Bio – About
“The ability to recognize a composition in a split second – and capture a fragment of time that portrays a meaningful emotion.”
I call Montreal home, but a temporary home can be any city – as long as there is espresso! I’ve had the opportunity of shooting fashion on location in South Beach, capturing legendary musicians in concert and exploring great cities from Prague and Paris to Venice and Zurich – I feel most at home when travelling and exploring a new destination.
Camera Bag – X-rayed in Paris
“nothing is impossible – it just costs more!”
Initially I pursued a career in the theatre as a set and lighting designer. After 5 years in college in stage design, technical theatre and fine arts, I found myself as both Technical Director and In-house Designer for the SBC Theatre in Montreal. Re-discovering photography was originally meant as a tool to study light, but began a long affair with photography. A few years later I found myself in Toronto starting to shoot fashion assignments, returning to Montreal with a reputation as a creative photographer with both an artistic and theatrical touch. While I had my first camera at a very early age, originally it was to “mimic my grandfather ”. I received my first SLR while in high school – an Asahi Pentax SP1000.
Pursuing projects in portraiture and travel, I started shooting concerts – which I likened to shooting “action portraits going 100mph and 100db”. Earning a JUNO Award for contributing images for The Tea Party CD “Tangents” I didn’t even know they gave JUNO’s for photography & design!!! A friend called and congratulated me on the nomination – I was sure he was pulling a practical joke. I “googled” the awards finding the list of nominations and was not convinced until I received a call from the record label!! Bizarre how things work!
Published and featured in a variety of publications from fashion, music and lifestyle to art and photography magazines, such as Popular Photography (USA) and EOS Magazine (UK), Style Magazine (CA), Quebec ELLE, Clin d’Oeil, Canadian Musician (CA). Guitar Connoisseur (USA), New York Times Magazine and Elmore Magazine.
Exhibitions included Black & White concert images of iconic Blues artists; Canadian musicians in “Caught in the Act”. Solo and group exhibitions have featured large cubist montages ranging from Musical Instruments to the larger than life Cubist Nudes The Cubist series, “Les Incon–NUS” were inspired by Picasso and David Hockney and first envisioned over 20 years ago but only feasible with the advent of photoshop and digital photography. Images were included at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa in a show called “Celebrating the JUNOS: Photographs & Album Artwork”. A variety of images has been exhibited from Montreal to Columbia to Monaco and can be found in several private collections.
Stock images are handled by Stockiste.com
Currently projects tend to relate to music, travel and portrait sectors, but I also find time for exhibition projects with some time left over for private and commercial commissions. [I consume vast quantities of espresso] I also pursue corporate partners to enable me to produce some series’ of images.
Concerts & Tours
Shooting a concerts is more than haphazardly aiming an iPhone at a dimly lit stage only to end up with the backs of out-of-focus overexposed heads!
“intense high decibel observations”
Concert photography is the story of a performances! The images have to convey the energy, excitement and music of the live performance. The images literally have to sound like the music. I have photographed concerts for records labels, promoters, festivals, magazines and the musicians themselves. I pride myself on the ability to capture the power, emotion and “volume” of the concert experience!
Images of the load-in, setup and then the sound check, add to the overall story and can act as a forward or introduction to the show. Each artist, venue and stage setup is different – no two nights are ever the same. The sound check is when I can survey the venue and setup for the best vantage points for the show. Backstage and the wings always provide interesting and dramatic POV’s spectators rarely get to see.
CD Artwork Photos
If a concert photo should sound like the performance, the photos for a CD project should sound like the music! I have found that successful artwork and images all stem from a good concept. Once the concept is realized, it will dictate all the details from colors to locations to wardrobe and even the design.
Portraits
Portrait photography sessions for musicians [groups or solo artists] for CD/album covers to posters to social media profile pictures to merchandise. The key is to create images indicative of the artists persona.
A brief meeting beforehand is to discuss the music and how to portray your band in order to ensure the photos best promote your image and music. I take your ideas and music and we then create the photos.
The actual photography sessions vary greatly depending on the locations, setups and scope of the project. Sessions have lasted an hour or gone on as long as two weeks while shooting during recording sessions.
ARTIST LIST
Angel • Anthony Gomes • Barney Benthal • Big Jack Johnson • Big Mark & the Blues Express • Blue Rodeo • Bluiett-Jackson-El’Zabar • Bob Walsh • Bruno Pelletier • Bryan Lee • Bryan Adams • Doyle Bramhall II • Carl Weathersby • Carl Tremblay • Chicago Pete • Chris Chown • Chris Duarte • C.J. Chenier • Coco Montoya • Corey Hart • Collin James • Curtis Lundy • Dawn Tyler Blues Project • Dawn Tyler Watson & Paul Deslauriers • Paul Deslauriers Band • DD Jackson • Debbie Davis • Duke Robillard • Eddie King • Frank Marino • Headstones • Hubert Sumlin • Indigo Girls • Jack deKeyzer • Jan Jarczyk • Jann Arden • Jason Bonham • Jeff Johnson • Jeff Healey • Jewel • Jimmy James • Johnny V.Mills • Jonas & The Blues Blooded • Jonas • Rubberman • Jordan Patterson • Jumping Johnny Sansone • Kenny Neal • Kenny Wayne Shepherd • Kim Stockwood • Kim Mitchell • Lester Quitzau • Lhasa delSol • Little Buster • Little Milton Blues Review • Liza Minelli • Long John Hunter • Long John Baldry • Lonnie Shields • Lonnie Brooks • Ronnie Baker Brooks • Luther Johnson • Martin Deschamps • Maritime Jazz Orchestra • Maureen Brown • Maurice John Vaughan • Meredith Brooks • Mississippi Heat • Monster Mike Welch • Montreal Jubilation Choir • Nanette Workman • Panache • Paul Bley • Phil Guy • Buddy Guy • The Barr Brothers • Plume La Traverse • Poppa Chubby • R.L. Burnside • Ray Bonneville • Rick L Blues • Rita Chiarelli • Rob Lutes • Randy Bachman • Robert Lockwood Jr. • Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers • Monkey Junk • Roomful of Blues • Roy Harper ( & Jeff Martin) • Sara McGlaughlin • Skeeter Brandon (& Highway 61) • Smokey Wilson • Smokin Joe Kubek • Son Seals • Steve Hill • Steve Rowe • Tea Party • The Pursuit of Happiness • Tom Cochrane • Sussex • Francesca Blanchard • Leahy • Ashley MacIssac • Wild T • World Saxophone Quartet • Zoom • Loreena McKenit • Robert Charlesbois • Jesse Cook • Jim Zeller • Nanette Workman • Walter Trout • Victor Wainwright • ZZ Top •
