Everyone Is Extraordinary - Twyla Lapointe of Admire Studios
All images by Admire Studios.
Guys, I am so excited to share this interview with you. You know I love it when couples think outside the box when planning their wedding, and show off a little (or a lot!) of their personalities... well, Twyla Lapointe, the owner and photographer behind Admire Studios shares those sentiments, and just happens to focus her photographic efforts on geeky, offbeat couples.
Twyla takes the time to find the extraordinary in everyone, an ethos I can definitely get behind. Read on to find out what inspires her to look for the unique beauty in each of her clients, and her best advice for couples planning a wedding. Oh - and her favourite Strongbad email. Knowing that she was as big a Homestar Runner fan as me, I just had to ask. ;)
Tell us about yourself and why you do what you do?
I'm a huge nerd in a dozen areas who loves hanging out with other self-professed nerds. It's likely that the actual first time I met my husband was at Space Camp when we were kids. My first job was as a camp counsellor at a Robotics camp. I know some coding, I have LARPed, I cosplay at ComicCon, I love board gaming. My husband and I watch EVERY superhero movie and TV show - Netflix's original Marvel series are the bomb, and the cinematography is just lush. These days I've been playing PokemonGo for four months solid on Team Mystic and I go on Reddit daily. If you don't know what most of those things are, you're probably not a nerd, and that's okay.
I like people in general, not just nerds! I started getting serious about photography while I was in art school. When I was a kid my Aunt, Mom, and Grandma all took a photography night class at the U of S, and I remember the first time I saw a photo appearing in the developer solution. Darkroom chemicals still smell like home! So I love black and white film, but these days I shoot digital because it helps me freeze the moments between awesome people and give it to them to enjoy on their computers!
So, I absolutely love your tagline - "Everyone is Extraordinary." Tell us about how you arrived at that - was it an "Aha!" moment? A lifelong ethos? A particular couple that inspired you to see the extraordinary in everyone?
As far back as I can remember, I have always wanted to live an extraordinary life. People at parties or events have told me on more than one occasion that I'm super interesting and that they feel boring in comparison. I've had a few people say they didn't feel interesting enough, and I have been able to find something extremely interesting about them within a 5-10 minute conversation.
Just to get it straight, I absolutely love human beings. I find people fascinating mysteries that I want to get to the bottom of, and by the end of every photo session I feel like I got to know them a little! Some of the people that think they're boring or "un-photogenic" are the sweetest and most honest people!
I have a friend who said that I am a beauty collector - in photos, in people, in all sorts of ways. I think it's the best title, beauty collector, and I really do feel that way about people. Part of me living an extraordinary life is fully exploring all the extraordinary in everyone I encounter - and bringing that out in my portrait muses!
Who is your favourite Homestar Runner character and why?
What an awesome question! And really difficult to answer, because I'd say there's probably 3-4. I was a HUGE fan in high school. But I think I have to go with The Cheat - his devotion to everyday partying and loafing, his entrepreneurial and creative streak, and his adorable meeping! Were you aware that The Cheat is a small-time DJ?
Close runner up, though, I love Strong Bad's gruffness, pranks, and random ideas and pity anyone with boxing gloves for hands on principle. Other favourites include L'il Brudder, Dangeresque, and The Sneak, for obvious reasons... [Bonus: My favourite SBemail is "island"]
What song gets you on the dance floor, every time?
Thrift Shop. I know all the words. I even looked them up so I can rap along accurately. But honestly my musical tastes are very eclectic, and I love nothing more than the dance floor part of a wedding - especially with a DJ that understands how to work the room and doesn't just get on their own tangents. A responsive DJ who's paying attention to the crowd and the mood is the difference between a good and bad dance party, for sure, no matter the prevailing genres.
It's also the most likely song to be playing loudly in my car with my gangsta lean after actually scoring something awesome in a thrift shop (but shit, it was 99 cents!) Nothin' mo rap game than a white girl blasting Macklemore in her silver Elantra, right? Right? *crickets*
Runner up: Last Saskatchewan Pirate, because I'm from Saskatoon and I'm a huge Arrogant Worms fan who likes pirate-y things. Again, I know all the words. (The Captain Tractor version is usually the DJ's choice though because it's for fast feet!)
What is the best advice you can give a couple planning a wedding?
If you spend a little more, you might worry a lot less. I've worked with a lot of low budget couples who said that if they'd spent a little more on their wedding or outsourced more things to people they trusted they'd have enjoyed it more and been more present the day of. If I could go back and spend another 1-2 grand on my wedding, even knowing I'd have to pay it all off after, I'd probably do it and be glad. Talk with friends who've had weddings recently and with your vendors, especially vendors that have been in the biz for more than 5 years. They'll have a wealth of knowledge and they're often more than happy to share it with you.
Also, if you're going multi-location, TOTALLY go for a limo bus. I have never had anyone regret hiring a limo bus for the experience you get to have spending the majority of the day with the whole wedding party together - this goes doubly for close-knit wedding parties with lots of couple-friends.
