Rachel Boekel Photography Blog » personal

Announcement :: Maternity Leave ::

rachel — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:22:27 +0000

It’s probably about time I spilled the beans!
Many of you know and many of you have been left in the dark. I have been waiting for my wedding season to be over
and my portrait sessions to be wrapped up and now that they are, well guess what?
I’m pregnant!

Geordie and I are expecting our first little person in 3 weeks.
Yes, 3 weeks!
Time has flown by. It was just December and we were just relishing in the excitement of the “we are going to be parent’s” news.
That news is 9 months old now but I feel like we are still not entirely sure what it means
We are looking forward to finding out.

I am taking a maternity leave until January and am currently booking weddings and any family sessions,
maternity & newborn sessions for 2011. Keep me in mind!

I was so excited to do a maternity session with the incredible Dana Pugh and Alicia Price in Okotoks a few weeks ago.
Dana has assisted me at a few weddings and was also the assistant photographer at our wedding last year.

It is so weird and awkward to be on the other side of a camera. It is so nice to have images of myself at this stage in my life though
and Dana and Alicia were ridiculously awesome to be photographed by!

Before this bambino arrives I have a lot of weddings to blog – stay tuned!

Love2Love :: Look Mom and Dad, I grew a flower! ::

rachel — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:07:05 +0000

Well, it grew! I should be happy. If only I could show you what they are supposed to look like.
Maybe it was the wind that stunted their growth? The howling winds of spring? Maybe?
I promise I loved it. I would drag Geordie outside with me to point to him its progress.
He would smile at me like I was a crazy women showing him a blade of green grass.

When I saw it was ready to bloom, I did the happy dance on my patio. Hands in the air and everything!
Today I saw that it bloomed. Like this. Like a little stunted by the wind flower.

There were windy days that I didn’t think it was going to make it this far.
It is an Oriental Poppy, or it’s supposed to be one. They are commonly described as “hardy” and “full.”
Maybe next year.

I can’t wait to drag Geordie out when he gets home!

Love2Love :: Brooks Alberta Photographer ::

rachel — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:37:58 +0000

Everytime I round the corner to our front door I am greeted by my herb box.
Hanging our herbs was a decision we made last year, and Geordie’s garage sale shotgun shell box find was the perfect vessel.

I know, it’s just a herb box but it has become a bit like a welcome mat at our doorstep.

Love2Love :: Lilacs ::

rachel — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 22:31:35 +0000

Lilacs are in my top 3 of favorite flowers.
I look forward every Spring to the sudden burst of purple on every street corner. They only last so long.
Every year I bring my Mom the first lilacs of spring. I used to pick them on my way home from school.
These days I bring them from Brooks to Canmore in a cup. Brooks always blooms eons before Canmore does.
(One of the big perks to prairie living, so you know.)

If I was allowed I would have big lilac bunches in every room in my house. Unfortunately the smell is too consuming for my husband.
You can find me driving around the neighborhoods and scoping out whose lilacs are lushiest. (I know that is not a word)
Basically I’m helping prune the bushes.

Summer Availability :: Alberta Wedding & Portrait Photographer ::

rachel — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:43:11 +0000

I can’t believe that it’s almost the end. of. may!? Where is the year going?
I think a lot of High School grads are wondering that too, but probably more excitedly in anticipation of the end of school.

I have a few openings left for Graduation photos in Brooks, AB on June 5th.
I am also offering a graduation special for that day.
please email or call (403.363.7579) if you are interested.

Also, I will be in and around the province of Alberta a little bit over the summer and have session availabilities.
Please contact me if you are interested.

May 30th – Canmore
June 18th – Edmonton
June 21st – 24th – Canmore
July 18th – Canmore

UNCONFIRMED: *July 20th – 24th – Vancouver & Sunshine Coast, British Columbia

I’ll leave you with a sneak peek.
I photographed the Dyck Family for the first time two years ago. I couldn’t believe how grown up the kids are now!
As previously mentioned… time is flying!

Love2Love :: Brooks Alberta Photographer ::

rachel — Fri, 21 May 2010 14:51:43 +0000

What a week of blogging.
I’m going to love Vitamin D and the Sunshine that brings it today.

I feel pretty lucky to live in a place where I can experience all 4 seasons. The highs of +30C and the lows of -30C
Both are charming as is everything in between.
When I walk out of my house these days I smell the lake; the dewy grass and feel the warmth of the air as I walk into it.
Hearing the birds cackle and hoot is the best way to fall asleep.

I always talk about loving the blue bird wintery days and sound of snow underfoot.
Same goes for the wicked thundershowers of Spring and the bright red leaves of Fall.

Now that it is time for Summer I can love it with arms wide open.
The same way I do with every season.

My garden is blooming, the dandelions are multiplying and the lilac trees are ready to POP!

Cheers and high fives (I know, so 90′s of me) to the next Season!

Love2Love :: Wedding Inspiration ::

rachel — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:55:09 +0000

I talked a little bit, or a lot this week about unique weddings.
I may have spent a significant amount of time before our wedding on the computer researching ideas for our wedding
(on weekends and not during working hours – ahem)
I thought since I did bring it up and all in my massive Monday post I should share some links to some cool sites that
have great tips and a lot of information. Filter through the information and find what you like – it can be uber overwhelming to take it all in.
Good luck if you’re a planning bride!
*I say good luck because seriously, wedding planning is not for the faint of heart… and I know it’s not just me, I’ve talked to many a post bride
who has shared stories of tears and decisions and being overwhelmed…. hence the encouragement to just ‘be yourself’ it = a way happier time!

Southern Weddings
Wedding Chicks
Utterly Engaged
Style Me Pretty

I promise a good few photos on Monday… enjoy the blogs!

Be The Bride :: Lifestyle Wedding Photography, Brooks, Alberta ::

rachel — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:45:04 +0000

This is a project I have been sitting on for a little while – well a long while… 9 months actually.
Last June I put together an awesome Photo Shoot Day (that’s what I called it) and collaborated with some amazing artists; hair, make up , stylist, models…
It was a glorious day. My purpose for these photos was for my wedding shows this year and for something I wanted to call:
BE. THE. BRIDE.

Not like ‘bride’ which can sometimes mean crazy, over controlling and… (hey, I can say that, I was a bride last year
By ‘BRIDE’ – I wanted to mean ‘YOURSELF’. Be Yourself. Have a wedding that is a reflection of you (and your groom – obviously.)

The concept of this photo shoot was to photograph different brides… dramatic brides, classic brides and in an area that is so… Alberta, local.

I love weddings, originality and an expression of the bride and groom.
Weddings in rural Alberta are a treat and I mean that sincerely, I want more and more people to know that they can create a wedding day that celebrates
themselves and their roots and their place. This year I get to photograph a wedding in the middle of a corn field!! HELLO!

This is an example of a wedding I loved that Sarah Rhoads Photography did.
I like the idea of stepping away from all the shoulds and needs and haves of the industry wedding and creating a uniquely YOU day.
(With a professional wedding photographer there to capture it all, of course) ;)

Am I making any sense? Any sense at all?
I had seen the so totally cool Jasmine Star do a styled shoot way back when and thought to myself – YES! I can create this, I can show this idea.

I wanted to show what we can do in Brooks, Duchess, Rosemary, Rainer… anywhere. Anywhere that is you.

These images wouldn’t be possible without the amazing talent of:

-The Adora Day Spa in Duchess – Amanda & Lindsay gave me their whole day to make the girls look hawt.
-Vermehlo Hair – Crystal rocked the looks I was looking for!
-Angela’s Weddings & Things for lending us a few dresses.
- Mireille Stettler – She helped me bring my vision to life so I could concentrate on being behind the camera.
- Connie, Aleks, Melanie & Nathan who got up early and spent the day being bossed around – they were incredible models.
- Harry and Catherine who let us spend the day on their farm, crawling over all their cool stuff.

Please, tell me what you think – and post a link if you have a cool wedding share.

Love2Love :: Love your Canvas! ::

rachel — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:59:10 +0000

I’ve been waiting to share the Canvas love with you for quite awhile, but today is the day!
Until Tuesday, if you are a past client and are wanting a big and beautiful canvas of your wedding/family or family pet for your wall,
now is the time. Until Tuesday all canvas is 20%! After Tuesday canvas prices are unfortunately going to go up.
Please contact me for further details.

I’m pretty excited to photograph my first wedding of 2010 tomorrow!
It’s going to be awesome and I can’t wait to share some of the details with you on Monday.

In other news – who else is finding it hard to be active while the Olympics are on?
I feel as though I should be inspired and ready to get outside and so some running sprints up the sidewalk after watching speed skating… instead
I change the channel and spent another hour glued to the TV. Geordie and I don’t actually have a TV so we’ve been spending a lot of time on
his parents couch – I’m sure they’ll be happy when the Olympics are over and they can get rid of us

Love2Love :: Valentines Day ::

rachel — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:50:57 +0000

For someone like me, who is crazy about Love, it saddens me to report that Valentines Day is definitely not a favorite holiday for me.
A day dedicated to love and I just can’t get into it. The cards, the cute pillows, the cinnamon hearts? Nope, not a chance, it’s not for me.
My good friend Connie and I were discussing this a couple times this week, how could I NOT love Valentines Day?

I kinda feel forced to love on Valentines Day. Maybe it’s that consumer thing. The pressure of it all. I want to love freely.
I always feel terrible for all the men standing in front of the cards, or picking out flowers or trying so hard on one day, because they have too.
I’m not anti Valentines Day or anything, I just don’t get into it. I don’t need the forced love.
Since however it is ‘the season’ of love, I started doing some searching.

If, figuratively speaking, I was going to get into Valentines Day, what would I buy for the people I love, or what would I want.
I found these two sweet little items on Etsy. They’re not pink, they’re not mushy but they’re adorable and totally lovely.

The Love Pillow can be found here and the 8×10 Hug’s Print here.

I also started speculating about music. Cause this girl is all over lovey dovey songs… and movies.
(I just might be headed to see the movie, Valentines Day, tonight)

The most played song in my itunes is Hotel Costes, Surround Me With Your Love.
Everyday is Valentines Day