Photography
TJ Champagne By Adam Gray TJ Champagne is quickly
becoming known as one of the best event photographers in the Quinte Region. His rich, colour saturated images pop with unmistakable energy and style. Champagne started out taking photos of friend’s bands and fell in love with capturing the exhilaration of a live performance. “It's the emotions I capture that I love,” he says. “It's not about the subject for me; it’s about capturing the emotion of the subject or the peak moments of the event.” After he was hired as the event photographer for Belleville’s Chamber of Commerce he found himself in the photographer pits at local events Empire Rockfest, Big Music Fest and WaterFront Festival with big name acts. His portfolio was soon filled with the who’s who of Canadian Rock & Roll, and event organizers took notice of his work. Now Champagne shoots bands like Walk Off The Earth, Snoop Dog and explosive high energy Chinlock Wrestling. While COVID-19 has temporarily cancelled most live events, Champagne has taken his creative work in a different direction, photographing landscapes and portraits. His recent documenting of Christopher Bennett’s (SERNA Custom Artwork) Essential Workers Mural made quite a buzz around town and is featured later in this magazine. [page 22 - 23] whybuyshots.com P.4 Top: Walk Off The Earth Right: Gianni At Scotiabank Arena P.5 Top: Bellevile Waterfront Festival Left: Chinlock Wrestling Right: Chinlock Champion Jessie Mack
Umbrella, Fall / Winter 2020 - 04
