My name is Raph (pronounced r-ah-f, like in the Ninja Turtles!) and I'm a Toronto Wedding Photographer. I became obsessed with photography in 2007 on my honeymoon in Costa Rica. There was something about the medium that brought back the excitement of Visual Arts, which I studied earlier in my life.

Today I enjoy the challenge, opportunity, and creative outlet that comes from photographing weddings. No two nuptials or couples are ever the same. It keeps things exciting, that's for sure!

On the way to our shoots, you can catch my assistant Oliver and I head-banging to our favourite heavy metal tunes to get ready for the day.

My style is a combination of photojournalism, editorial and art-based photography. I enjoy creating something magical and I accomplish this with the use of off-camera flash. I'm a bit obsessed with it. It creates so much impact and you have full control of how the final image is going to look, before any Photoshop happens.

However, I don't let my enjoyment of creative work cloud my goal of capturing real, candid emotion. Those moments are precious. I try to anticipate them and be at the right place at the right time.

I am a 24-time recipient of Honours of Excellence Awards at WPPI photographic print competitions from 2013 to present, Fearless Photographers Award Winner, multiple-time PWPC award winner, Merit & Best In Class (Wedding Portrait) Award Winner and Loan Collection participant from 2016 PPOC National Image Salon, Merit & Best In Class (Wedding Portrait) Award Winner from 2016 PPOC Regional Image Salon, 2013 WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards winner, and 2014, 2015 & 2016 WeddingWire Couple's Choice Awards winner and Vision Award Winner at Shutterfest.

I enjoy cycling (who am I kidding? I'm pretty much obsessed), kickboxing, motorcycling, BMW cars, BBQing, good company, seeing a show (theatre & music concert), adventure, travel, and having a beer on the deck while head-banging to my favourite heavy metal tune!

I picked up my first proper stills camera and started taking pictures while visiting family in England in 2012. Since then it's my main focus along with filmmaking, and I enjoy the technical side of it just as much as the creative side.

My photographic style has very much been influenced by Raph since we've worked so closely together as I've matured as a photographer. I like modern and edgy images paired with a lot of photojournalism. I consider myself largely self-taught as a photographer since never formally studied it, but I have taken filmmaking and graphic design courses at Centennial and George Brown respectively, and much of that is applicable in the photography industry.

When Raph and I aren't working together, I keep myself pretty busy playing drums for my metal band, doing photography with my own business, and travelling whenever I can.