I haven’t been posting much because I haven’t been shooting much.  For a primarily wedding and outdoor photographer, winter can be a slow time. I thought I’d post some of my favourite shots from last year’s wedding and portrait shoots (especially for those new to my site).  I started this website and blog in April 2009, when I was on vacation in Ireland.  This post consists only of stuff previously posted to the blog, because my computer has been having some issues and I don’t have easy access to my files (safely stored on an external hard drive) at the moment.

I love shooting weddings in a photojournalistic style, but I also love a good artistic portrait.  Weddings are such a great opportunity to get a great photo of yourself, because you’re dressed up and looking your best.  The photo below on the left is from a trash the dress shoot with Steph and Steve.  Steph looks like a super tough model here, in the tunnel to the waterfall at Goldstream park.  On the right is my favourite shot from Mikayla and Chris’s wedding day portrait session.  I thought the park they chose was fairly generic and wasn’t sure what to do to make it special, but I think this amazing tree really makes the shot.  Doesn’t hurt that there’s a gorgeous couple kissing under it.

I started doing some high school senior portraits this year.  It was so fun working with these girls.  They really got into modelling and had such great spirit.  Of course, I’m a sucker for graffiti (and pretty dresses).

A couple more shots with an urban feeling.  The shot on the left was taken around sundown outside of Fan Tan Alley.  We’d wanted to get some shots in the alley, but it was locked up.  This shot makes me glad it was.  He looks like such a rockstar.  The shot on the right is my friend Irene in the alley beside the Yates parkade.  I think she looks beautiful and totally fits in with the background.

The below are from my first couple shoot ever.  These two were really cool and accommodating to all my cheesy pose suggestions.  I think they turned out pretty great.

Another sweet wedding portrait.  I think these two were feeling a little tired and a bit uncomfortable in front of the camera.   This shot gives a sense of peaceful happiness, of two people who always manage to find comfort in one another.

Yet another adorable couple.  These are my friends Lauren and Andreas, who got married in 2009.  I missed their wedding because I was traveling back from my vacation, sadly.  I’m so glad they asked me to do this shoot for them.  I love watching them together.

I love this photo of my friend Lynn, who was an ever patient model when I was portfolio-building.  I think she was goofing around with this model-like pose, but it worked out amazingly.  I love the way the sun outlines her figure.

I love this shot from Mikayla and Chris’s backyard wedding.  I think it embodies the spirit of their wedding, where they broke out the champagne immediately after the ceremony.

The classic wedding shot: The Kiss.  I love this one of Lyndsey and Brennan for many reasons: the smiling officiant, the awesome tattoo, the glowing light on her back, her dress, the kiss.

I loved the bridal party’s gangster-style outfits at Steph and Steve’s wedding.  I love the way the hats make this photo and I couldn’t resist processing it in an old-fashioned black and white style.

Another couple of shots from Katie and Hannah’s joint senior portrait session.  There were so many amazing shots from this session.  I had a really hard time deciding which to blog about in the first place.  These are two of my faves.

I think this is actually one of my favourite shots of the year, aeshetically.  I love the way the light falls on Steph’s face as she braves the cold water at the base of the Goldstream waterfall.  It was quite dark by the time we got there, so this lighting was created by one flash on my camera and another being held by Phil above and to the right of Steph.

This shot is the result of me randomly snapping as Lyndsey and Brennan were moving from location to location.  I love how detailed the flowers look.

And one shot from my Ireland trip of the castle on the Cliffs of Moher.  Did you know you can get married in that castle?  If you do, please hire me.  This was one of the most stunning views I’ve seen in my life.

Here’s to a 2010 of many more beautiful photos, stunning brides and happy grooms, and meeting lots of amazing people.

I hope everyone had wonderful holidays.  I’m still struggling with a month-long cold and exhaustion, but I had a fabulous time at our New Year’s Eve circus party!  I made a shabby chic big top out of streamers in my friend’s dining room and we had a photobooth with funny props and ghetto lighting (one flash, on camera, in an oddly coloured room).  The below photo was taken by Miss Nancy.  I’m the one with the tiny top hat (i.e. the only one who wore a costume).

Are you all making great resolutions (and keeping them so far)?  I think my resolution will be to make monthly resolutions, or goals.  This month I aim to get rid of this cough, go back to the climbing gym (and buy some shoes for it), and finish up some lingering paperwork.  And maybe try to keep my kitchen counters clean for once.

I’ve been focusing on work (and volunteer work) so much lately, I haven’t gone out shooting for pure fun in ages. On Tuesday night, I joined my photography group for a night shoot near the parliament buildings. I didn’t bring my tripod or a lot of gear. I brought my Canon 50D with my 85mm 1.8 lens and my 430EX flash. Unfortunately, autofocus stopped working on my lens. I think it’s time to send it in for repair. I had fun playing with manual focus and manual unfocus and different shutter speed effects. I definitely need to get out there more often this winter.

As you know, winter isn’t the busiest time for wedding photographers and I’ve been too busy with other things to really market my portrait work.  I’m focusing on booking some weddings for 2010.  I’ve uploaded a new pricing PDF onto the Weddings page.

For 2010, I’m offering a single wedding package of unlimited coverage on the day of your wedding.  It allows me to better tell the story of your day, in its entirety.  I’m also including a second photographer, partly as insurance and partly to fill out the story.  A second photographer can capture different angles and different moments (ex: guys and girls getting ready in different locations).   The package also includes an engagement portrait session, which helps us to get to know each other and you to get comfortable in front of the camera prior to the wedding day.   The photos can be used for a guestbook, newspaper announcement, invitations, etc.  I include the edited high resolution images for both the engagement session and the wedding, so you can print or use them online as you wish.  I encourage sharing of these images and don’t put my watermark on them.  You pay for the photography service, which includes the final product digital images.

I’m adding two additional services for 2010: an online gallery and a wedding slideshow.  I’m getting the gallery set up and I’ll be sending a link to the last two wedding couples.  If you’re a past client and want a gallery of your own, please send me an e-mail.  This gallery allows you and your friends and family to order prints, and to download small versions of the photos directly.

For the rest of the month of December, I’m offering a holiday special of $250 off my wedding package.  Since the holidays can be so busy, I’m going to extend this offer to anyone who contacts me about a wedding by the end of 2009 and schedules a meeting with me.  You’ll get the special rate if you book your wedding package by the end of January 2010.