Karen and Stacy opted for a beautiful backyard wedding in Cordova Bay. The June sun was relentless that day and I was truly grateful to be photographing their ceremony under a gigantic white canvas tent where the light was pleasant. My favorite location on their property was their stables, there I could have shot for hours! The food menu was catered by the famous Pete Zambris accompanied with Truffles Catering. Delicious! The beautiful flowers were created by Verbena Flowers and the creative and hard working wedding planner was Christine Smart. The day went flawless!
Saphina and Andrew chose Brentwood Bay Resort as their venue of choice. A wonderful venue where wine and dine is key! Saphina and the pool environment reminded me of the famous photographers’ work of Helmut Newton. A former model, Saphina enjoyed displaying her model techniques. From a technical point of view it would have taken 5 assistants with reflectors to achieve Helmut’s lighting technique. I’m humbled Helmut!
Natalie and Graeme chose Church and State Winery as their venue of choice which is a wonderful place to be wedded. After their ceremony the couple surprised everyone by dancing down the Isle along with their wedding party. Natalie and Graeme along with their wedding party were a joy to photograph!
What a privilege it is to tag along with my son’s school field trip. To photograph teenagers with their trust is unusual in our times. The days of Henri Cartier Bresson are long gone where life unfolded naturally in front of his lens with no fear or suspicions. Today good luck pointing your lens in a school crowd without some form of threat or law suit. Right don’t get me started..
Another argument would be, well you have them on your blog now don’t you? Yes, I do, and it’s a slice of life, a place and time was recorded with honesty. These images can not in no way shape or form be used other then in this context unless I am permitted by the subjects to do so. There is much to cover on this topic of photographing surrounding life… more to come!
These were taken with an old 50mm 1.4 at the Ocean Discovery Center in Sidney, BC. I highly recommend visiting!
There’s nothing like working with dogs in family portraits. Kudos to those who earn their living doing so. Seriously hats off to you! There was bountiful character in these dogs but would not for the life of me sit still for the shot. Perhaps with more time I may have achieved that ultimate bulldog shot that is so full of character!
It’s always special when couples write their own vows and design their own ceremony and from this many tears and laughter prevailed on the grounds of the fabulous venue of the Brock House. Maryam and Justin as well as their family and guests were an absolute joy to photograph! Wishing you both the very best!!!
There is something special and honest about elopements. Both the wedding commissioner, myself and a 3rd witness all held back the lump in our throats. It’s a wedding stripped down to it’s bare bones. No fancy decor nor were the flowers necessary. They checked into their room at 3 and were married at 4. No fuss. They happily agreed to being married at the edge of the forest as the sun at that time was far too bright by the sea. It did not matter where and how–that’s what made it so special! They were simply grateful. What an honor it was to be their witness and a privilege to have met such a genuine heartfelt couple!
The laughter from this wedding still echoes within me. Ideally the ceremony was to be held outside but the weather turned and the chairs were quickly moved inside and with humor they continued. The ceremony touched many especially when the candles were presented one by one and the couple made a wish before blowing them out. Near the cliff the wind blew cold onto their saris but that did not stop them from having a good time. Zabeen, Jeremy and Company what a pleasure it was to photograph your wonderful wedding! Happy travels to you.
Nothing like taking your 16yr old aspiring surfer son to the surf mecca of Hawaii and witness his fascination with the ocean. My guess is he has dolphin blood!
Such a treat to travel with him and his positive spirit! A small burp into our holidays when Day1 the bottle of water spilled onto my camera and it died… serious bummer. A good friend suggested the Canon Power Shot D10 which I rented for the week and was pleasantly surprised by it’s versatility! For one, it loves the water which makes it ideal when you have a dolphin as a son. The images below were only touched up in Lightroom. The quality is by no means of professional standard but will do just fine for playing around and catching moments that normally would be difficult without proper water housing.
Félix’s excellent eye…
The romance and mystery of the life of a lighthouse keeper can be a beautiful thing and also a very isolating experience. There are 27 staffed lightstations along the BC Coast. Staffed with two employees for safety reasons, the keeper’s primary duty is to report the weather changes on our rugged coast. Every 3 hrs starting at 3:30AM, lighthouse keepers all along the coast will call in the weather report to Coast Guard radio. The radio staff collects the data and transmits the information for all vessels at sea. There is the on going station maintenance of course, and some keepers take on odd chores such as collecting and removing the countless items of plastic and styrofoam debris that litter our shores. Keepers don’t get days off. They are out there 7 days a week, for month after month. This keeper tells me that although the idea of living on 50 acres of prime ocean front property conjures forth images of romance, in reality the long days and nights offer personal challenges regarding keeping the mind and body active and stimulated. The word romance is gradually replaced with words like patience, self-reliance and endurance… this is not a career choice for everyone to be sure. It was a privilege to experience the day and life of a lighthouse keeper and I am now fully aware of their critical presence on our Coast!
