It was a dare against the weather gods to plan outdoor shooting locations for an Edmonton wedding in October. I should have known better. Just days before the wedding I was on the phone with Jessa brainstorming possible indoor locations in the face of an imminent Edmonton blizzard. But it came together: the luxurious Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, the symbolic Business Atrium at the University of Alberta, and the classic Hole's Greenhouse. Flexibility and spontaneity, two attributes of a great photographer.
Photography requires a certain duality of mind, a balanced split of attention between the details and the whole. Before taking a photo, I have to focus on individual elements: arrange the bride’s curls, straighten the groom’s boutonniere, balance the manual exposure. But I also have to zoom out and see the scene in its totality. Picture the wide open space and attenuated light filtering into the Business Atrium. I shoot slightly upwards to bring the strong lines of the glass roof into view behind Justin and Jessa’s heads. As we walk through the pedway to HUB, the lines of the wooden arm rails lead inwards towards Justin and Jessa, the burgundy colours along the sides of the pedway framing the couple and perfectly complementing Justin’s suit. Stepping outside for a few brief moments, the falling snow obfuscates the frame between me and the wedding party, the iconic Old Arts building the backdrop to the scene.
Let’s take a moment to talk about greenhouses. My September was filled with greenhouses and environmental portraits on farms (click here to see more). Greenhouses manifest in a wide range of shapes and sizes, but all have one thing in common: sweet beautiful diffused light. If you have a hard time understanding why this is ideal, just imagine the sun’s harsh rays being diffused through the massive opaque glass, allowing soft gentle light to fall around the subject. Greenhouses also offer another important variable in the nucleus of a fall storm: heat. During our post-ceremony greenhouse session, I took Justin and Jessa’s first photos as a married couple. Stepping away from the guests and the pomp, the tension of the ceremony evaporates into a relaxed celebration. Long lines of tomatoes and evenly spaced plants help square attention on the couple like borders around a photo. The greenhouse’s immense space and lines of rooftop windows frame these final land-ports of Justin and Jessa.
Vendors
Hair: Aiana Burton (Jessa); Ramona Lament (bridesmaids)
Makeup: Calvin Alexander
Flowers: Hole’s Floral (bridal bouquet)
Suit: H.K. Broadway Custom Tailor
Dress: Pure Bridal
Locations: Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, University of Alberta Business Atrium, Hole’s Greenhouse
DJ: David McBean (Edmonton Wedding DJs)
Video: Christian Montiel
Here you can see photos from Jessa and Justin's Edmonton engagement session. Selena often travels to Edmonton for photographic projects, and accepts commissions worldwide. Here you can see another Edmonton wedding photographed by Selena Phillips-Boyle.
This Life by Selena Photography blog post about wedding photography was produced by Montreal photographer Selena Phillips-Boyle. This blog post was edited by Montreal communications professional Max Baru.
Cet article de blogue sur la photographie de mariage Life by Selena était produit par Selena Phillips-Boyle, photographe montréalaise. Cet article de blogue fut révisé par Max Baru, spécialiste de communication à Montréal.