I had the pleasure of sharing Dahlia’s 5th birthday party with her this past weekend. It was a princess party, and I think I was the only one not wearing a tutu (I did try though, they were a little small. =] ). I set up a background and we did a whole bunch of fun shots with jumping and dancing and spinning, it was a blast. Then we headed downstairs for candy, cake, and chocolate milk. I think I had just as much fun as they did! Happy Birthday Dahlia!
I had the opportunity to photograph this little guy recently. His name is Kiran, and his little blue eyes are simply remarkable. He was so easy going, quite the cool little cucumber. It is always a pleasure to work with kids, one of the perks of my job! Hope you enjoy.
So chances are, if you are reading this, you have been to my new site and heard the musical content. If you haven’t, go to www.stillphotography.ca now and check out the new site, there’s a fresh new look and some great music too! Now back to the music.
So here’s the deal. Lots of sites have music, as I’m sure you’ve noticed lately. Some people like having music, other’s don’t. I am not here to join this debate. I think it comes down to personal preference and your audience etc. I am using music for now, perhaps later that will change, I’m really not sure. Like I said that can be debated at a later date. What I do want to bring up, is copyrights. Now, I am sure most of you may not care much about copyrights, and sure lots of people copy and download music all the time illegally, that’s your deal. I can’t say I’ve never done it, but now I use iTunes, or a hard copy, but that’s just me. What I want to talk about is all the illegal music being used on websites these days! Humour me for a second while I go into the legal stuff. As far as copyright law is concerned, from what I can tell (I am not a lawyer), any music that is used in whole or in part without the express written consent of the artist, or their agent, is in fact a violation of copyright. Now, I am sure you are wondering why I even care, and if you keep reading, I am about to enlighten you. I am an artist. I have put a lot of hard work into the development of the skills and talents that I have, and continue to do so. I also put a lot of effort and time into the photos that become my completed work. Similarly, musicians put a lot of effort into the development of their craft and their completed work. If someone were to ever steal my work, that would probably bother me. If someone was to steal my work however, to use for the purpose of financial gain, that would really piss me off! I mean, seriously, I am the one who worked hard to make that photo, why should someone else use it for their benefit without my permission? Well that gang, is what is happening on the majority of websites out there with music on them. The person or group using the music, is probably doing so without permission from the artist, for their own financial gain. And yeah, they could be prosecuted, but really, there are so many sites doing it, it’s kinda hard to police. So, if you are on a site and they have the latest hit from the billboard charts, or something that has been playing on the radio a lot, chances are they don’t have permission to use it. I mean really, if you are the artist with a hit song wouldn’t you want to be compensated for it’s use?
I have decided that as an artist, I don’t think it’s ok for me to steal from another artist. For that reason all the music that I use on my site, will be used with permission from the artist(s). The song that I am currently using is from a band from Stratford, Ontario called Mac & James. Mac happens to be my cousin, and although I am not a huge country guy, I have to say that I love their music. If you want to hear more or check them out, head on over to myspace and find them (http://www.myspace.com/macandjames).
Thanks for taking the time to read this post. Hopefully, it will help create a little respect among artists. At the very least, maybe some understanding. Until next time, cheers.
We recently celebrated our little girls first birthday. We had all sorts of fun, as you can see! It was a butterfly theme, and with my wife’s eye for style and all things pretty, it was a hit. I must say that it is a pleasure to shoot an event like this, especially when it is my own kids. I get lots of great photos and cake! I mean who wouldn’t like that!? Hope you enjoy the pics!
Ok, so it is clear to me today, that I have been way to slow on the posts as of late. These photos are from an engagement shoot that I did with Tracy and her fiancee Oneil a few months ago. So while it is a little late, I wanted to get some more of the pictures up because they turned out great, and I had a ton of fun. All of the shots were taken in downtown Kitchener, some in Victoria Park and some at other locations. Turns out that Oneil grew up in the area, so it was very fitting that we do the photos in his old stomping grounds. I had a great time you two, can’t wait for your wedding!
I recently had a maternity shoot with Leni & George. We had lots of fun taking shots and George is an aspiring photographer looking to learn more before the little bundle comes, so we had lots to talk about. I think I could talk about photography all day if someone wanted to! I can ramble on about equipment, or lighting, or post for hours. It’s always cool to find out how someone else works. Sometimes I have some valuable advice to add, and quite often I learn something I had never thought about. Thanks Leni and George for sharing your excitement with me and congrats!
Here is a shoot from a little while ago with my neighbours and their family. We had a great time taking photos down at Goldie Mill Park, and the weather was nice to boot. It is always fun to work with families for me, especially kids. I seem to have a natural bond with them for some reason, probably just the results of growing up with a daycare constantly around. In any event, here is a sampling of the afternoon, hope you like.
Here are a few quick photos from Shannon & Jeremy’s wedding recently. It was a blast to say the least. You guys looked awesome! I always feel so blessed to be able to spend such an intimate day with my couples. I am indeed lucky. It often doesn’t even seem like work, but then I suppose that is more of a reflection on the couple getting married. In Shannon and Jeremy’s case, it definitely did not feel like work. I have known Shannon since high school and Jeremy since they met. Being able to work with people I am friends with, is the greatest honour for me. Thank you Shannon and Jeremy for including me in your day.
This is Shannon & Jeremy, a few of my friends who are getting hitched in the fall. As you look at the photos you may say to yourself: “Self, they look awfully cold in some of these shots.”; you may also wonder: “Self, did their clothes change halfway through the photos?”; and finally you may ask yourself: “Self, is that snow on the ground in some of the shots?”. The answer to all your queries is YES! There is snow on the ground in some of the photos, their clothes did change, and yes it was #%$@*!’ cold for the first few. We ended up doing two engagement shoots just to mix it up. In the end we should have three of the four seasons covered. The first few shots were taken in the winter, and it was -30 or something stupid like that with the wind chill…..we were frozen solid! The other shots were taken a few weeks ago, and let me just say, I LIKE SUN! I can’t complain though because the winter shots were my idea…we were hoping it would snow. Thanks for bearing with me in the cold you two, I just know the weather will be perfect for your wedding…I can’t wait!
Here are a few photos from a wedding shot recently in Guelph, great weather and a great party! Thanks Courtney & Jamie for making me part of your day!
