www.carolynegerszegi.com

December 26, 2009

caralyn + greg | together


Sometimes I think I procrasitnate posting photos on my blog(s) because I don't know what to write about the photos. Or, sometimes the people in the photos are so important to me that I don't know what to say that will do them justice. This is exactly one of those times. Caralyn and Greg are great friends of mine who willingly played model for the day while I experimented with this wonderful location before Buzz and Jen's wedding. It's taken me a while - I shot these last June - but it's time to stop procrastinating and get something on my blog.
Maybe this is a lame thing to say, but I hope it does them justice to simply say, I love these two!
And now, finally, the world can see what a great couple Caralyn and Greg are. I couldn't be happier to document their relationship. Aren't they fun together?
I have known Caralyn for over twenty years and I can honestly say that Caralyn is only getting more gorgeous with the passage of time. The photo above is a perfect example. Hellllloooo Caralyn. Va-va-va-voom!
(And thankfully when I look back at myself twenty years ago I think I've improved as well. Phew!)
Thanks for the great session c & g. Now that things have slowed down for me a little, we'll have to make a point of getting together for some holiday cheer (read: tipsy beverage). Much love to you both! xoxo c



July 16, 2009

jennifer + buzz | married


The bride and groom were chosen to be together by their son Zacharie a few years ago, but last weekend Jennifer and Buzz chose each other with a beautiful wedding ceremony in Stanley Park.
The day was filled with laughter, family, kids, sunshine, flowers, homemade cookies, an abundance of pink, fluttering butterflies and an adventurous helicopter departure. It was a magical occasion and I was thrilled and honored to be a part of it. Of course, when the engagement happens at the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, you know it's going to be a wonderful wedding!

Highlights from the day...
1. The Bride. Who kept her cool and looked graceful and beautiful throughout the day despite their son Zacharie's fever and sleeplessness the night before the wedding.
2. The Bride's friends. Who put out fires quickly and quietly, allowing Jennifer the chance to float through her magical day without too much stress.
3. The Groom. Who Twittered about his "Twedding", but never forgot to shower his bride in unabashed love and complements throughout the day. Seriously, what bride doesn't want to hear her groom vocalize loudly about how Hot! she looks? Well played, Buzz, well played.
4. The Budget. Which was kept in check by a bride and groom who both know that the marriage is more important than the wedding. To read Buzz's "Vancouver Wedding on a Budget" series of posts, click HERE.
5. Erin Davis. Who was certainly the best MC I've ever seen at a wedding. Not only did she act as an airline stewardess guiding all the guests through a globetrotting tour of Jennifer & Buzz's love for each other, but she also hosted a hilarious bride & groom's shoe game that had everybody laughing. Bravo Erin!
6. My brother. Who was my secret weapon in the photography department. As my second shooter he had my back throughout the highlights of the day and captured some awesome moments of the bride and groom. Thanks Gord!!
7. The butterfly release. Which was derived from a beautiful Native American custom which says, "To make a dream come true, whisper it to a butterfly. Upon these wings it will be taken to heaven and granted, for they are the messengers of the Great Spirit." I'm sure all the guests whispered to the butterflies many wishes for a life of love and happiness together for the bride and groom. Click HERE to see the entire legend.
8. The helicopter departure. Which was just extremely cool. 'nuf said.
There were many, many more highlights from the day - including my third shooter, thanks Tara! and the Teahouse restaurant, yummy! - but you came here to see pictures, not to read a novel, so one more thing before I get to the gorgeousness...

A lowlight from the day...
1. The limo driver. What a tool. He completely drove the wrong wrong wrong way and delivered the bride to the ceremony 45 minutes late. Tool. Thank goodness for highlights #1, #2 and #3... the bride, the bride's friends and the groom, along with all of the very patient friends and family, who handled the stress of a late start beautifully. Bravo to you all!
Congratulations Jennifer and Buzz. It was a wonderful day full of love and laughter. Thank you for letting me be a part of it. xo c
And now... on to the photos...


Gotta love a groom who Twitters to keep the nervousness at bay...



Thanks to my brother Gord for all of his awesome detail shots...

And thanks to Gord for this one too. I LOVE this shot of the Jennifer walking down the aisle!

These next two shots are probably two of my favourites of the day. Doesn't Jen look amazing here? I just love the beautiful, real, true, loving emotion in her eyes as she looks at Buzz and says her vows...



Another awesome catch from my brother Gord...


Speeches. Poor Buzz. His brother was reminding him about how Buzz was responsible for every scar on his brother's body...
I love rocking the ring shots!!


How cool was this??? They let us take photos on the tarmac with the helicopter before it was time for Jennifer and Buzz's dramatic departure. Thanks Helijet!

Hawt...


Thanks again Jennifer & Buzz. It was an awesome day!
The details:
Bride's Dress | Angeline Bridal Boutique
Bride's Hair | Julianna Raeburn, Camp Beauty Salon
Bride's Make-up | Krista Kourtessis (email me for contact information)
Flowers | Whole Foods
Decorative Butterflies (in flowers) | Floral Trims
Bride's Rings | Tiffany & Co. / Birks / Blue Nile
Groom's Wedding Band | Birks
Ceremony Venue | Ferguson Point in Stanley Park
Celebrant | Jennifer Bateman
Live Butterflies (for release) | Butterflies & Roses
Reception Venue | The Teahouse in Stanley Park
Favors / Place card holders | Pink by Yellowglen
Helicopter Getaway | Helijet

July 9, 2009

jennifer + buzz | married

For those of you who arrived here looking forward to seeing more photos of Jennifer and Buzz's wedding... thanks for stopping by. I'm sorry I don't have anything posted yet, but I'm still working on the photos. I should have something posted for you to see by this weekend. In the meantime, please visit my portrait site to see photos of awesome families, cute kids and cuddly newborn babies at Spilled Milk Photography... enjoy!

July 4, 2009

i love spilled milk

In case you're new here and didn't know this, I have another blog which features my portrait photography for families, children, newborns and maternity clients. Please visit Spilled Milk Photography by clicking HERE.


July 3, 2009

give me a ring

Hello and welcome!

My name is Carolyn Egerszegi and this is my photography blog. I live in North Vancouver and I work as a wedding, engagement and portrait photographer in the Greater Vancouver area. I'd love to hear from you with questions about pretty much anything relating to photography. I love what I do and could literally talk about it all day.

If you're afraid to call me because of my crazy Hungarian last name - don't worry - there was a time when even I didn't know how to say it. Really! Egerszegi is my married name and it's Hungarian (in case you're wondering). It's pronounced egg-air-say-ghee. Hope that helps.

You can also get to know me a little better by reading THIS post About Me.

Whether you're intersted in booking me for a couples portrait session or would like a customize quote for wedding photography, please contact me on my website, HERE.

Thanks for visiting and now let me give you a ring:


i love to document love



Hello!

My name is Carolyn Egerszegi and I love to document relationships, life and love. My goal is to capture natural, spontaneous moments that are filled with real emotion and honesty. I love the fun and joy of a wedding day and work hard to tell your love story by capturing each special detail and memory with my photography. If this sounds like the type of photographer you would like to work with then here's how much it will cost...


ENGAGEMENT & COUPLES PORTRAIT SESSIONS (see current pricing at www.carolynegerszegi.com)

This includes:

2 to 3 hours of love and laughter while I point my camera at you and capture all the fun. There is no hurry. We can take longer if we're having a great time and don't want to stop. I only schedule one shoot per day so I can focus all my energy and attention on you and your love story.

50 full-size, high-resolution, personally retouched colour digital negatives on CD for you to keep, print and share as you choose. I shoot in colour, but I also include individually customized black & white conversions for each image.

Custom cropping and resizing for all 50 images. This includes 4x6 print size, 5x7 print size and a small size for emailing. I also do free, individual custom crops and resizing for 8 x 10 print sizes or larger for selected images after you receive your disk.

I do not offer print services at this time, but will be happy to recommend an excellent printer in the Vancouver area.


WEDDINGS 2013

unlimited weddings, petite weddings & elopements (see current pricing at www.carolynegerszegi.com)

I love the excitement and beauty of a wedding and think my relaxed style of shooting lends itself to capturing the perfect images which will tell the story of your special day.

My unlimited wedding coverage always includes:

- fabulous high resolution images in both black & white and colour, for you to print, share and copy as you wish
- all day principal wedding photography coverage
- a second photographer
- all travel within the greater Vancouver area
- all meetings and site inspections
- friendly, dedicated service from a photographer who loves what she does!

For couples having a more modest celebration, I also offer petite and elopement wedding packages.

To receive a detailed price list or a custom quote for my wedding photography services, please send me an email to egerszegi(at)shaw.ca by clicking HERE. Be sure to include your wedding date in the email.



WHAT ELSE?

If you were to ask me why personalized professional photography like mine costs what it does, I would tell you that I spend significantly more time post-processing the images than I do shooting them. Your portrait photography session lasts 2-3 hours, but I spend an additional 8-10 hours giving special attention to every detail of each of the images I give you. On a wedding day, I'll spend over 10 hours capturing your memories with photography, but more than 30 hours retouching and perfecting each image for you. In addition, I provide each of my clients with dedicated attention and service, including thorough communication both before and after your wedding day, so that everything runs smoothly and I am able capture all of your loving details with beautiful photography.

In order to give you the most professional high quality images possible, I personally retouch each of your images on a photo-by-photo basis to give them a unique, custom look. Processed images are images at their very best. Retouching may include, but is not limited to, editing of skin to remove blemishes, to smooth fine lines, or to lighten dark under eye circles where necessary. I also edit stray hairs, lint and the occasional streak of mascara! My goal is to make you look your very best, while at the same time keeping you looking like, well, you.

In other words, you're not only paying for my time, experience and creativity with you at the portrait session or on your wedding day, but you are also paying for my time and skill in post-processing of photos so that your memories are unique, contemporary and spectacular.

"An artist is not paid for his labour but for his vision." - James Whistler

One more thing you might be wondering... I live in North Vancouver and happily take photos in the Greater Vancouver area.

If this all sounds good to you, please click HERE to email me at egerszegi(at)shaw.ca so I can put together a customized quote. I look forward to meeting you!

July 2, 2009

about me | carolyn egerszegi


Photos by Amber Hughes Photography.


Welcome!

My name is Carolyn Egerszegi and this page is
About Me.

I live in North Vancouver and work as a wedding, engagement and portrait photographer in the Greater Vancouver area.

If you are a couple thinking about hiring me to photograph one of the most important days of your life, then you should probably pull up a chair and get to know me because who I am is a huge part of why I am a photographer and how I see the world.

If you like me, then you’ll probably like my work and if you like my work then chances are we will get along and you’ll love the beautiful memories I will capture with my camera for you on your wedding day.

Since I tend to be wordy when I write, I thought I’d be merciful and offer a short version and a long version of my bio so those of you with only a minute to spare can get a quick feel for who I am and those of you with more time can keep reading!


The short version:
  • I am a mother, wife, photographer, artist, traveller and friend who creates beautiful images for wonderful people.
  • I live in North Vancouver and spend part of the day caring for my family and the rest of the day playing Angry Birds, editing photos and fine tuning my skills as a photographer.
  • I have been working professionally as a portrait photographer since 2008, starting with family, maternity and newborn photography and then moving into wedding photography the following year.
  • As a wedding photographer I am calm under pressure and love the challenges that a wedding day presents with all of its emotions and excitement. I excel at putting others at ease so they can feel relaxed and beautiful in front of the camera.
  • I shoot with a mix of relaxed portraiture and photojournalism, which essentially means that sometimes I direct what is happening in your photos and sometimes I melt into the background and capture images candidly.
  • When the wedding is over and you love your photos, you’ll probably think of me as a friend who really added something to your special day and captured your most precious memories and candid moments with artistry and a joy for storytelling.
  • My goal is to create photographs you will love.
  • I adore the smell of my daughter’s head, Audrey Hepburn, a good Jack Reacher novel, Hungarian food, the grainy sand at Sunset Beach and lazy morning sleep-ins.
  • I do not like people touching my neck, or water when it drips down my sleeve. I also hate ants indoors (but they’re okay if they’re outside) and I refuse to touch dry glasses straight out of the dishwasher.
  • I love being a photographer.


Photos by Amber Hughes Photography.

The long version:

Since the short version of me was not exactly concise, then perhaps the next thing you should really know about me is that I’m chatty and longwinded. This has both its pros and cons.

One of the pros is that my chatty nature helps me to get along with almost everybody. What this means to you on your wedding day is that all of your guests will think I’m a member of your family who just happens to have a lot of fancy camera gear. I will fit into your day. This is why you see so many content, happy faces in my portfolio. People tend to relax in front of my camera and after a session with me they often say, “wow, that was so easy and much more fun than I thought it would be!”

One of the cons about my chattiness is that this About Me page is a little very long, so perhaps you should grab a cup of coffee (or tea or a martini?) before you continue reading.

Which leads to the next thing you should know about me:


I am a mother...

To a beautiful little girl named Csilla, which explains why I need a martini once in a while. This also means that it takes more than a small catastrophe to get me ruffled. Your wedding day is supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life, but it is also one of the most stressful. So when the day isn’t going as planned and things feel a little hectic or uncertain, I’m going to be the one right next to you reminding you to breathe and enjoy the moment.


Being a mama has taught me...

How to go with the flow and problem-solve on the fly. Couples often tell me after their wedding day that I felt more like a friend than their photographer, which is a compliment I am always thrilled to receive. I love to photograph weddings and capture beautiful memories, but I also love to support couples and their families on such an important and special day. Let me put it this way, if I hadn’t been a wedding photographer, then I probably would have gone into business as a wedding coordinator!


Being a mom also means...

That I am always prepared for every eventuality, which is why, in addition to all of my back-up camera equipment, I’ll always have snacks, super glue, safety pins, handy wipes, a lollipop and some other surprising emergency items kicking around in my camera bag. Trust me, I’m ready for anything!


I am also a wife...

To my husband of fifteen years, Balazs. He and I met while working on the Love Boat together. I’m not kidding... the Love Boat. We met on a Princess Cruises ship where he was a waiter and I worked in the Purser's office. There must have been something about the motion of the ocean because I fell in love with him right away and we have never looked back.


The fact that I am a wife also means...

That I have planned a wedding of my own and I know how much effort goes into the creation of a memorable day. This is why I’m so passionate about capturing the subtleties of your wedding with my photography. For the detail-oriented couples out there, I am your photographer!

I adore documenting the shoes, the rings, the boutonnières, the jewellery, the bouquets, the invitations, the food, the tie... well, you get the idea... all of the small and varied choices you make for your wedding day that when pieced all together represent who you are as a couple. As my good friend Oprah always says, “love is in the details” and I couldn’t agree more.

I have a keen eye for all of those candid glances and kisses and giggles that you think I won’t notice. I’m there to see it all. I know what it is like to be in love and marry the love of your life. My goal on your wedding day is to photograph all of the little things that make your day special as a couple so you can cherish those memories for many years to come.


As a young girl...

I used to spend hours sketching and painting at my desk and always imagined myself as an artist, but it wasn’t until my daughter was born that I found my love for photography. I owned a film SLR camera long before Csilla came along, but my inspiration to really learn the art of photography came after she was born. At that time I was lucky enough to receive a hand-me-down digital SLR camera as a gift from my father which quickly led me down the path to where I am today as a professional photographer and artist.


Having a daughter gave me...

A new outlook on the world. Suddenly, through her eyes and my camera lens, everything was fresh and magical and beautiful in the ways that I remembered from when I sat sketching at my desk as a little girl. On your wedding day I look for the love, the laughter and the happiness that will define the memory of your wedding day, just as I do through the eyes of my daughter every day. “A great deal of what we see depends on what we are looking for” and in my life as a mother and a wife, I am surrounded by love and will look for it everywhere on your wedding day.

Now... if you’ve read this far I’ll take that as a good sign and offer a few more tidbits of information about me.


As a teenager...

I was a coxswain on a rowing crew and won a couple of gold medals at the Canada Summer Games. Yes, a coxswain, the one who sits in the back of the boat and yells, “Row!” (And also uses words of inspiration and encouragement to inspire the crew to pull harder than they ever thought they could). What this means to you on your wedding day is that I have always worked well under pressure and I excel at motivating others to do their best.

I know how to bring out things in people that they didn’t even know they had - including their own beauty. I love nothing more than to treat a couple to their own magical Top Model photo session on their wedding day and I am thrilled when couples admire their photos and tell me, “you made us look even more amazing than we felt!”


As an adult...

I have travelled extensively, visiting over 300 cities in 35 different countries. I love expanding my horizons and consider myself a lifelong learner. My husband was born and raised in Hungary, so we have spent a considerable amount of time there with our daughter and his family. In case you're wondering, my Hungarian married name - Egerszegi - is pronounced "egg-air-say-ghee".

My favourite meal in the world is my husband’s grandfather’s Hortobágy Palacsinta and if I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life, that would be it. If you ask nicely, I’ll give you the recipe.


Photos by Amber Hughes Photography.

Artistically...

I am inspired by honesty and authenticity.

I love real emotions, honest smiles, boisterous laughter and heartfelt kisses.

I am a moment junkie and get tingles when I know I’ve captured a special memory with my photography.

I combine art with story telling.

I shoot candids, casual portraits, happy accidents and heartfelt details.


My photography is...

For people who love their friends and families and want to let real emotions flow on their wedding day for my camera to see.

For people who love to laugh until tears roll down their cheeks.

For vibrant couples who want a marriage more than they want a wedding, but still think that a great party is the perfect way to kick off the rest of their lives together.

My photography is for people in love.

If you’re in love then I might just be your wedding photographer.

The great photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson once said, “A photograph is neither taken nor seized by force. It offers itself up. It is the photo that takes you. One must not take photos, but capture moments.”

I couldn’t agree more.

If you do too, then contact me today to book your wedding egerszegi(at)shaw.ca.

I can't wait to meet you!

Cheers,

Carolyn




Photos by Amber Hughes Photography.