Edmonton-based wedding photographer representing Alberta with national award

Edmontonian, Railene Hooper, was named Canada's best wedding photographer. She emphasizes timelessness and personalized approaches in her work.

An Edmontonian has been named the Best Wedding Photographer in Canada. Railene Hooper joined CTV Morning Live’s Kent Morrison to discuss her work.

This transcript has been edited for length and clarity.

Kent Morrison: What do you do to make your wedding photos stand out?

Railene Hooper: I would say my move is to be timeless, talk to the couple, see what they want, what’s important to them, and go above and beyond. I do a lot of crazy things for my photos and I think my clients appreciate that.

Kent: Can you talk us through these pictures?

Railene: (Photo of heels) This is a wedding open image. So this is just taking a classic ring shot and spicing it up with the bride’s shoes.

(Limo photo) For this shot, I climbed into the limo. As you know, limos can be crazy during weddings.

Kent: Are these all photos that you submitted yourself, or how does the process work?

Railene: These are the photos I submitted to become the Canadian Photographer of the Year.

(Wedding party photo) For this one, it was like -30 C. I had to peel my hands that winter.

(Couple in mountains photo) This one was in Jasper. Obviously, Jasper’s stunning, but we climbed a mountain and I brought lights, so I like to go that extra mile for clients.

Kent: So this is the second time that you’ve been named Canada’s Best Wedding Photographer. Where did you hone this craft? How did you get to this level?

Railene: A lot of work. I went to school at NAIT, in the photography program, and then I joined organizations. I just got better. I keep learning. I learn every year. I’m always doing something to get better and learn and change with the industry as well.

Kent: What’s your advice for couples on their wedding day to make sure that you capture the best moments?

Railene: My advice would be: do your research on your photographer. There’s a lot of photographers out there but you want someone that has experience and knows what they’re doing and is also timeless. You want to look at your photos in 20 years and still love them. You don’t want a trendy photo or a weird edit, because it’s trendy. You want to still love them in 20 years. So do your research.

Kent: What’s your balance as a photographer? How often are you intervening or how often are you just staying on the sideline when you’re at a wedding?

Railene: I go through this with my couples. For the ceremony, I’m on the sideline shooting. Reception, I’m on the sideline shooting and then I take them away for a special moment. That’s where I’m intervening or giving them something to do or say to each other, and that’s where the magic happens for me.

Kent: Do you have a favorite picture or a favorite memory from a wedding?

Railene: My favorite memory of each wedding is going out during golden hour. I always sneak them out and it’s a quiet moment for the bride and groom, but it’s also meaningful for them, because they get to sneak out of the chaos and just enjoy each other. That’s my favorite moment for sure.