Reviewing Ralph Heinze and Ange de la Chevrotiere, Principal Photographers at One Great Day Photography
Review is written by Staff @ The Ring and is based on • Interviews with this vendor • Interviews with past brides • Our experiences • Feedback from local vendors
Ralph Heinze and Ange de la Chevrotiere of One Great Day Photography say they don’t take photographs; they create them. Their images tell a story – your story - as it happens naturally throughout your wedding day. It’s photography that’s inspired by environment, available light, emotions, the naturally occurring chaos of people and life, and the core philosophy of the WPJA (Wedding Photojournalist Association) – “keep it real, tell a story and let people be themselves.” As a result, both Ralph and Ange are winners of the highly competitive international WPJA competitions and deserve to be at the top of any bride’s must-see list.
One Great Day Photography offers wedding photography that is an inspiring combination of both still emotions and fine art, images that are iconic and memorable. Ralph's brides choose him for his photojournalistic approach to weddings and his fine art approach to portraits - his work draws you into it and tells you a story. Let us explain...
Experienced, award-winning photography from the Carlu to the Caribbean
One Great Day Photography has covered more than 150 weddings over the past nine years. Together with second principal shooter, Ange, Ralph takes on just ten weddings per season. He limits the number of weddings to ensure that everything he shoots is of the highest quality and creativity.
They’re based out of the Kitchener-Waterloo area but cover events across Ontario and the globe. Attracting couples with an eye for art and a vision for their memories, Ralph and Ange can be seen shooting in the likes of high end Toronto venues such as the Carlu and the Distillery District, on a luxury Caribbean cruise ship, or in the raw, colourful streets and centuries-old cathedrals of Havana, Cuba. But it’s not really about geography. It’s about people and moments. Wherever you decide to tie the knot, though, there’s no doubt that Ralph will capture and create images that tell a story of your day, in a style that really brings each memory to life. This is where Ralph is in his element. "I document the day as a story," he says. "Once you figure out the direction you want it to go, it just flows."
Ralph and Ange will go just about anywhere if it means having the chance to cover the stylish, unique love story of a bride and groom who want photos they’ll love for a lifetime.
In exchange for their dedication to artistic, photojournalistic photography, Ralph and Ange have both been internationally recognized, winning highly competitive WPJA awards. In 2010, competing with tens of thousands of photographers Internationally, Ralph had two images place in 1st in the "ceremony" and "Lit Portrait" categories, and he's the only one in K-W to have won the gold medallions thus far. Ange has earned her fair share of recognition in photography as well, winning a WPGA Wedding Photojournalist award in the "creative portrait" category.
Keeping it real & getting the whole picture
Often shooting with prime lenses (and avoiding the use of flash whenever possible), each image captured by One Great Day Photography considers the subject, the available light, and the environment. “Showing a sense of place is important to us,” they explained, walking us through shots of attendants exiting a church with a cathedral full in frame in the background and a street level view of the church with guests lining up outside for the receiving line. “Sense of place is integral to portraying the real story.”
To add context to photos, Ralph and Ange often shoot with wide angle lenses and consciously aim to get more than one or two people in each shot. “This often makes photos more meaningful. It shows relationships and how people interact with each other throughout the day."
Adding perspective and a sense of place has a lot to do with angle and eye-level according to Ralph and Ange. They might shoot downwards from atop a balcony with all guests in view, or get down on the ground to get a floor-level shot of a child watching the ceremony. Whatever helps bring the people, place and perspective of the moment together into each shot.
Long lenses are used for capturing the absolute, pure emotions of the day. “No story would be complete without them – from the blissfully calm bride in the moments leading up to the ceremony, to the emotionally charged time a groom first catches sight of his bride…”
There’s very little posing, if any, and it’s more about letting the day write itself, than trying to capture pre-scripted moments that might not normally happen otherwise. It’s the whole picture and it’s your story, all at the same time. “People and places amaze us,” Ange and Ralph explain. They don’t believe in ever doing the same shoot twice. There’s always something, somewhere and someone new to inspire creativity and keep things fresh. So while each wedding surely has a set of similar elements to them, Ralph and Ange choose to shoot each day differently, going after the event with unique angles and shots they’ve never done before. “With so much variation and chaos it is always changing. It’s always new.”
Rami and Zena Shami checked out One Great Day Photography for their March 6, 2010 wedding upon recommendation from a friend. Once they saw some of the work he’d done with friends of theirs, they hired him. Rami and Zena said their experience was fantastic. “He was VERY friendly and easy to work with. We had a blast, we laughed SO much, and just really enjoyed the experience with Ralph! It was very easy being ourselves with Ralph, as he encouraged us to be who we were.”
Ralph and Ange also find inspiration in each other as they shoot. “We are always a little surprised at how we can come up with a completely different perspective. Multiple perspectives add extra layers to the story.”
Reception experts
All packages at One Great Day Photography include at least some portion of the wedding reception because it’s an integral part of the story of the day that brings together all the best elements of the day’s emotions and people in one location.
Ralph and Ange take advantage of off-camera lighting when it comes to dimly lit, indoor settings such as reception. “It’s not enough to get a good shot of a great moment. The lighting has to be perfect.” Ralph’s portfolio is filled with reception memories that encompass some of the best elements of any wedding day; activity, family, friends, emotions – and usually some fun (often alcohol-induced) dance floor shenanigans. The shots come out looking very Hollywood but don’t require any effort on the bride and groom’s part because Ralph and Ange aim to capture moments without directing them.
Photography that stands out
Rob and Amy E. (who tied the knot in April 2010) hired Ralph after seeing photos he had done for their friend's wedding. The photos left such an impression that when Amy got engaged, she asked her friend who the photographer was for their wedding... "Ralph Heinze was a done deal for us - We just knew that he was our photographer!"
“Ralph did something with our main portrait that no one else ever mentioned, an up until that point, we had never heard of,” Rami and Zena told The Ring, trying to explain the artistic editing touches Ralph added to photos. “We liked the idea so much we used it in our thank you cards, and everybody loved them... It truly was awesome!”
If you ask Ralph, he believes it's what he sees when he attends your wedding that maybe isn't the same as what other photographers see. "Everyone has their own way of looking at things, their own viewpoint... It's just about catching the right emotion at the right time... While I photograph the critical events - ceremony and formals - most of the emotions show up in the smaller moments that are often forgotten..."
Mike and Angela M. say that Ralph is definitely an artist first and a business man second. They hired One Great Day Photography for their July 2010 wedding. “That doesn't mean he doesn't know how to run a coordinated and professional business, but he is more excited to take some great pictures over a financial transaction. He walked us through a couple slide shows, answered a long list of photography questions I had (I love photography so I had almost a small exam prepared) and was flexible. Explained the process - what we can expect and really got us excited for it.”
Magazine-worthy images + quick turnaround = true love
With so many gorgeous weddings and fashionable couples in the One Great Day Photography portfolio, the team at The Ring often turn to Ralph and Ange when we’re looking for something specific such as unique aisle runner shots (‘Style your aisle’, The Wedding Ring Magazine, Spring/Summer 2011 issue) or retro-chic, ’50s-era car shots (‘Trends & Ideas’, The Wedding Ring Magazine, Fall/Winter 2010 issue) or a killer Destination Wedding to share.
We’ve also worked with Ralph on set for magazine spreads, at events for pj coverage and even on several personal family sessions. The bottom line is that we know that if we book One Great Day Photography for a shoot, we’re going to get what we want: on-site, internationally recognized professional photographers, creative images, and the final cut in our hands within a few days. And really, what more could a media company (or a bride and groom for that matter) ask for?!
Budgeting for your options...
Wedding coverage begins at $2490 and gets you Ralph and Ange all to yourself for six hours. There are also several other packages available or, Ralph and Ange can create a custom package for you, so you can tailor your options for various prices.
Past groom Mike told The Ring, “To me, the photographs were the most important thing… Photographs last forever and I wanted the best ones. Definitely feel they were worth the price.” Mike recommends One Great Day Photography, “no questions asked. I would tell people to save up and spend the bit of extra money… In forty years you will look at your photographs… Do you want to have the typical staged, poorly processed pictures that just prove you were there… Or do you want the pictures that captured the essence, fun… Also having an award winning photograph feels pretty good!” [One of Mike and Angela’s images won first place in the ceremony category in the AG-WPJA contest].
Rob and Amy consider Ralph's photos to be priceless treasures. "In our opinion, you can't put a price on memories, and so the value of his photos FAR exceeds the price paid. Worth every cent!!! Every single photo taken was fantastic, but I do have a handful of favourite photos that capture the moment/emotions so perfectly that those few photos alone would have been worth his entire fee! All the other 700+ photos were just an added bonus."
Ralph offers a long list of ways to print and display your wedding photos. Among other things, you have an online slideshow of proofs that you can share with friends and family, plus the options of online ordering and library bound archival fine art albums in 6x6 or 10x10 sizes. The slideshows are ready for you within about a week of your wedding and have been known to make parents tear up.
As far as photos go, your image options are black & white, colour (Ralph and Ange LOVE black and white photos!), and fine art images, to say the least. Ralph tunes you in to his artistic side by offering prints on archival fine art watercolour paper. This paper is actually made out of cotton with a lifespan of about two hundred years. "The paper is museum quality, and gives the images a great finished look... It's very cool."
Details, details, details
• Ralph is accessible by email and phone.
• One Great Day Photography's coverage starts at $2490. The average bride spends $3500.
• Book Ralph and Ange 12 months in advance if you can. With limited dates and a killer reputation, they book up quickly. That said, they welcome all inquiries.
• Package & print options are extensive and customizable.
• Coverage of smaller, intimate weddings with less hours is also available on weekdays, Sundays and in the off-season (January-April)
• Local wedding shoots from Toronto to London and destination weddings are all available.
• A deposit of 1/3 of package total is required to book, with 1/3 of the balance due 1 month before the wedding, and the final 1/3 due 1 week before the wedding.
Ralph Heinze and Ange de la Chevrotiere of One Great Day Photography say they don’t take photographs; they create them. Their images tell a story – your story - as it happens naturally throughout your wedding day. It’s photography that’s inspired by environment, available light, emotions, the naturally occurring chaos of people and life, and the core philosophy of the WPJA (Wedding Photojournalist Association) – “keep it real, tell a story and let people be themselves.” As a result, both Ralph and Ange are winners of the highly competitive international WPJA competitions and deserve to be at the top of any bride’s must-see list.
One Great Day Photography offers wedding photography that is an inspiring combination of both still emotions and fine art, images that are iconic and memorable. Ralph's brides choose him for his photojournalistic approach to weddings and his fine art approach to portraits - his work draws you into it and tells you a story. Let us explain...
Experienced, award-winning photography from the Carlu to the Caribbean
One Great Day Photography has covered more than 150 weddings over the past nine years. Together with second principal shooter, Ange, Ralph takes on just ten weddings per season. He limits the number of weddings to ensure that everything he shoots is of the highest quality and creativity.
They’re based out of the Kitchener-Waterloo area but cover events across Ontario and the globe. Attracting couples with an eye for art and a vision for their memories, Ralph and Ange can be seen shooting in the likes of high end Toronto venues such as the Carlu and the Distillery District, on a luxury Caribbean cruise ship, or in the raw, colourful streets and centuries-old cathedrals of Havana, Cuba. But it’s not really about geography. It’s about people and moments. Wherever you decide to tie the knot, though, there’s no doubt that Ralph will capture and create images that tell a story of your day, in a style that really brings each memory to life. This is where Ralph is in his element. "I document the day as a story," he says. "Once you figure out the direction you want it to go, it just flows."
Ralph and Ange will go just about anywhere if it means having the chance to cover the stylish, unique love story of a bride and groom who want photos they’ll love for a lifetime.
In exchange for their dedication to artistic, photojournalistic photography, Ralph and Ange have both been internationally recognized, winning highly competitive WPJA awards. In 2010, competing with tens of thousands of photographers Internationally, Ralph had two images place in 1st in the "ceremony" and "Lit Portrait" categories, and he's the only one in K-W to have won the gold medallions thus far. Ange has earned her fair share of recognition in photography as well, winning a WPGA Wedding Photojournalist award in the "creative portrait" category.
Keeping it real & getting the whole picture
Often shooting with prime lenses (and avoiding the use of flash whenever possible), each image captured by One Great Day Photography considers the subject, the available light, and the environment. “Showing a sense of place is important to us,” they explained, walking us through shots of attendants exiting a church with a cathedral full in frame in the background and a street level view of the church with guests lining up outside for the receiving line. “Sense of place is integral to portraying the real story.”
To add context to photos, Ralph and Ange often shoot with wide angle lenses and consciously aim to get more than one or two people in each shot. “This often makes photos more meaningful. It shows relationships and how people interact with each other throughout the day."
Adding perspective and a sense of place has a lot to do with angle and eye-level according to Ralph and Ange. They might shoot downwards from atop a balcony with all guests in view, or get down on the ground to get a floor-level shot of a child watching the ceremony. Whatever helps bring the people, place and perspective of the moment together into each shot.
Long lenses are used for capturing the absolute, pure emotions of the day. “No story would be complete without them – from the blissfully calm bride in the moments leading up to the ceremony, to the emotionally charged time a groom first catches sight of his bride…”
There’s very little posing, if any, and it’s more about letting the day write itself, than trying to capture pre-scripted moments that might not normally happen otherwise. It’s the whole picture and it’s your story, all at the same time. “People and places amaze us,” Ange and Ralph explain. They don’t believe in ever doing the same shoot twice. There’s always something, somewhere and someone new to inspire creativity and keep things fresh. So while each wedding surely has a set of similar elements to them, Ralph and Ange choose to shoot each day differently, going after the event with unique angles and shots they’ve never done before. “With so much variation and chaos it is always changing. It’s always new.”
Rami and Zena Shami checked out One Great Day Photography for their March 6, 2010 wedding upon recommendation from a friend. Once they saw some of the work he’d done with friends of theirs, they hired him. Rami and Zena said their experience was fantastic. “He was VERY friendly and easy to work with. We had a blast, we laughed SO much, and just really enjoyed the experience with Ralph! It was very easy being ourselves with Ralph, as he encouraged us to be who we were.”
Ralph and Ange also find inspiration in each other as they shoot. “We are always a little surprised at how we can come up with a completely different perspective. Multiple perspectives add extra layers to the story.”
Reception experts
All packages at One Great Day Photography include at least some portion of the wedding reception because it’s an integral part of the story of the day that brings together all the best elements of the day’s emotions and people in one location.
Ralph and Ange take advantage of off-camera lighting when it comes to dimly lit, indoor settings such as reception. “It’s not enough to get a good shot of a great moment. The lighting has to be perfect.” Ralph’s portfolio is filled with reception memories that encompass some of the best elements of any wedding day; activity, family, friends, emotions – and usually some fun (often alcohol-induced) dance floor shenanigans. The shots come out looking very Hollywood but don’t require any effort on the bride and groom’s part because Ralph and Ange aim to capture moments without directing them.
Photography that stands out
Rob and Amy E. (who tied the knot in April 2010) hired Ralph after seeing photos he had done for their friend's wedding. The photos left such an impression that when Amy got engaged, she asked her friend who the photographer was for their wedding... "Ralph Heinze was a done deal for us - We just knew that he was our photographer!"
“Ralph did something with our main portrait that no one else ever mentioned, an up until that point, we had never heard of,” Rami and Zena told The Ring, trying to explain the artistic editing touches Ralph added to photos. “We liked the idea so much we used it in our thank you cards, and everybody loved them... It truly was awesome!”
If you ask Ralph, he believes it's what he sees when he attends your wedding that maybe isn't the same as what other photographers see. "Everyone has their own way of looking at things, their own viewpoint... It's just about catching the right emotion at the right time... While I photograph the critical events - ceremony and formals - most of the emotions show up in the smaller moments that are often forgotten..."
Mike and Angela M. say that Ralph is definitely an artist first and a business man second. They hired One Great Day Photography for their July 2010 wedding. “That doesn't mean he doesn't know how to run a coordinated and professional business, but he is more excited to take some great pictures over a financial transaction. He walked us through a couple slide shows, answered a long list of photography questions I had (I love photography so I had almost a small exam prepared) and was flexible. Explained the process - what we can expect and really got us excited for it.”
Magazine-worthy images + quick turnaround = true love
With so many gorgeous weddings and fashionable couples in the One Great Day Photography portfolio, the team at The Ring often turn to Ralph and Ange when we’re looking for something specific such as unique aisle runner shots (‘Style your aisle’, The Wedding Ring Magazine, Spring/Summer 2011 issue) or retro-chic, ’50s-era car shots (‘Trends & Ideas’, The Wedding Ring Magazine, Fall/Winter 2010 issue) or a killer Destination Wedding to share.
We’ve also worked with Ralph on set for magazine spreads, at events for pj coverage and even on several personal family sessions. The bottom line is that we know that if we book One Great Day Photography for a shoot, we’re going to get what we want: on-site, internationally recognized professional photographers, creative images, and the final cut in our hands within a few days. And really, what more could a media company (or a bride and groom for that matter) ask for?!
Budgeting for your options...
Wedding coverage begins at $2490 and gets you Ralph and Ange all to yourself for six hours. There are also several other packages available or, Ralph and Ange can create a custom package for you, so you can tailor your options for various prices.
Past groom Mike told The Ring, “To me, the photographs were the most important thing… Photographs last forever and I wanted the best ones. Definitely feel they were worth the price.” Mike recommends One Great Day Photography, “no questions asked. I would tell people to save up and spend the bit of extra money… In forty years you will look at your photographs… Do you want to have the typical staged, poorly processed pictures that just prove you were there… Or do you want the pictures that captured the essence, fun… Also having an award winning photograph feels pretty good!” [One of Mike and Angela’s images won first place in the ceremony category in the AG-WPJA contest].
Rob and Amy consider Ralph's photos to be priceless treasures. "In our opinion, you can't put a price on memories, and so the value of his photos FAR exceeds the price paid. Worth every cent!!! Every single photo taken was fantastic, but I do have a handful of favourite photos that capture the moment/emotions so perfectly that those few photos alone would have been worth his entire fee! All the other 700+ photos were just an added bonus."
Ralph offers a long list of ways to print and display your wedding photos. Among other things, you have an online slideshow of proofs that you can share with friends and family, plus the options of online ordering and library bound archival fine art albums in 6x6 or 10x10 sizes. The slideshows are ready for you within about a week of your wedding and have been known to make parents tear up.
As far as photos go, your image options are black & white, colour (Ralph and Ange LOVE black and white photos!), and fine art images, to say the least. Ralph tunes you in to his artistic side by offering prints on archival fine art watercolour paper. This paper is actually made out of cotton with a lifespan of about two hundred years. "The paper is museum quality, and gives the images a great finished look... It's very cool."
Details, details, details
• Ralph is accessible by email and phone.
• One Great Day Photography's coverage starts at $2490. The average bride spends $3500.
• Book Ralph and Ange 12 months in advance if you can. With limited dates and a killer reputation, they book up quickly. That said, they welcome all inquiries.
• Package & print options are extensive and customizable.
• Coverage of smaller, intimate weddings with less hours is also available on weekdays, Sundays and in the off-season (January-April)
• Local wedding shoots from Toronto to London and destination weddings are all available.
• A deposit of 1/3 of package total is required to book, with 1/3 of the balance due 1 month before the wedding, and the final 1/3 due 1 week before the wedding.
