Lisa Waldner

Change Always

2011-03-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

I like the song and video for "Life Won't Wait For You" by Ozzy. These days I'm living by that song. I adopted a dog before I had a home for him or myself so now we are living in my best friend's basement and talking to banks and realtors. It's hair raising to say the least.

Roo is the best thing that could have happened to me. He opened a door to a new lifestyle and even a few new relationships (man and animal). Every morning before work we go out and discover nature. Together we run and play. This morning we watched a happy woodpecker. Tomorrow I'm bringing my camera. It's just so peaceful in the morning. For the next 12-16 years Roo will be gifting me with this daily adventure.

Needless to say, my attention has gone from business to personal as of late. However, no me = no work = no money. So, it's time to hit the grindstone and drum up some business. Ronnie and I are planning a lighting workshop for next month so that info will come very soon. I'm also working on some promos with my favourite makeup artist - FUN!

Back

2011-01-30T17:37:00.000-08:00

Just before Christmas I lost the charger to my Canon 5D Mark II. Studio shooting has been fine with my 40D backup but using it for anything else is quite a compromise. Thankfully, my friend Shawn Coates loaned me a charger until mine comes in. So, on Saturday I shot a wedding with baby #2 back in action -Roo being my baby #1.

Shooting weddings is challenging, fun and a huge adventure. I can go on and on about shooting weddings but for anyone looking for advice, I give you this. Stay cool. No matter what, keep calm and collected. NO MATTER WHAT. Nerves are high already and people need the supports they've hired. As servants we must provide comfort to the happy couple. We must be kind, caring, and enjoy the moments presented to us. We must help people enjoy and appreciate their moments. We are hired not only to provide material items, we are hired for our service.

Thanks Perry for your assistance with the shoot. You were a fantastic second shooter.

New Life

2011-01-28T08:54:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm quite ashamed of how long it's been since my last post. Okay Lisa, get your life back! I stopped posting the day I met a new friend. His name is Roo and he is the best dog ever. Since we met I've been trying to figure out how to keep him. Luckily, he has a great foster mom and she's agreed to keep him until I get my life figured out. So, I'm hitting the grindstone hardcore. With major expenses like a studio, new car and gear loan, I've gotta really work hard to add on the expense of a house.

My upcoming class is full (and I'm very excited to start teaching again), I'm booking weddings like mad and we are working on drop-in hours at the studio. I'll even do passport photos for gods sake. Plus, I've got about a hundred friends who will do whatever they can to make this happen. They see him and love him and know I simply must adopt him. So, no matter what, Roo will gain a family. He was on the chopping block and that's not gonna happen. He needs me and I need him.

Photos coming soon.

If you can't beat it, join it.

2010-11-28T21:22:00.000-08:00

Today I dove into a Christmas shoot. Arriving early I was able to take some photos just for me. Who am I kidding, the entire shoot was awesome. I just love photographing kids! I can't post those without some signatures though.

I'm sort of "bah humbug" when it comes to Christmas. I'm more of a Solstice kinda gal. Now that's a fun time! Celebrating the longest night and welcoming the sun, eating hearty soup and loving everyone - not just family. A tradition given to us by the universe, not one we've created and thrown tinsel on. Let the masses have their Christmas. I'm really excited for Solstice. That said, there is always great photo-ops this time of year.

Next week at this time I'll be in Vegas!

Ah, things to look forward to when my world is going down the drain. Break-ups suck!

Families

2010-11-18T15:47:00.000-08:00

This week I photographed a family...and their dog. Fun! While shooting this family I thought man, I've gotta get my sisters, brother and mom into the studio. If only I had forced everyone to do a family shoot while my dad was still alive. Now it's too late. Sad but true.

Although doing family portraits might seem boring, they are just so meaningful. Once I get release forms signed I'll post photos from the family shoot. Hopefully you'll see my love and pride.

Pregnancy

2010-11-14T19:59:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful thing. It's a time when the mind doesn't need to work - the body knows exactly what to do. It's so natural and amazing.

Be the best!

2010-10-21T08:04:00.000-07:00

For every person who has told me I could be a photographer, I've had fifty tell me I can't. You know what, that doesn't make me want to quit, it makes me want to become the best of the best. That's right, I'm still going for it. Take that!

Now it's time for change.

2010-09-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

Oh man, so many exciting things going on. This is from our last show.

THE RIVER STUDIO Our home away from home. I have ~~two~~ five studio partners. Ronnie, Rebecca and Sterling Images x 3. Ronnie, Rebecca and I own The River Studio and Sterling is using the studio, office etc. All amazing people and wonderful photographers.

Ronnie, Rebecca and I have been working very hard and positioning the studio as a collective. Yes, we are a registered business and yes, on paper we are a for-profit. However, that's just the paperwork stuff and someone's gotta be responsible. In reality, we are a collective. The pittance we charge for membership is really just a formality and it's all going back into the space. Right off the bat we want a wire hanging system and track lighting so our exhibits look nicer.

Tiger's Eye Photography That name idea was coined after a visit to Central America. My camera is my Tiger's Eye. It brings me courage and strength. With my camera I dare to stand out and capture a memory.

Lisa Waldner My real name. It doesn't roll off the tongue and people often mistake me for a Hutterite - everyone knows someone from Eli or Selkirk or wherever and I must be related right? No idea. I'm so far removed. Needless to say, I wasn't so keen on using my actual name for my business. Well, that and for my entire life I thought my last name would change if I were to marry.

After the passing of my father, I feel my last name is something he gave me - something very special. Like a necklace that I never take off. So, I've decided to carry it with me forever. I'm going to start doing my art under Lisa Waldner and all my commercial stuff under The River Studio. So, my blog, my website, and my endless paperwork is all going to gradually change. LisaWaldner.com - coming soon.

What else...

Toy Cameras That's the theme for our next show. This one is going to be a bit of a challenge for me. I'm so commercial and it's forcing creativity. It's exciting though. Pretty much every photographer started learning photography from a toy camera.

Exhibit Next Week

2010-09-16T14:26:00.001-07:00

I'm overjoyed to be part of this. We've got such amazing artists!

Made In Manitoba

2010-09-12T19:47:00.000-07:00

With only 9 days until the show, I'm working the only way I know how... under pressure. Tonight I'm forming ideas.

Theme: "Made In Manitoba"

Each morning my phone rings and says "Wake up and adventure." That's why I get out of bed.

I was born in Brandon, Manitoba and we had little more than a roof over our heads. In the yard we had one vehicle that worked and two that didn't. From what I gather, us kids had an easier life than our parents. We lived two blocks from school, had paper routes for buying candy and spent our summers camping, riding bikes and going to the local swimming pool. I can't remember much about the winters except they were cold and miserable. Well, until we decided to face it and do something fun already.

I'm a world traveler and have seen a share of sunsets. None more beautiful then the ones in Manitoba.

Yawn... well, it's a start.

Tomorrow I'm getting my concepts done and the photos chosen. I've got a lot to pick from. I'm digging into the archives. Screw shooting something new. I've got a lifetime of photos. Thank-you art project for helping me dig into my memories.

Creation

2010-09-07T16:52:00.000-07:00

On Friday I shot a wedding. It was a beautiful fall day - everything a bride could hope for.

I love the know-it-all aunts, I love the nervous faces, I love the fancy clothes, I love the early morning baileys with coffee (brides know where it's at). I love seeing the bride and groom walk outside hand in hand with a sigh of relief and the look of joy and excitement (snap). I love being a silent witness to it all. I love leaving my world and entering fantasy land. You see, for weddings, people are forced to be creative. Researching, colour scheming, arranging, designing... now we're talking art! Lucky me, I get to capture it all!

Very soon our team at The River Studio will be partnering up to offer photography packages. We want focus on our talents and capture every aspect of a wedding. We want to do it from all angles and from both male and female perspectives.

NEW Thanks to new technology I'm able to do more straight up shooting and leave print order stuff up to my online lab. What does this mean? Well, it means you will never have to worry about friends or relatives bothering you for wedding photos AND your shots can be viewed online. I send you a link, you forward it and people can order away. It's going to be that simple! Stay tuned. My website will be changing very soon!

Capturing Time

2010-08-29T21:41:00.000-07:00

Let nature move you.

Smell it.

Touch it.

Feel it.

Know that you are part of it.

While going through possibilities for our Made In Manitoba show I was humbled.

Dreams

2010-08-21T23:09:00.000-07:00

I LOVE ADVENTURE. I love taking notice of strange and unusual things. I love being taken away to another world. These clouds were just outside my studio. They were flashing with lightning. Winnipeg sure has some wild weather.

This weekend was complete bliss. On Friday these clouds took my breath away. On Saturday I spent the day at the beach and then was carried away to a loft dance party above the Edge Gallery.

It would be nice to live in a loft. One wide open space with a lifts and dividers. Open and lots of light, high ceilings and hardwood floors.

Tomorrow I'm ridding my basement apartment of spiders for once and for all.

Oh I dream.

P.S. It's not so bad, I actually live in a really nice place.

Slow But Steady

2010-08-18T21:37:00.000-07:00

Today I worked at a charity called Community Living Winnipeg. I finished off this postcard. I've been reading a lot of design books - hopefully it'll all sink in. I generally use photoshop for everything but I'm looking to switch to Adobe Illustrator and start making vector based graphics.

Tonight I took a bit of time for myself. I'm working on one portfolio shot per night minimum. This is the beautiful Ms Stacy (aka Ms Vampfire). She did a little fire eating for me at the studio.

Tomorrow I have a shoot at 9am, then I'll finish off a wedding shoot and then, I'm very excited to be meeting with my studio partners. We are signing some forms, planning our show and looking at some hanging devices. I'm going to bite the bullet and do it right the first time. The hanging system I want is going to be very expensive.

Technology

2010-08-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

It's 10:30pm and I'm at the studio trying to learn 3 programs: Light Room, Photoshop CS5 and Adobe Illustrator. My brain knows it's way around lightroom and photoshop but I'm trying out new tools. Shooting in RAW is awesome. I take the photos right to lightroom - basically a dark room. So, I have complete control over the processing. Funny, all this time and money to get things we had back in the dark ages. Well, it's a little better and faster now but the techniques are the same. As you can see with the 1st shot, it's easy to over- do it. The last one is just for fun. What a beautiful wedding this was. Thank-you Alison and Robbie! All the best. More photos from this shoot to come.

People are talking about The River Studio so we've gotta get the website rolling. We are creating a collective membership and photographers are ringing me asking what it's all about. All I can say is plans are in the works. My studio partners and I have two work meetings this week so the launch is coming really soon.

Okay Lisa, close the computer and go home!!!

Oops

2010-08-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

Drop-in hours: We are open for drop-ins on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-10pm. Come in, check out the space, look at art, get a headshot taken, raid our fridge...whatever! 201-478 River Avenue, Winnipeg, MB.

Last night I had an amazing meeting with my studio partners. We're going legit. We're registering The River Studio as a partnership! We're all so excited! Three minds are much better then one. Plus, we're all photographers working at our dreams. We're there for each other. We're family. The River Studio is now owned by Rabecca Jaek, Ronnie Abelada and myself.

I'm setting up a new website for The River Studio and they had a gadget for a picasa slide show. I thought... cool! So, I went to the Picasa website and found that I already had an account and it had like 400 photos on it. I looked at the photos and thought humm, what's this about - these don't belong here. So, I began deleting. Little did I know, Picasa is attached to THIS BLOG! So, about 200 photos later I realized my blog photos are also deleted. Oh man! It's just too much work for me to find and replace so now my blog is all disjointed. Oh well. Live and learn.

Tomorrow

2010-08-04T13:54:00.000-07:00

I'll be re-vamping my portfolio, prices and well, way of doing business. My prices are going to be much better as they'll be custom quotes. I'm also working on studio drop-in hours. Tomorrow evening I'm meeting with our River Studio management team to get our website finished. We're also taking headshots of each other... should be fun!

Tonight I'm to going to Brazil.

The River Studio Photography and Art Collective

2010-07-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

Yes! Yes I can. Winnipeg needs this and I have the resources. My two new studio partners and I are going to open up the studio and have a collective complete with membership and access to my resources - it's for visual artists.

If I tell you about it here I'll be repeating myself - and I'm feeling like a broken record already. Our collective thoughts are coming to light on a new website: www.theriverstudio.ca. It's just in the design process but it's up and you can follow along.

Getting there

2010-07-22T15:55:00.000-07:00

Last night I had a blast at the Fringe. First a fire show (Stacy from Wildfire performing with friends) and then DJ Bikini to end the night. We stayed until last-call and then danced in the parking lot.

I phone: Cool random art at the Fringe. Artist unknown.

From my real camera...

Today I'm finally submitting to the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Here are some favourites. More are posted on my Facebook page. You'll have to find me and become my friend :)

Tomorrow morning I'm off to Brandon for my sister's wedding. Hopefully I'll also have time to take in some of the Brandon Folk Festival. Let the good times roll.

Live Life

2010-07-19T08:14:00.000-07:00

That should be the title to all my blog postings. Photography = adventure and that's what I do. You will not find me at many house parties or coffee shops or even pubs. You will find me in "the pit" at a concert, cheering at a street festival or dancing in the moonlight.

Thanks for sneaking this photo of me Rebecca... I love it!

I have 400 final photos for the Winnipeg Folk Festival and they want 100 max. Best of the best.

With all the volunteering I've been doing, my studio time is suffering...I miss it. This weekend my sister is getting married but after that I'll be at the studio with my canons loaded (pun intended). Website updates, online marketing, photography experiments, studio marketing, new River Studio website, new photographer's collective game plan... it's all coming. That and the big bang... a show is being planned for the fall and it's going to be awesome.

Okay so now for my most pressing issue... what the heck am I going to wear to my sister's wedding?

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, and the list goes on.

2010-07-03T17:22:00.000-07:00

I can't help it, I'm gearing up for the Winnipeg Folk Festival. List mode.

1. Wildfire - We are performing at the Festival and every year we evolve. This year we've jumped about 10 festivals into the future... that's how amazing the show is going to be! If you're camping at the festival then be sure to go to Pope's Hill after the main stage performances.

2. Canada Day - this was a bonding day for The River Studio. We hosted a photo booth at the Osborne Village Street Festival. Man, that was fun!

3. Photo Crew - After a few meetings we're good to go. They want me to enjoy the festival and document my experience. YES!

4. Tipi Village - We camp next to the Tipis at the festival. This year Tipi Joe wants me to bring a cd of photos to be projected. Anyone want to crawl into a tipi and be taken canoe caving in Costa Rica?

5. Cashing cheques, 6. invoicing 7. paying rent. Accounting, accounting, accounting. That's gotta be done by Monday night.

As you can see, I've got a lot going on. I guess you could say that next week my blog will be on the big screens at the Folk Festival. Okay... 8. Submitting my memory cards and having my crew chief create slide shows. Universe, I think I'm about full of adventure now... thanks!

Cheers everyone, enjoy the heat - it's better then -30!

I'll write again when I return from the Winnipeg Folk Festival.

Lisa

P.S. Thanks for the camera strap JongHyun Rhee. I LOVE IT!

Go, go, stop, go, go

2010-06-23T21:12:00.000-07:00

I had such high hopes of updating this blog every day. Oh well.

Go go - shoots have been happening daily. A few days ago it was a grad for inner city youth, Today it was an Eco-Kids ceremony at the University of Winnipeg. I had to rally about 100 kids and try to get a good group shot. I DID IT!

Stop - I'm working through a terrible cold. A friend has been treating me with Tim Hortons chicken soup and I'm getting through it. Tonight I just had to stop. Law & Order was pretty good tonight. What ever happened to CSI? I don't watch TV very often.

Go - OSBORNE VILLAGE STREET FESTIVAL! It's next week and I'm about 1/4 ready. Ideas for the booth are flowing daily. Today I'm thinking about pulling out an old backdrop and creating a photo-booth. I could take photos by donation and email them out to people.

Go -I've registered the River Studio website: www.theriverstudio.ca - but it doesn't work yet. I'm just holding the spot.

Catching Up

2010-06-19T21:02:00.000-07:00

Brandon was rainy but great fun. Upon my return I did this shoot...

Stacy, you're such a hot mom!

This was originally my t-shirt idea but I don't trust it in a screen print and wouldn't want to ruin a shirt. Shirts with photos will come, for now it'll just be shirts with my business name and logo.

Tomorrow (Sunday) my new studio renter Rebecca is doing a show at the space - she says anyone can attend. It's from 3-5pm at 478 River Avenue. This one crept up on me - next time I'll spread the word in advance.

Catch-up work: I've got four jobs to edit, burn, and invoice - all promised for Monday morning. After that it's accounting and... laundry.

Pick Up

2010-06-16T22:01:00.000-07:00

I took over 1000 photos today. They are downloading and I can hardly keep my eyes open. This morning it was the Women's Enterprise Centre and this evening it was some hardcore WFX Wrestling. Talk about wearing a few different hats! Tomorrow I'm shooting an event in the am and then I'm off to Brandon for a few days

Friends, family and gardening... my kinda life.

In Brandon, everyone slows down. My posting may not be every single day but I'll try.

Broken

2010-06-15T18:04:00.000-07:00

This heart is fairly intact with rope and staples holding it together. Some wounds are gaping and some nails are driven deep. That's how I feel today.

Fire Fans & Palm Torches

2010-06-13T18:51:00.000-07:00

Two very cool tools. Now to order new spikes for my fire hula.

Dive Right In

2010-06-13T10:04:00.000-07:00

Another Day At The Office

2010-06-12T19:35:00.000-07:00

I'm working on some ideas for t-shirts. This one is close but all the colors and detail can get lost in the print so no-go.

In my dreams

2010-06-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

I WANT THIS BIKE!

Once upon a time I drove a scooter. Dina; my 49cc Vino, just didn't get enough speed...even when the inhibitors were illegally removed (that's about as bad ass as you can get for a scooter).

Love the blue flames...

Last night I met up with my new studio partners Ronnie and Becca. We are so psyched about the Osborne Village Street Festival. We're getting a booth and going nuts with awesome photography. Today I picked up a bunch of fair trade t-shirts to be screen printed.

This morning I scouted out a space at the Women's Enterprise Centre - I'm shooting the staff next week. Nice looking room.

Last but not least, this shot is from last weekend. Total time on scenic route aka lost: about an hour.

Day By Day

2010-06-10T07:50:00.000-07:00

That's my new take on life. For me, that includes a new and amazing photo every single day. I'm going to try something new... I'm going to do 1 blog post per day. The challenge is on!

This shot is from an event I attended yesterday. I made the women laugh because I said I needed to make this event look interesting and asked her to help me out.

Sometimes I take jobs just to pay the rent. I forced myself to do a handshaking type event and upon arriving I found a few close friends who were actually receiving those handshakes. COOL & congrats Beorn and Elliott! Take every job - that's the key to adventure. Some days it's red carpet and others it's walking through the mud. I'd do anything to capture the moment.

River Studio Collective

2010-06-05T19:56:00.000-07:00

River Studio Collective - my-under-the wire studio group.

The studio is flowing with people and ideas. Streams are coming together to create a large and impressive body. I'm am overjoyed to have two photographers and one painter using the space. More on these fantastic individuals to come. Right now the studio is in a generic state with bare walls.

We're going to meet soon and chat about a show for Canada Day.

Dandelions get such a bad rap- they're medicinal, great food and the flowers are really quite beautiful. Not to mention, fun to blow on - like blowing bubbles.

WFX

2010-05-31T09:16:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been with them for a while now and it's growing! They gave me a chance... I gave them a chance... we're making it happen! They need stunning photos and I need a stunning show. They're not letting me down. WFX Wrestling. Who would've thought.

Nature In The City

2010-05-22T20:40:00.000-07:00

It's been so long since I've taken time for my art...

Nature shoots are a must for me. All of these shots were taken within an hour and in the middle of the city. I love Winnipeg. I also love my friend Andy. She's such a wonderful friend. She's patient and supportive and wants the best for everyone. She joined me on this walk.

Last week I had one of those "oh my god, why didn't I think of that sooner" kind of ideas. I'm going to keep my little office (which was previously rented out) and rent out my studio to other photographers on a time share basis. I'll be supporting community, helping others with their dreams, creating my own little not-for-profit for photographers, pooling resources and paying less rent. It's win win win win win win! Thus far I have two people interested and if they fit then I'll have room for one more. We'll see how it goes and perhaps in a few months we'll tweak things. Anyone interested can contact me via email: lisa@tigerseyephotography.ca

A RESPONSE TO MY AD:
I just read your posting and wow. I mean, wow, what a great thing to create for the photographers of Winnipeg, and wow, you've put a lot of thought and hard work into creating not just a space, but a place. It's like founding the Winnipeg Film Group or something. Years from now your shared studio will be recognized as one of the quintessential art institutions in Winnipeg.

Morgan THANK-YOU for agreeing with my dream. I'm going to keep trudging on.

Tomorrow I'm showing the space and then I'm off to the beach! YAY!

A good life

2010-05-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

My little non-profit community idea is coming back to life. I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself. Right now I'm looking for two talented dreamers who are interested in renting my studio.

Over the weekend I grabbed Dan Frechette and Kurt Tittlemier and we had an open house. I used the guys as subjects and demonstrated ways of using the studio. Will I do it again? I think so. I think I'll see what the F-holes are up to.

This young lad brought his camera so I hooked him up to a light and told him to play... Oh man, I'm so glad he did!

Work by my new young assistant...

He is from Korea and here to learn English...

He can capture the moment...

He sneaks around and finds unique angles.

He's only 18!

His name is

JongHyun Rhee

Rain Days

2010-05-02T16:55:00.000-07:00

Lightroom!!! I have about 100 tutorials to watch before I can use it. Selling point: I can now pick the look of old films and have those effects transfer to my digital images. Fuji Velvia here I come!

Graeme came to the studio today to practice for his show at the Downtown Coffee Ground tomorrow night. Yay for live music at the studio! Not a bad way to pass the day. This one is grainy and noisy because he didn't want me to make a big deal of it. The room was dark so I pushed my limits with exposure and hand holding.

See you at the show tomorrow!

Be The Beauty You See!

2010-04-27T17:41:00.000-07:00

That phrase is getting posted above my bed.

I dug this photo up and played around- going for a reflection look thus becoming part of the beauty. It's going on my new site.

Time

2010-04-26T09:46:00.000-07:00

For me the weekend started in cyberspace. I spent Friday night and all day Saturday working on a new website. It's almost done: www.tigerseyephotography.ca. With the change-over we're working out the internet glitches - most having to do with my old business name Photofrenzy. I had no idea changing a business name was so involved. It's been over two years since the change and still I'm haunted by it. Frenzy = stressful. Enough said.

On Sunday I decided to put the computer down and go outside. What a lovely park bench we have claimed for Sunday dance practices....

I've got my work cut out for me this week. Shooting, website tweaking, data entry. 1st things first -my cup of organic coffee and hitting play on the new Romi Mayes cd.

You can't reach me

2010-04-24T07:49:00.000-07:00

I'm changing a bunch of stuff weekend and right now my site and email are totally offline. Ahh...it feels a little strange. I'm going to have some customers with emails bouncing back as well. Had to be done and Graeme's on it. Things are taking a while to register through the net but once it's all done it's going to be beautiful!

New look

2010-04-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

I have a totally new website brewing. At first I just wanted a new portfolio but it turned into a new everything. It feels like getting a new hair cut; At first I'm pretty okay with the old one but after I see Eve at Vault I feel like a new person. My portfolio is going to look stunning! Actually, it's quite the test. I need to sum up my entire life's work in 20 photos! Simple and to the point - that's what I'm going for. Every photo must look perfect... like this one - snapped last week. Finally my website will look as pro as my studio. It's all coming together!

Gone baby gone

2010-04-19T08:42:00.000-07:00

Good sale. Now I can stop tripping over old gear. I think the nice weather kept most people outside but those who came really cleaned up. I sold ALL of my old photography gear including backdrops, cameras, a darkroom set and lights of all shapes and sizes. It's done collecting dust and gone to good homes.

Now to catch-up. 1. I've gotta get a new portfolio online ASAP! 2. I photographed WFX wrestling again on Friday and they need finals asap. 3. I think I'm allowed to post the old wrestling photos now so that should go on my blog this week. 4. I have a new leather album / book to offer clients. The sample looks fantastic - that's going up this week as well.

Have a super fantastic week!

The sale

2010-04-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

People are calling wanting the inside scoop. All I can say right now is I'm cleaning house and deciding on very fair prices. My time is very limited so if you're interested you'll just have to come down and check it out.

It's going to be really hard to part with this stuff. I'm re-living my life as I clean. I've got over 10 years worth of "stuff". But...but... what if I need it one day? That's what I keep saying as I add to the pile, take away from the pile, and add it back to the pile.

Lesson learned in sending out mass emails: Know your mailing list! Gmail was adding email addresses to my contacts. I had no idea. Sorry sorry sorry to those few people who were bothered by this. You were automatically added when you sent me an email. How silly is that! Rest assured, I've deleted you from my contact list and am changing settings so this will not happen again. I'll also be deleting duplicates as it looks like that happened a few times.

Okay, on with gutting my storage room. Yay for spring cleaning! I can't wait to have a clean and organized space!

Blowing In The Wind

2010-04-11T18:57:00.000-07:00

These ladies are gearing up for the Winnipeg Folk Festival. BEAUTIFUL & ENCHANTING

EVENT:
SUNDAY APRIL 17, 2010
Studio Clearance SALE
478 River Avenue, 11am-3pm.
I'm getting rid of everything I don't use anymore.
Dark room supplies, cameras, backdrops, costumes, frames, prints etc. More info to come.

New Beginnings

2010-04-05T08:09:00.001-07:00

That's what Easter is about for me.

I find such comfort in photographing nature. Spring - time to grow.

Spring Planning:

Sunday Open House Series: I'm connecting with musicians - amazing musicians like Dan Frechette, Kurt Tittlemeir and Graeme Grant. We're going to do a Sunday Afternoon Open House series here at the studio. I'm working on a poster TODAY!

New portfolio: Well, being that I now have a Canon 5D Mark II I'm having to change my entire portfolio - the camera is just that good! Of course, it will happen slowly as I need to take lots of photos. Any ideas?

Connections: I'm connecting with The Friendly Florist and working on a wedding partnership - should be pretty cool because this place has amazing flowers and they aren't kidding when they say "friendly" ...yay for cool partnerships!

Spring Cleaning: I'm clearing out all my prints and cards...CHEAP! $5 for 10 cards and $5 for any 8x10 print I have here at the studio. It's an in-house clearance. Contact me if you're thinking about visiting and taking a look. They'll also be up for grabs at the Open Houses - special is on until everything is sold.

Making Copies

2010-04-02T18:49:00.000-07:00

Today I'm thinking very seriously about copyright. Photography is a tricky thing to sell... and keep. On one hand we have the subject, the product, the whatever it is one photographs. On the other we have the art of capturing the moment. What is fair? Really...what is fair?

While thinking about this stuff I sat and admired my studio. It was dark and cloudy outside but my day was nice and bright!

Wrestling

2010-03-28T08:13:00.000-07:00

I knew this shoot would be fun but I had no idea it would be inspiring. The guys that make it are performers, athletes and all around great people. I shot portraits, behind the scenes and of course, ringside. I laughed and dodged all night long. Due to my contract I can't post the photos here quite yet. However, they will be on a new facebook site and on the WFX site someday. My assistant and I found time to do a shoot of our own that night. Don't mess with us!

Is it really work?

2010-03-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

Is it really work when you're asked to photograph smiles, kisses and cupcakes?

On Saturday I shot a wedding and on Sunday I was at MAWA shooting the "Over The Top" fundraiser. During the afternoon I slipped away to shoot Wanda Koop showcasing a painting that is going to the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

If you are wondering why I don't post many photos of people, it's because of the whole privacy thing. Most of the photos on this blog are of friends. I figure they can shoot me later (pun intended). Surprise Tracy! I couldn't resist.

On Friday I'm shooting WFX Wrestling! CRAZY!

5D Mark II

2010-03-15T19:20:00.000-07:00

Two hours out of the box and already I'm loving the photos. These were taken during an engagement shoot. They were okay with me fumbling with my new toy and I was okay with them playing in front of it. This year my clients are in for a surprise.

Winnipeg One

2010-03-14T22:06:00.000-07:00

This is the ad going into Winnipeg One magazine. From what I've seen they are doing some very nice work.

I took this photo last summer using Fuji Velvia FILM. My digital work has never matched this quality...until now. My new 5D camera is fantastic. With it I feel like a photo-ninja. I feel like the quality of film is back in my life.

Going BIG

2010-03-10T17:04:00.000-08:00

Canon 5D Mark II big! It's the best decision I've ever made. I've been shooting for over 10 years and it's time to have the best.

What made me do it? Well, I have a ton of shoots lined up and my equipment had limitations. I also started a new partnership. One Wold United is hiring me to do work for a magazine. Today it was friendly smiles, hand shaking and big plans. More on that to come.

This shot is for my own personal ad in Winnipeg One Magazine. You'll be able to read it at the end of the month. It'll be inserted in the Winnipeg Sun and located anywhere one picks up free mags.

I've been on Vacation

2010-03-04T08:46:00.000-08:00

I decided to take two weeks off - from everything outside of photography. Two weeks away from friends, family, working with teens, laundry... everything. Focus this week is on getting the studio looking right. I'm painting a wall black, purchasing a storage closet and working on signage. Focus next week is on photography. Just shooting... just adventuring... just enjoying the fresh air and watching the snow melt.

Yesterday I booked two weddings. My summer is really filling up.

Today I'm seriously considering buying the Canon 5Ds. It's an amazing camera and my clients will love me for it.

Camera in my purse.

2010-02-21T22:48:00.000-08:00

My Bag Is At The Olympics!

2010-02-20T14:23:00.000-08:00

Yip, I loaned it to my Photojournalist friend Phil and he's using it daily. He says it's saving his butt. No kidding...check out that lens!

Today I'm checking out Festival De Voyageur. Tomorrow I'm painting walls and working on booking some realtors for headshots - because I love helping people look amazing and I love having fun here at the studio.

Everything at once

2010-02-15T12:11:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I finally managed to get my logo on my car. It's silver and beautiful. I officially have a company car. My company car! Thanks for your help Graeme.

It's the year of the Tiger! What a good sign. Maybe my business will take off and I'll have nothing to worry about - I wish.

For my own private Valentine's Day I took photos of roses. Man were they beautiful. I got lost in the petals.

The Year Of The Tiger

2010-02-14T21:42:00.000-08:00

So many things going on right now...

Valentine's Day, Festival De Voyageur, Riel Day, and best of all, Chinese New Year. Year of The Tiger. Must be a sign. More to come tomorrow.

Come Play!

2010-02-12T10:16:00.000-08:00

Saturday February 27, 1-4pm. 2nd Floor 478 River Avneue, Winnipeg, MB.

Have you...
Totally screwed up a photo and don't know why?

Do you...
Like photography?
Have a camera and don't know how to use it?
Have specific photography questions?
Want to give studio lighting a try?
Want to check-out my studio?
Want to book a shoot?

Are you...
Thinking about buying a new camera?

Come to my open house a...nd I'll answer as many questions as possible. Bring your camera and your screw-ups.

This is my 1st of what may be many open houses. Donations to keep the open houses going are appreciated.

If you don't want to take your chances and would like a 1 on 1 session then you can book me between 4pm & 7pm. $25 for a 30 minute session - payable at the door.

Flowers and Chocolates

2010-02-09T22:05:00.000-08:00

Us ladies like that on Valentines Day. It's simple and to the point and will never get old.

Wooden roses. The orange came from an electrical cord that just happened to be laying out.

Photos Photos Photos

2010-02-08T21:05:00.000-08:00

Like the Secondhandpants photo? Here is a link to the slide show.

I did that shoot using a technique called low contrast - thus making the subjects look very light, funny and friendly. Basically you use a lot of light and really blow them out. No shadows anywhere.

Tomorrow I'll see about posting a few Valentines Day photos.

Monday's over. Thank god.

Good Things Happen

2010-02-07T16:38:00.000-08:00

When you're rolling - roll with it. Don't fight it. Just go with the flow.

On Friday afternoon I had an amazing time photographing a beautiful young lady. I took photos for her man for Valentines day. I bet I made him happy :)

On Saturday I had a trial open house. I photographed the Secondhandpants and musician Michael Peters. FUN!

This morning: I went to a Winter Festival at the Robert A Steen Community Center. I won TWO silent auction prizes!

This afternoon: I rented out my spare room - YAY! now I can rest easy and I don't have to show more people - that takes time. Two lovely graphic designers are taking the room. It's looking like a great fit.

Tonight: I'm shooting a friend for her birthday. We're heading over to The District.

Gotta go but I'll post photos & details about my shooting tomorrow night.

I hope you have an exciting day. If doors open, walk through. That's what I would do.

Wish I Had My Camera

2010-02-05T09:04:00.000-08:00

Thursday night was a super cool night at the Folk Exchange. We had art and music - an awesome combination. My favourite part was when James had to find his goggles in order to play - he just could not play without his antique pilot goggles. Or, was it plastic bag instrument? Yes, they played a mean plastic bag. Man, I love this band. Second Hand Pants. Someday I hope to run into them at a party. We'll pull out the pots and pans and start a band of our own I'm sure.

I snapped a shot with my Iphone - a sorry excuse for a camera - and a phone.

Okay so now some of my work is on display at the Folk Exchange - along with many other very talented artists. Check-out the paintings at the back of the stage. James (the man with the goggles) painted those! It's an exhibit worth checking out. I believe you can see it during Music Shop hours.

Have a great weekend folks. I'll post again on Sunday night. Yay weekend!

I just can't get enough

2010-02-01T19:37:00.000-08:00

For some reason I just can't get enough of these birds. Am I going to turn into one of those people who have fake birds resting on every house plant? When you think about it, an artist of sorts made these - before they were sent to china. They were carefully designed with attention to detail. Yip, they're cool. Thank-you wedding shoots. Now that the wedding bit comes to mind, I guess I was thinking about unity and togetherness - thus affecting my photos.

Okay now on to something that sounds boring but I'm actually quite excited about... Studio hours! I have my little Iphone calendar and it's all programmed. I'll be at the studio on Tuesdays from 10-5:30, Wednesdays 9-12, Fridays 10-5:30 and Saturdays are 12-5. Of course, I'll do shoots outside of those hours and everything is still flexible but this gives me a starting point. I'll be at the studio if I'm not on location. Yay to a sense of direction! No more sleeping until 10am, making it to the studio by 12 and then working like a mad women until 11pm. Tomorrow is day one. I'll be at the studio from 10-5:30. Since it's my 1st day I might decide to be a keener and show up early.

Getting To Know Myself

2010-01-31T19:56:00.000-08:00

Renting this studio was the best decision I've ever made. At times it has made me wonder what the heck I was doing. At times it has made me shake uncontrollably from stress. At times it has made me break down and cry. Paint, furniture, signs, phone, internet, alarm system - it's all gone wrong before going right. One week of allotted prep time turned into three months. Now I'm able to enjoy the space and finally...finally I can do what I set out to do. Over the month of February I'll be shooting daily. I'll be testing my new gear, backdrops, lighting and knowledge. I'll be shooting anything and everything. I'm going to get really really good ;)

Folk Festival to the rescue...

Being that my online sales are not doing so well, I was starting to think I wasn't good enough - a few words of advice: don't ever let yourself think you're not good enough. "If at first you don't succeed, try try again." Adapt. Doors will open. Thank-you James Cunningham for emailing me an invite to join the show. Everything you see on my mantle will be on display for six weeks starting this Thursday. I'm crossing my fingers - hopefully sales will happen. The larger prints on canvas are especially beautiful. Prices are very reasonable considering the quality.

On an even brighter note, thanks to some online sales I'm able to give a few dollars to Haiti... that'll feel good.

This is what I saw

2010-01-28T19:44:00.000-08:00

I shot these fake doves in a wine glass at a wedding last week. Fake birds... who would've thought.

Things to see: A nest - protection & unity. FIRE. The tails are on fire. A flame. A lit match. The contrast. The wild shines through.

Fake Doves.

Sometimes I hate words - that's why I take photos

2010-01-26T20:35:00.000-08:00

Today is my birthday and I wanted to do something nice.

I sent a notice to everyone I know. Ah, wording can be tricky. I am selling art and I wanted to say I was giving my profits to Haiti - but what if I made like fifty cents? I could only estimate shipping costs. I'm bad with figures so a nice round number made this venture feasible. In the end I'm probably losing money. Here is the email that went out to 500 people - and it totally makes me look bad. Darn. Oh well, at least I'm trying. TRYING - that's what I must keep in mind. I TRIED. That makes me proud. Now I can walk away happy.

Hello friends and supporters,

It's my birthday! To celebrate it, I thought I'd share with you some of my recent shots. Should you like to have them on your desktop, please download from this email. If you need a specific size just email me. ENJOY!

Recently in my beautiful new studio I've photographed paintings for young artists, professional headshots, pin-ups for ladies who are not afraid to show their stunning selves, and even a quaint wedding with no-one in attendance except the happy couple,a Justice of the Peace, a witness and myself. All that and more just in January!

It won't surprise any of you to know that my ultimate dream is to become a professional photographic artist. As a step in that direction I've started posting my art online. Please have a look. As well as the images themselves, you'll find information about how I took the photos and the feelings I've tried to capture.

For my birthday, no gifts for me please - just, if you're thinking about it, the following: To help Haiti I'm donating to the Canadian Red Cross: $5 from every pkg of cards and $5 from every 8"x10" print sold. I'm fortunate to be alive and healthy, with loving friends and family. With your purchase you'll not only be enjoying my art and helping me in my profession, you'll also be helping Haiti.

Well folks, that's it for now. Wishing you all the best.

Giving & Sharing

2010-01-24T12:12:00.000-08:00

Two things are on my mind today.

1. Haiti Donations: I'm going to do what I can to donate to Haiti. $5 from every pkg of cards I sell and $5 from every 8x10 print. The prints and cards are beautiful. I have an amazing printer and once you see them I know you'll be very happy. I've done a little research and although I love what the Mennonite Central Committee does (I've photographed for them before), I don't think religion should be tied in. So, Canadian Red Cross it is. I've left a message with the Red Cross to see if I can make donations on behalf of others. That way someone looking to support would know the money was in fact sent as promised and they could maybe even get a tax receipt. I'm hoping to have all the answers and launch this by Tuesday January 26th (aka my birthday 29+3 :). If you want to purchase now then by all means do so and your donation will count! I'll just email you the final conclusion on the red tape.

2. My spare room: I have this wonderful spare room. It's quite nice to have but I don't need it. So, it's officially up for rent. $300+gst (5%). Considering the location and all the perks, it's an amazing deal. It's perfect for a massage therapist or an artist or a computer person. Separate entrance and everything. As well, should a renter want a bigger space they could use my studio on a pay per use basis. Talk about awesome - An artist could have an art show! Please contact me if you're interested 479-4822. I can show it as early as Tuesday.

Weddings and Funerals

2010-01-21T08:21:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late on this post but with good reason. Lots going on.

A mentor of mine passed away. Garry Raven - the elder who introduced me to sweats and medicinal plants passed away in his sleep. Not many people touch my heart the way this man did. I wanted to soak up every word he said. He was such an amazing man. Imagine, a traditional elder welcoming in a tall blond hair blue eyed girl and introducing her to the ways of the land. He didn't think twice about it. I will pass along his teachings to anyone who will listen - as did he. The 1st photo is dedicated to him.

A friend wanted me to turn my studio into a stage - yay for cool projects and spending time creating in the studio.

A couple wanted me to come down and take photos of their wedding. All of 3 people including myself witnessed the charming little ceremony. That's the way I'd do it. The orchids were growing everywhere at the conservatory.

The hoarfrost took me away from my work - and I'm glad it did. Talk about living life and making the most of it. These are just five of the hundreds of photos I've snapped this week.

Getting Real

2010-01-17T19:57:00.001-08:00

I just love these cameras. Imagine where they've been!

Let me tell you, running a business is tough. One wrong decision can really screw things up. For two months my window signs have been an embarrassment. I tell you, I couldn't even take a photo of my studio because the signs looked so stupid. I wouldn't hire me! While in my "poor me" cave and feeling rather depressed about running a studio all by myself, I begged a few friends to lend me a hand. Tracy and Perry, I'm thanking the universe for you! It's going to be so cool! One window will have my business name and logo (decals) and the other will have a huge photograph - both with track lighting.

This is the photo for the window (watermarked here for protection). I have it for sale online though. It's about love and how we can't expect the other person to be on the same level or connected to the same experiences.

So I have this idea of giving a % of my online sales to Haiti. Donation has become a priority. Right now I'm having to decide on exactly where to give. Haiti is so crazy right now and I hear we have 13 other natural disasters going on. Plus, I think it's odd that Winnipeg came out with "I Heart Haiti" shirts to sell so soon. What's going on? So, it'll take a bit of research. The count is on though. All sales starting Friday January 15 will be applied to my grand donation plan. Make sense?

I'm going to try to post on Sundays and Wednesdays. Ttys.

Resolutions

2010-01-10T19:54:00.001-08:00

Better late then never. My new studio has basically devoured my life - in a good way. The space is ready for shooting but I've still got a lot of work to do.

Resolution #1 Website - It's gotta get finished. My "Art For Sale" page is almost done. Then I'm updating my portfolio and then I'll work on this blog. I want my blog to be more of a help then a boring journal. I want to take photos and teach people how to take-em. I want to adventure and share my adventures - by way of a photo-documentary.

Resolution #2 Dreams - a little more personal. Time to pick up and live my dream. My dream is to live, grow and travel with someone who is energetic and excited about life. I'll let you know if I ever get pregnant or decide to elope - because that would probably affect my availability for shooting :) Please wish me a lot of luck on this one. I'll need it.

Resolution #3 Art - Every day I will take at least an hour to shoot...just for me.

Resolution #4 Down to business - I need to get organized and really get my business moving. This means monthly promos and a heck of a lot of shooting. Gotta pay the rent.

Resolution #5 Dance & yoga & healthy living - No more eating out every other day. Dance & yoga twice a week & organic diet.

Resolution #6 Appreciate time with friends - I've gotta spend more time with my wonderful friends. I love them like family.

153 come to mind. I'll work on these for now.

I'm Back

2009-12-25T14:01:00.000-08:00

For a time I was using a blog system directly on my website. However, I prefer blogger so I'm back. Stay tuned for info on my new studio, photo tips etc.

BLOG IS NOW ON MY SITE

2009-06-04T14:20:00.001-07:00

My blog is now on the homepage of my website: www.thephotofrenzy.com

A New Venue For Artists

2009-06-03T22:48:00.001-07:00

Special thanks to the musicians who performed.
I didn't get shots of everyone but here's a taste.

2 birthdays, a new venue for musicians, Graeme playing with Pete - performance being 1st time! a chance to give Tim some decent pics - because he's been asking me for years, a chance for me to do what I love.

Tuesdays Thanks Paulette & the Sounding Board. For those interested in "LIVE @ 725" (adjacent to La Scala) just show up, watch, play, eat, drink & have lots of fun.

Another open mic is Wednesdays at Charlie-O's on Stafford.

Camp Manitowabi

2009-06-01T19:48:00.001-07:00

http://www.borealaction.org/ Healing sweats, nature walks, drum circles, all the wonderful things that make a person feel real. I only pulled out my camera a few times. I was busy participating.

BEAR SHOT: My camera was in the trunk (of course) so I jumped out and ripped through our luggage. Luckily I was able to snap a few shots before it got really REALLY close - at which point got in the car and revved the engine. It was about 3 feet away. THE BOAT: Located at Raven's Creek. I used a hard brush stroke to up the contrast and make it look more picturesque. THE SIGN: From an Assembly of Chiefs poster. The poster was full of teaching. For me, this one is the most meaningful. If everyone spent some time in nature I think they would figure out the rest. THE FRAME: It's the makings of a tipi. Standing in the middle and looking up - can you feel what I felt?

I have a few specials running right now: www.thephotofrenzy.com. I'll probably have them going until mid July so call or e-mail me if you would like to book a shoot: (204) 479-4822 or lisa@thephotofrenzy.com

Cheers everyone! Have a wonderful week & check back on Thursday.

Age: 18 hours!

2009-05-27T09:41:00.000-07:00

My friend had a baby... say hello to James! The last time I saw a baby this new it was my youngest sister. I was 8 when she was born. I remember her clearly. I treated her like a doll.

Hello James, welcome to earth. I hope we can help you live a really good life. I know your mom really well and she's going to help you see the world. You'll start off by meeting your sled dogs - your dad wants to teach you to be a musher just like him. You'll grow up overlooking the Hudson Bay where you'll see whales and polar bears. Your mom's a world traveler and we've had many adventures together. Now we get to take you with us! You're such a lucky little boy.

Sun

2009-05-24T19:20:00.000-07:00

Warm wonderful sun.

This weekend I worked with a number of artists.
Graeme's music: Click here
Wildfire Dance Productions: Click here

New Plans

2009-05-21T09:14:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks, it's been a while since my last post. I'm going to try for Sunday and Wednesday nights from now on. I'm working on a million and one things right now. I'm going to be launching a wedding/event special soon - It's gonna be an amazing deal. I'm also doing art cards - to be launched this weekend. As for shooting, I'll be snapping some shots of my friends from Wildfire regularly so you'll be seeing a lot of fire dancing shots. Check-out this link for a sneak peak: http://wildfiredanceproductions.blogspot.com

Oh, and just fyi, I didn't get my grant from the Manitoba Arts Council :( I'm still waiting to hear from 2 more granters AND I'm gonna keep doing my own thing and try to do photography just for me as much as possible. The cards I'll be selling will support my artistic photography practices.

A great gift!

2009-05-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

My friend called me needing an emergency gift so I put together this pkg. She told me the photos she wanted and I managed to get them printed with time to spare. This gift was ready within 24 hours!

Film Still Wins!

2009-05-13T18:02:00.000-07:00

The verdict is in. FILM RULES! What's the difference? Tone - or whatever the technical people call it. A digital camera is based on a program. The colors are programmed in. The program goes with the closest color. Film soaks up color...every color. I LOVE FILM! These were taken at Falcon Lake & around Winnipeg. No color corrections! I used my old Pentax K1000. It probably spent 20 years in a closet. I popped in a new battery & away I went.

Shooting with film forces me to take time... Time to setup the shot - time to understand it - time to really feel it. Oh I wish I had the time to fully explore my capabilities with this camera. Someday...someday.

BTW, the cat - animals are so friggen impossible to shoot. This one was still long enough for me to wind, manually focus & snap. Thanks Bandito!

Band Shoot

2009-05-12T16:28:00.001-07:00

Meet Twelve Guage

For this shoot I used my L-series 17-35 lens. ISO 200. This is an example of mastering lighting. I have a wonderful wireless lighting system and it allows me to capture some neat shadows. It's all part of being proficient with lighting - one of the most important parts of being a professional photographer.

This was a really great shoot - totally my style! We met at the King's Head and went for a walk. Notice the poses & energy. They pretended the shoot was like a show. I wanted the attitude. The photos looked great & no editing was needed. I just burned them a disk & we were on our way. They paid me $100 for over 150 photos. Great deal for all!

An afternoon at Osborne Village Ink.

2009-05-07T13:47:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I headed over to Osborne Village Ink (OVI) to shoot the beautiful Ms. Stacy getting some work done.

The outline was nearly done when I arrived. Stacy made it look easy. We took advantage of break time & snapped just for fun. Then it was time for color. I had to leave early but I'll get you a shot of Stacy & Cam's finished tat asap.

Thanks Cam and Stacy for a lovely afternoon.

This shoot got me thinking. I often photograph big events - red carpet type. However, what about the day you get tattooed or pierced? Why not have a few photos to document it? I could come down & do a little shoot like this one. I'm a little partial to OVI though - we really had a great time :)

More my style

2009-05-06T12:10:00.000-07:00

I completed these ads today. I LOVE turning regular photos into amazing photos. Soon my website will have new specialized pricing for the creation of shots like these. Inspired by all my preggo friends and the fact that we're only young once, these shots are dedicated to the ladies.

New Beginnings

2009-05-06T08:31:00.001-07:00

While I wait to hear word from the Arts Councils, I've been doing some design work. This one is not quite a winner but I'm getting there. I gotta pay the bills & hopefully I can do that by shooting the way I love to shoot. I'll be running a number of specials in the very near future. Right now I'm gearing up.

Little things make life interesting...

2009-05-04T20:53:00.001-07:00

Enough said.

Waiting

2009-05-01T08:47:00.000-07:00

Well, it's gonna be a bit of a wait for those slides. Shooting with film is a rarity these days but the super amazing film is still available. The lab says next Friday...dope.

Today I'm out and about. I have a lecture on digital photography at noon and then I'm meeting with a friend discuss a possible calendar project. Hopefully all these little errands will turn into money or a new house or something.

The Lake

2009-04-26T09:45:00.001-07:00

As artists I think we take a lot in - we take everything in. We take things to heart and then we need to release. We create; we make music, we take photos, we draw, we paint.

Well, I'm back REALLY BACK. I feel refreshed and motivated. I've got some catch-up work to do. I'm helping plan a fun summer for youth with disabilities, I'm working on a mentorship application and I've got some new long term goals.

My best shots were taken with my antique Pentax K1000. It was a test and I don't even know if the old beauty works. My lab opens on Tuesday and I'm anticipating my slides will be processed and scanned by Thursday. So, check back on Friday because if the camera worked you'll see something amazing.

The Weakerthans

2009-04-20T17:12:00.000-07:00

The weekend was pretty cool. It's great to chat with other photographers. We bitch about the same things :) sore wrists, unreasonable expectations, people using shots we are ashamed of, life of an artist, - all that jazz. Once all the hot air is out we talk about the positives: neat shots, camera tips, adventures and...life of an artist :)

I shot the Weakerthans on Saturday. I must say the Constantine's (who opened) were really awesome. For shoots I always chum it up with security. Once they know I'm not a snob they're really helpful. I was given primo access to every angle imaginable and even a pair of ear plugs. Thanks stage right security guy!

I'll be dropping a disk off to the Folk Festival tomorrow. They generally post my shots right away. I took TONS!

I'm off to the lake for an undetermined amount of time - probably a little shy of a week but I may head back again after I do some work in the city this weekend. You will not see a posting for a little while but when you do it'll be full of photos.

Have a wonderful week!

Open Mic Night

2009-04-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

I took these photos at Charlie-O's open mic night. They are grainy because I was using an ISO of 1600. My batteries died on my hotshoot flash so I used my on camera flash and dummed it down by reflecting the light to the ceiling with my hand. 1st 2 shots: Banjo: Neil Goebel, Guitar/Singer: Graeme MacDonald, Bass: Jeff Grela. 3rd shot: Banjo: Neil Goebel, Guitar/Singer: Jason Ross, Guitar: Glen. Charlie's is a place where anyone who can play a note (or would like to try) can go up and play in front of a bunch of yahoos. It's not the kinda place where you can hear a pin drop. It's the kinda place you can go and get some experience plugging in & belting out some tunes. Sometimes (like last Wednesday) you get to hear some amazing talent.

Today I'm off to a pot-luck with a bunch of Free Press people. I'm a little nervous but they're all good people. Tonight I'm shooting the Weakerthans - YES!

Amazing Eggs

2009-04-14T18:17:00.000-07:00

These eggs were made by a good friend (T.G.). You know, the next time she tells me she is not an artist I'm just gonna smack her. It'll be quick and I'll probably end up in the hospital but I'm gonna do it. Tan, you are an artist so just accept it. YOU'RE AN AMAZING ARTIST.

While taking these I came to a realization. What do you say when someone asks "what do you do?" I bet you say something like "I'm a nurse, doctor, lawyer, computer programmer" - whatever pays the bills right? WHAT DO YOU DO? Are you a reader? writer? drawer? sculptor? gardner? basketball player? What best explains you? Why does money dictate who we are? Heck, 90% of us don't even like our jobs. Are we living authentically when we answer questions relating to who we are with info about how we make money?

It took me a long time to say "I'm a Photographer" with confidence.

What do you do?

Easter

2009-04-13T10:21:00.000-07:00

Some traditions are just so neat!

Do you see what I see?

2009-04-09T14:39:00.000-07:00

Have you ever felt guilty for having a day off? An odd day like a Thursday? Everyone is working and you're not? Not making money and therefore not relaxing? That's me...today. For a positive spin I took advantage of my extra time.

Reflections, reflections, reflections. Why after 31 years of seeing them have I never really seen them? Why is it all new to me? ANYWHERE you see water, you can find a reflection.

While I was taking a shot a man stood beside me and said that he could probably show me better things to shoot. All he saw was a mud puddle. "Look" I said. "Really look. The sky is a deeper blue then it is in the sky. The trees ARE watercolor. It's in every puddle - it's everywhere."

I think I changed his life.

I was unable to take a reflection shot of myself. As I got close the reflections disappeared. So, this shoot was not about me.................ah yes...........I have many friends with birthdays this week - I have many promises made and much love to send. Nope, it's not about me at all. My day is not done yet and I've got lots of work to do.

Spring

2009-04-05T21:34:00.001-07:00

Yes, yes-yes!
Spring is in the air!
Can you feel it? Can you smell it? Can you taste it?
Our poor ducks will not have to walk on ice for much longer!

Drip

2009-04-01T17:09:00.001-07:00

What a slushy day. I took these at Fort Whyte Alive. For the most part all you need to do is have a good close look. If you start to feel something - anything, you'll be feeling what I felt.

Drips - Perfect drops of goodness.
Metal railing shots - Something about the harsh reality of man's creations.
Winter flowers - Enchanted gifts of winter.
Canada Geese - Spring is coming and proof is in the air. It's nature's clock. A tear for the lonely goose.
Swan feet - Ever really looked at swan feet before?

Change Is In The Air

2009-03-31T07:12:00.000-07:00

Everything is melting and our entire world is changing. It would be silly of me to think that I'm not affected by such change.

What could I do? What could I do? For some the answer is pick-up a guitar or paint brush. For me it's GRAB MY CAMERA & GO OUTSIDE!

I took this with my 17-35mm zoom. 20 second exposure f4.5 Iso 200-ish.

Catch-Up Day

2009-03-29T15:48:00.000-07:00

For the most part I took the weekend off. "Normal" person things like bargain shopping, visiting family, vegging out and folding laundry felt great - made me feel normal.

My fancy looking "stuff" like invoices/quotes/business cards/letterhead/packaging and all that jazz are in need of re-creation. l should just face it...in need of creation. I have been very dependent on templates. They look ok right? Hmmm am I an artist or not? What about my creation skills? It's not about the job, it's about taking the time to do it. I've got my new logo so I don't have any excuses. Yay for catch-up days.

Wallpapers - Yay again for catch-up day!
Here's the scoop: People use different screen sizes. In order for my photos to look right I need to do a number of duplicate galleries- one for each size. If your screen is 1280x800ppi, 1280x1024 or 1600x1200 you're in luck, I have wallpapers for you. If not, e-mail me your size and ask me really really nicely - be creative.

HERE IS THE LINK TO WALLPAPERS - enjoy & check back often.

BTW, if you ever want to order prints of shots you see here on this blog or on my website, go to my site and click on the order button. Photos of friends pushing friends on swings excluded of course. I know I know, I have some good-lookin friends :)

Next week I'm doing tons of stuff with my youth group. I'll be all over the city. Looks like I'll be watching the snow melt. Maybe I'll get some water shots.

Glass

2009-03-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

Yip, I do have a twisted self. It's not all about flowers, plants and animals. I have no idea what it is about this shot but I just love it. At age 31 I'm finally taking time to go inward and discover my artist self. Why do I love this shot? why? why? why?

My lens for this shot is my only zoom. It's a 17-35mm L-series F3.5 canon lens. It does the trick. Someday I may get a 75-200 L-series but only for commercial purposes.To be honest, if my bills paid themselves then I'd be investing in servicing my old manual Pentax K1000. I really want to experiment with infarred film & go back to my darkroom. That's my dream.

The Great Outdoors

2009-03-22T19:55:00.000-07:00

This weekend I unplugged from city life - no computer, cell phone, electricity or running water. It was AWESOME! A HUGE thank-you to Stacy, Tania and everyone who made our retreat possible. Stacy, your food was so healthy and good! Tania - you made sure I had directions and some sort of plan - I'm really bad at planning.

There is just something that happens when I unplug. I reflect and appreciate life. Many people say that they can't afford to take a break. I live for breaks - that's when life happens. I LIVE LIFE. In just 30 hours I drove out, retreated and headed back to the city. Look at how wonderful it was. I was so stressed out with work, my life and my direction. Now I'm just focused on enjoying life. That's my focus, nothing else.

Ok so for these photos. I set out to photograph tress but they did not call me. Instead I went hiking with friends, said hello to animals and found rose-hips everywhere - refreshing. Perhaps the hike helped me look at everything differently. I sat in the cabin and looked around. My sight changed and my eyes started to create.

I have a favourite lens & it took all of these shots. It's a Canon 200mm fixed lens F2.8 L series. Sorry zooms, I'm out. Fixed lenses capture the things I see.

Pondering Life

2009-03-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

I’m sitting at the Keepsakes Gallery pondering my life. Perhaps I can steer myself in the right direction.

At a shoot, we have the subject, the surroundings and my equipment - that’s just the basics. EVERYTHING affects the way I take a photo. I sell my sight complete with my insight. I sell unique and artistic images. Unique = one of a kind = open mind. I really hope anyone who hires me will welcome this. In return I promise to give my very best.

For future blogs I’ll tell you about my gear, camera settings, composition, mood, and memory. This could get interesting!

As for these photos: I NEED a headshot for the Canadian News Wire- this one’s not right but I’ll keep trying. The store photo is of my work at the Keepsakes Gallery. I love this gallery! I volunteer the 3rd Friday of each month from 12-6 so come say hello & I’ll serve you peppermint tea.

This weekend I’m heading out to a wilderness retreat. We are celebrating the coming of Spring. Rise and shine trees…time to wake up!

Oh and as for wallpapers. They will be coming back shortly. I have not forgotten, I'm just really busy.

Meet Bernard

2009-03-17T13:11:00.001-07:00

This is my mom's new puppy. I just love him!

Another photo weekend

2009-03-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to say that I took full advantage of the beautiful weather. I'm supposed to be on the road to Brandon right now so this one is all about the photos. In an nutshell, here's how my weekend went:
1. Exhibit at the Conservatory - Thanks to everyone who came to support. 2. Frolic in the park; Massive snowball fights, swings, slides, wet socks and much needed good times! 3. MAWA Fundraiser - the place was packed! We sure do support the arts in the prairie town! 4. Shooting Andy's body paint before she performed at the Girls Girls Girls event at the Gas Station Theatre. Awesome job Pete & Go Andy Go! 5. Yet another surprise - Stacy hosted a turkey supper with all the fixings. It was a spring thanksgiving with my friend family. Perfect end to a perfect weekend.

Ok, I'm off to Brandon. I'm visiting my mom, sisters and the new dog member of our family. Ttys.

"Just enjoy youself and stay out of trouble."

2009-03-12T11:32:00.000-07:00

One year ago today I had to say goodbye to my dad Jonathan Waldner. Thankfully, today I'm very excited about life. I have a neat show this weekend, my family is doing well and my friends are the absolute best.

My dad played a key role in my life and career. His last words to me were sent via e-mail while I was in Belize. By chance I didn't open the e-mail until after he passed away. All it said was "Hi Lisa, Just enjoy yourself and stay out of trouble."

I remember the day I had this crazy notion of becoming a photographer. With his Johnny Cash type attitude he said "Well Lisa, other people are photographers and if other people can do it so can you. " Then, as usual he said "We're no better or worse then anyone else so go for it."

In his life, my dad followed his dreams. You see, he was born and raised on a Hutterite colony. He left at around age 18 and met my mom in Brandon - where I was born and raised. In fact, I have uncles and cousins (whom I love very much) living on colonies. They are wonderful people. With the last name Waldner, once the word Hutterite comes up I am bombarded with questions. Believe me, I have taken those questions right to the source. Rumors are exactly that so I'm not going to explain everything. I will say that my father raised me and I believe myself to be a strong and independent person. My immediate family and my mom's side does not follow Hutterite traditions. However, if you would like to learn more about my Hutterite ancestory, I suggest visiting this website: http://www.hutterites.org/ or, a very good book with a personal story is I Am Hutterite by Mary-Ann Kirkby. I LOVE THAT BOOK! Honestly, if you want an amazing read then go out and get it. You'll have an idea of what my dad went through during his transition. It really is amazing. What strength.

Well, I guess that's it. I love you dad. You're the best! Thanks for telling me to enjoy my life. I follow your advice every single day! Oh, and you know I like to find trouble so as usual, no pormises :)

A pretty cool show this weekend

2009-03-10T22:25:00.001-07:00

Wow, is it already 12:30am? Oh man, I need to get this info out.

I partnered up with the Winnipeg Conservatory for a showcase. It's a really neat concept.

Photography Exhibit
Location: Assiniboine Park Conservatory.
March 14 12-3pm, March 15 10-1pm
I'm also taking photos of anything & anyone so dress purdy.

Live music & photography amid nature.
I'm selling prints & framed pieces.
Prices start at $20
I stained some beautiful frames for the show.
More info on my website: Click Here

WHAT A WEEK

2009-03-08T08:03:00.000-07:00

I went photo-crazy and booked myself solid for the month of March. Off the top of my head, this week I did some snazzy new headshots for the Arthur V. Mauro Centre for Peace and Justice and a women's art event at MAWA. I also did a photoshoot for Graeme.

The headshots were for profs and students at the college. We went with a bookshelf backdrop relative to the area of study. Most of the books were about conflict resolution and sustainable peace practices. Between snapping shots I sat and read bits from a War and Peace book. Thank-you to Pauline for this introduction. The college is doing great things and I'm happy to help with snazzy photos of wonderful people.

My friend Tania works for MAWA and they needed some promo shots. I photographed an arts and crafts afternoon to kick-off International Women's Week. It was awesome. They actually run something similar once a month. Totally drop-in and totally chill. MAWA helps women discover themselves as artists. I took out a membership and am going to apply for the mentorship program. Talk about the best gig ever! Thanks Tania!

Now for Graeme. Graeme did his last final take and now his 1st cd is recorded. By chance I had my camera. I'm so happy with these shots. Maybe they'll go down in history. Seiler Grae is the band name. I'll give you details as to his website and cd release as they come. It's at least a few months away.

Lots of work to do...

I'm doing a show next weekend!!! Theme: No trees = No music (wood for instruments that is). I may have another post as early as tomorrow so stay tuned.

Update: My site is in chaos. Hopefully we'll get it somewhat sorted out today. I'm not going to bore you with a list of the obstacles but let me just say that Graeme has been working hard and he totally deserves these photos.