Martin Cormier Photography

Themes Collection #24

2012-01-25T23:28:00.002-04:00

Themes Collection #23

2011-12-14T21:12:00.002-04:00

Themes Collection #22

2011-11-16T17:40:00.002-04:00

Themes Collection #21

2011-11-09T12:49:00.002-04:00

A new venture begins...

2011-10-27T17:11:00.002-03:00

I have wanted to open my own studio for a while now. However, I have found it very difficult to find premises that was nearby, spacious and ideal. I'm excited to say that last week, I picked up the keys to my new studio which is located in Cap-Pele, a mere 10 minute drive from my place. It's also the city where I grew up.

The arrival of my new studio coincides with wanting new directions in my photography. I have been putting lots of personal projects on the back burner this past year or so. It's always a challenge to balance between client work (paid work) and personal work. If one wins, then the other one fails. Juggling both requires discipline and hard work. It's about being conscious of time management while maintaining a good balance between efficiency and productivity.

I'm constantly learning this "balance" thing. I'm a Libra after all. Makes sense doesn't it :)

I see this new opportunity in my life as a mean to swipe off the collected dust of ignored ideas. Creating new goals for myself and to be inspired once again. This time around though, I'm aiming the light at my future goals.

A new venture begins...

And here is the first shot taken in the studio. It's of my assistant Marc Leblanc. We were testing out the lights and equipment in the studio and I took this picture. It's my way of saying thanks to him for all he's done to me. He's a great friend, an amazing assistant and also the best "voice activated light stand" there is :)

P.S Photos of the studio will be posted soon :)
Cheers!!

Themes Collection #20 (East vs West)

2011-09-19T13:28:00.002-03:00

Theme: Scenic Portrait

Theme: I`m a fan of...

Theme: Stereotypes

Theme: Decades

Theme: Scenes from a movie

Theme: Shadowplay

Themes Collection #19

2011-09-15T21:15:00.002-03:00

Themes Collection #18

2011-07-13T23:15:00.002-03:00

2011-06-29T14:15:00.006-03:00

Last month I was invited to be a guest blogger on Frank Doorhof's site. It was quite an honor!

For those who missed it, here is the direct link:

http://www.frankdoorhof.com/site/?p=2205

Themes Collection #17

2011-06-23T15:06:00.002-03:00

Themes Collection #16

2011-06-21T21:13:00.002-03:00

day in and day out...

2011-05-19T22:38:00.003-03:00

day in and day out...

Life can be pretty boring if you do the same thing day in and day out. N'est ce pas?

The fact that I am continually working artistically makes my life better, and in turn keeps both my creativity and ideas flowing. I love how my work is diverse, never quite the same. It varies from commercial to weddings, then to so called "editorial" and back to weddings and so on...I have a tendency to take more jobs that I can handle. Would rather be busy than see my ideas and energy go down the drain. It's about being active with your work. All the jobs I take are all rewarding. You can gather so much insight, knowledge and experiences from various shoots. It keeps you going forward, moving towards higher plans and goals. It strengthens your vision.

It certainly will open up options for you if you are willing to expand and explore.

This past winter, I had so much clarity about why I love being a photographer and the things I needed to do to keep it that way. As soon as I made the decision to go after the things that makes me happy as a photographer, the kind of work I wanted to do more of, started knocking on my door. It goes to show! You create opportunities for yourself when expanding your work.

As a photographer, if it hadn't been for my willingness to try new things, I would have ended up being stuck in a routine of a "day in and day out" scenario.

With that said, remember to try to have fun once in awhile :-)
With or without a camera.

Speaking of fun...

I present you "Lean Kitchen Queen"!!

P.S Thanks Karine! This shoot was sooo much fun!!!

More about the "Lean Kitchen Queen"
http://metaboliccooking.com/origins.php

Pocket Creativity

2011-04-19T14:41:00.005-03:00

Creativity is like a muscle that should be exercised daily.

A photograph is a photograph.
No matter the camera, no matter the size, no matter the pixels.

More often than not the camera I have with me is not actually a camera, but a phone. I use the camera on my phone on a daily basis. I don't intend to make masterpieces with any of these "camera pics" that I take. I'm simply allowing and challenging myself to be creative at any given time. My phone is with me at all times. I'm able to capture glimpses of my daily life. Photographing things I find interesting, such as patterns, shapes and forms. Mostly things that catches my eye.

There's never a dull moment when a world of possibilities and creativity can fit in your pocket.

That said, here are a few images I’ve created with a phone...

Themes Collection #15

2011-02-25T14:54:00.002-04:00

Themes Collection #14

2011-02-02T16:12:00.002-04:00

New website is officially live!!

2011-01-20T19:27:00.005-04:00

Hope all is well with everyone :)

I’m pleased to announce that my brand spanking new website is officially live!!

To view new site,
Please follow the link below:

http://www.martincormier.com/

Themes Collection (Series#13)

2010-12-07T22:19:00.002-04:00

Importance of time and photographs

2010-11-24T22:04:00.004-04:00

Photography helps us relive the past and in a way to keep in touch with the past. Photography in general is a very important tool that is used to memorialize our lives and experiences.

We often take for granted the importance of photographs until the subject of one of the images passes on and then we are left with nothing but the memories.

The world around you should not be one of chaos and disorder.
There is opportunities and golden precious moments everywhere. All around us at any given time.

Take 5-10 minutes of that time and make it your own.

P.S The photo below is of my late grandfather. It's one of my personal favorite photographs.
It was taken about 10 years ago. Just about that time when I started to get involved in photography. Shot with film, shot with natural light, shot with little experience or know how. I simply shot away..a few frames later, I had a lifetime in front of me. Lifetime meaning that it's now there forever...

At that very moment, I felt it was the beginning of my very own photographer's journey.

Time doesn't control us. If we let it control us, then we are missing out on the important things in life. The things that matters, the things that indeed makes us forget about time..

Don't think twice, just do it!

2010-11-22T21:58:00.002-04:00

When your 3 year old kid ask you to take photos of them
making silly faces...SAY YES!! and act quickly...set up quickly!!Don't think twice, just do it!
Take that opportunity to play a little. It's not the time to worry about light,
composition etc...It's about having fun!

Updates / Happy Halloween

2010-10-29T13:02:00.001-03:00

Feels like I haven't posted anything in years :)

Better get down to it and keep the blog machine rolling!!!!

Where am I? you ask..

Well...It's that time of year where I'm in what I call "full wedding edit mode". Projects are put on hold till I get most of my wedding edits completed. I often get asked the question :"How much time does it take you to complete a wedding?:" Well, it takes a lot and by that I mean A LOT of time to complete a wedding...from start to finish. To editing, designing albums, to preparing and printing. The list goes on and on!! I guess certain people don't realize the amount of work we do as photographers..specially wedding photographers. It might be a lot of work but it's very much worth it. Specially this year, couldn't ask for a better wedding season. Soooo looking forward in posting my favorite wedding pics of the season. For those who asked when...well..Soon..in the next few weeks or so :) *Fingers Crossed*

Other than weddings, things are shaping up well. Have lots of new and interesting photo projects coming...my creative gears will be shifting to new directions..to new places. Bring it on!!!!!

Ohh and by the way BOO!! Happy Hollow-Weeeeeeeeen!!!!

P.S Nobody was harmed during the making of the photo above ;)

Themes Collection (Series #11- Weightless)

2010-08-27T14:25:00.002-03:00

Are feelings weightless?

Is beauty weightless?

Are thoughts weightless?

What about courage? Is that weightless?

And how about gathering 16 plus size woman to do a photoshoot to help empower women about their inner beauty...is that weightless? Yes it is, and it's also fearless.

The idea of a single still image can have a lasting effect on a person. It can
change our point of view, transform our thoughts. The idea of a single
photograph, in relation with the viewer, can produce an emotional response.

Photos are not only memories or cherished moments in time.
They can also be empowering, influential, striking, controversial, compelling,
moving and impressive. In other words, if a photograph can affect a person (the viewer), it requires no understanding or reasoning as to why it did. Same as music..

Those were the thoughts i had while undergoing this photo project...

I would like to take this opportunity and thank my models for participating in
this beautiful project. It takes a lot of courage, determination and confidence
to do so. And you guys proved exactly that! Your task as models that day wasn't easy by any means :) But you all believed in my vision and made it easy for both myself and my assistant.

Together as a team, you guys emphasized the point that were all
equal and weightless. No matter our size, no matter our weight.

Thanks for taking part and believing in this project.

--------------------

As to why i did this project...

It was to visually prove a point and make it clear in a form a photograph that
beauty is weightless..no matter our size or weight

The choices i make as a photographer are a bit similar to the choices of a
carpenter. I see photographs as a means to construct, design and assemble.
Leaving minimal margins of error. While thinking big, seeing ahead of time, seeing the big picture, like large scaled buildings or houses. If built properly, the structure of a photograph can be a place where we can live in...

In retrospect, if a picture is worth a thousand words...then what would it say?

Themes Collection (Series #11)

2010-07-16T16:55:00.002-03:00

Themes Collection (Series#10)

2010-04-28T14:17:00.002-03:00

Themes Collection (Series#9)

2010-04-14T16:27:00.002-03:00

Themes Collection (Series#8)

2010-03-16T22:28:00.002-03:00

Smoke

2010-03-09T15:56:00.003-04:00

Capturing lines and patterns of smoke rising into the air in a photograph can lead to interesting results. With the proper tools, lighting set up, and with different camera settings, you can begin to experiment with smoke in your pictures.

The set up is quick easy and fun!

-First set and hang a black background on a wall behind the area you are going to have the smoke rising from. In my case, i used a dark background and a dark blue background.

-Arrange your studio lighting (strobes, flash etc..) so that it shines toward the background and covers the entire area. In my case, i had two lights from each side pointing at each other and one slightly pointed at a lower angle aiming at the smoke and my background. There is no right or wrong way, simply experiment.

- Use a fast shutter speed to capture the smoke. Start with 1/250 and go from there.

- To help make the smoke appear more crisp and focused use a high aperture such as F/8 or higher

- Try to use manual focusing as the camera might have difficulty trying to focus, because of the dark areas.

- Use filters on your flash. It really boost the colors! In my case, i had a light blue and a light magenta filter. Both of them together works really well.

- And last and not least , light only one incense at a time ;)
You don`t want to suffocate in the smoke ;)

Enjoy!

More to come...

Flowerbed....

2010-03-03T15:24:00.001-04:00

Traces of a photographer`s journey...

2010-01-22T20:43:00.004-04:00

This being my first blog post of the year. It was only fitting for me to post old photos rather than new ones. Some of these photos are from awhile back. The majority of them were taken with slide films (remember those)!!!

It`s gratifying to me reminiscing back on these old images. They not only bring back memories, they bring back experiences. They are traces of a photographer`s journey...images within images. The remains of a capture lurking in the present time...

More to come,
Martin

Themes Collection (Series #7)

2010-01-05T20:36:00.002-04:00

Themes Collection (Series #6)

2009-12-17T20:33:00.002-04:00

Ordinary objects with a new perspective

2009-11-08T00:58:00.003-04:00

Discovering patterns, shapes and designs in photography is an important element. To me, visual design and abstract in photography are not just information but elements that communicate something more.

Ordinary objects when viewed from a different perspective can make interesting photographs.
It brings to surface inherent feelings connected to our subconscious.

Through patterns, shape and design, I explore the world, observing my environment…with or without a camera.

The last few weeks, I purposely studied some objects around me…in my home…in my office etc...

Looking at the familiar world around me without a camera, preparing and composing the shoots in my head.

I turned this into a self-assignment.
When it came time to photograph the things I saw...I gave myself no more than 3 hours to photograph.

Challenging myself to replicate in photographs the things I have seen.

This is what I saw, felt and experienced.
Ordinary objects with a new perspective.

P.S Some of you have asked me to post the slide show presentation that i presented last night at the "Photographers Reaching Out" event.

Here it is:

Themes Collection (Series #5)

2009-09-01T16:49:00.002-03:00

Themes Collection (Series #4)

2009-08-26T23:54:00.002-03:00

Themes Collection (Series #3)

2009-07-16T12:57:00.001-03:00

Leaving for the prom...

2009-07-14T23:00:00.005-03:00

Themes Collection

2009-06-03T00:23:00.007-03:00

Here is the first installment of the "Themes Collection" photo project.

More to come...

We breathe the same air and share the same sky

2009-04-29T00:18:00.008-03:00

Firstly,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank
my fellow blog readers, who have e-mailed me with their nice comments on my work.
P.S Its always a pleasure receiving your e-mails.
Again thanks!

About a month ago, i started a new photo project on
the lives of mentally challenged people.

I spent too many years putting aside this project,
Always too busy with life, with business and responsibilities.
I just simply never took the time…

So, with Determination, I set off.
I didn’t really know what to expect or what I was getting myself into.
I just knew that I finally needed to make this project happen.

What happened will forever change the way I look at people again.
This experience has touched me in ways that I never thought possible.
Or could ever truly express into words.
It has made me realize more than ever that.

"We breathe the same air and share the same sky."

About 2 weeks ago, i did a slide presentation of the first series of these images.
It was for the "Musical Line" event.
The response from the audience was outstanding.
It was a wonderful and memorable evening.

Some of you have asked me to post the slide presentation in my blog.
So for those of you interested in seeing the slide show,
Simply follow the link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzK9wr6Zctc

Martin

Photoshoot with Manon

2009-04-07T23:47:00.004-03:00

An afternoon with Alexa & Olivier

2009-04-05T21:32:00.003-03:00

Gabrielle & Anabelle

2009-04-01T10:45:00.005-03:00

Just getting back on top of things. Projects here, photo shoot there...lol
Keeping busy as a photographer is a "good" kind of busy!
It gets me going i can tell you that :)

Earlier this month, i shot some photos of Gabrielle & Anabelle.
It`s been almost a year since our last photo shoot.
Again they were terrific to work with, very cooperative and patient for young children.
It was a fun filled afternoon!
Looking forward in photographing them again very soon.
More to come...

The Faucet Project

2009-03-25T14:59:00.003-03:00

2009-03-04T11:38:00.000-04:00

In a playful mood...

2009-02-04T15:34:00.007-04:00

Dax-Olivier is sooo into it when he plays, that he reminds me of myself when i was younger.
I really wanted to capture and convey the spirit of him playing.
Therefore i used minimal lighting to emphasize the mood and atmosphere.

This was an afternoon well spent!!

Is technology killing the basis of photography?

2009-01-28T01:39:00.005-04:00

Is technology killing the basis of photography?

A few days ago, i was searching for an old image that i had taken a few years ago. Unable to locate the image through my many boxes of old transparency films. I knew it was hidden somewhere...so

where was it?

All along as i was looking for that slide, i came across so many of my favorite past images. I
spent the whole night browsing through hundreds and hundreds of slide films. The heat of the
light box, the tired eyes..even the smell of film brought a sense of nostalgia in me.

Then a thought occurred to me...
Is technology killing the basis of photography?

We can all agree that "film" has become a thing of the past.
We no longer use it.
Its no longer selling.
The majority of people nowadays are using digital cameras.

For us photographers, we now think in "pixels" and "resolution".
We use words such as "sensors" and "memory cards".

I`m pretty sure that some of you have already asked themselves the question
:"Where is my old film camera?:"

My question is...
:"When is the last time you`ve used a film camera?:"

Keep in mind that i`m not against digital photography.
I truly love this new technology and totally embrace it.

So coming back to my story of when i was looking at my old slides,
I really miss the aspect of film, the sense of not knowing how your pictures would come out. The grueling and impatient wait for the films to get back from the photo lab.
And when you finally got to see them for the first time, you were thrilled with excitement.
Thrilled with "ohhhh`s and ahhhh`s" and sometimes disappointed because some of them were either too blurry, dark or overexposed etc...

Then, we gathered all of the favorite ones and away they went in a portfolio or photo album.
Simple as that!
And then we were off to shot the next roll and so on...

We never trowed out the prints we did not want.
The "delete" button was not there yet.
We kept the prints or the slides we wanted, and stored the rest of them rejects
safely somewhere.
We kept them (just in case), and the more i think about it, we kept them
because of their meaning and importance.
Those rejected prints or slides were part of a series.
Therefore, they had value and were also treasured.
Whether your a professional photographer, an amateur, the average person, we can somewhat
all relate to this.

Pro digital equipment cost at least twice as much as film gear, and
the digital work flow is very time consuming.
On the other hand, its very convenient, fast and reliable.
The main advantage is the instant sharing of images made via internet, e-mail etc...
Its a great tool and we all love it.
Its instantaneous... click click Click...shoot shoot..upload
and Voila, the whole world gets to see them in a matter of seconds.

However, there is a few downfalls to all of this amazing technology.
Those downfalls are basically how we work and how we evaluate digital photography.
There is a few little things that we should all be aware off.
Like..well first of all, can you believe that those precious images are stored inside
a memory card?
Sounds a bit sci-fi doesn't it??
We are so used to it that we don`t even think about stuff like that anymore.
Maybe we should?

Digital makes us shot pictures like crazy (because we can).
Everybody can, we all do.
The simplicity of going click click click...whoooo hooo were on a roll!!

But wait...

You mentioned something about a downfall?
What could it be?

You guessed it!
Now let me introduced to you a very good friend
of mine going by the name of "Delete".
That`s right, his name is delete and he will guide you where you need to go :)

This is where we need to draw the line and step up.
I`m not saying that deleting your images are bad, but to the contrary.
It`s a matter of how and why to delete.
Deleting an image on the fly is easy. Let`s face it, We all do it, to the point where it becomes second nature.
We also do it for the simple fact that some elements in the photo did not work out.
But guess what? Maybe it did work out...

Then, once those images are uploaded to a pc, we have the task of sorting through all of those
hundred and hundreds of images. Afterward, we sort them out, delete the bads, keep the goods,
separating them in folders and so on.
Sounds like fun doesn't it?
But we all do it, right?

In addition we then format all of the memory cards and presto!
They are ready for more!

In the process of doing all of this work,
We become our own photo editors.
I noticed that people in general have become
more selective when it comes down to selecting their own photos.
Why?
Because there is so many to choose from.
The more storage on the card, the more pictures we take.
Image after images, all piled up.
From all sorts of angles, lighting or expression.
Were always on the look out for the "killer" shot.

My philosophy behind digital is that i treat it as
if it was film. I sometimes purposely shot only 36 images or so (just like film).
When you limit the amount of frames and set it to a reasonable minimum, you
are into what i call "film mode".
The minute you limit yourself to only a few shots,
that's when everything falls into place and you take control of your images.

The bottom line is do we really need 150 images of the same subject?
When we know were only going to choose maybe about 20 out of them?
And ending up with only 1 favorite...

Your approach changes as a result of not being able to "click click click" like crazy.
And the beauty of this is that we are actually beginning to see again.
Taking our time to craft a photo rather than shooting like crazy missing the perfect moment.
Again, by minimizing the numbers of images, we become meticulous, critical and attentive to our
surroundings when photographing.
It makes sense because we are restricting and forcing at the same time.

If we treat digital photography like it was film, then we are treating our eyes to what it used to
be.

By all means, this new technology of image making is fascinating.
Its ever growing and constantly evolving and i`m certainly taking advantage of it.

In retrospect, a photo today will still be a photo tomorrow.
But will the photos of tomorrow look like the photos from today?

Which leads me again to this question,
Is technology killing the basis of photography?

The beauty within...

2009-01-27T00:41:00.001-04:00

Illumination

2009-01-05T13:02:00.001-04:00

New year...new beginning

2008-12-31T13:38:00.002-04:00

Its the end of another year...
Flew by like the rest of them :)

The new year is slowly approaching, walking in giant steps.
Its letting us know that it will bring along new adventures, a new life and plenty more
memorable moments.

Happy New Year to all!

Dax-Olivier @ 20 months

2008-12-18T00:11:00.006-04:00

Here are some recent pics of Dax-Olivier @ 20 months

Maternity shoot

2008-12-15T11:36:00.003-04:00

I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with this wonderful couple.

Maternity photo sessions is something that i enjoy doing.
The nature of a maternity session allows you to "take your time".
Simply because its a more "relaxed" kind of photo session. So you can really play around and experiment with the light a little bit more.
It also allows you to slow down and prepare each and every shot.

I`m already looking forward to my next maternity photo session!
They are so much fun to do!

Photo session with Denise Leblanc

2008-12-03T15:32:00.004-04:00

Here is some pics of a photo shoot that i did last winter, with motivational speaker Denise Leblanc.
She has recently launched her website and is currently inviting people to attend her workshops.

Denise`s spirit and devotion is truly remarkable!
For those of you interested in a new perspective of life,
Please follow this link below:
http://www.ameya.ca/

First snow....

2008-11-19T15:28:00.002-04:00

Wow :)
Its been ages since i last updated my blog!
Better get down to it :)

I have been working like crazy during the last few months ...nothing new right?
:)
I`m currently finishing up the weddings i shot this summer.
They all look fantastic! Can`t wait to post some of them!

Meanwhile...here is a shot from my office window...witnessing the very first snow of the year.

Where did the summer go....

Dax-Olivier (Recent Pics)

2008-06-20T12:24:00.002-03:00

Dax-Olivier @13months!!!
:)

Moncton Mingus Band (Photo Session)

2008-05-28T14:01:00.003-03:00

This photo shoot was extremely fun to do. I truly love doing band photos!
A lot of nice shots came out from this session.

Its not often that i get the chance to be entertained with music while i`m photographing :)
Thanks for the music guys! I really enjoyed seeing you guys play.

Looking forward to your next gig.

P.S For those of you who enjoys and appreciate jazz,
Its worth checking out these guys out:
http://www.myspace.com/monctonmingusband

An afternoon with Heidi & Mike and baby Marissa

2008-05-14T01:16:00.004-03:00

Quality Of Light

2008-02-13T11:30:00.003-04:00

There is a striking difference in the quality of light in both of these photographs.
It only took about 10 minutes for the clouds to clear and the sunset light to appear.

There is a major difference in the look and feel between both images.
The first one convey a feeling of sombre, dark and dreamy. While the other one conveys a feeling of liveliness, hope and warmth.

Its amazing how the quality of light can transform a rather dull scene to a splendid one.

Dax-Olivier @ 9 months & 2 weeks

2008-01-28T00:31:00.000-04:00

Dax-Olivier @ 9 months & 2 weeks

An afternoon with Annabelle & Gabrielle

2008-01-24T00:37:00.001-04:00

An afternoon with Annabelle & Gabrielle....

Winter Photography

2008-01-03T21:41:00.000-04:00

Congratulations/Felicitation!!

2007-11-19T19:19:00.000-04:00

Congratulations Mathieu & Chantal for the little miracle!
Felicitation Mathieu et Chantal pour le petit miracle!

The Memory Remains

2007-11-04T00:09:00.001-03:00

Extra minutes...

2007-10-25T14:59:00.000-03:00

Last August, i was asked to take some photographs of the Acadian Day festivities. I was very happy to attend the ceremony because i knew that there was going to be a lot of photo opportunities. When i got there, the festivities had already begun. So i quickly started to photograph, afraid to miss anything. Away i went....click click click....

Soon after i was taking photographs like crazy, i sat down to relax a bit.
My eyes were still browsing the scene, looking for shoots.
:"Should i leave now...i said:"
At that moment, i was about to leave, thinking that i had all the shoots covered. So i decided to stay because i knew in my mind that its impossible to have everything covered. Little did i know that the next few shoots were going to be the best ones.

Always keep in mind that happy accidents can occur while taking photographs. The lesson here is to never assume that you have enough pictures or have seen everything.
Take the few extra minutes to browse around and really feel the space. You will likely end up with images that you will keep and remember always.

Just like this photo.
:)

Dax-Olivier @ 6 Months

2007-10-22T13:44:00.001-03:00

Newly added pictures

2007-10-18T17:18:00.000-03:00

I hope everyone is doing great :)
I have been extremely busy with numerous photo sessions and will soon put new pictures to this blog. I would also like to mention that i added new pictures to my website as well.
To view click here:
http://www.martincormier.com/

Bye for now,
Martin

Dax-Olivier @ 4 months & 18 days

2007-09-02T14:23:00.001-03:00

Dax-Olivier @ 4 months & 18 days

2007-09-02T14:18:00.000-03:00

Passing Opportunities

2007-08-24T15:36:00.000-03:00

Bonne Fete Des Acadiens/Happy Acadians Day

2007-08-15T21:33:00.000-03:00

Bonne Fete Des Acadiens/Happy Acadians Day

Dax-Olivier at 3 months & 12 days

2007-07-25T16:33:00.000-03:00

Collection of photos of Dax- Olivier @ 3 months & 12 days.

SUMMERTIME!!!!

2007-07-18T22:39:00.000-03:00

SUMMERTIME!!!

Always look around your subject matter :)

2007-07-05T17:02:00.000-03:00

Dax-Oliver at 10 weeks and 3 days

2007-06-25T22:51:00.000-03:00

"Blue skies smiling at me"

2007-06-25T01:35:00.001-03:00

Self-Assignment and thinking sideways

2007-06-18T00:46:00.000-03:00

Giving yourself self-assignments can help you to improve and challenge your photo skills. I often give myself these photo assignments simply because it trains and improves my "eye". The idea behind this, is to visualize outside the box in order to come up with interesting photographs. Rather than trying to come up with "masterpieces". Throughout the years, I have learned a great deal about the concept of visual design, simply by observing the world around me.

When is the last time you went under your kitchen table? When is the last time you have really looked at a flower very closely? When is the last time you looked out from your window for more than 5 minutes? When is the last time you looked underneath your shoes?

Questions like these will definitely create a sense of curiosity in your photographs. Followed by a sense of openness and awareness from the world around you.

Think and visualize outside the box :)
A new world awaits you.

Natural Lighting

2007-06-07T23:56:00.000-03:00

One of the main ingredient that goes into making great photographs is the use of natural light. Im very fortunate to have lots of windows in my kitchen. Simply because i use the windows as my main light source for my studio. At the right time of day (usually around 4pm), the light coming in from my windows lights up my kitchen very well. The beauty of natural lighting is really evident, especially when photographing people. Not only that its good for the skin tone, it also helps to maintain the highlighted color and tone. "Even light", thats how i call it :)

Breathtaking sunset (June 2th 2007)

2007-06-04T01:22:00.000-03:00

The sunset sky last Saturday was AMAZING!!
Here are the results of a few images i made that night.

P.S These pictures haven`t been manipulated in any way shape or form. They haven`t been re-touched. These are all straight shoots.

Camera setting : ISO 100, F-stop 4.5
Exposure time : 1/125

Touch Of Spring

2007-05-28T00:23:00.000-03:00

Dax-Oliver @ 5 weeks

2007-05-23T01:06:00.000-03:00

My new photography book

2007-05-20T23:35:00.000-03:00

I`m pleased to announce that my first photography book has been published :)
And it is currently on sale online at this link:
click or copy this link below:
http://www.lulu.com/content/837966/

Music & Photography

2007-05-17T00:36:00.000-03:00

"My 2 favorite things in life.
Music & Photography".

Here is a band photo session that i have done this past winter with " Les Fous Tziganes".
It is always a pleasure for me to do a band photo session. For the simple fact that musicians are open minded individuals and they are not afraid to be themselves in front of the camera.

:)

For those who enjoy gypsy and world music,
click on this link:

www.myspace.com/foustziganes

Subject with Visual Design

2007-05-13T16:18:00.000-03:00

I really like the idea and the complexity of these pictures. The 2 last shots could easily have been done without a person in it. However, with the addition of a person as a subject, it adds a focal point to the image. Thus making the image a little bit more captivating.

Playing with visual design is always fun. Especially when you can tell your subject (person) to move in a certain spot :)

** Photos taken in Havelock N.B
On the "Havelock Bridge" **

Dax-Olivier at 3 weeks

2007-05-12T23:54:00.000-03:00

Dax-Olivier (at 3 weeks)
:)

Fun at the playground with "visual designs"!!

2007-05-10T00:45:00.000-03:00

Today, i felt like i was kid again!

On my way home from a meeting today, i drove by this playground at a local school. Luckily, i had my camera with me. The vivid colors of the bars and the swings really strucked my eye. So i had to stop to take a few shots. As soon as i walked in the "sand-filled" playground, i suddenly felt like i was a kid again! Looking upwards at the sky, daydreaming with the clouds. Taking the time to enjoy the beautiful visual display that the playground provided me with.

The picture possibilities was endless. The different types of shadows on the sand formed by the monkey bars was visually interesting (i could have stayed there for hours). I deliberately underexposed my shots to maintain the black tone of the falling shadows.

All in all today i had loads of fun taking pictures :)
After all, i was in a playground right :)

Night Photography (Series)

2007-05-09T00:48:00.000-03:00

F/5.6
Exposure time : 0.8 seconds
ISO : 100

Long exposure (Series 2)

2007-05-06T00:27:00.000-03:00

*Warning*
If you ever attempt this kind of shot, remember to keep one eye at the wheel :)

Camera settings :
F-4.5
Exposure time - 2 sec
ISO - 100

Everyday objects...

2007-05-04T10:34:00.000-03:00

Everyday objects can be turned into interesting photographs. Its a matter of taking the time to "actually" look at our surrounding.

Long Exposure (Series)

2007-05-04T02:35:00.000-03:00

This is one of the many long exposure (night photography) images in my collection. It`s also one of my favorite, mainly because of the blue-ish cast and the strong contrast lighting (created by the street lights). This image was shot at 1/30th of a second at night.

2007-05-02T23:47:00.001-03:00

2 Months ago, I went out for a drive to take some pictures of the snowy-foggy-day. Lighting wise, (it wasn`t very good). It was cloudy and the sky was too grey. Already satisfied with the shoots I had taken earlier in the day, I called it the day and decided to head home. As I reached down to grab my tripod ready to leave, I stood up besides my car and this is what I saw. The antenna and the exterior lines of my car, plus the background of the fences made it visually interesting. So I grab my tripod, made this shoot, and away I went. Soon after I got home, I reviewed this shoot up close on my computer and thought it was a nicely well composed photo but I really didn`t paid any attention to it. A few weeks later, while sorting and editing my pictures, I came across this shoot again. It made me realized what had attracted me to this shoot in the first place. Was it the scene, the mood or the soft light? Why do I like this picture? Why does it stand out? Does it need an explanation?

Conclusion:

“Pictures don`t always need to be masterpieces”.

2007-05-02T23:47:00.000-03:00

Digital-Photo-Art

2007-05-01T16:43:00.000-03:00

Over the past few years , i`ve been experimenting a lot with photo-manipulation (a different approach to my regular photography). It`s amusing to take an ordinary shoot and to alter the picture into something else. It`s sort of like "painting on a photograph". I also refer to them as "digital-photo-art", which makes senses because they are in fact "digital art"
:)

I will post some of them as i go...
Here are a few that i`ve done lately....

A la prochaine,
Martin

Dax-Olivier

2007-05-01T00:53:00.000-03:00

More pictures of Dax :)
And many more to come :)

First photos of Dax-Olivier Pellerin Cormier

2007-04-30T23:34:00.000-03:00