It took some time to get this Top 20 list completed as well, but now that its done, I can’t take my eyes off if it. It has helped me remember how much of an amazing year 2008 was, and how lucky I am to have met so many amazing people! There are so many great memories that shine through these photographs, and I cannot stress enough the importance of an Engagement Session. Among many things, it is a great way for us to get to know each other before the actual wedding day, and snap some fun photos in the process! One of the key points I strive to make my business known for is being able to capture 100% Raw and 100% Pure emotion in my photographs. The best way of doing this is to have a stronger bond with my clients than just “he’s our wedding photographer”. It has to go WAY beyond that, I want to make sure “Michael Wachniak Photographer” is not just a business, its an experience!  :) I LOVE the fact that there are some people out there that have actually introduced me to their best friends and closest family members as “This is Michael Wachniak, he kicks ass and climbs trees!” LOL!! I should really have that on a business card or something ;) Anyways, if there is no bond between myself and my clients, the photos just will not be up to my standards. I try everything in my power to make sure the clients are feeling comfortable, and I really feel it shows through my photographs.

So without further ado, here are my personal favorite Top 20 Engagement Photos of 2008!

(in no particular order!)

yup, I really do climb trees ;)

Namaste,

Michael

I would like to personally apologize for looking like this when I laugh, I had no idea…

I think one of the best parts of being a photographer (at least for me) is that when you look at one of your own photos, you can remember exactly what was going on at the moment it was taken. I can say with complete confidence that to ME, these moments really are frozen in time, and I will always remember certain things from each and every one! So, having said that, not only would I like to share some of my favorite 20 wedding photos of 2008 with you, but I would also like to share with you exactly what I was thinking when I took them! 

Warning: Please don’t think I’m a dork, I’m only human! :P

***each quote refers to the photo above it.***

“I hope people don’t think ‘what a horrible photographer, he cropped her face out!!!’… All I want for this shot is a detail shot of the veil and dress!!!”

“WOW! now THATS a kiss!”

“How do I make this shot look like it ISNT taken outside in the freezing snow/rain in the middle of one of the coldest winters Vancouver has seen in decades????”

“There is NO way ANY camera can capture how beautiful this light coming in looks in person!”

- don’t get me wrong, the lighting in the photo looks amazing, but really you had to be there. It truly was angelic.

“Stupid leaves! Stop moving so I can get the lens flare from the sun!!!!! AHHHH!” 

(I think I was tired) :)

I remember thinking to myself: “Please don’t turn away until I take the photo! Please don’t turn away until I take the photo! WOOHOO! She didn’t turn away until I took the photo!”

“I-A-M-S-O-J-E-A-L-O-U-S-R-I-G-H-T-N-O-W” ;)

I was trying to make her laugh, so the first thing I said to her was (and in a rather high pitched voice): “Youuuuu’re getting marrrrrried… Youuuuuu’re getting marrrrrrrrried!” 

 yup… I’m a pretty fast thinker! :/

“The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.”

 (I can say this because the one on the right is my brother in-law) ;)

“Ben please don’t drop her!!!! There’s a lot of thistles around!!” – Thank God he didn’t!

I actually remember just staring in absolute amazement during these moments, and even though there was loud music playing, I can still remember very clearly the WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! of the flames.

I remember thinking this was so quiet and sincere, and even though I originally set this shot up (the veil over their heads), the truly beautiful moment was really between just the two of them.

I very clearly remember thinking “I am so lucky to have shot her sister’s wedding a few years ago and now to be shooting her wedding. I really feel like part of the family with these guys. Thank you so much.”

“Well, people certainly aren’t going to wonder where this shot was taken!!”

I believe it was around Christmas time a year ago (2007) that I met Alykhan and Salima. We met downtown at a Blendz coffee shop, and I remember how quickly we hit it off. Within minutes we were already swapping stories and laughing, it was truly like meeting with old friends. On top of that, the more they discussed their wedding plans with me the more excited I got! I remember thinking “Wow, a four day wedding, huh?”… I have seen time and time again how much craziness and excitement gets packed into ONE day, what’s FOUR days going to do?!

Well, see for yourself. The photos tell more than I ever could with words.

I gotta pitch in here for a sec… I won’t say too much, but these next two collections of photos are actually ceremonies the night before the wedding day. Salima gets a beautifully fragrant paste rubbed onto her skin to beautify her for the next day, while Alykhan on the other hand… um… you have to see it to believe it. 

Alykhan and Salima, thank you so much for letting me be a part of your celebration. I had an amazing time and I feel so blessed to have met your family and friends. You all truly are a perfect example of Real Love.

Special shout-outs to Tracey for helping me out with the day! You rock, Miss Thang! :)

1. to not lose WEIGHT, but to lose body fat %. I want to be a lean mean, ‘scrubbing-clothing-on-my-washboard-abs’ machine! And with Acapulco coming in April, I gotta hurry!!! Exercise starts tomorrow, as do the weigh-in and measurement-taking! YIPES!

2. to shoot more photos for myself…let me rephrase, to go on more photo ‘roadtrips’, to take more ‘landscapes at sunrise’ shots, and hopefully without a ‘holy crap I am being chased by a bear’ experience lol!

3. to keep a better record of my personal money management. I like knowing where my money is going and what I can tweak in order to save even more money! It would be nice to own a house in 2010! :)

4. I really would like to delve deeper into the whole “Mike should learn to speak German” thing… its going to be tough enough for me to understand as it is in July when Grit and I go visit her family and friends in Germany, but it would just be really cool to carry a conversation with Grit in German. 

5. I AM going to blog more :) I always get so busy with things that it always gets put on the backburner. I have tons of things to say, and in MY opinion anyways, most of it isn’t too bad lol. Just take a look at my personal blog (The Roaming Mind of Norm) when I worked on cruise ships! I occasionally go back to have a read or two for nostalgia’s sake, and end up reading for an hour or so lol. Besides, there is going to be MANY cool things in 2009 to blog about! :)

Grit and I literally stayed on the couch ALL day haha! The “Back to the Future” trilogy was on tv today, and we watched it in its entirety 1.5 times! I know, we ROCK! :)

There are so many things to look forward to this year, and I am STOKED beyond all belief! 

Some highlights include:

- a new blog and website (coming VERY soon)

- Sunshine! …eventually…(so much rain and snow, I forget what sunshine feels like lol)

- WPPI 2009 in Las Vegas in February!

- Shooting a wedding in Acapulco, Mexico in April!

- Shooting a wedding in Italy in July!

- Vacation in Germany in June/July!

and so much more!!!!!

I will also be updating the blog WAYYYY more frequently and in the days to come you can expect to see news on a few things that happened in December, such as my Cans for Comments , Christmas, and Alykhan and Salima’s AMAZINGLY AWESOME wedding!

I hope you all have an amazing year, and I am so excited to get things rolling! :)

Michael