Author: Jing

Advocate Placement headshots | Imajing Photography | Toronto Corporate Headshots

by

You never know where a relationship with a wedding client will take you over the years. Julie Chapman and I joke that I’m her personal photographer with exclusive rights on capturing her life. Since her 2006 wedding to Andrew, she has referred me to Rhiannon and Eric’s wedding and then back to her own family once her daughter Lyla joined the family. Julie contacted me again when she returned to the corporate world after her maternity leave for a headshot. Next thing we know, I’m shooting headshots for all three executives at Advocate Placement, a recruiting firm for legal professionals.

During my initial consultation and site visit I discovered that founder Anita Lerek is a lawyer by profession, she is a creative spirit and an avid art and music lover. As I write this they haven’t picked their new photos yet, but if you read through their online bios you’ll see that Anita and Julie met at a creative writing course. So much like inspiration, you never know where you will find a new client, friend or employer!

Caillie | Imajing Photography | Toronto Baby Photographer

by

Here she is, little miss Caillie! After rescheduling her shoot last week due to a raging photographer’s cold I finally got to meet Caillie and family. I’ve already heard lots about Kim, Robb and Caillie from the Morrow family, and from Kim’s sister Allison whose wedding I will be shooting in June. I knew that Kim runs her own chiropractic practice on the Danforth (Fusion Chiropractic) and that Robb is a contractor who has done gorgeous work on their building’s apartment space. What they didn’t tell me about was George.

Adorable, fuzzy, sweet George who up to six weeks ago was the baby of the family. While he has resigned to the fact that he is now last on the dance card, he quietly inserted himself beside the focus of all the attention (that being Caillie) during the whole shoot. He successfully made it into several shots on pure charm but we did have to ask him to move most of time.

Caillie is not only adorable but also very alert and loves to be upright. Look at these eyes! She was such a good sport, putting up with outfit changes and funny hats, until she called the end of the shoot by rubbing her own eyes (which is incredibly coordinated for such a young baby). Looking forward to seeing you all in a few weeks at Allison and Dan’s wedding!

Uncategorized | 8

Sofia | Imajing Photography | Toronto GTA baby photographer

by

I had the pleasure of photographing little Sofia and her mom a few days ago in their home in Vaughn.  They were referred to me by my wonderful client, Shazeen (see a few posts ago, she’s the one who could teach a course on what to wear for your family portraits).

Sofia has the most gorgeous big brown eyes, and a shock of thick black hair.  I know you can’t help but notice the hemangioma birthmark over her right eye, but honestly after a few minutes with her, and in editing the photos, I don’t notice it anymore.   This birthmark should fade and disappear as Sofia grows up so the question is, do we photoshop it out as if it never existed or leave it be?  My personal philosophy is that photoshop should not change history, only enhance your memory of it.  So for example, I wouldn’t photoshop an ex-boyfriend out of a group photo, but I would happily fade out stretch marks on an expectant mom’s belly after a maternity shoot.  Anyhow, I’m getting off-topic, but it does lead to an interesting debate right?

I was inspired from the previous week’s wedding so asked Sofia’s mom to bring out some of her saris and scarves to use as backdrops.  Sofia told us quickly that she didn’t enjoy the prickly sequins on the beautiful fuschia scarf so we improvised quickly and draped it around her instead.  Here are just a few from the shoot.  Enjoy!

Gail & Michael | Imajing Photography | Toronto Wedding Photography

by


Congratulations to Gail and Michael!  This happy couple celebrated in style on April 25 with a beautiful and unique wedding filled with the music, colour and food of their shared Indian, Japanese and Canadian heritage.

Gail and Michael chose to have their photos done before the ceremony.   We made sure to set up a ‘reveal’ for Michael so that his first look at Gail was a special moment.  Of course the photographer, bridesmaids and parents all had front row seats for this moment.  For brides taking notes, this is a great idea – your makeup is fresh and you get some of the wedding day jitters out of the way.  The forecasted rain finally showed up just as we were scheduled for most of the group photos but we were ready with a light set up for indoor family shots and then motivated the bridal party and their golf umbrellas to brave the rain for this great group shot.

The ceremony at Rexdale Alliance Church was filled with beautiful music composed by one of the bridesmaids.  On a personal note, it was wonderful for me to have my husband Fred assisting me for the day.  Not only did we get to spend the whole day together, but we also listened to a great sermon on marriage by Pastor Sunder.

After the ceremony the ladies changed into the most gorgeous array of colourful saris with the help of the many aunties on standby.  We arrived at the Verdi Banquet Hall to the delicious aroma of the Indian buffet and were treated to a show by Japanese taiko drummers, and an Indian dance performance.

More photos will follow in the next few days and I will also be adding the link to the full gallery of images for the wedding guests to access here.  So please check back!

UPDATES
** Full wedding gallery click here to go to www.imajing.com/weddinggalleries2010/100425gailmichael/

** Wedding slideshow, click below.

Annual Family Shoot | Imajing Photography | Toronto family portraits

by

I just love this family!  The K’s have invited me to capture their family portraits for the past four years and I have watched their boy Noah grow from a baby barely holding his head up, through toddlerhood and now a pre-schooler.  I also met little Maya, the newest addition earlier this year to photograph her birth announcements and here she is today almost sitting up by herself.  Mom could probably hold a seminar on how to dress your family for a family photo shoot.  Each year she has taken my credo of “coordinating without being matchy-matchy” and decked out the entire family in great looking outfits.  This year the theme is pink in honour of new little sis.   Enjoy!

imajing_kassam015
imajing_kassam074
imajing_kassam195
kassam_noah

Sydney | Imajing Photography | Toronto baby photographer

by

It was touch and go with the weather last week wasn’t it? One day I was bragging about walking the dogs in sandals and the next I was looking for my socks again. Today’s weather reminds me about the lovely baby Sydney, who I had the pleasure of shooting recently. Here she is in a lovely spring frock from her grandma. I love a smiling baby as much as anyone else but I’m usually most charmed by the more inquisitive expressions where you can really see them thinking.

Fresh eyes

by

Remember that part in that Robin Williams movie set in a private school when he asks his students to jump up onto their desks to see the world from a new perspective?**   That just happened to me.  Maybe not in such a heavy-handed cliched way, but startling nonetheless.

As you know, I attended an all-weekend photography workshop this past weekend.  I could write so much about the speakers themselves (and I will soon) but what I wanted to put out there in this blog post is the idea of refreshing your point of view.  The week before the workshop I did a shoot and I was pumped/excited/inspired but upon review of my images felt deflated and discouraged: I saw the same old poses, same mundane ideas, etc, etc.

I revisited the images today and discovered that I was just looking at the wrong shots.  Yes there was some recycling happening, but right there, in front of me the whole time were images that are fresh, spontaneous, relaxed, classic.  All the adjectives I desire for my work.

When is the last time you looked at something again for the first time?

This photo features the lovely Adele and her groom Kevin at their stylish Simcoe Lake wedding, September 2009.

**The name of the movie escapes me, anyone?  Bueller?

Spring Awakening

by

Pre-amble: These photos have absolutely nothing to do with my blog entry below. Even though they are over three years old (and by extension, demonstrating my skill-set as a photographer three years ago), they are some of the most popular and still garner a great response. With the website make-over I just want to make sure they survives the migration. By the way, that baby is about to turn four in a few short months. Anyways…

I shot an award ceremony luncheon today at the University of Toronto and was struck by the wistful way the staff was talking about getting outside to take a walk at the expense of interupting a particularly productive work groove; or taking vacation time at the ‘right’ time of year to avoid the stress of playing catch up upon their return. (Today is March 18, 2010 and Toronto has been enjoying a week of sun and warmth – you know, the kind that prompts you to dig out your sandals and tank tops).

I felt like I was observing from a different universe. As a self-employed person I have, for the most part, the luxury to control my schedule. I get to spend time with my daughter and pets at home. I can choose to sit outside while answering emails, or take that walk and explore our neighbourhood. And when I work (especially for weddings), it’s intense work-mode with the bonus of getting to know and photograph fabulous clients. I have the best job in the world.

This weekend I will be attending a two day workshop for photographers. It was something I heard about and thought, in that same wistful tone of an office worker, oh if only I could go/I should be saving my pennies for that new piece of equipment/I should spend time with my husband/I should etc etc. All valid reasons but nonetheless excuses. But then, like a fairy-godmother (only in the wish-granting department) my fellow photographer Bryan Caporicci (who will be speaking at the workshop with another photographer I admire greatly, Robert Nowell), granted me a complementary pass to the workshop! Thank you!

So, to pay it forward, I am also going to grant a wish. I don’t want the message to be lost in what has become a very long write-up so look out for an upcoming blog post on the subject. In order to tell the story properly I will also need to get permission from someone involved in a past deed.

Post-amble: I noticed while proof-reading that I used a lot of commas and was reminded of the humorous reaction to excessive comma usage by one of the protagonists in “The Elegance of the Hedgehog” by Muriel Barbery. I recommend that book if you are in the mood for some often droll philosophical ramblings and social observations. There is a plot but it takes a while to get going.

Gail and Michael | Engagement photo session | Toronto wedding photographer

by

Wedding season 2010 was kicked off today with a gloriously warm spring day. It was the perfect afternoon to shoot Gail and Michael’s engagement shots in downtown Toronto’s Front Street area.

This is a couple with a great energy and love for each other. We returned to the scene of their first date and proposal, Le Papillon restaurant.  The staff were kind enough to let us in to shoot while they were still preparing the restaurant for dinner service.

I’m looking forward to Gail and Michael’s wedding at the end of April. Thank you to Steph for sending your friends to Imajing.




A privileged point of view | Imajing | Toronto Newborn Photography

by

As a photographer I get the best seats in the house for some of the most important moments in people’s lives.  It is a privileged point of view which I get to share, preserved in images that later become part of the collective memory of the events.   I think one of the best compliments I’ve received was from an expectant dad who upon review of their maternity shots told me that the photos made things look way better than what he saw in real life.

This same expectant dad is now really a dad and today I got to visit them at the hospital.  Baby Owen was barely 18 hours old when I photographed him! Mom and dad were both beaming with pride.

Congratulations!  And thank you for letting me in on these first few hours of Owen’s life.