People have lots of reasons for hiring a professional photographer;  family portraits, engagements, weddings, the birth of a new baby, baptisms, holiday cards, graduations, birthday celebrations… the list goes on.  I’ve noticed that the deciding factor for my clients between taking the photos themselves versus hiring me, is the significance of the milestone and how they want to remember it once the event has faded into their memory…

Tony came to me because he wanted to celebrate his wedding anniversary in a very unique way… Not only did he want to do a photo shoot with his beautiful wife to capture the essence of who they are as a couple, he wanted it to be a Couple’s Boudoir session.  I was dubious at first because Mel had just given birth to a new baby boy four months before, but after meeting with them both it was clear that they were both serious – and very enthusiastic about the idea.

So on a sunny Saturday afternoon in April, at a swanky downtown Montreal hotel, I met with Tony and Mel and we created some fun, sexy, artful images that demonstrate the awesome connection they share. I am so grateful that they trusted me with this incredibly intimate project – and that they are as proud of the end result as I am… and willingly agreed to let me share:

Who doesn’t love looking through old family photo albums, reliving memories of family gatherings to celebrate birthdays, holidays and other events?  Family photos are such an important part of our heritage since they are the lasting record of the people and the milestones that shape our lives.  But if you are like most moms, you are probably behind the camera, capturing the memories more often than you’re in front of it, being a part of the action.  The result is that your record is incomplete.  You have beautiful photos of your children, your husband, your siblings, parents and other family members… but YOU are not in those photos.  More importantly, because you are preoccupied with taking photos, you don’t actually get the opportunity to relax, enjoy the moment and participate.

Karine, a married mom of two, gets that concept.  Although her bustling household is home to many cameras, when it came time to celebrate Chinese New Year this February, she hired me to come in and document the evening so that she could enjoy it with her family.  This was such a fun family photo session for me to shoot, because Karine wanted candid images showing the natural dynamic of her family.  I spent about 3 hours with everyone, was treated to some of the best garlic shrimp EVER, got sloppy wet kisses from Spike (the dog!) and saw first hand the love, fun and camaraderie that is shared by this amazing family.

If you have a special family gathering coming up and want to forgo your picture-taking duties to enjoy your family time instead, contact me for a quote.

Wondering what to expect from your Boudoir makeover?  Check out a few Boudoir Before & After images to see what my team of stylists can do:

I was shocked.  I could not even imagine claiming someone else’s photos as my own.  I’ll admit, I will sometimes see a photo from another photographer and wish that I had taken that shot, but I would never actually TAKE the shot from their website and claim it as my own!  I was sure that this must be an isolated incident.   The internet makes the world a very small place, so you’d have to a be living under a rock to think you could get away with stealing work from another photographer and claiming it as your own… wouldn’t you??  Not to mention, one photographer stealing from another is just lower than low… it’s like dating your best friend’s X-boyfriend:  YOU.  JUST.  DON’T.  DO. IT.

Last December I became aware of another incident which hit much closer to home, with a photographer I knew personally and had once admired:  Montreal photographer Hera Bell.   Hera had always spoken very highly of herself and gave the impression that she was a successful photographer who did commercial work, portraiture and even weddings in Montreal and abroad.  In an extensive discussion on DP Review here, it came out in December 2012 that Hera had allegedly stolen several photographs from a number of photographers around the world – and claimed them as her own, often accompanied by invented stories on her blog.  In one case she had even used one of the allegedly stolen photos in an art exhibit in Montreal!!  While Hera initially denied the accusations, within days she had taken down her blog and her website, and seemed to have gone into hiding.  You can decide for yourself if she’s the fraud she has been accused of being by reading through the evidence that has been compiled at www.whotookthisphoto.blogspot.ca.

Then just a couple of weeks ago in early January 2013, yet another Montreal wedding photographer was outed as being a fraud.  In the case of Paskal Thériault, he was so oblivious about the wedding photography industry that he stole a photo from one of the most well-know wedding photographers in the world:  Jerry Ghionis!  And then he actually used the stolen image in multiple print ads in wedding magazines including Marions Nous and Mariage Québec.  It didn’t take long for Paskal to be called out by fans of Jerry’s work and soon evidence of his fraud was featured on the Stop Stealing Photos blog when it was discovered that he had stolen LOTS of photos, from LOTS of photographers, claiming them as his own in an effort to lure brides into hiring him to photograph their weddings.  When I called Mr. Thériault earlier this week he informed me that “The company is having big problems” and that he “Will no longer be able to practice photography”.  He has subsequently shut down his website, removed all his images from 500px and effectively erased his entire online presence.

Unfortunately, this type of fraud is rampant in the photography community… so as a bride, looking for someone to capture the priceless memories of a once-in-a-lifetime wedding day, what can YOU do to make sure your photographer is legitimate?  Here are a few suggestions:

1. Ask About the Photos
   • See a photo that you LOVE either on the photographer’s website or at a wedding show?  ASK where it was taken, who shot it, how it was set-up, and if you can see more photos from the same event.
   • If the photographer cannot answer basic questions about the photo, that’s a definite red flag and could mean that they didn’t actually take it.
   • If the photographer cannot produce more images from the same event, that is a HUGE red flag.  It could indicate that either the photo was obtained fraudulently – or that it was just a lucky shot and all the other photos from that event are so bad they’re embarassed to show you.  Neither of those scenarios should inspire confidence!  Any legitimate photographer will archive client images, often for several years, so they should be able to go into those archives and show you more images from the same event.
2. Look at Printed Products
   • Although you may not want to purchase a wedding album, reviewing your photographer’s albums offers some assurance that they actually took the photos you’re looking at, since photo thieves most often steal images from the web, which are too low-resolution to print.
   • Make sure you look at albums that showcase an entire wedding.  Even my mom, with her point & shoot can get a couple of lucky shots (no offence mom!), but it takes skill and knowledge to get consistently good shots throughout the entire wedding day and into the reception.  Make sure that you’re not looking at an album of “lucky shots” from multiple events…
3. Speak to References
   • It’s easy to write up fake testimonials and slap them up on a website or blog, so ask to SPEAK to past clients who have worked with the photographer.
   • Go through their website or blog, pick a wedding that you like and ask to speak to THAT bride (or groom).
   • To be sure that the “client” you are speaking to is not just a friend of the photographer, ask for their full name and send your request through Facebook - where you can see photos of the person and match them up to the wedding photos on the photographer’s website.  Even if the person is not your Facebook friend, you can still send them a message.
   • Speak to at least 2-3 references to be sure the answers are consistent.
   • While some clients may not want to give a reference, if your photographer cannot find 2 or 3 clients who are willing… that should concern you.
4. Ask About Business Practices
   • A professional photographer will have things like; a website, a place of business, a contract for you to sign, GST/PST numbers, business insurance and memberships in professional associations.  Some photographers will have all of these things, some will have only a few… but if your photographer has none:  RED FLAG.
   • While most brides these days are on a budget, don’t let PRICE be your only deciding factor… many newbie photographers have no idea what is actually involved in photographing a wedding or the amount of work involved in retouching the photos afterwards, not to mention the equipment necessary to do the job right.  If a photographer’s price looks too good to be true… it just might be.
   • Does your photographer have a plan in the event that something happens to them and they are unable to be at your wedding?  A fly-by-night photographer will not have thought about this, but a professional will have a carefully thought out contingency plan that they can discuss with you.
5. Trust Your Instincts
   • You should never be afraid to ask questions, and your photographer should be willing to give you the information you need to feel comfortable.
   • If you get the impression that they are avoiding or changing the subject… or that they are trying to hide something… or that they are just not being honest with you, trust your instincts and move on.

There are many, many, many photographers to choose from.  Unfortunately, the recent epidemic of frauds and “Faux-tographers” has made it even more important for you to do your homework before entrusting someone with the responsibility of capturing every precious moment of your wedding day.  Be diligent – and choose wisely.

Many moons ago, one of the first jobs I ever had was working as a flight attendant for Quebecair.  The route I flew was between Montreal and Wabush.  Don’t know where Wabush is?  I didn’t either, until the first time I had a 2-hour stopover - and was afraid to venture outside because it looked COLD beyond the warmth of the airport lounge.  This weekend I had the opportunity to go beyond the threshold of that lounge and explore this beautiful area of the Labrador north as I photographed Lindsey & Jason’s New Year’s Eve wedding and many of the events surrounding it.

New Year’s Eve was cold and windy, with light snow flurries… but Lindsey had her heart set on doing the portraits outside.  Her entire bridal party found their inner furnace, rallied together and toughed out the cold to make it happen.  I was dressed in a ski suit, long johns, a hat, scarf and big winter boots and I was cold… the bridesmaids were wearing little more than their sheer dresses and tiny wraps but I didn’t hear ONE complaint.  They were determined to give Lindsey the outdoor photos she wanted.  THAT is true friendship.  Gotta give props to the guys too:  I know that deep down inside, they probably would have preferred a cold beer and a warm seat at the bar, but instead they kept us all laughing and having fun.

Here are a few sneak peeks of our outdoor photos.  I hope that when Lindsey, Jason and their ROCKSTAR bridal party see them, they will forget their frozen toes and numb fingers and have a little more warmth in their hearts…

Lindsey & Jason, I am so honored that you chose me to be your wedding photographer.  You and your families and your friends all made me feel so welcome here in Labrador that I truly feel like I now have an extended family in the North.  You’re all very special and Wabush/Lab City will forever hold a special place in my heart.

Your session will include:

• Pre-session phone consultation to establish your goals.
• Full makeup with a professional makeup artist to give you a gorgeous new look.
• A 40-minute mini-session in  swanky downtown hotel, where you can dress up, have fun and let loose your inner diva!
• Champagne and sweet treats.
• One archival quality 8″x10″ portrait, mounted on styrene and ready to frame.
• High-resolution digital files of your favorite 5 images.
• Personal ordering session at my office in Ville St. Laurent.

Expect to feel pampered, sexy and special!

Once you reserve your spot, we’ll set up a time for a personal phone consultation so that I can get a good understanding of your expectations, your goals and any insecurities you may have.  It’s not every day you get nearly-naked in front of a complete stranger, so taking the time to get to know each other before the session will help me make your experience everything you hope for.

MY goal for our session is to help you feel gorgeous and sexy and to create timeless images that show off all your best assets. 

On the day of the shoot, before the camera even comes out, Julia, our professional makeup artist, will work with you to create the perfect look.  We’ll have champagne and sweet treats available as well as my own Boudoir music mix playing in the background to help you feel relaxed.

We’ll look through your outfits together and come up with a plan for the session.  You can also feel free to poke through my extensive assortment of props and we can incorporate anything you like into the shoot.  Once your makeup is done, you’ll be left alone to change and when you’re ready we’ll begin shooting.

During the session, I will work with beautiful and artistic light, guiding you into poses that flatter your body type and which can be as subtle or as scandalous  as you’re comfortable with.  Whether you choose to be completely nude or very modest, when you look back at these photos in 10, 20 or 30 years from now, you will love the way you looked today!

Reserve Now!

If this sounds like the perfect Valentine’s Day gift from you to you… or from you to your special someone, then call (514-242-5022) or e-mail (victoria@creativeperspectives.ca) today to secure your space for this one-day-only special event. 

A $200 non-refundable retainer is due at the time of booking.  We accept Cash, Cheques, PayPay, e-mail money transfer or Visa.

Most days, I feel incredibly lucky that I have been able to build my love of photography into a succcessful business.  I feel so fortunate to have clients who I genuinely like and so honored that they put their trust in me to document some of the most special and important days of their lives; engagements, weddings, births, family celebrations and even intimate Boudoir sessions… Their stories, their connections to one another and the emotions of these events never fail to make a lasting impression on me.  As I post-process the images from a session, I often find myself smiling wistfully at the way a man is beaming at his future wife as she walks down the aisle… or wiping a tear from my eye as I look at the father-of-the-bride making his toast and remember his heartfelt words… or even laughing out loud at some of the antics I catch when people are unaware they are being photographed.  In these moments, I feel content.  Fulfilled.

But while working in a creative field is a privilege, it can also be a challenge.  When I’m paid to photograph an event, the clients have an expectation of receiving certain shots and I’m 100% responsible for making sure I deliver.  I am often faced with conditions that are beyond my control; from locations with poor lighting to restrictive or limited schedules to unpredictable weather… and while these challenges are part of what I love about what I do because they force me to adapt, grow and improve… I often find myself thinking, “If only…. ”

If only I had complete control of the lighting.  If only the weather was just right - not too sunny, not too rainy, not too hot/cold. If only I had the time to explore more interesting locations, poses and ideas.  If only I could get out of the “safe zone” and explore more creative post-processing techniques…  I fall into the trap of comparing my work to that of other creative artists… and I feel… deflated.  Why don’t I have iconic images in my portfolio of a bride delicately poised on the edge of a waterfall, with her veil blowing in the wind just so?  In these moments I sometimes lapse into the creativity doldrums.

That’s when I know I need a change of pace.  Something to kick-start my creativity and recharge my batteries.  An opportunity to experiment and lose myself in the pure artistry of creating something that is 100% my vision.  A “day off” from pressures and expectations.

So when I saw a post on Facebook about a Workshop being offered in Montreal by Michel Feugeas,  a photographer from Trois-Rivières whose work I admire because his style is so evocative and different from mine, I immediately signed up.  Although I teach workshops myself, I knew that spending a relaxing day in studio, as a workshop participant rather than as a teacher, would be just what the doctor ordered.  And it was!

Michel wisely limited the number of participants to just five photographers, giving each of us ample time and space to work with a wonderful and uninhibited model, in a large studio that had lots of available light.  We spent the first hour or so getting to know each other and talking about the subtleties of creating artistic nude portraits.  Then we started working with our model.  Michel encouraged each of us to explore our creative vision with the only “restriction” being that we could only use the natural sunlight that was streaming in from the windows.  No studio strobes or speed-lights.  It was liberating.

I recently saw a quote on Pinterest that said:

“Be confident.  Too many days are wasted comparing ourselves to others and wishing to be something we aren’t.  Everybody has their own strengths and weaknesses, and it is only when you accept everything you are – and aren’t – that you will succeed.”

After a wonderful day with Michel, his wife and four other incredibly talented photographers I feel like I’m back on the road to accepting everything that I am – and am not… I hope you will enjoy the images I created on that day… but if you don’t, that’s OK too.  ]]> http://www.victoriasperspective.com/creativity-doldrums/feed/ 8 http://www.victoriasperspective.com/creativity-doldrums/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VictoriasPerspective/~3/fPNpTgO3Pww/ http://www.victoriasperspective.com/i-always-thought-we-would-have-more-time/#comments Sun, 28 Oct 2012 18:30:58 +0000 Victoria de Martigny http://www.victoriasperspective.com/?p=1260 NOTE: the images in this feed have been downsized or removed for copyright reasons. To see them in their unmodified state, please view the original post by clicking here.

On October 10th, 2012 my younger brother Michael de Martigny died at the age of 42 of a massive heart attack.  He had been struggling with Crohn’s and Colitis his entire adult life and had undergone countless operations as a result of the disease.  Despite all these operations, he was also required to take several kinds of very strong medication just to survive.  Unfortunately, on the morning of October 10th his body could no longer cope and he died at his home in Caledonia, Ontario.   Today, as I get ready for his memorial service, I am thinking about his life, and about our relationship…

I wish I could say that Michael and I were close, that we were great friends who chatted regularly and were a big part of each other’s lives.  I’m ashamed and embarrassed to admit that we weren’t – at least not in the past few years…  Earlier this summer he reached out to me for help with a problem he was having and for the first time in a long time I was able to help him with what he needed.  After that, we started communicating more regularly, but I always thought there would be time to repair our broken relationship…  

He came to Montreal in August and we spent an afternoon at my mom’s, sitting on the patio outside, having “nibbles” and talking about our shared passion for photography.  He planned to make another trip down to go to the Williamstown Fair, something we had enjoyed doing together as kids – but I was too busy… I thought we could do it next year. 

He wanted to move to Cornwall, where my grandmother lives, so that he could be closer to the family while still maintaining his Ontario health benefits.  His illness made it impossible for him to hold down a job, since his bouts would come on unexpectedly and he would miss work for several days – sometimes having to be rushed to the hospital for a blood transfusion.  No employer would hire him, so he was thinking about taking some courses at St. Lawrence College in the hopes that he could find employment working from home.  He tentatively suggested that maybe he could do some work for me, maybe help me with post-processing for my photography business since it was something he loved and was interested in learning about.   “Sure,” I said, “When you’re all settled in Cornwall, let’s talk about that”.  I thought we’d have time.  I thought we could talk about it when I’d see him at Christmas.  For the first time since 2006, he was going to come home for Christmas this year…

But there won’t be a Williamstown Fair with Michael next year and there will be no more family Christmases together.  All I have are my memories… and my regrets.   And an overwhelming sense of loss,  sadness and guilt that I didn’t make more of an effort to know the adult version of my brother better.

As children, we were very close.  It was just the two of us for the first couple of years and then when my sister Kirsten came along, we delighted in finding new and inventive ways to torment our younger sibling.  We once told my sister that she was an alien baby, hatched from an egg and born with a tail that had to be amputated to make her “look human”.  We were united in our mischievousness, though often the ideas came from Michael :-)  

Michael was always inquisitive too and fascinated by the world around him.  One night when I was babysitting at our house in St. Bruno, he decided to stick a fork into an electric socket to “see what would happen”.  It started a small fire, he got a nasty shock and I got one of the biggest scares of my young life:  I was fiercely protective of Michael and could not imagine him getting hurt on my watch.  I was so protective of him, in fact, that I often took the blame for his antics so that he would not have to be punished.  I remember a certain very expensive and intricately carved wood coffee table with a glass top that my parents had bought on one of their trips to the Orient… and I remember the gleam in my brother’s eye as he smashed the top of that coffee table with a hammer, just to “see what would happen”.  I think we were both a little shocked when the table shattered into thousands of pieces.  When my father stormed into the room demanding an explanation, I looked over and saw Michael’s lip quivering, so I said that I did it. 

Michael was also an entrepreneur.  He somehow got a hold of an old Playboy magazine when he was in grade school, but instead of just hiding it under his bed and sneaking peeks in the wee hours as most young boys would do, he tore out the pages and sold them to the other boys at school for $1 each.  It was quite an embarrassment to my parents to be called into the school over that little incident – but I was secretly a little proud of his ingenuity!

It was as adults that we drifted apart.  He moved to the Toronto area, I was travelling for business and we were each busy with our own lives.  There were periods where we e-mailed or chatted on Facebook on an almost daily basis – and then there are large gaps in time where we didn’t speak at all.  It’s hard to identify a defining moment when we lost that connection that we had shared as children.  It happened slowly; a missed birthday, a Christmas when he didn’t come home,  an argument over something that seems stupid in retrospect… but I always loved him and hoped that he was doing well.  I wish I would have told him that more often.  I wish I could have protected him from the difficulties he faced every day, the way I did when we were younger…

As I look back at old photos of us as children, I remember the boy my brother used to be.  Looking through the photos he had taken as an adult, I can see a glimpse of the man he became.  I’d like to share some of those photos with you now, so that you can also see that despite his struggles, Michael had joy and adventure in his life, he had friends who cared about him and often had a four-legged companion at his side… but most of all, he was able to see beauty in the world around him, which he captured through his love of photography. 

I hope that wherever he is now, Michael is no longer in pain, that he is surrounded by beauty and that he has a puppy at his side until his loving and faithful dog Deefer eventually joins him.  And I hope that he knows that I loved him, even if I didn’t tell him often enough…

Wedding traditions have changed over the years and modern brides are starting to incorporate new ideas into their wedding plans.  One of my favorite of these is the First Look, where the bride and groom see each other for the first time before the wedding ceremony.  While the more traditional brides may balk at this idea, it’s something I always suggest because there are some very compelling reasons for seriously considering it:

• When a groom sees his future wife in her wedding dress for the first time, it is often a very emotional moment.
  • Staging a first look allows the couple to share this moment in private and let themselves truly get swept away with how they’re feeling – without worrying about all the family and friends who are looking on.
• While that walk down the aisle may feel like it’s taking an eternity, in reality it lasts only a few moments and then the ceremony begins.  Couples are often forced to choke back their emotions and pay attention to the task at hand instead of taking their time to be lost in the moment.
  • A well-planned first look provides plenty of time for couples to share that intimate moment with no interruptions. 
• Often the wedding ceremony is in a location where the photographer cannot control the setting, the light or the well-meaning guests who often get in the way while they photograph each special moment.  As a result, the opportunity to create beautiful images of all the emotions of that first look can be compromised as we try to stay out of the way and work around these obstacles.
  • When planning a first look, I will choose a secluded location with beautiful light and we will shoot from a discreet distance so that couples can have their privacy for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
• Most of my clients value photography and want to have visually stunning images to remember their day – but creating those artistic and unique portaits takes time, which is often in short supply in a jam-packed wedding day schedule.
  • Since a First Look is before the ceremony, we can plan for a longer portrait session and couples need not feel rushed to get all those breathtaking images in the short cocktail hour between the ceremony and reception.  This also means that they can enjoy cocktail hour with their guests.

David and Candice planned their wedding for this past August at the beautiful Golf St. Raphael in Ile Bizard.  When we met to discuss the timeline for the day, before I could even suggest doing a First Look, Candice asked me if we could do photos with her and David before the ceremony.  For Candice, seeing David alone, in a private setting was absolutely imperative since she was so nervous about breaking down with the emotion of that moment.  David was also on board with the first look.  Shy by nature and not used to being the center of attention, he wanted to share that special moment with no one but Candice.   I was so happy that they brought this up, and that we did a First Look on their wedding day on August 17th…

During their First Look, Candice and David were able to open up to each other and experience the emotions – and then once they were all cried out we headed out onto the golf course for an uninterrupted hour, where we created some beautiful images together.  Our portrait session was a little bit rainy, but it was fun and stress-free since the First Look helped eliminate any nervousnous about the ceremony or the rest of the day, so they were able to relax and enjoy. 

Leave a comment below if you’d like to see some of the portraits from that session… ]]> http://www.victoriasperspective.com/candice-davids-first-look/feed/ 3 http://www.victoriasperspective.com/candice-davids-first-look/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VictoriasPerspective/~3/_1cv7KS38Zc/ http://www.victoriasperspective.com/kayleigh-travis-stewart-hall-montreal-wedding-photographer/#comments Tue, 02 Oct 2012 02:01:43 +0000 Victoria de Martigny http://www.victoriasperspective.com/?p=1200 NOTE: the images in this feed have been downsized or removed for copyright reasons. To see them in their unmodified state, please view the original post by clicking here.

I first met Kayleigh and Travis at Tom & Jordana’s wedding back in 2010.  I reconnected with them in the summer of 2011 when I needed models for a workshop I was teaching and they volunteered to help out, along with Jordana and Deanna (another amazing girl in their entourage).  When they arrived at the workshop, I learned that just a couple of days earlier Travis had popped the question, and of course, Kayleigh said, “Yes”… I thought the shiny new ring on Kayleigh’s finger was the reason that she could not keep a straight face and kept flashing her thousand megawatt smile, but as I got to know her better, I soon learned that that this was par for the course!

In August of 2011, Kayleigh and Travis asked me to be their wedding photographer and a few weeks later we headed out to Old Montreal for their engagement session.  It was during our afternoon in the Old Port that we really got to know each other.  I learned that Travis has modelled in his youth and that Kayleigh was a swimming all-star who even went to the Olympic trials!  I also saw first-hand the incredible connection that they share and understood why Kayleigh was always smiling…

Fast forward to September of 2012 and it was finally the Big Day:  Travis and Kayleigh’s wedding.  From the moment I arrived at Kayleigh’s parents’ house in the morning until I left the reception in full party mode, there was no shortage of laughter, happy tears, surprises and beautiful, genuine expressions of love and support from everyone who was there to share this special day.   I hope you’ll get a sense of that through some of my favorite photos: