Why should you care about your portraits?

… Because they matter to the ones who love you.

Whether it is our parents, our children, or other loved ones, the portraits and photos we take are time machines that take us back to the moment the photo was taken. They transport our minds back to the memories of our loved ones so we may never forget them.

Unfortunately, we live in a time where diseases like cancer plague our species and it strikes those unaware and undeserving. Thus, I have decided to volunteer as a photographer for “I Picture Hope”, which is an initiative by Camille Denae where volunteering photographers offer free photo sessions to women who are fighting or have survived breast cancer. This is an amazing cause brought to my attention by Sue Bryce and I have joined the cause. All free sessions are meant to highlight the beauty of each woman despite what they are going through.

So spread the word, check out Camille’s site, and let’s make this cause known around the world!

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The Best Camera

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Raymond Photography © 2013

Raymond Photography © 2013

Many people always ask, “What is the best camera?”

I tell these people, “It is the camera that you have with you.”

Don’t get hung up on gear and equipment. While gear does help, it is more about using the camera you have with you and capturing the moments that mean something. The above photo was taken using my iPhone 5 when I was flying on my trip to Hawaii. You don’t always need the best gear to get great images. Work with what you have and instead put your efforts into composition, interacting with your subjects, and getting true emotions when photographing people.

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Finding Compositions in Everyday Media

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It may just be my photographer’s eye or an anomaly in my head, but I tend to look at composition in all kinds of media I see on a daily basis. From magazine covers, to TV shows, and especially movies, great compositions are all around us.

I’ve finally started watching the second season of Game of Thrones and it is chock full of photographic vision. If someone was to watch this movie frame by frame, they would see how well composed the scenes are, and how simple things like focus or lighting can emphasize the features of characters or even foreshadow future events.

So the next time you watch a movie, tv show, or even a commercial, look at it from a compositional point of view and see if you can pick out what it is that makes the frame compelling.

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Wonderfest 2013

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Raymond Photography © 2013

Raymond Photography © 2013

On Friday night I had the pleasure of photographing Wonderfest 2013 at the Gladstone Hotel here in Toronto. What really resonated with me while shooting this event was theme of empowerment for women. With my latest focus in my shoots around women and to capture their inner beauty through the lens, this was the perfect event to kick off the month.

If you’ve never heard of Wonderfest, do check it out at wonderwomenworld.tumblr.com

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Haunting

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Raymond Photography © 2013

Raymond Photography © 2013

It was a windy day at the beach when I made this exposure, and I knew the mass of trees would be perfect for a black & white styled image. This is a little work inspired by the little known, Hengki Koentjoro.

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