Photographing Paul Brown

Recently I have been getting into David Lachepelle’s work. It’s basically over the top scenarios, heavily styled stets and wardrobe all with a sexual overtone. He basically got Angelina Jolie to make out with a horse and Pam Anderson to pose with giant pig costume… you name it he has made the celeb do it…

I decided I was going to shoot something in his style... so I contacted Paul Brown an award winning morning radio host and (one of the only well known people in Alberta who would ever consider this crazy request).

I showed him Lachepelle’s work and said I want to do something off the wall... with him. “I like it, what about me posing with dead hookers in a beer cooler? He said. “Let me think about it” I responded. He was all in for whatever I wanted to do.

Next I asked Klyment Tan to come on board as lighting technical advisor, (considering I have never shot like this) he suggested using make up artist Nikolas from themodestkingdom.com (an excellent choice)… finally the models we chose were Suzanne and Steph - natural picks who are confident and pros through and through (both Steph and Suzanne have been seen in the city in the Ranch billboard campaigns and Spasation campaigns.)… Suz brought on Brook (blond in chains). My main assistant Trevor and Natalie and Klyment’s guy Landon anchored the team.

I have to admit I was so amazed they all came on board. I mean what would you say if I said - “Hey I want to shoot Paul Brown wearing nothing but a robe in Rudolph slippers, with his dog in a beat to shit beer cooler with naked chicks wrapped in gold chains making out and another one posing with a golden pear, oh yeah and there will be a photo of Paul’s mom giving the finger in there too. …What do you say want in?”

This is not just my photograph, its a collaboration of the 10 people involved below. I am very happy to have worked with such a kick ass crew.

(left to right (Landon, Steph, Paul, Nat, Brooke, Trevor, Suzanne, Klyment, Nikolas and Me with the funny looking sleve :) oh yeah the 4x5 camera and pauls dog Dexter )

Enjoy!

C

Edmonton photographer photographs a new series

Here are a couple images from two series I shot these past few week… One is with a model I really enjoy shooting Steph (Hat) the other image is shot with a model named Klara (ballerina), who was an excellent pro who executed the concept to a tee.

Both photographs were influenced atleast in concept buy works of David Lachepelle, but lighting and feel from works of Patrick Demarchelier.

I am really taking a liking to the minimalist style of Demarchelier, especially being from north America where we often associate good photography with “more”. More lights, more technical proficiency, more Photoshop, more post production… where as in Europe, the minimalist style of shooting seems to be making a comeback.

Anyways, enjoy.
C

Edmonton Photographer Last Blog Before Egypt.

Hey gang,

Its been a while. I have been so busy with all my clients trying to get their shoots in before I leave for my 3 week shoot for Gap Adventures to Egypt and Jordan (I leave Monday the 23rd). The problem with extensive shooting trips is that before you leave you get overwhelmed with shoots from your clients.

This past 2 weeks I shot some pretty cool work for NAS (A division of McCann) for Safeway Canada, YYC Calgary Airports and Urban Systems as well as for Century Hospitality, A billboard campaign for the Ranch, and random images for a few other clients,

oh yeah and we just wrapped a charity shoot for the Rotary Club of Edmonton, which is fundraising for new introductary programs for New Canadians from Africa.

Oh yeah I also wrapped up shooting a photography exhibition for the UofA drama department commissioned me for. I have been shooting this since September and I am really excited to see it in print form.

It should be released in print form around May 7th. Im not to sure about the exact details, as I am not handling it, but I do know that Klyment Tan is printing it, which is a good thing for any photographer. And supposedly it will be like 60 images with some even being presented on canvas. It will also be online at http://www.photographyexhibition.net/.

Here are some images from the charity shoot and some select ones from the UofA exhibit.

Take care,
c

Edmonton Commercial Photographer Photographs Coal Miners in Alberta

For those who know my work, its pretty obvious that I prefer black and white photographs over color.

So when a client allows me to photograph industrial works in black and white I am like a kid in a candy store. Why? Because any photographer or designer will tell you that colors evoke emotions, by using or manipulating certain colors we can lead your eyes, cause you to think a certain way, even indirectly lead you to prejudge the image you are looking at.

So I feel that by removing the color, I am in fact removing a distraction, there by leaving the viewer with an image in its most basic form. I inadvertently force you to really look at the image. Im not leading you with a color scheme, over saturated colors or any other color trick, but forcing you to really see what I have presented to you in the image.

I feel my work as a whole should be classified as dignified portraits, and thus this should reveal an inner strength of my subject, and black and white work allows me to do this in the most basic form.

Here are a few photographs I shot of coal mining for the Canadian industrial archives. I am proud of this series.
C

Shooting for my Agency Book

In fashion photography Helmut Newton said, “If you find a beautiful woman %90 of your photograph is complete. ” Now I’m primarily an editorial and commercial photographer so for me when I am shooting fashion this quote reigns true. Here are a few photographs of a new talent Jill Scott. We shot these for some new work for my agency book… Jill herself is not represented by any agency at the time of this blog, but I don’t think it will be long before she is…

Enjoy!
C

Kermet The Frog

I’m a student of photography. Pretty much I buy photography collection books every week.

Yesterday I was reading a Yousuf Karsh book. You see Karsh was a Canadian photographer who took several famous photographs; Winston Churchill without a cigar, Albert Einstein among others he took the one of Jim Henson with Kermit the Frog on his shoulder…

While reading the Karsh book in my office I looked up at my toy display collection and saw my scale replica of Kermit. Something dawned on me…A lot of people ask “Whom in history would I like to photograph?” Jim Henson is always at the top of my list.
I thought what the hell… So pulled down Kermit and we went to the studio.

It may not have been be the full duo of Henson and Kermit, but I thought to myself hey I’m at least shooting %50 of it.

Oh yeah Kermit was really cool to work with, he didn’t complain, he remained super still… over all an excellent subject – Its not easy being green.

Remember don’t take life too seriously.

C

Dr David Schindler

I just had to share this story.

The best thing about being a photographer is the opportunities we get to meet fantastic people. It’s a privilege infact. But this past week I missed the boat on an opportunity to really get to know a fantastic subject.

Last week I was commissioned to shoot a three photo shoots for Readers Digest. One of the Digest shoots had me photographing Dr David Schindler.

Now usually I try to lean as much as I can about a subject before I shoot them. But in this case I was so bogged down with shoots, I had no time for background research.

All I knew is that Dr Schindler was a high-ranking Scientist at the UofA. So I turn up and shoot him in about 40 mins...

As it turns out a few days after the photo shoot I find out from another Digest subject that “Dr Schindler is an internationally celebrated scientist who has won several awards. He once won an award which gave him $1 million dollars, he then selflessly put all that money back into his research." I was floored at that comment.

I can’t believe my best question to Dr Schindler was - "Dr Schindler, could we put some glass beakers in front of you? I think it would look cool for the photo." Dr Schindler just looked at me and said "sure no problem," He was one of the most humble men I have ever had the pleasure to photograph.

Enjoy.
C