Michael Wachniak Photographer

The NEW BLOG IS UP!!

2009-03-20T20:29:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I want to invite all of you to come and take a gander at the new blog!

there are 2 ways you can reach it (well several actually, but here are 2 ways for now):

http://www.michaelwachniak.com/blog (for those that know how to spell my name)

http://www.RealLoveIs.com/blog (same place, just a LOT easier to spell!)

Of course you can always just go to my website and click on BLOG as well :)

I will no longer be posting at this blog, and all new blog posts, specials, and contests (wink wink) will be located on the new blog!

Don't forget to update your RSS and all that jazz (if you're into that sort of thing!)

Namaste, and see you there!

Michael

Mahesh & Mona: Engagement Session

2009-03-12T17:49:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday I met Mahesh and Mona at Jericho Beach for a day of fun photos in the sun. (For those of you that actually LIVE in Vancouver, you may have remembered how cold it was Sunday, and where there WAS sun, a freaky snowstorm soon followed!). These guys were troopers, I was totally planning on shooting the entire day with them in their jackets, but dang! I guess they had their love to keep them warm!

You guys were awesome! I hope you like the teaser pics!

-M-

Daylight Savings Time!

2009-03-07T22:50:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to change your clocks ahead 1 hour tonight!!! (unless of course you live somewhere where this doesn't apply to you...then this would just be weird, and would cause a lot of problems. The End.)

:)

Dining Out For Life

2009-03-04T16:57:00.000-08:00

I love finding good news! This one actually came to me via a commercial during Oprah today (keep in mind Grit is home sick and it was in fact NOT ME that was watching Oprah....that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

The Event: Dining Out For Life

On Thursday, March 12, 2009 thousands will fill their plates to fight AIDS.

Over 200 restaurants from Whistler to White Rock and into the Valley will join the fight against AIDS by donating 25 percent of their food revenue from meals sold during this important event.

For a complete PDF list of participating restaurants in the Lower Mainland BC area, please click here!

As well, Sumac Ridge Estate Winery will donate one dollar from every bottle purchased in BC at restaurants AND liquor stores during the month of March and Stella Artois will donate $1 from every sale in Dining Out For Life participating restaurants on March 12!

All money raised will go to A Loving Spoonful and Friends For Life, Lower Mainland charities supporting local people living with AIDS.

So, in a nutshell... eat at one of the restaurants listed above on Thursday March 12, 2009... and 25% of your bill is donated to the fight against AIDS! ANNNNNNNNND thats one night you won't have to cook! :)

Anyone wanna get together for a big dinner at one of the participating restaurants?! just a thought! email me!

Michael

March Portrait Sale

2009-03-03T16:23:00.000-08:00

Greetings everyone! I am pleased to announce that for the month of March I will be offering a special on all Portrait Sessions!

The Base Portrait Package special will include:

- *1 hour photoshoot for your choice of (actors headshots, family, maternity/newborn, engagement, highschool seniors, pets)
- unlimited photos taken
- unlimited wardrobe changes

- unlimited locations (within time allotted)
- approx 75-100 High Resolution images on CD (color corrected, basic retouching)
- additional 10 Final Retouched images on CD, ready for print

$200 tax included (approx. $400 value + tax)

limited bookings and days offered, please call 778-878-4531 or email me for more information.

* if photosession can take place in White Rock, I will add an additional 1 hour to the session.
** Session must be purchased in March 2009 in order to receive this special, however the session may take place between March 3rd 2009 and April 30th 2009.

Enspire Foundation Presents: Resonance 2009

2009-02-27T22:44:00.000-08:00

About a month or so ago I got an email from Sheryl, a bride whose wedding I shot last year (see Scott & Sheryl's Wedding lol). We've grown to be quite good friends over the last year, and it has been an absolute privilege knowing them, and so when she asked if I wanted to volunteer my photographic services for a good cause, I was all ears.

The event: "Resonance 2009 Choir Festival" fundraiser, presented by Enspire Foundation. The proceeds went to benefit the Bulacan Community Project.

"In May 2009, Enspire Foundation will send 30 young adult Canadians comprised of working professionals and university students from SFU, UBC and Capilano University's Global Stewardship Program, to help build homes in Norzagaray, Bulacan, Philippines."

I had an amazing time shooting the event, and felt truly blessed to be a part of such a great cause. Thank you, Sheryl.

If you would like to learn more information about the Enspire Foundation or if you would like to make a donation, you may click on the link mentioned above or click here.

Here are just a few photos of the event from last Saturday (Feb 21, 2009).

Tamara + Michael: Day After Session

2009-02-21T12:28:00.001-08:00

Tamara called me about a month and a half ago and inquired about a Day After Session with her and her 'soon to be' hubby Michael. She told me that they lived in Portland, Oregon and already had a wedding photographer for their day, but since she grew up in BC, she wanted to have a session that just screamed 'Vancouver'....I totally got it. We set up a few locations, and when the day came (Valentine's Day...aka Tamara's Birthday!!! how cool is that?!) we had an amazing time!

Tamara and Michael, I am very blessed to have met you. You are both very funny, very smart, very loving, and very comfortable around crazy people like me :)

Special thanks to Nick from The Other Angle for helping me out. You rocked the day with your wit, humor, and Red Scarf of Awesomeness! :)

This graffiti has been seen on MANY (and I mean MANY) photographer's photos, and when I finally saw where it was, I just couldn't resist. I just love how the same location can be shot so many different ways! Here is my take on it, hope ya like it!

LOVE THIS SHOT YOU GUYS!!! Seriously, if this doesn't end up as a 30x40" canvas in your living room, then *I* am gonna buy it as a canvas for MY living room!

...annnnnnd one for fun :) Go Mike Go! :)

Josh: Portraits

2009-02-14T08:24:00.000-08:00

See Josh. Josh Rocks. Rock Josh Rock. :)

See? Josh Rocks. :)

P.S. I had a blast with you, Josh, hope you like the photos!!

I Think We Have A Problem...

2009-02-11T13:32:00.000-08:00

Grit and I sometimes have a ....problem... with getting a nice picture of the both of us together. I just... I ... really don't know why... perhaps its all the FACE-MAKING, and EAR-BITING, and 'WET WILLIES'!!!!! Oh, the photos I could post... I bet I could make a full length slideshow with all the 'bloopers' we have had throughout our 'picture taking' relationship! :)

These shots below are just a quick sample of what MAY happen during a typical photo session. I should clarify for future clients... this won't happen at YOUR photo session (at least I hope not), I was referring to when Grit and I have our OWN photos taken.

These were taken almost 2 years ago to the day during a "Formal Night" when we were working on the cruise ship The Coral Princess. Ah, the memories...

(Note: The 'tux' is my work uniform on a Formal Night, trust me, only wearing it cause I had to.)

I'm so GLAD we are getting a chance to redeem ourselves in Vegas in a few days. We are heading down for the annual WPPI conference (think 'Star Trek Convention' but with Wedding & Portrait Photographers... and a few less Vulcans). We are heading down Saturday night, and then Sunday morning we are driving into the desert with Braeden (Ambient 11) and Gabe (PerspectivEye) for a REAL photoshoot of Grit and I!!! How Stoked am I?? VERY STOKED!

...I hope I don't pull that damn Zoolander face I always do...

And here's a few more... I thought I would combine a good photo of Grit with a good photo of myself (via Photoshop)...if thats how its gotta be to get a good photo of the BOTH of us (until Gabe and Braeden work their magic that is), then fine. :)

Have a great day!

Michael

Focus On The Good

2009-02-10T14:29:00.000-08:00

I am a very firm believer in the phenomenon that is "The Secret". Whatever you focus on, and feel, becomes reality. If we focus on bad news, or being in debt, thats all we get... more bad news, and more debt. You even have to be careful HOW you say and think things too, as The Universe does not understand 'NOT wanting' something... for example, if you think "I am NOT going to be late. I am NOT going to be late", you will still attract the word LATE, even though you wanted the exact opposite. All it takes is a simple change of focus, to something like "I will be on time. I will arrive on time.", and as long as you honestly FEEL that, it will be so.

One of my favorite quotes from "The Secret" that really puts this into perspective is:

"Mother Theresa always said she would not attend anti- war campaigns but would always attend Pro- Peace rallies"

According to "The Secret ", Anti-War in fact attracts just the opposite. Pro-Peace is the answer.

Which brings me to why I am posting this. There are many changes happening with my branding and the way that I am conducting business AND life for that matter, and one of the things I have done is purchased www.RealLoveIs.com . The web address, as you will see, simply links to my own photography website. (It may be a lot easier to some to type in RealLoveIs.com instead of MichaelWachniak.com lol) You may have noticed also either through emails or twitter or even on my website the words "Real Love Is.". Its not a 'fill in the blanks' or even telling you that "MY PHOTOGRAPHY = REAL LOVE"... its just simply to tell you that Real Love exists. We all know that, its everywhere, this isn't news. I just strongly feel that it is one of those things that doesn't hurt to remind ourselves of every now and then. Love and Happiness. Positive Energy. Its really my attempt to give my little section of time on this Earth a hand in the right direction. Whether its enough to change our focus, I'm not sure. If we all did something? Absolutely.

For today's post I'd also like to add this little gem. A photographer posted this on Twitter yesterday and it really struck a chord. A website dedicated only to posting Good News. I am sure there are plenty of sites out there that are doing this, and when I find them, I will post them. How AMAZING would it be to sip your morning coffee/tea and open a paper only to find nothing but good news. This is exactly what Glee Report is doing. I strongly recommend taking a peak.

Have a great day,

Michael

Engagement Session: Manna and Sukh

2009-02-01T17:06:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday I headed down the street to the beach here in White Rock and met up with Manna and her fiance Sukh for a session by the ocean. The weather tried to keep as nice as it could for us, but there were times where my teeth were chattering just a bit ;)

Manna and Sukh though were troopers! They found that a little cuddlin' keeps you warm even on the coolest days!

Portrait Session: Cyndi

2009-01-30T18:40:00.001-08:00

Here is my story:

Today Grit and I went out to Boundary Bay Airport and met a lovely lady named Cyndi for her portrait session! We laughed, we froze, we laughed some more! Cyndi is really funny, has a contagious laugh, is almost exploding with positivity and feel-good emotions. Simply put, Cyndi kicks ass. The End.

Supah-Stah!!!

We had an awesome time with you Cyndi! I hope you like the photos, and had an awesome time too!

Mike + Grit

My Deep Thought on 'Capturing Moments'

2009-01-22T16:44:00.000-08:00

I was writing a few things out for my new site today and something occurred to me. Its kind of silly and strange, but I wanted to know your opinion:

When talking about photography, a lot of people use the term (or variation of the term) 'Capturing Moments', right? Or TAKING a photograph. Doesn't that sound negative? 'Capturing'... sort of like 'Hi, I saw this moment and took a picture, now I have it in captivity! MWA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!' *insert thunder and lightning here*....

Personally, I think that the moments that are NOT photographed or even remembered could be considered as 'captured' but captured by TIME.... in the sense that we will never see them again...

SO, having said that, I think as photographers (pro, amateur, whatever), we are 'RELEASING moments'.... like releasing something into the wild. The moments then fly wherever they may, but freely, not caged or captured. Doesn't that sound more positive? I tell ya, its little 'tweaks' like that thats going to change the world ;)

And don't even get me started on the term 'freezing time'... its just way to cold out to talk about that.

thoughts?

by the way, here's a random photo I took YEARS ago....obviously before my wedding photography days lol. Its nothing fantastic, but when I wrote this, for some reason this photo popped into my head... maybe not the BEST illustration to go with my thought, but hey... its a mountain goat...sheep...thing in mid air!

A Foggy Day in White Rock Town ;)

2009-01-18T19:59:00.000-08:00

Today was a wonderfully foggy day, so Grit and I decided to head down to the beach for a walk. At first I wanted to bring my camera to snap some cool fog photos, but once we got there, the fog was so amazing that we just went NUTS snapping photos of each other! We are slowly trying to get Grit more involved with the photography, so today was a great day to get her playing with the camera... and my LORD, after seeing the photos, I think she can show ME a thing or two!!!

We had a blast today snapping these photos and being outside together on a beautiful Sunday, and I hope you enjoy the photos! Don't forget to leave some blog-lovin' comments! :)

Namaste,

Michael

Wedding 101: Getting Started - New Bride's Checklist

2009-01-16T16:42:00.000-08:00

I was sitting at my computer today browsing over wedding sites and came across this awesome article over at bride.ca, explaining in great detail every little bit of the 'What to Do when Planning A Wedding". I really thought this would be something that EVERY newly-engaged couple would NEED to read, so I sent out a few quick emails, asking if I could post it on my blog, and a few hours later, here it is!

Hope this at least helps de-fuzz any potential wedding planning ponders!

-Michael-

***********

Wedding 101: Getting Started - New Bride's Checklist

by Kori Ellis, bride.ca

Congratulations on your engagement! There are probably a million things running through your mind about what to do next. Should you book a reception hall? Run out and buy your wedding dress? Take a moment to breathe a little bit and review our wedding checklist.

This checklist will give you a general guideline of what to do and when you need to do it. You can adjust it to fit your schedule but be sure to adhere to your timeline as much as possible. During your wedding planning, don't stress out. If you feel overwhelmed, reach out to your husband-to-be, mother or maid of honor to help you. Your engagement should be a happy time. Take time to relax and enjoy it. Don't turn into a bridezilla!

Editor's Note: we have tried to link each task on Kori's lists to the corresponding search on bride.ca, so you can quickly find some initial articles, tips and services to get you started on the particular task. Some searches will be more useful than others :-) Try as we might, we do not yet cover every imaginable wedding thing - but we're working on it!

Wedding Timeline

12 Months or More in Advance

Hire your wedding planner or coordinator (if desired)

Talk with your fiancÈ and set an initial wedding budget

Determine your wedding style (destination, theme, time of day, formal/casual)

Select your wedding date and time

Research and book your wedding ceremony and reception locations

Interview prospective wedding vendors

Parents of the bride should begin planning the engagement dinner

9-12 Months in Advance

Announce your engagement in the local paper

Arrange for an officiant (if desired) for your ceremony

Set the maximum number of wedding guests

Choose your wedding attendants

Book your caterer, musicians/DJ, photographer

Research and decide what type of gown you will wear

Attend bridal shows and bridal shop visits

Meet with florists and cake bakeries to view and sample their work

Create a bridal registry

Attend your engagement dinner

6-9 Months in Advance

Book your florist and order your wedding cake

Make your preliminary guest list

Select and purchase your wedding gown and bridesmaid's dresses

Research wedding transportation options

Meet with printers and decide on wedding invitation style

Select and book your honeymoon

4-6 Months in Advance

Arrange for groom/groomsmen to be measured for tuxedos

Shop for and purchase bridal accessories

Book your wedding transportation

Order invitations and other stationery

Shop for and purchase wedding rings

Get blood tests for marriage license

Mail "Save the Date" cards

2-4 Months in Advance

Finalize your guest list

Research types of wedding favours

Parents of the groom should arrange rehearsal dinner

Select your menu (including beverages) and confirm other details with caterer and reception venue

Purchase wedding guest book, garter, goblets, candles, decorations and other ceremony items

Plan the bachelor and bachelorette parties

Arrange for printing of ceremony programs

Purchase your wedding favours

Choose your wedding music - first dance, parents dance, etc.

Finalize details with all vendors - florist, musicians, photographer, baker and others

Arrange for accommodations for out-of-town guests

Practice wedding hairstyles and makeup

Attend your bridal shower(s)

6-8 Weeks in Advance

Mail wedding invitations and announcements (8 weeks)

Schedule the final fitting for your gown

Select gifts for your wedding attendants

Select a gift for your husband

Book hairdressers and makeup artists

4-6 Weeks in Advance

Give headcount of guests to your caterer

Take your bridal portrait / engagement photo

Pick up your wedding rings

Meet with ushers regarding their duties

Make seating plan for reception

Confirm dates, times and details with all vendors (4 weeks)

2-4 Weeks in Advance

Handle name change for Driver's License, Tax numbers etc (if you're actually changing your name!)

Prepare and submit the wedding announcement for the newspaper

Make sure all your bridal attire is ready

Get your marriage license

Write your place cards and put together DIY favours (if necessary)

1 Week in Advance

Review details with the ushers

Attend the final fitting (make sure your bridesmaids do too)

Confirm seating arrangements

Pack for your honeymoon

Pack an emergency kit for your wedding day

Give the final head count to caterer

Re-confirm with all vendors; pay any balances

Finalize rehearsal dinner plans

Attend bachelor/bachelorette parties

The Day Before Your Wedding

Get a manicure and pedicure

Make sure someone picks up tuxedos

Attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner

Go to bed early!

Your Wedding Day

Wake up early

Get your makeup and hair done

Get dressed and head to the ceremony

Make sure to eat properly

Relax and enjoy your day

Print out and use these checklists as a guideline when planning your wedding. You can adapt them to your specific needs and change the timeline as necessary. Try to book your vendors as soon as possible, particularly your wedding reception site. Keep in mind that some of the more popular locations book more than a year in advance.

***************

The End ;)

My Top 20 Favorite Engagement Photos of 2008

2009-01-11T19:06:00.000-08:00

It took some time to get this Top 20 list completed as well, but now that its done, I can't take my eyes off if it. It has helped me remember how much of an amazing year 2008 was, and how lucky I am to have met so many amazing people! There are so many great memories that shine through these photographs, and I cannot stress enough the importance of an Engagement Session. Among many things, it is a great way for us to get to know each other before the actual wedding day, and snap some fun photos in the process! One of the key points I strive to make my business known for is being able to capture 100% Raw and 100% Pure emotion in my photographs. The best way of doing this is to have a stronger bond with my clients than just "he's our wedding photographer". It has to go WAY beyond that, I want to make sure "Michael Wachniak Photographer" is not just a business, its an experience! :) I LOVE the fact that there are some people out there that have actually introduced me to their best friends and closest family members as "This is Michael Wachniak, he kicks ass and climbs trees!" LOL!! I should really have that on a business card or something ;) Anyways, if there is no bond between myself and my clients, the photos just will not be up to my standards. I try everything in my power to make sure the clients are feeling comfortable, and I really feel it shows through my photographs.

So without further ado, here are my personal favorite Top 20 Engagement Photos of 2008!

(in no particular order!)

yup, I really do climb trees ;)

Here's to a kickass 2009 season!

Namaste,

Michael

p.s. I was assisting a fashion shoot yesterday with my buddy Todd Duncan, and he snapped this photo of me in mid-laugh.

I would like to personally apologize for looking like this when I laugh, I had no idea...

This just looks painful... I swear I'm only laughing...

My Top 20 Favorite Wedding Photos of 2008

2009-01-06T22:08:00.000-08:00

I think one of the best parts of being a photographer (at least for me) is that when you look at one of your own photos, you can remember exactly what was going on at the moment it was taken. I can say with complete confidence that to ME, these moments really are frozen in time, and I will always remember certain things from each and every one! So, having said that, not only would I like to share some of my favorite 20 wedding photos of 2008 with you, but I would also like to share with you exactly what I was thinking when I took them!

Warning: Please don't think I'm a dork, I'm only human! :P

***each quote refers to the photo above it.***

"I hope people don't think 'what a horrible photographer, he cropped her face out!!!'... All I want for this shot is a detail shot of the veil and dress!!!"

"WOW! now THATS a kiss!"

"How do I make this shot look like it ISNT taken outside in the freezing snow/rain in the middle of one of the coldest winters Vancouver has seen in decades????"

"There is NO way ANY camera can capture how beautiful this light coming in looks in person!"

- don't get me wrong, the lighting in the photo looks amazing, but really you had to be there. It truly was angelic.

"Stupid leaves! Stop moving so I can get the lens flare from the sun!!!!! AHHHH!"

(I think I was tired) :)

I remember thinking to myself: "Please don't turn away until I take the photo! Please don't turn away until I take the photo! WOOHOO! She didn't turn away until I took the photo!"

"I-A-M-S-O-J-E-A-L-O-U-S-R-I-G-H-T-N-O-W" ;)

I was trying to make her laugh, so the first thing I said to her was (and in a rather high pitched voice): "Youuuuu're getting marrrrrried... Youuuuuu're getting marrrrrrrrried!"

yup... I'm a pretty fast thinker! :/

"The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly."

(I can say this because the one on the right is my brother in-law) ;)

"Ben please don't drop her!!!! There's a lot of thistles around!!" - Thank God he didn't!

I actually remember just staring in absolute amazement during these moments, and even though there was loud music playing, I can still remember very clearly the WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! of the flames.

I remember thinking this was so quiet and sincere, and even though I originally set this shot up (the veil over their heads), the truly beautiful moment was really between just the two of them.

I very clearly remember thinking "I am so lucky to have shot her sister's wedding a few years ago and now to be shooting her wedding. I really feel like part of the family with these guys. Thank you so much."

"Well, people certainly aren't going to wonder where this shot was taken!!"

This is my best friend of 15 years, Ben. At this moment I remember thinking that if someone came to us when we were 14 and said "Hey, when you grow up, YOU are going to get married, and HE is going to be your photographer!", we'd probably think they were 'A few fries short of a Happy Meal'! Well, it happened, and I will always be greatful to have seen my best friend married to the love of his life.

"No one will ever know this shot was taken in her garage..." ..oops! Guess they do now!

"Hrmm... I think it would look better if I Photoshopped that bench out of the photo later on."

- Yup! :)

"What are the odds that the cruise ship I worked on for 6 months in the Caribbean would be going by us on the Sunshine Coast at this very second?" (it was doing the Alaska run roundtrip from Vancouver...it was pretty cool to see the Coral Princess again lol)

"Cool! These lights remind me of 'Close Encounters of a Third Kind'!!!!!"

"Hrmm... off-camera lighting... how hard can it be?" - hard? no. takes practice? yup! Chris + Lynn, I was totally trying to channel some vibes from you while taking this shot lol!

Here's to a fantastic 2009 Wedding Season!

Namaste,

Michael

Alykhan & Salima's Wedding

2009-01-03T12:19:00.000-08:00

I believe it was around Christmas time a year ago (2007) that I met Alykhan and Salima. We met downtown at a Blendz coffee shop, and I remember how quickly we hit it off. Within minutes we were already swapping stories and laughing, it was truly like meeting with old friends. On top of that, the more they discussed their wedding plans with me the more excited I got! I remember thinking "Wow, a four day wedding, huh?"... I have seen time and time again how much craziness and excitement gets packed into ONE day, what's FOUR days going to do?!

Well, see for yourself. The photos tell more than I ever could with words.

I gotta pitch in here for a sec... I won't say too much, but these next two collections of photos are actually ceremonies the night before the wedding day. Salima gets a beautifully fragrant paste rubbed onto her skin to beautify her for the next day, while Alykhan on the other hand... um... you have to see it to believe it.

Ok, onto some cleaner photos :)

We had a chance to shoot at the Stanley Park Inn before the reception, and I automatically fell in love with this little B&B.

First Dance

This collage just melts my heart every time I look at it. So simple, nothing really fancy on the photos...just pure love.

Alykhan and Salima, thank you so much for letting me be a part of your celebration. I had an amazing time and I feel so blessed to have met your family and friends. You all truly are a perfect example of Real Love.

Special shout-outs to Tracey for helping me out with the day! You rock, Miss Thang! :)

My New Year's Resolutions...ish.

2009-01-02T23:23:00.000-08:00

ok, so we have now approached the time of year when we all attempt to muster up the 'willpower' in preparation of creating our ideal Selves.

translation: New Year's Resolutions.

Here are mine, in no particular order... keep in mind these can (and often do) change at any moment... hopefully I'm not alone ;)

1. to not lose WEIGHT, but to lose body fat %. I want to be a lean mean, 'scrubbing-clothing-on-my-washboard-abs' machine! And with Acapulco coming in April, I gotta hurry!!! Exercise starts tomorrow, as do the weigh-in and measurement-taking! YIPES!

2. to shoot more photos for myself...let me rephrase, to go on more photo 'roadtrips', to take more 'landscapes at sunrise' shots, and hopefully without a 'holy crap I am being chased by a bear' experience lol!

3. to keep a better record of my personal money management. I like knowing where my money is going and what I can tweak in order to save even more money! It would be nice to own a house in 2010! :)

4. I really would like to delve deeper into the whole "Mike should learn to speak German" thing... its going to be tough enough for me to understand as it is in July when Grit and I go visit her family and friends in Germany, but it would just be really cool to carry a conversation with Grit in German.

5. I AM going to blog more :) I always get so busy with things that it always gets put on the backburner. I have tons of things to say, and in MY opinion anyways, most of it isn't too bad lol. Just take a look at my personal blog (The Roaming Mind of Norm) when I worked on cruise ships! I occasionally go back to have a read or two for nostalgia's sake, and end up reading for an hour or so lol. Besides, there is going to be MANY cool things in 2009 to blog about! :)

6. I am going to spend more time with the TV, cell phone, and computer off. Sometimes I get so caught up in technology and being constantly 'plugged in', I forget what silence sounds like, and how good it feels to hear absolutely nothing. Yes, more of that please.

7. To tie in with number 6, I would like to read more. In fact, reading PERIOD at this point would be fantastic! Among other things, I think reading helps with the imagination, and one can never have too much of that!

I am sure there are more, and when I think of them, I will be sure to add them on here!

What are YOUR NewYear'sResolutions?

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T12:18:00.000-08:00

2009! Holla!

Grit and I literally stayed on the couch ALL day haha! The "Back to the Future" trilogy was on tv today, and we watched it in its entirety 1.5 times! I know, we ROCK! :)

There are so many things to look forward to this year, and I am STOKED beyond all belief!

Some highlights include:

- a new blog and website (coming VERY soon)

- Sunshine! ...eventually...(so much rain and snow, I forget what sunshine feels like lol)

- WPPI 2009 in Las Vegas in February!

- Shooting a wedding in Acapulco, Mexico in April!

- Shooting a wedding in Italy in July!

- Vacation in Germany in June/July!

and so much more!!!!!

I will also be updating the blog WAYYYY more frequently and in the days to come you can expect to see news on a few things that happened in December, such as my Cans for Comments , Christmas, and Alykhan and Salima's AMAZINGLY AWESOME wedding!

I hope you all have an amazing year, and I am so excited to get things rolling! :)

Michael

Cans for Comments!!

2008-12-04T22:35:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!!

I was doing my regular 'blog-stalking' rounds today, and as I was reading the blog of Chris+Lynn I was completely moved by their post, and I'd like to not only share it with you guys, but to join in as well.

As it stands now, a growing handful of Vancouver photographers are participating in something called "Cans for Comments". From now until midnight on Friday, December 12th (next Friday), for everyone who posts a comment on ANY of my blog entries, I will donate one canned good to The White Rock / South Surrey Food Bank.

Please be sure to click on the links below to view some great work by some amazing photographers, and don't forget to leave a comment!!!

CJ Scott

Erin Gilmore
Amber Hughes
Chris+Lynn
Lori Miles

Jamie Delaine

Tracey Heppner

Blue Olive Photography

“If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” - Mother Teresa

This is How I Kick It!

2008-11-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

Check my flow, Uh! :)

(had a little 'creative time' after hanging with my 6-year-old niece Kaia today)

P.s. please don't judge me by my dirty bathroom mirror :\

A Little One

2008-11-27T13:30:00.000-08:00

Its been a LONG time since I posted, so I thought I would post a few cute photos of a recent session I did. I have never shot a newborn session before, so I was unsure of what to expect, but I had such a great time! How did I do?

I have a lot of updates and exciting news to share soon, I can't wait to tell you!

p.s. Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in the US! Be sure to eat an extra plate for me :)

Vancouver View Magazine

2008-11-08T18:34:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of September, I had been asked to take portraits of one of the top cops in Canada for an upcoming article in Vancouver View Magazine. I had a blast with Shinder Kirk and Kuljeet Kaila and when I saw it on the shelves today I flipped out! I totally forgot it was coming out in November! The first time I had photos in a magazine was last September but it just totally makes me giddy when I see it in public! Every single time I walk past it, I always want to go to the nearest person and be like "Hey... see these photos? Ya, I shot them... Ya, I'm kind of a big deal... Autograph?"

... I kinda turn into that guy from the McDonald's commercial...

"See that Angus Burger... ya, I invented it."

Cassie + Steve { eSession }

2008-10-31T15:36:00.001-07:00

When I first met Cassie & Steve, I knew they were really super-cool people, but I had no idea to what extent... until the engagement session. Right at the beginning there were a few "oh, we have never really had PROFESSIONAL photos taken of us...really..." , so I thought "ok, well I'll take a few photos just to get them warmed up and comfortable in front of the camera, and then go from there"...ya, not necessary my friends. Not necessary even a little... within SECONDS these guys were striking poses and cuddling up and kissing and in all honesty I had a hard time keeping up! I kinda felt like Rambo, firing off as many rounds as fast as I could, only instead of screaming like a madman I was hailing shouts of "perfect! dont move thats great!! MY GOD you look amazing!". I really cannot wait for their wedding next June at Swan-E-Set!

p.s. the Madonna concert last night was simply amazing!!!! :)

Cassie + Steve { Sneak Peak }

2008-10-28T19:50:00.000-07:00

Well I have officially blogged for a month! I was really curious as to whether or not I could actually think of something to say every single day, but now that the month is over, I am quite pleased at the way the blogging turned out! Now, thats one more thing I can scratch off of my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days! (plus I had a blast doing it!)

I have been really busy these past few days with moving my mom into her new apartment, and that whole Madonnathon thing (by the way, I made it to the end of the contest, danced 10 nonstop hours with makeup on and my girlfriends jeans just to try to win her madonna tickets, and then lost after the 10 hours on a bloody game of Hot Potato... dammit! Made it down to 5th place out of 25 people though!). However, thanks to one of my '08 brides calling me, I managed to buy some tickets from a friend of hers that bought extra tickets for JUST such an occasion! So, Grit and I are indeed going to the Madonna concert this Thursday! yay!

Anyhoo, this past Sunday I spent a few hours hanging out with Cassie and Steve at Barnett Beach for their engagement session! They are getting married next year and I am STOKED already! I have some pretty amazing weddings coming up next year! These guys really are in every sense of the word, HELLA COOL! Nice? Check. Funny? Check. Hot? Check Check! :)

Here is a quick little sneak peak from the session, stay tuned for lots more!

First Time Going To Bed Before 10pm in years!!!

2008-10-22T21:55:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I am actually going to bed as soon as I am done typing this! Whats even weirder is that I am actually TIRED and its only 9:56pm!!

I have to wake up at 4am to get ready for the Madonna dance competition... and for those of you that just twitched a little bit and have a really confused look on your face (don't worry, I do too...), you can read my post here to understand a little better. Basically I entered a contest on the radio and now I am 1 of 25 qualifiers that now have to dance dressed like Madonna in front of many many people... last person dancing wins two tickets to her Vancouver concert next week and a whopping $10,000 cash....

so ya... when everyone is at work tomorrow, I will already be dancing like the best damn little "Material Girl" I can be....

nervous? a bit... excited? very. embarrased? slightly.

winning?

you bet your booty I am :)

The La Prairie Family: Portraits!

2008-10-21T21:47:00.001-07:00

I always have a blast with the La Prairie Family lol! They are so much fun, and the kids are SO well behaved!! Heather contacted me a few weeks ago and mentioned that since her kids have grown quite a bit since our last photoshoot in December, she really wanted to spend a day watching me chase them around outside with my camera :) Sunday was SUCH a beautiful day, not too hot, not too cold... perfect lighting... a photographers dream! :) And Callum and Cole are indeed getting SOOOOOO big!

I strongly encourage everyone to watch the slideshow, and I guarantee your hearts will melt when you see the kids smiling! :)

If you would like to purchase this show on DVD, please email me!

True Love Sometimes Comes With A Price... (WARNING)

2008-10-20T22:21:00.000-07:00

Oh God I can't believe I am posting this...

Yes, thats ME in the photo... please let me explain:

Here in Vancouver, one of our biggest radio stations is 95Crave FM. Madonna is coming to Vancouver October 30th, and 95Crave has a contest right now where you can win two free tickets to the concert and a WHOPPING $10,000 cash!!! Now, tickets are UNBELIEVABLY hard to find now that we are so close to the concert... but since my girlfriend REALLY wants to go, and because I LOVE her so much, it wasn't hard to decide that I should do everything in my power to win her those tickets!

Now comes the rules of the contest (and why I am wearing makeup in the photo....oh, it gets worse guys and gals...read on.):

To enter the contest, you had to dress up like Madonna, take a photo of yourself, and send it in to the radio station. Fine. What are the chances, right?

So... I get a phone call today.... I have been chosen as one of the twenty-five "participants" in the MADONNATHON. What does that mean, you ask? Well, regrettably, let me tell you! It means that this Thursday, October 23rd, at 6:30am, I will be at Coquitlam Centre for 12 hours, IN MAKEUP NO LESS, and dancing like Madonna in front of hundreds, possibly THOUSANDS of people with 24 equally scared individuals. If I am the last person dancing, I win 10G's and 2 tickets to see Madonna!

Now, I'm not a very MANLY man.... but this isn't the kind of attention any man would want (at least I don't think)... this is honestly only being done because I really want to see the look on my girlfriend's face when I hand her two ...no, ONE ticket to Madonna (Jeez, wouldn't that suck if I handed her BOTH tickets, and she didn't even take me???!!!)....

So, why am I posting it here, do you ask?

I want you to see what a man who is about to win $10,000 looks like! :)

Laugh away everyone! Or better yet, come cheer me on this Thursday!! :)

(but please keep the cameras at home haha!)

Michael

p.s. The Make-Up and "arranging" in the sexy photo above was done by my loving gal, Grit... who OBVIOUSLY did a good enough job to get me this far into the contest! I'm certain I will have the strength and willpower to win this with her at my side! (because if I don't win, I'll probably be sleeping on the couch for the next little while! lol just kidding haha LOVE YOU BABE!)

Double Sneak Peak!

2008-10-19T21:43:00.000-07:00

I had an awesome double-header today! First of all I had a blast with the La Prairie family, whom I originally met last December for the FIRST photosession with them, and then afterwards today I had a maternity session with Chris and Janina! I had such a great time today, and I'm stoked to show you guys a sneak peak from each session! Enjoy!

Michael

Brian & Yari: Puerto Vallarta Wedding Slideshow!

2008-10-18T12:37:00.000-07:00

I am so pleased to share with you Brian & Yari's Puerto Vallarta Wedding Slideshow!

Let me know what you think!

Michael

If you would like to purchase this show on DVD, please email me!

Brian & Yari: Puerto Vallarta Wedding Part 2!!

2008-10-17T13:09:00.001-07:00

Here are some more photos from Brian & Yari's October 10th wedding at the amazing Las Caletas in Puerto Vallarta Mexico!!

The Rings!

Look at those puppy dog eyes, this guy's smitten !

This photo makes me smile, its so sweet! I also love Brian's wet feet, we were all dancing on the beach! :)

The beautiful bride!

Now, this isn't the best exposed shot, but I just LOVE the expression on Yari's face! You can almost hear the "Awwww..Daaaaaaaaaaaaaad!" through the grit teeth. Priceless!

A special moment between Brian and his mom.

I loved the Fire Dancers! Brian and Yari were SO brave! :)

Brian & Yari: Puerto Vallarta Wedding!!

2008-10-16T23:01:00.000-07:00

No words can express how amazing it was to be a part of Brian & Yari's wedding. They were so loving, caring, and made me feel like a part of their family the moment I first OFFICIALLY met them in person at the hotel in Puerto Vallarta. It was such a heartwarming experience seeing their two families together all week, and I felt deeply honored just simply being there.

The wedding took place at the amazing Las Caletas and it was absolutely breathtaking. Stay Tuned for the slideshow!!

The Canon 5D MKII: A Dream Come True

2008-10-15T23:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Santa,

I know I'm a little early, but if you wouldn't mind, there's a little something I have put on my list this year that I would like you to pay extra attention to... if thats ok...

I've been good.... mostly.

Love,

Michael

Photo from dpreview.com, please check out their review on this kick-ass camera here!!

Voting Day!

2008-10-14T12:49:00.000-07:00

I have honestly been wondering who I was going to vote for in the elections today, and while debating this with myself I came across two pieces of CRUCIAL information that could help me with my decision!

The first one, entitled "Politics is no place for grown ups". Its scary how accurate these kids are!:

The second point came from a friend's FaceBook status:

"________ is reminding everyone to vote - even if they are all duds, you have to vote for whoever you think will screw things up the least!"

Can't we just be invaded by the states once Obama wins in the US? I honestly wouldn't mind!

Apple TV in Canada

2008-10-13T23:28:00.000-07:00

Is it worth it or not? Grit and I are thinking of getting rid of cable, as we are sick of 'surfing' just to find out not only that there is nothing on, but we are spending money on something we don't really need! We are big movie buffs though, so we are looking at our options... Having an Apple TV in the US is quite different than having one in Canada. In the US you have virtually an unlimited library of movies to rent (in HD too, no less), and you also have TONS of tv shows (that would cut down on the surfing, and you'd pay only for what you want!)... in Canada, you have a mediocre at best movie library, and the only tv shows are beyond lame... they're not even worth (in my opinion) the $1.99 per episode!

So, my question is this: are there any Canadians out there that have an Apple TV, or know of any reason I should be swayed into purchasing one?

Home Safe!

2008-10-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

I am finally home safe, and I am so happy to be able to sleep in my own bed again ;)

I had SUCH a kickass-awesome time in Puerto Vallarta, and I can't wait to start working on these photos!!! I have already gone through them briefly and I am SO happy with them! Grit and I are having a 'night in' tonight so I am just blogging quick and then back to the couch to start watching The Wedding Singer ;)

In the meantime, I want to share with you one of the photos from the fire-dancers that put on a show for Brian and Yari during the reception. It was quite an amazing thing to see and I know this abstract photo doesnt do it justice, but I hope you can get an idea of how cool it COULD have been, had you actually have been there ;)

Michael

Ah, Good Times

2008-10-11T22:50:00.001-07:00

I had such an amazing time at the wedding last night! Brian and Yari made me feel so welcome and their entire group of family and friends was awesome! A sand ceremony at sunset, fire dancers, doing the macarena knee deep in the ocean... Ah, good times.

----

I am sitting here in my hotel room in Phoenix watching "Me, Myself, and Irene" and I totally forgot how hilarious it was! Of course, since it's on tv, all the "adult funny" has been cut out (and there's a lot!). Ah, good times.

----

Today was my first experience flying in first-class...and I slept through the whole thing... Seconds after takeoff I must have passed out and the next thing I remember was hearing the flight attendant make the announcement that we were landing! I was like my dad watching a movie: falling asleep at the opening credits and then waking up at the closing credits! Ah, good times.

----

I am so excited to see Grit tomorrow! Rather than me taking the shuttle from Seattle airport back home, Grit has decided to drive down and get me, and then we are heading to the outlet mall before crossing back over the border ;) Ah, good times. ;)

My room with a view!

2008-10-10T12:13:00.000-07:00

I am in the midst of getting ready for the wedding today and I thought I would share with you the view I have from my hotel suite. This was taken this morning and so far the weather is really cooperating! I just finished breakfast by the pool with 'the fam' and I am now taking it easy and prepping for "Game Time"! :)

Take it easy!

Michael

Zip-Lining in the Jungle

2008-10-09T22:01:00.000-07:00

Well it is 10pm and I am already back in my hotel room! I am Sooooo
tired from today's festivities, I thought it would probably be a smart
thing to retire when Brian and Yari did so I could get a good nights
sleep and be ready for the wedding tomorrow!

Today the weather seemed to be very confused... It was SO hot when we
were zip lining, and not a cloud in the sky, and tonight it rained and
stormed so hard the power went out of the restaurant 6 times during
dinner!!!

Ok all, I can't wait for tomorrow I am stoked for the wedding! I can't
wait to post some pics!!

Goodnight!!

Sent from my iPhone

I'm in Puerto Vallarta!!!!

2008-10-08T21:03:00.000-07:00

I made it safely, I am having an amazing time, and I love the wedding
couple! Brian and Yari's families are so freaking awesome!! Somehow
after 6 hours I have been nicknamed "Bob", "the Canuck", and
"Miguel" :)

The rehearsal was tonight, I got to meet everyone, and I can't wait
til tomorrow's "zip lining esession"!!!

Michael

Sent from my iPhone

And Off I Go!!!

2008-10-07T20:30:00.000-07:00

I'm leaving tonight at midnight for Seattle, and at 5am I am leaving on a jetplane...don't know when I'll be back again... well, actually I know... Sunday :)

I should be in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico at approx 1:30pm Pacific Time, where I will be greeted by a couple so beautiful they can light up a room...which is good because from what I see, the weather isn't cooperating as much as we'd like in PV...

I'm going to try and keep up with the blogging and hopefully I can find a way to post some photos while I am down there!!!

See you all soon!

Michael

Mountains of Thought

2008-10-06T23:14:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy today getting ready for Mexico that I haven't really anything to say on my blog! So, I thought I would share with you one of my favorite photos I shot a few years ago while driving through the mountains when I lived in Calgary!

Let me know what you think!

Namaste,

Michael

Holy Schnitzel!!!

2008-10-05T21:07:00.001-07:00

OH...MY....GOD!!! I have just died and gone to heaven!!!

Grit and I just got home from an amazing dinner! She was recommended by a client at work to try out a European restaurant in Cloverdale that served the best Schnitzel she would ever have (in Canada of course lol). Being a German gal, she decided to give it a try, and also take ME on a date tonight! The name of the place is Elizabeth's Chalet in Cloverdale, BC on 177th st and Highway 10.

I made the reservations over the phone and was already blown away! First of all, it was Elizabeth herself that answered the phone. She was SO cheerful and friendly with cute little comments like "I was waiting for your call!" and "we will roll out the red carpet when you get here!"... it made me smile and I wasn't even there yet!!! When we got there, we were greeted immediately by Elizabeth and her husband Josef with a hearty handshake and a "You must be Michael!"... Josef showed us to our corner booth at the end of the VERY busy wing of the quaint, bavarian-styled restaurant. Within moments we were greeted by our waitress and were handed our menus. Grit and I ordered a glass of white wine each and by the time we had even opened the menus, the wine was already on our table. I ordered an 8oz New York Steak with veggies, a stuffed baked potato, and a side order of sauteed shrimp, while Grit ordered the Schnitzel with crabmeat and hollandaise sauce, Bavarian Red Cabbage, Spaetzle, and Asparagus. The food was quick (but not TOO quick...just perfect), and hot! It was WUNDERBAR!! :) And just when I thought I was going to explode from all the food, there was tiramisu and coffee.... wow!!!

When it was time to pay the bill, we were both shocked at how reasonable the price was! The entire way home consisted of absolute silence...with the occasional "*sigh* I am SOOOO full" from either one of us lol!

Highly Recommended to anyone looking for a great meal, great ambience, and amazing service! We are definitely going back again!

Michael

My Haiku for a Rainy Day

2008-10-04T18:58:00.001-07:00

I am so excited that I am leaving the cold, windy, rainy, crappy

weather to shoot a wicked couple on their wedding day in Puerto

Vallarta in 4 days that I thought I would celebrate with a haiku...

Four more days to go

Raindrops on my window

Mexico is warm

Now... What if Yoda wrote a haiku you ask? Ok. Same situation:

Excited am I

Use the force in Mexico

Take pictures I will

There, I hope that made you smile :)

Sent from my iPhone

A Quick Look At My CD Cases!

2008-10-03T12:49:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd share with everyone my new CD Cases! These are what your "High Res Photo DVDs" and "DVD Slideshows" will come in! Custom Designed by (yours truly), and I am so happy with how they have turned out! The quality of the Cases are amazing!

Let me know what you think!

Michael

So, You Want A Destination Wedding?

2008-10-02T20:45:00.000-07:00

Ever since I started shooting weddings I have always dreamed of travelling the world, photographing these absolutely stunning fairytale weddings! Honestly, who wouldn't want to walk on a sunny caribbean beach at this very moment?! Combine that with the fact that I absolutely LOVE what I do for a living, and you have MY PERSONAL HEAVEN! :)

If you or someone you know is thinking of taking to the beaches or somewhere far far away to say their "I Do's", I cannot stress how important it is to check out the beautiful people over at The Best Destination Wedding Forum. There you will find an infinite amount of brides (past, present and future), vendors (photographers, wedding planners, flowers, cakes, etc), venue owners (worldwide, honestly), and everyone and I mean EVERYONE is helpful! Not only that, but they are SO nice, and its not hard to get so caught up spending time chatting with people that you find yourself working less and less... its great! :) I have had several conversations with these people that have been so funny that I have actually laughed out loud by myself (and not just an LOL but an actual explosive bellowing of laughter!).

I am not affiliated with these guys in any way, but I am a fan of what this forum represents, and I thought that it was so important to make sure that each and every one of my past, present, and future brides viewing my blog were aware of how great the forum really is.

Even if you aren't planning a Destination Wedding, just go and chat with people! You'll be glad you did!

Michael

So, I Went Running For The First Time in About A Year...

2008-10-01T17:56:00.001-07:00

That was basically the face I had the entire time... now, whoever said I'm wasn't a sexy guy should just be reminded forevermore of this photo...

mind the quality of the photo by the way, it was taken with my iPhone WHILE i was running...

Oh, for those of you who think I am listening to music, you are sadly mistaken... well, not really, it was music... but it very well SHOULD have been just a recording of my own voice saying "DONT DIE....DONT DIE.....DONT DIE....DONT DIE"

I'm going again tomorrow... hopefully I can get out of bed ;)

thats all for now!

Michael

A few Canadian Landscapes

2008-09-30T23:34:00.000-07:00

These are just random but I thought I would share a few of my canadian landscapes!

Taken on the way home from Whistler, BC

Mt Rundle at Sunrise. Banff, AB.

Dinosaur Park, AB at sunrise.

This was taken the same day as the photo above in Dinosaur Park, AB. There were about 6 deer and believe it or not NONE of them moved... it was SO quiet and it was just me and them. It was amazing!

What's this??

2008-09-29T23:57:00.000-07:00

ooooooh, scary!!!!

Nah, its just a cute little baby sloth!

I am just testing my BIGGER photos today, as you might have noticed that the menu is missing from the right... its currently on the bottom of the blog, but in the next day or two I will have a menu right on the top so I can have these big photos from now on!

Yay!

Who should I be for Halloween?

2008-09-28T23:52:00.000-07:00

These are going to be very popular this year I assume, but they are just really fun and I think I could do a fairly good version of both... any thoughts?

Perhaps something else instead?

Random Photo Post #2

2008-09-27T22:38:00.000-07:00

Ok I found a few more photos that I thought I'd share today.

This one I always think is so cute. He was with his father who was throwing fishing nets into the water from the shore. He looks so peaceful and in his own world. If there were any clouds that day, I bet he would be looking for funny shaped ones and trying to guess what they look like. This was taken in Phuket, Thailand in Spring of 2006.

This is an abstract shot of a MerLion statue in Singapore. With the post-processing it kind of has a Cloverfield look to it, which is fine by me ;)

This tired litte (not so little) guy was sleeping in the shade at the Singapore Zoo.

Nothing too fancy with this photo, but I really liked the feel of the architecture and color palette. The main reason I took this photo is because of the building number (I was born in '79). This was taken in Venice, Italy in June 2006.

Another Venice, Italy shot. I have probably photoshopped this photo like 20 different times, and every time I love it more lol! Here is #21! :)

And last but not least, here is a sunset shot I took from the side of the cruise ship while sailing out of Langkawi, Malaysia. Still the best sunset shot I have taken today. It was so surreal seeing it in person, and I can just remember the way the sky changed the color of everything around me. People just stopped what they were doing and stared in awe. Definitely a special moment I will remember forever.

be good,

Michael

Hi. My name is Michael, and I enjoyed "Sex and The City: The Movie"

2008-09-26T23:39:00.001-07:00

Yup... I admit it... not only did I enjoy it, I REALLY enjoyed it! I actually only started watching the tv series last year while my girlfriend Grit and I were still working on the cruise ships! She had a few seasons on DVD (in German, mind you), but once I got passed having to read the english subtitles, I was HOOKED! My favorite? Carrie Bradshaw of course! :) I am SO glad though, that Grit doesn't have as MUCH of a shoe fetish as Carrie does! And maybe I am just not understanding everything because I have yet to see all the episodes, but wasn't Aidan a better guy than Big? Maybe its just because I like the actor better, or maybe it is because my favorite episode is when Aiden and Carrie went up to a cabin for the weekend and Mr Big showed up and they had a huge brawl out in the mud lol... it was just great to see Big's ass getting kicked ;)

Oh my God, I'm ranting about SATC on my own blog.... and I just abbreviated it SATC!!!

$@%!!!!

well, I'm off to drink beer and watch a Victoria's Secret DVD or something... anything to regain SOME level of testosterone...

The End. ;)

Find a happy place!!!!

2008-09-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

I have come to realize just how much I love summer... of course I am
realizing it a little late as it is already fall. It's been raining
here in Vancouver the last few days and it even though it's supposed
to be clearing up by Sunday, I am already mentally preparing myself
for the inevitably cold months ahead.

So, I am calling on my readers for your ideas on fun and preferably
warm things to do during fall and winter! I am not a great big fan of
shopping (unless I need or really want something) and I am trying to
cut down on my coffee intake LOL. What makes you happy when it's not
so pleasant outside?

On the bright side, because of the weather we have currently been
cursed with, I am getting more and more stoked about Brian and Yari's
wedding I am shooting in Puerto Vallarta in less than 2 weeks!! It's
going to be A-MAZ-ING!!!!!

Have a warm cozy day!!!

Michael

Random Photo Post #1

2008-09-24T14:38:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to share some of my older UN-wedding related photos for some time now, so I thought today was a great day to start! I will be posting them randomly throughout the days to come so I can hear your thoughts and share with you some moments of my life that has meant so much to me!

The first set is from the time I worked on a cruise ship as a photographer (jan '06 - April '07). These 3 photos are taken while I was in the South Pacific. The islands: Ouvea, and Isle of Pines. They were my first two places I went while on ships, and it was such a contrast to what I have seen my whole life. The first 26 years of my life I spent in a semi-bubble... living in BC, Alberta, Manitoba, and the only places I ventured outside of that was Texas, Montana, and Newfoundland... and then I was just literally NUMB when I left the BC airport, landed in LAX (WOW!), and then 14 hours later I was in Melbourne Australia. Keep in mind I did this alone. When you join ships as an employee, you don't go with friends, you go alone. You MEET some of the best friends you will ever have in your life, mind you, but it all starts off with just you. It was kinda scary! After being in Melbourne 1 day only, I was escorted onto the first ship, The Mighty Pacific Sky. What came next was even more unimaginable... the wide open ocean for days at a time... and then just when I thought I was about to lose civilization altogether, there it was. An Island. A different kind of civilization.

I have so many I want to share with you, and I cannot wait for the days to come when I can tell you tales of my travels!

I can tell you a caption from each, but I think for the most part I want the photos to speak for themselves. What I WILL tell you, is the last two photos (taken Feb 3rd 2006 on Ouvea, New Caledonia) was taken the day I received the worst sunburn I have ever had. lol... typical.... just typical... a fluorescent Canadian heads into the South Pacific and stands in the sun at NOON without suntan lotion...

Namaste my good friends,

MW

Scott & Sheryl: Wedding!!!

2008-09-23T17:17:00.000-07:00

Scott & Sheryl were the very first wedding couple I met up with last year, so I was SUPER stoked when their wedding day came up in September! These guys were so much fun to shoot, and I really loved their little twists on their wedding day (one of them being the Florida Gators Garter lol... p.s. Scotts a fan lol!). It was so awesome to spend the day with them, and party all night with them! (These cats know how to par-tay!!!!) The ceremony was held at St. Paul's Parish in Richmond, and afterwards we then head to Van Dusen Gardens and Jericho Beach for a few 'formal-ish' photos! Once we decided we had enough of getting sand in our shoes lol, we headed over to Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club for the reception.

I had a blast with these guys, they even got me on the dance floor! (sorry, no photos of me doing 'The Robot' ...I hope)

I hope you enjoy the photos!

Sheryl's Fairy-Tale Dress

Sheryl's garter. (but Scott's team, The Gators!)

Sheryl's mom putting Sheryl's earrings in.

I LOVED the colors in the Sheryl's boquet!!!

Doesn't she look fanTAStic?!

I loved the lighting on the chairs at the church.

The Unity Candle

This is what I call: Sexy Light ;)

I keep on thinking Waldo is hiding somewhere here... sadly no. I looked.

The happy couple :)

The Reservoir Dogs ;)

ahem.... Bow-CHIKKA-WOW-WOW!! :)

A little kissy-face at the beach!

First Dance

What a cool lightshow!

This guy really has to teach me some moves!

The last photo of the night really sums the whole day up.

The Gift of an Elephant

2008-09-22T19:04:00.000-07:00

While babysitting my niece Kaia today, I had to smile. We were playing with her little horse toys, and apparantly they were all gathered today for a horse WEDDING.

Kaia: "Ok... this horse is the bride. This horse is the husband. These three are the flower girls. This one is the mother... oh, and this one is the photographer. You can be him, Uncle Michael."

Uncle Michael: "Great! Ahem... OK guys, smile for the camera!" *click* *click*

Kaia: "oh, I'm sorry Uncle Michael, you have to take your seat now... the wedding is about to begin..."

Uncle Michael: "But.. but I am The Phot.."

Kaia: (pointing to the toy chair) "...there ya go. Thanks."

When my sister finally came home, she had a present for me. It was a hand-carved elephant. Now, I don't think she knows that I really love elephants, but there it was... not a monkey, not a sheep...not a bird... an elephant. What a cool gift!

I am also not ashamed to admit that when I got home, I played with the new gift on the couch... maybe it was because of the "horsing-around" earlier at 'the wedding', but I felt like being a kid... there you have it ;)

I am planning on blogging every day for the next month, starting today, and I thought "What better way to start something like this than to share something you love?", and I love the gift of giving. (As a matter of fact, I have a contest coming up that you do NOT want to miss!!!)

Namaste,

Michael

The Nine Month Wait Is Finally Over!!!!!!

2008-09-16T22:40:00.000-07:00

I *CAN'T* believe I forgot about this! How did I let this almost slip past me?!

"HEROES" IS BACK ON MONDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is it Christmas in September?! Was I a good boy!?

you can check out the new trailer on the NBC Heroes Website... GO! Hurry!

I am going to run to the couch and practice sitting RIGHT NOW! :)

Sheryl & Scott: Sneak Peak

2008-09-07T02:59:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Sheryl & Scott's wedding at The Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club, and I thought I would post a quick sneak peak before heading to bed! I had a blast with these guys (I even got pulled into the centre of the dance floor and rocked out a wicked "robot"!!!!)

Plus, on top of it all, I get home and 'Anchorman' is playing on tv... which is hilarious because the groomsmen and I were killing ourselves laughing today quoting the movie lol...

I'm Michael Wachniak. You stay classy, Vancouver! ;)

Ashley & Kris: Wedding

2008-09-05T12:08:00.001-07:00

From the moment I heard Ashley and Kristopher were heading to Vegas for their honeymoon, I really wished I was small enough to fit in their luggage... I mean, come on... who wouldn't want to be in hot weather, soaking up rays by the pool, maybe take in a show, walk 'The Strip'.... I bet they are lying in the sun sipping out of a meter-long bottle O' booze right now... well maybe not, its only noon... but isn't that what Fridays are all about? :)

I love these bottle photos! :)

ahhh, the perfect weather for a perfect day!

Ok, doesn't this just melt your heart?!

the sun came out for only a few seconds, but it was enough to create this dramatic shot!

The Ladies were simply stunning.

The guys however, had a different idea of posing...

Love Love Love this first dance shot!

After the first dance, Kris hopped up to the stage with Killer Band "Retrosonic" and sang to his beautiful bride. What songs you ask? Shaggy's "Angel", and none other than Billy Idol's "White Wedding"!! He ROCKED the house!!

Special shout out's and thank you's:

- Carrie for second shooting this with me, you rock girl!

- Lisa Gregory (flowers, cake, reception hall decorating) one of the BEST weddings I have seen this year.

- Ashley & Kris: You guys are dear friends of mine now, and I am so glad you gave me this opportunity of being a part of this amazing day. I certainly will remember it for a very long time.

- Swaneset: everytime guys, without fail, you always amaze and dazzle me. Hope to see you again soon!

Ashley & Kris: Sneak Peak!

2008-09-01T18:42:00.000-07:00

Well despite the fact that I have been COMPLETELY busy all weekend moving to a new place, I just haven't been able to stop thinking about Ashley & Kristopher's wedding at Swan E Set on Saturday! I just got the internet hooked up today so I HAD to post a quick sneak peak at their 'Super-Hella-Kick-Ass-Amazing' wedding!!!

Stay tuned for some more photos of this sexy duo!

Michael

We Have The Keys!!!!

2008-08-29T22:46:00.000-07:00

Tonight at 8:30pm, Grit and I met up with our landlords at our new apartment to do a walkthrough and to get our keys!

WE HAVE THE KEYS! =)

This is going to be a BUSY weekend! Tomorrow is Ashley & Kristopher's wedding, and then Sunday we move in (and its Grit's.....29th birthday... *wink*)....I am STOKED!!!

Grit and my mom are watching "Jane Austin's Book Club" right now, so I am trying to find everything in my power right now to find things to do ;)

(which by the way, for all you iPhone owners out there, is a perfect time for playing "Hanoi")

This damn game is the 'RedBull-Laced-Heroin' of iPhones... you just cant leave it alone!!!!! :) I always end up with everything in order... all in one pile.... on the WRONG damn side of the screen! (which, by the way, is exactly how the game starts.... how i get it all back nice and neat there again right where it started is BEYOND me... but there it is none the less!

I strongly recommend it though ;)

p.s. yay keys! LOL

Grace & Sean: Wedding!

2008-08-28T21:32:00.001-07:00

Things have been ka-RAY-ZEE here lately and tonight I finally managed to get some time to try to catch up on my blogging! Grit and I are moving into our new apartment Sunday (which is also her birthday), I have been planning for Ashley and Kristopher's wedding on Saturday (its gonna kick ass, I'm SO stoked!), and to top it off I have had a cold for who knows HOW long now!!

So without further delay, here are some photos from dear friends of mine, Grace and Sean! (Slideshow will be up as soon as I receive the song Grace wants me to put up! I can't wait!)

The Guys

The Girls

The Ring Bearer

The Ceremony

The Church (during The Ceremony) :)

I was TOTALLY diggin' the amazing light coming through the windows!

Dancin' it up!

I am SO glad this was shot from the side... I mean... kilt? what if..... you know? ;)

The New Do!

2008-08-21T15:30:00.000-07:00

Just got my haircut today and I am TOTALLY lovin' it!!!

(its awesome having a hairstylist thats also your girlfriend lol)

Oh, by the way...

A Note to Brides: Grit and I are thinking of combining our powers in the future to become a "Wedding Photographer - and - European Master Hairstylist Team" for wedding packages... is this something that you might be interested in?

Thoughts?

p.s. do NOT use my modelling to judge her work, she is super awesome with over 16 years experience.... and I am just being a putz in front of the camera lol

Aly & Salima: eSession!

2008-08-14T14:04:00.000-07:00

Hello again everyone! I am back from my "OH-MY-GOD-I-FEEL-LIKE-A-DUMPTRUCK-HIT-ME" cold... in the last 5 days I have lost my voice twice, been bedridden 2 full days, drank 4 Litres of Cranberry Juice, 15 bags of tea, enough water to drown an elephant...and consumed about 40 drops of PURE oregano oil.... and now.... I THINK I am ok....

I think my saving grace was (and this is no joke) being able to work on editing photos... I turned on the music, sat at the desk, drank tea, and was able to be alone for a while ;) ....when I have a cold for some reason thats all I want to do is be alone... I hate conversing when I am coughing every 4 seconds lol but now I am feeling MUCH better and I have some photos to show you! Quite a few actually thoughout the day!

The first set is from an engagement session last week with Aly & Salima at a mosque in Burnaby! It was SOOOOO hot outside and not a cloud in the sky so I was having lots of fun with sunflare shots lol!

Take a look at the photos and let me know what you think!

- partially sick Michael -

Happy BC Day!

2008-08-04T22:54:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I'm just testing out blogging from my iPhone while I sit
in the sun at Lake Okanagan! I'll be back in 'The Office' tomorrow!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Sean & Melinda: Wedding!

2008-08-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to head up to Brew Creek Lodge for Sean and Melinda's wedding last Saturday! What I forgot to think of was that it was the same weekend as the Pemberton Music Festival! Luckily traffic wasn't bad, and even if it was I am sure I wouldn't have cared. The day was perfect!

I am stoked to show everyone the photos, so without further delay, I give you: Sean & Melinda!

Sean & Melinda: Sneak Peak!

2008-07-28T12:40:00.001-07:00

This Saturday I had a BLAST with Sean & Melinda at their wedding near Whistler at the Brew Creek Lodge! It was my first time at the lodge and I was VERY impressed! If you are looking for a breathtaking, peaceful, private, spacious venue with a woods-y fairytale-like feel to it, this is SO it!

I am just working on the photos at the moment, and I am having such a difficult time picking my favorites to post here lol! The day was PERFECT! And I am starting to suspect that Sean and Melinda have super powers.... no, really. Thirty minutes before the OUTDOOR ceremony, it started to rain... and literally (and this is no joke) the SPLIT-SECOND Melinda walked outside, the rain shut off... and not a single drop the whole day afterwards... it looked pretty grim, then it was just .... perfect... I didn't think about it at the time, but now I think I might hire them for future weddings just in case the weather doesn't cooperate! :)

Stay tuned for more photos soon, and of course the slideshow as well!

Michael

Ben & Catherine: Wedding!

2008-07-24T03:37:00.000-07:00

I honestly can't believe how many photos of Ben and Catherine's wedding I absolutely have fallen in love with... its almost sickening how hot this couple is! The whole day was in fact, perfect... it made me numb several times during the day just realizing that this time my best friend of 15 years was the one on the other side of the camera in the tux... and rather than captioning every single one of my favorite photos here, I just really really REALLY STRONGLY recommend taking a few minutes to watch the slideshow at the bottom of this post! Awesome song, awesome wedding, awesome couple...

The UBER hot dress...

Every wedding should have an elephant....with wedding rings for eyes ;)

I just love this photo!

Uber Hot Catherine and Uber Hot Dress on an Uber Hot Day!

The guys!

The Girls!

The First Dance!

The Walkaway Shot!

The Slideshow!!!!

The End! :)

Ben & Catherine: Sneak Peak!

2008-07-21T16:53:00.000-07:00

Well I am finally back home from Calgary!!! I will post some highlights from my 3 week 'business AND pleasure' trip soon, but for now, here is a sneak peak of Ben & Catherine's July 19th wedding in Kananaskis! Ben has been my best friend for around 16 years now, and being a part of his wedding meant more to me than I can ever even BEGIN to express.

Right now they are on their way to Hawaii for their honeymoon, and I can't wait to show them their photos when they come back!

Oh, and today is Ben's birthday! Happy Birthday Ben!

Keep checking back for some more added photos, and their slideshow in the next day or two!

Shannon & Dan: eSession!

2008-07-14T17:09:00.001-07:00

Last night I had the honor of meeting Shannon & Dan for their engagement session. We met in Kensington just north of downtown Calgary and had an absolute blast! Shannon is a good friend of Lori (from the previous eSession), and Dan plays in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts! These guys were a RIOT to hang out with!

Update: Slideshow has been added to the bottom of the entry!

Roadtrip: Johnston Canyon!

2008-07-13T15:36:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday my buddy Josh and I drove out to Banff National Park for a hike up Johnston Canyon. We were rained on, hailed on, Josh hurt his knee around the 8km mark, I kept getting mud in my shoes and socks.... all in all, a PERFECT hiking trip!

Oooooh, moody! :)

Everytime I come here, I ALWAYS pose for a photo with this goofy tree... yes, it APPEARS I am far stronger than I look... I honestly don't know where I come up with these genius thoughts....

Josh helping me out... I loosened it for him of course.... ya, thats it...

About 4km up the trail there is a valley with little springs called Inkpots. The colors are amazing IF the sun is out, we waited and waited, but all we got was rain, and sadly... HAIL too!

The Upper Falls, SO beautiful!

This is Ground Control to Major Tom....

2008-07-11T12:56:00.000-07:00

As MOST of you can probably tell by now, my website was down for most of yesterday and today, and if any of you emailed me, you probably got a nice little email back saying something along the lines of "MICHAEL WHO????".... my server was down, there was a TEENSY little hiccup but everything is back up to 100% again! If you emailed me, can you kindly resend it?

Danke!!! :)

I have a few posts coming up, one from my 11km hike in the mountains yesterday with my friend josh and the other one from the portrait session I did immediately after returning to Calgary after the hike!

Loni & Carlos: E-Session

2008-07-07T18:23:00.001-07:00

...and as promised here are the rest of Loni & Carlos' Engagement Photos! I had such a blast shooting with these guys, they are so much fun and really looked SO comfortable in front of the camera!

And the Slideshow has now officially been added at the bottom!! :)

Loni & Carlos: E-session Teaser!

2008-07-06T22:11:00.000-07:00

I had an absolute AWESOME day today! I played some Guitar Hero, I met an old friend for lunch, and then had an AWESOME engagement session with Loni and Carlos!!!! This was actually the first time we met in person, so it was really cool to talk a bit and get to know them while taking photos. They are SO good looking it makes me sick lol! We walked around downtown Calgary, then a bit around Prince's Island Park, then back up the hill across the river shortly before the sky opened up and POURED on us!!! Got some cool rain shots too!

I can't wait to show you guys some more photos! Stay Tuned!!

Rob & Courtney: Wedding!

2008-07-02T19:02:00.000-07:00

I always love shooting weddings of close friends of mine. I have shot a few weddings and portraits for Courtney and Rob's family over the years (try to find her sister on my website! lol), and every time I meet up with the Franzon and Shepherd clan, I always feel a deep sense of family and belonging (whether they like it or not haha!). These guys are really an amazing people, and I am so unconditionally happy that they are now ONE family. The only thing I am a little disappointed about is that we are slowly running out of potential weddings from siblings and cousins etc! I hope they still invite me around when all the dust settles and there is nothing left to shoot! :)

Much Love Rob, Courtney, and family!

Michael

Rob & Courtney: Teaser!

2008-06-29T09:13:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd post a quick sneak peak of Rob & Courtney's wedding that took place yesterday in Calgary. I'm just on my way to Brooks to visit my Dad for a few days, and I'll be posting some more photos from the wedding in a day or two! SO many to choose from!

Happy Summer!

Mike

Birthday Present!

2008-06-20T19:33:00.001-07:00

I was sitting at my desk today editing away, listening to some Xavier Rudd, contemplating making a sandwich, when the doorbell rang. To my surprise there was UPS man with a rather large box, more imporantly a rather large box with MY name on it!

I jumped for joy, squealed like a schoolgirl, scared the hell outta the delivery guy, and ran back into the house (box included)!

A birthday present?! For me?! My girlfriend, Grit, purchased it for me only 2 days ago and already it was here! ACK! I thought all those times around Christmas sneaking about the house and opening everything with my name on it were LONG gone!!! How can I do this?!!??!?!? How the heck am I going to manage NOT opening it until my birthday next week?!

The worst part is, I know what it is already!!! ITS HARD NOT TO WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE ONE THING ON YOUR BIRTHDAY LIST!!!
AND SHE USED MY CREDIT CARD TO ORDER IT ONLINE!!!

Why isn't it June 26th already!? Why, God, Why?!

Hrmph.... if I knew how to make a coolass sideways pouty face instead of a smiley face on the keyboard, I'd insert it

*here*.

Guess Who?

2008-06-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday I drove out to Langley for a portrait session with none other than the fabulous photographer Jamie Delaine! We had a blast trudging around a big farmer's field, dodging mudholes and wet grass, but Jamie was such a ROCKSTAR and managed to do it without getting a speck of dirt on her dress! Now, if I'm not mistaken, this was her Grad Dress, and it was HER idea to muck about in this field wearing this EXTREMELY elegant dress... may very well be the most daring person I know!!

Let me know what you think of the photos and slideshow, and leave some blog lovin' for her too!

(I'm not going to mention that my car got stuck in the field and that it was totally my fault and I had to spend $1000 in 4 days just to get the car fixed again... and a few loads of muddy laundry too... nope, I'm not going to mention that... it would be too embarrasing.. The End.)

Lori & Jason: Wedding

2008-06-12T13:39:00.001-07:00

...or rather Lori & Jason & Anna's Wedding! I honestly don't know who was more excited during the wedding day: Jason, Lori, or Anna, Lori's daughter. It was such a beautiful wedding at Swan-E-Set, despite the gloomy JUNE-TOBER weather. We really didn't mind so much, we all had such a ball driving around in the golf carts from location to location!

Stay tuned for the Slideshow!!!

Lori has Gorgeous eyes, I love the angle of this shot!

The Rings on The Keys :)

Tell me this dress isn't the coolest wedding dress you've ever seen!

Yes its a SLIGHTLY set-up shot, but it totally works! Plus these guys love to work the camera lol

I do! Hey, Me too!

Dramatic Clouds = Dramatic Photos!

Looks like she found her Knight in shining armour :)

The Clan. I just love how little Anna threw her hands up in the air too! :)

I love this sequence of the garter toss!

First Dance as Husband and Wife...

...and family.

Thank you so much for letting me be a part of you day guys! I had a blast and you really made me feel like I was part of the family. All the best, Lori Jason and Anna!

A Quick Note to Catch Up

2008-06-10T20:55:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone! Things have been REALLY picking up here with weddings, meetings, engagement sessions, and DOG SITTING, so I have really thrown the blog on the back burners for the past week or so...my apologies guys n gals! I am alive however, I have just been really busy with playing "Catch Up"... I will be blogging some big posts in the next day or two, one of them being from Lori & Jason's Wedding on Friday (awesome wedding, AMAZING dress!)... hang tight everyone ok? Good things are coming!

Random Note: I have invented a word that really sums up the weather we have been having here on the lower mainland lately... that word is: "Junetober". Yes, its June 10th and feels like October!!! Where is Summer?!?!?!?

Random Photo: Last Monday I was at Jackie Cohen's house (CEO of Army & Navy Department Stores LTD.) covering her annual "Face The World Foundation: Fundraiser". There were several high-end guests there, but there was one guest of honor that I just HAD to try and get a photo with... Sir Tom Jones.

Will (kickass videographer), Sir Tom Jones, and Mr Sexy-man (but most ppl call me Mike)

Jacqui Cohen and Tom Jones

Ashley & Kris: Part Deux!

2008-06-02T12:10:00.000-07:00

Alright, here are some of my favorites from Saturday's E-Session with Ashley & Kris! We shot SO many photos, it was hard to pick just a few favorites to post!

I'll update this post with your slideshow tomorrow, can't wait!

MW

Cuddlin' under the pier!

Low Tide, baby!

A little bit of texture!

Ashley and Kris showing off their runway skills! Kris loves to strike the pose! :)

Steaming it up on the tracks!

I love Ashley's "lovey-dovey" gaze!

Kris hamming it up LOL

I LOVE the lighting in this!

These guys are ROCKSTARS for climbing the tree with me!

(and holding my camera while I came down)

A little Mood lighting for the sexy couple!

Ashley & Kris: E-Session!

2008-06-01T16:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning I drove town to White Rock Beach to meet up with Ashley & Kris for their engagement shoot! It was SUCH a beautiful day, and we had such a wicked time! It was such a crazy day! Climbing trees, dodging ELECTRICAL FENCES, wading in water up to our knees with jelly fish and crabs all around us, it was SO fun!

Here is a taste of what's to come! Stay tuned tomorrow for some more INCLUDING the slideshow!

MW

Mike & Sarah: Wedding

2008-05-11T15:36:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: The Slideshow has been added at the bottom of this post!!

The second I got home from Mike & Sarah's wedding today, I could NOT wait to play with the photos! The wedding was on the sunshine coast at The Rockwater Secret Cove Resort, and it was an absolutely perfect wedding!! My assistant Carrie and I took the ferry up Friday afternoon and was warmly greeted by the entire Ware/Peterson clan. The rehearsal was fantastic and we had lots of fun getting to know everyone during the dinner and cocktails. Everyone knew it was supposed to rain on the wedding day, but kept optimistic... and as luck would have it, there wasn't a single drop of rain until literally the SECOND we went inside for the reception!

Mike and Sarah, we had such an amazing time with you and your family, and I am sincerely honored to have you guys in my life. I hope the photos we have captured on your special day will bring back all the love and emotions that we certainly felt while we were with you!

Michael

p.s. I will update this entry in the next day or two with your slideshow! Keep checking in!

Kuljeet: Portrait Session!

2008-05-07T16:35:00.000-07:00

I drove downtown today to meet my very good friend Kuljeet Kaila for a portrait session. She had just had her hair done at Eveline Charles, and found this really great purple wall across the street that we just COULDN'T pass up!

Sheryl & Scott: E-Session!

2008-05-06T21:30:00.000-07:00

I met up with Scott & Sheryl on Saturday down at the Denman entrance to Stanley Park for their engagement session. They are planning a sweet wedding for September 6th but simply couldn't wait another minute for the engagement session (neither could I!). We stopped in for a coffee to let the sun go down a bit further, and we got a chance to catch up since the last time we met in September. Once the coffees were finished, we took a drive up to Third Beach for some sunset photos. We got there a little earlier than we expected (cant predict Vancouver traffic AT ALL) so we took some open shade photos before those last golden moments of sunshine!

A few warmup shots, don't these guys look SO good together?!

I just love close-up snuggly shots :)

LOVE this one!

A little extra glow for that settin' sun!

I threw this in cause I thought it was kinda cool! :)

Sexy-time!

Of course, ya gotta have some fun too ;)

I can't wait til September guys!!!

Check out the Slideshow!

I shot myself!

2008-05-02T01:26:00.000-07:00

Its been a while since I had my own photos taken (for promo work, facebook, you know the important stuff), so I thought that I would take a stab at a self-portrait until I could find time to get one of the millions of talented photogs in the area to help me out!

Its a little blurry but I really like this shot... Grit helped me tonight with about 50 photos, and she is quite the amazing little photographer.... but I am a very UNamazing smiler.... it sounds very negative, but really, your worst critic is yourself, right?! Sadly, despite her attempt, I really didn't like how I looked in any of them...

Anyways, I was happy with this one, ironically it was the very first one of the day that I shot!

I thought I would post a before/after shot of my post processing work, check it out!

Grace & Sean: E-Session

2008-04-26T12:00:00.001-07:00

I first met Grace & Sean in Nov/Dec of last year. We decided to meet for a bite to eat while we discussed their wedding plans. Within seconds we were already friends... there are only a handful of people on this planet as crazy as myself... and two of them were staring at me from the across the table. These guys were awesome, how did they find me!? (UPDATE: apparantly there must be a "Crazy Person Decoder Ring" for sale somewhere in the lower mainland area... I will have to ask them where they found it).

I'm so glad to have met these guys, and I am extremely pleased with how well they act in front of the camera. I can't wait til the wedding!!!

I love shooting in downtown Vancouver, so many awesome rustic places to shoot!

I kinda went a little OFF the WALL with this post-processing but I think it really helps to give the overall feeling of the photo.

Is THIS why they call it Puppy Love? I bet Porschia is thinking "OK mommy and daddy, less focus on you...more focus on me... its all about me!" Porschia is a total DIVA by the way.

I love the candid shots with these guys! Just being able to stay back and let them do their thing, you just can't beat it!

Isn't this lighting fantastic? I love the MAGIC HOUR just before sunset!!

I love cherry blossoms!

Porschia, Goddess of flat noses.

This is probably my favorite of the entire day. It truly is an honor knowing you two, and did I mention that I can't wait for the wedding?! =)

Cheers!

Sandra & Dave: Wedding Photos

2008-04-24T14:03:00.000-07:00

I thought that I would post a few photos from last weekend's wedding as well, to accompany the slideshow in the previous post.

Sandra's Jaw-Dropping wedding dress:

Having some fun with the rings:

Sandra and her father on their way up to make their walk down the aisle:

Delisser.. Dave Delisser.

These shoes are so cool and always remind me of Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal video :)

When Sandra told me she wanted to pose with her groom and his best man Brian, I tried to think of an idea to make one of the photos humorous... So I told Dave and Sandra to give each other a kiss in front of Brian... hoping that Brian would think "Hrmm... not your average photo with the Best Man... what the heck?" I think the expression says it all, I LOVE IT! :)

I just love this triptych series at the reception. No words required.

We only had a few minutes to shoot just the two of them before the reception started. This one was shot just a few feet away from the reception in front of a large window. These guys really don't need to be TOLD to look 'lovey-dovey' :)

Stay tuned tomorrow, I will be posting an E-Session of Sean and Grace, a wicked couple getting married in August!

Sandra & Dave: Wedding Slideshow

2008-04-23T16:35:00.000-07:00

I knocked on the door to the room, 9:30am sharp. Photography gear in hand, thrown over my shoulder, tucked between my knees...I knocked again. The door flew open, 3 strange women stared at me, and then the door slammed shut. I staggered back, almost losing my footing over my camera bag. "This is the room, isn't it?" I thought. Suddenly a burst of giggles seeped through the cracks of the doorway... "He's the photographer, don't give him a heart attack!!". I sighed a relief... "we have some trouble makers in the family, I see". Knowing Sandra and Dave...I wasn't surprised in the least.

I sat my gear down against the far wall just a few feet away from a most elegant flowing wedding dress hanging from a chandelier. Introductions were made, though struggling as much as I was to remember, names went in one ear and flew right out...for now. It seemed as though a little more coffee was in order. I went to the bistro and ordered a coffee, and was introduced to the hairstylist. And I thought the OTHER ladies were pranksters... I have my work cut out for me today! Good thing they were all sweethearts and a total joy to work with!

The day started to set itself up: hair was done, makeup was finished, dresses and suits were looking extremely smashing! Laughter echoed through the hallways, love was literally all around. Only moments away from walking down the aisle, everything almost appeared to have a little extra sparkle to it. Wasn't it supposed to snow today? Or rain? There's nothing but sunshine...how did this happen? Then the reason unfolded in front of all of us... when everyone stood up and Sandra walked into the room... when Dave and Sandra were finally in the same room together, on THEIR wedding day... everyone knew.

EDIT: P.S. As if the day wasn't already absolutely perfect enough as it was, I had the absolute honor to finally meet and work with Jamie Delaine. She is extremely funny, smart, talented, and to be honest, I felt like I learned more from her as a 2nd photographer than she would have learned from me! When I was with her I got one of those "holy cow she is gonna be extremely famous someday VERY SOON and I gotta bask in her presence while she is here" kinda feeling...

ya, my Saturday was pretty freakin' sweet!

Mike & Sarah E-Session!

2008-04-13T03:26:00.000-07:00

Today was an absolutely AMAZING day! The sun was shining, birds were chirping, the coffees and beers were pouring, and the shutter button was clicking!! :)

I had the absolute honor of photographing two amazing people today, Mike and Sarah. Mike is good friends of my brother-in-law Sean (a.k.a. "Daddy" to my favorite and only niece Kaia) and when I got a phone call a few months back from a "Mike...Sean's friend", it took me a while before it registered. I had only met Mike one time before, and that was a few years ago. To be honest, if he said "I'm Sean's friend, Joaquin" it would have rang a bell sooner. Sorry Mike, it has to be said. You know it, I know it, the world knows it...don't be ashamed lol. Mike has an uncanny resemblence to actor Joaquin Pheonix. Like...seriously. Anyways, so I am on the phone with Mike, and he says he is getting married and is interested in hiring me to be his photographer. So we set up an appointment and a few days later I set out to a local Starbucks, wedding portfolio in hand. Right away I see Mike. Good lookin guy! Then, I turn to greet his ladyfriend... Sarah is her name. Two words: Absolutely Gorgeous! I grabbed my tea and sat down while they ordered. I knew right away these guys were really really in love. I saw it even more today when I was photographing them, I remember thinking "Damn, I really don't have to tell these guys what to do!" Nice try for saying you are 'uncomfortable' in front of the camera, Mike... I have just spent a few hours editing all the photos... you were working it in most of the shots dude, 'uncomfortable' my butt! (of course, when you have someone like Sarah in your corner, its not hard to feel and look good)...

Well here is their slideshow, I really hope everyone likes it! I might post some photos up tomorrow on the blog, but they may just go right to the website! :)

I can't believe tomorrow is going to be another sunny day AND I HAVE ANOTHER E-Session to do! Is this really how awesome my life is!?!?

cant complain. ;)

p.s. you can also link to the Slideshow's page by clicking here! Tell your friends! :)

Whale Watching Video!

2008-04-11T16:08:00.000-07:00

OK, so I have had this footage of our 'mini-vacation' in Victoria since November, and I have had ZERO clue how to edit it (I am a photographer, not a video-guy!)... HOWEVER, since I made the switch to Mac computers April 1st, I have been really thinking of finally getting this thing done so we can send it to Grit's mom in Germany.

Keep in mind this is my very very first attempt at editing any kind of video with any program whatsoever. It took me about a little while to go through the 45 minutes of footage, and 3 hours to edit and put it together. I apologize for the really lame first few minutes, but the whale watching is good! If only I could keep the camera more stabilized, it looked like I was pumping straight caffeine into my veins!! SHAKY!!

Let me know what you think! Oh, I have an engagement session or two this weekend so stay tuned for some photos of AMAZINGLY hot people!

Much love,

Michael

Random Post #1: Updates and Healing The World

2008-04-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

Well... hello again.

A lot has happened since my last post, internally and externally, and I have been waiting for the right way to express it. In some ways I have been procrastinating, and in others I have just been too "busy" to update. After all, why start something today that you can put off until tomorrow? :)

Enter: The New Mike.

First of all, WPPI was life changing. I was very nervous (highly out of my norm) at flying down to Vegas alone, staying with a complete stranger (Kip, you rock by the way, and are no longer a stranger but a friend), and being amongst over 10,000 photographers from around the world for 5 days. I didn't know anyone (other than a tiny thumbnail photo or similar representation of them online) and before I got there I assumed everyone would know everyone, and when I would walk into a room everything would stop and everyone would just stare at me... *cricket*... *cricket*... *tumbleweed rolling by*...

This was not the case. Everyone was welcoming, many said "Hi!" or "I recognize you from a tiny thumbnail photo or similar representation of you online!". And O' My God the classes I attended... it was enough that I was actually in the same room as these AMAZINGLY Uber Talented Photographers, but I was also hearing them speak about techniques, their passion, and everything that makes them tick! All of them taught me so much, my head was overflowing with knowledge and confidence, but one of them stood out... and out of all the things I experienced at WPPI (and there was a LOT), the two hours I sat and absorbed this guy's energy has been the time I have been reflecting on the most over the past few weeks...

Enter: Jesh De Rox.

Yes, that's his name. His name alone drives an emotion doesn't it? It almost needs "the 3rd" at the end, but it doesn't. As far as I know, he is the 1st Jesh De Rox. I can't go into much detail of what he spoke about at WPPI (for fear of messing it up), but in a nutshell I can tell you this: when everyone else (basically) was speaking at WPPI about shutter speeds and posing, Jesh spoke about life. Life. Emotion. What WE as individuals have to offer to the world. Knowledge? Love? Opinion? Yes, yes and yes... and most of all, our ears. If I lost you already, I am sorry, this summary really doesn't do Jesh justice. What I got from his 'talk' is that if we all just invest ourselves in other people, listening to what they have to say and offering our opinion (be it good or bad), but listening none the less, we will with no doubt heal, cleanse, and re-energize the world. Sounds simple right? It is. And with that, Jesh has created a movement (and I do mean movement) called Upward Spiral. Check it out, check him out, you will be a better person for it.

Now for his photos. If you have read this far without clicking the link to his website (his name further up the page), please do so now, and then come back here. I will wait. Seriously, go.

Do you not feel like a better person for seeing that? There is so much emotion in his photos, and every time I look at his images I get this feeling inside, a glimpse of what I ultimately am. That may sound like I want to copy his photos, let me reassure you that I don't. I mean to say that when I look at his images, it pulls the strings inside me that make me realize the photographer and person I can be. That I AM. I get so inspired that I can't wait to shoot my next wedding or portrait session, and I KNOW that my images are going to improve drastically now that I have been exposed to this! Now, normally you wouldn't see a photographer recommending another photographer unless they were already booked, but there is a part of me that strongly recommends to all of you to book Jesh as your photographer. This way, I will see more of his images and get more inspired for my own images (and life for that matter). The other part of me, of course, says to book ME *NOW* more than ever... :)

Finally, while we are still on the subject of taking this world (and ourselves) to higher places, I have a music recommendation. I have been onto this guy's vibes for almost a year now, and really, you have to hear him to know why.

Enter: Xavier Rudd.

Opinions of life, why we do the things we do, and how to give back to the planet that we are slowly becoming more and more ignorant of how precious it really is. Now weave that in with a plethora of didjeridoos, a slide guitar, a harmonica, and the coolest set of drums I've seen, and you have Mr. Rudd. I had the honor of seeing him live in February with my sister at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver... and as of today I also had the honor of finding him on iTunes. God Bless iTunes.

To summarize this post, I'm going to quote one of Xavier Rudd's songs:

"So, go but be kind

you have love, love on your side"

Namaste,

-MW-

Kiah - Portrait Session

2008-03-13T17:33:00.000-07:00

When my good friend Kuljeet told me she had a friend that was looking for headshots, I was stoked. When she told me who it was, the name INSTANTLY rang a bell and immediately I switched on 95 Crave (95.3fm) and there he was! :) I always get a kick out of seeing radio personalities face to face, because they RARELY look the way they sound. Thats not a bad thing, I guess my ears hear differently than my eyes do :)

Ladies and Gentleman, the Wonder from Down Under, Kiah Tucker!

I had a blast with Kiah, he's a pretty cool cat! He is doing an amazing job at 95Crave and is really enjoying it there! He is looking forward to the possibility of jumping into the realm of Film (as he should!), continuing to pursue commercials, and is super stoked about getting his website online in the near future! Good on ya, mate!

MW

7 Days til WPPI in Vegas!!!

2008-03-09T19:18:00.000-07:00

Ok, I am officially bouncing off the walls... 7 more days until I head off to Vegas for WPPI 2008!

(again, I think I may have just peed a little)

For those of you who are unaware of what this is, its basically a "gathering" of roughly 10,000 photographers from around the world to network, learn, teach, see new products and 'up and coming' cool thingies.... oh, and sprinkle a few parties on the top as well ;)

This is my first time going, I am going alone (although I already know 30-40 people that are going and will meet them when I get there), I am sharing a room with a total stranger, and I am SO SO SO excited to see and learn as much as I can! I am heading down Sunday, dropping my stuff off at the hotel, going straight to a party, and then Monday thru Thursday I am going to switch into "Sponge Mode" and absorb as much as I can from the 10 or so classes I am attending on everything from Marketing, Posing, Lighting, Post-Processing, and Book-keeping....

Can't Wait!!!!!!!

oh and P.S. as per my "101 Things to Accomplish in 1001 Days" entry, I can scratch off the following once I am home from Vegas:

10. Go to Vegas
12. Meet David Jay
13. Meet Jasmine Star
16. Meet Mike Colón
31. Own a Shootsac (possibly to buy it directly from Jessica Claire at the Tradeshow!)
84. help new photographers as much I as I can with any questions they may have
86. ROCK OUT at a 90's disco!
96. go to Vegas (Hopefully for WPPI!) (WOOPS, didnt notice this was on my list twice!! haha!)

-MW-

Jack Johnson is coming to Vancouver!!

2008-03-04T17:05:00.000-08:00

I am so happy, I think I just peed a little!

Thursday, August 21st, at the UBC Thunderbird Stadium...who's going with me?!

Here's a cool little exerpt I found about what Jack's been doing... how cool is this guy, huh? :)

"Jack Johnson and his crew are passionately committed to greening every aspect of this tour in order to minimize environmental impact.

That's where All At Once comes in. Named for a Jack Johnson song from his new, best-selling album Sleep Through the Static, this program is a true global partnership. And like Jack sings in the song, "There's a world we've never seen, there's still hope between the dreams," this program both online and through a concert presence, educates, inspires and empowers fans to take action toward a healthier community and planet.

All At Once is based on a simple concept: an individual action, multiplied by millions, creates global change. All At Once connects fans with nonprofit organizations to to create change with their actions, their voices, and their choices."

Surf's up!
MW

Sandra and Dave: Engagement

2008-02-26T02:11:00.001-08:00

Sandra and Dave are getting married April 19th in Langley!

Dave really wanted a nature look to these photos, and Sandra was happy no matter where we went, so we met at Mill Lake in Abbotsford for a sunny Sunday afternoon! There was a little chill in the air and these guys were cool as cucumbers in front of the camera! It took a little coaxing to get a smile from Dave but once they started to cuddle up to each other, he didn't seem to have a problem! Just look at that grin!

We had a total blast, its been a while since I've laughed like that! We were giggling at just about everything, jeez, its almost like we were having FUN!!! :)

I can't wait for your wedding guys, thank you SO much for letting me be a part of your special day!

My Travels - part I

2008-02-24T02:35:00.001-08:00

Hey Everyone! I am going to have a lot to post over the next few days: last night I went to see Xavier Rudd play at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, on Thursday Grit and I went to the Vancouver Aquarium, and tomorrow I have an engagement session!

I was playing around today with some of my older photos that I took while working on the cruise ships and I thought they would make a really cool slideshow. I have tons of photos from travelling so I am going to have to split them up into a few smaller ones. This one has some photos from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Italy, Panama Canal, New Caledonia (my favorite place on the planet thus far)...

So, without any further delay, I give you: "My Travels - Part I" (pretty snazzy title...NOT!) :)

March Portrait Special!!

2008-02-20T16:03:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! Its time for another Special!!

Starting today until the end of March I am offering the following Portrait Deal:

What you get:
- 1-2 hours shooting
- unlimited shots (average 150-250 photos)
- unlimited locations (within time permitted)
- unlimited wardrobe changes (within time permitted)
- all color corrected photos in HIGH RES and LOW RES on CD (with printing permissions!)
- 3 months online viewing and ordering with Pictage
- $20 Coupon with Pictage (for prints, coffee table books, etc)
- your favorite 10 images retouched (further retouching available for extra fee of $10/image)

What it costs:
$125 + tax (Regular $200 + tax)

Who does this apply to:
Anyone wanting headshots, family photos (up to 5 people), couples photos, pet photos, you name it!

Where is this applicable:
Anywhere in the Lower Mainland Vancouver area! I'm in White Rock but we can decide on the perfect place for you!

If you have any questions please email me! Cheers!

MW

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T13:33:00.000-08:00

This is my humble attempt at making cutesy Heart-Shaped Pancakes...

thoughts? (other than "Don't quit your day job, MIKE!") :)