I Picture Hope - Giving Back | Halifax, NS, Breast Cancer Photographer

Getting a breast cancer diagnosis is such a scary time with so many thoughts, fears, and emotions.   I don't think you can imagine it unless you've been through it.  At least I couldn't imagine it til I heard the words myself.  Fear and denial are big ones, you've got to go through them before you get to strength, courage, and hope.

While I was going through the early days, I dealt with fear a lot.  Fear of the unknown.  Fear of surgery.  Fear of treatments.  Fear of changes I'd go through.  Before my surgery, the one thing I wanted was a photoshoot.  I felt it was important because I didn't know what was to come... surgery, chemo, radiation, who knows what else.  And I wanted to remember what I was like in that moment, full of fear and on the cusp of gathering my courage for what was to come.

And now, here I am ten months later.  I'm here to tell you that you can have strength, you can have courage, and you can have hope.  And I'd like to help you see that.  If you're going through treatments or are, like me, a survivor I'd like the chance to give you the photoshoot I so desperately wanted.  To remind you of who you are right now. 

My friend Camille Denae has gathered up photographers around the world, photographers ready to help remind those going through breast cancer treatments or those who have survived that there is hope.  I Picture Hope is here for you.  If you're in Halifax or the surrounding areas going through treatments (or have finished treatments) and would like to talk about a photoshoot, drop me a line, let's talk.  If you're visiting from away, check out the I Picture Hope facebook page and find a photographer in your neck of the woods.

xoxo

...Kare

email:  karenk{at}eastlink.ca

website:  http://www.karenkyte.com

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Cancer Sucks | Halifax, NS, Breast Cancer Survivor

As I was getting ready for work a few days ago, my mind flashed back to the date of diagnosis.  My heart raced and my eyes watered.  Why?  Why am I thinking about that today?  Ah, it was the 22nd... the monthiversary of my diagnosis.  It's been nine months, surely I won't think about it on the 22nd of each and every month.  Good God, enough is enough.

As I realized why I was thinking about my diagnosis, my thoughts turned to my Mom.  She's at the stage I was in February - her surgery is done, she's healing, and is waiting to find out what treatments she's going to need.  Waiting.  Waiting.  Waiting.  Waiting sucks, too, by the way.  But Mom handles it with courage and grace - and big heaping of "let's get 'er done" attitude.

I feel as though I were a puddle of mush during my cancer journey and I am in awe of my mother and the way she deals with hers.  Where it seemed like days before I even left the house after my surgery, she was raring to go.  It's true we each handle diagnosis and treatment our own way, no one can dictate how we should think or feel, or what we should do.  But if you're going through what Mom and I had to go through, I wish you strength.  I wish you courage.  I wish you hope.  And I wish you a big ol' heaping of "just get 'er done" attitude.  It's a good thing.

...Kare

email:  karenk{at}eastlink.ca

website:  http://www.karenkyte.com

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United Way | Halifax, NS

The annual United Way campaign is in full force at my day job.  We spent our lunchtime yesterday playing "Minute to Win It."  

Teams had to perform a task in under 60 seconds.

They had to get all the balls from one bottle to the other:

They had to stack cups, then unstack them:

They had to stack three golf balls - I don't think anyone got this one!

Just some of the fun and games we had today to promote the United Way campaign - remember, you only have another couple of days to pledge.

...Kare

email:  karenk{at}eastlink.ca

website:  http://www.karenkyte.com

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Talking Shop | Halifax, NS, Photographer

I spend a lot of time blogstalking.  Blogstalking - regularly reading someone's blog - is common among photographers.  There's a number of fabulous photogs out there who are willing to share their knowledge, whether it be about equipment, posing, or how to run your business.  In the beginning, I visited their blogs regularly to gain some knowledge and inspiration, but now I visit the blogs to see how they are.  They've become friends and mentors and I love the glimpses into their lives.

I sometimes share stories from the blogs with Jason.  He humours me, listens, and then we talk about something else.  Does he pay attention?  No, it's not usually something that interests him so he lets me talk then we move on.  Or so I thought...

A few weeks ago, I was blah blah blah'ing about something I wanted to try out.  He questioned me about it and I said, "well that's what Justin and Mary do!  Oh wait, you don't know who Justin and Mary are."  He looked me in the eye and defiantly said, "Yes I do - justinmarantz.com."  

He does pay attention.  I didn't know.

Thus began a change in our conversations.  He has an interest that I didn't know was there.  Now he starts the conversations, he has input into what I do, he reads the blogs.  We bandy about names during dinner conversations as though we're talking about people we see every day:  "Justin and Mary did this..." or "Jasmine did that..."

Not only is it much more fun to talk shop now, it's more interesting.  And who knew, the boy actually has some good ideas.  Now, we'll see if I can teach him to shoot, too...

xoxo

...Kare

email:  karenk{at}eastlink.ca

website:  http://www.karenkyte.com

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I Will Eat Cake | Dartmouth, NS, Birthday Photography

It's not a secret... I like cake.  Who doesn't?  That's rhetorical, because it's cake and everyone loves it.  Trust me.  I believe it is my duty as your photographer to try your cake.  So I can gush about it and blog about how good it was.  Really.    

The one thing I promise is that I won't look like this when I'm done...

This cake, by the way, was one of the best I've had in a long time.  It was made with love by a family friend, but little Owen didn't really care about that, he was all over it, shared it with his girlfriends and then went into a little cake coma.

I saved my cake coma for after I left the party.  :-)

...Kare

email:  karenk{at}eastlink.ca

website:  http://www.karenkyte.com

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Elton John | Sydney, NS

There he was, up on stage, just him and his piano.  He was so far away, but it was Elton - it didn’t matter how little he appeared, I was thrilled to be there.

He played to a packed house of 6,600; a smaller venue for him, I’m sure.  The crowd at Centre 200 was typically Canadian – polite and appreciative.  Don’t get me wrong, there were a lot of standing ovations and loud applause, but nothing too overt.  Elton was also appreciative – standing between songs and bowing to the different sections of the arena.

He was on stage for over two and half hours.  Just him and his piano.   He doesn’t just play his piano, he plays!!!!!!!  There were lots of long musical intros to songs where we saw his hands dance across the keys on the big screen.  On and on and on – my hands get tired after a couple of hours holding my camera, I can’t imagine his after a night on stage.

And the songs.  He played them all – some new, lots of oldies, and some I hadn’t heard before.   Rocket Man, Daniel, Candle in the Wind, Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me, Bennie and the Jets, Circle of Life, they were all in there.

While there was lots of singing and piano playing, there wasn’t a lot of conversation with the audience.   I expected more witty banter, but while he introduced a few songs with stories, some just a line or two, mostly he sang and played. 

As he introduced The Ballad of the Boy in Red Shoes, he spoke of the AIDS epidemic.  He spoke of his friend, Ryan White, who contracted the disease in the early 1980s through a blood transfusion.  He spoke of the US government’s lack of involvement in the disease up to that point.  “Fuck ‘em,” he said.   He reminded the audience of the local AIDS organization, AIDS Coalition of Cape Breton, and encouraged us to support it.

As he neared the end of the show, Elton talked about forgiveness and being kind to one another, of living together in peace.   Then he closed the show with Circle of Life and Can You Feel the Love Tonight?  We sure could feel the love, Elton – it was fantastic, I hope you could feel it from the audience, we loved it.

...Kare

email:  karenk{at}eastlink.ca

website:  http://www.karenkyte.com

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Thankful for... My Wedding Team | Halifax, NS, Wedding Photographer

None of us, including me, ever do great things. 
But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.
Mother Teresa

I put together a team for Kathleen and Brett's wedding.  My team, just in case.  I was all set to shoot the wedding, but then I got my diagnosis and everything that was clear became unclear.  What if I have chemo, what if I'm sick, what if, what if, what if...  So we prepared.  With full approval of my wonderful bride and groom, I planned.

My friend, Mary Kelly, was already set to shoot the wedding with me.  Luckily, another friend, Cassie MacGregor, jumped on board and we were good to go.  I planned for if I were sick or if I were healthy, there was nothing left to chance.  Happily, chemo was not a necessity and Mary, Cassie, and I all shot Kathleen and Brett's wedding together.

I'm thankful for the strengths we each brought to the wedding, for our teamwork, and for having friends who also happen to be fab photogs, too.  

 ...together we can do something wonderful.

...Kare
email: karenk{at}eastlink.ca
website: http://www.karenkyte.com
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