This styled shoot photographed by Caileigh Kyle of Toronto was part of Erich McVey's photography workshop in Bend, Oregon and is such a calm, contemplative way to start off the week on Vale + Vine. I love featuring work by Canadian photographers who travel and bring home their images and as a result, inspire the creative spirit within. There is so much about this shoot and location that reminds me of the vast and rugged wilderness of Canada...
Read MoreEverything about this engagement session photographed by Adrian Michael resonates with me. The quality of photography, the natural setting, and obvious love of the couple - all of these things provide a solid foundation for a fantastic shoot, but what really seals the deal for me is that the details come together without overwhelming the eye. Here are a few reasons why I feel they come together well...
Read MoreMy favourite aspect of this Saltspring Island wedding photographed by Chelsea Jean Photography, is the photos that were taken in the shade of a sprawling storybook-style tree, especially the ones with the bride + groom's daughter. There's an atmosphere of familial comfort amidst the pastoral setting, and the tenderness depicted here really resonated with me. I love when children play an active part in weddings...not only do they contribute to the sense of wonder and joy, but they also represent the passing on of legacies.
Read MoreWhile photographed in Colorado by Holeigh V Photography during the Lemonade + Lenses workshop, I was struck by how much these images reminded me of certain landscapes and light throughout British Columbia, specifically in the interior where the mountains are less dramatic than the Rockies or Coast mountains, but also more conducive to longer sunsets and softer shadows.
Read MoreCouples wherein each partner is perfectly natural with one another are just so easy to spot, especially when there's a photographer in the equation--their unconscious smiles aren't the least bit contrived and their displays of unbridled affection are anything but posed. Michelle and Jon are one such couple and I love how effortlessly their comfort with, and love for ,one another is expressed in this engagement session by Heidi Lau Photography. Unaffected, relaxed, and obviously in love, Jon and Michelle make me grin as I scroll through each frame. It's a feel-good shoot with roots of love that run deep and I'm so honoured that to be given a glimpse into Michelle + Jon's beautifully celebrated love.
Read MoreThe diversity of earth tones encompassed in this bridal styled shoot from Brushfire Photography in Arizona is exquisite. There's a really nice blend of strength and delicacy that is evoked through the palette used, with strength and boldness coming from the deep greens and warm rust and bronze tones, while barely blush, pale cream, and off-white endow a sense of tenderness and elegance. The perfect weave of soft and strong is even played out in the model's angelic hair colour and intense eyes and brows....
Read MoreYes, I realize this is a fall shoot, but there was no way I was letting this heartfelt engagement session slip by without finding a spot on Vale + Vine. I also thought it might provide some inspiration for early spring engagement sessions when the colour palette found across the Canadian landscape is chalk full of earth tones, but very little vibrancy. While it might be easiest to throw on some punchy summer colours or soft spring pastels, I actually think that reflecting back on fall hues works best when working with (let's face it) a somewhat drab landscape...you know, the kind after the snow melts, but the first shoots of green have yet to peek through? ...
Read MoreRuins are a favourite of mine, because they usually incorporate natural overgrowth, providing a space that brings nature and architecture together in aesthetically appealing harmony. Grand or ancient ruins however, are not as easily found in Canada as they are in other parts of the world. That being said, this styled session photographed in the ruins of an old church in South Carolina is a great example of the kind of ruins one might find in various places across Canada...albeit with very different flora (not so much Spanish moss found in the Canadian landscape). In fact, Vale + Vine featured a French-inspired wedding that took place at Trappist Monastery ruins in Manitoba....
Read MoreFor all the lavish and lovely wedding details in the world, the sweet bespoke intricacies that sometimes go unnoticed deserve their day in the sun just as much. And sun is generally what's on offer during the long, Mediterranean-like summers in Canada's Okanagan Valley, a premiere locale for Canadian brides opting for a domestic wedding destination. With a climate ideal for weddings (summer days are often hot and dry with nary a stitch of humidity, while evenings are warm and offer sultry breezes) and plenty of vacation-worthy spots to explore or beaches and lakes to relax upon, one would be hard-pressed to find a more ideal wedding location...
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