Happy New Year!!!

This is my last post of 2007, I just wanted to wish all of you guys and gals a safe and Happy New Year! I hope you have a blast tonight and if you are drinking please don't drive!!! And if you need to go somewhere, try roller-blading! I can't imagine roller-blading and drinking NOT being fun!....then again, it might be a little dangerous as well... what about the bus!? Yeah, take the bus! Its cheap, its efficient, its safe.... and if you forget where you live, the bus usually goes in a loop, so you can just get off where you started and then at least you know where you are!

...better yet, just stay where you are. When you wake up in the morning, find a Tim Hortons or a Starbucks, grab a large/venti something-or-other.....and go home safely :) The End.

I wanted to add some kind of funny New Year's video on here to close off 2007, so I was very satisfied when I found this clip of Jim Carrey doing a "fake" Countdown on David Letterman.

I'm stoked to see what 2008 has in store for all of us, I have HUGE ideas and UBER hopes for us all!

Happy New Year!

Not A Little but A Latte

Today I woke up at 8:30am and got myself ready to drive to Langley and meet potential wedding clients Ashley and Kristopher. These guys were so much fun! I am so glad they chose me to be a part of their special day next year! I was also very greatful for the Venti Gingerbread Latte that Kris bought for me! First one of the season believe it or not!!

After I got home, without even thinking I just naturally put on a pot of coffee...
and no word of a lie, 2 sips into my coffee I get a phone call from another couple (Mike & Sarah: Sister and Brother-in-Law's friends) wanting to meet in a few hours to discuss THEIR wedding!

I was STOKED! ...and beginning to shake from the caffeine...

I met them at Starbucks and opted for the Green Tea this time (still some caffeine but I was trying to tame it down a bit). These guys were a ball as well! Mike is funny as hell, and Sarah has such a positive radiance about her, again popped the old "Please let me be their photographer!!" thought in my head LOL

How lucky am I to meet with 2 wedding couples in the same day, both of which are not only cool, but VERY easy to get along with....and both couples booked me!!

*sitting on couch in Pj's sipping on yet another tea*

*stretching* yup, all in a days work I tell ya! =)

Whats in a name?

I was reading up on my favorite photography forum today (OpenSourcePhoto), and I read a post written by a fellow photographer inquiring about business names. She was asking for advice on whether or not she should use her last name in the Business Name because it was an uncommon hard to spell name, and was afraid there may be a risk of complications (possibly hard to google someone if you cant spell the name right!). Being only in the business for a short period of time myself, I couldn't give her much advice...but with my last name being Wachniak, I could certainly sympathize!

I thought I would pipe in and give my 2 cents.. sort of a 'take it or leave it' kinda thing... I won't mention said photographer's name here because this is written without notifying her, but I will say that after a few seconds of googling, I found her blog. She really has nothing to worry about, her photos are amazing and inspiring to say the least! Nuff said.

A few hours passed, and while I was watching "Stardust" with Grit (my lady), it popped into my head again... what about MY name? Maybe I should 'dumb down the name a bit' so humans can understand it... Wachniak. WachnEEak. Watch-Knee-Yak. Picture a Watch, perhaps on a Knee of a big fuzzy Yak.

oh, by the way:

yak :
–noun
1.
a large, stocky, shaggy-haired wild ox, Bos grunniens, of the Tibetan highlands, having long, curved horns: endangered.

then after the movie, I started to tinker in Photoshop. The photo isnt mine, I googled and found it... anyways, my point is:

so, what's in a name? Why, a Yak, of course! :)

I don't think I have anything to worry about. Maybe Grit does though, she has to cuddle up to a smelly yak every night ;)

I'm Finished Christmas Shopping!!!

And I was only arrested 3 times! Just kidding :)

For the longest time I envied those who finished Christmas shopping KraZee Early like Summer or Fall... but now, I have no doubt in my mind that they are not from this planet. I think I stood at the mall entrance today for a good 45 minutes just staring into the Masses... Tim Horton's XL double cream triple sugar in hand... shopping list in the other... almost like a sword and shield.... but coffee and paper... see what I mean, Christmas Shopping makes me loopy!! Glad its done though!

And now we are developing quite the mound of loot under the tree, and although I know Christmas is about being with family and friends... there is just one part of all of us that just drooOOoools at the thought of a tree with a mountain of presents underneath.

A good buddy of mine Carrie said to me on the weekend that when she is done opening presents Christmas Day, she literally makes a nest out of her stuff and naps, basking in all its glory...

I'm totally doing that this year :)

Mike + Heather + Callum + Cole :)

On Tuesday I had the pleasure of photographing the La Prairie family at their home in West Vancouver. The weather was nice enough to let us take some photos outside in their beautiful yard, and then we thought we would go inside to take some fun poses on the bed (which Callum and Cole LOVED)!

I had so much fun guys, and thank you for the Latte! :)

The New Site is up!

I just wanted to officially announce the new revamped version of www.michaelwachniak.com now online! Please let me know what you think!

MW

Snow Day!

Oh my! Snow in Vancouver! This is my first time seeing snow in Vancouver! Actually, this is my first time seeing snow in... a few years! Last Christmas I was working on the cruise ships and I spent Christmas Day in St. Thomas in the Caribbean!

So needless to say, when I woke up this morning to this, I was in total shock!

MW