Marianna from Elite

It's been a good while since I've done a blog post.  Been so busy and tired that I haven't even looked at my blog site let alone think about what to write.  Well in all the busy-ness I've decided to start shooting again.  I didn't realize how much I missed it.  Like a weird drug (?) I wasn't shooting for a while for many reasons.... but one main reason being that I just wasn't feeling inspired and felt like whatever I was shooting just wasn't good enough.   A photographer's block so to speak.
Well I'm back!!!  And having the utmost pleasure meeting up with a great crew!  A fantastic stylist who thinks outside the box and a fantastic makeup/hair stylist who's not only fast, but delivers with beautiful work!  We three have somehow just become one ... it feels and the work that we've been executing as of late has been just getting better and better.  Therefore, I've decided on submitting my work to various magazines and hope for the best.  I am feeling extremely confident in my work and quite proud of it.  There will probably be plenty of rejections, but there will be one who says 'yes!' and I know it'll just blossom from thereon.  Just a matter of being persistent ;)

In the meantime let me introduce you to Marianna from Elite modeling agency.
Beautiful girl with a great heart!  We instantly got along well and are looking forward to working on a creative together.  Agency loved the photographs as well and has opened the door to other opportunities that will only lead to better things. 

Hopefully submissions will be accepted...when it happens I'll be announcing it here! there ... and everywhere!  ... Either way I'll be posting the photographs here for everyone to view when I'm able to :)

Cheers! 

Beginning of September

To want, to need, to get.....

I haven't done any personal creatives in a while.  I really do miss it.  When I first started I was literally shooting every other weekend....sometimes both Saturday's and Sunday's in a row! Occasional passersby at the studio would comment that I must be living there since they saw me there so often.  I couldn't help it.... it was like a drug to me.  Of course, it was long nights planning, retouching, assessing, griping, moping, being disappointed, being happy and by the end of it all.... being satisfied with the end product.  Till I realized that it wasn't good enough and felt I needed to improve for the next shoot.  I slowly, but surely watched myself and my work improving.  Maybe it's the trait of being a perfectionist of wanting to improve because the previous work was just not good enough.... oooooor maybe being a masochist and liked the idea of torturing oneself by inflicting challenges on a regular basis.  I think I'm more of the latter part.  I'm not really a perfectionist, but I do pay a lot of attention to detail...on days I'm not feeling lazy.  I'm also a workhorse.  I'd say that's more of a family trait from my mother's side to which I'm very thankful for.

SO.... what are my plans for the coming near future????? Why... planning creatives of course!  That is the remedy for me prescribed by my own self-person.  Time for me to really get my creative juices flowing and allow myself to be open and inspired by all things expose to me and around me.  Also, I've been very fortunate to be in touch with people I haven't spoken to in a while and who are extremely talented themselves.  They have asked me to work on creatives with them.... I take THAT as a sign from various gods and start utilizing with the opportunity given.  Only you can make things work for you because no one else will and nor will they happen on their own.  That's my motto and have stuck with it. 

The autumn season is arriving (my favorite season!) and with it comes a fresh start of great many things to come.  Time to roll up my sleeves and get my lazy ass back to work and become the vessel of some great art work for display to all while working with some wildly and innately talented folks whom without this wouldn't be possible.

Stay tuned as the journey continues... As I tumble through the rabbit hole only to be dumped into some weird world formed by Tim Burtons himself where oddly formed apparitions and creatures motivate me to come up with something .... well I don't know.... just have to wait and see ;)

Cheers for now...

Tumblr

I've decided to start using Tumblr along with my other various net sites.
Yes....I've given in.  What can I say... when you have resources then use them! 

My tumblr site address is nadiacphoto.tumblr.com

I will still be blogging as much as I can, but with Tumblr I can at least have a 'photo diary' going of sorts.  More visually appealing.  I'll be using my blog for thoughts, ideas and general sharing.  Also any questions that people might have I'll answer it on my blog.  For which I am waaaaaaaaaaay behind!

Cheers and hope you enjoy my journey!

Recap on my life...

SO.... first off I've wanted to apologize for not updating my blog for so long....
I've had more than a few asking me as to '....what's up with that???!!?' sort of questions.

Well my life thus far has been extremely busy and exciting! The gallery opening was a true success and well appreciated by peers and strangers alike.  I've gotten a full-time position as an assistant to a very successful and established fashion photographer here in Toronto, Dan Lim (www.danlimphoto.com).  Have continuing to meet great people who are presenting me with some promising projects to work on throughout the year to which I'm very excited about!!! and looking forward to.

I've been using all of my free time to continue to work on my future in photography.  I'm exploring many possibilities and keeping my reach wide and open.  I am still going to explore fashion and commercial photography, but I know as myself I need to work on some personal projects whenever I am able to.  I'm sure it's like that for all artists in all mediums.  We just can't help it :)  It's what keeps us sane and functional....I guess you could say.

I've been very fortunate to have met with a lovely lady who's level of creativity and vision has refreshed and inspired me to get my own creative juices flowing.  We're looking forward to working together on some future projects to which I hope we can do a gallery show with as well.  Show it to the public and see where it leads to.  It's going to be a work in progress, but the thoughts and feelings that are already being placed upon are well worth the time and effort.  Patience is a virtue.

I don't want to state just yet as to what we have planned....although I'm itching to! But it's best to present it in pieces as we work on it....teasers of sorts ;)  I promise it's going to be well worth the wait.  I will try to keep this blog more updated as I continue to move further in my journey into becoming a photographer.  Right now I'm still in the start of my path who will continue to grow and hone her skills.  It's truly intimidating at times when you see such great work already out there and you think to yourself 'How am I going to make it?.... how am I to know what my style is?.... am I unique?.... is my work unique?..... where do I start?'  These questions fly through my head on a regular basis.  It's normal to question yourself, but don't let them overwhelm you and, in turn, drown you.  Stay focused, stay strong and ... may sound weird.... stay alert.  Look for opportunities and helping hands.  Look forward to meeting people and don't shy away from new friendships.  You just never know where it may lead to ...

Lately I've been feeling .... I guess you could call it a photographer's block (?)  Well after my brunch yesterday with that very same lovely lady the block has lifted and I am very much looking forward to a inspiration filled year.  I've decided to work on two books.  One for the commercial world....nice clean and what Toronto seeks and another for my own personal work.  It's the only way I know I can find balance for myself and not be stifled.

On that note I shall leave you with some shots I had taken in a fashion workshop I was assisting in.  It was very quickly put together with no actual setup or ideas.  Spur of the moment that I was asked to do and prep for the models and their agents.

Till next time....

Stillness & Motion

Rob Davidson and I would like to invite folks who reside within the GTA area (Toronto, Ontario) to come visit our gallery show at the Snowball Gallery curated by Alison Snowball.
The show will be up for the month of May (Contact month) starting May 6 to May 30, 2010.  Opening reception night is May 6th from 7:00-10:00pm.

The show will be consisting of photographs taken both by me and Rob.  My section of the works will be about is titled 'Stillness' whilst Rob's is 'Motion'.

I went on a trip last year for two weeks in Ireland.  I didn't actually take that many shots.  My mindset was '...I'm on vacation so won't be doing any touristy style shots.....'  Well, eventhough I didn't pick up or use the camera often I was enthralled by a park we had visited I think in Galway.  Unfortunately my memory is of no good use to me as I don't possess the greatest memory retention in my brain.  I will have to find out the name and location of the park.

The park contained an old monastery and, of course, an old cemetery.  I was captivated and started taking photographs.  You don't quite see this type or 'style' of cemeteries here in Ontario.  You could feel the history in that place and I was absolutely loving it.  I wanted to capture what I was feeling while being there and deep quietness, eeriness that the place contained.  Eventhough it was riddled with tourists the area alone had its own distinct presence.  Like any good, shy photographer I went against the masses and took shots ensuring little to no people were in the actual photographs.  Another place that we visited was the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.  Loved it!  Of course when we were there and right after we crossed the bridge a fog was coming over to pay us a visit while engulfing the landscape.  When I say engulfing I mean the landscape was literally disappearing right before our eyes!  And very quickly too.  It was a bit scary and extremely beautiful at the same time.  At that point we decided to cross the bridge back before the fog overcame us.  Too late.... we were caught in the fog.  Luckily I could at least see where my feet were stepping on and 5 or 6 people ahead of me while crossing the bridge.  The interesting and cool thing was that as the fog came the breeze from it swayed the bridge as we were crossing.  As the fog was passing through though it left this cool feeling on our skin with a hint of dewy wetness.  I was loving it to the absolute!

Those are the two locations that caught my attention the most and, thus, will be presenting at the show.  As for Rob's works..... well you'll just have to come by and find out ;)  I promise you....you will NOT be disappointed by what he'll be presenting.  A very unique look to a certain sport that may change your perspective on how to perceive it.

I hope to see both old and new faces at the show.  Don't feel shy, but do come by and feel free to review, critique and introduce yourselves to us.  We look forward to your visit!

Cheers and goodnight....