My love of photography started many years ago in high school. I would lose all track of time, skipping meals and bathroom breaks (but no classes, of course…) in the tiny darkroom, excitedly waiting for an image to magically appear on the paper soaking in the pan of developer. I am clearly dating myself, as this was years before digital photography took off. I would emerge blinking in the light hours and hours later, light-headed from a combination of hunger and developing chemicals, but happy.

Now it’s twenty years later, and with a formal education from Ryerson’s Photographic Arts program and a family of five, my passion for capturing beautiful images has only grown. The practices have changed, but the goal remains the same – to create a permanent record of a fleeting moment in time. Portraits of your children are like a vintage wine (or stinky cheese, which may be a better comparison at times); they only increase in value as time goes by.

Whether you decide to hire a professional photographer or just experiment with a little point and shoot camera yourself, don’t put those photos off. You just don’t get this time back.

-Shauna Reay