Joel & Kendall St. Norbert Ruins Engagement Photo Shoot

We shot these photos at the St. Norbert Ruins just outside of Winnipeg, Manitoba.   The Trappist Monastery Ruins are the brick and stone remnants of a religious complex constructed in 1903-05 in St. Norbert, now a south Winnipeg suburb.  The ruins also recall the St. Norbert area’s distinct character as an early French-speaking Metis community associated with prominent Manitoba figures.  In 1983 it was burnt to the ground due to arson.  I was shooting there a few years ago and one one of couples knew the guy who was responsible for the arson of the ruins.  What a terrible thing to have happened to such a beautiful and holy site.  It is said that these ruins may be haunted.  I would have to confirm that with my good friend Kristen who runs @HauntedWinnipegTours      https://www.facebook.com/HauntedWinnipeg/ , but the story goes, when you step inside, everything seems to go very quite, you get the feeling of being watched.  Some say they they have seen a robed and hooded figure moving slowly toward the monastery on the patch between the house and the ruins.  I have never seen anything, but would be cool to go out one night in the fall.

Joel and Kendall are such a wonderful and amazing couple and were up for pretty much anything.  They got there ahead of time and made a snow heart to stand in, very cool.   It was a cold winter day to be shooting, but not once did they want to stop to warm up.  They are even getting married in early 2018 in the middle of winter, I can’t wait to shoot the wedding, the images are going to turn out stunning!!  Winter weddings are amazing.  You get so much more on a winter wedding as everything is different, romantic and soft, like a dreamy winter wonderland.   I am hoping we can get to the ice sculptures and village at the Fork this year to shoot there.

We shot everything on my Nikon D810 and a 24-70mm 2.8f and a 70-200mm 2.8 VRII lens.  I am a huge Nikon fan and a member of the Nikon Society.  In my opinion, Nikon gives the best quality of photos, the sharpest images and the richest, most realistic colours, that is why I use only the best Nikon gear on my assignments no matter where I am.

 

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