Annie & Her Boys

I'm not sure if there's anything more important and priceless than a family portrait. It helps to record a wee bit of family history and in a small way freeze time, if only for a moment. I just love how a portrait can also capture each family member's personality - with clothing, expression and body language.

Today I had the fun opportunity to photograph Ann Meelker (from the Lord Elgin) and her family of boys in their home in Stonebridge. Ann had asked me a few days ago what everyone should wear for the portrait. And I unintentionally yet fortunately didn't reply, and I'm so glad I didn't. Because everyone ended up wearing exactly what they should of been wearing - clothing that subtly and effectively helped bring out their personality. :)


© Dwayne Brown

Brownstock - New Price - One Size

I've decided to make some changes with the Brownstock Offering, namely a better price and only one size available. And it's a nice large 50mb file. Just felt we needed to get more competitive on the price and simplify the size offering - letting the user size it down to the desired size for their project. Now we're not giving the images away like the micro stock sites, but I still feel the price is super affordable at $99.00.

I'm also refocusing my time and efforts in the new year to include a bunch of new shooting for the site. So any suggestions for content would be very appreciated!

Even if you have any themes for us to concentrate on, that would also be awesome. And if you'd like to keep alerted to new imagery, please join the Brownstock Facebook page.

Can't wait to get into the New Year, it's going to be a great one!


Brownstock

Gift Getting!

I know I know, we're supposed to be more into giving than getting. But when your 10 year son gives you a gift wrapped like this, it's hard to not love getting. Wrapped on his own with home-made bows and all. :)

Christmas Angel - Free Download

As the hours tick by on such an important day - a day with such build up and insurmountable expectation. I wonder like many of you, what's this day really about. I know it has a historic and religious origin, but it's not what many of us celebrate. It has become a time for gift giving and a time for family and friends. It's also a time to lend a hand to those who need it more than us - and a time to care.

I selected a photo of an angel for my 'Free Download' today not because of it's religious symbolism, but more because of it's metaphor of unconditional protection and care. We all have people we love that could use the invisible yet powerful strength of an angel. Perhaps the love we have for our friends and family is that very angel.

Please enjoy and take care of each other, not just today but all days. Happy Christmas!



Please use this 'link to download the file'. Feel free to print it and frame it, or send it to someone you love and care about, just please don't use it for any commercial applications.

The image is also available for sale on our Brownstock site.

White Christmas - with a splash of purple

Two days before Christmas, and Lindsay and I choose shooting over shopping!

I had an email a few days ago from Models International asking if I'd be interested in shooting Alissa, one of their models before she heads off to South Africa on a modeling contract. I talked to Lindsay (my assistant) to see if we could collaborate, and we both thought it'd be fun to shoot even though it was so close to Christmas.


© Dwayne Brown

We both shot and we both assisted, it was super fun. After shooting for over 25 years, I've wanted to assist for a while now. I'm not sure I was a stellar assistant, but it was fun to wear the hat.

I tell assistants that to be a good photographer you need to shoot all the time - as often as possible (even a couple days before Christmas). And hopefully shoot stuff that challenges you. My shot above isn't overly complex, but when a shot is simple it's the subtleties that make the difference - especially the connection with the eyes. And that is so important when shooting models and actors for their portfolios.

Lindsay did an awesome job, I love her shot below. And I love how we were able to give Alissa two extremely different looks in just a few hours.

Thanks Alissa! Good Luck next month in South Africa!


© Lindsay Ralph

Here's a link to more of Lindsay's work.

Guitar Hero

I guess there's nothing really heroic about a guitar......at least not on the surface. It's just an instrument right? It's wood, metal, resin, plastic and wire. But as an instrument it helps to give voice, a voice for song and a voice for ideas.

Is there anything more heroic than ideas? Ideas give us hope, they make us smile, and they move us forward. I spent the better part of the last couple days talking about ideas and lending a hand to my friend Francois (Frank) and his guitar, to move a cool idea forward. An idea that will help many people bring their voice to life.

I'll be sharing more, as Frank gets his project further along. And who knows you might just see him and his guitar at Polly's next Happy Hour. ;)




© Dwayne Brown

More Paradise

My weekend download image inspired me to post an image I did a couple years ago for Go Travel, in the Dominican Republic. Or maybe it was the cold weather and buying a winter coat tonight that's inspired me.


© Dwayne Brown

This Weekend's Free Download - Tropical Escape

I thought it might be nice to include a colorful 'Tropical Escape' image for this Weekend's Free Download. Not that any of us would prefer the warm humid weather of the Caribbean or the sweet aroma of hibiscus, instead of scraping our windshields, shoveling snow and bundling up for the frigid cold. Let's Escape!


© Dwayne Brown > Brownstock

Please use this 'link to download' the file. Feel free to print it and frame it, or just stick it on top of your Christmas tree, just please don't use it for any commercial applications.

The image is also available for sale on our Brownstock site.

A Photo Opportunity Performance

It's a cool enough experience to just see and listen to the National Arts Centre Orchestra live, but to have the opportunity to wiggle your way in and amongst them and photograph them while they play on stage is well.......really really cool!


© Dwayne Brown

Thanks to the musicians, thanks to Robyn Paton with The National Arts Centre Orchestra, and a big thanks to the folks at Banfield Seguin for having me again involved in another NACO project. :)

Stay tuned for the launch of the season in the New Year.

Christmas Coffee

Just grabbing a nice morning Christmas Coffee from this cute little coffee shop from Seattle. Star.......something. Super nice people - and great coffee. Caramel Brulé Latté - Yum.



Happy Friday!
db

The Clever Cat.

Just took a quick snap of Polly, and then wondered if there was some clever way to share the image on my blog. Then thought.......the cool thing about a blog is, it's mine and I can share stuff whether it's clever or not. And that got me thinking that we're in a very interesting time, a time of sharing not only imagery, but thoughts and feelings. Do we over share these days, sometimes perhaps - but at least we have the choice and loads of options to do so. Maybe Polly's the clever one - she's helped me share some thoughts by merely lending an ear(s) ^^ for a quick snap. :)

The 'Mid-Week Late for the Weekend' Free Download :)

Almost forgot to post the free weekend download, but was politely reminded by a couple friends. This image was shot last week at the Parliament Buildings, it's of a series of windows in the main Peace Tower shot from inside.


© Dwayne Brown > Brownstock

The Peace Tower was built not only to stand as an architectural landmark, but also to function as a memorial to those that died in conflict during the First World War, hence the name.

Please use this 'link to download' the file. Feel free to print it and frame, stick it on your fridge, give it away for Christmas, just please don't use it for any commercial applications.

World Class Musicians Are People Too

Véronique Gravel from Banfield Seguin said to me today, "you have a pretty cool job!". And she is so right! To have the opportunity to photograph a dozen world class musicians from the string section of the National Arts Centre Orchestra today, is well.......pretty cool to say the least.

Today was the first of several casual group portraits of the various sections of the orchestra, to be used in this upcoming year's marketing initiatives for the National Arts Centre Orchestra. This style is intended to give the audience a more intimate and approachable view into the many personalities that make up the orchestra.



Many thanks to Robyn and Bar for their hard work organizing the musicians! And of course a special thanks to all of the musicians that generously made time for us today.

Also thanks to the folks at Banfield Seguin for keeping us involved in the NACO projects.

Olympic Opportunity

Certain projects are all about planning and certainty and others are still about planning, but more about the reaction to curve balls (as I call them). Today we had the assignment to photograph Mélissa Brunet (a 19yr old star student) carrying the Olympic torch, for the University of Ottawa for the University's homepage.

We kind of thought we'd have more control over the situation, but we ended up having to deal with police, large crowds, a change in the schedule and it was a wee bit freezing outside. The thing is, we still always need to deliver an image that works.

To do so, it helps to have Brent onside, a plan B and C, perseverance and most importantly.......LUCK. ;)
Oh yeah and maybe a little Photoshop after the fact (thanks Romeo!).



To find out more about Mélissa, here's a link to a University page sharing a bunch of what she's been up to.

Saturday Jump

A little test shot before the family portrait I'm shooting this morning. Ten year olds love to jump. ;)

NACO Prep (location scouting)

I was just doing some head-space prep for a really cool up-coming week, and thought it might be interesting to share some of the process. We've been given the opportunity and creative task to shoot smaller group portraits of the various orchestra sections for the National Art Centre Orchestra. Nice natural revealing BW backstage editorial portraits, as opposed to photographing the musicians playing on stage.

A extremely necessary component to the success of such a project is to prepare as much as possible, including creative pre-production and location scouting. I love working with a client who appreciates the value of spending the extra time to plan for each shot. Time well spent when organizing so many super busy and talented folks.

I'm anxious to share a bunch of the upcoming production process and final imagery as the week unfolds.



Here's a link to some 'other images' from past NACO projects. Creative and Art Direction by the fine folks at Banfield Seguin. (Thanks Tim and Véronique!)

Parliamentary 'Christmas Snap'

I don't normally throw self portraits up here on the blog, but this is different. I had a super day - out on school field trip with Alex' school class. It was so fun to hang out with him and his pals from school (all girls I might add) ;)

The visit to the Parliament Buildings was kind of 'old hat' for Alex (he's kind of a history and architecture junky), but it was still cool for us to be in such an awesome building - it was also really neat to be there with so many kids that had never been inside.

And I'm super glad to get a nice Christmas snap of me and the boy. :)

Structural Reverence

Today was a fun Sunday - breakfast with a good friend, a town tour, then a peek at a really really old barn. The barn is kind of on it's last legs, just waiting for a summer storm to coax it to it's knees. But until that day it still stands and continues to perform it's rural responsibilities. I've never been in such an old barn, and I have to say I was in awe. It hit me that this structure had performed many years of service, lending itself to shelter countless animals and to store feed and equipment. And you can just imagine children spending dreamy summer afternoons playing up in the hay loft.

Over the years and growing up on the prairies, I've driven past loads of barns in my day. But today was the first that I think I realized what a revered and important structure the barn is. Such noble architecture.

Mixed Media

What better example of mixed media, than elements that are already present. If you follow my blog, you already know that I love to find and capture the overlooked. This image is a composition of some determined old wood that was nailed to a cement wall ages ago. It's now still hanging on and sharing the wall with some moss, just waiting to be captured and shared.



Please use this 'link to download' the file. Feel free to print it and frame, stick it on your fridge, just please don't use it for any commercial applications. Enjoy! :)

Alex' First Photography Show

Alex and I are participating in a group Christmas show that is opening this Saturday evening. He's funny, he takes this kind of thing in stride. Not nervous and not super excited - just happy about it. :)

We're both showing a couple images, his being from our NYC trip. Shhhhh, don't tell anyone he's only ten.

The show's vernissage is Saturday evening at 8:00pm at Cyclelogik - 1111A Wellington St.


© Alex Brown > Dwayne Brown Studio Inc.
More Images

CBC News Flash

For a guy that doesn't watch TV, I had the most wonderful television experience yesterday. We spent the day at the CBC Ottawa studios, photographing the evening on-air news team. (Lucy van Oldenbarneveld, Adrian Harewood, Dan Seguin and Ian Black)

What made it such a cool experience? Well.....as Brent and I often say, we have such 'NICE' clients, but these folks are right at the top the list. We were just treated so well by everyone, by the on-air team of course, the production film crew, the management that dropped by to say hello, hair and make-up and especially our point of contacts and clients; Pam Millar and Janice IOI.

We were able to get some new images for the portfolio, have a fun shooting experience and most importantly capture some images that will help CBC Ottawa advertise their News Program.




Thanks Lindsay!