Tracey Ayton: Lilac Junkie

Stephanie Chan May 9, 2018

Remember that game "Never have I ever..."

I never would have ever imagined I'd be hanging out with this funny bird, at least based on the clean styled vignettes that make up her Instagram feed. But she messaged me one day after following me for a few weeks, months after I had started creeping on her, wondering where in Tsawwassen she was living. I came over and we sat in her backyard chatting for 3 hours before I needed to return to normal life.

And it's been happily ever after, ever since.

After another long painful Winter, life did return to the West Coast and with it, an abundance of lilacs spring up all over the neighbourhoods. Tracey called me up for a photoshoot to celebrate the life of a grand violet tree that had been growing down in Boundary Bay, soon to be ripped out of the property that was to be renovated.

It was well celebrated.

Always on the gram. Ha!

Sophie Evelyn

Stephanie Chan January 30, 2018

2018 began with new babies! Back to Back babies for people I know from back in highschool who happen to be friends and live in neighbouring condos overlooking beautiful False Creek. I love how life comes full circle. I love how highschool is a petri dish of hormones, bad decisions, blind immaturity, and closed-mindedness, that nobody can see who and how the future might bring people back together. I guess this isn't necessarily true of all experiences, but I love that it is mine. I love being able to re-enter the lives of those with whom I share history (great or small), see who they have grown to be and witness the love for their young families spill out like liquid gold. It's a beautiful thing to be vulnerable. I love connecting with people and I love being a part of so many people's special moments. There is so much beauty in how we live day by day, in just who we are, in our humanity.

A few special moments with little sister Sophie and Mama Jess.

Baby Wren

Stephanie Chan January 23, 2018

My last family session of 2017 was with a sweet trio I met through my cousin Nik. They moved up the road and across the Tsawwassen/Point Roberts border into a sweet little rancher to start this new period of their lives. Like us, they moved into a new place with a new baby and renovations to be had. This pushed our newborn session to a 3 months old session which, honestly, was just as delicious. At 3 months, new Mamas have developed a system and babies have plumped up into juicy morsels asking to be bitten all over...

I met them in their new home on a beautiful sunny afternoon the first week of December. Everyone was in a cheery mood, including little Wren who was all big shiny eyes and bubbly gurgles of laughter. It's hard to know these days are gone for me. After waiting what seemed a lifetime for babies, I have somehow already birthed 3 and they are all no longer these tiny helpless creatures covered in down with sweet breath. It is a wonderful thing to be able to revisit this preciousness through my work and I am so grateful to pour my hindsight into creating memories that will shine through the foggy memories as they grow older.

A select few from this warm cozy collection...

Happy Birthday Thomas!

Stephanie Chan June 1, 2017

I can't believe I never posted these because they are so beautiful and making me tear up. We just celebrated this guy's First Birthday over the weekend and Caela just texted me to resend her the gallery. Upon uploading, I fell in love with these photos in a whole new light. It didn't seem that long ago, and in the grand scheme of things a year really isn't that long ago, but time is cruel and doesn't stop or wait. Second by second, moments come and go like a flash in the pan and suddenly those endless first days of becoming a mother are a distant memory (... did that really happen?) and your little one has grown exponentially into an entirely different human being. Many of my close friends are those whom I would have never expected to be, this Mama included. She was 17 when I met her and when she hired me. I can't believe it's been almost 10 years that have passed and that she has been there throughout my 3 pregnancies and spoiled my kids with gifts; Moses and Chloe were in her wedding party and in this past year it was my turn to witness her struggles and successes as she passed through the threshold into motherhood.

You guys have done an incredible job this year and I am so proud of you and so grateful to have you in my life. Congratulations on making it through the first year!

Happy Birthday Toto!

come as you are | charlene + emma

Stephanie Chan July 5, 2016

finally. getting caught up with a few drafts that have been waiting eagerly to be shared! with all the mom-friends from past and present booking these Come As You Are Sessions, it was a lovely surprise to have a family member call me in to capture her early motherhood days. i come from a big family, with six aunts/uncles on each side of my family. Char was one of the first of our generation and therefor was always looked up to, always harassed, and one whose lap was often occupied by a wiggly younger cousin with a bony-butt. She was always generous and kind to us and I feel like all that patience must have paid off now that she is a Mother. Capturing someone after a life-time of family get-togethers, through so many joyful births and heartbreaking losses took the meaning of this session to a new level for me. We can choose our friends, but we can't choose family, so I'm so grateful to have had such a caring, thoughtful and supportive cousin in my life and so happy to have been able to give back with these photos.

Congratulations on having the sweetest little girl!
You guys are doing a great job

xo