2017 Gallerie Magazine Summer English

Canada’s Premier Magazine for Professional Photographers

2017 National Salon +

Digging Deeper Into that Rainbow + Equine or equestrian? + Photographers of the Year

Issue 16 // Summer 2017 // The National Salon Issue

Contents

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Digging deeper into that Rainbow

Jay Terry talks about the psychology beind colour and how it affect your imagery.

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Equine or equestrian

With many years experience Josee Talbot shares her expertise on Equine photography .

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Best in Class Showcase

Check out the winners of the best in class catagories and be inspired!

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Photographer of the Year: Wedding A look at experienced Wedding photographer Claude Brazeau.

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Photographer of the Year: Commercial

Greg Blue talks about his experience creating his winning submission.

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Photographer of the Year: Photographic Arts

Melissa Woodward shares about her experience and new goals.

by Claud Brazeau

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The highly revered Mark Laurie encourages us all to be bold!

See the many members whose hard work and dedication to their craft has paid off with some gold!

Photographer of the Year: Portrait

Awards & Designations

Sections 4 Letter From The Chair 32 My PPOC 33 Commercial Partners 34 Concept To Cover

Cover photo by Darlene fros, CPA. Read more about this photo on Page 34

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Message from the Chair

Louise Vessey MPA SPA F/PPOC Atl PPOC NATIONAL CHAIR

W

hen joining our Association in 2001 as an Observer, I literally sat within the crowd in the dark judging room ‘observing’ the judging of prints. I could hear photographers around me who had entered, breathing heavily, whispering to their neighbour ‘mine’s next’ and cringing like they were watching a frightening scene at a movie when their 16x20 print turned around. The room was silent until the title was read aloud.

They waited with bated breath until the Salon Chair FINALLY said ‘The print is….’ seemingly 10 minutes later….’Accepted’! Then a sigh of relief ensued! During the break out in the halls I

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could hear everyone talking about their images, their results, the judging….I was shocked at the intensity of emotions and thought to myself ‘geez guys relax, it’s just a photography competition’.

It was two years later before I was brave enough to enter prints myself. In doing so I totally got why everyone was so intense and emotional! It truly is an agonizing process. But as the old saying goes, no pain no gain. Going through the process forces you to look at your work with a critical eye. This makes you study, think and change things the next time you are out with your camera. Some members didn’t do well and blamed the judging process and left. Those who had the opposite attitude, took the criticism, cried a little, brushed themselves off and entered again and again, growing along the way and have excelled into incredible award-winning photographers.

Entering image salon is not for the faint of heart. I have had success and failure, going from MPPA Portrait Photographer of the year 2007, to having all my prints Unaccepted at Nationals the following year. Ouch! After some tears and internal ‘I suck’ dialogue, I dusted

myself off and kept trying and entering. I had ordered the audio critique and once I heard what they had to say, was like ‘yeah they are totally right’. I kept entering and won PPOC Wedding Photographer of the year in 2013! What an elated feeling that was. Imagine if I just quit because things didn’t go well one year!

My advice, keep trying. Leave your ego at the door and go in with an open mind, willing to accept any outcome and learn from the experience. If your images do well, celebrate and enjoy your success. If they don’t, brush yourself off, get out and practice your craft, and try again, and again.

This past February was my first time as a National Image Salon judge. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience! The level of creativity and skill at this year’s Salon really raised the bar in my opinion. Congratulations, not just to the incredible photographers who have won big awards, but to those who did not. It takes courage to put your work out there. Good for you!

I hope you take time to really look at and enjoy the images from our 2017 Salon and get inspired for entering in 2018. Wishing you great light and much success

Subscription All PPOC members receive the printed issue directly to their doorstep. On-line issues are available to all photographers.

Advertising One single advertising package will secure your ad space in all three issues for the year.

To be added to our email mailing list please contact the PPOC office (info@ppoc.ca) indicating your province of residence.

Gallerie is published three times annually; February (on-line issue) June/July (print and on-line) October (on-line issue)

Additional printed copies of Gallerie are $6.95, plus postage. Please contact the PPOC Office.

Editor Bruce Allen Hendricks, MPA 204-227-9447 - editor@ppoc.ca

Submissions Articles and member stories are welcome, please submit them to the editor for consideration.

Designer Tamsin Lambert

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Double Page Spread Full Page Outside Back Cover Full Page Inside Cover Advertising Supplement Full Page Half Page Quarter Page

$1575/year $1375/year $1125/year $1000/year $975/year $630/year $400/year

PPOC Trade members receive a 20% discount. To reserve your ad, contact the advertising manager.

Advertising Manager Brad Kelly, MPA advertising@ppoc.ca

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Digging Deeper Into That Rainbow Words & Images

by Jay Terry, MPA

Of all the tools in a photographer’s toolbox, few are as important as colour. It defines objects, provides context, influences visual impact and can trigger memories. Colour is a key component in the black & white process as the manipulation of tint and shade directly affects the tone’s presence in a black & white image. As a compositional element, how colours are arranged can significantly affect how the viewer’s eye travels within the frame.

As an emotional element, colour is second only to the subject’s story. Sometimes, it can even outweigh the story.

While most photographers are, at least to some degree, familiar with the basics of colour harmony and colour grading, we don’t always look at how we can influence the emotional impact of our imagery with the very deliberate use of colour. For most of us, it’s more subconscious than conscious but, once you start thinking of how specific colours can guide the emotional perception of an image, the old colour wheel takes on a whole new meaning.

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When considering the psychological impact of your colour choices, keep in mind such elements as Hue or chromaticity (the primary and secondary colours), Value (the difference in range from tint - a hue lightened with white, to shade - a hue darkened with black), Saturation (the purity and intensity of a colour) and, of course, cultural significance. On a side note, black and white are not considered colours because colour is understood to be “visible light with a specific wavelength”. As black is the absence of light and white is the sum of all possible colours, neither have specific wavelengths.

Commonly, colours are grouped together by their temperature: red is hot, orange and yellow are warm, blue and green are both cool, and brown and purple are more neutral.

However, the different colours have different meanings associated with them based on our emotional reactions. The differences in individual perception make this somewhat subjective but, across the average, the ‘western world’ perceives the different colours to mean: RED: the colour of energy and is often associated with movement and excitement. As a tint, pink, it is often perceived as soothing and gentle.

ORANGE: another energetic colour, it is most often associated with fun and warmth.

YELLOW: often perceived as cheerful, it is the colour of laughter and creativity. Intense yellow can cause aggression but golden yellow is associated with optimism.

BROWN:: is associated with earthiness, stability, support and responsibility. It’s generally considered to be a serious colour denoting family and security.

PURPLE: associated with wealth and prosperity, purple can be perceived as mysterious and creative.

GREEN: associated with peace and harmony. Dark green is often perceived as masculine and conservative while its tint, light green, is pleasingly calming.

BLUE: calming and restful, the most popular colour. As a shade, dark blue is perceived as cold and uncaring.

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However, consider your audience and the culture in which they were raised, and you’ll better understand how colour choice can have a significant impact that may or may not align with your creative intentions. In Egypt, blue is associated with justice, virtue and faith, while it is the colour of mourning in South Korea. Green is associated with sterility in Scandinavia but it can be seen as outdoorsy and masculine to Canadians. If you’re from Argentina, yellow means wealth but, in Spain or Portugal, yellow is associated with treason. Conversely, there are colour-associated similarities across a wide range of European and North American cultures. For the most part, being “in the red” is financially unfavourable, the aristocracy is always “blue-blooded” and “pink elephants” can be found at the bottom of a liquor bottle.

Colours are also generally associated in groups or clusters, although the meanings change from one culture to the next. Gold, orange and yellow are commonly grouped together, as are blue and green. Red stands alone in that it’s rarely clustered with other colours. Purple, on the other hand, can see its colour grouping change depending on the culture: sometimes it goes with the warm gold-orange-yellows and in others it’s clustered with the neutral colours such as brown.

One American study conducted in the ‘90s showed that East Asians typically differentiate between colour associations the most, while US and Latin American groups make only average colour distinctions.

So, how is any of this useful?

By not leaving your colour choices up to mere circumstance, you can direct the emotional message of a given image to enhance the subject’s story. For example, when I created “The Last To Go” – a story about a man alone at the end of his days – I chose brown to be the dominant colour with undertones of yellow. The colours introduced feelings of family and permanence, concurrent with the impression of age and sadness, in order to enhance the visual elements of loss, isolation and inevitability.

The exact opposite thought process was used in the making of “Lor

Madness”. Both the composition and outfit are in sharp contrast to what’s traditionally expected in a portrait of a porcelain-skinned young woman. In order to further support the conflict created by those elements, the colouring was chosen to promote further disharmony - a greyish-green for a touch of neutral masculinity. As is true with nature, the right amount of chaos can create a surprisingly effective balance.

The information you choose to present to the viewer is entirely up to you but your choice of colours can have the greatest immediate effect.

Impact studies have shown that people make up their minds about what they’re presented within seconds, with up to 90% of that assessment being based on colour alone. We often react emotionally before we even know exactly what it is we’re reacting to. Without the benefit of touch, smell, sound or taste, the weight given to our emotional perception of colour simply cannot be overstated.

Ultimately, the emotional story elements of your photography are not only influenced by but sometimes initially dictated by their colours. They are both visually and emotionally tangible. In the words of the English philosopher Charles Dunbar Broad: “When I see a colour or hear a sound, I am aware of something, and not of nothing.”

Jay Terry, MPA Jay is a portrait and commercial photographer in London, ON, bringing more than three decades of experience with illustration, painting and graphic design to his photography

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Your Printing Partner in Success

Equine or

equestrian

words & Photos Josee Talbot I am a professional graphic designer, part time photographer from the Limoilou neighborhood in Quebec City.

Since my childhood, I have been passionate about horses, I used to draw them everywhere! I even won multiple drawing contests with my horse drawings! At school, I would dream of big spaces, manes in the wind, nozzles wide open, crazy gallops, the sound of hoofs, to summarize, horses lived in my head all the time! Film photography was a discovery I made when I was studying Design at the Sainte-Foy CEGEP in the 80’s. In 2008, I decided to get back to photography more seriously but, this time, in the digital form.

Before I start, I should explain the difference between Equine and Equestrian photography… Equine photography is focused on the animal itself, either in a natural environment or not, free or reined (halter or bridle). Normally, there are no humans in this type of photo. Equestrian photography focuses on the different disciplines, whether it is the hunter/jumper, the dressage, three-day event, the reigning, the western pleasure, the gymkhana, the harness, etc. The image illustrates the bond between the horse and its rider/handler/driver.

Naturally, I got interested by equestrian photography since I participated in some horse shows in the hunter/ jumper competitions with my own horse for 8 seasons.

Since I know that sport very well, I am able to capture images that show the rider and their horses at their best. It needs to be said that I knew a lot of people in the industry which helped me greatly to do my job when I started out.

We tend to think that photographing horses on a jumping course is easy. However, there is a specific moment when the image must be taken and this would be when the horse is on top of the fence, knees at their highest point and equal as much as possible. Some people will also think

that shooting in bursts might be a good idea but it is really hard to capture the right moment that way. I rarely take more than two images per fence, most often I only take one.

But, because there is always a but…horses don’t always have the same technique. Some hold their knees up and equal only for a fraction of a second, others take longer to go over each fence and others will twist over the fence.

The best way to overcome this problem is to get to know the horses to be able to get the best image possible. Observing is key. Another technical challenge is photographing young children on their ponies. The fences are so small that the animal hardly jumps… but a good image of a child in a horse show is extremely sellable because the parents, the grand-parents, etc. all want a beautiful souvenir of the experience.

Because horses scare easily, one must have good ethics on the field… Avoid running behind them, positioning yourself in a way that might surprise the animal or make them deviate from their course which could end up being dangerous for the rider. Never hesitate to ask the organizers questions so that special access may be granted to better position yourself for the best possible shot. Also, most horse shows have more than one course (in general 2), you must listen carefully not to miss a client that asked you to photograph them. Working with other people can help but the second shooter should have a style that looks like our own.

Over the fences, horses should ideally be shot ¾ frontal or from the side. Some angles can be interesting when shooting horses over big fences, like 1.3m and more. The courses are not made with the photographer in mind. It can sometimes be difficult to have a lovely background, nice light or not to have other elements between us and the Summer 2017

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subject. The best thing to do is to study the course and pick 2-3 fences that will permit the best conditions possible.

Another challenge is to photograph a walking, trotting or cantering horse in the right sequence. It is very different to photograph a horse ridden in dressage than one ridden by the hunter/jumper. It is a good idea to ask what the client is looking for in each discipline. Shots taken at liberty are also different because the horse has the possibility of being free and express itself in different ways, even have a bit of fun! I rarely work in burst mode, because I prefer to choose the right moment. But for horses shoot at liberty, it’s totally another way of shooting and burst mode can be a great option.

The shutter speed must not be below 1/800 sec. for horses in motion or on over a jumping course. Otherwise, you risk getting some soft images. The ideal shooting speed would be 1/1250 sec. Generally, I work with a larger aperture, between f/4 and f/5,6, sometimes f/6,3. If a horse is stopped (conformation photo for example), the shutter speed can be slower. I also try to keep my ISO at the lowest possible setting depending on the lighting conditions. I really don’t like to have too much noise in my images.

Sometimes we see a lot of images taken with short focal length which tends to distort the horse and make it look grotesque. The ideal choice of lens for equine photography is a 70-200mm. The angle needs to be chosen carefully, but above all, the photographer needs to be level with the animal. Because I am rather short, I do tend to climb up on a bench to photograph my subjects. Another challenge is to have images of the horse’s ears pointed towards the front. To capture this, outside help is absolutely needed.

Some tricks that work well to perk the ears up: umbrellas, iphone apps with neighing sounds, aluminum plates, a small mirror or simply cracking a carrot!

We should keep in mind that horses can have sudden

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and unpredictable reactions. For that reason, it would be wise to have by your side one or two people that can assist you while photographing horses that are turned loose for the shoot.

After photographing horse shows for the past 6 years, I’ve decided it’s time to try something else. Long days standing up and carrying heavy equipment has become too hard physically but also, the sales have plummeted quite a bit over the course of the last two years. I have tried to shoot rider-horse sessions but it’s not really what makes my heart sing. So, I started to play around with some of the images that I took at horse shows. I changed the background, added textures, and even drew some elements with my graphic tablet. 8 of the 10 images I first did sold right away when they were posted on my Facebook page. I decided that because it was in such high demand, I should specialize in this sort of image. I will create original and personalized images that are very different than what is now done in equine photography. My goal is to produce stunning images that any horse lover will want to purchase to decorate his home or office.

Josee Talbot

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National Image Awards Professional Photographers of Canada Best In Class Awards

CONCEPTUAL ILLUSTRATION: WHEN GOOD KITTIES GO BAD-BRAD KELLY, MPA sponsored by BEAU PHOTO SUPPLIES

Architecture: Dreamhome-TANYA SEDORE, CPA Sponsored by Harvard Western Insurance & Northbridge Insurance

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PRESS: COOKING HEROIN WASHINGTON HOTEL-Gabor Gasztonyi, MPA Sponsored by NIKON CANADA INC.

Best In Class Awards

PRODUCT ILLUSTRATION: BUFFALO TRACE-GREG BLUE. SPONSORED BY PhotoCoach International Inc.

ANIMALS: TOO MUCH FOR THE DOG PARK?-Terri Feltham Sponsored by PPOC

WEDDING PORTRAIT: GRACE IN LACE-Krista Crellin MPA sponsored by PPOC

EXPERIMENTAL: OVERWHELMEDDARLENE FROS, CPA sponsored by Harvard Western & Northbridge Insurance

FIGURE STUDY: RED HEAD-MARK LAURIE, F/ PPOC, MPA, SPA, Sponsored by AGT Photomount

FASHION: EYE CANDY-Gina Yesnik MPA sponsored by PPOC

EDITORIAL: WHAT THE HELLJean Franรงois Perreault CPA sponsored by Fujifilm Canada Inc.

WEDDING PHOTOJOURNALISTIC: MAGICAL KISSCLAUDE BRAZEAU, mpa sponsored by Nikon Canada Inc.

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JE RE M Y KORES K I, ADVEN T UR E PH OT OG R APH ER

with Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM

Watch the film at Canon.ca/L Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. © 2017 Canon Canada Inc .

Best In Class Awards

industrial: Laying Power Cable-Berni Wood MPA sponsored by Vistek

portrait: poised grace-Claude Brazeau, MPA sponsored by whcc

Wedding Group: Giddy Up! -Gina Yesnik MPA sponsored by ppoc

Group portrait: Un Amore-La Famiglia-Robert Coates MPA sponsored by PPOC

PICTORIAL/FLORAL: Evening Paddle -Tracy Munson

fine art: The Left Turn-Josée Talbot

sponsored by ppoc

sponsored by PPOC

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Best In Class Awards

Wedding Album of the Year: Brianne and Andrew -Lorelei Hoffarth sponsored by ppoc

Child Portrait: Unbreakable -Allan Bailey MPA

Feature Album: A Glimpse of India-J. Wayne Kaulbach MPA sponsored by album epoca canada

sponsored by ppoc

Master Compettion

midway mary-claude brazeau, mpa sponsored by NIKON CANADA INC.

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Photographer of the Year: WEDDING CLAUDE BRAZEAU, MPA

CLAUDE BRAZEAU,MPA

By Sébastien Lavallée, MPA In his nine years as a PPOC member, Claude never failed to participate in a National Image Salon (except when he was judging) : « It’s the only way to get honest feedback. You won’t get that on Facebook. » Claude has received many awards in the past years, but this is his first national Photographer of the Year award.

At the age of 6, Claude received his first photo camera: a Canon Canonet. “It was the first time that I could frame my world “, a pleasure that would follow him even in High School, where he took his first photo classes. A seasoned amateur photographer, and professional cabinetmaker by family trade, his career took a different turn when he transformed his hobby into his job : “It’s never too late for a career change : even if you

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only have two years of life left, you at least still have those two years!”

Claude fell in love with wedding photography from the start. It is one of the only places where a photographer keeps complete creative control, where it always gets carte-blanche on the final product, according to him. This type of events also involves diversity as one goes from still life to portrait, as well as landscape and architecture, all in the same day.

That appealed to Claude from the beginning: “ I fell in love with that challenge “ he says. Several hundred weddings later, that sentiment is still strong and is renewed each time, as you never shoot the same wedding twice.

Any tips to succeed in competition? Claude’s suggestion is to keep it simple, not to overdo it. If the judges don’t find any fault with an image,

it can reach any score and it’s not always an Excellence that wins big awards. By sending your images to competitions and by judging, you can learn what works best.

The ‘wedding photographer of the year award’, for him, is a great sign of recognition from his fellow photographers. Furthermore, it’s also a perfect opportunity to promote his business: since he announced his success, he has received at least one request a day from potential clients!

The Best Wedding Party CLAUDE BRAZEAU, MPA

Doorway to love CLAUDE BRAZEAU, MPA

Magical Kiss CLAUDE BRAZEAU, MPA

The Photographic Artist of the Year Award is sponsored by Panasonic

Poised Grace CLAUDE BRAZEAU, MPA

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Photographer of the Year: COMMERCIAL

GREG BLUE

GREG BLUE

By Dave Mccammon, cpa A new PPOC member, Greg Blue is a past president of CAPIC. Greg continues to evolve as a photographer after 30 years in the profession. He photographed fashion migrating to product work and continues to work with large advertising agencies. Recently, pressed by his family he took portraits of his ailing mother, rekindling a passion for portrait photography.

The collaborative nature of agency work forced him to slow his process down. With portraits, to gain a greater understanding of his subject, he confers with his clients including their family and friends via email. He will often pause a session to look at and reflect upon the images with his subject before moving forward. Greg has been known to have a portrait session last over 2 or 3 sittings. “With portraiture, I tend to look far more inward.

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Whenever I’m lighting a subject, my first goal is always to use the physics of light as my primary modifier. If the physics of light doesn’t work then I will allow myself to use modifiers. If I can’t get it there, as an absolute last resort I rely on Photoshop to manipulate my light.” He utilizes a variety of processes dependant on the desired outcome including digital, 4x5 film, 8x10 wet plate collodion, large format Polaroid.

This is the first time Greg has submitted work for PPOC competition. The variety of imagery required to achieve Photographer of the Year was a challenge. Layana was originally shot for an editorial assignment. They loved the floor with rug and chair, but disliked the background. The cement wall was shot at another location with the photos positioned a variety of ways to accommodate the art director’s needs.

Both the car and the Buffalo Trace images are complex composites typical of the product work he does where Photoshop plays a huge role. “Both shots were about 12 hours in the studio to shoot them and then about 3 – 4 days of pretty solid post-production work to do the final assembly.” “The Heart of New York was a serendipitous image for me… as spontaneous as it gets.” Greg loves visiting New York and is a huge fan of the architecture there.

Greg is Accredited in Advertising, Studio Portraiture, Product Illustration, Fine Art and Image Manipulation. Regarding his work, we immediately recognize a photographer celebrating the nature of light alongside an in-depth investigation towards creating an image. Bravo Greg!

LANAYA, EMERGING FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER GREG BLUE

THE HEART OF NEW YORK GREG BLUE BUFFALO TRACE GREG BLUE

COBRA GREG BLUE The Photographic Artist of the Year Award is sponsored by Nikon Canada Inc.

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Photographer of the Year: PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTIST Melissa Woodward, CPA

Melissa Woodward, CPA

By Alph Leydon Melissa Woodward has forever known she wanted to be an artist.

She excelled at art in high school and always had a camera slung around her neck to constantly document the world around her.

Following high school she earned a Liberal Arts Diploma, a Degree in Psychology and a Diploma in Graphic Design. In her study of Art History, Melissa became obsessed with the work of Salvador Dali and Escher. She also takes inspiration from music and finds the names she applies to her images within the words of her favorite song lyrics. Pearl Jam is her go-to when exploring titles for her art.

Melissa joined the PPOC in 2012 and says that she enjoys the rapport and interaction she has with like-minded people. The challenge of

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Accreditation, competition and the structure of deadlines keeps her on target throughout the year. She attributes much of her knowledge and learnings, particularly in the area of portraiture, to the people she has met through the PPOC. Having received her CPA designation in 2017 the next goal in her sights is MPA, for which she is well on her way. And now that she has won Photographic Artist of the Year once, she has in mind to try for it again.

What she enjoys most about competition is challenging the judges, both with the images themselves and the naming of those images. She hopes to push the judges out of their comfort zone and have them argue for and against her images. “Having learned all the rules and elements of good design I was then able to break

those rules and get to the heart of my creativity” she says.

Of the four images she entered into National Salon her favorite is ‘Dancing Arrow Heads’. It is the most abstract of her images and has a Jackson Pollock-like appeal whilst also being a play on Monet’s Water Lilies. It is the one that ‘speaks to her’ the most and has a great sense of movement within it.

Her advice for newbie members of PPOC and for those who have been observing members for some time, but are as yet not Accredited; “Jump in with both feet. Never get discouraged.

You get out what you put in”.

Melissa’s work can be viewed at; lemonbeestudio.com and melissawoodward.com

FADE AWAY MELISSA WOODWARD, CPA

la grenouille MELISSA WOODWARD, CPA

The Photographic Artist of the Year Award is sponsored by Epson Canada.

HYPNOT-EYE-ZE MELISSA WOODWARD, CPA

DANCING ARROWHEADS MELISSA WOODWARD, CPA Summer 2017 Gallerie 27

Photographer of the Year: PORTRAIT MARK LAURIE, F/PPOC MPA SPA

MARK LAURIE, F/PPOC MPA SPA

By CHELSEA JONES An extraordinary career spanning over 3 decades has made Mark Laurie’s name emblematic in Canadian and International Photography. His unique works have been displayed at the Epcot Center, throughout Europe and in the Voyager 3 spacecraft. His many contributions to the PPOC include volunteering, mentoring, judging, speaking and competing, and have been invaluable to the organization at regional, provincial, and national levels. This year, Mark was awarded his first PPOC Portrait Photographer of the Year (POY) trophy, was named Best in Class for Figure Study & Judge’s Choice, and earned a coveted spot in the Loan Collection; all this in addition to a vast collection of PPOC National Salon awards over his career.

The Portrait POY award is profoundly meaningful to Mark. Not only is it “on our home turf,” but it also confers credibility, exposure, stature, and recognition on the photographer. It is generally understood by clients and industry stakeholders that this competition means the photographer was deemed “The Best” in Canada by a panel of qualified, highcaliber judges in a strictly regulated setting, with the sole aim to promote and recognize the best photographs in Canada. Mark’s experience is that

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PPOC awards and Accreditations have lead to international recognition and a positive impact on both his financial bottom line and his branding.

The POY award is also special to Mark because all photographs submitted to the National Salon are from client sessions. This is significant because the shoots are not executed for the purpose of producing salon entries. Being recognized for Art that he produces as a matter of course is objective confirmation that he consistently provides the highest level of photographic services through Inner Spirit Photography. The sum effect of the PPOC awards and recognitions generates client excitement and loyalty.

Although proficient in multiple genres of portraiture and other photography, Mark’s main focus is nudes and figure study. The resulting images invariably reflect self-confidence and pride in achievement on the part of the client, and this is the most rewarding aspect of Mark’s work.

He endeavours to create a singular photographic experience that results in unique and precious images that the client will cherish for a lifetime.

“Surrealist Vision” is a great example of the work that goes into a masterpiece; this shoot required 4 models, 4 body painters, a video crew and an assistant alongside himself in a small

studio for 13 hours, not including clean-up time!

In spite of his accomplishments, Mark remains ambitious, creative, and motivated to push his craft and, by proxy, his business. His future goals include achieving 40 Accreditations and 15 bars as a PPOC member.

He is currently working on a Body Painting YouTube series entitled “Living Art” to be released in late Summer 2017. He continues to participate in educating other photographers through international workshops, speaking engagements, judging and mentoring opportunities.

Mark remains an involved member and advocate for the PPOC. The organization is important to him for many reasons, chief among them the Code of Ethics and Issues of Copyright.

Mark feels that as an industry, “…we will need to advocate for ourselves (at a policy level) in the future. We need to be an influence, and a part of that fight.”

Mark generously passes his expertise and advice to newer members of the PPOC. He feels emphatically that members should get involved and volunteer as much as possible, because “….this is where you learn and get immersed in photography. Being on the sidelines is interesting, but not as much as being involved. Take risks.

Be Bold.”

UNCERTAIN FUTURE MARK LAURIE, F/PPOC MPA SPA

SURREALIST VISION MARK LAURIE,F/PPOC MPA SPA

REDHEAD MARK LAURIE, MPA F/PPOC MPA SPA

WORK OF ART MARK LAURIE, F/PPOC MPA SPA The Photographic Artist of the Year Award is sponsored by Technicare Imaging Ltd..

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Prestigious Awards National Citation OF Service Jillian Chateauneuf, MPA SPA

Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC) is a diversified group of creative artists dedicated to the highest standards in professional imaging. We welcome photographers of all genres to join our community of dedicated professionals.

The National Citation of Service expresses sincere appreciation for services generously given to the Association and to the profession.

This award may be presented to a company or an individual who, over a number of years, has rendered outstanding service to PPOC for the advancement of professional photography.

Names of nominees are submitted to the Awards Committee, along with a documented resume listing the services rendered.

Only one National Citation for Service may be given to any company or individual.

PPOC offers photographers a way to rise to professional status. Educational opportunities, networking, direct member benefits and the ability to earn awards and designations will assist in your potential for growth and economic improvement.

Meet new friends and mentors and take advantage of the wealth of experience and knowledge.

Once an accredited member, your personal area of specialty and images are promoted on our website so clients and other photographers making referrals know who to contact.

Contact 1-888-643-PPOC (7762) Phone: 519-537-2555 Info@ppoc.ca www.ppoc.ca Mailing address: 209 Light St. Woodstock, ON N4S 6H6 Canada

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Yousuf Karsh Award Don MacGregor, HLM MPA SPA The Yousuf Karsh Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes photographic excellence amongst PPOC members. The award was established by the Professional Photographers of Canada in 2002 and first awarded in 2003 to commemorate the legacy of Canadian Photographer, the late Yousuf Karsh.

The Yousuf Karsh Award is presented annually to the member with the highest number of print merits in excess of 4000.

Members of PPOC are able to earn “print merits� by demonstrating outstanding photographic ability through the annual National Image Competition and Accreditation.

The Yousuf Karsh Lifetime Achievement Award is one of the greatest achievements that can be earned by a member of the Professional Photographers of Canada and speaks directly to the outstanding photographic talent of the recipient. The award can be received only once in a career.

PPOC Designations Craftsman, Master and Service of Photographic Arts are honours bestowed upon its members by the Professional Photographers of Canada and denote proven photographic ability and commitment to the association and its regions.

CPA Craftsman of Photographic Arts

MPA Bars

Kirk Saint, Paul Wright, George Fraser, BRIAN LEE, MARK LAURIE, ESTHER CAmPEAU, Phanh TRAN,

Standing L-R: Susan Dykstra, Lois Nuttall, Chris Thombs, Jean-Francois Perreault, Iris Jackson, Kamini Le Capelain, Kim Berlie, Susie O’Connor Seated L-R: jamie Bard-Dube, Darlene Fros, Melissa Woodward, Charmaine Toews, Elisha Guest

Jamie Bard Dube.............................................................................................................ATL Kim Berlie.............................................................................................................................AB Renee Charboneau...........................................................................................................BC Cindy Duclos.....................................................................................................................ATL Susan Dykstra .................................................................................................................. ON Darlene Fros....................................................................................................................... ON Elisha Guest .......................................................................................................................SK Iris Jackson ........................................................................................................................AB Cyndie Knorr.......................................................................................................................SK Kamini Le Capelain.......................................................................................................... ON Lois Nuttall......................................................................................................................... ON Susie O’Connor..................................................................................................................AB Jean-François Perreault............................................................................................... QC Gina Pflegervu PPOC ......................................................................................................SK Shauna Smith.....................................................................................................................AB Chris Thombs......................................................................................................................AB Charmaine Toews............................................................................................................MB Melissa Welsh ...................................................................................................................BC Melissa Woodward.......................................................................................................... ON

MPA Master of Photographic Arts

JAY TERRY, TINA WELTZ, PETER GOLD, Claude Brazeau, tina weltz, JOSEPH SIMONE, LOUISE SIMONE

Margaret Abraham, FIRST BAR......................................................................................................... AB Allan Bailey, FIRST BAR ....................................................................................................................... AB George Fraser, FIRST BAR................................................................................................................... AB Serge Roy, FIRST BAR...........................................................................................................................QC Debbie Malm, FIRST BAR .................................................................................................................... BC Kim Morritt, FIRST BAR........................................................................................................................ AB Kelsey Qualman, FIRST BAR............................................................................................................... SK T. Kirk Saint, FIRST BAR......................................................................................................................ATL Paul Wright, FIRST BAR ....................................................................................................................... BC Wendy Gonneau, SPA, SECOND BAR ............................................................................................ON Stéphane Larivière, SECOND BAR..................................................................................................QC Jill Shantz, SECOND BAR ................................................................................................................... AB Inge Skliros, SECOND BAR ................................................................................................................ MB Jay Terry, SECOND BAR & THiRD BARs .........................................................................................ON Claude Brazeau, THiRD BAR .............................................................................................................ON Peter Gold, SPA, THiRD BAR............................................................................................................... AB Tracey Harper, SPA, THiRD BAR........................................................................................................ BC Tina Weltz, SPA, THiRD BAR .............................................................................................................ON Esther Campeau, FOURTH BAR........................................................................................................QC Phanh Tram, SPA, FIFTH BAR............................................................................................................. AB Bruce Hendricks, SIXTH BAR.................................................................................................... MB/BC Joseph Simone, HLM, SIXTH BAR....................................................................................................QC Marc Bailey, SEVENTH BAR ...............................................................................................................QC Brian Lee, HLM, SPA, EIGHT BAR ....................................................................................................ON Mark Laurie, F/PPOC, SPA, eleventh bar...................................................................................... AB Don MacGregor, HLM, SPA, fifteenth bar ................................................................................... BC

SPA Service of Photographic Arts

Standing L-R: Maggie Habieda, John Wills, Vanessa Dewson Seated L-R: Sébastien Lavallée, Nathalie Lamy

Vanessa Dewson.............................................................................................................. ON Maggie Habieda................................................................................................................ ON David James......................................................................................................................ATL Nathalie Lamy .................................................................................................................. ON Sébastien Lavallée.......................................................................................................... ON Aura McKay.........................................................................................................................BC Jodi Proctor.........................................................................................................................SK John Wills............................................................................................................................ ON

From Left: Wendy Gonneau, Tina Weltz, Carina Gartner Lamarche, Rima Dickson Tracey Harper MPA...........................................................................................................BC Rima Dickson, MPA..........................................................................................................BC Wendy Gonneau, MPA................................................................................................... ON Carina Gartner Lamarche, MPA..................................................................................SK Tina Weltz, MPA................................................................................................................ ON Nelson Simard, HLM, MPA, FIRST SPA BAR .............................................................. ON Summer 2017

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My PPOC members share their stories

By Kim Morritt, mpa

When I joined the PPOC ten years ago, my only reason was going to earn my Masters just so I could say I was a Master photographer. I submitted my first Accreditations and when I received the letter in the mail stating that I had failed for the fourth time in my family portrait Accreditation, well I got mad! I considered myself to be a family portrait photographer!

I graduated at the top of my class in photography school, I’d photographed national sales campaigns, I knew my stuff. Why was I failed?

With anger in my voice, I called Nelson Simard and asked him why on earth I was being failed. Nelson, in his straight-forward manner, told me everything I was doing wrong.

The next sessions that I went out on, I fixed it and wouldn’t you know it, my Accreditation was accepted.

It was a light bulb moment for me.

Nelson didn’t only fix my family portraits, he changed my attitude about what the PPOC was to me. It wasn’t an organization that would gift me with the title of Master photographer or any number of print competition awards that I thought I deserved. The PPOC became an opportunity for me to learn, to push the boundaries that I had created for myself and to continue learning.

I stepped out of my comfort zone and volunteered at the provincial and then national level. I “met” photographers who I could look up to as

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mentors. If I hit a challenging shoot like having to photograph “borsht”, I knew who I could call for pointers.

When print competition rolls around, I know who I can send my images to for honest feedback that isn’t meant to make me feel good about myself but instead it is meant to make me a stronger photographer.

I make use of PPOC’s insurance trade partner, I enjoy entering print competition and going after Accreditations, and I’m proud to say that I am now a Master photographer, but what makes PPOC more valuable to me is the team it puts at my back when I need it.

In December of 2016, my chronically ill child took a downturn. He was hospitalized for a week before Christmas which meant I had to be by his side that entire time. December for a portrait photographer is a little hairy to say the least - there were portraits with Santa, family holiday sessions, Christmas cards and of course, portraits that were meant to be gifts for Christmas to get finished. I was in the midst of this busy time when my son was hospitalized. I didn’t know what I was going to do but that is when my PPOC team came forward.

I received so many offers of help to cover any of my unfinished projects.

I had a member take on creating my sports collages, one that covered my role of marketing for the national conference, and one that printed my portraits and drove them to my husband. Not a single one of my clients went to a Christmas party in disappointment, all client orders were met even though I was with my son in a hospital as he fought to breathe.

As my son continues in his battle for health, my PPOC team continues to back me up. From pep talks to business advice to offers to help tweak my workflow, colleagues from the other side of the country from me step up to help me continue to run my studio.

I will gladly continue to pay my dues, to volunteer in positions that I

can even do from a hospital room, to mentor and be mentored by members of the PPOC. I am proud to be a member and encourage each of you to step out of your comfort zone, contact a Board member and ask what you can do to help to keep our organization moving forward. When you get that rejection (believe me, I still get them!), don’t get angry and defensive, contact the judges and ask what I can improve instead, and you will be amazed. I guarantee that you will, like me, find a team of amazing people from one side of this country to the other that becomes invaluable to you. I guarantee that you will learn, change and grow in ways you didn’t think possible prior to reaching out.

To all of those members that reached out to me in the past year, I truly thank you for your support.

Kirk, Jeanine and Marie-Eve - thank you for getting me through December!

Louise, John, Jay, Ian, Bob, Gina and Tracey - thank you for your continued mentorship, support and advice. I couldn’t do it without you all!

PPOC Commercial Partners These photographic commercial partners support the Professional Photographers of Canada and its members. Look to them for quality products and professional service.

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Concept to Cover

OVERWELMED words and photos by: Darlene Fros, CPA

One of the things I have appreciated about PPOC is the challenge of competition. It has given me a creative outlet and a reason to spend countless hours at the computer. My inspiration comes from many avenues including technical challenge, emotional wordless expression and interactive reaction.

Overwhelmed came about from all of these.

Since beginning photography four years ago, Photoshop and the doors it can open creatively, have captured me.

I find myself looking up what others have been able to accomplish and can easily get lost in tutorials, albums and competition examples, seeing what can be done or being challenged by how I would create something similar.

It was a World Photographic Cup piece of a brain created with fetal position bodies that sparked one of my tangents. That spark burst into flames when I came across a tormented face created with only forearms and the occasional hand like matchsticks glued together. How could I make something so real that it would cause someone to

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do a double take to see if it was real or created, a concept, or a bizarre reality. And not only that but a piece that could reach someone past the intellectual and grab them in the heart.

The creation of Overwhelmed started when the house was empty.

(Never leave me home alone...) I set up the self timer and started shooting myself in various facial and body expressions. Emotions such as anger, fear, anguish, solitude all formed, but none had the “feel” I was after. It was when I rested my forehead on my hand at the computer, mulling over the potential images, that it came to me. Downcast, head in hand, overwhelmed. I went back to the camera, made a few shots then proceeded to shoot 77 different variations of arm and hands to be cut out later for pasting. I laugh when people ask “how did you do that!” simply because in its purity, it is only a cut and paste project, with a bit of dark side thrown in.

In using body parts to create body parts, I thought about arms and hands and how my Massage Therapy professor always told us “the human hand can form to every curve of the human body”. I used my knowledge of anatomy to create the ear from a fist, the long lines of the neck muscles with forearms, the clavicles from joined fists, the eyes from knuckles etc and began to reshape, skew and warp my arms onto the curves and lines of my base image. Knowing from mistakes in the past, that shooting underexposed and in harsh lighting would give me a grainy weird colour and texture to the skin, I shot that way, and used it to make the image much more dra-

matic. The most challenging part of the process was what to do with the hair. Fingers was all I could come up with so I ran with that too. Finished treatment was simply a desaturation and texture overlay.

Why did I create Overwhelmed?

First and foremost, for personal challenge. Secondly, for personal expression of creativity that I cannot do in any other form. And thirdly, when I share a personal project that is a deep reflection of what I see in my head, I want it to reach the heart of those who see it in a way not possible with words. This piece has done that and more than anything I am grateful for those who have reached out to say it has put a visual to the inexpressible. A picture of being pulled apart and held together at the same time. A picture of something so simple, yet so complex. A visual representation of being Overwhelmed.

Darlene Fros, CPA

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Make Magic The magic behind classic portraits? Lighting. Which is why every photographer should strive to become a lighting magician.

Elinchrom’s BRX 500/500 Softbox To Go Set gives you all the tools you need to create pure magic. It’s a versatile two-light kit that delivers wireless control, along with the flexibility to light your subjects in new and intriguing ways.

BRX 500/500 Softbox To Go Set

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