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Stony Plain’s Railene Hooper is living every photographer’s dream.

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Last month, she was named the 2023 Canadian Wedding Photographer of the Year by the Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC) just months after becoming the first Alberta Wedding Photographer of the Year in 2022.

“I am so honoured and so grateful to be the recipient of this award. I never imagined this would happen so fast in my career so I’m really excited to be able to keep adding to this,” said Hooper.

Growing up in Stony Plain, Hooper was always more interested in sports, particularly basketball, than she was in photography. In fact, she did not take pictures in any capacity until enrolling in the Communications Technology course at Spruce Grove Composite High School (SGCHS).

Still unsure of what she wanted to do upon graduation, she decided to study sociology at Concordia University of Edmonton while playing basketball on scholarship.

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After receiving her degree, she transferred to the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) to play two more years of basketball. It was at this point, she decided to pursue a photographic technology diploma. During those two years, her passion for the art form began to flourish. She found her niche in portraiture and stuck with it.

“It was a pretty intense course that I wasn’t expecting but it grew into a strong love for photography. I discovered I liked being able to connect with people and capture moments of genuine emotion,” said Hooper.

After her convocation, she found her first job with a high-volume school and sports photography business. While the experience was great for her portfolio, Hooper said she knew early on this particular style of photography was not for her. She desired a more intimate setting where she could really get to know her clients.

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Eventually, in 2016, an opportunity opened up to work with one of her former professors from NAIT, Robert Bray. He was looking for a photographer to come onboard his personal business, Robert Bray Portrait Design. Already aware of Hooper and her skillset, he chose to bring her under his wing.

A 40-year veteran of the industry, Bray is a three-time recipient of the PPOC Canadian Portrait Photographer of the Year award and a six-time recipient of the PPOC Alberta Portrait Photographer of the Year award. In 2005, Bray was commissioned by the Government of Canada to photograph Queen Elizabeth II for Canada’s official Royal Portrait.

“It has been amazing working for Robert. I was able to fine-tune my skills and I owe a lot of what I know and do to him,” said Hooper.

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In the early days of their professional relationship, Bray would bring Hooper along to the weddings he was shooting to have her shadow his process and techniques. Six years later, she is the business’ go-to wedding photographer with Bray focusing more on his passion for family portraiture.

Perhaps the most important lesson Hooper has learned from Bray is how to spot good lighting — the most important aspect of photography. Further, she has blended the best aspects of his often traditional work with her own creativity to form a unique style of portraiture she describes as modern and fun. Where Bray’s portraits have the subject staring into the camera, Hooper’s portraits are more candid in an effort to capture the raw emotions of the moment being captured.

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“I’ve tried my best to take the timelessness of Robert’s work and add a little more emotion and interaction between the subjects,” said Hooper.

In 2022, the PPOC introduced the Alberta Wedding Photographer of the Year award after years of requests to do so. Taking home the distinction was Hooper’s collection of four separate images titled, “The Most Beautiful View is Shared With You,” “Our Love is a Fortress,” “Leaping Into Love,” and “Walking With Excitement.” The latter two also respectively won the Best In Class Photojournalistic Wedding and Best In Class Wedding Group awards.

Figuring she had nothing to lose, she decided to submit these same four photographs to the PPOC’s 2023 awards. In the past, she had been nominated for the Canadian Wedding Photographer of the Year award but never won.

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On Apr. 22, the PPOC hosted its annual gala — this year in Canmore, Alta. — where the award recipients were named. Not only was Hooper at long last named Canadian Wedding Photographer of the Year, but she also became the first Albertan to receive the title.

“It’s cool that Alberta is being recognized on the map in Canada now for wedding photography because we have some really talented wedding photographers. I’m excited to be able to represent that,” said Hooper.

Thinking outside of the box with her portraiture this past year is what she believes led to her recent successes with the PPOC. Doing so has allowed her to “find herself” in photography and have more fun with her clients along the way. She said this leads to better results because everyone involved in the process is more relaxed, ultimately benefitting the photographs.

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At the national gala in Canmore, Hooper also won the Best In Class Photojournalistic Wedding award for “Leaping Into Love” and received her Craftsman of Photographic Arts (CPA) designation from the PPOC.

“As a national competition, the images are of such high calibre so I am over the moon excited and very happy,” said Hooper.

As if this was not all enough, Hooper also dethroned Quebec’s Rabih Madi, a “legend” within the photographic world who held the title of Canadian Wedding Photographer of the Year for the past three years (2020, 2021, and 2022).

Having never dreamed she could reach such heights when she first picked up a camera in high school, Hooper said her advice for young photographers is to simply create work they love. If someone puts their whole heart into their work, she said others, including clients, are bound to see its value.

“I feel really lucky to do photography and create portraits for people. Sometimes I feel like we can forget how much impact a portrait can have on people’s lives. You don’t realize the impact that you have in the moments you capture until they’re a memory,” said Hooper.

rhowell@postmedia.com

https://twitter.com/rudyhowellrepex