PHOTOGRAPHER | Gabrielle Maurer

Gabrielle Maurer uses her photography and book making to narrate love stories. Her work is instinctive, engaging, and lived-in. With a mutli-format, analog-forward approach, she takes on a limited number of comissions each season. Based in Montreal, Canada, Gabrielle Maurer specialises in destination weddings and full-weekend celebrations.

Tell us about your business! 

I am a Canadian documentary photographer and the artist behind petites.images. My work is instinctive, relational, and lived-in. It embodies radical presence and all the imperfections that make us humans! 

What would you like couples to know about you? 

Kindness, empathy, and integrity shape everything that I am, and that I do. I take my creative practice very seriously, but I’m easygoing as a person. I think my clients appreciate the energy I bring on to their wedding - calm, grounded, and playful.

Where are you based? 

Montreal, Canada. 

Do you travel for weddings? 

Yes! Travel has always been a big part of my life and my work. I’ve been fortunate to learn about different cultures and I’m grateful to be able to continue to do so. It’s a joy to receive inquiries inviting me to celebrate love across the world! 

What inspires you? 

All the experiences that life has to offer and its different seasons. 

I lead with curiosity, and allow my hypersensitivities and my heart to guide my artistic practice. I feel most inspired when I am surrounded by nature, and when I can explore new settings and experiences. What is the energy here? What is it telling me? I hear children laughing, what is going on over there? I follow the moment. I bring the same curiosity to wedding commissions. 

When it comes to photography, I am a student of the craft. I lose sense of time in my art and photo books, and connect with like-minded creatives regularly. But I also like to protect a certain naivety, and child-like playfulness to bring to my work. 

How would you describe your working style?

I consider myself a witness and storyteller first. I approach each celebration as ongoing moments, rich in life and human experiences. I strive to create a safe space in which my clients and their loved ones feel seen for who they really are. That’s what my art is all about and I think of my photographs as evidence of this connection. 

Practically, my approach is unique and personal to each couple I work with. I meet people where they are and love to get to know them however it feels genuine for them. I am always very flexible, although I do encourage in-person connections throughout the process, whenever possible. Nothing better than going back to the essence of things and connecting human to human.

As for the celebrations, I come in as a guest. I move in and out of space, tune in with the surroundings, and celebrate amongst your people. I aim to document from a very unique, personal point of view. I allow my intuition to be my guide, and I look for meaningful photographs to collect. 

I like to think that I don’t make work for the couples who will receive it first-hand; but for future selves - them, their loved ones, and those who can only connect the dots through these keepsakes. Printing is an important aspect of my work - depending on the commission, my clients enjoy a custom Art Book or a Memory Box with loose prints. Digital files are delivered afterwards for archival purposes and easy sharing with friends and family. 

Do you shoot digitally, on film or both? 

I am very passionate about photography as a craft, and I work primarily with analog mediums across a range of formats. I think of my work as witnessing, collecting, and assembling emotional notes, and I like to work with tools that enable me to translate a couple’s unique personalities and a moment’s true feeling. Some of those tools include digital cameras, but most are antique. It’s also a way for me to stay grounded and present throughout the celebrations, to find creativity within limitations, and to connect with guests from all generations. 

What is a favourite product or service that you offer and why? 

My Art Books, definitely! 

There is so much to be said about stand-alone photographs, yes, but also photographs that come together to tell a broader story. My work is musical, poetic in nature, and my books are a canvas in which I get to fully compose. They gather constellations of feelings and fragments, photographs and text drawn from the couples themselves, curated with love for those who opt to re-experience their celebrations through this artwork. My hope is for those books to live in my clients home, and continue to carry experiences of human connection and gratitude. 

Who is your dream client?

Kind, creative and intentional souls who are planning a joyful celebration as a genuine testament to who they are! Couples I work with are aligned in their intention to celebrate their love with their people and trust that life brings all sorts of magical surprises through embodied presence. 

What is your advice to couples getting married? 

Don’t let the details carry you away from why you’re getting married in the first place. 

Reflect on your intentions - on what you want and don’t want for yourselves -, and let those direct you in your planning and experience. Invite the humans you love and want to celebrate with, and spend time with them. Hire caring professionals who align with your values, and trust they have your best interest at heart. 

Really, send your wishes into the universe! Be present to receive them. 

Gabrielle Maurer (Petites.Images) 

Website: gabriellemaurer.com

Instagram: @gabriellemaurer.weddings