Trevor Connell Photography.com

Exploring Creativity: Pink Macro Daisies

tcp — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:45:54 +0000

In the ongoing attempt to keep shooting for personal gain, even when there isn’t time to do so, a little while back I took the opportunity one Saturday morning to shoot some Gerbera Daisies using my Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro lens. It’s a nice lens, but I haven’t used it enough….yet.

…and come to think of it, this shoot was the last time I bought my wife flowers.

*EDIT: Until last night! LOL!

So below are some different perspectives and close-ups of flowers. These were all shot using natural picture-window light, with white foam core used as a reflector for fill.

Your comments are always welcome!

Cheers!

Easthope Family Portraits in Gage Park

tcp — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:58:47 +0000

A few weeks ago, I spent the morning with the Easthope family in downtown Brampton at Gage Park, enjoying the beautiful weather and taking some family portraits. This was a session that had been delayed twice because of unruly weather conditions and we were so happy to have a nice morning to shoot. When doing any portrait session outside, the weather can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. Mother Nature was the former on this day.

Below are some examples of the photos we took. If you or any of your friends/family/colleagues are looking for relaxed, candid portraits, please contact me for your customized quote. As always, my details can be found on my Contact Me page.

And to the Easthope family, it was such a pleasure working with you. I hope you enjoy your photos!

Scott Kelby’s World Wide Photo Walk

tcp — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:01:26 +0000

Back in the middle of July, my good friend Chris Kirkpatrick and I participated in Scott Kelby’s World Wide Photo Walk (Link here). For those of you who are unfamiliar, Scott Kelby is a professional photographer and a widely recognized Photoshop guru. How known is he you may ask? Well, to put things in perspective, his photo walk idea garnered over 32,000 participants in over 900 cities!!! That’s pretty popular if you ask me!

So Chris and I met up with 48 other photographers and began walking through the Distillery District in downtown Toronto. Photo walks are all about shooting with other photographers, and sharing ideas and techniques. Unfortunately, Chris and I had to leave early because of an unforeseen circumstance but I got to fire off 5 frames before we left.

This photo walk was also special because each participant was allowed to submit 2 images for judging and had the possibility of winning prizes…..many, many prizes. The leaders of each photo walk were to pick one image from their group to submit for judging on a global level.

….and low and behold, 1 of my five frames got selected! I was the winner of the Distillery District photo walk. What did I win you might ask? Well, I won a copy of Scott Kelby’s latest book: The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3 and the honour of having my image compete against 900 other images submitted from around the world. It is a complete honour to be in some great company and exciting to have been recognized like that.

Here is the image I submitted that won:

*EDIT* The winning images from the global competition were announced today and it looks like I didn’t win there but that is ok! If you are interesting in seeing the winning images, Click here.

Cheers!
t.

Live Concert: Matisyahu at The Opera House

tcp — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:46:43 +0000

It was a dark room. I mean, really dark! But then again, The Opera House was not known for it’s outstanding lighting. The opening band “Dub Trio” (website here) had just left the stage and headlining Matisyahu was up next. I took my spot in the pit, conferred briefly with security (introducing myself, making sure they were cool in understanding the access I had been given, etc.) and set up shop. I didn’t really know what to expect, I’ll be honest, I hadn’t heard of Matisyahu before a friend mentioned his name two weeks prior. But as the lights dimmed (can you believe that - it was already pitch black and it got darker!) and the first melodic notes were played, I was hooked!

A brief bio on Matisyahu from Wikipedia:

“Matthew Paul Miller (born June 30, 1979), better known by his Hebrew name Matisyahu, is an American Hasidic Jewish reggae musician.

Known for blending traditional Jewish themes with Reggae, rock and hip hop sounds, Matisyahu is most recognizable for his single “King Without a Crown”, which was a surprise Top 40 hit. Since 2004, he has released two studio albums as well as one live album, two remix CDs and one DVD featuring a live concert. Through his career, Matisyahu has worked with Bill Laswell and reggae producers Sly & Robbie. Matisyahu is set to release a new album titled LIGHT featuring the single “One Day” on August 25, 2009. A deluxe album pre-order is available now at iTunes.”

So needless to say, I had a blast. Matisyahu gained one new fan that evening. And I suggest that when his new album “Light” comes out on August 25th, don’t walk, run to your local record shop and pick up a copy!

Cheers!
t.

Duling | Kunica Wedding

tcp — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:03:58 +0000

From the moment I met Jill and Andrew, I knew they were perfect for each other. Jill is strong, articulate, vibrant and beautiful and Andrew compliments her simply by…complimenting her!

No, In all seriousness, what makes their relationship work, at least in my eyes, is their uncanny ability to be what the other needs them to be - just at the right moment. You don’t always see this with every marriage, but it is clear these two wonderful souls have it. And by the time their wedding day arrived, they made it look like weddings were a piece of cake, floating through the day with style and grace.

Jill and Andrew’s wedding took place at Langdon Hall ( www.langdonhall.ca ) in Cambridge Ontario on July 4th, Independence Day in the States. They had a beautiful outdoor ceremony, followed by cocktails on the patio and dinner in the Orchard Room. The weather welcomed the union of Jill and Andrew by providing a bright, blue, sunny day, one that wasn’t too sweltering.

I extend a very heartfelt thanks to the Duling and Kunica family for allowing me to be a part of their special day. Below are some pictures I took during the days events.

Jill & Andrew’s Cookout

tcp — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:00:57 +0000

If you recall in a previous post, I shot Jill and Andrew’s engagement photos here. The next session I had with them was the night before their wedding where Andrew’s family was hosting a cookout for everyone. It was an afternoon filled with sun, food, fun and laughter. Both the Duling and Kunica families were very kind, sweet, and so very welcoming. I had a blast documenting the afternoon.

Below are some pictures from the event.

The Creative Process and Photo Walks

tcp — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:00:08 +0000

In keeping the creative juices flowing, it’s important as a photographer to also shoot for yourself every once in a while. One of my favourite quotes in recent photography history has been “the best camera you can have is the camera that you have with you.” As more and more photographers get swept up in the “mega-pixel race”, this quote has become even more important. For those that know me, I can be a bit of a techno-file, getting excited about the latest and greatest technology. I have to remind myself that I can create great images with the equipment I already have. I know my wife would appreciate that last comment

So, for myself, this usually means that I try to get out once a week and shoot something that I want to shoot, not just what my clients are paying me to shoot. A lot of times, this means some rather extreme experimentation - with the results not really worthy of seeing the light of day. But it also means I get to see what works, and what doesn’t, on my own dime.

In the images below, I’ve taken the time to experiment with DoF (Depth of Field), perspective, self-portraiture, and Colour.

Please enjoy!

Engagement Session: Jill & Andrew

tcp — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:01:16 +0000

A Couple of Saturdays ago, I spent a few hours with Jill and Andrew to do an engagement session. I will be shooting their wedding on July 4th at Langdon Hall and couldn’t be more excited to work with this couple again.

On this particular Saturday, we went down to Gairloch Gardens in Oakville Ontario to shoot on their beautiful grounds. We continued on the waterfront in downtown Oakville, enjoying the wonderful spring weather. We had a great time together, which I think you can see from the photos we made.

All the best to Jill and Andrew with their final preparations.

Oliver Connell: Six Months Old!

tcp — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:09:25 +0000

It seems like just yesterday I was posting some pictures of Oliver in his first couple days of life. Well, Oliver is now six months old and I’d thought it was time to post some new ones. Dana and I took Oliver to Gage Park for some fun under the trees and in the gazebo. Oliver was awesome during the entire shoot, content with just doing his own thing. I guess this is all second-hat to him as he’s had a lens stuck in his face since birth!

Anyways, enjoy the pictures below.

Live Concert: The Hip at the Danforth Music Hall

tcp — Sat, 02 May 2009 01:48:55 +0000

It’s like riding a bike after years of not being on one. You just fall into a rhythm and let your feelings take over. That’s what I felt last Friday night when I photographed The Tragically Hip at a special intimate theatre gig at the Danforth Music Hall. The band has recently returned to the scene with a new album and have followed with an extensive multi-night tour. This show was deemed a “warm-up show” when really, it was clear the band was (and is) in top form.

Below are some examples of the photos I took that night. Please feel free to register and leave a comment. I’d love to hear your thoughts!