Dave Bidini – Orion Lecture
January 20, 2010 | Filed Under Literary Photographer, Music, Portrait, Sports | Leave a Comment
The great Dave Bidini was in Victoria last night giving the annual Orion lecture. He talked about his travel for his books and TV documentaries and afterwards took questions from the audience. He’ll be around for a few more days talking to various writing classes at UVIC. I’m sure it’s not always so but Dave’s life seems so seamless, travel and music and writing and family and hockey all melding together magically. Plus he’s a cool stylish guy. Just look at the images from last night.
Poet P.K. Page dies at 93
January 14, 2010 | Filed Under Literary Photographer, Obituary, Photography, Portrait | Leave a Comment
Renowned Canadian poet, novelist, artist and librettist, P. K. Page has died aged 93 at her home in Oak Bay, British Columbia.
Just two days ago I’d stopped by the Cadboro Bay Book Store and asked Amber what was new in the store and she pointed out a new chapbook Cullen by P.K. Page, published by Outlaw Editions. I bought a copy and after heading out realized I was passing by the street P.K. lived on so I turned back and drove up the street thinking that if I saw someone at the window or other signs of activity I’d stop by and ask her to sign the book. The house was quiet and dark though so I drove on.
I remember a few years ago during a photo session the conversation turned to aging and facing the end of one’s life and she said (as I remember it) that she was not afraid of dying, what terrified her was not having the chance to finish all the creative ideas she had.
Artist Portraits
December 8, 2009 | Filed Under Photography, Portrait | Leave a Comment
I really enjoying taking portraits, especially of creative people. It’s always interesting to try and incorporate their environment into the image.With tighter papers, every section is squeezed for space so we’re not running as many entertainment stories and consequently not as many portraits of artists etc. Here are a few, fairly recent, images.
I really liked this image of Keith Hiscock at the Morris Gallery. They were just starting to hang his new show, those are his paintings on the floor, but behind him hung a couple of paintings from the last show, an exhibition from the estate of Myfanwy Pavelic including a portrait of artist Maxwell Bates in his studio.
This probably showed off Keith’s painting better and I liked his expression but I still like the first image best. A tighter head shot with painting behnd actually ran in the paper.
Mark Heine in his home studio, it’s encouraging to see you don’t need a great big space to create.
Ben Westergreen paints in his front room, it was tight and kind of dark so I just had him lie down on one of his paintings.
Noah Layne paints portraits, self portraits too. He’d just won an award for one.
Robert Amos had been creating collages of artists in their studios. This was my attempt to capture him using his own technique. I think he does it better.
Robert with some of his collages. He also paints, does calligraphy etc etc etc.
Timothy Findley – Portrait with a wine glass
July 17, 2009 | Filed Under Literary Photographer, Portrait | Leave a Comment
Sometimes you don’t need a face for a portrait.
I had photographed the late Timothy Findley for my first book First Chapter and following that photo session he sat down for an interview and lunch with then Calgary Herald books editor, now best selling author in his own right, Ken McGoogan. I joined the pair and Findley’s partner Bill Whitehead and continued to take a few photos but mainly listened in. What I was treated to was an entertaining hour and a half as Findley and Whitehead, the practiced tag team that they were, traded stories, memories, observations while eating, smoking and drinking wine. i think Ken just hung on and tried to get it all down. It was an incredibly enjoyable lunch and I think this image showing Findley’s hand, glasses and wine remind me more of that encounter than the other, more traditional, portraits I took that day.
Early Vancouver Punk Rock – Furies, DOA, Skulls, Dishrags, Subhumans and Rabid
July 15, 2009 | Filed Under Literary Photographer, Music, Photography, Photos, Portrait | 7 Comments
I came across a few prints and contact sheets I has tucked away in an envelope from the very early days of the Vancouver punk rock scene. Please send a note to correct me if I’m off on names etc. These were taken quite a while ago (1977ish? ) and I didn’t keep the notes I should have.
The Furies at the Japanese hall. I believe this was the second local punk rock show in Vancouver. My first. Tom Harrison of the Georgia Straight used the photo. If memory serves me, the bass player is Malcolm Hasman, now Vancouver realtor to the famous.
The Dishrags. I think they opened for The Furies although this photo was taken at a later date.
Detail from a contact sheet of the Skulls playing the Easter Be-In in White Rock. I remember getting whacked by beer caps the unnappreciative crowd was flipping at the band. The Skulls metamorphed into DOA.
Another details from the Skulls contact sheets. A number of stalwarts from later bands were in this group, Joe ‘Shithead’ Keithley, Brian Goble, Ken Montgomery, Brad Kent.
Early photo of the classic DOA line up of Joe Keithley, Chuck Biscuits and Randya Rampage
Detail from a contact sheet of another early DOA show or maybe they were still the Skulls at this point
Subhumans with Ken Montgomery playing guitar, Brian Goble and Gerry Hannah. Not sure of drummer.
Gerry Hannah of the Subhumans
Ken Montgomery of the Subhumans. No idea why he had the stocking mask on.
Rabid -Sid Sick and John Doe say my notes on the print
Bryan Adams
December 21, 2008 | Filed Under From The Archive, Photography, Portrait | 1 Comment
This photo was taken in the late seventies along Georgia Street in Vancouver when I was just starting out and photographing mainly musicians. We just went out one night and were taking photos for fun. This record was Bryan Adam’s first single, the disco flavoured Let Me Take You Dancing.
Theatre Portrait
November 11, 2008 | Filed Under Photography, Portrait | Leave a Comment
Director Brian Richmond on the set of the new UVIC Phoenix Theatre play Dark of the Moon which runs November 6-22.
Halloween Portrait
November 11, 2008 | Filed Under Photography, Portrait | Leave a Comment
Reporter Rebecca Aldous had an assignment to walk through Ross Bay Cemetery at night, alone, and write about the experience. These photographs were taken before her solitary stroll.
Portrait – UVIC Soccer Player Daniel Kilpatrick
August 25, 2008 | Filed Under Photography, Photos, Portrait | Leave a Comment
A face and and few props, so you try and do something
just a little different.
Portrait – Devon McCagherty & The Stomp Club
August 24, 2008 | Filed Under Photos, Portrait | Leave a Comment
Devon McCagherty and his band The Stomp Club have a new CD out.