I’m Ang – a Cornwall, Ontario-based photographer with a passion for capturing light and photographing natural moments in life as they happen. I also happen to be passionate about documenting life for LGBTQ+ families. My goal with any family is to capture memories of moments that are fleeting; of behaviours that you won’t see in two years (or even six months). I love meeting new families in their natural environment and getting in amongst the bedlam so that I can document the perfectly imperfect realities of daily life, wherever that may take us. Maybe you’re lucky enough to be looking for a photographer for your own Cornwall adoption day celebration, or maybe you’re wanting to remember what Christmas morning looks like in your home this year. There’s never a wrong time for a documentary family session. Please explore more of www.momentusstudio.com to see more examples of my unique approach to candid family photography, from rural Ontario family photography sessions with threenagers to Ottawa family photojournalism.
This was such a special project for me.
Bruno reach out many months ago to ask if I’d be willing to document a part of his family’s history. He and his husband, Mac, were soon going to be adopting their son, Taylor, and Bruno was hoping that I’d be able to photograph the Cornwall adoption day ceremony at the Ontario Supreme Court. Needless to say, I was insanely excited for them and was immediately onboard.
I met them at their home so that I could grab a few frames in a setting that Taylor was comfortable in. Taylor thoughtfully gave me a tour of the house and then proceeded to get ready to head off with his dads. Mac and Bruno have invested a huge amount of time, energy, and love into their life with Taylor, and their efforts were evident in the way that they spoke to him, but also in the subtleties of their gestures. They invited everyone who had been involved in Taylor’s case to attend the ceremony as a way of helping them celebrate this milestone, but they also planned a party in Taylor’s honour, inviting everyone who attended the courthouse that morning and asking a local farmer’s market favourite to bake Taylor’s favourite cake (cinnamon, in case you were wondering). Their figurative road to the courthouse had been marked with detours, but today was going to be a day for celebrating.
While we were at the courthouse, I learned how observant Taylor is. He quietly and calmly watched as each person from his history arrived, asking some of them specific questions pertaining to the role that they played in his life. One caseworker was famous for giving him TicTacs and he immediately wanted to know if she had any. He greeted each person shyly, often not taking his eyes off the hallway that new guests needed to walk down upon their arrival. Waiting in the hallway, I got the feeling that he was more eager about seeing each new face than about going in to the courtroom, but for an interesting reason. While this ceremony was a big deal for his dads, I could see that Taylor wasn’t really fazed by it. He already had a home, and this ceremony wasn’t going to change that for him. This was potentially the most interesting detail to me about the whole thing. He already knew where he belonged. This told me everything I needed to know about Mac and Bruno’s efforts at welcoming Taylor.
During the ceremony, my coverage was restricted, but I was able to capture photos of the judge handing over a special gift, as well as all of the Children’s Aid staff who were invited to stand along one wall and do a celebratory Happy Dance to mark the closure of this file and the start of Taylor’s official life as a Millen.
Once the ceremony was complete, we were all off to the Benson Centre so that Taylor could let loose and enjoy time with his guests (and maybe some cake ;) ).
Here’s a look into Taylor’s Cornwall adoption day:
