5 Questions // Lisa from Mint Photography

We love our industry and the vendors that make our community amazing, so we’ve decided to start a blog segment – 5 Questions – where we chat to different industry vendor about their chosen professions, and get to see a quick slice of what they do, and why they do it!

First up is photography, and we decided to chat with Lisa from Mint Photography. Lisa is a documentary wedding and family photographer based in Calgary, and has been behind the lens for over a decade. When she’s not behind the lens, she’s recording hilarious and thoughtful podcasts as one half of the NFF Podcast – a no filter podcast that dives into the behind the scenes of the wedding and photography industry! Make sure to check them out on Spotify, Apple Music or Youtube and subscribe!

What got you into wedding photography?

I started my photography business 10 years ago when my son was born. I knew that I didn’t want to go back to work at my traditional 9-5 office job. I was craving something more creative where I could set my own hours and connect with amazing people. I was dabbling a bit with maternity and family photography and then met an incredible wedding photographer, Sara Rogers. She asked if I would second shoot a winter wedding in Whistler with her and after that I was hooked. I was drawn in by all of the emotions and the excitement of a wedding day. I like that it kind of just unfolds around you and you can truly be a fly on the wall.

What kind of style do you specialize in?

Even after 10 years in the wedding industry I’m still learning and evolving. Lately I’ve been so inspired by a more documentary approach. I love giving people just enough feedback and prompts for them to feel comfortable and then letting them be themselves and capturing their genuine reactions, emotions and the authentic story of their day. I absolutely love being able to deliver a timeless gallery that captures the way the day felt for not just the couple but everyone around them. Anything posed and forced just doesn’t resonate with me anymore. In the day and age where it feels like everything is a performance for the gram I love those real moments where people are just being themselves.

What do you enjoy most about photographing weddings?

The reason I’m still in love with weddings after 10 years is the amazing people that hire me and the talented vendors that I get to work with. I’m always so humbled that they choose me to capture their wedding. We form a relationship leading up to their day but being by their side, meeting their friends and family, hearing all of the speeches truly makes me fall in love with all of them which drives me to deliver an amazing experience. I love how different each couple and each day is, it’s like a new adventure every Saturday.

What was the most memorable wedding you’ve shot?

This is a tough one! I’ve shot over 200 weddings and they’ve all been special in their own way. Some of the weddings during the pandemic were so special. I loved that couples figured out a way to make it happen and adapted their plans. It really put into perspective what weddings are about, which is the couple, their love and their nearest and dearest friends and family, no fluff. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a wedding with fluff! We just worked together on a wedding in Banff that was pretty amazing. The bride truly thought of every little detail, right down to blow up pink ponies on the dance floor for her guests to sing along to Pink Pony Club. Working on a wedding with a high budget like that is a lot of pressure but it’s amazing to see what all of the vendors were able to create and pull off. Including the best planner who did it all with a newborn baby strapped to her chest.

What advice do you have for couples looking for a wedding photographer?

Great question! Do your research. At the end of the day all you have left are the photos. You can’t get those memories or that time back so you really want to make sure that you hire an experienced professional that fits your vibe and will be able to handle anything that might come up on your day. When you’re chatting with potential photographers make sure to ask them to see a full wedding gallery. Anyone can post a few beautiful portraits of the day on Instagram but you want to make sure they can handle any lighting scenario and deliver consistent images of your whole day. Also, you get what you pay for! There’s always a cheaper option but photos aren’t the part of your day to skimp on. When you choose a budget photographer you’re also choosing someone with less experience and cheaper gear. I could keep going forever but my last piece of advice is to really think about how you want your day to feel. The more people, locations and events you include takes away from you being able to be present and for those candid moments to unfold. If you spend the day rushing around you’re probably not going to feel relaxed and in the moment. Work with your planner and your photographer to create a timeline that allows for a bit of downtime for you to actually enjoy the day with your partner, bridal party and guests.

Check out Lisa’s work at:

Website: https://www.mintphoto.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mintphoto.ca