Kimberley's Photo West

Sled Dogs & Wolves

2011-02-16T13:20:00.000-07:00

The sled dog races were fantastic. A beautiful weekend and some great images which can be seen here.

This weekend I am heading up to Golden, BC to, hopefully, obtain some great images of wolves. Updates upon my return.

Bootleg Sled Dog Races

2011-01-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

I am gearing up for the third annual Bootleg Sled Dog Races. Last year was a blast considering the lack of snow we had. Samples from last year are here and here. This year along with shooting stills I will also be shooting some video to get used to the new camera. Samples will be posted. The races days are February 5 & 6th.

Wedding photography prices - cont.

2011-01-04T08:10:00.000-07:00

Professional wedding photography starting at $599. No hidden costs and the ability to add on time that you want. Now getting the wedding photography that you want has never been easier. More details coming soon!

Wedding photography prices

2010-12-20T22:29:00.000-07:00

Coming in January

New wedding photography prices and services.

Stay tuned!

360VR Tours now available

2010-11-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

View sample here

It's a Grizzly!

2010-10-26T20:52:00.000-06:00

Bears in the woods

2010-10-26T20:47:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago myself along with a few fellow photographers got up at an obsene hour and drove off from Kimberley at 5:00am. The goal was to reach Golden by 8:00am to head off with the hopes of spotting a Grizzly Bear. And spot we did. And photograph we did. For around 2 and a half hours we photographed this bear. A very enjoyable morning with images to match. I hope to have the opportunity to do this again in the spring when he comes out of hibernation.

Photos above

New Services

2010-09-14T14:26:00.001-06:00

Kimberley's Photo West will soon be offering 360VR tours and Video to our long list of services offered. Watch here for more details as they happen.

Manitoulin Transport

2010-08-17T15:56:00.000-06:00

Another year is swiftly going by with only a few more weeks of summer left. This years Manitoulin Transport shoot went very well with a large number of excellent images to choose from and plans being drawn up for next years shoot already in the works. This year saw a day around Calgary then heading off towards Canmore and then Golden only to return for those "Eastbound" images. A few select images are below for your viewing. Enjoy!

Saturday

2010-06-24T14:14:00.000-06:00

This Saturday I have the honour of sharing in Kathleen and Dennis's special day. They have found each other and will be sharing their love for each other with friends and family on the Nordic Trails in Kimberley. The forecast is for sun and heat which will allow us to capture some wonderful memories for the both of them. I wish them well in their life together and will be posting a few select images here after the event.

Worldwide Photo Walk

2010-06-09T15:54:00.001-06:00

I am proud of the fact that I will be leading a Photo Walk in Kimberley on Saturday, July 24, 2010.

The walk will begin at 10:00am sharp at the Travel Info Center. Full details along with registration information can be found here.

Best of all: It's FREE!

Website Back

2010-05-30T14:08:00.001-06:00

After the website was off line for a bit, it is now back. Hopefully all bugs have been worked out and it is now ready to roll.

Graduation

2010-05-18T08:41:00.000-06:00

This weekend is high school graduation weekend here. It is a very busy weekend for me starting on Friday afternoon with all the grads descending on a local park for all the pretty photos with their prom outfits on. This year I have been asked to take a group photo of all grads during this mayhem. It should be interesting to say the least.
Then on Saturday afternoon there is the graduation ceremonies in which I take a handshake photo of all grads receiving their "diploma" and/or scholarship. It is fast paced and the trick is to get the grad to stay still for a brief moment and look at the camera without their tassel flying in front of their face.
All in all a busy but enjoyable weekend. Detail to follow.

A great morning

2010-05-05T15:09:00.000-06:00

Yesterday morning at 8:20 we headed off in search of Blue Grouse. Myself and two other photographers were optimistic that we would see one if not more male Blue Grouse strutting his stuff for a hen. The drive took us north of Wasa, BC to an area where the truck could be parked followed by about a 30 minute hike up to a ridge where Blue Grouse was known to be. Onsite by shortly after 9:00 the search began. Surprisingly a hen was spotted first therefore we knew the male must be close by. After finding a spot to but the backpacks down and hooking the camera gear together the low call of the male was heard and it didn't take long to spot him. The weather was perfect with high overhead cloud creating the perfect diffuser only to be filled by a bit of flash. He was in a mood to show off and would just circle around us in order to give us all sorts of angles on him. Standing solo on a rock or hopping onto a fallen tree this guy was definitely not camera shy. It was a great few hours and the only other thing I wish we could have captured would have been if he had of completed his task while we were there.
Images from this shoot can be seen on my flickr site.

Photographic Instruction and Workshops

2010-04-29T15:55:00.000-06:00

Further details about photographic instruction and workshops are available here.

Weddings

2010-04-19T21:10:00.000-06:00

Prices are being slashed for weddings booked for the 2010 season. All day coverage was $2490.00 now $1990.00. Ceremony and Group Portraits was $1990.00 now $1490.00. Group Portraits only was $1290.00 now $990.00. Includes engagement session, unlimited proofs, proofs posted online, DVD of proofs to print from.

Instruction

2010-04-15T20:26:00.000-06:00

Kimberley's Photo West will soon be offering photographic classes. Some of the classes being offered are: DSLR Refresher, People Photography, Sports Photography, Selling Images, Photoshop Basics, Photoshop Advanced, and Business Basics. Also there will be field trips offered. Email your interest and more details will be available shortly.

Easter hangover

2010-04-06T10:46:00.000-06:00

Chocolate! Games! Toys! Five year olds hyped up on sugar! Sleeping in a strange bed! Not sleeping! Tired! Exhausted! Driving! Traffic! Colouring Eggs! What's not to love about Easter!!

Easter

2010-03-31T15:43:00.001-06:00

Easter this year will involve another trip into Calgary so that my boys can visit with their Grandma and Papa. My sister and husband from Edmonton will also be down which is great as I haven't seen them in a bit. There will be photos, of course, which will be posted upon our return.

Keep in mind the portrait special of $125 for an hour session at an outdoor location of your choice and that includes a disk to print from. A screamin deal!! But a deal that won't last forever!

Spring is here

2010-03-25T09:22:00.000-06:00

Now that it is warming up and the snow is melting it is time to think of a Spring portrait session for the family. There are many great outdoor locations in the area that make for a terrific backdrop of family sessions. For only $125 you get an hour session at an outdoor location of your choice. Limited dates available so inquire now!

Speaking of outdoor locations the boys and I took a walk through our back 40 yesterday and had a great time.

What a week it shall be.

2010-03-08T20:16:00.000-07:00

This week is turning into a very busy one as I will be heading into Calgary this Wednesday morning for a meet and greet during Wednesday evening and then traveling back to Kimberley on Thursday morning. Only to return to Calgary on Saturday morning with the boys and staying until the following Wednesday. Thankfully the weather is wonderful and hopefully it stays that way. Photos of the...hummmm.....let's see......HIGHWAY will follow.

This is it!

2010-03-04T15:46:00.001-07:00

This blog along with additional pages is the new face of Kimberley's Photo West. Many of you might have been checking into the blog from time to time. Many of you this marks your first visit here and we welcome you. Enjoy your stay, have a look around, and contact me should you have any questions.
Cheers,
Dave

Bootleg Sled Dog Races

2010-03-03T15:26:00.000-07:00

To view all images taken during the recent Bootleg Sled Dog Races please visit here.

Dogs

2010-03-02T21:01:00.000-07:00

The Bootleg Sled Dog Races were great and the whole weekend was blue skies and fairly warm weather. It was a perfect weekend and I will be posting more images soon but here is an example or two:

Dogs

2010-02-18T08:05:00.000-07:00

This weekend is the Bootleg Dog Sled Races which should be a lot of fun. I was unable to attend last year and the weather was perfect with a fair bit of snow. This year there is not nearly as much snow although what snow we do have is hard packed which should mean fast racing. The forecast at this point is 5 or 6C and mainly sunny which should make for some great images. Images will follow

A big thank you to Jeff Smith of Jeff Smith Photobooks for this insight.

2010-01-21T08:16:00.000-07:00

Is the profession of photography suffering from a credibility crisis? I don’t want to sound like an “old guy” here, our profession has always had a large number of younger photographers ready and willing to hang out their shingle to turn their passion into their profession, but in the days of film photography you had to have a basic understanding of photography. You had to know at least a little about lighting and exposure control to produce a printable image. Back then our camera didn’t have preview and we didn’t have Photoshop to fix our bad photographs. I think film gave all of us an opportunity to learn just enough to know how bad we really were and how much more we needed to learn.
In the digital world of today, learning photography is seen by some as just a roadblock in the fast-track of being a working Photographer. I don’t ask this question or make these comments to judge or make fun of anyone. There are some truly gifted young photographers (new to our profession, some are not young at all) that have taken the time to learn about lighting, posing and composition who create truly professional work, but let’s be honest, there are a few of young photographers entering this profession I wouldn’t want photographing my daughter’s wedding.
We all have to start somewhere, but working for clients for money is not the training grounds for aspiring photographers. We all hear the stories of weddings not coming out, once in a lifetime family portraits that look like snapshots and even the “On Your Side News Team” talking about photographers and making the comment, “As always buyer BEWARE”. This doesn’t sound real good for our profession.
In simply asking this question, I am sure the emails will start coming in with the typical, “you just want all the business for yourself” or “you old guys have it made and worry about us young guys running you out of business”. The single biggest tragedy in the current state of this profession is the young photographers that are talented, that have gone to college and done everything right, only to find the potential clients in their area won’t trust them. Instead these clients prefer to go to a more established studio to insure a certain level of quality.
I thought about writing this post after a client told me a joke that she thought I would find amusing. She said, “what is the next thing a high school student buys after he gets his very first camera……..Business Cards for his new studio!” The joke wasn’t very good, but it did give me a great deal of insight.
For any of you young photographers that might be reading this I have two suggestions that were given to me when I was a young photographer and they served me well. First, never charge for your work until it is of a similar quality and consistencey of the working professionals in your area. Second and most important, be careful of who you ask to critque your work! Most of us show our pictures to family and friends who love us and want to be encouraging. You need honest feedback (not from someone who loves you or someone you just gave free photos to). Ask a professor or teacher, ask a person or people who don’t know you took the images and listen to what the say. If you don’t like the Honest Feedback you receive get busy learning until you do like the feedback you receive.

http://jeffsmithbooks.wordpress.com/

New Year

2010-01-17T20:53:00.002-07:00

I know it is already half way through January and I am just posting a Happy New Year greeting and for that I apologize. It seems the first two weeks of the new year have flown by.
The new website is up and going, stop by and have a look sometime. New price lists for wedding coverage have been finalized and I am almost ready for the Prestige Inn Bridal Showcase taking place January 31, 2010 at the Prestige Inn in Cranbrook. It should be quite interesting this year as there is someone new organizing it and there will be more exhibitors than ever before.
Stay tuned for more!

New Year

2009-12-31T20:37:00.002-07:00

For the last post of the year I would like to wish all those who look at this blog from time to time a very safe and happy New Year. Take this time to reflect on the 'decade of change' as I call it. I look at how my business has changed over the past 10 years with digital taking over from film, how computers have changed life and how life has changed my being.
Things to look for in the new year: a re-designed website will appear (hopefully) early in the new year. A re-definition of my business will evolve. Making more time for friends and family will be high on the priority list.

Pets

2009-12-14T09:18:00.003-07:00

This past Saturday I had the honour of photographing Pets with Santa at Top Crop Too our local garden and pet supply store. It is a worthwhile fun raiser for the local SPCA. Pets get to tell Santa what they want for Christmas and in return their owners receive a 5" x 7" print of their pet sitting with Santa. A good time was had by all.

Almost Done

2009-12-02T15:30:00.002-07:00

Working through the new wedding price list is almost done. Some prices have gone up marginally while one package has gone down. It is all part of the process of developing a wedding photography price list. It will not be released until the end of the month therefore any weddings booked before the end of the year will receive the current price list pricing.

For samples of my wedding photography please visit the website.

Weddings

2009-11-26T21:18:00.002-07:00

It is the time of year again when the wedding photography price list is reviewed and adjusted. This is a painstaking experience to say the least. In order for a business to grow and prosper and aging equipment be replaced, prices have to rise. The balancing act is to raise the prices enough that the company is able to update equipment, pay insurance, update education, yet not raise the prices so much that it turns clients away. It is a tough act to perform and it takes many hours of reviewing all costs involved in running a business to finalize a price list. It is not just throwing a dart at numbers to come up with a price list. But it shall be done and by the end of the year a new price list for weddings in 2010 will be available. Now where did I put my coffee!!

Directions

2009-11-05T09:06:00.003-07:00

One of the advantages of being in business for yourself is that you can re-define yourself whenever you want. The thing about a photography business is that there are so many directions one can take. All you have to do is find a market for what you wish to offer. Up until now the main focus of my business has been wedding photography with a few other items being offered such as: commercial, sports, event, portraits. The wedding business has changed quite dramatically in the past few years. "Uncle Joe" with his $1000 digital camera has all of a sudden become competition to those of us trying to make a living at wedding photography. Plus in my geographical location there have been a number of new photographers offering their services. Competition is good as it improves what can be offered to clients. The problem is there are not more weddings taking place here so everyone gets a smaller slice of what is available. So alternatives must be found for those of us making a living at this business.
Back in the film days I used to be represented by a stock house in Edmonton. It was a good business and provided a good portion of my business. When film started to die out and digital was taking over a lot of stock houses closed up or where bought out by larger companies. For the past few years stock has become an item again.
I am in the process of submitting images to various stock agencies and waiting for approval on those submitted. So far I have been accepted into the following agencies: The Photo Storage, Dreamstime, Microstock Photo, Most Photos, Can Stock Photo, and 123RF. I am waiting for approval from iStockPhoto. This will add a much needed addition to what Kimberley's Photo West can offer various clients and add to the stability of my business.
Further updates will follow.

Into Fall

2009-09-14T14:07:00.002-06:00

As we are approaching Fall it becomes a time of reflection over the past summer and of planning for next year. Did everything go according to plan this summer? Not exactly but I was happy with the number of weddings photographed, might have been able to squeeze in one more but that's fine. Was I happen with the commercial work this summer? The truck shoot basically got rained out which we couldn't control so they are going with one of the images created last year and we are already planning for next years session so can't complain about that. Overall it was a good year.
Changes to the business? Yes I am looking into changing a few things about the business and how I do business.
Updates to follow.

Upcoming

2009-08-10T14:57:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow I have a pregnancy/family photo session that I am quite excited about as it is at a new location that I just discovered. It should make for some stunning images!
On Thursday I have a family session, outside again, and I hope the weather is great.
Then on Friday I have another wedding, smaller this time but should be equally stunning. A busy week but that is the way I like it.

Updates

2009-08-10T14:34:00.005-06:00

Here are a few samples from the past two weddings. Both were quite different in style but both were very beautiful and unique.
First off a couple from Catherine and David's:

And now a few from Lori and Geoff's:

Wedding on the mountain

2009-07-28T12:56:00.003-06:00

Catherine and David had an absolutely beautiful wedding. The day was perfect. Everyone rode the ski lift up to the top of Fernie's ski hill and after a short hike the ceremony took place in an open field that was just amazing. The only hitch to the day was when it was realized that the flowers were still at the house. So two of the guests took the lift down, got the flowers and came back up the lift. Life is like that, if you expect the ceremony to be perfect and therefore the marriage to be perfect then you might be disappointed. This little hiccup in their ceremony only means that there will be hiccups during the marriage. This too shall pass.
The rest of the day went off without a hitch. The only rain that we saw was while traveling to different photo locations. Island Lake Lodge was absolutely beautiful. The waterfalls were absolutely beautiful. The reception, a lot of fun. It was, in short, a wonderful day spent with a wonderful couple.
Although I am still working on their images to be posted for all guests to see, and will post a few here and on my website and on my facebook site and probably on flickr as well. We have created a lasting memory that Catherine and David will have for many years to come.

Fantastic

2009-07-20T13:56:00.004-06:00

The trip to Quebec was great although too short. The truck session went well despite the fact we had a lot of rain. And although we were not able to get to all the locations that we wanted the end result was a good selection of images.The high school reunion was a lot of fun. It was great to see former classmates that I haven't seen in 30 years and also touring around my old stomping grounds. It will definitely be sooner than another 30 years before I go back. I love the Eastern Township region of Quebec. It will always be home to me.

Now on to getting ready for a wedding this upcoming Saturday, July 25th which promises to be a wonderful day. Catherine and David are a terrific couple and they have a great day planned. Their ceremony will take place at the top of the Fernie Ski Hill, followed by some family portraits taken on the hill before coming down the hill to take additional photographs at a nice waterfall at Mount Fernie Provincial Park and also at Island Lake Lodge. Island Lake Lodge is a hidden gem of a location. Breath taking is the only way to describe this spot. Watch for a few photos to be posted here sometime after the wedding. With the temperature forecast to be in the 30's, it should be beautiful blue skies, terrific vistas, a beautiful bride and her handsome husband. Couldn't ask for anything better!

T-minus

2009-06-22T15:14:00.002-06:00

9 days and counting until I jet off to Montreal and then the Eastern Townships. What once seems like an eternity away is now very close and looming. The first three days there will be consumed with a photo shoot for Manitoulin Transport, whom I do a shoot for every year. The main purpose behind the shoot is for their yearly calendar but some of the shots for used for display in their various terminals along with their website. This year will prove to be somewhat more technically challenging over previous years due to the fact we want Canada Day fireworks going off over the truck. So locating a spot to park a 75' rig in an area where we will see the fireworks along with some of the city has proven a bit of a challenge then the cost to park the rig all day was outrageous. It will have to be parked at 7:00am with the fireworks going off at 11:00pm. So there is a day shot because we cannot do any other shooting that day of the truck. So on the 2nd and 3rd we will be travelling into the Eastern Townships for the remainder of the images to be taken. We like to get in about a dozen different shots to choose from and it should be a good challenge.
Results and updates to follow.

Grad Time

2009-06-01T08:11:00.002-06:00

After two weeks of grads, first the local high school graduation then this past Friday was the local college graduation, I have seen enough caps and gowns for a while. Everything went very smooth and the weather was perfect. Now comes the post processing fun getting all orders ready for my printer then organizing and mailing out the orders. It is fun to watch these grads, all excited about their futures, glad that school is done. I wish them all the best of luck in their future pursuits.
June promises to be a bit of a quiet month which is fine with me because once July comes around it will be a zoo. The only event that is booked in June is a road trip with the boys into Calgary to see their grandparents from June 11 to 14th. Then on July 1st I will be flying to Montreal to photograph for Manitoulin Transport for a couple of days prior to heading to my hometown of Lennoxville for a high school reunion. Considering I have not been back for 30 years it will be interesting to say the least. I am really excited about going back and wish I was leaving today instead of a month away. There will be photos, of course, old friendships renewed, beverages consumed. It will be a lot of fun.

A Good Time!

2009-04-08T12:22:00.003-06:00

Last Saturday's wedding in Fernie was an absolute blast. Erin and Brian are a fun couple who were willing to try anything for their wedding photographs.

They hiked partway up the ski hill in Fernie, strapped on their snowboards and then carefully came down the hill for some images. WooHoo!! Well done guys!
Their wedding was so much fun I did not want to leave when their time with me was done.

Weddings, weddings, weddings

2009-03-30T21:09:00.002-06:00

Having had a great time during last Friday's wedding here in Kimberley I am looking forward to next Saturday's wedding in Fernie. Jacquie and Matt were a fun couple who were very open and willing to try different photographs to capture their wedding day. The weather was great and we were able to take quite a few photographs outside, which is my preference. I will post a few photographs when they are available.
So now is the painstaking task of going through the photographs and prepping them to post online. It is definitely quicker to go through and post images when I photograph solo, the work triples when I have a co-photographer with me. It is great for the couple as their choice of images is much greater. We are able to obtain two angles on the same image. Which is a good thing. I am almost done editing and will be posting shortly.
Now it is time to start getting ready for this Saturday which should also prove to be a wonderful wedding. Although I have not had to opportunity to meet the couple yet I have been told they are outdoor lovers who snowboard so we will definitely be heading up to the ski hill in Fernie for some images.
Stay tuned!

Spring

2009-03-12T15:41:00.002-06:00

Yes spring is just around the corner. Hard to believe with the temps around -15 right now. Thoughts turn to spring and summer and the upcoming wedding season. My sales listed below for wedding photography are still on. I cannot stress enough if you haven't booked a photographer for your wedding this summer don't wait much longer.
On another note I have booked my flight to Montreal and will be there from July 1st to 7th. Initially I was going back for my high school anniversary which is being changed to a reunion of a smaller scale but I will still be able to see a lot of classmates from the time in my life. I contacted the trucking company that a do a yearly session with to ask if they might be interested in doing this years shoot while I was down there. They are excited about it and have tossed me a curve ball but suggesting taking one of the shots of their truck with Canada Day fireworks going off in the background while we are in Montreal. YIKES!! Somewhat technically challenging it will prove to be the best image we have taken in the nine years I have been shooting for them. I am looking forward to both this commercial session and connecting with friends that I haven't seen in 30 years. More to come!

Chuckle

2009-02-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

Interesting things you find out when you have sons:

1. a king size waterbed holds enough water ot fill a 2000 sq ft house 4 inches deep
2. if you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite
3 a 3 year old boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant
4. if you hook a dog leash ovver a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 lb boy wearing batman underwear and a superman cape. it is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20 x 20 foot room.
5. you should not throw baseballs up when a ceiling fan is on. when using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way
6. the glass in windows (even a double pane) doesn't stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan
7. when you hear a toilet flush and the words 'uh oh' it is already too late
8. brake fluid mixed with chlorox makes smoke and lots of it
9. a 6 year old boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36 year old man says they can only do it in movies
10. certain legos will pass through the digestive tract of a 4 year old boy
11. play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence
12. super glue is forever
13. no matter how much jello you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk on water
14. pool filters do not like jello
15. vcrs do not eject pb and j sandwiches even though the commercials show they do
16 garbage bags do not make good parachutes
17. marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving
18. you probably do not want to know what that odor is
19. always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like ovens
20. the spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy
21. it will, however, make cats dizzy
22. cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy

Road Trip

2009-02-22T13:45:00.002-07:00

I was planning on going back to my home town for a high school anniversary. Not a reunion exactly but an anniversary of the school being built. Sounded like a great idea. Through Facebook I have been able to get in touch with a lot of old school mates. Since I have not been back to my hometown since 1981 it seemed like it was perfect to go back for a while and see this beautiful part of the country, which is the Eastern Townships area of Quebec. I grew up about a two hour drive East of Montreal. This area is beautiful any time of year but especially when the leaves are turning colour in the fall. The anniversary was planned for the July long weekend of this year. Arrangements were made, things fell into place (no weddings booked for the long weekend and a great seat sale with Westjet) then it all fell apart. The anniversary was cancelled! But I have my plane tickets.
So I am still going down from July 2nd to July 7th and will be able to get together with a few of my friends from that time in my life along with doing some touring around my old stomping grounds. Now since I have the weekend off I would love to photograph a wedding and perhaps a few family portraits while I am there. So if any of you who happen to check in on this ramble from time to time and live in that area and would like to have professional photographs taken on that weekend, let me know and we will work something out.

Sale - part 2

2009-02-18T14:35:00.003-07:00

In a previous post I indicated that Kimberley's Photo West was having a wedding photography sale. The sale is continuing with a couple of changes, mostly good ones! The dates of April 18th and April 25th still have 25% off our regular wedding coverage prices but there is one great change for these dates - an extra 25% off. Yes this is not a typo 50% off our regular wedding coverage prices which start at $1390 so for these dates prices start at $695.00!! The same discount occurs on May 2nd, that's right prices starting at $695.00.
May 16th (long weekend) prices are still reduced by 25% with the same discount for May 30th, and June 13th. On June 6th, however, prices are reduced by 50%.
For more information about our wedding coverage and to view some samples of out work please visit the website.

Sunday

2009-02-16T13:24:00.004-07:00

On Sunday I had the pleasure of taking some engagement photos for Jacquie and Matt whose wedding I am photographing on March 27th of this year. We met up at the ski hill and proceeded to finalize plans for their wedding day prior to taking a few engagement photographs. We took a few inside by the fireplace and then headed outside for a few around the buildings. It was a nice day and quite warm for the middle of February. An engagement session is quite important as it allows the couple of become more comfortable in front of the camera and also allows the couple and the photographer to get to know each other better. The first set of engagement photographs that we did last fall, Matt did not smile at all so this is a vast improvement.

Birthday

2009-02-16T12:54:00.004-07:00

Well William and Jackson had a great birthday and they are now officially four. The ice cream cake with Lightening McQueen on the top was a hit! So we started off the morning with a long, long bath which by the end of it the whole bathroom was wet.

Saturday

2009-02-12T15:33:00.003-07:00

This Saturday, February 14th is, of course, Valentine's Day. Many of you will be planning on going out for dinner, perhaps a lucky few couples will become engaged. My heartfelt congratulations to those of you who decide to make that very special commitment to each other.
I will be watching my boys turn four and also laughing at them as they tear into their presents. Of course photographs will be taken and depending on how they look, a few might be posted here. Headache pills will most likely be taken. But in the end I am sure my boys will have a wonderful day no matter what happens.

Sale!

2009-02-10T08:39:00.003-07:00

Yes, Kimberley's Photo West is having a wedding photography sale! If you have not retained the services of a professional photographer and your wedding is coming up quickly then we have a deal for you. Available sale date: April 18th, April 25th, May 2nd, May 16th (yes, the long weekend), May 30, June 6th, and June 13th you can save 25% off our regular coverage prices. No strings attached, no hidden fees. We will even pay the taxes!!

Sale!

2009-02-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

Bridal Show

2009-02-04T13:43:00.002-07:00

This past Sunday was the Prestige Inn Bridal Showcase in Cranbrook, BC. It was a very busy event with a lot of bride's to be attending. It surprised me that there were seven photographers represented there as they used to cut it off at four. I felt sorry for some of the bride's as it almost seemed like a photographers show. A good point for the bride's with so many photographers is showing that each photographer has their own style and that a bride must be happy with the style of the photographer that they choose for their most important day. A photographers style is enbedded in their being. Which means that if you are looking for a casual, photojournalistic style for your wedding images and the photographer that shoots your wedding is a traditional style photographer you are not going to be happy with your wedding images. So having so many photographers to choose from is a good thing for a bride.
Another thing that surprised me at the show was how many bride's who are getting married this May or June have not retained the services of a photographer yet. The wedding photographs are the only thing that you will have to remember the day. The flowers will wilt and die, the cake will get eaten, the wedding dress that you spent so much on will be cleaned and stored, or sold, all you will have left is the photographs.
Of your whole wedding budget you should spend 20% on your wedding photography. So if you have budgeted $10,000 on the wedding then you should hire a photographer for $2,000, etc. Often the photography is one of the last things on the list and therefore there is not much of the budget left. It is important to have professional photographs taken of this once in a lifetime event and photography should be chosen at the same time as the date and locations are confirmed.

Wedding Contracts

2009-01-28T20:58:00.002-07:00

Should you have a contract with you wedding photographer? The answer is an outstanding yes! It protects you, it protect the photographer, it makes sure that you know what you are getting and the photographer knows exactly what is expected of him or her. The below is a reprint by permission by an outstanding photographer from Ontario and it makes good sense. Thank you Roel.

As many couples are now booking their wedding photographers for this year and beyond, I wanted to discuss the importance of having a contract with your photographer that clearly outlines the details of your wedding day coverage.

Contracts by their very nature are designed to protect both the consumer and the service provider. A well written contract will clearly spell out the deliverables (products or services) that are to provided and the payment required. The conditions on how both parties will operate are also clearly listed in plain english.

Sadly, I have witnessed some couples who did not have a contract with their photographer, which lead to a disastrous result. And some couples who had a contract ended up paying additional fees for things they “thought” was included such as proofs and digital files.

Here are the four main things to look for before you sign a contract with your photographer.

Deliverables - Make sure that all items that you want in your package are clearly listed in your contract and are included in the fee being charged. These include, but are not limited to the length of coverage, high resolution files, printed proofs, albums, parent books, prints and engagement sessions.

Extras/Options - Make sure that the contract outlines the fee charged for additional options such as overtime, travel charges and what the photographer deems to be “additional products”. If there is an additional fee for items, what exactly is that fee?

Photographer’s Standard Fee - What is the fee, including taxes, for the deliverables in your contract. What are the payment terms? What forms of payment do they accept (cheque, cash, credit cards). Make sure their Canadian GST/HST number is listed as it must be on all invoices and receipts issued by legitimate Canadian businesses.

Terms & Conditions - I often call this the “fine print”. Read this section carefully as it discusses cancellation policies, payment terms, refunds of payments, backup equipment, limits of liability, etc. These terms need to benefit both parties, not just the photographer.

I wish you well for your wedding day…

Make sure you read your contract prior to signing and if you have any questions or changes to be made do it before signing.

Summer

2009-01-26T15:02:00.003-07:00

It seems odd to be talking about summer when it is the end of January and -20 outside but if you are planning a wedding for this summer now is the time to retain the services of a photographer. Next Sunday the 1st of February is the 10th annual Prestige Inn Bridal Showcase in Cranbrook, B.C. It is usually a very busy day with all types of exhibitors there from flowers and cakes to DJs and of course photographers. Shortly after the show many photographers receive calls to see if a certain day is available and if you wait too long that day will be gone.
A few samples from previous weddings are here:

Busy

2009-01-20T18:37:00.002-07:00

It is looking like this will be a very busy summer. The number of wedding inquiries and wedding bookings are up from last year. There are some unusual dates being booked, early spring and Friday's. If you are getting married this summer now is definitely the time to book a photographer. Also the annual Prestige Inn Bridal Showcase this year is February 1st and if you wait until the Showcase is over to book you may be disappointed.
On another note an anniversary celebration is being planned for my old high school in Lennoxville, Quebec the July long weekend. As I am currently not booked for a wedding that weekend I am working the numbers to see if I can make it down there. I have not been back to my home town in well over 20 years and would love to see it again. I guess I will wait until after the Bridal Showcase to see if I get a booking for then. Or maybe I will see if I can book a wedding in Lennoxville for the Saturday that I will be there.
Stay tuned!

Blur

2009-01-08T08:27:00.002-07:00

The time since just before Christmas was been a blur. It is amazing that all the time shopping for Christmas, and wrapping, and cooking and then it is all over in a couple of hours. This is the first year that my boys really started to understand Christmas and it was a hoot! They were unwrapping presents at lightening speed as long as they saw their name on the present. It did not matter if it was to them or from them, if they saw their name they were opening the present.
I have picked up another wedding, this time in Fernie. So far for 2009 I am booked on March 27th in Kimberley, April 4th in Fernie, and August 1st in Edmonton. So there are still a lot of dates available and after talking to a number of photographers at an informal meeting the other night it looks like it is going to be a very busy year for weddings. So if you have not booked a photographer for this summer do not wait too long or you may be disappointed.

Cold

2008-12-19T11:58:00.002-07:00

OK that's enough already! I don't mind a few days here and there that are cold but this is nuts. We never get it this cold for this long. After the pipes froze to the washing machine and having to wait three days before they were working again. Do you know how much laundry piles up with almost 4 year old twins? A LOT!!! It has been too cold to take the boys sledding. It has been too cold for them to play outside so we have been stuck inside. HEELLLPPPP And to top it off there is no indication in the forecast when this will end. Hopefully it gets better by Christmas so that the boys can see Grandma and Pappa for Christmas. Hope, pray, cross fingers, you know all that stuff!!

Weekend

2008-12-15T14:34:00.004-07:00

What a weekend it was. After getting a bit of a blizzard on Friday night, I headed down to do Pets with Santa thinking that no one was crazy enough to go out in these conditions. After a few cancellations and postponements a few started to come in. We had 12 who had booked a time and ended up with 26 getting photographs taken.Then when I got home from that it was time to take my boys out to play in the snow for a while. After coming in and getting them undressed I discovered some spots on Williams upper body. He has very sensitive skin so I was unsure what it could be but gave him a bath and lathered him up with some cream. Sunday morning William woke up with a lot more spots and he was itchy. Thinking it might be Chicken Pox I took him to emerg where it was confirmed that is what he had. So there was half of Sunday, the rest of the day I put together new beds for them. They are bunk beds that will be separate until they are about six.
Kind of funny that they both wanted to sleep in the same bed. Oh yeah I am laughing right now!

Pets

2008-12-11T09:55:00.002-07:00

This Saturday, December 13th I will be photographing Pets with Santa at Top Crop in Kimberley. If you haven't booked a time yet call Top Crop and set one up now! Last time I checked it was filling up quickly. It is always an adventure in photographic skills to have all the animals looking at the camera at the same time without being scared of Santa. Sort of like photographing kids with Santa except you can sometimes reason with kids. It is a very good fundraiser as all of the proceeds go to the local SPCA. That's right, I do this without compensation! But it is a good cause. More later, if I survive :)

2009 Events

2008-12-03T14:34:00.002-07:00

Below is a list of events that Kimberley's Photo West intends to photograph in 2009, if you would like your event to be added to this list please let us know well in advance.

February 03 to 06--IPC NorAm Cup--Kimberley Ski Hill--Disabled Skiing
March 21--Bavarian Iron Legs--Kimberley Ski Hill--Combo Race
April 04 to 05--Spring Splash--Kimberley Ski Hill--Ski Hill Closing
April 11--Powder Pedal Paddle Relay Race--Fernie--Relay Race
June 13 to 14--Wasa Lake Triathlon--Wasa Lake--Triathlon
June 19 to 21--Sam Steele Days Slo-Pitch Tournament--Cranbrook--Slo-Pitch
July 06 to 11--KIOTAC--Kimberley--Accordian
July 17 to 19--Julyfest Soccer Tournament--Kimberley--Soccer
July 17 to 19--Canadian Bocci Championships--Kimberley--Bocci
July 19--Extreme Skateboard Race--Kimberley--Skateboard
August 10--Lakeside Event--Invermere--Handgliding
August 14 to 16--Cranbrook Pro Rodeo--Cranbrook--Rodeo
August 21 to 23--Championship Dog Show--Fort Steele--Dog Show
August 29 to 30--International Music & Dance Festival--Kimberley--Music & Dance
September 21--Cranbrook Summer Sound--Cranbrook--Music

As mentioned above if you would like to add your event to our coverage please contact us as soon as possible.

Event

2008-12-02T15:09:00.003-07:00

Kimberley's Photo West is starting to offer event photography. Now I guess everything that happens that requires photography could be called an event. Therefore weddings are an event, family portraits are an event, unveiling a new commercial product is an event, sporting tournaments are an event. So I guess what I am saying is that Kimberley's Photo West is an event photographer. No matter if you are hosting a sporting event, having a wedding next year, need professional photographs of your new product for advertising, we are your choice. As such we have set up a separate blog dealing with just event photography here. Have a look as we will be updating this spot with upcoming events. Want to add your event to our coverage then drop us a line.

Volleyball epilogue

2008-11-26T08:54:00.005-07:00

Well I am now almost recovered from last weekends volleyball Provincials and it was a lot of work, a lot of hours, and not many orders on site. Hopefully the on line orders will make up for it. There were three of us photographing and one working the computers.
It was definitely a learning experience and there are a few things that we would change next time. It was fun!

Volleyball

2008-11-18T15:01:00.002-07:00

This weekend is the British Columbia High School Junior Volleyball Provincials being held in Cranbrook. Myself along with two other photographers and one computer desk person will be photographing, selling, and printing photographs for participants and parents. There are twelve teams involved and should be a very, very busy weekend. One of the main challenges will be cataloguing and organizing all of these images in a way that searching for images will be smooth. We have worked out a work flow that should make this all happen very easily, as I hold my breath. Hopefully it is also a fun weekend. Stay tuned.

Flickrmeet 2

2008-11-09T20:32:00.003-07:00

I was able to make it into Calgary for yesterday's flickrmeet. Although the group was small at 6 it was quite enjoyable. The weather was great and the conversation was good. It is always nice to get together and talk photography. I hope to be able to make it into town for more of these.

Wedding 2

2008-11-06T14:45:00.002-07:00

As promised here are a couple of photographs from last Saturday's wedding.

Wedding

2008-11-04T08:09:00.003-07:00

I could not have asked for better weather for the wedding last Saturday. It was absolutely beautiful and we were able to take a lot of outdoor photographs. I am still editing and prepping them to be posted online and will post a couple here in a day or two. It was a long but fun day.

Halloween 2

2008-11-04T08:05:00.002-07:00

It was a perfect night to take the boys out for Halloween. Buzz and Shrek had a great time and would just walk into houses when the door opened. It was a lot of fun.

Halloween

2008-10-31T15:29:00.002-06:00

Well I am just about packed for tomorrows wedding. The weather is not looking great but at least it is not raining yet. We shall see tomorrow.
In another hour or so I will dress my boys up and head out for some trick and treating. It is undecided yet as to who is going as whom. We have a Buzz Lightyear and Shrek costume which they both like to try on and then switch so halfway through the night I might be changing their costumes. Never a dull moment!

Ready

2008-10-28T16:19:00.002-06:00

Just starting to get my gear together for a wedding this Saturday. The weather forecast is for rain and 11C but you cannot control the weather so we will make the best of it. We do have backup plans in case we cannot photograph outdoors. Jennifer and Jordan are a really nice couple from Lethbridge who are getting married in Cranbrook. It should be a fun time and I am looking forward to creating memorable images for them. Stay tuned!

flickrmeet

2008-10-21T15:34:00.002-06:00

After many months of trying to get to one of the Calgary flickrmeets I might actually be able to attend the one coming up in November. Of course the weather might say otherwise but I am going to give it my best shot (pun not intended or maybe it was). These guys sound like they have a lot of fun at these meets and it would be fun for me just to do some mindless photography. Stay tuned, as they say. Whoever they are???

Fall

2008-10-21T08:59:00.002-06:00

As I watch the leaves change colour outside my window I know that snow is just around the corner. It seems to be coming earlier this year but there is no way to control when winter peeks around the corner. Thoughts turn to taking my boys out on Halloween and hoping that William does not take his costume off this year and throw it at a friends house when I take him there. Thoughts turn to starting my Christmas shopping and what to get for everyone. Then once we are past Christmas it is planning for a wedding showcase in early February and on to next years wedding season. Judging from the number of inquiries for 2009 it will be a busy year with key weekends either booked or inquired about. It is never too early to book a photographer for your wedding in 2009. All of a sudden the Christmas season will be upon us and life gets very busy. By booking your photographer now you can cross one more thing off of your list.
Don't wait until the last minute or you might be disappointed.

NEW

2008-10-15T16:12:00.002-06:00

The new website is up and I don't think there are any bugs in it. But if you spot something please let me know. It will evolve as most sites do and there will be additions to it as I go. BUT for now have a look here.

Weekend

2008-10-14T08:33:00.004-06:00

The madcap Thanksgiving weekend is over. It flew by so quickly. My sister, brother-in-law and niece from Edmonton came down to Calgary for the weekend as well so my parents condo was packed. It was a lot of fun but took a lot out of the boys so today is a recovery day.

William

William and his Uncle Jim

Thanksgiving

2008-10-08T08:44:00.002-06:00

This weekend a road trip is planned into Calgary for Thanksgiving weekend. This allows my boys a visit with their grandparents and Aunt and Uncle from Edmonton. It is unfortunate that this weekend is also the Dirtbag Film Fest in Kimberley. I went to this last year and it is a terrific show. It is amazing the amount of photo and film talent that is in this small region. You can see more of it here.
If you are in Kimberley or area this weekend the Dirtbag Film Fest is a must see!

Rain

2008-10-06T12:31:00.004-06:00

Yes it did rain a bit during last Saturday's wedding, but it let up enough to take a few photographs outside. It was unfortunate that we were unable to utilize the wonderful fall colours more but that's the way it goes.

As far as being the second photographer, it was great! There was no pressure to get the "must have" images and I could concentrate on the behind the scene images that add to the main images. In short, it was fun!!

2008-10-03T18:05:00.001-06:00

There is more information on the Orphan Bill here.

Impact

2008-10-01T15:26:00.003-06:00

The US just passed the Orphan bill. This means that unless images have a watermark on them when posted to an open viewing site such as flickr they could be downloaded by a third party and used without permission. So, for example, a company could download one of your images to use in an advertising campaign instead of hiring a photographer to take the image and then claim that they could not contact the creator and were able to use this image because of the Orphan bill. The impact of this is worldwide not just in the US as everyone uses flickr or some similar type of site for posting images for the world to see. I am not slamming any of these photo posting sites, it is up to everyone posting to make sure their contact information is embedded in the images along with some type of watermark is visible on the image itself. It is indeed unfortunate for those of us trying to make a living at this wonderful business that a bill like this can be slipped in while everyone is waiting to hear about a billions of dollars bailout that died on the floor. It will impact us all!

Summer?

2008-10-01T12:23:00.002-06:00

This weather we have been having lately is unreal. It feels like summer. I would be happy with this until December 24th but alas this will not happen. It would be nice if it stayed until this Saturday at least as it would be wonderful in Fernie with this weather and the leaves changing colours. So, where ever you are get out and enjoy the nice weather while it is here because before you know it we will be shoveling snow dreaming about when the nice weather will return.

Further

2008-09-23T14:58:00.003-06:00

To add to the wonderful day of free shooting done last Tuesday in Fernie and area. The friend who I went with sent me this image last night. It was taken while we were scouting locations for a wedding that he is the main photographer and I am the secondary. This should be fun as I have never been the second shooter at a wedding before.

OK so I need a haircut and I have to stop frowning!

Grilled cheese

2008-09-22T16:04:00.004-06:00

So I am standing here making grilled cheese sandwiches and fruit cocktail for my boys to take to daycare tomorrow. It is my one day of the week to get stuff done that cannot be done while they are at home. Usually I will go for coffee with a friend and we will talk photography for a couple of hours. But lately I have been really cutting back on my coffee intake and I have found that it has really calmed me down. I used to drink about a pot of coffee a day and some days I could actually see my hands shake (not good for a photographer). Now I find I am much calmer and more aware of my surroundings. Oops gotta check on the sandwiches! OK they are fine in case you were wondering. I have also been thinking about my photography. Last week I went out taking personal images with my coffee friend. See below post. And I loved it. Some of the shots are on my flickr site.

I need to do more of this type of photography. I also enjoy the commercial work that I do and would like to do more of it. Don't get me wrong I still enjoy photographing weddings but there are so many photographers in this area who will photograph a wedding for next to nothing to get the exposure, not thinking long term which investments that are needed to maintain equipment.
I am sure I will figure it out by the time I am too old to do this anymore.
Oh the sandwiches are done!

Imagine

2008-09-21T21:05:00.002-06:00

Just imagine for a moment that you have hired a professional to photograph your wedding day or a release of a new commercial product. You are now looking at a video of one of the above. You pause the movie and say "I would love to have that photograph hanging on our wall." or "We could use that image on our packaging or website or brochure" But this is video and the quality of video stills is horrid. No longer! The technology is currently there to give professional DSLR quality from video. 12 megapixel resolution from a video camera. So you can have the best of both worlds as early as next year. Not 5 or 10 years from now, next year. And I am not talking about what Nikon and Canon are playing with with their new crop of DSLRs that happen to offer a bit of video, I am talking about RED.
All this means is that a new name for these camera operators. Will they be called phodeographers, vidotographers, or if they are also journalists will they be called phodeojournalists. I am sure that someone with way too much time on their hands will think up a new name for this new era.

Fads and Trends

2008-09-18T20:00:00.003-06:00

There used to be a time in wedding photography when the posed formal portion of the day was just that, posed and formal. Everyone would line up assembly line style and the photographer would just snap the photograph. Then came the stylish poses, such as sitting on a fence or posed over an old tractor in a field with mountains behind the subjects but it was still posed. Then black and white came back into vogue and wedding were mainly photographed in black and white with maybe a bit of hand colouring. Clients starting asking for more, they did not want their wedding photographs to look like their parents wedding photographs and photojournalist wedding photography was born. Now almost every wedding photographer lists their style as photojournalistic, which begs the question what is next as far as style of wedding photography?
A current up and coming offering in addition to the usual wedding coverage is a Trash The Dress session which takes place after the wedding day. Brides are no longer cleaning and packing their wedding dress for their daughter to use so what else do you do with the wedding dress? Trash it! The sky is the limit as far as what can be done during this session. Jump in a lake, jump on quads and head for a mud bog, roar down the street on a motorcycle, you name it! The web is assisting in this style becoming more popular, with a flickr group devoted to it. And there is a dedicated website to Trash The Dress. Is it a fad? I don't think so. It is just another option that couples have when designing their wedding photography coverage.
So what is the trends in wedding photography? If almost everyone is doing a photojournalistic type of coverage then in 15 to 20 years is the trend going to revert back to a more posed formal type of photography because the couples who will be getting married then going to be sick of the casual style used now? I guess time will tell but right now I love doing to current style. But I have always been adaptable with my photography and look forward to trying new things requested by my couples.

Getting married in '09

2008-09-17T18:11:00.001-06:00

A few dates have already been booked for 2009. So if you are getting married next year now is the time to start looking for a photographer. Long weekends usually book a year in advance and already August 1st is gone for next year. Don't wait too long and don't have a family friend or relative who happens to have a nice camera take your wedding photographs.

A perfect day

2008-09-17T08:17:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was spend traveling around Fernie, British Columbia taking in the nice weather and the start of the fall leaves. It was relaxing to just photograph for the fun of it. It recharges ones batteries by doing this once in a while. A few of the photographs can be seen on my flickr site. I will add more in the next few days.

Commercial Samples

2008-09-14T21:22:00.001-06:00

Weekends still available

2008-06-30T15:21:00.002-06:00

Are you getting married this summer or fall? Have you not booked a photographer yet?? I still have some weekends available. Check my website for samples. Currently July 19th and 26th, August 02nd and 30th, September 6th are available. Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
If you are getting married in 2009 it is never too early to start looking for a photographer, I already have a couple of key weekends booked for next year.

Manfrotto stuff gone!

2008-06-20T14:19:00.001-06:00

The manfrotto backdrop set listed below for sale is now sold. The lights and the Off The Wall stuff is still for sale and I am very receptive to reasonable offers.

Wedding Samples

2008-05-06T15:10:00.001-06:00

Wedding Samples

2008-05-06T15:02:00.002-06:00

Lower prices on used equipment

2008-04-25T09:08:00.004-06:00

I have lowered the asking prices on the below listed photographic equipment. The Off The Wall props listed below for $2000 I have lowered to $1500. The Visatec studio lights listed for $1200 is lowered to $1000. The Manfrotto backdrop setup listed for $800 is now $600. As before email me at: photo_west@shaw.ca if you have questions. Payment by cash or certified Canadian cheque only.

EK Photographers

2008-03-31T09:38:00.003-06:00

I have started a website to showcase photographers in the East Kootenay region. This allows viewers to see the immense talent that is available here. If you are a photographer that wishes to be listed here send me an email with a few samples of your work to receive an invitation to join. To view this site please click here.

Photos of Off The Wall sets

2008-03-07T20:41:00.009-07:00

This is the Off The Wall Timeless set.

This is the Off The Wall Urban Chaos set

Off The Wall props - and maybe camera!

2008-03-06T10:21:00.004-07:00

I have the Off The Wall Set-To-Go Timeless and Urban Chaos sets. Unfortunately Off The Wall is no longer solvent so I cannot direct you to their website. Off The Wall manufactured outstanding backdrops and props for photographers. The Set-To-Go series was just as the name suggests, ready to go and very portable. Each set consists of a two panel flexible backdrop, support stand, flooring and small props. The Timeless set is high key, sort of Greek theme, with three risers, cloth flooring. The Urban Chaos looks like a back alley and has a manhole cover prop. I paid $5500 for both these sets and would like in the area of $2000 for them. NOW $1500! One set, with backdrops, stands, flooring and props, fits into a hard travel case and will fit into the back seat of a Chev Cavalier.
I also have a three rock set from Off The Wall. These rocks are waterproof and are easily transportable. I paid $1100 for the three rocks and will include them with the Set-To-Go set if I get my price.
I will post photos of the above items as soon as I can. These props are of a fair size, although not overly heavy they are large as a group and therefore local pickup is the only option. I can deliver in my immediate area. For more information contact me at: photo_west@shaw.ca

If I am able to sell enough equipment to allow me to pick up a new camera I will be selling my Nikon D100 with grip. Stay tuned!!!

Visatec lighting system for sale

2008-03-06T09:42:00.014-07:00

In my continuing quest to simplify my equipment I am selling my studio lighting set up. As I become more portable in my equipment I no longer need studio lights for the type of work I am doing right now. I would like to sell everything together and not split up the package. My studio lights are Visatec, if you unfamilar with this brand they are made by the same company that makes Broncolor and more information may be found here.

Replacement cost values obtained by B&H's website found here.

So here we go:
Visatec Solo 1600B - 600 w/s - replacement cost $568.50Visatec Solo 800 - 300 w/s - replacement cost $428.95

Note: Both strobes have burnt out modeling lights, I will include replacements with the package I just haven't had time to replace them. Also spare flash tubes will be included.

Visatec Umbrella reflector - replacement cost $72.50Visatec Standard Reflector with Barn Doors - replacement cost $81.90

Visatec Soloflex 60 softbox with Visatec/Broncolor speedring - 60cm x 60cm
replacement cost $104.50

Lightdome Multidome Large with Visatec/Broncolor speedring - 36"x48"x25" with interior baffle. - replacement cost $419.95Note: The Multidome that I have is an older version than the above photo and does not have the reversable gold/silver panels shown on the above photo.

Visatec IR Flash Trigger - replacement cost $122.95Vistec Padded Travel Case - replacement cost $199.95

Visatec Honeycomb Grid - replacement cost $128.50
The total replacement cost on the above package would be: $2127.70 not including the extra modeling lights and flash tubes that I am including. I would like to see $1200 for the above package. NOW $1000! This is also a difficult set up to ship and therefore local pickup only and I will deliver to my immediate area. I can be reached at: photo_west@shaw.ca

Manfrotto Equipment for sale

2008-03-06T08:22:00.011-07:00

I am putting up for sale some of my studio equipment that I am no longer using. I would like to sell each group together and not split up the packages. I have listed the replacement value for the pieces along with a package price.

Manfrotto backdrop set:

Manfrotto Autopole 076 - replacement cost $139.95 X 2 units = $279.90

Manfrotto Autopole 032SPL Spirit Level - replacement cost $12.00 x 2 = $25.98
Manfrotto B/P Clamps 044 - replacement cost $129.95 x 2 = $259.90

Manfrotto Expan 046 set - replacement cost $114.95 x 3 = $344.85

Manfrotto Alu-Core 047-2 - replacement cost - $89.95 x 3 = $269.85

Each Alu-Core has approximately 1/2 roll of paper on it. 1-white, 1-18% grey, 1-black

Manfrotto B/P Counterweight 062-2 - replacement cost $49.95 x 3 = $149.85

Manfrotto Short Wall Boom - replacement cost $169.95 x 1 = $169.95
New replacement cost on the above equipment is $1500.28. I would like to entertain offers in the area of $800.00 for the package. NOW $600! Shipping of this package would be almost impossible, it would have to be picked up or I could deliver within the immediate area. Questions may be directed to me at: photo_west@shaw.ca

This year's Wedding Season

2008-03-04T15:03:00.002-07:00

As I look out my window at the snow coming down it is hard to think about photographing this year's weddings. But if you are planning a wedding this year and have not booked a photographer then now is the time to do it. After the flowers have wilted, the cake has been eaten, the dress has been cleaned and stored away, it is the photographs that will bring back the memories of your special day. You shouldn't trust these priceless memories to just anyone who has the latest and greatest camera on the market, you should trust a professional photographer! Look around at the various photographers in your market area. Each photographer's style is different and the style of the photographer should be a reflection of you. No matter how good the photographer is, if his/her style is traditional and you are looking for more of a photojournalistic style then you will not be happy with the photographs no matter what the price is. Look at samples of his/her work, ask for references and check them, get to know the photographer. As a bride you will probably spend more time with him/her on your wedding day than with anyone else including your husband to be. You should have the photographs that you want, not what the photographer says are standard wedding photographs. Clip out photos from your favorite wedding magazines and present the photographer with a scrapbook of favorite images and see if he/she can replicate some of them.

You deserve the photographs that you want!

Recovered..........almost

2008-02-27T16:41:00.002-07:00

I have almost recovered from the BC Winter Games. It was a tiring yet fun weekend shooting a bit of skiing, a lot of 'meet and greets' along with opening and closing ceremonies. A couple of my favorite images are here.
It was fun and I would definately do it again.

Wedding Photography

2008-02-13T16:45:00.002-07:00

If you are getting married in the Kimberley, Cranbrook, Fernie, Calgary area please view samples of our work here.
You can also download a copy of our Wedding Photography Planner and Price Guide here.

BC 2008 Winter Games

2008-02-12T13:47:00.000-07:00

I am looking forward to the Winter Games starting on February 21st and being held in Kimberley and Cranbrook. I will be photographing Alpine Skiing on the 22nd and floating between events on Saturday and Sunday along with photographing various meet and greets and opening and closing ceremonies. Should be fun and to see additional information click here.

Calgary Chinese New Year celebrations

2008-02-04T11:56:00.000-07:00

I had an absolute wonderful time this past Saturday taking a few photographs of the Chinese New Year celebrations at the Calgary Cultural Centre. Images can be viewed on my flickr site. I went with an old friend of mine, Rick Osuna. I also played with some new photography toys at both Vistek and The Camera Store while in Calgary. It was a great way to recharge my batteries by photographing something fun without thinking of the paycheque at the end of the gig. Have to do this more often.
My favorite photographs are:

This weekend - Feb 01 - 03, 2008

2008-02-01T08:33:00.000-07:00

This weekend I am going into Calgary to check out camera stores and take in Chinese New Year activities. I am planning on going downtown to photograph what is going on to celebrate Chinese New Year. It should be interesting and a completely different type of photography. I will be posting some of the images on my flickr site.