Cedna Photography | Approach to Authentic Storytelling

Personal Philosophy and Approach

I believe in bringing to life aspects that are authentic to each individual story. I am inspired by bursts of sincere and suspended moments, nuances that often go unnoticed and quiet gestures that speak beyond the obvious. I am a sucker for moments that live in between. I strive to always convey a mood in my images and to elicit emotion.

I DON'T HAVE ONE TYPE OR AN IDEAL CLIENT

I am here to create for anyone who connects with me and trusts me enough to be themselves. I believe there is beauty in diversity and that every story is valuable and unique. When it comes to the couples I meet, what’s of utmost importance to me is to build relationships which are based on genuine disposition and freedom to be oneself without limitation or pretense.

Whether you are having a small, intimate wedding; an elopement at a remote location or a larger gathering; whether you are introverted or extroverted, whether you consider yourself to be a simple or complex being or whether you love or shy away from having your photos taken – I welcome the beauty of it all.

LET’S NOT DO ANYTHING THAT FEELS FORCED

I believe there is greater value and meaning in the un-staged, unforced, non-awkward images than the ones where everything is meticulously staged, static and devoid of any emotion or worse yet, filled with awkward emotion. I am not a photographer who is going to move your hand, your chin or tilt your body to get the image. I am not a total fly on the wall either that is not going to engage and will merely blend into the background hoping something awesome happens. I am also most definitely not going to leave you to flounder, wondering what you should be doing because I know that feeling and it’s not a good one. For creative portraits and throughout the day I balance the truth of the moment with creative vision, optimal lighting and the environment and provide subtle direction at every step which allows you feel like yourself.

How I do things a little differently

ACTS OF SERVICE IS MY LOVE LANGUAGE

I believe in serving my clients with utmost attention to detail, care, understanding and empathy. Communication and trust are the core of my philosophy because I believe that the experience you have with your photographer strongly contributes to how you feel about your images after the fact. I love wearing multiple hats to help you get the most out of your day; whether it be helping you with your timeline, budgeting, getting ready for the wedding, providing guides and information – I always seek to help in whatever way I can beyond just being your photographer.

YOUR
VOICE

There is beauty and meaning in every story. I don’t create images for myself, I create them for the people who trust me with their personal and intimate moments. I drink up all the little details you share with me and I take great care to intentionally incorporate them into the images we create so that they are a true reflection of you in all of your forms. Everything from how I am interacting to how I photograph and edit my images is reflective of who my couples are and the energy I feel from them.

FEEL LIKE YOURSELF
& BE YOURSELF

When people feel comfortable and they feel like themselves it’s impossible to catch anything other than their true nature. Would you believe me if I told you that I only have a handful of images of myself that I like. I cringe at the prospect of having my photograph taken. It makes me feel self-conscious, tense and leaves me doing all sorts of strange things that are not me. My one and only favorite image is the one my daughter took of me when she was 5 years old, during a walk to the park. It remains a favorite because in the few seconds before the took the picture she created a space where there was no judgment or expectation, the moment was fluid and it put me at ease without much regard for what was happening. The power of that simplicity and ability to create comfort and trust is the space I strive to create at every encounter.

You ...

Value family, friendship and honest relationships and you appreciate artistic expression beyond the need for just another wedding vendor. You are dynamic, curious; you have insecurities and fears and you have hopes and dreams. You are not perfect but you are always learning and evolving. You appreciate individuality; you are drawn to photographic style and perspective that embodies traces of simple timelessness and captures mood and feeling as opposed to trends that come and go. You are not afraid to laugh at yourself or to embrace any imperfections that may arise during the day. You are multifaceted and you want to have your personal story documented in a way that is reflective of the real you, in all of your forms.