I recently presented  this set in an album competition in Vegas. Unfortunately I missed the judging  and I  don’t have the score hopefully they will be sent out next week!! In the meantime here are the long awaited  images from the soulmates series.. thanks to my models Nedge & Dazl . ML

  This month  I introduce another one of my talented clients, Christina Campsell, a Classical Vocalist Mezzo Soprano that I had the pleasure to photograph at the Gladstone hotel in Toronto a few weeks ago. Christina reached out to me after she had seen the work I had done from a fellow classical vocalist last year. She commissioned me  for new imagery for her 2012 promo package including headshots, glamour  and beauty shots that would support the next level for  her brand.  We had a great time  and  lots of great shots too. Here are some of my favorites  in the follwing spread. Wishing Christina  all the best  in her new opportunities!ML

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Whenever I get a chance One of my favorite things is to test a variety of lighting sources and play around with  Video Ambiant Strobes available  lights of any kind. This helps greatly to build a nice arsenal of options when confronted with any type of lighting situations. While on a trip in the bahamas  last year I got some play time and created that mini spread featuring one of our models Ella Poz as ”THE MANNEQUIN” and mixed it  up with some shots  I took of Store displays  while taking a stroll around south beach miami at night. Thansk Ella

January went by in a flash. February is here, a new month, a new chapter… The year started on a high note in goal setting and while I am slowly chipping away at them, I am also taking the time to be grateful and smell the flowers It feels great to have my priorities straight! I am currently enjoying Vancouver for a few days,  Rainy but great for evening walks with the fresh and crisp air. I am looking forward to a few more short trips in the coming weeks inlcuding LAS VEGAS for the WPPI PHOTOGRAPHY CONVENTION where I will be mingling in the sea of 16 000 photographers from all over the world. Networking, learning celebration and good times with some of  my favorite peeps. I registered all the platform classes I will be attending during that week and I am pretty excited about learning new techniques  &  approaches   with some of the top players in the industry.  CAN’T WAIT!! There will be more blogging about that event in the coming weeks.

In the meantime here  is a quick teaser from a Glamour/Portrait session with the talented and gorgeous Vocalist Mezzo Soprano Christina Campsell. I will be sharing my favorites from the session in a few weeks for now here are 2 from what I will call the more ”casual” shots. This session was nothing but GLAM in true Opera Diva territory. Thanks to my MUA and Photography Assistant Lauren Canzius who blessed us with a flawless look. More Images coming soon… Cheers to another great month.!!

 Here is the January spread of the Money Shot.   As I mentioned  in my previous post “ MONEY SHOT “  is special blog post dedicated  to clients, partners collaborators who are pushing fearlessly in the direction of their dreams. Meet DOROTHY ALEXANDRE a young media mogul who is taking the social media world by storm this year.

Dorothy and I met when I received an email from her last fall where she stated that she had been following my work  for a while  and would like to have me on her radio show “en musique et en mots” to discuss my journey my passion and aspiration.

The experience was amazing and she told me that she would be commissioning me later in the year for her professional photography shoot. She was at a turning point and was looking to create a signature look for her new promotional tools ; website blogs etc.

This task was perfect for ML CREATIVES  who’s mission is  to partner with professionals & artists to provide a signature style for  a total make over. From meeting with Dorothy I got a sense of someone who was professional, poised, articulate sophisticated and very colorful. She is a true renaissance woman with quite a bit of facets to her personality. My visions was  to capture all over her.

I sent her a few thoughts and we kept exchanging ideas until we nailed our concept. Ellensstyles stylist extraordinaire that I will be blogging about later this year joined the team with amazing ideas to complete her look. Love is in the details and every single aspect of our color palette was chosen very carefully. I found the CHATEAU VERSAILLES HOTEL in downtown Montreal part of the Meridian group who provided the sophistication, charm and colors to enhance our concept.

On the day, Sylkie Makeup provided flawless and fresh look and Sess LadyBlu worked her magic touch on the natural hairstyles that were crucial to the shoot. Needless to say that it was a great experience with a great team. Special Shout out to Camille Brisson who provided a helping hand during the session.

Dorothy has set her sight on some breakthrough  projects for 2012 and will continue to rise and shine. Look out for her new blog coming up in the next few weeks in addition to the MAKING OF the Photo shoot captured by the talented Sandra Mathieu from Havilah Media.

“If Everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself” Henry Ford

This week I will be celebrating a very special anniversary. 1 year  commitment to Cross fit.

At the end of the 2010 I was contemplating a major lifetime change in the health and fitness area of my life.  I  was heavily invested in many areas of my life; career  etc..but had neglected OPTIMAL  HEALTH. I was not in was I would consider the best shape. In a culture where being voluptuous and round is revered the reality was that my work started to show me that I needed to get into much better shape. I was confronted with a question by one of my life coaches when he asked me if I was  willing to strive for  excellence in my career , but was willing to accept mediocre health and fitness …I was not ok with the sound of that however  I never really invested in that area. I had a hard time believing that I could invest in OPTIMAL HEALTH and FITNESS with my hectic lifestyle…

After quite a bit of soul searching and a reality check it was clear that I was avoiding some serious demons  and something had to be done.  When did I stop believing that I deserved the best health shape &  form?  I stopped looking for excuses but started to reach out to individual with very similar lifestyles as mine who were in optimal health  and asked  them about   the ingredients that made  them a success in that area. 

 A lot of people were involved in “temporary” programs and diets that were very inconsistent. Also I was not looking for casual gym goers  or  people who got in the P90X wagon to fit in a Bikini or Speedo for a few months. I looked for people who were GENUINE and PASSIONATE about health and fitness in general despite career, kids, busy schedules. In my research I found that PASSION DETERMINATION and most importantly COMMITMENT was what made these individuals so successful. They were not just looking to lose a few pounds or look good for aesthetics reason. They were truly committed to OPTIMAL HEALTH and FITNESS and made this their  #1 priority.

Many of them shared their before stories with me and I got pretty motivated .It seems like many of them had a combination of very specific lifestyle choices in nutrition but a very rigorous training regimen. Each had  a different practice. Some did Yoga , Pilates, Karate, Gym, Running …  the list could go on . Everyone found THEIR SPECIAL VENUE to exercise their commitment to lifelong health and fitness.  That was a crucial element. I have been a casual gym “goer”  for most of my adult life and this was clearly not the right model for me if I was truly looking to make a major lifestyle change I had to find MY THING.

I started looking at a few outlets and one of the trainers at the club I was training at mentioned Cross fit. I had never heard of it and he invited to try out a class. This was one of the most challenging workouts I have ever experienced. I went for a week but never completed the sets. How could I go from casual gym and now do 50  pushups 100 sit ups 200 squats.. .??? FOR REAL?? that was  just crazy!!! However that week, everyday  I did a little better than the previous day  and was motivated by the challenge. I had to leave for Toronto and my trainer gave me a list of 6 referrals of CROSSFIT BOX ES in Toronto and  I called each one. To make my choice I had to consider proximity as well as connection with the trainers as important criterion. The first 5 were ok and each provided an opportunity to come in and try a class on a specific date… I still called #6 TIDAL CROSSFIT and came across   Jeff Elliott I mentioned Jeff in a previous post … (who calls me:”the crazy French lady “) that 15 min conversation made TIDAL standout amongst all the other places I had called. I can’t really recall all the questions he asked me but it felt like they truly cared and Jeff shared his personal story his struggle with health and fitness before Cross fit and I was sold. I made an appointment!

 I showed up that day with a friend  and we went for it. It was HARD!!! I was barely able to complete STEP 1 ( and that was only the warm up set)  YIKES!!!! These guys were SERIOUS and there was no way I was leaving without completing the workout that was scaled to my level. I just could not believe what I had gotten myself into this Crossfit thing was just  too hard and impossible. It was pretty messy, when I was done with my last push up I nearly cried. But Jeff  and Larshy the 2 owners at the time were just soooooo encouraging and  chatting  with them made it clear that I was coming the next day, and the next one after that.  I shared this adventure with a few friends and some told me point blank that Crossfit  was  for athletes and I should consider something more entry level LOL! ok sorry to laugh  but they did say that… But while  they were saying this on the other side of the spectrum was a community filled with people from a variety of background and fitness levels. One of my sources of inspiration was Sue, Larshy’s mom who came in almost every day  for her workouts and she was lifting and did so well. I kept on meeting new people and their stories were encouraging me to stick with it. IF THEY COULD DO IT  I COULD  DO IT TOO!! And I simply  fell in love with  the community. Every completed WOD (work out of the day) was a personal victory  every PR (personal record) was a celebration. 1 rep  at a time …

I shared my fitness goal with the trainers and they provided structure, proper  form and a challenge every day. NEVER  ALLOWING ME TO GIVE UP!!!  Even when I could not squat with proper form they put plates under my heels or a box under me lol!  In 2  month I was able to  see a huge difference in my posture and overall strength and endurance.   6 months  later I could not believe what I was able to do . Then in the fall I started the strength training with Mags who joined the management and I saw NEW POSSIBILITIES!!! I dead lifted  230lbs  WOW!!! Everyone around me started noticing the cosmetics changes and kept on asking  for “THE TRICKS”  when I mentioned that in Crossfit  there was no tricks, that It was like interest to get it  you first  had to invest… and I INVESTED a lot considering a busy schedule. I made it a priority and kept my promise  to  OPTIMAL HEALTH.  Some of my pals decided to try it out …Others still think I am insane1 but I still love them J

Today, I  feel AMAZING!  This morning I completed a Team WOD with my friend Nicole and together we shared 2000meters row 100 pull-ups 200 pushups and 300squats that we completed in 31:47.  I never thought I could do this in a million years  a year ago. It sounds surreal at times  but it is MY REALITY. Am I in OPTIMAL SHAPE…? ABSOLUTELY NOT but I am in the best shape I have been in my adult life thus far. There is still a lot to do but I am now much more confident about what I can do and know in my heart that I DESERVE the best HEALTH.  I incorporated new lifestyle choices in terms of nutrition and continuously look for inspiration and resources to fuel myself.   This is my contribution I let life take care of the rest!

How will I celebrate this 1 year anniversary? Well, this week I will work EVEN HARDER!  Because now I am HUNGRY and know that I can take things up a notch this year with some new goals. I am still scared a some of the workouts but most of my psychological barriers have been put to rest.  Work in progress…

 Special  Thank you  my sisters, who have supported and encouraged me throughout the year   and helped me stick with it during challenging times  as they also have set some very specific HEALTH AND FITNESSS goals and we keep tabs on each other.This is amazing !! My dear (true) friends and family who cheer for me  unconditionally …And finally to my  Crossfit family at Tidal…  THANK YOU!!  All I can say is that with PASSION, DETERMINATION & COMMITMENT everything can be achieved but add a HEALTHY COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT to the equation SUCCESS IS SIMPLY GUARANTEED and that community is TIDAL !! 

NO EXCUSES  NO DELAYS  JUST DO IT TODAY!!!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

A few snapshots from my BBM  journal and personal diary logs  for 2011:).

HAPPPY NEW YEAR 2012!! Last month I was invited to be a guest lecturer at another SR INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP in the Bahamas this time. I will be blogging soon about that experience. In the meantime I wanted to share a concept I shot on our last night when we were sneaking in the boat every nooks and crannies, around 1 am I got inspired by one of our models and experimented with OBSESSION. A  glimpse at a woman who becomes obsess with her own reflection that even her alter ego get jealous and tries to compete for attention. We had a blast!! To my beautiful Muse Cindy Prado who simply was pure delight to work with. You just caught the vibe and did not miss a beat mamacita . My favorite part was the “happy dance” which I did not capture unfortunately. Special thank to the gorgeous and feisty Ella Poz  who joined as  her alter ego and spiced things up! And last but not needless my devoted and great assistant Joseph who just joined in while I was experimenting and assisted me with lighting. Here are some of my favorite shots from that segment. Stay tuned for more from that trip …   

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Here I am writing my last blog post of the year… seems like yesterday where I was writing my first blog post of 2011. The year flew by. ..A  year marked by so many extremes, challenges and set backs a times  but also amazing precious moments and miracles were abundant.  My heart  is filled with gratitude regardless so many things to be grateful for…FAMILY HEALTH LOVE  HAPPINESS PEACE  LIFE!. 

I am looking forward to 2012 ,  within the things I can control I will continue to challenge myself to be the best that I can be on so many levels of  my life’s journey  for the rest I leave everything else to the faith that has carried me to this point.  I thank you all for your encouragment and support in good and in more challenging times. I wish you HEALTH WISDOM  LOVE SUCCESS and PEACE  and all should follow

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012!!!!!

I leave you with  the GEISHA AFRICANA SPREAD  Shot last fall during  the 1st edition of  my storytelling workshop see u in 2012!!

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.. .. Yesterday with 3 of my photography community friends, we had walked half and hour to check out PETER LIK’s gallery in Southbeach Miami to find out that it was closed for renovation when we arrived … We decided to hang  around for a bit and sit by the fountain in the square. I started checking my emails … and saw “Your WPPI Second Half Competition Results”.. I quickly opened it and  read the WPPI  blurb; “… thank you for entering the WPPI Second Half Competition. We had an overwhelming response to our call for entries and we appreciate your support. Below you will find your image entry number and score…if you did not score an 80 or above, you may want to consider the following: With 3200 image entries, the competition for imaging excellence was fierce in this round of the WPPI Second Half Competition. If your images did not score well, consider…..”

 With such an overwhelming participation I guess they had to set the stage for some reality check…last time I entered there was 1900 entries and it was fierce… 3200 entries WOW! As I read these lines my expectations were in check but  I still hoped to score at least 80 on 1 or 2! As Iscrolled down,  next to an image, I see  1st place… I had to read it over 100 times to make sure lol!!  I just could not believe it!

I first started entering  photography competitions  in 2009 as my mentor SCOTT ROBERT LIM  encouraged  all of us to get our work critiqued at the highest level in the game. Like everyone else attending  the Annual WPPI ANNUAL CONVENTION AWARD ceremony,  I looked up to the winners for  being  recognized for excellence  in their work at that level and hoped to be up there one day.  Last year while in attendance during the awards ceremony, Scott whispered in my ear and said you are going to be there. My goal was definitely to get my work to a world class status no matter what  with consistent growth along the way. I did not expect this to be in play right now.

I cannot wait to head to Vegas this year with my community and receive this award.  Especially with the peeps who have been with me from the 1st milestone I experience in Paris in 2008.  Many warm thoughts to my family  and intimate friends who sometimes don’t get to see me as much as  they wish. I hope that you see that this is all worth it in the end and that we have a lot more to share and celebrate together I DO THIS TO INSPIRE YOU  TO GO FOR IT…..!!!

      Thanks to my amazing SR community … I spent the last 4 days as a guest lecturer speaking about  my appproach to life  & photography in addition to my artistic journey at the SR INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP  BAHAMAS CRUISE.  I cannot think of a better way to wrap this amazing experience and  to basically end the  year and set the stage for an AMAZING 2012. Special Shoutout to Zabrina  & Jeremy from JEZA who were relentless in pushing me to submit images to the competition despite  having  NO TIME …  Love you guys! See you all in Vegas and congrats to all the winners!!!

Here are they:  1st place “UNTITLED” in PHOTOJOURNALISM CATEGORY an image caught in broad daylight in HAVANA , CUBA while on location to shoot an MMY COORDINATED Wedding in VARADERO CUBA – PATRICIA & SACHA  THANK YOU GUYS!!!  To my MMY family  Marilyn,Yveline and crew  thank you…   I wish you guys the very best and cannot wait to share this with you in person when I go home for the NEW YEARS PARTY!!  This image spoke to me in a million words and I just had to capture it !!

The 2nd image SOULMATES (ACCOLADE OF EXCELLENCE) is  an image from a special series I am working on. I shot this in JAMAICA   while  I was on location to shoot  the stunning wedding of SANDY & MARTIN thank you:-). After Partying all night in Negril I had set up a shoot with my muses at sunrise. MANY THANKS to Nedge and Dazl for allowing me to execute  my vision via your magnificent energy and majestic bodies. The judges comments:“OMG this has such sensual energy and impact! The focus being on the arms gives us a voyeuristic look. Absolutely stunning!”  I share this honor with you both and will in person when I go back to MTL next week!! My thoughts are with you xoxo