WANTED: BLOGGER BOYFRIENDS.. OR SHOULD I SAY BLOGGER BAES?
The two things you will quickly learn to having a successful fashion blog of any kind is 1.) Having an on-point style and 2.) Consistently posting amazing photographs. Where the first point can be easily obtain since you are the master of your own style, the second point could be extremely hard to achieve if you, yourself don’t have a background in photography or know anyone willing to photograph you on a daily basis. Look at the dynamic duos that ran famous blogs like: Kayture, The Blonde Salad, Song of Style, Gal Meets Glam, and…. one of my all-time favourites, Gary Pepper Girl! (Ooooh Nicole Warne and Luke Shadbolt! Why are you so perfect for each other? PS. Congratulations on your engagement!)
While other people use Tinder, Hinge and OKCupid to find dates and potential boyfriends, I can’t say that these online platforms are the most effective in tracking down the cutest photographers to make them your ‘blogger boyfriend’ or ‘blogger bae’ in my case. I’ve been told that some bloggers would go even as far as posting wanted Kijiji ads to find their photographers too! Plus, having to spend our time sifting through these dating platforms to find a potential suitor can be exhausting where we would much rather put that time into writing, managing our social media outlets and… taking our own #flatlays photos.
So…say no more! I got your backs ladies and gents! Thus, I present to you my spectacular list featuring my top 3 Toronto-based blogger photographers slash most eligible bachelors that I’ve had the great pleasure to continuously work with and would love to share with my readers.
You can call me matchmaker or helpful for curating this little list of talented, sweet, smart and handsome men! Take a look below to see who to swoon over and give them a nice DM!
Photography all done by yours truly!
Name: John Mark Canelas “Mack Canelas”
Age: 24
Status: Single
Location: Toronto
Job Title: Wedding Cinematographer/ Lifestyle Photographer
Favourite Hotspot: Kensington Market
Interests: Hanging out with friends, coffee, biking, film, and photography! And girls, girls, girls of course!
Instagram: @mack_canelas
Website: mackcanelas.com
Q: What’s your favourite subject you enjoy photographing?
A: GIRLS! Why? I don’t know. It’s just that whenever I do a shoot with a girl as my subject… it feels like I am seeing their funny slash silly side… you know those parts of them that they don’t normally show to others around them. I make my models do whatever they want. I don’t restrict them from doing what they want… I want my photos to look natural and candid as much as possible! I want to be in that moment where I can see the real them and pull it off in my photos! 😊
Q: What are the three interesting things people should know about you?
A: I’m an introverted person! It doesn’t look like it but I really am. I’m also definitely an OC in the way it takes me about 153689 hours to post a photo onto my Instagram account! And… I love dogs! 🐶
Q: If you could go anywhere in the world to shoot, where would it be and why?
A: Machu Picchu! I feel like I can pull-off an awesome portrait set from that place. Just like those photographs captured in the magazines!
Q: Last question really important question, pizza or hamburgers? 😂
A: Pizza! Straight up! ☝
Name: Verne Ho
Age: 31
Status: Single
Location: Downtown Toronto
Job Title: Director of Design at Shopify
Interests: I love what I do so the line between work and play is pretty blurry. Currently you’ll see me bounce between design, photography, and writing on any given day. Good food, drinks, and company also keep me grounded.
Favourite Hotspot: King West between Portland Variety (great seafood), Rush Lane (amazing cocktails), or Fynn’s of Temple Bar (best pub food in the city). Sucker for habits and places where people know my name (cue Cheers theme song).
Instagram: @verneho
Website: shop.verneho.com
Q: What do you look for in a subject?
A: A story. Whether it’s their expression, their movement, or the relationship to the environment around them, there should always be the sense that something is happening before the shot, during the shot, and after the shot. A great photo encapsulates that entire story and a great subject brings it to life.
Q: What’s your favourite thing about shooting bloggers?
A: They typically already have a narrative in mind that they want to convey. It means you spend less time trying to create a persona and a story, and spend more time trying to capture it.
Q: What are three interesting things people should know about you?
A: a) I’ve only been shooting for 6 months so I’m pretty new to the photography game.
b) By day, I lead the design team at one of the fastest growing tech startups in Canada. Previously, I ran my own design studio for nearly 5 years before it was acquired by said startup.
c) Despite my creative ambitions, I actually studied business in university because my parents wanted me to pursue something “practical”.
Q: How did you get into photography?
A: I’ve always been fascinated by photography but I was always intimidated by the technical aspects of it. Late last year though, I met two prominent designers who had also made a name for themselves through mobile photography. They showed me how accessible great photography actually was, especially by leveraging the power of the cameras we already had on our phones. Those encounters alone inspired me enough to begin dabbling with photography at the start of the year, first with my iPhone and then eventually with a dedicated camera.
Q: Last question, chocolate or vanilla?
A: Vanilla! I’m boring like that. 🍦
Name: Arnold Lan
Age: 23
Status: Single
Location: Toronto
Job Title: Freelancer Photographer/ Videographer
Interests: Ultimate Frisbee, snowboarding, theatre, traveling, and meeting strangers!
Favourite Hotspot: My house because everyone always thinks I’m extroverted but I’m actually not. I am outgoing but despite that, I not only need but also LOVE my alone time. So while I’m not at home often, I’m always extremely grateful to be home.
Website: lantography.com
Instagram: @arnoldlan
Q: What made you become interested in photographing fashion bloggers instead of Toronto landscapes or street style?
A: I love people, so people are my favourite subjects to photograph. Fashion was just a side of photography I’ve never touched or known anything about before. While landscapes are beautiful (I still shoot landscapes mostly during travel), people have stories, emotions, memories, and feelings, which make photographing people so much more interesting than photographing landscapes. I choose fashion bloggers instead of street style, because I get to know the people on a different level rather than just snapping a quick shot of someone and then never seeing them ever again. Photography is only a medium in which I use to tell stories, hear stories, and connect with people.
Q: What are the three interesting things people should know about you?
A: I’m an avid theatre lover, I’ve seen 22 musicals to date, and I collect playbills/programs! I was born in Herten, Germany, because my mom was doing her residency there at the time. I have 20+ stitches on my body because even from an early age I was an adrenaline/thrill seeker (and also accident prone).
Q: If you could go photograph anyone living or dead, who would it be and why?
A: THESE QUESTIONS ARE SO HARD WOW. I don’t have a specific person that I really want to photograph. Maybe Sara Bareilles when she’s performing live, because she’s my favourite artist. She’s extremely passionate about her music so I want to capture all of it in one picture. And also so that I can be her friend LOL.
Q: Last question, if your life was a movie, what would the title be?
A: Arnold The Awesome Lan. I DON’T KNOW I DON’T LIKE YOUR QUESTIONS. OH “LANTOGRAPHY” BECAUSE IT’S BASICALLY ME. A photographer with a sense of humour and personality!
