Christmas Photo Session Calgary: Outdoor vs. Studio Guide

by patil | Nov 7, 2023 | Family Photography, Kids Photography, Life, Outdoor Sessions, Studio Sessions

Christmas Photo Session Calgary: Outdoor vs. Studio Guide

It’s that time of year again, and I’m always excited for Christmas photo shoots. If you’re wondering what your options are for a Christmas photo session in Calgary, here’s a look at how Alpina Photography approaches Christmas-themed sessions.

Christmas is hands-down the most festive holiday of the year — a chance to slow down, gather with family, and connect away from the everyday hustle. As a kid, it felt like living in a fairy tale: decorating the house, writing cards, watching Christmas movies. Now, as a mom of two, that same sense of wonder is still there, just from a different side of it.

Photography is my passion, so I get a kind of double Christmas joy: capturing holiday memories for other families and helping paint their own picture of love and connection.

Rather than offering Christmas minis, which can feel like the same template repeated for every client, I prefer full family sessions customized around your family specifically. If you’d rather skip the cliché mall-Santa photo and do something more personal, we can build a Christmas photo session in Calgary around your choice of location, decor, and style. If you’re short on time, I’m happy to design the whole session for you. Like most portrait sessions, a Christmas photo session can be done outdoors or in the studio — here’s how each works.

Outdoor Christmas Sessions

An outdoor Christmas photo session is a great way to capture the feel of the season against a natural backdrop. Winter’s soft natural light, a snowy landscape, and — if you’re lucky — a few falling snowflakes all come together for beautiful photos. The white snow on the ground also makes a bright, clean base that lets pops of colour in clothing or accessories really stand out.

(For more on this style, see our previous post: Photo Shoot In The Snow.)

Choosing Your Location and Props

For outdoor sessions, you’re in control of the style and feel. We’ll talk through your vision together — favourite parks, an inner-city neighbourhood, or downtown Calgary all work well as locations. For props, small touches like holiday garlands, cozy blankets, or coffee mugs add a nice seasonal feel, and if you have a specific Christmassy item, place, or even a vehicle you’d like included, we can absolutely work that in.

Why Outdoor Sessions Feel More Candid

Outdoor sessions tend to produce more candid, natural images with genuine emotion and action, rather than tightly posed shots. A wide open space also gives far more flexibility for framing — from full landscapes to close portraits, and from action shots to a shallow depth of field. Without the limits of a small indoor space, there’s more room to get creative with different lenses, whether that’s wide-angle, zoom, or prime.

Studio Christmas Sessions

A studio Christmas photo session is the right choice if you’re after more posed, staged photos with curated decor and colour in front of a chosen background. Alpina Photography has a wide selection of Christmas props and decor, especially for kids.

Where and How Long

My home studio is located in Montgomery, NW Calgary, with free street parking available. Sessions typically run 45–60 minutes. Since it’s indoors, weather is never a factor, and you’re free to dress as fancy as you’d like — studio lighting is the perfect place to shine.

As a portrait photographer, I don’t believe there’s one “correct” way portraits have to look, so I’m always open to your ideas and personal touches throughout the shoot. The best results usually come from balancing your vision with the experience and creativity I bring as the photographer.

Planning Wardrobe and Style

For studio sessions, it helps to coordinate wardrobe across everyone in the family so the group feels cohesive against the festive theme. If you need Christmas outfits for your kids, I may have options available — wardrobe use is free. We’ll talk through style, background, and clothing choices during a pre-session phone call, and if you’d prefer a plain backdrop with just a touch of Christmas decor, that’s an easy option to plan for too.

Ready to Book Your Christmas Photo Session in Calgary?

Whether you choose an outdoor or studio session, my best advice for the day itself is simple: relax, have fun, and enjoy the time with your family. A relaxed, joyful atmosphere is what leads to genuinely beautiful, candid holiday photos.

Ready to start planning? Get in touch, or book your session date directly.

Fall Family Photos Calgary: Best Parks & What to Wear

by patil | Oct 1, 2023 | Family Photography, Outdoor Sessions

Fall Family Photos Calgary: Best Parks & What to Wear

Fall is the most popular season for family photos, and it’s not hard to see why. The vibrant colours of the season, the cooling weather, and the approach of the holidays all put family time top of mind. Fall evokes warmth, coziness, and togetherness — emotions that translate beautifully into a set of family photos capturing your family’s love and connection.

Fall also naturally brings families together. Whether it’s Thanksgiving, a birthday, or just a weekend get-together, these gatherings make it easy to fit in a photo session while everyone’s already together.

Autumn’s natural beauty is part of what makes it so photogenic. As leaves turn vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow, they create a picturesque, visually rich backdrop. The season’s soft, diffused light — a result of the sun sitting lower in the sky — adds warmth and depth that’s hard to replicate any other time of year.

Where to Go for Fall Family Photos in Calgary

Calgary and its surrounding parks offer no shortage of picturesque spots for fall family photos. Here are 13 of my favourite locations to consider for your session.

1. Bowness Park

Bowness Park is often the first place I think of for fall family photos. It offers lake views, walking trails, a kid-sized train track, and a historic lagoon. The fall foliage and its reflection in the water make for beautiful, layered images. The rocky shore along the river is another strong option, and near sunset, the leaves along the pathway seem to glow like little lanterns.

2. Nose Hill Park

Known for its panoramic views of the city, Nose Hill Park features rolling hills and wide open grassy fields. In the fall, the tall grasses and trees turn shades of red and orange. It’s a big park, so be ready for a longer walk, but the payoff — blue sky against golden hills — is worth it. You may also spot some wildlife here. It’s an especially good choice if you love golden hour photos and silhouettes. (I have a dedicated post about a Nose Hill Park session if you’d like more detail.)

3. Fish Creek Provincial Park

One of the largest urban parks in Canada, Fish Creek offers a diverse mix of landscapes — dense forest, open meadows, and the scenic Bow River. Its trails and bridges provide plenty of great photo opportunities within a single visit.

4. Edworthy Park

Edworthy Park sits between the Bow River and the train tracks, with scenic views of both the river and surrounding hills. You can access it from Wildwood SW or Montgomery NW — Google Maps will usually route you to the south entrance, but if you’re coming from the north, there’s also a north entrance near Angel’s Café by the bridge. Parking on the NW side tends to be easier to find on busy weekends.

The park has several distinct photo spots worth knowing about: the Edworthy Bridge connecting the north and south sides, the tall tree area behind the central playground (great for soft light and depth-of-field shots), and the open space north of picnic sites 8 and 9 (also where you’ll find apple blossoms in spring). You can head down to the river shore to include the water in your shots, though it can be busier there in summer. For a more forested feel, cross the train tracks and follow the bike path east.

5. Silver Springs Boardwalk and Botanical Garden

Heading north on Crowchild Trail, turn onto Silver Springs Way and you’ll have two options nearby. Turning right at the first intersection takes you to Silver Springs Botanical Gardens; turning left brings you to Bowmont Park, also known as Silver Springs Boardwalk.

The boardwalk is a wooden pathway through a grassy area full of vibrant yellows and reds, leading into a treed section before reaching the Bow River — the lookout point here has beautiful river views. (I also have a dedicated post about this park if you’d like to see more.) Climbing the wooden steps beyond this point rewards you with a striking view of the river, train bridge, and Paskapoo Slopes, though the stairs can be tricky if you’re carrying a baby.

For families with little ones or elderly family members, I’d recommend Silver Springs Botanical Gardens instead. It offers flat, easy walking right from the parking area, with light filtered beautifully through yellow and pink leaves. There’s a treed area if you want more of a forest look, and a wide pathway that works well for larger families. Note that this is an off-leash dog area, so it’s not the best spot for a picnic.

Silver Springs Botanical Gardens

Bowness Park

Confederation Park

Edworthy Park

6. Strathcona Ravine

A hidden gem in SW Calgary, tucked behind houses and streets with a secret entrance from a cul-de-sac. Since it’s a ravine, you descend wooden steps through the trees — a great photo spot in its own right. The narrow-trunked trees along the path make you feel like you’re deep in a forest rather than in the middle of a residential neighbourhood, with sunbeams filtering through the leaves for a warm, natural glow. Following the path northwest leads to a wooden boardwalk surrounded by lush foliage. One tip: don’t plan a session at Stracthcona Ravine too late in the day — because it sits like a canyon, it loses direct sunlight early and can look flat without it.

7. Confederation Park

Right in the heart of Calgary, Confederation Park has a lagoon, tree-lined pathways, and wooden bridges — an excellent setting for fall colour. You may need to wait until October for the brightest yellows here, but it’s worth the wait.

So far, I’ve done family sessions, kids sessions, cake smash sessions, and wedding portrait sessions at this park — it’s one of my go-to spots for big family sessions. Big family sessions often include elderly family members, and Confederation Park offers great photo spots close to the parking area without requiring much walking.

8. Riley Park

Riley Park‘s garden transforms in the fall with colourful leaves throughout. The large trees on the west side give the park an almost West Coast feel, and the warm earth tones on the ground pair beautifully with tree shadows. The wading pool area is another nice spot, especially where branches hang low — great if you’re photographing younger kids.

University Research Park

Stanley Park

Carburn Park

Bowness Park

9. Prince’s Island Park

Situated on the Bow River, Prince’s Island Park is known for its bridges, water features, and walking trails, with especially striking fall foliage along the riverbanks. It offers a nice mix of groomed, urban park scenery and a wilder, natural feel within the same session — and it’s entirely up to you whether you want the downtown skyline in the background or want the riverside trees to block it out.

10. Stanley Park

This SW Calgary park has a small lake, walking paths, and plenty of trees that turn vibrant colours in fall, plus a playground if you’re bringing kids. The beach area makes for great photos, and continuing along the path toward the Rideau Bridge brings you to a brighter spot with the turquoise waters of the Elbow River framed by bright yellow leaves — one of my favourite colour combinations in a single frame.

11. Lindsay Park

Located in the Mission area, Lindsay Park turns a pretty golden yellow throughout in the fall. A small body of water, bridges, and wooden fences all add to the photo opportunities, and there’s a playground at the centre of the park if the kids want to run around after the session.

12. Carburn Park

Another hidden gem, this time in SE Calgary. I first found this park while looking for a convenient location for a family with two young kids and a baby. Its lagoon, complete with a small island, offers a lovely backdrop — and no matter how busy the park gets, turning your back to the lagoon puts nothing but nature behind you in the photo.

13. University Research Park

A small, peaceful park near the university campus in NW Calgary, centred around a duck pond. It also has a wooden deck by the pond, a treed area, a small bridge over a stream, and an on-site playground — a great option if you’re looking for something quiet and want an easy setup for families with babies.

Lindsay Park

Edworthy Park

Confederation Park

Strathcona Ravine

What to Wear for Your Fall Family Portrait Session

Fall opens up a wide range of clothing options, from cozy sweaters and scarves to boots and hats, and gives families a fun chance to coordinate their look while still expressing personal style. Choosing the right outfits is a big part of creating photos that feel cohesive and visually pleasing. Here’s what to keep in mind:

Coordinate, don’t match. Rather than dressing everyone identically, aim for a coordinated colour palette using complementary or analogous tones. Warm fall shades — browns, deep reds, rich oranges, and muted greens — tend to work especially well.

Layer up. Fall weather can shift quickly, so layering with sweaters, cardigans, scarves, vests, and jackets keeps everyone comfortable while adding texture to the photos.

Skip loud patterns. Busy or large prints can distract from the photo. Simple patterns or solid colours work best, though subtle plaids, stripes, or small florals are fine if they fit your palette.

Lean into texture. Fabrics like wool, knit, tweed, denim, and corduroy add nice depth and visual interest to fall photos.

Dress for the location. Earthy, warm tones work well against colourful foliage in a park setting; a more polished or casual look may suit an urban backdrop better, depending on the vibe you’re going for.

Use accessories thoughtfully. Hats, scarves, belts, and statement jewelry can add personality, but it’s easy to overdo it — less is usually more.

Prioritize comfort. Uncomfortable outfits lead to stiff poses and forced expressions. Make sure kids especially can move and play freely in what they’re wearing.

Don’t forget shoes. Footwear should match your overall colour scheme; closed-toe shoes or boots usually work best for warmth and style in fall.

Fall family photos Calgary- child lying among the leaves

Be weather-ready. Bring extra layers or coats in case it turns chilly — they can even become part of the cozy, layered look in your photos.

Let personal style show. A little individuality in each person’s outfit adds authenticity to the photos.

Skip large logos or branding. Plain or subtly branded clothing keeps the focus on your family rather than a logo.

The overall goal is a harmonious, visually pleasing look that reflects your family’s personality while complementing the season’s colours.

If you haven’t booked your fall family photos in Calgary yet, I’d love to help capture some unforgettable moments this season. You can call or book your session online, choosing whatever time works best for your family.

9 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Professional Photographer

by patil | Feb 1, 2022 | Family Photography, Headshot Photography, Life, Outdoor Sessions, Studio Sessions

9 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Professional Photographer

We all take photos with our cameras or cell phones daily. Especially with social media becoming an important part of our lives and the development of smart phones equipped with cameras pretty much shaped our habit of taking photos so, one can ask why I would hire a photographer after all.

During the point and shoot era, dreadful photos filled our photo albums. We kept them for the sake of “memories”. After many years of struggling with terrible picture quality and blurry images we took with our point and shoot cameras, finally we have cell phones that can take some fine photos as long as we have no problem with “image resolution” or “composition”.

Let me tell you about an anecdote from a few years ago:

We were at a restaurant, dining together with old friends first time after many years. I wanted to take a group photo as a memory from our get-together. My friend said, let’s ask the waiter to do it, so all of us would be in the picture. When the waiter took the photo, my friend wanted to see it before letting him go. I found it kind of offensive and unkind, thinking “who can fail to take a simple cell phone photo” My friend checked her phone and she burst into a laughter saying “our heads are missing” I was both shocked and embarrassed for both the waiter failing to take a simple photo, and us being such jerks making fun of this, but I couldn’t stop myself laughing either 😊

Paying attention to including all important human parts in the frame, the second photo was much better with some lighting issues.

Cell phone cameras are terrific tools as an aid in our everyday life. We use them often when we are shopping, when we want to document visible health issues to share with the doctor, collecting inspirations for our art project, file sharing and so on.

On the other hand, photography is a form of art, just like painting or music; not only a tool to document what there is out there. When taking a landscape photo or a portrait, no matter what camera we are using, the purpose is capturing our subject in a visual order that is pleasing to the eye, expressing the emotions in the moment, reflecting the mood of the environment. For a good photograph we need to melt technique and aesthetics in the same pot. If one of them is lacking, the photo ends up being a dull, lifeless picture. It may be ok for capturing everyday life and sharing only on the social media platforms. If you want some beautiful photos that you would like to display in an album or hang on your walls, then you need a professional photographer.

Let’s take a closer look at the 9 reasons why you should hire a professional photographer.

1. Artistically composed images

When it comes to composition, it takes more than capturing smiling faces with all body parts included in the frame. If you are looking for more than quick snapshots, you can take advantage of a professional photographer’s expertise, knowledge and experience. A professional photographer has a trained eye to identify the best positions and angles in each situation. They assess the current conditions and location to decide where and how to position the subject to get the best light and a meaningful composition. Good composition is a vital element for artistic images, making it interesting, attractive and unique.

2. Editing that is worth every penny

In most cases Images do not come out perfect straight out of the camera. We do a post processing to make them look their best. Sometimes the weather or current conditions at the photography location may not cooperate with the type of photos we want to attain. High-end editing tools like Photoshop enables us to turn a gloomy photo into a bright happy one, or vice versa. Cleaning up the photo off the bad looks such as a garbage bin, or a car parked on the side of the road makes a huge change on the photo.

Detailed skin retouch is another aspect of professional photo editing especially for portraits and professional head shots. When you hire a photographer, photo editing is part of the package. You can have outstanding images that you will be proud to share or display.

3. Professional Equipment for excellent results

Professional photographers utilize high-end specialty equipment to get the best results for their genre of photography. At Alpina Photography we have top-of-the-line studio equipment for portrait photography. Our most popular studio sessions are newborn, headshots, maternity, family and children’s photos. We also bring our equipment on site for on-location business portraits, couples and headshot sessions.

4. Strike a pose like a magazine cover

I often hear people say, “I am not photogenic”. I believe there is a right angle for everyone in which they look great. It is the photographer’s job to find it out and guide you through your photo session on posing to get the best shots. Portrait photographers are experienced photographing all body types and ages, so they know how to make you look slimmer, taller, younger or smaller. They steer you away from frequently done posing mistakes. Your photographer can advise on how to dress or make up for specific styles and looks.

They can also point you out the best possible time of the day to ensure the best lighting therefore greatest portraits. In Calgary, for outdoor portraits, I advise my clients the exact time and place for golden hour photos, for blacked out silhouette photos and so on. This little girl in the below photo in the below photo is not a model, but her mom was 😊

5. You can be in the photos too

You don’t need to sacrifice anyone from your family to take photos. When you have a professional photographer, everyone will be in the photos, looking their best.

I wasn’t aware of how important it is until I realized I was missing from every single photo I took through the years, except for only a few, which were strictly posed and taken quickly. It’s a matter of passion. Not everyone volunteers to take photos.

6. Easy access to the best photography locations

Photographers know all the best places in your city to take certain type of photos. As a professional photographer, I am always in search of new places for outdoor photography. In Calgary, I have a list of places for family photos, couples’ photos, business head shots or cake smash photos. To get the best results, I do pre-session excursions to the target location and make sure if it will look pretty on the session date. In Calgary, spring comes late, summers and falls are short, so we need to be on the lookout all the time and check the weather and if necessary, reschedule the session. After a strong windstorm, in place of a beautiful park, you can find a post-apocalyptic movie setting for your family photos. It always pays off to scout the place beforehand.

7. Getting high quality prints

Professional photographers usually work with high end photography print labs that only work with photography companies. The quick photo prints you will get from a local London Drugs or Walmart store will not please you as for quality, colour accuracy or sharpness as their printers are set for “low ink consumption” The bigger problem is, if your photos are taken in a different colour space than sRGB their printers will not recognize it and you may end up with lifeless photos with cold colours, unwanted tints or low contrast.

Another issue with prints is that most cameras take photos in 3×4 ratio. If you print your photos in different sizes such as square, 5×7, or 8×10, you will lose some of the image to fit in that size. Sometimes it is part of your arm or ear in a portrait that you must give up when you print it yourself. When you order your prints through your photographer, they take care of such cropping issues. As a professional photographer, I never order prints as is, but check them and see how they look in the desired ratio and make that photo fit nicely into that size. To be able to do this sometimes I have to go back to photoshop and re-edit the photo or add a section to make it look meaningful or centered.

Professional labs also offer better quality archival paper and variety of print papers such as metallic, fine art giclee or cotton paper.

8. Variety of photography props

You don’t need to worry about props or backdrops when you hire a professional photographer. At Alpina Photography, we have an abundance of photography props from umbrellas to wooden crates, from flower headbands to Christmas decors and newborn size beds. We maintain a big inventory of photo props and backdrops to make your photo project successful, whether it is family photography, kids photography, cake smash or newborn photography we have you covered. If you have a specific theme on your mind, you can also communicate it during pre-session phone meeting. We do our best to accommodate custom themes at www.alpinaphotography.com

9. Convenience

You don’t need to go through the process of planning, scheduling, choosing a location, deciding what to wear or how to pose, editing photos afterwards, finding a good lab to print them out. These are all your photographer’s job.

Hire a Professional Photographer!

If you’re in Calgary Alberta and looking for professional quality photos for your family album, for your website, or for the baby coming into your life soon, give me a call at (403) 926-4832 to discuss what you are looking for and how we can make it happen for you.

www.alpinaphotography.com

pinar@alpinaphotography.com

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Photo Shoot in the Snow

by patil | Jan 1, 2022 | Family Photography, Kids Photography, Life, Outdoor Sessions

When the white snow covers the earth, everything looks purer, cleaner and dreamier. While it is actually snowing, probably most of you noticed that magical silence fills the air as if you are in Narnia! Not a few blocks away from Trans Canada highway.

This is a precious opportunity for us photographers to go out and create something beautiful about winter season. New year comes with snow just like a new white page in our lives, ready to start filling it with colourful memories.

When I have an outdoor session in the snow, I always tell my clients to wear colourful clothings or accessories to stand out in that whiteness. With low depth of field, it is easy to blend background noises into the snow’s whiteness and I think portraits appear more distinct with a creamy white background that snow provides. Another advantage of winter shoots is that the sun is always low in the sky, shining in low power, giving us the perfect light. So there is not a narrow window for winter outdoor sessions unlike summer time. (we usually chase golden hour in summer days) We can do it any time of the day before it gets dark.

Of course it has challenges to take photos in the winter. First, it’s cold. The coldest weather that I had a family session was -10 ֯ C . It was difficult for little kids as they tend to get cranky in the cold, so I go to those sessions well prepared not to lose any time on choosing a good spot or thinking of poses or putting together a theme using props. So I do all these beforehand and when we meet for the photoshoot we start it immediately. Keeping little ones toasty is the most important thing. I recommend putting kids in snowsuits before going in the car, so they can get warm on the way and keep their body heat for a longer time. Those tiny handwarmers come in handy for winter sessions. You can slide the them in your gloves or boots, it keeps warm up to 8 hours. They are available in most stores from Canadian Tire to Costco. It’s a good idea to keep some in the car, you can never know when you would need them.

In Calgary, we are blessed with Chinook winds that gives us a break from cold winter. It is such a privilege in our cold country. We are lucky to have snow on the ground and wearing no jackets. I even remember one day we went tobogganing with kids and it was so warm and the sun was shining bright, we took off all our clothing layers down to a t-shirt! As well as -10 ֯ C we have a chance to do a photo session in the snow at +10 ֯ C temperature in this city.

Maternity sessions in the snow would also be great but it is best to do it on a warm Chinook day, so you can pose in a fancy dress instead of big winter coats.

During sessions, I don’t like carrying heavy camera bag on my back so I bring a sled to the sessions to carry my equipment and some props (such as blankets, lantern, garlands) in it and drag along. It also serves as a photography prop and keep little ones entertained.

If you are interested in booking a winter family session at one of our beautiful parks, all you need to do is to choose a date and book it on the Alpina website: www.alpinaphotography.com

Here is a few frames from recent shoots in Montalban Park (Montgomery), Edworthy Park and Confederation Park.

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Ballerina Photoshoot in Downtown Calgary

by patil | Sep 10, 2020 | Dance Photography, Outdoor Sessions

Couple days ago, I had a special outdoor photo session with a young and talented ballerina. It was such a fulfilling experience that I didn’t want it to end. A sweet combination of my favourite photography genres: Street photography, lifestyle, Portrait and Dance Photography

We planned it together with our dancer’s mom. The locations, poses, outfits and props.

Our first stop was Memorial Park Library. It is the first public library in Alberta, built in 1910.

This beautiful Victorian style sandstone building was a perfect place for ballerina photos with its strongly articulated entrance with ionic columns and lamp posts symbolizing enlightenment. I have always been fascinated with the classical portrayal of a ballerina lacing up her dance shoes. So I took some of those portraits on the stairs with balconies in the back.

Our second stop was Stephen Avenue Walk. My favourite photography location in downtown. The old Hudson’s Bay building would be a perfect place for some dance poses. This building is noted for its elegant arcade which wraps around the east and south facades. Us, photographers cannot resist when we see arches and pillars. That is why we choose it for many occasions from wedding portraits to architectural photography. It was a little difficult to find moments with no people in the background or Calgary transit bus or train passing by, but we made it.

The middle of Stephen Avenue Walk was where we took our next set of dance photos. This was an interesting experience for our young model as she never danced in the middle of a street before. She was very confident under the admiring gaze of people passing by. She was like a live art piece that brings beauty to downtown streets walking around on pointe, twirling and doing relevés, and assembles.

I love to use street furnishings and structures in my portraits, such as benches, lamp posts, hanging flower pots, stairs and bridges. The red dress worked great with red flowers at Olympic Plaza. We even improvised and used a broom as a prop that city workers left on site. 😊

Then we headed to Eau Claire for our waterside, bridge and bench poses. Some shoe lacing and stretching poses went very well and the time of the day was just perfect. 5pm.

I have tons of street dance portrait ideas in my head for fall, winter and indoor. I can’t wait for my next dance shoot.

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Love is All Around: An engagement session in Calgary

by patil | Jun 25, 2020 | Couples Photography, Engagement Photos, Outdoor Sessions

Love Is All Around: An Engagement Session In Calgary

Coming up with the photo idea

Love, innocence, wisdom, humor… a few of the things I enjoy photographing. Several days ago I had a photo shoot where I got to capture “love”. This young couple are engaged and wanted some photos captured before their wedding. As soon as the session was booked, my creative juices started flowing. This is the perfect season to capture love with all the spring blossoms creating a beautiful backdrop. I envisioned those old movie scenes where two lovers ride a bike and fool around. I thought it would be a perfect engagement photography theme.

Planning the photo shoot

To turn the vision on my head into reality, I needed a vintage bike with a basket, a treed pathway with spring blossoms, a good weather with no clouds and sunset time. As my couple has been working from home since the Covid 19 outbreak, date and time wasn’t a problem. The most difficult part was the Cherry blossoms. I had to go to our shooting location and check the blossoms every day. Spring time in Calgary also comes with rain storms, so we also had to watch the weather and avoid any storm clouds. While checking with mother nature regularly, I started looking for a vintage bike to borrow and I was lucky enough to find one in my neighbourhood just a block away. It’s nice to be surrounded with people who generously offer their help. The bike was exactly what I was looking for. It even had a basket in the front!

We decided the day and time of shooting last minute based on the weather and blossom status. It requires a lot of effort and cooperation to put everything together for a fine photograph. I have plenty of passion that fuels me to go through all those due diligence and preparations.

The power of team work

Working with people who listens to you and cooperate during posing, makes a world of difference. As a photographer, you get to focus better on your job, pay more attention to little details and be more creative. My style is not imposing my ideas, but rather share them with my clients and see if they like it too. I do this during the planning stage of the session, way before the shooting day. In addition to the theme we agreed on, I also listen to their requests during the photo shoot and let them lead the way when we’re done with staged poses. I like that the bride-to-be brought a pair of high heels for some specific poses as it looks much more flattering with high heels. If we didn’t discuss the theme, mood and style before, she wouldn’t think of bringing extra pair of shoes.

As we started our photo shoot right before sunset, we had opportunity to get some shots with the most beautiful light of the day making your skin glove with a warm hue. In the end, it was a fun session for everyone.

If you are looking for a special engagement session with attention to detail, give me a shout. I would be happy to help realize your dream engagement photos.

www.alpinaphotography.com

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