Matt from Away

Today was Matt's (our recent intern assistant from PEI) last day. It's been a fun and super productive week and half for all of us. I really like the idea of intern students if they're smart and nice and if we've got the right kind of work to be busy on so they can learn while they're here. All the stars were nicely aligned with Matt's internship. He got to participate with some client meetings, location scouting and shooting, hauling all of our studio to another location to set up an interim studio, digital production, he even got to shoot an editorial magazine shoot for a Calgary magazine for me (and did an awesome job with it!). To top off the week and a half we even introduced him to a famous meatball sandwich at 'The Prescott' and some authentic poutine across the river in Gatineau. :)


© Dwayne Brown

Kindle Café

Don't hate me because I don't have an iPad2! Instead I'm enjoying a Bridgehead latté and a great book on my Kindle. Besides it's not what you're reading on - it's what you're reading! Speaking of, I can't wait for my favorite author to be released on Kindle soon. :)


© Dwayne Brown

Weekend Free Download - Branch

It's been a little while since I've posted a Weekend Free Download. This image was taken a couple weeks ago in Central Park in NYC. I've always enjoyed trees without leaves for some reason - more graphic perhaps and full of promise.


© Dwayne Brown

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

A Graceful Legacy

I wanted to say a few words about Gabe Fitzgerald, who unfortunately passed away last Thursday after a courageous battle with cancer. I didn't know Gabe very well, but we worked together a little while she worked as a production manager at Avenue and at HBS. She was very straightforward, extremely proud and some would say a little gruff on the exterior. ;) As we all know, gruff exteriors always protect a soft, vulnerable and compassionate inside, as in Gabe's case. I knew Gabe's soft side mostly through stories from her best friend Tanya Buckley who I know will miss her dearly to say least.

When someone gets seriously ill and unfortunately passes, we often get to see the truest and exposed side to that person. I visited Gabe in the hospital a month or so ago and I got to see her soft and philosophical side. As she sat on her bed with the newspaper opened up from reading, we talked about her illness and her journey as she called it. She didn't complain, she didn't look for sympathy, she just talked about how lucky she was to have such awesome friends and how wonderful it had been to spend that weekend with her brother.

It was Gabe's wishes to not have a service, or an obituary or for anyone to make a fuss when she passed - it just wasn't her style. I had learned this through the electronic grapevine through my friend Anthony, as well that Gabe had grappled with what her legacy would be. Being on the peripheral of such a wonderful and supportive group of Gabe's close friends, I would offer that her legacy would be just that - a graceful, kind and feisty woman who selflessly brought a diverse group of people together to be friends. What could be a more wonderful and lasting legacy than that?


© Dwayne Brown

Sunshine

Sunshine. Illuminating, giving life - sometimes even giving life direction and meaning. Sunshine comes in different forms. Kindness and generosity. And always giving us strength, optimism and happiness.

The light it brings, is so vital and is such a gift. I like to think that certain special people possess this gift - the gift of giving and spreading sunshine. I'm so fortunate to have a best friend who is just such a person. I'm dedicating this post to her and to all of the other special people who spread sunshine. Thank you. :)


© Dwayne Brown

Ready and Waiting

Nothing clever nor revealing - just a curious snap from yesterday while we were doing a little location scouting at the University. Location scouting is so important. It prepares us for what to expect logistically and creatively and to see what we're truly up against.....and it just gets us in the 'right and ready' frame of mind for the shoot.


© Dwayne Brown

Sharpshooter

I was lucky enough to spend the better part of last week in Manhattan with my son Alex. Alex has a super keen eye - not just for photography but for everything, especially architecture. His eye is determinedly discerning and his mind is firmly focused and creative. This was our 4th father and son trip to NYC in the past couple years and some would argue that it's a bit extravagant, but it's such an inspiring city for both of us.

Can you really put a price on inspiration for a father and son to share together? :)


© Dwayne Brown

Pulitzer Fountain

A lovely - peaceful fountain and park across the street from Central Park and the 5th Avenue Apple Store. Manhattan has such nice pockets of calm park space in amongst the manic, busy and urban chaos.


© Dwayne Brown

Empire

It's such an icon and so impressive!. It's so cool that after 80 years The Empire State Building is still New York's tallest building - still majestically towering over all of the other impressive towers.


© Dwayne Brown

Sleepless

The city (New York City), as the saying goes - never sleeps. It's always on, it's always moving, it's always vibrant. Every time I come here, I love it. But I'm also just so always amazed at how many people are here. There's no quiet - not to the ear and not to the eye. There is so much to see and observe - and of course to capture, which of course is much of the draw for me. :)


© Dwayne Brown

Twin Assistants

I had a shoot this morning for Canadian Blood Services photographing 2 year old twin girls. One of the little girls has recently received a new cornea, so we were doing the shoot for an initiative to improve organ and tissue donations that CBS is heading up. What better assistant(s) to bring along, than Brent and his twin brother Aaron - and yes it is a little freaky and cool to be sitting across from them for breakfast. ;)


© Dwayne Brown

The Collaboration of Trust

I didn't get to sleep in or lounge around my studio this Saturday morning - instead I was lucky enough to spend the morning drinking coffee and photographing Peter Hinton (and his new puppy 'Jughead'). Peter is many things and has done more than most. Artistic Director for the NAC English Theatre, recipient of the Order of Canada, directed countless Shakespeare actors in Stratford for years - super creative and super accomplished! But for me what was so cool, was just how nice he is! And how great it was to collaborate with Peter on some imagery. The experience reminded me just how important trust and connection is, and how vital it is to always respectfully collaborate in the creative process....... especially with a portrait.





© Dwayne Brown

Viva La Vera!

We were lucky enough to have a young, curious and super nice addition to the studio for the past week or so. Vera's a 20 year old international student from Stuttgart Germany, studying photography at Sheridan College, who did some of her school internship with my studio. I absolutely love the curiosity and enthusiastic spark of youth, and it's especially nice when it's mixed with drive and intelligence, as with our new friend Vera!


© Dwayne Brown

Go

Some blurry passenger snaps during the 401 drive to Toronto. Much safer than my usual driver snaps. ;)






© Dwayne Brown

Droplet

It was a super rainy wet Saturday! A little tricky today stepping through and jumping over the puddles, but rain is always so photogenic and inspiring. I just love the randomness and the refractive quality of the droplet.


© Dwayne Brown

Hero Friends!

Best friends are the best kind of heroes in my books. We all have them - I have a few, and I'm super lucky to have them. Mine are wise, patient, honest, and so kind. My friends - my heroes. Thank you!