Having worked with Ralph Heinze Photography on countless wedding and corporate shoots over the past six years, it was our pleasure to interview and review this award-winning, internationally recognized photographer for brides in The Ring. We already knew that Ralph doesn’t shoot the typical wedding, then again, he’s not your typical photographer. He takes a photojournalistic approach and likes to tell a story that happens naturally throughout your day so you have unique pictures that portray your true personalities.

Ralph Heinze Photography offers award-winning wedding photography that is an inspiring combination of both still emotions and fine art. 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. Though Ralph's base is K-W, he shoots weddings from Toronto to London and has recently added destination weddings to his repertoire. But no matter where he is or what he's shooting, Ralph spends your wedding day capturing hundreds of moments and emotions with a quiet intensity and artistic touch that you can't find anywhere else. Let us explain...

An artist...

It seems obvious from the first time you meet Ralph that he's probably always been an artist in one way or another. This would explain why he so easily and naturally sets himself apart from others in his field. In a very natural way, Ralph shoots from his own artistic approach, his signature style visible in all of the images he takes of your wedding.

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..."

Ralph has been shooting weddings from his Kitchener-Waterloo location for the past six years. His work is known to many for its predominantly photojournalistic style. In fact, that's how he earned his way into the Wedding Photojournalistic Association (WPJA) as an accredited member. The WPJA requires that their photographers shoot 90% of their work in un-scripted, un-posed images. Over the past two years, Ralph found himself focusing his lens on more of a fine art approach to wedding portraits in addition to his candid shots, something that both feeds his inner artist while simultaneously growing his reputation for incredible photography and art.

Ralph has been internationally recognized, winning the Gold Medallion from the [AG]WPJA (the WPJA's Artist Guild) award for a wedding portrait he did - and he's the only one in K-W to have won the award thus far. In 2008, Ralph focused more on environmental portraits, meaning images and memories in settings that are most definitely not just the usual park or tree photo. From the rawness of the Toronto subway to the elegance of an antique captain's chair shot through a museum window, location played a big part in last year's memories. When we spoke with Ralph recently, he told us that he wants to "get back to the core" of his work with an unconventional, photojournalistic approach. "Perfectly imperfect" is how Ralph described his style in a recent conversation.

Though Ralph is the artiste du jour, he does have assistants available for additional hire if you feel that you need more photographers available for your wedding day. Olja, who Ralph says also happens to have a brilliant Graphic Design background, and Sandra have both worked with Ralph for quite some time. "More people means being able to sometimes push things further," says Ralph.

Weddings from here to there and everywhere...

Ralph has shot weddings that were small and intimate, as well as others that were large and held at such prestigious Toronto locations as The Berkeley Church, the Palais Royale and The Carlu. His home studio is located in Kitchener, but Ralph has been known to shoot weddings in Toronto, London and Cambridge. Recently, Ralph has also shot destination weddings in St. Thomas, the Mayan Riviera and even as far away as Egypt, among others.

Wherever you decide to tie the knot, though, you can rest assured that if you hire Ralph, he will create images that tell a story of your day, and he does it in a style that really brings each memory to life - this is where Ralph is in his element. This is where he is able to produce unique prints and album styles from scratch for every client. "I document the day as a story," he says. "Once you figure out the direction you want it to go, it just flows."

Ralph almost always dresses in a black suit or dress clothes for a wedding shoot, and says he tries to blend with the guests. "It actually makes it easier to get real moments and feelings that way. People act more naturally." And if you’re acting naturally, then Ralph can more easily capture your story the way it happens without poses, which is the way he loves to do it. That’s not to say that he won’t do the standard posed pictures with family and friends, but he says he likes for couples to have something unique that portrays their true personality by capturing it in action. "Give me half an hour for formal pictures, and an hour for the bride and groom," says Ralph. "The rest is up to you."

Technically speaking...

A Photoshop expert in his own right, Ralph uses Photoshop not to fix, but to create. With his 'tablet', he has been known to hand paint art pieces brushstroke by brushstroke, to ultimately be hung on the wall of the subject's home. Or his own, if it's his new favourite wedding photo.

"I think what I love most about the digital dark room is that you can alter a photo like the old masters, to bring the focus to what is really important in the photograph. When it's done well, you can have a great shot and make it a stunning, timeless work of art... I try to document and produce a wedding such that in twenty, fifty or a hundred years from now, it would still be interesting to look at - a blend of fine art portraits and photojournalistic images allow me to do this." He happens to be such a Photoshop guru that Ralph even teaches Photoshop courses within the community.

Ralph's idea of fun is picking up a new lens for his Canon camera. He shoots only with the best cameras, lenses and lighting (if needed) that he can find. When he isn't equipping his business with photo toys, he's researching the latest photographic techniques to keep his work current and meaningful for his brides.

Budgeting for your options...

For full day coverage (his most popular request), $2900 gets you Ralph (and an assistant, if applicable) all to yourself for seven hours, which Ralph says is the perfect amount of time to shoot the wedding from the ceremony to reception. Ralph also gives you un-retouched digital files of all of the photos he takes on your wedding day. All of Ralph's coverage packages are custom, so you can tailor your options for various prices.

Ralph says his average bride typically spends between $1000 and $5500, with the average being $4000 on albums, books and prints. Amidst his print options, Ralph also happens to have one of the coolest proof books The Ring has ever seen - it's a 300 page 11x13 book that's more like a coffee table book than an album. But you've got to visit Ralph to see it for yourself. Proof books are ready in about a month.

One of the things that really 'wowed' The Ring was Ralph's long list of amazing 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, and fine art images, to say the least. Ralph tunes you in to his artistic side by offering prints on archival fine art velvet 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."

D'Arte: Photos of Art

Ralph has introduced a new division of artistic products reminiscent of both your wedding day and of Renaissance art. Ralph calls this new division and style, D'Arte (French for 'of art').

From a single, extremely high resolution digital photograph, Ralph uses a 'tablet' and thousands of digital brushstrokes to transform the photo. Textured strokes, lighting effects, focuses, and other artistic tools are used to enhance colour and composition of the piece while maintaining the integrity of the photo and giving the illusion of an oil painting.

Each D'Arte portrait is luxuriously printed and is meant to be framed and hung in your home as more than just a memory, but an artist's rendition of your wedding day. Influenced by renowned artist, Pino, Ralph is the only photographer in Kitchener to provide this custom service for his clients.

Each piece takes countless hours of work to produce. The 'paintings' have a textured look and are done only by request. Sizes range from 16x16 to 20x30.

Details, details, details

• Ralph is accessible by email and phone.
• Ralph Heinze Photography's coverage starts at $2900 for seven hours of reportage.
• Book Ralph 12 months in advance.
• Package & print options are extensive, including a 300 page 11x13 coffee table book-style proof book.
• Coverage of smaller, intimate weddings is also available on weekdays.
• Local wedding shoots from Toronto to London and destination weddings are all available.
• A deposit of $1000 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.

Contacting Ralph Heinze...

Ralph is based out of Kitchener, and he welcomes you to come see him in his home studio. You can contact Ralph by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone at 519-585-1337. You can visit his portfolio and galleries on the web at www.ralphheinze.com. Ralph welcomes all inquiries.