The 7 Virtues

The 7 Virtues

My girlfriends know me so well! I recently was given a box of 7 virtues – no not the ones listed below – although I feel like COVID has us all working on some or all these in one way or another!

  1. Faith is belief in the right things (including the virtues!).
  2. Hope is taking a positive future view, that good will prevail.
  3. Charity is concern for, and active helping of, others.
  4. Fortitude is never giving up.
  5. Justice is being fair and equitable with others. 
  6. Prudence is care of and moderation with money.
  7. Temperance is moderation of needed things and abstinence from things which are not needed.

No ….the 7 Virtues I have in my hand have a gorgeous smell. Each one with it’s own unique scent. Founded in 2010 by journalist Barb Stegemann, The 7 Virtues is a social enterprise that sources fair trade, natural and organic essential oils. These perfumes build peace. They provide dignity and meaningful employment in communities rebuilding after war or strife. I’m currently being transported by the Peace Collection to far away nations like Afghanistan, Haiti, Rwanda, The Middle East, India & Madagascar and I didn’t even have to pack a bag!

Looking for a mood boost? The Peace Box is on special right now: https://the7virtues.com/product/peace-blend-box/ A great buy for $38 as it comes with a copy of “The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen” written by founder and CEO Barb Stegemann. Peace out!

My birthstone is a coffee bean. – Anonymous

My birthstone is a coffee bean. – Anonymous

I start my day slowly and with an espresso in hand. My brother has commented more than once that my day will only be as good as my first coffee. Before 10am, no matter what the question is, my answer is always coffee. And this is why I never head into the woods…. or to a remote country without a way to brew a good cup of java!

Enter the Nanopresso by Wacaco Co Ltd. This baby is small, light and superbly designed! It’s my second try at a portable hand press and I love how easy it is to pump! My first one was a full workout where I literally had to brace myself against a wall to pump in pressure. Not the Nanopresso! Built around a newly patented pumping system, this little gem is capable of reaching, with the help of your hands, a maximum of 18 bars (261 PSI) of stable pressure during extraction. According to their website, that is more than what most home espresso machines can deliver! With the crazy weather and power outages in 2020 – I’ve already used it twice this month at my cottage – it brews a perfect cup with a nice dense crema every time. For great espresso wherever you are click here: https://www.wacaco.com/pages/nanopresso …..because when the coffee kicks in its all about being an adorable badass as you start your day!

Look at that crema!
GEAR GIRL

GEAR GIRL

On an outdoor shoot a few weeks ago a fellow artist told me I had the coolest items and nicknamed me a “gear girl”. I’d never really thought of myself that way. I’m not a “gear freak” or a “tech head” so to speak. What excites me is the design of the gadgets, and how and where I can use them as I adventure around the world…..Fast forward to today and the first Gear Girl blog post! Follow me here to see what cool items I use in the field, at the cottage ….or to just be inspired!

Crushing this month as we move into winter over this amazing item designed and patented by Ayla Hutchinson. The Kindling Cracker™ firewood splitter started out as a school science project for her at the age of 13 and now is sold worldwide! It’s made of solid cast iron with a splitting wedge set inside a safety ring. To split a piece of wood you simply place it inside of the frame and strike it with a 3-4lb. Mallet (or another piece of wood). It’s such a simple, easy way to make kindling for your cottage log fire, pizza oven or to start a bonfire as the sun sets. Want to support this talented designer? Find yours here.

Go Go Gadget!

Inspector gadget
LOOOOOOOVE how easy chopping kindling is!
This is literally a Signature Session!

This is literally a Signature Session!

Book your SIGNATURE PHOTO SESSION!

I love doing artistic family photo shoots.
This fabulous client of mine and I have been collaborating on amazing ideas for years. We are both VERY happy with the results of this years sesh and Christmas card!
We also blow up the final image for her wall of art. As I walk through her home there is literally years of family artwork we have created. 😍❤️😍 hanging all over ….not to mention I’ve watched these children grow up! This version has their hand writing all over it which adds such a great connecting tissue to the portrait.
Looking for an LB signature 📷 Art session like this one? Lets book one in!

 

Build your brand – grow your business

Build your brand – grow your business

Has it been 10 years since you updated your LinkedIn photo?

An updated profile on LinkedIn is a must for maintaining a professional image in any industry.

I have built my photography brand since the very beginning from the space of real life moments. Great photography needs to evoke emotion. Revealing authenticity and emotion is not easy when there is a camera in front of you. Photography seems like a commodity these days, with selfie after selfie being posted and individual images being constantly curated, fake filters added and so on. The talent in a photographer is knowing when to take the photo. As Minor White so eloquently put “The spirit only stands still for the photographer it has chosen.”

When you hire Laura Bombier/Creative Good Inc you are quite literally framing into your images the expertise of years of work to create unique, differentiated one of a kind photos.

Looking for authenticity and radiance in your headshots? Book a session with me.

Build your brand – grow your business.

Starting at $600.

Funeral Photography? Yes it’s important!

Funeral Photography? Yes it’s important!

Great celebrations in our lives are emotional times. Who remembers everything that happened when they gave birth? Or the details of your wedding day? Photos help us remember the most touching moments of our lives and funerals are no different.

Losing someone close to you is a life altering experience, a profound emotional journey. I know because I lost my father suddenly a number of years ago. Dealing with all the details of death put me in autopilot mode without a chance to grieve. The day of my father’s funeral was an emotional blur. I don’t remember a lot of the details like the speeches or the guests because as I was so full of grief. And I have no record. There are no photographs or video of that time and I really wish I had something visual to remind me of that day as a way to connect and to remember the people who cared about my dad and the ceremony we had to celebrate his life.

Dying is an inescapable part of our lives. It’s not just about the person who has gone, but also about those who are left behind. When the face of our loved one fades in our minds over time…a photo lasts forever.

Funerals may not seem like the kind of events people would like to photograph, but I truly believe in the value of documenting grief. All emotion is beautiful. A funerals is an important ritual, a celebration of a life, and a rite of passage. People are united in mourning, and find comfort in connecting.

Funeral photography is a service not widely advertised or discussed. We don’t want to take photos of the sad moments in our life. We’re used to taking fun selfies and group shots at parties and joyous events, all the times we’re having a good time. But if we’re experiencing a bad or sad time, we want to ignore these moments visually. Delete them.

I whole heatedly agree with death literacy advocate, Katische Haberfield, who says: “Expressing all emotions is an important part of the healing process with grief, and photography can play an equally important part in this process.” She goes on to say: “As a society we need to change this. Life is not about only recording the best moments. Life is full of a range of experiences and emotions and if we focus only on the super sugary glossy ones, we miss the important part of being a human.” The rest of her great article on the topic of funeral photography can be found here.

If you are losing a loved one or have lost someone close to you, consider a photographer for their celebration of life ceremony. Death is a strange and overwhelming time, and a celebration of life photo session preserve the memories you will want to reflect on later. Discrete and unobtrusive photo sessions capture the intimacy and tenderness of family, friends, and love, as life takes its natural course. The raw beauty of genuine emotion when we are at our most human. For inquiries please email info@laurabombier.com

Helle Introduces a New Knife Inspired by Canada’s Algonquin Wilderness

From the Helle Norway Press release:

A beautiful and stout knife, the Algonquin is designed for self-reliance and freedom in the wild whether traversing from jungle to tundra or just sitting around the campfire with friends.

The Algonquin is a collaborative work featuring world renowned photographer and Survivorman production team member, Laura Bombier. “I grew up devouring Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys books. That coupled with my family and I experiencing endless adventures in the Algonquin Wilderness gave me a strong appreciation for the outdoors and the importance of carrying with me a well-made knife – my brothers and father never went anywhere without one,” says Laura Bombier. “The collaboration with Helle is a natural fit as we share the same philosophy in design quality and production value.”

Read the rest of the press release here.

 

BEYOND SURVIVORMAN

BEYOND SURVIVORMAN

Beyond Survivorma

Written by Les and featuring the incredible photography of Laura Bombier, Beyond Survivorman offers us a rare glimpse of the last remote Indigenous tribes to learn how they live, how they survive and what lessons they can teach us.

Meet Les and Laura and get your copy signed on Tuesday, November 26th at 7pm at the Chapters Queensway in Toronto.

Survivorman goes Polish

Survivorman goes Polish

How cool is this…. our book has been translated into a Polish version. Since I grew up on perogies my father would have been proud!

The English version is available here!