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

They shook my world gently and turned it upside down. As if nothing happened … yet seeing the world through their eyes would make anyone’s head spin and learn to see the world in vivid, strangely recognizable colors.  Michelle & Brett will always have a piece of my heart…

Their passion for life and each other is unapologetic, pure, and intense. Their friendship has taught me to be more honest with myself, my relationships, my clients, and my art. I will also confess that they have singlehandedly inspired me to pursue my desire to document love and intimacy in its infinite form, manifesting in an exclusive line of Intimate Couples Portraits I’ve begun to offer within the past year. I feel so grateful to have been a part of their journey and was absolutely ecstatic when they invited me to join them in Mexico for their wedding and honeymoon this March. We kicked off our trip catching up in Playa del Carmen over pina coladas and continued on to a magical eco-resort of Playa Azul in Tulum, where I photographed them in the simple luxury of their ocean-front cabana. I’m so grateful they’ve allowed me to share some of these timeless moments with you - we hope these images will inspire other couples in love to get curious and inspired to share a similar experience… To remind each other that on the days they don’t like each other … that they love each other.

We invite you to look past the daring. Enjoy.
And here is their view from the stunning cabana…view portfolio |   email katya |   let’s connect on facebook & twitter

I felt as if Betty was a girlfriend I haven’t seen in ages from the moment I stepped into her cozy Vancouver condo. We chatted, joked and laughed about what kind of a workout we are both getting on either side of the lens! This boudoir diva looks like she belongs on a Brazilian beach, sipping a cocktail out of a coconut or seducing someone terribly handsome in an Argentinean tango…

It was such a joy to photograph you, Betty. Here are some of my favourites…I kept telling Betty every few minutes I had a new favourite shot of her. This one, still, is at the top of my list. You are so gorgeous!And this one I like this out of focus boudoir silhouette … Betty looks so dreamy.I was mesmerized with Betty’s luxurious hair … view portfolio |   let’s connect on facebook & twitter |   email katya

The Vancouver Wedding Fair January 9 & 10, 2010 at the Bayshore Westin was SMASHING, in both it’s literal and metaphorical sense! It was amazing to see so many beautiful brides, their diligent fiancees, and endless helpers - to carry rapidly accumulating amounts of flyers, brochures, business cards, and little gifts from Vancouver Wedding Vendors. Although this was only my 2nd show, it was so great to not only see familiar faces, but even give out a bunch of hugs during bathroom breaks, mostly to fabulous Vancouver Wedding Photographers!

It’s quite entertaining to see myself from the side - now I understand why I felt as if my face was about to fall off from smiling so hard! But I just couldn’t help it

I loved the vase with flowers Evan of Vancouver Boutique Flower-z brought me, what a nice touch!
And a humongous thank-you to Vancouver dating coach Mick Lolekonda for helping me out all weekend - I don’t know what I would do without him!
We put in well over 20 hours over the weekend, not counting the booth set-up and tear-down… It was so great to go upstairs and crash at the Vancouver Bayshore Westin Hotel! I loved the view of Coal Harbor from the 9th floor, even though I didn’t get to enjoy it much. It was about 8 am on the Sunday morning when I snapped this shot before heading out again!
I decided to hold a prize draw for a Pre-Wedding Boudoir session for one lucky bride-to-be:
And followed up with this announcement yesterday…
I won’t make you wait any longer. The winner of a saucy Boudoir Photo Shoot is…

STACEY! (whose fiancee is BRADEN and their wedding date is JUNE 25, 2011). Congratulations, Stacey! I can’t wait to make you look like a movie star!

Thank you so much EVERYONE for your support, for those of you who are disappointed, why don’t we do a Boudoir photoshoot anyway? Please click HERE for details - the Marathon will take place Jan 30, 2010. Private photo sessions are also available.

Wait, there are four more winners! My friend and talented jewelery designer Jolie Mack is graciously giving away these gorgeous earrings. And the winners are …

PRISCILA (Wedding date July 2011)

JILL (Fiancee Omar, Wedding date Nov 12, 2010)

JESSICA (Fiancee Dan, Wedding date June 11, 2011)

MICHELLE (Fiancee Andrew, Wedding date October 10, 2010)

Congratulations, ladies! Phew, that was intense.

email katya | view wedding portfolio | let’s connect on facebook & twitter

Richard greeted me from the living room couch with the warmest smile, as Angela led me through the cozy corridors of their character home to their bedroom. I usually prefer to hold boudoir photo sessions in clients homes - there’s always a unique perspective and a more comfortable atmosphere. This boudoir photography session was a real treat … check out the simple gorgeous decor!

Here’s Angela … absorbing the soft beats of Buddha Bar. 
This is one of my favourites … who could ever get this magic in a studio?!
I couldn’t resist asking Angela to jump into their fabulous tub at the end of our session. I love the soft natural light coming from the window above! Richard must have been at least a little curious as to why the water was running while we were shooting - and thank goodness he didn’t let it overflow :) 
Angela, you are such a remarkable femme fatale! Thank you so much for trusting me, letting me portray your beauty, and inspiring women everywhere to give and get the gift of boudoir! I will be announcing a Vancouver Boudoir Marathon soon, so stay tuned! A boudoir surprise photography session could be the perfect gift for you man. But on second thought, any day can be a Valentine’s Day…

view portfolio || more boudoir || book your boudoir photo session …katya@katyanova.com

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…

There is a book I love. “To an Unknown Lady” would be the literal translation of a collection of letters written by an irresistible French writer, Andre Maurois. Although the majority of his works were written in the first few decades of 1900’s, they are timeless classics. What always fascinated me (even when I was much too young to embrace the indubitable) was the kindness of human margin errors coupled with light sarcasm that jumped off the page. 

Here is a little flavor from a couple of his quotes:

“A successful marriage is an edifice that must be rebuilt every day.” and ”In literature as in love, we are astonished at what is chosen by others.”

And now, the lady…

P.S. I invite you to take a closer look at the wallpaper behind the black couch on the left … And then to at pattern of my blog. The inside lining of my computer bag bears the same pattern! Serendipity all around…

Crys is scandalous and sweet all rolled into one. Her love of life and hot pink are contagious. It seems as if every time she looks around the world around her, she is seeing it for the first time. Beautiful. Every moment is a possibility. And even when she sits still, she’s dancing. 

Check out our ’splashing around’ session in this wicked natural light studio of my saltwater pool!!

A few weeks ago I was privileged to help host an incredible boutique sale for my great friends, Michele and Brett. They’ve truly raised the bar in expanding our boundaries and providing the most amazing latex clothing experience with their exclusive company Kinky Closet. Little did I know, I would have the largest selection of latex clothing outside of Montreal … all in my downtown apartment! Friends from all walks of life came over for the experience. Michele and Brett are truly unbelievable, they can put anyone at ease and make everyone feel so amazing. For their wedding, Michele is planning to wear a custom-made latex wedding gown! Can you imagine?! I quietly hope I can be their wedding photographer… 

For now, here are a few highlights of the spontaneous photoshoot on my balcony:

Every woman needs to pay tribute to the beauty she has been blessed with.

Surely, there is at least one feature or body part we would all gladly trade! The truth is, we must embrace our flaws and love ourselves for who we are and what we look like. It’s wonderful how trendy ‘modern boudoir’ sessions are becoming, mostly as saucy gifts for the significant other. But I think you should have one on your night stand, too!

Here are some tips for making the best of your boudoir session:

• pick a photographer you trust! I cannot stress this enough. Make sure you feel comfortable with them as a person. Meet with them first and make sure they are out to capture YOU, and not just your body.
• familiarize yourself with the photographer’s work. Do they work in a studio setting or do they prefer to work with natural light? How much post-processing (global adjustments and photoshop) does their workflow involve? There is a common misconception that so-called ‘airbrushing’ can be done at the click of a button - nothing is further from the truth! So please communicate your expectations ahead of time. 
• get a good night’s sleep! Looking fresh and radiant goes beyond make-up and hair.
• pick out a few pieces of lingerie to wear ahead of time. A plain white button-up shirt is a classic and often very flattering choice as well. If you wear it over bare skin, it is often a great transition into nudes, but that’s entirely up to you.
• slip on some heels. Not only will these look fabulous in photos, they will make you FEEL sexy.
• go easy on the make-up - moisturize your skin and wear sheer lip gloss to start. You can always take it up a notch! You may also keep some lotion or baby oil close by to lightly brush on your collar bone (and wherever else you like) for some specular highlights.
• be yourself! Don’t worry about posing too much, but do think of some ideas to start off. 
• consider having the portraits done in your own home, or book a boutique-style hotel room - just make sure window light is sufficient and space is adequate.
• lastly, celebrate. Before, after - with or without champagne…

Katya Nova Photography