Brittany VanRuymbeke Photos + Films is a Chatham-Kent Ontario Photographer offering fun, laid back and timeless family photography.

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Meg is from Wallaceburg and Cam is from New Zealand, where they now live with their completely adorable daughter. Naturally when they visit home, they want to document it! On New Years Day we went out to this beautiful farm and froze our buns off for the quickest extended family session I have ever done! But Tillie was an absolute gem and we did our best to keep her warm and entertained (baby shark doo doo doo doo doo doo on repeat!!). I mean, seriously. Those cheeks are what dreams are made of!

Meg and Cam are getting married in Banff this fall and I am so stoked to have been asked to be there! Stay tuned for that amazingness!

If you are looking for a Chatham-Kent Ontario Photographer, get in touch today! I book family sessions year round both outdoors and in-home. I would be honoured to photograph you and your family.

Brittany VanRuymbeke is a Sarnia Ontario Family Photographer that offers fun, relaxed lifestyle sessions that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face for years to come.

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This session was my first time photographing Lyndsay & Ryan and it is always so fun to get to know people a little bit better. We have known each other since high school, but I always feel like I forge a better connection with people through this medium. I get to be a little goofy and ask some fun, yet personal questions and share stories about my kids. Now Lyndsay and I work together and she is always there for a good laugh or sarcastic comment – my kind of girl! I can’t wait to meet up with these guys again this fall to update their pictures!

If you are here to find a Sarnia Ontario Family Photographer, contact me today! I would love to hang out with you and your family!

Brittany VanRuymbeke Photos + Films offers Chatham Kent Family Photography that is fun, relaxing and guaranteed to bring a smile to your face for years to come

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Matt and Tara decided to get some family shots done as part of an extended family session. As always, we had so much fun. They are both such hands-on and energetic parents, there was no shortage of genuine smiles or giggles here! Thanks so much Matt & Tara for always supporting me and allowing me a small glimpse into your beautiful life together!

On the hunt for Chatham Kent Family Photography? Contact me today! I love photographing families and meeting new friends in this wonderful community!

Brittany is a Chatham Kent Lifestyle Photographer specializing in fun lifestyle sessions in your home. To see more of her work and contact her to book your session, click here.

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In-home newborn sessions are becoming a bit of a specialty of mine. I absolutely love the slow pace, the easy conversation and the comfort of shooting in my clients home. It allows everyone the space and freedom to move around, take a break or play. The whole session is entirely family focused and led, meaning when baby needs to eat we take a break. Kids (and Dads) are generally more comfortable at home, which lets me get to know them better and photograph them at a deeper level. Plus, I love getting home tours by 4 year olds – don’t worry Moms, my basement is just as messy as yours!

Last summer I had the pleasure of photographing little Nate and his family in their home. The session was relaxed and fun, and it even included some of their favourite little poultry friends! I have been telling Eric no for years about getting chickens, but after seeing Ryan & Lyndsay’s yard I started to consider it. We haven’t taken the leap yet, but maybe this Spring..

If you are pregnant and would like to reserve your spot for an in-home newborn session please contact me today! I only take 2 sessions per month, so space is limited. Contact me here or email me at brittanyelizabethphoto@gmail.com.

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Brittany VanRuymbeke is a Chatham Kent Lifestyle Photographer who specializes in laid back, fun in-home family and newborn photography. She has been photographing families and babies for 5+ years and travels throughout Chatham Kent and Sarnia-Lambton.

Everyone always worries when the forecast says rain for the day of their session. Of course if it is pouring rescheduling might be the only option, but with light or intermittent rain we always have options. Today I am sharing this rainy day session from the summer and sharing a few tips for rainy day sessions!

Watching the weather

For outdoor family sessions booked on a weekend we usually have some play in terms of timing, so watching the weather lets us find the best time slot throughout the day, and as a last resort we can move the session to another day that weekend.

Location

When dealing with light rain the location is key. A location that has some cover, outbuildings or tall trees allows us to stay mostly dry while bringing variety to the shots. And of course, these clear umbrellas were one of the best business purchases I have ever made. They won’t mess up your colour palate or cast a colour onto anyones skin, and I think they look pretty cute!

Indoor lifestyle sessions are becoming really popular. As long as you have one decent sized window in a room with a couch, bed or other furniture we can make it work! Doing your session at home brings a nice personal touch to the photos as well.

Embracing the rain

One (majorly fun) option is always to have fun and embrace the weather! Grab your rain boots and get out there for some puddle jumping and cuddles under the umbrella!

This family came from the GTA area for their session with grandparents and rain was relentless all weekend long. We finally found an hour on the Sunday afternoon when the rain let up a little bit for us. Brander park offered us some cover from the rain with a gazebo and the beautiful trees, and the umbrellas added a nice touch too! I mean how cute is little Mila rocking that umbrella?!

At the end of the day, if the forecast is calling for rain on the day of your session, don’t worry too much, there are always options! Whether that means taking the session inside, finding a good outdoor location, or fully embracing the rain and having fun with it – not matter what we decide, we will make sure your session is fun and memorable.

If you are interested in an Extended Family Session Chatham, please contact me today! I would love to get to know your family!

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Brittany VanRuymbeke is a family and wedding photographer in Chatham-Kent Ontario specializing in fun, laid-back experiences. To see her family work, click here.

Brittany VanRuymbeke is a Sarnia ON Family Photographer who specializes in fun, laid back family sessions that create images that will put a smile on your face for years to come! Get in touch today to book your family session!

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Last summer I had the pleasure of working with this wonderful family! There were a lot of laughs and family stories shared, which is my favourite part about shooting extended family sessions. They were all so laid back and happy to go with the flow, even when there were a few tears out of the little guys, they just rolled with it and embraced the chaos – my kind of people!

Brittany VanRuymbeke is a Sarnia ON Family Photographer specializing in fun, laid-back lifestyle family photography. To get more information or book your family session, contact me here today, I would love to tell your family’s story.

There is a lot of buzz around about what is Lifestyle Photography, and I thought writing a post and using a very real lifestyle family maternity session as an example to help answer some questions you might have.

Lifestyle falls somewhere between traditional portrait and documentary

Traditional portrait photography is very posed and often very controlled. The photographer manipulates the light and the subject in order to create the most pleasing image. In documentary photography, the photographer does zero directing and purely photographs what is happening as it happens organically.

I like to think that at my lifestyle sessions we do a little bit of everything. I always make sure to get at least one traditional portrait of everyone looking at the camera and smiling. But with lifestyle, the fun part is what happens next. I get to direct my clients to a location and pose, and then allow them to really be themselves in it. Lifestyle gives them the room to breathe and be themselves without too much direction, but it also gives enough control to know the image will be visually appealing.

It is posed and directed, but not fake

Of course families don’t always walk hand-in-hand through fields of long grass at sunset in their best clothes. It is pretty obvious that I ask them to do that, and I ask them to do in the prettiest light. But just because I tell my families where or how to stand together, does that mean that their interaction is fake? Or that their smiles are not genuine? Absolutely not. All of the emotions I capture through my lens are purely genuine. Through some simple prompts and conversation my families are interacting in a very real way that showcases their natural relationships and personalities.

It can be done anywhere

I am so lucky to have the flexibility to document families wherever they want to be. With lifestyle photography I am not limited to a studio, nor am I limited by the inside of someones home. With lifestyle I can find the best locations, whether they be in your home or out in the neighbourhood, and I can use that location to showcase your family. There are some pros and cons to both in-home and on-location family sessions, but know that no matter where you are, you are still a family.

It takes the focus off the way you look

One of the greatest things about lifestyle photography is that it adds another element to the images. There are portraits that are simply a picture of someone – the way they look, their face, their clothing, maybe their environment. But lifestyle photography adds emotion to an image. When someone looks at an image like the ones below, your focus comes away from the pose and their clothing and you have an emotional reaction to it. It doesn’t just look nice, it makes you feel something.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a market and a place for both traditional and documentary style family photography. I have friends that do both, and their work is absolutely stunning. But lifestyle is where my passion lies. I love that I get to control some elements but then also see how each family expresses themselves a little differently. I love that every session and situation is different and I get to be creative. I love that my own vision and art shines through each photo I deliver. And I mostly love that each family has their own set of images that reflect them as they truly are.

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Brittany VanRuymbeke is a lifestyle family and wedding photographer based in Chatham-Kent, Ontario. She specializes in fun, laid-back and emotional family photography. To learn more about, or to book a  family maternity session, contact me today!