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Happenings, events and news from the studio of Heather Rivlin Photography
Welcome to the blog for Heather Rivlin Photography!
Here is where you'll get a chance to learn a little bit more about me and my work! I am one of the lucky few who gets to say that they truly LOVE their job, and feel so fortunate to be able to do what I do.
The blog showcases session sneak peeks, provides information about the latest additions to the studio's boutique line of products, last minute session availability, contests, and general musings when the mood strikes!
I hope you'll visit often and that you may consider bookmarking the site and inviting your friends to become blog fans as well!
I am a Toronto photographer specializing in black and white portraiture for newborns, babies, children and maternity, and this blog showcases some of my recent work, updates current and prospective clients about studio details, holidays or changes to policies, and shares any relevant news that I want to talk about!
Thinking back to my first recollections of having my photograph taken, I recall a photographer, camera in hand, asking me to smile and “say cheese”. While these contrived images have their place, I much prefer to capture the real moments in the life of your child – the ones where something silly sparks squeals of laughter, where new discoveries bring about a sense of wonderment or where an expression of absolute trust and serenity reaches the face of a child secure in the arms of their loved ones.
These brief and fleeting moments speak to who your child genuinely is, and capture his or her uniqueness in a way that posed photographs simply cannot. These genuine moments, captured with my lens, are preserved forever, and allowed to live on in the images that I create, providing the opportunity for them to bring a smile to someone’s face, and warm their hearts for many years to come.
My style of photography is a black and white medium, and it is casual and un-posed. I believe that the best images are captured when people are being themselves and unaware of the camera. Looking back across your own personal photographs, you might find that the images you enjoy most of yourself are those that were taken when you were at your most relaxed, unaware that an image was being recorded. These are the moments I capture – the moments I preserve…you as you really are.
A formal academic background in psychology and psychotherapy endows me with the ability to truly listen and understand the needs of my clients, and to bring a great deal of patience, compassion and warmth to the families with whom I work. It also creates in me the desire to make a personal connection with my clients, to forge an ongoing relationship with those who commission me to preserve their memories – a relationship that transcends the images that we capture together.
This personal rapport that I establish with my clients paves the way for an exceptional level of customer service, individually tailored sessions, and the peace of mind in knowing that your photographer cares as much about the process of capturing your family’s memories as you do.
It is both an honor and a privilege to capture forever the memories and moments that weave the fabric of my client’s lives. I am grateful for the opportunity, and I look forward to exceeding your expectations…because you should expect the very best.
There is something absolutely precious about daddies and their daughters. The term “daddy’s little girl” didn’t come about by accident, and this image proves it. The tenderness and carefulness that daddies show their daughters is such a beautiful thing, and something I adore capturing – perhaps because I don’t have girls, perhaps because I just find it absolutely precious (I think the latter…)
Session Sneak Peek to follow in the days to come 
Toronto Newborn Photographer - Heather Rivlin
Those of you who have followed the blog and/or website for years will recognize this family.
This family first came to me almost 6 years ago when they were expecting their first child. We did a maternity session for mom who has to be one of the easiest women to photograph EVER, and who can’t possibly take a bad picture. I often joke that I think she should model, or maybe she did in a previous life. She is very comfortable on camera, and has passed that trait on to her three beautiful daughters.
Little Z was photographed 5 times in her first year, and soon after a maternity session followed again for mom who was carrying twins. Needless to say, she was smaller carrying two than I was carrying ONE, and despite this, I still like her a whole bunch
The newborn session is archived here on the blog, and yielded some of my favourite newborn images ever. You can catch a flashback here:
Toronto Child Photographer - Heather Rivlin
Mom and Dad have been very patient awaiting these images. Their session was at the end of May, and I’ve been promising them a session sneak peek since then. With a move, my office packed up, my computer out of sight, and my image editor on holiday, it has been a little delayed, but I am hoping it will be well worth it for them.
Child photographer in Toronto
Heather Rivlin Photography Toronto
Toronto Professional Child and Family Photographer
Toronto Child Photography
I look forward to sharing 53 more images next week! Thanks again for making this a memorable and fun session guys – you’re DA best!
Are you expecting a baby in the next week? If so, and you’d like the opportunity to have beautiful newborn images captured by professional photographers at no cost, you can sign up to be a newborn model for the upcoming “Be Inspired” workshop for professional photographers. 12 photographers from across the USA (and some from Canada) will be coming together to discuss newborn baby posing, lighting and image capture, and we need models!
There is no session fee to participate, and all participating families will receive a CD with the digital files from the participating photographers for your personal use for enlargements, photo cards, gifts, etc (the studio will not be creating these items for you, just providing the images to you. All design work will be arranged outside of the studio by you).
If you are interested, or know someone else who would be, please email me at info@heatherrivlin.com, or share this blog posting with them so that they may get in touch!
We are accepting TWO families only, so please let me know!
newborn baby photographer in Toronto seeking newborn models for upcoming workshop
There is a last minute session available on Wednesday, May 26th. If you are interested in booking a session for your children and/or family, let me know by emailing me at info@heatherrivlin.com or by calling the studio at 416-782-6482
Are you a Toronto French School parent, or do you know someone who is? If you answered yes, hurry up and send them the link to this blog post! You can leave a comment and you will be prompted with ways to share the article with others who can then benefit from your generosity 
As a TFS parent myself, I wanted to extend to all TFS families the opportunity to take advantage of a studio special just for you.
For the month of June, I am offering a 2010 special…what does 20-10 mean? It means 20% off canvasses, and 10% off prints when you book a session in the month of June 2010!
If you’ve already been photographed at the studio, and you refer a friend, your referral earns you the usual $100 referral voucher good towards your own print purchases! If you’ve never worked with me before and refer a friend through this post, I’ll provide you with a $100 voucher just the same for when we DO photograph you!**
**TFS family must book a session in order for the referrer to receive a referral voucher**
I have openings for sessions or presentation appointments for next Wednesday, April 28th, at 10:00-12:00, Friday, April 30th, from 1:00-3:00pm, and Friday, May 7th, at 10:00-12:00 and 1:00-3:00
Let me know if you’d like to reserve some time to shoot a session or review the images with me
On July 1st, 2010, the government has proposed harmonizing, or better said, combining the two existing taxes that we pay on our goods and services. Currently, we pay 5% in GST for services, and 8% in PST for the actual product that we buy.
What does this mean for photography?
When you book a session fee, you are booking my time as a SERVICE. Session fees, therefore, have a 5% GST tax added on because this is a SERVICE. There is nothing tangible in a session fee, no product to hold in your hand, nothing physical was exchanged.
Under the new tax legislation, consumers will now be paying HST on the services that are rendered, raising that 5% tax to 13% (adding the 8% that used to be reserved for tangible products only).
As a photographer, when I sell you a tangible product like prints, canvasses, books, etc., I have to charge you both GST (5%), and PST (8%) on your print order, for a total tax of 13%. When I charge your session fee, I charge only 5% (GST) because a session is a service and not a product that you hold in your hand.
As of July 1st, 2010, all session fees will now be subject to BOTH taxes, increasing the taxable amount by 8%. All business who provide a professional service will be required to request this additional tax amount, and further remit this amount to the government on your behalf. It is not additional income for your photographer, it is a tax which we must remit to the powers that be.
How can we make the most of a poor situation? Book your session fees before July 1st, 2010 and pay only the 5% tax. You can prepay as many sessions as you would like, as far as one year in advance (restricted to one year because session fees may change beyond this timeframe).
If you are looking to provide a Gift Certificate for a friend or loved one, purchasing it before July 1st will save you the additional tax that will be unavoidable after July 1st.
So, let’s make lemonade from these lemons, shall we?
For more information on the new HST tax, visit
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