O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E C A N A D I A N A S S O C I AT I O N F O R P H O T O G R A P H I C A RT SPRING 2015 • $9.95
A Walk in the Woods - Dave Brosha Achieving Greatness - Joel Grimes Understand the Left & Right Brain - Sharon Tenenbaum
Better photography starts here. Learn on your own schedule. Choose from dozens of inspiring courses taught by world-renowned photographers that will help you capture stunning photos. For available courses and descriptions:
visit Henrys.com/LearningLab
ONLINE powered by
Vol. 16, No. 1 • Spring 2015
Contents
Sheena Wilkie
Editor-in-chief 14220 71 Ave. Surrey BC V3W 2L1 E-mail: editor-in-chief@capacanada.ca
Rick Shapka
Publishing Editor
Jozef VanVeenen
Art Director E-mail: information@tikit.ca
Kevin McMillan
Advertising Manager E-mail: advertising@capacanada.ca CANADIAN CAMERA (ISSN1206-3401) is published quarterly by the Canadian Association for Photographic Art, Box 357, Logan Lake BC V0K 1W0. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission of the publisher and author. All photographic rights remain with the photographer. Opinions expressed are those of the individual contributors. Contributions are welcomed from all CAPA members. Story ideas and low resolution photographs may be submitted to the Editor-in-Chief at editor-inchief@capacanada.ca. CANADIAN CAMERA reserves the unrestricted right to edit, crop and and comment editorially on all submitted material. SUBSCRIPTIONS: CANADIAN CAMERA is distributed automatically to CAPA members. Individual copies are available for $9.95. Library subscriptions cost $35.00 for four issues.
Rick Shapka
2
Message from the President
4 Phototalk 5 CAPA Photo Expo 2015 6 CAPA/Club News 9 CAPA 2014 Annual Digital Competition 10 CAPA 2014 Financial Statement 11 CAPA New Members Sharon Tenebaum 14 Understanding the Left & Right Brain Charles Diltz 17 CAPA colleges and Conferences 18 CAPA Competitions Results Joel Grimes 24 Acheiving Greatness Dave Brosha 28 A Walk in the Woods Kasandra Sproson 32 CAPA Photo Expo
Sheena Wilkie
Exploring Photography Sea to Sky - Photo Tours
For further information, contact CAPA National Headquarters, Box 357, Logan Lake BC V0K 1W0. Tel.: 1-250-523-2378 E-mail: capa@capacanada.ca Canadian Mail Publication Agreement #1665081 All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material appearing in this magazine in any form is forbidden without prior consent of the publisher. Copyright of photographs remain with photographer.
Printed in Canada by
theCOVER
CAPA is a FIAP-affiliated organization.
www.capacanada.ca
The Guardian" featuring Mi'kmaq dancer, Danny Boy Stephens Bear by Dave Brosha
CANADIAN CAMERA - 1
Message from the president Rick Shapka
CAPA Officers & National Founded in 1968, CAPA is a nonprofit organization for photographers, including amateurs, professionals, camera clubs, and anyone interested in photography. The aims of CAPA are to promote good photography as an art form in Canada, and to provide useful information for photographers. CAPA accomplishes this through interaction with individuals and member camera clubs and by distributing slide sets, evaluating photographs, running competitions, and publishing the quarterly Canadian Camera. CAPA also sponsors Canadian Camera Conference, a biennial summer weekend of field trips and seminars held in a different city every other year. CAPA is a member of the Fédération Internationale de l’Art Photographique (FIAP).
CAPA OFFICERS PRESIDENT Rick Shapka, FCAPA VICE PRESIDENT Volunteer Opportunity SECRETARY Michael Breakey, FCAPA TREASURER Len Suchan, FCAPA PAST PRESIDENT Jacques S. Mailloux, Hon. FCAPA
CAPA DIRECTORS ATLANTIC ZONE Leo Allain, MCAPA QUEBEC ZONE Jean-Marc Beaudoin ONTARIO ZONE Rod Trider PRAIRIE ZONE Harvey Brink PACIFIC ZONE Larry Breitkreutz, FCAPA DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGING Dr. Bob Ito, Hon. FCAPA DIRECTOR OF COMPETITIONS Virginia Stranaghan, FCAPA
MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR CAPA Membership phone 1.250.523.2378 c/o Lee Smith Box 357, Logan Lake, BC V0K 1W0 E-mail: membership@capacanada.ca Website: www.capacanada.ca
2 - CANADIAN CAMERA
Photo by Sheena Wilkie
Council Members
An Invitation To … Enjoy one of the many ‘benefits of your membership’ in CAPA!
As a volunteer led organization your directors strive to provide value added benefits and positive experiences to each of our members. One of those significant benefits for members is our biennial conference where people from across the country have an opportunity to come together to learn and share ideas about photography. There are always great photographer/presenters at our CAPA conferences. Those members who attended our 2013 Fredericton conference, enthusiastically presented by the Photo Fredericton folks, were treated to a first class learning experience. The social side of the conference was terrific. This spring issue will provide members with a sample of what is on offer by way of learning at the upcoming CAPA Photo Expo to be held at UBC at Vancouver, August 1, 2, & 3. Your CAPA directors extend a personal invitation to attend what will be a very positive learning and social experience. Specially in this digital age, with the ubiquitous hand held phone, that includes a camera, many manufacturers advertise that no special skills are required to take a great photograph! Those of us who belong to CAPA know that this is not quite so. While there may be an occasional “happy accident”, most great photographs require your technical skills and artistic understanding to make it a worthy image. We want you to bring your camera to class, including your mobile phones, learn
some new technique or skill, and then walk out the door to the beautiful UBC campus for coffee, or lunch break to make some special pictures. Larry Breitkreutz and his Pacific Zone committee are working hard to provide this wonderful learning opportunity surrounded by a visual feast of photographic opportunities. Why travel to Vancouver and the west coast to attend? 1) The opportunity for making images is truly amazing! Whether you enjoy nature, or landscape, urban grit or architecture, perhaps travel to the top at Grouse Mountain (grizzly bears) or the eclectic Granville Island, you will have unlimited opportunities to photograph. 2) Our CAPA Photo Expo photographers/ speakers and program is an outstanding one. You will learn, and be entertained by some great photographers. The committee has engaged a variety of photographers who are known for their teaching and photography abilities. 3) There will be an opportunity to meet with some old friends and make some new acquaintances. The opportunities to discuss photography over a cup of coffee, perhaps a local brew or glass of wine will be many. There will be a chance to see some new camera equipment, and try it out. 4) The Photo Tours that are available will take you to some places that are unusual; try the top of Grouse Mountain, or an opportunity to shoot from a plane, or a visit to Victoria. Or what else would you like to photograph during your visit? Please check the details on the CAPA Photo Expo Website at (http://capaphotoexpo.ca/) and book your tickets and photo tours before the early bird deadline of March 31st. I kook forward to seeing you there! g Sincerely, Rick Shapka, FCAPA President
SUBMISSION OF STORY IDEAS, PORTFOLIOS AND NEWS ITEMS
How to send material • Please write your story idea as a paragraph or outline of what you would like to write an article about and send it with several low res photos to editor-in-chief@capacanada.ca; • Photos must be JPG format; • If photos are scanned CMYK is preferable to RGB; • Photos must have simple descriptive filenames and include the photographer's name, e.g. Susan_ Brown_barn_swallow.jpg; • Please include your phone number, e-mail address and CAPA membership number.
When to send it You may submit a story idea any time but for time sensitive material our submissions deadlines are:
• Summer Issue April 10 • Fall Issue July 10 • Winter Issue Oct. 1st • Spring Issue Jan. 10
Available in: Clear, UV, ND Vario and High Transmission Kaesemann Polarizers. High quality made in Germany. Just spent a fortune on a great lens? Then why compromise your image quality with a cheap filter? Trust in the optical perfection of a B+W Filter.
2.0
Rogue 3-in-1 Honeycomb Grid & Colour Gels Honeycomb grids produce a spot of light with gradual fall-off. They can be used as main lights, hair lights, background or accent lights to create mood or drama. Produces 16, 25 and 45 degree grid spots. Add gels for expression or colour correct. Gels sold separately.
Image © ZachandJody.com, 2011
CAPA Members… We need submissions for upcoming issues. Canadian Camera is YOUR magazine! We welcome your story ideas, news items, portfolios and reviews. We do reserve the right to accept or reject material as we see fit. We make every effort to achieve a balance of views, subject matter and geographical representation of our members.
XS-Pro MRC Nano Coated Filters The XS-Pro Nano filter series feature the latest high-tech coating technology in a slim profile brass mount, suitable for many lenses. The hydrophobic MRC Nano coating makes cleaning easier and provides a scratch resistant barrier from dirt. Ideal for wide lenses 10mm (APS-C) and above.
ExpoDisc White Balance
AWB
Professional White Balance Thirty seconds first with the Expodisc will save hours of valuable time correcting colour later. Includes portrait warming filters. Available in 77mm & 82mm. $54.99
We offer great gear… The rest is up to you. Ball Heads Crafted in Germany, Novoflex offer a fantastic line of precision ball heads. Featuring a rock solid locking mechanism and sturdy metal design, they are suitable for any application.
Castel L Miniconnect quick release
Ball 19P with flash shoe
Focus Racks Invaluable to any macro rig, focus racks offer highly sensitive and smooth adjustments of the camera when focusing is most critical. The sturdy design will support heavy camera systems and the MC Connect and ARCA compatible quick-release system allows fast mounting and dismantling.
Where to send it Canadian Camera c/o Sheena Wilkie, Editor-in-Chief E-mail: editor-in-chief@capacanada.ca
Light Blaster
Imagination Projected Change reality! The Blaster is a revolutionary strobe based projector to add custom backgrounds or textures. Blaster Pattern Kits available- Special FX, Backgrounds, Wings, 35mm slides, and Metal Gobo, or design and print your own!
facebook.com/TheCanadian AssociationForPhotographicArt
D i s t ribut ed ex c lus i v el y i n C anada by:
www.redravenphoto.com Av ai lable f rom di s c erni ng s pec ialt y phot o ret ai lers ac ros s C anada
CANADIAN CAMERA - 3
phototalk Sheena Wilkie, Editor-in-chief
Getting together with other photographers, discussing photography, sharing ideas, experiences and knowledge has helped me produce some of my best work as a photographer. Workshops have inspired me and provided me with interesting photography opportunities. It has also been where I have made life long friends. I have attended two CAPA conferences (Fredericton NB and London ON) – unlike Charles Diltz who writes of his conference adventures in this issue. He has attended more than nine CAPA conferences! This year I am especially excited about the CAPA conference, not only is it happening in my backyard, but I am part of a great team of people who are creating CAPA Photo Expo just for you!
To give you a taste of what awaits you at the University of British Columbia this August we have articles from a few of our topnotch presenters, Joel Grimes, Dave Brosha and Sharon Tenenbaum. We also have a great article on the photo tours in Vancouver by photo tour leader Kasandra Sproson. So make Vancouver your holiday destination this summer. Pack your sunglasses and flip flops – and don't
Hardside Series Hardcore. Hardworking. Hardside.
forget your camera! You're going to need it at CAPA Photo Expo – Exploring Photography Sea to Sky! g Sheena Wilkie, FCAPA Editor-in-Chief Canadian Camera Magazine, www.phototalk.ca
Get waterproof and dustproof protection for photo and video gear by doubling your protection and carry options. The Hardside Series delivers extreme impact protection with a tough outer shell of formed ABS polymer, and a removable, soft-sidedinsert. Each case is stackable, lockable, versatile – and truly hardcore.
Find out more at lowepro.ca/hardside Distributed by DayMen Canada-daymen.ca ©2015 DayMen Canada Acquisition ULC
4 - CANADIAN CAMERA
Our roster of presenters includes: • Joel Grimes (Keynote Speaker) THE ART OF CREATING www.joelgrimes.com • Brenda Tharp (Keynote Speaker) EXTRAORDINARY EVERYDAY PHOTOGRAPHY www.brendatharp.com • Dave Brosha MASTERING CREATIVE LIGHT www.davebrosha.com • Teri Lou Dantzler MOBILE PHOTOGRAPHY www.teriloublog.com • Derek Hayes CREATIVE USE OF THE FISHEYE LENS www.derekhayesphotography.com • Chris Harris EXPRESSING EMOTION THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY www.chrisharris.com • Rick Hulbert PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION WITH AN ARCHITECTURAL ATTITUDE www.rickhulbertphotography.com • Marc Koegel LONG EXPOSURE PHOTOGRAPHY www.silverlandscapes.com • John Lehmann PHOTOJOURNALISM AND STORYTELLING www.lehmann.ca • Andrea Siriois USING PHOTO IMPRESSIONISM TO ACHIEVE YOUR VISION www.andreasirois.com • Sharon Tenenbaum THE IMPORTANCE OF VISION IN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY www.sharontenenbaum.com
Exploring Photography Sea to Sky AUGUST 1-3, 2015 Join us in Vancouver to explore and fuel your passion for photography at CAPA Photo Expo, August 2015. The Canadian Association for Photographic Art is creating a vibrant arts community to welcome photographers from the Pacific Northwest, across Canada, the US and other countries. Mark your calendar and plan now to join us for a weekend of interactive workshops, photo tours, print displays, presentations, competitions, trade show and most of all photographic exploration.
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN AT WWW.CAPAPHOTOEXPO.CA
Photo credit to Dennis Ducklow
See you in Vancouver in 2015!
Mark your calendar and plan now to join us at CAPA Photo Expo on August 1-3, 2015 For more information visit www.capaphotoexpo.ca
CANADIAN CAMERA - 5
CAPA/Club News
CAPA PHOTO EXPO
Exploring Photography – Sea to Sky, Vancouver 2015 How much value is there in attendAt CAPA Photo Expo the program, ing a conference – really? After all, speakers and activities provide there are other ways that we can a fabulous prospect for adding to learn and grow as photographers our knowledge, to renew our vision – aren’t there? The Internet has and to expand our photographic so much available – for free. And horizons. We have engaged some we can read books, talk to friends of the finest photographers and – even attend a photo club. True, speakers on the continent to share these may help us on our phototheir vision, motivation and expegraphic journey – but isn’t there rience with us. Not only are they more? excellent photographers, but they There is something very special are also entertaining and engaging that happens when we immerse presenters. See our website: capaourselves in something that we’re photoexpo.ca for more information passionate about, with others about each presenter, along with Photo by Larry Breitkreutz who share the same enthusiasm. links to their websites and images. It becomes a “peak experience” In addition to meeting these excit– something that will change us ing speakers, you will be able to and stay with us for the rest of our connect with other like-minded indilives. Psychologist Abraham Maslow viduals from across North America, described peak experiences as “rare, exciting, oceanic, deeply movfrom whom you can learn and gain new insights into the creative ing, exhilarating, elevating experiences that generate an advanced process. You will be enriched by new friendships and ideas. form of perceiving reality, and are even mystic and magical in their But this event will be more than just a “sit and learn” experieffect”. Or, more simply, they are “moments of highest happiness and ence. We have organized a number of amazing photo tours, which fulfillment”. Try and get that from reading a book – or surfing the ‘net. provide great opportunities to see and learn how others create their images. Whether you are interested in a West Coast Adventure, a Whale Watching experience, or to photograph in some of Vancouver’s amazing gardens, or on the vibrant streets of Vancouver or Victoria, you will have many opportunities to create iconic images of this unforgettable part of the world. We may be able to learn about camera techniques from a manual or from YouTube videos, but, more important than technique in our growth as photographers, is the development of a personal vision. In this regard, we can learn much from others. What drives them? What motivates them? What can we learn from them that we can apply to our own work? For this, we must hear the person’s heart, sense their passion. What is it that makes them great? How do they create their art? This growth happens best in the intense, rich, focused atmosphere of a conference. The program for CAPA Photo Expo has been carefully crafted to provide a wide range of topics and experiences, as well as to give us ample time to immediately put what we’ve learned into practice with our cameras, so that we will retain it and grow. Along with all of this, there is also the sheer joy of having a grand time together with old, as well as new, friends in one of the most beautiful and photographically rich environments in North America. “Super, Natural British Columbia” is more than a tag line, it is reality. Come to CAPA Photo Expo to learn, to grow, to enjoy. You will be changed.
Why Should I Attend CAPA Photo Expo 2015?
For more information, and to register, go to
www.capaphotoexpo.ca Larry Breitkreutz, Pacific Zone Director
6 - CANADIAN CAMERA
CAPA/Club News
RA Photo Club Celebrating 75th Year Ottawa's RA Photo Club celebrates its 75th Anniversary this year with pride in its record of service to generations of photographers in the national capital. Among the largest photo clubs in eastern Ontario, peaking at 325 members in 2012-13, the RA Club provides year round studio, darkroom and digital services, a print and digital gallery, educational workshops, and programs serving the increasingly diverse interests of its members. Meeting weekly from fall to spring and monthly in summer, members participate actively in competitions, exhibitions, nature and urban outings, audio-visual projects, fine art photography and critiquing sessions. Member participation is encouraged, one of every four members volunteer to run club activities. "We are at a very exciting stage in our history," Chairperson Perpetua Quigley comments, "as we see technical wizards challenging the art of photography with creative use of software to
make beautiful and sometimes surreal compositions. Technology is making photography accessible to anyone who owns a cell phone, point-and-shoot or DSLR. Yet renewed interest is shown in print photography and darkroom use as an exclusive art form. It is a time of diversity, creativity and innovation as club members adopt styles ranging from documentary and photo journalism to the purest of fine art. Subject matter can be found everywhere: from the confines of a kitchen in still life to the exotic locales of seasoned travellers. There is room for all." Celebrations marking the 75th Anniversar y year 2014-15 began September 2 with special presentations by leading club photographers and the release of "Celebrating 75 Years," a 40-page club history booklet patterned in format after "Canadian Camera." One hundred and thirty three current and past club members mingled at a 75th
Anniversary Banquet held on November 18 moderated by Glen Cullis. Catherine Kelly regaled listeners with tales of her photo club beginnings 40 years ago; Mike Giovinazzo offered dazzling imagery and data characterizing technology's surreal impact on present day photography, and Mike Heffernan envisaged a future coping with such hot gadgets as fast wide-angle lenses, in-camera HDR, smart phones with lens add-ons, mirror-less cameras, wearable cameras, drone photography, light field photography, post-processing focusing and 3D sweep post-processing. The RA Photo Club will host the Canadian Camera Conference in June 2017, preceding celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Planning is under the direction of former CAPA President Dave Haggarty, who spearheaded highly successful Ottawa conferences in 1998 and 2003. Jacques Mailloux, who co-chaired CCC '98, has twice served as CAPA President.
CAPA Photo Expo Individual Competition June 1, 2015, is the deadline for receipt of digital i足mages and prints in the individual photographic competition associated with the CAPA Photo Expo. Entry forms and information can be found at the CAPA Photo Expo web site at capaphotoexpo.ca. Awards that might make your friends jealous will be presented at the CAPA Photo Expo between August 1-3, 2015.
CANADIAN CAMERA - 7
CAPA/Club News FIAP and Alphabet Soup CAPA is one of the 86 national photographic associations in the world that make up the members of the Federation Internationale De L’Art Photographique (FIAP). Individuals cannot join FIAP but, as a member of CAPA, you are eligible for FIAP awards in proficiency in international competitions or service. It doesn’t matter if you are still on the steep part of the photographic learning curve or a serious enthusiast there is a FIAP award out there for you to aim for. There are seven distinctions for photographic merit and two for service available, each that comes with a curious collection of letters that photographers from all over the world append to their names. Keith Vaughn, EFIAP, after 20 years of service as CAPA’s Liaison Officer, has recently passed CAPA’s Liaison Officer position to David Laronde, AFIAP. To find out what on earth the collection of these letters mean and how to challenge your photographic skills to reach a FIAP distinction visit the CAPA website or contact David Laronde directly at david@heartworksphoto.com for more information.
4 Nations Competition CAPA is looking for images to represent the Canadian entry in the 4 Nations Competition. This digital competition is held each year between the Photographic Societies of South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, and represents the best from each country. In this competition each country enters a total of 80 digital images divided into four categories: open, monochrome, nature, and "our country". If you are interested in helping CAPA put together an entry reflecting the quality of the photography of its members please send up to five images in 1400 x 1050 format to David Laronde at david@heartworksphoto.com prior to March 31, 2015. All images are eligible except for those that have formed part of CAPA's previous entries in the 4 Nations Competition. No entry fee is required to participate, but only one image per author may make up each countries entry in this competition.
REGINA SHUTTERBUGS
Frame by Frame PhotoForum 2014 Regina, Saskatchewan – Nov. 1 & 2, 2014 Show and tell, a well-used phrase, is not adequate to be used in expressing appreciation for the recent excellent presentations. The recent PhotoForum in Regina was without a doubt a classic and very successful. The eight presenters made the weekend event an enjoyment to remember with their ability to convey and demonstrate the finer points of photography. It is with gratitude that we must offer on behalf of all who attended and our committee a rousing thanks and appreciation and to the organizing committee who gave so much of their time, effort and dedication to ensure the success of the PhotoForum held in Regina, Saskatchewan with some of the best professional photographers in Canada. Freeman Patterson, who has presented in Regina numerous times over the years, inspired us with images and knowledge surrounding design and creativity. Dennis Fast the expert polar bear photographer, was a joy to listen to. Mufty Mathewson’s presentation on rehabilitation patients and their artistic opportunities was fascinating. Dr. Branimir Gjetvaj’s travelogue on Croatia was both interesting and informative. Mike Grandmaison illustrated concepts on inspiration, seeing, intimacy, order and change – again an interesting presentation. Larry Easton’s presentation on “Sacred Places in Rural Saskatchewan & the Art of Architecture” was very informative and enjoyable with wonderful images. Susan McGillivray’s program was an amazing musical trip down memory lane, very entertaining and very well put together. And last, but most definitely not least, Darlene Young astounded us with her Liquid Art Photography – a very delightful and fascinating program of abstract images. What a fun-filled process! All of these presenters contributed to an enjoyable event to remember. It is again with gratitude that we extend our appreciation to the presenters, guests and especially to this great committee who organized this wonderful seminar. Thank you so very much. It was an extreme pleasure and honor to work with this fine group of people. Bill Inglis, Hon. FCAPA - Event Coordinator & Lloyd Jones, Event Advisor
Phillip Liu
Request a free Hot Spot Photography Map pullmanchamber.com facebook.com/PicturePerfectPalouse palousescenicbyway.org • 800-365-6948 8 - CANADIAN CAMERA
CAPA/Club News
CAPA Annual Digital 2015 Competition The theme of the 2015 ADC is "Capturing the Moment" The Annual Digital Competition is the one CAPA competition with merchandise prizes. There will be three winners and 10 CAPA Honour Awards will also be given. By participating in this competition you will have a chance to win fabulous prize packages. This competition is open to CAPA individual and family members only; those members who are permanent Canadian residents. If you are not a CAPA member, and if you belong to one of our many CAPA clubs, we encourage you to join as an individual or family member. All entries must be submitted electronically no later than midnight (Pacific Standard Time: GMT-8:00) September 15th, 2015, through our online submission system on the CAPA website. Your CAPA member number and a valid e-mail address are required to login and register. All participants will be confirmed as members in good standing and living in Canada with our database, before their
entries are accepted and judged. E-mail and regular mail entries will not be accepted and will not be returned. The rules and guidelines governing this competition are posted on the CAPA website. Inquiries should be sent to CAPA-ADC@ CAPACanada.ca. Make sure you include the title of the competition and the word CAPA in the subject line, or your message may be tagged as spam. Participation is limited to 2 entries per member. You may submit either colour or black and white photos. Manipulation in editing software is permitted. Judging will be carried out in Ottawa in October 2014, and the results will be announced on the CAPA website. Competition Chair: LĂŠo Allain Email: atlantic@capacanada.ca
EVENT SPONSORS
Our thanks and appreciation goes to John Elliott of the Ottawa RA Photo Club for the creation and integration of the online submission system to the CAPA Website.
www.capacanada.ca
Get Your CAPA Clothing & Merchandise Today! For information see Page 12 or email merchandise@capacanada.ca
CANADIAN CAMERA - 9
CAPA/Club News CAPA Financial Statement
capa@capacanada.ca • www.capacanada.ca Tel.(250) 523-2333 10 - CANADIAN CAMERA
Latow's is hosting its 36th Annual Seminar on April 11, 2015 Popular Nikon legend Tony Sweet will be the featured guest speaker at the 36th seminar of the Latow Photographers Guild in Burlington, ON. On Saturday, April 11, Tony will inspire and instruct photography enthusiasts on four topics during this allday event: creative composition, in-camera creative effects, texture blends, and phone photography. On Sunday, April 12, Tony will hold two sessions of 2 hours each -- one on Photographing Delightful Decrepitude and a second on Finding and Developing Your Personal Style. A third session will be led by Tony's partner Susan Milestone, on Traditional & Creative Techniques for Flower & Plant Photography. The very popular annual Audio Visual Festival at the same venue will feature several short shows on different topics, using different techniques to coordinate images and music and tell stories or display the artistic possibilities of photography. A great evening for photographers, other visual artists, and those who simply appreciate a good show. More details and tickets are available online at: www.latowseminar.com
Celebrating 80 Years the London Camera Club is pleased to p resent Canadian photographer Richard Martin on Saturday, April 11, 2015, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Atlantic Zone
Quebec Zone
Gilles Baron QC Sandra Greenberg QC
Ontario Zone
Claude Alphonso ON Jon Babulic ON Kathleen Barry ON Michel Casault ON Chrystia Chudczak ON Christopher Grant ON Harry Hersh ON Pushpendra Matharu ON Andrew Mostowski ON Vartkes Peltekoglu ON Jay-Dee Purdie ON Janice Street ON Yihan Xi ON Brenda Zawalick ON
It’s got the winning DNA
Inspiring photographers since 1990, Richard’s unique sense of light and colour, and love of pattern and texture express real emotion in all his work. This all day seminar will inspire, motivate and encourage a different way of thinking. Creativity and visual design are key components. Topics will concentrate on making photographs that evoke and stimulate the imagination, and reveal the magic and mystery in seeing the world. To register and for venue location please visit our website at www.londoncameraclub.ca.
Spring 2015 CAPA NEW MEMBERS Judith Kimberley NS Laurie Ann Quigley NS Peter Ramsden NS
DNA 11 Graphite Messenger Bag
Prairie Zone
Colleen Sheridan BC Carollyne Sinclaire BC Deb Thurlbeck BC Tommy Tursilo BC Garth von Buchholz BC Valerie Williams BC
Richard Collens AB Richard Davis AB Lloyd Dykstra AB Mary Lou Fletcher SK Heather Kuchma AB Marilyn Kuhlmann-Nimegeers SK Lyn Murray AB Lynn Webber AB
Mazyar Asadi Iran Samer Eldarwish Egypt
Pacific Zone
Donations
Victoria Grant BC Rob Hebden BC Betty Johnston BC Dora Korzuchowska BC Martin Kostian BC Henrik Nilsson BC Club C/O Sharron Palmer-Hunt Bowen Island Photography Club BC Tim Roe BC John Sarembas BC Bert Sharp BC
International
Richard Shapka David Hobden
membership@capacanada.ca www.capacanada.ca
Tenba’s newest Messenger bag is designed to provide year-round, all-weather, rugged performance for your camera and accessories – without sacrificing stylish good looks. For example, the front flap extends over the top of the bag to ensure 100% weatherproof coverage. Capacity: Mirrorless camera with 3-5 lenses or a DSLR with 2-3 lenses, plus flash and accessories, iPad (or similar sized tablet).
Grand Turismo Tripod Kit The ultimate travel tool for photographers Park it anywhere, the Grand Turismo provides maximum stability, and supports up to 36 lb making it ideal for use with full frame DSLRs and long lenses. Includes carbon fibre tripod, a slim profile head, a short column for low level work, and a deluxe carrying case. Folded length: 18.1"/45.9 cm Max height: 64”/162.5 cm Weight: 4.2 lb/1.9 kg
vistek.ca CANADIAN CAMERA - 11 Vistek_CC_Spring_2015_Third-Vertical.indd 1
2015-01-23 9:30 AM
CAPA/Club News
2015 CAPA Scholarship The interaction with workshop leaders was amazing, being able to talk to them after class about marketing and the business side of photography was extremely helpful and informative."
CAPA PHOTO EXPO EARLY REGISTRATION DISCOUNT ENDS MARCH 31
Individual and family CAPA members may apply for the annual $500.00 scholarship to assist members in furthering their knowledge of photography. Your application must include information describing how the funds will be used and the expected benefits from the scholarship. Send a letter to the CAPA President, or email to president@capacanada.ca.
Last year's scholarship winner was Ehsan Mahdizadeh Madhava Musterer Photo
“CAPA's scholarship enabled me to attend Image Exploration 2014 with Joel Grimes, one of the leading photographers in industry. The week long workshop was held in Victoria BC. It was a intensive experience, attending classes from morning to night and free time spent hanging out sharing and working with other photographers.
Applications must be received no later than June 30th, 2015. Please write a short photographic biography; include a list of service to CAPA and/or Canadian photography and details regarding the proposed use of the funds accompanied by a portfolio of six of your own images. Scans 1024 x 768 pixels up to 2 mb are preferred.
Get Your CAPA Clothing & Merchandise Today!
CLASSIC PIQUE SPORTS SHIRTS FOR MEN AND WOMEN MEN’S SIZES S-2XL ORDER ITEM # S400 - BLACK ONLY
35.00 PLUS SHIPPING
$
LADIES’ SIZES XS-2XL ORDER ITEM # L400 - WHITE ONLY
35.00 PLUS SHIPPING
$
Indicate size required.
12 - CANADIAN CAMERA
CAPA FLEECE VESTS BLACK ONLY MEN’S SIZES S-2XL ORDER ITEM # J740 - BLACK ONLY
45.00 PLUS SHIPPING
$
LADIES’ SIZES XS-2XL ORDER ITEM # L740 - BLACK ONLY
35.00 PLUS SHIPPING
$
Indicate size required.
CLASSIC SPORTS CAPS FOR MEN AND WOMEN ONE SIZE FITS ALL. ORDER ITEM # C140 BLACK OR NAVY BLUE
19.95 PLUS SHIPPING
$
CAPA 4” EMBROIDERED CREST ORDER ITEM # C004
CAPA BRASS PIN WITH ENAMEL INLAY
10.00
$
PLUS SHIPPING
Email orders to capa@capacanada.ca Or via mail to CAPA, Box 357, Logan Lake, BC, V0K 1W0 Tel: 1-250-523-2378
ORDER ITEM # P001
9.00
$
PLUS SHIPPING
awe is in the details Fireworks crackling mid-air. Thousands celebrating together. A night to remember – down to the last detail. That’s why the size of your camera’s sensor matters so much. A larger sensor means more detail and with a Sony 5000 you’ll capture every last detail – from the subtle colours of the light show above to the joy on people’s faces as they celebrate the night away. The Sony
5000. Extraordinary sensor size. Ultra compact body.
BE MOVED www.store.sony.ca/a5000 Sony and
®
are registered trademarks of Sony Corporation. Screen images are simulated. A.E. & O.E.
Understand the Left & Right Brain How these inherent and artistic rules of the subconscious mind affect our visual interpretation of art By Sharon Tenenbaum
Ever wonder what differentiates good from great art? What gives some images that extra superior edge in comparison to all the rest. What is going on in our subconscious mind when we look at these images? What gives some images that extraordinary ‘wow’ factor and some are just okay. As a fine art photographer, I was intrigued with these questions and I spent a few years researching everything I could get my hands on that was about the study of the brain and how it relates to our interpretation of the visual world.
My research lead me to the difference in the way the two hemispheres of our brain work as each ‘thinks’ and ‘sees’ differently and this is where I found the answers to my questions.
Have a look at this image:
Now have a look at this one, the same image but rotated horizontally
Capilano Bridge - Original
Capilano Bridge - Rotated
14 - CANADIAN CAMERA
Did one appeal to you more than the other?
Well, in over 90% of people asked, image number one was more appealing and I can tell you that there is a reason for that. We all suffer a bit from split personality. Our brain, as scientists have found, is divided into two completely separate hemispheres, left and right and each reigns over two separate domains. The left hemisphere is in charge of sequential, analytical and logical thought; it is the home of speech and language. The right hemisphere is more spatial and visual; it is nonlinear, intuitive and holistic (sees the big picture). In computer terms, the right brain operates like a parallel processor while the left is like a serial processor.
So now you might ask: Well, how does all this apply to art? I will answer this question with example of the Capilano Bridge I have shown above but will first touch on another distinct difference between the two hemispheres and that is that they are contralateral. Motoric skills of one side of the body are controlled by the contralateral part of the brain, so each time you move your right hand, it is a region in the left hemisphere of your brain that is in charge of doing that. This fact is mainly apparent in stroke patients. People that experience a stroke in the left hemisphere, when blood supply is impaired to that part of the brain, experience a paralysis of the right side of their body and vice versa.
CANADIAN CAMERA - 15
Additionally, the trivial movement like moving your head to the right is controlled by parts in the Left side of the brain. This also applies to the subtle eye movement occurring during reading or scanning the horizon. Now, after explaining a few of the fundamentals, I can touch on how these biological differences affect our interpretation of art. In art, and namely in photography we may have elements within our image of which their geometry creates a line that leads our gaze from one point within the frame to another. These organically created lines are called in art lingo, Leading Lines. Examples of leading lines can be a meandering path through a countryside landscape or a straight side of a building. The point I wish to make in this section is that the direction in which the leading line guides our gaze makes a difference to the way we interpret the image. In the Capilano Suspension Bridge Image, there are three leading lines that we see instantaneously (simultaneous thinking) but don’t register till giving the image a closer look. The two outside railings create the diagonal leading lines guiding the viewer’s eyes from the bottom left to the converging point at the top right. The fact that the lines are not completely straight but have a curvature, adds to the softness and flow of the image. The third line is the walkway sandwiched between the railings leading your gaze even more strongly to the ‘peak’ point.
Overall in this image the leading lines are guiding our gaze from left to right in a continuous manner stimulating the left side of the brain, which in nature is a sequential linear thinker. By moving your gaze to the right you are approaching the Left brain, as if you are knocking on a door waiting for someone to answer, you have something to tell them, now you have to make sure that you are talking to them in a language that they understand. The Left brain understand lines. The combination of these two characteristics: 1. Moving your gaze to the right and 2. Continuous, linear movement which creates a natural flow and ease to the image, ‘talks’ to us in the innate language our Left brain understands. A legitimate question can be raised, since English speaking people are already ‘trained’ in reading from left to right, doesn’t that create a bias in their preference for linear sequential images where the leading lines guide your gaze from left to right? I say not and I will make my point. In my ebook, Left & Right Brain, I open the discussion of the history of the development of written language and the ramifications it has to the way our minds work. Does the fact that our written language in the west is written left to right (Left brain) have any implications on the preference of the image we choose as seen in the example above of the Capilano Bridge. Or perhaps, is it the other way around, Indo-European languages have developed they way they have due to their fullcontextual properties and thus just created a growth spurt in the Left brain? Understanding these differences will help you develop and cultivate tools that will assist you to consciously see the world differently.
When you see the world differently, your images will be different Instead of focusing on color tones and post-processing, which I regard as ‘icing on the cake’, this engrossing study of how our two hemispheres interpret the world will help you improve on your intuitive compositional skills. g
Sharon Tenenbaum is an international award winning fine art photographer. Combined with her original background as a Civil Engineer, her work covers a wide gamut of subject matter from ‘in the moment’ photojournalism to fine art architectural photography which is a perfect marriage of her engineering and artistic sides. Sharon will be presenting this summer at CAPA Photo Expo in Vancouver. For more about Sharon's work and her ebooks visit her website at sharontenenbaum.com
Capilano Suspension bridge Leading Lines
16 - CANADIAN CAMERA
CAPA Colleges and Conferences By Charles Diltz
During this past year, I have been very busy displaying and selling my photos that I have taken over the years. But there has been a question: When and where did I take these fantastic pictures? It seems that many of them had been taken in connection with Camera Canada Conferences. In puzzling over this, I glanced at a jar on my desk, full of pens and pencils, one which showed a “Last Mountain Saskatoon Berry Jam” label. Yes! I remember Jim Slough from the Regina Camera Club taking a group on an excursion to Last Mountain. Since I have been to so many CAPA Colleges and Conferences, I could not remember when that was. I thought that it would help if there was a list of past meetings available. Call to Rick Shapka, e-mail to Sheena Wilkie, and bingo, a list was produced which showed that Regina was held in early Sept. 2005, with a side trip to Moose Jaw and the Tunnels. Me and my big mouth! Both Rick and Sheena asked me to write a reflection on anecdotes from the past. There are others, like Dr. Bob Ito, who could do this, but it appears that I am “it”. Fotoflash! I remember receiving it to read about Colleges that were being held always on the July 1st long weekend, but work prevented me from attending. As far as I can remember, I must have joined NAPA around 1985. Finally, in 1994, I was able to attend the College that was held in Kingston; and I have attended every Conference since. Kingston 1994. For the first time ever, I entered photos in the College competition and actually had one photo
selected to be displayed. And, for the first and last time ever, I missed the first side trip that I had signed up for. I had just come off a nine day canoe venture in Northern Ontario and was dead tired. Julie Holmes, the trip leader, was not impressed. Winnipeg in ’96 sticks in my mind because CAPA advised me that it wasn’t safe to stay at the hotel that I had booked; and they helped me find other more suitable accommodation. Oak Marsh and Turtle Mountain were two of the areas visited. In 1997, the Conference was held in Moncton where some of us met a chap from St. John who ran a workshop on infra red film
photography. He introduced us to Konica film with an ASA of 7 which proved to be a consistently reliable medium, far better than anything Kodak produced. Moncton was also Hopewell Rocks and clouds of sandpipers swirling over the shoreline. Calgary in ’99 was noted for a hail storm. Vancouver held Conferences twice, 1995 and 2000. The ’95 gettogether involved trips to Steveston, Coal Harbour, and the Symphony of Fire at English Bay. 2000 stands out for the visit to the Museum of Anthropology at U.B.C. followed by the outdoors salmon BBQ cooked on cedar by local native people. Then we were treated to a slide presentation called “Nature’s Visions” I don’t remember much about Halifax except the usual trip to Peggy’s Cove and the Citadel. I was billeted in Shirreff Hall which had been a women’s residence where, years before, I had gone to visit a young lady friend and was made to wait in the foyer. Ottawa followed in 2003 with Tony Beck as a presenter. There were trips to Victoria Island, and to Perth area for the Lady Slippers. As well,many opportunities for night shots. London in 2011 was an excellent conference. The City of London gave each of us bus passes to encourage us to see the city. The Conference was held at Fanshawe College. Finally, to cap it all off, Fredricton put on an excellent “do’, in fact, one of the best. Grand Manan, Kings Landing, St. Martin’s, Shamper’s Bluff, to name a few of the excursions offered. I went to Grand Manan on my own because it gave me more flexibility. For example, I was able to go to Seal Cove three times: different tides, different times of day. I also got to Whitehead Island. Local people are approachable and will tell you neat places to go. But best of all, we were treated to several memorable and inspiring presentations by both Freeman Patterson and David du Chemin. I took notes.
What’s next? CAPA Photo Expo in Vancouver this August. See you there. g CANADIAN CAMERA - 17
CAPA Competitions Fall Print Open Individual Competition October 30, 2014 Host: The Darkroom Group, Coquitlam, BC Gold Certificate/Medal Jim Ainslie, Edmonton, AB, Calla Silver Certificate/Medal Theodore Lo, London, ON, Hunan Farmer Bronze Certificate/Medal Antje Danielson, Delta, BC, Mare with Colt Certificates of Merit 1st Jim Ainslie, Edmonton AB, Calla 2nd Jim Ainslie, Edmonton AB, Pond 3rd Antje Danielson, Delta BC, Mare with Colt HM 4th HM Carol Coleman, North Vancouver, BC Carol Coleman, Leaves Carol Coleman, Soo Reflection Carol Coleman, Are You Listening Carol Coleman, Fiery Flower
Gold, Jim Ainslie, Calla
18 - CANADIAN CAMERA
Silver, Theodore Lo, Hunan Farmer
Bronze, Antje Danielson, Mare with Colt
CAPA Competitions Fall Print Open Club Competition October 30, 2014 Host: The Darkroom Group, Coquitlam, BC Gold Certificate/Medal London Camera Club, London, ON Theodore Lo, Feeding Time Crandall Benson, The Packsack Steve Donnelly, After The Storm Mary Chambers, Heading Home Bruce Laing, Hanalei Bay at Dusk Pia O’, Sunrise at Erg Chebbi
Viki Gaul, Gator Grin
Silver Certificate/Medal Photographic Guild of Nova Scotia, Halifax, NS Viki Gaul, Gator Grin Fred Greene, Proud Bird Darryl Robertson, Dall Sheep Horns Mervyn Kumar-Misir, Peggys Sunset George Mitchell, Cloister of Saint Sauveur Cathedral Dean Hirtle, Atomium Escalator Bronze Certificate/Medal North Shore Photographic Society, West Vancouver, BC Jason Duncan, Stormy Day at Stokksnes Sharon Shales, The Noren In Zanzabar Kobus Ro, Black-chinned Hummingbird Geoffrey Shuen, Twisted Like a Pretzel Debbie Webb, Dandelion Carol Coleman, Glorious Garlic
Steve Donnelly, After The Storm
Certificates of Merit 1st Jason Duncan, North Shore Photographic Society, Stormy Day at Stokksnes 2nd Theodore Lo, London Camera Club, Feeding Time 3rd Viki Gaul, Photographic Guild of Nova Scotia, Gator Grin HM 4th HM – Burnaby Photographic Society, Burnaby, BC John Wilson, Flippa Fish Bob Hansen, Rising Danuta Jaworski, Wet Crossroad Randall Peterman, Skyscraper Reflections Kim Cuthbert, Painted Neighbourhood Ata Safar, Fire Flower
Kobus Ro, Black-chinned Hummingbird
Dean Hirtle, Atomium Escalator
Geoffrey Shuen, Twisted Like a Pretzel
Mary Chambers, Heading Home
CANADIAN CAMERA - 19
CAPA Competitions Fall Nature Individual October 30, 2014 Host: Photographic Guild of Nova Scotia, Halifax, NS Gold Certificate/Medal Mike Wooding, North Saanich, BC, Atlantic Puffins Billing1 Silver Certificate/Medal Marlene Hornstein, Montreal, QC, Reddish Egret Bronze Certificate/Medal Mary Chambers, London, ON, Adult Macaque Botany Award Natalya Gunde, North Shore Photographic Society, West Vancouver, BC, Teazel
Gold, Mike Wooding, Atlantic Puffins Billing1
Certificates of Merit 1st Don Peterson, Victoria, BC 2nd Bob Hawkins, Mississauga Camera Club, Mississauga, ON 3rd Mike Wooding, Victoria Camera Club, North Saanich, BC
Silver, Marlene Hornstein, Reddish Egret
Bronze, Mary Chambers, Adult Macaque
20 - CANADIAN CAMERA
Botany Award, Natalya Gunde, Teazel
CAPA Competitions Fall Nature Club October 30, 2014 Host: Photographic Guild of Nova Scotia, Halifax, NS Gold Certificate/Medal Toronto Camera Club, Toronto, ON Bruce Kennedy, Indigo Bunting Male Christoper Siou, Hoverfly Pollinating Evening Lychnis Doug Morris, Road Runner and Cricket Missy Mandel, Grizzly Sow & Cubs Garry Revesz, Rare Ivory Gull Roger Leekam, Common Loon and Chicks
Missy Mandel, Grizzly Sow & Cubs
Silver Certificate/Medal Lions Gate Camera Club, Vancouver, BC, Roberta Olenick, Laysan Albatross John Lowman, Purple Martin with Darner Virginia Hayes, Dargonfly at Rest Ursula Easterbook, Red Fox David Wingate, Coordinated Approach Murray O’Neill, Sibling Squabble Bronze Certificate/Medal North Shore Photographic Society, West Vancouver, BC Lenora Shier, Merganser With Icy Feet Mark Bates, Perfect Landing Henrik Nilsson, Stop and Smell the Flowers Linda Jones, The Golden Shake Judith Fisher, Watchful Jason Duncan, Golden Rocks
Bruce Kennedy, Indigo Bunting Male
Botany Certificate: Ken Renton, Photographic Guild of Nova Scotia, Halifax, NS, Dew Drops Certificates of Merit 1st Doug Morris, Toronto Camera Club, Toronto, ON, Road Runner and Cricket 2nd Kayla Stevenson, Langley Camera Club, Surrey, BC, Good Morning Little Steenbok 3rd Bela Acs, Trillium Photographic Club, Burlington, ON, Common Thread-Waisted Wasp
Virginia Hayes, Dargonfly at Rest
Honour Awards 4th Trillium Photographic Club, Burlington, ON 5th (tied) London Camera Club, London, ON 5th (tied) Victoria Camera Club, Victoria, BC
Lenora Shier, Merganser With Icy Feet
Ursula Easterbook, Red Fox
Judith Fisher, Watchful
CANADIAN CAMERA - 21
CAPA Competitions Fine Art Individual October 30, 2014 Host: Foothills Camera Club, Calgary, AB Gold Certificate/Medal Sponsor: DxO Optics – Prize: DxO FilmPack Expert software Natalya Gunde, North Vancouver, BC, Peaceful Silver Certificate/Medal Judy Griffin, Etobicoke, ON, Judy Griffin, No Fishing Today Bronze Certificate/Medal Kelly Pape, Kamloops, BC, Total Score Kelly Pape, Grandmas Barn Certificates of Merit 1st Natalya Gunde, North Vancouver, BC, Peaceful 2nd Linda Treleaven, Sherwood Park, AB, Dried Splendor 3rd Peter Ferguson, Fonthill, ON, School’s Out Honour Awards 4th (tied) WCC-Peter Ferguson, Fonthill, ON 4th (tied) NSPS-Derek Hayes, White Rock, BC 5th (tied) Marion McCristall, Langley, BC 5th (tied) PGNS-Joyce SK Chew, Bedford, NS 5th (tied) David Laronde, North Vancouver, BC
Silver, Judy Griffin, No Fishing Today
Bronze, Kelly Pape, Grandmas Barn
22 - CANADIAN CAMERA
Silver, Natalya Gunde, Peaceful
CAPA Competitions Fall Fine Art Club October 30, 2014 Host: The Kingston Photographic Club, Kingston Ontario Gold Certificate/Medal Camera 35, Paradise Newfoundland Geoff Whiteway, Reflections Joe Chase, Iceberge Edge Erik Bartlett, Bicycle Jim Stacey, Long studio Fogo Island Karen Chappell, Eiffel Tower Marek Bromberek, At night
Erik Bartlett, Bicycle
Silver Certificate/Medal Images Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta Bruce Smith, Green Fire Nathan Hum, Sacred Stream Gilles Simard, Aiming for Heaven Vincent Morban, Horse and Rider Karen Albert, These Hands Bronze Certificate/Medal Brampton Photo Group – Brampton,ON John Lindo, CN Tower Rogers Centre David Reid, Dark Sky Reserve Ivan Blecker, The Fallen Angel Pete Herlihy, Dawning Peter Brewer, Missed the Last Train Home Nigel Banks, Reflections in the Pond
Geoff Whiteway, Reflections
Certificates of Merit 1st IACC, Scott Henderson, Fire over Firenze 2nd BPG, John Lindo, CN Tower Rogers Centre 3rd ECC, Rosa Wang, Country Picker 27 HM 4th (tied) Burnaby Photographic Society, Burnaby, BC 4th (tied) Trillium Photographic Club, Burlington ,ON 5th Toronto Camera Club, Toronto, ON Nathan Hum, Sacred Stream
Pete Herlihy, Dawning
Bruce Smith, Green Fire
John Lindo, CN Tower Rogers Centre
CANADIAN CAMERA - 23
Achieving Greatness By Joel Grimes
What do you think the single greatest factor is that separates the players from the onlookers? The ones that we call the “Rock Stars” or those that become the world influencers, from the ones that are always struggling to get noticed. Talent? A trust fund? Well, having talent and a trust fund may seem like an obvious advantage, but I would argue that in the end, those that have to fight for their success are much better off. Growing up I paid for my first car, my insurance, all the gas and maintenance to keep it running. I paid the majority of my college education. I worked weekends, summers and most holidays.
24 - CANADIAN CAMERA
In college, I started a house painting company that laid the foundation for the basic business practices that I would later carry over to my photography business. Talk about taking a class in Business Survival! You see, I had to fight to get where I am today. No handouts, no short cuts, no special favors. And that puts me at a great advantage. I had to learn to survive
by clawing and scratching my way to the top. Meet someone who is on top, spend a day with them and they will more than likely wear you out. Because they never stop working. They know the secret to success,”Hard work will out perform talent any day of the week”. Studies have show that those who practice twice as much than their counterparts will always out perform
CANADIAN CAMERA - 25
them. Always! Yes, once in a blue moon there comes along that we would call a prodigy. Someone who defies all human logic and performs on a level that is mind boggling. Can someone please name one photographer that falls into that category? Name one. I bet you can’t. Generally a prodigy is someone who has a natural gift and just happens to practice four to five times harder than their counter parts. That’s right, they practice four to five times as much as anyone else in their field. A prodigy has to EARN their way to the top. You see, in the end, it all comes down to practice. Have you ever read the story of the world’s greatest hockey
26 - CANADIAN CAMERA
player, Wayne Gretzky? Or for that matter, the world’s greatest anything, from sports, to music, to Tiddlywinks. They all practiced harder than anyone else. They never gave up. They took something they love and repeated it over and over again. More than any of their counterparts. So, you want to be a rock star? You want to become the number one wedding or portrait photographer in your town? Then start practicing. You want to shoot for National Geographic? Out work your competition, and you will out perform them. Yes, you have to be smart about where to put your energy, and there are many factors that come into play as we begin that
journey to the top. But you can’t get there without putting in the time. In the book Outliers, author Malcolm Gladwell lays out his case. He studied the movers and shakers and found out that they all had put in at least 10,000 hours in developing their particular skill set. In fifth grade I got in trouble for wearing a button on my shirt that simply read “I Am The Greatest”. My teacher felt that it was a bit presumptuous and condescending. It was actually a button referring to a quote from Muhammad Ali, who without question is the greatest boxer that has ever stepped into the ring. So, even as a young child, I was determined
to accomplish great things and was not shy about stating so. There is a price to pay in accomplishing great things. It starts with an investment of time. Get out and practice. Practice twice as hard as your competition and great things will follow. There are no short cuts. Jo e l w a s f i r s t i n t r o d u c e d t o photography in his freshman year of high school and from the very beginning it was a perfect match. By the time he began college, his passion for the photographic process was all consuming. Starting his first commercial studio in 1984 in Denver CO he has worked with many of the top advertising agencies across the
globe for clients such as AARP, Abbott, Arizona Office of Tourism, AT&T, Febreze, Discovery Cannel, Goldman Sachs, Hewlett Packard, Honda, Hyatt, Phillips 66 Aviation, Pfizer Qwest, Sony, Sturm Ruger & Co, Visa, Volvo, Xcel Energy and most recently Red Bull. Over the years his assignments have taken him to every state across the USA and to over fifty countries around the globe. Joel considers himself an ambassador for the photographic creative process by teaching workshops and lectures across the globe. "I feel that by being an open book with my process I have an opportunity to inspire others to follow their dreams and passions to create".
Joel Grimes is a key note speaker this summer at CAPA Photo Expo in Vancouver. For more about Joel's work visit his websites at joelgrimes.com and joelgrimesworkshops.com g
CANADIAN CAMERA - 27
A Walk in the Woods By Dave Brosha
Go for a walk in the woods. Hike a mountain trail. Walk along the shore of the lake in the cool air of the morning. Watch the light rise from above the hills and spread out into the valley below. Sit and watch, and breathe it all in. Make photographs that reflect this experience. One of the things I like to advise people to do if they ever need to break out of a creative funk with their portraiture— whether they’re a wedding photographer, run a family portrait business, or simply like the process of photographing people, creatively—is to go shoot nature images. That is to say, without people. Go and photograph big, bold epic landscape images; beautiful little slices of nature; warm captures of slivers of light elegantly highlighting details of the world we live in but too often don’t pay attention to. Then, after the image has been captured and comes alive on your screen on the back of your camera, or on your computer, or as a print—imagine the same image with a person in it. 28 - CANADIAN CAMERA
Let your imagination perfectly construct how the person would look in your nature image. Everything from their placement in the scene, to how the ambient light would highlight their hair and cast shadows upon their face. Think about how this light would look and feel—what colour it would take? Would it be soft and gentle or pack a hard punch? Think about the emotional impact of the scene. Why might an exercise like the one I describe be useful? In our growth as photographers we most often start, as beginners, not thinking about light: we’re more content to think about moments, faces and gear. But as we progress and we want the
quality of our images to do the same, light holds a prominent place in our consciousness. This is a great thing, because the process of capturing light is the medium that allows us to record the magic of moments. The more you can master this process, the more freedom you have to concentrate on the moments. Too often, however, our thought process of light goes back to the gear: what gear should we buy to emulate the quality of light we see from other photographers? Or we might learn a technique and stick to that technique for years without any further exploration. I myself was guilty of that for a long time: I would learn something about lighting from a book or magazine, or from attending a seminar, and then essentially stick to that one technique for everything that I would shoot afterwards. Rather than being a boost to my creativity, I found myself in a lot of creative funks. A lot of my favourite work—the work that I find to be most personal and
expressive of the creative spirit I have within—is my work that marries the idea of person and place. I started out with a love of landscape photography and once I discovered, some time later, portrait photography and had the realization that I could marry the two genres together, I felt like I found my passion. My process is my own and it’s not the process that every photographer uses, but when I set out to capture creative environmental portraiture, my steps are almost always the same. First, I almost always come up with a theme for a shoot before I set out to do the shoot. Very often it’s a very high-level concept like “windy, moody portrait”, or “elegant sunrise shoot”. Sometimes I get more specific, as in one shoot where we (myself, my subject, and a make-up artist) wanted to represent a northern Canadian woman as Mother Earth, which involved an elaborate process of covering the subject from head-to-toe with cold lake mud.
Next, I give a lot of thought to the setting that might best do my concept justice. A rocky shore. A windswept field. A generic background that can be blurred out through the power of a wide-open aperture. A night sky filled with the
beauty of the aurora borealis. Very often, my decision on location goes back to light. What light should I expect to get in a particular location at a particular time? Will it allow for diffused back lighting or will it be intense light that I might have CANADIAN CAMERA - 29
to over-power with my own lights? How will this influence the feel and mood of my portrait? Sometimes I have a perfect location in mind but will have to put a concept on hold until the light is right in that particular place for the story I want to tell in my portrait. Once location and concept come together and I arrive at my location, I love the challenge of finding the strongest ‘location within a location’ to do the photo shoot. That means looking for visual elements that might make my image stronger, like a dramatic leading line. Or a natural ‘prop’, like a pile of leaves, that could be used for creative purposes. Almost always, my locationwithin-a-location process is as much about what not to include (eliminating visual distractions) as it is about what to include. For introduced lighting, I never try to complicate things. I’m never stuck one particular set-up, or one kind of modifier. Rather, I always tie my lighting set-up back to that question of what is the mood, or story, or emotion that I want to portray? When I’m in the location and assessing the ambient light some of the components I think about may include how it would look underexposed, or if it will allow for dramatic, natural rim-lighting, or if it provides a visual exclamation point to the image I’m composing? I love mixing ambient and introduced lighting. Very often as the shoot progresses I play with the balance between the two. A tweak here to bring in more ambient light. A tweak there to slightly change the angle of shadow in my introduced lighting. What I wish I knew way earlier in my career is that I have found, personally, that the magic “oh wow” feeling in environmental portraits comes more through the elegant balance of ambient and introduced, and not as much from the specific modifier. I used to be a “you have to use a giant soft box!” kind of preacher. Now, I realize, that elegant moods can be created with some of the simplest and cheapest of
30 - CANADIAN CAMERA
tools if you understand balance of light and how to play with shadows. Finally, when I have my location and I have my light and I have my concept, I never think “okay, that’s it….I’m done”. Rather, that’s when I find it is the best time to simply start playing. Once I have my ‘safe’ shot, I allow myself the freedom to just try random things in a photo shoot. A different pose. A different angle. Something crazy and quirky and weird that might end in disaster but more often than not ends up being my favourite image in a shoot. There are many different styles of portraiture from countless photographers. Mine is born out of a love for the beauty of the world and the people in it. With a passion for the world and an eye for the beauty it contains awardwinning commercial and adventure photographer Dave Brosha is on a journey to seek out and capture the beauty of this world. He is a creative photographer, artist, educator and recorder of Canadian lands and its people. Dave Brosha has been published in media outlets around the globe - including CNN, Canadian Geographic, the Daily Telegraph, up! magazine, National Geographic, Outdoor Photography Canada, the National Post, Reader’s Digest, the Toronto Star, Macleans, The Globe and Mail, Up Here, The Today Show, the CBC, up! Magazine, the Vancouver Sun, Above & Beyond, and CTV. His work has been featured by Flickr, 500px, Petapixel and is listed in Phlearn.com's "Inspirational Photographers: A Curated Guide To The Best Photographers On The Internet".
Dave will be presenting at this summer's CAPA Photo Expo in Vancouver, for more of his work please visit his website davebrosha.com g
CANADIAN CAMERA - 31
CAPA Photo Expo Exploring Photography Sea to Sky – Photo Tours By Kasandra Sproson
Night Walk, Barry J Brady
Chosen by Travel and Leisure Magazine as the top city in Canada, Vancouver is a mecca for tourists! This world class city offers something for everyone. Surrounded by natural beauty, visitors are offered endless outdoor opportunities ranging from world class physical challenges such as hiking the Grouse Grind or scaling the Stawamus Chief rock face to leisurely strolls through Canada's largest park, Stanley Park. Relax while you enjoy the city's numerous green spaces or just 'chill' while soaking up the sun on one of the numerous beaches. 32 - CANADIAN CAMERA
Cosmopolitan in nature, Vancouver offers a sophisticated choice of fine dining and night life throughout the city. Theatres and galleries showcase a talented arts and culture community. Not to be forgotten, world class shopping is available in the downtown area, Robson Street being the 'go to' spot for those dedicated to this activity. Entertainment abounds, offering something for every age. While Playland on the Pacific
Steveston, Marion McCristall
National Exhibition grounds is almost an institution, FlyOver Canada 4D flight simulation located on the waterfront at Canada Place is an extremely popular new experience. As the location for CAPA Photo Expo 2015, Vancouver is truly a photographer's paradise from Sea to Sky! Photo tours have been created for conference attendees to experience some of the favourite spots of photographers who live here. Tour leaders will share their personal insight as they escort you to some of their favourite places for photography. Practice your low light and night photography with either the Granville Street or Glorious Gastown Night Photo Walks. These walks will take you through the dynamic entertainment district, alive with people and neon lights or through historic Gastown, renowned for its old buildings and the iconic Gastown Steam Clock.
VanDusen, Kasandra Sproson
Take the Skyride for a view of the city from greater heights. Join the Grouse Mountain Experience for a walk through forested areas and a delightful lake, followed by a raptor show, viewing of the
Grizzly Bear Refuge, and visit to a traditional Feast House of the Squamish/ Coast Salish native peoples. On the way home, stops at Capilano River Regional Park, Capilano Dam, and a fish hatchCANADIAN CAMERA - 33
ery will provide photographic diversity. Crossing the suspension bridge into the rain forest and a stop at Prospect Point in Stanley Park will top off your day. The Fraser Valley Aerial Photography Tour will give you the opportunity to see the beauty of Vancouver's location, surrounded by the North Shore Mountains, Burrard Inlet, and the Strait of Georgia from a small plane. Aerial views of the Fraser Valley with its small communities, forests, and surrounding lakes and mountains will enamour you with the natural beauty of the Lower Mainland. Travelling from Vancouver on the Sea to Sky Highway, experience wonderful vistas as you head toward Squamish on the Squamish Valley Tour. West Coast Railway Heritage Park, Shannon Falls, and colourful windsurfers provide photographic opportunities. Highlighting this trip is the Sea to Sky Gondola which offers spectacular views of Howe Sound from viewing platforms and the Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge. The Gardens of Vancouver Tour will first take you to VanDusen Botanical Garden where you can enjoy the huge variety of summer blooms amid lakes, fountains and waterfalls. VanDusen is known for its support of artists and you will find many sculptures and castings throughout the garden. Next visit Queen Elizabeth Park where you will enjoy a view of Vancouver city centre with the North Shore Mountain as a backdrop. Explore the beauty of the landscaped quarry gardens and the Dancing Waters fountain just outside of the Bloedel Conservatory. Inside the Conservatory, you will experience a tropical paradise with colourful birds flying freely. Situated by the sea, a vibrant fishing fleet is moored in historic Steveston. The Steveston Fishing Village and Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site Tour will help you experience the daily interaction between fishermen and locals eagerly purchasing the catch of the day. The Gulf of Georgia Cannery sits along the dock, reminiscent of earlier days when salmon was more plentiful. In a historical community setting at the Britannia Shipyards site, you will learn the history of our once thriving fishing and boat building industry. 34 - CANADIAN CAMERA
Model, Detlef Klahm
The False Creek Hop On / Hop Off Ferry Boat Tour explores waterfront areas close to Vancouver city centre. The small ferries will take you to a variety of locations along False Creek, providing opportunities to photograph lively markets, people and architecture. The Creek is home to marine activity from the numerous boats moored in the area, a houseboat community, and people enjoying water sports. Taking place near the conference facilities is a Model Shoot. Over a two hour period, a professional model will be made available for photographing at various locations on the beautiful UBC grounds. This tour requires no travel from UBC campus.
The following three day/two night tours are available prior to the start of the conference, all highlighting Vancouver Island. In addition to visiting the world famous Butchart Gardens, capturing the variety of Victoria's beautiful architecture, and photographing people enjoying this quaint and historical city, Explore Beautiful Victoria offers two options. One continues with land exploration while the other adds a Zodiac trip to search for some of our marine mammals. Orcas (Killer whales), Pacific dolphins, and seals frequent the area. This tour start from UBC and takes you to Victoria via BC Ferry through the scenic Gulf Islands.
Starting from UBC, The West Coast Adventure will take you from Horseshoe Bay across Georgia Strait to Nanaimo. Crossing to the west side of the island, stops will be made at the unique village of Coombs and at Cathedral Grove with its ancient Douglas fir trees. Tofino, Canada's surf capital and a UNESCO biosphere reserve, boasts beautiful beaches and seascapes that provide the backdrop for some of the most stunning sunsets in the world. Visit the unique fishing village of Ucluelet and experience the hospitality of the rugged individuals who call this remote area home. g West Coast
Aerial, Bea Carlson
For more details and pricing on the Photo Tours, please visit capaphotoexpo.com. Whether you are visiting Vancouver as a conference attendee or a tourist, we look forward to sharing our beautiful city with you. Useful links: www.vancouvertourist.com www.hellobc.com/vancouver Gastown, Barry J Brady
CANADIAN CAMERA - 35
Mark your calendar and plan now to join us at CAPA Photo Expo on August 1-3, 2015 For more information visit www.capaphotoexpo.ca 36 - CANADIAN CAMERA
TO GET THE SHOT & BRING IT BACK
Be prepared for a high-performance pro pack that delivers on all fronts: accessibility, versatility, comfort and organization. You’ll never miss a critical shot thanks to four access points, limitless set-up options and a harness built for targeted comfort.
Find out more at lowepro.ca/protactic Distributed by DayMen Canada-daymen.ca Š2015 DayMen Canada Acquisition ULC
Photo courtesy of avid Nikon user, Victor Liu, victorliuphotography.com
Are you ready to be transformed? The 36.3-megapixel full-frame Nikon D810 is more than just Nikon’s intrusion into medium format territory. Because it introduces a whole new realm of shooting possibilities, the D810 is an inspirational jolt.
If you’re into filmmaking the Nikon D810 is equally impressive, delivering stunning resolution. The D810 allows you shoot Full HD at 60 fps, plus phenomenal near 8K quality high-resolution time-lapse movies.
For the most demanding photographers, the Nikon D810 delivers an unprecedented level of detail and sharpness, which is due in large part to Nikon’s decision to remove the optical low pass filter. With the D810 you enjoy sharper and better low light image quality, and are able to produce beautiful noise-free images from native ISO 64 to 12,800.
On a personal level, there are bigger reasons for stepping up to the Nikon D810. If you feel your best work is still out there. If you harbour visions of shooting sharper photos and more cinematic-looking videos – this is the camera that will take you further than you ever imagined.
As part of the D810’s improved autofocus system, the new Group Area AF feature gives you five AF points to lock onto unpredictable or fastmoving subjects instead of just one. Plus, a new RAW-S feature means you can now shoot in RAW and save files that are half the size of regular RAW files.
The first step is to get inside a Vistek showroom. There, a Vistek camera specialist will not only show you what this camera can do. They’ll thoroughly explain why the Nikon D810 is the right camera for you. Of course, if you can’t get to one of our stores, vistek.ca is a mere click away.
PHOTO | VIDEO | DIGITAL | SALES | RENTALS | SERVICE
TOR ON TO • M ISSI SSAUGA • OTTAWA • CALGARY • E DMONT ON
VISTEK.CA