Photography Journal

Jayden & Dillon | Okanagan Elopement Photographer | Tin Poppy Elopement | Salmon Arm, BC

Okanagan Wedding Photographer, Okanagan Elopement Photographer

“Paulina is truly a one-of-a-kind gal! Dillon and I eloped at the Tin Poppy in the beautiful, whimsical Larch Hills of British Columbia. We knew as soon as we went through the photographers that Paulina was going to be perfect for what we were envisioning.  From the moment she showed up, she introduced herself and offered her hand asking “What can I do to help you” and grabbed me a glass of water to calm my nerves.

Neither of us have done a professional shoot with a photographer before, and I am quite camera shy. I was nervous of being in front of the camera – but she quickly relieved me of that and allowed Dillon and I to be ourselves and joke around with each other! She was even so kind as to make sure our dog, Wilson, was included in the photos.

Thanks to her laid back, fun loving approach to photography – she delivered the most real photos we could have asked for. I was even surprised with a mini shoot that Dillon and his groomsman did while I was inside! It was such a treat to see when we got all of our photos back! Paulina managed to capture every emotion ourselves and all of our loved ones were feeling that beautiful, foggy, mystical day. We would recommend her over & over again to anyone looking for a photographer – Paulina goes above & beyond (and then some) for her clients.”

– Jayden & Dillon

Thank you to these fabulous, local vendors! ❤

Venue, Floral + Design: Tin Poppy Retreat

Photographer: Otylia Photography

Makeup: Cassidy Watt Makeup

Hair: Linds at Ra Hair Studio

Nails: Nails by Cassidy

Dress: Willowby by Watters

Posted in Adventure Session, Weddings | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Poland Elopement Photographer | Bridal Adventure Session | Sopot, Poland

My husband and I spent a large part of our European tour in Poland as an opportunity for me to reconnect with my culture and language. Poland is a totally different country than the one we visited in 2007. Jeff and I would joke that the 2007 “Polish neutral” expression was a deep sadness in the eyes with hints of resignation (after learning more about the not so distant history of the region, it’s not an unreasonable position to take). My mom would warn me when I was younger that I couldn’t just smile and say hello to strangers on the street (as we do in Canada) because people would think there was something wrong with me – that I was ‘simple’. But it is different now. It feels open and creative. People were smiling, eating ice cream on park benches, and I heard Polish spoken in every country we visited.

After 11 years away, we first landed in Gdańsk. I was struggling with some vocabulary but doing my best to avoid falling back into English (which nearly everyone speaks now). I connected with a local wedding planner and floral designer, the talented Dorota Janicka-Kurlenda from Gdańska Pracownia Ślubów. Dorota and I hit it off immediately. We shared a vision for a styled photoshoot but I also think we were both excited for the opportunity to practice speaking in another language. Most of Dorota’s clients are Polish speaking so I think this was a fun opportunity to practice speaking “business English” with me. So she spoke English to me as I fumbled along in Polish, picking up and remembering new words every day.

Our mutual vision was to organize a beachy, horseback, boho bridal session and Dorota wanted to incorporate two different looks in terms of floral design. I was up for any adventure so I simply said to her, let’s make it happen! In just a few days, she rounded up an all-star team including makeup artist, Beata Fryz, bridal gowns from Carmen’s Salon, a horse from Ośrodek Konny Kolibki Adventure Park, and model/horsewoman, Zuzanna Kmiecik. We set our alarms for 0245 and met on a beach in Sopot (which is picturesque Baltic coastal town, by the way) and photographed these beauties at the 0400 sunrise.

Working with this team of strong Polish women had a real energy and sense of purpose. Then, as a total surprise, we were contacted by Weselnik, a local wedding magazine, who ended up using several photos for the cover and inside layout for their July issue! So great to work together, ladies! Dziękuję serdecznie!

Behind the scenes:

The lovely Dorota sharing a serene moment with Omega.

Beata Fryz, makeup artist extraordinaire:

The dream team, including Natalia from Ośrodek Konny Kolibki Adventure Park:

And the final product!

Posted in Adventure Session, Styled Shoot, Weddings, Womxn | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments
Book Now