LIGHT AND TRUTH
INS IDE
ISSUE 03 - SUMMER 2012
WH AT’ S
AN INSPIRATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY & LIFESTYLE JOURNAL
WELCOME Beautiful, beautiful summer. This newest issue of Light and Truth arrives at the highest height of the golden season, a time steeped in luxurious warmth and honeyed light, when days are long and nights are filled with endless stars. Undeniably the season of expansion, the generative capacity of the earth bursts forth in brilliant colours, sumptuous flavours, and sun-sweetened fragrances lifting on the slightest breeze. Gardens are unfurling and trees are setting fruit that seems to ripen by the hour - all around us life is moving, changing, opening, and striving towards the light. For many of us, too, it’s our flat-out, full-on, busiest time of year, and we’re working hard. To reflect and support the energy of summer, we’ve focused this issue on the theme of growth, looking at the many ways in which we’ll reach beyond limitations to explore our full capacities throughout our months of summer shooting. We’ve contemplated the role of teachers in our lives and talked with artists about their mentors, hit the road to scout locations and compiled tips to get you organized, discovered extraordinary images and touched upon the tender heart of inspiration. In short, we’ve gathered a collection of photo-essays, interviews, and technical tutorials to hasten your own flowering as a successful independent artist. Summer is lovely and hopelessly brief - explore, express, and flourish!
contents 11 13 17 23 33 41 57 71 81 95 99 103 113 115
TAPPING INTO SOCIAL MEDIA Defining what works.
WISDOM IS A GIFT
An ode to our countless teachers.
LIKE AN APPLE TREE
Discovering our pathways of growth.
ICELAND
A photographic journey by David Macvicar.
FILM & FLORAL PHOTOGRAPHY By Heidi Murphey, White Loft Studio.
MATT EDGE
An interview with photographer Matt Edge.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Scouting the perfect location for your shoot.
SUMMER TEA
A harvesting photo essay with Jessica Kerr.
STEPHANIE WILLIAMS
An interview with Stephanie Williams.
RIFLE PAPER CO.
A boutique stationary and design studio.
A SLOW EXPLORATION
The rediscovery of craftsmanship in photography.
SARAH MULLIGAN
A photo essay with glass artist Sarah Mulligan.
LEARNING TO SPEAK Finding our creative voice.
BATCH +
Batching in a digital photography workflow.
LIGHT AND TRUTH ISSUE 3 | SUMMER 2012
Cover photo by Matt Edge
Amy & Richard McDowell Photographers & Editors
Jessica Kerr
FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS
FEATURE ARTISANS
David MacVicar Contributing Writer
David MacVicar Matt Edge Stephanie Williams
Rifle Paper Co. Sarah Mulligan
Writer & Copy Editor
Amanda K Rigiero Contributing Writer
Shannon Wilson
Contributing Writer
Heidi Murphey
Contributing Writer/Photographer
CONTACT US
info@redleafstudios.ca jessica.leigh.kerr@gmail.com ADVERTISING
Light & Truth is published quarterly by Red Leaf Studios Inc. All content in this journal is Š Red Leaf Studios Inc. 2012. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited.
info@redleafstudios.ca www.lightandtruth.ca
AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT IS
INSIDE ISSUE THREE OF
LIGHT
& TRU TH
Wisdom is a Gift WITHIN A CULTURE OF QUICK CHANGEOVERS AND NEW-MODEL OBSESSIONS, THE IMPULSE TO ABANDON THE PAST AND LEAP INTO A GLORIFIED FUTURE IS STRONG. AND YET RECALLING THE TEACHERS WHO HAVE INSPIRED AND DIRECTED OUR CREATIVE GROWTH CAN UPLIFT US IN UNCERTAIN TIMES, INSTILLING IN US A SENSE OF CONNECTION TO SOMETHING LARGER THAN OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL WORK. HERE WE REFLECT ON THE VALUE OF REMEMBERING THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US, GETTING BACK TO OUR COLLECTIVE ROOTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND OUR LIMITLESS CAPACITY FOR INDEPENDENT GROWTH.
Tapping Into Social Media WHEN CAUGHT IN THE TUMBLE AND SWIRL OF THE COUNTLESS TASKS AND PROJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH RUNNING AN INDEPENDENT BUSINESS, THE THOUGHT OF PLUGGING INTO THE RAPIDFIRE WORLD OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND STAYING CURRENT WITH BRILLIANT UPDATES CAN MAKE OUR HEADS SPIN. HERE AMY GETS TO THE BOTTOM OF EFFECTIVE POSTING AND BLOGGING AND EXPLAINS HOW USING SOCIAL MEDIA EFFECTIVELY IN YOUR BUSINESS CAN BE SIMPLER AND MORE ENJOYABLE THAN YOU EVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE.
Like an Apple Tree EFFECTIVE
GROWTH
IS
AN
ONGOING,
ORGANIC PROCESS, A DELICATE BALANCE BETWEEN HANGING ON AND LETTING GO. IN THIS THOUGHTFUL ARTICLE WE EXPAND UPON THE METAPHOR OF AN APPLE TREE TO REVEAL THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTIVATING A CLEAR SENSE OF DIRECTION IN OUR WORK AND FINDING THE COURAGE TO SHED WHAT NO LONGER SERVES US ALONG THE WAY.
Iceland IN THIS MAGNIFICENT SPREAD CANADIAN PHOTOGRAPHER DAVID MACVICAR SHARES HIS IMAGES OF THE HAUNTING AND POWERFUL ICELANDIC LANDSCAPE, CAPTURED OVER THE COURSE OF A TRIP THAT INVIGORATED HIS SPIRITS AND CHANGED HIS LIFE. DAVID SHARES
STORIES
FROM
THE
JOURNEY,
INCLUDING THE GEAR HE CHOSE TO TAKE AND HIS DECISION TO PUBLISH A BOOK OF THE WORK THAT RESULTED.
Film & Floral Photography HERE HEIDI MURPHY OF WHITE LOFT STUDIO SHARES HER PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY FROM WEDDINGS TO STUDIO SHOOTS AND REVEALS SOME OF HER OWN HARD-EARNED SECRETS FOR CAPTURING GORGEOUS FLORAL IMAGES WITH AVAILABLE LIGHT.
HEIDI COVERS THE
BEST EQUIPMENT AND FILM FOR THE JOB, CHEAP SOLUTIONS TO COMMON PROBLEMS, AND JUST HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO STAY INSPIRED.
Matt Edge AN
INTERVIEW
WITH
L.A.-BASED
LIFESTYLE
PHOTOGRAPHER MATT EDGE REFLECTS HIS LOVE FOR THE GOOD THINGS IN LIFE – BEAUTIFUL PLACES, GREAT FOOD, AND CELEBRATIONS WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. AGAINST A BACKDROP OF HIS DIVERSE AND TIMELESS IMAGES WE LEARN MORE ABOUT MATT’S UNIQUE APPROACH TO HIS CRAFT, HOW HE PROMOTES HIMSELF CREATIVELY, THE PROS AND CONS OF WORKING WITH A STYLIST, AND THE INESTIMABLE VALUE OF A GOOD ROAD TRIP.
Location, Location, Location PART OF CREATING IMPACTFUL IMAGES INVOLVES SCOUTING THE PERFECT LOCATION FOR YOUR SHOOT. AS WE CONTINUE TO SEEK OUT AND DISCOVER ECLECTIC, UNIQUE, AND UNUSUAL PLACES FOR OUR MANY DIFFERENT SESSIONS, WE’RE ALWAYS REMINDED THAT A GOOD LOCATION IS SO MUCH MORE THAN A MERE BACKDROP FOR THE ACTION. WITH THIS IN MIND WE VISITED FAIRBURN FARM ON VANCOUVER ISLAND, DISCOVERING NEW TERRITORY IN THE PROCESS AND FINDING THE INSPIRATION FOR AN ECLECTIC OUTDOOR BRIDAL SHOOT WITH A REMARKABLE VINTAGE DRESS.
Summer Tea TO CELEBRATE THE FERTILITY OF SUMMER WE HEAD OUT TO A THICKET OF WILD ROSES AND GRAND FIR, HARVESTING MATERIALS FOR AN IMPROMPTU BACKYARD TEA PARTY.
AMIDST THE FRAGRANCE
OF SWEET NECTAR AND THE DELICATE MURMUR OF HONEYBEES’ WINGS AN UNCONVENTIONALLY BEAUTIFUL PHOTO ESSAY UNFOLDS.
Stephanie Williams WEDDING, FASHION AND EDITORIAL PHOTOGRAPHER STEPHANIE
WILLIAMS
SHARES
SOME
OF
HER
GORGEOUS, DELICATELY FEMININE IMAGERY WHILE OPENING UP ABOUT HER UNEXPECTED ENTRY INTO THE PROFESSION, FRESH APPROACHES TO PHOTO SESSIONS, HOW TO MAKE DUE WITH UNEXPECTED WEATHER, DEVELOPING EFFICIENT WORKFLOW, AND INCORPORATING THE INSPIRATION OF CINEMA IN HER PHOTOGRAPHIC VISION.
Rifle Paper Co. A DELIGHTFUL SPOTLIGHT ON ONE OF OUR NEW
FAVOURITE
BOUTIQUE
STATIONERY
BRANDS AND DESIGN STUDIOS YIELDS A STORY OF LOVE AND AN ODE TO THE BEAUTY OF OLD FASHIONED MAIL.
RIFLE PAPER COMPANY’S
CREATIONS, WHICH INCLUDE HAND-PAINTED ILLUSTRATIONS AND LETTERING, EVOKE A STYLE THAT FEELS BOTH NOSTALGIC AND TIMELESS – WHAT’S NOT TO ADORE?
A Slow Exploration IN THIS THOUGHT PROVOKING ARTICLE WE EXPLORE THE REMARKABLE PARALLELS THAT LIE HIDDEN BETWEEN THE SLOW FOOD MOVEMENT AND THE REDISCOVERY OF CONSCIOUS CRAFTSMANSHIP IN PHOTOGRAPHY. IN THE CONTEXT OF SLOW FOOD’S CORE VALUES OF PLEASURE, CULTURE, AND CONVIVIALITY, WE ASK WHAT “SLOW PHOTOGRAPHY” MIGHT LOOK LIKE, WHAT CHANGES A MOVEMENT LIKE THIS MIGHT INSPIRE IN PEOPLE’S WORK AND LIVES, AND HOW THE RAPID PRODUCTION AND THOUGHTLESS CONSUMPTION OF DIGITAL WORK COULD GIVE WAY TO A WIDESPREAD ENJOYMENT OF THE CAREFULLY CRAFTED IMAGE.
Sarah Mulligan A PHOTO ESSAY FOCUSING ON ARTIST SARAH MULLIGAN AT WORK DEPICTS THE BEAUTY OF MOLTEN GLASS AND THE INDUSTRIAL TACTILITY OF THE GLASSBLOWER’S STUDIO. SARAH’S WORK, LIKE THE CONVERSATION SHE SHARED WITH US, IS EXPRESSIVE, PLAYFUL, SURPRISING AND FRESH, AND THE RESULTING ARTICLE BRIMS WITH INSIGHT, HONESTY AND HUMOUR ABOUT THE UNEXPECTED TURNS OUR LIVES CAN TAKE, THE SACRIFICES WE OFTEN MAKE ALONG THE WAY, AND WHY DOING WHAT WE LOVE IS SO INCREDIBLY CRUCIAL.
Learning to Speak WHILE VERY FEW PHOTOGRAPHERS ACTUALLY START THEIR CAREERS WITH A DISTINCTIVE SENSE OF STYLE, WE BELIEVE THAT THE TRUE JOURNEY OF THIS ART FORM IS TO UNCOVER SOMETHING UNIQUELY BRILLIANT IN EACH OF US. HERE WE POINT OUT A PATHWAY TOWARDS FINDING OUR OWN DISTINCTIVE VOICE AND SEIZING EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO REFINE, DEVELOP, AND EXPRESS OUR CREATIVE VISION ALONG THE WAY.
Batch+ BATCH+ TAKES THE CONCEPT OF ‘BATCH EDITING’ YOUR IMAGES TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL, BUILT FROM THE GROUND UP USING THE COMMON TASKS AND FUNCTIONS REQUIRED BY WEDDING AND PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS. HERE DAVID MACVICAR EXPLAINS BATCH+’S FEATURE SET AND ITS POWERFUL FUNCTIONS THAT CAN OPEN UP A WORLD OF EFFICIENT IMAGE PREPARATION FOR YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS.
AND SO MUCH MORE!