Mike & Nelia get married at Taboo Resort

This  fall I had the pleasure of photographing Mike & Nelia’s wedding up at the beautiful Taboo Resort in Gravenhurst. Mike & Nelia are from Montreal, and so we were able to  meet up a few times just prior to their wedding to plan the photography schedule for the day, as they arrived in the area to prepare for their wedding day. I love photographing at Taboo Resort…it’s absolutely gorgeous there! Nicole, the on-site wedding planner and her staff are also the truly some of the best in the industry to work with! They are very professional, and the service is top notch!

The girls got ready in one of Taboo’s premier suites…these suites are unbelievably gorgeous…and it was so great for Nelia to have everyone together getting ready and the excitement of it all. The ceremony was at a church in town, and then we headed back to Taboo for the portraits and reception in the fabulous Boathouse overlooking Lake Muskoka.We had a cold but gorgeous fall day, so we were able to still do our portraits outside! My assistant and I moved quickly to ensure that noone was getting too cold…you can never really count on the fall weather in Muskoka…but the colours were gorgeous, and we caught a beautiful sunset over the lake.

I just love documenting weddings! I truly feel honoured to be chosen as a couple’s wedding photographer, and I love getting to know them prior to the wedding, and finding out a bit more about them, their day, the special people that will be celebrating with them as well. Mike & Nelia’s wedding was a nice intimate wedding with about 50 or so guests. The great thing about documenting a smaller wedding is that you can really see moments unfolding, and capture them because you can pretty much see everything that’s happening in the room. It’s definitely nice to be able to blend in and capture those wonderful moments throughout the day.

Also, as a documentary photographer, I pretty much photograph with natural light throughout the day…perhaps a bit of on-camera flash (bounced of course) during the reception. I love to shoot receptions with my 50mm f1.4 Canon EF lens..this lense is light, sharp and fast! Much of my personal fine art street photography is shot with a 50mm lens, and I love the quality of the photographs that you produce when you compose with this lens…It’s a short lens, so you have to move around the room to get the shots, but I also have my Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8  lens..which is also great in larger wedding receptions to be able to discreetly capture moments that are happening at a distance…this is a great lens to work with as well! Anyway, enough about the lenses that I prefer to document receptions with…it all comes down to being able to anticipate the moment…so the lens choice is only part of the equation of great documentary shots…it’s the eye of the photographer, and the ability to recognize in a fraction of a second the significance of a moment…

Here’s a quote from one of my all-time favourite photographers, Henri Cartier-Bresson:

“To photograph is to hold one’s breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It’s at that precise moment that mastering and image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy.”

Thank you Mike & Nelia for putting your trust in me to honestly capture the moments of your wedding day!  I really had a fabulous time, and I hope you enjoy this sneak peek of some of the images from your day!

Cheers,

Jen

Kristi & Kevin’s gorgeous fall wedding

no words today….just some beautiful photos! Thanks again Kristi and Kevin! I truly enjoyed being part of your wedding day!

Hey guys, thanks again! It truly was an honour for me to be your photographer! I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek of your day…

Pat & Ange’s Muskoka wedding

In late September, I had the pleasure of photographing Ange & Pat’s fabulous wedding in Muskoka on Lake of Bays…just in time for some beautiful fall weather and colours. They had an entire resort to themselves & their guests to enjoy…Such a sweet & rustic place! The entire day was so much fun…from Ange & the girls getting ready in one of the rustic cabins listening to some great music while enjoying the moment, to ending the night under the clear top tent dancing to an amazing band! I love people who love music! My husband, Casey and I, are very into music as well…I always find that music provides us with a soundtrack to living…the perfect music to compliment the perfect day!

Thanks Ange & Pat for including me in your wedding day! I had a fabulous time working with you, and I am so happy for the two of you!

Cynthia Martyn did a fabulous job of coordinating and designing Pat & Ange’s wedding day. Cynthia is an amazing event planner and designer, and all of her events have her signature style! She designed a ‘rustic chic’ event, right down to the small details of hangover survival kits, pom poms to throw at the recessional, a cake made of logs, amazing custom designed stationary…and the list goes on. I just love Cynthia’s style! And the best part is that she handles everything with complete professionalism, while maintaining a down to earth approachability….which is so important when hiring the right planner to take care of your wedding day!

Here are a few images from the day to enjoy! Congratulations again!
Take care,

Jen

Cynthia had hay bales with colourful saris out for the ceremony overlooking Lake of Bays

the girls

so relaxed, happy and in love...and I just love the socks!

listening to speeches...

dancing under the night sky...

the clear top tent and lighting provided an amazing atmosphere for the party

hanging...

NEW BELLY & BABY SESSION

HOLIDAY CARDS…

Our selection of fabulous custom designed holiday cards to choose from will certainly WOW your family and friends. What a great way to send a little love for the holiday season. We can use images from your 2009 portrait session, or please join is at our MINIPortrait event designed exclusively for the creation of Holiday Cards. These cards are press-printed on the most gorgeous art paper (linen or watercolour) with beautiful colour, amazing photo quality…truly stunning!

These cards would also be nice to send out to to business contacts and clients as well…a wonderfully personalized way to thank your clients and wish them a wonderful holiday season.

FALL PORTRAIT PROMOTION…Individual Sessions

Connie & Joseph’s Wedding

Wow…check out some of the images from this beautiful wedding back in early June…It’s been a bit too busy this summer to keep up with my blogging, but I simply had to post some images from Connie & Joseph’s wedding… a gorgeous couple,an amazing group of family and friends, a beautiful ceremony in one of the most stunning churches and a simply gorgeous event!…Thanks guys for choosing me as your photographer for your special day. I truly enjoyed working with you!

Congratulations again,

Jennifer

St. Ann's Church in Penetang

speeches at the wedding reception

a beautiful reception

the head table...listening to speeches

I love capturing people's expressions and great moments throughout the reception

father of the bride's speech

the bride and groom giving their speech

wedding details

Event design by Panache Design Works in Collingwood, and planning by Fresh Occasion Coordination of Barrie www.freshoccasion.com

L’Amour…je t’aime pour toujours

Andrea & James are a great couple whose wedding I photographed in early May this year. They are a fabulously sweet couple…and in my former life as a High School French Teacher, Andrea was actually one of my students…so this was truly great to be able to document her wedding day! Andrea is now a French teacher herself…and I know that she will inspire her students to develop a love of the language and culture…while of course having way too much fun in class!

Andrea and James are so in love, and it’s always amazing to capture those moments throughout the day that truly express their love for each other, and the absolute joy and happiness of the day. This is why I love to photograph weddings! Every wedding is so unique, and what an honour to be chosen to document such an important day and event in my client’s lives.

As I have a very documentary approach to photographing weddings..it’s always the captured moments throughout the day that are my favourites! My approach is to capture the moment without interference and mainly using available light…producing informal images that tell a story. It is always my goal to honestly capture the beauty, emotion and moments of the day…so when you look through your album over the years to come, you will have honest images that reflect your wedding day…the family and friends in attendance, the details, the moments and of course some casual and relaxed family and bridal party portraits.

Many people ask me what ‘documentary’ means as a photographic style…the best way that I can describe it is a ‘photojournalistic’ approach. This style is all about anticipation, about capturing the ‘decisive moment’…this term has been used to describe this style of photography, and was initially used to describe the master of documentary photography, the legendary French photographer, Henri Cartier-Bresson. The work of Cartier-Bresson has always been a major source of inspiration for me. Cartier-Bresson helped develop what is known as ’street photography’ or ‘real life reportage’. Perhaps a quote that describes this ‘decisive moment’ is “I suddenly understood that a photograph could fix eternity in an instant” …Cartier-Bresson.

In any case, I first fell in love with street photography while living in France in 1994-1995 when I studied literature at L’Universite de Savoie…preparing to become a French teacher…it’s amazing that life’s journeys will bring you to where you were always meant to be…for me that’s where I am now…working as a photographer..my true passion and love! 

Thanks Andrea and James for choosing me to photograph your wonderful day!

Cheers,

Jennifer

Gilda’s Club Lakeside Party

On June 14th, I was honoured to donate my photography services to document the Second Annual Gilda’s Club Lakeside Party. This event was held in support of Gilda’s Club Barrie and Theatre by the Bay. Over the past few years, I have been donating my photogaphy services to both of these great charitable organizations. The event featured music, comedy, a live auction and fabulous catering by Cravings.

Guests included musician Andy Kim (Rock me Gently), Louise Pitre ( Mamma Mia), Sean Cullen (The Producers), Colin Mochrie (Whose LIne is it Anyway, Debra McGrath (Little Mosque on the Prairie), and Second City. It was a fabulous day, and wonderful event! All of the performers were absolutely fantastic! Sean Cullen and Colin Mochrie were hilarious…and Andy Kim rocked the house! 

Here are some of the photos of the day. Enjoy!

Our daughter Camryn’s newborn photoshoot

As you know from reading my blog, I am currently on maternity leave until May 1, 2009. We had a beautiful baby daughter, Camryn Rein, born February 24rth. She is 5 weeks old now, and is growing well, and is a very happy and healthy baby. This is our first baby, and my husband, Casey and I are truly enjoying every minute in our role of parents….wow! It is really such a blessing, and we are so in love with our daughter, she is a little angel!

Anyway, I did some newborn photos of her when she was 7 days old. Some we did in her nursery, and then we did a studio shoot. The best time to photograph newborns is between 6-10 days old. This is when they are still sleeping lots, and are able to curl up easily. Newborn sessions can be booked in our studio or in your home. We will book 3 hours for the session in order to have plenty of time for feedings and comforting your new baby. 

Anyway, here are Camryn’s photos. Enjoy!

Jennifer