Winter Time

I had a great summer shooting weddings, but now i'm shifting into winter mode... and I'm pretty excited about it. I'm going to be shooting full-time for Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing in Revelstoke, BC. I'm really pumped about this gig, because It allows me to ride epic powder and take sick photos...so basically its a combination of my life's two biggest passions. So I've set up shop here in Revy for thewinter, and as i'm sitting here typing this, I'm watching the yard slowly fill up with falling snow. Once the seasons is in full swing, I will be updating the blog regularly with winter shots.

I'm also happy that Summer 2011 is starting to get booked up with weddings. So If you, or anyone you know is looking fora wedding photographer for next summer...don't hesitate to contact me. Last weekend I made a quick trip back to Kamloops to pick up a few items I would need for this winter, and I also met up with Theresa and Steve (I'm shooting their wedding July 23rd) for some quick engagement photos.

It was super cold out and snowing, but Steve and Theresa were nice enough to show me around Steve's property and show me the venue for the ceremony and reception. I'm definitely looking forward to shooting this wedding.

Mike and Brandy

Hey Everyone,

So Mike and Brandy hired me to shoot their wedding at TRU and I was pretty excited because I hadn't shot a wedding there yet and I had all these ideas of spots to shoot at around campus. All the people in the wedding party were amazing and super fun to be around. In fact...it actually started raining just minutes before the outdoor ceremony, and it would have been so easy for everyone to be down and bummed out. But these guys were here to have a GREAT time and actually danced their way down the aisle and getting all the guests laughing and having a completely awesome time.

Mike and Brandy also rented a Mustang convertible, so right after the ceremony I jumped in the back and we cruised around taking shots of them with the car. I was literally sitting on the the top of the back seats (half out of the car) shooting down at them while we drove through traffic....so much fun and the shots look awesome.

I'm really into these Animoto slideshows right now. Its just a cool way to showcase images from a wedding. So Make sure you click the video below to watch the slideshow from Mike and Brandy's wedding.

Thank you SO MUCH for having. Mike and Brandy...you guys are awesome.

Andrew

Keystone Basin Trail

This past week I had the chance to fulfil one of my biggest (non-photography related) goals for this summer...ride the storied Keystone Basin Trail. The Keystone Basin Trail is located about an hour and a half north of Revelstoke and is widely regarded in the BC mountain bike community as one of the few truly epic trails. With 22 kms of super technical singletrack, big climbs, long descents; all set in the high alpine Selkirk Mountains...this was going to be my best day of my whole summer. To say that I was REALLY looking forward to this day would be an understatement.

I also convinced my friend Bevan to come along on this road trip. Bevan didn't really know that much about the Keystone Trail, but it didn't take much convincing. I just threw in the words “epic” and “gnarly” into a few sentences describing the ride and he was in. So the stars aligned...the weather was right, the snow melted in the upper alpine, I had the time to spare and a partner to ride with.

Bevan and I drove to Revelstoke the night before our ride and crashed on our friend Dan's floor. The plan was to wake up at 6am and be at the trail head 8am, which would give us plenty of time to complete the trail and make the drive back to Kamloops in the same day. We woke up at 6 am to bluebird skies and the promise of an amazing day. We ate breakfast and made the drive out to the trail head. The trailhead for the Keystone Basin trail sits just below the tree line, which meant that I had to drive the Volkswagen up a pretty rough logging road to reach it. It took about an hour and half to reach the trail head and I was starting to feel really excited about this ride. We stepped out of the car at the trailhead parking lot and were completely in awe of our surroundings. We were just below the alpine and surrounded by snow capped peaks.

We slowly started to gear up for what would surely be the best day of my whole summer. I had just put the front wheel on my bike and asked Bevan to toss me my front axle (the part that actually keeps the wheel on my bike). Bevan starts looking through the back of the car and says he can't find it. I panicked slightly, but knew that I would never do something as stupid as forget my front axle on bike trip. Then I started looking for it, while at the same time scanning my memoryof when I packed up the car the day before. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks...I had left my front axle on the ground in the parking lot of my apartment back in Kamloops.

I felt like I had just been slapped across the face. I was almost speechless. I mean, I had forgotten things before...like going up to Sun Peaks to snowboard and forgetting my snowboard boots...but this was different. I had come all this way and had waited all summer for this, and now I'm standing at the proverbial gates...only to be denied access because I had forgot a critical piece of equipment. I went from such a high to one of the worst lows I had felt in a very long time. If Bevan hadn't been there I probably would have thrown a complete fit and thrown my bike off the side of the mountain.

All I wanted to do at this point was go back to Kamloops and wallow in my own self-loathing. Thankfully Bevan took this all in stride. His reaction was basically “shit happens” and that there is nothing we can do except turn around and head back. So we made the hour and a half drive back to Revelstoke. We did the drive in relative silence except for my occasional outbursts of “I can't believe I F*%#king did that”.

We arrived back in Revelstoke to pick up a few things from Dan's place before heading back to Kamloops. Needless to say, Dan was surprised to see us back so early. I told him the what happened. His reaction...“Your F*&king kidding me”. It was pretty embarrassing to admit that I done something so stupid. At this point I was still set on driving back to Kamloops that morning, but thankfully Dan talked some sense into me and convinced me that since I had come all this way, I should at least see if one of the bike shops in town had a spare axle. So we inquired at one of the bike shops and after a bunch of searching around they found an axle that would fit my bike. This mistake cost me $75. Once we got that settled we were back on the road to the trailhead. Even as we pulled into the parking lot (again) I really wasn't letting myself relax and enjoy the day because I was so on edge about something else going horribly wrong.

Well...we did it, and despite all the wasted time, extra driving and the $75 for the axle...it was totally worth it.TheKeystone Basin trail exceeded all of my expectations and was by far one of the best things I had done all summer. This trail challenged me on so many different levels. Long, technical, lung busting climbs. Fast, rocky descents. Single track that hugged the side of some seriously big cliffs. Just the fact that we were in the middle of really big mountains in backcountry terrain made me think twice about a couple sections of the trail...because if you bail here, medical attention is very far away. Also, at some point along the way I stopped to take a couple pictures while Bevan kept riding. I stood there for a moment in complete silence, all alone, in the middle of the BC Backcountry and I realized...there are animals up here that could eat me. After that realization I kicked it into high gear and caught back up to Bevan.

So the ride took us just over four and a half hours. And as we rode the final descent back into the parking lot, and I knew we had finally made it, I was completely overcome with an amazing natural high. I was completely euphoric. I was so happy that I had decided to keep going despite a pretty rough setback in the morning. It would have been so much easier to just give up and go home. But after finishing this ride, I knew I had made the right decision.

As I stood in the parking lot soaking up the sunshine and drinking a celebratory beer (thank god Bevan had the foresight to bring beer) I started to think that this trail, and this day in particular was...in a way...kind of symbolic of things happening in my life over the past year. Starting my own photography business has been without a doubt the hardest thing I have ever done, and I am constantly faced with challenges and at times have experienced heart breaking set backs. This day was a reminder that when you take on a big challenge, you will face setbacks. Setbacks that make you question why your even doing this in the first place. Setbacks that make you want to throw your bike of the side of a mountain. But for those with the persistence and strength to push through, the rewards are AMAZING.

Summer 2010 Highlights

Breaking down success...

I just finished up meeting with a couple and watching a slideshow of the images of their recent wedding...and I have to admit that I am feeling pretty good right now. Stephanie started to tear up seeing her wedding photos (It helps that I set the slideshow to music like Coldplay, Jack Johnson...etc) and I knew that I had knocked this one right out of the park. Everything about shooting this wedding seemed to flow smoothly it made my job so easy. So I started to think about why THIS particular wedding flowed so well and break down the components.

1.Photography was a priority

Jason and Stephanie made it clear to me that having amazing photos of them and their wedding was a big deal. They made the time for photos and were open to pretty much anything. Stephanie and Jason really placed a lot of value on their wedding photos...and it makes such a huge difference.

2. Vision

Stephanie had a clear idea of what she wanted. It sounds so simple. But when she told me that she was envisioning her wedding as being "Rustic and Elegant" my mind immediately started to form ideas of how I would shoot this thing, and imagining potential scenes.

One of the things I encouraged Stephanie to do (and what I tell all my Brides) is to send me images or links to wedding images they really love...this can be a wedding planning website or another photographer. Other peoples work is a constant source of inspiration for me (I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I never look to other photographers for ideas) and if you can show me an image or a style that you like, I can take that idea and put my own spin on it.

3. Meaning

The wedding ceremony was up at Lac Le Jeune Resort just south of Kamloops, not far from where Jason had grown up on his families ranch. His parents had long since sold the ranch, but the property still held meaning to him, and we decided before hand that we would go to the property after the ceremony to shoot the wedding party. This really gave the images a much deeper meaning to them. And having your clients really stoked on the location...goes a VERY long way.

4. Preparation

Stephanie and Jason took the time out of their busy lives to drive me up to the ranch where Jason grew up and show me around so that we could generate ideas and find some great spots for photos. This meant that on the actual wedding day, we already knew exactly where we were going to shoot, how far away it was and how long it would take to get there and back.

5. Trusting the photographer

After driving back from shooting at the ranch, people where definitely ready to get into an air conditioned building and have a cold drink. I can't blame them...it was crazy hot that day. But I had scoped out a potential shot at the beginning of the day that I knew would be so kick ass. The shot was about a 60 second walk out the back of the building and at the end of the dock over looking the lake. I was tempted to just let it go...and not bother asking them for "just one more". But I asked anyways...and they didn't even hesitate..."lets do it".

I think I only fired off about 4 frames...and that was it. It only took a minute. But it created my favourite image from the whole wedding and possibly the whole summer. And that moment would never have happened if Stephanie and Jason hadn't trusted me. And during the slideshow I was almost giddy with excitement as that photograph drew closer and closer...I couldn't wait to see her reaction...and she absolutely loved. The best part was that Jason was really stoked on it. That's how I know I've done a great job...when I can get a guy really stoked on his wedding photos.

Thank you so much Stephanie and Jason for being so awesome!

So here is that shot on the dock I was just talking about:

And here are a few more that I particularly enjoy from that day!

Image Explorations 2010!!!

Just came back from an amazing week of learning and personal growth at an annual photography course called Image Explorations on Vancouver Island. This was my second year attending...and it totally blew me away...again. This is a 5 day, super intensive program that stuffs an unbelievable amount of information into your head on everything photography related...lighting, posing, creativity, gear, technique, marketing, selling...

and more. I just got home last night and my mind was just spinning trying to process everything I learned this past week.

Even when your not "in class", your hanging out with other people that are just as stoked on photography as you. Lunch and dinner hours are usually spent with a small group of fellow classmates...laptops open...editing photos, sharing tips on the latest software or bouncing new ideas off each other. Evenings are often spent in the grand hall...which looks like something out of a Harry Potter movie...drinking a pint with your favourite instructor and try to absorb as much information out of them as

you can.

I'm already having a really great summer, and after the course I'm just feeling so pumped for the rest of the summer (and next winter) and I can't wait to put to use all the knowledge I gained last week into the weddings and portraits I have coming up. Here are a few of my favourite shots I took during the week. You can check out more of my shots from the course on my facebook page.

Cheers,

Andrew

So whats new....

Well a bunch of stuff! First off, I'm really pumped about having one of my shots selected for the cover of Sun Peaks Resorts 2010-11 winter brochure, as well as using my images throughout the rest of their advertising. Check it out here...

I get so much satisfaction looking at this shot and there are several reasons for that. I love the collaboration it takes to make images like this. Brett (the skier) and I knew that we were going to have really good, early morning sun, so we planned to meet up super early and be the first guys up the lift in order to take advantage of the light...and the light was perfect. I had also scouted this location a couple of times and imagined in my minds eye what the shot would look like. We arrived at the spot and hiked up through deep snow, and because I didn't want to have our tracks in the shot, we had to hike up in a long, roundabout way.

Next I had to explain to Brett what the shot looked like in my head. Then he had to hike up even further to get the speed he would need for the shot. Then of course we had a bunch of clouds rolling past the sun, so Brett had to wait patiently at the top for the perfect break in the light...and thankfully Brett knew exactly what I was imagining in my head and laid down a huge powder slash...right in the perfect sunny patch of snow...and presto...a cover shot.

I also really enjoy this shot because in the world of action sports photography, people often get hung up on the idea that you need a half dozen off camera flashes to take an epic shot, or that the athlete needs to be performing a death defying trick to make a shot look good (I am guilty of this all the time). So this image feels all the more satisfying in its simplicity. No complicated light setup, no crazy ass trick...just shredding powder on a sunny day.

...and the Weddings continue

I don't know if I believe in divine intervention, but last saturday I felt like something more than luck came into play during a wedding shoot for young couple...Nicole and Jeff. Black clouds hovered around the city all day and brought with them sporadic, monsoon like downpours. Nicole and Jeff really wanted to take some fun pictures around town after the ceremony, and allotted a nice chunk of time before the reception to do so. However, the rain had been pretty constant for most of the day and often coming down quite heavily.

All during the ceremony it was pouring outside, so I was preparing for plan B...shooting indoors. But miraculously after the ceremony, the clouds parted and the sun shone through. So we ended up having a great time getting some fun shots before heading off to the reception.

I had such a good time shooting this wedding. Nicole and Jeff (and the rest of the wedding party) were really fun people to shoot with, which makes my job SOOOO much easier. I also have to tip my hat to Jeff (the groom) for throwing down on the dance floor. This guy was doing cartwheels and busting out breakdance moves all over the place...and his enthusiasm was infectious...people were really having a great time.

Here are a couple edits from the wedding, and I'm really looking forward to showing Nicole and Jeff the final product!

Cheers,

Andrew

New Beginnings

The end of my winter season has come to a close. Its always a strange time of year for me because on the one hand it's sad to think that it's going to be 7 months until I can snowboard again, but on the other hand I am looking forward to getting out on my mountain bike and enjoying the hot Kamloops summer. It's especially hard to let go of winter when your last two days of riding are back-to-back epic powder days.

Big thanks to Dan Stewart for letting me sleep on your floor in Revy this winter and getting me pumped on playing squash again.

I had a lot of fun shooting this winter and I made a lot of big steps forward in many aspects of my photography and am looking forward to a great summer of shooting weddings, family portraits, mountain biking and anything else that I can get my fingers into.

Speaking of which, I am off to a great start to the summer season with some great engagement photo sessions with some couples who's weddings I will be shooting later in the summer. I will leave you with a few of my favourite shots from them.

Oh ya....I still have a some open weekends this summer for weddings. So if you or anyone you know is looking for a photographer don't hesitate to give me a call to discuss the details

Revelstoked!

What a week! Just got back from an action packed 5 days of shooting in Revelstoke BC. I started off shooting the Subaru Freeskiing World Tour event, which was a very cool experience in itself. For those people unfamiliar with this kind of event, it is a Big Mountain skiing contest where competitors pick their way down the alpine area (essentially a quadruple black diamond run...if such a thing exists) and are judged based on: Air, technical difficulty of their line and the finesse with which you ski it. Some of the biggest names in freeskiing were present and I had the chance to witness first hand guys dropping the most insane lines I have ever seen! The event was a blast, and my media pass got me free lift tickets and access to shooting areas that were off limits to the public...so I got some great shots.

So I shot the event during the day...and in the evening I hooked up with two super talented snowboarders from the Voleurz crew: Justin VDP and Shayne Zwickle for some crazy urban shots. I was super impressed with these two riders, even after taking huge bails, they would get back up and try it again...all in the name of “getting the shot”.

Then to top it all off...I got the opportunity to shoot with Selkirk Tangiers Heli skiing. So basically I was paid to go heli skiing! What an experience! The terrain was like something out of my dreams...long, open glade runs with an endless supply of powder. And all the guests were really stoked on their shots. I definitely have to say thanks to my friend and fellow photographer Dan Stewart for hooking me up, not just with the heli skiing, but for letting me stay at his place the whole time. Thanks buddy.