My Five Photography Essentials… things that keep me inspired or alive

August 28, 2023

I was struggling to come up with a topic for this blog post….Jethro Tull’s Thick as a Brick album playing in my headphones made me think of this image……..which has nothing to do with the topic I landed on….but there is a process…just not sure how it works…..any how….wanted to share the five essential things that inspire or keep me on track photography wise….and not all are rooted in actual photography.

1. Morning Coffee. I do nothing….without starting my day with coffee. It is the fuel that kickstarts my day and for the most part, other parts of my day as well. Am I a coffee snob…a connoisseur of sorts?….absolutely not. At home my fav is almost any medium columbian blend…..but I can’t drive by too many Tim Hortons without the car magically pulling into the drive thru. Starbucks was my daily go to have when I was working in an office but after leaving the corporate world behind…it has become nothing more than a treat every now and then. Before any shoot…be it a family session, portrait session or a journey into the night….it usually always starts with a coffee.

2. Walking….yes walking. It may have been forced on us by COVID but walking has kept me sane and has actually been the inspirational source for some images and sessions as a whole. The physical health benefits are obvious but the mental health aspect was a huge driver for me. Walking made me realize just how much we have taken some things for granted and I am hopeful that if one positive thing comes out of self isolation and quarantine restrictions , it’s a new awareness of the things we need to appreciate more. Photographer Richard Martin is a strong believer in walking and revisiting places in order for one to “see” better….I totally agree. My immediate neighbourhood has many coastal vistas and I for one never tire of the daily visitations.

3. Contact with other creatives - Coffee, beer and or wine….getting together with other creatives for drinks goes a long way to establish good relationships and collaborations. For me it’s just another excuse to have another coffee. Zoom meetings aren’t just for the office anymore. I spent many nights “Zooming” with other photographers sharing stories and talking about the need to create in a pandemic. Relationships among creatives is a huge necessity in my eyes. Supporting each other in any way possible through tough times will hopefully lead to some positive creative results in the future. Many photographic communities thrive now in a helpful supportive way…competition will always erode good relationships but those photographers that choose to help other than hinder, will do much better in the long run. I have really enjoyed meeting new people in Halifax and the relationship with other photographers has opened many doors.

4. Learning….never stop….Portfolio reviews and maybe even the odd workshop….I am a huge believer in workshop learning and portfolio review. Over the years I have attended many workshops that have covered many different topics or themes and the notes I have taken from each one of them remain fresh in my brain…very easy to look back and refresh my enthusiasm by a quick skim of the old notes or course material. Portfolio review, albeit difficult at times….is a must for any creative to grow and continue to grow their art. I have never regretted any of the feedback I have received from many of my mentors….none were harsh or punitive….almost all were a reason for me to tighten focus or lose ties to past mistakes. COVID caused many of us to be at home for long periods of time and that allowed us to educate ourselves thru the enormous amount of online training….I know myself….my photoshop skills have improved a great deal due to the online course availability.

5. Music…find your best and keep looking for more. Admittedly being a child of the late 50’s, 60’s and 70’s my roots are entrenched in so called”Classic Rock” but my tastes never seem to get paralyzed by genre. My playlists be it Spotify or Apple Music clearly indicate my sense of musical crazy. When I think about it…music is almost always part of what I do and serves to inspire regardless of activity. On my way to any shoot there are usually tunes that pound a deeper beat and when I edit, softer singer/songwriter stylings fill the headphones. When I walk …it’s the time that I revert back to my 70’s roots and blast the classics so the traffic is totally obliterated. As I write this ,John Cougar Mellencamp is “Crumbling Down” into the night. Music is a must have.

So now you have a brief glimpse into the sanity that is my photography process…..coffee, walking, good friends, education and music. Essential activities that help bolster creativity and inspire others, but unless we change the adversity into opportunity life will just be harder.

Carry on people.

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August 16, 2023

The Studio Collective

Halifax, Nova scotia

Ian Proctor

Adrienne Comeau

Erin Falkenham

Mark Heine

Cheryl Doucet

Dana Pitts

Six photographers…all with different backgrounds and skillsets but all with one thing in common…a strong passion for portrait photography. All of us at one point in time had worked with one another in various workshops across the country and all held a mutual respect for each other.

Each one of us brings a different dynamic to the group…we all took a different route to where we are today. One common theme was that we all wanted to improve upon our portrait work and more specifically, studio portrait work.

Model: Alyssa Landmann Photographer: Ian Proctor

The How..

The idea of this group was first hatched over a cold beer on a warm summer’s night in PEI at a Dave Brosha Workshop. Dana and I had discussed the idea many times but never moved ahead with it. Enter Mark, newly arrived from Ontario where he had participated in something similar with another talented group of photographers. We extended the invitation to Cheryl, Adrienne and Erin and after completing the workshop, the three of us returned home to the Halifax and surrounding areas and the idea came to life.

The challenges were evident right from the beginning. First off…none of us lived close to each other so finding a location central enough would be the biggest hurdle. Secondly…once we had a space how often should we get together? Agreement landed on once a month and that we would need a quorum of at least 3 of us to make the rental space affordable. Dana and I started a search for space very soon after our return but it became evident that affordable space would be a challenge in a city growing as fast as Halifax and the surrounding area. I had already been searching the area around Upper Tantallon and by chance stumbled over a dance studio that looked promising. That lead didn’t work out but the studio owner referred me to another location and our space was confirmed. We will craft our art in a large meeting room in the St. Margret Centre in Upper Tantallon.

The Why…

Collaboration with other photographers in my humble opinion is an absolute requirement to improve. If the mix of personalities and skillsets is conducive, good things will be created. Our original intent was to create a different theme each month but it became apparent that with the variance in attendance, we would stick to trying to have two or three models and just go with the flow. We all have enough gear to equip multiple studios so that was never an issue but how we use the gear required the collaborative discussions. Studio gear is now way more portable and easier to use so gone are the days of elaborate lighting set ups and bulky equipment.

All of us came into this group with different styles and skill levels but all wanting to improve and learn from each other. Be it technical or simply style related, the enjoyment of spending time with likeminded photographers appealed to all of us. If the truth be known…the day is a wonderful social experience as well…as previously mentioned…we are spread out over a large portion of the province and don’t get to see each other that often!

Model: Oli…one of the first models we worked with as a group. Photographer: Ian Proctor

Model: Alyssa Landmann Photographer: Erin Falkenham with assist from Cheryl Doucet

Model: Simon Park Photographer: Adrienne Comeau

Model: Thomas Murray Photographer: Cheryl Doucet

Model: Marcel Falkenham Photographer: Mark Heine

Model: Rodney Weisner Photographer: Dana Pitts

Since we all are spread out through the province, we came up with the idea that regardless of having a permanent location in Upper Tantallon, we should move the group around if the opportunity arose. One such adventure took us to a great old barn located in Aylesford NS, owned by a friend of mine and now a friend of all of us. The space lead to some very creative work and a good day was had by all…even the models seemed to have as much fun working as we did shooting.

BTS with Dana and Simon working with some wonderful natural light.

Model: Rebecca Photographer: Adrienne Comeau

Most of our gatherings take place at would be best described as our “pop-up” studio at the St. Margaret Centre in Upper Tantallon. Although not totally ideal, the space is easily transformed into a workable space that allows us to set up two backgrounds and allow for two photographers to be working at the same time. Once we established appropriate protocols and polite rules of engagement we were off to the races and the creativity was evident. Having all worked in workshop environments in the past we respect the clock and try not to monopolize time with the model. When one setup is done, we all work together to set up the next idea as a team…makes for a quick turnover while our models are changing or doing make-up.

A great example of the two backdrop set up producing amazing portraits can be shown by the images below….both created almost at the same moment only feet apart but neither one interfering with the other.

The first image was created by Erin Falkenham with assist from Cheryl Doucet and the second image was created just feet away by Dana Pitts. The model only had to walk less than 15 feet to be in either image.

Model: Alyssa Landmann Photographer: Erin Falkenham, assisted by Cheryl Doucet

Model: Alyssa Landmann Photographer: Dana Pitts

When models are late or changing we take advantage of the time and sometimes photograph each other. Mark and Cheryl.

We try and not take ourselves too seriously…we have have a great deal of fun. Erin was missing this day and was probably thankful after seeing this image!

Collaboration among photographers can be hit or miss but the results from the Collective we created has made all of us better photographers. We love the social aspect of getting together to catch up and create together. It keeps our skills sharp and we push each other to be more creative and expand our horizons.

My advice to those of you thinking this would work for you is simple…find a space, find some good humans to work with and go create amazing images. You won’t regret the outcome and regardless of your age or experience…you will learn something new, have some laughs and hopefully create something you will be proud of. Don’t over think it…have fun and let the creativity lead the way.

Model: Mark Heine Photographer: Erin Falkenham

Model: Rodney Weisner Photographer: Mark Heine

Model: The “Vivster”…one of Erin’s many talented daughters. Photographer: Ian Proctor

Model: Alyssa Landmann Photographer: Mark Heine

Model: Garrett MacLeod Photographer: Cheryl Doucet

Model: Simon Park Photographer: Cheryl Doucet

Model: Amanda Feener Photographer: Adrienne Comeau

Model: Viv (The Vivster) Falkenham Photographer: Erin Falkenham

Model: Cassidy Meagan Photographer: Ian Proctor

Model: Paul Girvan Photographer: Dana Pitts

Model: Zackary Daigle Photographer: Ian Proctor

Follow the Studio Collective Members individually here:

Retrospective - Seattle Public Library -Looking Back on Images Forgotten

February 14, 2023

Over 12 years has passed since I spent a day in the Seattle Public Library. I have been there a number of times since but not with the same sense of exploration or sense of appreciation I experienced the first time.

These images have been locked away and until recently…un-edited for the most part.

This particular trip did not happen at a very happy time of my life and because of that I haven’t really looked at them in earnest. I stumbled upon them over the Christmas holidays and re-discovered a desire to edit them and find a way to show them to you.

The building is simply stunning. The exterior of the building offers a photographer countless opportunities to capture images of reflection, line intersection, glass, steel, and light that seems to come from no where.

The interior is no less amazing. The colours and light, interior line of sight and moderating shadows offer one a chance to see things in so many different ways. It challenges the eye of a photographer to refocus and see past the obvious. This photo essay is a glimpse of my experience and what I saw>

Looking to the sky the angles and lines seem to be endless.

I walked around the building twice before I entered and if it wasn’t for the sheer need to ebb my curiosity for what the interior looked like I’m sure I would have circled the block again. The reflections and constant changing light draws your eye to the hundreds of intersecting lines and textural changes.

Texture, reflections and the odd hint of colour.

The building was opened in 2004 and was designed by Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Prince-Ramus the the Office of Metropolitan Architecture. In 2007 it was voted 108th on the list of Americans’ 150 Favourite Structures in the US. The building also received a national AIA Honor Award for Architecture in 2005.

The design is unique in the sense that it is really a series of platforms that are connected by a continuous walkway also created to mimic the Dewy Decimal System. The spaces are all inter connected and relate to the needs of the users. Each floor within the platforms is discreet and can grow or constrict depending on the content and materials associated with each space.

Inside the shell of the building are the platforms that make up the floors.

I was lucky enough to get into the building early before the swarms of users started to migrate to their various spaces and favourite reading spots. But that being said…as the amount of people grew throughout the morning I still found it somewhat easy to photograph most of the amazing spaces with little to no human element.

The book shelves are for the most part non-conventional and add a distinct contrast to the concrete and colour.

Different angles with ever changing light.

The shadows that are created change by the minute and offer some appealing opportunities.

Very bright colours are prominent throughout the building.

The common spaces share a multitude of colour and light. The architecture allows for some areas to be bright and vibrant while other spaces are more dim and well…soothing.

Unique skylights draw light into all areas of the building.

Repetitive patterns are very easy on the eyes.

The building connects the spaces in many shapes and methods….be it the constant Dewy Decimal ramp for lack of a better term, to the colourful stairs and escalators. It becomes hard at times to focus on just one aspect of the building. I am very confident that if I went into the building on different days when the exterior light was different…I would have a completely different vision of what the building has to offer.

One of my favourite areas on the red floor.

Always a line of sight to the exterior light.

I have to say that my favourite part of the building to photograph is definitely the exterior walls. The intersecting lines, repetitive patterns and endless glass have to be seen in person to fully appreciate. I hope at some time in my future I have the opportunity to return to Seattle and give this building another look. The exterior offers up endless angles…and I am a sucker for intersecting lines. Even more so…the building allows for some great translations into monochrome imagery.

This exercise in retrospective editing has proven to be very rewarding. Images that I had long time ignored were once again enjoyable to work on. It serves as a reminder that we as photographers, should always go back and review our archives and mine out images that should see the the light of day. Since this exercise over the holidays I have discovered more images long thought lost and will now strive to edit and share my finds.

Time does truly heal most things that ail you. My photographic journey paused while my real life worked itself out. I feel strongly that we all need to look backwards to move forwards and in this case I am thankful that my camera was more focussed than I was.

Monochrome as a choice...

January 16, 2023

Why i love monochrome images….

I have been questioned by many people over time, both photographers and non-photographers as to why I seem to favour monochrome portraits over colour images. I feel the answer is rooted in two things. One is my age and the other is my longtime need to simplify. So first let’s talk about my age. As an individual in the latter years of life my first introduction to photography was black and white film. In my last year of High School circa 1973/74, I was approached by a fellow classmate and was unceremoniously inducted to the Year Book staff as a class photographer. A camera was place around my neck and my hands corralled a modest amount of film cartridges. After a very brief introduction to camera operation…I was off and running. It was a very steep learning curve but when I look back it’s very easy to see why I developed such a passion for monochrome images. Countless hours spent in the make shift darkroom in my good friend Eric’s house led me further down the path. Eric was and is the main reason I fell in love with photography.

Eric Davidson (right) and I re-united in St. Johns circa 2009. Still good friends and photography is still a shared passion for both of us.

The images below were some of the first images I ever captured with one of the three cameras I used that year. Full disclosure however…Eric and I shot so many images and jumbled up the negatives over time we cannot 100% confirm who shot one of these images…just a memory long forgotten now.

This the first known image I have of me pestering my classmates. Photo credit: Eric Davidson

One of the few regrets I have as I look back on my journey with my camera is the fact I never scanned some of the old film images and slides I have long lost forgotten about, and simply are not aware of their whereabouts. I have spent a great deal of time scanning in old family images but have yet to digitize my old archives…

The second element of why I prefer black and white images over some colour is the simplicity they bring. The image above is a great example. The tones and nuances of Clare’s facial features are much more pragmatic in monochrome. In my opinion the contrast of black and white and every shade of grey in between simplifies the image.

I have to be honest…because of starting with black and white film and living in a vacuum when I was younger, there really was no one that inspired me initially. As I grew into my 30’s I started to notice photographers such as Annie Leibovitz. Her monochrome offerings were simple and not perfect in every sense of the word from a technical viewpoint. I read a quote a very long time ago that in photography….”Emotion trumps focus every time” and Leibovitz nailed this aspect over and over. My next inspirational source was Joe McNally and his photojournalist work in Life Magazine.

It was about this time that I was building up my home studio and photography was becoming more important than my real job. Unfortunately…my real job was more of a set of golden handcuffs…just couldn’t afford not to give it up. Along comes a young man by the name of Wayne Simpson hailing from Elora Ontario. I was captivated by his landscape work and even more so by his portrait work. I reached out to see if he would share some of his technique and was pleasantly surprised when he instantly got back to me and over the course of 6 months I grew to respect his dedicated approach and attention to detail. After hounding him enough he invited me to participate in one of his workshops with another photographer by the name of Dave Brosha from PEI. The workshop was to be held in Drumheller Alberta, a mere 60 minute drive from my acreage south of Calgary.

Irene Stevenson - Cowgirl, model and excellent photographer

The images above best capture the change of direction my portrait photography took after working closely with Wayne and Dave at a number of workshops. It was here I had my “ah ha” moment and ever since the input and direction from Wayne..I have gravitated to photographing faces more than anything and monochrome portraits have become the images I prefer.

Photographers are supposed to find their “style” to be deemed successful but I tend to think that I have evolved in a way that allows for me to be open to more than one lane…I’ve never been one to conform.

The following is a slideshow of some of my fav images over time. Not necessarily my best but just a selfish assortment of the faces I have been privileged to have in front of my lens.

Be it simple, moody, or just a wonderful exercise in grey, monochrome portraits have become a huge part of my body of work. The foundation based in my past has been a springboard to new and challenging work. The human face tells a story like no other. Every line, wrinkle and blemish is a road map to that persons past and who they are.

The journey for every photographer is as unique as the individual. My portrait work continues to grow, evolve and if the one thing that time has taught me…I need to enjoy the journey more than trying to find a specific endpoint or “style”. Those of you who know me know that I love photography and what it has done for me. Yes…I have been too hard on myself at certain times but as age mellows me the journey is starting to be much more enjoyable.

And for everyone that feels my images are too moody and dark…I leave you with this…good humans with gracious smiles deserve equal airtime….

A Flatlanders View on Lobster Fishing

March 22, 2022

So….how does a flatlander from Alberta end up on a lobster boat in Nova Scotia you ask?….well…here’s the story.

The fall and winter brought an unfortunate slowdown of my Family Photography sessions mostly due to COVID and peoples reluctance to gather indoors for studio sessions. Mother Nature didn’t help much either as we experienced almost weekly weather systems also on the weekends making session booking way to challenging.

To keep my mental health in a good place I chose to find another avenue to keep attached to my camera. I belong to a great community of like-minded individuals called Offbeat. The group is run by two of Canada’s best known photographers, Dave Brosha from PEI and Paul Zizka from Alberta. From time to time we are given challenges to help keep our skills fresh and evolve our story telling. This quarter…we were tasked to shoot a genre that we haven’t shot before. I chose wildlife as there are a great deal of four legged and winged inhabitants in my area. The problem for me was that I did not have the appropriate lens but I was able to borrow a Sigma 150-600 lens from a fellow photographer and I was off and running. Deer, mink, quail, gulls and other winged creatures slowly started to help me build a collection of wildlife images.

One morning I woke up to see three lobster boats dumping their traps in the waters directly in front of where we live. I quickly grabbed my camera and started capturing the process unfolding in front of me. Over the next few weeks I built a collection of images using the long length of the lens I had borrowed and started to wonder how I could get these images to the owners of the boats I have photographed.

At this point in time I had no idea of how I could locate the boat owners but I did recognize the Early Day and thought I had seen it moored in a cove nearby the house. So for a couple days I went in search of the boats scouring the many coves and docks along the Lighthouse Route but to no avail. I was unsure of when the boats would depart or return so I was not sure when I might see one. As fate would have it I pulled into Boutilliers Cove at the same time as the Early Day was entering the small harbour. I quickly parked and waited for the boat to get docked. I noticed another man waiting on the dock and approached him to ask if he knew the boat to which he replied that he did and he was there to help him dock. I told him of the collection of images and suggested that today would be a bad day to speak to Kevin as he was racing to beat some bad weather and had a lot to do. I left my card and asked the gentleman to pass it on to Kevin and headed home. I had no idea if he would respond but i wasn’t in the door more than 20 minutes and the phone rang. Kevin expressed an interest in seeing the images so I gave him access to the collection and asked him to let me know if he enjoyed them.

The next morning the phone rang again and it was Kevin thanking me for the images and he expressed that he had plenty of images of the boat docked but few if any of it working. I felt like I was onto something. We discussed meeting up in person and discussing me shooting more of the other fishermen from the area which he felt would be a great idea and our new found friendship was formed.

We met at dockside after a day on the water and discussed more ideas on shooting other fishermen and their boats from on the water. Kevin asked me if I would be interested in coming out with him one day to see things up close…..uh….hell yeah!

We decided on a date and weather permitting I was going to get to see things from a perspective I had never thought of.

As the day came closer my anxiety of being on a boat this size on the water grew some but the opportunity out weighed the anxiety. As it turned out…my fears of being sea sick were totally forgotten by the “weather sensitive” approach Kevin has to his job.

The day had arrived and when my feet hit the floor at 5am I was totally focussed on my task…made some coffee for my thermos and headed to the dock to meet up with Kevin.

The day starts early for Kevin. Long before most of us have even thought about having our morning coffee, Kevin would be on the water heading out to check and re-bait his traps. The Tantallon resident docks his vessel in Boutilliers Cove along with a collection of other small boat lobster fishermen.

The cool March air has the temperature hovering around 0C when I meet up with Kevin and he hands me a coffee and tells me he still had a few things to do before we leave. Before departure, I watched as Kevin prepped the boat for a day on the water, making sure his bait bags and extra trays were all positioned meticulously in the correct spots. After a quick safety orientation and a re-fill of his hot tea from an old trusted thermos, we set out.

The cabin of the Early Day….still dark out just before we left the dock.

Kevin Mitchell - Owner Operator of the “Early Day” lobster boat.

The first part of the trip was in near total darkness and with it being overcast, daylight was not arriving as quickly as it would under clearer conditions. I listened intently as Kevin described the islands we were passing in a way only expressed by someone who has spent the better part of his life on the bay with great local knowledge.

It was evident very quickly after leaving the dock that Kevin loved being on the water. His smile and demeanour led me to all but forget my anxiety of this being my first ever trip on a lobster boat.

As daylight breaks a light rain interrupted our travels…

The life of a lobster fisherman can be a solitary one. Kevin is very much at peace with it…here having a quiet moment as we look for the next buoy.

As the Early Day approached the buoy marking the first of 75 traps, I positioned myself to start photographing the process but it was still a little dark so I chose to simply observe the methodical approach he took to his work. From the skillful maneuvering of his boat to get adjacent to the buoy, adjusting the throttle, grabbing the grapple and hooking the line, to the feeding of the line onto the hauler and then manhandling the steel trap onto the boat…it was clear to see that this was a process he had completed thousands of times before. There is no wasted effort in this process. It is efficient and created in such a way to reduce the strain on his body. Next he quickly checked the trap, measured the lobsters to insure they were of legal size, re-baited the trap and with a gentle shove, sent the trap back to the bottom, all while ensuring the line and buoy safely make it back into the water.

The hauler does most of the heavy lifting….

Not all traps come up with lobster…only three in this one…

Trap is checked and re-baited and now back into the water…

Kevin has to be safety conscience. He generally works alone on his boat as most fishermen do with boats of this size. He can ill afford to get a foot or arm entangled in the line as the trap sinks to the ocean floor as it would obviously lead to a severe injury or at the worst eminent death from drowning.

Moving traps to a hopefully more productive location.

The remainder of the day was spent checking, re-baiting and re-positioning his traps. The winds were still calm and the skies overcast so the water remained smooth as glass. Even some rain at the mid point of the day did nothing to damper my enthusiasm for what the day offered. The perfect redundancy of his effort was impressive. Not every trap came to the surface with lobster in it but every trap needed to be re-baited and reset. It illustrated the reality of just how difficult this job can be. Some days the effort out weighs the result.

Some of the locals having a nap. Seals can be a real nuisance to lobster fishermen as they can get quite creative in stealing the bait out of the traps.

The trip back to the Cove allowed me to shoot some of the ocean landscape as I was very focussed on Kevin and his work. shooting from the boat gave me a totally different perspective than shooting fro land and the calm waters just enhanced the experience.

From this perspective the three islands - Strawberry, Wood and Crouchers appear as one.

Wedge Island from an angle I can’t get from the shoreline.

The calm wind and overcast skies gave a metallic feel to the water…

The welcoming view upon returning to Boutilliers Cove after a long day on the water.

We arrived back at the dock in Boutilliers Cove just after 1pm and although my day was over, Kevin still had to clean the boat and deliver his catch to a local distributor before he could call it a day.

My take away from the experience was simple. This is hard work and at this time of year when the traps are seldom full, it becomes a struggle to keep working for such a low yield. The price per pound may be elevated this year (at time of writing approx.17.50/lb) but low yields can’t take advantage of the higher pricing. The next time I choose lobster on the menu, I will have a much clearer understanding of just how much effort it takes to put it on my plate.

So my quest to improve my wildlife photography skills took me down a totally unexpected path but thats life for you….you really never know where the road will take you. This flatlander was meant to be by the ocean…it has always called to me and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to move here.

My extreme thanks to Kevin for making it a near perfect first time out.

What I did this Summer....

September 2, 2021

Well….this summer is almost over and wow….did it fly by quickly! I didn’t plan to not post over the summer months but I did try and cut down on the screen time and enjoy what the summer had to offer. That being said I did manage to keep fairly busy with family sessions and even snuck in some personal work and the odd bit of coastal exploration….

Instead of using 1500 words or so to give you the flavour of what I actually got up to….I’ll let the images speak for themselves. I am very lucky to be able to work at what I truly have a passion to do in a place that offers so much…great food, great landscapes, and most importantly great people!

The pandemic has definitely lead to a slower than expected summer for family sessions but the odd group has enlisted my services and it was very enjoyable getting back at it.

Here is a small sample of the great families I get to photograph!

Click on the smaller images to view them as they were meant to be seen!

Fall looks very promising with sessions booking up quickly and I am looking forward to meeting more incredible people!

My wife and I managed to take a mini-vacation and visited the Digby area of Nova Scotia. We enjoyed a couple nights away from the big city and explored that part of the province and although it was foggy and wet…it was great to get away.

Later in the summer we managed to take a kayak tour of the Halifax Harbour…it was a beautiful paddle and our guide was amazing!

My good friend and fellow photographer Dana Pitts, ventured out a couple times seeking new roads and new vistas. Dana, although very familiar with this part of the world, arrived in Nova Scotia just ahead of us as the pandemic was just beginning. We share a love of coastline and anything Maritime.

I try as best I can, to do the odd personal project when it comes to portrait work. This summer has introduced me to some new faces and allowed me to visit others that I have worked with in the past.

I love the Halifax waterfront and spend a great deal of time walking and photographing things that catch my attention. Not always conventional in nature the one thing I love is that it is always changing…always offering up something new. This summer was no different…when in need of “ocean therapy’, I grabbed my gear and went for a stroll.

Bring on the fall!!

When Inspiration Wanders

June 4, 2021

At any time, every photographer hits a wall where inspiration may wander away. I have personally had many points in my life where the camera became more of an enemy than a friend and sat on the shelf.

COVID has caused some absolutely mind crushing days. The boredom and lack of social connection can grind your creativity to a standstill, but only if you let it. I have to admit I came close over the past year to just giving up. It felt like the universe was absolutely against me chasing my photography dreams. I had many days and nights staring at a blank screen wondering if I could turn it around.

The pandemic has created such a dilemma for photographers. Landscape photographers have been restricted to where they can go and portrait photographers can’t shoot in their studios and are limited to what they can do outdoors depending on geographic location. Commercial photographers are as equally obstructed as wedding and sports photographers.

So what to do?

Before You Tube and the near endless supply of social media options, books and magazines became the source for my own search to be inspired. Photographers such as Joe McNally, Joey L. and Sebastiao Salgado published books that were my “go to” for all things inspiration. One book I fall back on every now and then is Photographic Theory, An Historical Anthology by Andrew E. Hershberger. The book doesn’t have one image in it….but speaks to how photography and photographers have evolved over time. The book is a series of excerpts by photographers and writers all with photography as the basis of their discussions. It’s easy to read in the sense that it doesn’t follow a true evolution of photographic theory so you can cherry pick your articles….break the rules and read the book from back to front if you so choose.

In this crazy time, however, I have reverted to the easy path of internet options and for the good …have discovered some amazing photographers across the world. For the bad …it means sitting for long periods of time in front of my computer resulting in feeling a wee bit disengaged.

One particular photographer who I have become very interested in is Sean Tucker from the UK. Sean shares a great deal of his personal journey, psychology, and excellent tutorials in a way that draws you in and assures you that all will be good. He speaks loudly about giving meaning to your work. His commitment to having an empathetic eye has caused me to self-reflect on what photography really means to me and I can say without hesitation that it has soundly replanted my feet on the ground. It has re-invigorated my enthusiasm to keep shooting.

But…more COVID restrictions meant more delays in regaining momentum.

A number of years ago I decided to improve my portrait skills by participating in a yearlong project of shooting one self-portrait every week for 52 weeks. The yearlong project resulted in a photobook that now sits buried on my bookshelf. The thing is that regardless of what other photographer I am inspired by I always make a point of pulling it out and stumbling thru the past. The images, although awkward to some degree, still offer some self-inspiration. Taking a self-portrait for most photographers is hard to do. We prefer to be, for the most part hidden behind the camera , not in front of it.

So after trying everything the internet had to offer, listening to what Sean Tucker had to say, and thumbing thru books loaded with images I truly admire I returned to a place of comfort….the self-portrait.

The difference between what and how I shoot now is simple…experience. I have a better understanding of the gear ( haven’t really added anything new over time ) and how to use it to be more creative. The biggest difference now however in my opinion is confidence. Confidence in the how, the why and the sheer fact that as I get older I just don’t care what other people think. Putting myself out there is much easier now than it was in 2007 when I participated in that defining 52 Week Project. My studio is now anywhere I can set up a light, or open a curtain to allow for the sun to shine and create an image of how I feel, or how I want to feel or how not to feel….it just doesn’t matter as long as I am creating…

Re-Visit, Re-Edit, Re-Discover

May 3, 2021

Recently I have made some changes to my photography business which involved a more focused intent to chase my desire to be a better portrait photographer. The pandemic was a wakeup call to a lot of folks and as time moves on it seems as if normal will really not be normal again. So I started thinking about the need to re-invent what I am doing with my photography and take advantage of the opportunities that are in front of me.

First and foremost I needed to focus on what I really wanted to do…which is portrait photography. I realized I love working with people and having families and people in front of my camera was really the way to go.

This website received a major re-fresh and is now based solely on my portrait and family work. But what to do with all of my landscape and other images? Luckily I still maintained an older website over on Smug Mug and it just made sense to move a body of work over there. The dilemma of course is to figure out what work goes over and what work just gets left on one of the many external hard drives I have.

The opportunity was a wonderful chance to re-visit some older landscape work I had once been proud of but long forgot it was there. My move to Halifax and the fact that it is a coastal city was not just a coincidence. My wife and I are ocean people…love being near, in, and on the water. It made the culling process much easier. I now have a very expanded Coastal body of work that means more to me than it did before because now…it is something I get to see and do almost any day I want…..and I am so grateful I can.

The Atlantic Provinces offer up a true smorgasbord of photographic opportunity and I will take full advantage of it…..assuming the new normal going forward allows it to happen. The joy for me is in the fact that I can now incorporate the landscape I love into the portrait work I so enjoy. Now…..some of you who know my history of living in Alberta might question my sanity…why wouldn’t you use one of the best backdrops every presented to man in your portrait work? After all the mountains are a pretty amazing chunk of rock. The difference is that the coastline here in Halifax is too close to pass up. It’s not 90 minutes away…it’s 5 minutes away. I have found countless locations that offer both landscape and portrait opportunity and they are all within 30 minutes of my home. Yes…….I am a lazy photographer.

When I started looking back over my collection of landscape images I realized that the great majority of them were coastal in nature….be it Newfoundland, PEI, Nova Scotia or BC …I had amassed a great many images and they needed to be re-visited, re-edited and re-discovered.

The process has been rewarding. Some of the older images were overlooked due to my lack of editing skills at the time but now with fearless abandon…I have updated the edits and salvaged some images that I knew were good compositionally but just needed that little boost from a good edit.

Being in yet another lockdown here on the east coast has allowed me to take the time to really take a look at what I want my photography to be. It is a reflection of who I am and I for one are extremely lucky I discovered the passion before time was not on my side. I am no longer hesitant when asked what I do now. Telling people I was a photographer in the past was never done with conviction or confidence but now things are different and I hand out my calling card at any opportunity.

If I learned anything from this exercise it’s that looking back can help focus you on where you need to be going forward. Learn from the past and embrace the now so you can learn to love the tomorrow!

If you care to…stop over at my other site https://www.spiritphotography.ca/ and check things out!

Self reflection can be extremely rewarding if done correctly…..

The Joy of Promoting other Photographers

March 6, 2021

I have started this blog a number of times over the past 3-4 months but I have never been able to bring it to fruition.

Recently however, a fellow photographer who I have never met, clear across the other side of the country, gave me a very kind shout out of sorts on social media and it rekindled my desire to finish what I started.

Last fall I sat down with another photographer and started a very long discussion on the merits of promoting other photographers works over my own. The photography community across Canada is a large one and competition is fierce no matter where you live. That being said there has been a move over the past number of years to create collaborations over competitions and the result in my opinion has brought more of us together than wedged us apart.

One community that is founded on collaboration and mutual support is OFFBEAT, a company that was founded by Dave Brosha of PEI and Paul Zizka from Alberta. Together they have built a community of like minded individuals that are truly supportive of each other. Together they have redefined what creative courage really means and many successful careers have sprung up from the many workshops and creative retreats that OFFBEAT sponsor.

I stumbled upon Dave Brosha in 2008 not as a photographer but mistakenly as a writer in a now defunct Canadian photography magazine. I became an instant fan of his writing and then quickly realized he was a dedicated educator and an amazing photographer. As a generalist I was drawn to his ability to cross genres effortlessly with consistent results while never getting hung up by labels.

Over time I became a regular at their workshops and OFFBEAT has played a large role in my journey as I left the hobby world behind to become someone silly enough to want to derive 100% of their income from a camera. Cue the scary music.

Part of the Brosha/Zizka method or teaching revolves around both self critique and collaboration. If you learn how to support and collaborate with others good things will happen and should allow you to self critique your own work to allow yourself to find a path that brings out your best work. It’s not always an easy thing to do and some folks do indeed struggle with the concept. Photography is an art form in my eyes. As artists we need inspiration from other photographers. The OFFBEAT community as it has grown over time offers up a near endless supply of inspiration and support. It has been the sole mechanics underneath the machine that drives me to be a better photographer. But…to be better you need to learn, you need to grow as a human and you need to support others in the same manner you would want them to support you.

I can remember leaving a workshop early in the relationship with OFFBEAT thinking “wow….this concept is really strange”…but I understood it clearly because wanting to support other photographers just made sense to me. Some folks really do feel better working alone but I truly believe that without collaboration you really aren’t pushing yourself in the right direction…to find yourself and create your best work.

Some will argue that working alone is a better road to success and I respect that viewpoint. For me though…social learning is more my speed and supporting others really does help me become a better person and hopefully over time that will show in my work.

Let’s face it….we all as photographers or just people all need to look at ourselves as a checkpoint against where we are in the journey. Self reflection can be extremely rewarding if done correctly. No need to beat yourself up all the time but we all need to be looking at what it takes to be a good human.

So here are 5 Canadian Photographers that I feel need some attention. In their own way they may already have a spotlight starting to shine on them but these folks are all good people and deserve some recognition.

Jon Handforth: Jon above all is one of the warmest individuals I have ever met. His black and white photography is second to none and Jon has built a stunning body of work, both from his travels around the world and his love of his own back yard in Canmore Alberta. Jon’s amazing work can be found here: https://www.jon-handforth.com/

Erin Falkenham: Erin will spend a great deal of time trying to convince anyone who chooses to listen, that she really isn’t a photographer at all. She is an amazing mom and partner to her husband and she is an amazing educator. But more than all of that she is truly an amazing woman who happens to be a damn fine photographer. As a portrait and lifestyle photographer in Nova Scotia she has touched many with her unique accounts of her own family as well as many others lucky enough to be in front of her lens. Please check out her work here: https://www.erinfalkenham.com/ and here: https://theportraitcollective.com/

Natalie Gillis: This young lady seems to have done it all. She is a very accomplished pilot, she has travelled to both ends of the earth and has amassed a tremendous body of work on the way. Be it the Antarctica or Baffin Island or the Canadian High Arctic, her work is being recognized as Nat Geo quality. Soft spoken but committed this young lady is an incredible role model and should soon become a driving force in Canadian wildlife, adventure and landscape photography. Check out her impressive body of work here: https://www.nataliegillisphotography.ca/

Susan Marie: Sue named her business after her grandmother which should instantly tell you she is a person of wholesome values. She is a wedding and family portrait photographer residing in Charlottetown PEI. Full disclosure…Sue is the only photographer in this group I don’t know personally but I have followed her work for some time now and she is a great inspiration to how I have built my family portrait sessions. She brings you right into her images …leaving you with that feeling that you’ve known the people for some time. Her grasp of colours and solid post processing creates amazing moments for her clients. Please look into her work here: https://www.anitamariephotography.com/

Julian Buchwald: Julian is a very quiet and shy man. He doesn’t seem to like being in the limelight but his work can’t stay hidden for too much longer. Julian owns a gallery in Edson Alberta which allows him to be less conspicuous but still follow his photography dream. I label Julian as a generalist but he might take issue with that, but regardless of what we call him…he is a very accomplished photographer. Not a fan of social media, Julian’s work can be hard to find….start here: https://docphoto.zenfolio.com/ and then chase him over here : https://www.instagram.com/julianbuchwald/ This man needs more visibility!

Into the Night

February 3, 2021

Every professional photographer knows how difficult it can be to not let the business of photography steal your creativity. We all preach to each other that you have to make time for personal work…something that keeps your creative juices flowing and recaptures the reasons why you are a photographer in the first place.

For me I have two outlets but one has been more or less an accident. I am portrait photographer to be clear and I always try and do one or two personal shoots a month. These are non-paying sessions that I set up purely for my own benefit. Covid quickly brought that aspect to an end and it left me challenged to stay creative.

I stumbled across another local photographer’s work by accident one day and reached out to him to discuss his work. What happened next was a very swift learning curve and off I ventured into the night.

Check out Mike’s work here: https://www.instagram.com/bluegreenorange/

When you think about it, night photography is a near perfect thing to do in a pandemic. Fewer people are out at night during the winter months so social distancing is easily achieved.

The old Moirs Power Building just off the Bedford Highway

But what to photograph? Can I create a viable body of work? I spent over a week driving around my new city to get a feel for how different it looks at night. One part of the city called to me and I started to formulate a plan. The Bedford Highway runs along the basin that comprises the Halifax and Dartmouth harbour and there are many interesting old buildings that currently house old and new businesses.

Shooting at night involves longer exposures and practice will be required to achieve optimum results. There are drawbacks…30 second or longer exposures means you will shoot less and patience is a necessity as the nights get colder. A good thermos of coffee goes a long way on nights where you get in a groove and time slips by quickly.

The Canadian winter in this part of the east coast means November through March allows for early excursions as you don’ have to wait until 10pm for it to get dark. It is usually dark by 5:30 and with plenty of traffic for light trails…all is good. The bad news of course…it is winter and the temperatures can make for some chilly nights. All in all, the pro’s out weighed the cons and I quickly got used to working in the dark and the cold.

Over the past 3 months I have been able to get 2-3 nights a week which has allowed me to gain a good start on a body of work I am becoming quite proud of. I am working on two different projects…the Bedford Highway building project and the other a simple collection of some familiar landmarks, intersections and underpasses that most people would just drive by without notice.

So for anyone striving to sneak into the night with a camera, here are some helpful tips that might help make your efforts more rewarding.

Be safe! If you don’t feel comfortable you won’t be able to concentrate on what you are doing. Choose you locations wisely and check them out both in the daylight and in the dark so you are familiar with what you are doing.
Dress for the temperature…nothing worse than being under dressed and having to cut a session short because you are cold.
Make sure you have a good tripod. Long exposures can’t happen if you are trying to do this hand held.
Bring extra batteries and keep them close to your body to keep them warm.
Shoot in manual. Then experiment with different settings…shutter speed and apertures.
Try and expose for your brightest part of the composition. If you shoot with a lower ISO then you can always bring back some of the shadows in post. Over exposure leaves you with little options later.
Shooting in the night has condensation and humidity issues…at least here on the coast. Keep and eye on your lens face to ensure it hasn’t started to fog up.
Bring a small towel or cloth that you can place over the lens and camera body…this will help to keep any unwanted moisture away.
Be aware of where you are in relation to sidewalks, road ways and bridge decks…keep the head on a swivel for safety’s sake.
And last….have fun! Working in the dark as peaked my curiosity of just what you can do with your gear!

The water front is a smorgasbord of opportunity with a variety of lights, reflections and moving objects that allow long exposure to highlight in ways not normally seen. I think as well that since the city and harbour are new to me the subjects to shoot seem endless.

The Bicycle Thief Restaurant, Harbour walk

One aspect of night photography that intrigues me is shooting light trails of traffic to accent what would be a very mundane composition. The underpass without colour or dramatic lighting would just be a drab concrete tunnel. Halifax takes pride in the lack of graffiti on public spaces which further challenges the photographer to make the shot more interesting.

Even though COVID has dictated distancing restrictions…I do enjoy the alone time. It’s a great opportunity to be creative and just enjoy life as it comes at you. I have only had a handful of people walk by and strike up a conversation. One particular night a local police office pulled up behind me and rolled down his window. After a short conversation where he was challenging my sanity for being out on a rather chilly night, he smiled and told me to carry on safely.

Another evening out I was shooting some bus light trails at one of the many terminals in the HRM and two young High School boys approached me…masked up and keeping their distance they asked me what I was doing. After showing them the results of some longer exposures they were amazed and intrigued. Many questions later they boarded their bus and left me to my alone time again.

Only once have I become a little nervous and felt uncomfortable to leave an area. A man started watching me from across the boulevard and continually moved closer and less concerned about being in my shot. I quickly packed up and headed to my car and he followed. I made it to the car and when I turned around to see if he was still following me…he stopped and turned around and disappeared in the dark.

I have been out many times since that night and it won’t stop me from getting out again.

Night photography has gotten under my skin and will be a great outlet for personal work when the day to day portrait work seems daunting. Just to be very clear however…my true passion is portraiture…it’s just that it’s healthy to take a break every now and then and seek to be more creative.

Now…into the night I go…

The tracks exiting the shipping container storage yard in the South End