JENNIFER WILLARD
MOTHER-WIFE-PHOTOGRAPHER-BOOKWORM-PROP COLLECTOR
MEET THE ARTIST
Hi there!
I’m Jen, your friendly, neighbourhood photographer, ready to create amazing portraits of your incredible family!
I work with fun families who have a passion for living their best lives, which usually includes a lot of laughing, hanging out with family and getting outdoors whenever they can to enjoy the amazingness that Canada has to offer.
If you are looking for bright, vibrant and happy portraits of your family celebrating the joy that children bring to your life then I’m the photographer for you and your family!! Get in touch with me today to start planning your session!!
GET TO KNOW ME
MY FRIENDS WOULD DESCRIBE ME AS:
Honest, loud and always there for everyone
THREE THINGS I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT:
Colour, books and my family!
MY FAVOURITE PLACE ON EARTH:
Tied: Cathedral Grove tree forest on Vancouver Island OR Abraham Lake in Alberta
A QUOTE I LOVE:
“It’s not our job to toughen our children up to face a cruel and heartless world. It’s our job to raise children who will make the world a little less cruel and heartless.” - L.R. Knost
“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness - it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.” - Brene Brown
“If you didn’t come from a healthy family, make sure a healthy family comes from you.”
A COUPLE MORE THINGS…
I’m a Mom to two crazy, wonderful kids named Grey and Ruby
I’m a wife to a wonderful husband who is also my tech support
I absolutely love to read and am trying my best to have that love of reading rub off on my kids
I love Pinterest and go down rabbit holes about home decor. I have 303 Pinterest boards (I hope that means I’m organized and not indecisive lol).
Our family loves to roadtrip and camp (already booked for Bon Echo Provincial Park) and last Summer we took the kids on an epic driving roadtrip all over Alberta and B.C…. and a few years before that we took the kids all over the East Coast. We just have to hit the territories, Newfoundland, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Before we had kids, my husband and I drove all across Canada and a fair chunk of the Northern United States. We are passing on our love for adventure to our kids too!
I began to take pictures with my hot pink film camera when I was a little girl and never really stopped!
I have a B.A. in History with a focus on Indigenous women’s work and women’s studies. I loved learning about the contribution of women to their family’s and communities. I originally wanted to be a history teacher to share my love of learning with kids!
I have dreams of writing children’s books. I have lots of ideas written down and have a 5 year goal to make that happen. I love stories and often make up random stories for my kids.
I love my job. I’m so happy to not only have a job where I get to meet incredible people but I also love being a part of each family’s history. Documenting their cherished moments and helping to tell their story. It’s like I get to use my History degree in a round about way!
I ACKNOWLEDGE THE HAUDENOSAUNEE, MISSISSAUGA AND OMAMIWININI PEOPLE WHO ARE THE TRADITIONAL OWNERS OF THE LAND ON WHICH I PHOTOGRAPH. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE AND WORK HERE AND I PAY MY RESPECT TO THEIR ELDERS, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.
BEFORE YOU CHOOSE TO WORK WITH ME I WANT YOU TO KNOW…
I BELIEVE THE WORLD IS FULL OF BEAUTIFUL, DIVERSE PEOPLE WHO COME IN ALL SHAPES, SIZES, ABILITIES, FAMILY DYNAMICS, SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, POLITICAL BELIEFS, RELGIONS, LANGUAGES, CULTURES AND COLOURS AND WE SHOULD CELEBRATE THAT DIVERISTY. INCLUDING A WIDE VARIETY OF THE BEAUTY OF THE HUMAN RACE IN MY PORTFOLIO IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AND SOMETHING THAT I AM CONTINUALLY BUILDING UPON. FOR BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS, REPRESENTATION MATTERS AND I WANT EVERY CHILD TO SEE THEMSELVES IN MY WEBSITE.
WHILE I TRY MY BEST TO BE AN INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE BUSINESS TO ALL FAMILIES, UNFORTUNATELY MY CURRENT HOME STUDIO IS NOT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A MATERNITY, NEWBORN OR BABY PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME ABOUT MEETING YOU SOMEWHERE THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO YOU OR I CAN HELP YOU FIND A PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO THAT CAN BETTER ACCOMODATE YOUR NEEDS. I REGRET THAT THE CONVENIENCE OF A HOME STUDIO TO BE CLOSE TO MY CHILDREN HAS NOT BROUGHT A BETTER SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE AND IT IS SOMETHING I HOPE TO REMEDY IN THE FUTURE.
I BELIEVE IN A CHILD LED APPROACH TO MY SESSIONS WHERE WE MAKE SPACE FOR CHILDREN TO FEEL WHAT THEY FEEL, BE SILLY AND VALIDATE THEIR FEELINGS AND WORK WITH THEM TO ACHIEVE THE MOST HONEST PORTRAITS OF WHO THEY ARE RIGHT NOW (SMILING OR SERIOUS OR SILLY). IT MEANS BEING PATIENT WITH OLDER CHILDREN AND ASKING THEM FOR POSE IDEAS SO THEY CAN FEEL LIKE THEY ARE IN CONTROL OF THEIR SESSION. IT MEANS ACCEPTING THAT NOT ALL BABIES WILL SMILE. I AM A STRANGER TO THEM SO THEY MAY NOT WARM UP IMMEDIATELY. CHILDREN WILL ACT LIKE CHILDREN AND I WILL ADAPT THE SESSION TO MEET THEIR NEEDS. AFTER PHOTOGRAPHING 700 CHILDREN OVER THE PAST DECADE I EXPECT CHILDREN TO ACT EXACTLY LIKE THEIR AGE, WHICH IS SOMETIMES VERY ACTIVE (I HAVE TWO OF THOSE ACTIVE CHILDREN MYSELF).
THAT MEANS NOT ALLOWING ANY PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL VIOLENCE LIKE SPANKING OR SCREAMING TO TAKE PLACE WITH OLDER CHILDREN IN MY STUDIO OR AT AN OUTDOOR LOCATION IF THEY ARE NOT LISTENING TO WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO DO. I WILL IMMEDIATELY STOP THE SESSION IF THINGS ESCALATE. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN FOR KIDS. IT MEANS TREATING CHILDREN WITH RESPECT AND EARNING THEIR TRUST IN RETURN. I WILL NOT TOUCH YOUR CHILD (BESIDES POSING A NEWBORN) WITHOUT ASKING FOR THEIR CONSENT, MOSTLY ASKING PARENTS TO HELP OLDER SIBLINGS INTO A POSE LIKE LYING BESIDE THEIR NEWBORN SIBLING AND WILL ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD IS 100% COMFORTABLE IN ANY SPOT WE PUT THEM IN. IF YOUR CHILD LOOKS UNCOMFORTABLE OR DOESN’T WANT TO DO THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO SOMETHING ELSE THAT WORKS BETTER FOR THEM. I WILL ALWAYS ADVOCATE FOR YOUR CHILD. WORKING WITH ME MEANS THAT YOUR CHILD’S WELLBEING AND SAFETY IS MY #1 PRIORITY. IF YOUR CHILD BECOMES UPSET WE WILL PAUSE THE SESSION TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.
IF YOU OR YOUR CHILD HAS SPECIAL NEEDS PLEASE DO LET ME KNOW SO I CAN WORK WITH YOU ON HOW BEST TO PHOTOGRAPH YOUR FAMILY. YOUR COMFORT IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
Ready to book your session?
