studio photography

And so it begins...Hello 2021!

New year…SAME US! (just slightly more grizzled…)

Last year was a DOOZY to say the least, and we’re certainly not naive enough to think that a change in calendar year is going to take away all the hardships. HOWEVER, that being said, we do know that even a perceived fresh start can go a long way…

It’s also a great opportunity to simply take breath and reflect on what WAS good last year. As challenging as it was, there were some pretty great moments too.

We had the privilege of working with an incredible group of clients last year. As much as we were able to help them reach their goals and complete their projects, they also helped us…we were able to keep this family run business up and running throughout a global pandemic and that was all because we have the best community and clients we could ever ask for who believed in us, who trusted us with their visions, and let us get creative.

Looking back over our work this year, a few things stuck out to us.

First, it was a year of composites! As we had to ensure we had safe spacing between people, one of the most efficient ways we could still get teams together was to actually photograph everyone separately and then bring them together in post production! We have always loved composite work, but it just became even more practical this year as a way to keep people safe.

Secondly…our small business community! What an absolute roller coaster of a year for so many small business owners. We were absolutely honoured to be able to work with many of them as they found new and innovative ways to continue to serve their clients-whether that was moving their products and services online, or ensuring new PPE standards were in place to keep both staff and employees safe. We are so damn proud of every single one of them for making it through this crazy year.

And finally…the thing that always gets us through our hard times…a sense of humour. Without it, we wouldn’t have made it. Thanks to everyone who shared a laugh with us either in front of the camera, or behind the scenes as part of our crew.

So thank you to all we worked with over the year, and we absolutely can’t wait to see what adventures the new year brings…although if it was a little less intense, we wouldn’t be mad about it… ;)

Spark Coaching and Consulting

We hear a lot of family photographers talk about how special it is for them to be able to capture families growing together over the years, and with us…we feel the exact same way, we just happen to document people’s business ‘babies’ instead…

We’ve been lucky enough to work with a number of clients over the years who we’ve watched first hand as they grow and develop from that initial leap of faith, just starting out , getting their first head shots as they take the leap into a new career…all the way to them hustling with a full time business, landing dream clients and developing marketing campaigns to grow even further!


We recently got to work with the wonderful Jennifer England of Spark Coaching again who is one of those clients we’ve witnessed excel at what she does and grow her business into something so meaningful and rewarding. As she was planning a website re-fresh, she wanted to get a new set of imagery that would really capture her personality and depth, as her work as a leadership strategist and coach involves really being able to connect with her clients and she wanted imagery that would let people get a glimpse into who she is.

She was even willing to brave a doozy of a wind storm during one of our last weeks of fall here to capture that golden light and connection to nature…and we’re sure happy she did because we are stoked with how the shoot all turned out.

We love being able to be part of celebrating the work people do-the causes they are committed to, and the passion that goes into being an entrepreneur.

T1D Portraits-Part Two

We were recently approached by the Yukon T1D Support Network to add a few more portraits to the series we started with them back in 2018. Knowing the impact this organization has on families who are navigating a life with T1D, we were of course happy to make it happen.

The Yukon T1D Support Network helps Yukoners who have Type 1 Diabetes through education, advocacy and support. We heard first hand through some of the families we worked with, how incredibly important their work is. Within a day of having a new diagnosis for their child, for example, people from the network had reached out and offered supports, helping them through the first overwhelming and frightening days trying to navigate this new reality.

Yet another incredible group of people in our community, putting everything they have into helping those around them. We are completely honoured to be able to work alongside them to create images that celebrate the strength, resiliency, and joy these families have in the face of T1D. They will be used as part of a new advocacy and awareness campaign.

And we also wanted to take the time to thank the incredible models/families who volunteer to be a part of this portrait series. To share your story, and to be an advocate while many are in newly diagnosed stages, and still trying to navigate this ‘new’ life they are leading. Thank you. You are inspiring.

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Haiti

Reflecting on the past 12 months, we realized that 2018 was a year of serious ups and downs.

Professionally, we were lucky enough to work with a number of incredible clients on projects that took us all over the Yukon, Canada, and even to international countries. The result was some of our favourite work to date. Personally, however, we experienced heavy times and suffered the losses of loved ones.

It was a year of learning to adjust, and a reminder to really reflect on what’s important in life – to stay true to the values that we, as a family, and as a company, have tried to always live by.

So it only made sense that the end of 2018 brought one final project that was also filled with ups and downs – a project that has left us reflecting on it ever since Gary returned home, 

This November, Gary was lucky enough to be part of a team of Yukoners who travelled to Haiti with Shot in The Dark, a Yukon-based media production company. Shot in the Dark is creating a documentary that features the story of a Yukon woman, Morgan Wienberg, who created an organization in Haiti called Little Footprints Big Steps. It’s a child protection organization that focuses on family reunification and building self-sufficient futures for families in Haiti. Gary’s job was to create the stills for the project, including portraits of the families and people the documentary will feature, and behind-the-scenes shots of the filming process.

Morgan is an incredible person, with a fascinating story (we’ll be sure to let you know when the documentary is released so you can learn more). She has become part of what we now understand is a powerful community of people in Haiti, who have survived unimaginable circumstances, and yet remain some of the most kind, dedicated people Gary has ever met. 

We knew the trip itself would come with some challenges, the most obvious simply being the logistics of shooting in a foreign country. Gary had to pack as light as possible (difficult for someone who loves his gear), yet be ready for a variety of situations, as he didn’t really know what exactly he’d be shooting until he got there. Then there’s the heat (hello plus 30 degrees), and the fact he wanted to understand Haiti’s complex history before he visited. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. For generations, the country has suffered political unrest and horrific natural disasters. It has had to completely re-build and that process is still on-going.

The whole team, Gary included, did research on the country, got all of the necessary medications and vaccinations, and arranged insurance coverage for both gear and health. We also had some idea, as far as what to expect while they were there, (the risk of theft, and health issues, are just realities you need to be aware of), though we never could have anticipated the politically motivated riots that began just days after the crew arrived. 

They suddenly found themselves in a situation where the location they were at was deemed unsafe as the conflict reached them, and they had to be moved to a safe house further away. The one thing that remained constant during that stressful time, was the incredible compassion the Haitian people showed every single member of the crew. They were taken care of, moved to a safe location, and made to feel completely at home with their new ‘family’.
Instead of carrying on with their planned itinerary that week, the team ended up witnessing the real-time actions of the Haitian people in the face of adversity. They witnessed people taking care of each other, people adapting, and people putting others before themselves. What they saw was the REAL Haiti, not just the clips we usually see on the news from our houses in Canada.

During his time there, Gary was able to photograph most of the Little Footprints Big Steps staff, as well as their families. These wonderful people, who are all locals other than Morgan herself, are part of a comprehensive team that cares about the children they work with as if those kids are their own. They help children escape from the horrible conditions that plague many of the orphanages in the country, and help the kids get off the streets and back to their families. Some of them are house mothers, some are doctors and nurses, and some are engineers. All of them work for this organization because they want to help re-build their community and their country. They are proud of their beautiful land and culture, as they should be. It is an incredible place, filled with resilient, compassionate people.

And as I sat here in the Yukon one night in late November, with our two-year old daughter Mabel, feeling a million miles away from Gary, we got to FaceTime with him and two of the children that Little Footprints works with. Even though the kids all spoke a very different language, they communicated through smiles, giggles and by showing each other their toys. The Haitian children even teased Gary the way Mabel herself does, laughing and gathering around his phone. The only difference between them was that they happened to be born in two different countries. 

Our little girl is now at the age where she’s starting to better understand the world around her, and I hope that, through the work she sees us do, she continues to grow. I hope she understands why projects like this one are so important to us. Gary was away from home for nearly three weeks, at a time when our family was grieving the loss of loved ones at home, and adjusting to a new normal. This wasn’t easy, but we never questioned whether or not he would go. It is fundamental to us that we, as a family, and as a company, are doing what we can to support others who are making positive changes in this world – in our community here in the Yukon, and in our global community. Because even though there’s a lot of heavy in this world, there’s even more good. You just have to be willing to get out there and experience it.

Huge thanks to the Little Footprints crew for all the love and hospitality you showed us and the rest of the Shot in The Dark crew.

If you want to learn more about the organization, or donate, you can go to check them out at: https://www.littlefootprintsbigsteps.com/

Mike Code showing off his Drone

BTS of interviews in process

The Crew left to right: Gary Bremner, Mike Code, Kelly Milner, Marty O’Brien and Naomi Mark

And for some reading on the complexity of Haiti’s history, you can check out the book “The Big Truck That Went By: How the World Came to Save Haiti and Left Behind a Disaster by Jonathan Katz.

T1D. A Portrait Series

Earlier this spring we were lucky enough to be asked to do a portrait project for an amazing local organization called the Yukon T1D Support Network.

This organization provides peer supports, education, and advocacy for Yukon citizens diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, many of which are children. 

As part of an awareness project, the organizers wanted us to create a series of portraits of various community members who are either diagnosed themselves, or are family members of people who are living with T1D. 

We were so honoured to be able to work with such an inspiring group of people and were so excited with how they turned out.

If you, or someone you know has T1D and is looking for more support, advocacy, information or just a place to connect with some pretty amazing people-you should check out the Yukon T1D Support Network! 

 

 

 

A Legacy Portrait Project: Mining in the Yukon

It's Mining and Geology week here in the Yukon, and so we wanted to take the time to share one of our latest projects with the Yukon Chamber of Mines, the "Our Yukon, in it Together" Legacy portrait series

It was such a great experience getting to work with such a diverse group of people over the past few months, learning about their experience in the Mining industry, or about how the industry supports their organizations and communities. 

From the on the Geologists working on site, to the aviation industry, to the hospitals and communities than benefit from fundraising efforts.... We were so happy with how the portrait series came together to showcase the various faces and experiences behind the industry.

For more info on the campaign, check out http://www.ouryukon.ca/ , and to find out more about what is happening this week, go to:  http://www.yukonminingweek.ca/ 

And finally, a huge thank you to all of the community members who were a part of this series:

1) Joella Hogan, First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun

2) Al Doherty, Exploration Geologist

3) Wendy Tayler, Alkan Air and Kaetlynn Mitchell

4) Brad Thrall, Alexco Resource Corp.

5) Samson Hartland, Yukon Chamber of Mines (and his eldest daughter Cadence). 

6) Mike Burke, Senior Geologist

7) Karen Barnes, President of Yukon College,

8) Karen Forward, Yukon Hospital Foundation

9) Josh Clark, Whitehorse, Yukon

10) Shelagh Rowles, Centre for Northern Innovation in Mining, Yukon College

So...what do you do?

Ahhh networking...and the, what 'should' be an easy answer, that is actually more complex than you think....

I went to an "Un-Networking" event this week hosted by the oh-so-awesome SMRT Pop Ups team which sought to give local female entrepreneurs a chance to connect, share, and in some cases, just straight up practice answering the question "What do you do?"

The expected/easy answer for me?: We are a photography company that specializes in commercial, corporate and editorial photography.  

Even more broad? Well, we photograph people. People at work, people at play, and people doing the activities that matter most to them and their community.

But after taking some time to really think about it, I realized that still just didn't feel like it fully explains what we do. It felt flat to me, and it got me thinking about the reason we do the work we do...the reason we work specifically with businesses and organizations. 

Now that is because we love getting to the heart of WHY people do what they do.

We understand that we, as a society, crave connection. We crave authenticity and experience, and so when a business or organization wants to engage with their audience, the best way to do that is by personalizing themselves, and creating that actual human connection to their organization. By showcasing employees, or the people behind what you do, you can not only show your audience what you do, but more importantly, WHY you do it. 

As entrepreneurs ourselves, we love to celebrate  businesses and organizations and the people behind them that build our communities, that are providing for their families and that are making a difference in this world in their own unique way. We can connect with their experience, their struggles, and their determination, and so it's our job to then take that connection and create images that can reflect that back to a broader audience.

Needless to say, the event left me thinking a lot about our work here at GBP. About the complexities of it-the human connection and interpersonal skills it takes, the mix of both technical and artistic sides of our business that constantly keep us on our toes. It was a great night to reflect on not only WHAT we do, but the WHY we do it. And it's got us feeling pretty grateful to have such a strong community of entrepreneurs and community leaders that we get to hold up and celebrate.

 

 

2018...the year the blog comes back...

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Last year we took a little break from blogging. We had a new member join the GBP team (our daughter Mabel) and so paired down a little bit on some things to get her situated in her new job as future assistant for the company. 

But  now that we're all back in the full swing, we decided it was time to dust off the old Blog sharing skills and get back into it, so with that, thought we'd jump in by sharing one of our latest projects here in 2018!

We recently did some portraits for our friends who are starting up their new production company, Outpost 31. These guys are pros in the film industry, now combining their talents under one roof and so were looking for some new imagery for their website launch! 

Keep your eyes out for projects coming your way from Outpost 31...