WHAT MAKES A GOOD FAMILY PORTRAIT?

nEvery family portrait photographer will have their own style. Some are more formal while others, like mine, are more casual and centred around telling a visual story of this time in your lives. My goal is to create family portraits that create memories rather than just recording what you look like.

WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO FAMILY PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY IN VICTORIA BC?

My approach allows you to relax, have fun and be yourselves all while looking amazing! If you have little ones we'll organize the session around an activity. Instead of treating your kids to ice cream if they pose for portraits, let's actually go for ice cream and I'll photograph that. For older or adult children, I always keep things relaxed and fun, while still ensuring everyone looks amazing!nnI am also always happy to take a few frame-worthy, traditional look-at-the-camera-and-smile photos during our session. With some families it's better to do the traditional stuff at the beginning, and with other families it's better to do the traditional stuff after your kids have had a chance to have fun. I always go with what is going to work best for your kids.

I WANT CANDID PHOTOS OF MY FAMILY BUT I DON'T WANT TO LOOK BAD. DO YOU STILL FIX BLEMISHES WITHOUT IT LOOKING LIKE AN INSTAGRAM FILTER?

First of all, you're going to look awesome in your portraits! Blemishes and double chins will definitely be fixed without looking fake. In my years as a wedding photographer I've photographed thousands of people. I know how to make you look awesome without things feeling forced. Plus, I'm happy to give you some ideas and suggestions to get it all going so it's fun.nnI also want to mention that my editing style is timeless and classic, which means if the grass is green and the sky is blue, it will look that way in your portraits. This is the opposite of what Instagram filters do, since they will often change the colour tones of an image and this will date your photos in years to come. Instagram-style photo retouching is also a challenge to print.n

DO YOU OFFER FAMILY PORTRAIT MINI-SESSIONS IN VICTORIA?

Yes. Mini-sessions are 15-20 minutes and I offer them at select locations in Victoria, including Government House, Elk Lake Park, the B.C. Legislature or Swan Lake.

CAN I KEEP MY FAMILY PHOTOS PRIVATE?

Absolutely. I always respect your wishes if you don't want photos of your family shared on my blog or social media.

DO YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE PHOTOGRAPHING CHILDREN ON THE AUTISTIC SPECTRUM?

Yes, and I customize the session for your child's needs. Let's chat and I'm happy to go over more about my approach.

HERE ARE A LOT OF BLACK & WHITE PHOTOS ON YOUR SITE. DO YOU ALSO PROVIDE COLOUR IMAGES?

When it comes to posting pictures, I share a lot of B&Ws so the web pages load faster. But I also love colour. That's why for every digital image you choose, you'll receive both a B&W + colour version (=two versions of each image).

DO I NEED TO VIEW AND ORDER MY PORTRAITS AT A STUDIO?

If you're a parent that means you are a busy person! That's why I set everything up so you can view and choose your digital photos from the comfort of your home. nBest of all -- you can choose to share the link to your personal gallery with others so they can have their own digital copies. They can also order their own heirloom prints directly from an awesome professional lab that will ship to the purchaser's door, which is great when you have extended family living in other countries.nnI also offer beautiful storybook albums featuring museum-quality printing designed to last beyond a lifetime.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAMILY PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY PRICES?

My rates begin at $199 for mini-sessions and vary depending on the length of time you choose and the number of photos you would like. You can find my family portrait pricelist on my website.

ARE YOU STILL PHOTOGRAPHING WEDDINGS AND ELOPEMENTS? DO YOU ALSO PHOTOGRAPH FASHION, BRANDING OR LIFESTYLE PORTRAITS?

I have shifted my focus from destination weddings to family portraits in Victoria. However, I do still take on a few weddings, elopements, engagement portraits, surprise engagement proposals and vow renewals every year in British Columbia. I also offer lots of other photography services, including bespoke art portraits, fashion, glamour, grad portraits, social media branding and lifestyle photography.

WHAT IS THE BEST LENS FOR FAMILY PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY?

I prefer to use Zoom lenses because they allow me to follow the action without switching between primes. I carry two cameras on me, with a holster, with a 24-70mm 2.8 on one, and a 70-200mm 2.8 on the other. I also have backup prime lenses just in case, but I typically stick to these two zooms.

DO YOU TAKE ANNUAL FAMILY PORTRAITS?

Yes, I have several clients who come back for yearly family portraits.

WHAT IS THE BEST CAMERA FOR FAMILY PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY?

nI have a Nikon system, but if you're photographing families, especially with young children, you'll want a camera that can focus quickly. I am also cautious with my cards (since cards can easily get damaged) so I only work with cameras that have two card slots - one that records in RAW and the other that records in JPEG. There are tons of cameras that can do this on the market.

WHO IS THE BEST VICTORIA BC FAMILY PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER?

The best photographer depends on your personal taste. I've been ranked as one of the top five photographers in Canada (twice) in addition to several high-profile international awards. After photographing weddings and portraits for more than 15 years, I have experience with thousands of different people. I know how to make you look amazing, without any stiff and formal posing.

HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN A FAMILY PORTRAIT WITH MATCHING CLOTHING?

I always suggest choosing clothing that you feel comfortable wearing and that matches your personal style. You don't need to match.

WHAT CLOTHING SHOULD WE WEAR FOR OUR FAMILY PORTRAITS?

always recommend choosing clothing that reflects your family's personal style, whether that's casual or dressy. When it comes to your outfits, keep it timeless and classic. Avoid anything that will date your photos in years to come, including trendy patterns.nnI also suggest avoiding anything with large letters or numbers (unless it's part of a uniform or family tradition like baseball jerseys). Avoiding anything neon since it will create an unflattering colour cast on your faces. You don't need to match to look fantastic! Choose colours that complement each other. Solid colours look especially brilliant!

craftC H R I S T I N A FUNKYTOWN PHOTOGRAPHY

One of Canada's best
wedding photographers

Hi there! I'm Christina.

Placed top 10 internationally (three times)

Ranked top 5 wedding photographers in Canada (twice)

Winner of 25 Fearless Awards

Junebug's Best of Vancouver Island 2017

AS SEEN IN:

People Magazine - World's Best Wedding Photographers - WedLuxe - Style me Pretty - Junebug - Fearless Photographers - Bride's Magazine - National Geographic Traveler

I CAN SAY WITHOUT A DOUBT, YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!

You have no idea how much joy I get from looking at these photos and all the incredible moments and emotions you were able to capture from that day. I could not have been happier or more impressed with your work and can not thank you enough for capturing our wedding so perfectly.

Who's ready to
have some fun?

Everything you need to know!

Approach and style

I work hard to cater my photography to reflect YOU. I photograph in a variety of styles and offer a blend of candid photojournalism with timeless-but-funky portraits.

As a documentary storyteller, my goal is to capture the love you have for each other and and those around you. During portraits I always provide easy-to-follow directions so you and your guests will look and feel amazing! You're going to LOVE your wedding photos!

Based in Victoria on Vancouver Island

I photograph weddings in Victoria, BC on beautiful Vancouver Island. While I'm staying closer to home these days, I used to live part-time in Costa Rica and I traveled the world photographing destination weddings. If you're looking for inspiration for your own big day check out the blog.

COVID-friendly cancelation policy

After the last few years we've all learned the value of flexibility. That's why I make it easy for you to postpone or cancel if something happens and you need to change your plans.

Wedding photography collections

Every wedding is unique and yours will be, too! That's why I create custom collections for every couple based on the kind of celebration you're having.

Collection pricing for local Victoria BC weddings begin at $4,950 for six hours, which is the perfect amount of time for photographing your your preparations through to your first dances and cake cutting. Elopements begin at $1,450 for 1.5 hours, which is the perfect amount of time for your ceremony + portraits.

How many wedding photos can you expect?

Rather than setting a limit of, say, 300 images in six hours... I leave no stone un-turned in ensuring your full wedding day story is captured. The minimum amount you can expect is a photo a minute, but 99.9% of the time it's considerably more.

My photo editor and I only remove photos if they're unflattering, if someone blinked, or if we've experimented and something didn't turn out. And if I've photographed in a flurry, then you'll receive the best of a sequence so you don't have a million photos that only change by a fraction of a second. The bottom line: We aren't going to remove a photo of your aunt just because we don't deem it "artistic enough."

Sneak peeks and guest galleries

I know how excited you'll be to see your images and I want to make sure you have professional images to enjoy as soon as possible. That's why you'll receive a sneak peek slideshow with highlights featuring about 40-70 images within a week of the wedding.

Then, when your collection is ready in about five to eight weeks, we’ll provide you with a personalized online gallery where you can download your images and share with your guests. Your loved ones can also help themselves to their own images, saving you the time and effort of making copies for others.

Let's make it official!

Get in touch! I'd love to hear more about you and the celebration you're planning.

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