Darlington Studios

Andrea + Chad | Engagement Session Barrie, ON

Paul — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:04:09 +0000

Andrea phoned us a few weeks ago to see if we could shoot an engagement session for her and her fiancé, Chad. We were thrilled! We immediately wanted to find out more about them and their story.

During any creative session, we believe that choosing locations that are special to each couple is paramount to telling their unique tale. For Andrea + Chad, it was where they used to live in downtown Barrie, the waterfront and The Queens in Thornton (which, by the way, is now closed for business). Another important part of their love story is their adorable dog, Fenway. She made a guest appearance during the shoot and kept everyone entertained with her delightful energy. We all had a great time! Thank you Andrea, Chad (and Fenway) for a fun day!

Flashback | A Grandfather’s Gift

Paul — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:10:40 +0000

This is a photograph of my grandmother from the 40s. To have this portrait of her looking so full of life, means the world to me. It is one of the treasured photographs, rare gifts, that my grandfather left behind.

Today, I thought I’d share some of the photos that he captured many years ago. Like most men who were in the war, my grandfather didn’t like to talk about much… except when you asked him about the photos he had taken while on tour. I remember seeing a couple of these portraits hanging on my grandparents walls.

As a child you want to learn as much about your grandparents as you possibly can, and these photographs allowed me to see into a part of their lives that, otherwise, I would not have been able to witness.

These images inspired me to first pick up a camera as a teenager. They influenced my artistry then, and continue to motivate me daily. May you be encouraged by these gifts from the past.

Family Photos at Sunnidale Park in Barrie, Ontario

Melanie — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:04:45 +0000

If you’re looking for a fun way to spend your Cinco de Mayo this year, come spend it with us at our Family Photos In The Park Event scheduled for Saturday, May 5, 2012 from 12:00-6:00pm at Sunnidale Park.

We’ve decided to do something a little different with our photo session celebration. Not only would we love to provide you with great family photos at a discounted rate, but we would like to give back to the community. We are encouraging everyone to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the Barrie Food Bank. The Barrie Food Bank is a great organization that “provides food for vulnerable families and individuals in our community.” This time of year there is usually an increase of food demands, so it would be wonderful to help the food bank replenish its food supply for the Spring.

We have a couple of options for you to choose from when scheduling your 30-minute slot. Each session includes a DVD of 15-20 edited photographic images. Prints can be added for an additional cost. Please see our flyer above for more details.

Be sure to book your slot! Space is limited! We hope to see you there.

Melanie + JM | March Break

Melanie — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:15:56 +0000

Their Engagement Story

We first met Melanie, nearly a year ago in April, at the wedding of Laura + Dusan. Melanie is a friend of theirs and was the chosen, talented flautist for the ceremony. We got the chance to chat with her briefly that day and instantly liked her. It’s funny because she thought we were Barrie friends of Laura + Dusan because we got along so well with everyone in the bridal party. She was surprised to find out that we only recently met the couple when they approached us to capture their wedding day.

Later that week, we posted their Fusion Film. Melanie loved it so much, she invited us to photograph and film her special day in Ottawa.

Melanie + JM were on vacation this past week visiting friends in Barrie for March Break, so we decided to take a moment with them to shoot their engagement session. We ended the day with a round of coffees from one of our favourite spots, Second Cup (a place that’s near and dear to them). We had an amazing time!

Melanie + JM live in Ottawa. They are planning to tie the knot this August, and we are so excited to travel up there this summer for their wedding.

Flashback Friday | 1999

Paul — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:57:17 +0000

The other day, I decided to digitize some of my old slides. I don’t own a good slide scanner; however, I do possess a camera and a macro lens. So, I set up a little duping station in the studio and spent the afternoon reliving some of the moments and memories from the past. Even after 13 years (yikes, 13 YEARS!), I can still remember the specifics of the day, the locations and interactions from each photograph. Without these photos, I probably wouldn’t be able to recall the details from that time. Today, I wanted share a few of them with you…

These portraits are all from the very beginning of my cruise ship days, circa 1999. I loved walking around the different ports with my Nikon FM and a 50mm, meeting locals and asking to photograph them to tell their story. Even though I didn’t speak the languages, holding up your camera with a smile on your face is pretty universal. I look forward to sharing more of these blasts from the past with you in the future.

- Paul

Flashback Friday | I Do

Melanie — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 18:52:30 +0000

Have we ever told you the story of our engagement?

It was a beautiful, sunny day in Piraeus, Greece right outside of Athens. We just finished a long walk from the cruise ship to the local Starbucks and grocery store situated next to a quaint boating dock. We ordered our favourite drinks, at the time, Mocha Coconut Frappuccinos and sat on a wooden bench overlooking the harbor. We chatted for a while about the usual, and then we started talking about marriage. We’d only know one another for four months, but we knew from our very first date that we were destined to be.

It was a joint proposal, more of an agreement, a promise that we would be together forever. The only thing missing was the ring. Well, I’ve always wanted a Tiffany & Co. ring. I mean, c’mon, what woman doesn’t want to get the infamous little blue box at some point in her life? The only problem, there was no Tiffany & Co. on our Mediterranean cruise run, and we still had a couple of months before returning home. So, we decided to wait to make the engagement official. It was our little secret.

We disembarked the Grand Princess a couple of months later and returned home. Paul went back to Barrie, and me, I went home to the United States. We made arrangements to meet up in Toronto a few days later and I had no idea what was in store for me when I reached Canada.

We met at Yorkdale Shopping Centre and walked around the stores for an hour or so (I love this mall!), before Paul suggested we get lunch downtown. I agreed and we boarded a train to the city. I didn’t know where we were going, but it seemed like Paul had a plan in mind. We made it to the unknown destination and walked upstairs from the underground station. I still was clueless as to where we were dining. Finally, we reached Café Crêpe, one of my favourite spots (when docking in Vancouver) to get a pre-boarding snack. Here is the story as to why Paul chose Café Crêpe…

On the first day we met in France, we ended up at a delicious cafe with a gorgeous view of the French countryside. We dined on delectable crêpes, and it was our very first meal together. I guess he figured that a crêperie would be the perfect place to propose.

Fast forward to Café Crêpe Toronto, we sat at our table, having a regular conversation, until he reached in his pocket and presented me with my very own stunning Tiffany & Co. engagement ring. I couldn’t believe it!!! Not only would I get to spend the rest of my life with a great guy, but I get to wear sparkling bling forevity ever! I immediately said “Yes” and we started making plans for the wedding. But that’s another flashback.

First Love | A Valentine Story

Melanie — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:46:44 +0000

Valentine’s Day is officially over, but we’d like to extend the holiday to share a little love story with you. It’s about our son, Noah, and his first love… bowling.

Yes, that’s right. Our 2-year-old son is in love with bowling. It’s his favourite activity. If we would allow it, he would bowl from sunup to sundown. He is the proud owner of several bowling sets, all sponsored by grandparents, aunts, uncles, great aunts, and great uncles. He even knows the alley lingo. He can tell you about a strike, when to pick up a spare and how to avoid gutterballs.

When we’re visiting family, and they don’t have a bowling system on hand, he’s been known to find cups, discarded paper towel tubes and soccer balls to create his own bowling set. He’s built a bowling alley fashioned out of snow for outside fun, and even molded Play-Doh into a mini bowling set. He loves the sport that much!

As you’ve read, he’s not fussy when it comes to styles of bowling. He will bowl at a 5-pin alley, bowl using a plastic or foam bowling set, or bowl on an iPhone, iPad, and, most recently, a XBox Kinect video gaming system. We just had to share this with you because it made us smile. Hopefully, this delightful short film will brighten your day.

Drum roll please…

Paul — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:35:19 +0000

We have an exciting announcement to make today! We are now delivering our couples’ treasured memories (photographs and films) on custom-made USB flash drives!!

Here are several reasons why we decided to make the upgrade…

1. Um, they look cool

2. Although DVDs are wonderful, it is a proven fact that they can get scratched or damaged making them unreadable

3. It makes sharing images and films with friends and family way easier

4. Um, did we say they look cool!?!

5. Instead of compressing films to fit them onto a DVD, we now can deliver them in their stunning original HD format for your viewing pleasure!

Need we say more? To all of our 2012 couples, if you so choose, you will automatically receive this upgrade free of charge as our gift to you! Thank you!!

Wedding at Blue Mountain Resort in Blue Mountains, ON

Melanie — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:51:12 +0000

Crystal + Glenn | Wedding Photo Cinema Fusion at Blue Mountain Resort

On Saturday, we captured a gorgeous winter(ish) wedding at Blue Mountain Resort in Blue Mountains, ON. Blue Mountain Resort is one of our favorite venues. It is a special place for Crystal + Glenn. Glenn proposed to Crystal one year ago, to the date, while on a snowboarding trip at the resort. This is why Blue Mountain Resort was the obvious choice for their wedding day.

Why do we love Crystal + Glenn? Is it:
a) because when Glenn calls, the caller ID shows up as Bruce Wayne
b) because Crystal presented all the ladies in her bridal party with cozy, purple Ugg-style boots to wear outside
c) because Glenn gave all his groomsmen Justice League cufflinks
d) because he is the mastermind behind BBQ pizza (at least he claims to be)
e) because he nearly lost his wedding ring, at least twice, on his wedding day
f) because they both waited for hours and hours and hours outdoors to see an extended trailer of “The Dark Knight Rises”
g) because they love the Muppets just as much as we do… so much so, in fact, that Walter (the newest Muppet) was invited to the ceremony and reception
h) ALL OF THE ABOVE

If you answered all of the above, you are correct. We felt as though we were attending a friend’s wedding, which is exactly how it should feel. It’s funny because we never actually met them in person until the day of the wedding. Whenever we needed to chat about wedding details, we would call each other up on Skype, so it was so nice to finally meet them face-to-face on their wedding day.

We arrived at the resort early Saturday morning to meet Glenn and the guys as they readied themselves for the big day. Frank Sinatra crooned in the background, while talk of Muppets and Star Wars filled the air. After they figured out how to properly fold a pocket square, Glenn united his Justice League with their cufflinks. Mike was the Flash, Joseph was Superman, John was the Green Lantern, and Glenn, of course, was Batman. Together they stood for justice, peace and love on this day.

We traveled over to meet the ladies at the Grand Georgian. After donning on her princess-like gown, Crystal gave her bridesmaids and flower girls their comfy boots. They, then, headed out the door to board their horse-drawn carriage to whisk them away to the Algonquin Room.

The ceremony was short and sweet. Crystal + Glenn kept the audience entertained with a couple of intergalactic references, and Walter the Muppet’s attendance. You could tell they were both so excited to finally be husband and wife.

After the ceremony, we strolled around the village at Blue Mountain to capture some lovely moments with the bridal party. Then, we headed up the mountain for a creative session with the bride and groom. At one point, Glenn was wildly waving his arms in excitement at his new bride, when his ring flew off his hand! It nearly missed the edge of the hillside. All we saw was the titanium band flying threw the air, heard a muffled thud, then saw Glenn’s wide-eyed look of alarm. He, frantically, searched through the snow patch, and moments later, found the ring!

It was time for the reception to start! The groomsmen, cloaked in robes, entered the hall with the bridesmaids to John Williams’ “Throne Room Theme Song” from Star Wars. Everyone cheered! It was an amazing party and a truly joyful evening!

Cathy Lane, from Panache Design Works, did an outstanding job designing this wedding. Her decorations and floral arrangements were completely stunning.

We adore Crystal + Glenn! They are such a fun-spirited, easy-going couple and it was such a pleasure to be a part of their day! Congratulations!

FEATURED VENDORS:
Venue: Blue Mountain Resort
Hair + Make-Up: Mobile Makeup
Decor: Panache Design Works

New Year’s Eve Wedding Photography at Barrie Country Club in Barrie, ON

Melanie — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:29:36 +0000

Colleen + Andrew | Wedding Photography in Barrie, ON

New Year’s Eve parties are always exciting! But New Year’s Eve coupled with the element of anticipation found in a wedding? Well, that’s a party that is off the hook! How did you spend your New Years Eve? We spent ours with an amazing couple, Colleen + Andrew, and their incredible network of family and friends. We had so much fun that we created an enhanced wedding photography slideshow for all to enjoy!

We met them last January, when they won an engagement session with us at a local bridal show draw. We shot Colleen + Andrew’s Engagement Session back in late June of last year. We always highly recommend the engagement session to our couples, and have actually decided to include this session in every Photo Collection we offer. Not only does it give us a chance to get to know a couple better, but it gives them a chance to get comfortable in front of the camera.

As of last week, there was still very little snow in the area. The ground was a distinct brown colour. It didn’t seem as if a winter wonderland was even possible. And then… the snow came, just in time for the wedding. All the land was covered in beautiful, clean, white snow. We love winter weddings in Barrie! And Saturday’s temperatures, a comfortable 2 degrees Celsius, may have been the best so far this season.

We arrived at the house early in the morning to get some photos of the guys getting ready. Andrew, a brilliant writer and speaker, was busily finishing up the final touches of his speech, while his dog, Sota, and Colleen’s dog, Lola, played around his ankles. You could tell the dogs were just as anxious as everyone else for this exciting event! Then, Colleen arrived at the house with her bridesmaids and it was game on! Everyone sprung into action, the ladies upstairs, touching up their hair and make-up, then donning their gorgeous gowns. While the guys, downstairs, dressed and fretted over the ever challenging pocket square. (Side note: We’re really contemplating taking a course on how to fold the perfect pocket square, so that we can become expert pocket square aficionados).

The scheduled ceremony start time at St. Michael’s Parish in Barrie was 3:00pm, so we thought it would be fun to do a ‘First Look’ before the ceremony, along with the creative session with the bridal party.

After the ceremony, we headed off to get the party started at the Barrie Country Club. Laughter filled the air, the music from DJ Nick of Keep Them Dancing was pumping, and everyone gathered on the dance floor to celebrate the occasion.

What a party!! Thank you Colleen + Andrew for choosing us to capture the beautiful moments of your day! Happy New Year!