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In case you missed our CALGARY 2020 PHOTO INSPIRATION NIGHT Pecha Kucha Event at the CALGARY CENTRAL LIBRARY - check out Haley Eyre's presentation. Haley speaks about her experiences as a recent graduate of AUARTS and her projects such as Fashion Cats, I Don't Want to Clean, and Ladies Don't Have Body Hair. If you are not familiar - Pecha Kucha is a format where speakers only have 20 slides X 20 secs/ slide to share their story. It's TOUGH. But really, really worth it. Thank you AUARTS for helping sponsor this event! Get Haley's story and more in PRINT in the CANADIAN CREATIVE RISK-TAKERS - ISSUE #57

Garth Lenz is committed to raising the profile of emerging environmental issues through conservation photography. Despite the challenges of photographing previously undocumented locations of ecological significance, Lenz aims to expose the effects of climate change to educate and empower his viewers to take action. Much of Lenz’s motivation for pursuing conservation photography stems from his upbringing in North Vancouver, British Columbia. With a view to the man-made landmarks of Vancouver proper out his bedroom window, Lenz could also see the old-growth forest of Mosquito Creek at the foot of his backyard. While he considers himself a city kid, Lenz says nature was central to his earliest experiences. It was his initial desire to record his experiences and the scenes he saw as a result of early passions for climbing, the mountains, and the wilderness that led to his foray into photography. Though his appreciation for the natural environment and his passion for photography were strong, Lenz would pursue photography only as a hobby over the next few years. Like the great conservation photographer Ansel Adams, Lenz’s other love was the piano. He pursued post-secondary studies in music at the University of Western Ontario before returning to British Columbia, where he assumed a teaching position at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. Lenz said it was his return home in 1989 that re-ignited his interest in photography and his concern for the environment: “On Canada Day weekend, I visited the Carmanah Valley and was completely overwhelmed by the beauty of that forest and the devastation I passed through on the journey to get there.” The images that Lenz produced on his visit to the valley were collected in his first published work, although he continued to teach at the conservatory until 1992, when he finally decided to put his career in music on permanent hiatus and devote himself entirely to photography. Witnessing the declining state of the old-growth temperate rainforests cemented both Lenz’s conservation and photographic passions. Lenz says, “When I initially became interested in photography, it was just prior to the environment really becoming an ‘issue’ ... The Great Lakes were an issue, and acid rain was an issue, but there really was very little awareness about the value of, or threat to, issues like old-growth forests or the kind of environment that I readily had access to.” His return to the West Coast and his glimpse into the plight of the old-growth forests afforded Lenz a rare opportunity to photograph and draw attention to a landscape — the coastal temperate rainforest — otherwise largely undocumented by other photographers. Lenz has received much attention and praise for being at the forefront of breaking environmental issues. When he photographed the Carmanah Valley, his images were among the first to document that coastal temperate rainforest. Lenz was also one of the first photographers to photograph the boreal forests: “When I started to photograph boreal forests, conservation groups and photographers were all flocking to the Great Bear Rainforest. The boreal wasn’t even on the radar.” Though getting ahead of the curve on emerging issues is important to Lenz, he chooses his locations based on how critical an environmental issue is, and whether or not it has been extensively photographed. Lenz recognizes the ability of his photographs to produce an emotional reaction and inspire action. After he began giving presentations on environmental issues, he observed firsthand the transformative effects his images had on viewers in seeing both the beauty and the threats to the environment. As a parent and a conservation photographer, Lenz feels a sense of responsibility for safeguarding the planet for his children and endeavours to show the world that we are all affected by climate change. Lenz believes people have begun to perceive environmental issues as core human rights issues and hopes his work will continue this momentum to motivate social and political change. Through his work with leading non-governmental organizations, as well as mainstream media, Lenz’s images have been used in major campaigns that have led to conservation efforts and the creation of protected areas across Canada, Chile, and the United States. “They have played a role in shaping more progressive guidelines and legislation on forestry issues,” says Lenz, who also believes his images have had a personal impact on viewers across North and South America, Europe, and Asia, where he has given presentations. For Lenz, knowing that his work has helped shift perceptions and enact real change have been the greatest benefits. While not always financially rewarding, Lenz says he is compensated by the wonderful experiences and fascinating people he meets along the way and by the feeling that he is making a positive contribution. Lenz believes conservation photography can be a rewarding career, despite its many challenges: “It is a wonderful and rewarding life, but it is a very tough way to make a living.” He advises budding conservation photographers to be prepared to work hard and get by without a lot. While on assignment, Lenz is often faced with forces of nature that threaten to ruin a shoot and cause him personal harm. From torrential downpours, hurricanes, and plane engine failure, to hypothermia and near amputation, Lenz has learned to expect the unexpected in conservation photography: “At the end of the day, nobody cares, and magazines can’t publish excuses. You just suck it up and keep working, keep shooting, no matter what. It makes life interesting.” Although each assignment comes with its unique challenges, Lenz takes care to prepare as much as possible. Lenz thoroughly researches his subject matter before setting off on assignment, considering the logistics, weather, and lighting conditions that will maximize his potential for success. He talks to people who know the region, studies maps, and reads books and articles on the issues. “I have contingency plans and ‘what ifs’ for every conceivable eventuality I can envision,” says Lenz. “When things go wrong, I want to be prepared.” Though his plans may sometimes fall by the wayside, Lenz says you have to be prepared to make the best of whatever situation gets thrown at you. When on location, Lenz will choose a shooting location based on the composition and lighting conditions that help him tell the best possible story: “I spend a lot of time, whether on the ground or in the air, finding and lining up the right juxtaposition of foreground and background elements to try and make a certain point.” Though his images are a creative response to the subject matter he encounters, Lenz aims to tell an honest, visual narrative in each photograph, believing that his images must reflect reality. Lenz does not employ special effects while shooting, and instead prefers to work around lighting and weather conditions to achieve a desired outcome. Lenz’s project documenting the expansive impacts of the Alberta Tar Sands, has been shown in Los Angeles at the G2 Gallery and took top honours in Social Documentary.net’s international photography competition. The exhibit, titled Boreal Future: Our Last Great Forest and the Threat of the Tar Sands shows stunning images of the Canadian Boreal Forest (which, at 1.3 billion acres, are one of the world’s largest intact ecosystems) and the threat of the Tar Sands to the forest’s future. Lenz has been photographing the Boreal Forest since 1992. As a result of his award-winning exhibition, Lenz has realized both personal and professional success after many demanding years in the field. It is easy to understand why he is one of only 60 photographers in the world to be named a fellow of the prestigious International League of Conservation Photographers. www.garthlenz.com #GarthLenz #nature #canadianphotography #environmentalphotography #ecophotographycanada #canadianphotography #landscape

Our TOP SIX recommendations for sources of CANADIAN photo-related content to keep your idea machine active - from the couch. 1. We love this crazy collection of arty Canadian film + video Online + FREE / under $10. VUCAVU helps the world see the work of Canadian filmmakers and video artists. Browse through a vast catalogue of video content from animation, to comedy, to documentaries, to horror, to Indigenous stories, and so much more. Video lengths and rates vary (starting from FREE!), and content is available in English and French. Get cozy, set up an account, and start browsing. This could be your new Netflix. vucavu.com 2. If you're into cool Canadian DOCUMENTARY content... A few of our faves from the Knowledge Network Online + FREE The mountains are calling! This Mountain Life is a riveting portrait of human passion set high in the peaks of British Columbia. Shut Up and Say Something follows acclaimed international spoken word artist Shane Koyczan as he mines the scars of his past for truth, acceptance, and the most important poem of his life. Filmed over a full year at the HOpe Centre in North Vancouver, Living in HOpe follows patients and health care providers as they work together on a bold, radically human approach to mental health. www.knowledge.ca 3. If you're into great CANADIAN content NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA Online, FREE + paid The NFB is an award-winning online resource featuring thousands of bilingual videos – from documentaries to animated films, from new releases to back catalogue favourites. We love their curated collections, and their Educational Playlists feature for teachers, and that content can be streamed or played offline. The NFB app can be downloaded from the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, or from Google Play. nfb.ca 4. Where do you have to be right now? Nowhere? Yay! Deep dive + support PUBLISHERS from across CANADA We are especially LOVING these quality-coffee-table-worthy publications right now... SEITES A Calgary-based non-profit community, that works to share and promote analog imagemaking processes'. Beautiful publications that truly honor analog artists. Check them out HERE . LEAH HENNEL's NEW BOOK! GET 'ALONG THE WESTERN FRONT', and check out other lovely offerings by Rocky Mountain Books (RMB) HERE . FOTO:RE View From wonderful Waterloo Ontario... FOTO:RE View is a large-format quarterly journal that celebrates photographers and their work, in conjunction with complementary essays. Check out the latest HERE. DANA CLAXTON's book by FIGURE 1 Publishing Figure 1 promises, " Contemporary. Innovative. Beautiful. Books." We can attest - they DELIVER. We're especially big fans of the first monograph to examine the full breadth and scope of artist Dana Claxton’s practice. Check out what they have HERE. 5. Listen up! if you're into PODCASTS... We LOVE THE CLICK . Online + FREE We LOVE this #MadeinVancouver podcast series featuring inspiring conversations on photography, hosted by Truth and Beauty Gallery Director - Peppa Martin (one of our fave contributors!) CLICK HERE to check out THE CLICK! 6. Take a break from the screen.... LOVE MAGAZINES AGAIN $40./ year Of course we recommend ourselves! We share Canadian photography stories in a BRAND NEW LIGHT. New ways to think about photography GUARANTEED. Subscribers get 3 beautifully printed issues DELIVERED per year. (Spring/Summer + Fall + Winter) We also have a sweet catalog of BACK ISSUES - if there's a theme you're into but missed out on previously. + WE DELIVER TO YOUR CANADIAN DOORSTEP! photoed.ca/shop + Feel the bonus karma points flow your way when you SHARE all these goodies through your social media channels! Behind all of these suggestions are REAL CANADIAN HUMANS working super hard to bring you the best - a 'Like' or a 'follow' on social media is a sweet little boost of the ego in hard times.

Chris Shepherd explores the underground world of the subway station and discovers structures and places of beauty. In his series Waiting he finds moments of emptiness in-between receiving trains full of commuters, and sanctuaries of institutional architecture. In Waiting , Shepherd displays images of both Toronto’s and New York City’s transit systems, drawing parallels between the two through architectural similarities that sometimes leave viewers confused about the subject matters’ locations. Originally interested in pursing a career in painting, Shepherd thinks of his photographs as “found paintings.” The spaces displayed in Waiting show a sense of shape, form, and colour that Shepherd inherited from such abstract painters as Mark Rothko and such photographers as William Eggleston. Shepherd’s simple, clean compositions and attention to line reference such stringent documentarians as Berndt and Hilla Becher or Candida Hofer, all of who focus on municipal architecture, such as water towers or libraries. Unlike architectural photographers who use large or medium format cameras to capture their spaces, Shepherd shoots with a DSLR and a 24–105 mm lens that allows him the flexibility necessary for capturing tight or close underground spaces. He always uses available light and prefers to crop in-camera. He keeps post-production to a minimum, removing lens distortion and adjusting exposure. While his access to New York’s subway system is in part facilitated by a project he is working on for the Art for Transit program, to photograph in stations run by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), Shepherd had to get $2 million in liability insurance and pay $250 for a permit that allowed him to shoot on platform level. The challenges in securing this access were not easy to overcome — it took him four years to set up the permission to create the TTC images in Waiting, having originally nervously shot illegally. Shepherd insists on getting the right permissions, stating that if he can’t get it, he won’t shoot it, and that this approach has improved both his confidence and the legitimacy of his work. In an attempt to modernize its stations, the TTC put into motion a plan for station makeovers, and have redesigned Museum station to reflect the street-level cultural attraction that gives it its name. Shepherd feels ambivalent about these changes, which he thinks are “less likely to age as well” as older, more iconic stations. But at the same time, he says, his images are not inspired by a drive to preserve these spaces, but by a desire to document the transitional, fleeting nature of overworked infrastructure that is constantly in flux. Although he feels this work may elicit a gloomy or melancholy response, Shepherd finds his compositions “exciting;” he often revisits and reshoots a place until he can capture what originally drew him there. He speaks about the possibility of a space’s future, a kind of latent “energy” that he sees in the five minutes between trains, when the space is not necessarily empty or abandoned, but simply waiting. “Waiting is something I think we, as a society, don’t do very well. We somehow think it’s a waste of time,” Shepherd says. He sees a peace in these environments that most would never think of as tranquil. We featured Chris Shepherd and this article in our Fall 2010 issue: Architecture Photography – Issue 29. If you’re looking for architecture photography inspiration, you can find it HERE. Check out what Chris Shepherd has been up to lately at: www.chrisshepherd.net #ChrisShepherd #TorontoPhotography #canadianphotography #architecturephotography #OntarioPhotographer

Our recommendations for regret-free / invest in your own self stuff that will make 2022 better than 2020 or 2021! (We hope! Like, we REALLY hope!) AKA: A list of stuff you'll love AND can write off as a photography business expense! #MeTime DragonneDesign From formal and classy, to fun and floral, we LOVE these handmade camera straps from DragonneDesign in Quebec. Take your pick from a wide selection of fabrics, or customise and get your name/ or company name on your strap. Nice. All lovingly hand crafted + #MadeInCanada ! We think the gold skulls are the best. Check them out - HERE . Canadian Photo HISTORY wants YOU! The Photo Historic Society of Canada is a Nonprofit Organization run by volunteers, whose mandate is “ To advance the knowledge of and interest in the histories of photography” . Since 1974, the society has held monthly meetings, published a journal, (Photographic Canadiana), sponsored awards and publishing projects, hosted the Photographica Fair, a print show, and various in-person events for photography lovers. These people know their stuff, and LOVE to share what they know with anyone interested! With the global pandemic in play, monthly meetings and presentations have gone virtual which is awesome, as their events are FREE and accessible wherever you are. Gotta love the "Zoom and tell" a weird and wonderful stuff "show and tell"! We have added them to this "Me List" as we think $35. / year for a membership is a pretty sweet deal, and OR - as a registered Canadian Charity - you can donate to this awesome group AND get a TAX RECEIPT! Find them on CANADA HELPS - HERE . Check them out at: phsc.ca * NOTE: These guys have a super fun Instagram account + an email newsletter that rocks. To get their enews, send your email address to info@phsc.ca using the subject “news” and they will add you their list. Easy. + ALWAYS interesting. Up your editing game and don't pay monthly! Recently rated Apple's "App of the year" - Affinity Photo , is a professional image editing software that rivals Photoshop. It offers Raw Editing, HDR Merge, Panorama Stitching, Batch Processing, PSD Editing, 360 Image Editing, and Unlimited Layers. And the best part? YOU OWN it. It's NOT a subscription. For CA$74.99 on Windows or Mac or CA$29.99 on iPad. Instead of paying a monthly or yearly fee, it's a one-time purchase that comes with extensive editing tools + you can try before you buy - with the FREE trial. Check it out HERE. Go pro - with your luggage. We are loving the Think Tank Photo - Retrospective 30 V2.0 shoulder bag. A classic look with some sweet innovative new features.... Ya know when you're trying to shoot with discretion in a quiet, sensitive situation.... You need something from your bag, but can't get it because that velcro closure is just too noisy and distracting to rip open?! ....UGH. Well, this bag could save your cookies next time. The folks at Think Tank thought about that! Hook-and-loop "Sound Silencers" keep your stuff secure! FEATURES: Fits a 15" laptop Seam-sealed rain cover included HEAPS of pockets and dividers For extra security, they added a zippered opening under the main flap that tucks away when not in use. + more techy specs and 5-Star reviews.... to check out HERE. Comes in black and pinestone (greeny/ gray) + slate blue (retail $240.) GREAT COFFEE - Delivered. Kick start every shoot with GREAT COFFEE. Every order from Sparkplug Coffee is Custom Built to your specs with premium Arabica coffee beans that are directly sourced and fairly traded. From bold dark roasts to a delish decaf, there's something for every coffee lover here! The AUTOPILOT (sorta a subscription) coffee plan is easy-peasy, it's pay-as-you-go , nothing locked in, or membershipy. Just GREAT coffee - delivered on the regular. All on your terms! Clients LOVE great coffee on set! Our pals at SPARKPLUG COFFEE want to keep you fuelled with a Special BOGO deal for friends of PhotoED Magazine! Buy a bag of coffee and get one for 40%off with the gift code: PHOTOEDFRIEND Does Starbucks need more of your cash? Not really! #ShopLocalCanada BECOME a Patron PATRONAGE HAS PERKS! Not only do you get the magazine delivered to your door (3x/ year), your NAME will feature IN PRINT as one of our V.I.Ps - AND theres a whole other list of stuff/ options to support us - so we can continue to inspire - YOU! ... starting at only $3./ month! Check out the details: HERE!

Our recommendations for the perfect gift All under $100. + ALL #ShopLocal bookS we LOVE... The Haddon Hall - Naomi Harris In 1999, photographer NAOMI HARRIS moved into a South Miami Beach Art Deco hotel to document a unique community. Armed with a 35mm camera and slide film, she became a surrogate granddaughter to the residents. After years of work, surviving the depression, war, and concentration camps, many Jewish senior citizens made the pilgrimage south. A depressed economy and cheap rent (at that time) made it an ideal choice for a retiree on a fixed income. "I photographed my surrogate bubbehs and zaidehs lounging by the pool, doing exercises and kibitzing on the veranda. I joined them for bingo, took them grocery shopping and to the beauty parlors; these people were my friends.” — NAOMI HARRIS The Washington Post says: "Harris’s evocative images bring us into this circle of people who’ve found and sought solace in each other in a unique place and time." "'Haddon Hall' is like a family album, wrought with vim, vigor and a healthy dose of empathy. It’s a beautifully engaging testimony to a bygone era." Published by Void Limited Edition of 1250 Hardcover, silkscreened with open spine 104 pages, 200 x 270 mm $65 Order your copy from our friends at ROONEYS - HERE. Light Wounds - Eva H.D. & Kendall Townend This meditative collection of "photo-haiku hybrids", with poems by Eva H.D. and photographs by Kendall Townend, is a unique gift idea for the fellow artist in your life. As Don Snyder describes in Photomonitor : "This is a multilayered and rewarding book, and highly recommended—especially for those who share a curiosity about the endless differences between what an image shows, and it might express." 80+ pages $35. Get it from the Light Wounds website, HERE. Stay Solid Or Move West - Chris Donovan As featured in our DOCUMENTARY ISSUE , we love a Chris Donovan story! In Stay Solid Or Move West, Chris explores identity, love, memory, and the Maritime tradition of "going west." The book features photographs taken mostly on disposable cameras over the course of four years, alongside archival images sourced from family albums. Donovan's first book is a diaristic account of his displaced coming-of-age, and the intergenerational trauma and feeling of inevitability of westward migration experienced by so many Maritimers. For many, “west” refers to the perceived economic prosperity of Alberta’s oil fields. For Donovan, it was the promise of endless opportunity that drew him from the Atlantic to Toronto. 6.5″ x 8.5″ (vertical), 144 pages Binding: Swiss Brochure, open spine with cover attached on back. Edition Size: 500 $40. Get it online from ROONEYS - and SHOP LOCAL Hamilton! About Time - Jin-me Yoon About Time presents Vancouver artist Jin-me Yoon’s significant artworks of the last decade. Frequently combining photography, video and installation, Yoon’s work is distinguished by a poetic, cinematic aesthetic—one that is deeply contemplative and undergirded by an examination of our position in the world as it is reflected in and shaped by ideas of history and memory, land and ocean. Published by Hirmer Publishers and Vancouver Art Gallery | 2022 Hardback, 208 pages 7'' x 9.75'', 100 colour illustrations $65.00 + shipping Get it from the Vancouver Art Gallery store - HERE. More MAGAZINES! Affordable and current, these gorgeous publications will remind the receiver that you are awesome whenever they open their snail mail and find a fresh copy. Here are a few of our independently published faves... BlackFlash Saskatoon situated, BlackFlash Magazine presents critical opinions, and innovative ideas about divergent artistic practices from across Canada, and beyond. Each issue includes profiles, interviews, reviews, feature articles, and artist projects from a diverse selection of artists, writers, and curators. BlackFlash produces three printed editions/ year. ($22.) Subscribe HERE. STRATUS Journal STRATUS is a indie journal featuring film photography, based in Treaty 6 territory, in Edmonton. Their most recent mini-issue, "Life in Green" turns its lens toward the environment, and is all about appreciating green. $30. Check out STRATUS Journal's website, HERE. A Custom Curated Boxset surprise! The Toronto-based Issues Magazine Shop carries hard-to-find, independently-published magazines from around the world. Let them curate a surprise boxset of magazines, choosing your price-point, from $25 (1 magazine) to $300 (6-10 magazines). First, choose your budget, and then tell them about your gift recipient: Who are you buying for? What topics do they love? Are there specific titles you'd like to include? Do you want to send a gift message? If so, what should it say? Subject to available inventory; shipping is included. Check it out HERE. Add COFFEE to your magazine moment! REALLY nice fresh roasted coffee can spark a little extra warmth into your giftee's custom-built magazine moment. We love Sparkplug coffee because it's delicious , roasted fresh locally, and run by a cool female-led team. ADD-ON on a 300g bag of coffee to your PhotoED deliveries! Enjoy a 3 issue (1 year) PhotoED Subscription + 3 Bags (350g) of Coffee (A single bag is delivered with each edition) $80. Price includes delivery (x3) anywhere in Canada. Custom ground or whole bean options available. The coffee selection will change with each season. *Sorry, the RYAN VAN DER HOUT limited edition print is OUT OF STOCK. FIND OUT MORE - HERE. Cool stufF A statement piece! ART = WORK Get this tell-it-like-it-is T-shirt for only $20 — HERE. The ART=WORK campaign is run by VANL-CARFAC, Visual Artists of Newfoundland and Labrador + Canadian Artists Representation/Le Front des artistes canadiens, in partnership with the Mary MacDonald Foundation . This joint fundraiser supports visual artists, curators, and art workers living in Newfoundland and Labrador through programs and awards distributed by their respective organizations. Handmade mugs also now available! Check them out HERE. Get 2023 on the right track. A calendar featuring Canadian photography is always a great gift. Here's one we REALLY love. Megaphone is a Vancouver-based organization that amplifies marginalized voices through writing, photography and public dialogue. Megaphone's 13-month Hope in Shadows Calendar features photographs from a local photo contest open to the low-income vendors who sell the calendar to earn income. This tear-jerker video of the launch of the 2021-2022 calendar is worth watching! Get inspired and support people to find hope in shadows - all year! $20. Calendars can be purchased online OR if you're in Vancouver, find a local VENDOR! Gelaskins Freshen up your tech! Gelaskins offers artist-designed skins for laptops, phones, tablets, wireless headphones, e-readers, and MUCH more... You can also upload your own photo , logo, or artwork and create a bespoke skin. And they're made in Toronto! Get 20% off your first order from Gelaskins by using our coupon code PHOTOED20. Mac skins, (pictured below), start at $42. Check out their full product line HERE. Urchin bags Are you holiday shopping for an eco-conscious adventurer? Photo adventures need sturdy (and stylish) ways to keep your stuff together. Urchin Bags might have just what you're looking for. Designed and made by Clare on Vancouver Island, the bags give old bike tires and seatbelts a second life as durable and unique carry-alls. We love the vegan, zippered bag (above) made with a used bike tire's inner tube and scrap vinyl, and the seat belt wallets (below) are super cool too! Urchin Bags diverts material from landfills and sews it into functional, funky, and durable pieces of art! They're perfect for holding small bits of gear, toiletries, or rolls of film. Check out more of URCHIN BAGS stuff - HERE. For the artists out there With eight great options, we LOVE artist/photographer Danny C ustodio 's T's. If you know someone that can laugh in the face of rejection, or the realities of being a starving artist - this is the perfect gift! Available in black with white text, or white with black text, in a range of sizes to suite any size of artist! Check out these T's - HERE . No. 1 leather camera strap This minimalist leather camera strap is handmade by the folks at Fieldwork Company in Alberta. It's cut from 6oz Full-Grain leather and features solid brass components. Over time, the leather will soften and develop a patina unique to your strap. AND you can personalise them with hand stamped initials! Starting at $50 + shipping at Fieldwork Co's website— HERE. FlicFilm (but also chemicals!) Located in beautiful Longview Alberta, Flic Film is a "manufacturer of 35mm cinema film cassettes for stills photography and a blender and manufacturer of photo chemicals." They state, "The products we produce are influenced by two principles, customer wants and needs, and environmental sustainability and responsibility. All products are designed and packaged to have the lowest possible impact on the environment." FlicFilm (and chemicals - including a C-41 kit!) are available through retailers across Canada, Beau Photo Supplies in Vancouver, Downtown Camera in Toronto, and others listed HERE . For the kids! Inspire kids through photography Project Kids & Cameras is a social enterprise empowering kids ages 7-14 to explore their voice and the world around them through photography, literacy, visual thinking skills, and social action. With in-person and online options, we LOVE this thoughtful gift idea! Find out more about what they do: www.projectkidsandcameras.com #SHOP LOCAL CANADA Our local Canadian retailers + small business' need us. Amazon + Walmart don't care about you. Shop smarter. It's easy! Not sure what your photography lover would like? Let them chose + SUPPORT A LOCAL BUSINESS with GIFT CERTIFICATES. If you're in Vancouver - check out the awesomeness of BEAU photo. "Bottom line – we are here to assist you. It doesn’t matter if you are running your own photography business, are a photographic artist, a student getting into photography or someone who found an old film camera and wants to start using it. We are here to help you decide what is best for your needs. No hard sales tactics here." If you're in Toronto, we love a visit to Downtown Camera. At Downtown Camera, gift certificates can be used on anything in the store, from film developing (drop-in OR mail-in) and analog accessories, to the latest digital gear & gadgets. Your giftee will fee like a kid in a candy store! Looking for a store that's nation-wide? Henry's has everything A photographer could ever want. Check out their huge selection of cameras and photography gear, HERE. The ultimate Canadian photography lovers gift!? Of course we recommend our own selves as the BEST GIFT ever! + Our SUBSCRIBE + TOTE offer is a sweet deal. New ways to think about Canadian photography GUARANTEED. Subscribers get 3 beautifully printed issues DELIVERED per year. (Spring/Summer + Fall + Winter) We also have a neat catalog of BACK ISSUES - if there's a theme your gift-ee is into but missed out on previously - check it out. photoed.ca/shop + Feel the bonus karma points flow your way when you SHARE all these goodies through your social media channels! Behind all of these suggestions are REAL CANADIAN HUMANS working super hard to bring you their best - a 'Like' or a 'follow' on social media is a sweet little boost of the ego in hard times.

An interview with photoED Magazine Mauline Jacques in Montreal • Shot w/Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 lens at ISO 1250, 1/80 sec., f/2.8, 70mm Karene-Isabelle Jean-Baptiste is a Montreal-based photographer interested in capturing elusive moments of magic. She was selected as a Woman of the Year 2020 by Best Health   Magazine  for her photo project on Black women in healthcare. In 2021 she was awarded a Photojournalism Diversity Grant by La Presse , and in 2022 she received a Black Women Photographers Nikon USA award. Mauline Jacques in Montreal • Shot w/Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 lens at ISO 1250, 1/80 sec., f/2.8, 70mm photoED: Your profession until fairly recently was engineering. How and why did you decide to transition into full-time photography? Karene-Isabelle: At times, there is a synchronicity to things that we are not fully aware of. I had known myself to be unhappy as an industrial engineer for a certain time and the thought of doing that work day in and day out until I could finally retire was draining me mentally. In early 2020 I decided that I should take a chance on myself and on this career and pursue photography full time. When the pandemic exploded that year, it suddenly felt urgent for me to create work that would speak to the world as it was unfolding itself around me. That sense of urgency and my need to document this exceptional time led me to create my series Black Women in the Time of the Pandemic. It was this project that kick-started further opportunities and made it possible for me to become a full-time photographer. photoED: Your work appears effortless in its simple beauty and intoxicating use of colour. What would you like viewers to know and understand about all the work that goes on to craft an image behind the scenes? Karene-Isabelle: My work is very much inspired by painting and the natural world. I’ve always been fascinated by the power of colour and its ability to make us feel so deeply. I want my work to reflect that. I’ll often start with a specific colour in mind and work to add it into my palette. I often enjoy consulting wi th a friend who  has the most amazing eye for design and we work unbelievably well together. We bounce ideas off of each other and somehow always seem to meet in exactly the right place creatively. photoED:  What do you love most about creating stories through photography?   Karene-Isabelle: I am an avid reader and have always been awed by writers’ abilities to create worlds a reader can fully immerse themselves in. I share that same desire to create a world all my own. Photography affords me that opportunity and I am thankful for it. I love leading people into a story, an idea, or a community they may have never thought of but which they have now gained an entry into through the images I have crafted. Annaïla Telsaint in Montreal • Shot w/Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 lens at ISO 500, 1/320 sec., f/2.8, 154mm photoED: Whose work has influenced yours? Karene-Isabelle: I have been influenced by many but there are three standouts for me. The first is certainly Gordon Parks, whom I’ve always seen as a Renaissance man. I love his use of colour, the variety of his projects (fashion, film, photojournalism), and his distinct point of view. I love the work of Yousuf Karsh. The portraits he created are iconic and, in many cases, the definitive images by which his subjects are known. I go back to his work often when I look to create my own portraits. Lastly, I am a real fan of Malick Sidibé. I remember stumbling onto his iconic Nuit de Noël  in a magazine one day and I immediately cut it out. That led me to researching his work and discovering a freedom, simplicity, and honesty that influences me to this day. photoED: What makes a good photograph? Karene-Isabelle: A good photo is arresting. It takes us to a place that feels familiar yet unexpected. It forces us to linger, to wonder, to feel. It pulls us in, despite ourselves. photoED: How has working in photography influenced you personally? Karene-Isabelle: My work in photography has made me much more determined and more willing to take risks. Being a photographer involves a lot of pitching projects, submitting work for judgment, and approaching strangers. It typically involves a lot of rejection and that has led me to understand and accept that the word “no” is part of the world I evolve in. It is not an indication of the value of my work or of myself as a person. In a way, photography has taught me to do things while scared. This has helped me in other areas outside of my work as well. Shot w/Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 lens at ISO 1250, 1/160 sec., f/2.8, 100mm photoED:  What has been your favourite or most personally impactful project or adventure?   Karene-Isabelle: My work on Black women in healthcare is my favourite and most impactful project without a doubt. The reaction of the subjects themselves, of other women who also work in the medical field, and of the general public was overwhelmingly positive. I wanted to place Black women in the context of the pandemic and show how they contributed to Canadian society during what was inarguably a very difficult time. I wanted them to be seen. It also felt important to break with the myth of the powerful Black woman. I wanted the women to be seen as strong, yes, but also as vulnerable and scared. It felt important to show their humanity and give them a voice which they had felt deprived of. So many reached out to say that this project made them finally feel seen. photoED:  What does your dream project entail? Where do you hope photography will take you in the future? Karene-Isabelle: My dream project entails a look into the Montreal borough in which I live: Montr é al-Nord. I want to make work to counter the negative stereotypes that exist about the area and show what it’s really like to live here and show the beauty that exists within. It’s a working class neighborhood and people work hard but its difficult reputation is undeserved. I would fashion that work in the same vein as what was done by Jamel Shabazz in the eighties in New York: raw, honest, and hopeful. My hope for my photography is that it brings joy and love to my subjects. I would also love to have my work collected by galleries someday for posterity. I would love to say that I came, I revealed, and I changed some minds. Mauline Jacques in Montreal • Shot w/Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 lens at ISO 1250, 1/125 sec., f/2.8, 70mm GEAR UP What camera and equipment do you use? What’s your favourite lens? Tell us about your experience using Tamron lenses? Karene-Isabelle: I mostly use my Canon 5D Mark II. It’s an oldie but a goodie. I bought it many years ago and it is definitely a workhorse.  While I l ove a fixed lens, I was blown away by and fell in love with the 70-120mm Tamron zoom lens. Its depth of field is unmatched. It is sharp, fast, and light to carry. The focus is also soooo smooth. I’d never really worked with a zoom lens for fear of losing out on some of the light, but this lens was definitely a game changer for me and it certainly made me rethink my position. I am not a technical photographer and surely it has many features to endear it to other users, but I just know that I love taking pictures with it! Karene-Isabelle Jean-Baptiste See more of Karene-Isabelle Jean-Baptiste's work - HERE. Check out Karene-Isabelle Jean-Baptiste's fave new Tamron lens - HERE! www.tamron-americas.com

Ottawa, is home to a unique institution —  the SPAO  Photographic Arts Centre A   ONE - AND - A - HALF - STOREY  converted warehouse, tucked away on a residential street in the Little Italy neighbourhood of Ottawa, is home to a unique institution —  the SPAO  Photographic Arts Centre. The centre houses a gallery, a residency program, and the only two-year photographic arts college diploma program in Canada. The SPAO, Photographic Arts and Production Diploma program draws applicants from around the world, and accepts only 16 students per year into its full-time program. Founded in 2005 by art instructor Michael Tardioli, creative director Khalia Scott, and 20 students who pooled their money to launch it, the school was created to provide an alternative to the commercially focused photographic training offered by other colleges. “The students wanted something special that lived up to their educational expectations,” says Jonathan Hobin, the current creative director of SPAO. “No other program was offering that, so they built it.” That grassroots origin and small student body have allowed a close-knit community to flourish. “When you have a small group of people and they support one another, they care for one another,” says Jonathan. “You learn about people, you go deep, and you get vulnerable. It really is incredible.” Operating more like an artist-run centre than a typical art school, SPAO’s intimate, collaborative environment fosters cross-pollination of ideas between students of diverse backgrounds and ages. Instructors know every student by name and nurture the vision of each one, providing one-to-one mentorship and a safe, supportive space for students to grow and flourish as artists. “It’s a space that feels much more like a home away from home than a college or university campus,” says Jonathan. With a strong focus on process and experimentation, SPAO encourages students to push the boundaries of traditional photographic techniques. In year one, students explore subjects such as portraiture and landscape photography, and learn various technical processes such as cyanotype and dry plate. “We believe in the art of craft,” says Jonathan. “If you’re going to be working with photography, you have to understand your tools.” This foundation serves as a catalyst for students to experiment and develop their own unique artistic practices, which they then refine in their second year as they learn the business of being an artist. Classes covering topics such as project planning, building a portfolio, and community engagement prepare students for a successful art career. “It’s not just about learning photography,” says Jonathan. “It’s about learning how to be an artist.” This is the promise of SPAO — a space where students enjoy a transformative experience and become the lens-based artists they’re meant to be. Alumni have seen their work shown in and represented by local and international galleries, and have participated in photography festivals and art fairs around the world. They’ve sold pieces into public and private collections, have won major awards and grants, and have been featured in major media outlets. Here we share the stories of three SPAO alumni and how attending the tiny Ottawa college lay the groundwork for their thriving photographic arts careers. These artists have pioneered new, original photographic techniques, a testament to the disruptive nature of SPAO’s methodology. Each of their practices meld different photographic techniques together to create something completely original. "Conception of Tranquility" • Steve West • Brain scan image   Steve West - Class of 2020 Steve West first attended SPAO as a part-time student while he was working as a consultant in the Health Sciences sector. With encouragement from the school’s founder, Michael Tardioli, Steve enrolled and was accepted into the full-time diploma program. “I was a mature student, so I felt I had to justify to my classmates — and prove to myself — that I belonged in this artistic environment,” he shares.  That self-doubt quickly dissipated amid the nurturing environment of SPAO. Steve says, “When I look back at where I was when I started, and then what I achieved by the end of the diploma, it’s amazing. It was life-changing and incredibly enriching for me as a person.” With a highly accomplished career in health sciences, Steve is building an equally impressive second act in the photographic arts. Aestheticizing brain scan imaging data, his current work explores the mysteries of the human brain and those living with substance use disorders. Steve emphasizes, “I cannot stress enough the impact SPAO had on my artistry as well as providing me with the technical and post-production foundations to realize the work I want to produce. It gives you the confidence to experiment, be technically competent. For me, that’s just as important as producing the artistic work.” “The diploma program at SPAO was a life-changer for me and set me on a new course as a lens-based artist. I still go to SPAO and stay in touch with classmates. It is more than a school of photographic art — it’s a community!” – Steve West, class of 2020 “Transfix” • Whitney Lewis-Smith • Heliogavure etching on copper. Whitney Lewis-Smith - Class of 2011 Whitney Lewis-Smith had all but abandoned her artistic practice before attending SPAO. She was working in marine science at the time and enrolled in the photography school to focus on documentary techniques for use in tandem with her underwater fieldwork. However, the two-year program changed Whitney’s trajectory completely and her studio practice developed into a very successful career. “The program opened doors for me that I hadn’t previously considered,” she says. These days, Whitney builds elaborate botanical constructions and captures them on 8×10 glass plate negatives, using techniques she first began experimenting with at SPAO. She then transfers the image to a copper etching plate, using printmaking to reproduce the photo with the historic photogravure process. “What I learned at SPAO has remained as a sort of rulebook for me ever since,” she says.  Represented by the Bau-Xi Gallery in Toronto and Vancouver, Whitney has shown her work in galleries and art fairs as far as Seattle, Mexico, and Spain. Her pieces are in the collections of Global Affairs Canada and the City of Ottawa, as well as the private collection of Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau. “The facilities at SPAO were a great playground of discovery for me. Every free hour outside of classes, I made use of the darkroom and studio, teaching myself obscure techniques. That free experimentation time with so many available tools is still something I consider invaluable today.” – Whitney Lewis-Smith, class of 2011 "Venus I" • Kamryn  Woloschuk • Composite image Kamryn Woloschuk - Class of 2023 Kamryn Woloschuk was procrastinating from doing schoolwork for her non-arts program in second-year university when she searched online for Canadian photography schools. Amid a sea of commercial programs, SPAO stood out to her as a place where she could develop an artistic practice without the four-year commitment a degree program required. Once she became a student, Kamryn found her time at SPAO to be not only fun but also validating. “I finally felt like an actual artist. It’s fulfilling to be a part of a community that takes your art and experience seriously, especially when you haven’t felt that before,” she says.  The small cohort had a broad range of life experiences, artistic talents, and philosophical perspectives — a diversity that helped Kamryn expand her own practice. Used to working in isolation, she says, “My favourite thing about attending SPAO was how the passion of those around me ended up fuelling my own.” Inspired by the Venus of Willendorf, Kamryn photographs what she affectionately refers to as fat bodies, and melding their forms over roughly articulated clay using post production tools. Now a graduate and emerging artist of the highest calibre, the queer multidisciplinary artist sees her practice not only as an outlet for self-expression, but also as a means to contribute to conversations on mental health, feminism, and community. “The SPAO diploma program was almost completely opposite to my experience in university. It’s intimate, casual yet sophisticated, hands-on, and community-based. We learned as much from the program as we did from being surrounded by other artists with diverse experiences and knowledge bases.”  – Kamryn Woloschuk, class of 2023 For more information about SPAO and how to apply to its college diploma program, visit spao.ca .

Entrez pour avoir! Enter to WIN! A Tamron lens giveaway! The Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 is a fast-aperture lens that delivers outstanding resolution and superb overall performance in a lightweight compact zoom lens. See what this lens can do, HERE . Entries close October 31, 2023. No purchase necessary. Open to residents of Canada only. One entry per person. No substitutions. No cash value. Winner will be notified by email. Unsubscribe at any time. Prize must be claimed by December 1, 2023 or the prize is forfeited. The winner will be able to replace the Tamron SP 35/1.4 Di USD for SONY with a Canon or Nikon DSLR mounted lens ; or Tamron 17-70mm F/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD for Fujifilm X mount ; or 70-300mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD for Nikon Z mount . No other substitutions. Entrez pour avoir la chance de gagner une Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 G2 Zoom! (valeur $1199.00) Conditions d'entrée vous abonner à la newsletter électronique. Inscrivez-vous ici. Clôture des inscriptions le 31 octobre 2023. Désabonnez-vous à tout moment. Pas d'achat nécessaire. Ouvert aux résidents du Canada seulement. Pas de substitutions. Pas de valeur monétaire. Le gagnant sera averti par email. Le prix doit être réclamé avant le 1 décembre 2023 ou le prix est perdu. Le gagnant pourra remplacer la Tamron SP 35/1,4 Di USD pour SONY par une monture DSLR Canon ou Nikon ; ou Tamron 17-70mm F/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD pour une monture Fujifilm X ; ou 70-300 mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD pour une monture Nikon Z . Aucune autre substitution.

TOP PHOTOGRAPHER WINNER: Daniel Calicchio  • Portugal Billed as the world’s greatest photo game, GuruShots is an international competition platform for photographers . Players get feedback from more than three billion monthly voters and try to work their way up through rankings, from Newbie to the ultimate status (and bragging rights) of Guru. GuruShots’ challenges are voted on by the platform’s Gurus and the wider community, with a fresh challenge every day. Winners can receive prizes from GuruShots’ sponsors such as Adorama, Kodak, Lowepro, and Lensbaby. The Pure Minimalism Challenge showcases beauty in simplicity through images from around the world. TOP PHOTO WINNER: Mg Dgaf • Austria GURU’S TOP PICK WINNER: Dani Major • USA Cachedigga • Germany Olga Zeltser • USA Will • USA Americo Sequeira  • Portugal Lukasz Szubartowicz • Poland Stoica Emilian • Germany David Feldt • Sweden Roy Egloff • Switzerland Bradley Benskin • Barbados Mario Congreve • USA Daiva Ališauskienė  • Lithuania Suave • USA Greg Baccei • USA Bryony Herrod-Taylor • UK Anika Krstic • Serbia Simona L. Neumann • Romania Ryszard Tutko • Poland To find out more, and take part in the next challenge, visit www.gurushots.com Also, check out GuruShots’ newest app AI Art Master.