A Wedding Of A Kind

Recently, I had the opportunity to do a photoshoot with a couple photographer friends of mine (Ryan Charron, Elie Paul, and Jordyn Whitehouse), where we photographed the most perfect models as a wedding prep. The best part, the models Laura and Jayden are actually engaged to be married later this year. The experience was a blast, and we were able to use jewellery supplied by a goldsmith and flowers were kindly supplied by a flower shop (to be mentioned later in the post).

I would like to talk about what we were blessed with:

The venue: There is an amazing photogenic location in Leduc on the Southwest end of Telford Lake…The Stone Barn and Cultural Village. It was nice and quiet, a picture-perfect location and the people visiting were respectful. The area is nice and large, so there are many areas on the property to take advantage of. The barn itself is rustic and represents the original dairy farm that once stood in its place.

The goldsmith: We were lucky enough to have rings on location graciously designed and made by Mark Katzeff Designer Goldsmith who is a local artisan. The jewellery was a perfect compliment to the attire and fit the rustic façade of the location while keeping a beautiful level of elegance to the wedding.

Mark Katzeff Designer Goldsmith

The flower shop:  Leduc Florists provided the stunning floral arrangement that we used throughout the shoot. The bouquet included beautiful pink roses with the perfect complimentary greenery.

The wedding: Because the models are actually set to be married, the chemistry was perfect and therefore provided a beautiful, romantic event that was able to highlight the skills and creativity of the goldsmith, flower shop and made our photography jobs so much easier.

Overall, the practice wedding shoot was a success and highlighted the talents and creativity of the goldsmith, flower shop and photographers involved. The event was a reminder of the importance of collaboration and the beauty that can be created when talented professionals come together to create something special.

Passions

Evan Will from Sharko Studios

Using what you are passionate about to supplement your photography so you do not become burned out is a great way to keep your creative juices flowing. This can be done by incorporating nature into portraiture (if you like nature) or giving your photos a corporate twist (if you enjoy doing commercial photography).

Increased motivation is a wonderful side affect when you're passionate about a particular subject or activity as you're more likely to stay motivated and engaged with it. By incorporating your passions into your photography, you're more likely to stay excited about your work and avoid burnout. This can increase your production and turn around time on your projects which often leads to happier clients/more business.

Greater creativity is also a significant reward from incorporating your passions into your photography. By exploring your interests and finding ways to integrate them into your photos, you may discover new techniques or styles that you hadn't considered before.

Pursuing your passions can be incredibly fulfilling, and incorporating them into your photography can help you feel more connected to your work. By creating images that reflect your interests and values, you may find a deeper sense of satisfaction and purpose in your work.

Incorporating your passions into your photography can also help you differentiate yourself from other photographers. By creating a unique style that reflects your interests and personality, you may be able to stand out from the crowd and attract a dedicated following.

Overall, incorporating your passions into your photography can be a powerful way to stay motivated, creative, and fulfilled in your work. By exploring your interests and finding ways to integrate them into your photos, you can create images that are truly unique and reflective of your personal style.

Benefits of Assisting

Assisting other photographers with photoshoots can offer a range of benefits, both personally and professionally. These benefits include but are not limited to learning from the photographer, networking, gaining experience, having access to new technology/equipment, building confidence, and gaining exposure to new photographic scenes or types.

Helping Evan Will on a photoshoot in Edmonton Alberta in the University of Alberta area.

While assisting other photographers, a chance to observe and learn from their techniques, equipment, and workflows allows for a chance to improve upon your own skills and broaden your knowledge of photography. Assisting can also provide great opportunities to build relationships with other photographers which in turn can potentially lead to new opportunities for collaboration or referrals.

Gaining experience is one of the more beneficial advantages to assisting other photographers as it can help with future photography projects and jobs such as weddings, events, or commercial shoots that are not part of your everyday work. Assisting can also give you access to equipment that you might not have otherwise, such as lighting equipment, cameras, or lenses. Building confidence in your own abilities by allowing you to observe how other photographers interact with clients, handle challenges, and achieve their desired results is once again another wonderful perk of assisting other photographers

If you assist for a well-known or established photographer, you may be able to gain exposure to their client base, which could lead to new opportunities for your own photography business. Overall, assisting other photographers can be a valuable learning experience that can help you grow both personally and professionally.

Finding Inspiration

Finding inspiration is incredibly important for photography because it can help you develop your own unique style, as well as push you to try new things to grow as a photographer. In order to develop your own style, it is helpful to look at the work of other photographers to help in the development of your own unique photography style. When looking at other’s photography, you might be drawn to certain types of subjects, lighting, or color palettes, which can be incorporated into your own work and help create a distinct visual identity in your photographs.

When you push yourself to try new things, you can climb out of creative ruts. This can be accomplished by seeking out inspiration from others and exploring new and different approaches to photography. These methods of finding inspiration can lead to exploring new techniques or experimenting with different subject matter which may increase your creative juices or lead to gaining a fresh perspective on your photography.

Looking at the work of other photographers can also give you a fresh perspective on your own work and may help you find new ways to approach a subject or discover a different way of using light or composition. This also helps to maintain motivation as it can be easy to get discouraged or burnt out when working on long term projects or pursuing a career in photography. Seeking out inspiration from others and other photographers can help you stay motivated and energized, reminding you of why you fell in love with photography in the first place.

Overall, getting inspiration for photography is crucial for growing as a photographer and developing your own unique voice. Whether it's through studying the work of other photographers, exploring new places or subjects, or simply taking the time to reflect and experiment, inspiration can help you create images that are truly meaningful and impactful.

Hidden Gems

Doing a family and couple photo shoot for a friend and his family, allowed me to experience a new and beautiful location for shooting a family photography session . The location of this photography session was just outside of Gibbons, AB.

I am looking forward to visit this location again when the last snow has melted and we begin to see green again. I feel this will only enhance the beauty of this location and can only add more depth to the story during any photography sessions done here.

One of the highlights of using this location was its obscurity. The traffic levels were very low which made it more relaxing and less stressful to complete a family session with young ones that enjoy exploring their surroundings. Finding such a remote and unknown location for doing photography sessions is always a bonus as it creates a unique background and style for any photo sessions.

Cultural Inspiration

Food that tantalizes your taste buds like photography tantalizes your eyes!

One of my favorite Mexican restaurants in Edmonton is THE 3 AMIGOS which is located in Duggan just off of 106th street. This restaurant was started by three brothers, Ken, Alfredo and Elvis Rosales, in 2005 and has remained a favorite among my family since. The aesthetic when entering the restaurant is purely Mexico. Photographs of Mexico often convey the same aesthetic as this restarant. The food at THE 3 AMIGOS is made in an authentic Oaxaca style cuisine style.

One of my favorite trips where I took photos, as of now, is my trip to Puerto Vallarta for Día de Muertos in 2019. This celebration traditionally occurs on November 1st and 2nd but can occur on other days as well. Taking pictures during this celebration is something that I plan on repeating in the future as there is so much to see and so many colors that just demand a photographic mind to capture the scenery.

Outdoor

Family portrait photography session at Hawrelak Park with a family of 6. Hawrelak Park will be closed for 3 years for construction. They are however, leaving the trails next to the river and the stair access on the south side of groat road open during construction. Information on the park closure can be found on the William Hawrelak Park website.

When considering outdoor photography sessions, Hawrelak park is at the top of my portrait session locations. It contains many great locations for family and individual portraiture scenes which boast a beautiful array of natural vegetation and easily accessible trials. There was also mention of doing their best to preserve as much of the existing trees in the park as possible. I am hoping that this plan is successful.

A future trip is planned to assess the trails still available to the public during construction to determine whether or not any photography sessions are still possible at Hawrelak Park. I will be crossing my fingers that suitable spots will still be accessible. If not, a hunt for some new outdoor photography areas good for portrait sessions will need to be planned.

PPOC

This is one of two photographs that I chose to submit to the Professional Photographers Of Canada (PPOC) photography competition. It was a hard choice on which photo to choose but with the help of my professors, I was able to narrow it down to two images.

Watching the PPOC competition was very beneficial to understanding different technical aspects to great photography as well as learning and gaining inspiration regarding the aesthetics that are wanted in photographic art. Waiting for the response from the judges regarding my art work was absolutely nerve racking and the feeling of my heart rate increasing was extremely stressful. However, hearing the my 1st piece of art was awarded excellence definitely made my month!

1st image title: Suspicious Mind (PPOC competition)

2nd image title: Prairie Haven (PPOC competition)

Coffee

When taking a break from photography, I like to visit Crum Coffee Bar for their wonderful service and amazing coffee/treats. When creative photography juices are no longer flowing, I find that photography inspiration can be found on little jaunts out, whether, it is a walk in the river valley or just a short visit to get some coffee from my go to coffee shop, Crum Coffee Bar!

The coffee and treats are not the only reason that I enjoy supporting Crum Coffee Bar. Their service is phenomenal and I can always count on seeing a friendly face with kind words. Having a wide range of treats for all tastes also makes this establishment a place for anyone to visit!

When approaching the owners of Crum Coffee Bar about an assignment for my photography courses at NAIT, they were extremely accommodating to my needs and offered any assistance that I might need to complete a photography session. Having their friendly personalities around when taking photographs cut down on my stress for this photography assignment, while also increasing my respect for the staff/owners and increasing my desire to visit their establishment.