Photographing John Frieda

Well not quite the legendary hair dresser but his product line.  For the past year or so a graphics group in town has been using me to shoot product for his clients when images are not supplied.

Normally I'm not at liberty to share these images because they are for products that have not yet been released.  This was particularly important when I was photographing phones. In this case though, the client asked for images of a combination of already released product for promotion.

It's been a real test of lighting.  It's fun working with the strobes in different ways to get the perfect mixture of light and shadows.

Just thought you might be interested in some of the non-people related photography I do from time to time.  Have a great weekend folks and you'll see a new post from me Monday.

Viktoria with Moves and a Martini Glass

I've decided to let you all in on one of my personal projects.  I'm not really sure where the inspiration came from and I'm surprised this idea even popped into my head but it did:  "The Personality of the Little Black Dress."  It seems all the women I know have a little black dress.  Sometimes it's a fall back option when nothing else works, other times it's their go to number when the night is important.

My concept involves that favourite black dress, a martini glass (a martini is also always available if the setting is right), and a hobby/profession all rolled into one or a series of shots...  

I've worked on this concept on and off for four years but the others didn't seem to come together as I had hoped (that's the one thing with personal projects is too often they find a place on the back burner unless you make a concerted effort to stay true to the concept).  Today was the first time "The Personality of the Little Black Dress" came together as I envisioned it on that hazy Saturday afternoon in 2006.                                                                                

One of the first people I approached with the concept was Viktoria.  Viktoria is a phenomenal dancer and that skill has taken her around the world.  She certainly knows how to move to the music.  Almost three years ago we started scheming on how to bring it all together.  Europe, cruise ships, and last minute hiccups (mostly on my end) foiled our previous attempts but earlier today we finally managed to get together for a shoot.

We didn't stop there though and with her friend Sarah providing a myriad of one-liners we spent a couple of hours laughing and shooting away.

It's amazing how quickly people get to know one another and modesty goes out the window when the strobes are firing and the personalities match.  Before long, it was like hanging out with old friends.

With Viktoria's open mind we were able to try a few concepts with water that really turned out well too and meant that the floor got a bit of a cleaning too

Great fun today...Hope we find another time to work together...

Softball and Lemons...

As the softball girls that I photograph get older, their game times also get later.  Games that start at 830pm give me about 45 minutes of effective light before the big ball park lights flick on.  The challenge of minimal ambient light, dark backgrounds, fast movement and the harsh overhead flood lights really keep you on your toes.

My philosophy in difficult lighting and weather has always been the same...To borrow an apt cliché, when life serves up lemons, make lemonade.  of course you have to understand your camera to squeeze the most out of those lemons but I really like the use of light here and incorporating the big floodlights into the final product.

Without delving into a world of camera geekdom, the equipment I'm using allows me to push the edge of technology and come up with some pretty creative results.  before the older teams have shied away from team photos with me but this year as the girls I've worked with for at least three years age and their parents have become accustomed to the type of photography I provide, the teams have stuck with me.  As a result, the girls know me and the big camera has been apart of their ball experience for so long that they are instantly themselves.  That I spent my childhood around a team environment allows me to interact and meld into that group setting where teasing equates to admiration and respect.  The results we get are as much a part of their comfort and ease as anything else!

Claire in Halifax

While I was in Halifax working with my web team on our various projects last week I had the opportunity to work with Claire.  She is a fantastic young model who spent a good deal of her life dancing and now models for Redken.  Her enthusiasm in front of the camera was fantastic.

Claire has such a genuine smile and maturity beyond her years.  The day we planned for the shoot was touch and go weather wise but the rain mostly held off and her enthusiasm never dampened.  At one point Claire looked at me and said something to the effect of "what a gorgeous day, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

Too often many of us spend our days in a state of waiting; wishing we were somewhere else partaking in some other activity.  On a hot muggy day with the sun slowly falling from the sky amidst periodic showers, Claire was embracing the moment.  That sort of energy is contagious and it was a joy combining my personal artistic projects with her vision and spontaneous creativity.

The cloudy day (or what we refer to as the softbox in the sky) provided nice even light and we strolled through two gorgeous outdoor locations just outside downtown Halifax.  I can't wait to work with Claire again.

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...

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...

Eye on Philly - The City of Brotherly Love

I try to go back through my photos every once in a while from the many different parts of the world I've visited and highlight a few of the non-conventional and conventional shots.  I love black and white images and that's what you're seeing here. A few months ago I sneaked away to Philly for the weekend.  It was great to walk through the Italian Market - the shop below in the deli was in the heart of little Italy and the placed was full of Rocky photos at various stages of Sly's career.  I saw the Liberty Bell and where the Declaration of Independence was signed.  Here are a few of the photos from that adventure...

The Liberty Bell cost 100 pounds, was 12 feet in diametre, and cracked the first time it was tested...

A few more of Cindy and Jay

It seems everyone really enjoyed the first batch of photos, so I thought I would throw a few more up there for everyone to enjoy a bit more of their day.

Jay and Cindy

Yesterday I was in Niagara to capture a very special wedding. Cindy and Jay have been together for 16 years and just last year they got engaged. The two have long eschewed the big splash and the large gatherings. Their wedding was no different. They decided to jet off to Niagara. They had a second couple join them and act as a witness and asked if I'd make the trek from Waterloo to document their day. Aside from a co-worker of Cindy who had to prepare the bank draft for their ceremony, only those in Niagara knew the purpose of their journey. I've done more than a few weddings now and they all have their own charm, but this wedding was special. It was perfect, it suited their personalities and the smiles that adorned their faces from the moment I met them Saturday night until the final glass of Champaign Sunday was so charming.

This story has a personal connection. From here on I'm going to add a bit more detail and allow those who read to get to know me a little more through my posts...

I've known Cindy for more than 18 years. Her younger brother and I were the best of friends when they lived up the hill from my family in Rothesay, New Brunswick. A few years later, Jason started coming around. We were a lot younger but Jason and Cindy always treated us like we were essentially their age. As we all aged, geography separated us. One day in the fall of third year in a bar in St. Andrews, NB I ran into Mike, whose band was playing there (tiny little St. Andrews of all the places...). Mike and I got back in touch that year as best as email would allow. Two years later I left for Korea and began mass emailing everyone about the adventure. Mike forwarded the email on to Jason, who by now had become quite a web developer and he suggested I start blogging. before blogger and wordpress and the myriad of other free options, Jason created a lovely blog that allowed me keep an online journal of the adventure. Since then Jay and I have worked on a number of other web projects for my clients and share both of us share a passion for photography. 18 years later, the relationship is as strong as it ever has been and it was an honour to be part of their wedding.

The couple is now in Toronto for a few days and then off to the beautiful West Coast of Canada. I look forward to seeing them when I'm in Halifax next month.

J and Shai

I traveled to Milton on Sunday to shoot J and Shai. J is one of my closest friends, we work out together often and I do some graphic design for his new hair salon in Hamilton - Trade Secrets Hamilton PC. J's Girlfriend, Shai is 8 months pregnant and Sunday I did a shoot with them. Here are the photos...

www.canadianmilitaryhistory.ca

The past two weeks have been hectic. With my good friend Jason, I have been spending countless hours on developing, readjusting some code, and mostly populating content for a new website for the Laurier Center for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies.

I knew what I wanted, and between Jason and I we were able to come up with a template that is clean and simple and most importantly does everything the Centre needs.

With the new site we plan to generate more traffic and keep it current. To do this we have put up a blog that will be updated frequently - with over 60 associates, our current schedule has a guest blogger every week over the course of the summer and I'm sure that with the talks and other events we'll be posting 2-3 times per week. This will allow those who follow the activities of the Centre a chance to follow what our many associates are working on.

We have a key spot for videos and I think now that we are recording all of our guest lectures, it will give those who because of schedule or geography can't make it, a chance to see the talks.

Right now we're working out solutions for the archives and back issues of the journal but for now we have a link back to the old setup which is actually pretty user friendly and a testament to the efforts of the webmasters who came before. Anyway I hope you take a look and stay up to date on what we're doing to push the medium of history into the 21st Century.

I'm excited that this project has turned out so well and I can't wait to keep working on it throughout the year.