I took a few hours out of the day to visit the new Lethbridge Moxies location, and meetup with some great people connected via the social utility; twitter.
In attendance were many of Lethbridge’s photography community including Hope Litwin, Rod Leland & Cody Belter. I had my new Canon 7D with me and was able to shoot some random footage to get acquainted with the camera in a low light setting for video. Here’s the resulting clip:
Scenes from a tweetup from Michael Warf on Vimeo.
I spent a fantastic day with the staff and ownership of Brio Salon (101-1211 3 Avenue South, Lethbridge, Alberta) documenting “It’s Your Day” – a local project aimed at bringing the salon experience to underprivileged kids in Lethbridge communities. Teams of stylists and estheticians throughout the city cleared their schedules and volunteered their time for kids who heard about the event through local organization “Streets Alive“.
I was approached by local stylist Tanya Yancie early in the planning stages and helped corral a portion of the 15 photographers who donated their time to document the day via the Alberta Strobist group. Brio salon is beautifully modern, family owned and operated. I was pleasantly surprised at how such a visually stimulating place could lay inside an unassuming retail storefront on one of the busiest streets in Lethbridge.
Rather than take portraits for the kids, I took a documentary approach so Brio could have an album to share their contribution with the community. 200 kids were affected by the movement this year, and were sent home with many grooming supplies donated from local businesses. I feel strongly that this will be an annual event, and I can’t wait to help out next Summer to help kids feel great about themselves, and give them a fresh start for the coming school year.
I met Chris & Melissa less than 48 hours before their wedding. Their original photographer had to cancel at the last minute due to a family tragedy. News of their need for a replacement photographer spread like wildfire through the support of photographers in Lethbridge and the surrounding area, and ultimately Chris and Melissa put their trust in my work (simply through the website, before even meeting! Yikes!).
Upon meeting them both the next morning, it became very obvious that Chris was a lifetime football fan. I had scouted a local pond for wedding locations previously but really wanted to do something special for this couple to make their photos shine. I pulled a few strings with friends and within hours had security clearance to shoot at the new stadium, which is still under construction.
I don’t think this is the last time you’ll see this great location in Lethbridge wedding photos, but it feels great to be the first wedding shooter to be able to do so. I covered the morning makeup and hair sessions, while Kevin McCarthy – my second shooter who drove in from Calgary with 24 hours notice, covered the guys. The service was held at University Drive Alliance church, with a lovely reception in Coalhurst, Alberta.
Thanks for putting your trust in my photography guys, it was a pleasure to work with you both on your big day!
Flashing a new rock on your finger this Summer? Let us help you celebrate with a free engagement photo session for one lucky newly engaged (wedding in 2010) couple!
Send us a paragraph or two about how you met, how he (or she!) proposed, or a funny part of your love story. The winning couple will be chosen August 15th and will receive:
So put a pen to paper or start hammering those keyboards and let us know why you’d like an engagement session with Michael Warf Photographics, winners will be announced on this blog in just a few short weeks!
I received an interesting email this morning from this website. The sender enquires about the apparent “lack of creativity” in the Lethbridge photography market. I’ll keep the sender’s address confidential, but post the original email, and my response here for discussion.
Original Email
Why do Lethbridge photographers seem to have so little creativity. I see photos on a website then a month or so down the road other photographers have the exact photos on their site (different subjects, same concept). Where is the creativity?
My Response
Hi Xxxx,
I think many photographers in Lethbridge are very creative, but let me give you my spin on things.
Wedding photography is very commercial, and most photographers branch out into one of three categories:
Usually the bride sees a set of shots in a magazine or a style from another photographer and requests similar locations, poses, etc.
Most photographers try and put a personal spin in things, but in the end – it’s all about the client.
Another factor is trends in the industry. Most of us belong to WPPI, a national group of wedding photographers, and attend their conference. Too many return drinking the same kool-aid.
Other times, photographers will collaborate on the same shoot. I often second shoot for other photographers in town, and they for me. Both of us will post photos from the same wedding.
If you would like to evaluate the creative potential of a photographer, ask to see a wider portfolio to see work past the constraints of weddings. As an example, I shoot music, models and cars – none of which follow the wedding “formula”.
Most photographers would love to collaborate with a client on new and fresh concepts and styles. With risk comes reward, finding a client who will give the freedom to create is often a challenge.
Where does your comment stem from? Can I help at all?
M
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I think this sender makes some valid arguments that relate to other discussions we’ve been having in the industry as of late. The current economic situation is generating many new and part-time photographers into the market, trying to supplement their income, or generate a career change. This flood of new talent is bringing varying degrees of quality into the market, and the common reference for the majority of them is the portfolios of other photographers.
With many new photographers chasing quick dollars, emulating the style of other photographers, and generating a similar post production look – with just a few clicks in Photoshop (many photographers use Photoshop “actions” or recorded moves by more experienced hands to generate certain tones, textures or other visual styles) the landscape is too “watered down”. The overuse of these “actions” and “me too” poses, backgrounds and compositions tends to make things quite generic. If creativity truly is “the art of concealing your sources” – the internet is making things harder to hide.
A wedding photographer is a special breed, she is one part counsellor, photographer, project manager, technician and salesperson. The pressures of the wedding day bring out the best (and the worst) in a photographer, and those who can handle the heat excel over the long term. Some argue that the intensity of the wedding day, and the risk of experimental photography keep things looking the same.
I personally believe that if photographers stick to a consistent style, they will get work in that style – feeding more originality in the portfolio. Many discussions around locations, style and incorporating the personalities of your subjects into the resulting photos will keep things looking fresh, and let the new ones sort things out a level below.
What do you think?
I met Kristin and her mom over coffee at the local Chapters earlier this year. I knew her wedding photography would turn out great based on first impressions, they are really great people and ambassadors for the city of Lethbridge.
With a civil ceremony in council chambers at Lethbridge City Hall and cocktail reception and dance in the atrium, this wedding was a perfect venue for Kristin & Ben to celebrate their union.
We brought a team together second to none; Tanya Plonka provided her usual level of excellence in support shooting while Rod Leland and Brien Gerhing assisted location shoots and the photo booth.
As the reception unfolded, our team setup our new portable photo booth to allow guests to capture the action themselves. The photo booth was a massive hit, with lineups throughout the night waiting to make use of the various props available and receiving immediate 4 x 6 prints on demand.
Kristin & Ben are currently on honeymoon in B.C., but I can’t wait to show them their proofs and themed DVD of their big day.
Ali and I got together the other night to collaborate on artwork for her upcoming CD “Positivity”.
A folksinger from Nelson, BC – Ali can often be heard performing at the Slice of busking on local streets in Lethbridge.
“Positivity” marks Ali’s first CD recording, and I wanted a location that would accent her signature green guitar. A local canola field at sunset made a great spot – so good in fact that we canceled the studio session we booked because we nailed the shots all in one location.
This series would not have been possible without the help of assistant Brien Gehring, who is rapidly becoming my assistant of choice and a competent photographer in his own right.
It promises to be the largest shoot of 2009. A team of 18 athletes, 1 make up artist, 5 models, 1 designer, 2 custom dresses, 1 scuba diver, 1 pregnant lady & 10 photographers will gather at the University of Lethbridge pool to collaborate on everything wet! Read more »
Fans of live music in Lethbridge had few options recently for a choice in venue, it was either a local pizza place, or various temporary stages setup throughout the city. Not so anymore with the changing of the guard at Lethbridge’s old firehall and LBN restaurant. Read more »
Local wedding photographer Tanya Plonka asked if I would help her shoot an exceptional wedding a few weeks ago in Lethbridge. I’ve shot with her before on personal projects and the potential pressure of wedding shooting really solidified the teamwork between us. Read more »
