Looking Back On My 2017 Events
I recently posted my favourite wedding photos of 2017 which was a great way for me to look back and really see what I captured, and also what I can improve upon. Then it dawned on me that I covered a lot of events throughout the year too. So it was a no brainer to select a few of my top photos from the numerous events I covered.
Darla + Family Portraits
This was my second session with Darla and her amazing family. It's always nice going into a family's home during the holidays and capturing some genuine moment. Especially when kids are involved, you never quite know what to expect. There was also a new addition to the family this year as you can see from the photos below.
Leah + Family Studio Portraits
It has been an extremely cold couple weeks here in Thunder Bay, and it doesn't look to be getting any warmer soon. That means outdoor portrait session are not really possible. Luckily, I now have an indoor photo studio so I don't have to rely solely on outdoor portraits. Leah and her family decided to have a mini-session with me a few days ago and it turned out to be very fun.
15 Favourite Wedding Photos of 2017
I hope it doesn't sound conceded when I say that it was extremely difficult to choose my favourite 15 wedding photos of 2017 because I had so many great ones. If anything, I think it speaks to just how many amazing weddings I was fortunate enough to photography. It obviously helped that each and ever wedding couple in 2017 was simply amazing.
Karyn + Family Portraits - Shipyard Road
This was my second time photographing Karyn and her family and it was just as fun as the first one, albeit a little colder this time around. Even though this was a winter session this time around, everyone had a great time.
I decided to take them to a little spot just off Shipyard Road which I photographed once before. The only difference this time around was that it was a winter session so there was snow on the ground. We managed to get some good shots along the train tracks and on a one of the small ledges. There was a bit too much snow though, and I didn't want everyone trudging through it the entire session.
Tricia + Darren Portraits - Mariner's Hall
I'm so lucky to be able to meet amazing couples and families each time a have a session. This time around I spent 30 minutes capturing some moments between Tricia and Darren. It was somewhat of a last minute session as Tricia's original photographer who they have been using for quite some time, wasn't available. Luckily, I had some spots open this weekend, and I'm so glad I did.
Anna + John Family Portraits - Marina
It was a quick and somewhat cold session with Anna, John and their two boys, but we managed to come away with some really good photos, despite the weather. Even Owen and Nolan were great and very patient. As with most sessions in the winter on cold days, I did my best to keep everyone moving, not staying in one spot too long, yet not rushing anything. It helped that Anna and her family were great models. It just goes to show you, that despite the winter weather, there is no excuse not get out there and get some photos done!
Taylor + Grant Engagement - Tree Farm
What can I say about Taylor and Grant? They were such an awesome couple to photography. It was the perfect example of a beautiful couple in a beautiful location, which ended up being the Tree Farm. Even though the original plan was to wait for a fresh snowfall, we decided to do the session on one of the warmest December weekends I can remember. It was worth it though, because the resulting photos turned out great.
Craig + Dakota Portraits
It was my second mini session of the day in the new studio and I got to hang out with an amazing couple in Craig and Dakota who are expecting their first child very soon. So, they wanted to get a few maternity photos done before the baby arrived. Then, in about a month or so, we are going to get back together and do some family photos, which I'm super excited for.
Desiree + Jonah Newborn Portraits
My first of two studio sessions this past Sunday was with Desiree and Jonah and their baby twins. It was only a 30 minute session so we worked fast, but it was so much fun and we came away with so many great photos. I'm so excited to finally have a proper studio where there is a lot more space to work with. Desiree and Jonah had some great outfits for both babies so it was just a matter of making sure they stayed still for a few moments here and there.
ICC Citizenship Ceremony at Fort William Historical Park
Last week I was honoured to photograph a very important ceremony for a lot of people. It was the Citizenship Ceremony held at Fort William Historical Park and it was hosted by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. Approximately 50 new Canadians were officially declared Canadian Citizens. Before that happened, they all had a chance to meet with the other guests as well as share their stories and journey that brought them to this point. They have all been in Canada for quite a while now, so it was exciting for each an every one of them to be able to finally call Thunder Bay home.
ONWA Poetry Night - Strong Hands Stop Violence
This past Sunday ONWA held a very special poetry night in an effort to raise awareness of Violence Against Women in support of the United Nations International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women. My task was to capture the event in photos which included musical guests - Melinda a Melissa Henderson and of course Audra Santa.
Chrystal + Joshua Wedding - Fort William Historical Park
My last wedding of the 2017 season was with Chrystal and Joshua at Fort William Historical Park and I couldn't have asked for a more fitting end to the wedding season. It also happened to be a winter wedding which is another bonus, and, it actually snowed too.
I arrived at 1:00pm and my first order of business was to capture the bridal party portraits. Luckily for me, the backdrop was already in place with a beautiful vintage green couch, provided by the wedding planner Shalini Misir of Maid For The Bride. It also helped that Chrystal and all the bridesmaids were a blast to photograph on the couch. The wedding party's attire mixed with the vintage theme, really made it easy for me to create some truly beautiful photos.
Lakehead University Farewell Reception in Honour of Dr. Brian J.R. Stevenson and Judy Davies
This past Thursday, Lakehead University honoured Dr. Brian J.R. Stevenson's accomplishments as President and Vice-Chancellor of Lakehead University from 2010 to 2017. For the first portion of the event everyone in attendance mingled and conversed while enjoying some amazing food. As a surprise to Dr. Stevenson, students from his achievement program marched down towards the main stage with flags representing their country. It was a great start to a memorable evening.
ONWA Family Portraits
I usually do a few family portrait sessions a year over at ONWA, but one of my favourite times of year is the Fall/Winter one. Even though the winter season can be somewhat unpredictable here in Thunder Bay, the weather actually held up this time around and it made for some really nice photos. That's not to say it wasn't really cold, but I worked really fast with all the families and they were also very brave and patient.
Remembrance Day - 2017
Once again I was able to attend the Remembrance Day ceremony at Waverly Park in Thunder Bay. Below are some highlights from the day.
Thunder Bay Naturopathic Clinic - Headshots
It's always great when I get the chance to take photos of any business in town, and this time around I got to meet the amazing team at Thunder Bay Naturopathic Clinic, which is located on Algoma Street. They were in need of some updated headshots as well as interior photos of some of their products an also some employee working shots. All in all, I did a headshot of 7 different employees and spent about 45 minutes there.
Ola + Andrew Family Portraits
As I mentioned in my previous blog post, I had two sessions on the same day, and this was the second one. It was with Ola and her family. It was just mini-session and also kind of a unique one. Ola and Andrew are expecting a third child and they decided to do the reveal during the session. So, the idea was to pop a balloon with a piece of paper inside and confetti indicating whether it was a boy or a girl. Before we got that point though, we decided to get some family portraits near the train yard on Simpson Street.
Laura + Georgia Family Portraits - Trow Bridge Falls
My first of two portrait sessions of the day was with my recent contest winner, Laura, and her daughter Georgia. Last week I did a Facebook promotion giving away a free 1 hour portrait package. I still can’t believe the response I got for the contest and in the end, Laura and her daughter were randomly drawn. I really lucked out too because they were so much fun to photograph.
The Walleye - November 2017 Cover
A few weeks ago I was asked by The Walleye to photograph their cover photo for November. I obviously jumped at the chance and couldn't wait to do so. In the past I have done lots of freelance photography for their paper so it was kind of a no brainer. Plus, the subject matter was very cool in that it was a spotlight on 3 singer-songwriters in the Thunder Bay music scene. The 3 women were Elle Kay, Tiina Flank and Arley Hughes. I'm pretty sure I had seen them perform in the past, but I had never had the chance to actually meet them one on one.