Heather Dietz sets herself apart with high-end images, great prices and a mix of candids and poses
Reviewing Heather Dietz, Owner and Photographer, Heather Dietz Photography

Heather Dietz sees a true connection between couples on their wedding day. She says it’s in the hidden glances and special moments... witnessing and documenting that intimacy, combined with a love for photography she’s had since childhood, is what led up to Heather building an education and career in professional photography.

Under her company, Heather Dietz Photography, she documents those connections, choosing to shoot in a mix of both candid and contemporary posed styles to get the full view of the sentiment and style of the wedding day. Heather says she’s best known for high-end images at great prices - and after a little research, it seems like she’s living up to that reputation. After interviewing this savvy photographer and her brides, we’ve found plenty of reasons why Huron County brides could be falling in love with Heather Dietz Photography in 2010.

Personally speaking…

With her first camera at the age of fifteen, Heather knew this would be her career. She earned a Diploma in Applied Photography at Fanshawe College, returned for the optional third year and received a Certificate in Advanced Photography. She spent the first two years of school assisting various photographers, as well as photographed some of her own weddings – making for a very busy, hands-on and technical learning process.

Heather’s love for learning and trying new things didn’t end when she finished school as she says she constantly strives to keep up with the ever changing trends, while staying true to herself and producing the highest quality that she can.

After registering Heather Dietz Photography, Heather started out by taking family portraits, but has been photographing weddings for five years.

“I love capturing those special moments, hidden glances between a bride and groom, the intimate moments, the groom seeing his beautiful bride walking down the aisle for the first time,” Heather told The Ring. “Moments you can't re-create, you can't pose… I love documenting their lives at such huge milestones.”

When she’s not busy photographing weddings and families, Heather also donates her time to the Smiling Eyes Organization, which is a non-profit organization of volunteer photographers who donate their time and photography skills to families living with cancer.

Bride recommended…

Couples who hire Heather tend to be outgoing and adventurous and are looking for wedding photos that are a bit different from the traditional shots, she says. But, since each couple is still unique (despite these commonalities), Heather says she tries to incorporate photojournalism into her style. “Also, I like to try something new and different with each and every client,” Heather adds.

Unobtrusive is just how Sonya Wubs felt Heather was for her March 2009 wedding photos, capturing the moments naturally, as they happened. “She is able to capture the personality of the people in the photos,” says Sonya. “Heather was very good at placing the wedding party in natural, relaxed poses without wasting time.” Sonya also had engagement photos done by Heather and adds that from the first time she saw Heather’s work, she could tell that she was very creative. “Some of Heather’s work is like art.” During her sessions with Heather, Sonya says Heather was “very professional, yet relaxed and friendly. She offered great advice and ideas and was open to hearing mine. She made each photo session seem so easy and we never ever felt rushed. She really went above and beyond our expectations for wedding photography.”

Contemporary, documentary, candid and flexible are all words Heather uses to describe both her photography style and her personality. After meeting with her, we would also add friendly, outgoing, trendy, professional, and someone who’s always laughing and having fun. Oh, and did we mention she’s got a great open mind and is up for just about anything?

Meg Ryan and Jim Lyoness had similar words to tell us how fabulous Heather was for their engagement and June 2009 wedding photography sessions. “Heather is fun, young, vibrant and very professional… and she has this great personality and charm.” Though it’s not just brides who say they love Heather as Meg adds that she came highly recommended by many people in the community. “After dealing with her, I can see why people said I wouldn't be disappointed with her or her work,” says Meg.

Stacey and Dan Eickmeyer say their experience meeting and working with Heather for their engagement and June 2009 wedding photos was fantastic. “She was so incredibly nice and very easy to work with.” Stacey adds that Heather was always up for her suggestions and made both her and Dan feel very comfortable. Stacey also says that Heather was very flexible, telling us that “there was nothing that she couldn't do or get for us that we had asked for… she was so easy going and nice to get along with and work with! She always had fun ideas and was always open to suggestions.”

Packages & pricing

Heather offers creative and unique wedding and engagement photography with packages starting at $585, plus taxes. One of the (many) reasons Heather thinks that brides choose her to photograph their weddings is because she offers high-end quality at great prices.

“The prices were amazing considering everything that the package included,” say Stacey and Dan. “I would recommend Heather Dietz Photography to anyone looking for a fantastic photographer that is priced perfect and is great to work with.”

Packages come with a bridal album, two parent albums, custom designed thank you cards or invitations, a proof album and all high resolution images on DVD. There are also extra items like online galleries, canvas wraps, signature albums and custom slideshows that can be added to any package.

Sonya had wedding invitations and thank you cards designed by Heather, which she says made planning a wedding while being in school a lot easier. “Her designs were phenomenal. We received so many comments about how gorgeous our invites were.” She adds that the proof and parent albums were both gorgeous.

Engagement sessions are also available and recommended by Heather. You can also add bridal sessions or "Fash the Dress" shoots at additional costs.

Meg and Jim told us that their engagement session was their favourite part of working with Heather. “We just laughed and had a great time. She made us feel right at home and made us slow down and enjoy the moment.” Meg adds that from that moment, they knew that having Heather do their wedding photos wouldn't be a disappointment either.

Package options include six or eight hours of coverage, but Heather also has hourly packages available, with packages as low as $585. She says most brides spend between $895 and $1500.

“Heather has reasonable prices and they fit within our budget,” says Sonya. “She uses excellent quality equipment and takes beautiful photos… I’m content with what we spent because the value exceeded our expectations and we got more than what we bargained for.”

Walking you through…

While she brings an assistant photographer to help out on the wedding day, Heather is the one who meets with couples to discuss their wedding plans. If you’re interested in checking out Heather’s portfolio, call or email her to set up an appointment. She says she can meet you wherever and whenever suits you.

Since Heather recently opened up her own in-home studio (which, by the way, is so cozy and full of samples to browse through), she says she usually meets couples there, but can just as easily come to you.

“Heather made her schedule open to accommodate our schedules,” say Meg and Jim. “…it was very easy to drop in and out of her studio when last minute ideas or thoughts would come to mind.” Meg adds that Heather didn’t just treat them like clients, but wanted to know who they were and what was important to them. “I liked that she took our basic dynamics and information and then guided us to what she thought would work great, to achieve the best photos.”

During the first consultation, Heather gets a feel for what you want – likes, dislikes and style, as well as prices.

If you’re not sure off the bat if you want to hire Heather, she says she will meet with you as many times as you need to – before, during and after your wedding.

After you’ve booked with Heather, signed the contract and paid the deposit, then an engagement session is booked if desired. Aside from that, Heather also meets with you one to two weeks prior to the wedding day to go over final details.

On the wedding day, Heather brings and assistant to help carry gear, get groups organized, and work as the candid shooter. She says the photographer also has a photojournalistic approach and a style that blends well with hers.

Proof albums usually take anywhere from four to six weeks to be ready for pick up.

For couples planning their wedding and still looking for a photographer, Meg and Jim say "You must use Heather Dietz Photography. She was fantastic and her quality of work is outstanding. She is very reasonable and professional. She works with you to capture the perfect moments and you will not be disappointed.”

Similarly, wholeheartedly recommending Heather to couples planning their weddings, Sonya says that if you want a photographer with “creative instincts, natural skill and talent, and the emotions of the day to be captured on camera, Heather would be a great choice… She will take amazing photos and you will feel at ease when working with her as her disposition is professional and relaxed.”

A few fabulous wedding trends and ideas by Heather Dietz Photography...

Fashion inspired wedding photography… Inspired by the pages of fashion magazines like InStyle or Vogue, this type of wedding photography plays up the glamour and romance of the day. Images of the bride and groom are shot in an artistic manner and later edited to get a high-fashion look.

Lifestyle photography… Documenting life as it happens. More relaxed, less posed.

Photojournalistic approach… A trend that is still popular with brides, photojournalism is the art of documenting an event or situation without effecting the event's outcome.

Pre-bridal session… The purpose of the bridal session is to illustrate the elegance and beauty of the bride in a private, relaxed setting.

Fash the Dress… Really the complete opposite of Trash the Dress, this is a dedicated fashion shoot designed to show off your beautiful dress in the most elegant way possible. These shoots are pure indulgence – get your hair and make-up done and get photographed in a fabulous location.

Proposal Photography… This is an idea where the groom-to-be (or sometimes the bride) arranges with a photographer to photograph the moment of marriage proposal. More akin to the paparazzi-style of photography where at least one half of the couple are completely unaware of what will happen.

Details, details, details

• Call or email Heather to set up an appointment to discuss wedding plans and prices.
• Options include 6 or 8 hours of coverage, with hourly packages available and as low as $585.
• The average bride spends between $895 and $1500 with Heather Dietz Photography.
• Proof albums are usually ready between 4 and 6 weeks after the wedding.

Contacting Heather Dietz Photography

Heather Dietz at Heather Dietz Photography can be reached by email at heatherdietzphotography@ezlink.ca or by phone at 519-525-7870 or 519-523-9127. You can also visit Heather Dietz Photography online at http://www.heatherdietz.net.