Apr
16
Elaine and James have known each other for most of their lives — their parents are long-time family friends so they grew up seeing each other regularly at gatherings and events. As one might suspect, under the circumstances, it wasn’t love at first sight. In fact, as kids they mostly ignored each other. Once they were into their teens, ignoring evolved into friendship, which then turned into something much more. Their shared history and bond is amazing. Even more heartwarming for us is how important the details of their relationship are to them.
We think it’s really important that an engagement shoot is personal and reflects the couple’s relationship. Elaine and James each brought a box of items that they’ve collected over the course of their relationship to the shoot. Their boxes were overflowing with letters, postcards, pictures, ticket stubs, trinkets, and, to our surprise, a contract. During the years that they’ve been together they’ve always been looking into the future. So, in their teens, they drew up this contract:
And we couldn’t resist pulling out a photo strip from one of those old mall photobooths (you know the ones!) to do a before and after shot.
Elaine and James decided that they wanted to do their engagement shoot down at Cherry Beach, but before heading down there we took them on a walk down an old deserted set of railway tracks that we’d been itching to shoot for awhile.
After wandering along the tracks, we headed down to the beach. Something simple and pretty to start off in the late afternoon down by the water.
We decided to turn to something a little more playful, which suited Elaine and James perfectly — they’re always smiling and laughing. To be honest, down by Cherry Beach at the end of winter-early spring, we think Elaine and James were glad for the chance to run around and warm up a bit!
Love this tree with its gnarled old roots — made perfect seats for Elaine and James.
Talk about a fierce look from Elaine!
Something a little more quirky before another round of horsing around on the beach…
After a quick wardrobe change, we walked further down the beach towards another big old tree, which framed our shots perfectly.
Because you thought that these two couldn’t be any cuter together, Elaine and James decided to ramp it up. James had bought them coordinated t-shirts — the design can only be fully appreciated if they wear them together. It was too cold to sport the shirts by the lake, but James decided to brave the cold to show off the back of the shirt, which has a smaller version of the full design on it.
Thought we’d pair the awesome details on the jackets with some straightforward portraits…
One last set in the woods. The blurred trees in the background make for a beautiful, surreal setting. Who says winter shoots without snow can’t be gorgeous?!
James is always keeping Elaine on her toes and keeping her laughing…
Elaine and James — we had an awesome afternoon with you guys and can’t wait to shoot your wedding next month!
Mar
22
Isabel and Zubin initially met a couple of years ago at a mutual acquaintance’s house warming party. Not too long after, they went on their first date — a concert at the Mod Club and then to browse for records. It was, coincidentally, Record Store Day. As you might expect, for their engagement shoot, there was no question — they wanted to revisit their old haunts. We started our walk in the park in Kensington.
Kensington is such a unique place. Bustling with interesting people. So many alleys to wander down and get a little lost. And sometimes we find delightful little surprises, like these punches of colour in this graffiti on a grey winter’s day.
We love it when our couples bring items that are personal to them for the shoot. Love the bag. Just perfect (more of what’s in the bag in just a few moments).
Isabel and Zubin stopped in at Sonic Boom to browse for some records. We’re huge vinyl fans (and we love Sonic Boom) so this was a blast for us too.
Isabel *loves* latin food, so before we went to the top of the parking garage to take a few shots of the records Isable and Zubin brought with them, an Empanada break was in order. Yum yum!
The temperature dropped pretty quickly when we got back down to the lake in Isabel and Zubin’s neighbourhood. Perfect for Isabel to snuggle into Zubin in her warm fuzzy hood though.
We had scouted this big piece of modern sculpture hidden away at Harbourfront earlier in the week and had an idea that Isabel and Zubin were only to happy to try out. So pretty. It was totally worth braving the cold for this shot (although I guess that’s easy for us to say — wearing our jackets!).
Thanks so much for such a fun afternoon, Isabel and Zubin. We can’t wait for your wedding this spring at One King West!
Mar
11
This weekend was downright balmy in Toronto. As we strolled back to our place from catching the Gregory Crewdson doc ‘Brief Encounters’ at The Projection Booth (an awesome independent movie theatre on Gerrard East that you should check out if you haven’t yet), we even saw a couple of guys sporting shorts! How was it only 2 weeks ago that we were in snowy Collingwood with Alicia and David for their winter engagement shoot?!
We met Alicia a couple of months ago and hit it off right away. After a couple of phone calls with David, we started planning their Blue Mountain engagement shoot. Before heading off on our snowy adventure, we started off with a couple of snugly shots by the fire pit.
Alicia looked absolutely gorgeous with her big furry hood on… and off… we couldn’t actually decide which we liked better!
David looked pretty dapper in his fitted herringbone dress coat.
On route to the pond, we couldn’t resist using the yellow building with its pretty oval windows and bright yellow paint job.
Love this through the trees…
Alicia and David had told us that they often skate while up at Blue and so wanted to shoot a few pictures out on the ice. We LOVE it when our couples bring fun ideas to a shoot! Laced up for a few turns on the ice, Alica and David quickly forgot us and just enjoyed each other, seemingly along on the crowded pond. David is quite the skater. The ice was a bit uneven (resulting in some close calls), but they both managed to stay on their feet and have a few really good laughs.
After skating and taking a walk around the grounds, a snowball fight was certainly in order. The competition was fierce!
And the footing on the slope was challenging… whoops!
The tables were even turned on us. It was a real team effort!
A little more horsing around to end the day off. Right into his arms…
What a great day at Blue Mountain! We had *so* much fun with you guys. We can’t wait to shoot your wedding this June!
Sep
25
Victoria is super detail-oriented. Seriously, she and Naomi are kindred spirits. They both love planning and lists (Naomi actually uses different coloured pens to cross completed tasks off and makes lists of her lists when things get hectic… ahem, okay, this is getting embarrassing for Naomi — back to Vic and Chris).
So, as you might expect, Vic and Chris didn’t just meet us halfway on planning their engagement shoot. It wasn’t just “I’d like to shoot in a field” (which, don’t get us wrong, is a great starting point); it was “we’d like to shoot in Liberty Village” (where they live) and then, here come the best part, there was a list of about 30 specific locations in Liberty Village, including obscure murals and corners, that they wanted us to consider using for their shoot.
Before there’s any freaking out, a note to our couples: this planning and list-making is *not* required on your parts; it’s typically our job, and we love doing it. Having said that, it’s pretty cool when our couples are this invested in the shoot. We’re loving the results of our collaboration.
Vic and Chris — thanks for putting so much thought into the shoot. And for sneaking up to the balcony of the Liberty Market with us!
Sep
09
With summer winding down, Kim and Tim’s engagement post sure makes us nostalgic. Niagara-on-the-Lake, fruit trees in bloom, cicadas singing, warm sun on your skin, the relief of finding some cool water to splash around in, frozen treats, and late sunsets [big sentimental sigh].
Kim and Tim are getting married this month (yea!) so we thought we’d relive the summer and share a few of the images that show just how magic they are together.
One of the things we love most about Kim and Tim is how they just break into laughter — with abandon. For no reason at all. Or maybe there is a reason — it’s just their little secret…
Tell us these red shoes aren’t the cutest. Dare you.
Mid-summer days need big shady trees. This one was perfect for lounging under . . .
Here comes another one of those “So how much fun do you guys *really* want to have?” moments. There was actually no arm twisting required in this case. Before we could finish our question, these two had their socks and shoes off, pants rolled up, knee-deep in the fountain.
Love these shots peeking down at Kim and Tim over some shrubs at the side of the Court House Theatre, down an alley, just off the main street in NOTL.
When we first met Kim and Tim, one of the reasons that they told us that they liked our style of photography was that we often use a series of images to tell a story — like a storyboard. That said, we had to include this set of images of them on the steps of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s City Hall.
A stop for ice cream was a must for this shoot. Of course, it was hot and just about every tourist wandering the streets of NOTL had a cone or cup in hand. We say *must* not because of the weather or setting, but because ice cream actually has a special place in Kim and Tim’s engagement story. Apparently, so the story goes, Kim and Tim were in London (Tim is originally from England) and it was *the* day. Minutes before Tim had planned on popping the question, Kim dragged Tim to buy an ice cream cone. Nervous (no doubt), Tim’s focus wasn’t on his ice cream, which began to melt all over him. We’re glad to see that some things never change 
.
Clearly, Kim still can’t take Tim anywhere!
You were an absolute blast, Kim and Tim. We can’t wait for your wedding at Blue Mountain later this month!
Aug
29
Typically, we meet our couples before they ask us to shoot their wedding. Katie and Mitch were referred to us by a friend who was a groomsman in the wedding we shot last year in San Fran. So, after checking out our site and a series of emails back and forth, it was a done deal — we were shooting Katie and Mitch’s wedding!
Of course, not meeting beforehand meant we did some speculating about what Katie and Mitch would be like before to arriving to shoot their engagement session. Particularly after Mitch said that he had an idea for the shoot, but would tell us about it when we got there because it was a bit weird (the suspense was killing us!!). We knew it would all be fine though — their only “musts” were that we shoot in the Junction where they’d just bought their first house and that their pug, Baja (pronounced bay-ya), be included. Location that is personal to them — perfect — and we love dogs — awesome.
Mitch’s idea wasn’t so weird after all. Mitch and Katie are huge vinyl fans so we did some shots in front of their records and turntables. A couple after our own hearts! Sadly their collection is slightly bigger than ours though! (off to the record store for us?)
Baja decided that we were headed for a walk to the park for some portraits (and she was a total camera hog):
So fun having your very own front steps!
With Baja safely back home, we went on a wander around the Junction — down alleyways, up ladders, under and over bridges …
Love these — in motion; from both of our perspectives:
And, sometimes, the light is just perfect.
Who doesn’t love a laundromat? Katie and Mitch were a blast, up for anything, kidding around and always smiling and laughing.
Inevitably, at least once a shoot, one of us will come up with a hair-brained scheme. Something a bit different or quirky, if our couple is game. This time, it took the form of “So, how’d you feel about racing around in a laundry cart?” How did Katie and Mitch react? Well, they didn’t take much persuading:
Awesome white wall; the perfect backdrop:
One more grittier set to end the evening, up the fire escape…
Such an awesome time with you guys. We can’t wait to post your wedding!
Jul
27
It’s that time of year again: peak wedding season. We’re shooting amazing couples every weekend (and a number of weeknights each week!) and have a ton of exciting projects on the go. There is so much to share in the next little while!
We’re super excited to post Nav and Jen’s engagement shoot (and even more excited to shoot their wedding next weekend at Auberge du Pommier!). Nav and Jen are fabulous. They’re comfortable in their own skin and know what they want. From the first time we met with them, even before they asked us to shoot their wedding, they, especially Jen, were clear — they didn’t want “typical wedding photography”. Gardens and flowers were not in the cards. Something urban, something gritty, something unique. We were in — if Nav and Jen chose us, we were definitely game. And thankfully, they did choose us. We’ve since gotten to know Nav and Jen better through coffees and, of course, their engagement shoot. Nav and Jen are a genuine couple, who are committed to each other, very much in love, and close to their families.
We met up with Nav and Jen for their engagement shoot at the Dark Horse Espresso Bar on Queen East. It was smokin’ hot outside so it was a quick (cold!) beverage before the shoot, which allowed Nav and Jen have a bit of reprieve before we took off on our adventure into the urban wilderness.
Once we’d all cooled off a bit, we took a wander down an alleyway. One of our recommendations for engagement shoots and the wedding day itself is that our couples bring a pair of shoes that they can walk around in between locations. Mark snapped this photo while Nav was helping Jen change back into her heels. Total gentleman.
Love the dress that Jen picked for the shoot!
A quick change into something more comfortable and we headed for a walk down the Don Valley:
The rusty bridge was an excellent setting to shoot . . . except for all the cyclists. Nav and Jen had to stealthily move out of the way every minute (or 30 seconds or so!) for oncoming bikes. They were great sports though. Ditto under the bridge, but it was worth it for the fun shots that we got.
Off the path in the Don Valley, down onto the beach, under the old train tracks for the first shot; back up the hill, through a hole cut in the fence, and up onto abandoned railway tracks for the second one (you ask for different, you get different):
Finally, a little love for the TTC. The only way this could be better is if Jen and Nav were in their wedding gear.
Can’t wait for next week, Nav and Jen. It’s going to be amazing!!
Jul
18
Cathy and Mike’s engagement shoot had been scheduled for the Toronto Island a few weeks before. And it poured. Not just a little rain, the sky emptied itself. I think we were all a little disappointed at having to postpone, but, boy, were we glad we did.
The shoot with Cathy and Mike on the Island and in Union Station was epic! We had such a great time with these two. They were up for anything (just wait, you’ll see, when we say anything, we mean *anything* ☺ ). And it doesn’t hurt that they’re clearly, totally in love.
Sometimes the light is just perfect…
As a bit of background, we always go out to the location of our shoot beforehand to scout – we map out where we want to take our couple and figure out what and how we want to shoot. During out scout for Cathy and Mike’s shoot, we found the Island’s outdoor theatre. The back wall of the theatre was perfect for doing some quick portraits. So, on the day of the shoot, we led Cathy and Mike toward the theatre, and perhaps down a rabbit hole …
This is, of course, where it all starts to feel like you’re having a strange, but actually kind of wonderful dream. As we approach the theatre, we notice a giant sign that says “Frolick”. Just as we were setting up, two young drama types (and we mean this in the nicest possible way – we love all kinds of performance) walk out of the theatre to check out what we’re doing. They regale us with jokes, tell us about their play, and offer us some amazing “props” for the shoot. That’s right. And Cathy and Mike got right into it. We loved it! In our opinion Cathy is a true performer, check out her facial expression in the tryptich below:
{Our thanks to Matthew Krist and Joe Law from Frolick, presenting “Adventures in Slumberland” this summer at the Lagoon Theatre — you guys made our shoot truly memorable.}
Leaving the menagerie and our new friends behind, we headed for some of the Island’s more tranquil spots…
We made our way down to the end of the pier on the other side of the Island for this next set. While we were sorting through the images afterwards, we couldn’t help but feel that there was something vintage and nostalgic about them – something very Beyond the Sea.
The images made us long for some Polaroid shots so we decided to play around a little with our processing:
[Stay tuned for posts later this summer where we actually carted along our old Polaroid cameras and Instax.]
Down from the pier to the water and up into the lifeguard stands…
Across by ferry, back to the city and into the basement of Union Station, there are a line of phone booths that we had been absolutely dying to use for a shoot.
It was a hot summer night. We’ll say no more.
To finish the night off, a little more scratchy vintage …
Cathy and Mike – thanks for an amazing evening. We can’t wait to shoot your wedding at the McMichael Art Gallery in a couple of weeks!
Jul
17
It was the perfect Sunday afternoon in Virgil and Niagara-on-the Lake. Kim and Tim. The Pie Plate (Have we mentioned how much we adore their delectable treats? If we haven’t, we should have.) A stroll through an orchard. Kicking off socks and shoes to beat the heat by climbing into a fountain. Speed ice cream eating and battle (We think the heat may have won!). Sunset by the lake. Love, lots of love, and laughs.
We can’t wait to share the whole engagement shoot (and to shoot Kim and Tim’s wedding in September). For now though, a peek of Kim and Tim through the branches of the pear trees:
Jul
02
In just a few short weeks we’ll have the extraordinary luck to shoot Cathy and Mike’s wedding.
When we first had a chance to sit down with Cathy and Mike they were thinking about participating in the Tough Mudder the weekend before their wedding. Really! REALLY!!!! Cooler heads have prevailed and Cathy and Mike are going to take it a little easier leading up to their big day.
That being said, what an incredible sense of adventure. Truly a couple after our own hearts!
Click or refresh to watch me again!!
Much more to come from our afternoon and evening searching out the best photography locations on the Toronto Islands and at Union Station.
