INFOrmation

Absolutely! I love incorporating the human and fur babies for a full family portrait. For younger babies and puppies, I recommend having a handler to babysit for the second half of the shoot so you two have some time alone together for the remainder of the shoot!

Can I bring my pet? Or my kids?

Yes! I love being part of the surprise and this gets you real bonus points with your betrothed-to-be as well. Although I'm biased because my man hired a photographer and I am so grateful that those moments were captured! How does this work? If it's in a public setting, I will act like a random pedestrian and shoot from afar with a longer lens before coming in, introducing myself and taking some guided portraits. I can also set you up with a hidden microphone ahead of time to capture the entire experience! This works great in a slideshow I will make for you later.

Do you do proposal shoots? How does that work?

In terms of time of year, many couples like to shoot in the opposite season of their wedding to shake it up. Or, pick your favourite season as the perfect backdrop (cherry blossoms or fall leaves are popular). Time of day is also important - dawn or dusk is by far the best lighting that we can't aways take advantage of during a busy wedding day. This is our chance to get golden hour portraits!
Be sure to check the weather when booking a date. It if calls for slight showers, I don’t worry about it too much as it often just ends up being overcast (which is my personal preferred lighting).
Here on Vancouver Island, we have learned to adapt to west-coast weather. Bring an umbrella just in case. Even if we do get a little drizzle, that can look spectacular when lit from behind with a strobe and stormy clouds can look dramatic as well. It’s always good to have an indoor location as a backup. If the weather is just too torrential, I offer re-shoots at no charge.

When is the best time to do a shoot?

Think about locations that mean something to your relationship – nothing is too boring or bizarre. How about that coffee shop where you noticed each other for the first time? Or you can pick a theme and
I will help! Let's start with Rustic vs. Urban.
Rural is a more rustic look – open fields, beaches, forests, anything nature. Urban is something modern and upscale, often including interesting architecture, lighting and cityscapes.
Somewhere I always love shooting are at-home sessions. If you live together, this is a great oppourtunity to capture your space in this time as well!

Where should we do our engagement shoot?

One of the biggest benefits of hiring me as your photographer is that I am an expert poser. I know exactly how to direct you and help you both to feel comfortable even if the poses don’t always feel normal. I specialize in capturing people who have never been professionally photographed before, so my shooting style includes 110% direction, so just kick back, run around, goof off and have fun with your other. You’ll be surprised at how fun it is and how comfortable you will actually feel. I've got you.

But we're not photogenic!

Just be yourself and wear what represents you (from ripped jeans to a mascot costume-anything goes). Some tips:
/ Wear something comfortable and take photos of your outfit from behind to make sure you love it from all angles
/ Dress to match the location (those stilettos are for the city mouse)
/ You can bring more than one outfit (a casual dress for movement, and skinny jeans for later are popular)
/ Put a little oomph into your makeup (because it translates subdued on camera). Many of my brides go for the professional hair and makeup with my styling team which we can arrange for you, it really enhances the experience and may help you nail down a stylist for your walk down the aisle.

What should we wear?

What if my desired shoot location is outside of Victoria?

If your desired shoot location is more than one hour outside the Greater Victoria area, an additional $50 is applied per travel hour.
For Vancouver locations, it is an additional $350.
If elsewhere in Canada or is an international destination, we ask that our travel/accommodation fees be covered; please inquire for a custom travel quote.

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