Mel and Chris were planning to get married in September of this year. And it didn’t happen. They reached out to me because they wanted to still make some photo memories. I don’t normally make wedding photos for a variety of reasons that I won’t get into here. But having known them as a couple for a while through group bike rides I figured, why not. Creating photos in the fall is always tricky. You pick a location and then wait for the colors to change. The weather in the fall is unpredictable and it was especially so in 2020. So finding a window were clear skies, warm temperatures, and fall colors was definitely a challenge that was worth waiting for.

I don’t own a car anymore. The ability to get around by bike quickly in the morning with changing light is a game changer for situations like this. We started at 6:50 and finished at 8:30. Biking around the Arboretum and Commissioners Park we were able to quickly follow the sun and take best advantage of the sun as it moved. Once you pay close attention to how the sun moves, it’s very surprising how quickly the sun moves and the light changes.

In my research for this project, I found that there are not many times people have had engagement or wedding photos with bikes in Ottawa. And that was a fun challenge to take on. Bikes are a tool to help experience life and as a necessary mode of transportation here in Ottawa and I wanted to make sure that they were seen but did not take center stage in the framing of these moments. And I have to say I am happy with the results.