Photographers in Halifax: wedding photography portfolios

—Give some advice to a wedding photographer who is a beginner.

—Work with a photographer you admire. Learn from them. Work your way up, buying the best lenses you can. Buy cameras last, they are like computers and get outdated in four years, sometimes three. Shoot, shoot, and shoot some more. Have someone else critique your work, but don't get down when it's not the greatest. Build from where you are and improve. Build your own style.

—What makes wedding photography different from other photography genres?

—The energy is high and positive, people are generally in a good mood and want to be photographed and have gone through the trouble of looking their best. When you show them a great image of themselves having fun on the wedding day it's remembered down the road and I feel good about that. People look back on these images and you're the one that made these image through preparation, talent, experience and hard work.

—What moment in your life you treat as the most significant one?

—I planned out my engagement photo. It was on an island. I gave my camera to a friend and he hid behind a sand dune, along with a gypsy band I hired and they came over the dune, as we were having a picnic. The photos turned out well and the exposure changed, so I jumped out and changed the settings on the camera then jumped back in, dancing with my wife, or fiance at the time. There were many moments I thought it would fall apart, but it all came together.

—Is there anything in your work that you don't like or even hate?

—Bottom feeders that call themselves professional photographers but are not and market themselves on price because they have no talent or professionalism. It also burns me when someone is trying to reach for excellence and another photographer interjects, "your clients won't notice the difference". Oh that gets me going. Have high standards and shoot for yourself and your clients will love your work.

—When travelling, what do you usually take with you & why?

—I went to Africa for two months with two DSLR bodies, one flash that I used once, a 16-35mm f2.8 & 70-200mm f2.8. I also took two Leica M6TTL film bodies with a 35mm f2 and 90mm f2 and 20 rolls of Tri-X. For a wedding I pack one Pellican case with two lights, carry on two DSLR bodies, 24mm f1.4, 50mm f1.4, 70-200mm f2.8 and 300mm f2.8, two stands, and some light modifiers.

—Who is the 21st century symbol to your mind?

—My photography idols are in photojournalism, so I don't have a wedding photographer that I've looked up to over the years. There are really good photographers in my area and I do look at their work for inspiration but my early idols are Sebastiao Salgado, Eugene Smith, Ted Grant, Mary Ellen Mark, David Allan Harvey, and a few more.

—What is success to you? How can one measure it?

—Success is when you are as old as your going to get and you look back on your life and think, that was a good run. I had some failures and some successes but I did what I wanted to do and I lived a life that helped others feel good. Success is knowing you were a positive force.

—What are the key elements that make a photo attractive?

—Simple, fun, dynamic. These qualities are reached through strong composition, good use of lighting however you work, and a connection with your subject. If you are familiar with your camera gear and know what you are doing it's a lot easier to make that connection.

—Whose works made an impact on you as a wedding photographer?

—No one really. I'm an editorial & commercial photographer that is launching himself into the wedding market. My influences come mostly from editorial photographers. For the business side of things I look to some successful wedding photographers for things such as marketing, and social media, these are things I didn't have to do much as an editorial photographer.

—Do you believe in the traditional gender roles?

—No. Men have kept women down too long. There are many great women photographers but especially in photojournalism it was mainly a man's industry with a few exceptions. Now I think things are different, but photojournalism is on the brink of extinction.

—Can you imagine what wedding photography will be like in future?

—Pros that deliver excellent quality will continue to be in demand but need to stay in organizations that promote their level of service and image quality. Bottom feeders will continue to be replaced by uncle Bill or aunt Mary that have an expensive camera, or guests donating their images from their mobile phones. Give only your best.

—Is there anything that worries you? What & why?

—It's not a worry, but I go over and over to make sure I've planned things out with back ups and back ups just in case my plan a doesn't work I can go to plan b. Being prepared allows me to be creative. If I'm putting out fires it's hard to be creative.

—Are there tendencies in wedding photography?

—I suppose there are, but you have to balance where you are headed with these trends. I have a good idea on where I want to be in five years. I will take trends into account, but I won't follow them just because others are.
Maybe I'll step back and ask myself why this is a trend and how can I do it differently but get nice results.

—How do you deal with criticism?

—If it's from someone I respect and knows what they are talking about I will think about it for a few days and come up with a plan to deal with the issue. If it's not from a reputable source then I try not to waste more then 1/500 sec on it. :)

—How did you start working in the wedding photography field?

—I've been shooting editorial and commercial assignments for over 25 years and decided that weddings would allow me to expand my creativity. It's exciting because I come over to weddings with load of experience working with magazines and I'm finding it a whole lot of fun.

—Do you like travelling?

—I do love travelling. I've been fortunate to be sent on assignment to Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Niger, Scotland, Hungary, and many provinces in Canada, as well as many other countries while not on assignment. So that's a definite YES! :)

—What are your plans for tomorrow?

—Surfing in the morning, then run some errands, follow up on some assignments, prepare and clean my cameras and gear, marketing, work on some images, pay some bills, organize a couple's shoot, play hockey in the afternoon and vacuum the house.

—What would you prefer to change around you?

—Ha! reliance on fossil fuels, accessibility to energy, elimination of corporate greed, elimination of GMOs, elimination of hunger and poverty, universal education and a guaranteed basic standard of living. Is that asking too much?

—What details that usually pass unnoticed can a wedding photographer capture?

—Expressions on people attending the wedding, bride and groom in special moments. Listen to the dialogue during speeches, people's reaction, kids being kids. There's an energy in the room, capture it.

—What makes you continue shooting?

—The feeling you get when you are in the middle of an amazing shoot, the light is beautiful and everything is lining up even better than you had planned. At that point it's like I'm along for the ride.

—What mistake in your professional experience you treat as the biggest one?

—Going to the wrong city for an assignment, same name different province. I ended up being able to cover the event but I was late. It was not a wedding though, it was an assignment for a newspaper.

—What should future newlyweds pay attention to when looking for a wedding photographer?

—They should first of all like their work, their style of photography. Once that's set on then a meeting to see how personalities match, and of course budget. You get what you pay for.

—Can you specify whom would you love to shoot?

—I to shoot people that have a strong personality, or maybe it's just that they know who they are. At some point we connect and that's when I make some strong images.

—What person in your life is your muse & source of inspiration?

—Many people, but not anyone famous. People with positive energy and that see the good in others. When your around them you think of ways your ideas CAN work.

—What devices that you own you regret you bought and why?

—No, I think out my purchases, probably too much actually. I have a purchase list for the next 5 years on gear I want. It's over $100,000 worth of equipment.

—What is absolutely unacceptable when taking photos?

—Anything that will change the course of the day to the negative. We want to record the wedding not be the reason someone talks negatively about it.

—How do you improve your photography skills?

—Pretty much every night I look at other photographer's work, shoot as much as possible and try different things. Seminars, and events.

—Who would you choose to try taking photos with?

—I'm a solo shooter. I've taken my best pictures when I'm alone wandering and exploring. I'd love to have a drink with Salgado.

—Do you shoot wedding photos only?

—I am busy with magazine assignments, engagement photos, product photography assignments, and commercial assignments.

—How do you spend your leisure time?

—Take photos, more photos and think about photos :) I also windsurf, surf, & play hockey and more photos. haha

—Is there anything in your work that you treat as prohibited "tricks"?

—For wedding's it's pretty much open, but for editorial it's a no go zone. You cannot alter the image for news.

—What is there in your work that brings you joy?

—People's reaction when they see their images and the freedom to be able to be creative and get paid for it.

—Where would you prefer to live?

—Halifax, Chile (I lived there as a kid), Australia, Austria, Sweden, West Coast of the UK, France.

—What makes a photo valuable? What are the key features of a great photo?

—I'm not big on going into defining a good photo. It either works and is strong or it is not.

—What key message are you trying to convey with your pictures?

—I mostly like to listen to what other people say about them. That's more interesting to me.

—What's better – when you are liked or are respected?

—I'll take both. But I'll get over not being liked. I'll take respected.

—When are you totally satisfied with the results of your work?

—I can't think of a time. It can always be done better or differently.

—What would you alter in yourself if possible?

—Without losing my creativity I would like to be a bit more focused.

—Imagine aliens come to our planet. You are the first human they meet. What would you tell them?

—What's going on? Would you like a coffee? I make it myself.

—What cartoon, film or book character would you become if you had a chance?

—My wife would likely say Tigger the bouncing Tiger. :)

—Do you believe in life after wedding?

—Yes there is. There is life after most anything.

—Whom can you name as people you respect and admire most?

—Sebastiao Salgado, my wife Bahaiyyih Pride.

—The most troubling thing in life is:

—As far as annoying, I would say nay sayers.

—In your opinion, should your parents have been more or less strict to you as a child?

—I would have to lean towards less strict.

—What side of you do you never show to the public?

—I'm drawing a blank again.

—Do you hate anyone or anything? Who or what?

—I'm not in a hating mood.

—Life is great thanks to:

—Happiness and sharing it.

—What would you prefer to change in the world?

—Less greed more kindness.

—Imagine that you can travel back in time. What would you do differently?

—Buy shares in Apple?

—Whom can you name as a person/people not deserving respect?

—Dishonest people.

—Is there life in the Universe?

—What about it?

—What would you have preferred to learn before becoming a photographer?

—Psychology.

—Have a best-loved joke? Share it with us!

—I'll pass.

—If you have a chance to shoot a movie, what genre will you choose?

—Adventure

—Is it easy for you to make friends?

—I try.

—Cats or dogs?

—Dogs.

—What thing is the silliest one you've ever agreed to do?

—?