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 photographing weddings and other projects. While I specialize in weddings, I'm also very proficient in headshots, individual and family portraits, lifestyle and branding photography, and studio 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 will be performing in Rock Of Ages: A New Musical in Toronto at the Elgin Theatre from February to May 2023. We have an adorable 9-year-old son who is just the coolest little dude. We also had an amazing dog, a Miniature Schnauzer with a lot of personality, who sadly passed on in 2021.
I enjoy fitness, olympic lifting, heavy metal, fishing, running, swimming, cycling, motorcycling, 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
