springtime in Vancouver

Here in Vancouver we get a lot of rain.  And I mean A LOT of rain.  Sometimes we don't see much sunshine during Fall, and sometimes our Winters consist of days (or even weeks) of constant drizzle.  

Rainboots are a must, and a good rain jacket is your best friend.  At times it can be depressing, and other times invigorating.  But most of the time it's wet. Very very wet.

And then suddenly it's Spring, and we remember why we love Vancouver.  It still rains a lot, but not as much as before.  The best part of all is when the first tree blossoms!  Hope rides in on soft pink petals, and the city smiles back.

p.s. ♥ kelsey

p.p.s. I took all of these photos on my way to and from the library a few blocks from  my apartment!

{ all you need is love }

Happy Valentines Day dear readers!

I am absolutely thrilled to present you with a Valentines Day tea party inspiration shoot that I organized and did the photography for here in Edmonton. Here's a little taste of what I've been up to.... For more love, please go visit my photography blog @ claracphotography.blogspot.ca and leave me some love too! 

Wishing you all an absolutely lovely day~ 

p.s.  ♥ clara

in love with : olafur arnalds

 I'd like to introduce you to one of my musical crushes...the incredibly talented Icelandic composer: Olafur Arnalds.

I could listen to Arnalds' compositions for hours...wait, correction. I DO listen to his compositions for hours! His music is so beautifully unique. Using a classical foundation of chamber music and piano, Arnalds does amazing crossovers into pop by incorporating electronics, creating wonderful cinematic pop pieces. I am seriously in LOVE. The way he meshes in piano, synth, and strings is so gorgeous and every piece turns into an emotional journey. 

I love that one of my favourite shows (So You Think You Can Dance) has used his compositions several times throughout their seasons and that he's been the opener for Sigur Rós, another favourite musician of mine. If you love SYTYCD, go check out Jordan & Tadd's dance from season 8 and watch Amelia & Will's dance from this season. They're both beautifully choreographed and showcase the music so well. 

I think I'll grab a cup of tea and my latest book and enjoy some Olafur now =]

p.s.  clara ♥

in ♡ with : masha sardari

I am absolutely in love with the young American photographer, Masha Sardari. Her photos are so hauntingly lovely and inspiring, and I love that each of them tells a story. 

Sardari is only 17, but it certainly hasn't stopped her from achieving international renown in the world of photography. I love her surreal style and the depth of her photos, I could look at them forever.

I can't help but think of this beautiful quote when I look at these photos...

...beauty is unbearable, drives us to despair, offering us for a minute the glimpse 

of an eternity that we should like to stretch out over the whole of time...

{ a l b e r t . c a m u s } 

& some ear candy to accompany all this lovely eye candy...

enjoy!

ps: clara ♥

outfit of the day : red pants

Today's star is: Red pants!!  I am absolutely in love with coloured pants.  I have red, blue, purple and turquoise (as well as a super fetch pair of leopard pants, Kelsey refuses to be seen in public with me when I wear them), but these red ones probably stand out the most.

So while taking photos Kelsey told me to do something cool... this is cool right?

Look at that, um, technique?

If it hasn't been said yet, I also love robots!! Kelsey got this robot necklace for me and it always makes me happy when I wear it.

Red pants are where it's at!  I am savouring the time while these are still in style, but I know I will still wear them even when they aren't.  What is your favourite crazy fashion trend?

ps: jordyn ♥ 

in ♡ with : tents & teepees

With summer just around the corner, I find myself lusting after tents & teepees. There's just something so whimsical, romantic, and dreamy about these traditional, homemade forts! 

Admit it, you're green with envy right now over how lovely this engagement shoot is. I know I was, which is exactly why I begged my husband (then fiance) & our wonderful photographer (my new sister-in-law, Petara!) to build an indoor tent for our winter engagement. It helped that it was -40 degrees and no one wanted to take photos outdoors... =)

Too bad it hasn't cured my obsession with tents & teepees, in fact, it's probably only enhanced it!

I'm like a big kid, wanting to fly into Neverland, play make-believe & have tea parties with my dolls...

via

via

via

But I swear, I can act my age too. There's so many classy, romantic tents/teepees that would make the perfect little reading nook where I could curl up and disappear for hours with Austen & Mr. Darcy!  

via

via

Now, to be able to convince Caleb to make me one and to somehow make space in our little apartment... hmm. I'll have to use my imagination somehow to create something magical this summer =)

ps: clara ♥

wish list : camera craze

So right now I don't have a DSLR camera, but I desperately want one.  I am interested in expanding my photography knowledge, and the video quality on some of them is AMAZING! 

Here are a few camera and camera related items that are on my wish list at the present time.

First is the Nikon D5100.  I have had my eye on this camera for a while now, and there is a good chance I will be purchasing it soon, which is super exciting!

Find it here.

Next is something a little less practical.  This is the Lomokino 35mm Movie Camera.  It creates awesome vintage stop motion videos using 35mm film.  This thing is a beauty, and would be so fun to use for wedding videos.

Find it at the Photojojo Store!

This is probably the creepiest thing on my wish list.  Kelsey sent me a link to this a while ago and I was so disturbed.  But the more I look at it the more I like it.  It is a magnetic cat thing, that also films little movies.  Super strange.

Find it at the Four Corner Store.

I guess this technically doesn't need to be on my wish list, because I bought it a few days ago.  However, I thought I would share it with you so you could be excited about it too!  It is a Cam Caddie Scorpion - a camera stabilizer.  Using the weight of the camera attached, it helps create smooth videos.  I am hoping to film some pretty sweet videos with it soon, and I know it will be a big help when it comes to wedding videos.

Find it at the Photojojo Store!

Photojojo.com makes me want so many things I never new existed.  This photographical smoke is one of them.  I am imagining the possibilities now!

The smoke in action!

Find it at the Photojojo Store!

Finally we have the biggest piece of equipment I want, the Cobra Crane camera jib.  This would allow for ridiculously smooth and amazingly beautiful camera shots and angles.

I think this is something I will have to save up for and think about for a while.  I don't want to get too ahead of myself with the equipment I am buying, but it will definitely stay on my wish list.

Find it here.

Well I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into my filming world.  If I had unlimited funds I would buy all this in a heartbeat!  Let me know: what's on your wish list?

ps: jordyn ♥