Vancouver Portrait Photography // Marie on Granville Island!

Marie is back on the blog, and today she is on Granville Island! 

Granville Island is probably my most favourite place in all of Vancouver. When I was a kid, I would come here with my parents, and while they were enjoying the Granville Island Brewing Company, I was being enchanted by the Kid’s Place. Everything about that place is amazing, from the special child-sized door, to the indoor playground, to the arcade and candy shop, and of course stores selling anything and everything a kid would want, from puzzles to princess dresses to magic kits to stickers. I was particularly into the velvet-covered pencils they had in one store, to little Nadya they seemed like the utmost luxury in graphite products. 

When I was a teen, and there was still a bus that would take you straight from White Rock to downtown Vancouver, Granville Island was a place I loved to visit with friends, because there was so much to see and do, but it still felt safe to my sheltered small-town self. We would people watch, buy cool stickers, and enjoy all the amazing food from the market. 

Those were also the early days of me bringing out what was at the time my dad’s DSLR, and I thought I was getting some pretty incredible shots. But hey, that’s the way it goes with learning. If you’re doing it right, your best work this year is kind of hard to look at in a few years’ time. 

Now that I am a grownup, I am on Granville Island the most in September, during the Vancouver Fringe Festival. For a couple of weeks of the year, Shane and I turn into theatre nerds, and see around 10 independent plays. Being the scheduling aficionado that I am, I try to pack two to three 1-hour plays into an evening, so we often go over to Granville Island right after work, and stay there until bedtime, trying to fit in a meal somewhere in there. Fringe plays are just so fun, because if it’s a good one, you will talk about it for a couple weeks, but if it’s a bad one, you will talk about it forever. Either way, it’s a win-win. Last year we saw one about Josephine Baker that absolutely blew our socks off. 

On this day with Marie we were planning to see my last Fringe play of the season, but figured we could squeeze in a quick shoot beforehand. Marie, being her bewitching self, showed up in this colourful outfit that I would never have considered putting together, and yet, it works!

Vancouver Portrait (and Floral) Photography // Easter Portland Family Trip

These photos come from a family trip to Portland that we took last Easter. It’s actually the first time in a while that we all did something together, and although we are four people who know the precise ways to best drive each other crazy, this was a great trip, and I am remembering it fondly. 

Our first stop was to see the tulip fields, which bloom in Washington every year. Mom is absolutely obsessed with flowers of any kind, and in the spring and summer, I get at least a couple of texts a week of the prettiest flowers she has seen on her walks. In the fall and winter, sometimes she spends her lunch hour in a garden store, so then I still get my fix of her flower photography. Needless to say, she was thrilled to look at all the different colours and varieties, and I enjoyed experimenting with shooting straight down into the tulips. 

We spent a night in Aberdeen, visited the Kurt Cobain memorial, and continued on our way towards Portland. Shane and I have visited the city a few times before, but it was fun showing my favourite parts to my family, and together we discovered a botanical garden I did not know about. Everything was in bloom, and we even saw a bunch of Canadian goose eggs. 

At some point we also stopped at Cannon Beach, and I took them to my favourite place for grilled oysters called River View Dining. The couple who run it have been at it for over 20 years, and their grilled oysters “with everything” are one of the most delicious dishes I have had in my entire life. 

The best part of the trip for me was getting to spend time with my brother. We shared rooms on the trip, and it was probably the most uninterrupted sibling time we have had for years. It was nice to just hangout, I introduced him to Portlandia, and we watched a bunch of it together on my phone. When we got bored, we would go on late night food runs, and crack stupid jokes over burgers and milkshakes. Overall, 10/10 sibling bonding time, would recommend. 

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Svetlana in White Rock

My mom has always been one of my biggest cheerleaders. She has also always been down to be my model while I try new photo techniques. That is obviously because she is a smart woman who knows that she will end up with a bunch of awesome new photos of herself. 

For this shoot, I wanted to play with my different reflectors, so after I came to visit her in White Rock, we went to a nearby park, and set ourselves up. It was a bright sunny day, and I was able to get some different effects from the light and the reflector. 

However, my mom is not one to accept a passive modelling role, and insisted on photographing me as well. Thus, today’s blog post is a collaboration between my mom and I. You may be able to guess the photos taken by her because I am in them. 

Interestingly enough, I recently saw a baby photo of myself, it’s black and white and kind of blurry in a dreamy way, and I am laying in my bed. I went to ask my dad who he thought took it, because back in 92 it was obviously a whole process to take and print non studio photos. And to my surprise, my dad told me that maybe it was him who took it, because he was into photography as a young man! This totally blew my mind. I have been taking photos on anything I could for as long as I can remember, and somehow I didn’t know that this was my dad’s hobby as well. He told me about the darkroom he set up in his bathroom, and all the processes you had to complete to develop your photos. I really want to try this myself one day, just to understand photography in another way. 

This conversation was a good reminder that just because I know them as parents, doesn’t mean I necessarily know them as people, and it might take extra effort on my part to find out these things about them. I guess part of this realization comes from coming to an age where my friends are starting to have kids, and knowing that one day, trivial things about their lives could be important and formative to their offspring. So, next time I see my parents, I will ask them: “What is one thing I still don’t know about you?”

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Daniel on Okanagan Lake

Do you ever see something so beautiful that you just want to shove it into your eyeballs and into your heart so that you can remember it forever, because even an iPhone 11 panorama won’t do it justice? The Okanagan Lake is like that. We have done the drive to Peachland dozens of times, and every time I catch my first glimpse of the lake from the highway, I am filled with awe and joy and just a general appreciation of nature for being so freaking majestic without even trying. 

I love this lake. I love to swim in it, and boat around on it, and look at it, and of course, photograph it. I took these photos of Daniel on a cool fall evening. I love the dreamy peach light, and the meditative mood it sets. 

Daniel just celebrated his 18th birthday, and soon it’ll be time for him to graduate high school, move out, and begin his independent life. When Shane and I first got together, Daniel was just starting high school, and university seemed like forever away. And yet, five years later, here we are. Time, you can’t explain that. 

Daniel probably has more quality portraits of him that most of his friends combined. That’s what happens when you have a sister who takes a camera everywhere she goes. I think someday he will appreciate being able to look back and see himself growing up. These days he looks so much like our grandfather Valentin. 

Having such a big age gap between us has been a unique experience. For most people with siblings, your time before them was kind of hazy, or, if you are not the firstborn, simply nonexistent. For me, I had almost 10 years as an only child. Which was pretty awesome, because I got to just exist as a little princess with all the attention, and no need to compete (which explains why I am pretty competition-averse as a grown up). And then one day in February, I found myself at the Peace Arch Hospital, staring down at a wrinkly little baby (no one told me they’re wrinkly when they come out!). 

Now, only a few years later, that wrinkle is surprising me with his own adventures and plans and insights. It’s been so cool watching him grow and develop and form opinions, and I am grateful that no matter what happens, we will always have each other. Thanks mom and dad. 

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Christine, Adam and Seymour: Family Photoshoot

First of all, full disclosure: I am obsessed with the cat you are currently looking at. His name is Seymour, and he is the best boy. He is not the cuddliest, but he is goofy and zoomy, and so curious and athletic, and just overall a 10/10 cat. 

He came into our lives about a year and a half ago, when, after posting a picture of the cutest kitten I have ever seen on her instagram, our tenant Christine approached us, and asked how we would feel about them getting a cat. I immediately asked if it was the one from the photo, and when she said yes, I looked at Shane with the biggest puppy dog eyes I could muster. Long story short, they got the cat. 

It took them a long time to come up with a perfect name, so in the meantime, we called him a wide variety of things, the best by far being Señor Black Balls (because he has huge black balls relative to his little cream-coloured cat body, in case that wasn’t clear). Even as a kitten, he was great at fetch. He has these yellow rubber balls, and he would go crazy chasing them, and then he would grab it in his mouth, and bring it right back to you. Never did teach him to put it in your hand. He was also really interested in shoes as a kitten? He would find a shoe and climb into it, and that was pretty freaking cute. 

It didn’t take long for him to make it clear that he did not appreciate being shut out from the top floor of the house, which turned us from tenants and landlords into roomies who shared a cat. I will say, Shane and I definitely lucked out on that deal, because we get all the cuteness with none of the litterbox. 

Seymour is obviously our favourite, but Adam and Christine are pretty cool too. Adam is the chillest guy I have ever met, and also a pro snowboarder who does crazy things on his board, and somehow makes it look easy. He also plays guitar, and as his upstairs neighbour, I am happy to say he is very good at it. Christine is a helicopter mechanic, which is badass as hell, and overall just a funny, kind, down to earth person. 

It’s been great living with them over the last couple years, and I simply had to take some family photos of them with Señor Black Balls while he was still small. The result is pure cuteness.

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Pumpkin Patch with Nina

This is one of my all-time favourite sets of photos. When Nina and I decided to go to the Richmond Country Farms pumpkin patch, we were hoping for a nice sunny day, but as we drove from Kitsilano into Richmond, it felt like we were driving into a dense milky cloud. Not to be discouraged, we donned our boots, and set off on our mission.

I have been coming to this pumpkin patch since I was a little Russian girl and another more Canadianized Russian girl and her mom took me here, and said it’s fall and this is Canada, and we must ride the tractor, and go into this muddy field and choose a good pumpkin, and then bring it home and then carve something into it, probably  a face but maybe something else, you have options in this regard, and in my humble opinion it's the best pumpkin patch out there.

If I am going to be heading out to a field to choose my perfect pumpkin, I want the whole experience to be as corny as humanly possible, and in that respect, Richmond Country Farms delivers. They have it all: farm animals, a band made up of singing vegetables bobbing around to country music, a pile of hay bales to play in, mini doughnuts and poutine for snacks, a tractor ride to and from the field, complete with a country singalong, and halloween scenes along the way. You can see skeletons and various other spooky characters, and also, an orange elephant for some reason. This one really boggles me. Like was another business offloading an elephant statue, and the enterprising owners thought: “perfect, we will paint it orange, it’ll look super seasonal”? In any case, it’s there and you will see it if you go.

On this day, the fog set a spooky mood in the patch. I'm not really one for scary movies, but I had fun getting these somber atmospheric shots. The colours just worked so well (fall is the undeniable winner for best-coloured season). Shout out to Nina for being an interesting photography subject in particular, and just a lovely human in general.

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Family Photoshoot with Hannah, Rob and Owen!

Get ready for some family cuteness! 

I met Hannah at my first position with Transport Canada. I was a co-op, and she was recently graduated, and fresh off her honeymoon. We quickly bonded over our shared work struggles and personal lives. She was there on the day of my first date with Shane, watching me excitedly await the end of the work day, and she was there for our early days, when I needed input on a text I was sending, or when I just had to vent because boys are stupid. Basically, I was pretty needy and she was pretty amazing about the whole thing, and I am forever grateful. 

Meantime, she was starting her own marriage to a great guy named Rob. They are a couple who compliment each other well. Every time I talk to Hannah, she tells me of their self-improvement efforts; they are always striving, and dreaming big. It was always a treat to visit them at their cozy apartment: they put out an excellent snack spread. Hannah was also the person who introduced me to the Vancouver drag scene, and set me off on a lifetime love of all things drag. 

You can’t imagine how excited I was a couple years later, when, no longer working together, we sat on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery and she told me she was pregnant! The result was this awesome little boy Owen. When he was born, Hannah, our mutual friend Kendra and I scheduled weekly lunch dates, so we could catch up and see this little chubby-cheeked cutie on a regular basis. Now Hannah is living on Vancouver Island and we don’t get to see each other as much, but you better believe that her, Kendra and I are still scheduling weekly lunchtime phone calls to stay connected. 

I took these photos of Hannah and her family on a sunny fall afternoon in Stanley Park. When it comes to toddlers, you can’t do much in terms of direction, so I enjoy just going with the flow, and seeing the fun, candid shots I can get.

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Downtown with Marie // Part 2

Here comes part two of my photoshoot with Marie! This set had so many photos I loved, so I had to split it into two. One of the things that really makes these photos stand out for me is Marie’s amazing style. I don’t know how she does it, but she has the ability to put things together into stunning looks that I would never in a million years conceive of. She is the queen of thrift stores, and is always finding such unique pieces. I’ve gone thrift shopping with her before, and it is a real treat. 

Marie has a keen understanding of her body, and how to pose. She is so comfortable in front of the camera, that all I have to do is show up and shoot, and we make some awesome stuff together. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship, because I get all these shots I love, and she gets new quality photos for her social media (and perhaps a dating app or two). Pro tip: photos like these work way better than a mirror selfie or a group shot you awkwardly cropped your friends out of. 

Vancouver is constantly in a state of construction right now, and it was fun walking around and searching out good spots to shoot. Some of the things in the background of these photos are already gone actually, so this is a little bit of history preserved in a way.

It’s funny, I photograph a lot of different people, and some days I feel equal parts photographer and therapist. Something about being captured on film (or a memory card), makes people open up about their insecurities. I get where they are coming from; it’s hard to face head-on the things you wish were different about yourself. However, I also know that there will 100% come a day when each of those people will be grateful to have those photographs of them. It will take time, but they will see their own beauty one day. 

I love the wistful feeling of these photographs, especially the ones on the water. To me it’s Vancouver personified. 

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Downtown with Marie // Part 1

It’s honestly a wonder that this is the first time Marie is appearing on my blog, considering how much fun she is to shoot with. We have one of my favourite meeting stories, it’s almost a meetcute. In the summer of 2014, my friend Steph planned a Victoria girls weekend, and invited me, and her friend Marie. We were so excited to go, and had our hostel and everything booked. Unfortunately, a couple days before the weekend, Steph got really sick, and couldn’t go anymore. I was bummed, but feeling brave, I told her that if this Marie chick still wants to go, then I’ll go too. 

Turns out Marie was a magical unicorn of a person, and I am so glad we met. By the time we got off the ferry we were fast friends, and the friendship was quickly cemented at an Irish pub over copious amounts of Summersby cider. We had a great time exploring Victoria, making goofy inside jokes, and at some point even ended up inside Big Bad John’s with its peanut shell covered floor, which might have been poor decision making, considering Marie’s deathly peanut allergy. But she is still with us, so disaster was averted. Fast forward to today, and she is one of my bridesmaids. 

Marie is so plugged into the culture of Vancouver, and has brought me to some of my favourite concerts and events. She is also super down to see a band or a play or whatever else whenever I have a spare ticket, and I love her for it. We have done a lot of cool shit together over the years, including fringe shows, concerts at rickety East Van venues, Glam Slam (which is a whimsical combination of pro wrestling and burlesque, and you should definitely check it out if you haven’t been), and gothy dark 80s dance parties in a warehouse. 

Marie is incredibly fun to shoot with, and I am pleased to share this series I took of her in the fall in Vancouver. I love her look, and I just think we work so well together. Keep an eye open for a second part of this shoot. 

Vancouver Portrait Photography // A Day Up at Jones Lake

Jones Lake, located up a dirt road between Vancouver and Hope, is a spot that means a lot to me. Growing up, my dad discovered it for its fishing potential, and we would go up at least once a year in various configurations, including my immediate family, my cousins, and once, even my grandparents who were visiting from Russia. My late grandfather was an avid fisherman, and his remark of “I wonder if there’s any fish in there” when passing any body of water, is something I still repeat. 

The summer before I started university, I went up there with a group of friends from high school. It was a very different experience than being up there with family, and it’s one of my favourite teenage memories. We ate hot dogs for all 3 meals, and had great talks and I think someone even brought up a ukulele. 

I was so excited to show this spot to Shane, who has driven by the marker for Jones Lake for many years on his way to the Okanagan, but never went up. On our second anniversary, we took his sky blue van up there, up the treacherous dirt road with at times quite a steep incline. I will be honest, at times I didn’t think we would make it, but make it we did, and we spent a glorious weekend making fires, eating snacks, and reading in the comfort of the van, with the bed Shane installed in it. 

These photos come from a day trip we made up there a while ago. It was a sunny fall Saturday, and since we both love driving around, this gave us somewhere to drive to. Shane went out and got us everything we needed for a charcuterie plate (not pictured), including smoked salmon and meats, cheeses, olives, and baguette. We spent a peaceful day by the lake, mostly just focusing on the amazing fire we were making. How are fires so hypnotizing?

At some point, a car parked on the road near us, an older couple got out, and set up their own little spot. Soon after, the man began to play guitar and sing. He was wearing the most amazing pants, and had a beautiful singing voice. After some convincing by Shane, I gathered my courage and walked over to ask whether he would let me photograph him. I learned that his name was Len, and hers was Cristina. We started chatting, and it turns out that he was Slavic, and an avid photographer as well. He used to photograph all kinds of cool bands back in the day. I treasure the experience of meeting this fascinating man,, and I’m glad I have these photos to remember him by. 

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Daniel on a Motorcycle

Daniel tries out a trials bike while in Peachland for Thanksgiving // Vancouver Portrait Photography

Thanksgiving is one of my brother Daniel’s favourite times of the year. For the last few years, every Thanksgiving my family and Shane’s family come together in Peachland to enjoy a weekend of fall activities and delicious food. Daniel particularly looks forward to the turkey dinner, prepared by my lovely future mother-in-law, Clare. Being born in Canada but growing up with Russian parents has made Daniel crave those Canadian traditions, and Thanksgiving makes us all feel a little more Canadian.

We were lucky enough to have good weather for most of the weekend, and we made the most of it. We went off-roading, picked mushrooms, went to an apple barn, enjoyed wine and picnic at a winery, and had many, many campfires. In BC, the period between fire bans and torrential downpour is short, and we must make the most of it by having a campfire at every opportunity.

The first time Daniel came up to Peachland he was 13, so now he is 16, and it has been so interesting watching him morph from my kid brother to a young man who is now taller than me and helps me decide if clothes are “cool”. Daniel recently started dreaming of buying his own motorcycle, and Shane decided to help out by teaching Daniel how to ride a dirt bike. Daniel started off with a trials bike, which is tiny, and made for climbing and precision maneuvering. Worst of all, it has no seat so you are constantly standing. Daniel did surprisingly well! Over two days of practicing he went from complete newbie to being able to effectively go up medium hills. Didn’t even fall once! Seeing him be so concentrated and improving made me feel like a very proud older sister.

I love these shots of him riding, and I’m grateful that he always puts up with posing for me, because he knows it will be worth it when he is getting all those Instagram likes. If your Instagram feed needs an upgrade, contact me today!

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Granville Island Modelling

Ksenia models her new trenchcoat and Andrei drops in for a few couples photos // Vancouver Portrait Photography

I follow Ksenia on Instagram, and I remember when a couple of years ago she posted some photos of pillows and sleep masks she made and embroidered. I thought they were cute, and a fun side project, but I would have never predicted that she would grow a whole online clothing boutique. These days she designs and sells all kinds of clothes, from dresses, to PJs, to shorts, pants, blouses, and now she is selling trench coats! She brought one with her to Canada to photograph, and I thought Granville Island would make a great location.

Granville Island is my favourite part of Vancouver, I love the views, the market, the cute shops and cozy cafes, and all the street art and performers. It’s where I go when I need cheering up. I chose a few different spots to shoot with Ksenia in her trenchcoat, because Granville Island has no shortage of picturesque backdrops. The sun was setting, and we were making the most of that cool, purple light.

Ksenia is always dancing, which helps give the photos a light and candid vibe. It always cracked me up when she carefully brushed out and arranged her long tresses, referring to them as her “Instagram hair”.

Her husband Andrei is a huge jokester and could not stand idly by while Ksenia was getting all the attention, so he snuck in for a few shots, picking her up and twirling her around. I love the way their energy is so similar and they egg each other on. I loved photographing them, and I will love photographing you too. No matter if you are in a couple or happily single, let’s shoot some great photos!

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Tunnel Portraits

Using natural light and a tunnel to create stunning portraits // Vancouver Portrait Photography

One of my favourite Okanagan activities is biking around the Myra Canyon. This area used to be part of the Kettle Valley Railway, built at the turn of the last century, and is now a walk/bike path right at the steep edge of the canyon. There are 18 trestle bridges, which are old timey and ornate and great to look at and photograph, and also two tunnels.

We brought my cousin and his wife here during our time in the Okanagan, and were delighted to see that although fall was in full swing, the bicycle rental shop was still open. The weather was doing some weird stuff, going from bright and sunny to instant rain, and the attendant was kind enough to provide us with yellow and red plastic ponchos so that we could enjoy our biking adventure without getting drenched.

As soon as I remembered that this bike ride goes through tunnels, I got so excited because some of my favourite photographs come from tunnels. I declared that on the ride back we have to stop and take photos there, and everyone reluctantly agreed, although I could tell they were confused. There was so much breathtaking scenery around, why would I want to take photos in a dark tunnel? Luckily I knew what I was doing, and when my companions saw the photos; the even light, the sharpness, the contrasting dark background, they understood why I was so excited. Lighting is everything in a photograph, and I love being able to use my surroundings to create high quality photographs. If you are looking for some great photographs of you or your loved ones, contact me today!

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Suzy Gets a Flower Skirt

Quick Instagram-inspired shoot with Suzy downtown Vancouver // Vancouver Portrait Photography

Suzy is a regular in my shoots and on my blog, and I love how much she loves taking photos, and how we are always coming up with fun new things to try. Recently, she came to me with some photos she found on Instagram of girls using forced perspective to make skirts for themselves out of flowers. I thought it was such a colourful and creative idea, and we decided to give it a try.

I am lucky to have a great flower shop I frequent downtown called Flower D’Amour, where the florist hooked me up with a couple of free flowers when I told him about our idea. Suzy and I wanted to find a location nearby, and I brought us to a small park across the street from Queen Elizabeth Theatre. If you’ve ever been there, you know it’s not much to look at. It’s tiny, surrounded by concrete buildings, and not the cleanest place, but that’s why I love photography, because with some creative positioning and depth of field, the photos, especially the ones of Suzy holding the flower with a blue background, look downright tropical.

I love how these photos turned out, they are cheerful, the colours pop, and I am excited to shoot more vibrant portraits!

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Exploring Some Colourful Walls with Stephanie

Steph makes the most of the end of summer with some fun portraits // Vancouver Portrait Photography

North Vancouver is still a relatively new city for me, and I love discovering new parts of it. Recently, I was in a new, more industrial part of town, trying out a vegan ramen place called The Workshop, when I noticed that many of the businesses were painting their walls and garages in fun different colours! I saw blue, pink, green, orange and red, and knew I had to come back there soon and shoot.

The opportunity presented itself shortly after, when Stephanie and I found the time to finally get together and shoot some portraits. I know Stephanie from my UBC days, we have seen a lot of growth and change in each other’s lives, and I am so glad to have her as a friend.

This day turned out to be one of the last nice days of summer, I was grateful for the great light, and I am sure Steph was glad she could still wear a romper without freezing. We took our time with this shoot, and explored all the different background options. It was my first time shooting with Steph and I loved how much fun she was having with it, trying out poses and coming up with ideas for props. I think her playful nature really comes through in these photos, and I can’t wait to come back to this location and try out some new ideas.

If you are in need of some colour in your life, contact me and let’s go shoot some fun portraits!

Vancouver Portrait Photography // Suzy in the Sunshine

Natural Light Headshots for Suzy // Vancouver Portrait Photography

I met Suzy when I came to UBC and rushed a sorority. She was instantly so friendly and sunny and we just got on like a house on fire, so it wasn’t too much of a surprise a when a couple months later she was revealed to be my big sister within the sorority. She is all of 5 feet and 1 inch, and I always get a kick out of how I got the world’s tiniest big sister.

One thing you have to know about Suzy is that she loves to eat, and knows all the best places in Vancouver for any kind of food. She is like my own personal Yelp, and I have never had a bad meal with her. She was recently  on a trip through Asia, and her Instagram stories of ramen, sushi, and pho were making me drool on a daily basis.

With her love of food, it’s no surprise that Suzy is now becoming a dietician. She is studying, working, volunteering, and still somehow finds time to see her friends. I honestly don’t know how she does it.

For this shoot, we headed outside to shoot in the natural light and contrast Suzy’s beautiful pink dress with some greenery. I love that Suzy is down for anything, and happily knelt down beside my flowerbed when I assured her that those yellow flowers will look stunning in the background. These shots turned out great, especially for a quick impromptu shoot, and I can’t wait to see one on her dietician profile.

If you are a professional and are in need of some new headshots, contact me today for all your Vancouver headshot and portrait needs.