client love notes

I've never done something so indulgent and also as necessary as having my own portraits done by Cedna. At first I questioned why I was doing this, or what I would do with these images. But I went ahead with it, with trust and openness as Cedna has photographed my family prior to this many times. This experience was different. I just felt this pull like I needed to mark this moment in time, which has been challenging on so many levels.

Transitioning from being ME to being a mom has been the greatest struggle of my life. What has been the most joyous time has also begged the most questions of myself, about myself. Who am I now? What is my worth? Do I bring value? Is parenting as important as a career? Things I've grappled and tripped over more than I'd like to admit. My sense of self was mostly shattered and put back together with some shoddy glue because you're supposed to be so happy and fulfilled by motherhood. And to say anything less than the fact I love my children more than the world would be untrue, but the transition to motherhood rocked me, deep.

I wanted to feel the love and confidence I had once before, to rediscover the things that make me uniquely me, and the things that make me valuable beyond what I do or represent. Feeling short on self-love, I brought 75 outfit changes and this amazing hat that I bought but had nowhere to wear. What transpired was a relaxed and fun afternoon.

What I received back shortly after stopped me in my tracks. For the first time in many years I looked at images of myself and felt beautiful. Like my many freckles were just right and vibrant on my skin, like my blue eyes sparkled, that I am actually, underneath all my layers, quite soft and vulnerable and maybe even a bit more sensitive than I let on. I saw things in my pictures I hadn't seen or had forgotten to acknowledge for a long time. I felt really beautiful, and I needed that.

I watched my daughter flip through my box of photographs the other day, marking a moment in time when she too might see all those sides of her mother, and I know THAT in itself is very much worth it.

- Katie P.

As a new mom, I liked the idea of having images with my daughter taken, but I was hesitant to go through with it. I was concerned that if I did not look my best and was not comfortable in my own body, the photos would show that rather than the feeling I was hoping to preserve.

Cedna not only helped ease my anxiety prior to the session by answering questions and inspiring me with ideas but also made the photoshoot itself stress-free by gently guiding the entire process so that I was able to let go of my insecurities and just be myself.

After just a few minutes being in front of the camera, I no longer seemed awkward and by the end of the day I was truly surprised by how much fun I had. However, the most unexpected thing happened when I saw the images: so many of them were special and beautiful that I had a hard time choosing the best ones. There were moments when I could not believe that the woman in the photos was really me, although they had not yet been retouched in any way.

Cedna didn’t just create images of me and my daughter that our family will cherish forever, she truly helped me feel beautiful again at a time when I really needed it.

- Lena. M

Being at home for some time being furloughed by the pandemic. I felt like my self-esteem was plummeting. Seeing how Cedna’s work made me see others in a new light, I was hoping for the same transformative experience. I was not disappointed. I have had other commercial photoshoots done but this was entirely different.

Initially I felt a bit self-conscious trying different expressions that I wasn't used to. I was also cognizant that I was not model-thin and that I'm a middle-aged woman. After seeing the results, and having received possibly one of the best portraits taken of me ever, I felt something that I lost return to me. I see myself but stylized, I see a version of me that I don't see often at all. I see potential and growth.

I cannot express enough how much I love my pictures. I love how Cedna was able to draw out my very best features. I would recommend this to anyone. If nothing else, you will gain a new appreciation for how you see yourself because Cedna captures the beauty in every person she's ever worked with.

If you're looking for a true artist's perception of you, Cedna is the photographer for you.

- Daliborka M.

I wanted my images to captured the divine feminine — my power as a life giver alongside the sacredness of the little star being who chose me as his mother. I wanted the images to capture survivance — both mine as a Cree/Métis woman who is (re)claiming my culture and language in the wake of attempted genocide, and my son’s as a Blackfoot and Cree/Métis infant born into his Indigenous cultures and languages.

At the time of the shoot, my son was 6 months old. Already by that time in his life, he and I had been through so much together — during pregnancy, birth, and post-partum. I experienced some of the greatest challenges, traumas, and hurts of my life during those periods, and with my son as my inspiration, actively worked as hard as I could to ensure that both he and I were taken care of physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Cedna and I worked together to come up with ideas and concepts to capture the essence of my journey, and the power of my transition into a mother. Working with her was an incredible, engaging, artistic process. She was open and respectful of my wishes and cultural nuances throughout, and brought forward many exceptional ideas to create this outstanding shoot.

Cedna was down to earth, and involved with helping me with my little one. It was a truly a wonderful experience working with her, and the images she created brought to life everything I was hoping for and more.

I will forever treasure these pieces that tell the story of the strength, power, and resilience of my son, myself, and our ancestors and communities. I hope to one day have the chance to work with Cedna again, she is an amazing artist!

- Karlee Fellner

For many women, ageing is the blessing and curse at the same time. Grateful we have another year on this planet to create, dream, revel in our accomplishments and a curse recognizing our youth is vanishing quickly before us with a typical selfie to prove it. I was skeptical and anxious at the prospect of having my picture taken as it is and remains one of the most uncomfortable activities for me. It generally results in me running away or standing behind anyone, to be in their shadow. Cedna prepared me for what to expect for our time together.

She created the most remarkable atmosphere with all types of lighting, the ambiance of calm, and laughter. I was now witness to someone in her complete element and at that moment I observed 100% passion someone can have for their craft – it was the most remarkable experience. I felt she was seeing the true “Me” as she looked for best angles and encouraged me to be myself. “Be myself” who is that anyway I thought. After a few hours together, I realized I had shared with another human the most vulnerable part of me.

I cannot express the impact my images have had on my psyche... Without attempting to sound arrogant or with ego, the image of ‘Me” that is reflected back is absolutely not how I have ever seen myself before. For the first time now, I see a much more beautiful, kind and compassionate “Me” outside looking in, than the one I used to focus on...

My time with Cedna and the photos that followed have shifted me... in ways I cannot explain.. it is more than a portrait collection of photographs. It has been a catalyst of this decade to accept and see “Me" as Cedna has seen me and to continue to see me and my age as a blessing, carrying my wisdom, maturity and adventures in one package.

Cedna thank you for this gift!

- Candace B.

2020 was an intense personal journey, where I was suddenly unsure of who I am. Turning 40 I was nervous going into the shoot, as I wasn't sure if I would enjoy the focus being entirely on me. However, I went into it with curiosity and trusted the process. I have never had professional portraits done, although I have had family photos done. Cedna made the process feel relaxed and intimate. Her energy and ability to let the right moment happen naturally made the experience feel effortless and easy. I had moments of feeling truly beautiful, open and vibrant - something that I hadn't felt for a long time.

While I am often critical of my looks, having these portraits has opened my eyes to what others see. I now see a woman that is growing and learning. I see wisdom in my face, feel calmness in who I am becoming.

I loved the final product so much! Each detail was perfect, from the packaging, to the hand written letter, to the quality of each image. I would highly recommend having portraits done at any age or stage of life. Seeing yourself through Cedna's lens is such an honor.

Cedna creates a space for you to show yourself, however you are. The process is transformative and personal. There is something so powerful in letting yourself be seen and owning who you are.

Cedna, you have such a gift. Prior to this, I had never had a photo of myself in my house. But since I received my pictures, I show them proudly and my boys helped me choose which ones to put up.

Thank you Cedna, forever grateful for your talent.

Thank you !

- Amy C.

My photo session with Cedna was not only a lot of fun but it proved to be quite revealing in the ways that I viewed myself. I became more aware of my self-image and that I was rather unwilling to be vulnerable or exposed, but Cedna really puts you at ease by guiding every movement and pose creating beautiful images and really building trust along the way.

These photos are very meaningful to me. They are insightful, genuine, and true. Cedna’s artistic style and her devotion to bringing out the best in her subjects resonates in every image. Her holistic approach gave me confidence in her ability to capture me naturally as myself, yet in a stylish and elegant way.

The experience inspired me to view myself differently, to approach myself in a less judgmental way and to be more willing to be vulnerable, open, and less inhibited. It also inspired me to try to overcome other areas in my life that I find challenging, where apprehension held me back, I wanted to build more of that confidence and strength.

If you would like to see yourself in a different light, overcome your inhibitions, and take some beautiful photos, Cedna has the unique ability to capture you at your best.

- Marijana J.

Pictures tend to bring out my inner self-critic with harsh judgments about my appearance, but Cedna made it really easy to express my concerns and insecurities by hearing them and subtly soothing my concerns with empathy and understanding. I also noticed that when I was with my son during the photo shoot, none of my insecurities entered my mind. I was completely at ease in front of the camera when my son was with me. That experience made me see how much I love being a mom and how natural it should feel to love someone. Thank you for helping me to see this so clearly.

Cedna you are in your element when you are behind the lens. Your focus and attention to detail really comes through in the final product. Every time I look at the images with my son I experience a moment of unfettered joy in my heart. That moment of joy is something I come back to daily when I look at these images and that is invaluable to me.

I am grateful for your workmanship and dedication to superior quality. Me and my son will be back next year for another set of photos to capture our lives at that moment in time.

Jenn D.

My parents, who are in their 80s, do not like getting their photos taken let alone the thought of sitting through a photo shoot. I wanted to capture my parents as they are today and share it with my siblings so I strong-armed my mom to agree to it. Once they arrived at their photo session, they were enthralled. They had such an amazing experience with Cedna. She was so kind and patient with them. Their feedback:

“Cedna is amazing. She very quickly put us at ease and created so much trust. She has so much patience and great interpersonal skills. We would have done anything she asked of us. We were so surprised when she showed us the images – we love how she captured us. She made us look really good. We haven’t had this quality of photos EVER. We would highly recommend Cedna to anyone. There aren’t enough good words to describe the experience we had, what a lovely human being she is, and how fabulous her work is. She is an artist to the core! Thank you, Cedna”

I will be eternally grateful to Cedna for how she saw and preserved my parents in this moment in time. Her work is art in its truest, most authentic form!

Jacquie, Keith & Lil

Our photo session was a lot of fun. My daughters had a great variety of photographs taken and I somehow agreed to have pictures taken of myself also although I wasn’t planning on it.

I had my doubts about the photoshoot initially. Never have I done something like this before and I did not know what to expect. In the midst of a pandemic, with so many things happening around us at the time, I really wanted to do something different, something new, and Cedna offered us just that.

I am a middle aged woman with a busy schedule and two small children. I rarely think of myself as a woman anymore. I am a mother first, a spouse, a cook, a friend, a colleague and so many other things. I do not feel very comfortable in my skin. My wrinkles will show! What about my big arms? What about my chin? Cedna made me feel so comfortable and at ease through it all.

When I got to see the end result, the beautiful album, my gorgeous girls and even myself, I felt good. Really good! Would I do it again? Yes. Would I recommend it to someone else? 100%. Cedna has the talent to capture the person's authenticity and inner beauty. Her work is stunning!

I hope she continues to use her abilities to empower others, because that is what she does. Thank you, Cedna.

- Cristina C.