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Metric, the Toronto Indie band, played a surprise free concert downtown last Wednesday. They set up a stage on Front Street by Union Station and hundreds of fans gathered for the show essentially closing down the street.

Myself, well I could barely even see the stage. So I settled down in some open space available by Yonge and Front to enjoy the scene and listen to the music. It gave me an excuse to do some street photography too. I tried to capture that wonderful freedom that hits you on balmy summer work night when people are released from their jobs, tumble into the streets relieved to discover there is still time for music and life before the day ends.

My first trip to Chicago has certainly lived up to its hype as being one of the most enjoyable and surprisingly beautiful cities to visit in the US. It is filled with architectural gems (think Meis van der Rohe and Frank Lloyd Wright), lakeshore scenery (see the Navy Pier and miles of gorgeous Lake Michigan beach parks) and culinary temptations (get your fill at places like Graham Elliot, Girl and The Goat and Lula Café).

Getting into Chicago was easy too, just a quick two hour flight out of the Billy Bishop airport in downtown Toronto via Porter Airlines. In about the same amount of time it takes to drive from Simcoe Street to Stouffville – I had touched down in Chicago ready to begin my weekend.

With so much to do and so little time I had to hit the ground running. Here are a few of my favorite Chicago things: Dropped over to Barack Obama’s home – (not home), went to Buddy Guy’s blues bar, ate at Graham Elliot’s, then at Lula Café and – yes – ate some more at Girl and the Goat, stayed on the 22th floor of the plush Elysian, enjoyed the view of Chicago from on top of the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel, cooled down in the spray from The Crown and The Buckingham Fountains, soaked up all the good vibes bouncing around Millennium park, whisked through the Chicago Art Museum to see the Impressionist Art, window shopped along the Magnificent Mile, took an architectural cruise along the Chicago River, and washed it down with a few delicious local brews available at almost any pub.

To read more about visiting Chicago, check out my husband Adrian Brijbassi’s article written for the Toronto Star along with our video inspired by the five pounds we gained eating out!

Living in a city constantly exposes one to the diversity of human nature. Especially during the summer season, when a city like Toronto that finds itself held in check by the repressive cold winter can finally wake up. It doesn’t take long before the heat is turned up full force. Everyman with a point of view knows there is an audience waiting to be entertained and just about any street or avenue could be their stage.

I find I am part of the roving audience sometimes just strolling by and eavesdropping on the drama of life. I know that heading out my door on any given weekend is bound to be an entertaining experience. Like many others, I bring my camera along to snap up what I see.

The past three weeks have been captivating: the G20, The Pride Parade and then a pleasant walk I took down Yonge St. to Queens Quay last Sunday. There I stumbled upon the new Sugar Beach looking pristine and colorful against the backdrop of dark rain clouds. It just looked surreal and removed from the World Cup celebrations erupting a few blocks away. Can’t wait to see what the the rest of the summer will bring.

I had the opportunity to visit South Africa at the end of April with my husband, Adrian Brijbassi, a travel writer and editor who was there on assignment for the Toronto Star. When we arrived, South Africa was buzzing like a vuvuzela at full pitch focused on June 11th the opening day of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. As the host country faced with little more than a month left to get ready, the anticipation was palpable.

Our trip took us to three of the cities whose stunning new stadiums are now witnessing showdown matches: Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. We explored Soweto (the Johannesburg township where Nelson Mandela and Bishop Desmond Tutu call home) and the Sterkfontein Caves (also called the “Cradle of Humankind”) in the Maropeng region. We traveled from the Cape Peninsula in the south to the Sabi Sands Reserve north of Nelspruit in Kruger Park. Out in the vast openness, we saw lions, leopards, elephants and rhinos roaming freely while the Southern Cross lit the evening sky. In Cape Town we saw Mandela’s prison cell on Robben Island and marveled at the scenery along Chapman’s Peak drive. In Durban we dipped our feet into the warm Indian Ocean and climbed the 550 steps to the top of Moses Mabhida Stadium.
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The person we believe ourselves to be will always act in a manner consistent with our self-image. (Brian Tracy)

A distinctive and professional image can be very effective in implanting your business identity into the minds of prospective customers who are seeking the products or services you provide. If they like what they see and your image says you’re an approachable expert in your field, confidence can be established before an actual introduction occurs.

Rene and Sunny Ahmad, the Toronto-area Realtors shown above, recently hired me when they were looking to update their corporate portraits to go along with their new look for their real estate enterprise: www.reneandsunny.com. They sought to create a more polished look that reflected their growing success. As you can see just by looking at them they are warm and friendly professionals whom you can trust. Working closely as a father and son team reminds them that a house is more than a mere structure: It is a home and they pride themselves on going the distance to help their clients find the perfect place within their price range.
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Every one has a story. Journalists are pros at uncovering amazing people and introducing us to the twists and turns of their personal dramas that quietly play out in our midst as we shuffle past each other every day.

With family and practice scattered between Toronto, Cairo and Jeddah, Dr. Nadia Abunassef is one of these people. I had the pleasure of photographing her for a recent article by Adrian Brijbassi that ran in the Toronto Star headlined: “Medical Graduates Still Find It Hard to Practise Here.”
Dr. Abunassef has the unique distinction of being a foreign-trained doctor and a Canadian resident. A pediatrician and neonatologist, she received her medical degrees and experience in Egypt and Saudia Arabia. She recently immigrated to Canada after qualifying as a skilled worker in the hopes of seeking equality for her daughters and stability for her family. She had also wished to contribute back to her new country by working as a physician, but that has not been possible because of the province’s licensing regulations for internationally trained medical graduates.

Dr. Abunassef’s situation has forced her into an unsettled lifestyle. While she waits for the day when her family and work will coincide in one country – she commutes!
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Between the innocence of babyhood and the dignity of manhood, we find the delightful creature called a boy.
– Author Unknown

Guiding your son as he grows up into a little man can take your breath away. The sheer amount of energy that is exerted just to keep pace with his natural curiosity could substitute for the high impact workouts most adults pay a fitness trainer to provide.

I photographed this adorable little guy at his home during a family portrait session in the Toronto area. After setting up a portable backdrop together with my main light modified through a big soft box, I stood ready with my camera for whatever would happen.
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“It’s The Small Things . . .” is the title of a new group show about to open at the Cobalt Gallery in east Toronto and I am proud to say I have three pieces included. My images are vintage photo-montages printed on metallic paper. I love both the shimmer and luminescence quality this paper adds to my images.

Cobalt Gallery is located at 870 Kingston Road at Beech Avenue in Toronto. The show will run from March 10 – 28, with the opening reception to be held this Saturday, March 13th from 2 – 4 pm. If you need more information check here on the gallery’s web site.

As Vincent van Gogh said: “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” Please stop by and join us in enjoying the small things at the Cobalt Gallery.

Visual artistry in the pursuit of expressive portrait photography has exploded over the past few years. So many options and approaches are now available to photographers, enabling them to elevate their image’s to another level. Through alternative processes either in printing or in the digital darkroom, photography has had a complete makeover.

Digital creative techniques can add impact and emotion to an otherwise standard portrait. In Photoshop, by using different brushes, colour adjustments and textured layers combined through blending modes, I often discover I can come up with numerous variations from just one image. My absolutely most favourite technique at the moment is reworking an image into a vintage look reminiscent of the Pictorialism style popular in the early days of twentieth-century photography. It’s what I’ve been showing to most of my Toronto portrait photography clients these days and the unique, artistic look is winning approval.

For photographers, the digital darkroom has great benefits as they create a catalogue of expressive portraits. What doesn’t work for one image can be saved and repurposed for a future image. Of course, you can also spend a lot of time experimenting in Photoshop only to discover that the original image was best, that it was most powerful when expressed as simple and pure and unfettered.

The creative spark gained when discovering a new technique or application to artistic portrait photography always ignites a feeling of passion in me. The inspiration in photography comes from embracing these opportunities that new technologies or forgotten techniques offer us in our art.

Lynette and Arjuna’s wedding was held mid-morning on Saturday, June 22, 2009 while a soft breeze drifted in off Deer Lake up to the wedding table. They said their vows upon the sloping green lawn of the Hart House restaurant in front of family and friends who traveled to Vancouver from as far away as Florida and Scotland to witness the marriage. Upon being pronounced husband and wife, bubble machines spilled forth a stream of dancing iridescent orbs that completely filled the air in celebration.

Lynette and Arjuna planned their unique wedding and handled all the details. They wanted their day to reflect their special bond: love for each other, scotch, swing dance, laughter and their ability to relax and enjoy life and each other. A feeling of true friendship, happiness and love permeated the heartfelt ceremony.

Lynette being a food scientist and Arjuna a former chef (now a carpenter) royally treated family and guests to a delectable luncheon, which reflected their culinary sophistication. Party favors of imported Scotch specially blended and labeled for the bride and groom at a distillery in Scotland were distributed to all at the end of the reception.

After enjoying the sumptuous feast, dancing and socializing, Lynette and Arjuna departed early into the afternoon sunshine for their honeymoon in Kelowna. I took one last look of the bowl of pears arranged with flowers sitting by the front door and left knowing these two, indeed, were a perfect pair.

The stunning couple seen in this photo graciously posing as if they were seasoned models working the cameras are actually parents-to-be celebrating their life together and the life they prepare to welcome into the world. They hired me to do portraits that would capture all the love, excitement and happiness they feel at this most significant moment as they become a family of three. It is a time they wish to remember forever.

The day of our shoot was a gift of a Vancouver spring day: promising, warm and bright. We met in Stanley Park to do our photo shoot; it is a location that never disappoints in its majestic natural backdrop opportunities. We took our time and traveled about to few choice locations to enjoy the beautiful afternoon light.

After our portrait session they were on their way to the Juno Awards where front-row seats awaited.

We wish Rachelle and Shane and their new baby all the best in their days and years ahead. We know their baby will be well loved and blessed! As they say, the best gifts come in small packages. I can’t wait to see this one.

Steve and Angie decided 2009 would be the year they would get married – and they did just that – again and again and again.

It all began last fall when they officially became engaged. They announced they would have a spring destination wedding in Mexico. Invitations were sent out, the date was booked into guest’s calendars and all the ladies went shopping for their dresses.

April 2, 2009: Steve and Angie welcomed their guests to their intimate wedding ceremony held upon a white sandy beach with the turquoise sea softly lapping at their feet. Angie took her guests breath away as she made her entrance sheathed in a sparkling off white gown and joined Steve to exchange their vows.

Gossip has it, though, that Steve and Angie had legalized their union in Canada at a quiet city hall event prior to April. Details were so hush, hush secret that nothing can absolutely be confirmed. Our sources are pretty certain that the civil ceremony occurred early last winter.

Spring turned into summer and Steve and Angie were at it again. More wedding invitations were mailed out.

On Saturday, June 27th under a cloudless sun drenched Ontario afternoon, Steve and Angie hosted their third and final (as far as we know) wedding aboard the Empress of Canada. It was a wonderful party boat of a celebration spilling over with laughter and drinks as family and friends reunited from as far away as England, California and Queens, NY to officially toast the happy couple.

A new house and a new life together – Steve and Angie now seem too busy with other things to plan any more weddings.

Who knows for sure what date they will pick to celebrate for their anniversary. All we know is that union is thrice blessed and rock solid.

The 2009 summer calendar has officially turned into autumn and as we move into the new season, I find myself reflecting upon the crazy past few months. My schedule whisked me back and forth between Vancouver and Toronto more than a couple of times. I am now concentrating on expanding into Toronto over the next year. The past few months have given me the opportunity to create some lovely portraits and cover many beautiful, tender weddings.

As far as moving goes, I am still catching my breath. And as far as cities go, I am finding Toronto amazing and invigorating. I can’t help but feel a pang in my heart when I remember the stunning beauty that is Vancouver but each place is rich in its own rewards and I plan to explore Toronto with vigor. I am also looking forward to reconnecting with my friends in the blogosphere by bringing you photo stories of my summer past and images from the days and events that lie ahead.

Wishing all of you warm and happy summer memories!

Just about everything Angelina does is adorable but trying to capture that cuteness on camera is anything but simple. She exuberantly put her photographer through some rigorous paces in Stanley Park one morning a couple of months ago during our photo shoot. She was quick to discover that her little legs could effectively outrun and dodge the capabilities that any sophisticated photographer or camera auto-focusing system could accommodate or keep up with — much to everyone’s amusement!

Mom and Dad, after enjoying some hearty laughs, finally took pity on me and pulled out THE bubble bottle. Talk about instant magic! Dad quickly lifted the wand and launched a shimmering stream of silvery bubbles into the morning light. Angelina was captivated immediately and simply became transfixed. Luckily for me, I was ready and we were blessed to get this precious photo of childhood innocence — to the delight of her parents.

We continued our session with some sweet Mommy and me images. Mom was expecting her second daughter when these photos were taken. Despite being days away from giving birth, Mom Rosa is as radiant and as photogenic as ever. She and her husband have since welcomed their second lovely baby girl, Brianna, into the world. They have granted me a photo session in July and I look forward to sharing those images later this summer.

Finally I was able to capture Rosa, Herman and Angelina all together as they strolled through the warm spring sunshine. The gorgeous cherry blossoms have since blown away but we can look to these photos to remember the beauty of the special time and the happiness the simple things in life provides.

And far away tucked into a tiny hamlet was the bejeweled kingdom known as the Junction. Within the kingdom was a castle and there lived a fairy princess whose name was Layla. Layla’s younger brother was known throughout the land as the Bear, and Bear loved his sister Layla dearly. One snowy Saturday afternoon Princess Layla’s parents invited a lucky photographer into the royal chambers to capture, in family portraits, the magic and love their children bestowed upon their lives. By waving her magic wand, Layla turned the grey winter afternoon into the freshness and light of a warm spring day.  Layla’s heart and personality lent a luminous sunshine that gleamed into burnished gold everything she touched from her lavish gown and regal crown to her home and family. She seemed to fly through the halls with wit and laughter and her sparkling slippers barely touched the floor.

Bear shrieked with excitement and spontaneously grabbed a pair of his sister’s magic shoes, but alas as they did not fit he could not fly along with her. Layla alighted and gently took him by the hand and together they jumped upon her bed high into the air, something they were both able to do very well as if they had been practicing together for years. Princess Layla and the Bear spent many merry hours playing in their castle with the royal pets, singing, dancing and laughing the cold away. The lucky photographer captured it all on camera! Their parents, family and subjects loved the photos, agreed that their children indeed looked enchanting and proudly displayed them for all to see. And, as all good fairytales go, they all lived happily ever after.

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• Email julia@juliapelish.com or telephone at 416-389-3691 for expert Vancouver or Toronto photography services.