Karine & Jeremy Engagement at Westmount Park

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of shooting Karine and Jeremy's engagement session at Westmount Park. 

I've been to the Westmount greenhouse on many occasions but I never noticed the park behind the library and boy did I miss out because it's the perfect backdrop for a romantic sunset stroll. Karine requested this location because her fiancee Jeremy grew up in Westmount and spent countless days of his childhood roaming around the lush bushes and attending the nearby church. His family even planted two crabapple blossom trees (the above picture is taken under one of their family trees) in the park. I just love it when the couple incorporates elements that hold strong sentimental value in their photo shoot. It just means that when they look back at their pictures, a flurry of warm emotions will wash over them. We couldn't have asked for better weather that evening: the sun was glowing, the birds were chirping and a gentle breeze caressed the trees. Karine is soft-spoken with a gentle beauty and Jeremy stands tall and is full of charm. They look so good together, I almost couldn't contain my excitement! Let's hope the weather will be as splendid on their wedding day in July!

Baby, it's cold outside!

I shot this set of photos at the beginning of January and I only got around to posting it now. Bwuaaah I can be the biggest procrastinator sometimes >___<;;; The light was amazing on this freezing day and even though I had a stomach flu that morning, I had to go out and shoot! Thank goodness it resolved by the golden hour. For some reason, I got sick a lot this winter despite having a relatively stress-free time. I guess it is my body's way of telling me that I have limits. Sometimes I get really excited about an idea and I become super restless and high-strung. That's how I felt after Diane proposed that we have a daytime photo shoot with sparklers. I'm familiar with night time photo shoots with sparklers so the idea of shooting with sparklers during the day time intrigued me. Will the flashes of light even show? Lighting sparklers in -25C weather was a challenge but I think we got some pretty good shots ;) Anything for a good photo right!

Hidden Alleyways

Two weeks ago, I met up with Diane and JT at Marche Jean-Talon to hang out and do what we love to do: photo shoot! We wanted to incorporate the beautiful fall foliage with an urban feeling so we walked through the streets, looking for a cute alleyway with crunchy leaves on the ground. We found the perfect hidden alleyway with adorable dangling light bulbs and a cat drawing pinned to a pole and it didn't take long for us to get down to business.  We had so much fun and the weather was wonderful: crisp and sunny. You know that moment when everything falls into place? That's how I felt throughout most of the shoot and it reminded me how much I love shooting couples. 

I have to say that this was by far one of the best photo shoots we've had. I'm very proud of these photos because I managed to capture their infectious joy and laughter :)

Draw me like your French girls

Two weekend ago, I met up with Tracy and Phil to hang out and take some couple photos. We took advantage of Breather's free hour to rent a nice and bright studio. Breather is a Montreal-based start up that allows you to rent a space to "work, meet or relax". All of their spaces are minimally and tastefully decorated. I LOVE this app and I've used it before to organize a closet sale. It's super easy to use, you just need to sign up and you can select the space you want to rent, enter your credit card information (you get one free hour) and when you get to the space, they send you a pin number when your time slot opens up. There is no interruption, no awkward justifications of why you need a space, just comfort and privacy.  I enjoy shooting in cafes but I always feel like I'm disturbing private property.  Last time we shot, we got warned by the cafe staff and now I cannot show my face at Le Cardinal *boohoo*. That's why Breather is the best thing ever hehe ;-P! They have great customer service, I even got to chat personally with their marketing guy :) 

Okay, I went off on a huge tangent about Breather -cough- now back to my subjects: Tracy and Phil. This is the second time that I am shot these two and they were just as playful as the first time around. Phil mimicked Kate from Titanic and doodled funny stick figures of Tracy. Tracy tried to make Phil jealous by kissing a plant. It's always fun to photograph these two. During the photo shoot, I was worried about how the photos would turn out since we had an overbearing amount of light coming through the window. In the end, I think the pictures turned out pretty well. The brightness of these photos exude a clean and Springy feel.  If only Mother Nature can get a clue and start warming up :O

Peekaboo, I found you!

When Diane told me that her boyfriend JT was coming over for Christmas, we excitedly made plans for a photoshoot. You guys have no idea how many times we attempted to plan a photoshoot only to experience a last minute change in plans. Back in undergrad, we lived in the same residence complex and it was easy for us to grab my camera, a stylish jacket and take photos against the pretty backdrops of St-Anne-de-Bellevue. Now that we have graduated, it's difficult to find a convenient time for both of us. Diane travels to amazing places around the world for her job and JT lives in the States so it's quite amazing that we managed to squeeze some time during the holidays :) As soon as I finished my half-day at work, I hopped into their car for an adventure!

We had our eyes set on this black and white graffiti nook on St-Laurent and decided that this was the day that we were going to shoot there. We also planned to shoot at Brooklyn Cafe but it was already closed for the holidays. When in doubt, just drive around. When it comes to photoshoots, I feel that picking two to three locations always yield the best results. The first location is the warm-up, the couple is a bit shy and we don't know what to do with their hands. Me: hold her waist...uhh no wait that's a bit awkward, how about put your hands in your pockets? Hmm... nah that looks off... *starts sweating* oh gosh, how about you chop off your hands?

In the second location, the couple gets a bit more comfortable. We've taken a couple of shots and they know what looks good and what doesn't. By the time we get to the last location, they are showing their true colors, the fake smiles curve into genuine laughter, the body releases its tension and they look relaxed. I guess what they say about keeping the best for last really applies in this context :)

Stay Gold

Two weeks ago, Adrienne asked me to tag along on a photo shoot during the golden hour. I excitedly agreed because I wanted to practice for a wedding gig this upcoming August.  Roselyne and Brandon were very shy at the beginning but as the scorching sun began to set, so did their reserve. 

Between the awkward giggles and nervous poses, we managed to capture a handful of quirky moments. This shoot made me realize how hard it is to set the mood for a couple. Sure, I can ask them to hold certain poses but if the couple is uneasy, it will show through the pictures.  Photography is not just about composing beautiful photos, it's about shining your subject in the best light (golden light ;-D). How do you make someone comfortable enough to express themselves openly? I still don't have the answers and I realize that this is a crucial challenge that I will have to surmount with time and experience. 

Stroke of Luck

I apologize for the erratic blog posts! My panda bear nature declares winter as hibernation time so  that's what I've been up to: sleeping during my free time. But it's finally spring now! Can you hear the birds chirpin'? 

A couple of weeks ago, I asked my friend Tracy if I could take photos for her and her boyfriend Phil. We giddily agreed to shoot at a cafe and I asked Miss Adri to direct the couple. I had set the scene in my head: two lovebirds warming each other up over a cup of joe BWUAHAhaaa...ya that did not happen. We tried to make ourselves as inconspicuous as possible but we still got warned by the owners of the cafe. And just like that our photo shoot was OVER! *enters drama mode*  I was sooooo sad that the image I had in my mind would not come to fruition. We agreed to find another place to shoot outside but I was doubtful. One glance outside and you'd see the intimidating rain clouds and ugly blotches of brown snow threatening to ruin our fun. 

Similar to cupid's arrow, when you least expect it, it hits you! WE FOUND A SPOT! It's weird but I often pass by this area and I never noticed this spot before. I guess it was luck that we got kicked out from the cafe ^___^Y. Tracy and Phil were a delight to shoot: they are quirky and fun-loving. You can feel from the way they look at each other how much they enjoy each other's goofiness :-). Tracy and Phil are currently in a long distance relationship. I hope that when they look back on these pictures, it will bring a smile to their lips whenever they are apart.