Union Photography Blog » Wedding, Portrait, Maternity and Lifestyle Photography by Jon Thorpe

It’s always extremely flattering and quite the privilege when I am asked by other members of the photographic community, to capture the special moments in their lives.

I have known Sam & Laura for a few years now and they are one of the sweetest couples that I know! So when they brought me the news that they were going to have a baby, I just had to take them up on the opportunity to photograph some fun maternity photos that leaned on the side of lifestyle imagery.

I had a great time hanging out with the both of you for the afternoon and I can’t wait to meet the little one!

For many years, black and white photography took a back seat to the advancement of color imagery, along with the vibrancy and excitement that it brought along. Some will say that B&W was never left far behind, but it is also true that much of the art in it’s processing was lost to the “Convert to B&W” tool found in many photo editing programs.

Hand finished black and white photographs can give your moments an nostalgic feel by simply removing the distraction that color can sometimes bestow on an image. You can feel the emotion, the romance and timelessness of the subjects. The effort of dodging (brightening) elements of a photo can bring out life and energy in a subject, while a light burn (darkening) can provide a needed separation from the background, enhancing texture and balancing the tonal relationships within.

Each photograph ordered through my studio receives this loving and detailed treatment. If a picture is worth a thousand words, those words should be spoken with clarity.

For 2011, every photo that leaves the studio will be receiving a hand finishing that includes retouching, tone adjustments and more. It’s my dedication to quality service and to the art that photography is.

Below is a selection of imagery from this past season, showing how proper, subtle editing can further enhance great imagery.

Through the course of the wedding season I am usually quite busy managing my own weddings, but I occasionally have the opportunity to work with other photographers to create some truly fantastic collaborative work. I am not going to do full posts on these weddings, but thought I would toss up a few selects for you to enjoy!

The crisp fall air and changing leaves in Sudbury, Ontario provided the setting for a fantastic day and evening of celebration for Kate & Dave’s wedding. I was shooting along side the fantabulous Catherine Farquharson who had been climbing Mt.Kilimanjaro only a day prior and required me to be available as a stand-in just in case. It of course never came to that, as Catherine is a seasoned jet setter, so headed out to enjoy a fantastic fall shoot with a fun couple!

I Just LOVE red roses. The simplicity of Kate’s bouquet really set things off and I just couldn’t keep my lens off it!

Faye & Micheal’s wedding was shot with Dave, who is one half of Dave & Charlotte. The Berkeley Event Center was the setting and is a Toronto location that I truly love shooting at. It was my 3rd wedding captured there and the weather was absolutely perfect as was the ambiance of the venue.

One thing that I love about the Berkley Church is the combination of vibrancy and texture that all of the different hallways, rooms, nooks and cranny’s provide. I feel like I can shoot there 100 times and have a different feel and flavor each time.

I love weddings that take place in the country! It’s a fantastic break from the hustle of the city and the picturesque landscapes make for truly fantastic backdrops for portraits.

Autumn and Alex’s wedding took place on a cute little piece of property outside of Newtonville Ontario. I’m glad that they provided me with directions too – because the location didn’t even show up on Google maps!  Things started off inside the country home as Autumn prepared for the big day and then, for the ceremony, transitioned to a beautiful gazebo overlooking a pond.

I had my good friend Sebastian as my assistant photographer for the day and he did a fantastic job of gathering the details of the event. Thanks!

I love the photo of Autumn spinning in her beautiful dress!! The flower details on her shoes also looked fantastic. Flats were definitely the smart choice, as the dancing was pretty intense later in the evening!

The afternoon light was just starting to soften up as we headed out for some quick portraits on a quiet side road. They both love their Sky convertible and I just had to squeeze it into one of the shots for a bit of play!

The mix of color temperatures really punched up the vibrancy of the above images. The pond made for a perfect reflecting pool with the mist just starting to dance across the surface.  In the last image, I am actually catching a guests camera flash – one of those unexpected treats that I sometimes get when sorting through the days images!

Enjoy!

Lifestyle Portraits, Just for Fun, or Just Because… Whatever you want to call this loosely defined session, they are a great way to capture some casual to semi-intimate shots of you and your beau while having a fun time!

Team the photos up with one of my fantastic Little Books or a Gallery Canvas Wrap and you have a complete package that makes for a great gift of keepsake.

For this particular session, Tara had organized it as a bit of a surprise for her awesome boyfriend Matt, as they didn’t have many good photos of themselves and really wanted something that they could cherish.

We were able to wander around for a few hours, visiting a number of different sites so that we would have a decent variety of imagery by the end of the evening. One awesome find was this lovely (Well okay. It was rusting into oblivion!) classic Citron DS Wagon that was parked in a back alley. Now it may have looked really rough, but It was in running order, as it vanished by the morning… or maybe it was just towed.

I had a great time with you both and I really hope that you love these photos as much as I do! They are some of my favorite lifestyle images.

For anyone that is interested, Lifestyle Portraits Sessions (store link) are available for $350, which includes 2 hours of my time, and images posted to my secure proofing site! Deal!

I had been looking forward to my engagement photo session with Jenn and Jeff ever since I met them for the first time at our initial consultation. We talked about what their wedding plans were, what they envisioned for their photography and how we could work together to bring it all together. As we continued to chat, they brought up their passion for film and the arts and spoke of how they wanted to tie some of that in with their photos – I quickly realized that they would be a fun couple to work with!

We actually broke the shoot into two days due to inclement weather and a theater manager who was out of the loop on a booking request we had made (it happens!). On the first day we headed off to one of my favorite indoor spots in the city – a beautifully maintained set of greenhouses which provides a nice break from the cold, wet and generally unfavorable late winter weather.

On the second day we headed off to a local movie theater complex for a quick 5 min shoot (strobist style!). We had to be speedy with things, as it was a busy afternoon at the downtown location and we had to be in and out before the next movie started rolling! Once the film was in the can, so to speak, we headed back outside and were greeted with a blast of balmy (for spring!) air! It made for a great afternoon of shooting with a great couple. Thanks Jenn & Jeff!

I woke up on Monday morning with desire to escape the bleak weather of Toronto, which had become intolerable over recent weeks and to take a break from editing weddings and other photo work (we all know I work too much!).

By 10am I was booked on an evening flight out to Las Vegas to meet with my friend and fellow adventurer Taylor, who would become my partner in crime for the next 48 hours. Yes, only two days. Because of our busy shooting schedules and the piles of work waiting for us back in our studios, we could only manage to take a few days off – but any sun is better than none!

We had our work cut out for us. Itinerary as follows:
Landing in Vegas at midnight Monday, touring the strip, getting a few hours of sleep in, renting a car and driving through the desert to LA, hanging out in Santa Monica, Malibu and Hollywood, sleep, waking up and driving back out to Vegas in order to catch a morning flight out on Thursday.

In hindsight, we really should have made this a one way trip from Cali to Vegas – next time!

While waiting in the YYZ terminal (Toronto) I was able to test out my gear. Interesting note : security won’t let you bring a tube of toothpaste on board, yet little black boxes with antennas poking out of them, labeled with the words “Transmit” (over a big button no less) didn’t seem to phase them.

High in the sky… It’s all business for some.

After a few hours of sleep at the Monte Carlo, we were off into the desert in our brand new rental. There really isn’t much going on between Vegas and LA other then the odd abandoned gas station, and lone casino aiming to hook the last few dollars out those departing the state.

The salty air of Santa Monica was a welcome sensation after 6 hours of driving. Also appreciated was the cheap (and free!) parking in and around the city. I sometime wonder why it costs $25/day to park my car in Toronto (Mayor Miller, take note!) when it’s free after 6pm in LA.

I have to say that Malibu is one place I found difficult to part with. Surf. Sand. More free parking. Sunsets. Mountains. Enough said!

Off to Hollywood!

We enjoyed a fantastic dinner and a movie with friends in Hollywood and then called it a night. The next morning we hiked up into the mountains, which are a lot steeper and taller than one would think!

When people talk about the smog in LA being bad, they really mean it! The pollution from the city is pressed up against the mountains due to the sea breeze and has no chance to escape. Looking down from the peaks, you can barely make out the distant buildings.

Nothing beats the heat like a little dessert in the desert! Our trusty rental also made it through the 500 mile journey across the sun baked terrain. One of the highlights of the trip from Vegas to LA was a 17 mile long descent with a 4000 ft grade. I’m guessing that after passing over it twice, this new Dodge Caliber needs new brake pads!

Along the way, we ran into a ghost town called Calico. Now I don’t know if this was a legitimate ghost town, but it sure looked the part with it’s weathered buildings, abandoned mine shafts and other gold rush artifacts.

The sunsets in the desert are just unbelievable. The sand in the desert haze refracts the light, producing vibrant colors that wash the desert basins.

And so this concludes the adventure. Back to the studio and that pile of work!

- Jon

A few weeks ago I received a Facebook status update that Taylor Jackson, a fellow wedding photographer, would be in town and was looking to do a fun shoot with his girlfriend so that they could pass a few hours and get some pre-engagement photos of themselves. I answered the call and just a few hours later we were out on the town around the gallery for a quick session!

It’s simply amazing what can be captured within an hour when you have a couple that is fun and ready for adventure! The tandem bicycle is actually my ‘gallery bike’ and made a great prop for the shoot. I have to thank Kate for putting it all on the line, as Taylor awkwardly pushed forward on his first attempt at maneuvering the purple beast!

It was great fun photographing the both of you!

- Jon

I had the pleasure of meeting with baby Oscar this past weekend to shoot his 100th day celebration.

The 100th day of life marks the end of a difficult period for a newborn. With the Korean culture, it is celebrated by having a small celebration and feast – and in this case, a small photo shoot!
Between the chubby cheeks and the wild hair, this baby is just too cute!

I always love the dynamics of family photos and this was one highly dynamic family!
You guys are great!