The Come Back

Yikes! My last post was in 2018. Not sure why I stopped sharing in this space, but it is a space that I would like to come back to. I think it is probably best to just jump right in.

For those of you that have followed along in my creative journey the last 6 months, you know that I have been working away on building my business. Part of that process has included writing about my why and how. With the help of the very talented Maria Mulloy, this is what we have come up with…

I love to document, tell stories, note the unexpected, or simply capture a quiet moment with my camera.

Sometimes, I’m a straight up photographer, other times, I experiment by combining my abstract acrylics with my black and white photos.

Colours, textures, wildflowers on the side of the road, graffiti under a bridge, homemade cocktails and conversations with friends, sunset boat rides at the cottage, sitting on the porch at the cabin are all part of the everyday life and one of a kind experiences that inspire my creations.

I believe that art is connection, that art can and should evoke emotions, provoke conversation around the dinner table, make us smile as we sip our morning coffee or laugh out loud with an evening tequila. Goodness is in the simple things.

An ordinary day can be truly extraordinary, if we have “clear eyes and full hearts” ( my favourite quote from Friday Night Lights)! Capturing those moments is my passion.

I’ve been recording life around me in print for the past 15 years, but my relationship with paint is a new crush. Playing with my camera and abstract painting, while messy and chaotic, have produced a raw collection of art that is giving new life to my images.

These photo paintings happened in my kitchen when the world shut down for 2 years. Unable to photograph humans and capture expressions and moods, I needed to extract more life from my inanimate images. This imposed and somewhat magical boredom encouraged me to experiment with my two mediums. Happily, they collided and resulted in my vintage Crush bottle art - I knew then that I had to keep going. I realized that if I was excited by these raw images that others might enjoy a more fun, down to earth vibe in their lives too.

On days in my house when beds go unmade, dishes fill the sink and dog hairs swirl on my floor, I sometimes, in the midst of the chaos, stop and smile at the lollipop photo on my kitchen wall or the Love You graffiti image in my bedroom and somehow not take it all quite so seriously. I love that.

-Lisa

Crushin’ On You

Warmest Regards

Cali Girl

Smooch Me

Extraordinary People Ordinary Days Session 7

Meet the Makin-Zakonovic Family. Luka has the most amazing eyes and his smile really never ends. It was an absolute joy to hang out with this family at a beautiful park. We skipped, hung out at the playground, blew some bubbles, and finished the session with an ice-cream. Don't ever stop being you Luka!

Extraordinary People Ordinary Days Session 6

Meet the Reid Family. This session took place at the family cottage. It was a beautiful sunny day and I was welcomed with a cup of coffee and smiles all around. Liam has an amazing personality and a sense of humour that had me laughing throughout our time together. Thank you Reid Family for a session full of pure happiness. Liam, you such a special kid and my life is better for having met you.

Extraordinary People Ordinary Days Session 5

Meet the Hurren Family. I have been lucky enough to watch Evelyn grow over the past few years and am so amazed at her accomplishments. She is a determined little girl who is taking this world head on. She also has an incredibly supportive family that encourages her to reach for the stars.  Thank you Hurren family for a fun session full of ice-cream, swinging, climbing, and hunting for rocks.

Extraordinary People Ordinary Days Session 4

Meet the Hann Family! We hung out in their playhouse, blew some bubbles, played some music, and read a few books.  Thank you for sharing your afternoon with me! You have an incredible little family.

Extraordinary People Ordinary Days Session 3

This session was full of love, smiles, giggles, and a little flying! Christian showed me his puzzles, his slide and his baby sister (who he absolutely adores). Thank you Tzouanakis/Anderson family for a photo session that was full of warm snuggles, tummy raspberries, and just plain old happiness.

Extraordinary People Ordinary Days Session 2

 From Facebook and Instagram posts to beautifully written articles from parents who truly celebrate the gift they have been given, World Down Syndrome Day was filled with emotion. Educators put math lessons on hold and filled the school with blue, yellow, and of course, crazy socks! Down Syndrome Associates gathered to honour their VIP's and provide support for the families that are new to the world of Down Syndrome. I was lucky enough to be a part of The Down Syndrome of Hamilton celebration and once again, I was reminded of the "why" behind my project.

Meet the Wentrot Family. Jacob has a crazy big heart and a smile that goes from ear to ear. My time with this family was life changing and I am so grateful that they invited me into their beautiful backyard for an hour that I will never forget.

Extraordinary People Ordinary Days

This is a personal project that came to life shortly after I photographed the Halton Down Syndrome Association  Fundraising Calendar. The calendar was full of kids, adolescents, and young adults that had heart and soul and a story to tell. A story that required more than a single frame and one that I really wanted to capture and share. Over the course of six months, I photographed 21 families who had a child with Down Syndrome. I began with a vision and ended with a very full bucket.

I showed up to every session with my camera and a 35mm lens. I let the session unfold in  the most natural way possible and encouraged each family to just be. Sometimes the conversations were light and carefree and other times I had to dig deep to keep myself together. I can honestly say that I laughed, cried, and walked away from each session with a greater understanding of the amazing ability that each child had.

Today is World Down Syndrome Day. Today social media will explode with crazy socks, photos, and articles. Today, I will begin to share my images from my Extraordinary People Ordinary Days project. However, the sharing will continue for the next 21 days! So please feel free to stop by and take a look!

A huge thank you to all of the incredible families that let me into their world. My time with each and every one of you was a treasure. xo

Meet the Purdham Family. Three beautiful girls, a mom with a smile that just makes you smile, and a dad that happily goes with the flow.

Italy Fall 2016

 Craig worked his tail off at work and was rewarded with an incredible trip to Rome. Our adventure began in Tuscany. Rolling hills, a perfect little villa, and wine that went down like water. Then it was off to Rome. A little intense at times but the history was magical. It was a trip full of amazing food, delicious wine, tons of walking, and time for us.

A Winter Session in Ellicottville

I photographed this session almost a year ago. Mom and I were introduced through a mutual friend and I was thrilled when they asked me to capture their family in their cute little chalet. Upon arriving, I was given a tour of the place and quickly fell in love with the quirky wallpaper, blue kitchen appliances, and rainbow carpet. Every inch of the chalet had character and a story to go along with it. The session began indoors with new clients and ended indoors with a glass of wine and new friends. This family is now a huge part of our life at Holimont and our ski days just wouldn't be the same without them.

Yellow Doors and Overalls

 This session is full of summer kissed cheeks, overalls, and yellow doors. For me, the perfect family to kick off my 2017 year of writing and sharing. Thank you Tarja and Ian for opening your doors and just letting me do my thing.

Summer "At Home" Session

Photographing a family in their space makes me happy.

Summer

It is hard to believe that today is the last day of Summer. I thought I would share a little taste of what our Summer looked like.

Portraits

So many exciting things are happening at Lisa Tullett Photography! Fall sessions are back in full swing and I am thrilled to be teaming up with Hilary at One For the Wall Photography www.oneforthewall.ca  for our Red Velvet Holiday Sessions. I have also decided to enter the world of School Portraits. My goal is to capture kids just as they are and to give parents a little glimpse of their child right now. Over the next few weeks I will be photographing 500 kids!

Spring

While our winter was full of adventure, we were all happy to see Spring. Dirty feet, ice-cream, sprinklers, bbq's, and smiles.

After the Rain

Photo organization has begun around here and while the job itself is no fun at all, stumbling across forgotten photos makes it all worth it.

This collection is from last spring. It had just stormed and the light was  incredible. I let them stay up past their bedtime and I grabbed my camera. Everybody won.

New York

Once again, I have left this space for too long. I encourage my kids to write on a daily basis and yet I do not. I am not going to set unrealistic goals for myself as I enter a busy season of photography, but I am going to make an honest effort to share here more often.

Recently I was given a very cool opportunity to teach an incredible woman photography while exploring New York City. We spent 3 amazing days walking, talking, eating, and soaking up some of what New York has to offer. I loved every minute of teaching and realized how much I enjoy this aspect of my job.

We didn't know each other well and I think we were both surprised at how much fun we had. We walked away friends which made the experience one that I will treasure.

Thought I would share a few images.

Urban Walk-About

This family is near and dear to me. For the past 3 years I have photographed them in their home. This year we decided to do something a little different. Mom spent her childhood days on this very bridge waving to the trains as they went by. Today she takes her own three kids to do the very same thing. We began our walk-about on the bridge and continued on to an alley, a storefront, and finished off on some bright red benches. I absolutely loved every minute of this session.

Portrait Session at Home

It is no secret that I absolutely love photographing families in their own space. Most shy away because they feel their home is not "good enough". I honestly feel that your home is perfect just the way it is. It is where your life is happening and the ordinary becomes the extraordinary. Whether your home is magazine worthy or not makes no difference. People and light make the photograph and every home has something unique and beautiful to offer.

This family was a busy bunch but oh so much fun!

Beautiful Girls

Fall sessions are in full swing and I am so happy to be photographing so many returning clients. It is incredible to see the changes that happen over a year and how quickly babies turn into little people. These girls are beautiful young ladies now and I am so glad that I was able to capture a little bit of who they are.