Meet Alex, our talented candid wedding photographer. She is kind, enthusiastic, hardworking and always brings a positive vibe to her wedding shoots. A dancer turned wedding photographer, Alex loves food, travel and can’t live without her family and friends. Our couples love her because she’s really fun to hang out with. She works extremely hard on a wedding day to make sure her couples are happy and well taken care of. A completely well rounded candid wedding photographer, she can cover anything from a high-profile wedding to a cute cake smash session in the studio!
I sat down with her and chatted about all things wedding photography as part of our #MangoMonday series. Check out an interview with her below!
1. What or who got you started in photography?
I’ve always had a love for anything creative: music, art, and photography. My dad was an avid photographer when I was growing up, always taking photos of my sister and I, so I was always able to play and experiment with all of his film cameras. I received my first DSLR camera for my 16th birthday, and that’s when my love for photography truly began. From the moment I started using it I knew that being a photographer was my dream job!
2. What photographer/artist are you most greatly influenced/inspired by in your work and why?
As a photographer, I’m a big visual learner. I’m always looking for inspiration in my everyday life and I create a lot of mood boards. I’m easily attracted to cool architecture, beautifully shot films and cool scenes in my favourite TV shows. Even Instagram is a huge inspiration too as I follow plenty of people that share specific images or moods that I’m attracted too. I have so many mood boards, it’s crazy! However, in regards to specifically wedding inspiration, I absolutely love Erich McVey!
3. As a candid wedding photographer, what part of the wedding day are you most excited about?
My favourite moments are definitely the first look and creative! I love the anticipation of the bride and groom when they are staying hidden from one another. Then there’s the moment she taps him on the shoulder and he turns around… I smile so much every time! Being able to capture the creative session where they are spending moments alone and just in pure bliss is always super special. Capturing those laughs, tears and kisses never gets old!
I love meeting new people. Although in my home life I’m a bit more of a home body and reserved, I love being able to be social at weddings and working with new people every weekend. I get to learn all about them, their cultures and the things they love in life! It’s so wonderful to be a part of such an important milestone in someones life so I always want to make sure I’m not only their photographer but their friend, too!
5. Do you have any pre-wedding day rituals?
Lots of sleep. Also, a Mcdonalds breakfast sandwich doesn’t hurt every so often right?!
6. What do you recommend for couples who are shy in front of the camera?
Take a deep breath and relax! I hate being in front of the camera myself, so it’s easy for me to put myself in my couples shoes. I tell all of my couples to think of the shoot as a date where you just get to spend an hour together chatting, dancing around and looking at one another. It seems funny but I feel it helps because they slowly begin to forget that there’s a camera around!
7. What do you love in life, beyond the lens?
I love travelling to new places and experiencing new cultures. Good food – especially if it’s anything Chinese, Japanese or Italian! I love spending time with my boyfriend, Daniel, watching our favourite shows on Netflix and visiting new restaurants we’ve never been too. I love going up to my cottage in Muskoka and just spending time with family and friends with a cold glass of white wine.
9. What is something you can’t live without?
My family, friends and boyfriend. They all have impacted my life in a different way and I wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for all of them.
10. What is the cutest thing on planet earth?
My miniature poodle, Roobee. She’s the best and is always down for a snuggle. However, as much as I love my pooch, I have an obsession with French Bulldogs and I’m hoping to get one of my own in the future one day!
11. What do you love about being a part of MANGO?
