I've Moved!

Hello!

If you are looking for Nicole Payzant Photography, you have almost come to the right place!  My blog is now being hosted over at my website. (just click "blog" on the menu, there).

I am keeping this thing around for archive purposes.

Come visit me at my new home!

Catching Up

I have spent the last several months feeling very absent from "real life". Life as a photographer; as a creative. 

Perhaps deliberately, at first.
Stepping back.
Finding my bearings.

Starting a new job... finally some structure to my post-graduate lifestyle.
Promoted to waitressing for the summer.... loving it.

(note: I always used to say I would never photograph weddings. I also said I would never waitress. Ha.)

Then, inevitably, I realized that this false security of "structure" had led me deep into the black hole of disorganization. No time for anything. No time to even sit down and figure out what I don't have time for.

Long story short, I've come to the realization (thanks to some very special folks in my life, conversations deep into the night, and possibly a few tears) that I need to make time.
I need to make time for the things that make me.... me.

I am at my best when I am challenged. Busy. Late nights and early mornings. Highly caffeinated. Working outside the house. With a queue of images to edit. Lists. Lots of lists. 

Thank goodness for Starbucks and Second Cup.

I can't really consider this a "fresh start", because I don't feel like I am starting over. It feels like I am scrambling to get back on my creative feet?

Regardless, here is some instagram-tography to satiate this post's need for imagery. My summer, condensed into 18 images. 

( if you want to follow my instagramigans (like shenanigans............ too much of a stretch?) my username is @npayzant  ... for those of you without the app, you can view the full stream by clicking here )

(left-to-right, top-to-bottom)

1. Discovering the Starbucks app for my iPhone   |   2. The quiet drive past the farm   |   3. Friendly giants   |   4. Come visit! http://truenorthdiner.com   |   5. The farm at sunset   |   6. Sunny day in the city   |   7. View from my "spot" at Second Cup   |   8. Floral print dresses, post-beach hair, and iced coffee   |   9. Her favourite spot, atop my head

1. Lawrencetown Beach   |   2. Best friend and her love for kitty   |   3. National Art Gallery, Ottawa   |   4. On the ferry   |   5. Cavendish, PEI   |   6. Shiny new wheels (and fabulous parking skills)   |   7. This is my freedom face   |   8. Handsome fox at sunset   | 9. Seriously, this guy was adorable. 

Jess - MSVU Graduate

I have been blessed with some amazing, inspiring people in my life. There is no doubt that my cousin Jessica is one of them. 


Our infamous radio station....  (dinosaur in the house!). Mount Traber Bible Camp. Boys. Crazy ridiculous sleepovers. Baking giant cookie pizzas. Yimmy the squirrel. Laughter. Always laughter. Be-careful-you-dont-pee-yourself laughter.


Jessica has a caring, tender heart. Anyone who knows her knows this. 
She is a daughter of Christ with a passion to go wherever He leads her. 
She is someone to act silly with. 
She has a love for photography, an ability to see beauty in even the most insignificant things. 
And possibly a deeper love of Cuba ;) . 
Jessica has always been full of adventure. 
And for as long as I can remember, she has wanted to teach. 


Jess has just graduated MSVU with her Bachelor of Arts. Come January, she will be teaching English on the other side of the world. I am so excited to see her future blossoming! She is full of beauty, inside and out, and will touch countless lives.  

Cousins are those childhood playmates who grow up to be forever friends.

-Anonymous

Alright, now that I'm all teared up... lets move on to her graduation photos!

Oklahoma

 

Last weekend I had the incredible opportunity to take part in a wedding photography workshop held by Shannon at Imago Vita Photography. 

In Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

Yes, you heard right. Oklahoma. Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain. 

It was a somewhat spontaneous trip, as most of mine seem to be. My incredibly supportive mother (Tanya over at Take Six) came along, and we had a much-needed getaway out of it. 

( If you are ever in Oklahoma (or various other southern states)... go to Cherryberry. It is frozen yogurt heaven. We went twice. )

Part of the workshop involved a styled shoot. It was so much fun, I hardly noticed the hot, humid, bangs-sticking-to-my-forehead weather. Or maybe I just didn't care because it was delightful in contrast with the chilly temperatures we had before leaving Halifax!

Our models were absolutely adorable, and the entire set that was created for us to use was even more magical than I could have dreamed.

Thank you so much, Shannon, for making the trip more than worthwhile!

It was the perfect boost that I needed to begin the season with a bang.

The Samson Family

Spring is almost here! I spent an awesome Sunday afternoon with an awesome family on the Bedford waterfront. It was a little breezy, but otherwise a beautiful day!