One of the joys of being intimately connected into the Whistler wedding industry is working alongside a very talented community of Whistler wedding photographers and other local wedding vendors. Whistler is a world renowned destination and a world-class stage for many large events but at its’ core Whistler is very small. Everyone who calls this place home loves it here, we’re all really connected, and we cheer for each other in life, friendship, and business. This “small town charm” actually creates a really cool energy and vibe that underlines the feel of every Whistler wedding or elopement because each of the vendors working behind the scenes all know, love, and respect one another. It’s a pretty amazing thing to be apart of.
With that in mind, I’d like to introduce you to Crispin & Priscilla Cannon, a husband and wife Whistler wedding photography team who’s creativity, vibe, and connection are amazing. They are some of the kindest people you will meet, they are always present with whoever they are with, and they have a really cool way of helping bride’s and groom’s feel comfortable and relaxed in front of a camera. This goes a long way in getting the shot!
Crispin and Priscilla have quickly become a favourite photography team to work with and I am stoked to have them participate in my Whistler and Squamish All-Inclusive Elopement Packages. They are also available for full day weddings and events in Vancouver, Squamish, Whistler, and anywhere an airplane will fly and so make sure to check out how to connect with them at the bottom of this interview.
And so without further ado, please meet Crispin & Priscilla Cannon: The Cannons Wedding Photography!
1. Crispin, you've been a professional photographer for a long time and your work covers a wide range of subject matter. What has been your evolution and process to get to where you are now as photographer and how do you keep creating with fresh and new perspectives? How do you keep that creative edge towards your wedding photography?
It's been a 20 year evolution I hope will continue to evolve for the rest of my life. In the late 90's it started with snowboarding and a friend bringing their camera for us to take photos of ourselves on the jumps we built. From there it grew organically over 7ish years into shooting snowboarding as a full-time job. I was hired by a snowboard magazine in California that had a studio in the office to shoot product and portraits. That was like school for me and changed everything. From there Ride Snowboards hired me to shoot all of their images from their studio product and portraits to their action photos for ads and editorial. The studio work opened the door to commercial photography. Vancouver is often called "Hollywood North" which means there's an infrastructure to shoot TV commercials. A lot of agencies will shoot their stills campaigns along side of the motion TV productions and a producer friend of mine got me linked into that world.
Wedding photography came when Priscilla and I got married in 2012 but before that I swore them off because I was ignorant and had a stereotypical idea of what wedding photography was. Getting married myself showed me what weddings are really about and that there is no right or wrong way to do it. Watching our wedding photographer Stephen approach it was the thing that motivated us to want to be a part of it.
I want to continue shooting everything, there isn't one thing I'd necessarily want to shoot more than another. It's the mix of subject matter and challenges that keeps me motivated and inspired as well as what brings new perspectives to my wedding photography.
2. Priscilla, you're a little newer to the game but your eye for photography is obvious. I've spotted your work in magazines and in storefronts like Lululemon and I love your instagram! What inspired you to pick up a camera?
Thanks Jeremy! We got married 7 years ago and Crispin wanted no one else to shoot our wedding but Stephen Wilde. He had been a long time fan of Stephen's photography and for being a true artist and Stephen and his wife Jet ended up shooting our wedding. They were super stylish, they were kind, and they were present at all times. The photos we got from our wedding are a piece of art. We totally got inspired that day and a few weeks later I told Crispin we should team up and shoot weddings together. I saw how cool wedding photography could be. Crispin showed me everything and mentored me throughout the years, which allowed me to progress quickly. I love photography and I feel really lucky.
3. The two of you formerly had two separate photography businesses and now you have merged them together as one. What was some of the decision behind working together and what benefit for weddings is there in being a husband-wife photography team?
Priscilla's been shooting second angle for 7 years now but everything was under Crispin Cannon photography. We decided to officially merge together, re-name and re-brand so that we could communicate to people what we really do and how we do it. There are huge benefits in having a husband-wife team; we are both so tuned in to each other that we know exactly what to do and where to be at all times so we don't miss any moments. Priscilla usually shoots the bride getting ready while Crispin is with the groom. Crispin captures the bride walking down the isle with her father and Priscilla gets the first look on his face over the bride's shoulder. We can really capture the moments and emotions that tell the full story.
4. What do you love about Whistler, Squamish, and the Sea to Sky region? What makes a Whistler wedding special and unique? Or, why should couple's consider gettin' hitched in Whistler?
Obviously the stunning landscape makes for the Sea to Sky region a highly desirable place to get married. Whistler in the winter is like a dream for a lot of brides and grooms. But the one thing you can't see or understand until you come here is the energy: it's the landscape but it's also the people. We live in a very open and friendly part of the world and that translates to the energy of a wedding celebration, it's the most important part and it's the part that is hardest to communicate to someone who hasn't experienced it.
5. Who or what are your photo's and work inspired by?
For weddings our overall focus is on the interactions between the friends and family celebrating together. In the end that's what it's really about, it's what creates the energy and we believe those are the images that stand the test of time. It's hard to say where individual ideas come from. We definitely get inspired by other images we see out there floating around the web. Our instagram feeds are a wide mix of photographers from street, fashion, fine art, journalism, commercial, adventure, also design feeds... everything. We all borrow ideas from each other by seeing a concept used for one subject matter and then re-envision it in a completely different way for something else.
6. What important piece's of advice would you give to couple's looking to hire a photographer to shoot their wedding? What question's should they ask the photographer or what kind's of things should they be considering when hiring a photographer?
Some people know right away that the photos are going to be important and will plan for them to be a priority and having a professional to capture your day makes a huge difference!
When talking to a photographer you want to ask questions to get an understanding of your photographer's approach, direction, motivation and goal of shooting your wedding. If they don't have a direction and a motivation it's either because they don't have enough experience or they aren't fully invested in the creation of something special. You want to ask questions that are going to make sure you and your photographer are on the same page. Some photographers are looking to capture the big obvious moments, some the grand landscapes, some the candid moments between people and some are visioning the whole day as a story. So ask yourself what is important to you, find a photographer who's portfolio speaks to that, and then talk with that photographer and make sure you're on the same page.
“We strongly believe that the most important things on a wedding day are the people, the stories and the emotions. The memories they’re going to cherish most are of their loved ones and how it felt. This is the reason we take a documentary approach and make sure that we cover the laughs and the tears and of course the landscapes and the obvious beauty of the day. ”
To connect with The Cannons more and to book them for your wedding date, find them here:
Website: thecannonsweddingphotography.com
Instagram: @thecannonsweddingphotography
Phone: 604-849-4264
If you are a couple looking to elope in Whistler or to elope in Squamish and you are using one of my Whistler or Squamish All-Inclusive Elopement Packages, please make sure to request The Cannons Wedding Photography early in the process so that we can ensure their availability for your date!
Have a remarkable day!
-Jer