With my husband's aversion to your typical "cookie cutter" photography along the lines of Walmart and Sears (put it down to some deep-rooted childhood phobia), I didn't know how I was ever going to get a "first family portrait" to happen with our new 6-month-old son. Grandparents were clamouring for it, Christmas was just around the corner... and then I saw Christian's advertisement in the local newspaper, and everything fell into place.

Christian was brilliant. She came to us, which started the whole process off on the right foot. Our son could nap until just a few minutes before she arrived, which meant he was "happy, happy, happy" instead of cranky from fighting with the car seat and being cooped up in the car, not to mention hanging around in a strange place waiting for our turn. Christian and I had already chatted via email about what we were looking for... nothing posed, just a natural, quiet moment between the three of us that happened to be caught on camera. When she arrived, she wandered around outside looking for a good place and found a large rock in the woods behind our home... after shooting for a few minutes there, we headed inside to the library for a few more shots. Christian is an absolute natural with children, and Tristan's expressions ranged from inquisitive to all smiles, rather than the "shell-shocked" look that is so common in a more formal, more rushed department store studio setting. We were able to scroll through the photos on her camera to make sure that there were enough to choose from, and off she went.

A few days later, she posted the best shots on a password-protected area of her website so we could take a look, and the quality of the photography was amazing. She managed to capture the essence of new parents looking down in awe at their first child in just the most natural family moment... it was so perfect, we ended up ordering Christmas cards as well (and we're usually just not the Christmas card type!). She also managed to get a few wonderful shots of our son alone by cropping in tightly, one of which we chose to have developed as a large black & white that we now have framed on our mantelpiece along with a beautiful father/son moment that I'll always cherish. Christian's work was both professional and yet intimate. The photographs glow with a warmth and a light that just wouldn't have existed without her way of seeing and the quiet way that she is able to enter into a private place without it being at all intrusive.

When we were visiting family and friends over Christmas, Christian's photographs were a constant source of delight. In comparison, a friend gave us a copy of her family portrait with her husband and baby daughter taken at a typical department store studio. The fake background, the stiff poses, the rigid smiles... all made for a very awkward, yes "cookie cutter" picture. I'm so happy we found Christian. Even my husband is sold on family portraits the "Christian way"... we plan on having her back every year!

~Julianne, Halifax