Thunder at The Bay - Car Show
It was a very busy weekend as I had a wedding and a few other things going on but as soon as I drove by the CLE grounds on the Sunday I knew I had to go there at some point to check out what was going on. I had heard random advertisements about Thunder at the Bay on the radio but never really got the details. So, when I had a couple hours to spare I parked my car at the grounds and made my way through the gate. I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in to see a whole lot of vintage cars parked in the lot. With my camera in tow, I weaved in and out of the rows of cars and got in close to take some photos of the cars.
It was a very busy weekend as I had a wedding and a few other things going on but as soon as I drove by the CLE grounds on the Sunday I knew I had to go there at some point to check out what was going on. I had heard random advertisements about Thunder at the Bay on the radio but never really got the details. So, when I had a couple hours to spare I parked my car at the grounds and made my way through the gate. I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in to see a whole lot of vintage cars parked in the lot. With my camera in tow, I weaved in and out of the rows of cars and got in close to take some photos of the cars.
Since I have been to quite a few car shows in Thunder Bay in the past, I have seen my fare share of vehicles but this was by far the largest gathering I can remember seeing. It was such a great turnout! With my trusty Nikon D750 and 35mm lens, I got in nice and close to almost every car and came away with some great shots. Obviously it's nice to walk around and take in the car as whole, but for me, the attention is in the details. So many of the cars have such unique parts and modifications that it's hard to miss them sometimes if you don't get in close.
When I arrived there was also a fashion show going on as well as some RC Car races. For me though, I focuses mainly on the cars. In the end I think I walked around for close to 2 hours making sure to try and see every single car. As far as I know this was the first year for the event, but I could be wrong. Either way, I really hope it happens again next year because it was a lot of fun to see all the cars.
Festival of India - 2015
This year I got the chance to once again visit the Festival of India. It had been a few years since the last time I made it so I was excited to take some photos of the event. I was very impressed with how many people were there. It made for some really good opportunities for photos.
This year I got the chance to once again visit the Festival of India. It had been a few years since the last time I made it so I was excited to take some photos of the event. I was very impressed with how many people were there. It made for some really good opportunities for photos.
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Staal Foundation Open
This past week saw the Staal Foundation Open come and go. Luckily, this year I was able to be a part of it in some way. The Walleye, asked if I could spend some time each day photographing the event and gladly said yes. I have done many events in the past but this was my very first professional golf tournament. Suffice it to say I was super excited to get out there and document some of the action.
This past week saw the Staal Foundation Open come and go. Luckily, this year I was able to be a part of it in some way. The Walleye, asked if I could spend some time each day photographing the event and gladly said yes. I have done many events in the past but this was my very first professional golf tournament. Suffice it to say I was super excited to get out there and document some of the action.
Without knowing much about the event going in I checked out the website to see what some of the daily highlights were. Along with golf of course, there was always something going on. If you haven't already, and are interested in finding out more about all that went down, head on over to the website.
Without further ado, scroll down to see some of the moments I was able to capture during the event. There was lots of great action and when I wasn't photographing I was able to watch some fantastic golf as well. I can't wait for next year to roll around. I'm sure the event will be even bigger and better then this year. And of course, thanks to The Walleye for asking me to cover the action for them.
Heather + Jordan Wedding
With a few small weddings under my belt this year, Heather and Jordan’s special day was my first big one of the season. The weather was absolutely perfect so I knew it was going to be a great wedding. (Not that there are ever any ‘bad’ weddings’) The day started at a small little church just off of Oliver Road. As soon as I arrived I got my usual candid photos of the guests, the church itself and just the usual moments leading up to the ceremony itself. You can always feel the anticipation the air and I just love that feeling. I guess that will be me in August when I get to marry my beautiful Fiancé Anne.
With a few small weddings under my belt this year, Heather and Jordan’s special day was my first big one of the season. The weather was absolutely perfect so I knew it was going to be a great wedding. (Not that there are ever any ‘bad’ weddings’) The day started at a small little church just off of Oliver Road. As soon as I arrived I got my usual candid photos of the guests, the church itself and just the usual moments leading up to the ceremony itself. You can always feel the anticipation the air and I just love that feeling. I guess that will be me in August when I get to marry my beautiful Fiancé Anne.
Once the ceremony began, that’s when I really went to work. The good thing was that there was a a lot of room to move around so I was able to get some great creative angles and photos without being a distraction. That is one of the main challenges when shooting inside a church of any kind. As a photographer you want to get the ‘shot’ but you have to do so quietly and discreetly as possible. I’d like to think I have become a pro at it.
After the ceremony, everyone gathered in the church lobby and congratulated the couple. We then decided to do the family portraits right outside the church. I found a nice shaded area in front of the trees. Although it was mainly family group photos I never stopped looking for this spontaneous moments. This goes on throughout the entire day.
Heather and Jordan were very smart and left plenty of time for portraits which meant we were able to travel to a few different locations. The first stop was the Marina. We got some fantastic expansive photos at the firepit area along the water. From there we simply chose different spots and just went with the flow. I came up with some ideas and so did they. It was very relaxed atmosphere and the resulting photos showed that.
Once we left the Marina, it was time for me to just focus on Heather and Jordan. We made our way to Friendship Gardens. I had forgotten how pretty it is there. Some of my favourite photos of the entire day took place there. One of them being the one with the windmill in the background. I also found a nice little spot nestled in the trees. It was then time to head on over to the reception, which took place at the Valhalla Inn. Before everyone settled in, I was able to get a lot of detail photos of the decorations and table settings, as well as the cake.
From there, it was just a matter of walking around and documenting the ceremony. I only had a little bit of time to work with so we decided to do the ‘cupcake’ cutting before hand. I did get the opportunity to photograph the first dance and a fun game they did with the crowd. After that, my day was done. All in all, I came away with so many great photos. Thanks as always to Heather and Jordan. It was a very fun wedding to photograph and everyone was fantastic to work with.
Lucas' 1st Birthday + Cake Smash
This past Saturday I had the opportunity to photography Carol and her family again. Whereas last year we focused on the entire family, this time around it was a special occasion. Lucas just turned 1, so they decided they wanted to do a cake smash! This was my first cake smash so I really couldn't wait.
This past Saturday I had the opportunity to photography Carol and her family again. Whereas last year we focused on the entire family, this time around it was a special occasion. Lucas just turned 1, so they decided they wanted to do a cake smash! This was my first cake smash so I really couldn't wait.
The location was the same as last years which was Centennial Park. As soon as I arrived I saw all the great props they brought. We made our way to the trail and eventually the cabin area. Once there we took some quick family photos and then it was all about Lucas. He sat perfectly agains the log cabin and then eventually the bench. He decided he was going to go the serious route for a few shots so we pulled out his little hockey stick and he warmed up a bit once he saw that.
One of the great props they brought was a set of blue balloons. This led to one of my favourite photos of the day. We moved to the open field where he was then handed the balloons. It turned into a very genuine and spontaneous photo.
After we were done with the balloons we set up a chair in the leafy path. This particular part was a bit tough for Lucas as he just didn't want to sit still on the chair. He had a little bit of a fall but he recovered very quickly and was still smiling the rest of the session.
The train tracks were the next stop and here we got another bunch of great photos. My favourite moment from this part was when they put the crown on him. He immediately started crying. It ended up being one of the funniest and most sincere photos of the day. It's easy to always get smiling photos but it's also the other moments that can lead to some interesting outcomes.
It was then time for the final portion of the shoot. The cake smash! Being a one year old, I wouldn't say he really quite smashed the cake but once we got his hands full of icing it was off to the races. He was simply in his glory the rest of the way. I will most definitely be looking to do some more cake smashes in the near future. I have a ton of ideas and I can't wait to incorporate them. Once again Carol and her family were so much fun to photograph. It was a pleasure to be part of Lucas' first birthday.
Steven + Cara Wedding
It was time for yet another wedding and this one was just as fun as the others I have done this year. Even though it was a smaller wedding, it actually made it a bit more intimate which really allowed for a good pace and some great photo opportunities. It also helped that Steven and Cara were such a fun couple to photograph. That also goes for pretty much the entire crowd of people that attended.
The ceremony took place at First Presbyterian Church in Fort William. It was my first time photographing in this particular church. You can tell from some of the wide angle shots below just how big it actually was. As the crowd gathered I captured some candid moments, and there were a lot of them. Then it was time for Cara to make her way down the aisle. Probably the cutest moment of the day were the two ring bearers dressed as the secret service. The rings were contained in a 'top secret' case so they had quite the responsibility!
It was time for yet another wedding and this one was just as fun as the others I have done this year. Even though it was a smaller wedding, it actually made it a bit more intimate which really allowed for a good pace and some great photo opportunities. It also helped that Steven and Cara were such a fun couple to photograph. That also goes for pretty much the entire crowd of people that attended.
The ceremony took place at First Presbyterian Church in Fort William. It was my first time photographing in this particular church. You can tell from some of the wide angle shots below just how big it actually was. As the crowd gathered I captured some candid moments, and there were a lot of them. Then it was time for Cara to make her way down the aisle. Probably the cutest moment of the day were the two ring bearers dressed as the secret service. The rings were contained in a 'top secret' case so they had quite the responsibility!
Soon after Cara made her way to the alter. It's often easy to forgot about other peoples reactions during this moment but I think I caught one of the best of the day when Steven could hardly hold back the tears. It's true emotion like that which makes my job all worth it. I'm sure it helped that Cara looked stunning in her wedding dress.
Once the ceremony was done Cara and Steven whisked off to Whitewater Golf Club where the reception and portraits would be taking place. I followed behind them anxiously looking forward to taking their portraits. Because the wedding party was so small, we were all able to hop on the golf carts and eventually make our way to one of the back greens that overlook the river. It turned out to be such a nice day that even the ride along the path was very serene.
We spent about 45 minutes total getting to the greens and then taking photos with some of the prettiest backdrops in the city. My favourite moment was when Cara's maid of honour secretly wrote lovely message in the bunker. Of course, this ended up being a great shot as we were finishing up.
It was then time to hop back on the carts and make our way to the reception. Before that began though, we took some time to get the family portraits done. It went by very quick as everyone pretty much did all the shots in one take. No blinkers!
After that I rushed into the reception area to take some nice details photos of the decorations. They were all very lovely. The cake area was particularly beautiful as there were old photos draped around it amongst a vintage looking mirror. I didn't have much time left after this so I got some nice candids of the receiving lines and then a couple speeches and the first kiss.
Whitewater Golf Club is always a great venue and with a such a beautiful day for the wedding it couldn't have gone any better. Cara and Steven were a lot of fun to photograph and I'm very happy with all the great photos I ended up capturing!
Madeline + Michael Wedding
It was the perfect August afternoon for Madeline and Michael's wedding. Going into the day I was more excited then usual. The reason being that it was at a location I had never photographed before. Monty Park. The ironic thing is, is that I have lived just around the corner from it for a long time and I didn't even know it was there. That is, until Madeline and Michael asked me to photograph their wedding. It is by far one of the nicest locations within the city that I have ever had the pleasure of working at.
It was the perfect August afternoon for Madeline and Michael's wedding. Going into the day I was more excited then usual. The reason being that it was at a location I had never photographed before. Monty Park. The ironic thing is, is that I have lived just around the corner from it for a long time and I didn't even know it was there. That is, until Madeline and Michael asked me to photograph their wedding. It is by far one of the nicest locations within the city that I have ever had the pleasure of working at.
I arrived around 1:30 to set up and begin taking photos of the guests and the wedding party getting ready. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I always get so many great candid shots before the wedding starts. At around 2:00 the ceremony began. Everyone took their seats and the ceremony started. There were definitely a lot of emotions during the ceremony, a lot of those moments I was able to capture to. Once it was over all the guests mingled for a bit and the wedding party and the close family made their way to the other side of the park. It was then time to get all the group photos. There was a ton of space at the park, and I decided to use the beautiful wall there as a backdrop. We got the through the family photos fairly quick and then moved on to the wedding group photos.
I soon realized that this would be a very fun day taking photos of the group. They were just a blast to work. Shortly into the portrait session the entire group broke into 'I Want It That Way' by the backstreets. And yes, they pretty much sang the whole song with hand movements and all. After that we continued to take photos. Their outfits alone made the photos that much more unique. The boys went traditional with black and white and the girls did purple. But they all wore sneakers which tied everything together perfectly. Take a look at one of the last portrait photos on the steps and you will see what I mean.
Once we were done at Monty Park it was time for a quick pitstop at McDonalds. Instead of just using this as a break for myself, I kept my camera on me and got some great photos of them just hanging out there. These were some of my favourites from the day. The last stop before the reception was Waverly Park. You can't really go wrong with this location, with it's huge trees and great backdrop of the old P.A.C.I. Plus, I was able to capture my favourite photo of the day against the Magnus Theatre wall.
After all the portraits were done I had about 30 minutes left on the clock so I rushed over to the Italian Hall to get some quick detail photos of the reception. Once again I was pleasantly surprised by the decor. It tied into the entire theme of the wedding. The highlight of the reception decorations was the candy table. They even had personalized candy's with their name on it. Talk about attention to detail! As I do with all my weddings I want to give a big thank you to Madeline and Michael for letting me be a part of their wedding. They were easily one of the most fun and carefree couples I have ever had the pleasure of working with. I think the photos below really allow that to come through!
Marianne + Family Portraits - Tree Farm
It was yet another beautiful morning last Saturday and I was lucky enough to take photos of Marianne and her family at the local Tree Farm. The main reason she asked me to take photos was because her son just had his 2nd birthday recently.
It was yet another beautiful morning last Saturday and I was lucky enough to take photos of Marianne and her family at the local Tree Farm. The main reason she asked me to take photos was because her son just had his 2nd birthday recently.
We started the day at 10:00am. Luckily it was a bit overcast which made for some wonderful light and also some good weather. Once I arrived we started our walk through the forest stopping along the way. The hour went by super quick and everyone had a wonderful time.
The location itself is such a unique one. There are a ton of spots to stop with rows upon rows of trees in the background. Suffice it to say we took advantage of a few of them. We ended the session by the bridge that overlooks the creek which lender itself to a few more unique and creative photos.
As always, thanks to Marianne for letting me photograph her family. I had such a good time and I absolutely love how the photos turned out.
