02/03/13 by Michael Lee | Portrait Photography | Comments Off
Photography in Downtown Vancouver’s Scotia Bank Dance Centre
Yoshiko was in Vancouver last summer and needed a photographer to take a few photos of her for her ballet portfolio. I had done her head shots a while back and I’ve always wanted to photograph a ballerina because of how graceful they look in photographs so of course I said sure! She routinely travels abroad to work in different performances and this set of photos would be used for more performance submissions and auditions. Below are some of the shots that came out of our photo session at Vancouver’s Scotia Bank Dance Centre. A couple of them took a few tries to get right as I had to figure out where she was going to end up in my frame. I also learned a bit about ballet and what the goal was for each pose. Ballerinas have some insane core strength and I can’t imagine how much practice goes into balancing on their toes! Hope you enjoy the set.
02/25/12 by Michael Lee | Portrait Photography | Comments Off
Portrait Photography
I recently did some portrait photos for Jenna R. a Vancouver Boudoir Photographer. The last time I photographed another photographer was a few years back and we shot their wedding. You never know what really to expect when photographing another photographer. Are they going to like what you shoot? Are they going to be really picky and critical? Well obviously if they contacted you they must like the work you produce!
Well it turned out to be a great session! It really helped that Jenna was also a portrait photographer. I started off telling her where I wanted her to stand and she pretty much did the rest. Often times us photographers have to give direction to our clients as to how we want them to pose. Jenna was used to giving this type of direction to her clients so it was natural. This was one of the easiest shoots I’ve had in some time! I can’t wait to see the photos on her new website!
06/23/11 by Michael Lee | Portrait Photography | Comments Off
Headshot Photographs in Vancouver
I seem to be doing a lot of headshots lately around Vancouver. Here are just a few from the last month. I’m getting an assortment of people who want personal portraits, corporate shots, actors, and performers.
Jessica wanted some one as she just completed her real-estate license. She plans to use them on her business cards, website, and other marketing related material (social media profile?).
Yoshiko needed a set for a ballet brochure program which she’s performing in later this year.
Johanna wanted a personal set.
06/03/11 by Michael Lee | Portrait Photography | Comments Off
Lifestyle Portraits in Vancouver
Every year Cynthia, Eva, and Eugenie meet in Vancouver to catch up on the past year. They all attended school here but now work in different parts of the world. I got the honor to take photos of them a second year in row. Last years photos were a bit more formal and somewhat more posed. This year we went for a very casual look and I let the girls do their thing. Watching them interact with each other you can definitely tell that they’re best friends and all very close.
Well without further ado here are some of the photos from the day. Mainly shot in the Vancouver Public Library, Vancouver Convention Center and a few in Gas Town. I’ll upload some more later today or tomorrow.
05/06/11 by Michael Lee | Portrait Photography | Comments Off
Dog Photography in Vancouver
A Dog’s Birthday.
February was the first time I had attended a dog birthday in Vancouver. Before then I never knew such parties existed! A group of dog owners will gather to celebrate one of the pet’s birthday. I didn’t really know what to bring as a gift so I thought taking a number of photographs for my friend and her dog would be a nice gift. I’m happy they turned out well and that the weather cooperated with us (insert Vancouver weather comment here).
Below are a number of photos from our pet photography session in Vancouver and Richmond. We ended up printing the photos and mounting them on foam core (total DIY). The final product turned out great. Now that’s all left to do is for her to put them on a wall.
Printed and mounted onto foam core. DIY using a sharp Olfa knife and some very sticky spray glue.
03/29/11 by Michael Lee | Portrait Photography | Comments Off
Model Portfolio Photographer Vancouver
Vanessa had always wanted a set of portfolio photos shot in and around Downtown Vancouver for the past several months but we just never had the chance. It was one thing or another, too cold, not prepared, busy, etc. Well we finally got around to these portraits for her portfolio sometime I believe in early January! Brrr. Yes it was quite cold out! The photos were shot around the Olympic Village by South East False Creek. We ended up with a good set after shooting for just over an hour. Thumbs up to Vanessa for bearing the cold and being a good sport about it.
Her jacket wasn’t my most favorite to photograph. 
This next photo is a little bit on the “hot side” (blown out). Fellow photographers will know what I mean.
02/14/11 by Michael Lee | Portrait Photography | Comments Off
Photographer Vancouver
Several weeks ago Jessica called inquiring about a photographer for a number of portraits she needed taken in Vancouver. Jessica is a vocalist and pianist and one of the requirements she had was to have photos taken with a piano. That posed a bit of a problem for me as I didn’t have access to one and the only one I could think of (at the time) was this grand piano at a woman’s club (since I had shot two weddings there last year). I was pleasantly surprised when she emailed back saying she found just the piano and location to shoot at, the Fairmont Pacific Rim. Why hadn’t I thought of that earlier I don’t know. I knew exactly the piano and lounge she was talking about (again having shot several weddings in the same hotel last year). Silly me!
It was a pleasure working with Jessica and getting a taste of her jazz tunes on the piano. Below are some of my favorite from our session.
01/31/11 by Michael Lee | Portrait Photography | Comments Off
The month of December was filled with corporate events, fundraisers, and a number of head shots for clients. Below are just a few.
10/03/10 by Michael Lee | Portrait Photography | Comments Off
Vancouver Portrait Photographers
This past weekend Tom for Mananetwork asked me to assist him with some couple photos in Stanley Park by Downtown Vancouver. As you all know the weather in our beautiful city can be hit and miss (a lot of times). Well luckily Arisa and Josh, from Toronto, were prepared and were up for photos either way, rain or shine. They came with some beautiful yellow umbrellas from the Umbrella Shop in Vancouver. Below is a set a of teaser photos from the shoot. The couple had great chemistry which made for some great engagement photos. Congrats to you two!
The ones below were edited by Tom.
And a nice one shot by Tom.
08/02/10 by Michael Lee | Portrait Photography | Comments Off
Vancouver Professional Portrait Photographers
Two weeks ago Tom Wagner had asked if I could come out and help with some portrait photos of Christina and Rikki in North Vancouver. Christina and Rikki are friends of Jimmy who’s wedding you might have remembered we photographed a few months back. Check out the wedding video if you haven’t already.
Christina and Rikki were fun to work with, they were game for anything we threw at them which is very uncommon. Usually one person doesn’t like getting wet or dirty (and by dirty I mean sitting on GRASS, yes some couples don’t like green “clean” grass). But these two were prepared to get wet and dirty, the type of couple a photographer would love to have. Below are some of the photos I captured during the session (Tom did the editing) and a few that I help setup. The photos were captured in Dundarave park.
Here’s a tip for other photographers, keep your eyes open. The below set of photos I had my other eye open watching the waves. Christina and Rikki were concentrated on me so they didn’t really know what was coming, well Rikki should’ve known but I think he was looking out pretty far or was already getting ready for the those waves. Christina had no clue, haha.
Tom captured the below and I help picked the location and setting them up. Rikki’s shoes got totally soaked but he didn’t flinch! Most guys would’ve been pretty pissed. He just shrugged it off. Made for an awesome photo though 
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Having two photographers on a shoot helps since we can cover two different angles. This photograph below was taken while the two were walking towards me on the beach. Tom was beside them.
It also helps with directing. One can be talking to the couple while the other capturing the moments. Sometimes the photographer may be quite a distance away and it’s hard to shout over long distances.
