HELLO, I'm so glad you're here
MY NAME IS janita
I'm a documentary photographer with a love for nature and kind humans. I am married to my best friend, a momma to our one year old, Walker James, and a dog-momma to my sweet golden doodle, Charlie. All I dream of is a cabin in the woods, a few kiddos running around, and a simple life. I’m a total homebody, with a thirst for an adventure every once in awhile. We are dreaming for the day we can take our long overdue honeymoon to Hawaii (if you’ve been, tell me everything!!). My perfect day includes meditating, hiking, a good book, watching the sun set and my family. I’m a story teller through and through and will include all the little details of the who, what, where, when and why in your photos. I fell in love with photography in high school but never planned on pursuing it as a career, that’s why I completed my degree in behavioural psychology. But, once I picked this magical hobby back up 8 years ago, there was no turning back. I’m not a technical photographer, I’m more of an artist of emotion and truly believe that even a blurry imperfect photo can still be a beautiful timeless memory. I’d rather have simple gear and blend in while capturing every little thing than miss out on a moment because I was changing lenses or setting up lighting (hard no on the artificial light!). My people are simple, emotional beings who don’t want a cookie cutter wedding, who care about connecting with their photographer on a deep level and really want to feel when they look back at their photos.
documenting the messy and the magical, beauty is truly in the imperfect
A little about me
Intimacy
Wild flowers
Dirty dresses
Tears
Windswept hair
Personal vows
Stolen glances
Tall trees
Fleeting moments
Octobers
i'm inspired deeply by your unique story, how each moment i document is special in it's own way
WHAT INSPIRES ME
My boys
Camping
Sushi
Long hikes
The woods
The Magnolia Network
Books
Cooking
Yoga
Gritty country music
The moon
if it includes nature, my family and good food, i'm in
MY FAVOURITE THINGS
I've been behind a camera since my high school yearbook.
I second shot for my cousin in college when she was a wedding photographer and then bought her camera when she switched gears. I started my business in 2016 and went full time within the year. I always knew I wanted to teach in some capacity so I created a photography for beginners workshop and started mentoring. When the pandemic hit, weddings were cancelled and photographers couldn't work so I created my fully online, Pursue Photography Course, to teach you how to launch a photography business from the ground up. I've documented all kinds of love and seasons of life, and have settled in on couples, elopements, intimate weddings and the beginning stages of starting families as my focus. I specialize in intimacy and those really personal moments. I'm more of an artist of emotion and believe that even a blurry photo can be a perfect memory.
you'll be getting so much more than a photographer
BEHIND THE LENS
my philosophy
I’m not a photographer who will put you in some fake, posed, unnatural version of you. I go much deeper by giving slight directions and watch you unfold as you naturally do. You deserve that. You deserve someone so interested in learning how you fit together and documenting that because that's what truly matters. The real, raw, honest versions of you and how you're intertwined together is what's worth remembering.
we will create together, photos that reflect the real, raw, honest versions of you
rachael + michael
We knew that Janita was going to be our photographer from the moment we met her. She is warm, genuine and completely invested in you and your day. She becomes so much more than just your photographer, she becomes your friend. She is someone who knows the industry inside and out and is there for you through every step of the way. She checks in with you to see how planning is going, and helps in every way she can to ensure your dream wedding becomes reality. Janita makes even the most awkward of couples (hi!) feel comfortable and at ease in front of her camera. Having her document our wedding was like having a close friend spending the day with us, because that is exactly who she becomes. She helps make your day flow seamlessly, ensuring you leave on time, reminding you to eat and drink water, and to savour the moments, all while taking the most breathtaking photos. On top of all this, our album was given to us with impeccable timing, and we even had sneak peeks before she left the reception! Janita is so much more than just another photographer, her heart is in everything she does, and her work speaks for itself. We honestly cannot say enough about how amazing Janita is.
danielle + michael
"It's hard to articulate how incredibly amazing Janita is. She was the only witness to our elopement and truly captured the magic of our day better than we could have ever imagined! Both my partner and I commented multiple times on how comfortable and easy it was to work with Janita. From our initial e-mails, to our first phone chat, and then actually working with her day of, she made the process incredible smooth and comfortable, she felt like a long time friend. Her photography is incredibly beautiful and we've felt both privileged and proud to share her work with our family and friends. We will be re-living the magic of our day through Janita's photography forever"
steph + neill
From the moment we met Janita we knew she was the perfect person to capture our special day!! She has an amazing ability to immediately connect with and fit into the group of people she is photographing, which results in a relaxed and stress-free day, and really incredible results! Janita was patient and flexible with us as we navigated the pandemic, always keeping us up to speed on changes and quickly getting back to us on our questions. She was very organized, professional, knowledgeable, and leading up to the big day she gave us awesome advice on the right moments to capture. The pandemic really changed the type of wedding we were planning for – from big event to intimate day with about 10 of our immediate family. Janita is the type of photographer that can thrive in either situation. For us, she basically became a member of the family for the day, which we loved and are so grateful for! In the end we have the most beautiful photos of our wedding and we could not have asked for a better visual history of such a special day. We highly recommend Janita for your day, big or small!
jenna + austin
I was lucky enough to have Janita capture the moment the love of my life proposed to me back in 2021. To this day I am beyond amazed with our photos and couldn’t have wished for anyone better to capture such a special moment in my life. She is not only a phenomenal photographer but such a genuine and fun person. Truly blessed to have met her and cannot wait for her to capture more special moments in our lives.
HEART WARMING WORDS FROM MY COUPLES
Nostalgic storytelling for romantics in wild spaces
