Posted on September 8, 2011 by chantal Posted in Blog, Weddings
Fourteen years ago, Marie Pier observed me photographing her aunt’s wedding. She knew, then and there, that I would be her chosen photographer.
September 3, 2011 was the day she married her best friend.
The sun was shining. The weather was warm. The bouquets were stunning. The groom was handsome and the bride was radiant. Marie Pier and Ken chose the perfect day!
We started the day at the bride’s location to photograph her, the bridal party and family members. Then off to St-Gregoire-de-Nazianze Church, in Gatineau, Buckingham(sector) to photograph the groom with his best man and family members, followed by their exchange of vows.
While the guests headed to the Chateau Cartier in Aylmer to check into their rooms and for a cocktail party, the families, wedding party, bride and groom headed to the Theatre de l’Ile in Hull for group photos. There was no time to waste, so Marie-Pier, Ken and I went to the Museum of Civilization to capture their portraits.
Despite the heat, the humidity and long hours, Marie-Pier and Ken never stopped glowing or showing their emotions and love for one another. Their wedding images are simply stunning.
Congratulations to you both on such a beautiful wedding.
Posted on September 6, 2011 by chantal Posted in Blog, Family and Couples, Uncategorized
Send your photo, in a JPEG format (4×5 100 dpi), “WHAT WERE YOU THINKING’?'” to cbp@travel-net.com . Whether you were oddly dressed, trying to make a fashion statement in a certain decade, a bad hairstyle or makeup or even an weird location or pose. Basically anything that represents the title will do.
(No professional photos please due to copyright law).
Photos will be posted on my Facebook Fan Page in the album “WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?” Invite friends and family to “Like” my fan page at this link http://www.facebook.com/chantalbenoitphotographer so they can then “Like” your photo. The photo with the most “likes” will win a complimentary studio family portrait session and one 16×20 mounted and laminated. Value of $300.00.
Contests closes: September 30, 2011 at noon. Winner will be announced on September 30, 2011.
Session must be done at Chantal Benoit Photographer’s studio by November 30, 2011. Not negotiable, not transferable. Cannot be combined with any other promotions or specials.
Don’t miss your chance!! Submit your photo now before it’s too late.
Good Luck!
Good Luck.
Posted on September 1, 2011 by chantal Posted in Blog, Family and Couples, Tutorials
Even though it can be a pain, in the end, it really is worth it to document your family in each life stage. Use the Christmas season as your excuse to take that photo so you can use the images as Christmas gifts to people who have everything and you never know what to buy for them.
Here are some ways to make the entire family photo experience a positive one.
1. Schedule the photo shoot when kids are at their happiest. You can’t always get the time you want but if you have any control over this aspect at all, I highly recommend working your appointment around your kids routines.
2. Coordinate your clothing. While color coordination is by no means necessary for group shots, it can help the overall flow, avoid patterns. It’s okay if one family member has a simple stripe or a basic design, but too many intricate patterns detract from their faces. If in doubt, go with a simple, solid-colored shirt/top. When the whole group is in the same color, it keeps the focus on their beauty.
3. Go casual, especially if you have little ones, so it looks like the family is relaxed, having fun with each other. Make sure everyone’s hair has been brushed.
4. Sleep well, eat well. Make sure that you and your family have had something to eat and are well rested.
5. Think “mini-groups”. It is nice to have a family photo of everyone but don’t forget “mini groups”. While everyone is together, take advantage and do all the children with their own family, the grandparents and grand-kids, etc. A combination of photos can fill a large wall or make a nice wall composite.
I hope these tips were useful. Call today, 613-841-1469, to schedule your appointment.
Posted on August 31, 2011 by chantal Posted in Blog, Tutorials, Weddings
Weddings can be such an inspirational event. The grace, the charm, the elegance, the beauty, all things that make for great photographs. Everything seems possible on a wedding day. As a photographer, it would be ideal for us to be able to control all aspects of a shoot from lighting to setting to color to positioning. Unfortunately, during a wedding, this is just not possible. Some of the hardest shots we take are, on the move with less than ideal lighting, with very limited time frames, in order to achieve beautiful timeless photos that will capture client’s memories forever.
It seems these days, everyone with a digital camera call themselves a professional. They print up a few business cards, make a website, put up some inexpensive price list and start selling to everyone who wants to save money on their day. They photograph the entire wedding with their camera on automatic and give the clients a CD with badly edited images.
A wedding is a live photoshoot and not everyone can handle that stress. They have to be able to make decisions on the go and quickly to capture those timeless moments. Professional photographers are more expensive because they know what they are doing, they are experienced and educated in their craft.
Are those memories worth the risk?
Posted on August 25, 2011 by chantal Posted in Blog, Tutorials, Weddings
Great wedding photos serve as a fabulous reminder of your big day, so you want to make sure your photographer is knowledgeable, experienced and dependable. If your photos are done well, they will bring you years of pleasurable reminiscing, so choosing a photographer based on quality is important. You should start looking for your photographer well enough in advance to give yourself the time to find the right person and to make sure they book your event into their busy schedule.
Wedding photographers now have their portfolios online via their website or blog. Look at the style of the photography and assess whether or not that is what you are looking for. Some photographers are more candid, others are more portrait oriented and some photographers are both. The blog is another way of finding out some useful tips and information regarding weddings. During a consultation, the photographer should be able to show you the portfolio of a complete wedding.
Photographers offer different packages that will cover different parts of the day so be sure to clarify what the packages include. A second shooter is great to have along with the main photographer as they get to capture other details while the main photographer is capturing something else.
In addition to the quality and cost of the finished product, you will want to take the photographer’s personality into account. You will want to work with a friendly, take-charge person who will be able to function easily and comfortably and still deliver every shot you requested. An experienced photographer will be discreet during your ceremony and will respect the church or officiates guidelines.
If your photographer is covering the reception, you will need to plan for extra place-settings.
One month before the wedding, it is best to meet with your photographer to confirm the timing, the schedule, the locations and to make a list of photos, that you would like taken during the wedding. Make sure your photographer knows where you can be found (hotel name, address, room number etc). Taking photos before the ceremony will help the process and will also free up your time considerably after the ceremony.
Experienced photographers will be able to recommend locations for your wedding photos. Feel free to ask them for their advice. If you have a particular area in mind, discuss it with your photographer so that he/she has the opportunity to visit the area before the wedding.
Wedding photo albums are a great gift for the parents. Although computers are very convenient, it is very nice to have a tangible book so you can take it out whenever you want to look at them and to show your friends.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post, any comments are welcome.
Posted on August 11, 2011 by chantal Posted in Blog, Featured Company
Yes, we have a local winery!!! Isn’t that amazing!
Over the weekend, I celebrated my birthday, with some good friends, by going out to dinner. Before heading to the restaurant, we brought our friends to the Domaine Perrault winery in Navan, Ontario.
We were able to taste a few of their different wines. Did you know you can also book a wine tour, where you can see how things are done, sample their wine with cheese and patés or even see the wine cellar? We couldn’t pass up the opportunity, so we booked an evening in September.
You can visit their website for further information.
Chantal
