I’m not sure why I sat on these images for so long as they are some of my favourites from 2020 and that’s not because of all the fancy wine we got to drink either. A couples session in downtown Toronto can look like many things but this couples shoot is an entirely accurate story to Michelle and Adrian’s love for where they live and the love they’ve had for one another.
These two are Toronto kids through and through so naturally they wanted to have their engagement photos reflect the love they have for the vibes of the city and appreciate the uniqueness of their neighbourhood in the Annex. As usual, I wanted to avoid the classic concept of engagement photos altogether but instead wanted to capture things with an air of documentary and the flair of cinematic narrative.
It’s amazing how keeping things simple and real goes such a long way when trying to tell the story of two people’s lives. They wanted to approach the session as another cozy Sunday on a long weekend, starting their afternoon off with a game of Scrabble that gets a little too competitive while their Corgi sits back and basks in the slowly setting sun peeking through the window. I could’ve probably spent a solid hour taking photos of their cute pup while we all hung out and discuss the weird times we were living in but all signs were pointing to a cotton candy sunset so we decided to take a stroll through their neighbourhood and visit a few key spots like the late night local diner they hit up when coming home from a night of partying with friends (remember partying with friends? Me neither).
Toronto isn’t short on magical sunsets during the summer time but there was something hauntingly beautiful about the light mixing with the artificial glow of the urban landscape that was utterly perfect. I love exploring neighbourhoods in Toronto since they all have their unique quirks and the sort of beauty that is often overlooked. We took the time to appreciate the gradual sunset and soak in every moment until the moonlight dominated the atmosphere. At this magical blue hour moment we were walking past an iconic car wash that has always grabbed my attention I drove by it at various hours of the night.
Being creatively inclined themselves, Michelle and Adrian really trusted us as photographers and trusted in the entire process, creating a sense of vulnerability and honesty in their interactions together. They have a stunning back patio that was the ideal mood setter and romantic environment for them to enjoy a few glasses of wine and a few laughs while reminiscing on old stories. They’re wine connoisseurs so I’ll happily admit I got to indulge in a glass of some of the best wine I’ve ever had but honestly that only sweetened the deal as Michelle and Adrian are legitimately my kind of people and because of that true sense of rapport and friendship we built the images felt like voyeuristic and intimate photos of friends taken by a friend, a documented memory highlighting sincere love through comfortability.
I know for a fact if it wasn’t for the pandemic that Ryanne and I would have had more than a few double dates with these two to enjoy some killer wine and amazing Asian food. For now, I can look forward to the next time we get to hangout and look a little further into 2021 when I get to photograph their wedding at Steam Whistle Brewery in downtown Toronto.
Song of the day - Cool 2 - Hoops
- 3B
