I Know What I Did Last Summer | Toronto Photographer

May 28, 2014January 6, 2016 / Ardean Peters / 8 Comments

I photographed a lot of awesome people. I had access to an awesome studio space last summer. Awesome because it had great natural light. You know I love light! And I learned how to use in that space. Every space is different. How the light enters, bounces, refracts, falls off. I loved that with this light I was able to create such pretty and clean images which have become my hallmark now. And which totally suit my subjects, who are all amazingly fun and genuine people, which this clean pretty light highlights so well. So this summer, I’m still shooting. A few things actually. That project I mentioned a couple of weeks ago is in full swing and I’m so happy to say that I’ve been receiving tons of positive feedback. Yay #teamnatural! I also want to continue doing portraits, so if you’re looking for new headshots or portraits or a profile shots to be done, hit me up. We’ll have fun and make some cool pics. And if you couldn’t tell, I had the AWESOME-EST time on this shoot. She a beautiful and cool person. One of the reasons I love photography :)

Toronto Photographer - Ardean Peters

That time we ate Apricots | Toronto Photographer

May 13, 2014May 13, 2014 / Ardean Peters / 7 Comments

Don’t feel like reading? Click the link at the bottom of this post to hear me talk all good and stuff

Larissa Benfey (click) , Actress, Model, lover of dried apricots! Yes, we did find out that fact, during this particular photo-shoot, when I broke out some snacks, including dried apricots. So this shoot we did earlier this year. I had so much fun with Larissa. She was totally amazing, just non-stop fun and laughter. So easy going! I don’t know what else to say, cause I’m just going to keep saying ‘um’ a lot. So this is a typical shoot for me. You know how I love light. So, I’m noticing that my style has definitely changed in the past year; this is the style I’ve moved into. And it’s really a style that I feel that is really clean and simple. And it just focuses on the person and is all about the light :)

Technical details: You know me, I shoot pretty much, 90% of the time with my 85mm f1.8 Canon lens. I’ve never used the f1.2, which is the L version of that lens, but I love the f1.8. It’s super sharp and I do typically shoot wide open, which means I shoot at an f1.8. Maybe I’ll push it up to a f2.2, if I remember to. But I typically shoot at f1.8. I just love shooting wide open. It’s just the way I see. And then everything is super bright and clean and pretty and things fall off and there’s stuff called ‘DOF’ and all that kind of jazz. I do also enjoy shooting with ‘light light’; with a lighting system, because there is also a challenge involved with that; in terms of how to balance your light and getting the right light ratios, etc. But with natural light, there is just something special about it. So this shoot is just shot, typically backlit and I do my trick of exposing for the front and blowing out the back and I get this beautiful clean background and a nicely exposed photo and everything’s all good in the hood. But anyway, I’m just rambling now. Take a look at the pictures. I hope you enjoy them. And until next time – bye! :)

Toronto Photographer Ardean Peters

Audio blog:

#throwbackthursday

May 8, 2014January 6, 2016 / Ardean Peters / Leave a comment

That time I obviously thought that closing my eyes in pictures was the ‘in’ thing, along with the awesome self-cropped jean jacket. Ya, I got loads of style. :)

Toronto Photographer Ardean Peters

Cute kid, White Seamless and a Photographer | Toronto Photographer

May 7, 2014January 7, 2016 / Ardean Peters / 6 Comments

So this cutie-patooty is Noah. I did this shoot earlier in the year, with him and his parents, obviously. So he is a young model in the Toronto area and they were looking for some new photos. I have to say it was a lot of fun working with a little kid versus an adult. I mean, I do have lot’s of fun working with adults. Actually, I think I become the little kid when working with other adults. :) But working with kids, is of course different. You relate to them differently. You speak to them differently. It’s a whole different mindset working with kids, but it’s SO much fun at the same time. But you really have to mind yourself. You can’t be condescending, because kids understand that; they get that. You can’t be fake, because kids can sense that. So you gotta really work with them and respect them and be honest with them and then you can work together to make good pictures. Now this particular day, Noah was just a bit under the weather. I think he had the beginnings of a cold, but honestly, he was such a professional and a trooper that regardless, he did such an awesome job. He was so cute, I had so much fun. And for the shoot, we shot it all on white, mainly shooting with the 85mm and a wide angle lens. Actually the wide angle lens I used, I don’t usually shoot with it, but forced myself to use it this time and it worked out well. But I am definitely looking at swapping out that lens and getting a prime, the 28mm instead. Which, I think, more fits my style of shooting. So this was a simple 2 light set-up and the key was to just have fun and giving direction. But actually Noah, he really knew what he was doing. I didn’t have to direct him overly much and I just made sure I was ready to capture the shots. I enjoyed the session and welcome working with more kids in the future :)

Toronto Photographer Ardean Peters