RAPH NOGAL - Owner / Lead Photographer
My name is Raph (pronounced r-ah-f, like in the Ninja Turtles!) and I'm a Toronto based Professional 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 photography projects. While Currently I photograph headshots, individual and family portraits, lifestyle and branding photography, in-studio Dog Portraits and product photography.
On the way to our shoots, you can catch me head-banging to my favourite heavy metal tunes to get ready for the day. I used to play in a few metal bands throughout high-school, so the love for heavy music stayed with me since then! (ROCK ON!)
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 emotions. Those moments are precious. I try to anticipate them and be at the right place at the right time.
I'm happily married to the most amazing and super-talented Toronto actress, singer, and performer, Kristi Woods. She recently performed in Rock Of Ages: A New Musical at the Elgin Theatre in downtown Toronto. We have an awesome 11-year-old son who is just the coolest little (big?) dude. We also had an incredible dog, a Miniature Schnauzer with a lot of personality, who sadly passed on in 2021. Since then, we have been boarding dogs in our home, which has been so much fun!
I enjoy fishing, camping, kayaking, fitness, heavy metal, running, swimming, cycling, BMW cars, BBQing, good company, seeing a show (theatre & music concert), adventure, travel, and spending time with the family.
If you're interested in some of my professional accomplishments, check out the ACCOLADES & AWARDS section for a list of awards, ambassadorships, and affiliations within the photography industry.
Hope to chat with you soon!
Raph
