Katya Nova Photography » Vancouver Wedding Photographer | Destination Wedding Photographer | Lifestyle Portraits { Intimate Narrative Documenting Your Love }

This week has been especially hectic for me because I’m moving my business and my life to beautiful British Columbia, Vancouver. Of course I fell into the trap of getting wrapped up in the little things. The messy, easy-to-forget, and frustrating. But I also been overwhelmed with gratitude, the kind distance creates. Gratitude for all things at my fingertips. For all the support, love, and the familiar. There’s a letter I got from my sweet girlfriend doing her masters in Montreal… It blew my socks off and brought tears to my eyes. I’m so grateful. Thank you for making me feel like it’s all worthwhile, K.V.!!!

“Hi babichka.
So, here I am. My head is spinning from everything I have been putting myself through for the last couple of months. I wish I could double the number of hours in a day to get everything done. 
I needed to recharge and relax, so I went on your website…..I’m not lying to you but I started to cry. Part of it because how simple and beautiful everything is, and I think lately I tend to forget. You are able to capture it so effortlessly and with such deep truth to it. I wish I could somehow get into your head and see the world from your perspective. It must be equally exhausting and refreshing to live it every day and I adore you for it. “

Happy Sunday… Say it out loud, it really makes a difference.

I was so honored to get Santana and Bryan in front of my lens, especially since Santana is no stranger to working it in front of the camera (please admire her on her page HERE). 

The day was chilly, gloomy, and pretty hectic for all three of us, but Santana and Bryan created warmth and magic… Their dynamic is fiery and playful, yet the moment they get close, they melt in tenderness. 

Check out our urban celebration of their engagement below! And if you come out for a wicked night out at Edmonton’s premier corporate lounge & nightclub The Bank, you may even congratulate Bryan, the GM, in person!

They say an engagement ring in the pocket of a man ready to propose can almost ‘burn a hole’ through it… So many emotions, sweaty palms, and the weight of just the right moment to blind the one you love with it. Tom not only picked the ring of Mandy’s dreams, but waited for them to climb a mountain together at Lillian Lake. Her eyes sparkled even more than the ring itself as she retold the story!

For the engagement photos we decided to explore the back alleys of Whyte Avenue - and had so much fun. Mandy rocked a bouquet of sunflowers - they just popped off the lazy autumn surroundings… 

I can’t wait to document Mandy & Tom’s wedding in July! Congratulations, my beautiful people. From the bottom of my heart. 

Some people succeed more than others - it’s a fact of life that can inspire or discourage. Some days I float on clouds, breaking out into a booty dance after booking another wedding or hearing the trembling thank-you’s of fans and clients, other days - I bury my face in a pillow or a bowl of popcorn and season it with tears of frustration and self-doubt after reading a few blogs of wedding photography giants. 

This roller coaster is never a ‘free ride’ and is the life story of many entrepreneurs, not just in the wedding photography business. Surely, an f-word is bound to come to mind at some point, so long as it’s not failure. Because that one word can drive you into the ground. 

I’ve recently devoured a great book by Malcolm Gladwell called ‘Outliers.’ It sheds light on many remarkable stories of success and … demystifies them. It’s easy to point your finger up at something shiny and dismiss its merit because duh, it’s a star. But in reality, more often then not, there is a stupendous amount of work preceding that effortless brilliance. Because practice is not something we do once we get good. It’s what we do like hamsters in a wheel until we’re good. And then we must keep doing it. 

The devil’s advocate on my shoulder is whispering that it’s not so simple. That being good and even great at what you do is just not enough. And often the timing must be just right for you to be the Oprah, Tony Robbins, Kawasaki, Tyra Banks, or Jasmine Star. To fill a niche, a void … and become the next iPod. 

We have to find ways to become a ‘viral inspiration’ and make whatever we sell a natural extension of our identity and personality. 

I’ve recently been practicing some funky hand balances in ashtanga class. And here’s the trick - once you find your balance, even for a second, you must look ahead and not at the floor underneath you - otherwise you will fall forward and hit your forehead. Hard. Trust me. So just do look ahead. Don’t jump up to reach the stars, and certainly forget that f-word. 

I’m off to do the booty dance, to the crackling of my popcorn. 

Happy Sunday… 

Thank you to the beautiful and talented Margo of EyeLush Photography for this shot of me…

I’ve always wanted an older brother. Always. Whichever way I huffed and puffed, I knew I probably couldn’t have one, after all, I was the first and only little one for my parents. But if I did, I would’ve wanted him to be like Jamil. Maybe he would’ve been too strict, shooed away boys, and had me smoking the Lebanese arghili pipe with him when I was 10, but it would all be worth it. I’m not complaining - I fell in love with his best friend. 

I promised Jamil some ‘GQ-style’ photos that are still laid back, and here is what we came up with. Mick came along too, and we had a blast strolling through the Lewis Estates golf course, hiding from flying golf balls, and running through a sprinkler (a big one!!)  I really tried to convince Mick and Jamil to pose for me in ’same-sex couples portraits’ for my portfolio (after all, Mick and I are now living in Vancouver ), but they did a pretty darn good job looking straight as a die! 

Jamil is one of the warmest, geniune, witty, and dependable people I’ve known. And his signature subliminal ‘nod’ is masterful - it would convince an Eskimo to buy snow. Wait for it, ladies … Jamil is intermittently available to be swept off his feet! 

He is her rock. And her eyes are full of love. He is her Everything Forever - it even said so on the U of A classroom blackboard! 

I was really excited for this session particularly because Mona shared with me that their engagement party was quite formal, and she wanted some fun and casual portraits to celebrate their new beginning. Although the October cold was setting in, she spiced it up with her fabulous yellow jacket and purple shoes - I love the contrast with the gloomy day! Mona is going to be a school teacher, so we hid away in the empty cozy classroom at the university… and had so much fun. See for yourselves!

Ahmed and Mona, you are such a beautiful couple … congratulations! 

Having met Alicia and Scott for the first time a few months ago left me with an overwhelming feeling of joy and gratitude. Just being around them made me feel a little bit more in love…

Their engagement session was such a treat, right before my trip to Vancouver. We got to explore the U of A grounds like no one else - Scott’s dad works with the university and graciously offered to give us a magical tour! We first hung out in the setting autumn sun, wandering about … ignoring the October cold. As usual, I jumped around to the beats of my boom box. I had no idea we would get a chance to shoot in U of A’s very own greenhouse! Photographers in other parts of the world (or country!) may be luckier in this regard, but I got overtly excited with so much tropical greenery around. And the orchids! The orchids! Ironically, a few days later I saw the same orchids sold in little corner stores all over Vancouver It was such a fantastic time - I couldn’t wish for a more radiant couple to be there with! 

 I’m really looking forward to Alicia & Scott’s winter wedding… and have so many ideas. I hope it snows!

There is a goddess in every woman. Whether we open up to let her radiate through is another story. Because there are schedules, deadlines, slouching shoulders, stress, and too few flowers. Too few compliments. However long the list is, we still shouldn’t have an excuse. 

I’m so grateful to Amee, the stunning, fiery, passionate, and ridiculously intelligent woman in the images below … for putting her trust in me and letting me share her radiance. We had so much fun, even though I kept asking her to stare off into space and dream about the outrageous and the seductive. 

We all need to make time to find stillness in simple moments … and savor them. With this week’s Sunday Confession my intention is to inspire an acknowledgement of that goddess, the one patiently vibrating under the surface of your skin. 

Yoga practice teaches you to always open through the chest and lead with the heart. As much as I can, I make a conscious effort to bring that into my daily life. Somehow even if the day is crummy, I find myself with a head held high, radiating to others.  Of course there is a gazillion other things you can do - treat yourself to a bath or a tub of ice-cream, or kick it up a notch with a boudoir lifestyle shoot. Maybe I’m a tiny bit biased, but check it out for yourself!

The image above is my absolute favorite. Amee’s beauty and stillness here took my breath away. And I love the grunge look of the mattress…

Who doesn’t love a great road trip. Especially to a place that is a world apart from where you live. Especially when you are going to a place you can’t wait to call home. For me, that is Vancouver. The road held some surprises - Mick and I went through a crazy snow storm, which made us appreciate the lucious British Columbia even more.

A bridal show is like a wedding - months of anticipation and preparation, but over in a heartbeat!

We had a fantastic corner booth, but the hits of the show were definitely chocolates and the metallic 16×24 gaterboard prints on display, especially that of the screaming “Polina soon to be Lussier” with hot rollers and two coffee cups in hand.

The show was great, with many beautiful brides … and a few Nova brides!!

It makes my heart beat a little faster when I think of all the beautiful weddings next year will bring. I’m inspired every day … and even though the cold is setting in, I feel like it’s the time of new beginnings.