Cali {heart} Nick Jonas and his brothers!
September 3, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
Back on February 5th of this year we were completely blind-sided when doctors told us that our youngest child, Cali, had Type 1 Diabetes. She is just 6 years old and until a few weeks before this she was very healthy. We also learned during her admission and 3 week stay at McMaster Children's Hospital that she has a heart condition and it's been quite a medical and emotional journey for us this past 6 months. The support from the Diabetic Team at McMaster has been incredibly helpful, informative and uplifting. Heather, a Child Life Specialist, has been spending a lot of time with Cali and really focusses on making her feel like Diabetes isn't such a big deal. From practicing needle pokes on fabric dolls to games and activities that allow her to express her concerns and feelings we've all been so impressed with how our lives have adjusted to manage this disease. Last week Heather called to say that on behalf of Bayer, The Jonas Brothers and McMaster Cali was chosen to receive two tickets to the Camp Rock Concert Tour in Toronto last night. The news made her very excited and we felt this was the perfect time to create a short musical documentary to capture this moment in her life so she'll never forget it. We know there are copyright issues around using Nick's song "who I am" and recording live concerts, but we wanted to have just a few short clips to tie this piece all together. We hope the Jonas brothers and their management team understand.This is for Cali and all other children out there who learn they have Type 1.
Jenn + Mike | In Pictures | Toronto
September 1, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
Finally, I'm getting a few of my favourite images posted from Jenn and Mike's August wedding. Their SDE went viral - it was watched over 1500 times within the first 24 hours after we posted it - it's kind of crazy when we sit back and think that people from countries all around the world are able to experience the wedding of a family member or friend within hours of it happening - all thanks to their Same Day Edit and the power of the Internet. If you missed it here's the SDE link.
Jenn and Mike toured Europe on their honeymoon and had a fabulous time (I wish I had tagged along to photograph them and all the amazing scenery over there) and have just returned home in time to see the unveiling of some of their wedding photos here on the blog. I adore these two and I wish them a lifetime of love and happiness - muah!!!
I love that her mom had the front of the house all decorated for the big day... very pretty!
there's that moment when a father looks at his baby girl and realizes she has grown up into this incredible young woman and the feeling of pride is overwhelming
these two princesses stole the show... sisterly love... adorable!
Matthew was definitely the coolest ring bearer I've ever seen
escaping the heat we snuck inside one of the buildings at U of T for some photos
such a beautiful bunch - fun and funny too... the very best kind of wedding party!
love the shiny new ring on Mike's left hand and these amazing doors
Amy + David | A Love story from Taiwan
August 26, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
A couple of months ago I received the cutest phone call from Amy. On the other end of the phone was the softest voice telling me that she was just so excited to find us online because she wanted a "Canadian wedding video". When she asked if her and David could come and meet with us I said of course. It was during our meeting that Brian and I realized exactly what her and David were planning for their wedding (which is actually taking place back home in Taiwan on January 1, 2011). They have fallen in love with our work and really wanted some fun, creative photos and a short film of themselves in their wedding attire having fun in the Niagara area where they are now living in order to share it with all their family and friends back home. These two are so cute together and we really enjoyed spending a couple of hours with them. I loved that Amy brought not one, but two wedding dresses and her friend Crystal along to help her with her hair and make up. We hope they love their photos and "Canadian wedding video".
Wish upon a Wedding | Madeleine + Mark
August 22, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
Way back in May of 2008, three months before we even shot our first wedding, we donated our services to Wish Upon a Wedding, a contest being organized by a wedding planner in Niagara. Couples wrote in telling their stories about how they met and explained why they thought they should win their dream wedding day. Madeleine and Mark were newly engaged at the time and hadn't even chosen their wedding date yet. I first met them in the spring of 2009 and instantly felt connected. Mark loves to joke around and had Maddi and I laughing constantly. Mark is an RN (our 3rd groom now in that profession) and his warm "give me a hug" personality really does fit that role for sure. Maddi is a bit on the shy side but her excitement to have us capture her big day was evident when she came bounding out the door yesterday to greet us. Maddi was raised in Germany and it was so great that many of her relatives were able to come from Germany to celebrate with them and they Skyped the entire ceremony to Germany live from the church for all of those who could not attend. Upstairs in their hallway is a huge world map with all sorts of coloured pegs - places they have been - soon they can add Alaska to the map as that is their honeymoon destination. Here is a short trailer we've put together and just a few photos to tell their wedding story. Enjoy!
Jenn + Mike | A Perfect Wedding | Toronto
August 15, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
Jenn and Mike's Wedding Day [the backstory]- I said this when I posted their engagement session - they are absolutely adorable, especially when they are together... Mike's sense of humour and dimples make Jenn blush - I love that!
- their entire wedding party was so fun and funny - a winning combination
- the weather was perfect
- Jenn's brother Brian celebrated his 30th birthday in style - all the guests were really there to wish him a Happy Birthday - it just so happened to also be his sister's wedding day ;)
- their photo session at the University of Toronto downtown campus was a fantastic place for photos - it was our first time there, but I'm sure it won't be our last
- everything ran early all day - the girls were ready before 10 am - the ceremony started at 1 just 5 minutes away - talk about relaxed!
- their SDE was a hit - here it is, along with just one photo... yes, it's a teaser - you'll have to check back for the full post of photos in a few days
Thinking about a Same Day Edit during your wedding reception?
August 10, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
If you have been following our blog you know we quite often show Same Day Edits during the reception at the weddings we capture. We absolutely love the entire concept of the Same Day Edit and here's why ... The adrenalin and overwhelming emotion in the room when they play is truly indescribable. I always try to watch the couples' reaction and that of their wedding party and close family to see the emotion on their faces - all the while watching the SDE out of the corner of my eye. I love it when certain moments in their SDE make them laugh and then others make them cry. When I ask couples afterwards what made the experience of the SDE so special they say that it's being surrounded by all the people they love, that love them, and sharing their entire day with everyone right there in one big room DURING the reception. Yes, their wedding day is still happening and yet they're watching it unfold before them, telling their wedding day story. Unless you've seen one first hand it's kind of hard to understand. We have a couple of split screen clips to post of two of our recent couples watching their SDEs and thought we'd share them here with you. We've heard many times from our couples that the SDE was the biggest highlight of their wedding day :)
Lisa + Greg | Capitol Events Theatre | Toronto
August 8, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
On Friday we were in Toronto to film some real-life footage of Crystal Adair-Benning in action. She is the owner of Distinct Occasions, a successful wedding and event design company with offices in Toronto, Scotland and Australia - yes, she's a very busy girl! We are working on a really cool concept promo for her and knew that the only way to get the kind of footage that we needed for it was to actually be there during a real live event. Lisa and Greg just so happened to be getting married on Friday at the Capitol Events Theatre on Yonge Street and with the amazing transformation from ceremony space to a gorgeous reception room taking place (during the cocktail hour) we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to film not only Crystal doing her thing but the entire team that she had co-ordinated to pull off this incredible wedding. Being we were there anyway we decided we would capture Lisa and Greg's ceremony and then Brian went outside with them and shot some footage while Erika and Ryan from Rowell Photo were taking some photos of them on Yonge Street. Although we didn't have footage from the morning preparations, from the ceremony set up or from the actual reception we still wanted to give Lisa and Greg a little highlights film to remember their special day. Enjoy!The amazing vendor list for their wedding included:
Wedding Planning and Design: Distinct Occasions
Venue: Capitol Events Theatre
Photography: Rowell Photo
Decor: Designing Trendz
Brides Bouquet: Petals, Stems and Leaves
Couture Cake: The Caketress
Invitations: Pulp and Pearl
Favours: Marble Slab and Just Temptations
Check out this cool time lapse of the flip from ceremony to reception...
A new unveiling at Studio 67
July 31, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
A few of our faithful blog followers/fans have noticed that we have a new, snazzy ending to our SDEs and have sent us email comments saying they really like it - we're so glad! A few weeks ago we found Dan Johnson, the creative director and owner of Panda Motion online in our search for an animation graphic designer. Several months ago we rebranded with the help of Into The Dark Room and we love our new logo and wanted something a bit more polished done with it to use in our feature films and SDEs. Dan's vision was exactly what we were hoping for. In his first email response to us he said the following "When I think of your logo I quickly thought of lights and depth of field. What if there were some circular particles floating close to the camera and far away creating the depth of field? I would try to make it subtle and clean. We could reveal your logo through changing the focus of the camera." Brian and I immediately felt connected to Dan. He used terms we talk about constantly in our cinematography and photography work and we loved the whole depth of field and changing focus concepts. Within a couple of days through no more than 3 emails back and forth we had our final animation design and were so excited to premiere it last Saturday at the end of Jennifer and John's Same Day Edit. We are so impressed with the professionalism and speed in which Dan took our logo design and created a beautiful animated piece for us. If you are in need of animation work or logo/branding for your business or pleasure we highly recommend Dan who also owns Spin My Logo. Check out the work he and his team have done... it's really great!(below is just a screenshot of the new logo, it certainly doesn't do justice to the beauty that shines in the animated version - if you haven't seen it yet scroll down and check out Jennifer and John's Same Day Edit). Let us know what you think of the new animation...
Jennifer + John | raining (and fighting) like cats & dogs
July 25, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | 1 Comment
If you are a hockey fan in Southern Ontario you are most likely sporting Leaf Blue or Canadien Red... yesterday's ball hockey game in Jennifer and John's driveway became a match between their two families as they each cheer for opposing teams and it was quite entertaining to watch. Hockey references became a recurring theme throughout the day and most especially during the speeches at the reception. Their day was filled with laughter and love, even the heavy rains that came pouring down during the photoshoot didn't dampen the spirit of excitement and energy with these two and their wedding party share. They opened up their umbrellas and carried on... creating beautiful images that reminded me of romantic french paintings.When Jennifer and John met with us last summer they had already been together ten years and they knew they wanted to incorporate that aspect into their SDE. They gave us some images from key moments or events from their 10 years together and we decided we would 'polorize' them and start their SDE with them - we love trying different things and this concept we hadn't tried before.
We really enjoyed shooting with Joseph and Jaime a team of photographers from Toronto. A highlight of the night was when Chris Cicchino, a good friend, a local musician and one of our June grooms, sang and played a song especially for Jennifer and John.
We wish you a wonderful married life together full of adventure and everlasting love !
Jennifer looked exactly like Faith Hill... so amazingly gorgeous... and John was pretty dapper too!
Andja + Milan | e-Session Part II: Niagara
July 23, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
Last fall Andja, Milan and I spent a few hours together for Part I of their engagement session. Yes, I said Part I. We have had a few couples now who have requested their engagement session be broken up into two separate sessions / seasons and we think this is a fabulous idea! Yes, it means that I am out shooting more and spending more time with our couples and honestly that is what makes this such a great concept! There really is no better way to get to know our couples than by spending time with them. We find that with some of our couples one partner may absolutely love WINTER while the other may not enjoy the cold and snow... so, we can shoot some winter photos while one is completely in their element and then the second part of their session can be in summer or fall or whenever the other feels most comfortable. One thing we really emphasize with our couples is that we want them doing things they love during their session so they love the images we capture. If it's snowboarding, spring tulips, summer evenings on the beach or autumn hikes you love the best we want to be there to capture that with you.
During Part I last fall we toured a winery and walked around Niagara on the Lake, a couple of weeks ago Andja, Milan and I went to Port Dalhousie and Rodman Hall in St. Catharines for Part II. Afterwards we had dinner and drinks - again, spending time together and building a friendship makes photographing them on their wedding day so relaxed for all of us! I adore these two and I adore these images from Part II of their e-Session. Can't wait for September for their wedding!
Amanda + Ryan | A Wedding in Summertime
July 17, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
Amanda and Ryan were married in their home town of Welland, ON and held their reception 20 minutes away in Port Colborne. It was so great for us that all of their morning preparations, the ceremony and photo session were literally just minutes apart so we were able to spend more time capturing all the mini stories of their wedding day. For the first time ever we arrived at the groom's place to find Ryan still sound asleep - a testament to how relaxed and laid back he truly is. Amanda has spent the past year and a half meticulously planning out every detail of her wedding day. She even hand painted the beautiful runner that was placed in the aisle of the church. The reception was decorated in pink and black with just a touch of sparkle - so very pretty. We had a great time with their family, friends and all of their wedding party. Enjoy the highlights and a few images from their big day!such an adorable, personalized hanger for her dress
waiting for his bride
stunningly beautiful
little Ryan notices the new shiny ring on big Ryan's hand
the canal bridge made for some gorgeous photos and steadicam shots
these two stole the show for sure
an old chicken coop in his grandma's backyard - where Ryan spent all his summers as a boy... her property was such a gorgeous location for their photos
Dawn + Steven | I pick you !!!
July 15, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
Dawn and Steven have been good friends of mine for a few years now and I was really excited about shooting their engagement photos. When they got engaged Dawn said we were the first wedding vendors on her wish list. I still remember the text message that told me she finally got her ring and I was so happy for her (and Steven). Their wedding this November will no doubt be beautiful and memorable. Steven is the type of guy who likes to keep Dawn on her toes - he's funny and spontaneous and really a great person to be around. His laugh is infectious. Dawn is warm and nurturing and does everything in her life with purpose and passion. Nothing is half way with her - I love that! I also love that when the two of them are together the thing you hear the most is laughter. Can't wait till we get to not only witness your vows but be a special part of your big day. Here are a few of my favourites from their engagement session.
Steven in his supermodel frame of mind - workin' the camera
when she looks at her man she can't help but smile!
both serious and silly... love it!
Steven imitating the Jabbawockeez... he is amazingly good at it too!
Dawn's eyes are the most beautiful shade of blue
Michelle + Bogdan | Canterbury Hills | Ancaster
July 11, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
A few weeks ago I spent an evening with Michelle and Bogdan (aka Ziggy) in Ancaster. They are from Mississauga and were looking for something with hills and trees to resemble the countryside in Poland as they wanted to surprise Bogdan's parents with a few photos of themselves in traditional Polish clothing. I thought this idea was fantastic as it's so great when couples bring something unique and personal to their engagement session. After they got into their outfits we hiked a short while through Canterbury Hills but with thick wool pants on and long underwear it wasn't the most pleasant experience for Ziggy in the 29 degree heat. We managed to get a few great shots of them though before heading back into town for the second part of their session (in regular clothes). We chatted about their upcoming September wedding and about Michelle's bridal shower and you could see how excited they both are for their big day to finally get here. We can't wait for their outdoor celebration lakeside in Burlington (fingers crossed for sunny skies). Here are a few of my favourite images from their session.
Angela + Ravi | Their Wedding Story in Pictures
July 7, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
Angela and Ravi's 3 days of wedding celebrations were all very beautiful and a photographer's dream.... details, details, details and brilliant colours and textures everywhere! I present to you part two of Angela and Ravi's wedding... some of my favourite images.
Angela + Ravi | Same Day Edit | Toronto
July 4, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
We just experienced our first 3-day wedding extravaganza and loved sharing in all of Angela and Ravi's festivities. On Wednesday evening we captured the Sangeet, a pre-party for family and friends to gather, to share food and enjoy music and dancing. The guests were all excited and talking in anticipation of the 2 days of wedding celebrations that would take place just a couple of days later. We were greeted by the warmth of their families and visually overwhelmed by all the brilliant colours and traditional Hindu tabla drumming and dancing. On Friday the Barat started about 5:30 pm. Ravi rode a beautifully decorated white horse and was led by a large group of his family and friends from one side of the parking lot to the other. There was drumming and dancing and singing as they made their way over to where Angela's family and friends were waiting to meet them. The traditional union of both families was incredible. Once inside the Vishnu Mandir temple the actual Hindu ceremonies took place on a decorated stage. So many symbolic moments took place and the details were breathtaking. When Ravi said his 7 vows to Angela she asked for the last vow to be repeated (that Ravi would never look at another woman the way he looked at her) all the guests laughed. On Saturday morning we met up with the girls at 7 am at the salon. After receiving an email from Ange at 2:30 am I wondered how exhausted she must be, but she was just as excited as she was the day before and said that the adrenalin was really working as she began preparing for her day of Catholic traditions. They were married at St. Francis of Assisi and celebrated during their reception at Bellagio. Their grand entrance was nothing short of electric as they danced, jumped and had every single one of their 300+ guests out of their seats and on the dance floor. The party was just getting started. The evening was filled with emotional tributes to both Ange and Ravi's fathers who have passed away but, who were definitely with them in spirit. I could never choose a favourite moment (or image) from these 3 days, so for now we'll just share their Same Day Edit - when we showed it at the reception there were many tears of joy as it really did showcase the amazing 3-day journey and the joining of two cultures, that their wedding celebration was. We are so proud to be the keeper of wonderful memories and wish Ange and Ravi a lifetime of love and happiness!Special thanks to the talented Peter Rainford and Mark Klassen for helping us as well. A separate post of images coming soon, stay tuned!
Game On, Rain or Shine | Jhoanna + Tom
July 2, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | 1 Comment
Jhoanna and Tom were married in Toronto and despite the heavy rain all morning the sun did shine immediately after the ceremony for a few short minutes. Tom sent Jhoanna the most beautiful bouquet of roses to her hotel suite in the morning, but the florist must have been still sleepy as the card read "love, Tony" instead of Tom or Tommy. Jhoanna and her girls laughed and just as the rains pouring outside the window, the card didn't phase her at all. Tom and Jhoanna went to see the original Shrek movie on their very first date so it was fitting that Tom gave her the Shrek version of the game Operation and a Shrek candy fan. We really had a great time capturing their wedding story - enjoy the highlights!
Hula Hoops and Summer Fun | Angie + Steve
June 27, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | Leave a Comment
Angie and Steve are from Toronto and when I asked them what they wanted to do for their engagement session they suggested visiting a couple of their favourite places in the city. We met at the Distillery District and then headed to Kensington Market and finished our session with a visit to their High School, where they actually met and began dating (just a few) years back. The thing I immediately noticed about Angie and Steve when we first met last summer was that they really do enjoy just hanging out together and as you can see by the photos FUN seems to be on the agenda no matter where they are or what they are doing. From swing sets to piggy backs to hula hoops and jumping rocks in the river, they are so playful and we had a great afternoon together. I saw through my lens the love, sense of comfort and laughter they share! Can't wait for their wedding this September!
spontaneous piggy backing
lots of reminiscing about their days at Bishop Allen
my fave... doesn't this look like an advertisement for sunglasses?
Marta + Brock | Woofstock and a Picnic in High Park
June 16, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | 1 Comment
Last Sunday I met Marta and Brock at Woofstock in Toronto. They are the proud owners of two very adorable dogs Buf and Henry and they thought it would be fun to get some candid shots of them and their 'boys' at the festival of all things DOG. Well, as I approached the vicinity of Woofstock I saw thousands of people, and even more dogs, all heading in the same direction and I knew it was going to be completely crazy - which it was! We spent about half an hour walking about and then decided that Buf and Henry had enough socializing and visiting with new friends and it was time to head to High Park for a picnic. Marta and Brock are the owners of FitForTwo.TV and they help many of their weekly viewers lose weight and eat right through entertaining and informative episodes that feature cooking and exercise ideas. Their picnic basket was filled with healthy and delicious choices and they had even brought freshly prepared food for their dogs. We had a great afternoon chatting about their upcoming October wedding and capturing some great engagement images as well. Here are a few of my favourites.
Krista + Chris | Sweet Love for My Guy
June 8, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | 1 Comment
What a gorgeous couple Krista and Chris are - truly beautiful inside and out! We knew their wedding day would be filled with laughter and sunshine no matter what the weather would bring. In fact on the morning of their wedding day the forecast was grim - thundershowers were suppose to roll in by noon and last throughout the evening. Thank goodness that wasn't the case at all - the skies were blue and the sun was shining on them and all their family and friends. One of their favourite treats happens to be Mrs. Field's cookies and unbeknownst to each other that is exactly what they bought each other as part of their wedding gifts. Chris, a talented musician in Niagara Falls, talked in his speech about marrying his best friend Krista and how she has changed his life and made it better - may they share a lifetime of love and joy!
Their amazing vendors:
Hair Design: Solace Salon
Florals: Petrullo Florals
Photography: Bryan Caporicci
Reception: Club Italia
Entertainment: Liquid Entertainment
Toronto Engagement Session | Jenn + Mike
June 2, 2010 | Filed Under Studio 67 | 1 Comment
Jenn and Mike are completely adorable - especially when they are together. If you are looking at Mike and wondering if you've perhaps seen him playing at a local Toronto bar you're probably mistaken... Mike does aspire to play and brought along his dad's guitar to their engagement session to make Jenn laugh - and it worked! When he started pretending to "teach" Jenn how to play it was actually quite comical. We had a fun afternoon in and around Toronto and I can't wait for their wedding this summer. Here are a few of my favourite images from their session, but I must say it was hard to choose just a few.
