Avery & Chris

These two won the motherload!

Avery and Chris were the grand prize winners at this year's Bridal Fantasy. Out of all the photo sessions they won that day, they picked us to work with for their engagement session. We were very honoured. 

We headed out to Devonian Gardens for a quick afternoon session. The weather was beautiful, and the married couple to be were a lot of fun to work with. Check out some of our favourite shots from the day.

Good luck on this next awesome adventure Avery and Chris!

Macki & Andy - Engagement Session

Macki & Andy are winners. Well, at least they were the winners of a portrait session with us when they entered our contest at Bridal Fantasy back in January. The couple decided to use their free session to do an engagement shoot. They are set to get married in July but hadn’t done an engagement session yet so it worked out quite nicely.

We met at Transcend Coffee near Whyte Ave and we got a few shots of the two of them sharing some java. Then it was outside to wander around the Garneau area, using the amazing brick walls, doorways, and staircases we found along our travels.

After we got a ton of urban photos done we wandered under the bridge to get a little more back-to-nature shots. Climbing on bridges, walking along train tracks, avoiding discarded items of clothing, wandering down pathways, and having a ton of laughs yielded some great photos of this fun couple.

We wish them all the best for a future of happiness together!!

Check out some of the photos we captured on our adventure:

April Portrait Blitz - Jessica & Dustin

This session was a great example of why we love photo blitzs. We worked with Jessica a few times in the past as part of production photos for various theatre projects over the past few years. When we posted the times for the blitz, Jessica reached out as she wanted to use at least part of the session to get new head shots. Then with the remaining time, we could get some photos with her and her partner Dustin.

That's why these sessions work. You get 30 mins. What you want to do with that time is completely up to you. Check out what we got from the day (minus the head shots which are still being finished).

Enjoy!

April Portrait Blitz - Lindsay, Neil, & Sadie

This kid was ridiculous. I don't think we have ever had a baby who posed so well for photos. Every time it was her turn to focus on the camera, her head whipped around and she was ready to go. She was better than some adults we know. 

What stands out about this session to us is that it feels so downtown Edmonton. It features some of our favourite locations and with the addition of the rain on the ground and the cloud cover it made for a perfect little shoot.

It was great meeting you guys! Looking forward to next time.

April Portrait Blitz - Krystina & Jacob

We have worked with Krystina many times over the years. Mostly through her work at the Legislature of Alberta. It was so nice to finally have her in front of the camera and to meet her partner Jacob. 

What really stands out about this session is their personalities. Most couples have never had photos taken before and it can be a strange thing. This couples laughter and the way they  just let themselves have fun really translated in the photos. 

Can't wait to work with them in the future.

April Portrait Blitz - Betts & Her GIANT Family!

When we posted the event for the latest Blitz, we included the line: “Whether you bring 1, 2, or 20 people, we will do all we can to capture your family the best way possible in the time slot you choose”. Well, Betts put that to the test for sure. Ultimately 19 family members showed up for their session. It was a fantastic challenge indeed!

Our first shoot with Betts and her family was quite a bit smaller in scale, but Betts did a great job preparing everyone for this Blitz session. She had a list of all the combinations she wanted to photograph and we managed to get it all done. We think her efforts paid off.

-       brad

Take a look at some of the many different combinations we were able to get for Betts and her family:

April Portrait Blitz - Cheryl & Family

Cheryl

I know Cheryl from my day job. She was one of the first people that I connected with when I started there so I was thrilled when she said she wanted to participate in the Blitz with her and her family.

We had a lot of fun on their session. It was the first shoot we’ve done that included a reptile, so that was definitely interesting! Also, we managed to capture a few photos with a naturally-occurring smoke machine (well, it was just the vent from the building, but we were still happy to be there at the right time).

-       brad

Here are some of the photos of Cheryl and her family, including iguana (it might be a bearded dragon, I’m not up on these things, sorry Cheryl):

April Portrait Blitz - Sam & Her Dad

I’ve known Sam for many years now. She’s great for MANY reasons, but especially because she’s a diehard baseball fan. Yes, her favourite team is the Chicago Cubs, so that’s a little strange, but still, she loves baseball!

When she saw that we were having a Blitz, she came up with a great idea for a gift for her Mom on Mother’s Day – photos of her and her Dad in their jerseys. Of course I LOVED that idea!

It was fun coming up with different poses that wouldn’t end up looking just like baseball cards (although, that wouldn’t be the end of the world in my opinion).

-       brad

Take a look at some of the photos from the session:

April Portrait Blitz - Nora & Family

This was our third time shooting Nora and her family. The first time we met them, they were a group of three expecting a fourth. For this shoot, they showed up with a whole other generation. It was a real treat to meet the parents of this little clan, and it was fun to walk around 104 St capturing them.

Despite the cold of the early Sunday morning, they were troopers. I love how these shots really capture the personality of this group.

See for yourself.

Episode 4 - YEG Photography Webcast - Locations

"Where should we go for our photo shoot?" - we get this question all the time. Bottom line? We want to go where YOU want to go. Where you actually go... somewhere that means something to YOU. 

Check out our latest webcast where we talk about what we feel is important about locations for your photo shoot.

Remember, you can always subscribe to our webcasts here: subscribe

Episode 4: Locations. In this episode we talk about what we believe makes a good location. **Spoiler alert** that's up to you!! We'll make the best of whatever spot we're put in. Ultimately, we want to take photos in locations that mean something to YOU!!

Jill & Brandon - Engagement

Last week, with their June 4th wedding just around the corner, we headed to Hawrelak Park with Jill & Brandon to get their engagement photos done. They brought along their dog Molly for a few photos too! 

Oddly enough, we actually had to postpone the session that was supposed to take place a week earlier. The wind on the original session date was ridiculous!! There was no way that Jill's hair would not have looked anything short of crazy if we shot that day. The day we ended up shooting was just fine!

Aside from Dave sinking a shoe a foot deep in the mud along the river, the session was great! While Jill & Brandon admitted to us that they haven't had photos of the two of them together ever before, they sure managed to allow us to capture them at their natural best! It was a fun night for sure... and we can't wait for June to arrive so we can spend their wedding day with them.

Take a look at some of the images we captured of these two:

Bust 'Em Up Burlesque

Send in the Girls Burlesque has hit the big time! 

Their new show, Bust 'Em Up Burlesque is opening tonight at the Citadel Theatre. We were so happy to be working with them to build promotional images for the fourth time.

For this shoot, we broke away from tradition where we shoot against a black wall, and went out into the real world. We first went to a house with an awesome claw bathtub, then headed over to the Mercer Tavern for the remainder of the session.

The Mercer was such a great fit because it has an actual large safe built right into the wall which fit perfectly with the 1920s bank robber setting of the show.

We will be there tonight for their opening. Can't wait to see it. You should see it too.

WORLD PREMIER

Bust ‘Em Up Burlesque
As Part of the Citadel's Made In Edmonton Cabaret Series
March 16-19, 2016

Citadel Theatre

RUNNING MARCH 16 TO 19, 2016 IN THE CLUB

8:00 PM

RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 18+

Wish You Were Here

I can't see the title of this show without getting Pink Floyd stuck in my head.

This was a really fun session. We got to work with one of our favourite theatre companies in town, Plain Jane Theatre. Every time we collaborate with Kate Ryan and crew, we know we are in for a great time and creative project. Their new show, Wish You Were Here: The Ultimate Traveller's Guide to the World, is a musical voyage of the work of Noel Coward across the globe. It instantly hit us that a retro looking postcard would help sell the idea.

We're pretty happy with how it turned out. If you are interested in checking out the show, it opens today! Details below:

Wish You Were Here-The Ultimate Traveller's Guide to the World

March 4-12, 2016 at the Varscona Backstage Theatre

“Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid-day sun!”The Janes have created a new revue inspired by one of theatre's most witty and provocative writers-Noel Coward, who's wanderlust inspired many of his greatest songs and plays.

Varscona Backstage Theatre 10330-84 ave.
Tickets available at Tix on the Square

The YEG Photography Webcast is Live!

We're on the YouTubes everybody! We're pretty excited about it. Episode 001 of the YEG Photography Webcast is live and ready for viewing.

For the first episode we thought we would just introduce ourselves and tell a bit about how we started in photography and how we ended up working together. As you will learn if you watch the video (and we hope you do), our real reason for doing this webcast series is that when we were starting out, we appreciated that so many photographers around the world shared their tips and tricks for free. We found that their video tutorials ended up being a large part of our photography education. In fact, we still find videos that enhance what we know all the time. So we thought we'd share our take on all things photographic with the world.

A few examples of what you can expect in upcoming episodes:

  • Editing tips
  • Photography tips
  • Wedding day tips for couples about to be married
  • Our approach to topics like headshots, location scouting, newborn photography etc.
  • Requests from the audience (that means you... let us know what you'd like to see us talk about)

So have a look at the video above and don't be shy - let us know your thoughts. If you have suggestions for upcoming episodes we'd love to hear it. Feel free to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you won't miss an episode.

Thanks very much everyone!

dave & brad

Krista & Brent

If you have an Ice Castle in your city, I'm pretty sure you are legally required as a photographer to do at least one session there. We are so glad we did!

Krista & Brent's wedding is later this year, but they were really keen on having some shots done in the winter. With the milder weather we are having, plus the awesome ice structure in the middle of Hawrelak Park, it couldn't have worked out better.

We loved the challenge of shooting while the place was packed. Looking back at the shots, you couldn't tell. All we needed was a little patience. At the end of the session, we joked that it's going to be tough to top this shoot for their wedding. Looking back at the photos, it feels like the gauntlet has been thrown down.

Enjoy some of our favourites from the day.

Junior Achievement - Job Shadow Day 2016

If you are not familiar with Junior Achievement, it is an organization that essentially mentors young people in the ways of business. From the Junior Achievement website:

“For over 50 years, Junior Achievement of Northern Alberta & NWT has engaged and inspired students from grades 3 to 12 through free programs about entrepreneurship, workforce readiness and financial literacy. Junior Achievement maximizes student potential by exposing them to real-life business leaders that teach tangible and relatable lessons in order to prepare them for success in the global economy.”

A few years ago my good friend Janice Moore approached us to shoot an event or two for Junior Achievement. I’d known about this organization for many years, but it wasn’t until I started shooting events for them that I truly realized what they do for these young people. When I got to shoot their Job Shadow Day back in February of 2015 I was able to meet many of the young people in the program. I was so impressed with how business-savvy these “kids” were. They were eager, polite, passionate, well spoken, and genuine. It was hard not to be energized just being around them.

So when Janice approached us to be a sponsor for them, we jumped at the opportunity. We are the exclusive photographers for their major events through the year. We have already photographed this year’s Job Shadow Day, the Alberta Business Hall of Fame Wall unveiling (at Manulife Place), and a special evening with Brett Wilson (former Dragon on CBC’s Dragon’s Den) at the west end Lexus dealership.

If you or your business would like to invest in the programs that Junior Achievement offers, please visit their invest page.

Below is a look at the Job Shadow Day from February 2016. We visited Edmonton International Airport, Fountain Tire, and CCI Thermal. My favourite part of the day is when I get to take their corporate portrait. I love making them look like CEOs!

 - brad