Category Archives: Photography

November 6, 2012

Comfort Zones

There is a small path behind my house running the length of my block.

Mostly it houses peoples compost bins and overgrown plants spill from backyards into the alley.

Where I used to live there was a ravine a block away and old unused train tracks across the street. I loved the natural space I could so easily wander through and take photos, without going far from home.

Since I moved here over a year ago, I’ve been really missing that natural space but as I go on more and more photowalks, I’m realizing that maybe I don’t need a 3 block ravine and a kilometer of abandoned train tracks. Maybe a tiny overgrown alley way is something special too.

For this months She is Three prompt (which gets posted on the 7th) I really wanted to shoot in front of a mural in my neighbourhood that I’ve never done a selfie in front of before. Mainly because it is at a corner that has oh so much foot traffic. That something I love about the area I live in, but sometimes it makes taking self-portraits be an experience that pushes me outside my comfort zone.

My comfort zone is definitely in nature, even if it is only a tiny alley way of overgrown goodness.

Are there places that you’d like to shoot that are totally outside your comfort zone, but that you’d love to shoot at someday when the time is right (or you feel like challenging yourself).

Are there places that feel like your comfort zone? Maybe inside your house or in your yard? Or maybe for some of you, your comfort zone is actually around a lot of people.

Just something I’m pondering today and if you’d like to share what locations are in and out of your photographic comfort zone, I’d love to hear!

Here’s a few shots from yesterdays photo walk, on a rare non-rainy day (the self-portraits were all taken in that little alley, my happy place)!

November 2, 2012

A Serendipitous Photoshoot with Jane Siberry

Last week I was away at a photography retreat in Palm Springs and something truly serendipitous happened.

Here’s how it began.

It was day 2 of the retreat in the evening and I was gathered at the little bar that the fabulous folks at the Ace Hotel Palm Springs had set up for us when this woman came up to me asking what the event that we were having was.

I immediately knew who she was. I’m a big fan of music, especially supporting Canadian or Indie musicians so I was totally aware that the woman that just came up to me to ask a question was Jane Siberry.

I shared that it was a photography event and that we were there for a few days.

“You look familiar” I said.

I was also totally aware that she had changed her name a few years back and not sure of which name she presently went by (and not wanting to refer to her with the wrong name, ‘You look familiar’ seemed like the way to go).

“I’m Jane Siberry” she shared and offered that if I needed someone to practise taking photos on while I was there, she’d be happy to be the subject of a photoshoot.

“I’d love that.” I said.

And off she went.

I was in shock. Did an incredible Canadian musician just come up to me, likely the one person in the crowd standing there at that moment who knew she was a musician and just offer to be a subject in a photoshoot?

Oh my.

But then the fear appeared (as it has a way of).

Yet it seemed too serendipitous to pass by out of fear so I contacted her and on my last full day there we met up for a photoshoot. She was truly as wonderful, kind and unique as I hoped she would be. It was fabulous to hear a bit about her life and travels. We then wandered around the grounds of the Ace finding some fabulous spots to take some photos.

Here are some of the images I took of Jane. It was truly an honour to photograph this fabulous artist and a day I won’t forget.

August 14, 2012

Morning Light

I’m back home from my trip, but most definitely still on East Coast time.

Rising early makes me happy though, so while making coffee this morning I decided to do something a bit different.

I poured my coffee into a travel mug, grabbed my camera, and headed out for an early morning stroll around my neighbourhood.

Despite being an early riser, I don’t know early morning light as well as I do other types of light and how they relate to my camera. So todays stroll felt like an invitation to get to know it better.

It was blissfully quiet in usually oh so happening neighbourhood. Most of the day there are people strolling around, folks hanging out on their front porches, working in their gardens, bikes happily speeding by, people walking dogs and just generally neighbourhood goodness happening. I adore that about this area but I also really love this quiet glimpse of it.

So I’m daring myself to keep this going for a bit. A low pressure stroll, just taking in the light and the world around me. While usually morning is my prime work time, I definitely have a tendancy to spend the first half hour surfing the net, reading trashy celebrity gossip blogs (not so fond of that habit, but i confess it is true), so I’d love to make better use of that slowly waking up time…at least while the light is so beautiful and summer still feels very much present.

Do you know morning light well? Perhaps you’re out there walking your dog in it each day or are fast asleep until the sun is much farther up in the sky?

So, here are some glimpses of this mornings stroll:

March 14, 2012

Photo Session ~ Maleea Acker

Last week I had a fabulous photo session with the poet, author and environmentalist Maleea Acker.

I’ve mentioned Maleea before on my blog, when I visited her home last summer. Her Meadow caused controversy in her neighbourhood in Victoria, BC when she turned her own yard into a beautiful Garry Oak Meadow. Her brand new book Gardens Aflame shares the story and importance of the Garry Oak.

Here’s a glimpse of our beachside photo session and I hope you take a moment to click on some of the above links and learn more about her work!

February 27, 2012

Breaking the Rules!

I’m so thrilled to share a new offering with you. I had such a blast working with the fabulous folks over at Live it to the Full for our Emerge Course and I am mighty excited that they are now offering some photography specific classes as well.

So during the last two weeks of March, I am offering a brand new course: Rule-Free Photography.

This course is for those of you who get overwhelmed with all you are ‘supposed to know’ to explore photography.

The title for this course was inspired by some kind words I got from a fabulous past participant in my self-portrait classes, Johanna Harness who said “Vivienne took all the rules that have been holding me back and replaced them with playfulness. Worlds of possibility opened up for me.”

During this 2 week class we experiment, explore, make mistakes and go against the rules of what we are supposed to do in photography. Of course, the How-To’s of photography are important and with purpose, but often they can hold us back from accessing the creative energy of photography, which is just as important.

I so often hear folks tell me that they feel like there is so much to know in photography and this class is all about letting go of all that you think you should know and accessing what you already know as a creative being, using the camera as our paintbrush, our pen, our thread, our yarn.

This course is designed for those of you just beginning to explore photography but also those who could use some outside of the box creative photography fun!
This is for those who crave to engage in photography as a playful relationship. This course will infuse your photography with a playfulness that will keep you creating long past our two weeks together.
This is for those of you who’s camera has been sitting on the shelf or in your camera bag for a while now. It is a 2 week dose of goodness that will jump start you back into feeling inspired.

Plus, this class is oh so affordable!

I hope you’ll join me for this two weeks of creative-photography exploration. I would love to break the rules with you!

You can learn more about the course and register on the Live it to the Full website!