Review is written by Staff @ The Ring and is based on • Interviews with this vendor • Interviews with past brides
Traditional couples who aren't afraid of an adventure, are on a modest budget and understand that wedding photography is an investment are sure to love AmazonLens Photographica - The Ring's latest and greatest find in the Hamilton area. Owner and Principal Photographer, Barb Dubrawski, approaches weddings with the attitude that she's more like a friend than a service provider, caring about her couples and respecting their wishes. But her friendly approach doesn't stop Barb from producing beautiful images that she hopes her couples enjoy for years to come.
From capturing all of the wedding day moments to helping pin boutonnières and bustle dresses, Barb says she's everywhere on your wedding day, armed with her camera and ready to create lasting memories. So, with a passion for what she does, and quality in the results, a casual and flexible approach, and service that's accessible for most couples from Hamilton to Toronto, Barb makes AmazonLens a business that's all about what you want. We met with Barb, fell in love with her portfolio (and her personality!) and found that brides would, and do, feel instantly comfortable working with her...
Personally speaking...
Several years ago, when Barb was laid off from her IT job, she found herself with time on her hands and a desire to capture the moments she was having, which she did with her very first Digital SLR camera. Her brother in-law made a comment that her pictures were touching and that she should consider a career in photography. The seed had been planted, and further grew when she talked with a friend who worked as a wedding photographer and loved being a part of the couple's day.
"That lead me to think about my own photographer for my wedding," Barb told us. "I can only remember the day through my photographer's lens because the day was so crazy and those images are all that lasted throughout the years." And so, AmazonLens Photographica was born and officially became a business in 2005 after a few years of referral based business.
Barb's training and experience comes from a variety of places. Her natural skills started off as a hereditary trait as her Dad is an avid photography hobbyist and she and her sister both discovered a love for it at young ages. "My mother’s grace and elegance finally rubbed off on me when I left the military and I feel it is this combination in my personality that makes for a stylish and stimulating experience for my clients," says Barb.
A long learned familiarity with cameras, flash and digital post processing, learning from a well-versed friend on the graphics design end, an apprenticeship with local wedding photographers, and a lot of reading is what gave Barb the hands-on experience she needed before venturing out on her own. She has also learned skills and kept up with trends through photography courses at Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology, and many workshops, including most recently the WPPI (Wedding Portrait Professionals International) Conference in Las Vegas where she focused on creative lighting techniques, editorial posing and motivational classes.
"I love what I do, there is not a time where I say I wish I could get off this ride," says Barb. "I enjoy learning more about the industry and how to transfer that knowledge to my clients. I deliver what I promise to, and then some."
Barb is the Principal Photographer at AmazonLens and her husband David is the Associate/Second Photographer (or someone else from their network of associates if David is unavailable). He helps with lighting set-up and taking candid images while Barb focuses on the main photos.
With all of this experience and training, an average of fifteen weddings per year, and her appreciation as a bride once herself, Barb approaches each one with the understanding of what couples can go through on their wedding day - good and bad - and the advice they may need (not just for photography) to make sure they make the most of their day.
A casual and elegant approach
When we met with Barb, we found her to be outgoing and friendly and could see how easy it would be for couples to be comfortable with her right away. And this is something that's really important to Barb, too. She suggests, "Choose a photographer that you’re comfortable with and who understands what you’re looking for. Be adventurous and trust your photographer to get the best shots and use their vision to be inspired... take some risks."
Because meeting different people, witnessing their connection with each other and watching the joy that spreads to everyone on a wedding day are Barb's favourite parts of the job, she insists on meeting with her clients to ensure that everyone will work well together. "It’s a casual, yet elegant approach we take with our clients... lots of conversations about expectations and desired outcomes," she told us. This not only means that Barb wants to get along with her clients, but she's very flexible when it comes to their wants and need - she makes notes of hints they drop, talks a lot about expectations and details and expects the same in return so everyone is on the same page.
It was in their first meeting with Barb that Annie and Michael Bigelow knew they wanted to hire her for their engagement and September 2009 wedding photos. They told us the meeting was professional and friendly with no pressure, "just an opportunity to get together and talk about what we were looking for from our wedding photographer; we felt confident that Barb heard us and understood exactly what we were looking for... it felt like a collaboration; they were interested in getting a snapshot of who we are as a couple and made sure that came through in our wedding photos."
"I make my business about others' wants and needs," says Barb. "I become a part of their life for a short time (and on a few occasions, a long time), and not just a vendor for the people I work with." This is why Barb's attitude is more like one of a friend than a service provider. "I care about my couples and in turn they feel respected."
Barb's easy going personality was a big reason that Jen and Brent Richardson hired AmazonLens to photograph their May 2009 wedding as it was important for them to be comfortable with their photographer. "Barb made things fun and easy," they told The Ring. "Barb caters to your needs. She isn't pushy and makes you feel comfortable with every part of the process. It's all about what you want and need... The end result is amazing, you won't be disappointed!"
Beautiful images with beautiful people
The word "no" doesn't seem to exist in Barb's vocabulary as she doesn't view any potential problems on your wedding day as obstacles, but more of a reason for her to provide a creative solution. Meaning, if there's something you were really looking forward to having captured, but outside circumstances get a bit in the way, Barb says she'll incorporate your ideas in a manner that suits the situation and with what she has to work with. For example, "you're not going to get a sunset picture on a cloudy day, but I can give a sense of warm light with flash and post production work," Barb explains.
Adam and Cassandra Heeg felt that Barb worked around each of their requests and made their ideas into a masterpiece for both their November 2009 engagement session and their February 2010 wedding shoot with AmazonLens. "We loved working with Barb because she gave every one of our pictures the elaborate twist that we wanted them all to have, and never once did she miss a beat," they told us. "Her imagination with the camera goes beyond belief... When we look back through our pictures, every single one brings us back to those moments. It’s like watching our engagement shoot and wedding day all over again." They add that Barb delivers a message of love in her photos and creates everlasting memories for her clients.
"We like how each different AmazonLens client has their own unique set of wedding photos," Annie and Michael told us. "The photo shoots suited each individual couple instead of fitting each couple into a set of planned poses and shots... none of our posed wedding portraits looked stiff."
Barb also takes the same accommodating approach to her service and packages as she does with the actual photography. "I always say, 'you don’t get what you want unless you ask for it'." If potential AmazonLens clients ask for something that isn't listed in her packages, she does her best to accommodate or to find a way to satisfy their request. "We can customize a package for almost anyone," adds Barb.
Barb does also offer three different packages (Silver, Gold and Platinum) with varying options included and ranging in price from $2200 to $3300 (plus tax). All packages include an engagement session and wedding day coverage (6, 8 or 10 hours) with an online password protected gallery, and a DVD/CD of each session. All images are hand corrected for colour and clarity, non-watermarked, and in a printable 8x10 format.
Annie and Michael felt that AmazonLens' prices were very fair. "They fell perfectly in line with our budget and we feel the value and service we received more than matched the prices." Jen and Brent found Barb's prices to be the best in the Hamilton area.
Annie and Michael also add that working with Barb was a breeze. "It was relaxed and probably the only thing I wasn’t stressing about during planning our wedding," says Annie.
On top of engagement and wedding photography coverage, AmazonLens also offers lifestyle sessions (beginning at $250), and Barb carries high quality, custom designed coffee table books, parent albums, pocket books, canvas prints, and thank you cards - some of which are included in a couple of the packages.
"The prices that Barb offered to us were easily in our price range and budget," say Adam and Cassandra. "The price that we paid was minor compared to the pictures that she delivered and the service that she provides."
Walking you through it...
The best way to contact Barb is via email or phone, which you'll want to do once you've checked out her online portfolio and want to set-up a meeting with her (at her home studio or wherever works best for you).
The first meeting is casual, more of a meet and greet, or "a chemistry check" as Barb calls it. You'll discuss investment, check out Barb's work and products, talk wedding details and photography expectations/needs, etc. Barb also gives you a bit of insight into who she is - her family, background, and her own expectations. She'll then go over the contract in detail to make sure there are no surprises later.
"Barb was great to work with; very professional, friendly, and knowledgeable," say Annie and Michael. "We knew exactly what to expect from AmazonLens and were confident in their ability to capture our wedding day exactly how we envisioned it."
During Adam and Cassandra's second meeting with Barb (they met her once before working at another wedding) they met at a coffee shop and brought with them examples of what they were looking for in their wedding photos - some were even from a magazine. "That was the kind of wedding pictures that we wanted, exaggerated and every picture full of love, passion, and a little lust," they told us, which they feel Barb provided. "Barb is the most enthusiastic, self-motivated photographer I've observed and worked with," adds Cassandra. "She's brilliant; a photographer you can trust to just be there to capture all the good stuff!"
Once you're ready to book, you meet with Barb again for what she calls the "signing ceremony". You sign the documents, book a tentative engagement date and pay the 50% deposit to reserve your day.
Barb says she likes to check in with her couples every few weeks to let them know she's thinking about them and pass on any info she's come across.
On the wedding day, Barb and her assistant (usually her husband David) show up at the agreed upon time and location and capture all of the important and candid moments. Barb also likes to get the newlyweds alone for a bit during the wedding party photo shoot so they can have a moment to breathe and enjoy each other's company for the first time as a married couple. "I always enjoy this moment with our couples," says Barb. "The anxiety of the day tends to melt away and they are ready to go to the reception."
Annie and Michael found that their photos shoots with AmazonLens were comfortable and fun - even though Annie doesn't like having her picture taken. "When Barb arrived at my parents’ house before the wedding to take the before ceremony photos, she brought with her a great calming vibe," Annie told us. "She was right on her game and did a great job in the midst of the insanity of the hours leading up to the wedding. I was so stressed... it was so nice working with Barb and not having to stress about the photography on top of everything else." Annie says that one of the best things about Barb is that she's completely unobtrusive, respectful and invisible on the wedding day. "I don’t even remember seeing Barb or her second shooter during our ceremony. They were complete professionals and did such a great job, and I’ve yet to see another photographer melt into the background but still capture every single moment the way they did."
Jen and Brent also say that they're not much for posing for pictures, but Barb made their photo shoot fun and easy. "It was natural and Barb had great ideas for the pictures... AmazonLens made us feel comfortable. There were no shots or posing that we had to do, it was up to us." They add that their favourite memory of their photo shoot with AmazonLens was Barb's ability to make them laugh the whole time.
Barb ends the day making sure that the bride and groom are happy, or if they feel there's anything else they'd like captured. Then, after the wedding, Barb posts a teaser of select images within the week after the wedding, which she sends to her clients and posts to her blog and Facebook.
About four to six weeks after the wedding, your photos are ready and you'll meet with Barb to go over the ones you want to print or put in albums. Then, the photos are yours to enjoy for years to come, just as Barb hopes.
The night before her wedding, Cassandra received text messages from Barb with words of encouragement, which she found to be really calming during a stressed out and nervous time. "The day of our wedding, Barb just came in and took charge of our three flower girls to help ease the bridesmaids and myself," adds Cassandra of how Barb went above and beyond what you'd expect from a photographer. "And while the bridal party was getting ready... Barb was invisible, never once in the way and still getting all of the candid shots that we wanted of the day. Only a picture can keep the memory of those minutes that you sometimes forget had happened, and to see those pictures really brings a smile to our faces... to be able to watch the whole 'behind the scenes' of our own wedding. Barb got it all!"
A current trend with wedding images is to take the scene to a different level, so to speak. "Editorial or a magazine advertisement is what I have been approached with on numerous occasions," explains Barb. And while she does pose her clients for some must have photos, or make suggestions for a certain feel that she's going for or the couple wants, Barb typically just lets her couples take a moment in a private place. And with a few clicks of the shutter, she captures incredible images of moments that happen naturally.
Post processing techniques are huge this year, according to Barb. Like hard toning or overlays of textures. "I do put a special touch on a few images, but tend to keep the spreads classical and timeless."
Details, details, details
• Barb suggests booking AmazonLens 6 to 12 months before your wedding as she was already booking for 2011 when we met with her in March 2010.
• A deposit of 50% of your package price is due to reserve your wedding date.
• Package prices range from $2200 to $3300.
• The average bride spends about $3000 at AmazonLens; taxes are not included in posted prices.
• Permits for photo locations are the responsibility of the couple to procure.
• Photos are usually ready in about 4 to 6 weeks after your wedding.
Traditional couples who aren't afraid of an adventure, are on a modest budget and understand that wedding photography is an investment are sure to love AmazonLens Photographica - The Ring's latest and greatest find in the Hamilton area. Owner and Principal Photographer, Barb Dubrawski, approaches weddings with the attitude that she's more like a friend than a service provider, caring about her couples and respecting their wishes. But her friendly approach doesn't stop Barb from producing beautiful images that she hopes her couples enjoy for years to come.
From capturing all of the wedding day moments to helping pin boutonnières and bustle dresses, Barb says she's everywhere on your wedding day, armed with her camera and ready to create lasting memories. So, with a passion for what she does, and quality in the results, a casual and flexible approach, and service that's accessible for most couples from Hamilton to Toronto, Barb makes AmazonLens a business that's all about what you want. We met with Barb, fell in love with her portfolio (and her personality!) and found that brides would, and do, feel instantly comfortable working with her...
Personally speaking...
Several years ago, when Barb was laid off from her IT job, she found herself with time on her hands and a desire to capture the moments she was having, which she did with her very first Digital SLR camera. Her brother in-law made a comment that her pictures were touching and that she should consider a career in photography. The seed had been planted, and further grew when she talked with a friend who worked as a wedding photographer and loved being a part of the couple's day.
"That lead me to think about my own photographer for my wedding," Barb told us. "I can only remember the day through my photographer's lens because the day was so crazy and those images are all that lasted throughout the years." And so, AmazonLens Photographica was born and officially became a business in 2005 after a few years of referral based business.
Barb's training and experience comes from a variety of places. Her natural skills started off as a hereditary trait as her Dad is an avid photography hobbyist and she and her sister both discovered a love for it at young ages. "My mother’s grace and elegance finally rubbed off on me when I left the military and I feel it is this combination in my personality that makes for a stylish and stimulating experience for my clients," says Barb.
A long learned familiarity with cameras, flash and digital post processing, learning from a well-versed friend on the graphics design end, an apprenticeship with local wedding photographers, and a lot of reading is what gave Barb the hands-on experience she needed before venturing out on her own. She has also learned skills and kept up with trends through photography courses at Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology, and many workshops, including most recently the WPPI (Wedding Portrait Professionals International) Conference in Las Vegas where she focused on creative lighting techniques, editorial posing and motivational classes.
"I love what I do, there is not a time where I say I wish I could get off this ride," says Barb. "I enjoy learning more about the industry and how to transfer that knowledge to my clients. I deliver what I promise to, and then some."
Barb is the Principal Photographer at AmazonLens and her husband David is the Associate/Second Photographer (or someone else from their network of associates if David is unavailable). He helps with lighting set-up and taking candid images while Barb focuses on the main photos.
With all of this experience and training, an average of fifteen weddings per year, and her appreciation as a bride once herself, Barb approaches each one with the understanding of what couples can go through on their wedding day - good and bad - and the advice they may need (not just for photography) to make sure they make the most of their day.
A casual and elegant approach
When we met with Barb, we found her to be outgoing and friendly and could see how easy it would be for couples to be comfortable with her right away. And this is something that's really important to Barb, too. She suggests, "Choose a photographer that you’re comfortable with and who understands what you’re looking for. Be adventurous and trust your photographer to get the best shots and use their vision to be inspired... take some risks."
Because meeting different people, witnessing their connection with each other and watching the joy that spreads to everyone on a wedding day are Barb's favourite parts of the job, she insists on meeting with her clients to ensure that everyone will work well together. "It’s a casual, yet elegant approach we take with our clients... lots of conversations about expectations and desired outcomes," she told us. This not only means that Barb wants to get along with her clients, but she's very flexible when it comes to their wants and need - she makes notes of hints they drop, talks a lot about expectations and details and expects the same in return so everyone is on the same page.
It was in their first meeting with Barb that Annie and Michael Bigelow knew they wanted to hire her for their engagement and September 2009 wedding photos. They told us the meeting was professional and friendly with no pressure, "just an opportunity to get together and talk about what we were looking for from our wedding photographer; we felt confident that Barb heard us and understood exactly what we were looking for... it felt like a collaboration; they were interested in getting a snapshot of who we are as a couple and made sure that came through in our wedding photos."
"I make my business about others' wants and needs," says Barb. "I become a part of their life for a short time (and on a few occasions, a long time), and not just a vendor for the people I work with." This is why Barb's attitude is more like one of a friend than a service provider. "I care about my couples and in turn they feel respected."
Barb's easy going personality was a big reason that Jen and Brent Richardson hired AmazonLens to photograph their May 2009 wedding as it was important for them to be comfortable with their photographer. "Barb made things fun and easy," they told The Ring. "Barb caters to your needs. She isn't pushy and makes you feel comfortable with every part of the process. It's all about what you want and need... The end result is amazing, you won't be disappointed!"
Beautiful images with beautiful people
The word "no" doesn't seem to exist in Barb's vocabulary as she doesn't view any potential problems on your wedding day as obstacles, but more of a reason for her to provide a creative solution. Meaning, if there's something you were really looking forward to having captured, but outside circumstances get a bit in the way, Barb says she'll incorporate your ideas in a manner that suits the situation and with what she has to work with. For example, "you're not going to get a sunset picture on a cloudy day, but I can give a sense of warm light with flash and post production work," Barb explains.
Adam and Cassandra Heeg felt that Barb worked around each of their requests and made their ideas into a masterpiece for both their November 2009 engagement session and their February 2010 wedding shoot with AmazonLens. "We loved working with Barb because she gave every one of our pictures the elaborate twist that we wanted them all to have, and never once did she miss a beat," they told us. "Her imagination with the camera goes beyond belief... When we look back through our pictures, every single one brings us back to those moments. It’s like watching our engagement shoot and wedding day all over again." They add that Barb delivers a message of love in her photos and creates everlasting memories for her clients.
"We like how each different AmazonLens client has their own unique set of wedding photos," Annie and Michael told us. "The photo shoots suited each individual couple instead of fitting each couple into a set of planned poses and shots... none of our posed wedding portraits looked stiff."
Barb also takes the same accommodating approach to her service and packages as she does with the actual photography. "I always say, 'you don’t get what you want unless you ask for it'." If potential AmazonLens clients ask for something that isn't listed in her packages, she does her best to accommodate or to find a way to satisfy their request. "We can customize a package for almost anyone," adds Barb.
Barb does also offer three different packages (Silver, Gold and Platinum) with varying options included and ranging in price from $2200 to $3300 (plus tax). All packages include an engagement session and wedding day coverage (6, 8 or 10 hours) with an online password protected gallery, and a DVD/CD of each session. All images are hand corrected for colour and clarity, non-watermarked, and in a printable 8x10 format.
Annie and Michael felt that AmazonLens' prices were very fair. "They fell perfectly in line with our budget and we feel the value and service we received more than matched the prices." Jen and Brent found Barb's prices to be the best in the Hamilton area.
Annie and Michael also add that working with Barb was a breeze. "It was relaxed and probably the only thing I wasn’t stressing about during planning our wedding," says Annie.
On top of engagement and wedding photography coverage, AmazonLens also offers lifestyle sessions (beginning at $250), and Barb carries high quality, custom designed coffee table books, parent albums, pocket books, canvas prints, and thank you cards - some of which are included in a couple of the packages.
"The prices that Barb offered to us were easily in our price range and budget," say Adam and Cassandra. "The price that we paid was minor compared to the pictures that she delivered and the service that she provides."
Walking you through it...
The best way to contact Barb is via email or phone, which you'll want to do once you've checked out her online portfolio and want to set-up a meeting with her (at her home studio or wherever works best for you).
The first meeting is casual, more of a meet and greet, or "a chemistry check" as Barb calls it. You'll discuss investment, check out Barb's work and products, talk wedding details and photography expectations/needs, etc. Barb also gives you a bit of insight into who she is - her family, background, and her own expectations. She'll then go over the contract in detail to make sure there are no surprises later.
"Barb was great to work with; very professional, friendly, and knowledgeable," say Annie and Michael. "We knew exactly what to expect from AmazonLens and were confident in their ability to capture our wedding day exactly how we envisioned it."
During Adam and Cassandra's second meeting with Barb (they met her once before working at another wedding) they met at a coffee shop and brought with them examples of what they were looking for in their wedding photos - some were even from a magazine. "That was the kind of wedding pictures that we wanted, exaggerated and every picture full of love, passion, and a little lust," they told us, which they feel Barb provided. "Barb is the most enthusiastic, self-motivated photographer I've observed and worked with," adds Cassandra. "She's brilliant; a photographer you can trust to just be there to capture all the good stuff!"
Once you're ready to book, you meet with Barb again for what she calls the "signing ceremony". You sign the documents, book a tentative engagement date and pay the 50% deposit to reserve your day.
Barb says she likes to check in with her couples every few weeks to let them know she's thinking about them and pass on any info she's come across.
On the wedding day, Barb and her assistant (usually her husband David) show up at the agreed upon time and location and capture all of the important and candid moments. Barb also likes to get the newlyweds alone for a bit during the wedding party photo shoot so they can have a moment to breathe and enjoy each other's company for the first time as a married couple. "I always enjoy this moment with our couples," says Barb. "The anxiety of the day tends to melt away and they are ready to go to the reception."
Annie and Michael found that their photos shoots with AmazonLens were comfortable and fun - even though Annie doesn't like having her picture taken. "When Barb arrived at my parents’ house before the wedding to take the before ceremony photos, she brought with her a great calming vibe," Annie told us. "She was right on her game and did a great job in the midst of the insanity of the hours leading up to the wedding. I was so stressed... it was so nice working with Barb and not having to stress about the photography on top of everything else." Annie says that one of the best things about Barb is that she's completely unobtrusive, respectful and invisible on the wedding day. "I don’t even remember seeing Barb or her second shooter during our ceremony. They were complete professionals and did such a great job, and I’ve yet to see another photographer melt into the background but still capture every single moment the way they did."
Jen and Brent also say that they're not much for posing for pictures, but Barb made their photo shoot fun and easy. "It was natural and Barb had great ideas for the pictures... AmazonLens made us feel comfortable. There were no shots or posing that we had to do, it was up to us." They add that their favourite memory of their photo shoot with AmazonLens was Barb's ability to make them laugh the whole time.
Barb ends the day making sure that the bride and groom are happy, or if they feel there's anything else they'd like captured. Then, after the wedding, Barb posts a teaser of select images within the week after the wedding, which she sends to her clients and posts to her blog and Facebook.
About four to six weeks after the wedding, your photos are ready and you'll meet with Barb to go over the ones you want to print or put in albums. Then, the photos are yours to enjoy for years to come, just as Barb hopes.
The night before her wedding, Cassandra received text messages from Barb with words of encouragement, which she found to be really calming during a stressed out and nervous time. "The day of our wedding, Barb just came in and took charge of our three flower girls to help ease the bridesmaids and myself," adds Cassandra of how Barb went above and beyond what you'd expect from a photographer. "And while the bridal party was getting ready... Barb was invisible, never once in the way and still getting all of the candid shots that we wanted of the day. Only a picture can keep the memory of those minutes that you sometimes forget had happened, and to see those pictures really brings a smile to our faces... to be able to watch the whole 'behind the scenes' of our own wedding. Barb got it all!"
A current trend with wedding images is to take the scene to a different level, so to speak. "Editorial or a magazine advertisement is what I have been approached with on numerous occasions," explains Barb. And while she does pose her clients for some must have photos, or make suggestions for a certain feel that she's going for or the couple wants, Barb typically just lets her couples take a moment in a private place. And with a few clicks of the shutter, she captures incredible images of moments that happen naturally.
Post processing techniques are huge this year, according to Barb. Like hard toning or overlays of textures. "I do put a special touch on a few images, but tend to keep the spreads classical and timeless."
Details, details, details
• Barb suggests booking AmazonLens 6 to 12 months before your wedding as she was already booking for 2011 when we met with her in March 2010.
• A deposit of 50% of your package price is due to reserve your wedding date.
• Package prices range from $2200 to $3300.
• The average bride spends about $3000 at AmazonLens; taxes are not included in posted prices.
• Permits for photo locations are the responsibility of the couple to procure.
• Photos are usually ready in about 4 to 6 weeks after your wedding.
