Thursday, December 30, 2010

Projects | Western Canada Lifestyle Photographer

I have a lot of projects planned for this year and one of them is going to keep me close to town. I have been thinking of how I can capture some remnant of history and automation in the Crossfield area and I have decided on two ideas. One is to capture the slowly disappearing technology that was used to shape this area for the last 100 years. Like old bones fading in the sun, farm machinery just left behind to become a part of their environment. The other is to comment on the un-natural oil and gas mechanisms that try to remain inconspicuous for as long as they can live up to their purpose.
I will post work from this series from time to time until I can catalog them for a complete work.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Refresh The Page | Lifestyle Photographer

I'll tell you a secret about how I stay creative. Now that I have a little time I have dug out all my fundamental photography books and I am reading them again. I also have a little black book where I keep notes of all the important information I have ever learned about photography from books, other photographers, and experience, and I am reading it again. I now have time to go out and strengthen my foundational knowledge with freedom to focus on making great images "in camera". By Spring I will be energized and ready to be as creative as I can be without the stress of thinking about making "just" a great image.

The way I see it, if you ever stop learning then that is where you start to die as an artist. Evolution and change will keep you fresh and relevant no matter what kind of style you have. But it is not so much about "how creative" you can be but more like "how often". It's great to create an amazing image one week and ride the popularity of it's witness to your peers but it should be fundamentally important for you to be ready to do it again. Ideas and inspiration are integral to creativity but the desire to be creative is the river that flows beneath the surface of our daily lives and without it, we will just become a desert waste-land of stuff we did. Like an old building with peeling paint and collecting dust, a shell of an animal that lived it's life and was respectful enough to die and get the hell out the way.

I hope you think about this sometimes and when life gives you rest, get back to the basics. Renew your desire to stay creative, shed your old skin, and start winding the coil for that creative energy your going release through out the year...

...did I ever tell you how the Dinosaurs died out.......?

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Just Cruising | Calgary Adventure Lifestyle Photographer

Well it's always nice to have my camera on me now that I am using the Contejoure 40 pack from Click Elite. I almost forget that I have it on but then I can just stop in the middle of a session and blast away or setup for a shot.

It was tough today though, a few of us went to Spray Lakes and there was just enough wind and snow to make me want to ride as much as I could. While packing up I couldn't resist this shot of Ross and his very green kite. Amazing BlueBird day in the mountains!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Just Wait | Adventure Lifestyle Photographer

It won't take long, for a good opportunity to make a great image. Even when your busy the moment will come and you have to be ready.

I'll admit I wasn't ready and this shot is all that I got out of an amazing skyline tonight. That's what happens when your busy doing nothing. And even though I need to relax and take a break, I have a new camera and lenses I need to break-in. Besides, the more I shoot, the more it energizes me. I can sleep later.

Monday, December 13, 2010

A Good Match | Adventure Lifestyle Photographer

Last month I had a family drop in to the studio for a family session. We had known in the fall there was no way we could do something outside so I wanted to try a few different things. I had done some storyboards but just before the session I went on the itunes site and saw the classic black and white shot of the Beatles in their "hippy" days. Just a simple, loosely posed shot, showing their individuality but yet all together still a single unit. I love this shot.
I had to try that shot with this family. I already know they are cool and it has been great getting to know them the last few years. I have a lot of clients both good and bad just like any other industry and sometimes it's nice to have a good connection. With photography I like to get to know my clients a little better as it helps me to draw their character out in the images. These guys were a lot of fun to work with and I think this image worked well.