The Hunger Game

We had a long day shooting a project for Cardel Homes today out in Stittsville, and the last shot of the day reminded me how helpful hunger is in this business of commercial photography. Hunger for business and great clients is so helpful - it keeps us humble and respectful. But it's more about a hunger to create really good imagery, that not only helps to tell our client's story, but imagery that keeps us creatively challenged. By the time we did our last shot of the day, we were most hungry for that short moment in the day when the outside light turns that vibrant and oh so lovely indigo color - a moment well worth the wait. :)


© Dwayne Brown - shot for Cardel Homes Ottawa

WEEKEND FREE DOWNLOAD - War Memorial

I shot this Weekend's Free Download this afternoon downtown at the Canadian War Memorial - using an interesting app on my phone which gives the coolest and random abstract results. Super fun! :)


© Dwayne Brown

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

A Brent Shout-Out

What a better blog post to make on a Friday night than a quick but well deserved shout-out to Brent - the best creative assistant in town! He's so much more than an assistant, he's an awesome balancing force with our studio - handling all creative and technology challenges with a positive and forward thinking mind. I'm lucky to have his support and his ever positive outlook! :)


© Dwayne Brown

The Unexpected

The unexpected and/or perhaps chasing the unexpected, is so important and vital in this business of capturing and making imagery. I make my living from creating strong creative corporate and commercial imagery (which in many cases is fairly expected), but I fuel and hone my creativity by chasing the unexpected. I've just spent the past week with my son in NYC, not just for spring break, but for the opportunity to be more exposed and surrounded by the unexpected! :)


© Dwayne Brown

Upper West

Our trip to New York City has drawn to a close - time to head back to Ottawa shortly. It's been a great week of exploring and lots and lots of walking. Alex and I have done loads of shooting, more than I thought we would. The coolest part of the trip has been Alex's continued enthusiasm to create cool imagery and to learn about apps and editing processes. It's so fun - as he learns, I learn! :)


© Dwayne Brown

What A Day!

Today started off pretty normal - a late start and then packing up to move from one hotel in lower Manhattan up to the middle east side for our last couple days in New York. On the way we did a little stop in Tribeca for lunch and then onto a cool little photography gallery called SOHO Photo........and that's where it started.

They had an amazing show of toy camera imagery, including an international competition. My son Alex loved it, we both did! It was cool to see so much abstract photography imagery. And this is what inspired Alex to get shooting this afternoon and then again tonight. Here's a couple of his images from this afternoon, of which I absolutely love! Tonight's imagery got much more abstract, of which I'll share later. He did an amazing job!



© Alex Brown

NYC Architecture

It's so much like stepping back in time in a way, such an array of beautiful old architecture in New York.


© Dwayne Brown

Gotham's Heroic Sentinel

Just got back from a short walk this evening and couldn't resist another snap of the Big Tower. Seeing the tower at night with the misty sky, it really does take on a very dramatically heroic DC Comic-esque look!


© Dwayne Brown

The Moma - the quick yet inspiring visit

We had a short time at the MOMA this afternoon, which I now know isn't a good idea. You need at least a half day to properly explore the gallery. That said it was still an great quick taste. Here's my two favorite images and memories of the gallery visit; an outside view of the beautifully architected and peaceful outdoor courtyard and Alex taking in a cool painting. :)



© Dwayne Brown

The Brooklyn Bound Break Dancing Train!

So, the bad news is...... we got on the wrong subway train this afternoon while heading back to our lower Manhattan hotel - we accidentally got on a Brooklyn bound train! (Strange, they all look the same and are all packed full of people - and it was heading in the right direction!) But the good news is, we were treated to a little impromptu break dancing entertainment on the train - it was so awesome! I love how most people on the train didn't even blink an eye or take much notice. All part of the Thursday commute home to Brooklyn for them I guess! :)



© Dwayne Brown

911 Memorial

It was a very humbling morning. Now it's one thing to see and hear about the Trade Towers being rebuilt on various media, but it's a whole other thing to be right beside the construction site and then this morning be right in the middle of it to see the memorial park. It's humbling, it's impressive and sad. The new towers are so impressive and dynamic, but the two memorial reflecting pools have a very daunting sadness to them.


© Dwayne Brown

Eyes Up

And yes of course it looks so impressive and beautiful with my eyes pointed up! It's actually a pretty humbling and solemn place. The towers are going up at a steadfast 24hr rate, perhaps as a testament not only to respect the loss - but also to celebrate the American spirit. Very impressive!




© Dwayne Brown

Eyes Down

I was doing a walk around the area adjacent to the new Trade Tower's construction site this morning, and as everyone's eyes and cameras were pointed up at the new emerging sentinels - I kept mine focused downward. The obvious, the grand and polished, as well as the discarded and overseen can be so beautiful. :)


© Dwayne Brown

Doorface

I shot this image last night on Lafayette Street - I love finding architectural elements that make a face! :)


© Dwayne Brown

Gotham Hall in Gotham City

The right place at the right time - something as a photographer I love being! Tonight my son Alex and I were walking up Broadway on our way to Times Square to shoot some possible images for a book project my friend Deborah is writing. And while we were walking I happened to look through a small glass door we were passing and saw an exceptionally elegant scene of beautifully stacked chairs in a ballroom. I couldn't resist trying the doors and to my surprise it was unlocked and before we knew it, we were in the most incredible space - The Grand Ballroom of the famed and historic Gotham Hall. Lucky us! :)




© Dwayne Brown

Good morning Manhattan

What a view to wake up to! My son Alex and I are in Manhattan for the week - a week of hanging out and continuing our discovery of the city. I loved last night as we arrived via the Holland Tunnel, Alex said...."I feel like I've never left!". It's so cool for a 12 year old to have such an affinity for a city!

Time for us to get out there and find a cafe for a New York latte to start the day! :)


© Dwayne Brown

The BIG House Across the Street

I'm so lucky to have such cool and dramatic architecture right across the street from my studio - not to mention the enveloping sound of church bells a couple times a day! :)


© Dwayne Brown

Power of Natural

We did a shoot earlier this week - photographing several portraits of Christine Hauschild (a very successful Ottawa realtor), and our common theme with all of the images was 'NATURAL'. We kept the lighting natural and the poses as natural as possible. I know this doesn't sound like rocket science, but as photographers we do sometimes impose ourselves on a scene or a portrait, sometimes more than we should. My creative approach is to always let each person's style and personality guide me while I shoot their portrait.

I believe by taking this more natural approach we were able to let Christine's confidence, beauty and friendliness come through in her photos - and the ultimate result is our natural and authentic photographs will help enhance and continue to elevate her brand as a top Ottawa realtor! :)




© Dwayne Brown - art directed by Scott Acker (Cicada Creative)

Leaf Footprint

I love finding the oddly cool when walking downtown, like this wet footprint the other day, that looked more like a leaf impression - some days it pays to keep your head down. Cool and interesting is all around us! :)


© Dwayne Brown