Downtown Toronto Night Engagement Photos

Taking engagement photos during the day is a pretty standard approach to photography; the golden light of the sun is relatively easy to work with and is perfect in that one-hour timeframe before sunset.  Night photography, on the other hand, is an entirely different beast to be tamed but as you can see from these downtown Toronto night engagement photos, we’re pretty close to having it mastered!

I have always enjoyed photographing at night and I typically finish my wedding day by taking an awesomely epic night photo like I did at my Liuna station wedding last year.  Taking one photo at the end of the night; however, is must different than an entire session.

Wendy and Kwan were the perfect models for this (mock) engagement session.  Okay, they’re “technically” married – but they are so insanely in love with each other that they still have the passion of a newly engaged couple.  We shot these night photos in Yorkville – one of the nicest places in the city to take photos after-dark.  Keep an eye on these Yorkville landmarks; you may see them pop up again this year as these night sessions are growing in popularity!

If you’re a storyteller, as I am, transitioning to night photography may prove difficult.  While I love creating a delicately composed image, my bread and butter is from capturing those raw emotions; those moments in between moments that allow a couples true personality to shine.  I love; but I always make sure that I educate my clients about the differences of night photography and daytime photography because night photography is very structured.  There are very few candid moments captured in night time photos; the posing needs to be planned as well as the lighting.  If someone turns their head away from the light as they laugh, there will be no image captured.

So who is night photography perfect for?

I suggest night photography for those couples who are not only comfortable in front of a camera but who are happy taking very specific directions in regards to posing.  A session that is strictly night photography will result in fewer images than a session of the same length taken during the say; this is simply because it takes longer to create every image during a night session.  Those who are looking for this type of structured session will love night photography; those who prefer a more candid approach to photos should opt for a daytime session.

Thank you Wendy and Kwan for taking these engagement photos and helping create an educational blog post for all those wanting to learn about night photography in Toronto.