Mike & Meng's Toronto Wedding Prep

When I was back home in Canada a few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be asked to capture part of my cousin's beautiful Toronto wedding. I had landed just one day before, so I was giving off some walking dead vibes, but I went along to the morning of their big day to capture bride and groom prep. 

My family just so happen to have two apartments in the same building, so I was able to tackle both bride and groom portraits without having to trek too far. It was so nice hanging out while they got ready, catching up with my fam, and scooting around between the two apartments to try and capture the whole process - fluffy dog and all. 

We shot for a few hours in the morning and then they went off to the historic Distillery District for their first look and portraits while I transitioned into guest mode and met them at the ceremony. It was a gorgeous day -  the sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky. The courtyard at the venue was all done up with flowers, beautiful handwritten signs and fairy lights. I think that one of the most impressive things about the whole day, however, was the incredible spread of cakes made by none other than the bride herself! I think there were four different cakes, along with mini doughnuts and homemade macaroons and more. Some days I am not sure whether I am a wedding photographer or a professional wedding cake taster? Can't complain... 

Huge thanks to Mike & Meng for inviting me along to help capture the big day! I can't wait to see where this next chapter takes you.

Em x

Liz & Zac's Toronto Wedding

A few weekends ago, I got to tag along to Liz & Zac's stunning Toronto wedding at the Windsor Arms. I was fortunate that my old friend and incredibly talented wedding photographer, Corynn Fowler, invited me along as her 'second shooter' - a job that is a lot less dangerous than it sounds. 

Corynn has taken me under her wing in the last few weeks and has been hugely generous in teaching me the in's and out's of the business - how to work with clients, how to manage shooting the actual wedding day, how to edit and follow up.  Her help has been huge, and I am so happy I got to shoot this wedding with her. If you're looking for a wedding or engagement photographer in the Toronto, Muskoka or Collingwood area, look no further than right here. 

The Arms is a beautiful indoor space rich in colour and light variation. As Corynn pointed out to me, it had some serious Wes Anderson vibes going for it. It was a challenging shoot as it was pretty dark, but I loved the opportunity to learn and think on my feet. 

The ceremony was stunning and I really enjoyed being able to observe and try to capture the sheer joy that Liz & Zac we're feeling as they stood at the top of the aisle and exchanged vows. I would be lying if I said I didn't shed a tear, or fifteen, listening to their speeches and loving words for each other. 

A beautiful celebration for a beautiful couple. I hope you enjoy the photos!

Em x

P.S. Fun fact - the big painting featured above Zac and Liz in the ceremony was actually painted by Zac's late father and artist, David Bierk, which added a beautiful personal element to the venue. 

P.P.S - Another fun fact - As you can probably tell from her glow, Liz is six months pregnant with a little boy here. Somehow she managed to be energized and up on her feet most of the night - a seriously impressive feat! 

Portrait Session with Hope

One of this week's shoots was a fun little portrait session with my gorgeous friend Hope.

Hope is a nurse here in Toronto at the Hospital for Sick Children, and needed some help with a head shot for her professional profile. She is full of so many amazing stories about the little ones that she works with - a serious everyday hero!

We didn't have a ton of time to work with but I think we managed to get some nice shots in. It was fun playing around with a few different back drops, and its amazing how many different looks you can achieve with such a simple photo concept. Little things like a lift of the chin or casting the eyes out of the frame make for an entirely different photo - it was cool to experiment with these subtleties. 

It was so nice working with another close pal - although we definitely did more talking than photo-taking at some points, which was my bad! 

Enjoy the pics :) 

Em x 

Brickworks Engagement Shoot with Aly & Aaron

This past Sunday, I got to do my first official engagement shoot with Aly & Aaron.

It was the first day of daylight savings, so we all dragged ourselves out of bed at a completely inappropriate hour for a Sunday morning and made our way to our shoot location. I try to shoot in the photographer's 'golden hours' whenever I can -  when the sun is rising or setting - so I can get some nice back-lighting, outlines, and natural shadows on the subjects. 

We were pretty spoiled for choice of location on this one - we started at a loft-style apartment overlooking downtown Toronto, and then made our way over to the Brickworks - an old converted industrial site that is now a trendy hipster haven with restaurants, markets, gardens and lots of green space. 

These guys were so great to work with - such a gorgeous and well-suited couple! They also tolerated my good and not-so-good pose suggestions with grace. (I'm new to this, poses are hard)! Cannot wait for these two to tie the knot! 

Check out some of the shots from our session below :)

Em x

Beaches Photoshoot with Meg & Mac

There is nothing nicer than getting to work with some of your closest friends - even if it is at the water's edge in negative 11 degree weather with a serious wind chill. Gotta love Toronto winters. Meg, featured in these photos, is my oldest friend. We met on our first day of kindergarten and have been inseparable ever since. Mac is also a good friend from way back in our high school days.

I was lucky enough to watch alongside as these two fell in love and grew into their beautiful relationship, so it was such a joy to work with them and try to capture it on film. They were so much fun to work with, not to mention their gorgeous pup, Chloe (when she wasn't chasing other dogs or running around in the freezing cold water). 

I don't think any of us could feel our faces by the end of this one, but it was well worth it! 

Em x