Sunrise on the Saint John River

After shooting a 50th Anniversary party for a dear friend, I left an area close to Primrose, Ontario (a rural town about an hour and half north of Toronto) at about 5pm to embark on the long journey home to surprise my mother at her 50th B-day party.

Weaving through "La Belle Province" and especially the single lane highway in the easternmost part of the province is rarely a treat as the Transport trucks whip past.  The full moon left the night with more luminance than you would normally expect.  As I passed Edmundston the sky produced the first hints of morning.  The darkness of night gave way to a shade of blue that lightens as dawn approaches.  Just past Grand Falls I glimpsed into the rearview mirror and saw an orange glow appear in the clouds over a small mountain range.  As many of you are aware the TransCanada highway in Northern NB weaves over and around a portion of the great Saint John River and to add to the scene the morning fog was slowly lifting from it's night time stranglehold atop the waterway.

I debated how I could capture this moment...but I knew that I needed to be on the other side of the highway, going the opposite direction.  The orange glow meant I had about 20 minutes and though I've driven the TransCanada many times I wasn't sure I'd find another break in the tree-lined highway before the sun had risen.  So, on the car-less highway, I whipped around in one of those police roads between the east and west lanes and headed west to recapture the scene.

The photos almost look like paintings and though I've done a little retouching to better capture the colours I saw there, there is but the scantest post processing work on these.  The tree lined mountains took on a blueish hue from the moonlit sky behind me and the trees that appeared dark, slowly revealed their greenish colour as the sun rose even further...

I'm at home now and have a number of assignments but I'll do my best to keep this blog updated...  I have a few family shoots and a few artistic shoots lined up that I'm really excited about...

Behind the Scenes...

The last little while, I've been taking an assistant to most of my shoots.  It's really helpful to have a second camera in an alternative position and a second set of eyes to see some little things and make suggestions.  Nick Lachance is a talented photographer in his own right.  His comfort zone is in the world of journalism where he has to compose and frame on the fly.  This adds a welcome element to our shoots.  One of the added benefits are the images he's caught of me in the action...thought I'd share those...

Eye on Whistler...

Even on a Cloudy and Hazy day in June Whistler is an amazing spot...  Thanks to my Aunt Donna on the way back from South Korea in 2005 I was fortunate enough to stop in Vancouver.  I remember the trip like it was yesterday, my uncle and I went out golfing one day which was a tremendous amount of fun.  The next day we headed to see great uncle Joe, a Korean War Vet who has since passed.  May he rest in peace.  I can personally attest to the fact that his sacrifices have left the people of South Korea at a standard of living far beyond those in the North could ever even dream of.

Later in the trip we went to Whistler.  These were taken only 6 months after I started shooting with a DSLR.  It's as hard to describe the beauty of Whistler as it is to capture it in a photograph.  I did my best at the time but mostly you just stand there in complete awe of the endless mountain range.

We traveled up the hill on a Gondola.  What a wonderful view in all directions as we climbed toward the top.

Snow at the peak in July, a temperature drop of more than 20 degrees between the bottom and the top.  Despite clearly seeing the white peaks, I was wearing only a soccer jersey.  Recognizing that was not nearly enough, Donna snuck in and picked up a nice whistler sweater for me.  below is a rare photo of yours truly when I was only sporting the goatee.

My only regret on that trip was not taking more photos of the beautiful British Columbia landscape on that wonderful trip!  I will next time to be sure but for now here are few from the top...

Before I end this post, I should also note that a few days later my younger cousin Alecia and I ran ruck-shod all over my uncle and aunt in a game of pick up basketball...  I hope Corey is around next time I get out there and I can't wait for the rematch!

Jane Carmichael

I mentioned in yesterday's post that Nick Lachance and I had a second shoot over the weekend and this one was at sunset on Sunday evening just off the 403 on the way to Simcoe, Ontario.

Jane Carmichael and I worked together two years ago.  She was one of the first musicians I had the chance to work with and she remains one of my favourites.  This time we were working to capture images for her upcoming CD.  In an earlier blog, I spoke of her infectious smile.  Nick, I think, summed it up best when after 20 minutes of shooting he turned to me and asked "Is it possible to take a bad photo of her?"  No Nick, it is not.

If her smile and beauty catch your eye, it's her voice that commands your attention.  James Reaney of the London Free Press describes Jane's music like this:

"...rock songs that sound tighter and tougher each time you listen, while the sensitive ballads sound stronger and more haunting..."  

Musicians are usually most comfortable when you just let them get lost in the music.  For a good portion of three hour shoot Jane, with the help of her ukulele, serenaded us with a combination of her own music as well as her own take on a few other popular tunes.   Give your ears a little gift and visit her myspace.  A few of the new tracks are posted as well as a number of the older tunes.

The first time we worked together Jane provided me with a few images of other artists she liked to give us a starting point.  This time she provided me with only photos of her wardrobe, a link to her new songs, and creative freedom to "get it right."  Working with artists who are familiar with the stage, not shy of the camera, and most importantly willing to put their trust in you to deliver images that suit the music is both exhilarating and inspiring.

We actually made a last minute location change.  On Saturday night, I made the trip to Port Dover, Ontario to watch the Wind Broken Stones take to the stage.  For those of you familiar with the roads in Ontario there is no "good way" to get from Waterloo to Port Dover.  I took the 24 the whole way and as soon as you pass Cambridge, the open space and rural feel is omnipresent.  As I made the short zigzag along the 403 to meet up with the 24 again, I was struck by the beauty of the setting sun as it glistened across the fields.  the long shadows and soft orange glow coupled with the many fields and an abandoned barn got the wheels in motion.  The trip home, the next morning, confirmed that and I made the call to Jane.  A less trusting musician might have been more wary given the timing but Jane didn't seem put off at all and soon fell in love with the location and what the images could say about her music.

It was a fantastic weekend working.  I wish I could show you the homeruns, but I'm only able to show you a handful of the photos that weren't chosen or are already published!

What's been really great over the past 2-3 years is the number of clients who are coming back for photos.  It is always rewarding when families hire you to capture their growth or models hire you to fill out their books.  That said, there is something special when Musicians, fellow artists if I may classify myself that way, come back again because they have faith you will deliver the crucial visual compliment to their own musical creations.  New customer's will see the photo on the CD cover or the images on myspace before the sound will ever get to their ears.  That's a lot of trust.  Thank you for your confidence and faith once again.

The Wind Broken Stones

I love what I do.  This weekend, with the help of Nick Lachance, I had two great shoots with musicians. Today's post will focus on The Wind Broken Stones, an amazing band just about to release their debut album.  For those Stan Roger's fans out there you'll recognize their name as a lyric from 45 years. 

Their music is truly something to behold.  Though I usually like to personlize my thoughts on their music, the bands own description is perhaps the best way to understand what they are about

the band is a collection of seasoned musicians from dramatically different backgrounds. This is the place where folk meets hard core; where classical precision meets the loose soul of a campfire. All of this floats above a foundation of passionate songwriting and complex vocal harmonies. The songs can at times be gentle and poetic and other times fierce and desperate. The Wind Broken Stones live in the untraveled space between dream and nightmare and weave their live shows back and forth over that line. 

The Wind Broken Stones chose sunrise for the shoot.  One of the real moments of anticipation for me is when my clients get to see their images.  We were all excited by the end results. At the risk of sounding like a member of the intelligence services, I'm not at liberty to share the best captures from the shoot because they will be used for their new album, the dust jacket, and for other promotional materials.  But I can share the ones they have released.

Here is one from the wee hours of the morning, a time when the light is magical as it dances across the landscape

Given the tight schedule of the band, we combined the sunrise shoot with an all night studio session starting at about 10pm Friday.  I wanted colourful and crisp images to contrast with the natural sunrise images we would be capturing later.  We spent at least an hour with each band member.  Since we are all good friends the level of comfort is not an issue but large lights and the studio setting is always intimidating at first.  Within minutes though, every one of them slid into their role and their true personalities came to the fore!  Let me use the studio captures to introduce the band:

Lead singer and guitarist Jarod Parlee from Quispamsis, New Brunswick

Lead Guitar, Kick Drum, and vocals - Jason Moir from St. James, Manitoba

Their Amazing violinist Chelsea Wright from London, Ontario

On Bass and vocals Luke Henderson from London, Ontario

On the Mandolin and behind the Mic, Katie Toy from Windsor, Ontario

Some of you will remember that I did some work with Jarod on his solo album Winter Take All.  It remains one of my favourite projects.  Some say it's difficult to work with friends on a business level but in almost every way our working relationship is only enhanced by our friendship and mutual respect.  The projects where I'm given more artistic freedom are really inspirational.  I can't wait to work with them through the process of developing their CD and in the future as our artistic careers continue to collide.


It was amazing to work with this group.  They are such a driven musical force and from the final album masters I've heard, you would be doing your ears a serious disservice if you miss this release. 

On July 16th, The Wind Broken Stones will be sharing the stage with Juno Award winners The Irish Descendants.  Be sure not to miss them at Norma Jeans in London.

Softball Scenes: The Moment of Action

Over the last few days I've been at the diamond for more hours than I can count.  Softball is a game of intense action followed by periods of inaction.  My job is to capture those split second rushes; the moment the pitcher releases the ball; the point of impact of the bat; the slide home; and the catch...  I've put together a series of bar images that capture all of these.  They are crops from larger images that I hope sell well when parents get to feast their eyes on the whole gallery.  Hope you enjoy the artistic take on Softball...

Those young ladies can really whip that ball in there.  This particular team is undefeated in league play this year and their pitching plays a big role in that success...

Their catchers stand tall behind the plate putting that glove to great use...Any coach will tell you a good offence starts with a solid defence.

Focusing on the pitch in the on deck circle.  they sit there and read the pitcher, time their swing as if they were at bat and mentally prepare for their opportunity to face the opposition...

I watched this team run through the line up three times in the third inning.  Hit after hit after hit after hit kept me busy behind the lens...

This girl was absolutely amazing at bunting.  Without fail she advanced the runner and laid down a few that allowed her to speed her way to first...

Fathering a Publication...

Today I spent virtually the entire day in the middle of the Editing Process.

As some of you are aware, I am the Publications Manager and Webmaster at the Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies.  As publications manager, a manuscript in a word document and illustrations often come to me and from there it is my responsibility to make it into something visually appealing and take it through the final proofing stages.  This involves a series of edits by a number of keen academic eyes.

This particular Manuscript - The Canadian Battlefields in Italy: The Gothic Line and the Battle of the Rivers - is exceptionally well written.  The author, Eric McGeer, holds a PhD from the Université de Montréal, speaks and reads five languages including Latin, and is able to construct English prose like few others.  Even with such an accomplished writer, it never ceases to amaze me that invariably there remains a myriad of tiny corrections and inconsistencies we continue to catch on every edit.  Every new eye manages to point out some tiny inconsistency and the process is akin to what Eric comically referred to as Death by a Thousand cuts.  It certainly feels that way at times.

At the sight of the final printed product, Authors, Designers, and Editors often feel a great sense of trepidation.  We look at the front and back cover for any major gaffes, filter through the inside for any major problems.  Some compare it to birthing a child.  I think a more apt comparison, though I have no personal experience to draw on for this, is watching your child blossom into an adult.  You no longer have control over their actions (no  longer able to make changes to the book) and they are subject the judging eyes of the critical world (the eccentrically critical world of academia).  Only when we're relatively sure that we've done a good job as a parent (when we, ourselves, can find no major flaws in the text) do we feel a sense of relief and then perhaps a bit of pride.  Many around shower us with pride but just one negative review can sting.  Like a proud parent, your instinct is to defend and fight back but most times the hollow pages of some obscure west coast journal does not allow a forum for such a rebuttal and it would just be petty in any event.  So you stir a bit, try to focus on the positive and move on.  The really uplifting moments though for Eric and I so far with these Second World War Guidebooks, come from veterans of the Italian Campaign and their sincere gratitude.  It certainly makes it all worthwhile, like I might imagine an elderly member of society commending you on what a fine parenting job you've done!

We're not there yet with this book.  One more round of editing at the Centre before we send it off and wait for a final proofing print in the form of a mock book from the printer.  Once I sign off, we wait for the final product.  I have full confidence our final guidebook in the trilogy will be as well received as the last.  Terry Copp has suggested that this is the best of the three he has read.  The incredible war art, the never-before seen period photos, the modern day stills, the Google Earth satellite imagery, and Eric's poetic pen make this one to be proud of.  Let's just hope the ISBN number is correct on the back...

Catch 22 - When Art and Sports Photography Collide

Tonight was the first night of shooting softball for me this season.  For some girls with the Waterloo Minor Girls Softball Association, this is the fourth year I will be their team photographer.  It's been fun watching these young girls grow and become really solid ball players...

I love to shoot that which is a bit more abstract.  Not surprisingly, most people don't want an abstract photo of their daughter playing ball and I can't blame them.  They want a great action photo of their child hammering a pitch to the outfield or sliding into home.  My solution to this problem is to try to do both.  Because the abstract can help accentuate the literal.

The benefit of having worked with the WMGSA is they are willing, in fact encouraging of a more creative approach to sports photography.  They, too, are sick of the rapid-fire-point-and-click-school-photo-day photography that is all too common in this business.  I count myself as very fortunate to have clients who appreciate the creative art of photography and look forward to what this year brings.  Thanks!

Eye on Thailand: Quite a Trip...

For this post I went back to my first set of DSLR photos.  These photos are from a 2005 trip that I went on with Coman and where we met Tanya, Trystan, Cindy, Katarzyna, Owen, Macca, and Colin.  It was perhaps the most relaxing sojourn I've ever taken.  Camped in small cabins just off the beach with access to all the amenities you could ever ask for.

If you remember, this was only months after the Tsunami that left the country crippled.  Donations were flooding in but tourists were still slow to come back.  We were on the opposite side of where the main thrust landed and saw virtually no damage.

We did have an amazing time.  Snorkeling, climbing up to see an amazing falls, taking the trip over to Sunset Beach, and just embracing the food, the weather, and the excellent company.  I'm a big fan of Black and White photography and alot of my work veers that way but in Thailand it's very difficult to do justice to the lush colours of this beautiful land in that medium.  Here are some of the photos from that trip more than 5 years ago...

I've learned a lot since these photos were taken but some of these remain among my favourites.  Hope you enjoyed them as much as I did...

The Power of the Internet and a Humbling Gift that is Much Appreciated

I'm now reading Stones into Schools thanks to a generous gift from author Greg Mortenson.

I got a call on Friday from the Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies that a package was waiting for me from Amazon.  I had no clue what it could be so you can imagine my surprise when I made my way there later that afternoon, opened the box, and saw there were two copies of Greg's most recent book and a personal note from the author.

I struggled with how to write about this or even if I should but I think it's a telling gesture from a private man who makes a number of decisions based on his gut feeling.  Those who follow regularly will remember this post a few days ago - http://symplicityphoto.blogspot.com/2010/06/three-cups-of-tea-one-mans-mission-to.html.  In the personal note attached, it is clear that Greg scrolled down and read a bit more about the work we've been doing recently with the Centre and the publication program we run as well as the library of war and society literature we have available to students and the general public.  From the description in Three Cups of Tea I can picture him doing this from his home office while taking a break from the incessant email and administrative demands he must have or mounds of reading he surely has on the go. At the Centre, our informal library works mostly on accountability and trust, a little like the operations they run on the ground in Pakistan and Afghanistan.  All you need to sign a book out of our library is a piece of ID that we photocopy and write down the titles you've taken.

I'll be honest, my blog is not exactly a site that attracts thousands of hits a day so I was a little surprised that this even registered on his radar.  The Central Asia Institute now runs on an operating budget of over 4 million dollars a year and the small monthly donation I committed to after reading the book wouldn't even register on their charts.   But this is typical of the introverted Greg Mortenson who I've come to know through his co-author's words in Three Cups of Tea, his own writing through the first 200 pages of Stones into Schools as well as what other's have written on the web.  In the preface of Stones into Schools he talks about a Colorado town that clamoured to hear him speak and donated $125,000, the majority of which came from small donations.  He deeply appreciates the support that is given to his operation to educate girls and provide hope in that poverty stricken part of the world.

Greg with school girls in Pakistan - Taken from the CAI Website under Media Images

For my part, I have now lent my copy of Three Cups of Tea out and have many eager to borrow it when I get it back.  My mother went out the other day and bought copies for those going to the dinner party they were hosting.  I can't stop talking about the inspiration those pages are laden with and more importantly how fundamentally crucial his mission is if there is to be any hope of peace in that region.  Here is someone who is doing 'nation-building' the right way - by providing the means for villages to build their own classrooms and all the educational tools for young boys and most importantly girls in the most remote regions of the Middle East.

Until recently I wasn't sure how I was going to focus the efforts of my blog and then I stumbled on a podcast where Jasmine Star was interviewed.  Jasmine made it very clear that her blog and twitter account were her way of allowing her clients to get to know her in a more personal way.  A window to her thoughts etc...  She felt this helped her clients get to know her and it reflected her personality.  It's also my personality to want to share and to want to teach and so her example served to clarify the direction of my own blog.

For now I'm going to go back to reading this book.  Look for a fuller review soon.  Thanks Greg.

David Francey - A Moment of Time and Reflection

Taken from David Francey's Official Website

Last night Hayley asked if I'd join her to see a film on David Francey followed by a performance from the man himself at the Princess Theatre.  Somehow I had never heard of this brilliant Multi-Juno award winning Canadian artist.  He is an absolutely mesmerizing lyricist and fantastic short story teller...or as Ron MacLean put it "One of Canada's outstanding poets, songwriters, and storytellers."

A strong desire to cover my insurance and subsistence life costs was the only thing that stopped me from emptying my paltry bank account on the seven records available outside.  That said, I felt compelled to buy the film Burning Bright, the 47-minute DVD skillfully put together from over 50 hours of footage by Tony Giardin so that my friends and family can see it.  Since getting back home last night, I've been devouring what I can find of his music online including buying a few of solo songs on itunes.

Burning Bright a film by Tony Giardin

Somehow I wish I had the skill of April Cunningham, Mike Brown, Nick Lachance, Dan Polischuk, or Lauren Millet to convey this all in a more readable fashion but I hope you enjoy my thoughts regardless.

In that 2.5 hours, the modesty and the sincere self deprecation of Francey's humour casted a spell of admiration and intimacy over the crowd.  The shyness, so obvious by his hands firmly glued deep inside his pockets, is both genuine and endearing.  I'm not sure if this lonely post will ever meet his eyes but it doesn't have to, to have meaning.  He did to me tonight what makes him so successful. He sang about what's real, what's around us everyday, and what we all think about for at least a passing moment as we go about our lives. He brings you into that very private sphere of his inner most thoughts, thoughts that bring you, as the listener, back to a time and a place in your own life.

And so I'm about to take you through some of the moments he so powerfully brought me back to with his music tonight.  Everyone who knows me, knows I wear my heart on my sleave and there is virtually nothing I won't share after a few beers and an honest question.  I originally intended this to be a photo essay of sorts and in some way it is because the rest of the photos are mine but in other ways it has provided an outlet to acknowledge some of the amazing people who have been part of my life journey - because of the nature of the songs not every important person came flooding back tonight but I was surprised by what did.

He sang a beautiful song tonight of his departure from Scotland at the age of 12 - "The Parting."  The boat journey out to the massive black wall of rivets that was the Ocean liner set to take him across the Atlantic.  Aside from thrusting me back of the three times I've said goodbye to all that I've known (leaving for university, South Korea, and Ontario), it reminded me of my times in the beautiful Scottish Highlands and gave me an excuse to go back through those photos...

The Scottish Highlands - There may not be a more beautiful spot in the world

In Broken Glass he sings with the heart and passion of a 14 year old who wants so badly for the opposite sex to take notice - "When you hear a sound like broken glass, that's my heart every time that girl walks past."  It wasn't high school for me, but grade seven.  One girl took my breath away and she's now a dear friend and a member of Canada's finest - the RCMP.  Here's to you Bev.  Francey is absolutely head over heels for his wife now and I love that he's able to so openly share these past stories with her and his audience.  We are the sum of our life experiences.

He sings another song called "Only you in my world" about his many travels...on a train or on a plane where you have a finite amount of time with one other person, usually of the opposite sex.  Both people know it is going no further than the time of that journey.  But for those passing minutes where it is only you and that person something is intensely real about that moment. Given my travels, I've experienced that on numerous occaisions but I my time with Samantha Robichaud sticks out.  we chatted for the full time and I didn't realize how talented and accomplished she was as a musician until the last possible moment.  the finite period of time we shared was fantastic and I've followed her career since.

Perhaps his most popular tune "Skating Rink" reminds me of the days that I played with Kevin, Jon, and Ian (Jon, Ian and I played for almost a decade together from mite to high school).  Later trolling the blue line with Chuck, on the power play with Cork, Hammer, Dickie, Hurley, Mullet, Dunphy, Carp or Cook while dawning the blue and white of the KVHS Crusaders. Tervor and so many I just named in Juvenile; Thorne that overtime goal in Atom and your energy in Fundy when too many feared stepping on into that High School game; That Midget Championship with Blair, Rooster, Bodaly and Shane McDonald.  Shane that year of bantam when you explained the idiocy of youth at times and that final year of senior with younger brother Mark.

The passion with which The Chief Engineer is sung and the story of that man reminds me of what David Francey does on stage with his music but, like the movie did, it also induced a mental flood of images of friends who so passionately pursue their own music careers.

Jarod, your first album Winter Take All still captivates me.  We went through that album and the lyrics of that album made us ask the tough questions in our own lives.  But it is perhaps one song that is not on that album that I come back to the most.  A song about life, a song I think you should play more often - Homestretch.  Fortunately the recording is still available here - look at the last song on the list.  What you're now doing with Chelsea, H, Luke, and Katie is something really special.  I'm looking forward to the finished Wind Broken Stones CD.

Hollywood and Jarod and the London Music Club

Hollywood... You persevered through Jarod's first album adding guitar rifts and base lines that just seem to flow to your fingers which made that album all the more powerful.  You are now an integral part of Wind Broken Stones and the emotive stories that emerge in their music.  That said, it's your own thoughts, your own song "One Day You", that still blows me away!

Jake Stewart.  You, my friend, are now the conservative candidate in Miramichi and I look forward to following your political career.  But it was your music in Rome, your own melodies, that I can no longer find online but have heard you sing in your living room that make me smile.  You're still playing many gigs in the lead up to the NB Provincial election and I'm jealous of those who get a chance to hear that voice on a regular basis.

Mike Caroll.  I remember giving you a case for your drumsticks on your birthday years ago.  Only two days apart, we celebrated so many of those youthful aging days.  You've now also won an East Coast Music Award with the Hupman Brothers.  You've played in everything from Heavy Metal bands to a Jazz bands to a Beatles Tribute band.  Your skills continue to impress me... Playing where you can find work, doing what you love, that continues to inspire me.

Shane Bannister, it's almost like you greedily took all the musical talent in the family because the rest of us are completely incapable of clapping to a beat, nevermind play just about every musical instrument and sing.  That song you sing about coming home pops into my head virtually every time my Toyota Yaris crosses the Quebec border into NB.

Jane Carmichael, I'm constantly amazed by your music.  You have such a lovely voice and an infectious smile that draws in your audience.  I've heard a few of the new songs and I can't wait to hear the rest.

Finally, Songs from a Room...you guys are the epitome of doing it your way - eschewing a 9-5 life in favour of odd jobs and musical passion.  The world is better for it...Brayden, Dustin, Nick, and Craig - impressive!  Can't wait to get my hands on your next album!  it's always fun to share a beer as we chase the impossible, that every day seems a little more attainable.

All of these artists just see the world differently.  Those fleeting moments in life that we all blaze through, they take note.  Like a fine scotch, they slowly drink in their surroundings, they capture it and sing it back to us.  Sometimes they slap us in the face with memories we've packed far away, at times they just make us think about things a little differently, while other times they gently hold our hand down memory lane and that, I think, is their job.  I'm certainly glad they're around to do that for us!

Thank you David Francey for the trip last night...