Abilene TX Family Photographer - My trip to Red Deer and Calgary Alberta
I had the very rare luxury of being able to go to Canada last month – to visit my photographer friend Chantelle of Chantelle Coleman Photography. Even better - I was able to take her family pictures and be her second photographer at a wedding (those pictures will come on a later blog)! I had an event packed six-day excursion to this gorgeous country and I can’t wait to share it with you. I also can’t wait to go back.
Thursday didn’t start off great, though. In fact, it started off with a panic attack in the airport. I was zone three to load onto the plane headed towards my layover in Atlanta. Zone three is dead last, folks – on a sold-out flight. Guess how much overhead storage was available when I was finally able to board? You got it – NONE. Flight attendants were kind, but I had to check my carry-on suitcase at the gate – which had every single piece of my photography equipment in it. It was not locked, and my name was not on it. Of course, hindsight is 20/20 (I mean, what the heck was I thinking?!) and I will be well prepared if this happens again but when you’re carrying on a bag and have never had this happen before – you kind of don’t even put a second thought into it.
So, back to the panic attack. I pulled the flight attendant to the side with tears in my eyes, almost grabbing him by the lapels and screaming, “LOOK! YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND SIR; MY BABIES ARE IN THERE!”. He told me he would personally load my suitcase into the plane and see it makes it safely to Calgary. I assume this was meant to soothe me but how was I supposed to know if the same treatment would be in store in Atlanta? I didn’t. The panic attack continues at this point.
I mournfully went down the plane’s aisle, full on bawling now and I can all but assume every person on that plane thought I was crazy. Maybe I was, I don’t know. The Atlanta layover was a complete blur this involved a lot of running as I had to board a plane in 40 minutes two terminals away. Thank Jesus for those fast walking escalator things.
Both flights were smooth, and I was finally able to finish a book I started two years ago. Customs was a little different as I’ve not really visited another country. I wanted to dance a jig when I see my little suitcase come off the conveyer belt first. I ripped it off and onto the floor, unzipped, and found all my babies sleeping peacefully with no pain/suffering endured. Time to enjoy myself!
I hop into Chantelle’s SUV and we head towards her town, Red Deer. Along the way, I tell her “there’s only one thing I have to see while I’m up here – a moose.” The look on her face was everything but can be summed up with this one image:
Friday morning was spent shopping at their mall, lunch, and kids’ haircuts for pictures later. That afternoon, right before we picked her son up from school, she decided to show me a good spot for family pictures. As we come up to the river she screams, “SHUT THE HECK UP! GET OUT OF THE CAR RIGHT NOW!” We run to the cliff, look across the river, and what do we see? Yep, no joke – a baby moose.
Chantelle put together the PERFECT outfits for their family session and here is her gallery!
Aren’t they adorable? Believe it or not, we saw a bull moose at the end of the session, right across the river. What are the odds?! After family pictures we spent the evening eating poutine and drinking beer (I’m in love. Flaming Hot Cheetos have literally nothing on Poutine). Why the heck hasn’t America developed a love for poutine? It’s amazing!
The next day was spent in Calgary documenting a very special wedding day (which I will blog soon) and then we were off to Banff.
Banff, y’all. She said if I ever come to see her we were going to Banff. She certainly did not tell a lie.
Sunday morning was spent with a wedding hangover (yes, they’re real and yes, they’re killer) where every bone in your body aches because you were working for 12 hours straight the day before. 800 milligrams of ibuprofen do nothing for this type of hangover – the only cure is the satisfaction of seeing your images edited.
After we finally got our act together we started the trek west to our destination. It was a foggy, chilly day – my absolute FAVORITE weather. We stopped in Canmore for a Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew (and you MUST try if you haven’t) and then onward to Lake Moraine and Lake Louise. I’m going to show you a few pictures which do NOT do the lakes justice.
Yes, the water was THAT blue. I fell in love immediately. I can’t wait to go back. I was super bummed all I brought with me was my 85mm lens because I could have gotten some frame-worthy landscapes with my 35mm. I guess that gives me reason enough to go back, right?
The next day was spent in the tourist town of Banff where we walked the strip of shops and ate at a very historic fondue establishment. Apparently, it was always a resturant but you used to be able to call other tables and cough…spend some time with some other people…cough. I think that’s really all I want to divulge on this blog! The phones are still at the tables and you can still make calls – I know because we received a call. They hung up. I think they were scared.
I didn’t want to go home the next day, I can’t wait to go back. They got snow last week and we’re still sitting in the 90’s here. Oh, how I miss the changing of the seasons!
I know I tried to cram way too much into this blog, but I really didn’t want it to be a novel. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope this puts Banff on your bucket list!
As stated earlier, my next blog will be featuring the wedding I second shot for Chantelle in Calgary! I was physically assaulted downtown taking pictures of the bridal party (ok it wasn’t that dramatic but still) so it’s going to be a must read!
Until then, my friends!
<3