The Eastcore Photojournalists share their unique stunningly beautiful album and approach to capturing Shelia and Justin’s stylish and fun Airship37 Wedding.

How would you describe the wedding style that Sheila and Justin chose for their Airship37 wedding and what were their priorities for their wedding experience and how did you best approach capturing these ?

Airship 37 was the perfect venue for Sheila and Justin’s urban vibe with elegant design elements incorporated. 

I love the juxtaposition of shooting beautiful things against more urban backdrops.  My approach for shooting this is the same approach I use across the board.  The Eastcore prides itself on photojournalism and a street style of shooting which simply put means we don’t work to contrive moments but capture them as they come.  Always seeking to find the best light and the best composition to share each couple’s unique story.

There are some gorgeous photographs of Justin and Shelia in the distillery district that are timeless and graphically beautiful how did you achieve these results?

Working with super friendly, easy-going, stylish people like Sheila and Justin definitely made it easy. My process for capturing shots like this is to build rapport with my couple and put them at ease as much as possible.  This helps the images to feel so much more natural.  I’m also always looking for ways to contrast the surrounding area with the bride and groom to bring interest to the shot.

 

Sheila and Justin had a lovely intimate wedding ceremony and reception in the airship37 venue. Although this wedding was pre-covid it has some of the qualities of the new smaller intimate weddings that have taken place this last year. What are some of the most positive enduring qualities of choosing to have a more intimate wedding?

I have to say I have always favoured shooting the smaller, more intimate weddings.  In general, it feels like weddings with this type of vibe are more focused on the couple’s relationship with each other and their people. 

It makes more time for the couple to connect with the people they love and create memories.

Looking back at this album what strikes you as one of the best choices made for this wedding day?

When I look back at their wedding day some of the best choices that I think were made for this wedding day, were the personal touches that were incorporated like incorporating their dog.  Bringing the dog along for a bit of the shoot always helps to mix up the shoot and elicits such great moments.

I also believe that the classy simplicity of the decor really made them as well as their guests pop against the Airship37  background.  They were such a fun crowd and that really shone through.

When did you first identify your style as primarily photojournalistic and how does this approach your wedding photography so uniquely?

I love photography that tells a real story.  I’ve found over the years in my personal life that I never go back to look at the images that were set up and manipulated, but the images where people are truly laughing, and caught in real moments. I shoot this way because I don’t want my work to be defined by an era or a specific design aesthetic but to be a timeless representation of a meaningful moment in my subjects’ lives.  That being said wedding photography calls for specific shots that need to be incorporated, such as family group shots, full-length images of the dress etc.  I strive to do this in the most artistic way possible.  We can’t ever forget that love is in the details and that’s never more true than on a wedding day.

What were some of your first conversations with  Sheila and Justin like and how did you shape the vision with them for how they wanted their wedding day captured?

I really got a chance to get to know them during their engagement session at U of T.  I always recommend engagement sessions because it gives the couple as well as the photographer a chance to get to know each other on a more personal level than the initial consultation.  Sheila and Justin were super laid back and fun.  This leant really well to my style of shooting because it made for being able to capture lots of real moments of laughter and connection.  Our time during the engagement session definitely helped set the stage for the shoot on their wedding day.

You have a quote on your Instagram ” Essentially what photography is life lit up ” Sam Abell. How does this quote reflect your impressions of what photography can be?

The beautiful thing about photography is that it not only captures a moment but it sheds some light on it.  The way the light hits a moment can completely change the way you see it.  I love the moments where I’m taking a shot and then I show the couple the image on the back of the camera and their face lights up because they didn’t see that moment the way that the light did.  I think it’s a good metaphor for life.  Depending on the way we look at something or how the light hits it can completely change the way we see it. Being able to provide that to people is something that I’ll always love to do.

You talk about how the wedding photos that age the best are the ones that are photojournalistic because they show the real unstated moments and that they tell the true unique story and it doesn’t simply follow the wedding trends.  How is this very evident when you look back at the album of Sheila and Justin?

I believe that this is evident when looking back at the wedding of Sheila and Justin because their smiles and their connection with each other and their friends are such a focus throughout.

What are some of your approaches for capturing the design details couples choose and how do you ensure you create the feeling and atmosphere that was created?

I take the lead from the couple.  If they are more laid back their images reflect that, if they are more structured then I am sure to create images that have a more structured look.

You study Black and White photography with a depth and approach it with a passion that brings stunning results. What is some of the best feedback you get from your clients for this?

Clients choose to work with me and The Eastcore because they resonate with the realness of the images and they are looking for photos that are timeless and tell their story rather than look like they were simply shot in a specific decade.

How would you describe your process for shooting video at your couple’s weddings and how does it create a unique cinematic moment for them?

Our style of shooting video at a wedding is what we call photo/video fusion.  Simply put while we are shooting still images we are also capturing small clips with our cameras throughout the day.  This creates unique wedding films because they aren’t contrived in any way but are tiny captured moments that when edited together show the realness of the day and the couple’s love for each other.  Our clients don’t even know when we’re shooting it.

If you were to choose a photograph to print large scale which one would it be and what would the caption

For Sheila and Justin’s wedding, the image I would choose to print large scale would be of Justin’s reaction to seeing Sheila for the first time.  It doesn’t get much better than capturing a moment like that.  You can see how overwhelmed he is by how much he loves her.

The Caption: “Ohhhhh Girl!  Let’s get this party started!“Dj Kazoo