Cole Hofstra

Contact Cole Hofstra

I have a passion for life and love, and the opportunity to capture those moments for others within single frames is a magnificent opportunity. I shoot with creativity and never hold back, you'll find me in the dirt or on top of the table trying to capture the beauty and excitement of the day that is as unique as you are. Wedding days are a story, your story! One that needs to be told in detail and extravagance! My goal, is with a photo journalistic style is to capture that story so it can be told through time.

Where are you located? Do you charge a travel fee for weddings not in your location?

I don't charge for travel anywhere in the world

How long have you been in business? How many weddings have you photographed as the main photographer?

I have been a wedding photographer for 10 years. I have independently photographed over 500 weddings.

Describe your "style" of wedding photography.

I am fun and outgoing and I use a big personality to bring a light feeling to the day. I like to capture the candid feel, and small moments of the over all day. When you look back 20 years from now you should remember the day how it was, not how it was posed.

What's the typical wedding coverage package that you offer? What is the price?

My typical wedding is 10 hours of coverage, it includes an adventure engagement session plus an album.

Do you have a studio where we can meet in-person?

I have a studio located in Calgary AB, Canada. I conduct meetings through Skype, and Facebook calling.

What are your professional degrees, credentials, affiliations? Have you taken any recent educational workshops or classes?

Diploma in Photography from Western Academy of Photography Victoria BC
Degree in Design Grant MacEwan University
Product specialist Canon Canada for one year

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Portfolio

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41 Recommendations

Cole was invaluable on our wedding day as he was both our JP and photographer for the family and couple portraits. I cannot begin to express how amazing this man is at what he does! He is absolutely hilarious and easily made even our most stoic friends laugh along for the pictures. Family is still calling us to say how great he was. The pictures are beautiful, Cole. Thank you again for all you have done!

CARESSE + JUSTIN

I really can’t say enough about how wonderful Cole is. We struggled through postponements and changes to covid restrictions and he kept our minds at ease and was always super responsive and flexible. His photos are incredible and his energy brought so much fun and positivity to our wedding day! He was incredibly professional and knew exactly what to do and where to go for the best photos and awesome experience. Our guests even commented on how great he was! I am so thankful for everything that he did and I would recommend him to anyone for their perfect day!

LEAH + PATRICK

Cole was referred to us by some friends for our engagement photos back in January – and we are so thankful for that!

We wanted to do this shoot to help us get more comfortable in front of the camera, and also so that we would have some photos to treasure and celebrate our engagement while our wedding plans were on hold. Right from our first call with Cole we could tell that he would help us feel comfortable and that we would have a great time the day of our session – indeed, we had such a fun afternoon, and Cole perfectly captured some really wonderful moments. We’re so happy and thankful Read More for Cole’s expertise and patience to help us accomplish all of this.

Each time we’ve gone back through the photos, we find something else about them to love. We appreciated Cole’s keen eye in identifying elements around the lake to incorporate into our photos – some of the shots at spots he found while we were exploring are some of our favourites!

Any opportunity that we might have to recommend Cole to others, for photography or officiating, Cole can count on it!

LAURA + TAVISH

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Cole was absolutely AMAZING. Answering all our emails, making us feel so special, hilarious and captured the most stunning photos i have ever seen (not just because my husband is in them :)). He knew exactly where to go, had the snow trampled down for us, told us where to go and made the entire experience memorable and stunning. I've never seen an album with so many backgrounds. I am in awe. Everything was at the highest level of professionalism and i recommend Cole 100000%!

JENNA + JEREMY

I can’t say enough amazing things about Cole Hofstra Photography. His work truly speak for itself. Cole is fun, passionate and enthusiastic. He added such a great energy to our wedding day!

Originally we had hired Cole to travel to NS with us for our wedding planed for July 2020. When the event had to be canceled due to COVID-19, Cole was super understanding and worked with us to schedule a new date closer to home in Banff AB. Cole was great to communicate and plan with and we completely trusted his judgment due to his extensive experience in the wedding industry.

Days after our wedding Read More he sent us a few sneak peaks that really set the stage for what’s to come. Cole captured us in the moment and helped us feel as natural and relaxed as possible throughout the day! We didn’t feel staged at all and were really able to take in every moment together. Many people were shocked that I didn’t complain once about being out in the cold all day, I credit Cole for this because he kept us moving and motivated! Cole was super professional and prepared the day of our wedding. I felt relieved knowing that he had things in control.

Cole is SO talented that he actually did double duty for our wedding day. Not only did he take amazing photos of us, he also conducted a beautifully personalized wedding ceremony (Married by Cole). This guy is beyond talented!!!

If you are looking for a wedding / elopement photographer, engagement photos, family photos - trust me, look no further. Cole is your guy!

BRITTNY + CHRISTIAN

Wow. Where do we start? From start to finish, we were so thankful we picked Cole! We scoured many websites of photographers in the Calgary area and were apprehensive whether the portfolios of photographers would actually translate to great photos at our wedding. We can now say unequivocally that Cole’s gorgeous portfolio translates to his wedding work. We love our wedding photos!

Cole was exceptional throughout. He managed to capture so many sweet and candid moments. When our 4-year-old nephew refused to smile or even appear in photos, Cole worked his magic to melt the little guy’s Read More grumpiness and had him actually enjoying the photos with a big smile by the end! His professional yet relaxed approach put us and our families at ease. We were thrilled with Cole’s skill in composing the family portraits but also capturing the candid moments from the day. Our only complaint is that we’re finding it impossible to decide which photos to frame!

While our wedding was subject to the wild ride of Covid and its inherent complications and limitations, Cole was instrumental in helping us roll with the punches and rework plans in the weeks leading up to the wedding. We truly appreciated his flexibility with last minute changes and supportiveness throughout. On the day of the wedding, he was so conscientious when it came to Covid precautions. It was comforting that we were all on the same page when it came to prioritizing safety.

We would not hesitate to recommend Cole as a wedding photographer. Thank you, Cole, for capturing so many special moments, we will treasure your photos forever.

ANDREW + TARYN

I can't recommend Cole enough, I would gladly give him more than 5 stars if I could! Especially coming from a couple who are not used to being in front of the camera, Cole made us feel very comfortable and we even forgot at times we were having our photo taken; it was as if we were chatting with an old friend! He sent us photo samples right away that are absolutely breathtaking and we are so excited to see the rest! Highly recommended!!

ASHLEY + ZLATKO

If there was an option for 6 Stars I would give Cole 7. He was an absolute rock star for my wife and I when our wedding got postponed in April amidst the COVID craziness. He stayed in touch with us regularly and when we decided after six months of postponement that we would do a small family elopement and we asked him to officiate and photograph the smaller ceremony he graciously accepted and made a new date work with amazing flexibility.

His fun and energy made the day memorable and truly special. His photography skills and artistic eye are only matched by his uncanny ability to read Read More people and make things flow and work on the fly. He made the whole day stress free and kept us smiling and laughing throughout an amazing experience together.

GEORGES + JENNIFER

Cole was absolutely amazing to work with. We planned a last minute covid wedding last month and he was nothing but helpful and patient. He even suggested some good spots for an intimate ceremony which was really helpful. He was extremely prompt the day of the wedding, and made everyone comfortable and relaxed while taking photos. He was professional and down to earth and his work is absolutely amazing. I would highly recommend Cole to anyone needing a wedding photographer.

MARIA + ROBIN

When I was part of a dear friend’s wedding a few years ago, I was able to see Cole in action, and for my husband and I, it was a no-brainer for us to want to have Cole photograph us for our day as well.

We emailed Cole, and he responded quickly with all of his information and was willing to give us a call or FaceTime conversation. When we spoke with him, and when you meet him for the first time, it’s as though you have known him for many years.

We set a date for our engagement photos in early 2020 (little did we know the chaos that was about to ensue soon after). We went out to Read More Canmore, strapped on our boots and went on what was truly an adventure engagement shoot. These moments with Cole really told us that we made the best decision. Cole made us feel comfortable while still directing us during our engagement shoot. He is so passionate about his work, he even placed himself in compromising positions (ie laying in the snow) to get the most amazing shots.

When the unthinkable happened, and we were placed in the situation where we had to decrease our numbers for our wedding day, Cole was still able to accommodate us fully. We knew how important capturing every small detail would be, and Cole was able to provide us this gift of these treasured moments with photographs.

Cole, we were honoured to have you photograph our special day, and we are SO excited to see you again to photograph our reception when everything settles down. Your passion and dedication to your craft is like nothing we have seen before.

We cannot thank you enough!!

LAURA + ZACK

We couldn't have asked for a better wedding photographer and would highly recommend partnering with Cole! From the initial meeting, to the planning process and then finally the big day, Cole has been fantastic at every step. Thoughtful, funny, mindful of every detail, and a master at his craft - Cole delivered in every way and we are over the moon with his photos! We are thrilled to have him shoot part 2 of our wedding celebration and look forward to working with him again!

ALEX + PAT

I could not have asked for a better photographer for my wedding. Cole was absolutely superb. He communicated thoroughly before, during and after the wedding and exceeded all of my expectations! On the wedding day, he fit our vibe perfectly and directed our group fantastically! I was surprised to have received sneak peak photos the SAME DAY of the wedding! All in all, I highly recommend Cole!

KEVIN + SHANNON

Cole is an extremely professional efficient and well mannered photographer. He did an outstanding job of capturing the most tender moments of our wedding ceremony and has a fantastic eye for detail. We could not be happier with the photos we have seen so far. I would not hesitate in recommending him to anyone.

LALITA + CHRIS

Cole's work is a truly an art form. The moments he's given us to treasure through our gorgeous, candid, expressive photos that perfectly allow us to relive each moment of our wedding day are truly priceless. He brings the most precious moments to life in each and every photo. We were truly honoured by his passion, creativity and sincere care for his craft that will allow us memories to last a lifetime.

I first met Cole during my best friend's wedding. The moment you meet him, if feels like you've been friends for years. He immediately makes you feel comfortable to be yourself. When it came Read More time for my own wedding, without a doubt, we knew it had to be Mr. Cole Hofstra!

During Covid, having to change our guest list from 150 to 30, we knew how incredibly important it was to capture every little detail, every smile, laugh and tear to be able to share with our family who couldn't attend. With so many uncertainties, and anxiety running high, it was an absolute blessing to know that no matter what, we were in good hands with Cole, knowing he would bring each special moment to life behind his lens.

With every photo, you are transported back to the moment. Anytime you would turn your head, he was already two steps ahead of you to capture the moment. Cole captured our special day absolutely perfectly and we would recommend him to anyone we know, a million times over.

Not to mention, we've called him the photo-wizard, because within DAYS we had sneak peeks and in less than 2 weeks we had the whole album! This is truly unheard of and we know that he went above and beyond to make that happen for us! But this is no surprise, because he gives the same attention, love and detail to every client he encounters.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you, Cole!

LYNDSEY + SHAWN

We are SO happy to have had Cole both shoot and officiate our recent Banff elopement! He was very accommodating in making our easygoing elopement very special, with scouting the absolute best locations and even bringing all our witnesses for us. Our “sneak peek” photos arrived the very next morning and it was amazing to have some pictures to suprise our families and friends with so soon! We were both so comfortable the whole afternoon and loved his laid back, but super professional attitude. 100% would recommend him to everyone who wants a stunning mountain wedding!!

RAYLENE + JOEL

Cole made us feel really comfortable (he took the pictures before/during/after our wedding). He easily adapted to our changing needs. Cole is super responsive, very professional and lots of fun. And the pictures we've seen are incredible. Cole is truly talented. He captured small moments and the big ones. We really couldn't be happier and we recommend him to anyone looking to capture something special on camera.

KATIE + SALVA

From the first time a met Cole to our special day, he was nothing but amazing. It is clear he is passionate about his work and every photo he took was so thoughtful. We are so happy with the quality of photos and would highly recommend his services to anyone looking!

JESSICA + ANDREAS

When we say Cole Hofstra was the best thing that ever happened to us and our wedding, we are not kidding. We had met a few photographers as part of our decision process, but when we initially met Cole over a Guiness at a local pub, we walked out immediately knowing we had found our photographer. Within seconds of meeting Cole, he had put a smile on our faces, and we felt as though we were sitting down to catch up with an old friend. This sentiment carried out through the planning process of our wedding, and our engagement session. Come mid March, 2020, the world came to a halt as COVID-19 Read More swept the globe. We had initially made the difficult decision to postpone the wedding almost a year; when informing Cole of this decision, he supported our decision, and even offered an EXTREMELY generous summer session to take a few snaps of us in the summer as both our engagement session and second-planned wedding were now taking place in the winter, and he wanted us to have some summer shots, too. As many couples experienced during COVID, we changed our minds again, and decided we didn't want to wait to get married, but that we would do so on our original date, with only immediate family present. Cole was honestly ecstatic for us, and it was a no-brainer in his mind that he would be there for us. We took all the precautions to mitigate transmission of the virus, including donning masks, physical distancing, hand sanitizer, the works. Cole was supportive and never once did we stress in the (3rd!!) time re-planning our wedding that we would have someone there to capture our love. It's honestly hard to articulate what a gift that, in itself, was. Cole went above and beyond on our wedding day, as my mother had also planned a surprise drive-by parade. She secretly contacted him, and he was texting her as we took some portraits following our ceremony, ensuring he was leading us away from the house, so we wouldn't see the line up of cars.

This man is not just a photographer; he has a generous, genuine heart and lives his mantra of "I love celebrating love". Choosing Cole as your wedding photographer is the best decision you could make for peace of mind, a wonderful time, and beautiful photos that want to blow up on your walls and share with strangers on the street. AND, I haven't even mentioned his talent yet. Cole's photographic style is certainly what initially caught our eye- he has a rare eye for capturing natural light, candids, portraits, and landscape shots. He does not overly edit the photos, yet naturally enhances them so they are JUST as you remembered the moment, but even better (and sometimes in that perfect golden light that many photographers EDIT in). I wish I could have given Cole a hug on our wedding day, but can't wait to (hopefully) give him a hug when COVID-19 has passed, and we are able to celebrate with our loved ones. This man beautifully captured the best day of our lives, and in fact, contributed to the hilarious, ridiculous, memories of a lifetime, as I married the love of my life in the middle of a pandemic. Thank you, Cole.

GRACE + TANNER

Words cannot describe how amazing Cole is as a photographer! In addition to his professional attitude, he has this amazing and fun personality. My partner and I are both typically very shy and we were worried that we would look awkward on photos, but he just has this way of making you feel comfortable and laugh easily. He is also very understanding. My partner and I eloped recently and Cole was there to support us through the whole roller coaster leading up to it. I would recommend Cole to anyone and would definitely hire him again for future events!!

AIKO + PHILIP

Cole was an absolute pleasure to work with. Professional and responsive in the lead up to our big day, he thought of so many great locations and photo ideas for us. On the actual day, he arrived early, implemented all of his good ideas, and was ready at every turn to capture our special moments. The previews we received the next day! And they were incredible. Can't way to see the remaining photos. We would recommend Cole to anyone

MATT + LIZ

When you hear the phrase "I will do anything for love", you should think Cole Hofstra photography. Cole has a way of connecting not only with his clients but with everyone that he interacts with. The care he took making sure we got the best was what set him apart. When we first met we could tell that he was a good photographer, after working with him we found out that capturing love is what he is passionate about. We had so many compliments from our guests and our vendors regarding his professionalism and fun natured character. His photo style is unique and if you are willing to let him be Read More creative he will give you many different styles. When we first met with Cole he was giving us tips on the type of lighting that should be used for our venue that we were getting married in. He was more concerned that we had the right lighting and cameras for the venue, then himself getting the job. He's super flexible with photos that we wanted and easy to communicate with, he makes the day fun and we have so many memories from his work. If you want fun, exciting and beautiful candid portraits for your wedding Cole will make it happen! Thank you so much!

ASHLEY + KYLE

My wife and I had an ambitious and complicated wedding plan: a one hundred thirty-guest, multicultural (Hindu/Jewish) destination wedding with two separate ceremonies and lunch, cocktails, and dinner. Not only was Cole more than up to the challenge of capturing our wedding, he was able to make everything easier, smoother, and more efficient, helping us be fully present on our big day and helping guide us on our journey there. From the first time we contacted him, Cole was incredibly kind and helpful. Aside from being an amazing photographer, he is also a highly respected and connected member Read More of the Calgary wedding industry. He helped point us to other vendors offered us tips on how to navigate the ones we had already hired.

Our engagement shoot with Cole sealed the deal, and we booked him for our wedding not long after. When our wedding day came, Cole turned it up to eleven. He was completely unobtrusive - I don’t recall seeing him during either of our ceremonies, but stepped in immediately when needed to round up our families once it was time to take photos. Just like on our engagement shoot, Cole found some gorgeous backgrounds for our photos. With his help, we ran ahead of schedule, even with our tight windows for group photos. Cole even has an amazing trick to get babies to smile at the camera - it works on adults just as well!

Most amazingly, Cole delivered a huge set of stunning pictures within a week of our wedding. I would never have believed my wedding could have looked so beautiful, and I only believe it because I was there!

BEN + JANANI

Cole photographed our wedding in Lethbridge on November 2nd and he was an absolute pleasure to work with! Not only is he an absolute master of his craft, but he also kept things fun and light the whole time. He brought amazing ideas for shots and provided us direction, which we definitely needed as a couple. Cole’s personality kept us laughing and smiling the whole day. We couldn’t be happier with our choice in a photographer and would definitely recommend him to anyone looking for someone to capture their wedding.

KARLYN + CHRIS

Cole was our wedding photographer for our intimate wedding at Storm Mountain Lodge in Banff. He is so talented and really made us feel incredibly confident and comfortable the whole day. His eye for a beautiful picture is unmatched and he was fantastic at being present for all the important moments but not intrusive. All of our family and friends loved him. He was so personable and clearly a very experienced wedding photographer. We had a wonderful time working with him and would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a great photographer!
Thanks Cole!

NATALIE + GEOFF

Cole brought a great energy to our wedding, and was loved by all of the guests as he was very fun to be around. He was very flexible, and we really appreciated his direction. If you are debating whether or not to choose Cole, stop thinking and just pick him. We spent weeks interviewing photographers and we have no doubt that he was the right person for the role.

JEFFREY + MICHELLE

Cole was absolutely amazing to work with. His willingness to meet in person before hand and go over all of questions really quieted our worries. He was so helpful on the actual day of the wedding, calm and in the zone, which was exactly what you need when there is so much going on! Over all he made the day just that much better with how much fun we had with the shoot!

RYAN + CASSIE

Cole is the BEST wedding decision I made (aside from marrying my husband)! We eloped without friends or family, so having great photos to share was incredibly important. I don't have words to describe how blown away we've been by Cole's work. My husband and I are not super comfortable being photographed, but Cole immediately felt like a friend and we had so much fun with him. He captured the emotion of the day perfectly, and was willing to literally lie in the dirt to get the best shot. He planned ahead and fit so many amazing moments into a 2 hour shoot. We've gotten endless compliments on Read More our photos--I've lost track of how many times I've heard "These look like they should be in a magazine!" Cole is a beautiful artist, wonderful person, and an absolute professional. If you need a photographer, just book him and don't look back. You'll be so glad you did.

EMILY + REGGIE

Cole is an amazingly talented, personable, and professional photographer. He is very quick to respond to emails and was very willing to accommodate our change in plans from a big backyard wedding to an adventure elopement with a challenging hike up a mountain! We really enjoyed working with him, our entire family was raving about him at our reception dinner, and he sent us so many sneak peek pictures on the same day! We highly, highly recommend Cole Hofstra Photography!

KYLIE + TRAVIS

We loved working with Cole. He was lots of fun and very personable. He is very talented, professional and creative. We booked our engagement shoot and Cole came to Mexico with us for our wedding. During both experiences Cole made us feel comfortable and laugh so we could have the best candid photos. He got along with our group very easily and all of our friends and family loved him. He was reasonably priced for a destination wedding and has lots of experiences with destination weddings that he was an added resource for us when we were making decisions. I would highly recommend Cole to anyone!

MELYSSA + BRETT

Cole completely exceeded our expectations of a destination wedding photographer.
He totally fit in with our guests and captured our wedding week perfectly!
His ability to capture our pool parties, dinner parties, dance parties... oh, and the wedding itself, was amazing! Our wedding wouldn’t have been the same without him!

ASHLEY + BRENT

Cole is absolutely amazing! Not only is he super talented he is so fun to work with. He makes everyone so comfortable in front of the camera, and his jokes are hilarious. All our bridal party and guest had nothing but amazing things to say about him. Gets alone with everyone and is the life of the party! His work is unbelievable. We feel so lucky to have him as our photographer for our wedding day! Thank you so much

KEERSTYN + ADAM

I was familiar with Cole's work through friends who have had him capture everything from Family to Wedding photos. What my husband and I both loved was that his photos weren't overly staged & had plenty of candid shots, because we wanted the real us captured in our wedding. He worked with us to get the package that worked best for our day and our budget - and there was no hidden fee for the files! We had a pretty lively wedding party, and Cole didn't miss a beat with any of it, all while making sure we were getting everything we wanted. Simply put - you won't regret choosing Cole as your Read More wedding photographer.

KASSIE + OREN

Cole made the day. Having little experience with wedding planning and all that goes with it, my wife and I were totally overwhelmed and really had no idea what we wanted. We googled questions to ask photographers, looked at countless albums, and finally booked a meeting with Cole.

After 5 minutes of chatting with him, there was no doubt that he was the perfect choice. His approachable attitude made it easy to talk to him and we were blown away with his professionalism. Before we even had a chance to look down at our questions, he had patiently walked us through his working style, put all Read More of our worries to rest, and gotten us incredibly excited about our wedding pictures to come.

During the engagement shoot, we were able to see Cole in action and we definitely not disappointing. We had described what we were looking for, and he helped us choose the perfect location. Despite the freezing weather, we had a great time running around in the snow, laughing, and taking pictures (which was surprising because I normally hate having pictures taken).

On the day of our wedding, Cole was a rockstar from he showed up in the morning. He helped to calm both of our wedding day nerves and his ability to wrangle all of our parties took a huge weight off our shoulders. Whether it was setting up fun, amazing group shots or sneakily stealing us away for some romantic, intimate ones, Cole helped us make the most of our wedding day. Even during the dinner, the guests at his table couldn't stop raving about how amazing he was.

On top of being a blast at the wedding, Cole was one of the first emails in our inbox the next day, wishing us congratulations and giving us a preview of some of the most beautiful shots you could imagine. In just those few preview shots that he shared, he captured everything we could have imagined and more. Needless to say, there were a few happy tears as we went through those pictures.

Looking back on the wedding, we were lucky and most of our vendors did an great. That being said, there was no one there (even counting our maid of honor/best man) who was able to anticipate our needs, fix problems before we saw them, and put our minds to ease, more than Cole.

Cole- If you see this, you were truly the highlight of our wedding and our entire wedding party will be calling you when they get married. :)

CELESTE + CHRIS

After comparing a lot of different photographers, their portfolios, and pricing, we chose to work with Cole because we loved his photography style, his previous work looked amazing, he was very professional, adventurous and willing to go the extra mile to capture special moments and our personalities. Capturing our wedding day with great photos was an important aspect for us, and we liked that Cole is a full time professional photographer. We did our engagement photos with him first, and even though we are pretty awkward in front of a camera and had no idea what to do, Cole guided us to make Read More everything look natural, captured candid moments, and made it super fun. On our wedding day, Cole was efficient, knew what needed to happen, and adjusted on the fly to unexpected changes so that we had one less thing to worry about, all while being laid back and really fun to work with. He checked out locations ahead of time and even with a short time frame we got photos in 4-5 different places for a variety of backdrops. Our photos turned out to be the best wedding photos I've ever seen, all of our friends and family were blown away even by the few "preview" photos he sent us. He captured so many details, intimate and candid moments, and also amazing backdrops for really breathtaking photos. We could not be happier with our whole experience working with Cole, and I would 100% recommend him and work with him again.

LISA + COLIN

We were very pleased we chose Cole as our photographer. We had so much fun with him all day and it is very clear he loves his job. He arrived earlier than expected and stayed later than expected just to snap a few extra pictures which was much appreciated. So far the teaser pictures he sent me are incredible. He’s very talented at his work and I would definitely recommend him. Many guests also commented how great he was!

PARIS + RHOEL

Cole is THE BEST! We met with several photographers before Cole but immediately knew that he was the one we wanted to shoot our wedding. Cole has a great personality – he is easy to talk to, has a great sense of humor and is very professional. Cole was very organized and great at giving direction, so we felt at ease in front of the camera and didn’t have to worry about a thing on our big day! Also, we couldn’t be happier with the photos - they are stunning!! Cole made sure every important moment was captured and gave us such a great variety of posed and candid shots throughout the day. Also, Read More Cole sent us a handful of photos that we woke up to first thing the next morning!! He truly went above and beyond for us and we are so thankful. I highly recommend him!

ALYSSA + BRUCE

Cole’s the best! Professional, creative, organized and super fun! He’s got a way of making everyone feel comfortable during formal pictures and then he captures all of those sweet candid moments too. He went above and beyond to capture every moment of our special day and we couldn’t be happier with our experience.

ALANNAH + LANDON

If you are searching for a wedding photographer, look no further. We cannot stress enough what an amazing experience Cole provided for us. From our initial meet and greet over a beer, to engagement photos, our wedding day, and beyond - Cole was responsive, attentive, professional, and above all, fun! He'll immediately put you at ease and joke that he can get all the best angles being a head taller than the crowd. All of our wedding guests kept asking how we met Cole, as many assumed he was a long-time friend of ours due to how he interacted with our guests. I have never seen a photographer get Read More so low to the ground on "shake" that he was dancing on his back... cameras and all! This guy just doesn't run out of energy. My family loved him so much we tried to book him again for my brother's wedding, but he was already in high demand. After the wedding, Cole gave us a handful of sneak peek photos the next day, and had all of our photos to us within three months. There were so many amazing shots it took me FOREVER to go through them all. It's impossible to choose! What I liked the best after our wedding was the incredible candid shots Cole was able to get of our friends and family... those are truly the pictures we will cherish forever. Thank you Cole!

ANDREA + SCOTT

Cole was the first photographer that we met, and right away Daniel and I knew he was the one (cliche, no?). When Daniel and I met Cole for our engagement photos, we had no clue what we were doing. We were not ourselves and just felt silly the entire time. Cole instantly put us ease, telling us pretty lame but awesome jokes, and guiding us throughout the evening. I was hesitant that any photo would turn out okay, but was blown away with his skills to make us awkward folk actually look good. When he showed up into our room on our wedding day, singing and dancing, he made me feel that much more Read More relaxed. He took us to a stunning picturesque spot in Canmore for photos, guided us, but also just let us be in the moment. You almost forget that he’s your photographer because he just seems like a friend. He fit in with everyone, and is up for anything. Cole is such an easy-going guy, but is so incredible at what he does. He has an eye for the beauty in the small things, and can capture intense emotions and feelings in the photographs that he takes. He continues to amaze me with his photos, and I can’t wait to see the finished ones from our day!

ERIN + DANIEL

We were so lucky to have Cole as our wedding photographer on July 7 2018. From initial contact and planning to check-ins throughout the day, Cole continuously made sure our expectations were met (and exceeded!). He did a fantastic job of keeping us organized while still allowing for fun, especially regarding the rowdy groomsmen. Cole found unique and beautiful spots for our photos while using spontaneity to capture how much fun we were having with family and friends. We also appreciated his constant directions regarding posing so we didn't look as awkward as we feel we are!

A number of Read More wedding guests commented to us about the photographer's skill and ability to capture candid moments without disruption. This was especially evident at the reception when Cole seamlessly fit into the party, camera in tow.

We absolutely love our sneak peaks which we received early the following day and cannot wait to see the rest of the photos. Cole was an absolute pleasure to have as our wedding day photographer!

HANNA + BRYN

Cole Hofstra is a magnificent photographer. We were fortunate enough to book Cole for both our engagement and wedding photos. During the engagement shoot we learned that, as Cole puts it, he simply loves love. Working with him, this sentiment really shines through. His photos captured all of the love, joy and warmth we felt on our wedding day, not to mention all the fun we had. Cole has the perfect mix of enthusiasm, professionalism, and humour, putting everyone at ease when they know the camera is focused on them which is no small feat. He just seemed to know all the right times for either Read More encouraging people to keep hamming it up or when to step back and let the quiet moments play out, resulting in beautiful, candid shots. His level of experience really shone through when our day kept switching between rain and sunshine. While his style is relaxed and fun, his mind is 100% on task, quickly shifting directions to take advantage of a momentary sunbeam, noticing when a groomsman has his umbrella blocking a bridesmaid, or capturing your little nephew doing something adorable.

Cole was amazing at taking our zany idea of going climbing and turning it into the most wonderful shots. Even while suspended several metres off the ground, Cole was still making us laugh and providing directions to make sure we looked beautiful and were having fun. This is stating the obvious but any wedding is a once in a lifetime event, so no do-overs on the photos; and is full of very intimate and personal moments. Who your photographer is matters as they will be part of all those moments and they have a big responsibility to capture them. Cole is an outstanding photographer and just a wonderful person to be around. Having him capture our wedding was the best decision we made. I cannot recommend Cole enough!

LAURA + MICHAEL