Warning, the below conversation will have you running to book with Angelika Filinska Photography! Not only are Angelika’s photos drop dead gorgeous, the person behind the lens has a heart of gold! Seriously! Don’t believe us, just find out for yourselves – she passionately portrays human connection in an effortless manner, adores the art of storytelling through images and is obsessed with cinnamon!

Tell us a little bit about Angelika Filinska Photography!



Hello, beautiful people! My name is Angelika, and I’m cinnamon obsessed, a proud Canadian, tea lover, hobbyist calligrapher and a fine art wedding and lifestyle photographer. My passion is creating lasting legacies through soft and romantic photographs that will stand the test of time.

How did you get started in the industry?

I have always been fascinated by photography and took a black and white film course in Dundas with my two best friends at the time. I believe we were either in grade seven or eight, but I knew since day one of that class that I was hooked. I fell in love with the process and beauty of film. Seeing my images come to life in the darkroom was amazing. It wasn’t until later on in life that I rediscovered my passion for film photography. I was in university for my bachelor’s in design with a focus on advertising, but I realized that it wasn’t the path for me. I had also started collecting wedding magazines. I wasn’t getting married anytime soon but was obsessed with the beauty of it, and the celebration of love! I had an epiphany and decided I should marry the two passions together. I threw it out into the world that I wanted to assist at a wedding whatever way I could. My friend recommended me to her wedding photographer, and that’s how my career began.



What was your favourite part about shooting a LIUNA wedding?



LIUNA Station is such a timeless and elegant venue. The architectural elements allude to a classic European destination, and there is no need to search for another photo location. This gorgeous venue has it all! With both stunning indoor and outdoor options, LIUNA is always the perfect grandiose backdrop that elevates your wedding day with ease. LIUNA compliments that fine art approach to a wedding day so perfectly that it’s quickly become one of my favourites in the city.

What is one thing that always surprises you about weddings?

On the surface, most weddings have a certain rhythm and order of events, and to some, they can begin to blend into one another. Being someone who is incredibly fond of unique details, the art of storytelling and capturing human connection, I find that every wedding is truly unique. Throughout the process, I take great care to get to know each of my couples. Seeing them surrounded by love from their family and friends makes my heart so full by the end of the night. I’m always so intrigued about each couple’s story and choke up almost every single time. Father and daughter dances never fail to make me tear up!

What’s a trick you use to make clients feel comfortable and at ease?

I know it can be quite intimidating to get in front of a stranger’s lens and ‘act normal’. Naturally, the first roadblock is getting to know my couples and opening up myself to them in return. I do this through an in-person meeting, questionnaires, and chatting over the phone. That way, when we meet up for the session or wedding day, we are already comfortable with each other. I also highly recommend doing engagement sessions, not only is a practice run for the couples and they get used to my prompts, but it always me to learn how they interact, what their favourite poses are and so on. I also believe in giving prompts that allows my clients to be themselves. I tell them to whisper something in the other’s ear that will get them to laugh or share what their first thoughts were when they saw each other for the first time on the wedding day and will get a super heartfelt moment. All these little things make them forget about the camera, and they can enjoy the moment and be together.

What has been your favourite session of all time?



Picking a favourite session is like asking who your favourite child is, haha! I love them all! However, one shoot that stuck with me was when I drove up to Kingston to photograph a couple on the Queen’s campus. It is such a beautiful place, and I loved hearing their stories about meeting for the first time, their first apartments, or stories from their bar-hopping days. It was such a lovely way to learn about my clients and rekindle some of those memories.

How do you keep things fresh? Where does your inspiration come from?

As fantastic as Pinterest or Instagram can be, it starts to feel like a vacuum. The same ideas are circling and repeated in your feed; that’s why I think it’s crucial to search for inspiration through real-life experiences. Taking a stroll out in nature, checking out a new installation at the museum, reading a book, or listening to new music are some of my favourite sources of inspiration. I’m a huge dreamer both at night and during the day and draw inspiration from that as well. Be open to finding it wherever you go and don’t confine yourself to the internet.

What event are you looking forward to most about 2020?



I’m excited to practice a bit more of my creative mind this year and pull a bit from my art directing days by collaborating on a few styled shoots. Working with other vendors in my field and creating something beautiful to inspire brides to embrace new ideas is something I’m looking forward to. Playing with light, and textures and colours and pushing each other to reach new creative limits is always exciting, and I can’t wait to share these projects with all my followers.

What is one part of the job you absolutely love?

Getting to know each of my couples and being able to tell their story makes my heart full. The fact that they trust me to document such an important milestone in their life is such an honour, and I want to capture the small moments in between that might go unnoticed in the quick buzz of the wedding day. That moment where the bride leans in to give grandma a quick kiss on the cheek, or the groom’s mom tearing up as she dances with him to their special song are the fleeting moments that I want to capture so they can cherish them for years to come.

When should people book with you for an event?



The sooner, the better! Typically, photographers get booked within nine months of the wedding, but I’m already getting inquiries for 2021! I do still have some dates for 2020 available; however, they are filling up quickly. Feel free to message me on social media, or a quick email and I’m happy to answer any questions you have.

Contact her here:
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Angelika Filinska Photography’s Website

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From all of us at LIUNA Events, thank you for following along!