Hey everyone! I am so stoked to show you my first online slideshow! This is something that I think EVERYONE is going to love, and I can't wait to show off some of the GORGEOUS brides and grooms I will be photographing in 2008!
If you are a bride or groom that I will be shooting this year, this is a slideshow of an engagement session or "E-Session". Its a great way to get a chance to work together and have a lot of fun while we are at it! Its also a great way to show off some photos to your friends and family! The best part is, you can post it in your own blog, myspace or wedding website! Also, if you have Facebook, you can have the slideshow in your profile too!
This is an E-session of my best friend Ben and his GORGEOUS fiancé Catherine. I had the chance to shoot their engagement session when I was in Calgary in September, and I am SO excited that I will be shooting their wedding in July!!
Stay tuned for more slideshows!!!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Fend Off the FLU BUG!
I received a phone call today from a Bride-to-Be about possibly photographing her wedding in June. We got along great over the phone and I can't wait to meet her and her fiance on Sunday, but in the meantime she sounded a bit under the weather (which I could totally relate to at the moment!!). So I sent her this little recipe for a "Cayenne Lemon Honey Mint Tea" concauction that I found online a few weeks ago. Its not as potent as it sounds, in fact to me its a lot like having Hot & Sour soup :) mmmmmmm!
Make a tea from the following:
1 cup boiling water
2 tsp. honey
2 Tbl. lemon juice
1 bag Mint tea (my favorite is the green mint tea, so its not that strong)
and finally 1 Large pinch cayenne pepper YIKES!
Lemon dries up mucus, honey soothes the throat, cayenne helps headaches and body aches and pains and helps bring down fever, mint helps clear nasal passages and is very relaxing, and the green tea is a very powerful antioxidant!
In the boiling water steep tea for 5-10 minutes. Stir in honey, lemon and cayenne. If you add a little too much cayenne, you can balance it with a little more honey.
If you are feeling a bit under the weather, YOU should try this! Have a cup, then go pass out, and when you wake up you should feel better!
Also having a bath with epsom salts is really good for removing toxins from the body!
Stay Healthy everyone!
Make a tea from the following:
1 cup boiling water
2 tsp. honey
2 Tbl. lemon juice
1 bag Mint tea (my favorite is the green mint tea, so its not that strong)
and finally 1 Large pinch cayenne pepper YIKES!
Lemon dries up mucus, honey soothes the throat, cayenne helps headaches and body aches and pains and helps bring down fever, mint helps clear nasal passages and is very relaxing, and the green tea is a very powerful antioxidant!
In the boiling water steep tea for 5-10 minutes. Stir in honey, lemon and cayenne. If you add a little too much cayenne, you can balance it with a little more honey.
If you are feeling a bit under the weather, YOU should try this! Have a cup, then go pass out, and when you wake up you should feel better!
Also having a bath with epsom salts is really good for removing toxins from the body!
Stay Healthy everyone!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Contest: Free Destination Wedding Coverage!!
Boo-ya! Bet THAT caught your attention! :)
As much as I love being home, I REALLY love to travel, so... I am offering this little Contest to almost everyone on the planet: If you (or someone you know) is getting married in 2008 outside of the areas listed below, I am offering you FREE photography services for your special day! The deadline for entries is Feb 29, 2008 at Midnight PST. The Draw will be made at that time and the winners will be posted on the blog March 1, 2008. I will only be drawing 1 couple, so Good Luck!
Rules:
- Bride and Groom must be getting married outside of Alberta, British Columbia, Washington, and Montana. I would like to travel somewhere NOT in the immediate vacinity :)
- You MUST be getting married in 2008 (not on a date that I am booked OBVIOUSLY)
- Bride and Groom are responsible for all of my travelling, food, and hotel costs, and any other costs that may arise. (contact me if this is unclear)
- You MUST send an email sized photo (800x600 or close to that) with a story describing a bit about you and your future bride/groom. (likes, dislikes, how you met, etc). Send emails to info@michaelwachniak.com with the subject "Feelin Great in 2008!!" to enter!
- Bride and Groom can only enter once. (actually you can enter as many times as you want, but it wont help anything! lol)
If you are chosen, you will receive the following:
- "Engagement Session", "Day After Session" OR " Trash The Dress" (your choice)
- Full Day Wedding coverage by yours truly
- DVD and Online Slideshow (set to music of your choice)
- A Write-up on my blog with best photos posted
- All images displayed in private online gallery with Pictage (for viewing, sharing with friends, and ordering)
- $100 print credit to put towards prints/albums etc. (email me for product details!)
- Digital Negatives on DVD (color corrected and adjusted for brightness and contrast)
It doesn't matter where it is! You can be getting married in Saskatoon, or Montego Bay... its OK!! Just get those entries in!!
if you have ANY questions at all, please don't hesitate to email me!
As much as I love being home, I REALLY love to travel, so... I am offering this little Contest to almost everyone on the planet: If you (or someone you know) is getting married in 2008 outside of the areas listed below, I am offering you FREE photography services for your special day! The deadline for entries is Feb 29, 2008 at Midnight PST. The Draw will be made at that time and the winners will be posted on the blog March 1, 2008. I will only be drawing 1 couple, so Good Luck!
Rules:
- Bride and Groom must be getting married outside of Alberta, British Columbia, Washington, and Montana. I would like to travel somewhere NOT in the immediate vacinity :)
- You MUST be getting married in 2008 (not on a date that I am booked OBVIOUSLY)
- Bride and Groom are responsible for all of my travelling, food, and hotel costs, and any other costs that may arise. (contact me if this is unclear)
- You MUST send an email sized photo (800x600 or close to that) with a story describing a bit about you and your future bride/groom. (likes, dislikes, how you met, etc). Send emails to info@michaelwachniak.com with the subject "Feelin Great in 2008!!" to enter!
- Bride and Groom can only enter once. (actually you can enter as many times as you want, but it wont help anything! lol)
If you are chosen, you will receive the following:
- "Engagement Session", "Day After Session" OR " Trash The Dress" (your choice)
- Full Day Wedding coverage by yours truly
- DVD and Online Slideshow (set to music of your choice)
- A Write-up on my blog with best photos posted
- All images displayed in private online gallery with Pictage (for viewing, sharing with friends, and ordering)
- $100 print credit to put towards prints/albums etc. (email me for product details!)
- Digital Negatives on DVD (color corrected and adjusted for brightness and contrast)
It doesn't matter where it is! You can be getting married in Saskatoon, or Montego Bay... its OK!! Just get those entries in!!
if you have ANY questions at all, please don't hesitate to email me!
Proud Uncle Mike
My 5 year-old niece Kaia and her daddy Sean went out Skiing to Mount Seymore last week, and after seeing the videos I just had to post one! So proud!!
(ignore the massive faceplant at the end) ;)
(ignore the massive faceplant at the end) ;)
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
101 Things in 1001 Days
OK... this list was ALMOST the death of me, but I have finished it! A photographer friend mentioned this to me, and told me to go to the DAY ZERO blog to find out information. Basically it is a list of 101 things that you want to accomplish in 1001 days. Most of mine is either photography related or 'things to do with girlfriend' related (jee, two of my favorite things lol! Big Surprise!)
I am going to post the countdown in the sidebar to the right, as well as a link to my list (as it will get buried with time and I want to update the list with things I have completed as time goes by!).
So, I am choosing today as my first day (obviously), and therefore my finishing day will be:
*drumroll please*
October 5, 2010! annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd..... GO!
1. Shoot a Destination Wedding in Italy
2. Learn to speak fluent German
3. Travel to Germany
4. Own a Vespa or Electric Bike
5. Be a LOVECAT
6. Photograph a Celebrity Wedding
7. Read 5 classic Novels
8. Create a product to sell to Photographers
9. Go on a Fishing trip with my Dad
10. Go to Vegas (Completed March 16th, 2008)
11. Be in a wedding party (not the photographer)
12. Meet David Jay (Completed March 18th, 2008)
13. Meet Jasmine Star (Completed March 18th, 2008)
14. Attend PartnerCon
15. Be able to successfuly do 20 consecutive Chin Ups
16. Meet Mike Colón (Completed March 17th, 2008)
17. Sell my fine art prints for charity
18. Participate in "One Campaign"
19. Redesign Business Card - Completed May 1/08
20. Reccommend this 101/1001 list idea to friends - Completed Jan 10/08
21. Visit the Vancouver Aquarium - Completed Feb 21/08
22. RE-visit the Singapore Zoo
23. RE-visit Thailand - yay!
24. Shoot a Destination Wedding in Jamaica
25. Shoot a Destination Wedding in Puerto Rico
26. Have New Years with friends/family in the Caribbean (again!)
27. Have one or several photos of mine on the cover of a Wedding Magazine
28. See the Pyramids in Egypt
29. Learn how to Salsa (really well!)
30. Own a Mac ;) (Completed April 1st, 2008)
31. Own a Shootsac (Completed June 26th, 2008 BDAY GIFT!!)
32. Walk along English Bay with girlfriend - Completed April 9/08
33. Go Surfing
34. Go Snowboarding
35. Attend 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver
36. Shoot something related (directly or indirectly) to the 2010 Winter Olympics
37. See the ocean from my bedroom window (hotels excluded!)
38. Visit my old High School
39. Enter (with confidence) an upscale photocontest
40. Read a book in German (and understand it!)
41. have washboard abs
42. RE-read "The Princess Bride"
43. Finish reading Harry Potter series, and "A Series of Unfortunate Events" series
44. Visit Lifou and Ouvea Islands again, and rediscover why they are my favorite places on the planet
45. go on a cruise (as a passenger this time, not a crewmember!)
46. attend an epic concert (a top notch band) in an exotic location (preferably somewhere warm and outdoors!)
47. attempt freediving
48. see a killer whale
49. find path to becoming 'people-networking guru' ;)
50. Host my very own Photography Workshop
51. watch less news and more cartoons - (ongoing since originally posted! lol)
52. take Niece to the beach and build sandcastles and find yucky things to poke at with sticks!
53. hug a tree (Completed on several occasions, believe it or not)
54. cut back on coffee for a month (even a little) (ongoing...down to 1cups/day from 6!)
55. learn to manage time better
56. go to a Jack Johnson concert
57. drink a LOT more water (Ongoing, and now officially a habit lol)
58. stretch daily for a month (hopefully to start a habit!) (Formed a habit Feb 2008)
59. handwrite (not print) someone a letter and send it to them (I haven't handwritten in about 15 years)
60. find the car I would absolutely LOVE to have, and go test drive one... get the FEEL for it :)
61. own an LCD television (still havent jumped on bandwagon yet!) (47" baby! Completed Sep 3/08)
62. hang a large print of one of my photos on the wall over our King Sized bed (room is kinda Vanilla atm!)
63. invent something
64. hand business card out to at least one person every day for at least two weeks straight
65. attend Burning Man
66. own an 85 1.2L lens (sidenote: create and perform "I own an 85 1.2L lens" dance)
67. blog every day for a month (Completed October 21st, 2008)
68. run in a 5K
69. learn to play "Summer of '69" by Brian Adams front to back on Guitar - Completed Jan 10/08 ;)
70. Money Goal 1 - Save $5000
71. Money Goal 2 - Save $10,000
72. Make a major purchase and pay it off immediately in cash (iMac - Completed April 1st 2008...its a major purchase for me lol)
73. play a violin, find out if I am good or not...and either way, play as though I am amazing :)
74. buy a STUDIO ringflash
75. take a MONTH off work and either travel somewhere OR stay at home and turn off phones ;)
76. Buy a tailor-made suit (maybe when I go back to Thailand!)
77. get pregnant (not ME personally, my girlfriend preferably!)
78. reach 25 weddings in a year
79. ride a horse
80. go for a roadtrip with girlfriend in a convertible. Top down, stop for picnics and random dancing etc...
81. purchase a high-end gift for someone that doesn't expect it
82. get one more person hooked on listening to 'The Watchmen' :) (best band....EVER)
83. photograph a band's album cover
84. help new photographers as much I as I can with any questions they may have
85. have a big bar-b-q with lots of friends and a jacuzzi! (Completed July 2008)
86. ROCK OUT at a 90's disco!
87. win a "best costume" at a Halloween party
88. get interviewed for either a photographer's magazine, blog, or podcast
89. eat a "Jeannie's Cake" for my birthday (traditional cake from Winnipeg, MB...had it all my life haha) (Completed June 26th 2008)
90. watch the Godfather series
91. buy a Christmas ornament while in another country (carrying tradition from last year: Mexico and Grand Cayman!)
92. have the ability to do 50 pushups in a row (a hospital can NOT be in the equation!)
93. go camping (Completed in Peachland, Summer 08)
94. travel to Alberta, hike up Castle Mountain again
95. improve the ol' harmonica skills ;)
96. go to Vegas (Hopefully for WPPI!) (Completed March 16th, 2008..woops, duplicate thing!)
97. drive through Redwood Forest with girlfriend
98. make something out of clay
99. take girlfriend out for a spontaneous night of dinner and dancing (with my new lessons!)
100. repeat number 99 but in a different country
101. get engaged ;) (and then go through GRUELLING process of finding the right wedding photographer) haha!
I am going to post the countdown in the sidebar to the right, as well as a link to my list (as it will get buried with time and I want to update the list with things I have completed as time goes by!).
So, I am choosing today as my first day (obviously), and therefore my finishing day will be:
*drumroll please*
October 5, 2010! annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd..... GO!
1. Shoot a Destination Wedding in Italy
2. Learn to speak fluent German
3. Travel to Germany
4. Own a Vespa or Electric Bike
5. Be a LOVECAT
6. Photograph a Celebrity Wedding
7. Read 5 classic Novels
8. Create a product to sell to Photographers
9. Go on a Fishing trip with my Dad
10. Go to Vegas (Completed March 16th, 2008)
11. Be in a wedding party (not the photographer)
12. Meet David Jay (Completed March 18th, 2008)
13. Meet Jasmine Star (Completed March 18th, 2008)
14. Attend PartnerCon
15. Be able to successfuly do 20 consecutive Chin Ups
16. Meet Mike Colón (Completed March 17th, 2008)
17. Sell my fine art prints for charity
18. Participate in "One Campaign"
19. Redesign Business Card - Completed May 1/08
20. Reccommend this 101/1001 list idea to friends - Completed Jan 10/08
21. Visit the Vancouver Aquarium - Completed Feb 21/08
22. RE-visit the Singapore Zoo
23. RE-visit Thailand - yay!
24. Shoot a Destination Wedding in Jamaica
25. Shoot a Destination Wedding in Puerto Rico
26. Have New Years with friends/family in the Caribbean (again!)
27. Have one or several photos of mine on the cover of a Wedding Magazine
28. See the Pyramids in Egypt
29. Learn how to Salsa (really well!)
30. Own a Mac ;) (Completed April 1st, 2008)
31. Own a Shootsac (Completed June 26th, 2008 BDAY GIFT!!)
32. Walk along English Bay with girlfriend - Completed April 9/08
33. Go Surfing
34. Go Snowboarding
35. Attend 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver
36. Shoot something related (directly or indirectly) to the 2010 Winter Olympics
37. See the ocean from my bedroom window (hotels excluded!)
38. Visit my old High School
39. Enter (with confidence) an upscale photocontest
40. Read a book in German (and understand it!)
41. have washboard abs
42. RE-read "The Princess Bride"
43. Finish reading Harry Potter series, and "A Series of Unfortunate Events" series
44. Visit Lifou and Ouvea Islands again, and rediscover why they are my favorite places on the planet
45. go on a cruise (as a passenger this time, not a crewmember!)
46. attend an epic concert (a top notch band) in an exotic location (preferably somewhere warm and outdoors!)
47. attempt freediving
48. see a killer whale
49. find path to becoming 'people-networking guru' ;)
50. Host my very own Photography Workshop
51. watch less news and more cartoons - (ongoing since originally posted! lol)
52. take Niece to the beach and build sandcastles and find yucky things to poke at with sticks!
53. hug a tree (Completed on several occasions, believe it or not)
54. cut back on coffee for a month (even a little) (ongoing...down to 1cups/day from 6!)
55. learn to manage time better
56. go to a Jack Johnson concert
57. drink a LOT more water (Ongoing, and now officially a habit lol)
58. stretch daily for a month (hopefully to start a habit!) (Formed a habit Feb 2008)
59. handwrite (not print) someone a letter and send it to them (I haven't handwritten in about 15 years)
60. find the car I would absolutely LOVE to have, and go test drive one... get the FEEL for it :)
61. own an LCD television (still havent jumped on bandwagon yet!) (47" baby! Completed Sep 3/08)
62. hang a large print of one of my photos on the wall over our King Sized bed (room is kinda Vanilla atm!)
63. invent something
64. hand business card out to at least one person every day for at least two weeks straight
65. attend Burning Man
66. own an 85 1.2L lens (sidenote: create and perform "I own an 85 1.2L lens" dance)
67. blog every day for a month (Completed October 21st, 2008)
68. run in a 5K
69. learn to play "Summer of '69" by Brian Adams front to back on Guitar - Completed Jan 10/08 ;)
70. Money Goal 1 - Save $5000
71. Money Goal 2 - Save $10,000
72. Make a major purchase and pay it off immediately in cash (iMac - Completed April 1st 2008...its a major purchase for me lol)
73. play a violin, find out if I am good or not...and either way, play as though I am amazing :)
74. buy a STUDIO ringflash
75. take a MONTH off work and either travel somewhere OR stay at home and turn off phones ;)
76. Buy a tailor-made suit (maybe when I go back to Thailand!)
77. get pregnant (not ME personally, my girlfriend preferably!)
78. reach 25 weddings in a year
79. ride a horse
80. go for a roadtrip with girlfriend in a convertible. Top down, stop for picnics and random dancing etc...
81. purchase a high-end gift for someone that doesn't expect it
82. get one more person hooked on listening to 'The Watchmen' :) (best band....EVER)
83. photograph a band's album cover
84. help new photographers as much I as I can with any questions they may have
85. have a big bar-b-q with lots of friends and a jacuzzi! (Completed July 2008)
86. ROCK OUT at a 90's disco!
87. win a "best costume" at a Halloween party
88. get interviewed for either a photographer's magazine, blog, or podcast
89. eat a "Jeannie's Cake" for my birthday (traditional cake from Winnipeg, MB...had it all my life haha) (Completed June 26th 2008)
90. watch the Godfather series
91. buy a Christmas ornament while in another country (carrying tradition from last year: Mexico and Grand Cayman!)
92. have the ability to do 50 pushups in a row (a hospital can NOT be in the equation!)
93. go camping (Completed in Peachland, Summer 08)
94. travel to Alberta, hike up Castle Mountain again
95. improve the ol' harmonica skills ;)
96. go to Vegas (Hopefully for WPPI!) (Completed March 16th, 2008..woops, duplicate thing!)
97. drive through Redwood Forest with girlfriend
98. make something out of clay
99. take girlfriend out for a spontaneous night of dinner and dancing (with my new lessons!)
100. repeat number 99 but in a different country
101. get engaged ;) (and then go through GRUELLING process of finding the right wedding photographer) haha!
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