Hey, thanks for stopping by the Definition Photography blog. This is where we post updates, news and recent events that we’ve photographed so you can see what we’ve been up to. However, despite all the work that we put into maintaining the blog, the “real” websites that contain all of our work and tons of information about who we are and what we do are located somewhere else in cyberspace. The good news is that you can easily get there by clicking on the links at the top of this blog. If you want to contact Gary or Sheena, you can always click on the “contact” tab at the top of this blog, too! See how easy it is. Anyways, enjoy the images and we look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely, Gary + Sheena

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Sheena and I are so proud to announce the birth of Evi Eirys Bieler! She was born on August 30th at 3:49pm weighing in at 7 lbs 8oz. Sheena and I were guests at a wedding a couple of hours earlier only to wake up with Sheena having lots of “new” pains. When I could see that her excitement was turning into moans and aches, we finally decided to drive to the hospital. Once there, the doctors examined her only to rush her into the delivery room. Within 2 hours of getting out of our car, Evi was out and the wait was over! Remarkably, Sheena looked like she could go out and shoot a wedding right after which was very odd since I am the one that clearly remembers the new sounds that came out of her mouth when Evi was on her way out. I guess nature realized quick enough that if women actually remember the pain involved in delivering a baby, evolution would cease. So, we begin a new journey now but we will continue down the same path in life that we have already started on.

“A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.” – Author Unknown

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Last week, I had a great time at the Richmond Hill Country Club photographing the wedding reception for Jacob and Rudin. The couple met and were wed in Holland (where Jacob and Rudin now live), however, Jacob’s sister, Stacey, contacted me a while back to photograph the big event in Toronto. The weather was perfect and the guests were ready for a fun evening. Since I had not yet met the newlyweds due to their residence in Holland, it was a quick meet and greet before we had about half an hour for pictures of the couple. Since time was definitely a factor, we walked outside to the main entrance of the club since I noticed the lighting was great in that area when I first arrived. I also love converging lines so, using the brick wall beside us, I had Jacob and Rudin get comfortable (which was quite easy for them). After that, I immediately took the couple to the lower level of the club which I also previously scouted out. There were actually many club members walking through the pictures or waiting at the side so we didn’t have lots of time to waste. I especially loved the heart-inspired sculpture in the middle of the main open area so I tried to incorporate it into many of the shots.

After this, the party was getting started so Jacob and Rudin had to finally make an appearance for all their guests. I didn’t have time to take a couple of shots by the grand piano so, during one of the breaks in the reception, I pulled the couple out for some more pictures since I knew that, once the dancing was in full effect, this would be much more difficult to do. The band was great and the dance floor always seemed to be packed with guests. It was a great night and I was thrilled to photograph this fun reception.

We wish Jacob and Rudin a safe journey back to Holland and their brand new lives together!

Gary

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Wow, we are a little behind on the blogging since we’re getting ready for baby and busy photographing events. We shot Heather and Dan’s maternity pictures a couple of months ago, and now we had the opportunity to visit them again, this time with baby Sebastian, as well as Dan’s family in a park in Toronto. Sheena and I brought some external lights and a big umbrella with us which was great since it looked like rain at times. Dan’s family was so excited to spend time with Sebastian that taking pictures of everybody was so easy. Sebastian was fabulous and I don’t think he even cried once. All he did was pose for the camera and question what the flashing light was and why everybody was looking towards it. Well, in a couple of years he’ll understand.

We love taking family pictures after a maternity session to finally see how baby looks and to see how much happier people are once they start a family. We can’t wait for our turn!

Gary + Sheena

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About two weeks ago, Sheena and I visited the Godmans and Hawkers at their cottage in Port Severn, ON. We know how hard it is for extended families to get together due to everybody’s different schedules, so it is not often that we have the opportunity to photograph larger family groups. Sheena and I knew that we were requested to take a large group portrait of 15 people so our first challenge was finding a location to place everybody. The stairs to the main cottage were perfect. Grouping everybody into their family units was next followed by Sheena providing our on-location lighting (yes, she is very pregnant so I didn’t have her stand anywhere too dangerous). After the large group portrait, we moved to the dock where we took individual family portraits and had some fun.

The weather was great, however, taming the strong glare from the water meant that we were using all our lighting on max power so that we would be able to shoot and have the background expose properly (so that it wouldn’t be blown out). Most people tend to think that using a flash is ‘bad’ or to be used only at night, however, flash mimics the colour of daylight so it allows you to add light where you need it so that you are not stuck relying on available light (in this case, the sun, which popped in and out and was not the most consistent lighting that day).

The families were so much fun to work with and it was so nice for Sheena and I to get out of the city and enjoy the outdoors for a day.

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What a wedding reception I photographed last Thursday in Thornhill, ON. The reception was for Ashley and Shaul who exchanged their vows in Israel in July, but returned home for a Toronto reception where the party continued. The residence was breathtaking and included tennis courts, a luxurious swimming pool, beautiful sunflowers throughout the property and amazing guests. It was quite obvious just how much detail was put into the reception so it was a treat to photograph.

My favorite part was the extended horah that was full of energy, excitement and action. Normally, horahs are fun, but this one had character and seemed to go on forever. After some short speeches, everybody settled into either a sofa by the pool, assembled at one of two bars, or conversed by a flat screen LCD set up outside playing the wedding ceremony that took place earlier in the summer.

I especially loved the family dogs (being a dog guy myself) that also joined in the festivities all night. The weather was perfect, the mood was awesome and I was happy that Sheena was not there with me or else she would have noticed the kitchen that is, well, “larger” than ours, to say the least. It saves me having to explore possible renos at our house in the future.A huge Mazel Tov to Ashley and Shaul and we wish them a safe trip back to Israel where they can begin their journey in life together!

Gary

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Well, for those of you that don’t know the big news yet, Sheena is pregnant and we’re expecting our first baby in late August. So, for once, I was able to take maternity pictures at home of my own wife. There were some unexpected challenges to contend with like Mr Brown (our dog) insisting on being in all the pictures, the doorbell ringing, my phone ringing, me needing a snack break and having to put the camera on a timer/tripod so that I could be in a couple of the images with Sheena. Of course, we wanted Mr Brown in some of the pictures as well so we were happy that he waited patiently for us to finish. We didn’t want to put off the shoot much longer since we would run the risk of Sheena delivering early and missing the session completely.  I would get in big trouble for that! Now, we need to finish getting the baby’s room ready and I am pretty confident that one of these images will make it into the room in a frame on wall. We can’t wait for the big day!

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Congratulations to Ainsley and Peter who tied the knot on July 24 at the bride’s parents’ home in beautiful Haliburton, ON. Sheena and I loved the small and intimate setting of the wedding that was set in and amongst the trees backing onto a calm picturesque lake. We arrived early in the morning to photograph the fantastic details of the day and then moved on to capturing some fun moments of Peter getting ready to walk down the aisle. Then, it was on to the Ainsley and her two sisters, Kelly and Carrie, who seemed to be having a blast putting on makeup and helping Ainsley get into her dress.  The ceremony was set up on the back brick patio overlooking the lake and was serenaded by a very talented cellist.

Sheena and I really enjoyed the small wedding of about 50 people which was quite smaller than typical weddings that we photograph. It was very easy to feel the closeness between all the guests which created an atmosphere of simplicity and honesty that is quite rare to find at weddings. In addition to the stunning location, I have to highlight the amazing food and dessert table! Normally, when I eat at a wedding (as a photographer), I don’t have much time to sit and enjoy the food. At Ainsley and Peter’s wedding, however, the food was so good that it deserved my full attention. I was even strongly encouraged by some of the guests to try the various cakes which all seemed to be referred to as, “..the best!” or “…don’t forget this one, too!”.

It never gets tiring seeing two people so in love exchange their vows and step out into the world as a family. I could tell how comfortable and relaxed Ainsley and Peter were around each other when I first met them in March, but after looking through all the images of them, it really became quite clear that the connection between them is something very naturally, truthfully and unconditionally. Photographing a wedding is definitely a lot of hard work and always wipes us out at the end of the day, but looking at so many images of a couple so happy in love makes the work seem effortless.

Sheena and I wish Ainsley and Peter the happiest life together!

Gary

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This week, Sheena and I met up with the Jens and took some fun family pictures. Roland, Pam and Samantha all live in Toronto, but Roland also had his son, Andy, in to visit. Daisy, the dog, was phenomenal as well. I have never seen such a better behaved dog that consistently looked at the lens as soon as I called her name. We got lucky with the great weather and took the Jens to one of our favorite locations in Toronto where we do a lot of our engagement and family photo sessions. It was awesome to see the Jens so well prepared for the shoot by matching their wardrobes and enthusiastically posing for the camera. Since it was a bit overcast, Sheena had to hold up our off-camera lighting for the session. I always think I get nasty looks from onlookers for having an 8 month pregnant ‘assistant’ doing the ‘heavy’ work (which it’s not) while I am left holding the camera. Sometimes I even want to say, “… and I also don’t pay her!” Hopefully, all that dialogue just takes place in my head though. The Jens were awesome to work with and we wish them all the best!

Gary + Sheena

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Last weekend, Sheena and I had the pleasure of photographing the marriage of Heather and Trevor in Kingston, Ontario. The lakefront setting was picture perfect so I was very excited to photograph this wedding knowing what I was in for. First of all, it is hard to take a bad picture with the wedding party is very attractive so this was already a big bonus. But, all of the rich textures of weathered wood, dirt roads, warm sunlight, soft reflections in the docks leading to the calm lake waters. Well, you get the point. For a photographer, I was beginning to think that it couldn’t get any better than this… which it did. Read on.

Heather and Trevor’s wedding was an outdoor event at her family’s strip of cottages that lines the beautiful shoreline of a small inland lake. After taking pictures of the bride and bridesmaids getting ready in their own private cottage surrounded by windows and beautiful sunlight, the clouds rolled in. It didn’t take long for a massive downpour to roll over the area, but it did not put a damper on the day at all. Just as quickly as it rolled in, the sun came out leaving an absolutely perfect backdrop for the wedding ceremony. Then, the sky opened up leaving a stunning setting to take pictures of the wedding party and Heather and Trevor alone… with an immaculate Rolls Royce. Now, I’m not a huge car fan, but when a classic Rolls Royce rolls in and presents you with some photo opportunities, I quickly became one. I could have spend hours alone with Heather and Trevor and the car, but the reception was starting and the party was about to pop.

The reception was so much fun and photographing a wedding under a tent presents a lot of opportunities that you can’t get from shooting a wedding in a hall or other indoor venue. You really get a sense of family and intimacy with guests when you are so close to them. Once the dancing got started and the DJ turned up the volume, I knew it was the perfect ending to a perfect wedding. That is before the groomsmen stripped down on the dance floor and went skinny dipping. Sorry – no pictures of that on the blog.

We wish Heather and Trevor a marriage that is as perfect, exciting, fun and unique as their wedding. Congratulations!

Gary and Sheena

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