Arigatōgozaimashita (thank you) Marina + Renfred! Thank you for allowing us to share in your love for one another and your love for Japan. Japan holds a special place in Marina’s heart, for it was during Marina + Renfred’s first trip to Japan that Marina knew Renfred was the one for her. So last fall, when everything fell into place, we were all able to travel together to experience the warm fall colors of Kyoto, Japan.
While in Japan, we fully immersed ourselves in the culture and cuisine. We biked from one place to another to capture the perfect shot, all while experiencing the beauty of Kyoto and filling our tummies with local delights such as takoyakis. If you haven’t tried them, we highly recommend them!
Marina + Renfred, we had a great time travelling with you, getting to know you better, and of course, eating with you! We look forward to experiencing more memories with you on your upcoming wedding day.
Itsumo aishiteimasu (Love you always),
~Anthony + Rina
“About Marina: I enjoyed the part where you only wanted a picture of her alone and you were directing her on her pose. ‘Put your hand here, lean forward, and smile without parting your lips.’ That last instruction made Marina instantly furrow her brow, as she was trying to figure out how to do that. It was memorable for me because it reminds me of how Marina wears her expression on her sleeve, and I really love her for it.
About Japan: I really enjoyed the picturesque locations you chose; they served as both locations of tranquility and self-reflection. Being able to see you work and wait for the exact moment of when light and other factors balanced was exhilarating. My most memorable shot was when Marina and I were standing in the middle of a busy path holding each other. Then a circle of Japanese people started to gather around us to see what was going on. They could not see Anthony trying to take the picture, so that made them extra curious. It felt like we were standing there for an eternity. But when we were able to see your shots, it blew my mind how you were able to subtract out the sea of people around us and capture only us and the temple!
About Rina and Anthony: I enjoyed eating steaming hot takoyaki and deliciously-filled taiyaki with you after a long day of biking and pictures. You just can’t get that anywhere else but in Japan!”
-Renfred
“Thanks so much for an awesome photo shoot! Kyoto holds a special place in my heart because when Ren and I traveled there for the first time, I came back to Edmonton knowing that Ren was the one for me. Having our engagement shoot there was a dream come true. The best part about it was taking our bikes to the different locations and stopping for takoyaki and custard filled taiyaki! We will be talking about our engagement shoot for years to come.
Thanks again so much Anthony and Rina! Ren and I truly respect how professional and hard working you both are. Thanks for being patient with us when we didn’t know how to be photogenic and making us look better than we actually are!”
-Marina
Such a lovely set of photos! LOVE their portraits