PURE MUSE PORTRAIT - Contemporary, fashion-inspired portrait photography. Beauty, branding, boudoir and beyond. Based in Kitchener-Waterloo.

ONLINE DATING PHOTOS

1/4/2023

So you’re single, ready to mingle but totally new to the online dating game?

It is said not to judge a book by its cover. But in the online dating world, whether you’'re using Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, or any other app, a few pictures are all you have to go by in order to attract someone. Therefore the photos you choose for your profile are very important. Without decent photos, dating apps are not really worth the time or effort. Photos (particularly your main profile photo) will have the single biggest impact on your dating success, and unfortunately, many people self-sabotage their profiles with bad photos.
So what’s the best way to maximize your chances of getting quality dates?
The tips below are meant as a guidance, and are based on my own research and experience as a professional photographer.

Yuliana + Mark - Fall Engagement Session

11/19/2022

I feel no words are needed here... these love-birds are so adorable and sweet together. We happened to get very lucky with the weather in the last days of October and our session was both fun and pleasant. Enjoy some of my favourite captures.

"LIFE begins at 40" - Mishi

8/15/2022

Meet Mishi!
Yet another incredible woman who decided to take part in my "LIFE begins at 40!" campaign.
This 43 year old beauty is a doting mother of two amazing kids, who remind her that life is precious and each day is a gift.
Mishi is also a scientist and teaches microscopy and other undergrad lab courses at University or Waterloo.
Mishi is active in various sports such as soccer, marathon and trail running, as well as fitness and dancing.
Mishi's love of learning new things lead her to picking up drumming about 7yrs ago. She finds it a bit challenging but is having a blast doing it!
Mishi loves learning about new cultures, trying the food and embracing the history in different parts of the world. She and husband instilled the thirst for travel and learning into their kids, so their goal is to start traveling again and see as much of this beautiful world as possible.

This amazing woman a true ray of sunshine! She radiates so much positive energy and is beautiful inside and out. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her. We had so many laughs and shared some deep conversations.

I am so pleased to share these portraits, along with some wisdom Mishi agreed to impart.

"LIFE begins at 40" - Brenda

7/14/2022

Meet Brenda, 66 year young lady, who's beauty radiates from within and spills over, leaving everyone who meets her comforted and inspired!

Brenda decided to have this experience because she's feeling a disconnect between how she's feeling inside and who she sees in the mirror...

"I will be 67 yrs old in August - I can feel my body's age - aches, pains, stiffness - but my soul, my essence feels much younger. Also because I am curious about who other people see when they see me."

I asked Brenda to answer to some questions and she kindly and eagerly shared a bit of her wisdom and life story....

Sasha, Sunshine & Peonies

6/14/2022

Every summer I give myself a promise to do more outdoor photo-sessions. It's truly inspiring and refreshing to be able to create in a new environments, especially in the nature, in a magical golden light.
I hope you enjoy some images from this gorgeous session with my muse and friend Sasha, who was a natural as always. I wanted to create lively and raw portraits and I am very happy with what we managed to create in a very short time. My favourite peonies were a cherry on top!

The Spirit of Spirea

6/7/2022

In far 2010, when I was just starting to learn the craft of portraiture, I spent a lot of time taking self-portraits. Ideas, inspired by subjects, movies, weather conditions or mood, would come to my head rather suddenly. The hunger and passion to create were strong, and it was rather convenient to use myself as a subject. I studied lighting, angles, colours, shapes and different styles of portraiture by capturing myself in a myriad of ways.
I must add that the process of self-portraiture feels like meditation to me, I lose track of time and even space out a bit.
Between the years of 2010 and 2013 I would often create outdoors, incorporating nature or plants and even challenging myself by taking photos in complicated weather conditions.
After many years in the industry my work changed and evolved, I transitioned into studio portraiture and although it offers creative ways and stable results, I will always adore portraits in the nature.
Last week I randomly stumbled upon these gorgeous shrubs of Spirea and I knew I had to return and capture them in some way. So I went back to my roots... just me, the nature and my trusted camera.
I am sure some random passersby found me rather weird, but I had absolute blast working with such incredible scenery.
Enjoy the captures below...

"LIFE begins at 40" - Denise

5/5/2022

I'm running this Campaign to celebrate the lives and beauty of women over the age of 40, they have so much wisdom to share and Denise was no exception!

Denise is a woman with the sweetest personality and a heart of gold. She believes that there is no problem too big to solve - and that things will always get better.
During our time together we talked, we laughed and we celebrated the good things in life, which are scarce during these challenging times, for many.

Denise have dealt with a lot of adversity and loss in her life - beginning with the suicide of her dearly loved sister. Denise was only 22 and this was the beginning of a difficult journey through grief. She have experienced many other losses through the years. These experiences have led her to to focus on the good in her life, appreciating each day, and bringing positive energy, humour, support and kindness in all aspects of her life and interactions with others.

I asked Denise to answer some questions and I love what she had to say...

"LIFE begins at 40" - Lana

4/13/2022

Meet Lana! Yet another incredible woman who decided to take part in my "LIFE begins at 40!" campaign.

Lana didn't have to think twice before she signed up, as she is a living proof that it's never too late to try something new and to follow your dreams. Lana tried many new things just before and as soon as she turned 40; she discovered new interesting hobbies, opened her own YouTube channel about backcountry camping and traveling, called "Moose in Canoe", changed her look and even went back to school at 40, for a potential career change.

Below is Lana's story in her own words...

"LIFE begins at 40" - Melody

3/26/2022

Meet Melody, the first participant of "LIFE begins at 40!" campaign. She is 51 years young and Fabulous!

When I asked Mel why she wanted to participate in my "LIFE begins at 40!" campaign, she said "I think it’s so important for women to celebrate who they are and what they have been through. I want to help younger women know they don’t have to wait until middle age to be true to themselves"
Meeting and photographing Melody was an absolute pleasure! She brought a great energy to the shoot, we laughed a lot, had an amazing time and the photos came out absolutely stunning. This was a fabulous opportunity to reconnect with herself, have her hair and make up done by our amazing make up artist Maria and have a variety of looks captured, including some fitness shots.
Melody, you’re beautiful inside and out and you should be very proud of a woman you are today! Thank you so much for trusting me to capture your beauty. Keep on shining!

I asked Melody to share a bit of her story and to answer some questions for me...
"I’ve dealt with mental health struggles for most of my life, depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms fully directed how I lived my life. With a lot of support, inner strength, being open and vulnerable when asking for help, I am, today, able to manage these behaviours and live fully! It’s been a long, scary, and difficult road, but today – I realize those struggles allowed me to find my strength, my voice and learn how to direct it to fight for what’s important and just.
I went into menopause quite early and unexpectedly. I didn’t know anything other than ‘menopause makes women moody and gives them hot flashes’. It is so much more than that. I would like to see younger women be educated more fully about it and not fear it. With a great doctor and education, I am able to manage it and accept it. I’m not just ‘moody’ or ‘crabby’ because I’m PMSing or in Menopause, I may simply be disagreeing or expressing my opinion about something I hold true. This goes back to being able to be who I am without apology.
Today, I’ve finally found my voice. Even though some days are harder than others, I will use my voice when I see an injustice in the system or being done to someone else (including myself). I feel more comfortable in my own skin and am less afraid or worried to show people who I really am.
To other women, I want to say: ‘Just do you’
Concern yourself only with your own behaviour and don’t worry about what others are doing. If you are doing the right thing, you really can’t go wrong. Change things and work on yourself but let go of the notion that you can change someone else. You got this! Life is so worth it! And can be beautiful – don’t give up, the best is yet to come!"

WHAT WOULD YOU ADVISE YOUR 20-YEAR-OLD SELF?
"Hold true to what you believe in and who you are (exactly as you are) – allow your values to guide you in everything you do. Don't apologize for being YOU. You are good enough exactly as you are today, change things if you feel it is the right thing to do, but not just because someone else ‘wants’ you to change."

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT BEING YOUR AGE?
"Confidence (not arrogance) that I have developed because of the lessons I have learned and strength I have found over the years. This allows me to help others and be their cheerleader in life."
DO YOU HAVE ANY BIG GOALS FOR THE FUTURE?
"Continuous improvement . Continue working out and getting stronger in all aspects (physically, emotionally, and spiritually)"

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BEAUTY SECRET?
"Fresh air, working out consistently and developing a spiritual connection – this allows me to feel grounded and therefore ‘smile so it shines through my eyes’. This to me, trumps any beauty product"

To participate in the campaign please visit

#lifebeginsat40 #over40 #womanhood #womenover40

Struggles Of a Professional Photographer.

9/22/2021

Photography career may seem glamorous from the outside, and although I truly love what I do (otherwise I wouldn't be doing it) I can assure you there’s another side to the coin. Just as I wouldn’t know much about specifics of a doctor’s or mechanic's job, I do not expect for anyone to know about what day to day is like for a person of my profession, therefore I'd like to take a minute to lift a curtain on the matter.

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