Telling Stories in Soft Light: Eric Draht’s Quiet Craft

Eric Draht hovers at the edge of a wedding, camera ready, watching for the small moments that others might miss—a bride’s nervous smile, a groom’s quick glance. He clicks the shutter, capturing something simple yet deeply felt, the kind of image that feels like a memory you’d carry forever. His photos, warm and unassuming, have a way of telling stories without shouting, a gift he traces back to his days in theatre. Recently, MyWed named him Canada’s top wedding photographer, but Eric, ever unassuming, shrugs off the title. “It’s not about me,” he says quietly. “It’s about the people I get to photograph.”

Eric’s love for storytelling started in the theatre, where he spent his younger years learning the craft of stage and light. He was never the star, just a kid backstage, watching how a soft glow or a well-timed pause could make a moment sing. “Theatre taught me to notice things,” he says, almost as an afterthought. “How light changes a mood, how a glance can say everything. I try to carry that into my work.”

This Kelowna Photographer shows it clearly. Eric’s photos aren’t flashy; they’re gentle, like scenes from a play you can’t stop watching. Weddings, to him, are full of those little beats—hands clasped, eyes meeting, laughter breaking through nerves. “I’m just there to catch what’s already happening,” he says. “The day’s already beautiful. I don’t need to make it something it’s not.”

One image stays with him: a couple at sunset, standing close as the light softened. The bride tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and the groom smiled, a little shy. Eric didn’t direct them; he just let the moment unfold. “It felt like something you’d see in a quiet scene onstage,” he recalls. “Just them, being themselves.” The photo is understated but moving, a testament to his ability to see the beauty in the everyday.

Eric’s theatre days taught him to think about light and space, but he’s quick to downplay his role. “The couples are the ones who make the photos special,” he insists. Clients love his calm presence, the way he seems to fade into the background yet captures every heartbeat of the day. They describe him not as a photographer but as a friend who happens to take pictures that make them cry happy tears.

When MyWed called him Canada’s best, Eric was floored—and a little embarrassed. “I don’t know about ‘best,’” he says with a small laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m just doing what I love. That’s enough.” The honor has him grateful, but it hasn’t changed his focus. He’s still the same guy who shows up early, chats with the flower girl, and looks for the light that makes a moment glow.

What’s next for Eric? He doesn’t talk in grand terms. Maybe he’ll try a new lens, or experiment with capturing candid smiles in a different way. “I just want to keep getting better for the people who hire me,” he says. His website is a collection of those efforts—photos that feel like whispers, full of love and life.

For Eric Draht, Kelowna Photographer isn’t about awards or applause. It’s about showing up, seeing the world with kind eyes, and giving couples a way to hold onto their day. Canada’s top photographer? He’d rather you just call him Eric, the guy who’s happy to tell your story, one soft click at a time.