Fourth Time’s The Charm?

Day 365

Not very long ago I wrote on this very blog about the end of my third 365 photo a day project and pretty much vowed that I would never do another one. That was in December of 2011 and by January of the next year I had caved in and started my fourth project. And now, exactly 461 (I’m more than 100 days late!) days later, I’m ready to end my fourth project and say with almost 100% certainty that my 365 days are behind me.

Day 1

My reasons for starting another project based around daily photos and journaling last year was because I felt like within those 12 months things in my life were going to be filled with really exciting opportunities that I wanted to try to document. It was true I was surprised with a lot of incredible experiences and I’m glad that I was able to try and interpret them into photographs.

My fourth 365 project was very different from the other’s that I’ve completed. For the first 6 months I was very strict, shooting every day and posting that night. It was draining at times and there were many days in the spring where I was running about 15-20km a night to train for a marathon, grabbing my camera as soon as I was done and shooting for an hour just to get the last bits of light. This started to wear on me and by June I was really unhappy with my work, I was shooting in the wrong light, not thinking of solid concepts, and rushing my editing and I was frustrated. The nature of this type of project is quantity, it’s like a machine making an image a day and by the time summer rolled around I was burning out. I had stopped taking care of myself and my relationships, mostly because of my own internal pressure to try to come up with the next great idea. Instead of taking the time to cook healthy meals, I was surviving on peanut butter and jam sandwiches and apples and spending too much time on the computer and not enough time enjoying all the other parts of my life.

I feel like my turning point was the Midwest Meetup in Indiana in July. It forced me to stop my routine of work, run, shoot, edit, repeat. I felt like I could breathe, I felt like I wasn’t being tied down by a project that even though I had voluntarily agreed to was making me feel like I wasn’t good enough. As a fiercely determined and stubborn person, I like to do a project and see it through and quitting was never an option. After the meetup I started to relax a bit, I took some days off (unheard of!) and let myself shoot when the mood struck and started to become less paranoid about being “on the right day” of the project. In doing this, I felt much better. I felt inspired and motivated and wanted to create work that I was really proud of and now looking back I do feel much more pride in the months following this “intervention”.

midwest gathering – photo by Shane Black

The last 365+ days have truly been incredible. I never would have anticipated all the wonderful experiences that came my way during the course of this project. I travelled to Vancouver, Indiana, Detroit, California, Las Vegas, and Atlanta. I finally met with so many of my photography idols and friends and got to see their talent and beautiful spirits in person. I ran my 4th marathon in my fastest time. I was nominated for an award that took me to an awards show filled with some of the most talented photographers in the world. I was able to pick up a book with my photo on the cover for the first time, I was hired by two magazines to create work for them, I saw my photos on Oprah.com, The Daily Mail, and blogged by celebrities. But most importantly I was able to spend a year (and a bit) expressing myself, my fears and goals through photography and feel so supported and appreciated and understood.

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I highly suggest doing a photography project, whether it’s a 52 week project or a 365 project. These projects allow you to grow, to test yourself and to force your mind to stay sharp. It’s an amazing feeling to go back and see how work and styles and visions can change over the course of a year in your life.

I’m very excited to see where my next adventures take me and I know that my camera will always be there to help me document where I go and who I meet and help me tell the stories that I see in my mind. I have some projects that I can’t wait to start and even though I might miss going out and shooting a photo every day, I’m excited about allowing myself to grow in all ways.

You can view my entire 365 project here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joel_r/sets/72157629005806697/with/6752321431/

Miniature Life Tutorial

In the past few months I’ve received quite a few requests and questions around creating a tutorial for how I do photos like these, making myself miniature! I’ve been meaning to write a tutorial for how I achieve this look but haven’t had much time to sit and write one out, until now!

I’ll break the tutorial down into two parts, shooting the actual images and then editing them.

Shooting The Photos!

The first thing I always try to before I take any photo but especially these miniature ones, is make sure that I have a solid concept and an idea of any props or supplies I might need. The more prepared you are for shooting, the easier the entire process becomes. From my experience, shooting miniature scenes works best with simple backgrounds like walls, windows, or lush forest areas. If you have a busy background, even one with a lot of bokeh it can be difficult to make the images match in lighting.

Once you have your concept and your location it’s time to shoot. Here is where you really have to put yourself into tiny shoes and imagine what the scene would look like if you were only an inch tall. I think one of the ways to make these photos look as realistic as possible is to have the focussing and DOF spot on. To do this, you don’t want to just take a photo of an empty scene, you want to have a stand-in for yourself or your model so that the focus is accurate and appropriate to the scene you’re trying to create. I usually use this guy:

This Wall-e figure is a great stand-in, it allows me to set the focus on where I will be layering in my own image or the image of someone else and it also gives me the opportunity to use shadows. Shadows and reflections are some of the smaller details that really help to build up an image and by using a toy stand in (lego figures would work too) it allows you to not only set up your focus and scene but also keep and use the shadows that the toy casts.

After you’ve set up your stand-in and you have the focus where you want it, lock the focus. Take a few shots with your stand-in and then remove it to get some photos of what we’ll call the “blank scene”. This is where you can get creative, you can do an expansion if you like or keep it to one shot. You can start to add in new elements (dropping coffee beans) or you can leave it simple.

Blank Scene

Once you’ve finished with your blank scene it’s time to take the portrait side of the image. This is where things get a bit more particular. I always try to shoot everything in the same time frame and in the same location as possible so that the lighting and colouring looks as similar as can be. What I tend to do is look back into the first few images of my stand-in to see where my pose should be but more importantly where the camera angle should be. If you’re shooting the miniature at floor level, it means that you might have to sit on a chair or get your camera lower to make sure the angle and shadowing is similar. This is where you can go a little crazy with the photos, take more than you think you need to and check your results often so that you can adjust pose or angle if you need to. After you’re happy with the images, it’s on to editing!

Editing!

The first thing I always do is open up my blank scene photos and expand them (if you’re not doing an expansion, skip this part!) I usually include a layer using my stand in, just in case I need to use the shadows later on. If you’re not familiar with how expansions work, I do have a tutorial here that explains it! http://joelrobisonphoto.wordpress.com/2012/04/13/an-expansion-tutorial/

After you’ve set up your blank scene, it’s time to add in your Mini. Depending on the images, it can be as simple as layering the mini images in and simply masking out the parts you don’t want but usually it involves resizing the “mini” layer to fit the scene.

Resizing the “mini” layer is where things can get tricky. You have to keep in mind the original scene that you set up, how tall was your stand in and what is the focus set to? If you shrink yourself too small or not enough, it sets everything slightly off. So, using a lot of trial and error simply resize this “mini” layer. I usually mask the layer roughly first just to get the sizing right and then do a clean up after I’m happy with it.

So now you should have the basis of a “mini” shot! This is where those finer details come into play. In the shot below, I knew I would need to have a shadow of my arm and hand over the egg, so using the layer with Wall-e I copied his shadow and layered it into the image. I also knew that there’d be some more shadows needed around my feet and legs so using the burn tool I lightly burned the area to darken the shadows. Sometimes I also use the soften brush on a low opacity to add some DOF to the “mini” layer, this is helpful to give some realistic DOF. Just by doing a very subtle soften of shoulders, knees or other body parts that are a bit further away from the camera it helps to give a more cohesive and finalized look to the mini layer.

If you’re unsure of shadows or reflections, just return back to your stand-in shot to see where things should be and if you need to add in any final details. Once you’ve finished with the smaller details, you can continue to edit the colour tones, curves, textures etc of the image all at once!

As always, if you read this tutorial and you enjoyed it please comment below and if you take a miniature photo, please send me a link! I will be drawing a name from all the people who create an image based on this tutorial and that winner will receive a very special “mini” themed prize!

March Madness

It seems like I say this after every trip I go  on, but I have no idea how to sum up how incredible the last two weeks have been. I`m going to try my best to recollect all the incredible memories that spanned 3 cities, dozens of friends and thousands of miles.

My adventure first start when I landed in Vancouver to visit my amazing friends that decided to organize a mini-meetup with local photographers. I first spent some time with my good friend Gurbir, attending a fundraising concert and exploring the UBC campus. Later that night we met up with the rest of our team of amazing photographers; Kindra Timmerwilke, Austin Tott, Noah Friebel, Lizzy Gadd, Emerald Shatto, Esther Gadd, Michelle Ellis, and Sandy Chu.

We spent the weekend at the lovely Gadd house and had many adventures around the Vancouver area. On Saturday we ventured to Lynn Canyon, stopping for a traffic jam photo shoot along the way. The canyon was beautiful, with huge tree stumps and lush forests leading us down to the river where we posed in each other`s photos and lit about 50 smoke bombs, watching the sun carry the light through the river canyon.

 

We then rushed through Vancouver to drive to Wreck Beach near UBC so that I could shoot a client shoot I had booked. A local singer/songwriter Jordan Klassen had contacted me about doing some promotional photos for him and it was great to meet him and spend some time shooting some conceptual photos. That night we lit a fire on the beach and then stuffed ourselves full of amazing vegetarian food.

Sunday we spent the day exploring local minnekhada park. The weather was chilly but we made it much warmer by lighting huge torches for photos and layering on cloaks and blankets for photos. I love meetups like these where I can just stand-off to the side and see amazing hubs of activity and photos. We hiked along the beautiful roots and caves and stumps up to the lookout where we stayed for quite a while shooting photos of each other. That night we said goodbye to Austin and Kindra and Sandy and Michelle and our group was suddenly smaller.

Monday we agreed would be a lazy day and it was spent partially in pajamas and partially in White Rock where we walked along the shoreline with dogs and a kite and prepared to say goodbye to everyone. After another great meal and some late night Harry Potter, it was time to get ready for the next chapter in my adventure.

Tuesday the 12th I boarded a plane for Las Vegas and was greeted at the airport by a trio of wonderful people, Whitney Justesen, Brooke Shaden and KD Stapleton. After some hectic driving we checked into the hotel and our group grew with addition of Rob Woodcox and Peter Jamus. We explored a tiny bit of Las Vegas before we had to get ready for the whole reason we were all there, the FRAMED AWARDS!  Rob, Brooke and I were each nominated for awards and after taking some prom-style photos we literally ran from our hotel to the exclusive party, twitching with nervous excitement as we were led to the VIP section of the MGM Grand.

The party was incredible, getting to meet so many talented people who I`ve looked up to for so long was truly an incredible experience. Being able to literally rub shoulders with Aaron Nace, Ryan Brenizer, Kirsty Mitchell, Jeremy Cowart, and so many more was just surreal. Even though I didn`t win my category I felt like the biggest prize was being able to call these people friends by the end of the night. After the party ended, some of the Phlearn crew joined us for continued adventures around the strip and we stayed awake long enough to say goodbye to Rob before crashing into the beds.

Wednesday we said goodbye to Whitney before heading off to see Brooke present a speech at the WPII expo. Peter and I sat in the front row and Brooke`s presentation was just as thought-provoking and insightful as I would have expected it would be. After she was done we kind of hobbled around the expo, bumping into all our friends from the night before along the way. After a few more “my life is amazing!”  moments, we left and drove around Las Vegas to find a vegan restaurant. In one of my favourite moments of the entire trip; Brooke, KD, Peter and I just hung out at a cafe, laughing like old friends and enjoying tasty treats. It was a happy heart moment that I`ll always remember. That night, Brooke and KD left and it was just Peter and I left to fend for ourselves! That night we ended up crashing a penthouse party (actually we were invited by Ben Von Wong) and after about a 5 hour conversation with some amazing people on the balcony we finally headed back to the hotel at about 5 a.m. That night really changed my own view on my photography and solidified my desire to become the best I can possibly be.

After a short but wonderful sleep, Peter and I split off for a few hours. I walked up and down the Las Vegas strip, enjoying the warm weather and stopping to see various things. Randomly saw the Blue Man Group film a commercial, saw a few wax statues and had a great time just walking and thinking.

Later that evening we met up with a duo of beautiful photographers, Janelle Flom and Katie Ruther and ventured into an aqueduct/wash thing and took photos until the sun went down. It was great to actually get some photography done while we were in Vegas, especially in a spot that wasn’t so traditionally Las Vegas.

Friday was our last day in the city and after a great morning coffee with Ben Von Wong, Peter and I walked (it was really more of an epic journey) to Whole Foods so we could finally eat food that was nourishing and not crazy expensive. We then met up with two amazing new friends Samantha and Corey who drove us out to the most amazing place, Nelson’s Landing where we got to shoot photos on a crashed plane, in some cool vintage busses and watch the sun go down behind the Nevada mountains. It was the most amazing way to wrap up my time in the sun there.

 

Saturday was a full travel day. Between 8am and midnight I spent my entire day in airports and in the sky flying to Chicago and then finally to Atlanta. The next day, St.Patrick’s Day, I met up with one of my favourite people, Taylor McCormick and after we walked around downtown Atlanta and saw more than we ever planned to, we met up with AJ Brustein a friend and fellow photographer who works at Coca-Cola and first discovered my photos and started my whole project with them.

We decided to check out a cool spot, an abandoned train yard which was absolutely incredible. I feel like I could have spent days there taking photos. Big huge warehouses, a train car, trees growing inside buildings, a brick throne and so many cool spots. It turns out the next Hunger Games movie filmed there and I can see why, it’s pretty awesome! I managed to get a lot of photos done in a short amount of time and it was great to be able to shoot photos with Taylor and AJ.  That night Taylor and I met up with another local photographer and friend Patrick Di Rito for dinner and we had a great time hanging out and laughing.

Monday the 18th was the big day. The whole reason I was in Atlanta was to visit Coca-Cola HQ and meet the people behind the company, specifically the people who had been a part of my project with them. The day started with a wonderful tour of the HQ, we went to the former president’s office which was fascinating and told a lot about how the company grew from humble beginnings to where it is now. Then I took a tour down to the archives which was incredible. I was shown original Norman Rockwell sketches and paintings, pieces of memorabilia that have been in movies and television shows, I held an olympic torch and a can that had been on the space station. It was so crazy to know that I was actually there!

Later I met with Wendy Clark, the VP of Marketing Communications and we talked about my project and I had the opportunity to discuss my photography and how I’d love to continue with them in any new projects. Then it was on to lunch in what Casey refers to as the Saved By the Bell Diner inside the complex. In the afternoon I met with Kelly Kozel and the Licensing department where I was able to see how Coca-Cola works with artists and designers around the world to create one of a kind and high-end works of art. It was really assuring to me to see a company actually reaching out to artists in a way that supports and encourages collaboration, something I’d love to keep doing with them. Then I was gifted a huge bag of goodies that weighed half as much as me and was totally a surprise! After that we went to a brand team meeting where I was given the opportunity to voice my opinion on a few topics and share my ideas with the group, it was refreshing (pun!) to see a company valuing a fan’s voice and I felt very comfortable sharing my thoughts and ideas with the group there.

After the visit at HQ it was a quick trip over to World of Coke where I held a Google+ hangout with a few fans, friends, and fellow photographers. Not everyone showed up but it was still a fun time getting to broadcast a little chat from the lobby! You can watch the whole thing here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vJIY-JXPADY

Then I was given a VIP tour led by a kind tour guide, Linda. We watched some videos, toured the whole museum/world and wrapped it all up with the sampling room in which I probably drank about 20 litres of various flavours of different drinks. Just as I was about to leave, she let me know that there was a tornado warning and that I should probably plan to stay a bit longer. I waiting and drank more and finally headed back to the hotel to change for dinner with more Coca-Cola people! We had a nice pizza dinner and it was great to wrap up the entire trip with a laid-back and entertaining evening.

The day home was long, about 12 hours of travelling but after a few close calls I’m finally home and reflecting back on what feels like a few months worth of adventures and people. I networked in a new way on this trip, I talked to business and top photographers and met people who inspired me to keep chasing my dream. I always leave these types of trips inspired and fulfilled and this is no exception. I feel almost validated as a photographer to know that just in the last few years my life has become so enriched just because I enjoy what I do and I create what I like to create and other people like it to.

I’m hoping to use this new energy to reach further in my photography and try to become more engaged with the community that supports me and hopefully keep progressing and growing in the meantime.

Now to unpack!

Anti-Bullying Day – Change Starts With Each Of Us

Here in Canada, the last Wednesday of February is designated as “Anti-Bullying Day”. An opportunity for people across the country to stand together and try to eliminate bullying from schools,workplaces, and online. This falls into place almost perfectly as I have been trying to write a post on bullying for quite some time now.

Bullying is a situation that is all too familiar to many of us and unfortunately it seems to growing in impact and growing in frequency. While I strongly support and believe in having a day to focus on this problem, it’s an issue that needs attention every day, not just one.

Be Kind

I have a very personal connection to bullying, in several ways. I was bullied, a lot. More so than I think most people in my own personal life realize or know as I’ve managed to keep it tucked deep inside. I’ve also seen it firsthand in the schools that I’ve worked in. It exists not only in these physical spaces but in the online spaces we frequent as well. I’ve seen my friends, my fellow artists all being bullied for their choice in subject, their talent, their personalities, most often these verbal/online attacks are done anonymously. I thought that I would share with you my own story of bullying, I feel that it has played an integral role in my life and that it has helped to shape the person that I am and even the kind of work that I do, both artistically and professionally. This is probably the most personal and sensitive topic that I’ve ever written about and aside from a small handful of close people in my life, I haven’t shared this with anyone.

I remember the very first time that I was truly bullied. I had been teased growing up, for having a big nose or for wearing the wrong style of shoes and all that insignificant stuff that happens as a young person growing up. But when I reached the 9th grade, things changed. A small group of older guys suddenly chose me as their target, I was small and quiet and I think they sensed all of my insecurities. As fate would have it, I found myself in a math class seated directly in front of 2 of these guys. For months they would stealthily torment me, shining laser pens at my glasses so it would reflect back into my eyes, flicking staples at the back of my neck, whispering names that still make my skin crawl each time that I walked to sharpen a pencil or hand in my work. I was starting to get good at ignoring it all until one day, a Wednesday in fact, when I finally needed an escape. I excused myself from class and walked to the farthest bathroom, a chance to get even a few more minutes of peace. I gave myself 5 minutes, just to stand in the bathroom and not be around anyone else or listen to anything, just to let myself silently cry and try to muster the patience to finish the class. Just as I was about to leave, the two guys from my class swung in through the door and blocked it shut with a garbage can. It was one of those situations where time both freezes and speeds up at the same time, like a car accident or a roller coaster. In one motion, the taller of the two had grabbed me by the jaw and shoved me into the corner. I don’t remember much of what they said to me, it all sounded muffled and like another language. I remember them saying “I should like it” and they laughed. In what seemed like hours but was probably only seconds, the taller one pulled my head up, opened my mouth with his fingers and spit into it. I don’t know why I froze, but I couldn’t move. In this frozen haze I stood there as they laughed at me, spit on me, got their faces nose to nose with mine so closely that I could smell old cigarettes and see my own face in the reflection of their eyes. The principal’s office was mere steps away but I stood and took it. The finale of this two-minute torture was one of the most dehumanizing moments of my life, in a swift motion they grabbed my head and shoved into a urinal, kicked me once each time in the back and left. I remember my glasses cutting into the bridge of my nose and how cold the porcelain was as I pulled myself up. I remember spitting blood into the sink from where my braces had cut my cheeks from being squeezed so hard. I remember smelling of urine and cigarette and embarrassment and yet, I did what so many kids do when they are faced with situations like this or worse, I pretended like it never happened. I washed my face, straightened my glasses and walked back to my class. I walked in and sat just a few feet away from those two same guys who now had smug smiles on their faces. I sat there in that desk every day until the end of that school year and never told anyone.

I kept that story and all the other times that followed, the times I was spit on, had my homework ripped up in front of me, been called names that felt like hot knives in my skin had my hands held behind my back as a group of kids stole money out of my pocket, a secret until just a few years ago. And why? Because I didn’t want to make it worse and because I didn’t think anyone would actually care. And that, is the saddest part of any story that you will hear about bullying. That kids don’t tell because they don’t think that anyone will care or that by getting help it will make it worse. I wish I had told, I wish that I had been strong enough to stand up for myself but I didn’t, and because I didn’t it sent a message to those guys and every other bully in my school that it was ok to do what they did. I started to tell one friend, a few years ago, parts of this story and her response was “well you didn’t tell me this as it was happening so how can I believe that it actually did?” Her reply was the exact one that I feared getting, the response that so many kids fear, that people won’t believe them and that they’ll be made to feel like their experiences are lies. Just because someone didn’t tell you, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

Free Your Mind

Bullying is not an isolated event, it doesn’t just happen once to one person in a city far away. It happens all the time to people in your classrooms, in your homes, in your families. Just because you’re not hearing about it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen it just means that there is still too much fear in the way of getting help. I now find myself in an interesting situation, I work in the same schools that I was bullied in. I’ve been in the bathroom that I was attacked in, I walk through the halls everyday that 10 years ago I hated and felt like an insignificant nobody in. But now, it’s changed. Through these experiences and through my own discovery and healing and trust in other people I’ve learned that an end to bullying doesn’t start and end with the bullies themselves. It starts with me. It starts with you. It starts with those that were bullied, that have children who are and were bullied and it starts with those who have never been bullied. We need to stand up together in a united force that says to the sensitive minds and hearts of those around us that we care for them and we’re here to help and protect them and that  it is not okay to belittle or discriminate, taunt or tease, abuse or attack ANYone. That difference in ability, gender, race, sexual preference, identity or mannerism does not give anyone the right to use that as a weapon to bring someone down. Change starts with each of us making the communities, both local and global one that supports each other and protects each other. The anti-bullying campaign is as much a pro-support and pro-change campaign, we can’t focus on just the bullies themselves, for many of them it wouldn’t matter, they would continue to do what they do. But if we can create an environment in our homes and schools and friends that is safe enough for those that we care about to say “I’ve been bullied” or “this is what happened” we can then start to deal with the problems. For me, I had seen posters denouncing bullying my whole life, but I didn’t ‘feel’ support, I didn’t see in the faces of my teachers that there was care enough for me to help me. That responsibility lies in us. I see bullying in the faces of kids in the school that I work in, I see bullying in the ways that my own friends have been treated online, and I see it even in the way that adults interact with each other. It’s up to those of us that have had enough to decide what is acceptable in our society, and bullying isn’t one of them.

So, for this Anti-Bullying Day, I challenge you to make your communities a safer place for all in it. Help me and those around you create a kinder and more supportive environment that helps to foster diversity and acceptance but also shows those that are intolerant of other people’s differences that they aren’t the ones with all the power.  I was recently asked why so many of my photos have messages in them, sometimes literally and sometimes figuratively and my answer was this:

I feel that my own life is a collection and reflection of the experiences that I’ve been witness to. In my own art I hope to create images that when someone sees them, they feel something. I  want someone to see a photo of mine that says “Be Kind” or “Be The Change” or has a peace symbol in it to know that I care. I care about a world that is loving and kind and that cares about the other people in it. That is why I do what I do and why I think that it’s important to be a voice of change. I create these pieces for myself, to remind myself to be kind, to be loving, to give back. I create them for those that feel hurt, that feel alone or isolated and I hope that they see my work and feel connected, they feel a kindred heart out there wanting them to keep going. I create them for the bullies too, in hopes that if they see enough messages of kindness and goodness that they’ll start to realize that hate is the minority. All we can do though, is change on behalf of each of us.

I’ll leave this with a simple quote that means so much to be that I have it permanently marked on my wrist

“You Must Be The Change You Wish To See In The World” – Mahatma Gandhi

and I highly suggest you watch this powerful video by Canadian poet Shane Koyczan

Be The Change

Workshop Details!

Hello!

I’m very excited to announce the details of my first workshop in 2013! Chris Roberge from ClearImages Photography in beautiful Kelowna, B.C. has invited me to teach a two-day workshop around conceptual photography and how to turn your ideas into creative, conceptual photographs!

The first day (March 2nd) will start with a morning of discussion around developing ideas into photoshoots, I will go over my own process of conceptualizing and we’ll come up with some ideas together on the photoshoot for the afternoon. That afternoon will be spent at the Gellatly Nutfarm where we will work together to create our pieces. A model and props will be on hand to help you create the photo you’ve planned and I will assist each photographer as they shoot their concept. The main concept that we will work around is based on this one but it’s entirely open to each person’s interpretation and goals!

 

The second day (March 3rd)  will be centered around post production, I will go over my own editing styles and techniques I like to use on my photos and then I will edit my version of the photo from the previous day. Giving advice and answering questions as we go. It’s not required that you bring your own laptop but if you’d like to bring it and edit as we go that would be great too! A DVD recording of my editing will be provided to attendees so you can take the lesson home with you!

The seats are very limited (about 6 in total) and the cost is only $350 for both days! I would love to see some of you there!

If you have any questions or if you’d like to sign up, please email Chris at chris@ciphotog.com!

 

 

 

 

Saturday March 2 – “Conceptualizing Your Shoot”10am-5pm (Gellatly Nutfarm – Location of Shooting) -Discussion of how to develop an idea/concept, and turn it into a shoot. – Discussion from 10am – 1pm. Travel to Location and shooting begins at 1pm. Lunch will be provided at the break time (1pm)

Sunday March 3 – Post Production on conceptual image. 10am-4pm – Location TBA Taking previous days photos into photoshop, and applying processing techniques to develop said conceptual image to final stage of production.

Materials Required: Own Camera w/ Memory cards, Lighting Equipment will not be necessary, as this will be a Natural Light setup. During the Post Production section, a laptop will not be required as we will be recording the processing and providing a DVD of the workshop to all attendees!

Humbled

It’s taken me almost a full day to write this simple but meaningful post.  So far, even though we are just two weeks into this new year, my photography journey has entered a speed tunnel. There have been many kind articles and blog posts, some exciting opportunities to travel and teach, and contests to enter to hopefully fuel my journey for months to come.

But yesterday, I received some news that truly left me without words. I checked my phone during the a break between classes and saw a post from a friend saying “congratulations your nomination!”.  Nomination!? For what? I quickly looked a bit closer and found out that I had been nominated for an amazing award sponsored by the Framed Network, an incredible network aimed at elevating photography to new heights. Not only was I absolutely floored at being nominated but when I saw who else was in my category, Best Conceptual Photographer, I was floored. To see names like my friend Brooke Shaden, the amazing Kristy Mitchell, an inspiration Aaron Nace and the master  Jerry Uelsmann was truly humbling. To see my name next to these talented artists is truly a highlight of my photography life.

In the past few years I’ve been turning my entire focus towards creating art. I’ve completed three 365 projects with one in progress, I’ve travelled across the continent to meet with fellow artists and work alongside them, I’ve spent hours taking photos, editing photos, sharing my photos and creating ideas for more photos. I’ve been so happy with my work that I’ve literally jumped in the air and I’ve been so frustrated with my work that I’ve cried and almost given up. I’ve locked myself in my house, I’ve ignored sunny days and opportunities to participate in other interests. All because I love photography. I love being able to express my dreams, my ideas and my goals and I love being able to share that with you.

Each nominee deserves this award. They inspire me and motivate me to keep creating and I’m truly honored to be nominated. That said, I would love to win this award as well. It would be an amazing accomplishment and I would greatly greatly appreciate it.

Please vote for me at  www.framedawards.com/artists  -> Best Conceptual Photographer.

Thank you so much for helping start off my year in the most amazing way!

Los Angeles Flickr Gathering – Recap

I’ve been staring at this computer screen all day trying to figure out how to put into words how incredible the last week has been. On December 28th I, along with 50 other talented photographers from across the continent, set out for Los Angeles to attend a meetup hosted by David Talley. This was my fourth photography meetup and although it’s hard to pick favourites, this one was very special.

It is a surreal moment when you see a car full of your friends, wielding telescopes and big smiles pull up to the airport. It was literally a burst of sunlight to arrive in California, escaping the many inches of snow here in Canada. The first few hours together were spent laughing around a roaring fire pit, telling stories and getting to know each other. Every time a new person would arrive, they were welcomed with cheers and hugs and our small group grew larger and larger.

 

The first day we set out for a nearby park, half our group opting for a forested area and the other half for an open field area. Even though it was sprinkling down rain and our feet quickly became heavy with mud, we were like bees. Photoshoots popped up all over the place, with outfit changes, impromptu props made from nearby flowers and cacti and there a definite burst of creativity in the air. At times I just looked out, clutching my camera, and just watched all these talented artists creating their work. Natalie Zigdon, the editor of the beautiful Grae Magazine arrived to take some behind the scenes photos for an entire issue showcasing the meetup and she was quickly included into our busy group. Despite the rain and mud, this day was so bright and warm, just by the people involved in making it happen.

On the 30th, we attended a Flickr hosted photowalk to Sturtevant Falls. It was really cool to join staff from Flickr.com along with local photographers on the walk along the creek and cabins to the waterfalls. Our group was huge, with almost 100 photographers roaming the trails. I was so happy to get to meet one of my photography friends and inspirations Ted of Ted Craig Photography. We’ve been friends for a few months now and I was honored to work alongside him in a photo. It’s always so great to get to meet fellow artists who not only share a passion for photography but also have similar ethics and morals, I felt like Ted and I had known each other for years.

        

 

We spent a few hours at the falls, capturing many photos in the process. I can’t wait to see everyone’s interpretations of the same spot. On the way back to the parking lot we took our time, exploring the tiny  cabins and beautiful canopies of lush trees and ferns. One thing I’ve learned that when you travel with a group of photographers, even the shortest walk takes a very long time as we like to stop for everything!  Never would I have imagined that this place existed so close to a huge city, it reminded me a lot of Vancouver. After the walk, we explored Pasadena, creating a flashmob inside a candy shop and enjoying each other’s company.

 

That evening, the generous and talented Carolyn Hampton and family hosted the entire group of us for dinner at their house. We arrived to big hugs and a warm fireplace, it felt like family gathering and I’ll never forget that evening. She set up a christmas photobooth so we could take funny photos of our ugly christmas sweaters and I laughed until I cried. Later, we took turns making fools out of ourselves (aside from the few people with actual dancing skills) while playing Just Dance, somehow I even got pushed up for a turn and I dread seeing the videos of THAT. The evening was perfect.

  

 

On the 31st after a slowish star, we set out for the abandoned Los Angeles Zoo for some photos and it was a cool spot to explore and take some photos. I’m pretty sure we confused a lot of people who were casually walking around the park but it was fun to be able to see people coming up with concepts on the spot and I really enjoyed being able to watch people shoot in their style.

  

 

After the zoo we headed up to the Griffith Observatory to watch the sunset over the city. Pulling up under the Hollywood sign and watching my friends running around, posing for photos, laughing and hugging made me feel so blessed to be wrapping up an amazing year with them. We stayed long enough to watch the sun dip below the horizon, bathing all of us in a warm glow of orange and then headed back to David’s house for a party.

     

 

We celebrated both Shane Black’s birthday and the New Year and there were enough bottles of sparkling apple juice and balloons to make us all happy. We went outside to countdown the new year and as we watched fireworks shoot overhead, I felt proud to be where I was with these friends, convinced that 2013 will be the year that changes my life in the best possible way. I went to sleep that night with a smile on my face.

   

 

On the first day of 2013 we headed out for the beach and it was the best possible way to start off the new year. I had never taken photos at the ocean before so I was excited to come up with some concepts and enjoy the sand and sun. I’ve learned through these meetups that whenever we arrive at a location, I need a good 10 minutes alone to survey the scene, see where the light is and come up with a plan of action. After I had settled in I shot a few concepts with two of the most beautiful people I’ve ever met, Anna Skahill and Olivia Clemens. Everywhere I looked, there were photoshoots going on.

  

 

 

By the time I had finished my shooting, we were ready to head over to another beach. The two spots couldn’t have been more different from each other, while the first location was sandy beach, the second was rocky and filled with small tidal pools. The sun was setting fast but I managed to explore some amazing rock formations and shot a few photos, including one of Natalie Hampton just as the sun was setting. A perfect way to end the day.

January 2nd was our last full day together and we decided to head up to Mount Baldy to explore the snow. We headed up the windy road, stopping at a beautiful forested area to take photos. That spot was one of my favourite of the trip, just a secluded dirt road with so many interesting little places to stop and take photos. When we finally arrived at the snow, I must admit it was kind of funny watching all these people who don’t normally shoot in snow slipping and sliding around saying things like “it’s so cold!” It made me smile, just a bit

 

My favourite part of these meetups is watching the group just explode in creativity, within a few minutes of us arriving, there were costumes on and props being carried around. There were photoshoots in every direction you could look in and I loved watching it all happen. After the sun went down and we had taken our last photos, we headed to Mt.Baldy lodge for one more family dinner together and we filled the restaurant with laughter.

That night and the next morning were difficult. Saying goodbye after only a few days together was really tough for a lot of us. When you find a group of friends who are as talented, kind, and loving as those were at this meetup, it’s not easy to say goodbye. Every few hours we would have to go through a ritual of hugs, tears and “I’m so proud to call you my friend”s. Chasing the cars as they drove down the street to the airport. Before long on the 3rd there were only a few of us left and a small group of us headed for Malibu for one last day at the beach together.

The beach in Malibu was probably one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to. The rock caves and walls literally took my breath away. Peter brought me to a cave that was literally the size of my apartment and I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be standing where I was, soaking in the sun and feeling the pacific ocean washing over my feet.

 

That afternoon I was able to fulfill a huge dream of mine, to work with my good friend and inspiration Brooke Shaden. Brooke and I have been friends for a few years but haven’t had the chance to meet up until this gathering. On Thursday we took turns taking photos of each other and it really was a dream come true to not only take a photo of her, but for her to ask me to be included in her photo. It was probably the best possible way to wrap up this trip.

“We Survived” by Brooke Shaden

After a dinner out, and some more difficult goodbyes a smaller group of us headed to Carolyn’s house for the night so we could spend a few more hours together before I had to fly home. That night was filled with so much light and happiness that I’m pretty sure it helped me not feel so sad about leaving. The next morning was almost impossible for me to get through, having to say goodbye to my friends, people who understand me, who support me and inspire me was tough. It’s so energizing to be around those people and to say goodbye is really not easy to do.

In the end, this gathering much like the others I’ve been to, have cemented the desire and passion I have for photography and have made my path towards creating full-time even clearer. Even though we are all thousands of miles apart I can still feel the creative energy and I have such a strong motivation to continue to work hard at making this dream come true.  I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity to be around so many creative and talented artists and I’m even luckier to be able to call them my friends. I cannot wait until the next time we are all able to stand around a campfire and laugh together.

Thank you LAFG2013

 

2012 – My Year In Review

Wow. These past twelve months have not only flown by but they’ve also been filled to the brim with so many amazing opportunities and people and it’s honestly a little difficult to even try to summarize everything! 2012 was a big year for me, do you ever have those stand-out years in your life where you feel your own part of the world move just a bit? This year was that for me.

If this time last year you had told me that I would have travelled to the places I’ve been to, met the amazing people I’ve had the opportunity to meet or have even half of the experiences I’ve had, I wouldn’t have believed you but through hard word and good luck I’m so happy to say that this year was filled with all of those things.

At the beginning of the year I was offered an amazing opportunity with Coca-Cola to be a part of their new social media directed campaign, creating images based around a set of positive “drivers for change” that were created to be a new way to reach out to the people who enjoy both the product and art. Needless to say being able to add one of the world’s largest brands and one that has always placed a high emphasis on their graphics and art design was truly an amazing opportunity and I have enjoyed the last year working with them. It’s allowed me the opportunity to see commercial or product art in a new light and create work that I feel fits both their market and my style, I’m very excited to see what the next path is with them.

Seek and Ye Shall Find

 

One of my photography related goals for the year was to be able to see my work be published either in a magazine or book and I never would have expected both of those and more to happen! I was so lucky to have been able to be included in about 15 different magazines and have my photos included in 4 books and even a greeting card! It was such a surreal experience to hold a book in my hand and see my own work printed on the front. I never would have imagined that I would be answering interviews for  magazines based out of France, Russia and Korea but I’m so thankful that my work is being accepted and shared in countries  all around the world. I would like to thank magazines like fourx5, 5×5 magazine, Grae Magazine, Golden Age Magazine, Coffee Today, Phototech and many more for supporting my work and allowing me to be included in their publications.

I was also very fortunate to have the online portion of my photography continue to grow and reach new audiences.  I was able to have interviews and see my work promoted from websites all over the world and I am always so humbled when someone wants to share my work and my views with others. I had my photos reposted by people like George Takei, Apolo Anton Ono, Leona Lewis, Harry Shrum Jr, Random House Books, Oprah and more!  You can see a few of the posts here:
Canadian photographers Network
F-stoppers
My Modern Met
The New Yorker Online
Phlearn
Brain Pickings
Oprah Winfrey’s Blog

Also this year I participated in a few photography festivals, something that I’m looking forward to continuing in the new year. I was invited to show my work at the Ulsan International Photography Festival in Korea in the fall and was declared one of the “Best New Photographers” by their panel. That same month I submitted photos to a local festival and won best overall  photo which was quite a surprise and honor for me.

 

In non-photography related  events, I trained for and completed my fourth marathon this spring. Running has always been something that I enjoy and that gives me the chance to relax (oddly enough!) and my not-so-secret competitive side really enjoys the racing aspect of it! I ran in about 7 races this year and I was very happy with my placings in all of them. For my marathon in Idaho, I ran my fastest ever, finishing in 15th place overall with a time of 3:12 and winning a bronze medal in my age category. It’s getting close to start-up season again and I can’t wait to lace up my running  shoes and start training again for the next big race! This year I was also selected as runner for the canada-wide Rick Hansen Relay tour, an amazing relay in celebration and recognition of Rick Hansen’s world tour to raise awareness of accessibility for those with disabilities and mobility issues. It was an honor to be able to be a part of a national relay.

One the biggest highlights for me this year was the amount of travelling I was able to do. At the beginning of the year my partner and I took a quick weekend trip to Vancouver to see Betty White perform at the Vancouver Comedy Fest, it was the perfect chance to get out of the snow and explore another city, even if only for a few days. I travelled to Calgary a few times as well, to see Coldplay perform and in the summer with my partner to see Mary Poppins, both highlights of my year for sure! Earlier this year I never would have guessed that I would have flown to a small town in Indiana to attend  a gathering of 30 friends and photographers. Those few days spent together pretty much changed my photography journey completely. Before the trip I felt like I wasn’t really going  anywhere with this part of my life, that I liked photography but I didn’t have a course set out for it. But after spending that time exploring abandoned buildings, taking photos throughout the day, laughing and teaching each other, my path in photography became much clearer and I gained a huge boost of confidence in my own work and felt like I knew where I wanted to go. The following month I was lucky to be included in another meetup in Vancouver and was reunited with some friends and made new ones. Again, I felt that surge of passion for photography and it fueled the fire that I have inside for it. In October I took my turn hosting a meetup in the beautiful Kootenay Lake region of B.C., welcoming friends from all over the place. It was beautiful to be able to share a little corner of my world with other photographers. And to finish off the year, I’m travelling to another meetup in California with about 50 other talented and inspiring photographers and friends and I can’t wait to see the magic that results from being around the hub of positive and creative energy. I hope that I’m able to continue to travel and explore the world in 2013.

 

So in conclusion, 2012 was an incredible year. Last year I set out with a short list of goals and I’m so happy to say that I accomplished those goals. I was able to continue to share my work and feel an amazing amount of support and appreciation for it, I was able to travel and meet with friends who continue to support me and I was able to find my path and develop the road that I want to continue travelling on.

For the next year I hope this momentum continues. I already have a few trips planned, a few exciting opportunities in the works and I hope that it unfolds and plays out in unexpected and exciting ways like it did this year. My goals for 2013 are to be more organized and continue to work on the business side of my photography, to expand my vision and to start to post more on my blog and to post more tutorials, to start hosting workshops and to continue to share my views with the world.

I’d like to thank you for supporting me and what I do, I pinch myself when I think of how blessed I am to be able to receive such positive feedback and to see so many people enjoying what I do, it helps me to keep going and to keep developing (photography pun!). Thank you to those that I was able to meet this year, to the families that hired me, to the Good Ol’ Goats for the opportunity to work with you, to Coca-Cola, Coffee Today, and Cohere magazine for liking my work enough to ‘hire’ me, and to all of you who like my work. Thank you. All the best for 2013!

Lessons Learned

I’ve always been the type of person who tries to see each experience and situation as a potential learning opportunity. I like to analyze things and find ways to make something better, to try something new or to see how it can change things in my own life. This year has been one of the biggest learning lessons for me. I’ve felt that in the past 11 months I’ve had a lot of opportunities to learn more about myself, to learn about the world around me, to learn how to be better and do better and how to move towards the goals I have in life.

I learned not to take everything so seriously and that it’s ok to take a break. For the past few years I’ve put myself into the habit of creating an image or photograph every single day. Mostly because I liked it, but also because I’m stubborn and don’t like to feel like I’ve missed a goal. Eventually, the need to create started to creep up on my desire to create and I found myself scrambling to come up with ideas and making photographs that  I wasn’t proud of. I was shooting in the wrong light, in the wrong location, editing too quickly and making errors..all because I felt my own internal pressure to have something to produce for that day. It was as though my day didn’t amount to anything if I didn’t post a photograph. Combine that with working a full-time job, being in a relationship, training for a marathon and the regular daily stuff I was starting to burn out. Thankfully, I went on a trip to Indiana to meet and photograph with friends and photographers and the trip truly changed my outlook. I was forced to take a break from my self-imposed pressure and I began to feel as though tiny weights were  being unclipped from my mind. Suddenly I felt more passionate about photography, I felt like my world slowed down for  a second and that I had time to look and see and feel again. When I came home from that trip I saw my own photography journey as less of a sprint to get photos out and more of a marathon a long journey with many miles and views. I learned that it was not the end of the world if I didn’t post a photo each day, that if I wanted to go for a hike or meet a friend for coffee or simply stay in and watch tv all day, I could and that didn’t make me less of a photographer or put a negative mark on me in any way. It seems silly to me now to say that I once felt like that but I did and I’m thankful to have learned the lesson to slow down.

I learned to distance myself from “the online bad guys”. I’ve spent much of my time in the last year trying to build up my photography business and online presence. Posting on Flickr, Facebook, Instagram and other websites has been the main driving point to where I am today and I wouldn’t have any many of the amazing opportunities had I not been so active in these social outlets. But, as I’ve learned this year, for every positive note and comment there can be someone looking to bring to you down. A few months ago I posted a blog post on my feelings around copyright infringement and uncredited sharing of my work. I wrote it solely for the purpose of sharing my own personal feelings and to get my mind clear on the subject.  Shortly after, an image of mine (which was taken and edited without permission) was posted on a popular Facebook page and things took a bit of a nasty turn. My friends and supporters of my work, quickly began linking my photography page and the post I wrote in the comments and by the time I became aware of the whole situation,  a sort of wildfire had broken out. While I appreciate people standing up for me, the other people posting comments on the post were not so enthusiastic and I started to receive some pretty nasty comments, messages and emails. Up until this point I hadn’t ever really experienced much of the negative side of social media. It took the wind out of my sail for a few days and I wasn’t sure how to respond.  It was my older brother who finally said something that helped. He said that “there are people in the world who have nothing to do  than to enjoy the anonymous act of making other people feel bad, because they can. They won’t think about it the next day or the next week even though you’ve been hurt. These aren’t the people who you should spend your energy on, it’s the people who support you that you should focus on”. Even though it seemed totally obvious, it made sense and it changed the way I looked at social media and my interactions with it. Now, when I get a comment or a negative message, I either try to ignore it or I try to find something positive to focus on instead,. This image below was inspired by a message that I received a few weeks ago telling me that I was self-centered and that I shouldn’t believe that the world revolves around me (I don’t think that at all…) so instead of feeling hurt, I turned it into inspiration to create.  The lesson of distancing myself from ‘haters’ is one that has taken a while and one that I’ve struggled with the most, but it’s helped me to become a more positive and focussed person.

I’ve learned to be more organized. If you know me, you will know that I am unorganized, a bit messy, and sometimes a little forgetful. I’ve always been that way and while I know that it drives some people crazy, it’s not something that I find I can fix easily. With that said, this year I’ve had to learn to become more organized. It started around March when, after being featured on a popular literature blog, I had a few busy days in my Etsy print shop. I found myself one day looking at our living room floor which was now covered in envelopes, prints, address labels and business cards and having a mild panic attack. I knew at that point that I was going to have to be more organized. Shortly after that I started making a weekly list, inspired by Alex Beadon. Each sunday I spend about 30 minutes going over the next week and all the things I have to do that week, broken down into categories:  mailing stuff, photo stuff, random stuff, emailing stuff.  I star the ones that have to be done right away and I highlight them as I finish them. It’s rather neat to be able to go back in the book and see all the things that I’ve managed to get done (or put off) for the past few months and even though I’m still fighting the messy desk and scattered email inbox, I feel much more in charge of my photography business.

And finally, I’ve learned the true value of friendship (cue “awwwwws”). I’ve always had a difficult time feeling totally comfortable around people and in most cases feeling like my friendships were working. I’ve distanced myself from a lot of people in the last few years and through this have found myself rather isolated. Thankfully, this year I’ve been so fortunate to make and build some truly incredible friendships with people who I feel not only understand me but also think in the same way I do. Through the benefits of social media I’ve been able to collaborate and have incredible conversations with friends from around the world and I’m so thankful to have been able to attend three meetups (soon to be four) and be able to build these friendships in real life. I think I started to forget the value in friendship and the value in not being totally introverted. I don’t think I can ever say thank you enough to the hilarious and inspiring friends that I’ve been so fortunate to make this year.

So, as this year comes to a close I look back and feel that as difficult as it was (even though some of it was self-imposed) I’ve come out of it all with a better understanding of myself, of what I want in my life and how I can get there. I feel that I’ve grown up this year, that I’ve validated myself and become more confident in my own mind and in my photography and that I’m heading in the right direction.
Thank you to all of you, who read this blog, who leave me positive and uplifting comments and messages and who continue to help me learn and grow.

October Monthly Recap

Well that month sure went by fast! Here I was just a few days ago trying to type up the random events of September when all of a sudden pumpkins were being replaced with christmas decorations and the last of the leaves are barely clinging to the trees!

October was an amazing month though. It felt like a month of clarity for me, one that allowed me to see where I want to be headed and to acknowledge that I’m not quite there yet. I’ve come to enjoy the journey of self-discovery, to enjoy those moments of “THIS is what makes me feel alive!” and to look for those chances to feel them again.  This month was full of those times.

Thanksgiving Meetup

I already dedicated an entire post to the amazing weekend I spent in a cabin with some of my closest friends and favourite photographers. It was really an opportunity for me to not only try out new ideas and concepts and think on the spot but also an opportunity to solidify that this is what I want to do with my life. I want to photograph, I want to create art and share it. I want to see new locations and use them in ways that maybe nobody else would have thought to. This meetup was a much-needed break in my life and I can’t really put into words how much these opportunities push me and help me grow.

Phlearn Interview
Shortly before I left for the Thanksgiving meetup, I was contacted by my lovely friend Angela who happens to work at Phlearn.com, an amazing website created by Aaron Nace devoted to photography and teaching artists. I’ve long respected Aaron’s work and the opportunity to be interviewed for the website was truly an honor! You can read the interview here: http://phlearn.com/phlearn-interviews-joel-robison

Zombie Walk:
What’s October without a friendly neighborhood Zombie Walk!? I had a great time spending a few hours with some fellow  zombies roaming the streets of Cranbrook!

photo by Mountain Culture Photography

Magazines/Book Covers:
At the beginning of each month I try to sit and think “I wonder what will happen in these next 4 weeks” and most of the things that end up happening are never the things I would ever assume! This month I was fortunate to have a lengthy interview (complete with cover!) with a Russian photography magazine.

I also discovered that one of my images licenced through Arc-Angel stock images was purchased as a book cover in Holland, how exciting is that!?

I was also featured on the cover and inside the 8th issue of fourx5 magazine, an AWESOME photography and design magazine, you can download the issue here:
http://gudstufphotography.com/fourx5_issue08.pdf

Winning Relay Race
Normally I try to stay pretty consistent with my running (I’m training to qualify and eventually run in the Boston Marathon) although this summer and fall were so busy that I hadn’t actually managed to keep on track with any significant races or runs. I decided about half way through the month to sign up with a friend to complete a relay linking my town with the next town over, a distance of 25km. My portion was 14km and while it was a bit cold starting off in the snow, our duo ended up being the fastest team and we’re now the proud owners of a rather awkward and oversized trophy!

Milestones:
Last but not least, this month I hit two pretty big milestones in my online photography journey. On my Flickr account, I reached 5 million overall views of my photos and my Facebook photography page has reached 10,000 likes. For me, these numbers are motivating. They tell me that people enjoy what I do and that my work matters. It helps me to stay on track, to keep moving forward and I just want to say thank you to each and every person that has ever looked at my work and appreciated it.

This month, while mostly cloudy and grey weather-wise was full of bright memories, humbling moments and chances for me to grow and learn and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next 4 weeks!