Sandy + Family Portraits - Thunder Bay Marina
Last May I had the pleasure of photographing Anika and Aaron's family at Chippewa Park. It was such a fun shoot and one of my favourites of the year. When Aaron approached me again for some family portraits this past weekend, it was actually a surprise for his Mom and Dad. So this time around there were 13 people plus one very pretty dog. The location this time around was also the Thunder Bay Marina. The forecast initially called for rain, so we had planned on possibly an indoor shoot. That was far from the case because it ended up being on of the hottest days of the year.
Allison + Family Portraits
One of the reasons I enjoy photography so much, especially portrait photography, is because I get to meet so many great families. You never know what to expect but I am always pleasantly surprised. My session with Allison and her family, was definitely no exception. Everyone was very easy going and the kids were just full of energy.
Darlene + David Wedding
There are still a lot more weddings I can look forward to photographing this year but Darlene and David’s was one that couldn’t come soon enough, for a couple reasons. The first one being that it was at Old Fort William which is one of the nicest locations in town. Secondly, upon first meeting them prior to the wedding, I knew it was going to be a very intimate and fun wedding. Well, it met both those criteria and exceeded beyond what I expected. I arrived, as I always do, about 30 minutes before the wedding to capture some unique and candid photos. With guests constantly arriving, mingling and taking their seats, there were definitely lots of opportunities for photos.
Wilderness North - Alan Cheeseman Profile
This past weekend I had a very unique and interesting photo assignment. My job, was to essentially shoot a day in the life of Alan Cheeseman, owner and operator of Wilderness North which is just outside of Armstrong, Ontario. It turns out his wife wrote in to a company called Dollar Shave Club, profiling her husband and the business they have been running for quite a while now. Well, Dollar Shave Club loved their testimonial and as it turns out, they found me online, liked my photography, and decided to hire me for the task.
Katrina + Ed Wedding
It was only a couple weeks ago but Katrina and Ed's Wedding Day is still fresh in my mind. The day turned out to be one of the nicest so far of the summer, although, it was fairly hot. But, there is no way I will ever complain about hot weather in this city with winter always around the corner.
Katrina and Ed's wedding took place at their new house out on Hawkeye Lake. For those of you that haven't been to this lake it is absolutely gorgeous. I had been to their house a year prior but that was for engagement photos and the house wasn't quite done then. Seeing it for the first time with all the guests and family gathered around was quite the site. Of course, the backdrop of the Hawkeye Lake definitely helped set the mood.
Teach for Canada Summer Enrichment Program
A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure to photograph an event for Teach for Canada. For those of you who don't know, Teach for Canada is a non-profit organization that works with schools in northern First Nations communities to recruit, prepare, and retain committed teachers.
5th Annual Thunder Bay Strongman Competition
This past Saturday the annual 5th Annual Strongman Competition took place at the Wayland Bar and Grill in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Being my first year attending the competition I didn't really know what to expect. Regardless, I packed up my cameras and headed on over. As soon as I got there, I was amazed at the turnout of competitors as well as fans. Right off the bat I noticed my good friend Tony from Theymedia was filming the event. So I set up shop right by him and started capturing some fantastic photos. I was able to observe the tire flip and the push press event. I was amazed by both events and just how much weight these guys were able to throw around.
Katherine + Gerry Wedding
My good friend Gerry who I have known since high school decided to finally tie the knot and asked me to photograph his wedding. Anytime I get the chance to photograph an friends wedding I always look forward to it. Having met Katherine a couple times prior to the wedding I knew instantly that they were perfect for each other. So once the day came, I couldn't wait to get started.
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.
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.
Canadian Council of Forest Ministers
This past Friday I had the pleasure of photographing the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers at the Best Western Plus Norwester Hotel & Conference Centre. It was an all day event which concluded with a press conference with The Honourable Greg Rickford, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, and the Honourable Bill Mauro, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry for the Province of Ontario.
Mariam + Hassanali Family Portraits - Centennial Park
This past Saturday I had the pleasure of photographing some old friends and their visiting family at Centennial Park. I've known Mariam and Hassanali for a few years now and when they called me out of the blue to do some portraits the following day, I jumped at the chance. It was a very quick turnaround seeing as how their relatives were only in town for a couple days so we booked the session for 8:00 on a Saturday morning and the that was that.
Photographing Sylvia + Greg's Wedding as a Guest
As a Wedding Photographer, there is a always a lot of pressure and a ton of responsibility. I always embrace both with each wedding a photograph and those two aspects are what make shooting weddings fun, among other things. Well, this past weekend I was simply a guest at a family wedding in Hamilton, Ontario. Attending this wedding made me feel like as though I have finally come full circle. The last wedding I shot as a guest was what got me into wedding photography in the first place. That was over 6 years ago. It's been one hell of a ride since then and those years have flown by.
Crystal + Family Portraits - Mission Marsh
Mission Marsh was the setting for my latest portrait session with Crystal and her wonderful family. It was much colder then expected once we arrived but once everyone got moving I think it warmed up a bit. That's the problem with doing a photoshoot right beside Lake Superior I guess. Either way, it was a great venue and the photos we took turned out amazing.
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.
Anika + Family Portraits - Chippewa Park
Chippewa Park was the latest location for my most recent portrait session. This time around around it was Anika and her fantastic family. It was later in the afternoon but it wasn't too cold at all, especially once we all started moving around. We started off at the playground which got everyone's blood flowing and it was off to the races from there.
Marilynn - Robbi Wedding - Thunder Bay Conservatory
Often times when I shoot weddings they are anywhere from 3 hours all the way up to 10 hours. This time around Marilynn and Robbie simply asked me to photograph their ceremony at the Conservatory. The total time ended up being 1 hour and 15 minutes. Even though it was an hour, I came away with so many wonderful photos.
Minister Rickford Speaking to the Economic Action Plan 2015 for Northern Ontario
This morning I had the pleasure of photographing a very special event hosted by the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce, the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission and Ambassadors Northwest. The Honourable Greg Rickford, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario spoke about the Government's actions to create one of the world's most favourable investment climates by lowering taxes and opening new markets through free trade agreements.
Joel Plaskett + The Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra
This past Saturday the Community Auditorium welcomed Joel Plaskett to the stage. He wasn't alone, as the entire Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra joined him. Lucky for me, I was there to photograph it once again for The Walleye. Going in I heard of Joel Plaskett, and even some of his songs. It was a totally different experience hearing him live in concert, especially when backed by an entire orchestra.
Brittney + Adam + Chase - Thunder Bay Marina
Well, it was too long ago that I photographed Brittney and her family. During that shoot, it was a reveal that she was pregnant. We had a great time. If you would like to check that session out, here you go. This time around Brittney is just about ready to bring a new addition to the family. Before it was too late, we decided to get some 'maternity' photos outdoors, at the Marina again. We both thought it was a fitting location, seeing as how thats' where she first announced it.