Meet Sandra Hana | Wedding Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sandra Hana and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sandra, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Taking a risk on something really great, when the only thing you have to lose is something that was making you totally unhappy, is a risk worth taking. Taking the risk to quit my job and pursue photography has made me so much happier.

To be honest though, I had never even thought about working as a wedding photographer before. It all started with my love for travel and taking photos of beautiful scenery, people and moments. At the time my photos were just taken with a cheap iPhone because it was more of just a hobby, but it was something I loved doing. People always told me that I should pursue a career in photography but I never had the guts to actually do it. One day while visiting Boston, I met a friend and was showing him some of my travel photos. As I was leaving his house he told me to wait a second. He then walked away and came back with a DSLR camera that he no longer used and wanted me to have it. I kept trying to refuse it but he kept insisting. I was in shock! How could someone I don’t even really know give me such a gift! It was the kindest gift anyone has ever given to me and a huge help to getting me to get started

Fastforward to July of 2020 was when things started to change. I decided to finally put that camera to good use and go out and take photos of my friends for fun because I thought why not just give it a try. I immediately loved it. I had a vision of how I wanted the photoshoot to look and was able to achieve it right off the bat. I was a little surprised and once I started sharing them on social media I couldn’t believe how many inquiries I was getting without even having website yet. 3 months later I decided to quit my 9-5 job and immediately felt so free.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Starting off wasn’t always so easy, especially to start in the middle of a global pandemic. Although the government helped financially I was sad to have to postpone weddings and other sessions that I was really excited for.

One thing I also struggle with as a new photographer is comparing my work to other photographers who have been in this business for 10+ years, but I always have to remind myself that I’ve only been doing this for a year and that people really love my work. Everyone compares their work to others sometimes, even those experienced photographers so don’t doubt your talent.

One thing that sets me apart from other photographers is that I capture the moments and photos that I would personally want for myself. I want my couples to have fun and focus on each other and not feel posed. I try and capture the beauty around them to create a gallery with a story.

One thing I want the world to know about my story is that kindness goes a long way. If it hadn’t been for the friend gifting me that camera I probably wouldn’t have been able to start. I recently mailed that camera to a friend in New York who happened to mention that she wanted to start photography. She was so surprised and I can’t wait for her to start her own photography journey like I did.
Lastly the biggest risk you could take is to not take one at all. Now I get to be around people during the happiest moments of their life, and that makes me so happy.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my friend was visiting I would show her a bit around my little city, take her to my favourite restaurant which is Thai Palace where I take all of my friends because their food is that good. I would probably take her to a place called Point Pelee where you can walk through this beautiful boardwalk and explore through the park and go to the most southern tip of Canada. There is also a super cute restaurant close-by called Birdies Perch which is actually a double decker bus where you have the option to eat inside the bus, Super cute. Since we both love exploring we would probably drive to Bruce Peninsula National Park in Tobermory where it has the most beautiful blue waters to swim in and amazing views for a hike.
I also love renting cool airbnbs either a cool loft, or a cute cabin. Hea Frame is a beautiful A frame cabin and is definitely on my list of places to rent. It’s surrounded by beautiful trees and has a nice deck in the back for a morning coffee.
There is also a beautiful flower field that I know my friend would love at a place called Andrews Scenic Farms. You can pick your own flowers, berries, apples, peaches. Its really beautiful.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
On one particular trip I met a friend and was showing him some of my travel photos. He then walked away and came back with a DSLR camera that he no longer used and wanted me to have it. I was in shock. How could someone I don’t even really know give me such a gift! It was the kindest gift anyone has ever given to me and a huge help to getting me to take that risk.

Another big supporter is Brooklynn Leitch Photography who gave me the push I needed and is always there to answer any questions I may have. She’s so kind and talented!

Website: www.sandrahanaphotography.com

Instagram: @sandrahanaphotography