Jennifer Reynolds Photography

Havana...sneak peek....

2011-11-19T16:30:00.009-05:00

My long weekend in Havana was an amazing escape into years past.  I can't say enough good things about this wonderful city.  There is an indescribable charm as you walk through the decaying districts.

Just a sneak peek, more to come.....
www.jenniferreynolds.ca

gratitude....

2011-08-25T09:31:00.015-04:00

grati.tude/noun the feeling of being grateful or the desire to express one's thanks. [French gratitude or medieval Latin gratitudo from gratus thankful] - Canadian Oxford Dictionary.

....for my enriched life having shared it with Cayman!

I had originally thought that to mark the one month passing of Cayman, I would dedicate a blog to all the great memories that he has instilled in me over the past 12 years. However, the best laid plans can always change. So instead, I am blogging about gratitude and in particular my Daily Expressions of Gratitude project that I have been working on in the popular Instagram application. I can't believe it, but today will be day 86 (only 279 days to go)!

....for joy.

I have always loved the idea of journaling, but when it comes to practicing it, have never enjoyed it. Gratitude journals are not new, and after having read The Happiness Project, I was inspired to figure out a way to give thanks for all the things in my life (big & small), in a way that made sense to me, and in a way that I enjoyed - photography!

....to live in an illuminated city with arts & creativity.

Life is always going to be filled with pain, sadness, joy, jealousy, pride, passion and a slew of other fantastic emotions. It is whats makes life meaningful. Cayman may not be in my day-to-day life anymore, but the past 12 years of uncountable memories will always be. And I will be eternally grateful for that!

....for the music that keeps my soul groov'in.

So, here is a snippet of a few more of the things I have been grateful for on a daily basis.  Instagram has been dose of photographic inspiration and I look forward to the next 279 days.

....for incredibly supportive friends & family.

....for road-trips.

....for life in its purest form.

....to witness the incredible outpouring of love & support for Jack Layton and family. Reminds me of one other political movement that I was honoured to be a part of.

....for continually having food for thought.

....for long weekends, the open road and singing at the top of your lungs en route!

....for self-expression.

....for being a "glass half full" type of gal.

world is a small and wonderful place....

2011-02-19T19:49:00.011-05:00

Travel changes you and for me that is one of the many reasons that I love it. "Many a times" I feel myself craving a travel adventure when my day to day life becomes too routine, or when I find that I need to challenge my own thoughts and behaviours.

Travel challenges you to think differently, to embrace diversity and to cherish the little details that have a tendency to get overlooked when you are going from one day to the next.

The world really is a small place and once you begin to travel and see all the beauty it offers, the countries you visit seem to stay with you - their people, culture, landscapes and unique personalities. With respect to my recent trip to Morocco, it is the artisans and their work that will always resonate with me.

The Moroccan people take pride in their work. There is something to be said and cherished about harnessing creativity and the beauty in the creative process - whether it be the creation of exquisite fabrics, to intricate pottery, to the stunning and time consuming efforts in the presentation of olives.

This past weekend, Morocco held their "Day of Dignity" - calling for the end of poverty, illiteracy and the abuses of human rights. The Arab world is seeking change and freedoms that many of us in the west take for granted. It is both exciting and saddening at times to watch as individual citizens are harnessing their individual and collective powers. Having only been in Morocco 2 months ago, the streets that I walked and the people I met and photographed are permanently in my thoughts and well wishes.

www.jenniferreynolds.ca

t.i.a.....this is africa!

2011-01-15T10:26:00.024-05:00

If I had to summarize my Morocco trip in a few words, it would have to be medina's, mint tea, organized chaos, camels and bread! Of course that is not all, this country is a rarity. How many countries can you go to where in a span of a day, you can go from sunny ocean side beaches, to snow-capped mountains, to a sea of sand dunes in the desert? Not many I would think....

Two weeks is definitely not enough time to try to cover this vast country, so the itinerary was tight going from city to city in an attempt to see as much as we could. If I could do it all over again, that would not be the case.

For me, Morocco was a bit of a surprise in the food department. I expected a bit more variety, however, there are definitely a couple of food experiences that stick out in my mind. First, was in Essaouira. As a seafood lover I was in heaven. Not only was the food exceptional, but the entire process was an adventure - from purchase to last savory bite. Step one - purchase your fresh fish of choice from market. Step two - take to local tajine cookery (for lack of a better word). Step three - enjoy!

For the ultimate sidewalk grilling experience, Marrakesh's Djemaa el fna is the place to go. Almost overwhelming actually. They have perfected the art of cooked street food!

This is only a first glimpse of my Moroccan adventure. Definitely more to come, but 25 GB's of photos to cull through and process is quite time consuming when I should be diving back into school work after a 3 week vacation.

www.jenniferreynolds.ca

mooi amsterdam pt 2....

2010-11-19T19:10:00.021-05:00

When it comes to photography, there are specific times of the day, and certain weather conditions that make a photographer excited. In Amsterdam, I was so excited when I woke up to a misty morning when the water in the canals were as smooth as glass and the narrow streets were silent! It was like the mist just seemed to hang onto every thing it touched.

When it comes to traveling, there are certain times which make the adventure extra special. In Amsterdam, I was able to enjoy this fantastic city with a great friend. Clara and I share a love for all things travel, and this trip did not disappoint. Together we enjoyed enthusiastic shopping days, phenomenal food, inspiring galleries, sensational wines, and of course a lot of laughter!

Amsterdam is a city not to be missed. While this was my second time, it definitely won't be my last! The architecture and the general city scape just make this city a pure pleasure to be in.

I am counting down the days until my next travel adventure. In a month I will be off to exotic Morocco and Spain. This time I won't be the only photographer....very exciting!!

www.jenniferreynolds.ca

mooi amsterdam....

2010-10-17T15:48:00.013-04:00

shopping. friends. coffee. exploration. flowers
canals. love. milkshakes. redon. mist. views. bikes
fondue. photography. pandora. wine. van gogh

www.jenniferreynolds.ca

love at first sight....

2010-10-13T17:54:00.001-04:00

Meet Ally Paige....she made my heart melt the instant she came into the world! I know I am completely biased, but my new little niece was cute from the first minute and continues to get cuter every day.

Not quite sure where she gets the red hair from, but I am happy to see she has the Reynolds' blue eyes :-) This post is purely about cuteness captured on film over the past 2 months....

I have a feeling this blog is going to see a lot of Ally in the next little while. Nothing says adorable photo-op like a babies first halloween :-)

www.jenniferreynolds.ca

giving thanks for cottages, family, dogs & fall foliage....

2010-10-11T10:38:00.011-04:00

It feels so great to get out from under the constant pressure and guilt of my comp's and start to enjoy my weekends and to take pictures again. Another great weekend was spent at the cottage enjoying family, the outdoors, great food and great memories.

Once again, the dogs thoroughly enjoyed the lake and this time Ally did too :-)
Speaking of my ultra-adorable little niece Ally, a new blog post is in the making documenting all her cuteness over the past 2 months. She truly is what Thanksgiving is all about.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

www.jenniferreynolds.ca

to Vienna with love....

2010-09-28T19:09:00.031-04:00

It was the home of Mozart, Strauss, Haydn, and Beethoven. Vienna is a city of marvelous palaces, Gothic cathedrals, a synergy of both baroque and contemporary architecture, and historic coffeehouses frequented by writers, academics, and artists - both past & present. True exploration of any city requires that you get lost at least once and Vienna is a great city to get lost in and enjoy the exploration...

I was originally in Vienna over 15 years ago, however, this past visit felt like I was seeing the city again for the first time. One of the best memories that I had of Vienna was of the KunstHausWien and the Hundertwasser House, created by the contemporary painter and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

His work encapsulates environmentalism, philosophy, and design through his boldly-coloured paintings and irregular formed architecture projects. Today's reality was as good as my memory remembered it to be!

Cafe Hawelka is a gem! It exemplifies a warm and peaceful coffee retreat practically untouched since the mid-sixties. As a phd student, I find myself spending many hours in coffee shops working away and the historic vibe of this place just felt like a little slice of academic familiarity.

It has often been said that coffee is the Viennese drink of choice, and with the many types to choose from you soon realize that the coffee ritual in Vienna is much more than coffee with a bit of milk or sugar.

The Stephansdom is a stunning Gothic cathedral in the heart of the city centre. During my travels I have been to many places of worship, and the interior of this church was truly breathtaking with its intricate interior structure and artistry.

Vienna is such a walkable city and as you explore on foot you stroll past the Karlskirche church, many museums and can easily imagine what it must have been like hundreds of years ago.

After my time in Vienna, it was off to Amsterdam....more on that part of the trip soon!

www.jenniferreynolds.ca

meet Max.....

2010-07-15T04:24:00.016-04:00

Made a new little friend today:) At times he wasn't always too keen on getting his picture taken, but in the end he was such a cutie when he needed to be.

Gotta love a baby with a ready-made mullet :) He wears it sooo well!

Shooting this little guy got me soooo very excited for the upcoming arrival of my little niece :) Two weeks and counting....

www.jenniferreynolds.ca

Kiwi-land with a touch of Aussie

2010-04-19T17:42:00.015-04:00

So here is my second installment of pics from my recent trip down under. Constantly surprised how quickly time passes, as it feels like ages ago that I was there. Almost time for another adventure.....

So after some R&R in the Abel Tasman National Park, I headed east to Christchurch. Christchurch is such a lovely place.....so green and pretty! It is filled with wandering parks along the Avon River. But what I loved the most was the really artisan feel this city has.

I am a huge fan of structure....so my camera could hear this building calling from miles away.

After Christchurch I headed over to Aussie-land! I had never been outside of the Sydney airport before so I was quite excited. Plus, I was able to spend time with a great friend of mine who lives there...so that is always a bonus. Unfortunately, was only there for a couple of days....but will definitely be going back. Sydney exceeded my expectations and I was really impressed with the city.

This final shop just made me shake my head....a woman's touch is always a good thing ;) but whether or not it has to be a "white" lady is a bit problematic!

www.jenniferreynolds.ca

......and I'm back!

2010-03-17T21:56:00.010-04:00

Definitely have neglected my blog the past couple of months...side effect of trying to juggle work, school and other priorities.

I was recently able to recharge in New Zealand. While this was my second time to this fantastic country, it was my first time to the South Island and I fell in love with it. Anyone who enjoys being active and outdoors should try to make it to New Zealand. The first part of my trip was spent in the beautiful Abel Tasman National Park. Four fantastic days of sun, hiking, kayaking and the ocean. I developed a bit of kayaking addiction which was incredible, but not the most conducive to photography.

Some may already know, but I have a slight fear of heights. I try not to let it stop me from doing things, but this swinging bridge on the trail was not fun! It was about 100 meters across and it took everything in me to look straight ahead and just keep walking. The worst was when someone started walking on the bridge behind me. I was definitely happy to reach the other side.

More updates later....and I promise it won't take 3 months to post the rest of my trip ;)

world is a funny place....part two

2009-11-22T10:08:00.012-05:00

My photo blog has been a little ignored as of late. I really haven't been shooting much as all my photography attention was towards getting ready for my show and now I have switched professional hats and focused most of my attention on my approaching comprehensive exam deadline.

So to give my photo blog a little love and get my head out of systems thinking, charitable gambling and public health ethics, I thought I would remind myself of how interesting and funny the world can be when you just look around.

One of my fav pictures of all time is this one of Finley on the sink. This shot was actually taken by my sister but really captures the uniqueness of her dog! How he got up there we will never know....but he definitely didn't know how to get himself down.

This ones for you Louise ♥

On a final note, my first photography exhibit at *Hotshot Gallery, Kensington Market has been an incredible experience! On a personal note, having your first exhibit is really exciting because you get to see your work framed and in a gallery, but to have your show as well received as mine has been is so overwhelming and beyond what one could hope for. The support from friends, family and strangers has been truly moving and to everyone I just want to say THANK YOU!!!! I look forward to many more....

www.jenniferreynolds.ca

for the love of dogs....

2009-10-14T14:38:00.017-04:00

If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then giving Fido only two of them. ~Phil Pastoret

I love my cottage for a number of reasons, but one of them is that the dogs can just run free and do what dogs do best...swimming, running, eating and a constant form of entertainment for all us humans. This long weekend at the cottage was no exception.

A completely fun post today...a tribute to all the four-legged creatures that bring joy to our hearts and laughter and love to our worlds. I find it so interesting how 3 similar labs can have such significantly different personalities!

www.jenniferreynolds.ca

passport required....

2009-10-08T11:49:00.007-04:00

I am super excited to announce my upcoming inaugural photo exhibit to showcase my journeys around the globe. Details of the show are as follows:

Show Dates: November 9-16th, 2009

Hotshot Gallery
Kensington Market
181 Augusta Ave.
Toronto, ON
M5T 2L4

www.jenniferreynolds.ca

*Special thanks to the talented Vanessa Anievas for creating my exhibition cards!

the love story continues....

2009-09-23T11:29:00.017-04:00

I am so sad that tomorrow I have to leave this fantastic place :( I honestly think Istanbul is now my favourite city. This city has so much to offer: history, food, spirituality, art/culture, the friendliest people, music....the list can go on. It truly engages every sense. Whether it be waking up at the crack of dawn to the sound of prayer, the sweet smell of roasted corn (that is practically everywhere), the feeling of the old cobblestones under your feet, tasting the spicy kebabs, and just being stunned by the absolute beauty in their architecture and mosques. I could go on forever, but will let the photo's say the rest. Istanbul is truly a photographers dream!

Tesekurler Istanbul....

dear Istanbul....

2009-09-21T14:15:00.012-04:00

Dear Istanbul, let me count the ways that I love thee...

drawing with light....

2009-09-15T14:10:00.016-04:00

The word "photography" basically means "drawing with light". As most photographers know...light is everything - whether it comes naturally or in a controlled manner.  While I love shooting in natural light, I also really want to learn and understand studio lighting.  For when studio lighting is done well, it is an art form all unto itself.

I had a last minute opportunity to play around with lighting in a studio and it was great!

Stay tuned...next blog post comes to you live from Istanbul, Turkey!

09.11.01

2009-09-11T13:42:00.005-04:00

Tiles for America

I ♥ New York City ....

2009-09-08T13:45:00.017-04:00

love. grit. laugh. walk. soul
peace. seek. jazz. art. heart. wine. shoot
books. shop. friends. eat. love

www.jenniferreynolds.ca

the world is a funny place....

2009-08-26T10:34:00.008-04:00

Creativity is about the lens we choose to see the world through. It is not about the talent that a person may or may not possess. It is about how we express ourselves and our reactions to funny and interesting things.

I think as we get older we tend to forget about "play", "fun" and "creativity" because we think that if something isn't "good" or "perfect" it is not worth doing. As adults I think we have a lot to learn from kids!

I have decided that I am going to make this theme a recurring one on my blog as a reminder about how we are constantly surrounded by funny, creative and interesting people, places and things. It is also a great reminder to always carry a camera...even if it is a little point & shoot! You just never know....

the naked truth...

2009-08-14T20:20:00.021-04:00

I love the high that you get after coming off of a fantastic shoot! The feeling of knowing you have some great shots that you just can't wait to get home and process. That was me on Wednesday night...

I often get asked...why nudes? Without hesitation people can tell you the parts of their bodies that they dislike (myself included). Rarely, do individuals get an opportunity to highlight the aspects of their bodies that they love. For me, nude photography is about empowerment and the celebration of the beauty that is the human landscape.

It is about grabbing the audiences attention through light & shadows to making them smile, think, dream and simply take pleasure in the image. It is about connecting the body & mind and telling a story.

It is about tastefully going beyond the naked body and finding inspiration in the sensual, the sexual and the mystery. Whether the photos are shared to the world or just for the individual, shooting artistic nudes allows for the opportunity to co-create an intimate & empowering moment...an opportunity to redefine true beauty! For more pics from this great shoot, check out

www.jenniferreynolds.ca

happines is....

2009-08-09T14:59:00.013-04:00

Anyone who says you can't buy happiness has forgotten about dogs! Here is our family of three-of-a-kind....can you tell who the trouble makers are?

www.jenniferreynolds.ca

friends, photography & a park...

2009-08-01T15:39:00.000-04:00

If you are going to be stuck in the city for the long weekend, no better way to spend a gorgeous day  than outside at High Park with some friends and a camera.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but the more I look at this last image, the more I like it.  More to come as I process some of Louise's pic's!
www.jenniferreynolds.ca

confessions of a travel addict....

2009-07-28T19:23:00.000-04:00

Hello, my name is Jennifer and I am addicted to traveling!

My philosophy in life is pretty simple: explore, dream & discover!  There is a huge world out there and I have only begun to scratch the surface.  The count-down to my next adventure has begun.  I am just giddy with excitement for my camera and I to head off to Istanbul in 8 weeks.

This time last year I was exploring Greece...absolutely amazing country!  Highly recommend it if you can go.  Have spent some time reprocessing some Greece shots, these two were both taken in Oia, on the Island of Santorini.  Picture perfect!!! For more of my travel adventure pics check out www.jenniferreynolds.ca

the world is watching....

2009-07-25T14:59:00.000-04:00

For those of you who know me, know that I have always had a fascination with Iran. Not the Iran that western media depicts but the Iran of the people - their land, art, music, literature, and loyalty. I have been lucky to know some great Iranians and so today I went to show my support at the Global Day of Action for Human Rights in Iran.

The late Jonathon Mann theorized that public health, ethics and human rights are integrally linked and paramount for human well-being and dignity. He felt that people could not be healthy if governments did not respect people's rights, dignity and freedoms. Today people around the world, Iranians and non came together to show support & unity and to stand up against human rights violations.

Change may not happen immediately, but I am hopeful it will come if we persevere. Through the recent power of social networking sites, we have the power to change human consciousness. To decide what type of world we want to live in and the type of people we want to be.

Jian Ghomeshi gave a powerful and motivating speech to the crowd. Let's hope that the power of the collective voice made an impact today.

mixing it up...

2009-07-23T19:00:00.000-04:00

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE shooting nude photography!

Have decided lately to shake things up and begin experimenting with mixed media - some acrylic paints, textured paper and some of my favourite nude shots. I am thinking that this could go either one of two ways: really cool, or miserably bad.

the journely begins....

2009-07-18T11:42:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my photoblog!

Following the exciting launch of my photography website (www.jenniferreynolds.ca) I have decided to include a photoblog that will document my latest photo-adventures, highlight links and articles that have made an impression on me, in addition to documenting random thoughts and experiences captured through my lens.

While this photo is not a new one, I found it most fitting for my journey ahead. I will be trying to post on a biweekly basis, if not weekly or more if work and school allow. However, for those who know me, they know I can have a tendency to procrastinate, so chances are this blog will be updated more frequently ;) Hope you enjoy.......