I’m proud to announce three more awards in the latest International Society of Wedding Professionals ISPWP. This collection of awards are handed out quarterly and photographers from around the world submit many thousands of images into this contest. It’s always very humbling to receive an award and when you see the winning images it really helps to push my own work even farther to hopefully be as strange as the others. It’s a great reflection of my great clients, their willingness to try my crazy ideas and for me to go the extra mile for them.
I thought I’d explain these images further as I think they all have a great backstory.
This first image was taken quite a while ago while shooting Angela and Sean’s wedding outside of Calgary in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Two days prior to thier wedding I had been tackled in soccer, left the game earlier and I assumed I had a very bad sprain. I made the drive from Edmonton to Cochrane and throughout the wedding I was bandaged up and pretty heavily ibuprofened.lol. but getting the job done. Hobbling around pretty poorly all day and often looking for an escape from standing I decided to lay on the highway for this shot. It was not my first idea but as I laid on the road I loved the the vision of the center line and Angela on it in the distance. It turned out great!
I returned home to Edmonton and still a few days later the swelling had not receded and my ankle was not healing and infact felt worse yet. After an x-ray and a doctors appointment I was told I had been on a broken ankle for a week. When my future clients ask me “what if you are sick and can’t make the wedding?” , I respond by telling them that unless I’m in coma I’ll be there!lol
The next shot was taken last summer at the stunning and now closed Nakoda Lodge outside Kananaskis Country in Alberta. Trina and Travis were very willing people. Our eventful day had a bit of everything including the incident when I was pulled over for speeding. Yes, I get excited.lol This image, taken at dusk has been awarded in The Fearless Awards, The CPC competition here in Canada and now the ISPWP. The interesting story behind this is that it almost never happened. The lodge faces this great little lake and during the evening speeches and dance I knew I’d like a great shot of them on the shore with the lake and sunset in the background. As the sun was setting I quickly ran inside, interrupted Travis and Trina and rushed them to the shore where I noticed a canoe sitting across the lake. I asked them to meet me along the shore and lets grab the canoe and do some shots with them on the lake. We dashed to the canoe, while avoiding all the goose shit like land mines and hopped in the canoe and pushed off. What we didn’t realize was that the paddle I saw part of in the boat was just the blade and nothing else. Instead of scrapping the idea Travis, used his hands and part of the blade and made this all possible by spalshing out into the middle of the lake. I couldn’t be happier than he did!
This last shot is one of my all time favorite images from weddings. Although I try to get many impromptu images many of my strong shots come with a little direction. Chris and Jennifer were married this spring in Mexico and had their great reception here in Edmonton. Chris was able to line up a friends firm for us to shoot in as the spring in Edmonton tends to be a bit chilly (to be modest). In the firm I set the gals up against a great and colourful wall in the office and then looked to my left to see the guys looking west onto the city. This is when I did the “squirrel!” (UP reference) move. My short attention span lead me to this wonderful moment and framing and I thought it was perfect!
