Barrie Newborn and Family Photographer

When I started my business back in 2007 I had hoped, of course, that it would succeed. I wanted to capture the real moments of love between families, the sparkle in a child’s eye when they are having a great time, the tiny details that fade so very quickly from a newborn. Mostly, I wanted to capture the art that exists within each special moment we share. When I chose Bittersweet Photography as my business name I did so for several reasons. “Bittersweet” had been with me for a long time but it truly represented the journey I was taking in photographing other peoples families. Having lost our first son as a newborn to a congenital heart defect it was a very bittersweet feeling to capture beautiful moments of other peoples babies growing and changing, when mine never would. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved every sweet face I have met, and it’s been an honour being trusted to capture these memories for my clients, but it also came with that harsh reality. It has been a healing experience for me watching my little clients grow up – it happens so fast.

Fast forward to the end of 2012. I knew I wanted a change. I wanted the business to move forward in the new year, I wanted people to associate my photography with my name. I am, and always have been, the sole photographer behind Bittersweet. I’ve received countless inquiries asking if the “Bittersweet Chain” had studios in other countries or provinces – and that always saddened me. This wasn’t a chain studio, I wasn’t Walmart or Sears, I was Nicole. So here we are today, with a new business name and a lovely new website. I have big plans for the blog in 2013, plans to write articles for all of my lovely readers, plans to share more of our lives here at home with my sweet boys, and plans to continue giving back (please click the giving back link at the top for more information on that). I can’t wait to go on this journey, and I hope you’ll come along for the ride

Now at the end of each year I do a contest and this year is no different. I’ve chosen some of my favourite images taken over 2012, narrowed them down to a manageable amount, and here are our 2012 Pic of the Year Contest details:

The Prize(s):

(1) The grand prize winner (person with the highest number of votes) will receive a complimentary 2013 premium session AND a 16×24″ canvas of their favourite image from that session

(2) Two runner ups (person with the second and third highest number of votes) will receive a $100 gift certificate to use towards a 2013 premium or mini session

A couple of rules…

- Voting is open from January 8th-16th 2012 (ending midnight EST)
- Results will not be shown until the end and I will announce the winners on January 17th at 9pm
- You have a chance to vote once per person using the poll below. I will tally the votes and announce the winners on the Nicole Kathlyn facebook page so be sure to “like” it!

Be sure to pass the link to this post on to everyone you know, the more people who vote for you the higher the chances are that you will win!

**You can click on the images to view them larger**

I couldn’t not share ALL of my favourites too, so here is a look back at some of my favourite client work from 2012 (check back soon for my personal images slideshow from 2012):

Much Love,
Nicole