My Philosophy
Your wedding reflects who you are - the people you've chosen, the space you've created for connection, the care behind every decision.
It's not about performing a perfect day.
It's about the people who show up and the genuine moments between them.
If you're uncomfortable being the center of attention all day, or worried photography will pull you away from what matters - that's what my approach solves.
You'll have a photographer moving through your day with calm presence, reading when moments need space and when a little direction helps. Portraits get designed around your comfort - efficient when you'd rather be with guests, or more spacious if that feels better.
Your friends and family will matter as much in your gallery as couple portraits. The relationships, the connections, the community you've built - that's your full story. You'll stay present with your people throughout the day, not separated for production.
When you look back, you'll remember feeling comfortable and supported, not just photographed.
Ottawa wedding photographer for couples who want to stay present with their people
Meet Shawn
This approach comes from years of learning how to hold space for people in moments that matter. Before photography became my full-time work, I spent years as a singer-songwriter - performing across Europe, South America, New Zealand, and Canada. Those years taught me how to read a room, connect with strangers authentically, and bring calm confidence to high-pressure moments.
Outside of weddings, I spend my time writing music, hiking, and taking evening walks with my fiancée Claire. We've designed a life around presence and genuine connection - quiet mornings, long conversations, time in nature. The same values you're bringing to your wedding day are ones I live by: presence over performance, meaning over documentation, how things feel over how they look.
Photography, for me, isn't just about capturing what happened. It's about preserving what it meant.
Documentary Wedding Photography For Couples Who Value Their Experience
You're not here to be on stage. You're here to experience your wedding day - to be with your people, to feel the moments as they happen, to celebrate rather than perform. That's what this approach prioritizes. You'll stay present throughout the day, grounded and comfortable, not pulled away for production or feeling like you're working through a photoshoot. The photography happens around you, not to you.
Your friends and family aren't background in your story - they're central to it. The relationships you've built, the way your people show up for you, the connections in the room - that's what makes your wedding meaningful. Your gallery will reflect that, with your community honored equally alongside couple portraits.
Your entire experience should feel easy, not just the wedding day. From our first conversation through gallery delivery, everything is designed to reduce stress, not add to it. Clear communication, proactive planning, smooth logistics - you'll never chase me for updates or wonder what's happening next.
On your wedding day, portrait time gets designed around your comfort - efficient when you'd rather be with guests, or more spacious if that feels better. I stay calm when plans shift and bring steady presence that helps you feel grounded. The whole process, start to finish, is built around ease.
Images that capture not just what happened, but what it meant. How it felt to have everyone together. The warmth of the connections. The moments that mattered. Digital and film can also be blended throughout to create a gallery you'll actually want to revisit, not just file away.
