Jul 21, 2015 | Wedding
The day Amanda and Cameron got married, Winnipeg was in the middle of a hot and humid heat wave with heavy clouds and looming thunder storms. Yet despite the intense weather, we managed to catch the perfect time of day to take all our outdoor photos – and the moment dinner was served indoors, the downpour began! It was an absolutely lovely day and spending time with them was a breeze. They’re easy-going, fun and always so positive. They’re not only super in tune with each other, but also very well surrounded by family and friends, and the love was overflowing! The connection they share has been built strong over the years and it was an honour to be there to photograph their wedding. Congratulations Amanda & Cameron – you’re a perfect match for each other!
Jul 17, 2015 | Maternity
Back in May I got a sneaky little e-mail from Christy with the subject line “question” and the first line read “can you keep a monstrous secret???” – immediately I was all ears! She had recently found out that she was pregnant, and since this came as a surprise, she was scheming up an awesome idea of a photo session where she’d surprise her husband with the news all while having the whole moment photographed. I was so in!
It took over 2 weeks to plan and nail down a date for the photo session, and after sitting on this secret for that long, the time had finally come for Christy’s big reveal to Byron. I can’t believe she managed to keep the secret from him the entire time leading up to the photo shoot!
As is common with most guys, their idea of fun on a weekday evening is not a portrait photo shoot where you get all dolled up for the camera “just because”. So it was no surprise that Byron, though polite, looked slightly uninterested in the photo shoot when they first met up with me at the park. The way we got him to come was by telling him that I wanted more 1st anniversary photos for my portfolio. And seeing as they had just celebrated their first wedding anniversary, it worked on him. The poor guy! How kind of him! Little did he know the reason we had him there was for a much bigger and better cause!
At first, we took a few photos just for the sake of it, and about 10 minutes in, I got Christy to pull out some props she had brought. With their two chalk boards, I told them to write something they cherish about each other, being careful not to show what they were writing just yet. While Byron was busy with his message, Christy was descretely writing the exact 5 words she had waited so patiently to tell him: “We’re having a baby”. I got them ready for the camera, told them to slowly reveal their chalk boards to each other… and the rest is history!
The pictures show it all: Byron dumbstruck at the message and speechless and motionless for a good 25 seconds! (yes I checked my camera’s counter!) After the initial shock, he quickly went over to Christy for a big hug and they stayed close together as the reality of the moment set in. It was such a priceless and amazing event to capture on camera! As they continued soaking it all in, I continued taking photos and the rest reveals one of the truest, most real moments of love and togetherness between a married couple.
I’m so happy Christy had me involved in this amazing pregnancy surprise photo shoot and that she was able to plan it so flawlessly. These photos will forever be with them as part of their growing family’s beautiful story and I couldn’t be more thrilled for them. Congratulations you two! Words can’t describe how happy I am for you!
Jul 8, 2015 | Wedding
October weddings in Winnipeg can be a little dicey with the weather being on the verge of getting very cold and miserable on a dime, but Erin & Travis totally lucked out and had a picture perfect wedding day! The sun was warm, the clouds added texture to the bright blue sky and the leaves in the trees were in full vibrant colour. Having that combined with the gorgeous bold colours Erin chose for her day, the result were absolutely beautiful together. And to top it off, Erin & Travis along with the whole wedding party were so much fun to work with! While my second photographer was taking photos of the guys getting ready, I was with the girls capturing all those early day moments. Separately we took wedding party photos making sure to get a few extra photos in before Erin and Travis were set to see each other for the first time at the ceremony. The guys went walking around downtown while the girls and I went for a stroll through the forest in Royal Wood. We all met up at Fort Garry Hotel for a lovely ceremony and then headed out to the iconic Esplanade Riel to get some great shots of the wedding party with the Winnipeg skyline in the background. The whole day felt very meaningful, joyful and fun – and I think that’s a true reflection of these two! The following is a handful of the photos that we took on that beautiful day, starting off with the guys having fun with split-second moments.
Jun 30, 2015 | Maternity
Back in May I got a sneaky little e-mail from Christy with the subject line “question” and the first line read “can you keep a monstrous secret???” – immediately I was all ears! She had recently found out that she was pregnant, and since this came as a surprise, she was scheming up an awesome idea of a photo session where she’d surprise her husband with the news all while having the whole moment photographed. I was so in!
It took over 2 weeks to plan and nail down a date for the photo session, and after sitting on this secret for that long, the time had finally come for Christy’s big reveal to Byron. I can’t believe she managed to keep the secret from him the entire time leading up to the photo shoot!
As is common with most guys, their idea of fun on a weekday evening is not a portrait photo shoot where you get all dolled up for the camera “just because”. So it was no surprise that Byron, though polite, looked slightly uninterested in the photo shoot when they first met up with me at the park. The way we got him to come was by telling him that I wanted more 1st anniversary photos for my portfolio. And seeing as they had just celebrated their first wedding anniversary, it worked on him. The poor guy! How kind of him! Little did he know the reason we had him there was for a much bigger and better cause!
At first, we took a few photos just for the sake of it, and about 10 minutes in, I got Christy to pull out some props she had brought. With their two chalk boards, I told them to write something they cherish about each other, being careful not to show what they were writing just yet. While Byron was busy with his message, Christy was descretely writing the exact 5 words she had waited so patiently to tell him: “We’re having a baby”. I got them ready for the camera, told them to slowly reveal their chalk boards to each other… and the rest is history!
The pictures show it all: Byron dumbstruck at the message and speechless and motionless for a good 25 seconds! (yes I checked my camera’s counter!) After the initial shock, he quickly went over to Christy for a big hug and they stayed close together as the reality of the moment set in. It was such a priceless and amazing event to capture on camera! As they continued soaking it all in, I continued taking photos and the rest reveals one of the truest, most real moments of love and togetherness between a married couple.
I’m so happy Christy had me involved in this amazing pregnancy surprise photo shoot and that she was able to plan it so flawlessly. These photos will forever be with them as part of their growing family’s beautiful story and I couldn’t be more thrilled for them. Congratulations you two! Words can’t describe how happy I am for you!
Jun 20, 2015 | Wedding
I’m obviously a few seasons behind in blogging so I’m very happy to share with you Jen & Matt’s wedding photos from last October! They had a beautiful wedding at Bridges Golf Course, just a few minutes outside of Winnipeg, and despite the dark and stormy looking October skies, we were able to take the majority of their wedding portraits outside. The golf course has such great woodsy areas and I was so happy that all of the girls were up for taking photos outside, even in the bitter cold! They were such troopers! It was clearly evident that everyone was having such great fun and were so happy to celebrate with Jen & Matt – there’s no other reason why they toughed it out in the cold! Jen and Matt are such an awesome couple – super easy going and fun, but most of all, completely in love with each other. Together with their super cute kid they make such a great family unit and it was a huge pleasure being there to photograph their wedding day. And to top it all off, only a few short weeks later, they had approved their album design and in no time they had their wedding album in hand. Such a beautiful way to preserve and display the photos from their day. Here’s a sneak peek at the album:
May 31, 2015 | Newborn
I love getting e-mails from my past wedding couples letting me know that they’re expecting a new little baby! It seems to be happening often these days and it’s always so special to me being able to follow them through all these wonderful milestones in their relationship. Indira and Warren is one of the sweetest couples and meeting their little one was such a treat! Maria is such a cute little newborn and it was such a pleasure taking these photos. Together they make a beautiful family unit and I’m so glad we were able to capture such great moments in the comfort of their home. Here are some of the highlights:
May 31, 2015 | Family
I know it’s going to be a great photo session when I meet up with the Wiebe family – this energetic and oh-so-cute family is just about the darlingnest thing you’ve ever seen and so much fun to photograph! The Fall season in Winnipeg is very short and every year I try and squeeze in as many family sessions as possible before the colourful leaves fall off the trees and the temperatures plummet. The best time of year for fall family photos in Winnipeg seems to be in the last 10 days of September and about a week into October. After that, the weather goes crazy and is unpredictable which makes missing that window of opportunity easy to do! So I’m glad we were able to schedule a day with these guys to take advantage of the rich colours at St. Vital Park. We made a slow walking loop around the duck pond and captured some super fun shots with all of them. Their kids are so adorable and before we knew it, we had finished the loop and I had racked up hundreds of photos on my memory cards! Here’s a sampling of some of my favourite shots from the session!
May 31, 2015 | Family
What a delight it is to come into a perfect stranger’s house to find a beautiful family full of love and liveliness! Leanne first contacted me by e-mail and we schedule the photo session in their home to catch some great family lifestyle portraits. The warmth of their home is made up of each member of the family and that was clear to see the moment I walked into their house. Leanne & Brent’s daughters are just too cute for words and it was such fun photographing the sisterly bonds they share. We also made sure to catch a few photos of just Leanne & Brent together – they are the strong team that keeps this family ticking and it was important to catch a few quiet moments with the two of them. These photos were taken a few months ago, and since then I’ve had the pleasure of taking more photos of these sisters during my Spring mini photo sessions last month. And now we already have our next Fall session lined up so I can’t wait until then to take more photos of them again!
Apr 26, 2015 | Family
What a joy it was to spend a beautiful autumn evening with this family! We met up at St. Vital Park near the duck pond with not much of an agenda, other than getting lots of photos of this happy family. We did some posed shots here and there, but we also did lots of walking & exploring around, stopping along the way to play in the leaves or tickle Smith (the one and only grandchild – how lucky is this guy to have so many aunts and uncles all to himself!). We could’ve spent even more time taking photos but soon the sun was going to set and the photo session came to an end. I love being able to capture relaxing and candid snapshots with a large family like this – so much love and so fun to share in all these lovely moments with them.
Apr 6, 2015 | Baby
Although River was a few weeks past his first birthday, we still got together for some fun family photos outside to celebrate all the milestones from his first year. River is simply put just the best kiddo ever. He’s so full of energy and wonder and has a smile that melts my heart instantly. We didn’t have much of an agenda for this shoot – all we knew was that we wanted to use a location away from a typical city park so we opted for a streetscape that had more dynamic spaces. River had a 1-year birthday milestone chart and we also caught a few cute moments of him when a fuzzy caterpillar crawled up his shirt. But other than all that, the very best part was seeing the joy that this little family shares. They’re so fun to watch together with no shortage of cute moments. We took tons of photos, and I think I could have taken a ton more, and in the end the results are clear: River is a little charmer and he’s changed his parent’s hearts forever. Happy birthday River!
Apr 6, 2015 | Engagement
Meet Ashley and Tyson – an undeniably genuine, super friendly and oh-so-lovely couple – they’re generous with their love and sincere towards each other and the people around them. From the moment I met them, I saw their spark, and it’s been such a pleasure working alongside them to capture all their beautiful memories of love and togetherness. Their engagement session was so much fun and I’m thrilled to be working with a couple who’s putting so much trust in my creative work. It’s a breeze working with them – they are full of inspiration and ideas, yet they’re also completely cool going with the flow and following my lead. But most importantly they share a huge love for each other and that chemistry was evident in every moment they shared. It seems like we first met such a long time ago, but soon enough their big day will come and I can’t wait to be a witness at their official celebration of commitment!
Apr 6, 2015 | Family
It’s no wonder autumn in Winnipeg is everyone’s favourite season for outdoor family photos – just look at the colours! I absolutely love this spot in the city – it’s full of big trees, tall grass and abundant colours. It’s such a gorgeous location full of natural woodsy goodness along the Seine River and it was the perfect backdrop for the Broesky Family. So many fun smiles, cute kids and big love. I’m so thankful for the chance to take these photos for them, it’s always a good time with these guys!
Mar 20, 2015 | Wedding
I met Jenni & Fred late last summer and instantly felt a connection with these two. Being around them felt so easy-going and being around everyone who came together to celebrate their wedding day was so much fun. Their ceremony took place at the Manitoba Club on Broadway and the rest of their photos were taken inside the club and outside around the block. We also took a short walk over to the park that lines the Assiniboine River for a few more wedding portraits in the gorgeous early evening sun. Most of my couples get an engagement session ahead of their wedding day, but Jenni and Fred ran out of time so the first time I actually took photos of them were on their wedding day. And they were absolute naturals! They are so comfortable with each other and so obviously in love which made me so happy to be there as their photographer. It was a breeze being with them and I absolutely loved every moment of their day. Since they swapped out their engagement session for another photo session at a future date, I know I’ll be seeing them again soon and I can’t wait for what our next session will bring! Congratulations/félicitations Jenni & Fred!
Mar 18, 2015 | Mini Sessions
Spring has arrived in Winnipeg and it’s finally time for styled mini sessions again! MÛR Lifestyle has created a beautiful botanical-inspired theme and the set will be full of fun garden plants and flowers. And yes, the kids can play with it all! Perfect for kids 6 months and up, these mini sessions will be 15 minutes long and can fit up to 3 siblings together. It’s happening on April 18th – if you’re interested in booking your spot, please e-mail me at photo@egabrielle.com. More info below, along with photos of what the set will look like. Happy Spring everyone!
Mar 13, 2015 | Wedding
Alicia and Mike had a big year – they welcomed an adorable little baby girl, we combined their engagement session with some family photos and a few months later, they got married! In the few short months that I’ve known them it’s been such a great pleasure being around them and following them on this beautiful journey they are embarking on together. They are grounded, they are connected, and they are completely basking in their love for one another. Their little baby Rose is super lucky to have parents like them and it’s been such a treat taking all these photos for them.
Their wedding day started with rain. Not ideal, but certainly nothing to complain about. With the help of a few umbrellas, we still did their first look photos outside as originally planned – and it was absolutely darling! The best part was Alicia catching Mike sneaking a peek before he was supposed to (you’ll see it in the first photo!) – so much fun with these two. And like most rainy wedding days in Winnipeg, it usually clears up at some point during the day. It did for them, so although we had some great indoor locations, we still managed to get quite a few shots outside. We started at the Hydro Building, then continued on at CMU and then finished with photos at Breezy Bend Golf Course where their outdoor ceremony and reception were held. It was such a lovely day and it couldn’t have been with a sweeter couple. Congratulations Alicia & Mike, it was a real pleasure!
Mar 4, 2015 | Wedding
Francine and Aron are dear friends of mine so of course being their wedding photographer meant the world to me. They had a beautiful country wedding on their lovely property out in Lorette and everything came together so perfectly! They had a lot of help from friends and family and seeing the love and support that surrounds them was truly amazing – it definitely says a lot about who they are.
We started the day with getting ready photos at their house, and believe it or not, we managed to photograph the girls and guys separately without Aron seeing Francine before the first look! With a bit of strategic planning, we set up the first look in a small grove of trees just steps away from their front door. Watching them see each other for the first time was so sweet and totally set the tone for the rest of the day – which was absolutely lovely, authentic and fun. We took lots of photos around their property and the surrounding area and there was no shortage of great spots! The ceremony was in the middle of their yard under a beautiful summer sun and what was especially wonderful to see were all the people that had come to support them. I saw a lot of familiar faces and I know that this community of love is very important to them, as are they to them.
I will certainly remember this day for a lifetime. Francine and Aron have a solid, enduring love and there’s no question that everyone present there saw it and celebrated whole-heartedly with them. Congratulations you two! Your day was an excellent representation of who you are and I couldn’t be happier for you! Félicitations!
Mar 4, 2015 | Family
Three years ago I drove hundreds of kilometers to a beautiful lake-front property in Northwestern Ontario to photograph Joanne & Sam’s wedding. They flew all the way from their hometown in the UK for their gorgeous intimate wedding in the woods and what an honour it was to be their photographer! Having never met them before, we met face to face for the first time minutes before they were to get married, and what a lovely and genuine couple they were! So of course I was very excited when they asked me to do their family photos during their short visit to Winnipeg this summer. The best part: I was going to meet their cute 18-month-old daughter Merryn!
We totally lucked out on the day of the shoot and got a gorgeous sunny evening after a rainy afternoon. We went to a city park that has a bit more of a wild woodsy feel, which I absolutely love. It goes without saying that Merryn is an absolute delight (look at that FACE!) and she totally stole the show – what a cutie! But what I love about Joanne and Sam is that even though they’re head over heels for their daughter, they are still very much so in love with each other. The same spark I saw between them on their wedding day is still very strong & well and it was so awesome to see.
Mar 4, 2015 | Newborn
As soon as I walked into the door at baby Caroline’s home I instantly got a soft spot for this adorable little family. Seeing these two cute little girls reminded me of my family and how incredibly special it is to see the sister bond in its early beginnings. Caroline got lots of attention, especially from her big sister and it was absolutely adorable seeing them together! I love at-home newborn photo sessions and this one especially reminded me of how lucky I am to be able to capture these photos for families. I know I say it a lot, but these early days go by so fast and having photos of these little moments and precious details are priceless. It was such a joy capturing it for them and I’m already looking forward to my next photo session with them!
Mar 3, 2015 | Newborn
Edison was born in the middle of the summer and is the perfect little addition to this lovely family of 4! Big brother Oliver suddenly looks so grown up – it seems like it was just yesterday that we did his baby photos! Of course, he’s so proud to be the big brother and some of my favourites shots from this session are the two of them next to each other on the bed. I always love seeing the bond between siblings and it’s especially precious being able to capture those early moments when they’re still so small. Soon Edison will catch up to Oliver’s size which is why I love catching these moments early on! Congratulations Sabrina & Scott, your family is absolutely adorable!
Mar 1, 2015 | Wedding
This past summer Chantal and Dan put on an amazing wedding celebration and it was evident that everyone involved enjoyed every minute of it! Every detail, location and planning was done with utmost care and consideration and it certainly was worth it. We started with photos at Chantal’s family property in rural Manitoba and what a gorgeous setting it was! We then made a stop at the St. Norbert Monastery for a few more wedding portraits and then headed off to Bridges Golf Course for the ceremony and reception. Taking these photos was such a huge pleasure – not just because of all the beautiful elements they had incorporated into their day, but mostly because of the chemistry these two have. Their love and devotion for one another is unmistakable, and being there to capture it in photos was exactly why I love being a wedding photographer. Their elegance and grace mixed with their wild and fun side was a perfect blend for this wedding event and I’ll definitely remember this day for years to come! Félicitations Chantal et Dan!
Feb 12, 2015 | Creative, Photography
This portrait photo session is high on my list of highlights from last summer and a large part of that has to do with how much I adore this couple. They’re a solid team, absolutely in love and completely connected. For this session we picked an urban spot in Winnipeg that I hadn’t used much and because of that the flow of the session was unscripted, unplanned and totally spontaneous. We explored about 3 blocks of the iconic Provencher Boulevard in the heart of Winnipeg’s French community and what I found was so much fun to play with as a photographer! Jocelyn and Matt have had more than one family photo session this past year, so being able to do a couple-only portrait shoot was special for them. Without the distraction of kids, we focused on their chemistry as a couple and I found nothing but gold between these two. Thanks guys for trusting me with this shoot – it was so much fun!
Jan 30, 2015 | Maternity
It seemed not too long ago that I was walking down the quiet paths in the Assiniboine Forest with Indira and Warren, watching the leaves fall from the trees and taking photos of the two of them moments after they had just gotten married. It was a gorgeous setting to celebrate their newest chapter in their love story, and little did we know that just 2 years later we’d be in the same spot taking photos of the next chapter in their love story: their baby bump! I can’t express just how much I love being invited into these amazing moments in a couple’s journey. I know it sounds terribly cliché, but really – there’s nothing better than being in the presence of two people who are journeying through some of the happiest moments of their life. The results are below, a snapshot of the quiet moments of anticipation before their baby girl was born.
Jan 30, 2015 | Engagement
I absolutely love it when a couple chooses a location that holds a lot of meaning to them. Jamie and Skyler had the perfect idea in mind for their engagement session – they wanted to take the photos at Clearwater Bay where her family has a beautiful cottage and where a lot of their quality time is spent. I left Winnipeg to make the day trip out to the lake and I was completely blown away by the beauty of the area! Jamie and Skyler took me all around: down some roads, to a few different shorelines and of course around the deck and dock at the cabin. The views were gorgeous, the couple super photogenic and the skies even delivered some dramatic clouds at one point. It was perfect! (ok, maybe we could’ve done without the crazy mosquitoes!) But all in all, it was a day to remember and a fantastic prelude to their wedding that took place in November. For now, here’s their engagement photo gallery and once I catch up on blogging, their wedding photos will be posted too!
Jan 9, 2015 | Newborn
Josiah was just a wee little newborn when I took his photos in August. He was super sleepy and calm for the entire photo session and it was effortless to capture all these adorable moments between him and his parents. He even opened his eyes for a few moments near the end of the session and we got a few last shots of his adorable little face before I left. Of course, Rachel and Daniel are absolutely in love with him – it was evident in every moment and every look they shared together. It was such a joy to meet Josiah and to celebrate with them by capturing these fleeting first moments of life. Newborns change so fast and being able to capture these precious first days together as a new family is priceless. Congratulations Rachel and Daniel – he’s absolutely perfect! I love his cute little face!
Jan 9, 2015 | Family
The Klassen family graces my blog once again and it makes my heart so full looking back at these photos now finding ourselves in the dead of a cold, long Winnipeg winter. Back in the summer Jodi coordinated outfits, a location and a time of day perfect to capture her beautiful little family and, of course, I was thrilled to be their photographer once again. She and I have become good friends over the years and it’s been such a blessing being able to do photos for her and having her do photos for my little family too. She’s an absolute sweetheart and you can bet that her husband and kids reflect that same love and warmth that she exudes. They are so easy and playful to photograph, perfectly laid back and adventurous all at the same time. We had a great time running around in the golden evening summer sun at Birds Hill Park. It was a delightful setting and a pure joy to capture their togetherness!
Jan 9, 2015 | Baby, Family
It’s always a delight getting that e-mail from a past wedding client telling me the good news that they just had a baby and want photos taken again. It’s so amazing to not only be there to photograph a wedding at such a beautiful and meaningful celebratory milestone, but now to witness the next best milestone: the arrival of a baby! These guys had two major events happen in the span of two consecutive summers and I was so excited to see them again so soon to take lifestyle photos of them. Although 5-week-old baby M was older than most newborns I photograph, he did give me a few quiet moments of sleep and we were able to snap a good mix of awake happy family photos and cute snuggly naptime photos. Congratulations you three, you’re absolutely darling together!
Jan 1, 2015 | Uncategorized
Thank you to all my wonderful clients of 2014, you made this yet another awesome year of storytelling through photographs! Here are my top 14 photos of 2014 – though this list could easily have a hundred different variations. So hard to pick! I’m incredibly blessed to have been invited to photograph all these stories of love and togetherness. This job makes my heart so full!! Happy new year, and here’s to many more memories yet to be captured in 2015!
Nov 16, 2014 | Uncategorized
These two are the best of friends and happen to have their birthdays close together! And did I mention they’re cousins?? This, of course, definitely called for a double cake smash birthday photo session! It started with photos in Smith’s beautiful backyard summerhouse and finished with his and hers birthday cake smash. So cute! They certainly know how to ham it up for the camera and it was absolutely delightful getting all these photos. These are smiles that light up a room and it was just as fun seeing their parents totally into the photo shoot too (behind the scenes!). Happy birthday Smith and Aneleigh!
Nov 16, 2014 | Engagement
Francine and Aron’s love story started many years ago and part of their strong bond has been put together through countless days spent at the lake. They have a comfortable, steadfast and enduring love, and thanks to their closeness, that love was easily captured at their engagement photo session this past summer. What a gorgeous backdrop to such a great story of love. These two crack me up and are so fun to be around but they also remind me of how strong love endures through the many seasons of life. This newest chapter for them includes many new exciting adventures: marriage and a new baby due to arrive this winter! Together with their dog, we wandered along the edge of the lake and hiked up through the woods. The scenery was breathtaking, and best of all, we came across a deer and her babies! What a beautiful part of Canada’s wilderness – absolutly perfect for celebrating a beautiful connection of love. Congratulations you two!
Oct 31, 2014 | Uncategorized
If there’s one thing that I love to be treated with, it’s a bouquet of intentionally well-designed fresh flowers. My go-to place for just that is Oak & Lily on Corydon Avenue where Tatiana has created a dream floral shop. I’ve been a fan of Tatiana’s work for a while now, and since having her join me on a few of my previous creative projects, I’ve been nothing but growing in admiration for the talent she has. Her floral creations are unique, dynamic and beautiful. Her shop is inviting, quaint and filled with lovely items. And best of all, she’s the sweetest person ever! It was truly a pleasure taking these photos for her – highlighting her shop, photographing her floral creations and taking a few portraits of her as well. If you’re ever looking for something to brighten your day, pop by her shop – I know you’ll love it there!
