2017 was a pretty darn incredible year for this particular Cornwall wedding photographer. Kristin and I worked our tails off to connect with our couples and tell stories in the most authentic way we know how. We quietly celebrated our successes and reviewed our failures to make sure we pushed one another to be better with each press of the shutter. We shot Nav Centre weddings that we loved, we told Ramada Inn Cornwall wedding stories (and two stories that happened because of Ramada), and celebrated during wedding receptions at the Best Western; I also got to head out of town for outdoor weddings in Lancaster, Strathmere, and Plantagenet, as well a wedding that was split between an intimate ceremony in an Ottawa park and a lively reception at the Orange Art Gallery. This past year was anything BUT repetitive!
We had brides who shed enough happy tears for seven weddings (I’m looking at you, Jen ;P), kids who kept me laughing for days (*cough* *cough* Despaties *cough*), dance floor energy unlike anything I’ve seen (that would be you guys, Mat and Stéph!), couples who braved the cold to make awesome happen (Kate and Gareth take the absolute top prize there for their -25C portrait session!) and quiet tender moments between so many couples – newly married and not! – that gave us a chance to really see how and why two people connect with one another. We had naked people, pole dancing, sparklers, stolen food, pants that weren’t even close to being the right length, and a whole slew of other comedic moments; but we also had stolen conversations with grandparents, daughters and Dads, glanced exchanged at just the right time, and hugs. Looooooooooooooooooots of hugs.
One thing you won’t see a ton of in this post is portraits. You know I love them; I certainly know I love them. But they aren’t the essence of a wedding day and this post is all about moments from weddings. I’ve included a few here that I feel are a big different from what I’m normally able to accomplish, whether that was because of landscape, lighting or connection, but know that if you’re wanting to see portraits, there are plenty to come as I work on getting caught up on blogging all kinds of sessions from last season.
A bonus to being a Cornwall wedding photographer is taking the time to connect with other professionals and going to shoot in locations that are outside my hometown. I was fortunate to work with several other photographers this year as I branched out and started second shooting. Second shooting is an opportunity to go to a wedding and play. I’m usually responsible for covering the groom’s preparations and working with the lead photographer to make sure that we cover all of the essential shots, but there’s less pressure on me to deliver specific images, so I get to try new ideas and approach scenes a little differently than when I’m shooting for my own clients. I pushed myself to try to take more calculated risks. Some risks really didn’t pay off, but others certainly did. Big thanks to Prince Edward County wedding photographer, Cait Lavoie, for having me along on a Crystal Palace wedding day with Matt and Lucy, and a Fields on West Lake wedding with Mark and Jenny; to Charlotte Northrope for inviting me to navigate the mania of a Canada Day wedding at Zibi in Ottawa, a beautiful surprise wedding with Veronica and Chris at home in Greely, and Patrick and Tanya’s winter Hart House wedding; and finally to Danielle Meredith, who hosted me for a weekend up in Haliburton so that we could team up and shoot Alyssa and Jason’s Camp Northland wedding.
My goal continues to be to push myself to capture moments that show the essence of family love (whether it’s related to a wedding or not) and that reveal the humorous side of weddings. I want to deliver a killer set of portraits, but I really hope to find the details in all of the in-between moments of your day. I got home from Foundation Workshop just over a week ago (more from that experience to come!) and there’s a fire burning under my backside to do more, push further and see better this year. With a smaller collection of couples to devote my time to, I’m excited to make sure that 2018 is all kinds of awesome.
This is the first time I’ve done a year in review and I’m thrilled that it’s these couples who are forming my benchmark. If I can hustle at least this hard for every couple I work with, then I’ll know I’m doing it right. To the absolutely wonderful couples who made the decision to have me document your day in 2017, whether there’s an image in here from your wedding or not, I thank you. Your trust, your friendship, your excitement, your willingness to experiment and your sense of adventure makes my weekend more interesting every single time. Kristin and I are so grateful to you.
Here we go…..! Have a little look at some of my favourite wedding moments from 2017.
I’m Ang. I’m a Cornwall, Ontario-based photographer offering wedding and documentary family coverage locally and worldwide. Visual storytelling is what I do best. I’m an avid traveler, my passport is always up-to-date, I have dual citizenship with the UK and I’m ALWAYS ready for an adventure. Laughter is important in my life and in my work. I love working with couples who are emotionally present on their wedding day and whose goal is to spend time laughing (or crying!) with loved ones. Whether you’re looking for an at-home newborn session, coverage for your own intimate Cornwall backyard wedding, or photos that document your time with family, please explore more of Moment.us Photography‘s site to see more from this Cornwall wedding photographer.
