Some things in Life are just so Free...

I was reading WIRED magazine's article on FREE (Why it's the Future of Business) and it talks about one of my favorite FREE companies in the wide world web: Google.

Google has been giving away a tonne of free stuff in the past years, starting with well, search engines, which should be free, but also free email (Gmail), picture sharing (Picasa) and document editing (Google Docs). I have to say, that two out of these three applications (Gmail and Google Docs) have changed my life! Gmail is so incredibly amazing, that I no longer use my domain email (patty@offthepagephotography.com), I just forward it to my Gmail. The spam filters are amazing, the archiving capability allows me to receive some junk mail that I need to receive but don't always want to read it as soon as it comes in, so I just archive it, skipping the inbox (wow, I'm a geek!!!). I also love how I don't have to delete anything ever, and I can search for old emails using a keyword in 0.2 seconds flat!

The best though is Google Docs! If you haven't used it, you HAVE to try them! Who needs Microsoft!!!! I can create Word Documents, Excel Spreadsheets and Powerpoint Presentations without ever having to purchase anything at all from Microsoft! They have such cool features, like Real Time document sharing, where two people can look (and edit) a document at the same time, and even form filling! You create this form on the Excel Spreadsheet (more instructions) and then you invite people to fill the form and it automatically fills one of your spreadsheets (IN REAL TIME!). Here's an example: Click here and fill out my form.

Now, the real reason I wanted to write this post, is because I saw this video on how Google has a 1-800 number now for 411 info! Yes, free! You can call from your cell phone and get 411 info for free!!!! Or from any number. Seriously, telus, watch out!!!

Here's the video, enjoy!

Oh and by the way, thank you Google!!!




And in the spirit of free, I'll give Free thank you cards to the first person who books me for their wedding and mentions this Blog Entry! Call me at 204-334-4871 to book your appointment.

This is how I feel

Something happened to my friends this past week that made me stop in my tracks. My dear friends Lois and Trevor Brucki lost their precious little baby girl right after her birth.

No explanation, no particular reason, no warning and very little time to say goodbye.

Not fair. Not right. Completely and utterly painful.

Kennedy was a beautiful little girl and would have been joyfully spoiled every minute of her life.

A couple of days after this happened I received an email from my friend Trevor saying that the pain was hard to bare. And those few images that he had of her in the operating room when she first let out her cries were the only pictures he had of his precious little child. And that they were the most treasured things he had in his house at the moment.

The camera in the Operating Room? That was an afterthought. "Just didn't want it to get stolen"- he said. And if he didn't have it in there with him, he would have no images of Kennedy. Nothing.

So, he said, this tragedy made his realize just what a huge responsibility we have as photographers to capture every moment.

Trevor has many wonderful gifts and one of them is the ability to capture life as an artform - in the form of photography.

My friend, if you're reading, I know you think this video is cheesy (you've already told me that!) but here it is.

To you.

ps- Trevor is a Wedding Photographer in Winnipeg and a very good friend who was instrumental in my career. To see Trevor's original post about this, please go to www.trevorbrucki.blogspot.com

Please keep Trevor and Lois in your prayers during this time.

Adventures in Calgary

Last week I got to go to Calgary and visit my best friend and her husband to edit their wedding album, which is currently at 100 pages!!! Yikes! That's what happens when you hire me to do a whole week of wedding adventures!

While out there, I contacted one of my friends Andrea whom I met doing her cousin's wedding in 2006 and we hooked up to do a session. Here are some images from that session.










Andrea and Richard were so awesome to photograph! This was their Valentine's Day outing! How special for me!

Andrea also sent my contact information to her friends at work and a couple of them contacted me right away.

Here's Ranelle and Eric:












































































And Talecha & Mark

Wedding Show 2008

If you've ever wondered why us, Wedding Show Exhibitors, seem so frantic around this time of the year, let me enlighten you: It's the Wedding Show Craziness!!! Every year, we say we'll be ready early, we'll do everything ahead of time... But it never fails. Summer turns into fall which runs into Christmas and before you know it: it's HERE again!

This year, I thought to myself: Who Needs Sleep? So, with the genius design mind of Yoko Chapman (who also got no sleep) we came up with this booth here. Well, it was mostly Yoko who came up with everything, including the cushions which she hand-sewed:






So hey, don't forget to come by and visit me. I still have some 2009 dates open and a couple of 2008 dates as well, specially if you're getting married on a Friday or Sunday, or any day in Spring or Fall.

See you soon.

Patty

To see more of Yoko's handiwork check out her amazing Eco-Friendly invitations website:

www.greenvites.com

Tyler and Erin's Wedding Highlights

I'm so excited! I've just learned about this amazing slideshow format and I'm happy to share it with you guys! Enjoy!

When in Rome...

I had never been to Europe. Yes, Brazil is crazy and exotic, but Europe has such an old feeling to it. Well, it IS ancient and as you're walking down the streets, it actually feels like you're walking into history.

I went there with my little brother, Filipe who is also a photographer. We stayed in a little town called Soriano Nel Cimino. From there we travelled to Orvietto and Tuscany. The last two days were spent in Rome.

The little towns were my favorite, since they weren't very touristy and you really got a great feel for the people and FOOD! Wow! Did I ever learn a few recipes there!

Here's a little slideshow of the shots that I took there.

Tyler & Erin

On December 8th, two days before I left on my trip to Italy, I photographed Tyler and Erin's wedding! It was such a cold day, but that's the beauty of this profession: you get so much variety! It also helps that the bride and groom were so much fun and were so relaxed!

Thank you Tyler and Erin for letting me capture the joy of your wedding day!