About
Hello, I’m Anna.
I’m a lifestyle photographer in Vancouver. I photograph people the way they are with each other: the leaning in, the laughing, the quiet bits in between.
Write to meMy story
From Toronto to the west coast
I’ve been a photographer for five years, with more than a hundred families so far, first in Toronto. Now I’ve made Vancouver home, and I’m starting a new chapter here: new light, new rain, the same way of working. I work in English, Russian and Ukrainian.
I’m a mum myself, so I know how quickly the small years go, and how rarely the person holding the camera ends up in the photographs. I guide you gently and get down on the floor with your kids. Children forget about me quickly that way, and that’s when the real pictures start.
I think of a session as a short film more than a portrait sitting. I look for the story of your day: who reaches for whom, the joke that makes everyone laugh, the moment it all goes quiet. Then I tell it in photographs.
How I work
Guided, and real
- Natural light
- A window, an overcast sky, the last hour of the sun. I don’t bring a studio; I find the light you already have.
- Candid, and a little cinematic
- I watch for the moments in between and photograph them like stills from a film about your family: the glance, the laugh, the hand on a shoulder.
- Guided, never stiff
- I show you where to stand and where the light is, then let the real moments happen. You never have to wonder what to do with your hands.
Questions
What should we wear?
What should we wear?
The short answer: whatever you feel most like yourselves in. The longer one, from years of sessions:
- Coordinate, don’t match
- Pick a palette rather than a uniform. Head-to-toe matching can feel stiff; colours that sit well together feel like you.
- Two or three colours
- Choose two or three colours for the whole group and let everyone wear them in their own way.
- Neutrals, with a touch of colour
- Cream, oat, soft grey and denim are a lovely base. One person in a muted rust, sage or dusty blue brings it to life.
- Textures and layers
- Knits, linen, lace and a cardigan over a dress add depth, and give little hands something to hold on to.
- Comfortable, and timeless
- If you can sit on the floor, run and pick someone up in it, it will photograph well. Simple shapes look right for years.
- Shoes count
- Clean, simple footwear, or bare feet at home or on the sand. Skip the brand-new shoes that pinch.
- Skip the loud logos
- Big logos, slogans and loud patterns pull the eye away from faces. Quiet patterns and plain fabrics are kinder.
Send me a photo of a few options if you’re unsure. I am always happy to help choose.
What if the kids won’t cooperate?
They don’t have to. I would rather follow a toddler around the room than ask anyone to sit still, and the in-between moments are usually the ones you will love most.
Where do sessions happen?
At home, in any month of the year, or somewhere you love outdoors: a beach, a park, the trail you always walk. I can suggest places with good light if you would like.
Anything else, just ask. Write to me about anything at all
Inquire
Tell me about you.
Whichever chapter you’re in, there’s a place to begin. I read every note myself and reply within one business day.
Prefer email? helloannaokko.ca