weather, here's some more adorable baby spam! @maldawn_18 @dave.was.already.taken

My fall family mini sessions are fully booked! So excited we are just under 2 weeks away! For those who have booked, I will be sending an email 2 weeks prior with a date and time reminder as well as some tips for what to wear! Thank you

"Baby girls are like flowers that are forever in bloom" Another amazing session with the Holmes'! Baby Emmie is so cute, I almost considered wanting another one, for a split second, no longer! @maldawn_18 ... @dave.was.already.taken See more

Butterflies and teddy bears; both of which we usually look at with beauty and encompass a feeling of comfort. For this family, they have a different meaning, they signify more. 1 in 4 pregnancies end with broken hearts and empty arms. There are no words to take the pain away of losing a loved one, even one you haven't even met. But you can have hope that their spirit will forever watch down on you and the ones you love, and be reminded of this protection by something that rep...resents their spirit. For this family, it's a teddy bear and butterflies that signifys Mal & Dave's daughter, Charlee, who spent far too little time on Earth. "Charlee Bear" was given to them the day they lost their daughter, and has been been with them through everything they've done the last 9+ years. Charlee's spirit lives on in the teddy bear, whose number 1 duty now lies in protecting her baby sister, Emmie Dawn, born August 27th 2020. Mal has a tattoo of butterflies on her arm, and a butterfly in the shape of two little feet make up the @charleesrun logo. Mal shared with me last night that on Charlee's first birthday, a white butterfly landed on Mal's arm, and ever since then, they have been a reminder of her presence. It just so happens that butterflies are also the international symbol for infant loss. I am so grateful to have a chance to meet Baby Emmie and despite her attempt to make my job difficult, I was happy to accept her challenge and be able to capture how special this little girl is and the angel watching over her @maldawn_18 @dave.was.already.taken

Is there anything better than the smell of a newborn baby?! Mal... You are one of the most genuine and beautiful souls I have gotten to know. Your strength, your courage, your humour... Emmie is SO incredibly lucky to have such an amazing mother! To be a part of your pregnancy journey and to see everything that you've faced through the last 9 months, I'm blessed to have met both you and Dave, and to be witness to one of the emotionally strongest people I know! If only you cou...ld see yourself the way I see you! Thank you for letting me hijack your 5 day old baby girl to take her pictures! I don't even think you wanted them done but I didn't even hesitate to move my entire household into your house haha

"Beauty is different through everyone's eyes" For Kendall's maternity session, she wanted natural and bright! Not to say I'm not capable of that, but it's definitely a style I'm not very familiar with! So I gave it a shot! I also played around with what draws to my heart: dramatic and eye catching colors and a slight silhouette! But let's be frank; to say one of these images is more beautiful than the other, is subjective. We all have different interpretations of what art and... beauty are, and these photos are an example of just that! Just because something doesn't float your boat, doesn't mean it drowns everyone. @kdbarrowman

It's been just about a year since I did a newborn session, and let me tell you, I cannot wait to do my next one with @maldawn_18

Message me with your preferred date and time to book your family fall mini session! $100, unlimited images, 45 min session at Wilkin's Beach! *Update* Sunday September 20th, 27th and Oct 4th are already fully booked! Only 4 spots left!

"Sometimes the struggle is what makes success even sweeter" Oh what a journey it's been for Kendal! I first photographed Kendall at my 'Charlee's Angel's Wod' back in January! It was an emotional day as many of the participants spoke about their troubles with conceiving, miscarriages, and other pregnancy related misfortunes. She went home that night and took a pregnancy test that was positive! Thank you @charleesrun for your angel watching over us Fast forward almost 8 months later, and here we are! Kendall is expecting her first baby on September 26th! We took the photos on her grandparents farm at sunset. This shoot was packed full of meaning! I am so grateful to have had the chance to photograph her and her husband Brett!

It's just about that time! Pumpkin Spice & Fall Mini's! Details for dates and time slots to be released soon!

Boys and bugs...

"If you saw the size of the blessing coming, you would understand the magnitude of the battle you are fighting" Last set of pics of this fam, I promise (for now... until baby arrives)! They are just so gosh darn photogenic!

"Love is a meeting of two souls; fully accepting the dark and the light within each other, bound by the courage to grow through struggle into bliss" You would never know through these images the struggles that this family has endured. Their ability to keep smiling despite everything, is truly remarkable I am so grateful to know you both, and to have a chance to capture this special moment in your life! Thank you!... @maldawn_18 @dave.was.already.taken

"Hey pretty baby with the high heels on You give me fever Like I've never, ever known You're just a product of loveliness I like the groove of your walk,... Your talk, your dress I feel your fever From miles around I'll pick you up in my car And we'll paint the town Just kiss me baby And tell me twice That you're the one for me The way you make me feel (The way you make me feel) You really turn me on (You really turn me on) You knock me off of my feet (You knock me off of my feet) My lonely days are gone (My lonely days are gone)" ... This is my favorite Michael Jackson song, "The Way You Make Me Feel"... When I photograph Dave and Mal, that song, those vibes, are what these guys emit!!! They are so remarkably in love, and it's just an amazing opportunity to be able to capture it! Thank you for trusting me with these super important pictures Love you guys so much! @maldawn_18 @dave.was.already.taken

A few months back, I gave away a free photo session as part of an auction prize for an incredible not-for-profit organization that raises funds and awareness for the neonatal and pediatric ward at the Orillia Soldiers Memorial Hospital Charlee's Run Turns out, my sister-in-law had the highest bid! I had my hands full trying to organize 5 boys, but 100% worth it!

"No matter the moment, a little girl will always render sunshine in your life with her adorable smile" @the_heat17

"Sometimes you have to let life turn you upside down, so you can learn to live right side up"

Have a photoshoot idea that you want to do with your spouse or family? Shoot me a message and we can get it done! With the craziness of COVID and going back to work, I won't be advertising pre-scheduled photoshoot sessions until the fall! BUT! If you are looking to have a photoshoot done, I would love to be a part of it and we can find a time to get it done!!!

Springwater Pond #springwater #springwaterpond #trails #manmadepond @springwatertwp @simcoe.com_news @experiencesimcoecounty @barrie_360 @barrie365 @barriephotoclub

You may hold me hand for a while, but you'll hold my heart forever

I just so happened to be strolling by a water pad with my camera today and saw the cutest little family and decided to start secretly taking pictures of them... Luckily it turns out I know them and wasn't arrested for being a creeper Loved the spontaneity of this mini shoot of one of the most amazing families

"Life is like a balloon; if you never let yourself go, you'll never know how far you can rise"

"The best fathers have the softest and sweetest hearts; in other words, they are just like a marshmallow" Happy Father's Day to all of the amazing fathers I've had the chance to photograph

Happy 1st Birthday Henri!!! I can't believe its been almost a year since I did your baby shoot! The cutest little boy with the most adorable family Thank you @kingsfawn85 for your continued support and for trusting me with your family pictures!!!

Mountains are said to represent achievement, obstacles, paths to success, tasks and responsibilities. Reminiscing on how this year began, with our yearly visit to Acapulco, it's pretty fitting to have spent my time in covid/quarenteen painting the mountain coastline on my garage/gym wall, along with an animal to represent each of our family members! The last names may not match, but the hearts do

"Jump and you will find out how to unfold your wings as you fall"

"Graduation is both an ending and a beginning; its warm memories of the past and big dreams for the future" Last week I had the chance to do a socially distanced graduation shoot for a friend from my gym! Steph and her daughter look more like sisters, don't you agree!!