toronto portrait photographer

The Commoners | Portrait Session

Image | | vengenzafotos

Over the last few months I’ve had the pleasure of catching The Commoners perform live a few times and I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited about a new band. I saw them for the first time at The Crooked’s Debut/Release party at Lee’s Palace and I couldn’t contain myself, they’re so captivating when they play. Then I happened to run into them again at Canadian Music Week at a much more intimate performance at Ildsjel in Toronto.

Not only are they extremely talented musicians (I highly recommend you check out their latest video Walkin’ South, it’ll give you chills) but they’ve got a phenomenal stage presence and are the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.
Watch their latest video below & check out the photos from our session!

We headed to Cherry Beach at the start of their session just before sunset. so we got some really nice soft lighting especially since it was an overcast day. I knew we would be walking around quite a bit so I wanted to keep equipment light.
For the most part I used my Nikon D800 and Tamron 24-70mm 2.8 Lens.

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Since Cherry Beach is also home to a rather large unleashed dog park we got a lot of awesome photo bombs which were my favourite part.

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We shot a variety of candid and some posed images but I just asked the guys to be themselves. I like to work like a fly on the wall rather than directing every single movement. I just kept in mind what they wanted to use the images for and we’re lucky that Cherry Beach has such a variety of backgrounds to shoot with that we got a lot of great options.

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Afterwords we headed to Polson Pier nearby, I know it’s where everyone goes but it is a beautiful view of the city so we got creative with the skyline.

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You’ll be able to catch the guys this weekend at Taste of The Danforth on Sunday in Toronto. All the information is available on the Facebook event here.

Thanks for checking these out!

Photography by Joanna Glezakos.
Please do not share to repost without credit.

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Brett “Buff” Justice | Portrait Session

Image | | vengenzafotos

I’ve known Brett a long time and he’s a very talented producer based out of Toronto, ON. We caught up last month to photograph a concept we had in mind for a while.
At his studio they have a ton of equipment, old and new instruments and amps, stacked neatly around the room so we decided to create a wall of instruments that represents the complexity of his skills as a musician and producer.

The studio is very dark, a repurposed meat locker (hence the studio’s name, The Meat Locker), so after setting up the room I lit the it using three LED panels for the colour casts and some christmas lights for the background.

Brett and I have had the pleasure of working together on many projects over the years with music videos and photoshoots and so much more. He’s such a laid back and relaxed guy who’s into some pretty funky music so with the coloured lights i wants to create a vibe that would suit him.

Brett “Buff” Justice | Musician Portrait

It was really fun and I even had little four legged assistant that got in on some of the shots.

This has been one of my favourite shoots to Direct, Brett really let me take control and try so many things I could barely stop shooting.

If you’re looking to set up your own portrait session I would love to hear from you!
Feel free to contact me and don’t be shy, please use the contact form.

Thanks for stopping by! More sessions coming up next week!

xo
jo

Divinesque | Portrait Session

Image | | vengenzafotos

As many of you know, June marks Pride Month. The celebration began as a way to commemorate the Stonewall riots that happened at the end of June 1969. Many events are held this month worldwide to recognize the impact LGBT people have had in the world.
Divinesque has been a staple in the Toronto Drag and LGBTQ community and has been performing for over 30 years. She’s recently lost a whopping 117lbs and wanted to update her portraits and had a great idea for where she wanted to do them.
Despite it being incredibly hot we met up and took a stroll on Church St to start the session. We started on the corner of Church and Alexander St since there’s an awesome rainbow crosswalk.


We made our way up the block to Church and Wellesley to recreate an image Divinsque had done previously for a “Before & After” shot to show off her incredible transformation. That’s where we found the rainbow barber wall and of course her mural.

The whole time people were honking their horns and hollering “yaaass girl” at her, cause well let’s face it, she looks amazing, and we were stopped multiple times as people asked her for a photo.

After, we headed to the AIDS Memorial for some of my favourite shots. I’m ashamed to say I actually didn’t know this was here. Opened in 1993, it is a series of concrete pillars carrying stainless steel plaques engraved with the names and dates of those who passed.

Divinesque | Photo by Joanna Glezakos | 2017

 

It was a ton of fun, her outfit was amazing and absolutely popped when we went to the memorial. Despite shooting in +38C weather, we were lucky that we managed to survive shooting in the heat. Hoping for more portrait sessions like this one!

If you’d like to see Divinesque perform, she’ll be at Hamilton PRIDE in the Park.
Mainstage, Corktown Park, Hamilton, ON, June 17, 2017 in the afternoon!

If you’d like to inquire about doing your own portrait session I would love to hear from you! Please submit all inquiries through the contact form.

Thanks for stopping by! More coming up soon so be sure to follow!

xo
jo

Nicole & Robert | Engagement Shoot

Image | | vengenzafotos

On Victoria day last month I ventured up to Alliston, ON to photograph an engagement session for Nicole and Robert. They’re tying the knot on June 17th, 2017 in Toronto.
This was a special session as Nicole and I have been best friends since the 8th grade, so we’re closing in on 15 years! From our emo days of listening to My Chemical Romance in the halls of our High School or skipping class to meet AFI, through different colleges and career paths and many adventures, it’s crazy to think in 4 days I’ll be photographing her wedding.

They met about 5 years ago while working as chefs together at the Auld Spot in Toronto (aw, kind of like No Reservations except without the kid & stuff.) After 5 years together he popped the question and she said yes! These two compliment each other so well and I can’t be happier for them.

They weren’t planning on doing an engagement shoot but I’ve known Nicole to be a bit shy in front of the camera so I convinced them to do a little trial before their big day.

We drove around Alliston looking for some locations to shoot at. We started at a nearby park and then headed to a Heritage Farm and of course found ourselves in a random and smelly field but it was worth it. Take a look at some of my favourite shots below.

Nicole & Robert | Joanna Glezakos Photography | 2017
Nicole & Robert | Joanna Glezakos Photography | 2017
Nicole & Robert | Joanna Glezakos Photography | 2017
Nicole & Robert | Joanna Glezakos Photography | 2017
Nicole & Robert | Joanna Glezakos Photography | 2017
Nicole & Robert | Joanna Glezakos Photography | 2017
Nicole & Robert | Joanna Glezakos Photography | 2017
Nicole & Robert | Joanna Glezakos Photography | 2017

The last two are a couple of the outtakes, including our version of American Gothic by Grant Wood. I had so much fun, I don’t think I’ve ever laughed this much during a shoot. I can’t wait for their big day! Let the count down begin!

If you’re looking to get portraits or engagement photos done I’d love to hear from you! Currently looking for alternative and bad ass couples for Summer/Fall 2017. Please use the contact form for details!

xo
jo

Foggy Exploration with Alyna & Ishkhan

Image | | vengenzafotos

We’ve been having some unpredictable and unseasonably warm weather in Toronto so when I woke up to a warm foggy day last Thursday I put out a call to action!
Why not take advantage of this opportunity? Do you know what fog machines and their liquids cost?
Luckily, Alyna and Ishkhan came to the rescue! They responded to my facebook post and we set off on a foggy day adventure.


The fog had started to move by that point so we went to the Bluffs where we hoped the fog would still be thick; and was it ever. You could barely see the towering rocks, everything felt so quiet and eerie, no horizon in sight yet there was something romantic about it.

We took advantage of the low tide and I asked them if they wouldn’t mind taking some photographs for me. I loved the way her hair and his hat pop with monochromatic view of the lake. It really was a fun day.

What was unique about this process for me was there it was completely on a whim. I didn’t tell them what to wear or where we were going, we only decided after getting in the car. We got to the location and just went with it. I’m really hoping to do more of these soon, Lets go out and shoot!

(Also, we happened upon this super photographic pupper who kept posing for the camera. I love him.)

Follow along on my Instagram stories to see daily adventures, previews for new work and creative stuff I’m working on! @VengenzaFotos

xo Joanna

 

NEW VENGENZA.CA

Image | | vengenzafotos

It’s been a long time coming!
Welcome to the new site and thank you so much for visiting.

Let me introduce myself:
For those of you who do not know me, my name is Joanna Glezakos and I am a freelance photographer based in Toronto, ON. My passion for music and photography have brought me to a point in my life where I am able to pursue this as a career and I am truly thankful.

With this new site I hope to:
To provide new and returning clients with unforgettable images.
Share creative endeavours & encourage discussions around music, life & photography.

Still a few tweaks:
There are a few things I’ll need to iron out and I don’t officially have portfolios up as I’m hoping to finish editing new work before selecting the images; however in the meantime you’ll find a sample of my work in the new galleries.

Bringing Everything Together:
Music & Weddings, Portfolio & Blog, Now all-in-one.
As some of you may have experienced, I was constantly torn between my being a music photographer and being a wedding photographer. I had two websites, one geared towards weddings and the other for music but neither was very good.
I was living in denial that I couldn’t be a hopeless romantic who’s love of music puts her in the grungiest, dirtiest bars in the city.
I just couldn’t believe that I could have clients that enjoyed both.
Well even rockstars get married, so I can’t be the only one!

New Galleries:

LIVE  |  ENGAGEMENTS  |  EVENTS
EDITORIAL  |  WEDDINGS  |  PORTRAITS

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New Blog Widgets:

Want to see what I’m up to at all times?
Well now you can with all these nifty widgets to the right of  your screen!
Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter.
You can even check out what shows I might be shooting next& upcoming events with my synced iCalendar!

New Shop & More:

Looking for a neat gift? Why not a print from their favourite musician from the Print Shop.
Want to view & share or order your favourite images from our shoot? Visit Client Galleries.
If you’re looking for information on the different services and prices associated with them visit Bookings.

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New About Section:

It’s deep, like a wading pool.
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Also, can I hire someone to take my photo? I hate taking my own.

Coming Soon:
I have a few passion projects in the works & new commercial work coming soon,
Stay tuned!

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I hope to keep up with blogging this year, You guys can keep me accountable for it! Thank you so much again for stopping by. I hope you’ve enjoyed what you’ve seen. Hopefully you’ve had fun clicking around and looking at all the photos.

Hope you follow along for the journey.

I would always love to hear from you! Feel free to drop a comment or send an e-mail to shootme@vengenza.ca if you’ve got a great idea!

Bob, Jess & Dylan | Surprise Family Session

Image | | vengenzafotos

When Bob and I were recently shooting a wedding together, he mentioned that Jess’ 40th birthday was coming up (how could I forget! It’s a day before mine!) and he wanted to surprise her with a family shoot! The hardest part about being a photographer is that you rarely have any photos of yourself with family because you’re usually the one behind the camera. I was so excited when he asked me, I couldn’t wait for the day!

We met at the Glen Rouge Campground entrance of The Rouge Park in Pickering and set down the trail. It was the perfect day, despite the sun being very bright and hot, we had a canopy of trees providing us with shade to keep us out of the heat and nice lighting for our photos.

It was such a treat to spend the afternoon with these three, here are some of my favourites from our shoot.

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Aren’t they just adorable? Gosh, I love what I do and I’m so lucky that I get to call this work. Thank you Bob, Jess and Dylan for letting me photograph your beautiful family! Happiest of birthdays Jess!

xo jo