Your Life As Art Photography by Pam

Happy Thanksgiving | 2014

“Dare to Be

When a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully.

When there is darkness, dare to be the first to shine a light.

When there is injustice, dare to be the first to condemn it.

When something seems difficult, dare to do it anyway.

When life seems to beat you down, dare to fight back.

When there seems to be no hope, dare to find some.

When you’re feeling tired, dare to keep going.

When times are tough, dare to be tougher.

When love hurts you, dare to love again.

When someone is hurting, dare to help them heal.

When another is lost, dare to help them find the way.

When a friend falls, dare to be the first to extend a hand.

When you cross paths with another, dare to make them smile.

When you feel great, dare to help someone else feel great too.

When the day has ended, dare to feel as you’ve done your best.

Dare to be the best you can –

At all times, Dare to be!”
― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

Worldwide Photowalk 2014 | Elora & Farm Land Wellington North

Today is the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk and I attended the walk in Elora with some other camera club members and then had a blast touring home capturing some of this gorgeous fall weather we are having! There really should be a warning sign like there is on garbage trucks for photographers… “Makes frequent sudden stops” hahaha.

This was on my way to Elora, shortly after 8am and the sun was so high and bright in the sky and mist hovering over the fields.

We couldn’t have asked for a better day for our Photowalk in Elora!

Same little guys were out on my way home.

Fall Colour Love | Appreciate where you’ve come from, for it will shape you for where you are going.

I always feel so much more inspired when we have Camera Club. I was leaving work last night and after a very dark dreary day, the sun found its way through the clouds. It was a very soft light, but with the fall colours and almost mist like look it was beautiful! As I was driving it felt like everything was catching my eye, from the beautiful colours on the trees to the cows in the field with the sunlight softly flowing over top of them from the barn.

This is what happens when a photographer leaves her camera at home – it never fails! However knowing rain was on the way for the next few days, I made the most of the little light we had left and grabbed my camera for a quick fall colours tour.

First stop… was to let the kids play in the leaves.

My window of opportunity for a good shot like this… I didn’t think I got one LOL! But I did get one – and I LOVE it!

This shot totally warms my heart. This is THEM. They are best buds and rarely fight. When they do fight, one of them can’t stand the silence or arguing and will begin joking around. I am so very thankful for them. They have made me who I am today and each day only gets better. I cherish every moment we have, for we do not know what tomorrow may bring. <3

I got to go by myself on a quick photo tour to take in the early evening fall colours. When taking in all this fall beauty I did something I have truly never did before. I took a photo one direction, turned 180 degrees and took a photo behind me. It was so amazing to see the difference, not only the beauty but the road, the path. Much like the road of life. As an artist, with the inspiration of our upcoming camera club meeting that evening, I pushed myself to think outside of the box. To just look. When you stop to look, there is so much to see, so much to appreciate.

There is just something about this shot that after I took the one above, I turned and saw this. This was the exact lighting, very soft almost dreary looking as the sun was behind a cloud. With cows and a barn in the distance. So peaceful, so real – small town living!

When it comes to photography – always turn around, look the other direction, you will be amazed at what you see!

Appreciate where you’ve come from for it will shape you for where you are going.

Enjoy this wonderful season and all the beauty it brings to us !
Appreciate where you’ve come from, for it will shape you for where you are going.

Gorgeous Fall Colours | Wellington North

Today I had the opportunity to take photos within our community for Doors Open Wellington North.

While out on our tour – I had my daughter Madison as my assistant with me – we enjoyed touring the back roads and enjoying the warm, fresh fall breeze and the gorgeous fall colours!

I love fall and everything about it. Warm sunny days, cool fresh evenings and some amazing colours!

Enjoy the rest of this weekend!

Happy 10th Anniversary To My Hubby… | Wedded Bliss, Real Life and Everything Inbetween

10 Years ago today my husband and I were wed.

10 amazing years !

Both good and bad, happy laughs and tears, new lives and deaths, buying and selling, raising two children, staying sane as individuals and connected as a couple, hard working and fun loving.

We’ve been married for 10 freaking YEARS!!!

WOW!!!

An accomplishment we are both very proud of and cannot wait to see what the next 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years bring us!!!

No life or relationship is perfect, but this is perfectly ours and everything just fits right.

Jaz, I love you so much. Everything in this reading from our wedding, Blessing of the Hands, is exactly my promise to you, today and everyday.
I look forward to many more days, months and years with you! XOXOXOXO

Just look how far we’ve come…

If there is one thing that we both did right from the very get go, was when our children both joined our family!
They truly are the best and the not so great combinations of both of us and I love that we get to watch them grow, together!

All my love today and always XOXOXO!

We DID it!!! LOL

Autumn Mums | Macro Photography

Sometimes all you need to do is take a short walk out your front door to appreciate the absolute beauty of nature.

Enjoy some fall mum colours. These colours remind me of our wedding day <3

Fall… is my favourite season. The colours truly are a photographer’s dream!

Autumn Has Arried | My favourite time of year!

Its the first full day of fall and wow, we were just spoiled with the warm gorgeous sunshine!!!

My girl and I took the dog for a walk early evening to soak up some vitamin D!

I absolutely adore the flowers and scenery of fall, especially wild flowers and weeds – yes they are beautiful too ;)

Family Love | Circle of Strength

My love for my family and photography as one with a quote.

A family is a circle of strength and love…
With every birth and every union the circle grows,
Our family is a circle of strength
Every crisis faced together makes the circle stronger.

2014 Port Elgin Pumpkinfest | Photography | Pamela McLellan Zmija

Spending most of our summer’s in the beautiful Port Elgin, I LOVE capturing not only our memories but the beauty of our cottage paradise community of Saugeen Shores.

I was so very honored today to receive an email today…

Good Morning Pamela,

Congratulations on your winning entries into the Photography Contest!

Category:

People: 1^st – Sibling Beach Love

Pumpkinfest 2013: 1^st – Cottage Merry-Go-Round Memories

Sunrise/Sunset: 3^rd – Sunrise with the birds

Thank you Saugeen Shores and I cannot wait to see all of the other photograph’s entered in the competition and pick up mine!!! :)

Summer fun in the sand and water! | Our Summer – August 2014

We had a blast this summer! So much fun with family and friends.

August began with a family shower for our extended family, welcome to the “family” Ameila and many years of happiness for you and Mitch! XO Thanks mom for taking this!

For many years I was always the one behind the lens, rarely in front of it. I want my family to have these memories – not just for me and my enjoyment. For many more years to come, for their children and their children’s children. Much like I love looking back on the old photos of when my parents were young. So the photos that I am in, I set up the camera and happily handed it off so that I could be captured in the moment as well :)