Why host an Art Show?

I've had to ask myself this question a few times. Why did I spend all of the time, energy, and considerable expense, to set up an Art Exhibit? My insecure side wonders why I  would set myself up for possible rejection, perhaps having people tell me my photography stinks, criticize every photo, or worse yet, not come to see my exhibit at all? 

I was asked almost two years ago, while doing an outdoor photography show and sale in Turner Valley, if I'd be interested in doing an exhibit of my work in the Sheep River LIbrary. I was very excited by the idea, and it took all this time to finally be able to present my exhibit. I am honoured that I get to have a month long exhibit, because I often visit the art exhibits in the Library, and there is a great deal of local talent out there. So if my photography is considered nice enough for a month long exhibit, I'm honoured indeed.

I've always loved to visit galleries, and art exhibits. When I traveled to the UK, I visited many galleries, taking in photography, paintings, and art from many different eras, and of many subjects. When I moved to Calgary, and I wandered the streets discovering the city, I stopped by many exhibits, and galleries.

I remember my feeling of anger and rejection when a few gallery curators told me that photography wasn't art. Then I remember discovering Art Central, near Inglewood where we lived, and meeting some Artist's there that were encouraging, and supportive, who ensured me that photography could indeed be art. I remember attending Artist Receptions at Art Central for up-and-coming Artist's, and thinking how wonderful it would be to do a show of my own one day. 

It was a lot of work to put together, months of preparation, and significant expense, to create and present all of my favourite pieces, but I hope it will be worth it.

I won't lie when I say that one of the reasons for having an art show is to hopefully sell a few pieces, because that would be cool, (and also a great honour, knowing someone likes your art well enough to buy it, and hang it on their wall).

Perhaps it's also a bit of a publicity stunt, a way to promote my business. It could also be said it's a bit of a ego booster, and even a way to say "Hey, I did it. Photography is Art", to all of the nay-sayers.

But the real reason why I create, and why other Artists create, and then are crazy enough to share their work, is deeper than all of those things. Artists, be they creators of music, paintings, photography or other art, hope to move people, and stir something within.

Perhaps my images will stir a memory, be thought provoking, or strike up a conversation. Maybe they are merely enjoyable, a way for people to pass some time. 

And maybe, just maybe, one of my images might be inspiring to somebody, somewhere. If that is the case, then I am happy. So many images, paintings, works of art, and music, move, and inspire me. I only hope I might do the same, even on a small level. 

And that is why I, and other Artists make the decision to share. We create because something moved us, and made us feel. We hope to share those feelings with others, captivating their imagination the way our's was, helping people to see things through a new perspective, or remember an experience of their own. 

At the very least, I hope those who take the time to visit my exhibit, will find it enjoyable.

On a side note, I just discovered an article saying that Art Central is closing down. Sad news. May they find new venues. http://www.avenuecalgary.com/blogs/art-central-where-are-they-now

My Back to School Photo Ideas

With less than a week to go, the excitement is building at our house. Our eldest son, Brodie, will be attending kindergarten. And of course for me, being a photographer, I'm hoping to capture this once in a lifetime moment, the beginning of 12(+) years of education. 

I've been thinking of how to best capture my son's first day of school, and I thought I'd share some of my ideas. If they're useful to anyone, great!

Even if your child has been in school for a few years, the first day of school can still be a great time for some rewarding photo ops. New clothes, new school supplies, and the excitement of a new school year, are wonderful things at any age. And if your child is starting middle school, or high school, these moments will be over all too quickly. 

My first piece of advice for capturing this fleeting moment for the family album, is to use a real camera. Smartphones are handy, yes, and it's often easier to just grab the phone, rather than bust out the camera, but for important moments, I highly recommend using a camera, if you own one. With most cameras, the image quality is higher, the shutter releases faster (not that 3 second lag-which is usually the difference between capturing the shot, or not), the zoom is better, the flash is better, and so on. 

The first day of school morning is going to be busy, so try to plan for a few extra minutes, to capture a few images. 

If you want to make a very memorable collection of images, try doing a few detail shots of the various school items, in their nice new state. New school supplies, pencils, books, crayons, the new lunch kit, new shoes, jackets with your child's name in them, all of these can all be great accent shots to a small scrapbook, or other image collection. 

An image that shows your child's age, grade, and the date is a nice touch, and have him or her hold it in a photo. This could be a nice idea, for all of your kids' together in one image, if you have more than one child in school.  I've seen some nice images of this, where small chalkboards were used. A piece of poster board would work, also. I think for us, I'm going to have Brodie write this information himself, and hold it up. It will be fun to see how his printing changes, by next year. 

At our house, transportation to school is what Brodie seems the most excited about, a ride on the school bus. I'm hoping to capture some candid images of him waiting for the bus, and getting on the bus. As the sun will barely be up, when he gets on the bus, a good flash, and higher ISO setting, will be a must. 

Whether your child will be riding a bus, riding in a carpool, walking, or riding their bike, getting to school can be just as big of a deal, as school itself. It's a huge moment of independence, going out into the world on their own. No wonder it's exciting for kids (albeit, a bit apprehensive for us parents).

If your child is the oldest, be sure to capture a few images of their younger siblings watching on (although I have a feeling, our youngest will be a bit sad, at being left behind). Or, if it's the other way around, at your house, older siblings, helping the younger ones off to school. 

I'm also interested in capturing an image of my son once he returns home, and his expression after accomplishing his first day of school. I'm also anticipating he'll be very hungry, and ready to devour an after school snack. I'm thinking after school shots will be very rewarding as well. 

Most of the photo ideas I've described, are lifestyle/photojournalistic images. For a more posed look, such as seen on Pinterest-Back to School Portraits , I'd recommend an after school shoot, that you've prepared. 

I'll have to remember to be remember to be realistic with our First Day of School photography, as well. There won't be a lot of time, and the goal will ultimately be to get Brodie off to school on time. Last year, as I tried to capture a few first day of preschool shots, Brodie was rather impatient with me, and chomping at the bit to get going. There weren't any Pinterest worthy images that morning. 

Being prepared the night before, and getting up extra early, will be key in having a few moments to hopefully capture Brodie's first day of school, and the beginning of his first real steps toward independence. 

To all you parents out there, I wish you the very best as we put our children through this school year. Here's to you, and your child's education!

Stay tuned to see how it all turns out:)

If you have any questions, or want to discuss how to best capture some back to school images, please leave a note in the comments. 

Get Back to Work!

It's certainly been a full summer, and I'd say that every second the sun was shining, the kids and I were out making the most of it. 

We didn't go too far from home, but there was a camping trip, a fishing trip, play dates, dirt-biking, quading, picnics, bike riding, trampolining, and our own daily private pool party with our wading pool, slide, and sandbox. And plenty of gardening for me, of course. 

As a mother first, and a Photographer/entrepreneur second, I've certainly seen to it that my kids had a fun summer. It's been nice to spend so much time with my family, and to take some time to recharge. But now it really is time to get back to the work I love. Here's to a fall filled with creative projects, and fabulous photography of wonderful people.