Jenelle + Joel: Engagement Photos in the Rain

Jenelle and Joel aren’t just a super adorable couple, they’re also real troopers and super adventurous! That’s a great combo for me, especially since they were totally up for shooting their engagement photos in the rain. Usually engagement sessions are postponed if rain is forecasted, but these guys insisted the shoot go on no matter what! The rain did hold off for the first half of their session, but by the end, we got rained on and it was absolutely beautiful. Not only that, but the mosquitoes were out in full force and Jenelle and Joel kept smiling and laughing through it all!

We started the session in downtown Winnipeg then finished off at a lovely park in the heart of St. Boniface. The photos turned out gorgeous and I’m lucky to have them as clients. Their wedding is coming up soon and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for their big day! All I know is that it’s going to be gorgeous, fun and super romantic. These two were made for each other. 🙂

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Andrea + Rheal: Winnipeg Wedding Photography

June came and so did the warm Winnipeg weather and the big dynamic summer skies – perfectly in time for Andrea & Rheal’s gorgeous wedding! Last time we did photos together was half a year ago in the cold (yet beautiful) snow, and now the time had finally come to tie the knot. I was so excited for them, but I think Rheal’s excitement topped everyone’s by a long shot! When he first arrived in preparation for the first look photos, he could not stop smiling and bouncing around – happiest groom in the world! And I don’t blame him – Andrea showed up and she was even more radiant than ever – an absolute stunner. Loved it!

The rest of the day was filled with lots of fun photos, gorgeous locations and a beautiful ceremony out in Springtein, Manitoba. Right after the ceremony, we had the chance to take some “just married” portraits along some train tracks with a dramatic blue prairie sky in the background. It was a perfect backdrop for the new joy they were basking in.

The evening reception was at Andrea’s parents’ farm yard. So much hard work and hand-made items had been put into it and it certainly paid off. Congratulations Andrea & Rheal! It was an absolute pleasure being a part of your beautiful wedding day! The love you share runs deep and is an inspiration to see. Thank you for sharing a piece of your story with me. 🙂

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Engagement Photography: Roslyn + Brett

In May I met up with this super cute couple to make photography plans for their wedding, in June we did this adorable engagement session together and in just a few short days these two lovebirds are going to get married! I’m thrilled to be a part of it all and I can’t wait to photograph the wedding. The engagement shoot was not only a ton of fun but also SUPER gorgeous, so I can’t even imagine how much better the actual wedding day will be! Congratulations Roslyn & Brett – I’ll be seeing you two very soon!

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Baby Jude: 2 weeks old

Introducing little newborn Jude! This little cutie pie came into the world about a month ago and has been a ray of sunshine wherever he goes! His proud parents are absolutely beaming and it was such a treat taking photos of him at home. We got some cute posed photos along with some more casual family photos around their house. He did amazingly well – slept through most of the session, but also woke up for a few feedings. After a good bottle, his eyes would open and he’d quietly observe the new world around him. He particularly loved staring at his parents’ faces with such alertness and interest. It was so beautiful to see them connecting with Jude at such an early age! Congratulations you guys, he is a dream. 🙂

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Beach Engagement Photo Session (sneak peek!)

Last night I drove out to Lake Winnipeg (more specifically, Albert Beach) to photograph my brother’s engagement photos. The ride up was overcast and the sky looked boring, but I knew there was a good chance things would change closer to sunset. The beach sits at the south point of the lake, which gives way to an endless horizon of water and a huge sky. The water was a little choppy, the clouds were breaking, and the golden sun was illuminating everything just so perfectly! We lost track of time and took photos for almost 3 hours… Albert Beach is my favourite place in the world so having the chance to do a photo session there was absolutely wonderful! Here’s a sneak peek from the engagement session. More coming soon…

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custom-designed photo album

Ever wanted ideas on what to do with your photos after a baby or family photo session? I’ve recently fallen in love with these cute little photo album books so I made a sample one that I absolutely adore! The one pictured below is 5″x7″, includes 20 lay-flat pages, showcases about 30 photos and is covered in a beautiful grey linen fabric. Also available are photo-wrap covers, additional pages and larger album sizes. The fun thing is that you have a say in which photos are included in the album since I custom design every layout and include design feedback from my clients to make the whole book a personalized experience.

The books start at $285 and can be used for any session, even if you had your photos done with me months or years ago! For more questions or more photo printing inspiration, contact me at photo @ egabrielle.com.

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Maternity Photos in the Spring

These two lovebirds have been married for almost a decade and now their lives are just about to change drastically with the arrival of their first child! Even though I only met these two for the first time a couple weeks ago, I have a hunch that they are just as in love now as they were the day they met… if not more! It was pure delight spending an evening with them, watching their excitement about this new baby as well as seeing them so comfortable and happy together. This little baby is about to get some pretty awesome parents!

We started the maternity photo session at their house where we took some casual and relaxed photos using beautiful window light. We then headed out to Assiniboine Park to catch the golden sun as it was setting lower into the sky. It was a glorious evening and I’m so glad I had the chance to meet them both and to photograph these very exciting and beautiful moments in their life.

Congratulations you two – I wish you all the best as you embark on the wonderful journey of becoming parents!

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Two and a half years of pure delight

Although I get to photograph some pretty fantastic people throughout the year and get to meet so many lovely families, nothing can beat the joy I get when I take out my camera for my own kid. I’m biased, so I think she’s the cutest kid in the world, and what makes it better is that she actually LOVES the camera! (at least for now…) So while she’s still into it, once in a while I get the chance to take her to the park to get a few photos. Chad came with us, of course, and was a huge help with keeping her happy and excited about the shoot – although it doesn’t take much for her. All she needed were some wide open spaces to run around in and a few branches and rocks to pick up along the way! Definitely my most favourite kid in the whole world! 🙂 Je t’aime beaucoup Élise!!!

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Family Photos at King’s Park, Winnipeg

Donna contacted me a few weeks ago and asked if we could schedule a family portrait session for them. The occasion? She was graduating from med school and moving away from Winnipeg for her residency. Huge accomplishment and big life changes! I agreed that it definitely called for a family photo session and I was more than happy to provide that for them. We met up at King’s Park and spent a lovely evening walking around, chatting and taking photos throughout the huge park. It was an absolute pleasure spending time with them – they’re a super fun & close family with lots of laughter and love. I especially saw how much Donna admires her kids – I know there is lots of love that abounds and it was nice to see the whole family together for a long over-due photo session.  I wish them all the best as they continue on in separate ways and onto new and exciting ventures!

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Family Portraits (+ a little more!)

My friend Dean contacted me a few weeks ago in regards to a special photo shoot request for his dad, Butch. Turns out, Butch was being inducted in the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame and needed a couple headshots. I’ve been taking Dean’s actor headshots for several years now so I was more than happy to also be Butch’s photographer for this honourable occasion! Dean’s mom also came along for the photo session and we also took the opportunity to do a few family photos for them. We even managed to squeeze in a few extra frames to update Dean’s actor headshots too. Quick session, lots of great shots and always a pleasure working with these guys! And a big congratulations to Wilfred “Butch” Harder!

Save the Date Photos for Erin & Patrick’s Wedding

So… I’m pretty excited about this: my little baby brother is getting married this Fall! He’s all grown up now and boy does time fly! I’m super happy for him, especially because he found the most perfect lady for him and they are over-the-moon in love with each other. It’s just about the best thing ever, and I couldn’t be more excited for them! Before they could even ask me, I had already decided to be their wedding photographer, and I think they were just as thrilled as I was to embark on this photography journey together.

Needless to say, I’m super excited to be able to photograph their wedding… the photographer really does have the best “seat in the house” at a wedding! I can’t think of a better way to experience their wedding.

And so the photo journey, as you can see, has already begun. We did a save the date photo shoot and more recently, I custom-designed wedding invitations for them using these photos. Next on the agenda is their engagement session, then the designing of their guestbook, and then of course their wedding day photography. The only thing better than doing my job is doing my job for a sibling! And so far, it’s been a blast! 

Through our recent photo adventures and wedding invitation designing, I’ve gotten the chance to spend lots of quality time with them, especially with Erin, my soon-to-be sister-in-law who’s just about the best sister-in-law you could have. (she’s also proving to be an excellent “ma tante” to Élise!)

Here are their photos from their save the date photo session we shot in April. It was a cold, cold evening but these guys were real troopers. We started off at Thom Bargen on Sherbrook for some cozy café photos followed by multiple Winnipeg urban locations for some fun & romantic photos. Hope you enjoy! Coming next will be photos of their wedding invites and summer engagement photos at the lake… can’t wait. 🙂

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Jane and Ivan: Winnipeg Wedding Photography at Cercle Molière

At the very end of March, I had the great pleasure of photographing my first wedding of 2013 for the lovely Jane and Ivan. I fell in love with these guys – they were so much fun to be with but also super friendly and genuine people with huge hearts. Their generosity and care for their friends and family was obvious throughout their day and I was so honoured to be a part of it all. They met while studying theatre at the U of M some years ago so they decided to incorporate their passion for the arts and theatre into their wedding. They pulled it off so well! They booked the Cercle Molière building at the Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain and had a lovely evening cocktail after a beautiful ceremony inside one of the smaller theatre rooms. Complete with theatre lighting, great decor by the amazing Deb Karpyza and some great readings & performances during the ceremony and speeches, this wedding was decked out and perfectly reflected Jane & Ivan. Congratulations you two, you’re a solid couple with love that is inspiring to all!

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Seanster and the Monsters: Winnipeg Kids Band

Winnipeg is home to a slew of talented musicians, but sometimes we overlook the kids music scene, especially if we don’t have kids… but it’s really hard to overlook these guys! Seanster and the Monsters is a zany kids band that entertains both young and old alike and plays some pretty catchy tunes. I’m proud of what they’ve accomplished and honoured to have photographed Sean Hogan’s musical journey in the last few years. He originally had started Alphabet Soup and now Seanster and the Monsters is his newest project. You don’t want to miss these guys, so make sure you check them out at the Winnipeg Folk Fest next month. You should come with or without kids, you’ll love them regardless! Here are some recent photos we took at the Millennium Library. Always a good time with these guys!

Winnipeg Newborn Photography: Quinn 8 days old

Welcome to the world Quinn! At just 8 days young, I went over to Sarah & Nick’s home to photograph their second child, the adorable little Quinn. He was as sweet as can be, and we had a quiet, relaxing morning taking photos of him in the comfort of their own home. We had a short appearance by his older brother Roger and we were lucky to get a few quick shots of them together! Roger did really well for the few photos we got with him, and then he headed out to the swimming pool with his dad while we continued the newborn photos. Congratulations Sarah and Nick – Quinn is the perfect little addition to your beautiful family!

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Cherrel: Headshot Photography

Meet Cherrel: an aspiring actress with a gorgeous smile, an incredibly fun personality and a heart of gold. I met up with her at the Winnipeg Millennium Library back in March to take some photos for her professional portfolio. Not only was she a lot of fun to hang out with, she photographed super well and made this session an absolute delight! Thanks Cherrel for the lovely session – I wish you nothing but the best as you pursue your passions!

Portrait Workshop Photos

Earlier this Spring I put on a portrait workshop for some local photographers looking to learn a little bit more about taking photos of people indoors. The workshop was held at Level 3 Studios and I had the help of the lovely Sheldean and Marc who posed for us! It was a great learning experience from the feedback I got, so I’m planning on running another portrait workshop and also a Lightroom workshop sometime again. If you’re interested in signing up, e-mail me for more info (photo at egabrielle.com). Here are highlights from the photos I took while I led the workshop – aren’t these two just the cutest couple ever?? 🙂

Maternity Photography: Sarah 36 weeks pregnant

Beautiful baby bumps are only with us a for a short period of time so it makes it so worth while to get some photos of it before it’s long gone in the past. Sarah had a beautiful baby boy named Quinn this past March, and a few weeks before her due date, we took some maternity photos of her with her lovely little family. We kept it soft and simple and used natural window light. Sarah was gorgeous and glowing – though the photos don’t reveal how she actually felt: tired and SO ready to have this baby out! The last few weeks of pregnancy are usually difficult, but capturing the beauty of it all in these last few days is so precious. So glad I had the opportunity to do this shoot with her… Congratulations Sarah – you are beautiful inside and out and I’m so happy to have captured this wonderful moment in your family’s life!

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5 month old baby girl: la belle Alice!

This sweet little girl made a trip all the way to Winnipeg from Saskatchewan to meet some family so we took advantage of the mid-February visit to capture some lovely family portraits! We started with a few casual portraits followed by a visit at the Forks for a few more fun family photos. Alice is the cutest little girl ever with a huge smile and eyes that brighten up any room. Her parents are absolutely in love with her and I was excited to finally meet their adorable little girl! Félicitations Jacqueline et Martin, Alice est absolument adorable! Quel plaisir de finalement la rencontrer! 🙂

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Hidlebaugh Family Photos at Home

Earlier this winter I had the chance to take photos of the Hidlebaugh family once again – this time, complete with extra cousins and grandparents. We decided to keep the shoot low-key and quick, so for that we opted for their home as the location. I always love doing family photos at home – the environment is familiar, comfortable and reflects the family in a natural way. I also can’t get over how cute these little munchkins are! So many adorable faces and cute little smiles. We had a blast, and it was especially heart-warming seeing how much the grandparents beamed when they were around their grandkids. Lots of love, lots of smiles, and a happy photographer it made me!

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Red Leather Wedding Album

A few weeks ago this beautiful red album arrived at my doorstep full of Indira & Warren’s wedding photos! Receiving such gorgeous leather wedding albums never gets old… I always get just as excited and giddy about giving it to my clients. This one measures 10″ x 14″ and features a luscious red leather cover perfectly matching Indira & Warren’s wedding colours. This album is heavy and robust yet beautiful and elegant – it’ll stand the test of time and showcase their beautiful wedding for generations to come. Love it!

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Winnipeg Realtor Headshot Photography

Ealier this winter, Donovan of Symbicore contacted me in regards to doing the photography for a website and marketing project he was heading up for Winnipeg realtor Benny Ryan Woligroski. Within a few days, we came up with a good plan for the photo shoot – starting off with some casual headshot photos at a local café (Make), followed by some interior shots at a show home in Winnipeg. The shoot turned out great, and it was a pleasure working with both Donovan and Benny. The photos are now online on Benny’s website – you should check them out, along with Donovan’s great design work too!

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Winnipeg Wedding Inspiration: a styled photo shoot

On April 20th a bunch of super talented Winnipeg wedding vendors came together to collaborate on a beautiful Fall-themed wedding styled shoot and today I’m excited to finally share the photos with everyone!

This styled shoot has been in the works since I first discovered the talents of a Winnipeg wedding decorator by the name of Kara Wiebe. She is the creative genius behind HEM design, who specializes in vintage wedding design and decor. Kara has been decorating children’s bedrooms and baby nurseries since 2011, and she’s recently expanded into wedding decor. She’s passionate about adding vintage appeal and rustic charm to weddings, and as soon as I saw her design work, I just KNEW I wanted to collaborate with her on a photo shoot!

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We knew we wanted to add even more Winnipeg talent to the team so we started asking local wedding vendors if they wanted to come on board. We got overwhelmingly positive responses, and in no time we had built a great team of like-minded individuals to contribute to the shoot. A big THANK YOU goes out to everyone who jumped on board with us and shared our vision. The shoot was made perfectly complete by everyone involved and we are honoured to showcase their creative talents. Here’s everyone who joined our team:

Oak & Lily – florals

High Tea Bakery – desserts & cakes

Poppie Clothing – bride’s dresses

Whitney Dheilly of Style 11:11 – hair stylist for bride

Hunter & Gunn Barber Shop – hair cut & style for groom

Brie Tait – make-up artist

Craft Girl Designshandmade jewelry (earrings for bride)

Barletta Beeswax – Handcrafted 100% Pure Beeswax Candles

maryandmaudeguestbook table illustration

Exchange Community Church – venue

Gabrielle Touchette Photography – photographer

HEM designwedding stylist and vintage rentals

Make sure to visit all the vendors’ websites and like their Facebook pages. I’d highly recommend each one since they were all an absolute pleasure to work with (not only because of their talents, but also because of their lovely and fun personalities!). These are people you’d want to share your wedding day with!

Another thank you goes out to our models Erin and Mike who also happen to be engaged in real life! They were a delight to work with and we’re happy they let us doll them up for all these photos. Thanks guys!

Here’s the gallery of photos. Enjoy!

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Hunter & Gunn: Winnipeg Barber Shop

Last weekend my friend Kara and I put together a wedding styled photo shoot with the help of several super-talented Winnipeg vendors. One of the participants was Hunter & Gunn who contributed to our photo shoot by cutting & styling our model’s hair. I stopped by the shop earlier that morning for a few quick snapshots. I love the place – tons of character and personality, plus super friendly staff and some pretty talented barbers. Thank you to Mason who worked wonders with Mike’s hair! For a quick sneak peek at this styled photo shoot, check out a few photos on my facebook page here. And if you’re ever in Winnipeg’s charming West Broadway neighbourhood, stop by at Hunter & Gunn for a trim or even a hot shave!

For the complete gallery of photos from our photo shoot, check back at my facebook page & blog soon. It’ll all be posted shortly and you won’t want to miss what our team put together!

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Winnipeg Kid Actor Headshots

Earlier this winter I met a delightful young girl who’s an aspiring kid actor here in Winnipeg. She is full of smiles and joy and being with her totally brightened up my day! With her proud parents by her side, we went downtown to take a few headshots for her new portfolio. It was an absolute pleasure spending an hour with her and I wish her all the best in her future endeavours!

The Broesky Family: Photos at Home

Photo shoots with the Broeskys are never short of epic – and their house has natural light and amazing visual interest that I’m SO in love with. Oh, and they love the camera and the camera certainly loves them! Bonus! Since their maternity photo session last June, I’ve been eagerly anticipating the baby photo session, and it finally came this past January. Introducing Smith – a kid that’ll make your heart swell! What a cutie! Like always, my time with them is always a ton of fun and I’m excited to finally share the photos from this photo session. Congratulations you guys – you make an absolutely adorable little trio!

*Thank you to Kara from HEM design for the beautiful bunting!

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Casual Family Photos at Home: Winnipeg Portrait Photography

Some of my favourite family photo sessions are ones where I come over to a family’s house, hang out and take a bunch of candid and relaxed photos. Every happy home is different but they all have a few things in common: they are warm and inviting and it’s where a lot of the family’s most cherished moments happen. To me, it’s only natural that we would embrace the space and capture a piece of a family’s life with a fun photo session at home.

Danielle & Joël (one of my longest standing clients – they were one of the very first engagement couples I had!) have slowly been growing into a beautiful family. Last summer they welcomed the newest member of their family – the very adorable Ophélie. Her face just beams when she smiles! I had a lot of fun hanging out with them on a lazy Saturday morning. Here’s a peek into an ordinary day at their happy home. 🙂

*Thank you to Lace and Lavender for providing the beautiful lace backdrop!

Save the Date photo session (Sneak Peek!)

My brother is getting married this year so that means I get to plan lots of fun photo shoots with them! Our first one happened tonight – it was a photo session for their save the date cards. Here’s a sneak peek with more to come soon… congratulations Erin & Patrick!

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Jane & Ivan: Wedding Photography Sneak Peek!

Yesterday my 2013 wedding season started with a fantastic couple: the ever-so-lovely Jane & Ivan! It was an honour to be a part of their beautiful wedding celebration. Here is a sneak peek from the fun that was had yesterday. Congratulations you two lovebirds!!

 * * More photos to come soon – check my facebook page first for all the latest updates! * * 

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Alicia & Ben: Winter Engagement Session in Winnipeg

Around Christmas I had the chance of meeting up with one of my summer 2013 wedding clients for a lovely winter engagement session in Winnipeg. Although the majority of my engagement sessions usually happen in the summer or the fall, I always get a little extra excited about a winter engagement session. Winter in Winnipeg is beautiful, and they chose to do the session at the Forks which is where they had their first date! We started with some coffee at Espresso Junction and a few indoor shots, and then we headed outside for some beautiful (yet frosty!) photos. The sun was golden and these two are sooooo adorable together, so the cold hardly had any affect on the shoot! I had a lot of fun with these two – they are such naturals with their love and it translated super well on camera. No fake shots here, their love is authentic in its expression and it got me all the more excited for their August wedding!! They are an absolute delight to photograph… and the best is yet to come! Can’t wait!

Here are some shots from the engagement session, and if you’d like to take a peek at their engagement guestbook, click here to check it out!

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Home for Christmas: the B Family

Just before Christmas I had a lovely session with the B family! Everyone was home for Christmas, and with a new addition to the clan (and a very cute one at that!) the occasion definitely called for a photo shoot. And they didn’t settle for just any old indoor photo location… they decided to put careful thought into it and picked a place that held a lot of significance to the family. I was very excited about using this location – the beautiful St. John’s College Chapel at the University of Manitoba. It made for such a great backdrop for such a great family! I had a lot of fun with these guys – no shortage of jokes and laughter, and of course lots of hugs and love all around. Here are a few shots from our photo shoot…. enjoy!

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