ryan macdonald PHOTOGRAPHY blog » Couple

Waiting for Gretchen – Nova Scotia Maternity Photography

Ryan — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 01:27:01 +0000

Today it was grey in Victoria, but I edited this set of images from Nova Scotia in August and it felt like summer all over again. This was my last visit with my best friend Jill before she gave birth to her awesome daughter Gretchen. I wanted to take some maternity photos for her, showing Jill as I know her. Jill is fun, she laughs, she loves her family and dogs, and she loves being at her cottage. This hot August day, we drove to the cottage to hang out with her family and swim. Jill didn’t know I was going to take her photo, I sort of sprung it upon her. She started killing herself laughing because she was in her bathing suit for the photos with her hair messy from the salt water, and just a few weeks away from having her baby. All I could think of was while we were university roommates at Mount Allison, how she said she loved the smell of sunshine on your skin after a day at the beach. To me, the images sum up Jill and Kris, and now they’re one person better with Gretchen. Love these guys.

Sandra + Aaron – Hotel Grand Pacific Wedding Victoria BC

Ryan — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 01:55:40 +0000

Sandra and Aaron are a fun couple to be around…they each have great sarcastic sense of humour. Sandra is from Ontario, and Aaron is from Alberta, and since they both live in Victoria, it seemed the best ‘middle spot’ to have their wedding. Friends and family flew in from all over to enjoy their big day. The weather couldn’t have been more cooperative in showing folks from away that it doesn’t always rain in Victoria. In fact, their wedding was on one of the hottest days of the summer. Their ceremony was at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, and the rest of the festivities took place at the Hotel Grand Pacific. Sandra’s grandmother kept us laughing pretty steadily during the morning, spurred on by an interesting article about sex and aging in the Globe and Mail. Not hard to see that the sense of humour runs in the family. Congratulations Sandra and Aaron!

Kelly + Sandy – Inverary Inn Resort Wedding

Ryan — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:10:13 +0000

What do you get when a dentist marries a fisherman? A big Cape Breton wedding, that’s what! Kelly and Sandy had their wedding in Baddeck at the Inverary Inn Resort, with the ceremony at St. Michael’s Church. We snuck away briefly after the ceremony for some photos along Water Street before heading back to party for the rest of the evening. The guests shut the place down, giving multiple encores to the band, and they definitely weren’t ready to call it a night! Cape Bretoners sure know how to have a good time!

Christine + Dave – Scotsburn Farm Engagement Session

Ryan — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:41:38 +0000

Christine and Dave wanted to have their engagement session at their farm in Scotsburn, NS. Their farm is beautiful, so we didn’t have to go far to find great locations, and we managed to beat the downpour (for the most part). Butter-Kitty was trying to hijack the session and get in all of the shots, but I suppose when you know you’re that cute, you deserve to have your photo taken! Happy farming Christine and Dave!

Lyndsay + Adam – Anniversary Pie in the Face

Ryan — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 18:30:18 +0000

Since Layton and Candace smashed pumpkins in October, it (sort of) made sense that we smashed pies in the summer. Or at least it made sense when I suggested it in February…as a bit of a joke…but we still did it. Lyndsay and Adam decided on cream pies, for the splatter factor. It was pretty gross, and turned disgusting when they kept discovering coconut up their noses at supper. Whoops. A crowd gathered at the beach when they saw the two pies come out of the bags and they cheered as Lyndsay and Adam smashed pies in each other’s faces. Talk about romantic! We saw every sort of light that day, from golden light overlooking Victoria, to pink and blue light at the beach…it was really a dream. Not to mention I can cross ‘Photographing married couple smash anniversary pies in their faces’ off my bucket list!

Lyndsay + Adam – Laurel Point Inn Anniversary Session

Ryan — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 17:56:59 +0000

Lyndsay Cotterall is a Vancouver-based photographer. She contacted me at the start of the year wanting to book a portrait session with her husband Adam to celebrate their second wedding anniversary. In her email she wrote that she wanted to top Layton and Candace’s shoot, and I was up for the challenge! Lyndsay and Adam booked a mini-island getaway to Victoria and we met up for their session at the Laurel Point Inn. They were running a bit behind (after driving all over the city looking for a grocery store to buy pies…this will make sense in part 2!), and I was waiting outside the floor elevator at the hotel when I saw a flash of blond run past. The next time the elevator doors opened, there was Adam…arms open for a giant hug. Quite the greeting from a complete stranger! He said he always goes for a hug first! We started shooting in the hotel room, and with the racket we were making jumping on the bed, I’m sure any neighbours who saw me head into the room with a camera must have thought something strange was going on inside! Lyndsay and Adam were up for anything so we took photos until the sun went down, and ended up spending just over 5 hrs together during their session. We met up with Jenna and Tristan for some supper at the end of the night, and talked non-stop like a bunch of photography nerds. It was really great to finally meet Lyndsay and Adam, and I look forward to more shenanigans with them in the future!

Sandra + Aaron – Hotel Grand Pacific Wedding Sneak Peek

Ryan — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 06:17:09 +0000

One image from Sandra and Aaron’s wedding today as I’m downloading images. So much fun with these folks!

Kelly + Sandy – Inverary Inn Wedding Sneak Peek

Ryan — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:52:40 +0000

Christine + Dave – Pictou County Engagement Sneak Peek

Ryan — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 17:05:52 +0000

A few images from my windy session yesterday with Christine and Dave at their farm in Meadowville, Pictou County. I really wanted to take that little kitten home, but I resisted.

Juliana + Jerry – Engaged Cape Bretoners in Victoria BC

Ryan — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 04:32:36 +0000

Hailing from New Waterford, Cape Breton Island, Juliana and Jerry are high school sweethearts. Jerry moved straight across the country to be with Juliana while she was attending UVic, and now they’re engaged! They contacted me wanting to have their engagement photos taken before they moved back to Cape Breton, as a way to commemorate their time in Victoria, and thought it would be suiting to have another Cape Bretoner as their photographer! We had a great time during their session laughing at the Vancouver Island ‘winters’ and telling stories about the bizarre locations people misplace our accents (Nevada…really?). I’ll be making my way back to Cape Breton two days before they get to move back home, but I can bet they’re counting the minutes until they see the words ‘Welcome to Cape Breton’ painted on the Canso Causeway! Congratulations on your engagement Juliana and Jerry…enjoy home.