ENGAGEMENT SHOOT: ANNA and MARTIN

i've known Anna and Martin for many years so this was supposed to be a fun shoot.  this was supposed to be an easy shoot, because i understand their sense of humor and know what i could do to make them smile and laugh.  this was supposed to be a relaxed shoot because of our established comfort with each other, ensuring that genuine emotion would come through.  this was supposed to be all that...and i'm glad to say it was.

with all of my clients, it is important to have an engagement shoot to build a relationship with them, to understand what style of communication they prefer and develop a plan for cues to make the wedding day shoot a breeze.  i need to know what kinds of things will make them smile, be loving and be silly.  they have to know what i mean when i ask them them to "relax the hand, give me blue steel" or  "tell her a secret". so even though Anna and Martin are friends i know very well, they are a couple i have to treat as clients just the same.

being a friend doesn't hurt though.  they were comfortable with me from the very start and i believe their comfort came through the final images.  it didn't take very much for us to get into a groove and capture some really fun "fly-on-the-wall" type moments while also putting them into a few posed images that are captivating and beautiful in its simplicity. 

we spent the afternoon wandering around downtown and wanted to blend in important elements which i felt was key to the theme of the shoot.  using the diverse backdrops our city has to offer, i tried to create a soft theme which celebrated the past, present and future.  in looking to the past, we worked in front of a historic sandstone building that used to serve as a school many decades ago.  

being in the present led us to the infamous stephen ave walk, where we enjoyed some candid moments dancing around and having good ol' fashioned fun on the streets in front of complete strangers.  Anna and Martin really let loose here and indulged me into some fantastic candid moments that really captured what i love about working with couples who are in absolute adoration of each other. these are the type of genuine moments you can't manufacture.

we covered off the tour by touching on the future.  using the latest public art installation in downtown calgary called the "chinook arch", we basically utilized the scuplture as a giant softbox and managed to get a combination of fun and artistic images that helped me explore my rooted interest in utilizing architecture and art installations as backdrops for the image.  the movement of lines of the sculpture helped frame Anna and Martin as the focal point yet provided enough dynamic interest for the viewer to dance around the images playfully until they found the lovely couple in a sweet embrace.

earning trust with your clients is the one of the most important things you can do as a photographer.  it enables you to focus on your creativity because the client has already bought in to your philosophy and style and believes that you have the eye that matches well with their expectations.  they will "stop, collaborate and listen" to whatever situation they are being put in because they trust that you will be rewarding them with the best images possible.

i'm looking forward to spending time with these two very special people on their wedding day this summer.  if this engagement shoot was any indication, the wedding day shoot will be just as fun and relaxed and should be full of really amazing moments that i will be fortunate enough to capture.

de jesus. summer's here. out.

WEDDING SHOOT: HAILEY and DEREK

i've known Hailey and Derek for a few years and was honored to be selected as their photographer for their wedding day.  they are a really fun couple with a great sense of humor and i knew this would be a can't miss event.  in a time where online dating, speed dating and other non-traditional ways of meeting people are becoming a social norm, it is still unique to think that these two met on twitter.  yes - twitter. Derek is very active in the social media world and as it turns out, he had posted something which caught Hailey's attention.  after following each other on twitter, it became apparent that they had more in common than just the social issues they were passionate about.  from that point, it didn't take very long for them to start dating which then built into a long lasting relationship and the marriage they are enjoying to this day. #winning indeed.

i always include an engagement shoot in my wedding packages because it is important for me to know how the couple interacts with each other as well as understand what cues i can use to make them feel comfortable around me.  it is essential to build a "photographer rapport" with my clients to build their trust and let them know that my goal is to not be intrusive while capturing both the formal poses but more importantly the genuine moments...the moments as if no one was watching.  those for me are my favorite images because that is where i believe true beauty lies.

so on an october afternoon we set out to capture images of Hailey and Derek hanging out in the city they love and spending a chill afternoon as they would normally do.  here is a sample of what we accomplished that autumn day:

to celebrate their one year wedding anniversary, i'd like to share with you some of the memorable images of their special day.  you might not notice it, but it was a cold february afternoon and respect to both bride and groom (and the bridal party) for being brave enough to take direction from me on a day when you could see your breath outside.  their positive and eager attitude was worth it as i believe we captured memories that looked effortless and will undoubtedly last a lifetime.

when all is said and done, all we have is our memories and whether they are good or bad, they are uniquely ours and help tell the story of what we've done and where we came from.  as a photographer, i'm thankful that i'm able to document these memories for wonderful people like Hailey and Derek and i'm humbled to be allowed in to share these moments with them as well.

congrats and best wishes on the little one coming soon!

de jesus. #blessed #out.

BOOBY WHO? BOOBY U!

i was very fortunate to be asked by some of the organizers of the rethink breast cancer  foundation to help with their annual fundraiser aptly titled the "boobyball".  this very worthwhile and fun event will be held in calgary on october 24, 2013 and tickets (still available) can be purchased through their website.  proceeds from the event go to support the rethink breast cancer movement, whose aim is to bring awareness and visibility to a new generation of breast cancer supporters while providing support and research funding specifically to the young women afflicted by this disease.

of course i was willing to lend a helping hand to the cause and instead of providing direct monetary support, i chose to donate my time and am proud to offer up my services as a professional photographer  as part of their silent auction.  if you do attend the event, you will see a host of donated prizes and services offered by local businesses and your job is to bid on the items you like and wait and see if you won once the bids close.  you can bid as many times as you like and previous bids are always visible so all you need to do is monitor the items you are bidding on and be sure you are the last name on the list when time is up!

below is the poster ad i have prepared for the event, which will be showcased alongside many other great businesses.  it truly is an honor to be asked to help out and my only hope is that i can generate a few hard earned dollars for the foundation.

booby ball poster ad
courtesy: me

last year's event was camp themed and was an absolute blast, complete with live music, food and drink and fun activities to keep the party going to last call. this year the the theme this year is booby U, a take on college life and everything associated with those impressionable years *cough cough*. unfortunately, i won't be able to attend this year because of scheduled (routine) surgery, but i'm asking you to dust off those letterman jackets or cheerleading skirts and come out to support this great cause!


de jesus "i like boobies" out.