Winnipeg Engagement Photographer

Love Story Sessions for Couples Who Want Something Real

The best engagement sessions don't feel like a photoshoot. They feel like a good evening with your person, that happened to be documented.

Most couples who come to me looking for an engagement photographer show up a little nervous. They're not sure what to do with their hands, they're worried about looking stiff, and they've seen enough generic park photos to know they don't want that. Here's what I tell every couple before we start: don't try to look like anything. Just be yourselves.

If you tease each other, give me that. If you're the cuddly, close type, give me that. Whatever you are as a couple, that's what we're here to find. I'm not looking for a performance. I'm just looking for you. That's what engagement photos in Winnipeg should feel like, and that's what I'm here to make happen.

What I Actually Do During a Session

I'm not handing you a list of poses and ticking boxes. I give you something simple to do, then step back and let you exist in it. We might start with a walk. Then I'll have you stop and face each other. I'll move you into something a little more playful, maybe a run, maybe a skip, maybe I just walk away and let you hang out there for a minute. The whole time, I'm watching for the real stuff that happens between the directions.

My one rule: stay connected. Hands on each other, not in pockets. That's it. Everything else I'll guide as we go. Most couples tell me afterward it was way more relaxed than they expected, and that's exactly the point.

What comes out of that is a mix of candid moments and more intentional, story-driven frames. I'm giving prompts and direction the whole time, but there's no stiff posing. That's not just a style preference, it's practical. If it feels stiff, it looks stiff.

These Are Called Love Story Sessions for a Reason

I call engagement sessions "Love Story sessions" because that's what they're supposed to be. Not a photoshoot. Not a portfolio exercise. A chance to document who you actually are as a couple, somewhere that actually means something to you. Before every session I send a short questionnaire, not logistics, just questions about your relationship. Where you met, what you do together, what matters to you. By the time we show up, I already know where we're going and why.

One couple had zoo passes and went regularly together, so we built their entire session around that. We spent time with their dog beforehand, then headed in. At one point we camped out near the polar bear enclosure, hoping they'd actually come out. They hadn't been active, and there was no guarantee. But I knew it was worth waiting, not because it would make a great photo, but because it actually meant something to them. Eventually one launched into the water right behind them. That's the photo they have on their wall now.

I've had couples canoe together on the river. I've had couples longboard through Birds Hill. Downtown Winnipeg, the Legislative Building, The Leaf, the Exchange District, these are all beautiful, and I shoot at them when it fits the couple. I always ask, because sometimes there's something there worth building around. One couple originally booked a session at Birds Hill because it looked beautiful and they'd seen it before. When I read through their questionnaire I noticed they mentioned paddling together on weekends, so we made a last minute change and got the canoe in the water instead. It became a completely different session, and a much more meaningful one.

If you're still figuring out where to shoot, I put together a guide to engagement session locations in Winnipeg.

How This Helps on Your Wedding Day

This is the part most people don't think about. When we've already shot together, something shifts on your wedding day. You settle in faster. You look to me less for direction. The trust is already there, so instead of spending the first twenty minutes getting comfortable, we get straight to it. That's when the wedding portraits stop feeling like portraits.

That's why I include a Love Story session with every wedding I book. It's not mandatory, just strongly encouraged, because I've seen firsthand how much it changes the day.

A Few Things Worth Knowing

I've been photographing weddings and engagement sessions in Winnipeg since 2010, and I won the 2024 Canadian Wedding Photographer of the Year award. I mention that not to stack credentials, but because it might help you feel confident reaching out. My approach is documentary and story-driven, and if that sounds like what you're looking for, I'd love to connect.

Ready to Talk?

If you're planning a wedding and want a photographer who actually gets to know you before the day, I'd love to hear from you. Head over to my Winnipeg wedding photographer page to learn more about how I work, or reach out directly and we'll go from there.

If you're looking for a standalone Love Story session, I do occasionally have availability for those too. Just let me know what you have in mind.

Planning your wedding? Head over to my Winnipeg wedding photographer page to learn more about how I work.