2021 Gallerie Magazine, Summer Edition- English

PPOC PHOTOGRAPHERS OF THE YEAR ISSUE

- The Fellow of The PPOC, The Most Prestigious Designation

- Canada, Top In The World!

- Remembering Jean Chartrand

- The Art and Business of Family Photography

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

4 Message from the Chair

6 Chelsea Jones The Woman Who Broke The Mold…

By Alph Leydon, MPA

12 2021 Photographic Artist of the Year

Danielle Barabé-Bussières, CPA: The Simple Beauty of the Natural World

By Terry Tinkess

16 2021 Commercial Photographer of the Year

France Bouchard, MPA: Her Enthusiasm is Infectious, Her Photography Refreshing

By Terry Tinkess

20 2021 PPOC Designation Recipients

22 2021 Other PPOC Accomplishments

23 2021 PPOC Award Recipients

24 Class Award Images - Best in Class

26 2021 Portrait Photographer of the Year

Victoria West, MPA: That Which Shapes Her Life, Shapes Her Art

By Terry Tinkess

30 2021 Wedding Photographer of the Year

Rabhi Madi: With Weddings, Emotion Matters Most

By Terry Tinkess

34 Remembering Jean Chartrand

By Brad Kelly, MPA

36 Women and Gender in Photography

By Chelsea Jones, F/PPOC, MPA

40 The Art and Business of Family Photography

By Jennifer Gilbert

44 Canada Top In The World

46 Animal Behaviour For Photographers Part 1 - Photographing Wildlife

By Tracy Munson, MPA

52 My PPOC

By Shauna Madden

54 About the Cover

By Terry Tinkess

MESSAGE from the Chair

This is the celebration issue. This is the issue that highlights the results from our National Image Competition. This is the issue that includes all of the best images of 2021. It is a chance for us to look at, be inspired by, and celebrate all of the exceptional images from 2021. The four Photographers of the Year, their images and their stories and some of the Best in Class Images. These will all serve to inspire us as we read and look through these pages.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of the successful entrants in the 2021 PPOC National Image Competition. Those that won awards, those that got their first Excellence score, those that got their first National Accepted image are all to be celebrated and congratulated. Producing exceptional images that are Accepted into this image competition is hard work. It speaks to having a vision and a story to tell through imagery, great composition and technical excellence all combined to produce a photograph that moves us.

I would also like to draw your attention to our judges. On Saturday and Sunday of the Victoria Day weekend I participated in the National Judging Clinic in order to become qualified as a judge. This clinic has gone on for many years within PPOC and is currently, very passionately run and organized by Kent Wong. The other participants were all very accomplished image makers and I learned a great deal from them as we all became familiar with this judging process. I realized in taking this clinic how difficult the process of objectively adjudicating images and providing positive, constructive, accurate and motivational critique of images to their makers. Although I am somewhat familiar with the amount of work it takes to produce successful competition images, I was not aware of how difficult this process of judging really is. We must all recognize and applaud the hard work and efforts that the judges put into adjudicating the images entered in our National Image Competition and Accreditation submissions. Enjoy this issue of Gallerie Magazine, the images and the stories they tell.

Ross Outerbridge, MPA PPOC Chair

GALLERIE IS THE PREMIER MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS ACROSS CANADA. EACH ISSUE FEATURES AWARD-WINNING IMAGES, EDITORIAL INFORMATION, TECHNICAL AND FEATURE ARTICLES, ADVERTISING, AND MEMBER SERVICES. ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS ARE WELCOME TO VIEW THE DIGITAL VERSIONS ON OUR WEBSITE.

GALLERIE is published three times annually;

- Winter (online issue)

- Summer (print and online)

- Fall (online issue)

SUBSCRIPTION

All PPOC members receive the printed issue directly to their doorstep. Online issues are available to all photographers.

To be added to our email mailing list please contact the PPOC office (info@ppoc.ca) indicating your province of residence. Additional printed copies of Gallerie are $6.95, plus postage. Please contact the PPOC Office.

SUBMISSIONS

Articles and member stories are welcome, please submit them to the editor for consideration.

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EDITOR

Terry Tinkess & Louise Vessey, MPA, SPA

e: editor@ppoc.ca

DESIGNER AND COMPUTER GRAPHICS

Josée Talbot, MPA

p: 418-881-3998

e: josee@talbotphotoart.ca

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Brad Kelly, MPA

e: advertising@ppoc.ca

Ross Outerbridge, MPA PPOC National Chair

THE FRONT LINE OF THE LENS REVOLUTION.

THE WOMAN WHO BROKE THE MOLD…

By Alph Leydon, MPA

AT 7:52 PM MDT – APRIL 18, 2021 CHELSEA JONES TWEETED…

“I CAN ANNOUNCE IT! I AM THE FIRST WOMAN TO RECEIVE THE DESIGNATION OF FELLOW OF PPOC AND THE YOUNGEST IN THE 51 YEAR @PPOC_NATIONAL HISTORY. THERE ARE ONLY 6 OTHER LIVING FELLOWS. MY THESIS FOCUSED ON ISSUES OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THE HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY”

And with that announcement PPOC history was made. When you speak to Jones you quickly realize she is a woman on a mission. She speaks in terms of goal setting, planning, efficiency, climbing the rungs of a proverbial ladder to achieve the next higher goal. She pushes herself to pack more into a single twenty-four-hour period than most would be content to accomplish in double that. She is at once, smart, thoughtful and energetic. She sees a bigger picture and will carry the flag forward for a new generation of PPOC image-makers.

Growing up in Saskatoon the young Chelsea Lee Ann Weiman; ever the energetic soul, not only carried a full tranche of schoolwork but also involved herself in both playing and coaching team sports such as volleyball and basketball. Swimming and tap dancing also played lead roles on her agenda for many years. Her father Rick was a huge proponent and cheerleader for Chelsea and her younger brother Kyle in all their athletic activities and he encouraged them every step of the way. Meanwhile her mother Wendy, who was a psychiatric nurse, would in one way or another have an influence on at least one of her daughter’s future careers.

Following high school Chelsea’s academic education took her to the University of Saskatchewan on a four-year quest to study the science of Kinesiology. Upon completion, the influence of her mother’s path returned, and she felt drawn to the science of the mind and the study of mental health issues. This was a major turning point for Chelsea as she made the decision to move to Edmonton in pursuit of a study program in Occupational Therapy at the University of Alberta, a program which was not available at home in Saskatoon. Over the ensuing 13 years her ever-evolving cycles of study, research and lecturing have led to her current career as an Occupational Therapist for the Canadian Armed Forces. She, in that time, has achieved her PhD in Rehabilitation Science from the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta. She is

currently immersed in further research as a PostDoctoral Fellow at Leiden University, Netherlands, Department of Psychiatry. Her research focuses on computer-based cognitive assessment in military members who have sustained mild traumatic brain injury. Other research interests include occupational stress injury and workplace reintegration within military, veteran, and public safety personnel. Along the way she has maintained her keen interest in sports and as fate would have it, she met her husband Kevin Jones upon joining the University of Alberta Rowing Team. Kevin is a Kinesiologist and Clinical Exercise Physiologist. He is also a male model and a wood turner. You can visit his store on etsy.com. Chelsea confides that not all products in the store are Kevin’s. She herself enjoys time in the workshop and is entranced by the curls of wood as they spin off the lathe, finding it both calming and therapeutic. Are you seeing the pattern here? A single path in life is definitely not enough for this pair. And there is more… much more…

that married science and art to help people understand and communicate their personal story. By leveraging the power of photography as a means of therapy to express emotions, the course sought to assist in supporting patients dealing with chronic pain and other ailments. It dovetailed with Chelsea’s primary studies, so she immediately took the plunge.

Chelsea had never considered herself particularly artistic however she has always enjoyed taking photographs. Subsequently during a trip to Europe, she met the editor of a travel magazine who admired some of the images she was making and suggested she take it more seriously. Upon her return she enrolled in an evening photography class wherein she met our own PPOC-AB member Tracy Grabowski who was the instructor. In time, Tracy suggested that she join the PPOC and the rest as they say is history. Chelsea bought her first DSLR in 2011 and joined PPOC. Since then, she has steadily progressed through the PPOC ecosystem, exploring and evolving her extensive creative capability.

Until recently Chelsea and Kevin shared their home with three dogs: Bear, Nickita and Vinnie. Sadly, Bear passed away this past February. He had been the oldest of the trio and Chelsea shares that she is uplifted by the memory of having had many years with him. But these are no ordinary hounds, they are all rescue dogs due to one more of Chelsea’s extracurricular activities as a co-founder of the Greater Edmonton Animal Rescue Society (GEARS). Bear was blind in one eye, Nikita is missing an eye, so Vinnie is their first binocular dog, as Chelsea likes to put it. Amazingly, Nickita and Bear have been animal assisted therapy dogs with the Chimo Animal Assisted Wellness and Learning Society (CAAWLS). Vinnie, due to his size and rambunctious personality is unemployable in that regard.

SO WHERE DOES PHOTOGRAPHY ENTER THE EQUATION, YOU MAY WELL ASK!

On one fateful and very important morning when she had planned to sign up for a new course the universe conspired to have Chelsea sleep in. When she arrived, the course was already full. However, as happenstance would have it, she fell upon something totally unexpected. This was a course

Jones for some time had felt the need to focus her photographic endeavours on a single genre or two, but her innate curiosity told her otherwise. This personal conflict at times frustrated her. In 2017 she interviewed Internationally Acclaimed Photographer, Director and Author, Joe McNally for a piece she was writing in Gallerie magazine prior to him speaking at the PPOC National Convention in Ottawa that year. Joe’s very successful photographic career has followed a varied path. Consequently, in conversations with him during the interview and at the Convention he allayed any fears she had with the need to specialize. From that point forward Jones has made no apologies in describing herself as a generalist. It gives her the creative freedom she enjoys. That said, she will admit that her favourite projects are those that involve creative portraiture and a little bit of imagination. Additionally, she has twenty National Accreditations to her name. When I asked her, why so many? She replied… “They’re like rungs on a ladder”

Jones is Accredited in the following Categories: Wedding Story | Photojournalistic Wedding | Nature | Canine / Dog Portrait | Fine Art / Photo Décor | Environmental Portrait | Portraiture | Boudoir | Glamour | Botanical | Travel Illustration | Animals | Children and Infant Portrait | Modelling Portfolio | Image Manipulation | Pictorial / Scenic | Couples Portrait | Editorial Illustration | Equine | Military Life

The friendships and support that Chelsea has found within the PPOC have been numerous and rewarding. One such example is when she met Chris Thombs (PPOC Mentorship Chair) who had connections in the Canadian Armed Forces. When Jones had an interest in achieving her Military Life Accreditation Chris arranged access to the nearby military base where she got an up-close-andpersonal view of an exercise in winter warfare, an opportunity she would not have had otherwise.

Jones’ achievements have been great and so too has her contribution. She is currently the PPOC National Accreditation Chair and the PPOC-AB Diversity and Inclusion Chair. She has previously been PPOC-AB North Branch Chair, has written for Gallerie Magazine, volunteered at various PPOC conferences and has lent her time and expertise on Judging panels for both Competition and Accreditation. What she has put in she has by her own admission received back. She describes her experience as follows…

“Volunteering for PPOC has been the single best means by which I have been able to improve my skills in the areas of entrepreneurship, non-profit organizations, academia, and public service. The knowledge, skills, and

confidence I have gained by taking on roles and responsibilities within the PPOC has not only helped my art and business but provided me with skills that have transferred into other career paths and facets of life.

The PPOC has given me the opportunity to set and achieve milestones that have helped maintain my motivation and drive. Having another rung on the ladder to reach has been motivating, inspiring and personally rewarding. The continual challenge to improve on my personal best in competitions and designations has undoubtedly contributed to my artistic growth.” - CJ

THE FELLOW OF PPOC –F/PPOC DESIGNATION

PPOC’s most prestigious designation is that of Fellow of PPOC (F/PPOC). Those holding this designation have at least 10 consecutive years of membership and have previously attained the designation of Master of Photographic Arts (MPA), with a minimum of two bars.

In addition to 15 salon quality image files accepted by a panel of Nationally qualified judges the applicant must also produce a (minimum) 7000-word Fellowship Paper that may be of a technical, specialized, or general subject, but must specifically relate to the science, art, and/or profession of photography on an educational level.

To date, there has been a total of nine PPOC Fellowships awarded in the 51-year history of the Association. Of those, there are just seven of the recipients still living. The main objective of the PPOC Fellowship program is to allow accomplished members to share their knowledge with the general membership while providing technical and administrative education.

PROFESSIONAL

PHOTOGRAPHERS OF CANADA - ALBERTA: DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION INITIATIVE: AN EVIDENCEBASED IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE PROJECT

Diversity and Inclusion (DAI) is an enormous subject matter currently at the forefront of our societal dialogue. In support of the DAI initiative implemented in the summer of 2020 by the Professional Photographers of Canada, Regional Alberta Board, Jones has undertaken to explore and analyze this subject, as it pertains to the photography industry in general and to the PPOC in the Alberta region specifically. She has leaned on her extensive academic and research experience to set the tone and define parameters from the outset. She offers her knowledge of Implementation Science to assist with the development of a sustainable initiative, in a systematic and evidence-based way. She explains…

“The purpose of this thesis is to provide an implementation science-based perspective into what has been and can be accomplished within PPOC-AB to address issues regarding DAI. Specific objectives include: (1) to describe the iterative process of exploring DAI within PPOC-AB guided by the Active Implementation Frameworks (AIFs), (2) to explore the themes and recommendations that emerged from the initial Exploration Stage, and; (3) to report the results of the PPOC-AB DAI initiative to date.” - CJ

Jones takes the reader on a logical and planed journey from Preface and Introduction of the subject to a detailed explanation of the term ‘Diversity and Inclusion’; it requires three pages. She explores the history of the photographic medium from its invention in Europe and its use in telling the story of the day which has evolved into an industry that Jones describes as being…

“Fraught with issues of inequality, inequity, and oppression that continue to this very day within Canada and abroad.” – CJ

Jones’ thesis is titled…

She provides historical stories by way of evidence, supported by images and references. The material provided is compelling. She carries on to explain Implementation Science, its Methodologies and Processes. She outlines the work that the PPOC-AB DAI Initiative team have undertaken to date, including Focus Groups Interviews Data Collection. She describes the Data Analysis approach and direct quotes from fellow PPOC members are provided in the Results section. Recommendations for implementation are followed by the Installation Phase which again is explained in considerable detail. An outline of Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles is provided as a means for constant improvement. The approach for Sustainable Implementation is discussed leading into a Practice-Police-Communication loop. Jones discusses the inherent Strengths and Limitations of the current approach to the DAI initiative within PPOC-AB and shares several stories of how some artists are ‘Addressing DAI Through the Lens’.

She concludes…

“Through changing attitudes, photographers can be at the helm of advocating for “others,” yet on their terms and with consent. Photographers can be at the forefront of changing the societal climate in a positive direction, not just within the PPOC or photography industry, but in society as a whole.” - CJ

“Implementation science frameworks, theories, and practices can provide a road map for implementing and sustaining DAI initiatives at the Regional and National levels of PPOC. Implementation science may assist the PPOC in taking ideas and concepts and putting them into action with fidelity which will benefit the organization and the photography industry at the micro, meso and macro levels. Then we can implicitly and deliberately work towards being “a diversified group of creative artists dedicated to the highest standards in professional imaging.” - CJ

This is a paper that was not lightly undertaken. Jones spent a full twelve months researching and developing the narrative. She provides copious references, definitions, details, explanations and process charts throughout. For those of us unaccustomed to reading papers of an academic nature or perhaps unfamiliar with some of the scientific terms and precepts it is not a fast read. I admit to having read several passages two and three times before I fully grasped the information therein. When understood however, it offers a new level of insight and grounds for consideration as we move forward in our photographic

Designations

2021 Honour of Fellow of the Professional Photographers of Canada – F/PPOC

2021 2nd Bar - Master of Photographic Arts (MPA) - Professional Photographers of Canada

2020 1st Bar - Master of Photographic Arts (MPA) - Professional Photographers of Canada

2019 National Judge Certification

2019 Master of Photographic Arts Degree (MPA) - Professional Photographers of Canada

2018 Craftsman of Photographic Arts Degree (CPA) - Professional Photographers of Canada

Awards

2019 Best in Class - Fine Art and Judge’s Choice - PPOC National Salon

2018 Best in Class - Editorial - PPOC National Salon

2018 Best in Class - Fine Art - PPOC- Alberta Provincial Salon

2018 Best in Class - Portrait - PPOC- Alberta Provincial Salon

endeavours. It will make us think how, when, where, and why we point our lenses. And with what intent we tell our visual stories.

The paper in its entirety is available for review in the members only area of the PPOC National Website https://www.ppoc.ca under Members > Member Resources > Fellowship Papers.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

At some point she would like to find time for a short break. She’s at her most creative when she manages to briefly put life on pause. Travel has always held a strong interest for her, and she would like to do more of it. She has visited Scotland and Italy but her favourite place thus far is Thailand. On another occasion she set herself the challenge of learning Spanish before embarking on a month-long trip to Costa Rica.

ADVICE FOR A NEW GENERATION OF PHOTOGRAPHERS

Organically get involved. Volunteer wherever you can. There is so much more to be gained on a personal level beyond the photography alone. Manage your time and your workflows to find balance and to give back. Don’t be afraid, dive in and don’t hold back. Chelsea shared that she has failed many times on her path to achieving her many Accreditations. The more you participate the more you will win.

I get the sense that Chelsea has set a very tall ladder for herself. She’s steadily taking it a rung at a time with her eyes set on the very top… Keep climbing Chelsea and never look back!

Chelsea Jones, F/PPOC, MPA

Chelsea Jones’ work may be viewed on her website: Vitality Images Photography | www.vitalityimages.ca

Instagram: @vitalityimagesphotography

Pinterest: @vitalityimagesphotography

Facebook: @vitalityimagesphotography

Twitter: @vitalityimages

Phone: 780-691-4595

E-mail: Chelsea@vitalityimages.ca

2021 ACCREDITATION DEADLINES

Even though Covid-19 is preventing in-person accreditation judging from happening at this point, please remember that PPOC is still continuing to judge accreditations four times per year.

Next accreditation deadline is:

- October 4, 2021, 5 pm EDT

DANIELLE BARABÉ-BUSSIÈRES, cpa , 2021 PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTIST OF THE YEAR

THE SIMPLE BEAUTY OF THE NATURAL WORLD

By Terry Tinkess

WHEN DANIELLE BARABÉ-BUSSIÈRES WAS ANNOUNCED AS THE 2021 PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTIST OF THE YEAR, SHE BECAME QUITE EMOTIONAL AND WAS VIRTUALLY SPEECHLESS. FORTUNATELY, HER WORK SPEAKS FOR ITSELF AND HER PASSION SHINES THROUGH IN EVERYTHING SHE CREATES.

Danielle’s interest in photography began as it has for so many people: with their children as their initial subject and inspiration. As they grew older, however, she found she had time for herself and the camera and the natural world became an ideal combination.

Since 2014, when she invested in her first “serious” camera, Danielle has developed her skills, to the point where her images are uniquely her own. Her philosophy: keep it simple.

“I kind of have my own style of photography and editing and post and all of the editing work, I think it’s my signature,” says Danielle. “I think I’ve grown to develop different techniques and different methods. I work in a very simple way, that’s for me.

It’s really important to keep everything simple because I’m not a complicated person in life. What I like is as long as my shots are sharp and they’re in focus I can do anything with them.”

When it comes to capturing the image, many photographers suggest having an idea of what you are looking for before heading out. Others, like Jay Maisel, for example, suggest “going out empty,” with no preconceived notion

of what you want to come back with. Danielle has developed a method that is a combination of both.

“I’m going out most of the time and whatever comes my way, that’s what I will be shooting,” she says. “Most of the time I know places where I can get a lot of different variety in the type of birds or animals that I will see, but there are specific shots that I would like to get. “

She, of course, does have locations that she returns to often (the Richmond dump, Amherst Island, to name two), but many times it becomes a case of going where the road takes her.

“If I feel like driving farther, then sometimes, I just hit the backroads and I just drive,” she says. “It’s a good thing I have a GPS because sometimes I’m an hour and a half away from home and I’m thinking, where am I and how am I going to get back home?”

When she goes out, Danielle believes in being prepared. “When I go out, my car always has all of my equipment,” she says. “I have three bodies, all of my lenses are there and it’s like I have a little luggage and it stays in the car even if I go grocery shopping or anything.

When I go out to shoot, if I get out of the car to shoot, I only have my D500 and my 200-500mm lens, that’s all I need. I don’t use a tripod for wildlife. I’ll use a tripod to get the sky at night and stars or whatever but, for the wildlife I just handhold my D500 and 200-500.”

The images that Barabé-Bussières submitted this year are a testament to the range of her work, with three achieving Merit status with the fourth, Accepted status.

Majestic Hunter, in the Animal category is an image of a red fox, an animal that Barabé-Bussières built a relationship with over the better part of a year.

“When we started working remotely last year, I was working in my kitchen in front of my window and this little guy would just go by every day, sometimes early in the morning, sometimes at 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon,” says Danielle.

“I thought ‘I need to grab my camera and leave it on the kitchen table’ so that’s what I did.

“So many times I was just sitting on the front porch and just waiting for something to happen because I could see her every day. At some point she got used to me and she knew that I wasn’t a threat to her. I was talking to her and asking her how she was doing today. She was just looking at me taking pictures and I would talk to her and say thank you so much for this opportunity.”

Constance Bay is about 30 minutes West of Ottawa, and that is where Danielle found inspiration for her image Hazy Day in Constance Bay. “It was extremely foggy and for me when the fog is out, Danielle is out,” she says.

“I mean the scenery is just beautiful and what you can do with those images is absolutely gorgeous. I got home and then I think it took me three weeks before I actually really paid attention to that photo. As I’ve said before I really liked working with clouds and skies and so that’s how I create that kind of dreamy look.”

Danielle has a great love of macrophotography, and it is displayed in her image Wrap of Softness. “I always have a shot like that when I submit my images. I really like details and the dreamy look of things,” she says. “When you look at a flower or whatever, you have to do some kind of a treatment to it, because otherwise it’s not that attractive or it just has ordinary impact.

“You still see the details inside and that’s what I really like with the macro lens. If there’s no wildlife one day, I will just grab my body with the macro lens on it and I always find something,”

Danielle enjoys being close with nature and often sets out on foot. This was what allowed her to create her fourth image, Bohemian Rhapsody

“I was very fortunate I was just walking along the road,” says Danielle. “In the background sometimes you can hear the birds and after a while you kind of recognize their calls. I was just shooting whatever I could see. I think there’s only two photos really, two pictures really that are good because the other ones have too many branches that go across their bodies or stuff like that.

I don’t mind removing branches around my subject but not on my subject. That can make it difficult to make it look like it’s natural, and I want things to look as natural as possible.”

Always looking for that special image can be challenging, but for Danielle, it also brings peace. “For me a perfect day is when I can go out shooting all day. If I can go and be in nature and even if there’s not much wildlife around, I just need to get out and walk in the woods or, you know, just sit in a park and listen to the birds, look at how they interact with each other and their environment, see how they acted in different situations and then come back home with a card full of whatever.

For me that’s the perfect day!”

Congratulations Danielle on your 2021 PPOC Photographic Artist of the Year award!

Danielle Barabé-Bussière, CPA

Since her childhood, Danielle has been a lover of nature and uses it fully to recharge her batteries and to meditate when life goes too fast.

She is involved on the committee of her branch of PPOC, Eastern Region and is a mentor for three new PPOC members.

Danielle is the proud mother of two and soon to be the grandmother of a third granddaughter. She can’t wait to teach them how to fish and introduce them to the wonderful world of insects!

www.daniellebarabebussieres.com/ www.facebook.com/DanielleBBphotography/

FRANCE BOUCHARD, MPA, 2021 COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

HER ENTHUSIASM IS INFECTIOUS, HER PHOTOGRAPHY REFRESHING

By Terry Tinkess

IT IS DIFFICULT TO SPEAK WITH FRANCE BOUCHARD WITHOUT FEELING A SMILE FORM ON YOUR FACE. THE 2021 COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR LOVES WHAT SHE DOES, EVEN AFTER MORE THAN 20 YEARS AS A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER, AND THIS IS APPARENT WITHIN MOMENTS OF SPEAKING WITH HER. SHE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT SHE DOES, CARING ABOUT THOSE WHO PASS IN FRONT OF HER LENS, AND LOOKS AT THE WORLD AS A WONDROUS PLACE, JUST WAITING TO BE DISCOVERED.

France scored very well in this year’s national salon, receiving two designations of Excellence, one of Merit and a fourth image Accepted. One of the images, The Daring, was judged Best in Class, won the Judge’s Choice ribbon and was selected to be included in the 2021 prestigious Loan Collection of the Professional Photographers of Canada. It was, she agrees, a very good showing for her. “It was my year,” she says proudly of hearing her name so many times. “France Bouchard, France Bouchard, France Bouchard, that was cool!”

The images she chose to submit show the breadth of her abilities. She has displayed skill and excellence in many areas, such as portrait, commercial photography, landscape photography, animals, travel photography, wedding photography, fashion photography, boudoir photography and artistic nude.

And while her skill is evident, she also creates images that possess a sense of fun as well. This was evident in the image I’m Not A Chicken

“I was doing editorial work for this one. Every year they have this event, it is at the bottom of a big ski resort. They make a pool and people compete to see how far they can go without touching the water.

They come down the hill very fast and some people end up in the water big time. Some people really get into it, wearing costumes, and make it a really fun thing because you can also win if you are judged the most popular by the crowd. That guy (in the photo) was wearing a chicken hat on his head, and he was wearing only (long johns) underwear, and it was so cold! It was crazy. I took the shot just before he hit the water. I think that is my best reportage photography!”

France adds that some people told her the title should have been, I’m Not Chicken, meaning the skier was fearless. Considering the nature of the event, and the unusual headwear, her title seems to work just as well.

While France is skilled in so many different types of photography, she does have a favourite. When asked what she would choose to shoot if given a day with no responsibilities or restrictions, she did not hesitate to answer. “Very high fashion, or very colourful things, with models,” she says. “Maybe someone like Celine Dion, or someone like that, a big star and to do a crazy shot. I love when it’s colourful, crazy and different.”

One of the other joys in France Bouchard’s life is travel, and she is really looking forward to the post-COVID world. She says if she could travel anywhere, her choice would be to go to India.

“It would be India because of all the different ethnicities, the faces of the people, the colour, I mean, wow, that is where I would want to go. The more you travel, the more you realize that people around the world, they are mostly like us. If you ask people on the street to help you, they will. You find that most people have a great big heart.”

At this point France would have to agree that her career has been a success, although she has some regrets that it didn’t happen as fast as she would have liked. “I feel that I was slow to do everything I did,” and then explains. “To start my business, I had to be the Photographer of the Year in Quebec, because I was not sure if I was as good as I needed to be.”

She has personal goals going forward but says that there is one thing she would like to see for the photography industry as well. “To sell photography as art,” she says. “I do now, I would like to see photography more valuable and respected as art. We don’t have our place there yet.

We aren’t valued enough that we would go into the shops where they sell art. That is what I would like to do.”

COVID-19 had a huge impact on the life and livelihood of many Canadians. Photographers learned all too well the feeling of being locked down, and France is no exception. She wants to build on the success she had. “It is a good push, especially after last year, which was not an easy one. I did only a quarter of my business because I was not able to work,” she says. “I was closed by the government (due to the pandemic), so it was not easy, but we are strong people.”

It is not just the business and the awards and the recognition though. Something just as important was missing. “While it was nice to win, not being able to be together to share the pleasure of each other’s company made the pleasure of winning less than it might otherwise have been, says France. “Hopefully next year we will be able to have a convention with people around. That would be great! “We still go to listen to the speakers, and we learn, but sometimes we can learn more sitting at a table and having a drink and listening to what others have done. That is so important!”

Congratulations France, on your 2021 PPOC Commercial Photographer of the Year award!

France Bouchard, MPA

For the sake of quality, France continues her training to always be on the lookout for new developments in the field of photography. It is in her studio in Lac-Beauport in Quebec City that France welcomes her clients in a simple and friendly manner, to establish a climate of trust that is crucial in creating memorable memories. She is a caring, passionate, creative, and professional woman!

France Bouchard Artist Photographer www.francebphotos.com 418-670-8888

2021 PPOC DESIGNATION RECIPIENTS DESIGNATIONS PRESENTED IN A VIRTUAL GALA,

APRIL 18th, 2021

CPA RECIPIENTS

Mark Bilash / PPOC MB

France Bouchard / PPOC QC

Jayme Dunn / PPOC BC

Doris Ferrarese / PPOC BC

Becky Fleury / PPOC MB

Karine Goyette / PPOC QC

Cindy Hains / PPOC QC

Cassandra Jones / PPOC AB

Cheri Kellington / PPOC SK

Steve Pelton / PPOC BC

MPA RECIPIENTS

Kim Berlie / PPOC AB

France Bouchard / PPOC QC

Steve Cain / PPOC ON

Lisa Demaline / PPOC ON

Kathryn Gardner / PPOC BC

Jocelyne Hebert / PPOC MB

Tracy Munson / PPOC AT

Marlene Palamarek / PPOC AB

Krista Powers / PPOC AT

Larry Scherban / PPOC BC

Shauna Smith / PPOC AB

Jackie Standing / PPOC AB

Josée Talbot / PPOC QC

Cheryl Webb / PPOC AB

Victoria West / PPOC AT

Terrill Bodner / PPOC BC

France Bouchard / PPOC QC

Kim Downie / PPOC MB

Alph Leydon / PPOC ON

Pete Mather / PPOC ON

Susie O’Connor / PPOC AB

Linda Ryma / PPOC ON

Chris Thombs / PPOC AB

Vanessa Dewson/ PPOC ON

Chelsea Jones / PPOC AB

Nicole Noyce / PPOC SK

MPA 2 nd BAR

MPA 1 st BAR

MPA 3 rd BAR

Anna Beaudry / PPOC BC

MPA 4 th BAR

H. Bruce Berry / PPOC AT Tina Weltz / PPOC ON

MPA 5 th BAR

Terry Hrynyk / PPOC ON Jay Terry / PPOC ON

MPA 6 th BAR

Claude Brazeau / PPOC ON

MPA 9 th BAR

Marc Bailey / PPOC QC

MPA 17 th BAR

Don MacGregor / PPOC BC

SPA 1 st BAR

Charles van den Ouden / PPOC ON

SPA 3 RD BAR

Alison Berk / PPOC SK

2021 OTHER PPOC ACCOMPLISHMENTS

PRESENTED IN A VIRTUAL GALA, APRIL 18th, 2021

YOUSUF KARSH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

MaryEllen Nealis, mpa

NATIONAL CITATION FOR SERVICE

Ken Frazer, hlm, mpa

HONOURABLE LIFE MEMBER

Peter Gold, hlm, mpa, spa

GAIL GOLD AWARD FOR CONVENTION VOLUNTEER EXCELLENCE

Louise Gingras, mpa

FELLOW OF PPOC

Chelsea Jones, mpa

2021 PPOC AWARD RECIPIENTS

AWARDS PRESENTED IN A VIRTUAL GALA, APRIL 18th, 2021

PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Danielle Barabé-Bussières, cpa

Award sponsored by PPOC

COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

France Bouchard, mpa Award sponsored by Nikon Canada Inc.

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Rabih Madi

Award sponsored by Sony of Canada

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Victoria West, mpa Award sponsored by Technicare Premier Photo Lab

CLASS AWARD IMAGES

Child Portrait | Morning Chores by Becky Fleury, cpa (PPOC-MB)

Animals | Golden Boy by Tracy Munson, mpa (PPOC-AT)

Group Portrait | Snow Day! by Becky Fleury, cpa (PPOC-MB)

Editorial | Meeting A Deadline by Steve Cain, mpa (PPOC-ON)

Fine Art | Snow Day by Candice Daum, cpa (PPOC-MB)

Fashion | The Daring by France Bouchard, mpa (PPOC-QC)

Newborn | Two Halves of a Whole by Amber Noble (PPOC-BC)

Architecture | Waves of Steel by Louis-Philippe Provost (PPOC-QC)

Portrait | #MMIWG by Victoria West, mpa (PPOC-AT)

Industrial | Solid Strike by Kim Downie, mpa (PPOC-MB)

Experimental/Unclassified | Isolation by MaryEllen Nealis, mpa (PPOC-AT)

Wedding Portrait | Majestic by Louise Gingras, mpa (PPOC-ON)

See Loan Collection images here

See Judges’ Choices images here

Commercial | Hidden Jewels by Nataliya Bilgen (Best Student Commercial - Langara College)

Feature Album | Falkland Stampede by Paul Wright, mpa (PPOC-BC)

Wedding Group | Lucky Number 7 by Rabih Madi (PPOC-QC)

Product Illustration | Fallen Angel by Mike Wing (PPOC-ON)

Terry Robertson Master Award | The Love of a Girl by Krista Crellin, mpa (PPOC-MB)

Portrait | Siblings by Rafaella Roriz (Best Student Portrait Wedding - NAIT)

General | Apple of the Eye by Sophia Wyganowski-Xanthis (Best Student General, Best Student Overall - Georgian)

Pictorial/Floral | Moroccan Twilight by Alph Leydon, mpa (PPOC-ON)

Figure Study | Dunes by Claude Brazeau, mpa (PPOC-ON)

Image Restoration and Colourization | The Village Bakers by Jessica Bailey (PPOC-QC)

Press | Skid Row by Jason Bowie (PPOC-AT)

Conceptual Illustration | Mountain Drive by Diane Hanna (PPOC-BC)

Photojournalistic Wedding | The First Look by Louise Gingras, mpa (PPOC-ON)

VICTORIA WEST, mpa 2021 PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR THAT WHICH SHAPES HER LIFE, SHAPES HER ART

By Terry Tinkess

BEING NAMED PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR HAS BECOME A BIT OF A HABIT FOR VICTORIA WEST, HAVING PREVIOUSLY WON IN 2019 AND 2020. SHE SEEMED A BIT SURPRISED THIS YEAR THOUGH, WHEN SHE HEARD HER NAME ANNOUNCED.

“Last year I was very nervous about the awards ceremony because I felt pretty confident that I would win because I had really high scores,” she says. “I was nominated for three Best in Class, so I was feeling like pretty confident and nervous because if you don’t win, you’re going to be disappointed.”

This year she says she was not expecting to win and was very surprised when she did!

Victoria’s work often involves a lot of previsualization and the use of composites in creating the final image. Rather than considering the individual layers, she prefers to work around a finished idea and then try to figure out how to get there.

“I have a vision of what I want to create and then I do whatever I have to do to get as close to that as possible. Up until now everything that I’m using in my composites is stuff that I’ve photographed. I’m definitely a person who just jumps right in. I don’t really worry too much about figuring it out now, I’ll figure it out on the other end and I just kind of go for it in my way.”

Victoria admits that she takes some inspiration from others in the photo industry, but believes that really, she has created her own path.

“There’s so many photographers doing so many different things and I think so much of it’s to be admired,” she says, “but as far as what I want to create, I don’t think anybody is really doing exactly what I’m doing. I’m doing something maybe a bit weird.”

In developing her own style, Victoria says that it is the things that shape her life are the things that ultimately shape her art. “My competition work is what I make for me. It’s what I want to make, so it’s my voice. I’m telling the story that I want to tell so I think that’s just shaped by all my different thoughts and feelings and journey in life.”

These influences are apparent in her submissions this year.

Losing her mom to cancer in December of 2019, along with what the world was experiencing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic were the two influences that combined to enable Victoria to create Until We Meet Again. “When she died, she was in Hospice and we were all there and it just felt like the worst, you know, like it just felt like such a difficult thing to experience. Those moments, I had no appreciation for them, they were just really negative.

COVID came shortly after and throughout COVID you would hear stories or even know people who had to say goodbye to loved ones over iPads or

never even really get to say goodbye and people separated from their loved ones. Suddenly, it was like getting the opportunity to say goodbye became something that wasn’t such a horrible thing. I would think to myself so many times I’m so grateful that my mother didn’t go through that illness and pass away during COVID. I’m so grateful it happened before and we did have the opportunity to be there with her, so my perception of what it means to be able to say goodbye did change and I wanted to show that in a way that it wasn’t a horrific thing. I mean, obviously it’s difficult but at the same time I think we can find an appreciation for the idea we’re all going to go at some point so if we’re lucky enough to be surrounded by people who care about us and go in a peaceful way it’s not really that bad.”

#MMIWG (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls) is an image that stems from Victoria’s strong belief in and support of social justice issues. She is an animal rights activist and also has created images inspired by the Me Too movement. “The red hand is a symbol for missing and murdered Indigenous women, no more stolen sisters, I think, is sort of the campaign that uses that so it’s a pretty recognizable symbol”, says Victoria. “I wanted to make a portrait where I had an Indigenous woman looking very strong, very bold, something that really stood out. All of the faces in the background, I blurred them too so that they wouldn’t be individually recognizable because I didn’t want to take away from the main subject.”

MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN, GIRLS AND 2SLGBTQQIA (MMWIG)

Launched in 2016, the National Inquiry into MMWIG reported the truths about Canada’s extremely high rates of human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people, which are rooted in colonialism and colonial ideologies.

The impact will continue for generations to come unless we take specific action today. Learn more at www.mmiwg-ffada.ca.

I wanted the image to have a sadness to it but also a power to it. I think my model who’s not actually a model, pulled it off well. She has a pretty neutral expression and I didn’t want a lot of wardrobe taking away from it. I really wanted it to be about her face so we made the decision to leave the Indigenous earrings on with the beadwork because not everyone knows what missing and murdered Indigenous women are or even knows what it stands for. I feel like the earrings just make it a little more obvious.”

The image was created in consultation with her local Indigenous community and was well received. The image entitled It Takes A Village illustrates the level of trust that Victoria is able to build with anyone who steps in front of her camera. “Most of the people that I photographed nude usually I’m friends with them so that helps for sure,” says Victoria. In that photo the grandmother and the pregnant mother, I know them, but the sister, the aunt, I had never met before so she was putting her trust into her mother and sister, that they know I was to be trusted.

People know my work enough to know what to expect, that it’s going to look pretty fine art. I’ve done portraits of my husband nude many times, everybody’s seen them, they know they’re not seeing any bits or anything, so I think that probably helps me out, but I mean I still struggle to get nude models for sure because these people aren’t models, right? They’re just brave individuals.”

Victoria’s fourth image is a portrait of Brenda Murphy, Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, and it presents her in profile, rather than facing the camera. “She came in for a portrait session just for head shots and stuff like that, but she also brought that coat,” says Victoria. “It’s a coat that’s meant for a man, it’s the Lieutenant Governor’s ceremonial coat and it’s huge and really heavy. She’s a tall woman; she’s probably almost six feet tall and it was still large on her. As soon as I saw it, I just knew.”

“She’s really statuesque and she has really beautiful energy about her you know, where she’s very intelligent, very self-assured. To me she felt she had almost like a Royal air to her so I wanted to make her look like she could be part of the Royal family sort of thing. To me when I think about old portraits of the Royal family or important people, they’re usually looking off camera or they’re in profile.”

Victoria isn’t saying what she has planned for next year, because who can say what will happen between now and then? Safe to say that as she continues to create her own path, the images she creates will mirror the things that matter to her.

Congratulations Victoria, on your 2021 PPOC Portrait Photographer of the Year award!

Victoria West, MPA

Victoria West is a full-time portrait photographer. She’s built a strong reputation and business in Oromocto, NB, by creating portraits for people who hate being photographed (just like her). She’s a proud PPOC member and serves on the Board of the Atlantic Region. She is also an internationally awarded photographer having top 3 finishes at WPPI, WPE, and World Photographic Cup in 2019. She’s also 2020 & 2019 Portrait Photographer of the Year for PPOC. Victoria is also a passionate animal rights activist and lives with her husband, 5 dogs, and 1 unlucky cat.

RABHI MADI 2021 WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR WITH WEDDINGS, EMOTION MATTERS MOST

By Terry Tinkess

FOR RABHI MADI, THE 2021 WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR, THERE IS NO QUESTION: THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF AN IMAGE MATTERS MUCH MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. THAT PHILOSOPHY SEEMS TO BE WORKING WELL FOR HIM AS THIS IS THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR HE HAS RECEIVED THE HONOUR.

“Of course, in photography there are all these rules, what to do and what not to do, and you try to follow them, but the real valuable part is the emotion,” says Rabhi. “The moment, that’s what they can remember, not “The photographer told me to do this.” That’s not really the essence of wedding photography.

The best part is when the groom sees the bride for the first time, or moments like that,” he adds. “When you see the father give his daughter away to the groom at the altar, and he’s crying, and he looks at his new son-in-law and he conveys “take care of her,” without saying any words. These moments are, to me, the best.”

Rabhi has seen many changes in the time he has been a professional photographer, but one of them in particular is how photographers deal with each other.

“The way I see it is this. In the beginning when I first began photography it was more about the way I shot was my secret,” he says. “I don’t want to share because you are always worried that someone else will steal the job. You get the mentality that you want to conquer everything, but then, after you gain more experience, you become aware that collaboration is way more important than competition. The other person will do their work remembering who taught him.”

Membership in the PPOC is one source of knowledge, but Rabhi is also a regular attendee at the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) conference. He sees events

like this as a means of learning, sharing ideas and networking with other photographers to discover what has worked for them and what hasn’t. The relationships that are created and nurtured there are worth the time it takes to create them.

It is also this willingness of others to share and Rabhi’s desire to learn that led him to become the type of photographer he is today. “When I first started as an assistant, I was shooting a lot of Lebanese weddings,” he says. “They are always very grandiose for the bride, at the bride’s house. They are very beautiful, and there is a lot of emotion, but it is very superficial at that point. It becomes repetitive, and then you start realizing you are doing the same thing for every wedding. I said to myself, I can’t keep doing this or it will be like a regular job and that’s not why I started photography. I wanted to see photographers who were more about the storytelling rather than just a job or doing something according to the list such as, did you shoot the shoes, did you shoot the ring?, etc. That was really not of interest to me.”

Rabhi’s desire to learn from photographers who believed in that approach led him to two photographers from Alberta (Two Mann, Erika and Lanny Mann.)

“They inspired me to look at things differently, more of a story,” says Rabhi. “I did, and I won’t say it was a photojournalistic approach, more like a fly on the wall approach, trying to be there without talking to anyone, just shooting, shooting, shooting. The only time I really talk is when I am doing portraits. That really ignited my photography within that idea, so much so that I took a workshop with them a couple years ago, and they shot my wedding as well.”

“I like shooting the unexpected,” says Rabhi. “That kind of approach inspired me in the photography world.”

As his reputation has grown, Rabhi has seen the demand for his services spread, and he is now very much an international photographer, with clients in such far-away locations as Singapore and Qatar. He works with a small crew, two photographers in most cases, but as many as three or four depending on the size of the celebration. Still, he says it is not the scale of the event or the location that motivates him.

“It goes again to the emotional side of things,” says Rabih. “I did shoot fashion for a while, but it wasn’t for me because there was no real emotion, the crying, the laughter. I think that this part of photography, the wedding part, motivates me because I get to shoot an important part of their life, and they will always remember the day, forever.

In 20 years, you’ll remember. I know my parents, they look at certain pictures or album pictures and they’ll say, “I remember this,” or “I remember that time.” This is really motivating for me and something I like to see in my families. Let’s say when they come to me in five or six years because they want me to redo their album, and they are like “Oh my, I remember that time,” this really says I’m in the right field. The raw, uncontrolled part of the day. The moments you cannot fake or recreate. It’s genuine.”

Wedding photography isn’t for everyone, but Rabhi says that for the right person, it can be a very rewarding career. “If you are ready to sweat and work hard to get somewhere and always be learning, then yeah, it can be great,” he says. “Not to diminish any other type of photography, but it’s different. They all take skill, they take a lot of skill, but it’s not the same effort in a short period of time, as it is with wedding photography. It’s learning to deal with chaos. If you like chaos and emotion, then I feel it is one of the best fields to go to get a career because 1) people always get married, and 2) it’s raw, you get to feel what a lot of other people feel, and you also get to learn about a lot of other cultures. I never knew how they dealt with different things, from couples from Asia, to Sri Lanka, to Jewish weddings. You learn a lot. If you’re ready for that, then wedding photography is the way to go.”

Born in Saudia Arabia, then immigrated to Canada after stopping around a few countries along the way, travel was in my blood, but from the moment I picked up a camera for the first time on my trip to see my family abroad and captured these amazing faces & sceneries, I knew I was onto something special. Seeing those bright faces, looking forward to the future, was the perfect precursor to my career today. I knew that photography of “people” was where I was heading, but just didn’t know which avenue yet… until now!

Congratulations Rabhi, on your 2021 PPOC Wedding Photographer of the Year award!

Rabih Madi

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REMEMBERING Jean Chartrand

By Brad Kelly, MPA

“WHEN I JOINED PPOC 15 YEARS AGO, I WAS LOOKING FOR NEW FRIENDS AND LIKE-MINDED PHOTOGRAPHERS WITH WHOM I COULD ACTUALLY DISCUSS WHAT I DID FOR A LIVING, AND WHO WOULD UNDERSTAND THE TERMINOLOGY SO THAT I DIDN’T HAVE TO SPEND HALF THE CONVERSATION EXPLAINING THE BASICS. I MET THIS ANIMATED CHARACTER WHO INTRODUCED HIMSELF AS JEAN. WE HIT IT OFF FROM THE START. MOVING THROUGH THE HALLS AND ROOMS OF THAT FIRST CONVENTION, I WOULD SEE A WAVE, OR FEEL A PAT ON MY BACK, THEN SEE A HAND EXTENDED FOR ME TO SHAKE. “LEMME INTRODUCE YOU TO MY NEW FRIEND, BRAD”, “BRAD, LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO MY WIFE, DONNA”, AND ON IT WENT. IN ONLY A FEW DAYS, IT FELT LIKE JEAN AND I HAD KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR YEARS.

After that, no event that I attended seemed complete until Jean and I found each other at some point. It wasn’t a convention until we had time to talk about what we’d been doing, what we had planned, and where we were heading next. Jean and I became, I am proud to say, friends.

But Jean wasn’t there just for me. He was always willing to help members navigate the mechanics of our organization. He was an active sponsor for many new members and he was generous in offering guidance on accreditation. Beyond that, many of our members regarded Jean as both a friend and a mentor.

The warmness of Jean’s personality equaled the strength of his talent. Jean joined the PPOC in 2008 but his PPOC-ON membership went back even further. He earned his CPA in 2010 and his MPA in 2012 with his second Masters Bar in 2019. His many Architectural, Press, and Editorial Awards attest to his skill as an artist as does his presence in the Loan Collection and his being named 2012 Commercial Photographer of the Year for Ontario. Some of my best memories of Jean were from the times we spent on the Ontario Board together. We took pride in planning some great provincial conventions. Together with Jay Terry, we formed a core crew that seemed to accomplish miracles. We pulled many rabbits out of many hats, often stuffing a few back in for “next time”. After hours, I can see him up there on karaoke nights, then working the room to make sure everybody was having a good time. Spending so much time planning a convention, making all the arrangements, then watching the results play out in front of you can be pretty strenuous and stressful. Working behind the scenes to bring all the pieces together was actually fun for me, but I am really going to miss the times standing next to Jean and having him lean over to share a conspiratorial message just between us. His eyes would light up, and his character would burst through with that funny little grin. Then he’d resume a deadpan look that he could never hold for long. In no time, that grin would flash again.

The last time that I actually saw Jean was during a quick trip up to Ottawa to retrieve something that he had been holding for me. Shortly before these strange times came down upon us, we had that chance to hang out for a short while. But it felt like just another of our frequent brief get-togethers. We talked about when we’d get back together again and then with a hug we were off again. I would have liked to have spent more time sitting and talking, but it was a quick hit and run and I had to head home right away.

None of us know how much time we’ve got. We try to make the most of it with the people we care about. We may comfort ourselves by fantasizing that we will always be here for the ones we love and care about, and that they will be for us. But we know that is not how life really works.

On April 26, I learned my friend, our friend, was gone. The news broke my heart. No more hugs, no more conspiratorial whispers, no more shared adventures, no more memories to make together.

I had to go outside and sit by myself. I had just found some old images of the two of us on a misplaced memory card. I never got to send those to him. But I have them.

Photographs and memories. That is what we do, and in the end, that is why we do it. Jean wouldn’t want us to be sad for too long because of his passing. He always had a way of putting a smile on people’s faces. He was a character. He would want us to remember the many good times that we shared.

As long as we have those memories, Jean is still with us.

We need to keep creating photographs and memories with those around us, for those we care about.

I will miss you, Jean. Thank you for being my friend.

WOMEN AND GENDER IN PHOTOGRAPHY

By Chelsea Jones, F/PPOC, MPA

GENDER AND SEX ARE CHARACTERISTICS THAT ART HAS TRADITIONALLY OPPRESSED THROUGH IMPOSING NARRATIVES; PHOTOGRAPHY IS NO EXCEPTION TO THIS. THE MASCULINE, CISGENDER EXPERIENCE HAS CONSISTENTLY DOMINATED HOW SOCIETY SEES THE WORLD FROM LITERATURE THROUGH TO PAINTING, PHOTOGRAPHY AND VARIOUS OTHER VISUAL MEDIA. (SKELTON, 2020). IN 2012, ONLY 4% OF ARTISTS IN THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ARTS’ MODERN ART WING WERE WOMEN. WOMEN WERE NOT COMPLETELY ABSENT FROM THE COLLECTION HOWEVER; 76% OF THE NUDES WERE STILL WOMEN (SKELTON, 2020). APPROXIMATELY 85% OF WORKING PHOTOJOURNALISTS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE CISGENDER MEN. PROBLEMATICALLY, A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF THE NEWS IMAGERY WE CONSUME IS FRAMED AND FILTERED THROUGH THE MALE AND CISGENDER EXPERIENCE (ZALCMAN, 2018). PHOTOGRAPHS TELL A STORY, AS WELL AS WHAT TO SEE, AND WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN THE FUTURE; A DISTINCT LACK OF DIVERSITY IN WHAT IS CAPTURED ON FILM AND VIEWED MEANS GENERATIONS OF RACISM, MISOGYNY AND SEXISM HAVE BEEN EMBEDDED IN OUR COLLECTIVE WORLDVIEWS (ZALCMAN, 2018). DIVERSE GENDER PERSPECTIVES ARE NEEDED BECAUSE ANY HUMAN STORY AFFECTS WOMEN AND THOSE OF OTHER GENDER IDENTITIES. IT IS CRITICAL THAT CISGENDER PEOPLE USE THEIR POSITION IN SOCIETY TO CONSIDER MASCULINITY AND THE ROLE CISGENDER MEN PLAY IN OUR LIVES (ZALCMAN, 2018).

Photography involves a power dynamic with the photographer holding the ability to capture someone’s likeness and subjectively mould it into the narrative of their choosing. Women and other marginalized gender individuals with increased intersectional factors are provided less control over how they are represented in photographs and in the photography industry as a whole. When they are represented, it is often through documentary style photography that evoke strong emotion from the viewer of the image. Whether willingly on the part of the photographer or not, capturing a story and displaying a

narrative that is not congruent with the wishes of the subject is exhibiting a state of control of their narrative. Minoritized groups are often shown as being oppressed, and the populations most often photographed are frequently coping with that intersectional oppression on several fronts; they are not cisgender, minors, dealing with addiction, experiencing poverty, being abused,

Photo: Eric Lindbloom

in mourning, etc These stories are important; however, they should be told with consideration and involvement of the participants and minoritized and/or marginalized communities.

Many professional photographers still have to manage the expectation that photographers were traditionally white cisgender males. Women and other marginalized genders entering into professional photography may have to fight to be taken seriously by an industry that has been dominated by cisgender men since the invention of the camera. These photographers may be

entering dangerous and unpredictable situations when tackling stereotypes about where women should go and the topics they should cover (Strochlic, 2019). It is not unheard of for women to report being expected to be an assistant rather than the lead photographer at jobs simply because of their gender presentation. As well, photographers that are not cisgender men still report experiencing sexual harassment while working as a hired professional. These professional photographers generally make less than their cisgender male counterparts which may be assumed to be due to a complicated intertwinement of long-standing gender roles affecting, not only care-giving and household responsibilities, but also self-efficacy, access to education, and privilege - or lack thereof. Socioeconomic factors generally become more apparent with increased intersectionality of the individual.

Additionally, professional photographers who are women or of other marginalized gender identities are easily pigeonholed into photographing “feminine issues” such as women’s health, parenting, sexuality and gender, trauma, or communities who might otherwise be less accessible to cisgender male photographers. That act of women and other marginalized genders building rapport and being able to tell the stories of those who wish them to be told is vital and, at times, an asset but it should not mark the boundaries of their work (Zalcman, 2018).

Within the PPOC, approximately 50% of the membership identify as women, and there are many women in Regional and National positions providing their perspective and input into the PPOC. This is somewhat atypical when comparing to gender data from other Western and European countries and should be acknowledged. Looking back through the history of the PPOC, less than 12% of past PPOC presidents have been women, with three of them being in the last 10 years signifying potential improvement in cisgender diversity (PPOC, 2021). Another metric that may provide some information on the participation of women in the PPOC is the awards and designations. Currently, approximately 71% of those who hold the designation of Craftsman of Photographic Arts (CPA) are women (PPOC, 2021). For the Master of Photographic Arts (MPA), approximately 41% of recipients are women and other marginalized genders; however, the more MPA bars the person has, the less likely they are to identify as a woman (PPOC, 2021). Less than 13% of all Yousuf Karsh Lifetime Achievement Recipients have been a woman or marginalized gender, and only one Fellow of the PPOC is a woman (PPOC, 2021). The notable lack of women and marginalized gender members participating in attainment of the PPOC’s highest awards is likely complex and a reflection of societal pressures, privilege, and intersectional factors,

Photo: Becky Fleury

Photo: Heather Fryer

Photo: Linda Ryma

but does warrant investigation and discussion amongst the PPOC. It is likely the issue lies in factors that dissuade or prevent women, and other marginalized genders, from applying for these designations.

The reduced presence of women or other marginalized genders with these designations is clearly not due to a lack of ability or talent; this is clear when you see that 3 of the 4 Photographer of Year awards for 2021 were Danielle Barabé-Bussières, France Bouchard, and Victoria West. As well, Jacquie Matechuk, Ammara Sadiq, Stephanie Lachance, Katherine Calnan, Victoria West, and Krista Crellin were some of the members of Team Canada at the 2021 World Photographic Cup, contributing to an overall bronze medal finish.

As well, the images of women by women in this article and throughout this publication showcase the immense talent the women of PPOC have to offer. Although it is important to note that these images are not representative of all women, they showcase some of the diverse issues, emotions, experiences, and complexity that may affect women through beauty, power, advocacy, pride, confidence, love, loss, resilience, and rising to the challenges facing the world.

The then, now, and future of diverse genders in photography is hopeful; with open-minds, empathy, education, and attention to issues of diversity, inclusion, privilege, and intersectionality, we can and will improve ourselves, our art, and the photography industry as a collective society. Photography is, in essence, storytelling that can be utilized to share narratives, communicate, advocate, and express. Through documenting ourselves and others, many women and non-cisgender photographers are working collaboratively with the people whose stories they are trying to tell in a way that brings gender, diversity and inclusion to the forefront of society. There are a number of photographers challenging narratives and representing those in images on their terms. Haley Morris-Cafiero with Wait Watchers, Yumma Al-Arashi with Northern Yemen, Nadya Kwandibens of Red Works, Cristina de Middel with Gentleman’s Club, and Charlotte Schmitz with La Puenta are just a few international examples of this. Within the PPOC, Marlene Palamarek, Victoria West, Susie O’Connor and others have multiple National Salon images of women that demonstrate massive

Photo: Nicole Noyce

Photo: Jenn Gwynn

Photo: Cassandra Jones

diversity of emotions, roles, and storytelling throughout their repertoire demonstrating creative range and technical proficiency.

These examples, and others, demonstrate how photography can strive to be better at taking care around diversity and inclusion, representation, and other social issues. Including diverse perspectives of photographers, which include women and other genders, can assist with changing the perspective of society and opening our minds to collective issues. Through changing attitudes, photographers can be at the helm of advocating for others, yet on their terms and with consent. Diverse photographers can be at the forefront of changing the societal climate in a positive direction, not just within the PPOC or photography industry, but in society as a whole.

References

Professional Photographers of Canada. (2021). https://www.ppoc.ca/ Skelton, S (2020, January 16). Female in Focus: championing a gender-equal photography industry.

Strochlic, N. (2019, March 8). How women photographers access worlds hidden from men. National Geographic.

Zalcman, D. (2018, November 26). Voices of Change. Huck, (67).

Chelsea Jones is a Master Photographer (MPA) and Fellow with the PPOC. She is also an occupational therapist and researcher in Edmonton, Alberta. Chelsea enjoys photographing a number of genres and is passionate about giving back to the PPOC and creating positive change within the photography industry.

Chelsea Jones, F/PPOC, MPA

Photo: Ammara Sadiq

Photo: Jackie Standing

Photo: Crystal Mercredi

Photo: Susie O’Connor

Photo: Marlene Palamareck

THE ART AND BUSINESS OF FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

By Jennifer Gilbert

I HAVE BEEN A PHOTOGRAPHER FOR 13 YEARS AND A MEMBER OF PPOC SINCE 2011. WHEN I FIRST STARTED OUT, I WAS TERRIFIED OF PHOTOGRAPHING AN ENTIRE FAMILY! WHY COULDN’T I JUST PHOTOGRAPH THE KIDS? THE PARENTS ALWAYS SEEMED LIKE THEY DIDN’T WANT TO BE THERE, BUT THEY INSISTED ON BEING PHOTOGRAPHED. I WASN’T CONFIDENT IN MY SKILLS, AND IT SHOWED IN MY WORK.

It took at least a year to realize how extremely important family photographs are to people. The images you create for your clients is their legacy. One of my favourite photographers, and one of two people who convinced me to join the PPOC, Storey Wilkins, often says that hiring a photographer is an act of love. The client has hired you because they love their family so much that they want to preserve that moment in time, forever. Children grow quickly and people move away. Being able to view those cherished memories will bring joy to a person every time they open that album or look at their wall art. There are two parts to the Art of Family Photography. The first is creating the images. It takes a lot of time and consultation before the session to get to know the family, their likes, their values and how they connect with each other. Once you know this, you can truly create art for them. I have always found that the better I get to know people, the easier they feel in front of my camera, and the more relaxed they are in their images.

The second part is creating the product that will hang on their walls. Are they looking for a wall gallery or a large portrait? What do they want to look at every single day that will bring a smile to their face? What kind of product do they want? These are all things to ask during the consultation meeting before the shoot. If you’ve touched all these points and created the art they simply MUST HAVE, then your work will sell itself at the sales appointment.

The Business of Family Photography is all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into creating your brand and attracting clients. People will buy from those that they know, like and trust. I’ve always found in-person networking to be great, and second to that, social media has done wonders. Remember to value yourself! Being the cheapest photographer in town might get you a lot of business, but is it business from clients you want and who value you and your work? You want to enjoy your career, after all.

Family Portraits are more than just a bunch of images on your camera; it’s a curation of family memories. With the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, I believe Family Photography will be more important than ever before. Do some digging into why you love family photography and apply it to your business model. Only success can come from it!

Jennifer Gilbert is a Nationally Accredited Family Portrait Photographer based in Tottenham, Ontario. She is an expert in capturing the innocence of family life and development with expectant mothers, newborns, toddlers or entire family units. With a versatile and flexible studio, she goes anywhere to capture the true moments that define you. Jennifer is also the National Director for Ontario with the PPOC.

You can visit her online at www.jennifergilbert.ca

Jennifer Gilbert

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CANADA TOP IN THE WORLD

AS TEAM CANADA GATHERED VIRTUALLY TO WATCH THE WORLD PHOTOGRAPHIC CUP AWARDS, THEY CELEBRATED TOGETHER AT THE SUCCESS OF FOUR PPOC PHOTOGRAPHERS. FOUR STUNNING CAPTURES THAT PROPELLED OUR 2021 TEAM INTO AN UNPRECEDENTED 3RD PLACE WORLD FINISH. UNITED, THEY ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING NEVER BEFORE ACHIEVED, A PODIUM FINISH FOR CANADA PITTED AGAINST THE ABSOLUTE BEST FROM 38 NATIONS AROUND THE WORLD.

The WPC Team Canada committee creates our nation’s submission. Volunteer curators from supporting photographic associations, such as PPOC, are tasked with culling images submitted by Canadian photographers to find the 18 exceptional images that will go on to represent Canada in the World Photographic Cup competition.

Of the 18 images submitted in 2021 the following four earned top honours:

Silver, Commercial – Louis-Philippe Provost, Gatineau, QC Bronze, Commercial – Jacquie Matechuk, Cochrane, AB

6th Place, Portrait – Ammara Sadiq, Spruce Grove, AB

9th Place, Portrait – Stéphanie Lachance, Chambly, QC

Team Canada’s goal has always been to showcase Canada’s photographic talent to the world. Our country has some of the world’s most exceptional photographers and Team Canada relies on their vision and creativity to succeed. All Canadian photographers, professional and amateur, are invited to submit images for consideration. Entries will be accepted through the WPC Team Canada website until August 31st, 2021.

www.wpcteamcanada.com

Canada needs your photographic talent

“It’s truly an honour to represent Canada in the creative realm and to be a member of a team that validates artists and promotes the talent within our country”

Joel Robison, 2021 Team Canada Member

“Inspired by architecture and travelling, I study buildings and landscapes from new and different angles. This image features the beauty of the Ray and Maria Stata Center designed by Frank Gehry, and part of The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I tend to favour black and white to highlight the composition and contrast of my images.”

Louis-Philippe Provost

“As our world fell hostage to the restraints of a global pandemic, an unwanted solitude and feeling of abandonment engulfed our everyday lives. Here, a once bustling downtown city centre sat vacant of all signs of life. I stood alone, surrounded by these towering structures and felt their longing to be remembered; to be embraced.”

Jacquie Matechuk

“When I saw this image on the back of the camera I couldn’t help wonder what the image would look like flipped. Immediately I thought of Swan Lake and the story evolved from there. A beautiful ballerina in her human form - returning to the water to become a swan by daylight.”

Ammara Sadiq

“This image was created spontaneously and was not planned. The family came for a newborn session and when I saw the little boy and his beautiful eyes enter my studio, I thought, ok I need to take a portrait of him and his Dad alone! It turned out to be one of the most amazing images I have ever taken.”

Stéphanie Lachance

ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS PART 1 - PHOTOGRAPHING WILDLIFE

By Tracy Munson, MPA

FROM BACKYARD BIRDING TO HEART-POUNDING SIGHTINGS OF APEX PREDATORS, PHOTOGRAPHING WILDLIFE IS AN EXCITING AND REWARDING PASTIME THAT MANY PHOTOGRAPHERS ENJOY. MOST LEARN QUICKLY THAT THERE IS A LOT MORE TO CREATING A GREAT WILDLIFE IMAGE THAN OWNING A TELEPHOTO LENS! UNDERSTANDING THE BEHAVIOURS OF THE ANIMALS WE SEEK TO PHOTOGRAPH IS ESSENTIAL, NOT ONLY IN FINDING SUBJECTS, BUT IN ENSURING THEIR SAFETY (AND OURS). BEING ABLE TO PREDICT WILDLIFE BEHAVIOUR WILL HELP US TO CAPTURE MORE INTERESTING AND ENGAGING IMAGES DURING THOSE ENCOUNTERS.

PHOTOGRAPHING

BIRDS

If you feed them, they will come...

As a general rule, feeding wildlife is a bad idea that almost always has negative consequences for the animal. Backyard bird feeders can be an exception (although having native plants and flowers in your garden is even better). The types of birds that frequent feeders don’t tend to be prone to aggressive or nuisance behaviours, making it reasonably safe to attract them to our yards, with a few precautions.

• Seed-eating birds, like finches, carry a fatal disease called Trichomoniasis that can be spread by congregation at bird feeders. This is especially prevalent in the Atlantic provinces, where it is important to remove seed feeders altogether once warmer temperatures arrive.

• Hummingbird feeders must be washed every couple of days to avoid the growth of fungus that can kill them. Use a solution of 4 parts water to 1 part white sugar. Never use honey, brown sugar, or add red food colouring.

Early Spring is the best time to feed and photograph songbirds, when there is minimal foliage to get in the way.

Hummingbirds, in particular, tend to be very popular and impressive to viewers, but I’ll let you in on a little secret. They are actually one of the easier birds to photograph. If you have a feeder or hanging basket that the birds frequent, you can just set up and wait. Hummingbirds will fly into the feeder or flower, drink, then back up a few inches

and hover for a moment. This is your chance for a quick burst, and you’ll have a clean shot without having to include the feeder.

Some popular birds that enjoy suet and/or seed feeders are nuthatches, chickadees, jays, finches, cardinals, and grosbeaks. Smear suet directly onto the tree trunk or branches, to capture images on a more natural-looking surface.

Orioles also love oranges and blossoming fruit trees. Many of the colourful warblers that pass through during spring migration prefer insects and won’t usually be attracted to feeders, but you may attract them with a plate of mealworms.

If a backyard feeder is not an option, you’ll have to go to where the food is! Knowing what type of bird you’re looking for, and what they eat will help you know where to find them.

• Look for hawks and harriers flying low over fields and meadows, as they look for rodents.

• Look for Bald Eagles, herons, and other fishing birds near rivers and marshes. Eagles tend to have favourite perching areas where they can often be found reliably, again and again.

• Some birds can become extremely aggressive if you get too close to their nests (geese, swans, red-winged blackbirds), or may be stressed to the point where they abandon it altogether. Always maintain a safe distance.

• Causing an owl to take flight during daylight hours can have extreme consequences, since other birds like ravens and crows will attack and sometimes even kill it. If the bird is staring at you, you are too close.

• Birds often “lighten the load” right before they take off in flight, so when you see them back up and poop, be ready for the action shot that’s about to happen!

PHOTOGRAPHING MAMMALS

Photographing wild mammals can be even more exciting than photographing birds, but it can also be more dangerous to both the photographer and the subject. Always remember that fed = dead, and you never want to be the reason that an animal decided it was a good idea to approach people or roadways looking for food.

Look for animals during the right season, and at the right time of day. Early mornings are the best times for many mammals that are most active in early morning and evening hours. Animals that eat grass, like moose, deer, and black bears are more likely to be seen at the side of the road in early spring, when grass is growing in ditches, but not yet deeper in the forest. Stay in the car, it’s safer and acts as a blind. Wild animals by roadsides are very accustomed to seeing cars and tolerate their presence much better than they will a human outside of a car.

Many people don’t realize that even deer can be quite dangerous (and not just when you hit them with your car). More people are killed by deer every year than by sharks. Avoid feeding them, even though they may seem harmless, they can become aggressive towards pets, and people if they are too accustomed.

Prey animals like deer and rabbits often leave their babies unattended for extended periods of time, and they should never be removed. Your presence may be the very thing that is keeping the parent from returning.

Be aware of mating seasons and behaviour. Animals like coyotes are not normally aggressive towards humans, but can be if their den is threatened. Moose are infamously aggressive during the rutting season in fall. (But this is also when they look their most impressive, with a full rack).

You’ll want to be aware of hunting season, which is not a good time to be walking around in the woods, wearing camo!

Some animals will perceive your lens as a very threatening giant eye. I once found my car surrounded by free roaming bison in Grasslands National Park, SK, but I only got off one or two shots while they were in close proximity, because

every time I lifted my big camera, the big male started snorting and stomping his feet. He relaxed and went about his business as soon as I lowered it. Next time you head out to photograph wildlife, do a little research first. It will almost certainly result in better images, and a deeper enjoyment of nature!

Tracy Munson is an international award-winning photographer, specializing in pets, wildlife, and landscapes. Before moving to New Brunswick to pursue photography full time, Tracy enjoyed a 25 year career as a Veterinary Technician, working in busy animal shelters and veterinary clinics in Toronto. This experience brought her into contact with dozens of species of wild and domestic animals. She credits the animal behaviour insights she gained during her first career with her success in photographing animals today.

Tracy Munson, MPA

There comes a time for change.

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But it’s also good to know that some things do change. When shopping became more complicated not long ago, Vistek

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MY PPOC

LOST INSPIRATION

By Shauna Madden

I’VE HAD DEPRESSION AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER AND WAS EXTREMELY SHY AND DEFINITELY AN INTROVERT UP UNTIL ABOUT CIRCA THE AGE OF TWENTY. THE DREADED SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT, I BEGRUDGINGLY ATTENDED, BUT OFTEN SOUGHT OUT THE FAMILY DOG FOR COMPANY. ANIMALS WERE ALWAYS EASIER. I IMMERSED MYSELF IN MY IMAGINATION, WRITING POETRY, DRAWING, PAINTING AND INVENTING WHIMSICAL COMEDIC STORIES ABOUT MY FRIENDS WITH DETAILED ILLUSTRATIONS TO MAKE THEM LAUGH. THEN, LIKE WHAT HAPPENS TO SOME CREATIVE PEOPLE, THE LIGHT STARTED TO GO DIM. THE FEW NOVELS I STARTED NEVER GOT THEIR ENDINGS. MY DEEP CREATIVE WELL HAD RUN BONE DRY.

Fast forward ahead many years and various jobs, some that were much better than others, but still void of creativity. The years were passing by faster than ever and it was time for a change, but that was going to be risky. But I decided it’s now or never.

I’ve always had a camera in my hand or purse, but in 2018 I decided to purchase my first DSLR and try to learn as much as possible. When I was eighteen, I had completed a graphic design course that included photography, which was my favourite part. We were sent out on assignment to capture the image and then take it into the darkroom to develop the roll. That was a fun experience, but I do admit I prefer digital now, especially for learning and experimenting. There are a lot of great tutorials on YouTube, and I devoured as many as I could and also took a basic photography course a local photographer was offering here.

I had never heard of the PPOC before, until one day I decided to do an internet search for some sort of Canadian photography association. I wasn’t sure exactly what I was looking for, but I felt that if I want to call myself a photographer (which I admittedly am uncomfortable saying), I should have something other than a camera and a few internet courses.

Voila! The Professional Photographers of Canada. This was what I had been looking for, but would I be allowed to join? The answer was what I had been searching for. The PPOC is for any photographer at any level. You can choose to stay at the Observer level or aspire to take it to the next and go for an Accreditation. I was pleasantly surprised that anyone with any degree of photographic experience could join and what level you achieve was totally up to you. The PPOC’s Accreditation is a process where the maker submits ten images to be anonymously judged by an expert panel of professional photographers. I knew right away this was what I wanted to do and that it might lead to an iota of credibility for me, but mostly it was a personal challenge to myself in an attempt to find that lost inspiration and maybe become a competent photographer.

So, I took the leap and in 2019, I joined the PPOC and couldn’t wait to start the Accreditation process. There were so many categories to choose from and honestly, I wasn’t sure which one I was going to try first, so I decided to go with Stock. It seemed to be a diverse category, which I thought I would like. It didn’t take me long to apply for the Mentorship program. I hit the jackpot with Victoria West as my mentor. I entered the October 2019 accreditation and got 4 accepted images. I was so excited, but that didn’t last long. Victoria warned me she wasn’t going to tell me what I wanted to hear, and I of course agreed and told myself I would take the criticism. Friends will tell you your photographs are amazing, but that doesn’t help you get better. I kept thinking I can’t wait until I get accredited. The world will suddenly change and open up for the better.

By the next accreditation, after getting my bearings, I decided more about what I want to do as a photographer, so I entered an additional category, Canine. I had been photographing dogs, which is one of my favourite things to do! However, when the results came back from both accreditation categories, I think I got only one accepted for each. My excitement deflated. I wanted to give up at times and thought that I just don’t have what it takes. Maybe it was partly the depression, but I think a big part of the problem was in the beginning I thought I was better than I was and the realization of it all had kicked in. With every not-accepted image, I felt as though I was never going to get accredited. For about a week or more after each unsuccessful accreditation I had my pity party and then started all over again.

I kept plugging along and learned to listen to my mentor who taught me how to look at photos differently and then something unexpected happened. I actually looked forward to the critique, because I could see where the mistake was and then knew how to fix it or do it differently next time.

At some point when you start looking back at your older images and cringe with embarrassment, I think you know then you’re making progress.

Then came the January 2021 Accreditation, where I read the long-awaited words, “Congratulations on your successful accreditation.” I didn’t get my Canine, but finally got my Stock. But it wasn’t what I expected to feel. I was very relieved and happy, but I had always envisioned being over the moon about it. I naively thought my world would instantly change.

It’s like a slow progression up a mountain. I got to the first ledge and that was an accomplishment, but ahead there were many more ledges and the top of the mountain was still not visible through the fog. It’s a process that is the first step toward becoming better. It’s tough, exciting, and disheartening at times when your images aren’t accepted and you sometimes wonder if you’re ever going to get better, but the key is to keep trying and listen to all that criticism when they tell you why your image failed, so you can do it better the next time.

Nowadays I consider myself an introvert/extrovert. Those scales balanced many years ago. While on my quest for my Canine accreditation, I like to volunteer my time for animal charities, including the SPCA, which got me featured on the CTV Atlantic and the National news when a 17-year-old dog needed a home. These things wouldn’t have happened to the old shy me. A person can lose out on a lot of opportunities by being shy. I gravitated toward people I admired that weren’t shy and then tried to emulate their confidence. As they say, fake it until you make it.

Yes, it’s great to be a PPOC Accredited Photographer, but it’s just the first step. Recently, I started to volunteer, which I am enjoying and meeting more members. I’m still working on completing my Canine accreditation, and I’m going to push myself to enter the next image competition. It’s a scary thought, but worth it. I would like to one day put MPA beside my name and somewhere down the road get back some of that lost inspiration. I know I have a lot to learn, but being in the PPOC has been a great educator. If you want to do it, you can. It might take a while, but you will get there.

Shauna

You can view here work at www.shaunamaddenphotography.com

https://www.instagram.com/shaunamaddenphotography

s.maddenphotography@gmail.com

902-371-1337

Shauna Madden

lives in Cape Breton with her better half, Reggie, best friend doggie, Isla and crafty kitten, Mr. Finn Henry. She lived in the big city in Ontario for 15 years, until the ocean called her back to Nova Scotia. Shauna joined PPOC in 2019 and is Accredited in Stock. She specializes in portraits of pets and people.

ABOUT THE COVER

THE GOLDEN DROP

By Terry Tinkess

IT’S FUNNY SOMETIMES HOW A LAST-MINUTE DECISION TURNS OUT TO BE THE BEST ONE, THE ONE THAT REALLY MATTERS. FOR FRANCE BOUCHARD, THE 2021 COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR, THE DECISION TO COMBINE A SMALL TREASURE FROM A MEMORABLE JOURNEY WITH A MIXTURE OF LIGHT, SHADOW AND COLOUR WAS ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS SHE EVER MADE.

France Bouchard loves to travel and has the opportunity to visit many incredible locations. One of these was the island of Burano, Italy, a fishing village about 40 minutes from Venice. The island is famous for the art of lace making, glass blowing as well as its many brightly coloured houses.

“I was there for a workshop,” says France. “I spent a few days in Venice and went to Burano Island. There were so many beautiful boutiques with those beautiful necklaces, all different shapes, each one more beautiful than the other, so I bought a few.”

Jump ahead to earlier this year when France was finalizing her choice of the images she would submit. Like many (most?) photographers, she spent some time second-guessing her choices.

“When it was time to submit my photos for the competition, I was not sure if the images I had chosen were good enough, so I decided to do that photo The Golden Drop two days before the deadline. I had fun with the lights, and the colours. The background was wallpaper with a lot of texture. I did a lot of experimentation and then finally I took that shot and I thought “Whoa, I’m going to send this one!”

The judges obviously agreed. There is so much to like about this image: the symmetry, for example as well as the deep, rich colours and the warm glow of the light which seems to emanate from the necklace itself.

“I’m in love with lighting,” says France. “What I say in my portfolio is that I am in love with light and shadow. Light is just about what I love the most, playing with the light! I’m very happy about that. That picture is something special to me, so that’s cool!” We thought so too, which is why The Golden Drop graces the cover of this issue of Gallerie.

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS OF CANADA (PPOC) is a diversified group of creative artists dedicated to the highest standards in professional imaging. We welcome photographers of all genres to join our community of dedicated professionals. PPOC offers photographers a way to rise to professional status. Educational opportunities, networking, direct member benefits and the ability to earn awards and designations will assist in your potential for growth and economic improvement.

Did you know you can become a member of Canada’s oldest and most recognized professional photography association for as little as $27 monthly (plus tax)?

Aspiring membership will entitle you to discounted pricing on educational events, access to a peer network upon whose knowledge you can draw, preferred rates with many of our industry partners, critiques of your imagery, and will open the door for you to submit for Accreditation in your chosen photographic field(s). You can even sign up for a Mentor to help you get the most out of your PPOC membership!

Once you’ve achieved your Accreditation, you’ll be able to upgrade to full “PPOC Accredited Photographer” membership status, and will be listed on our “Search for a Photographer” feature on our website. You can promote yourself using the PPOC Logo and will also be eligible to vie for prestigious awards in National Image Competition, and to work toward earning the designations of Craftsman of Photographic Arts (CPA), Master of Photographic Arts (MPA), and Service of Photographic Arts (SPA).

Are you ready to take your photographic career to the next level? Become recognized as a member of PPOC, stand out from the crowd, and take advantage of the benefits of membership!

Create an Aspiring membership profile by following the links to join at www.ppoc.ca, and activate that membership with payment in full online, or by contacting us by phone at (888) 643-PPOC (7762) to set up a convenient monthly payment plan using your VISA or MasterCard.

France Bouchard, MPA

For the sake of quality, France continues her training to always be on the lookout for new developments in the field of photography. It is in her studio in Lac-Beauport in Quebec City that France welcomes her clients in a simple and friendly manner, to establish a climate of trust that is crucial in creating memorable memories. She is a caring, passionate, creative, and professional woman!

France Bouchard Artist Photographer www.francebphotos.com

418-670-8888

Apply TODAY!

https://ppoc.formstack.com/forms/ membership_application_web

CONTACT

1-888-643-PPOC (7762)

Phone: 519-537-2555

Info@ppoc.ca | www.ppoc.ca

MAILING ADDRESS: 209 Light St. Woodstock, ON N4S 6H6 Canada

“The Golden Drop”

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