Happy New Year !
Happy New Year everyone ! What a special way to bring in a new year ! One of my 2011 weddings is being featured in the 2012 Toronto Life Wedding Guide. I was also featured in the 2011 issue with Lindsay & Mark’s wedding. This is two years in a roll !! Thank you very much for ALL your support and wishing you a wonderful year filled with love, joy and new opportunities. Pick up your copy of Toronto Life today at local news stands !
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living with HIV – the first 13 minutes of each day
I spent a week living with a family in a rural village called Rubimba in Eastern Rwanda at the end of November. It has been 2 years since I first met and photographed Princess and her family. Living without running water and battling against HIV, Princess, her younger sister and her mother all rely on antiviral drugs to stay strong in their battle. This set of photographs were made during an early hour of one morning within a 13 minute time frame, shortly after they woke up to face yet another day. These photographs were made in hopes to eradicate the stigma that surrounds people living with HIV and continue to explore the deeper effect poverty has on the people suffering from the virus. These medications are strong and patients required a nutritional diet to be able to cope with the side effects. Over 60% of the population living in Rwanda earns less than 1$ a day. It is extremely challenging to have enough to eat; let alone having a nutritious meal.
what have I been up to …
It’s been a while since my last Blog post and it is time for a little update. I’ve been in Rwanda now for over two weeks, the first week was spent teaching a photography workshop at a Youth Peace Camp with A Peace Of Life . The last week I was visiting a rural village called Rubimba in the Eastern province, spending some quality time with my former students and their families.
When I first came here in 2009, there wasn’t electricity nor running water. Things are changing rapidly in this little landlocked country. As of November this year, the village is on the grid and there’s even a cell phone tower ! My girlfriend Kate generously donated her laptop to the students and now, they are able to connect to the internet using a USB modem. I spent the week teaching them how to resize and prepare images for the internet and we can now expect to see some regular updates on their project. This is a serious step towards our goal of reaching the global communities with their stories. Please support us by clicking LIKE on the Gafotozi Facebook page.
Laura & John – engagement in Niagara
Engagement session with Laura & John at Ravine winery in Niagara on-the-lake.
Tweet4 months new Amelia Golding !
I photographed Natasha & Geoff’s wedding 3 years ago. Look what they’ve made after tying the knot ?! A beautiful, adorable baby girl ! Congratulations !!
Wendy & Michael’s wedding
Wendy and Michael are from New Jersey and they’ve known each other since grade school ! They fell in love with the beautiful Niagara region and wanted to have their wedding at a vineyard. South Brook offers the perfect setting for their celebration and outdoor weddings are my absolute favorite to photograph. I love the large lavender wall at the entrance of the winery and the overall palette of the wedding party was simply stunning. Congratulations !!
Jessica & Andrew’s wedding
Remember Jessica and Andrew’s winter engagement shoot at the airport hangar ? Their beautiful and elaborate celebration was held at Casa Loma in Toronto. Jessica had a radiant smile on her face though out the day , making my job so much easier. Congratulations guys !!
sarah & ken’s wedding published in the wedding co.
Hip Hop Wedding
Photography by: Johnny Lam Photography
Ceremony venue: Lutheran ceremony at First Lutheran Evangelical Church
Second ceremony was a Sinhalese-Buddhist ceremony at the reception space
Reception venue: The Arta Gallery
Dress: Carlie Wong
Shoes: Loeffler Randall available at Augustina Canada
Ken’s suit: Tiger of Sweden from Lark in Vancouver
Flowers: Eco-Stems
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nicole & matt’s wedding
I met Nicole and Matt more than 15 months ago and I knew immediately that they are a match made in heaven. Both work as teachers, their sophistication and much refined taste are what I love most about the easy going couple. We had as much fun at the engagement session last fall as we did at the wedding in July. It was definitely one of the most emotionally charged wedding I’ve photographed this year. Congratulations Nicole and Matt !!
erin & evan’s wedding
Even’s family is from England and it cannot be more fitting to have the beautiful wedding in a castle ! Sophistications, elegance and charm, Casa Loma was the perfect place for Erin and Evan to celebrate their special day with loved ones. Evan’s grandfather was a photographer and had past down a unique twin-lens reflex camera for Evan and we used it in the photo shoot in memory of him. Congratulations Erin and Evan !!
Greek Island with Hasselblad X-Pan.
These images were made with a Hasselblad X-Pan camera during my visit to the most magical Greek island named Amagos. More to follow soon …….
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andrea and zach’s wedding
This was my first beach/cottage wedding of the year and it couldn’t have been more perfect ! Andrea and Zach had their ceremony and reception on a beach at Kincardine, Ontario. Their families and friends have been collecting vintage bottles for months prior to the wedding for the exquisite display of wild flowers as center pieces. Both working as creatives in Toronto, it was no surprise to me that they have the most unique and impeccable taste in their choice of decor for the wedding. Congratulations !!
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greek islands captured with iPhone.
Just returned to Toronto from two amazing Greek islands called Koufonisi and Amagos. I had an Xpan and my iPhone with me but the iPhone was what I used most of the time and the results are very impressive. The original images are very good when shot in high-res thanks to the decent little lens, but a bit too contrasty from the App Hipstamatic. With a little Photoshop help, I managed to bring out a bit more details from the shadows and lessen the blue tint slightly. Enjoy !
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sarah & john’s wedding
Sarah’s family is from Jamaica, and you know if you are Jamaican Chinese, you’re having more fun than any Chinese out there ! Sarah and John wanted nothing but fun and spontaneity during the photo shoot and we nearly kicked up a storm in China town ! Congratulations and thank you for the funniest photo shoot ever !
