Eden + Chris Family Session
Eden + Chris are another family that I have been photographing for a very long time. I really can’t put into words how fun it is to capture memorable moments each year. Especially at their property in the country which is always an adventure.
Eden + Chris are another family that I have been photographing for a very long time. I really can’t put into words how fun it is to capture memorable moments each year. Especially at their property in the country which is always an adventure.
Eden + Chris Family Portraits
My afternoon session today took me all the way out to Kakabeka to photograph Eden and her family on their property. It was great to once again be out there as it’s been over a year since the last time. She said there were a couple suprises for me when I arrived so I was curious as to what that could be. Well … it turns out they now have 13 week old twin boys and a second dog!
My afternoon session today took me all the way out to Kakabeka to photograph Eden and her family on their property. It was great to once again be out there as it’s been over a year since the last time. She said there were a couple suprises for me when I arrived so I was curious as to what that could be. Well … it turns out they now have 13 week old twin boys and a second dog!
Those two things obviously made what was going to be a fun session, even better! It went by so fast but I came away with so many good moments.
Hannah + Chris Family Session
My first time meeting Hannah and Chris was during their maternity session last year. Fast forward to this year, and it was time for a family get together to celebrate their wedding. It was awesome seeing their newest addition to the family as well as the rest of their family, this time around. I had a great time capturing a mix of posed and mostly candid photos.
My first time meeting Hannah and Chris was during their maternity session last year. Fast forward to this year, and it was time for a family get together to celebrate their wedding. It was awesome seeing their newest addition to the family as well as the rest of their family, this time around. I had a great time capturing a mix of posed and mostly candid photos.
Eden + Chris Family Portraits
My second session out at Eden and Chris’s house in the country was so much fun. This time around they had a new puppy and even some rabbits, which we took advantage of near the end of the shoot. It doesn’t get much cuter than that!
My second session out at Eden and Chris’s house in the country was so much fun. This time around they had a new puppy and even some rabbits, which we took advantage of near the end of the shoot. It doesn’t get much cuter than that!
Hannah + Chris Maternity Session
Chris decided to do the session at his grandparents’ property, which ended up being an absolutely amazing backdrop. I also got to meet their dog Indy, who reminded me so much of our dog Bea. Such a personality. As you would imagine, the photos turned out perfect, which is almost impossible when you a have a beautiful couple like Hannah and Chris.
For my maternity session with Hannah and Chris, I got to drive out to the country on a beautiful fall day. Chris decided to do the session at his grandparents’ property, which ended up being an absolutely amazing backdrop. I also got to meet their dog Indy, who reminded me so much of our dog Bea. Such a personality. As you would imagine, the photos turned out perfect, which is almost impossible when you a have a beautiful couple like Hannah and Chris.
Eden + Chris Family Portraits - Kakabeka Falls
I’ve lost track how many times I have photographed Eden and Chris, but each time I do, it’s even better than the last. Add in the fact that they now have an absolutely beautiful house in Kakabeka Falls, which is simply amazing. Their son Orson, just keeps getting bigger and bigger. He pretty much dictated the whole session, which I’m completely fine with.
I’ve lost track how many times I have photographed Eden and Chris, but each time I do, it’s even better than the last. Add in the fact that they now have an absolutely beautiful house in Kakabeka Falls, which is simply amazing. Their son Orson, just keeps getting bigger and bigger. He pretty much dictated the whole session, which I’m completely fine with.
There was a really field out where they lived that we immediately took advantage of. After that we simply wandered around and I captured a mix of posed and candid photos. All my sessions are so laid back and I think that really speaks to the authenticity of what I do. It also helps when you have people like Eden and Chris to photography.
The only question is how soon I can photograph them again!
Eden + Chris Family Portraits
I originally photographed Eden and Chris’s Wedding a few years back and then a portrait session a couple years ago as well. It was time for yet another portrait session and I couldn’t wait to see then again. Every time I have photographed them in the past it’s been such a great time. This session was no different. The hour went by so fast I could hardly believe it. I’m so glad the weather held up too, it was perfect overcast and not too hot.
I originally photographed Eden and Chris’s Wedding a few years back and then a portrait session a couple years ago as well. It was time for yet another portrait session and I couldn’t wait to see then again. Every time I have photographed them in the past it’s been such a great time. This session was no different. The hour went by so fast I could hardly believe it. I’m so glad the weather held up too, it was perfect overcast and not too hot.
Rheana + Chris New Years Eve Wedding
What can I say about my last wedding of the year. It was epic. I started at 11:00am and didn’t end until after 12:00am. It was actually my very first New Years wedding and it will always be one I remember. Many of you might think that is a long day but it went by so fast because it was just so much fun. I’m so happy Rheana and Chris invited me into their lives one day and allowed me to capture one of the most important day of their lives.
What can I say about my last wedding of the year. It was epic. I started at 11:00am and didn’t end until after 12:00am. It was actually my very first New Years wedding and it will always be one I remember. Many of you might think that is a long day but it went by so fast because it was just so much fun. I’m so happy Rheana and Chris invited me into their lives one day and allowed me to capture one of the most important day of their lives.
The day started with Chris and the groomsmen. It was my first time meeting him and I immediately felt comfortable. It was very laid back which made for extremely natural photos. I’m all about the candids and photojournalistic type style of wedding photography, and this was no exception. I was only here for about 40 minutes but I came away with a ton of great photos. The next stop after that was with Rheana and the girls. Just like Chris, this was my first time meeting Rheana too. She was immediately very inviting once I arrived. All the bridesmaids were also so nice and easy going. I spent a bit more time with them and it was equally as fun as the guys.
It was then off to the church for the ceremony. As you would expect it was quite beautiful. Even though it was a big church, it was an intimate gathering of family and friends which was really nice. As I always do I simply walked around and captured moments and people. Especially when in it’s in a church, the ceremony is one of my favourite parts of the wedding day, mainly because it really allows me to focus on the people of the wedding, not just the bride and groom.
Once the ceremony was done the wedding party left pretty quickly and made their way to Vickers Park for some outdoor portraits. Now remember, this is the dead of winter and it was very cold out. They were troopers though and we made it happen. I knew I had to work fast so people didn’t freeze to death so we found a nice backdrop in the park and set up shop there. Even though it was cold out, there was a lot of fresh snow on the ground and the trees so it was absolutely perfect. I think we managed to all the portraits in under 30 minutes, which was quite impressive.
The last stop on the day was the reception which took place at the DaVinci Center. I have shot quite a few weddings here so I was excited that Rheana and Chris chose it for their reception location. That is where I spent the rest of my night up until the New Year began.
As soon as I arrived I made sure to get photos of all the table settings and some of the decorations. Rheana wanted to do all the family portraits downstairs before the guests arrived and that is what we did. It was definitely a lot warmer then having all of the family go out to Vickers Park. I still had some time after that to go to the main ballroom and photograph more of the decor.
After the guests arrived and got comfortable there were some initial speeches, the an awesome 5 course meal which I made sure to eat. Chris checked on me to, to make sure I was doing so. You would be amazed how many wedding couple check up on me to make sure I eat. Chris and Rheana had their first dance after they officially entered the hall and Chris also had a dance with his mom. There was a bouquet toss which resulted in probably one of my favourite photos below which you can see below. Rheana’s daughters’ expression in the line up was just priceless. Of course, she caught the bouquet too.
After that there was just a lot of dancing and celebration up until the clock struck 12:00. As I mentioned above, this wedding will always go down as one of my favourites. Not only because it was my first New Years wedding but also because Chris and Rheana were such an awesome couple to photograph. Oh, and their family and friends were also very fun and friendly. I got approached a few times throughout the day saying I was doing a great job. That’s always nice to hear and reminds me why I do this thing called wedding photography.
Eden + Chris Portraits - Current River Park
Back in 2015 I photographed Eden and Chris's wedding at Current River Park so it was only fitting that Eden suggested we do the portrait session there. This time around they had a new addition to the family and they also brought their dog as well. I had my hands full for sure but it ended up being such a fun and spontaneous session. The weather couldn't have been better and Eden and Chris where completely natural in front of the camera. I'm very much looking forward to a future session in the near future!
Back in 2015 I photographed Eden and Chris's wedding at Current River Park so it was only fitting that Eden suggested we do the portrait session there. This time around they had a new addition to the family and they also brought their dog as well. I had my hands full for sure but it ended up being such a fun and spontaneous session. The weather couldn't have been better and Eden and Chris where completely natural in front of the camera. I'm very much looking forward to a future session in the near future!
Shannon + Chris Wedding - River Valley Farm
Chris for the day. I had already photographed them a year earlier for their engagement photos at Lakehead University. Before we got the wedding site at River Valley Farm, my day started with the bridal party getting their hair and makeup done at La Moda.
Upon arrival, I immediately had my camera in hand and weaved my way in and out of the girls getting ready. Luckily, La Moda, is fairly spacious which allowed me to get some good angles and moments of the girls. After about 15 minutes or so, I then made my way across town to Fort William where the boys were gathered. They were already dressed so I just did my best to capture some of the interaction between all of them. I had about 15 minutes to work with again and I think I got some pretty cool shots.
Chris for the day. I had already photographed them a year earlier for their engagement photos at Lakehead University. Before we got the wedding site at River Valley Farm, my day started with the bridal party getting their hair and makeup done at La Moda.
Upon arrival, I immediately had my camera in hand and weaved my way in and out of the girls getting ready. Luckily, La Moda, is fairly spacious which allowed me to get some good angles and moments of the girls. After about 15 minutes or so, I then made my way across town to Fort William where the boys were gathered. They were already dressed so I just did my best to capture some of the interaction between all of them. I had about 15 minutes to work with again and I think I got some pretty cool shots.
The next stop after that, was back with the girls which were getting ready and Shannon and Chris's house. As you would expect, I got some getting ready photos, a few shots of the dress hanging outside and of course any pets I could find, which in this case was just their dog. The two cats decided not to come out. After Shannon gave her bridesmaids their gifts, which they absolutely loved, it was off to Vickers Park for the 'first look'.
For the first look, Shannon actually put them time in at the house to wear a very vintage and 'different' looking wedding dress over top of her actual dress, just to see Chris's reaction on the first look. I was even laughing as she was putting it on, as were the bridesmaids. Well, she didn't quite get the reaction she was expecting. As Chris saw her walking towards her at the park, he looked more confused then anything. Once she told him what was going on, he let out a smile and a laugh. I could totally see why he would be hesitant to laugh because, in the off chance that it was the actual dress. It was a genuine moment and one of my favourites of the day. Shannon then took it off and we redid the first look and it was just as good as the real first one.
I then packed up my stuff, hopped in my car and made the very beautiful drive out to River Valley Farm. The weather was threatening with rain all day but in the end, it all worked out and it didn’t rain at all. The sun even came out here and there which was awesome. As the guests arrived I wandered around the big property and took a whole lot of candids of pretty much everyone. That is my favourite part of the day, because it allows me to just sit back and become part of the crowd and document everything.
As the ceremony was set to begin, I got into position and made sure I some good photos of the wedding party walking with the backdrop of the barn in the background. It’s hard to picture a nice setting for a wedding. The ceremony itself was pretty quick, but I managed to still find some great angles and special moments throughout. Immediately after the ceremony, we got all the family portraits done, which then lead into all the wedding party photos. There are so many great backdrops at River Valley Farm but we just stuck the ceremony area where there were two enormous trees as well as a white picket fence overlooking the distant fields and mountains. It sure made my job very easy.
The last part of the day was the reception which took place in the barn, and it was the perfect setting too. The reception was perfectly spaced out and Shannon and Chris really outdid themselves with the food. In total, there were 6 courses, if I’m not mistaken, and they were all prepared using different vendors and suppliers in the city. Every single course was really good, and I’m not just saying that. There was also an old couch set up by the desert table, so I suggested that anyone who wants their photo taken tap me on the shoulder and I would happy to oblige. As it turned out, almost every guest at one point or another wanted their photo taken on it. So it worked out perfectly! It goes to show you, you don’t always need a ‘photo booth’ necessarily.
Throughout the evening there were some wonderful speeches, the first dance of course and as always, special little moments in between that I simply had to look for and capture. All in all, it was such a fun wedding day. Even though I travelled to multiple locations through the day, I had absolutely no problem doing so as it kept things interesting and exciting. I am always thankful to shoot at River Valley Farm too because it is by far one of the nice locations in town. The Veurinks were very kind to let Shannon and Chris use it. Lastly, thanks to Shannon and Chris for choosing me to capture their special day. I’m truly honoured.
Below you will find a very sampling of some of the highlights from the day. Also, as I do with all my weddings, please take a moment to watch a short black and white slideshow.
Jesalynn + Chris Wedding - Fort William Historical Park
Jesalynn and Chris celebrated their wedding just under a month ago and I was lucky enough to be chosen to photograph it. My day started at the Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship Church which is where the ceremony took place. It's a very small church but it was the perfect venue for an intimate wedding. It was a also a great place to photograph a ceremony because it had huge a lot of windows that let in a ton of natural light, which made for some good dramatic shots.
Jesalynn and Chris celebrated their wedding just under a month ago and I was lucky enough to be chosen to photograph it. My day started at the Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship Church which is where the ceremony took place. It's a very small church but it was the perfect venue for an intimate wedding. It was a also a great place to photograph a ceremony because it had huge a lot of windows that let in a ton of natural light, which made for some good dramatic shots.
As I waited for Jesalynn to make her way down the aisle, I roamed around and captured a ton of candid shots of the guests and the groomsmen. Once Jesalynn was ready to do the walk, all the guests rose up and watched as she made the walk. I was able to go about anywhere in the church which was awesome for angles and to also be as discreet as possible. I'd like to think I'm pretty quite on my feet during a wedding but maybe I'm completely wrong! I hope not.
Once the wedding was over, Jesalynn really wanted to get a large group shot outside the church and that was exactly what we did! Even though it was very, very cold out. It ended up being one of my favourite photos of the day.
Jesalynn and Chris both work at Starbucks so they had the great idea of heading over there after the ceremony to get some truly unique and fun photos. I say we spent about almost an hour there and it was totally worth. I absolutely love when wedding couples are willing to go to public places like that.
It was then time to head to the reception which was at Fort William Historical Park. I have done many weddings here so I know how beautiful the room is there. It's very easy for a photographer like me to walk around freely and capture a ton of moments. I mixed in the usual candids with some more portraits of the groomsmen and bridesmaids with Chris and Jesalynn. I didn't spend the reception with them, but I did manage to get the first dance photos and some of the speeches. Also, Jesalynn was kind enough to feed me dinner so I got the chance to have some amazing food. Overall, the entire day was very laid back but super fun. Both Jesalynn and Chris are probably two of the nicest people I have ever met and I am so thankful I was able to be a part of their wedding day.
Shannon + Chris Portraits - Lakehead Trail
I just recently started offering a Mini Session, which you can find on my pricing page. It's basically aimed at those families or couples that just need 20 or so photos during a 30 minute session. Shannon and Chris decided to do one and it was a lot of fun. Shannon recommended the Lakehead University trail and it was such a perfect choice. The funny thing is, is that I live just down the street and this was my first portrait session there.
I just recently started offering a Mini Session, which you can find on my pricing page. It's basically aimed at those families or couples that just need 20 or so photos during a 30 minute session. Shannon and Chris decided to do one and it was a lot of fun. Shannon recommended the Lakehead University trail and it was such a perfect choice. The funny thing is, is that I live just down the street and this was my first portrait session there.
All the colours were in full swing so we headed down by the creek to take advantage of the water as well as the beautiful trail. With only 30 minutes to work with, I made sure to keep things moving while not necessarily rushing anything. What we came away with were some truly natural moments. Shannon and Chris were so great in front the camera. All I had to do was tell them to stand in a certain location and the rest was really easy.
One of the final shots, as per Shannon's request, was a portrait of Chris with straw in his mouth. It was a fitting end to a very laid back session. Thanks to both Chris and Shannon for letting me photograph them on such a nice Fall afternoon.
