This is our favorite time of year for engagement photos because the sun is up until 9pm and the sunsets are warm filled with that magical light. Its the magical light that makes everyone look good, and photos look majestic. Most photographers call it “magic hour” we just call it pure awesomeness.
Pure awesomeness is great, but what we like to tell our couples is to choose a location that means something to them, or an activity that they like to do together. Any photographer will tell you that great light and being yourself in front of the camera is the key to a great photograph, but getting to that comfort zone with strangers pointing noisy black boxes in your face can be a tad distracting. In our experience, the couples we photograph who choose locations that mean something to them always end up with the best photos.
They are not just the best photos because we photograph them better. In fact we don’t do anything different at all. They are GREAT images because when people are comfortable, they act like themselves and they look like themselves. Therefore the photos are a more realistic representation of the people who are in them. This is so important, because when we all get older and we have young, new generations of people looking at these photos you want them to see the REAL YOU, and not some fabricated, enhanced YOU. The real you is awesome!
So when you are choosing your photographer for your wedding or engagement remember that whoever you choose as a photographer will most likely get technically good photos, but to achieve great, memorable photos you need to just be you, so do what you can to get comfortable and be yourselves, and the moments will just fall into place.
Ryan and I were so lucky to have Kylee & Tom choose us to shoot their engagement. We photographed Kylee’s family last year before Tom proposed over Christmas. They are in love, seriously they have that mad love that you see in movies. The kind of love that makes you route for them. Ryan and I are routing for Kylee and Tom. Earlier this week they took us out on Kempenfelt Bay on their boat for their engagement. Being boat people, they were able to relax and find comfort and these photos show that. This was our first time meeting Tom, and I am sure you all can tell from these photos just how comfortable he was, while being photographed. They both were! It was a blast shooting this engagement.
Thanks again for cruising us around the Bay, we hope you enjoy these pics!
Cheers
Erika & Ryan
Wednesday, July 1, 2009 Posted in Weddings
Last week we had the pleasure of photographing Mike & Jenni’s Toronto brunch reception. They were the winners of our wedding contest last year. They were married in Florida this past May and came back to Mike’s hometown to party it up at North York’s Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue!
We hope to photograph this amazing family again soon! Thank you again for having us as apart of your celebration brunch. We are truly honored. Jenni and Mike have overcome so many great odds to be together, their love is inspiring and if you ever get the chance to meet these two you will know what we mean. But until then here are a few moments from their brunch reception.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!
We can’t wait to see what amazing things your new lives together will bring you.
Erika & Ryan
I know I said this would be my last post, and it just might be. But I do have a collection of photos waiting to be edited for this blog. If I have some time later this week I will get them up too.
Its been a month since I was in Paris, and I find myself thinking about this incredible city all the time. I thought I was obsessed before I went, but now I that I actually know what it is like I have to relive it. Next time I go Ryan is coming with me, hopefully this will be sooner than later.
Here are a few pics of some of my favorite Parisian things.
Couples in Love
Marie Antoinette’s 400 year old rose garden.
The City lights in the Latin District
The fancy shaped trees at Versailles.
Artists in Montmartre.
Boat rides along the Seine.
Ancient paintings on palace walls.
The fountain in front of Luxembourg palace.
Notre Dame at night & the pyramids of the Lourve and how they frame nicely in old archways.
Tourists
Park benches & walls of mirrors.
My favorite painting of all time as a puzzle and a painting.
The Eiffel Tower with its sparkly lights on.
The palm trees at Jardin du Luxembourg because on a sunny day it could be mistaken for the South of France.
Monday, June 29, 2009 Posted in Weddings
It is awesome and inspiring to live in a country where equality means something to its government, we are so lucky to be apart of a country that claims to be a nation of equality and holds up to that statement. In our beautiful country called Canada amazing couples like Kathy & Keena, Steven & Byron can legally get married, and can raise beautiful families of all styles that are accepted and cherished. It still surprises me that there are places in the world where this is still an achievable dream.
It means a lot to us as photographers to be able to document such an amazing time in our history.
Every time we hear Brent Hawkes of the Toronto Metropolitan Church speak about a time when he was forced to wear a bullet proof vest while performing gay marriages, or a time when he was attacked for doing so. It reminds me of things I was taught in school about the hardships of other minorities, once upon a time. The Suffragist movement, and the African American civil rights movement. In my eyes it is comparable. In my eyes the Gay Rights movement does not get enough credit for how huge and amazing it really is. I feel that just by hearing these stories from Brent Hawkes and documenting a moment in the lives of these amazing couples, that we are in some way apart of this movement. It makes us more than proud to be.
It is truely an honor to be apart of this event again for a 2nd year. We have met so many people who have influenced our business and our lives in small and big ways and Ryan and I would like to thank all of you for that.
Ryan and I will be photographing our 7th gay wedding in 4 years this summer! We love where our photography has taken us to and the people we have met along the way.
Thank you to Keena & Kathy, Byron & Steven for having us as apart of your special day. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!
Now without further adieu, here are the photos.
Cheers
Erika & Ryan
p.s – Quick shout out to our very hardworking 3rd shooter Jon Thorpe of Union Photography, you did an amazing job. We love the work you do and teaming up with you! Thank You.
Kathy & Keena
Byron, Steven and their boys.
As soon as the ceremony ended, Byron & Steven’s youngest son started to cry. Steven picked him up and the 3 of them walked down the aisle together. Followed by their guests.
Last week John and Amanda called us up to shoot some new promo pics of them for their brand new website, set to blow minds in 1 month.
We were so honored because John and Amanda, in our minds are the best at what they do in this city we call Barrie!
John and Amanda are the owners of Studio Shiik in South Barrie, they are the best make up artists and hairstylists in town. Yesterday they gave Ryan a faux-hawk and me some wicked new high lights.
They are rockin’ wedding vendors because they also do awesome bridal hair. We recommend them to everyone. They were the magic behind the hair and makeup for our Let them Eat Cake Shoot and also our fave Beauty Shoot from last year, and they did hair and makeup for Priscilla & Daniels Engagement Session a few weeks back.
Here is how you can contact them: Studio Shiik John & Amanda 705-252-6249.
Now here are some of our faves from our shoot with them.
Cheers
E & R
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 Posted in Personal
This past Friday my little sister graduated, or what we like to say is “Congraduated” its a hybrid word we created because we are lazy of Congratulations and graduation.
Jackelyn just finished her Early Childhood Education Course at Georgian and we are all so proud of her. She is the first in our immediate family to graduate from post secondary.
Ryan and I were there to document her big day. Here are some of our favorite moments.
by Erika Hanchar
show hide 7 comments
Add a Comment Link to This Post Email a Friend