My 3 year old shot this photo after I set up the tripod and handed him the cable release.

Here is the early morning result after a late night set-up (see below) to get the magic light coming in the windows.

Another beautiful home by my architect clients. This kitchen looked great with existing light but as usual I kept wanting to pop a little light here and a little light there. I also wanted to get some light outside but it need to be just right. I set up 7 lights inside and 2 outside late after shooting a number of other interior photos and went home. After waking before sunrise, I raced back to Vancouver to grab a cup a tea, walk in the door, power up the lights and wait for the right moment.

Help-Portrait was a grass roots movement started in September. The idea was simply to find someone in need, take their portrait, print their portrait and deliver them.

I was inspired to do Help-Portrait after watching the  following to videos.

My friend and fellow photographer Andrew Doran took on the project here in our hometown of Squamish, BC with the help of close friend Richelle Griffiths. We contacted the Howe Sound Women’s Shelter Society and their Director Tara Franz and made a plan to capture portraits at the annual Christmas party.

Here are our results

• 20 families photographed
• 54 people
• 330+ Photos
• 2 Photographers + 1 Volunteer

It was a very moving and satisfying experience. I never thought of doing what I do, photography, in a way to make a difference. While I have always been charitable, I have never been hands on like this and loved the feedback from our subjects.

The beautiful smiling faces let us know that while things were not always good, that was a special night and our photos will be a reminder.

To Jeremy Cowart and countless other photographers and volunteers, thank you so much for the inspiration. We are looking forward to next year.

Got a chance to grab some shots from the flash mob the Agency I work for set up for Kokanee and Skullcandy at the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival in Whistler. Nearly 200 Mobbers raced out in front of the stage to dance to music only they could hear in their headphones. The Flash Mob was promoting the Kokanee Silent Disco scheduled later for that night where the music was pumped through to the dancers headphones. Check out more photos on flickr and on facebook.

I am very pleased to be presenting artwork at Local Colours – Art Exhibition at this year’s Wild at Art Festival.

You can purchase prints of the photos here.

Local Colour:
I live on the Mamquam river and walk my dog along the dike every morning. Just down from our house is this train bridge. On this particular morning the sun was rising with great warm colour and there was fog coming off the river. Definitely worth a run back to the house for camera gear.

Squamish is a community that is WILD ABOUT ART!

Each year the Wild at Art Festival curates an art exhibition of professional and emerging artists. The theme for 2009 is Local Colour and will focus on new artwork by local artists along the Sea to Sky corridor. Over 60 artists are expected to participate in the festival gallery this year, including a collaborative art piece by Squamish students.

The gallery is open Monday-Friday 12 am to 8 pm and Weekends 11 am to 7 pm

West Cost Railway Heritage Park
39645 Government Rd.
Squamish

Please feel free to check out all the photos at the first annual Industrial Strength art exhibit.

There is an opening this Thursday evening.

My cousin, Tom has a brain tumor. It is him in the photo. He had it then.

He did 3 Ironman Triathlons that year. This (the second after Australia) was to qualify for Hawaii, which he did and he wanted to get under 10hrs, which he did. He also raised over $250, 000 for cancer research doing those races.

Tom is currently in a hospice in Calgary and I was fortunate to visit him last week.

To complete an Ironman Triathlon is to do more in one race than what a lot of people accomplish in a lifetime.

I am very proud of and inspired by my cousin Tom and love him very much.

Thanks to all the supporters who came out to the locations around Squamish to view and appreciate the local art.

I was fortuneate enough to have the opportunity to show some samples of my work (a number of which are included in my personal portfolio) in a gallery-like display. Attendance was good and I appreciated the kind comments from a number of people who came by.