Happy 150th Canada!

Thinking back to 1967, it was a big deal when Canada turned 100. I was 8 years old when I received my centennial coin at school. It was also the year my Dad’s company printed a book called Canada – A Year of the Land. The book celebrated Canada’s 100th birthday.

Dad brought home tear sheets for me to put up on my walls. The photos really stuck with me. I wanted to be one of those photographers travelling across Canada taking wonderful images of the landscape.

That desire really never left me. I still love what I do and hope to continue for many more years.

As Canada celebrates it’s 150th birthday, I will continue to travel and capture images. I’m fortunate to be in two books that celebrate Canada's sesquicentennial. The first book is called The Colour of Canada by Roy MacGregor:

Here are my images from The Colour of Canada:

Red Canoe

Covered Bridge in Wakefield, Quebec

Iles de la Madeleine, Quebec

The second book is called, True North: The Canadian Song Book by Eleanor McCain:

Included with the publication of this coffee table book are two CDs Eleanor has recorded of classic Canadian songs. She is performing these songs across Canada with a slide show of the images from the book.

Here are my images from True North: The Canadian Song Book:

Fundy Mudflats in New Brunswick

Bison, Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba

Of course our self-published book “Canada through our Eyes” is still available on Blurb:

I have spent the last 27 years travelling across our great country. I’m proud to be a Canadian and I’m proud to help celebrate its 150th.

Happy Birthday Canada!

Business

Red Canoe in Algonquin - Click for larger

(Above image published in the Summer 2012 issue of ON Nature magazine)

It's not always the fun part, although I love getting paid for what I do. The business aspect of photography takes up the majority of our time. If it were just clicking the shutter this would be a very simple business. It is a lot of hard work and grueling hours at the computer. Phone calls, emails and dealing with clients can eat up your day. Not to mention, backups, processing and adding the captions, keywords and other metadata.

Labrador Iceberg - Click for larger

(Above image selected as Editors Choice, National Association of Photoshop Professionals June 21, 2012)

It's not why we got into this. It wasn’t for recognition or the money. It was for the shear joy of capturing a moment, a slice of time that inspires and shows the wonder of the world. But eventually, you have to sell to keep doing it. Publish or perish.

I remember the first time I had a nature image published. It was very exciting. I think I got $50 for it. It was a cow moose from Algonquin. That image is no longer in my database of images. I probably still have it somewhere but it is not as good as the moose images I have now. Still, it was the beginning and holds a special place in my memory. I'm still a regular contributor to that magazine 20 years later.

There is an energy that is released when you get published. It's validation and yes; it helps the ego although it is best to keep that in check. You must remember there are so many great images out there. I am just a very small part of a very large industry.

St. Lawrence River - Click for larger

(Above image published in the May 2012 issue of Canadian Geographic Travel magazine)

I often don’t get to see my published images. If they are sold by one of our many agencies, we get a quarterly statement and a cheque. The statement indicates what image sold, what rights where sold and how and where geographically it was used. It does not list the company or publication. So we rarely see most of our images in print. If we sell it directly to a client, we ask for copies. However many of our sales are through an agent.

Killarney Provincial Park - Click for larger

Many years ago, a photographer friend of mine saw the above image in the United Airlines in flight magazine. Photographers often read the credit line. He noticed my name and grabbed several copies for me. He knew it was very important to have examples of published work and I'm grateful that he sent them along.

We continue to establish new clients on our own:

Meadowlark - Click for larger

(Above image published in the October/November 2011 issue of National Wildlife magazine)

Getting and keeping new clients is what it is all about when it comes down to business. That takes time and hard work. There is no way around it.

Selling your work changes the dynamic of your photography. In some ways it takes some of the fun out of it. In other ways, it adds joy and a sense of accomplishment.

Dinosaur Provincial Park - Click for larger

(Above image published online at: National Geographic Travel Trip Ideas)

Whatever you do, there is a cycle. The cycle of photography is not really complete until you show the image somehow. Whether it is published or printed and hung on the wall, it all starts with your eye and what is in front of you.

After all these years, the process is still fun, challenging and rewarding.

Where should we go?

Self-portrait at the 60th parallel - Click for larger

After a very long process, I have been granted a Professional Delevelopment Leave. This will free me from my regular teaching duties at Seneca College for the next academic year. I do have a large list of things I need to accomplish over this time but it will allow me to create my own schedule for the next little while.

Seneca@York - Click for larger

It is difficult to plan anything for a leave until you get confirmation. This was my 3rd year in a row to apply so I was not counting on it until I got it in writing. With that milestone behind us we can now make some plans.

Canoe on Georgian Bay - Click for larger

I’m still a bit overwhelmed with all the possibilities. Lori and I have spent the better part of the last 20 years concentrating on Canada. We could easily spend the next 20 years on the same subject and not even come close to covering it all. We will continue to explore and expand our knowledge of our great country but I’m wondering, where else should we go?

Lori at Alexandra Falls, NWT - Click for larger

So I’m asking you, where is your favourite place in the world? Why? What is the best time of year to visit? More to come...

Twenty Minutes

I have been watching some of the Olympic coverage this week. So much preparation goes into just a few minutes of performance. You can see the pressure and tension on the faces of the athletes. Now those of you that know me well, know that I’m no athlete! But you can make comparisons to photography and sport.
This summer I spent much of my time in the canoe. Lori and I traveled extensively in Ontario and we covered a lot of ground. This has been a particularly challenging year for me personally and professionally. My tank was completely empty, both physically and mentally. Having the time to canoe through the Canadian wilderness for a few weeks has restored my balance and much improved my frame of mind. I didn’t have the constant pressure of driving long distances for days on end. I let go, I didn’t push. Just paddled, read, swam and when the light was too good to ignore, I took photographs.Was it my most productive year for images? No, not even close. But like the Olympic athletes, this is a physical and mental game. Sometimes you need to just let it go, don’t try so hard. Think, dream and wait for it.Nearing the end of our travels this summer, Lori and I found ourselves camped on a beach at the edge of Lake Manitou in the north west end of Algonquin Provincial Park. We spent a week in the park mid August. I didn’t shoot much but on the 5^th day, we had a storm. After it cleared we crawled out of the tent, went for a swim, and then played cards on the beach. The light started to look sweet and when I could no longer stand it, I got my camera out. I shot as it changed. After the sun set, the light and clouds and reflections were still spectacular. I did what I have trained myself to do. I didn’t have to think about it. It’s just a reaction to the light. My equipment becomes an extension of my body. My movements are smooth and concise. I have an explosion of action. In 20 minutes it’s all over and I’m left with a feeling of joy and contentment.
Sometimes we have to let go of what we love to do. It will always come back if you let it. Sometimes we hold on too much, we try too hard. We push ourselves. Nothing is fun anymore and we loose our purpose.

For 20 minutes this summer, I was in my zone.