Aaron and Jessica's Wedding

Way back in July I photographed Aaron and Jessica's wedding here in Calgary.
The wedding had class!
We started at Hotel Arts, (which I always enjoy shooting at) then the reception followed at Murietta's (which I also love!).
Here's a few pics from the day....

Josh and Astrid's Wedding

Last week I photographed Josh and Astrid's wedding. I meet Josh in a photography class that I was instructing last year at U of C.

Josh and Astrid are a funky, hip couple, as you might notice in their photos. They chose the 'Vue Cafe' for their ceremony as well as their reception.

The Vue hosts unique and contemporary artists, which suited Josh and Astrid well. Located downtown on 11th ave. (a.k.a. Electric Ave), it's a great location for all kinds of events.

To see more of their photos, go to my site. They should be up soon!

Future Cowboys and Cowgirls

Yesterday, I was invited to photograph a rodeo club event at Ranchmans. It was the Future Cowboys and Cowgirls Rodeo Club. These kids are the 'Real McCoy'. They were sportin' big hats, boots, big buckles, etc. and it didn't even occur to them that they didn't look like typical Calgary kids.
One thing I clearly noticed and respected about this community is the strong family unity that exists.

"Mazel tov"- Calgary Jewish Wedding

Last week I had the honor to photography Mike and Rita's wedding. In typical Calgary fashion, the weather was cold and slushy. This creates a challenge so I am always grateful for funky locations who open their doors to us photographers. Hotel Arts is a given for it's creative ambiance with textures, colors and lighting. Having some contacts at Fashion Central is also a bonus when needing a space to shoot.

Mike and Rita both come from strong Jewish families, where tradition is important. It was a pleasure experiencing their culture. Their value on marriage is very high and the celebration that followed portrayed this.

I also was grateful for my wife, Robyn, who assisted me and shot some photos of me at work.

Surfing, Shooting, Swimming in Costa Rica

This past February, I was invited to Costa Rica to photograph a wedding. Gina, the bride, was a bridesmaid in a previous Calgary wedding I had photographed (Dave and Julie's wedding). Jordan, the groom, is in the Air Force, based in Trenton, Ont.

Costa Rica is amazing. The waves are some of the best I've surfed. I surfed with some locals, as well as the entire wedding party. If you're an active outdoors person, CR is the place to go.

The resort we stayed at was called Paradisus Playa Conchal (shell beach). The resort was beautiful with good food, huge pool, 'swim up' bar and nightly entertainment. The wildlife was plenty, and I regret trying to feed a Racoon-type creature after it bit me. Or maybe I regret having a few drinks and making a bad decision.

I fell in love with Costa Rica. In fact, I've decided to start marketing my wedding photography there for winters. So, if you know of anyone considering Costa Rica for their destination wedding, let me know.

Cliff and Gabriela's Reception

Three weeks ago I had the honor to photograph Cliff and Gabby's pre-wedding ceremony. As Gabby's family is from Romania, they are planning to have the wedding there. Still wanting to celebrate with friends and family here in Canada, they had a small "teaser party" at the Pioneer Club in Calgary.

It's not the first time Cliff has been in front of my lens. Cliff use to be one of my ski models that I would use when I shot photos for Sunshine Village Ski Resort. Cliff is an excellent skier and I often struggled to keep up with him. I have dozens of photos of Cliff skiing drop-offs that the average skier would avoid.

Gabriela or 'Gabby' is a catch. She is easy to shoot and has a beautiful smile. It's nice when you reunite with an old buddy to find he's hooked up with a wife that compliments him.

Baby Ayden

So my friends, Paul and Jo just had a baby girl named Ayden.
I got the honor of photographing her at only a couple of weeks old.

Newborns are great... they mostly sleep. You can scrunch them up, move them around, put bright lights on them, make lots of noise, not to mention...they are cute. I'm a sucker for babies... raising two of my own.

For this shoot I used my strobes but just as 'hot lights' (no flash). The term 'hot lights' was derived because they are active the entire time therefore they get hot! For the average model, it can get uncomfortable, however, for a naked baby who just spent 9 months in a warm safe place, hot lights are a comfort.

Paul and Jo are avid climbers, so when my wife, Robyn, came up with the idea of placing Ayden in a shelf amongst my climbing gear, Paul and Jo were all for it.

Paul, Ayden's proud papa, shot a few photos of me at work. Thanks Paul.