As a photographer, every picture is like my baby, but at Liberty Grand, on this special occasion, I created beautiful images of the wedding day.
However, this is one of my top 10 favourite photographs of this wedding album.
Here are the top reasons why this is a wedding photography masterpiece. First, the composition is outstanding. The to groomsmen in the foreground tell one story while in the background, we see the reflection of the groom in one of the mirrors in the Renaissance room.
This photograph was captured using two mirrors so that I can layered two stories. That of the groom smiling in the background and another story of the groomsmen getting ready for the wedding ceremony.
Speaking of that, the venue offers the perfect spot for an outdoor wedding ceremony. The courtyard is an oasis of tranquility that can rarely be found in Toronto downtown area. In a pinch, under severe time constraints, I even did a photo shoot in the courtyard.
My photography style includes night shots as the light dramatic lighting in the courtyard, with its fountain and beautiful up lighting offers a gorgeous backdrop for your wedding photos, unmatched in the whole greater Toronto area.
As a Toronto wedding photographer, I shot at many venues in the area. However, this is one of my top favourites, maybe after Casa Loma.
To give you an idea how popular this location is with the couples, the establishment does about 400 weddings every year. It is very common on the wedding day to see three more bridal parties roaming around with their professional photographers and taking pictures.
Coming back to composition, the three protagonists of this photograph are placed along the baroque diagonal, which gives the image a dynamic nature. Besides the candid moments captured here, the splendid composition reminds us of editorial or lifestyle photography if you wish.
On a special day, it is rare to have these moments happen naturally. Truth be told, I staged the whole scene and asked the groomsmen to stand in the perfect spot. I then teased them and waited for the right moments so I can capture perfect photos.
In my opinion, in wedding photography, post production is less important then composition, technique, and catching genuine moments on the special day.
As such, because this photo was captured well in the camera, I did not have to work too much in post production. Many photographers in Toronto spend endless hours after the big day making sure that there pictures are perfect instead of focusing on the bride and groom's emotions and love for each other.
For the images I create during the engagement session and the wedding day have a simple workflow. First, I colour correct the photograph, then I adjust exposure, contrast, remove blemishes, adjust sharpness and add grain to taste.
Most image they take during the ceremony, the cocktail hour and reception evoke moments and emotions abounding on the big day so I have quite a few black-and-white photographs from that part of the day.
The fact that I spend the right amount of time processing attracts new clients, mainly the wedding party members and guests who see the end results and contact me to document their special day.
While in this photograph you cannot see the light source, this beautiful diffuse light came through the arched windows that adorn the establishment. Definitely the liberty grand entertainment complex is one of my favourite venues in the GTA and it is always a pleasure to return there.
Location: 25 British Columbia Rd, Toronto, ON M6K 3C3.
