Layla as Disney's Cinderella, on the steps of the Vernon Courthouse.
Image Credit: Camillia Courts Photography
November 26, 2015 - 9:00 PM
VERNON - A Vernon photographer brought a little magic home from Disneyland.
It all started with an elaborate Elsa dress Camillia Courts bought her daughter Layla, who was five years old at the time, during a family trip to Disneyland last year.
“When we brought it back home, I was thinking where the heck is she ever going to wear this,” Courts says. “It morphed into one day in January, I was bored — January is a slow time for photography — and I got this idea to take a picture of her in her dress.”
Layla as Elsa, from the Disney movie Frozen.
Image Credit: Camillia Courts Photography
That photo marked the beginning of a series Courts calls her Disney Inspired Photos. Since then, she and Layla, now six, have done Snow White, Anna from Frozen, and Cinderella, among others.
Layla as Anna, from Disney's Frozen.
Image Credit: Camillia Courts Photography
“People I knew just started giving me dresses,” Courts says. “I started accumulating all these beautiful Disney princess dresses — I have a closet in my house just filled with them.”
The project quickly became an opportunity for Courts to play with Photoshop and expand her editing skills, but one of her favourite parts is more about family than honing her trade.
“It’s great because I get to spend time with Layla and we have fun together,” Courts says. “Honestly, it’s become such a passion project for me, I really love it.”
On special occasions like Halloween, Courts also has fun dressing up. Here, she's the evil queen and Layla is Snow White.
Image Credit: Camillia Courts Photography
Locals will notice familiar locations in the photos such as the BX Creek Falls, trails near Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park, and the steps of the historic Vernon Courthouse.
Some of the photoshoots, which Courts tries to do on a monthly basis, are even styled by professional hair and makeup artists — not your average dress up session for a six-year-old.
“I hope she lets me do this until she graduates,” Courts says with a chuckle.
Layla as Princess Aurora.
Image Credit: Camillia Courts Photography
She’s even thinking of getting her nine-year-old son involved.
“He refused, until I mentioned Disney owns Star Wars,” she says. “Maybe we’ll have a Star Wars photo featuring him.”
Courts has a number of ideas up her sleeve for upcoming shoots, and you can follow the series on her website, or Facebook page.
Layla as Belle, from the Beauty and the Beast.
Image Credit: Camillia Courts Photography
To contact a reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015