Marie-Lyssa Dormeus Photo Journal

NEW BLOG !!!

2009-03-03T16:44:00.001-05:00

http://www.xanga.com/MLyssaD/

To see most recent posts.

ML

The past 2 weeks - My parallel universe:)

2009-02-24T01:25:00.000-05:00

http://www.xanga.com/MLyssaD/693696129/the--past-2-weeks-at-a-glance---vegas/?page=1&jump=1476289406&leftcmt=1#1476289406

February 2009!!

2009-02-02T21:19:00.002-05:00

New blog post available at:

http://www.xanga.com/MLyssaD/691392307/february-2009/

Good bye 2008.. You rocked my world!! 2009 .. I am ready!!

2008-12-30T22:57:00.000-05:00

Access the blog post here:

http://weblog.xanga.com/MLyssaD/687697975/good-bye-2008-you-rocked-my-world-2009--i-am-ready.html

NEW SLIDESHOW!!!

2008-12-14T22:21:00.000-05:00

New Blog POST!! Here is the link;

http://weblog.xanga.com/MLyssaD/685819984/slide-show---vicky-and-becky---maternity.html

LAST SPRINT OF 2008!

2008-12-09T02:08:00.004-05:00

Like many of you I am enjoying a nice little sprint to the finish line of 2008. My favorite time right now tough is the time I get to spend with my best friend "myself" a time to reflect and meditate . A time for gratitude A time to rest and recharge… I made this time a non-negotiable on my list and I am glad to have kept this promise. I have a few more posts to come before year end ,where I will be sharing some of the exciting adventures for 2009. Right now I have to focus on a few more shoots and yes the last Wedding of 2008 this month... .. This one will be extra SPECIAL it feels like my favorite dessert crème caramel…. .Stay tuned.!!

In this post I am sharing a few pictures from a maternity/boudoir shoot I did a few days ago with a lovely couple I met earlier this year on a destination wedding in St Thomas. Vicky and Becky. 4 months ago I had just returned from Paris and got an email from Vicky who shared that they were expecting . I know of brides who booked their photographers first however this was new to me booking their maternity portrait shoot several months in advance to make sure that the date was safe and also wanted to discuss a few ideas for the shoot. She was so excited !! I feel so privileged and blessed every single time clients contact me to book with such passion and enthusiasm for my imagery.

The session went very well and I realize how amazing it is is when I share a storyboard with my clients prior to the shoot . It allows them to visualize the moment and get a lot more engage in the process .... They both looked amazing. Vicky is one of the most stunning pregnant ladies I have seen .. she was just working it !! HOTNESS at it best.. and Becky was going with the flow (like a good husband hehehe) and took good care of his woman .I am so looking forward to photograph their new baby girl in the new year. I will be adding more pictures over the next couple days .. For now here is a little taste.. Yes they did want to share this with the world! :) I heart them!! Go to this link to view more pix! ; http://weblog.xanga.com/mlyssad

http://www.marielyssa.com/

Marie Lyssa Boutik is finally here !!

2008-11-18T19:45:00.007-05:00

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to share some exciting new developments for Marie Lyssa Studio. Our Boutik is finally here. For many months, I have been asked to sell prints of my travel photography. I eventually started investigating the best platform to offer a selection of prints to the public. Well, the wait is over I decided to use the services of Imagekind as an online store. Simple & user friendly like amazon.com. (Same platform)

What is great about Imagekind is that you can customize your print orders in paper style, frames, cards and even canvas. I am starting with a selection of about 65 photographs and will add more over the next couple of weeks. Subscribe to the RSS feeds to get realtime updates.

I had a few testers from various locations over the past few weeks who loved the experience and shared some constructive feedback. Kate, Mirlande, Pascal, Josh, Roland, Faby, Mary F, Paul, Emilie, Carole Anne and Patrick x2 thank you. Special thank you to Adamo for a kick in the butt to get it all up and running to allow him to get his new condo decorated hehehe:) !!

Feel free to send me your feedback and special requests. You can go to my website; http://www.marielyssa.com/ and select the Marie Lyssa Boutik to access and start your holiday shopping :)

Enjoy!!

http://www.marielyssa.com/

A few Nuggets to share!

2008-11-14T21:04:00.003-05:00

What a week !! And I should not complaint since the next weeks & week-ends will be insane. What did I get myself into LOL! Shoots in and out of town Fashion Showcases, Boudoir, Portrait and Maternity shoots. No complaints!! Actually as one of my friends said” you are in the sweet spot” and I am enjoying every minute of it!

I want to take a few minutes to share with you a few nuggets that I hope you’ll enjoy. Last week I had the opportunity to attend a course on “Leading In a time of change” Leading in a holistic sense i.e leading in your industry, your business, your job, your life… The course was facilitated by Steven Shepard ; http://www.shepardcomm.com/bio.html. Author educator and experts in the areas of telecommunications and a variety of other topics. He is by far one of the best facilitators I’ve seen. A “human wiki” …he knows about practically EVERYTHING and ANYTHING fun and engaging . And guess what, he is a great photographer in the areas of fine art, nature and landscape photography.. Coincidence?? I think not …hi!hi! One of the videos he presented during this session is a video that one of his friends produced; Dewitt Jones http://www.dewittjones.com/ a now retired photographer from National Geographics “Celebrate what is right with the world” A great Video! Dewitt makes a parallel with the his work as a photographer for National Geographics and the 7 principles that allowed him to be successful and discuss how they apply to your reality as a; leader, business owner , mgr , parent, ceo & whatever etc….

Here are his Seven Key Concepts:

Believe it and you'll see it.
Recognize abundance
Look for possibilities.
Unleash your energy to fix what's wrong.
Ride the changes.
Take yourself to your edge.
Be your best for the world.

I initially thought that the video was available on youtube unfortunately I could not find it – Steve should get back to me with some info on getting the video online –I will share as soon as I get it – MUST WATCH!!

The second nugget I would like to share is the upcoming launch of the photography network channel; http://www.photographynetwork.com/!! Imagine, 24hrs, 7 days a week, 365 days a year of photography programming .. Well it has arrive!! I first heard of this through Dane Sandershttp://danesanders.com/ and did a little research on it. A project who was once an idea is now seeing the light of day through the vision of the 3 photography icons Bambi Cantrell, Dennis Reggie and Joe Buissink . I had a pleasure to speak with President and CEO of the channel Patrick Jones http://patrickjonesmba.wordpress.com/ today and from ou conversation I am convinced that this project is sure success. I am looking forward to contribute to it Thanks PatrickJ!!

I am happy to be attracting and learning from so many amazing people these days. You are so right Scott www.scottrobertphotography.com/, when you bring value to people’s life.. the universe just sends it all right back at you :)

Have a great week-end everyone!!

ML

http://www.marielyssa.com/

My lessons from November 4th 2008

2008-11-08T22:51:00.010-05:00

“I WENT TO SLEEP LAST NIGHT TIRED FROM THE FIGHT IVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR TOMORROW ALL MY LIFE YEAH I WOKE UP THIS MORNING FEELING BRAND NEW CAUSE THE DREAMS THAT IVE BEEN DREAMING HAS FINALLY CAME TRUE…..” From Will.I.AM – it’s a new day !

And yes it is a new day... get the song on I-Tune:) Here is the link to the video on You tube;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtRq-0NeMFA&feature=related

What an amazing week! We saw a man who a few years ago was unknown to the world surprise everyone with a giant step for history…. Everyone and anyone on the planet with a telecommunications device tuned in last Tuesday night watching, praying, screaming, crying, CELEBRATING …!! I was one of these people and I am forever grateful to have shared this phenomenal evening in such great company. I will remember this Tuesday November 4th 2008 forever.

I sat long and hard to think about a few lessons I could take from this journey and decided to share 2 of the many lessons I documented on my journal that night with you;

1) Dreams Revisited

Someone told me a few days ago to watch out for the glass ceiling …After Tuesday I realized that in reality, the glass ceiling is in our heads we basically set limitations for our potential or we allow society friends or family to define these limitations for us. When President Elect Obama announced that he was running, so many people defined him as inexperience… “ a freshman in the political arena” Imagine if he believed them … He had a vision believed in his vision and went for it with hard work and determination.

Now the reality is that not everyone wants to be the president of the United States. We all have different dreams and goals. Deep down at some point in our young lives we had a vision of something we wanted to accomplish, a project or a group of people we wanted to be a part of. What did u want to be when you grew up? I am sure that you were able to answer this question at 5 years old with no hesitation, a big smile with fire and conviction in your eyes. However today you would censure, limit yourself. With a more “realistic” goal. I know I did. It is time to revisit our wildest dreams and get to work on them!

Here is an excerpt from one of my inspiration; Tyler Perry who wrote this on his blog a few weeks ago;

“Listen to me when I tell you this. Hear me clearly please. DREAM, DREAMER!There is a scripture in the bible where God asks Moses, “What is that in your hand?” And then there is another scripture that says your gift will make room for you. And what that is saying is, God is not trying to get information. He knows what’s in your hand already, but he wants you to know it. So, what I’m asking you today is, “What’s in your hand? What gifts do you have that you are sitting on?” Use them and they will take you to your destiny. Don’t worry about what’s going on or how many people there are who may have what looks to be the same gift. YOUR GIFT will make room for YOU if you believe and faint not. And listen, be careful who you share your dreams with, because there are people who don’t know how to dream and will try to discourage you. That’s okay. Sometimes only you and God have to know. And if He is for you then show me one human being that can stand against you.Everybody who left my house on Sunday after the Gospel Brunch was so excited because they all got uplifted. They all felt like they could dream again. The last thing that Oprah said to me before she left was even she was inspired to dream a bigger dream. Imagine that!”

2) Share your dream to build your “dream team”

I watched so many interviews on President Elect Obama before and after the election and had a “Aha” moment .. when watching the interviews of some of the people in his entourage who were sharing some honest thoughts about their reaction when Barack approached them and shared his vision of running for the president of the United States. Some were perplex some were intrigued some tried to talk him out of it. However some manifested so much enthusiasm and decided in some case to even put their own dreams on hold to provide Barack with unconditional support in his journey. By sharing his dream Barack was able to identify the individuals and network “that had his back” His dream team! This scenario can be applied to so many other situations. We all need people in our lives to help us on our journeys and we need to contribute to the lives of others and help them in their own journey. I am in the process of defining my own dream team and I am honored to be a part of the dream team of some amazing people in my life today. What team are you on? And who is on yours ?

Stay tuned for my next entry and enjoy your week-end!

Photograph; I chose to post a photograph I took a few months ago at an engagement party. Thanks Rosy:) These people were like many of their generation in a state of Euphoria on the evening of Nov 4th 2008.

Who is Yelitza Smith?

2008-10-30T16:25:00.015-04:00

Who is this Yelitza Smith?
This is one the most frequent question I received since I launched my new website last week. Who is on the 2nd music track of your website? What is that song?

Yelitza Smith is a very talented R&B Soul artist from Birmingham that I had the pleasure to meet, photograph and hang out with on a recent trip to Spain.. If you get the opportunity to meet with her, you too would also fall in love with her personality. I chose this particular song;
“ happy” because it is just that “happy” I often play it when I post process my photography and felt that it would fit with the ambiance of my new website.

If you want to hear more about Yelitza and get on her mailing list for updates on her new album
Website: http://www.yelitza.co.uk/
Check her out on myspace;
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=98188589
.. she is also one of my facebook friend add her:)

About my new website … I was not expecting so much love and support from you. I pulled out a web statistics report last night and had over 1300+ unique visitors since last Friday and a ton of emails.. I know that many of you sent out the link to your personal distro list .. Thanks to Abby. Mark, Kinna, Fatou, Holondo, Mica, Robert, Jose, Patrick,Spicey.. _+++ I know I forgot someone lol ..forgive me. All I can say is that there is a lot more goodies on the way from Marie Lyssa Studio.

I also have to thank the people who contributed directly and indirectly to this labour of love I know that I harassed many of you for feedback on the overall look and feel, image, flow and navigation .. in order to reflect my vision and "me" Thank you:) ... To my dearest friends from the SR community your feedback was priceless ... Amber Hughes at; http://freeformphoto.ca/ for my profile picture,

Scott Robert at;http://www.scottrobertphotography.com/ My Wizard of OZ and mentor ..thank you:) And last but not least to my friend Annie who basically brought my spirit alive on this website by writing the most beautiful biography that I would not write about myself ... I got a lot of great feedback on that and fellow photographers will ask their friends to do the same for their site :) LOL!

BTW I activated my XANGA PAGE to post larger photographs "by popular demand" since this blog is pretty limited in picture size.. Size matters it seems:) here is the link with a few photographs from this week shoots;

http://www.xanga.com/mlyssad

I guess we will have to look at merging the two soon....!!

P.S Below is a photograph of Yelitza Smith

ML
http://www.marielyssa.com/

I am happy for you! (Do you really mean it?)

2008-10-20T11:18:00.011-04:00

"I am happy for you" ..."Good for you "

Expressions that we often say perhaps as a reflex ... After all we want to look good right.. No one will say WOW I am not happy for you ...

I recently shared some good news with someone who responded “I am happy for u”
Later I found out about a comment she made about me who was borderline derogative ...I felt weird about why she would do such a thing and coincidently bumped into her yesterday while waiting for a meeting. I invited her for a drink and basically confronted her with this...I shared how sad I was about the comment she made...and told her "I thought u were happy for me".
She became pretty defensive at first, uncomfortable and started to say that she was happy for me… it is just that things always seem so easy for some and hard for others....I said ;” at the end of the day if u are not happy with yourself why would you be happy for me then??” At that moment I totally stopped taking her comments from a personal perspective...I actually felt very sorry for her…

One of the best advice I got early in my career from a very successful person was this "be genuinely happy for and inspired by the success of others ,be interested in learning about how their experience can be a catalyst for whatever you define as success in your own life" steer far from the feelings of envy. As they will destroy any opportunity to create and emulate any success stories in your life!" Thanks Ryan wherever you are ... I shared that advice with her and ask her when was the last time she felt genuinely happy about the success story of a friend, family member, colleague. Anyone??…She couldn't recall.

Then with a lot of tact and compassion I told her that bad mouthing doesn’t hurt the people you talk about, at the end of the day ... you are hurting yourself in the process you are killing yourself slowly but surely!!. She exploded in tears and apologized, she admitted to me that she has been in a rut for the past 4 years... Although all seem ok in appearances she was in a dead end relationship just for the kids, a dead end job and had no passion no energy no fuel... She could not handle colleagues getting promoted and other success stories actually she envied and wished it was her living these lives building her dreams ...

The person I was suppose to meet called to reschedule and I decided to have dinner with her; I told her about my personal journey, she couldn’t believe the work, the energy, the network and the frame of mind in order to make a small step forward everyday. ..I shared my struggles, hardships and some…

She gave me a ride home and I gave her a book who gave me an interesting perspective a few years back “Many Miles to go by Brian Tracey” Imagine my surprise when she sent me a thank you card to thank me and apologize again as It was the best evening she had in years ...She read all night and is now taking baby steps to get to a healthier frame of mind.. She wants to foster positive changes in her life….That made me feel so amazing that I decided to blog about this instead of writing about the launch of my new website and my extraordinary community I will save that for my early week blog. .... And leave u on this; This week I was truly and genuinely happy for:

Mark who got a great promotion
Spicey(Alex) who had amazing show Retrospek ,
Scott for signing another one of his celebrity wedding and Chantal who will accompany him
Sarah on winning the "gig"and trip to Hawaii.
Steve on finding the love of his life....
Ian on winning the toughest case of his career So many of you my friend…..in case I forgot some..LOL

I am genuinely & truly happy for you. You all inspire me by your success stories and I am looking forward to hear about so many more….. Have a wonderful week-end

P.S.You can visit my new site at http://www.marielyssa.com/

I will be blogging about this and more early next week:) L

Nothing is Impossible... She is only 11 years old.:)

2008-10-18T00:57:00.009-04:00

I received many phone calls and a slew of emails this week about readers asking me about my next blog posts….My last post was over a week ago.YAKS!! I was told that many check my blog every day to see what is new …. Thank You and I promise to stick to my regular updates, This week was just crazy;

So much editing to finalize and a new website to bring up . Clients and Inquiries for 2009 wedding season + planning my Nov and Dec Shoots. I am glad to announce that I no longer have dates available in May and June 2009 …..In addition I am particularly excited about the 2 shoots that I squeezed in for this week-end These clients saw my portrait series from Spain and were so excited to work with me I love it!!

I would like to share an email I got from a friend this week, Pat I hope you don’t mind me sharing ..And if you do well ... ( Smile I know you will forgive me LOL!)

“Lyssa How r u .. Spain …u go girl!! We had thanksgiving dinner on Sunday and had a few friends and family members over I overheard a conversation that Isabelle was having with one of her cousin when he asked her was she wanted to do when she grows up.She said she didn’t know exactly but wanted to be like mom’s friend Lyssa because with Lyssa nothing is impossible she just does stuff so if I am like Lyssa I can be whatever I want to be and I know that I will be successful. Not sure that it makes sense to you but to me it just says that you are influencing her sense of self and basically helping her build her self confidence. I always tell Mark that you have always been an inspiration for me but I never thought that my daughter would be looking up to you like this. She always ask when you will come over next … I know that you are busy girl but wanted to share that there is a family in Cornwall who misses u..thank you so much I know that bella feels connected to you and you are the type of influence we want her to have.. Imagine when you get your own kiddos (wink) (wink) Trish XOXO”

Patricia you made my week with this email …. I wanted to share this on my blog with everyone because this email just reminded me of the basics...
…Your daughter is just 11 years old and she just gets it … “Nothing is impossible” wow I am so far from living by this principle 100% of the time I sometimes get caught up in the day to day and the “rational” world and other people's reality .. ..I sometimes forget about the 11 year old girl I was once who was convince that "Nothing was Impossible" Your girl is thinking and dreaming big now and I hope she stays that way .. .She will do great!
.I needed this reminder .. .. While planning my life .. … “Nothing is Impossible” Dreams do become reality as long as you believe in you.… Protect your dreams ...Thanks Bella one day I will share with you why this email meant the world to me:)

To all of you , here are a few more pix from Spain..Looking forward to share my new website and more news very soon.. Have a great week-end!

L

The Boudoir -- Spain 2008

2008-10-08T11:17:00.014-04:00

The famous boudoir/lingerie shoot in Spain

It is one of those things that just fall on your lap. I was asked to do a boudoir and lingerie shoot while in Seville ...

Many of you emailed me to know if I could post a few pix from that session.. well I may release some in the future however today I got permission from my clients to post this one. hehe!

This picture means a lot to me. As it was a real challenge to execute .. Background, expression posing and all natural lights to accentuate the tones and curves in addition to showcase an essence of beauty & seduction with class.

My excitement reached another level when I received accolades from the TOP GUNS .. A.k.a Scott, Bandele, Tauran Stephen etc... Victoria Secret. . ...Really?? Wow I am speechless guys ... Who wants to hold my lights for 1000$ at the VS shoot?? he he!

Thanks to the beautiful Vanessa and Nina.. Without your 400% contribution this shot would've never existed... You are amazing ladies...

P.S.. The SR Light Workflow is the bomb!!!

Victoria Secrets Here I come!!

2008-10-07T23:49:00.002-04:00

Many of you have been asking me about the lingerie session I had in Spain Well I waited for the clients permission to post this one...

I have to say that this was an incredible experience .. buiding and setting the shot all with natural lights ... I still recall Scott's reaction when he saw that photograph and told me that it was a world class shot and all of my other peers .. Thansk you so much !!

"A toast to living an extraordinary life"

2008-10-05T19:32:00.013-04:00

"A toast to living an extraordinary life"

This is the toast Scott Robert made on our last dinner together in Spain. It sums up the week beautifully.

Yes this was indeed a magical week ... How could all of this fit in 1 week? A photo exhibit, A flamenco Show, Wedding Gown shoot, Boudoir/lingerie shoot , late night street and portrait shoot ++...I had 20 hr days and slept 3- 4 hours on average every night and still managed to wake up every single morning to attend Scott's lectures ... I am so glad I did ... I learned so much!!Scott is a great photographer but also an amazing speaker and life coach ..his last lecture was priceless.. "7 life principles for living an extraordinary life" A hollistic perspective on your career and relationships...This is by far the best self help seminar /lecture I have attended... and coming from the Training and development industry I attended a lot ....

What made this one so great was that Scott LIVES BY THE EXAMPLES HE PROVIDES … he gives you tactics FOR THE REAL WORLD and OUR MOST CURRENT REALITIES. Whether you are a 25, 32 40 ,50 single , married etc... he has a way to connect with you…. ...He even allowed himself to get vulnerable and had a AHA moment during that session ; he started crying when he touched the subject of relationships in our lives and he told us that he was living an extraordinary life because of his wife.. She was the relationship that made all this possible for him and he was forever grateful for this....

He also stressed the importance of connecting and contributing to the right community and disconnecting with the unhealthy communities around us. So many of his messages resonated with me as I watch him describe the components of living this extraordinary life… A life of challenges and hurdles for sure but ultimately the most fulfilling of all … I want this life...

f you have been reading my blog ..you know that I am going through a journey myself however I never really shared much details about my personal life on this blog ... After this session it will be very hard to avoid since this part of my life will have to be a part of my extraordinary life.

I had a AHA moment myself ….I have been going on so many dates in the past few months and felt totally out of place or out of space...Most of the blind dates left me wondering if the people who I thought knew me really knew me.. well I have to tell you that in addition to all I have learned this week in terms of photography ... my mentor gave me the answers to this aspect of my life … Actually he asked me the questions and I finally answered... I broke the pattern .... stay tuned…

I have to thank the amazing group I had the privileged to be a part of during this magical week. I know that some of these relationships will last for a very long time.
Thanks to our models...
Kitty , Yelitza, Johanna, Vanessa, Nina Kate & Mandy make-up artist extraordinaire you ladies just rocked!! I can’t wait to collaborate with you in the future

Now what... well I have so much work on the go (Please note that November is booked for portrait sessions) ..no more space... I am also assisting Scott on a shoot in New York!! YES!!December is filling up very quickly too...

I am so ready for this extraordinary life .. .. Are you?

Conspiracy Theory! Espana mi amor...

2008-09-28T21:14:00.007-04:00

"At a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what's happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fates. That's the world's greatest lie. Whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it."

Quotes from the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

I cannot help but feel that there is some sort of conspiracy happening here as I am finalizing my packing for Spain .... I am leaving tomorrow!!!

Imagine if anyone would've told me that I would be back in Europe in less than 3 weeks... No way!!There are no comments, no words to describe how I'm feeling right now .. None... It looks right it feels so right ..I am on the right path ...

Espana mi amor...Vengo a encontrarle finalemente...... Dios Mios... Es un Sueno??

Now stay tuned ... the next chapter will be full of surprises!

A few pix from this week.. Practicing a few drills (lessons from Paris) in the city.

Execution!! - Paris the Legacy...

2008-09-22T00:25:00.010-04:00

“Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be.” -- Karyn Ravn

This quote has been on my mind for the past couple days... I guess Paris does that to you...

My level of confidence just got up a notch ... planning, dreaming, working , learning.. and dreaming a little more...I am overflowing with raw energy and pure determination ...

I've also been very busy this week:

I added new gear to my arsenal the gear needed to execute my vision ( nothing more nothing less) he he Scott!!
I finally ordered my 1st set of Marie-Lyssa Photography business card LOL!!!
I met with new prospect who became clients in the process-- Destination Wedding baby!!
I stopped to take a deep breath ... wow it's true when it is meant to be ..it is so easy :)

What's next .. Spain in 1 week .."Did i actually say that" ... Stay tuned for more....

Happy Monday !!

L

More photographs from Paris ....

A time to live fearlessly !! Paris on my mind.....

2008-09-14T17:57:00.007-04:00

If you read my previous blog right before I left for Paris.. You know that my expectations were sky high about this trip... Well I have to say that this trip was 100 000 times above and beyond my expectations ..This trip literally changed my outlook on life -- .. I thought I was already thinking and living outside the box...little did I know...

Imagine spending the week with a group of people who are as passionate and as crazy (LOL) as you in a quest to perfect their craft .. .Imagine a community where the members are dedicated to learn support and challenge one another ..Imagine being mentored by the best ....Imagine waking up in the morning regardless of the amount of hours you had to sleep fueled with passion and energy to take on the world...Imagine a day with an adventure and a learning opportunity at every corner ..Imagine all this, in one of the most art filled and inspirational city in the world.....
This was not a dream people..it was my reality for the last week!

I cried twice during this trip ... I cried because I have never felt so alive in my life..I cried of joy I cried because I did not want it to end ....

Now what ...
I am..

putting what I have learned into practice ,

prioritizing activities & relationships that contribute to getting me closer to my dream

putting my fears and worries on PERMANENT HOLD!!!
Lyssa will never be the same... never will I allow myself to live on automatic pilot ... NEVER

I want to thank all of my new friends for allowing me to get a taste of my dreams this week...I cannot imagine that with the little you knew of me ..you gave me so many great advices and encouragements ...I miss you all .. I know that many of you will be in my life forever.

...Scott ... u are god sent ...thank you so much for mentoring me as you said we were destined to meet... the adventure just started :) I am so looking forward to see where all of this will have taken us in 1 year..

Last but not least....Paris I miss but I know that we will meet again :)
P.S-See Photos below & in previous 4 posts.

Paris - September 2008 Part 5

2008-09-14T17:30:00.001-04:00

Paris - September 2008 Part 4!

2008-09-14T17:22:00.002-04:00

Paris September 2008 Part 3

2008-09-14T17:17:00.001-04:00

Paris 2008 Part 2 By Montreal Phographer

2008-09-14T17:13:00.002-04:00

Paris - September 2008

2008-09-14T17:10:00.003-04:00

Ladies Beware!! Waxing terminology is not Universal!!

2008-09-09T19:48:00.006-04:00

Hello Everyone!!

Yes I know... I am in Paris and have not posted a single shot yet... LOL!! Coming soon I have just been busy learning and absorbing so much over the past few days.. and let me tell you I am having THE TIME OF MY LIFE IN AMAZING COMPANY!!! Answers to so many questions about photography and my life are being revealed this week.. I will be sharing so much more about this adventure in future posts... However I could no wait to share about a specific adventure I had this afternoon..

2 of the models we are working with this week are from London and ask me to be their interpret for a "waxing" session in a Parisien Beauty House. I thought I was just going to provide some minor info about the services they wanted .. Well Actually it turned out to be so much more than that when a misunderstanding occured about the differences between a "Brazilian" "Americain" " Integral" and a Bikini Wax..It seems that every single country have a "local" variation for each of these waxing options... ... and one of the model was furious about finding out AFTER THE FACT .... I definitely had to use some life skills to get out of this one... So ladies beware!! and BE SPECIFIC --- Waxing Terminology is not Universal .... to be continued.... (LOL!!!... Only in Paris Baby!!) L

Paris !

2008-09-04T13:22:00.004-04:00

I will be here for a few days on what will be thus far the milestone trip of my professional photographic journey.

Shooting and learning from one of the greatest photographer and person I had the pleasure to meet, Scott Robert Lim – I call him My Wizard of Oz who inspired me to find the secret path to my inner heroes, face my deepest fears , and engage into a journey to attain wholeness in my art and as a person. My 1st decision to find the hidden place 'somewhere over the rainbow' was to commit to this trip …

I will share the details of this adventure with you upon my return. However I wanted to leave you with the promise I wrote to myself while I was on the plane;

Paris I promise to:

Put my fears & worries on temporary hold

Raise my voice, scream and celebrate

Taste life's sweetest moments

Learn something new

Find new strength

Fully engaged in my craft as if there was no second chance

Dream with no boundaries

Meet Someone new

Try something new

….. Everyday……

See you when I get back!! This trip marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life. Stay tuned!

L

Yes We can!!

2008-08-29T19:01:00.019-04:00

"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. "

Martin Luther King Jr

This blog will not be addressing any political material unless I get to photograph a political player LOL :) However I could not resist this opening line given the historical events of the week... We are all anxiously waiting to see how all of this will unfold... YES WE CAN!!

Once again another fantastic week for my passion -- Lots and lots of post processing; a wedding, a baby shower and a baptism.

I had the pleasure of attending the opening of the world press photography exhibit

http://www.worldpressphoto.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=982&Itemid=153&bandwidth=high

Talking about inspiration for someone who loves photojournalist type portraits.. . Thanks Daniela for the heads up and hook up:)!

I also attended "Light on Soul" Montreal R&B festival where I realized that so much people were reading my blog ... what a pleasure to find out that the organizers ask to use my photographs for the gala promo brochure.. .. here u go...

I am sad to miss the gala but will be there in spirit :) This is one amazing venue -If you are in Montreal on Sept 6th make sure to reserve a ticket for this awesome production. All the best lady blu, Wes and gang!

My next posting will be at the end of next week -- I am too excited to write about the next adventure right now.. stay tuned:)

I had so many photographs to pick from this week .. I finally decided to share with you a few snaps I took of my niece Kyara who was experimenting her 1st sushi and Chopsticks..isn't she delicious:) -- I am so glad to be able to capture these special moments.. :)

No Competition- Just Art!

2008-08-23T20:09:00.009-04:00

The week-end went so fast !!I guess time flies when you are having fun. Meeting new clients working on my craft and 2 great family gatherings; Look out for my post on Family Coming shortly..

Tonight, I was reflecting on a conversation I had a few weeks ago with someone who attended a wedding where I was hired to take photos . She was surprise to see me network and share so openly about some of the processing techniques I used in my photography with another photographer and told me that I should be careful because he is competition. She called me earlier tonight and mentioned that she saw the other photographer's work and was shocked to see that from the same event & same subjects etc... It was 2 VERY different products-- Even tough I shared some of my "secrets"LOL!I am very generous by nature and believe that knowledge should flow and be shared freely. In addition I think that there is simply no competition when it comes to ART.

It is virtually impossible to copy someones work and call it yours -- You can be influence or inspired but you will not be able to provide identical products. An "imitation" perhaps where they will always refer to the original creator.

In my opinion it all comes down to "a unique interpretation" -- Some photographers capture the facts from a journalistic perspective some will provide you with an artistic vintage point ... -- all the formulas can work as long as it meets the clients needs.

I have been receiving many accolades recently from clients and their family on the wedding albums I shot this summer.... The comments were not just about the actual photographs but the essence, the vibe, the flow, the soul of what I captured on their special day. It totally matched their expectations. However I also declined or was not selected for assignments that were looking for something very different than what I had to offer.

We are all different and we each bring a unique perspective to the table... I read "Fast Track Photographer" from Dane Sanders (BTW Must Read for anyone.. although a book about photography I believe that the principles of self awareness and signature styles are must read for anyone looking to progress in their careers and in life ) ..

One of his quotes really resonated with me:

"if you're successful at identifying and leveraging the value you uniquely possess, it will be impossible for others to copy it"

( This is such a powerful quote...) --

I know now that when a client hires me, he/she is giving me a blank canvas and asking me to paint a story on it..The product they will get will be "my" artistic interpretation . The product they will get will be "UNIQUE" because there is only 1 Lyssa and there is only 1 you.

No need to focus on the competition .. share!!.. to contribute to the progress of your art & profession .. .Focus on finding what is unique about you and offer it to the world... Imagine the possibilities... (Think about this when preparing for your next meeting with potential clients or even your next job interview...)

The pictures I post today are all about artistic interpretation from the same photograph processed at 2 different times in my life The first one was processed in 2006 and the 2nd was processed tonight- Imagine the possibilities...

Enjoy and have a great week!

TGIF!! Appearances & Authencity

2008-08-22T23:02:00.011-04:00

Another great week where I fully savoured my passions...

It all started when I was able to get my hands on one of the last few copies of "Vogue Italy" the black issue. I was mesmerized by the photography and art work of Steven Meisel. It inspired me to work a little harder on lighting & post processing techniques.

I also went to my 2nd adventure at "Light and Soul" The Montreal R&B Music Festival.

Once again AMAZING!!. The last event before the gala is this Thursday at the Kola Note on Parc Avenue- 8:30 -- Come and bring a friend, a date.. whatever You will not regret it...

This week's theme was about appearances; We were presented with music segments , poetry & sketches all addressing the concept of appearances; The appearances we put up for our friends , our family, our parents , our lovers and ultimately society ...

A pause to reflect on how much authenticity & integrity we currently have in our lives today.

To be continued...

The set of photographs in this post is called: "Faces of Light and Soul" dedicated to the beautiful diversity of Light and Soul.

Forever a Child at heart!

2008-08-19T22:50:00.007-04:00

"The great man is he that does not lose his child's heart. "

Mother Teresa

This is the quote that best summarizes what was going through my head while I was processing some of the pictures from the nephews and nieces of Faye and Martin's wedding.

We did everything to get them to stand still for a group photo and they kept moving around laughing playing and enjoying themselves.. We ultimately gave up and realized that they actually were posing for a group photo in their own way.. ..They are kids after all, they are suppose to be moving around having fun laughing and playing this is what the camera should capture... so candid and natural!

We often worry and stress to make it so "picture perfect" and forget to taste and enjoy the moment ... I am glad that kids are here to remind us of that .. At the end of the day it is all about having fun and enjoying the ride.

Here is a tribute to them in this video:

Please check out the video link --

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxEziW3FCFU

I actually got to them stand still at some point -- I am also a child at heart :) LOL!!

Seminar of Love!

2008-08-17T21:57:00.008-04:00

I had an amazing week-end. So many things to talk about... I will leave some of my week-end highlights for some other posts this week. Today, I would like to talk about The wedding of Faye and Martin. In a previous post I talked about how spiritually rooted this couple was. Well yesterday I realized to what extent.

I was hired to shoot their wedding and I am not even sure that "wedding" is appropriate. According to their description, they invited their closest friend and family to a "seminar of love" to celebrate their union. No fuss No drama just a fun day to celebrate life.. ..mission accomplish. What a neat concept! The aha moment for me was when I read the personal life mission statement they shared with all of us.. Here it is;

"Martin and Faye believe that we are all meant to be on each other's path , and that the universe has so kindly conspired to bring us all together at this present moment in time.

which is our entire DESTINY to be here right now.

Every encounter in this lifetime, we earnestly accept as true,is not by mere chance or coincidence, rather it is an enchanting intercession meant to bring you and I and all of us together to achieve a goal, which is to live life to the fullest. On this note and a wish from the depth of our hearts , we dedicate the following poem to all of you

You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching

love like you'll never be hurt

Sing like there's nobody listening

live like it's heaven on earth

and speak from the heart to be heard

By William W Purkey"

These are the words they shared with their love ones at their seminar of love. You could feel the love in everyone present ... I feel so privileged to have witnessed this .. It made me think .. .. I have personal statements , elevator speeches , core value statement , vision statement...however I never thought of a personal life mission statement .. Do you have one?

I actually started writing one last night...

Have a great week!

A few pictures from Faye and Martin's wedding.. ..

Light on Soul and My Communities

2008-08-15T15:13:00.014-04:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend one of the evenings of "Light on Soul" an R&B festival currently happening in Montreal over the month of August. This event showcases artist from various artistic background.i.e vocalist, dance, poets from the Montreal scene

I was not planning on attending this week with so many things on the go... however after a few consecutive calls from friends referring to the event and asking me to attend as they felt that I would get so much from it. I made some changes to my plans and decided to go with my camera as it would be also be a great opportunity to experiment dramatic and very low light settings.

Needless to say... it was a fabulous evening filled with light... filled with soul. The performances of the artists were rich deep and intense .. The evening was 100% worth it for the show alone however a lot more happened that night ...I was able to:

Go backstage and make contact with the performers for future projects

Meet with the official photographer of the event who shared some great advices with me,

Meet people that I have not seen in a very long time who had some great stories to share,

Connect with a potential new client for a wedding next year

Experiment for low light setting - Stress free - Priceless

Relax & have so much fun with a nice glass of wine in great company

All this happened in 1 decision to follow the direction that was shown to me by "my" people ... .... Imagine the possibilities and opportunities that would emerge if the decision to embrace change and initiate opportunity was part of our day to day .. .. Just going for it naturally without any resistance..listening to the flow of messages coming our way Imagine...

I am thinking of something I read this week from one of my role models and soon to be mentor :) Master Photographer Scott Robert Lim he wrote:

"....The circles we hang in define who we are. The healthier the community, healthier the members in that community. What do you you want to accomplish in life? Does it match the communities that you associate with? Do the people you hang around want the same things in life that you want? Are they equipped to help you at the highest levels? If not, you may want to change your community or find one that will better suite your needs, goals and passions. ...."

I am very fortunate to have a handful of people in my life who are encouraging me to pursue my passions, bring enrichment, inspiration and support in my life and vice versa. I also recognize the need to bring new communities into my life at this stage.

Thank you; my community, you know who you are and welcome to my new communities:)

Below are few pictures from Light and Soul I tried to capture the ambiance and spirit of the evening in a these few snaps I will be attending the next few events and create a best of sample:)
Congrats to all the organizers see u next week!!

L

Confidence in your passion!

2008-08-12T15:56:00.000-04:00

I wanted to briefly talk about this aspect; Confidence, as it plays a huge part in the evolution of my photography. I had an epiphany in a discussion I recently had with a friend who asked me if I could ever see myself in this lifetime doing this "photography/travel" full time . I replied by stating that I did not have enough knowledge, equipment, techniques etc... in order to even consider this at this point. Then she said .."I know people with half your talent who are making very successful living with that medium" and she showed me a few examples...

As I was listening to her I realized that it had nothing to do with equipment, techniques etc.... It had to do with 1 aspect: " Confidence" I did a simple exercise and picked out a few activities/areas of my life and rated my confidence level for each EX: My; job,cooking, public speaking, networking, golf, ... and ultimately my photography. And to my surprise this area was rated fairly low in comparison to other skills that I now take sometimes for granted --

I know that the confidence I gained in these areas is a direct result of experience .. mistakes I've learned from, personal success stories, environmental support, vision and some risk taking on my part -- My boss often says to me that I have a fearless approach to things.. This is her interpretation of looking at me taking on projects/ challenges/ life as an adventure.. a journey. Weirdly it has not been the case with my photography-- I wonder why? I have gotten similar feedback from at least 5 other people in the past week ...Someone is trying to tell me something :)

To tell you the truth, photography was simply a hobby it's actually a sanctuary, however recent events are showing me that this has the potential to be a lot more than a hobby at some point in my life and today, the experiences , the projects the challenges are perhaps just the ingredients in building "Confidence" in my art & my passion. Thinking about destinations makes me a little nervous....I rather focus on the journey for now and I will indeed to everything to explore this dimension to the fullest I owe it to myself... who knows...

I never thought that I would be doing what I am doing today 10 years ago, 1 year ago and even 6 months ago --- .. . So imagine 10 years from now 1 year from now or even 6 months from now..... Stay tuned:)

A few more pictures from Jenny & Richard who are now on their honeymoon:)

A Great Week-end & A New week Ahead!

2008-08-10T22:05:00.000-04:00

This week-end was all about rest. I had a cold. It did not stop me from doing lots of great reading and experimenting with filters. I even completed the post processing on Marilyn and Chad Maternity shoot.

I am so looking forward to the week ahead.. .. I wonder why.. stay tuned:)

TGIF!! Crazy Week:)

2008-08-09T00:22:00.000-04:00

As stated in my previous post.The theme for this week was Post processing and yes it did happen so much to do and so much more to come in that area.. I am glad I am now using lightroom for batch processing WOW .. the best invention since slice bread..

I am looking forward to working on Jenny and Richard wedding photos this week-end .. I will be experimenting yeh!! :) I am also looking forward to a great family BBQ -- Hope the weather comes thru tomorrow.

Today, I chose to post a few Pix from a seminar I attended this week on "enhancing interpersonal communications" It was great.. The AHA moment for me was when I realized that a lot of my current communication styles/challenges were directly linked to specific "milestone moments" in my childhood ( I wan able to narrow them down)... Thanks Djimy I am looking forward to the next event...Keep up the great work you are so inspiring:)

Family !! What a blessing:)

2008-08-04T23:17:00.000-04:00

I posted 6 pictures of Jenny & Richard and got over 20 phone calls & emails fom family members complimenting me on the photos...

I must admit that earlier today I thought they were pulling my leg but as the day progress I realized that they were so serious... I am so self critical at times... I have to thank them for their unconditional support and encouragement. God bless family:)

Jenny & Richard

2008-08-03T22:31:00.000-04:00

I dedicate this entry to Jenny and Richard!! Their wedding was yesterday.... A day where Rain was everywhere in the city and by some miracle ... the rain only started in our area once we had a chance to do all the outdoor photos... We were truly blessed:) I am giving myself a window of 3-4 weeks to develop the photos.. I took over 10 GIGS wow .. the most I have taken at any weddings thus far...I am posting a few tonight more to come:) . L

This week's theme is POST PROCESSING!!! - Fun in the digital darkroom:)

August 1st Already!! A few pix from Faye and Martin E-session!

2008-08-01T20:34:00.000-04:00

I had a nice day off today and decided to do some post processing on the Photos I took earlier this week with Faye and Martin.. What a beautiful couple ... Grounded Spiritual and Real... Any Child borned of this union will be uniquely blessed...

I also took some time to reflect on July today .. ... it went so fast so much happened tough .. 3 weddings , 4 e- session and a mat shoot -- I can't imagine where and how I found the time to do all this plus my 40-50 hrs a week job.. .. :) No regrets tough ... Every shoot is a new adventure where I discover something new about myself, my style , my clients.... I am looking forward to the next adventures.. Tomorrow is Jenny and Richard W day ... :)

P.S. I am meditating on Paris and the next level workshop!

Barbie made my day:)

2008-07-30T00:31:00.000-04:00

A few more Pix from Sophie and Marvin wedding July 5th 2008

Barb and Daniel are super happy about their pictures --- They made my day:) I got off the phone a few mins ago from talking to Barbara. I photographed her wedding 2 weeks ago and just posted her photos for proof and selection. She was excited happy and speechless.... for a second I thought she was kidding but when she and her husband Dan decided on an immediate upgrade from their package...I realize that they were very serious... ... plus she refered me to 2 clients (couple) and one couple already contacted me for their wedding in Cuba... Ok... Is this for real?? Unbelievable... and to think that we met through facebook... .. Actually 2 pixels of seperation to be exact... where is this adventure taking me?

Tomorrow E -session with Faye and Martin....I love that couple:)

L

It's time!

2008-07-28T16:11:00.000-04:00

Yes it's time to take this to the next level no matter what it means & wherever this takes me ....I never thought that I would get so much from Photography this year... What is going on...

I thought that the destination wedding in St- Thomas would be a highlight of my year and I realized that there is so much more to come.... It just seems to easy to be true or real ..I think at times...

I started blogging last year when I went on a "milestone" trip in Japan ; lyssainjapan.blogspot.com .. I did not feel like I had anything to blog about since.. however a friend encouraged me to document my photolife, my progress my adventures as she thinks that there is a purpose .. a bottom line to all of this .. and that I will need to remember the journey :) Thanks D!

Now the big highlight in my life right now.. aside from the upcoming weddings is my trip to Paris for the Next Level Workshop and shoot with Master Photographer Scott Robert Lim. So much on my mind as I prepare for what could the most important step in my artistic development. Paris J'arrive :)

Below are just a few of the pictures I have been taking this year... more on my website;