Jennifer & Ken

4 Dec By lxphotography Filed under Couples, Engagement, Jennifer, Linna, Photos, Portraits.

We joined Jennifer Lee, and Ken Okubo on an afternoon stroll in Yorkville. The neighbourhood is gorgeous, with a central garden, quiet side streets, that were perfect for relaxing. The day ended at Zaza Cafe with delicious lattes* (and cute milk mustaches!). Linna Xu Photography commemorated their appreciation for Japanese culture by incorporating paper umbrellas and DIY-ed paper initials for J and K with origami paper birds. Jen and Ken are such an interesting couple with jet-setting travel experiences all around Asia and Europe, and were a ton of fun to work with.

(*Side note: The barista at Zaza was kind enough to suprise Linna and myself a complimentary affogato (which I learned was espresso with gelato. Delicious!))

Jennifer & Jonathan

27 Nov By lxphotography Filed under Couples, Engagement, Linna, Photos. 1 Comment.

Linna photographed myself and my boyfriend (Jon) along the Harbourfront in downtown Toronto. The evening was so much fun, and strangers were nice enough to let us onto their boat to take pictures. Linna, DIY extraordinaire, made a Ria money transfer string of hearts, and paper cutout of our initials. The reason why I love working with Linna is because she has a discreet approach. I like photography styles when the people are less posed, and the photographer focuses on capturing natural moments. I get really giddy every time I look at this set, and I’m happy to share it =)

 

Macaron and Roses Wedding Cake

20 Nov By lxphotography Filed under Blog, Jen's life, Jennifer, Styling, Wedding.

The macaron tree and cake model by Ruelo Patisserie is beautiful. I would love to have one at my own celebration. Or even have a slice on a regular day. When I look at this, it could make Monday into a Saturday. And that’s priceless.

Kim & Robert

13 Nov By lxphotography Filed under Couples, Jennifer, Linna, Photos.

A few weeks ago we had a lovely photoshoot with Kim and Robert. They were so playful and had incredible chemistry together. *Can you feel, the love, tonight…* Kim is an artist and brought along a suitcase (literally) full of goodies including a tea set, vintage camera, her own self-written book of poetry, and these super awesome Tim-Burton-esque curled fork art pieces. She brought along more props than we did! She also wore a feathered hairpiece that she made herself! Robert is also musically talented and brought his guitar along to serenade Kim.

To add to the mix, Linna Xu Photos crafted paper hearts and typography, and an antique love note for this whimsical couple that pretty much sums up everything: “You are the cheese to my macaroni”.

 

 

 

Cherry

29 Oct By lxphotography Filed under Jennifer, Linna, Photos, Portraits. 3 Comments.

For this shoot, we had the pleasure of working with a ballerina, Cherry. Linna was a dancer herself (which is how these two met, taking classes together) and has a special place her heart for all dance forms, especially ballet. We decided to approach this shoot a with a little twist and take Cherry out of the studio, and instead, juxtapose her against the backdrop of the city. A ballerina from Toronto.

 

 

 

Advice for Couples: How To Take Engagement Photos

24 Oct By lxphotography Filed under Advice, Blog, Couples, Engagement, Jennifer, Linna, Portraits.

Linna and I have taken engagement photos of a lot of couples, and I think it’s one of the coolest jobs in the world. I think there’s a romantic in all of us, and it really is an honour to help two people celebrate love and good times through photography. We’ve gotten a lot of questions+comments from couples like “What should we wear?” and “Help! I have no clue how to pose”. Fear not, we’ve compiled answers to some basic questions below.

What’s an engagement shoot?
A pre-wedding photoshoot with an awesome couple. Like this. Or this.

Do I need an engagement shoot?
It’s really up to you. In terms of sentimental value, it’s a Moneygram money transfer great way to commemorate a different aspect of a couple’s personality and relationship. The photos are useful for save-the-date invitations, website pictures, newspaper announcements, or wedding scrolls. It’s also a way to get to know your photographer before the wedding to get comfortable and familiar with each others pace, and preferences so the photographer can do an even better job delivering what the couple wants.

What do I wear for an engagement shoot?
So I know this is something I would definitely agonize over and use as an excuse to go shopping. (Yay!) But ultimately, you should dress in however you feel comfortable and awesome. There really are no rules! If the couple is fancy and like glitter and fur, do it. If you like matte black shift dresses and white dress shirts, do it! You want to look like the most awesome version of yourself =D

What else can we do to make sure the photos are great?
Linna and Jen love brainstorming ideas and creating props, so we will be asking for about your hobbies, preferences, coffee or tea, white shirt with black pants or grey pants. Feel free to let us know if you have any ideas you want to incorporate.

Where should I shoot?
You should select a location that has sentimental meaning for you or is just really lovely. Parks, cafes, forests, beaches, backyards, downtown streets, and train stations are all beautiful locations.

Do I need to practice posing?
Nope, Linna and I will guide you =)

What is really important to know?
The single most important thing to getting great photos out of an engagement shoot is the connection between you and your loved one. Nothing else matters more than being relaxed, having fun, and being open minded.Do I need to practice posing or anything?

How much is the fee?
We charge $250 for two hours with Linna and Jen. This includes full resolution digital prints.

What is the process like?
After contacting us, Linna and I will arrange to meet you in person to get to know each other a little better and figure out all the little details. This is a great way for us to figure out your unique personalities and quirks as a couple and also helps you to be more familiar with us before the actual shoot. And who can refuse coffee or food? Yum!

Mary & Robert

15 Oct By lxphotography Filed under Couples, Jennifer, Linna, Photos.

Mrs. B and Mr. B (or rather, Mary and Robert Billinghurst) were our teachers and we were honoured to be their first professional photographers. Mrs. B taught us English in high school, and Mr. B taught our cohort in elementary school. We got to know their love for English, and (daily) diet Cokes quite well. We set up a retro teacher-themed picnic complete with Scrabble, records, a mini-chalkboard, and of course, apples. Mrs B is an undying fan of tennis legend Roger Federer (frankly, as we all should be) so we thought to incorporate that as well, and topped everything off with a set of custom initials for the lovely couple. They were very fun to work with, and we wish them all the best in their jet-setting retirement!

 

Paper bouquet & Butterfly Floral Headpiece

9 Oct By lxphotography Filed under Blog, DIY, Linna, Wedding.

Two weeks ago we posted a shoot we did featuring Linna and Trung in a classic countryside wedding. For this shoot, Linna designed and crafted several handmade pieces that we thought deserved their own little feature. Unfortunately, the “Just Married” sign was left behind at the farm in the excitement of the shoot, which was such a shame because those were hand painted! But fortunately, the bouquet and the headpiece we remembered.

This bouquet was made with layers and layers of tissue paper, painstakingly put together, petal by petal. The flowers were attached to natural twigs to give it a rustic feel. The stems were then bound with a white satin bow to tie it all together as the finishing touch.

Linna also hand crafted this butterfly floral headpiece, which features hand cut butterflies and organza flowers. These were then sewn into a ribbon to be wrapped and tied around a bun to add a touch of elegance to a simple updo.

Nickie & Aaron

4 Oct By lxphotography Filed under Couples, Jennifer, Linna, Photos. 2 Comments.

The Toronto Harborfront is one of the most beautiful areas in the summer where we photographed Nickie and Aaron. The lovely couple showed off their dance skills in the Music Garden, and took a stroll down the boardwalk with a a backdrop of an evening sunset. Linna made pinwheels, sand letters, and hearts for the photoshoot. Nickie and Aaron were an absolute delight to work with, and look at these photos makes me dream of next summer.

 

Linna & Trung

23 Sep By lxphotography Filed under Alex, Linna, Photos, Wedding. 1 Comment.

One of Toronto Markham’s understated treasures is the Beckett Farms, where Linna and Trung modeled as a freshly wed couple. The beautiful evening sunset with trees and winding paths was the perfect backdrop for the understated and classy duo. As always, Linna created amazing DIY details, like her hair accessories, Just Married banner, apples in a basket, and her signature flower bouquet made of paper, ribbon, and branches that are made to last.

Photographer: Alex Chan for Linna Xu Photography
Photography Direction: Linna
Props and Styling: Linna
Location: A generous thank you to the lovely people at  Beckett Farms for opening up their space to us.