Bikes and Graffiti | Megan + Graeme

I am a visual storyteller. I learn my couples and try to represent them as well as I can and as it appears in front of me, through the lens. But here’s the thing, I already know the hommie in these pictures, it’s my good friend, Graeme. He is the owner of Frontenac Cycle and has been my provider of all things bikes for many years. He’s a happy guy who never stops smiling, he’s kind and thoughtful towards the people who come into his store, a store that is a lot like what I would imagine it would be like to walk into Cheer’s back in the 90s.  Personally, I love shopping at places where you walk in and the owner is there and he/she knows you by name.

So, yeah. I know Graeme, so it was easy for me to bring out his personality. But here’s the twist, I don’t know him as a parent and a partner. So let the learning begin so that I can make real images that show who Graeme AND Megan are and who they are together in raising their little man, George. In my few interactions with Megan I’ve learned that laughter is a big part of her personality as well which makes for an extremely cheery set of photos. She humours Graeme’s sense of playfulness and gets right in there too. There’s nothing more fun that shooting a couple that goofs around together because let’s face it, life is better when you don’t take things so seriously! I was so pleased when Megan and Graeme asked me to photograph their wedding and I am really excited to have made a new friend in Megan and look forward to getting to know her better.

As always, I recommended that we photograph their engagement photos in a place that is meaningful to them as a couple. And so, what better way to start than with some photos with vintage bikes outside the shop, complete with George taking his first pedal strokes. The pure joy in his parents’ eyes was matched in his and I’m overjoyed that they have photos to remember this time by. The shoot was later in the afternoon and for my parent friends out there, you know that a 3 year old’s attention span can’t last long that time of day. So, Gran picked up the little man and took him for a meal while I got some time with Mom and Dad to make some portraits down at Doug Fluhrer park in front of some lively graffiti and our lovely waterfront until it got dark. Oh yeah, and we rode bikes from spot to spot….surprise, surprise!