Jen Short Photography

Family & Newborn Photography

Maternity Session :: Peony Farm

York Region Maternity Photographer

I’m obsessed with nature. Maybe not so much the bug aspect, but the greens and florals. I love when the sun sneaks through the trees and gives that golden glow. The way the darks are brightened in just the right way to highlight features. I literally can’t handle a beautiful sundown without my camera in my hand. I also can’t handle not knowing what my maternity clients are having! Boy or Girl? I’m such a Pinterest mom I had to know lol.

With all the covid stuff happening and being trapped indoors for so long I had a lot of time to look for creative inspiration. No chance to put it to use…until now. I bought this peacock chair for Mother’s Day Mini’s and didn’t get to use it. As upset as I am about missing out on that, I embraced the extra time to make the idea that much better. Turns out it all worked out and I have an amazing set for families.

A huge thank you to Janet at Country Cut Flowers for letting me use her gorgeous property. The peony field was the perfect spot for this mama and for my new baby (aka the Peacock). This chair will be available for mini’s this summer and fall and as an add on to your regular session. So excited!

Looking to book a mini or full session – Contact me HERE

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Personal :: I get it

I get it. I really do and I find myself laughing during sessions when I see parents getting frustrated. Not to be mean, but because I know all too well what it’s like. My little one won’t look at the camera. She’s happy to get ready and go to the session, but don’t ask her to look in any direction, stand still, or heaven forbid smile. My oldest loves the camera, but takes 73  years to get ready and then another 68 to warm up to the camera. Her socks are too bumpy, the dress has ruffles that make her arms feel weird, the dress is too short, top too tight, pants too stretchy, too long, too grey, too ‘textury’ and so on. Yes, ‘textury’ is a thing. Maybe not a grammatically correct thing, but a totally a thing. I get to sessions and want to cry or chug wine.

It always gets better and just like me, you have to trust your photographer. I choose mine (and I hope that when you choose yours, you do the same) and know that they will capture my family. The true people that we are. Even if one has a donut in hand and us parents are singing ridiculous songs to get our kids to crack a smile.

So I get it. Your toddler rather run then let you hug him. Or your husband keeps rolling his eyes when you tell your kids to ‘Just smile’. I get it. I know exactly how it feels after the session when you think you don’t have a single good photo. When you do the math on how much time and money you spent on getting everyone ready and looking presentable. I get it.

So my words of wisdom actually come from my daughter when she was 3.

I was using her as my model for some princess inspired sessions and she wouldn’t cooperate. Shocker. And when we were done she looked at me and said “You get what you get and you don’t get upset”. Then proceeded to frantically wave (with a giant grin on her face) to Belle (The princess) as we drove away.  WTF. Literally. She’s right though. We need to let our family be our family. In one or even ten years from now, these images are going to mean the world to us. The glare your husband was giving as your oldest stuck their tongue out. The ridiculous smile your toddler gave because they are smiling ‘too hard’.  (We all know the one). Or even if it’s something we don’t love about ourselves. I get it.

Here was my attempt to get a cute shot of my two holding pinwheels. And here is Ivy throwing the pinwheel and running away.  Aria has that look on her face when you’ve been holding your smile too much and you cheeks hurt.  Can’t win em’ all.

Check out some of the ‘better’ images from this session HERE. I love this place! Thanks to Country Cut Flowers for letting me use the fields!

 

Family :: Pereira-Vincec

Family photography has changed a lot. It’s less structured, less about coordinating outfits, and more about capturing memories.

I love families with multiple children. The more the better. Yes there are more kids to wrangle, but the whole purpose of a session with me is to capture your family however they are. If your kids like to run? I’ll run with them. If they are shy? I have a few tricks up my sleeve for that too. Your husband hates his photo taken? I bet by the time he realizes what’s going on, we will have some amazing memories of him and his kids.

This family is no different. I was able to give a little guidance and let them do their thing. Kids will be kids and those smiles shine through when they are allowed to be themselves.  Dancing, sparklers, collecting things along the path.  All the little details make the final gallery tell the story like it should be. I had so much fun at this shoot and made some friends in the process.  I really do love my clients and what I get to do for a living. Family photography is my new fave session!

Want to see what a session with me is like?!  Check out my video ‘Behind The Scenes‘

Contact me to book a session for more more info.  Capturing memories in Richmond Hill, Newmarket, Thornhill, Stouffville, Vaughan and Aurora (other locations available)

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Family :: Henechowicz

Family portraits are quickly becoming an annual thing for a lot of families. Little ones grow so fast, families change, furry friends are added. Unlike in the past, these sessions are less posed and more about capturing the individual family for who they are. All those things that make them unique and make them so amazing.  Moments like sisters holding hands, mom and dad laughing at a toothless grin, or even kids seeing their parents hugging and laughing.  It’s less about the perfect smiling photo (which I still try to capture) and more about the moment. More about the details that make a family who they are.  Sessions shouldn’t be cookie cutter as no two families are alike.

This little family was such a pleasure to work with.  Despite a slight fear of sparklers, the moments we captured will last a life time.  Missing teeth, shyness, baby number 3 waiting to be announced. It’s why I love photographing families so much! Family portraits never looked so good!

Want to see what a session with me is like?!  Check out my video ‘Behind The Scenes‘

Contact me to book a session for more more info.  Capturing memories in Richmond Hill, Newmarket, Thornhill, Stouffville, Vaughan and Aurora (other locations available)

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Family Session :: McNalley

Family Photographer based in North York Ontario

Family Sessions with older kids can go one of two ways. Teens and pre-teens tend to have their minds made up about how uncool taking photos with their parents is.  Fair, I was that way at one time.  However, this little family was amazing and it shows. One of the images from this session even made me cry!

One of my favourite parts of being a photographer is meeting people and getting to know them.  It can be a lonely job when you don’t have any coworkers but I have the most amazing clients which makes up for it.  Sometimes, like this one, I feel a connection I can’t explain.  Trish reminded me of someone special to me. The sweetness and general adoration for her kids is indescribable.  I know everyone loves their kids but for some reason it affected me differently.

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Mounter Family Session

I’ve never had a family session with these guys until now, but worked with Oreon on a number of projects both in photography and in the event industry.  When I started this little business (on the side), I would shoot events mostly, and quite a few were with him. Such a sweet guy and so glad he finally booked with me for his personal session.  I’ve seen his family grow through Facebook and and images we’ve shared with each other over the past couple years.  There are so many photographers out there that every time someone chooses me it makes my heart just a little bit happier especially when those people are in the same industry!

Family sessions are an honour because clients are trusting me to capture the most important thing in their lives. Their families.  I get to leave my mark in a families history and capture them in the moment.  Looking back at my own family photos, the ones where I was 4 and had that nasty bowl cut my mom said was ‘So cute’, I see how much I have grown, my old toys and friends, pets, houses, family members and so on. Guess I’m a sucker for memories.  So to be given the honour is kind of a big deal for me.

These guys were a total dream, sweetest, well behaved kids ever!  And ya, FREAKING adorable!!!! Parents aren’t too bad either.  This session is one of my favourites to date and really glad I could be a part of capturing this time for them.

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Harris Family Session

Family Sessions are my fave. I get to see a side of parents I don’t normally see. I know the online version, I know the ones I talk to on the phone, but when you meet and see them with their kids it’s totally different.  Crazy how ‘littles’ change us all!

When Ashleigh booked her session she knew what she wanted, did her research and loved what she saw.  Amazing right! That’s what I want for all my clients. To be excited for their session and to have my images on their walls.  Then I found out both her and her husband are in the creative industry. Talk about pressure!  Some families just want updated photos on their walls or to share with family, but when you know what you want and have expectations and an eye for it…..total game changer! Whatever the reason for your session I want my families to love the final images and I suck with pressure (pressure I create in my own head – I’m sooooo good at that).  I just do what I love and hope they do too.

Quite smitten with the whole session.  Conquered a little bit of fear I guess.  Granted with such sweet little boys, who behaved better than most, and cute easy going parents, my job was easy.  Too easy. Still I love these images and wish I had similar ones on my wall now.  Time to book our own session I think!

 

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Jen Short is a family, newborn and maternity photographer in Toronto and York Region area including Markham, Stouffville, Richmond Hill, Newmarket, Aurora.