Jessicah Dutton Photography’s Photo Blog

First off, I have to say, that this next set of photos was probably the highlight of a really fantastic summer!  Don’t get me wrong — the weddings were amazing, the trips out east were incredible, and the portraits I got to shoot this summer have been among my best…but this…this was totally different.

I was commissioned to shoot some promo material for the Toronto Music Camp run by the Elite Music Academy.  Specifically, I was taking photos of the bands created during the one week Rock Camp program, and then the live performances that they put on at the end of the week.

It sounds like a fun gig right?  Well it was hilarious and so much fun, and a great way to spend some summer afternoons!  And these kids (though I hate to use the word “kids”) are so incredibly talented — they are truly an inspiration!  I hope that they enjoyed the photography experience as much as I did.

I wish I could post all of their photos…

and some random detail shots…

If you are interested in reading more about the summer camp programs please check out the links above.

Are you looking for a unique way to send your holiday wishes?  For a limited time jdp is offering a “holiday mini session” — a condensed version of a regular family or one-on-one session.  This half hour photo shoot provides you with up to 20 images that you can choose from to create your one-of-a-kind holiday greeting card.  See below for more information and examples:

This is Iona!  She is my husband’s cousin’s daughter — which makes us family!  She is absolutely precious.   These photos were taken almost 2 months ago, when she was only 2 months old, so I can only imagine how much she has changed!  What a cutie.  I can’t wait to see her again.

A few weeks back I had the opportunity to photograph the amazing and talented Canadian musician, Tara Maclean.  I feel very lucky to do be able to do what I do, because of the people I get to meet and photograph.

Tara is an absolute joy to be around.  She is inspired and inspiring — and I can’t wait to work with her again!

So another VERY LATE post…I am trying to catch up I promise.

My husband, Tim, was speaking at a conference (CASA) and we were lucky enough to get me some really great (super cheap) deals on flights to Amsterdam!  YAY last minute!  It was an amazing little city and we had a great time.  There is so much to do and see, but just walking up and down the many little streets and bridges over canals was enough to make me want to go back.

Oh and I have to say that the coffee in Amsterdam is amazing!  They really know how to make an espresso!

(this was our amazing hotel room! it was hard to leave.)

This is Jessica, Paul, and Sam (the little guy!).  We had such a fun afternoon — I can’t think of a better studio then the local park!  What a great time and what a fabulous setting.  Sam is such a cutie, so full of expressions — I wish I could post all of his photographs.

Jessica set up this shoot as a gift for Paul for Father’s Day, so I want to send him a special Happy Father’s Day!  (OK so I am very late on this post - but better late then never!)

After much delay I finally got around to photographing my favorite subject — my nephew Oliver!  Somewhere along the way I hit a busy spell and wasn’t keeping up with my bi-monthly installments.  Then all the sudden — he has teeth! and the hair! and he is literally steps away from walking!  The time is going by so quickly.  Here is a day in the life of Oliver.

(ok so on a typical day he doesn’t sit on the cold tiles in his diaper and boots, but he certainly does scream for more food!)

Hopefully without sounding ultra cheezy, I will say this — I love love.

This is Matthew and Rachal.  They are toughing out a long distance relationship at the moment (Rachal in Alberta - Matthew in Massachusetts) and happened to meet up right here in Toronto.  Lucky for me, because I finally got to meet this fantastic woman, got to spend some time with a good friend, and got to photograph them together!

Sorry about the wind Rachal — I didn’t really ask for it but it seems that the forces-that-be wanted the wind in your face after all!  Looks amazing!  (Next time bring on the rain!)

There are so many things that I could say about our trip to New York City,  it could fill this whole page.  So I won’t do that.  Maybe just the Cole’s notes version.

It was a great whirlwind 2 day adventure with Claire, Matthew, Tim and myself.  DAY ONE: we found an amazing restaurant with a 15 bite hot dog (way to go Claire!), spent the afternoon in Central Park (Merry-Go-Rounds are fun at any age!), took a stroll through the upper east side (saw plenty of gossip girls), found an “off the beaten path” Vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown, walked around Little Italy till my feet were bleeding (note to self: need new walking shoes), hung around a film set in Chinatown (rumor has it it was for a Nicolas Cage movie) — we took advantage of the cool ambiance anyway, drank beers in paper bags on the train back to New Jersey (where our sketchy-yet-affordable hotel was located). DAY TWO: left bright and early to find “the best brunch in Manhattan” and we did! (never had such amazing french toast), tried to pay respects at ground zero but it was not as I imagined (too much construction - not enough reflection), Claire and Matthew went up the Empire State Building as Tim and I window shopped around 5th ave and had some drinks, crossed the Brooklyn Bridge on foot, and finally found Grimaldi’s — a highly recommended pizza joint in Brooklyn (so highly recommended in fact, that we waited in line for over 2 hours!).

I will say one more thing about our trip… it was way too short!

One of my greatest friends, Claire, was recently visiting from Ireland and it was my goal to photograph her while she was here in Canada.  After much urging and nagging I finally got her cornered in front of the lens.  She was a great sport and I think (even though she will probably say I forced her) she had a lot of fun.  I know I did.  We did the shots on Toronto Island, which for a day that was forecast to be a balmy 21, was more like a frigid windchill of -10.  Thanks for that Weather Network!

Oh and while she was here we took a 3 day excursion to New York, NY!  Awesome!  I will post those photos as soon as I can.

Thanks Claire for trusting me and for being so damned cute!  And a big thanks to my sister, Jordann, for being a great creative director!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!