Blog Posts – ALLYSON ELL PHOTOGRAPHY

September 21, 2017

Pausing to make space

It is time to make some changes with this business.

I want to start by saying thank you to all of you for giving me the chance at one point or another to capture your family memories in photographs. Some of you have been with me since I operated under my Squishy Prints Photography name. Your support has always meant so much to me. Thank you for letting me capture the essence of your family.
Family is very important to me. In the last few years I have found myself struggling to maintain a balance of time with my own family, as well as working in the health care system, and operating a photography business. It is with a sad heart that I have decided to put my business on hold for a while. I need to spend more time with my family before my children grow-up. At this time, I don’t believe this is a permanent closure, but just a pause for the next year or two. It is time for me to make more space in my life to breathe and be a better parent and wife.

This is now farewell, just a little, see you later.

Much love to you all.
XO
Ally

September 20, 2016September 20, 2016

Fall Mini Sessions

Hello poor neglected blog…

Life has thrown some really big curve balls at our family. It’s made me pause in my business and really reflect on life. It has also made me realize the importance of creating and holding on to memories, and leaving a legacy for our children. So I am once again offering mini sessions this fall to give you a chance to capture a snippet of your life.

Personally, I am not at my prettiest… I’m out of shape, a little stressed and have some tired looking eyes. But my children love me any way. Life can change in an instant. Although I don’t feel like putting myself in front of the camera I realized that if I kept waiting, I would miss out on the opportunity to save moments that show me loving on my family, in this moment. I would miss out on sharing with them how I feel about them. I would deprive myself the chance to look back at our life and have all the feels come back. It’s not perfect, but it’s life. The good, the bad, the moments that will forever make you crack a smile.

This summer I invested in a really big family photo session for my family. I can’t wait to fill my walls with some of the incredible images. My photographer was fabulous. The beach setting was beautiful. But those aren’t why these photos make me smile and cry at the same time. It’s the people in the photo that make me love them. Because I love those people. They don’t see my flabby arms – they see me wrapping them in a hug. I see the way my older son teases my youngest, as he changes from a kid to a young adult. I see the charm my youngest has and how he was such a goof that day, trying to allude the camera. I see the way my husband adores me as he holds me from the wind. I can still hear the laughter!

So let’s do this for you. Let’s make you feel something every time you look at your family in that frame on your living room. Let’s make some magic.

I know not everyone can afford a full session, so that is why I have chosen to do some limited mini sessions again. This is your chance to get in the frame with your children, your loved one, your people! See you there.

June 30, 2016July 20, 2016

Letter to my Littles | June 2016

Welcome to another installment of my letters to my littles – a glimpse of our life with two busy boys!

Dear Caleb and Liam,

June has been one of the busiest months we have had yet! It’s hard to believe the year is already half over.

This month we celebrated your 11th birthday Caleb. You had your birthday party planned for months – dinner at Japanese Village followed by a sleepover with some friends. Dinner was fabulous! (Liam you spent the night at your buddy Owen’s house and had fun there). Caleb, I believe “sleep-over” is a loose term. I think you all went to sleep around 3am. I’m not totally sure, as I fell asleep long before you all did.

We have reached the end of another school year, and what a busy one it’s been. This last month especially has been filled with field trips, fun days and so much volunteer time at the school. (I’m tired – but you are both worth it). Caleb you finished grade five, and also finished your time in elementary school. It’s a bittersweet – you have been there for 6 years. I know you are ready to move on to middle school. I’m not sure my mama heart is ready for you to move on though. Liam you got kicked out of kindergarten. You finished your year with a pool party! It was quite a send off for you and your big kindergarten year.

You also had your year end wrap up with Beavers and Cubs. Caleb you have jumped up from Cubs to Scouts, and are excited for the new adventures that await you in the fall.

The last thing you got to do with Cubs was the year end trip to the Horne Lake caves. You loved it. Dad said you went rappelling down the advanced side!

While you and dad were at the caves, Liam and I went went to Navy Days. We got to see so many things on the navel base. You loved it Liam.

We celebrated father’s day with lots of homemade presents for daddy.

As a family we have been trying to take advantage of the nice weather. Summer is finally here! We went to Beach Food Friday at Esquimalt Lagoon. We had burgers and poutine, followed by a fire with our new fire bowl. It was so much fun. We will definitely be doing this again.

We wrapped up June with a camping trip with some of my work friends up at Living Forest Campground. You were both thrilled to find out some classmates were there at the same time. You both got along really well with Cohen and Noah too. Caleb you and Cohen had fun going off on your own to fish or explore. Liam, you and Noah created a new game “crazy birds” – which translates to: let go crazy and throw around everything we can see. Our tent broke while we were camping and there may have been a few falls from the hammock, but it was a really fun trip and great way to kick off our summer.

I’m looking forward to all the adventures that await us in the next couple of months.

I love you both – my 6th grader and my 1st grader…ugh!!

Love,
Mom
XOXO

May 31, 2016June 1, 2016

Letter to my Littles | May 2016

Welcome to another installment of my letters to my littles – a glimpse of our life with two busy boys!

Dear Caleb and Liam,

This month has been both fast and slow. Mostly because we spent two weeks living elsewhere while our home underwent some major renovations. Remember that flood we had over spring break? Everything got repaired this month and we also worked on home improvements while that was going on – painting the whole house (which is still in progress – but your mama has officially put paint on almost every wall of this house) and getting an updated kitchen, which your dad has worked very hard on (with a little help from grandpa and Uncle Dave).

Living in the hotel was fun for the first little while, but also was exhausting. We did have a great pool to splash in and a wonderful patio.

We returned back to the house daily to work on things and you both got used to just roaming the neighbourhood and spending hours outside with your friends. We had Domino’s pizza on speed dial, and managed to have a few construction picnics on the bare subfloor while we watched paint dry.

Liam, you were thrilled that I let you ride your bike through the house. This is the only time you will be allowed to do that!

We also left our mark behind the refrigerator. A little piece of history that someone else will find one day!

We celebrated Mother’s day – and you both gave me to best little gifts. My favorite though, was our photos together.

Both of you showed off your wonderful work at the school Spring Showcase of Learning. Liam, you gave a beautiful little performance of Anancy the Spider with your class. Caleb you showed handwriting samples that are better than your dad’s! We are so proud of both of you!

You both also went to camp this month. Caleb you participated in the Scouts Spring Challenge. I heard all sorts of stories about you using a handsaw and building things. You hiked in and tented with the scouts, and I know you will do great with them next year, as you move up from cubs to scouts. Liam you and Dad did the big Beaver camp together and you got to canoe for the first time. I’m so glad you both get to experience these fun times with you dad.

I can’t wait until the house is back and order and we can resume our regular routines again. Although – things are changing quickly anyway – it’s almost summer! Already!

Here is this month’s family film – all about the areas you both run freely through.

I love you both,
Mama

XO XO

April 30, 2016May 3, 2016

Letter to my Littles | April 2016

Welcome to another installment of my letters to my littles – a glimpse of our life with two busy boys!

Dear Caleb and Liam,

It’s been another fun and busy (and slightly stressful) month. We celebrated two birthdays – mine and and Liam’s! Mine was spent picking out a new kitchen at Ikea and chasing you both around Science World. The day trip to Vancouver was fun, but exhausting!

Caleb you learned a very hard lesson about being responsible for your things. You left behind a small backpack at Ikea with a book, your iPod charger, your Nintendo DS and a few games, and $25. We called the Ikea security desk several times but these seem to be gone forever. Sorry Caleb – a tough life lesson for sure.

But we did end up with a new family pet – a unicorn named Agnes!

Liam, your birthday celebrations were much more fun. In addition to all the cakes you had with family, you had all your friends help you celebrate with a big Lego party. Every person you invited came. This also meant that we now own every Lego set in existence! You are such a well loved little boy. It’s hard to believe you are 6 already. Thank you for filling our lives with so much joy. I love your zest for life. The other day I found you lying on the front lawn professing your love of Spring time! Then later you told me you often have trouble falling asleep at night and waking in the morning. You said that you thought you were nocturnal and that maybe you should become a bat. Seriously. You crack me up!

Your new cousin Ethan was born the day before your birthday Liam. He is the cutest little baby! You are both smitten with him. Me too!

Caleb you went with your best buddy Bryson to BrickCan in Vancouver for his birthday. It’s shocking how much you have grown up that you are now leaving the island on trips without us! You are both so well loved by your friends. In fact, everyday the doorbell rings with neighbourhood kids asking you to come outside and play. It warms my heart to see how much others enjoy your company.

Thanks for all you patience as we start our big renovation project. I can’t wait to cook and bake with you both in our new kitchen!

And here’s this month’s video – all about you Liam and all your birthday Lego!

I love you both,
Mama

XO XO

March 31, 2016March 31, 2016

Letters to my Littles | March 2016

Welcome to another installment of my letters to my littles – a glimpse of our life with two busy boys!

Dear Caleb and Liam,

March has completely flown by so quickly! This was the month I left you all to spend a few days with some fantastic photography friends. (But you two hardly missed me). Thanks to the inspiration and renewed energy I got from that trip I took a million pictures this month. So this letter has a lot of images (fair warning!) March was also the month of the world’s looooooooooongest spring break ever.

We did a lot of fun things! During my time off with you we went and explored some beaches. We hike the Pike Road trail of East Sooke Park and had some fun in the tide pools of Iron Mine Bay. Caleb you were like a mountain goat climbing up to the top of a rock. You were so good at helping your brother and I up too. The view was amazing!

We also had a Beacon Hill park day with the goats at the petting zoo. (Those photos will have to wait a little as I shot them on my film camera). We had peacocks circling our car that day too.

We then had another day at East Sooke Park with dad. It was fun to run through the shore line, try to build castles and have you both creating things in the sand. We ended that day with dinner at My Chosen Cafe.

Unfortunately when we got home we found out our washing machine had flooded the house. That’s a whole other big story. But it is also the reason Spring Break kind of went down hill from there. Dad didn’t get to do as much fun stuff with you both as he wanted to during his time off with you.

We did manage to get a few hours in Sidney to explore the aquarium and the park.

We also did a day trip to Salt Spring Island. Although you both weren’t sure at first, you did like looking around at the Salt Spring Market and Ruckle Park. You both loved the sheep farm, the taco truck and the toy store!

We also found some time to just relax at our local beach spot, dig in the sand, climb the logs and fly the kite.

So all in all, it was a pretty fun spring break despite the chaos in the house.

We also celebrated Easter! We glittered the eggs this year. Fun while we were doing it, but messy as we are trying to eat the eggs. On Easter morning you were both thrilled by items the Easter Bunny left. When you opened up some gummy bunnies Liam, you exclaimed “These are just like the ones we used to find at great grandma’s house”. I’m so glad you remembered her. Easter egg hunting at great-grandpa and great-grandma’s was definitely not the same without poh-poh. This is the last of the hard holidays. You two are both so sweet to me still whenever I get sad.

I’ve put together another little family film. This is all about our Spring Break adventures. I’m so glad to have these fun little snippets of our life together.

I love you always,
Mama

XO XO

February 29, 2016February 29, 2016

Letters to my Littles | February 2016

Welcome to another Letters to my Littles post. After reading my letter please go to my friend Christine’s blog and read her letter to her littles. Keep following the links to see glimpses of motherhood from everywhere. Thanks for joining me as I write these love letters to my children.

Dear Caleb and Liam,

It’s been another busy month in our house. We’ve all battled colds and sniffles. Ugh! Between daddy’s snoring (from his stuffed up nose) and you crawling into bed with us because you feel unwell, it’s also been a bit of a sleep deprived month!

We did manage to get out and get some fresh air during family day. We went out and did the Lego Fest again in Sidney, then enjoyed some time at the water. It’s been wonderful to see sunshine hitting your faces again.

We also celebrated Valentine’s day. This year we started a new family tradition. We set up a little Valentine tree on our dining table and we left little love notes for each other.

Caleb, this month I attended a parent info night at your middle school./ It still shocks me that you will be in middle school in September. Meanwhile, Liam this month you celebrated the 100th day of kindergarten. You had to dress up like a 100 year old person. You also had to do a project with 100 items – so we made a monster with 100 googly eyes! I’m so thankful we don’t celebrate 200th day!

We also went on a photo walk together out to Whiffin Spit. I took along my digital and film cameras and let you play with the G12 Caleb, and let Liam play with the Instax mini. It was fun despite the rain. I took these…

Caleb took these…

Liam took these…

At the end of that day we say this beautiful rainbow!

But by far my favorite photos of the month are these family ones we took over valentine’s weekend. I love these photos – they remind me of how much I love you both!

Here is our February film about how most of our weekends are:

Love,
Mama
XO XO

February 15, 2016February 15, 2016

What’s in a name

As many of you have noticed, I am now operating under a new business name – my own name. I have been known as Squishy Prints Photography for a long time now, and it is a name that will always be near and dear to my heart. But over the course of time I have come to outgrow Squishy Prints and all that it has represented.

When I was pregnant with my first child, my husband once put his hand on my moving belly, and in his best Ellen DeGeneres Dory impression he said “I shall name him Squishy and he shall be all mine!” Somehow that little nickname stuck, and our little boy was our Squishy for the first year of his life. During that first year of motherhood I took thousands of photos of my little Squishy and his baby friends. I was the mommy with the camera, always snapping photos and then handing out prints to people. I have always taken photos, and have always been a bit of a photographer – learning how to shoot manually on a film camera long before my Squishy was born. But the combination of having a child and having a new digital camera opened up a world of possibilities, and way more shutter clicks than is logical! At some point I decided to share my love of photography with others outside my family and friends circle. I decided to try my hand at a small business. That business needed a name. Since most of my work started as photographs and photographic design build around my first child and his milestones, Squishy Prints Photography was born.

I have long since deleted that first free blogger website that I started with – no one needs to see my creative edits with sepia tones, selective coloring, over-sharpened eyes and fancy vignetting! Thankfully, my days of over-editing are long gone and I have gone back to clean, real images. My days of extensive props and set-ups are also long gone. My poor second child was subjected to many experiments with bowls, lights, chairs, rugs and any other fun trendy prop that came my way. Don’t even get me started on my knitted newborn hat collection! Oy! While I have a great collection of newborn images full of cute curled naked baby poses, I started to realize this was no longer the type of photography I wanted to do.

Squishy Prints Photography was about me mastering newborn poses, and getting families perfectly posed in good light. It was me trying to follow posing and prop trends and trying to master these looks. As I look back on the images I was once proud of (and truthfully am still proud of), I realize that they lack the deeper emotional connection that I seek now.

Over the last couple of years I have worked hard at rediscovering what I truly love about photography. I have found my photographic voice and my love of story-telling through images. I have learned to see light again, and in new ways. I have learned how to use shadows to my advantage and to really analyze a scene before I get shutter happy. I have learned to take images that have feeling. This is an ongoing journey. It always will be. I have learned that this is not something that I will ever seek to master – but a long fulfilling journey that I am travelling on.

So welcome to my new journey.

I will keep www.squishyprints.com for the next little while, and I am slowly working on migrating some of my blog posts and images from that site to this one. But the time has come for me to mature a little more, and to be a little more humble, a little more raw and a little more brave.

Welcome to Allyson Ell Photography.

January 30, 2016February 1, 2016

Letter to my Littles | January

This post has migrated over from my old website. I am sharing content on both sites as I prepare to migrate to this new one. Thanks for being patient, if you are following both sites! I am thrilled that you are on this journey with me!

Dear Caleb and Liam,

Welcome to a new year. Our 2015 was busy and full of ups and downs, major milestones and major loss. This year is promising to be a little calmer, and hopefully a little more joyful.

True to form we started the year with both of you staying up well past midnight. After a good sleep in we started the first day of the year with a beautiful frosty hike. We have been trying to enjoy a little more outdoor time. Our family goal for the year is to be more active and have a little more unplugged time together.

Caleb you have just graduated from the DARE program at school. I’m so proud of everything you have accomplished this first half of your grade five year.

Liam – you have come so far with your reading. You have also learned our phone number recently. It cracks me up because you say “speed” where all the dashes are. Speed…dash… I get it! You also lost your first tooth!

You have been having lots of fun together this year mastering your new video games, cracking jokes and generally enjoying each other’s company more. I’m so glad that you both live for your weekend sleepovers together.

We celebrated great-grandpa’s 90^th birthday this month. We rented a movie theater and watched a video of grandpa (from photos and videos the whole family shared), and had cake. I love how much he loves you both.

This year, one of my goals is to get in the frame with you both, and to have memories of all of us together. I’ve joined in with a group of other moms who are sharing portraits of motherhood. I have also joined in with the family film movement – committed to making a monthly video of our time as a family. So far, I am loving both projects as it allows me some time to really capture and share our story as a family.

Here is our January video showing a typical weeknight at our house.

January nights 2016 from Allyson Ell on Vimeo.

Cheers to a good start to 2016. I can’t wait to see what the year ahead brings to us.

I love you both,

Love,
Mama

XO XO

January 22, 2016January 22, 2016

A new way to share your life story

I’m excited to bring you a new way to tell your family story. Films about your family will be offered in all collections. Here’s a look at what your story can look like.

December 31, 2015February 28, 2016

Letter to my Littles | December

Welcome to my monthly Letter to my Littles. After you enjoy my letter please continue on through our blog circle to see what my wonderful friend Christine has written to her littles here . Keep reading through the circle – it’s a wonderful glimpse of motherhood from various corners of the world.

Dear Caleb and Liam,

Another year has come to an end. 2015 has been a roller coaster year of highs and lows. It has also been a year of milestones for the both of you. I am so glad that I documented this year through photos and letters to you both. I hope that one day you look back on these memories and can appreciate not only having tangible memories of your childhood, but also the memories of your childhood through my eyes.

December was once again a busy holiday month for us. We once again did our 25 days of Christmas – pulling an activity out of our advent calendar each day. Jack the Elf was back again too! (and he was up to some mischief again this year!) I love how magical the Christmas season is for the both of you. The joy in your eyes, and reliving childhood magic through you both, makes it my favorite time of year.

This year I had the honor of photographing your school pancake breakfast with Santa. I had such a fun time being there to watch you both with Santa. In fact this year we had multiple Santa encounters. Liam I believe you got to see Santa 5 times in the same week – but each time was special for you. Each time you smiled hard.

We also did our Christmas light drive – three times in fact, our gingerbread house building, our card making day and lots of Christmas crafts. You both helped me with baking too. Caleb, I loved how you and I talked about traditions and how many of the things we do, you are excited to one day do with the children you will have. Liam, I love that you remembered so much of last year and you made sure we did certain things: reindeer pancakes, outdoor ice skating, and making gifts for your teachers. You are both learning to cherish our times together, and I am so glad these are memories that you both will always hold dear.

This was the first Christmas without Poh-Poh. It was sad not to have her there to hug us all and celebrate Christmas Eve with. But I am so happy we got to spend it with all the rest of the family. While Christmas Eve will never be the same without her – we are all remembering her in the best of ways. I love that the two of you honor her memory so well, and have helped great-grandpa to find joy too.

Santa definitely spoiled you both. So did all of your family! You both are so lucky to be loved by so many people. I’m glad that once again you both went shopping and bought gifts for children you don’t know, but were happy to give a Christmas to. Your generosity is part of why others are so generous with you.

Caleb, it only took you a few days, but you managed to complete the Millenium Falcon that your Grandma and Aunts and Uncles bought you. You finished on the day we went and saw the new Star Wars movie – Liam you were so very excited to see this – probably more than the rest of us. I’m glad we have that memory too!

Thank you boys for making what could have been a hard and sad holiday time into one full of love, joy and glee. I can;t wait to see what the new year brings for our family.

I love you both,
Mama

XO XO

November 30, 2015February 28, 2016

Letters to my Littles | November

Welcome to my monthly Letter to my Littles. After you enjoy my letter please continue on through our blog circle to see what my wonderful friend Allie has written to her littles here. Keep reading through the circle – it’s a wonderful glimpse of motherhood from various corners of the world.

Dear Caleb and Liam,

It’s hard to believe that we are reaching the end of the year already. It’s been such a big year of big events for our family. In November we managed to slow down just a little before we ramp it up again for the holidays.

We took some time to get family photos done and I am super happy we did this. It’s wonderful to be in the photo with you boys! Thank you to Jesse for these images.

I very proud of both of you boys. This year you both marched in our community Remembrance Day parade and stood at the ceremony. We missed seeing great-grandpa who also marched with the veterans in the bigger parade. But we will go and be with him next year.

Liam you have had some important milestones in your life – you have started to read. It’s very impressive to hear your list of site words growing and to hear you read short books.

You have also been on your very first overnight camping trip with the Beaver Scouts. You got to spend the night at the Nature House in Goldstream Park. Unfortunately you forgot to bring your jacket on a very cold and rainy day. I had to rely on a new friend to drive it out to you. (This did prompt the final purchase of a second vehicle.)

Liam, you have also gotten increasingly silly… some days you drive us all bananas!

Caleb, while your brother was at camp we had a Men in Black movie marathon. It’s fun to watch you growing up and starting to enjoy the things that I liked at your age. You recently got your grade five grad hoodie. When you put it on you suddenly looked so much older.

We still been trying to spend as much time as we can outside. The days are now shorter and it’s dark when we get home from work. So weekends are outside in the sun whenever possible. The doorbell is constantly being rung by all the neighbourhood boys asking if your two can come out to play. I love that you have so many friends nearby.

The month has ended with us having a split weekend again. Caleb, you and Dad were at Cub Camp while Liam and I watched the Santa parade and got some Christmas shopping done.

It’s funny how we end up splitting up in order to spend time together. But I am looking forward to the next month and our annual 25 days of Christmas. Spending time together each day doing something special is what makes the holidays magical for me.

Love,
Mama

XO XO