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!

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Wedding Portfolio

FAQs

Wedding photography Victoria, BC

+ WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO PHOTOGRAPHING WEDDINGS?

We work hard to cater our photography to reflect YOU. And, our relaxed approach means you're going to have a natural smile, not a forced one. We photograph in a variety of styles and we offer a mix of candid photojournalism, fashion, something artsy and funky, or anything in between. We can also create artistic portraits of you that reflect the natural landscape of Victoria and Vancouver Island — the kind of photos you’ll be excited to hang on your wall.

+ DO YOU HAVE OTHER WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS ON YOUR TEAM?

Christina & Derek often team up together. However, if you're having a smaller wedding or elopement, and you don't need two photographers that's no problem. Christina has worked as a solo photographer for many years and knows exactly how to capture your awesome wedding day without missing a thing.

+ CAN WE RECEIVE PRINTABLE, DIGITAL IMAGES WITH NO LOGOS?

Our wedding photography coverage always includes retouched, high-resolution, printable images that will blow up beyond poster size. You’ll also receive a sneak peek within a week of the wedding, and when your collection is ready we’ll provide you with an online gallery you can share with your guests. The gallery allows them to order prints directly from a professional photo lab. This will save you the time and cost of making prints and copies for others. Your out of town guests will love it!!

+ DO YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE PHOTOGRAPHING LGBTQ2+ WEDDINGS?

We sure do! Let us know your plans and count us in!

+ DO YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE PHOTOGRAPHING LARGE ASIAN WEDDINGS?

You betcha! We have lots of experience photographing large 500+ guest weddings with Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Catholic, Chinese, Taiwanese, Pakistani, Indian, Sri Lankan, Vietnamese and Filipino communities.

+ WE'RE SUPER CAMERA SHY AND WE DON'T WANT TO LOOK AWKWARD. HOW CAN YOU HELP US?

As self-conscious people ourselves, we've got your back. Rather than stiff and formal posing, we believe in providing you directions that will have you and your guests feeling relaxed and having fun -- all while looking like total rock stars! You're going to LOVE your wedding photos!

+ WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED? DO YOU TRAVEL?

We photograph weddings in Victoria, BC on beautiful Vancouver Island and we capture ceremonies throughout Canada and the world. We also used to live part-time in Costa Rica, and we make frequent trips to Central America (including Guatamala) every year.

+ HOW MANY WEDDING PHOTOS CAN WE EXPECT?

Rather than setting a limit of, say, 300 images in six hours... we 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.

We only remove photos that are unflattering, those with blinking eyes, or if we've experimented and something didn't turn out. And if we'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."

+ DO YOU RETOUCH OUR PORTRAITS AND WEDDING IMAGES?

Absolutely. Your images will be retouched to the high standards you see on our website. We remove blemishes, and we also help out with double chins!

+ WHAT ARE YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PRICES?

In Victoria, BC, half-day weddings (which will allow coverage of your ceremony, portraits and the reception before dinner) begin at $1,950. Get in touch and we're happy to send you a full collection and price guide.

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