Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Canada’s most beautiful season is here and for families, especially newcomers in the country, it’s the best time to update your family photos
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez
Filipino-Canadian photographer Raymond Lopez says it is the busiest season for photographers because “the colors and feels of autumn” just make everyone want to take photos.
Lopez developed his love for photography as a hobby in 2008 but it became a side hustle when his family moved to Canada. He has been doing portraits, pre-nuptial, wedding, maternity, newborn and themed shoots for clients, mostly Filipinos, in Saskatoon since around 2013.
He takes inspiration from famous photographers like Jerry Ghionis, Ana Brandt, and Vancouver-based Charlotte Gamache. He also looks up to his friend, James Montano of General Santos City, Philippines.
But in the age of smartphones, how do photographers keep themselves relevant to their clients?
“Photography, for me, is an art and a science. Photographs also form part of history,” he said of his craft.
What smartphones cannot do, he added, is allow a trained professional from the other end of the lens see the other person and capture who they are and what they feel at an exact moment a picture is captured.
“Whether it’s a family member, a friend or a complete stranger who allows me to see who they are and what they feel, it’s very interesting and fun for me. But it’s not an easy job–the frustrations in coming up with concepts and the perfect timing in taking a single shot—are something we deal with seriously. We are trying to preserve moments that our clients can keep and enjoy for a long time. I love what I’m doing and, somehow, it’s good money,” he added.
He encourages his clients to share their photos online because it helps with marketing their services.
Both his loyal clients and the new ones are also into trends they see online, which increases the chances of his works being shared and bring in more potential customers.
While he and his wife, Twinkle, who assists him during photo shoots, help their clients achieve a particular trend they want, they also come up with new twists and changes to the poses and props to make the shoots more unique for each client.
Like any father, Lopez also loves to take photos of his daughters. But he hopes they will develop a love for this form of art in the future.
“Hopefully, my kids will enjoy photography, too, someday,” he said.