Cedna Portrait Stories

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Cedna Portrait Stories Empowering photography experience for no ordinary humans & bold business brands www.cednaphotography.com

Wedding and lifestyle photographer, passionate about diversity and conveying stories in a genuine and authentic way.

Once upon a time in Italy
10/11/2025

Once upon a time in Italy

Some clients walk into the studio and it instantly feels like time spent with old friends.Zahra and Marcus were that for...
06/11/2025

Some clients walk into the studio and it instantly feels like time spent with old friends.
Zahra and Marcus were that for me.

They arrived with a clear sense of who they are, what they value, and the kind of images they wanted to create - yet were fully open to collaboration, trusting the process, and leaning into the moment. There was ease, laughter, curiosity, patience and genuine connection, a deep, lived-in love I haven’t witnessed in a while. Working with them was effortless and respect they showed for my approach and process was second to none.

Their love for their sweet rescue pup, Misty, was its own quiet poetry.

They have built together a life of adventure, travel, lived, and loved across the world - a life not defined by one moment - but thousands of small, beautiful ones, more than any single photograph could ever tell.

********

Marcus,

from your wife on your birthday:

Since 2012, life with you has been the most incredible journey.

You make me laugh every single day.
You are kind and generous.
You are thoughtful, intelligent and endlessly capable - someone I trust deeply to handle anything that comes our way.

Your adventurous spirit, your curiosity, your drive to build a meaningful life… I admire above all

Thank you for choosing this journey with me!

I love you, endlessly

Happy 40th Birthday,

— ❤️ Zahra

HMUA by talented

Halloween - the time of year when they make me spend 6+ hours dressing them up & doing their makeup multiple days in a r...
03/11/2025

Halloween - the time of year when they make me spend 6+ hours dressing them up & doing their makeup multiple days in a row.

Every year, I swear I’m not doing this again.
Every year I say next time we’re keeping it simple.
every year I say we’re not spending money on this.
And yet – here I am elbow deep in setting sprays and paint doing it all over again.

because as much as I complain, I secretly love it.
I love their excitement, their creativity, and the way they throw themselves into becoming someone else for a day.
I love their dedication
I love that they still want me to be a part of it.

The years are flying. There will come a time when no one will need me to drive them around, spend hours searching for wigs and no one will be eagerly jumping to look in the mirror to scream in joy.

One day I know I will miss the madness & I will remember these Halloweens the beautiful, fleeting proof of how much they still love to play.

Her at 14 and him at 8.

#ʜᴀʟʟᴏᴡᴇᴇɴ2025

Ever since she was small she has loved dressing up and embodying the various characters. On Friday however, she came hom...
03/11/2025

Ever since she was small she has loved dressing up and embodying the various characters.

On Friday however, she came home from school - and my heart broke a little.

The girl who’s spent the last nine years dreaming up costumes, paying attention to every detail, and proudly stepping into her imagination. This year, she even bought her own costume & accessories with her savings. She couldn’t wait to show up as her character.

But this time, she came home deflated and disheartened.

Not because most kids in school didn’t dress up.
Not even because most consider it’s not cool anymore.
But because the ones who invested zero effort are the ones who made off handed comments, gave her strange looks/smirks or asked condescending questions.

Not because she stood out - but because standing out cost her joy for the 1st time & I saw the impact of it in a significant way.

Because somewhere along the way, we started raising kids who measure being “cool” by being exactly the same as everyone else, doing or not doing what their friends say, following other’s opinions & judgements for a relentless desire to fit in & be part of a clique.

I have always chosen to raise my kids to have courage and their own voice. Even when it’s unpopular, even when it exposes them or costs them the odd glances, the uncomfortable whispers.

We reward academics, accolades, competition, trophies, performance…we praise our kids for their intelligence or talent - how often do we reward kindness?

How often do we teach our kids to root for the ones who take the time to be brave & to put themselves out there continuously to scrutiny & judgment. How often do we teach our kids the importance of self-expression and individuality?

So today I wanted to say: to every young person who still dares to show up as themselves: Keep dressing up. Keep creating. Keep expressing yourself!

The world needs more of your colour.

And to the parents out there - I hope we’ll acknowledge the importance of raising kids who can withstand the weight of judgment without dimming their light -
and who will choose joy & courage over ego, every single time.

So my dear Nastasia - never blend in. You’re the real magic to me ❤️

There are no rules in personal branding, only reflections of who you truly are.Anita is an attorney, mediator, and colla...
21/10/2025

There are no rules in personal branding, only reflections of who you truly are.

Anita is an attorney, mediator, and collaborative lawyer stepping into a bold new chapter - with curiosity, precision, and an unapologetic sense of self.

I love working with clients like her: those who know who they are and what they stand for, yet never stop evolving.

She’s rewriting her next chapter with courage and colour. A woman who has spent decades mastering precision and now gives herself permission to play - to explore new opportunities, bold ideas, and her own presence in front of the lens.

My clients may come from very different worlds - finance, law, art, leadership, medicine — but they all share one common thread: a quiet rebellion against the ordinary and a desire to be seen in their full, authentic expression and essence.

Thank you Anita for your trust!

NO FUSS. INFINITE IMPACT.Hey Calgary, If you’ve been waiting for a sign to finally update your headshot and are looking ...
14/10/2025

NO FUSS. INFINITE IMPACT.

Hey Calgary,

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to finally update your headshot and are looking for modern, impactful portraits that portray your personality - this is it.

This Friday, October 17th marks the FINAL Headshot Express Sessions we are offering in 2025.

These fast, focused sessions are designed for busy professionals who value connection, excellence and individuality and want to stand out.

If you are ready to truly elevate your visual presence and see yourself through high-impact, authentic portraits - without the custom session commitment - this is the last opportunity to collaborate with us in 2025 through these specific sessions.

📅 Friday, October 17th
⚡ 5 spots.
👉 Book your session: comment “visual presence” for a direct link

Whether you are looking to update your Linkedin Profile, rebrand your business, are stepping into a new role or are ready to be more intentional in how you show up, this is the chance to step into a higher, best version of yourself.

Are you a woman who’s ready to stop waiting for recognition and start owning it?We’ve seen it many times, talented, capa...
07/10/2025

Are you a woman who’s ready to stop waiting for recognition and start owning it?

We’ve seen it many times, talented, capable and dedicated women hiding behind humility. Doing the work. Delivering results. Waiting to be seen. Waiting for their rightful recognition. For a seat at the right table.

It’s time to change that.

I am excited and honoured to be invited to co-host a

🎯FREE Masterclass for Women Leaders: RAISE YOUR PROFILE - with Kristina Sammut, CEO of .

OCTOBER 20th | 11am MT/ 1 pm ET
ZOOM

Kristina empowers women to position themselves for advancement, strengthen their leadership presence, and confidently negotiate their worth. As an executive coach she helps women navigate the leap from expert to recognized leader; gives them the tools to advocate for themselves and make strategic moves in their careers.

Join us for this high-impact free masterclass designed to help women leaders

- show up with clarity
- lead with conviction
- own your presence and
- expand your impact.

and discover how leadership visibility and visual storytelling work together to position you as the leader you already are.

Together, we’ll explore the mindset and presence shifts that expand your visibility and amplify your leadership influence.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

🔹 Strategic Visibility: Breaking Through the Ceiling.
Why women often stay in “contributor mode” — and how to step into leadership recognition.

🔹 What Raising Your Profile Really Takes.
The mindset and habits that make others see you as the leader you already are.

🔹 How Presence Shapes Perception.
The role of body language, visual identity, and intentional choices in signaling authority.

🔹 From Insight to Impact.
How to communicate your value clearly and confidently — and take up space without apology.

You’ll walk away with proven frameworks to:

✅Elevate your visibility and credibility
✅Build authentic, lasting influence
✅Communicate your leadership brand with clarity and confidence

Registration Link in Stories or comment “lead” for a direct link

Hope to see you there

You can have a standard headshot or you can make a statement. We do Headshots but we strive to make them human.❌ What We...
06/10/2025

You can have a standard headshot or you can make a statement.

We do Headshots but we strive to make them human.

❌ What We Don’t Do

- No cookie-cutter images that look like everyone else’s
- No awkward silences or vague instructions on what to do
- No guesswork on what to wear, how to prepare or pose
- No over-editing, fake smiles, or forced expressions.
- No rushed, impersonal experience where you feel like just another transaction

⸻

✅ What We Do Instead

- Yes to a personal connection - because great portraits start with trust.

- Yes to a guided process where every detail, pose, expression, lighting, wardrobe is intentionally crafted

- Yes to images that communicate your individuality, credibility, warmth and presence.

- Yes to portraits that look and feel like you - on your best day, in your best light.

- Yes to a customized, confidence-building experience that helps you feel as powerful as you look.

Out last headshot express sessions for 2025 take place on October 17th for one day only. If you have been looking to elevate your online profile and visual presence now is the time to see for yourself why not all photography experiences are created equal.

Comment “Express” for link with details and booking info

Featuring Beautiful

Beautiful Hayden. Dancer headshots
03/10/2025

Beautiful Hayden.

Dancer headshots

16/09/2025

This was recorded almost 18 months ago at my Worthy Woman Portrait Exhibit and I have never shared it.

Why?

Because it always felt utterly and unexplainably uncomfortable or even wrong to hear others talk about me.

Isn’t it strange how quick we are to downplay compliments, to brush off recognition, to silence the very words that attempt to acknowledge and celebrate us? To minimize anything spoken with heart and desire to share what small impact we may have made on someone else.

The irony isn’t lost on me - I spend so much time, energy and invest so much genuine passion encouraging my clients to see themselves, to own their wins, to celebrate their worth and see themselves through a lens of kindness. Yet I’ve struggled my entire life to do the same and even though it’s gotten better over the last few years - it’s a constant work in progress.

Today, something possessed me to press play in all this time. I pressed the button with an open heart. And I heard these words differently. Not with resistance, but with deepest gratitude and a few tears in between.

Maybe that’s the lesson: accepting praise isn’t vanity - it’s a form of deeply fundamental self-acknowledgment. And we all deserve to practice it more often.

Have you practiced any self-acknowledgment lately?

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