Krista: Have camera, will travel

 

Image copyright 2012 Krista Fox

Have camera, will travel

  After more than a dozen years as a wedding photographer, Krista Fox has what many would consider a dream job --she specializes in destination weddings.
Every so often, she packs her bags and cameras and jets off to such exotic locales as The Bahamas, Costa Rica, Mexico, Hawaii, Italy and Australia, as well as working across Canada and the U.S.
Of the 25 or so weddings she shoots a year, maybe a quarter have been destination weddings although she has now decided to limit herself to maybe three a year. "I have a family, and destination weddings take me away from them and from work," she says.
Krista shared some valuable insights and experience on a recent visit to a photography class at Sheridan College. She typically arrives at a destination at least two full days in advance but not to lie on a beach, She's hard at work going to the wedding rehearsal and actively scouting locations such as beaches, waterfalls, landscapes and excursions; hotel concierges can a good source of local knowledge, she says.  Krista then stays on after the wedding day to do more relaxed photo sessions with the bride and groom.

Among her sage words of advice:

1. Do research before you leave.
2. Contact the local consulate of the country you are about to visit and ask about work permits and local regulations.
3. Back up your images and store them in different places -- your carry-on bag as well as your checked luggage, for example.
4. Carry you camera gear with you but be careful about weight limits for cabin luggage.
5. Have travel insurance and insurance for your gear. 
6. Follow though on what you promise. But don't set expectations too high.

• Krista's website is www.kristafox.com and you can email her at info@kristafox.com or call 416-824- 7659

Cupcakes on trial

 The verdict is in. These cupcakes were the best --  moist, perfectly sweet and totally yummy. 

And the design details were interesting too -- note the jagged drops of crystalized sugar against the smooth texture of the icing. 

These miniature masterpieces were the work of Avril Dureault whose company is called

  Sweet Surprise. She prepared them for our wedding shoot in Oakville on June 15 and we were all allowed to sample them -- including our wide-eyed Flowergirl Anna (right). You can email Avril at dureault13@hotmail.com

Handing out bouquets

 The bouquet above was just one of the splendid arrangements prepared by the Design Team at Flower Creations for our wedding shoot in Oakville on June 15.

The bouquets and boutonnieres were put to good use throughout the day and stood up remarkably well to what proved to be an unusual amount of vigorous handling. All in all, it was a tribute to the skill and craftsmanship of the Design Team.
Flower Creations are at 3100 Ridgeway Dr #39, in Mississauga. You can call them at (905) 567-9770or visiti their website at www.flowercreations.ca

Let them eat cake 

As wedding cakes go, this one was a chocolatey beauty. It was simple yet stylish, and satisfying to both eye and stomach. Take a bow, Oshawa-based cakemaker extraordinaire Cara Drew.
And if you like her work, do contact her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cara.drew.9?fref=ts
She would be more than pleased to hear from you.

Jumping for joy

  Lawyers are stern individuals, filled with gravitas and bound down by the weight of the law, right?
well, not so Brandon, who had a spring in his heels the day he and Emily very kindly took part in a wedding shoot at Sheridan College on a hot day in July.
   They provided be a great couple, full of joie de vivre and willing to strike lots of different poses. As you can see. Thank you both -- you really were such a pleasure to work with.

Isn't it romantic?

I have known Carol and admired her work for quite a few years -- she is one of Canada's leading travel writers, specializing in spas and romantic solo adventures.You can read some examples of her elegant and witty writing at wanderingcarol.com
But from now on, she won't be going solo quite so often, She and fiance Mark are tying the knot later this summer at the Roof Salon at the Toronto Park Hyatt. And we had a truly enjoyable engagement shoot on a windy, late-spring day in Oakville.  It was a real pleasure -- good luck for your life ahead, Carol and Mark!

Into the woods

It was a fun venue for a wedding shoot -- the ravine behind Oakville Town Hall. And we certainly had a lovely couple for our engagement shoot. The day was hot and the mosquitoes were biting but our couple bore it all with patience and fortitude. It was a dress rehearsal for the big day in July when all eyes (and cameras) will be on them once again. Good luck with your wedding -- we are looking forward to it!

 If you knew suchi ...

Sometimes, shooting condition at weddings are, well,  less than ideal. It could be the venue, the lighting, the lack of room to manoeuvre, any number of things. It takes a skilled and imaginative photographer to overcome such obstacles.
 This shoot, concentrating on wedding details, certainly had its challenges. But fortunately some of the results were great. And it was good to have the rubber duckies there too!

 Details, details

It`s all in the details. That`s a truism that happens to be true when it comes to shooting weddings. Pearls, of course, are always classy and never go out of style; I particularly enjoyed thc chance to shoot the antique and valuable double-string (above). And the wedding shoes (left) are actually those that will be worn by a lovely bride on her big day on July 20.