Day Trip To Gabriola

November 16, 2009 | Filed Under Photography | Leave a Comment 

Took a quick trip over to Gabriola Island to take in Saturday at the Poetry Gabriola Festival, you can see photos from that event at my other site Literary Photographer. Gabriola is a pretty island, still quite rural and for photography’s sake I was wishing it was clear out and I had been able to take advantage of sunrise/set. The eroded rocks on the shoreline would look amazing in that light.

Waiting for the ferry in Nanaimo, that’s Protection Island in the background, Gabriola at top right.

This kayaker came paddling past the ferry enroute, not sure where he came from.

Incredible shapes and holes from erosion on the shore rocks.

Rocks, driftwood and boats.

Working On Projects

November 11, 2009 | Filed Under Personal Project | Leave a Comment 

It’s always interesting when working on a project how certain themes or subjects start to repeat themselves, often threaten to become a project in themselves. Boats have begun to show up in many of my island photos, it makes sense as we have such easy access to water but until you start looking you don’t realize how many people do have boats and how they store them in unusual places and how often they’ll have several, just sitting in the yard year after year the way people in other locales store old automobiles.

I was out this morning to Goldstream Park to work on another project dealing with spawning salmon. This male chum was still alive but barely, still breathing while lying on his side partly out of the water.

On Conscientious

November 10, 2009 | Filed Under Personal Project | Leave a Comment 

It was more than a pleasant surprise today during my daily check of photo sites to click on Joerg Colberg’s Conscientious site and see one of my photos from the Salt Water &Rain project.

It was especially heartening as this is one of the first projects where I’ve moved away (or at least I feel like I have)  from my newspaper photojournalism background.

The project is based on the idea that despite increasing globalization and commodification of culture we are all, no matter where we live, still strongly shaped and given identity by our landscape and weather. Those two factors work to keep us distinct. Living on the western edge, actually off the western edge, of Canada on islands, surrounded by the ocean and often, certainly in the fall and winter months, living in the rain and fog does affect how you live.

These photographs are an attempt to look at and understand that effect.

Prime Minister’s Controls Over Photographers Grows

November 7, 2009 | Filed Under From the Newspapers | Leave a Comment 

An interesting article in the Globe and Mail regarding the growing control by Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s office over the photo coverage of the PM.

Here’s the lead on the article:

Minutes after Stephen Harper finished his now-famous rendition of With a Little Help from My Friends , the Prime Minister’s Office e-mailed Canadian media an arresting close-up shot of what it described as the gala piano performance.

Only it wasn’t.

The picture, which featured Mr. Harper framed by dazzling theatre lights, was actually snapped by a PMO photographer at a private rehearsal hours before the Oct. 3 evening concert.

My photo above was from a brief photo opp in Victoria a few weeks ago where photographers did have access.

Second Western Academy of Photography Faculty Show – i2i

November 5, 2009 | Filed Under Gallery & Workshop | Leave a Comment 

The opening for the second i2i show, an exhibition of photographs by faculty from the Western Academy of Photography opened in Victoria at the Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria gallery.

Olympic Torch Run In Victoria

November 5, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment 

The Olympic Torch Run started it’s trek across Canada in Victoria with a lot of ceremony but luckily very short speeches in front of the Legislature.

Olympic medalists Simon Whitfield and Catriona Lemay-Doan light the first torch

Premier Gordon Campbell signals success as VANOC CEO John Furlong lights a cauldron with the Olympic flame brought over from Greece

Esquimalt Chief Andy Thomas holds up the Olympic flame inside a lantern at the start of the ceremony

School children watch as athletes leave with the torch

i2i Photo Show Opens Thursday

November 3, 2009 | Filed Under Photography | Leave a Comment 

If you’re in Victoria this Thursday, check out the second i2i show, with images from the instructors (including yours truly) at the Western Academy of Photography. 6pm 1001 Douglas Street.

Victoria In The Fog

November 3, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment 

Two weeks ago I was meeting up with Micah Escamilla, a former student now a California based photographer, who was in town for a few days and an an hour to kill before we met up for coffee so took advantage of the time and foggy morning to shoot a few images.

Memory and the Valley exhibition – David Campion and Sandra Shields.

November 2, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment 

Sandra Shields and David Campion have an exhibition of their project Memory and the Valley on at the Chilliwack Museum. If you can’t make it there check out the latest edition of Geist magazine with a feature on the project.