laughter

whistler arts council

i had the honor of teaching another photography summer course through the whistler arts council at the lake house on alta lake. i love doing it... it renews my love of photography every time... i remember in my teaching my love of light, of capturing moments. here are a few photos from the day! xoxo

thanks to my friend julie for coming out to help and her sweet kids... and thank you to Peggy from FrostBites for bringing out, and lugging in her snow cone machine! 

xxoo

 

WORKSHOP AT THE LAKE

I was very honored to give a one day photography workshop on the lake hosted by the arts council this summer to photography enthusiasts! It was lovely to not really think about the business side of everything, but instead to focus on the foundations of photography... inspiration, and light. 

Lovely to set up a pretty table with candles and vintage tins of florals... yummy food and warm coffee and to just share my love of photography. It is sometimes easy to forget our passion, and this was so exciting to be able to remember, and then to spend a day really reveling in it. I feel very thankful that capturing moments, is a part of my life. 

Thank you to all who came out... and thank you to Bliss events for the floral, to PURE bread for the over the top yummy treats, for Namaste Tea for the yummy tea (and lemonade stand prop), and to FLOUR POT for the gorgeous and delicious cupcakes, and to our models... Chrystal and Alex, and the little girlies:)

and to Angela for being so much help, and to Ashley for being my third set of hands:)

Just a few snaps from the day... xo

WHISTLER ART WORKSHOPS ON THE LAKE

I am very excited to be apart of the workshops on the lake this summer with the Whistler Arts Council! 

Registration for this ONE DAY workshop opened today.... and we are only accepting 10 participants. If you are interested you can sign up here! Thank you and I look forward to seeing you there: its going to be really fun!! 

Anastasia Chomlack - Intermediate Photography
August 12
$99
www.anastasiaphotography.ca

Course Outline

This workshop is catered towards beginner and intermediate photographers wanting to further enhance their portfolio (if you are a blogger, a mom wanting to take better photos of your kids, or just a lover of photography). 

The course is divided into two sessions. Morning session will include a casual conversation focusing on individual’s self reflection with photographing as the main intention, facilitated by the instructor. The afternoon session will focus on the importance of light, the technique of finding light and the best way to capture it. Students will be inspired and encouraged to capture their surroundings with “new eyes” as they participate in a styled photo shoot with a live model and stylized culinary set up. The workshop will further focus on capturing the image including composition, camera modes, settings, styling and posing and will conclude with a question and answer period and critique of the photos taken throughout the session.

Bio

Anastasia Chomlack has been a photographer in the Sea-to-Sky Corridor for the last six years. With a focus on everyday and special occasions, Anastasia photographs families, weddings, commercial and fashion. She enjoys capturing the daily. Her work has been published in magazines and online wedding inspiration blogs. Anastasia sees beauty. She hones in on a subject's quirks, their essence or inner strength, and lets shooting situations evolve organically. Her ability to generate rapport with clients quickly, to gain trust and dispense with awkwardness is her greatest asset. Photography reminds Anastasia everyday to live in the present and to capture "today"... she hopes to in part this lesson and this message in her upcoming photography workshops as she shares her passion and experiences.

Registration

Register for this workshop online or by phone 604.935.8410.
To obtain your member's discount or if interested in becoming a member, please contact us at 604.935.8410.

Course Material

Journal
Pen
Camera (preferably a SLR)
Laptop and flash drive (optional)

*Pack lightly as you must be able to carry your own supplies to the Alta Lake Station House

 

banff

what an incredible honor to speak in banff... 

it felt inspiring to inspire... and it felt invigorating to learn...

i had the honor of taking in Redleaf's teaching... and I learned so much. 

from studying the masters... to photographing pears with intention... and from one late night with a bottle of white wine and a lot of laughter... i feel ready to go deeper in this art form of photography.... 

here are a few of the pears... 

xo

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

Danielle LaPorte: the Fire Starter Sessions

I cannot support, recommend or highlight this amazing women enough... hearing her speak, attending a fire starter class, reading and completing her Style Statement and reading her blog has made my business/ personal life more... more hope, richness, successful and whole. Please... take advantage of all that she is offering... I highly recommend it!

Danielle describes THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS as an e-book meets video transmission of acumen and love. You: are likely sitting on an empire of content, product, services, and prosperity that needs a spark -- or blow torch -- to take you to the next level. You: want to rock your revenue streams and do meaningful things in the world. 

Click below to purchase!  

If you haven't had the opportunity to check out Danielle's site yet, take a quick peek. There's a reason why her book sold over $11,000 in under 12 hours. She's witty, intuitive, and a force to be reckoned with. You can spend hours sifting through her site reading juicy morsels of advice on how to rock out your business or how to get a dose of spirituality.

Wondering what you'll find inside the book? 192 pages of solid advice, tips and techniques. 22 worksheets. And videos with people like Chris Guillebeau and Elizabeth Taderman. If you're still looking for reasons why you should be checking out The Fire Starter Sessions, click on the video below and watch the passion Danielle shows in under 2.5 minutes.

The Fire Starter Sessions: Spark Your Genius. Ingite Your Business. Make It Matter. from Danielle LaPorte on Vimeo.

Okay, now run - don't walk - and grab a copy of the book. It launches to the world today, and you DO NOT want to miss it.

home

the last 2 weeks have been a whirlwind... 

i got home from vegas... and we moved house and office/ studio... 

here is a photo of me photographing my dear friend in vegas... i think it was about 1am in the morning and we had just finished browsing the mall at the venitian... so fun. 

photo by http://www.michelleloewenblog.com/

 

in the midst of the chaos of moving i wanted to take some time to share that I have the honor of speaking at a photography conference in Banff in June! 

(also if you are in the area and willing to model please contact me!)

Dates: 4-6th June 10am start Friday morning, 4pm finish Sunday afternoon

Location: RimRock Resort, Banff     http://www.rimrockresort.com/

Accommodation: Shared Twin Rooms (please contact me if you are coming as a couple or a family and need different accommodation…please also indicate if you wish to room with a particular person)

Food:   Beautiful meals & breakfast included, possibly a picnic lunch on Saturday – morning/afternoon teas with pastries, drinks, etc

Speakers:
Friday: Anastasia Chomlack: Reinstating the vision in your business.  Why we do what we do… our values in photography and how this affects our marketing, branding, and future success. Creating and marketing the brand of “you”. Shooting time also allocated.

Ali Hohn : Off Camera Flash : technical and practical – one, two & three light setups to give you options in the field!  Shooting with models.   Ali travels teaching off-camera flash and has taught in Australia as well as extensively throughout the States.  She will also demonstrate her post-processing techniques.

Evening: Sharing of marketing materials and group discussion. Please bring products from your collection that you think others may have not seen…albums, coffee tables, etc.  Discussion on effective branding, blogging, twitter, facebook and how others have successfully incorporated these into their businesses.

Saturday: Red Leaf Studios : Richard & Amy will be sharing on marketing, finding inspiration, the art of photography, old masters, lighting techniques, histogram, working with couples, posing, connection and video light setup. Classroom and Shooting time included.  Richard & Amy will also be around for the weekend and available to chat and answer questions.

Ali Hohn: Night shoot with Flash ….   Richard & Amy with Video Light

Sunday: Danna Bowes  Danna will share on session workflow. What poses sell best, creating relationship images and capturing emotion. How to deal with a baby that won’t sleep. Equipment, lighting – 1 light 2 lights & a bit of natural if there is interest. Set up for a “studio on-location session” since most people work on-location and don’t have access to a studio. Selling a session, how to shoot for a successful sale. A bit on marketing and finding your own style. Processing of images if time allows.

Cost: CAD $1250  

Maximum of 35 participants.

** please be aware that if you live in the direct area of a speaker, you may not be able to attend their particular teaching but will be in a group teaching a similar setup ie anyone in Danna’s area will be in with Alisha Robertson, and vice versa. Same with Ali Hohn. (this stipulation is not applicable to RedLeaf on Saturday)** ANY questions or issues regarding this are to be emailed to me ([email protected]) NOT to the speakers. Thanks  for understanding!

Photo courtesy of RedLeaf

I also wanted to note that I am still taking a couple openings for the Spring Sale... a free 16x20 collage with any session booked before the end of May! Email me for more information! 

xo

more teaching...

a friend just showed me some of these photos from me teaching in phoenix... it is so funny to see yourself... evidently i look a little nuts when i teach.... 

my friend was kind enough to call it passion.. but umm... not so sure. 

thanks Des!!

phoenix...

i almost do not know where to start... this last weekend was just unbelievable in so many ways. 

the people and friends that i met... the photographers i was inspired by.... the networking and brainstorming.... the photographing and teaching... all of it just exceeded my expectations so much. 

i am incredibly thankful... incredible humbled. 

i loved teaching about inspiration and passion... about beauty. 

i loved showing and talking about capturing the 'moment', the 'interaction' .... about photographing 'real life'.... it was ALL such an honor... especially among peers... and among VERY talented photographers. 

i hope to do it all again really soon... i just loved every moment of it all!! 

here are A LOT of photos!! i just cannot narrow them down!! i have so many favorites!! 

xo

here are the families we photographed (both in an urban and desert settings)

and some of the beautiful girls downtown... they were lovely. 

and some of the photographers on the 'other' side of the camera!!

and then there was 'morgan'.... right place right time!! 

leaving for phoenix.....

i am writing from the fairmont in vancouver!! oh... the luxury of leaving at 6am on the plane... eek.... not looking forward to that tomorrow!! BUT... I am looking forward to PHOENIX.... 

i will be teaching at a photography workshop... and i am so excited!

just to be with other photographers.... to chat shop.... to share ideas and to take a million photos!! yay.......

i expect to make new friends... drink lots of coffee and wine... and to stay up late!! 

plus i am looking forward to some sunshine.... we actually have a desert shoot.... wow... craziness from all the snow we are in here!!

more from the maternity workshop...

some of the girls in action.... and some of our lovely models!! 

xo

and here is one of me in action... form alanna

a little vancouver workshop...

on sunday i went to the city to meet with some other photographers to chat photos... cameras... developing.... and everything in between.... i was also able to set up a maternity model so i could run a little workshop... it was so funny at times to hear myself talk... a few moments of wondering if i really just said that.... but.. never mind! LOL

basically everything that goes through my mind through a session... my thoughts and ideas... well... they came out of my mouth... in the midst of that it was also fun to see how the others shot the same poses but in a different style...

i think it is so important to meet with other people in our industry... we have so much to learn from one another and yet still maintain a good level of competition!!i know that i had a lot of photographers help me when i started. i find it an honor to now do the same.

after the session... and before the bottle of wine... we found a little spot of sun and took a few photos of each other. i have not yet had a chance to start proofing my images... i will tomorrow! .... but i did just get an email that my images are on my friend michelle 's blog!

i am usually not a fan of my own photos but i AM a fan of these... i think i owe that credit to michelle's skills and my cute new hat!!

I stole the photos from her blog.... here are a couple... and one of me in action!

xo

this here is some good shooting form! LOL

Thank You! very much...

I am sitting in banff.... having a little holiday with my family and my parents and brothers... we are having the best time!!
I just checked email and was directed to check the PIQUE from the week... I was shocked and thrilled to read the following.. thank you all so much for voting... I was hoping for at least an honorable mention and so to come in as runner up is just thrilling!! Thank you again for voting... and for your emails of support. I look forward to another great year of photographing the families of Whistler!!

PIQUE NEWS MAGAZINE
BEST OF WHISTLER

Photographer

In a town that may have more professional photographers per capita than any other, this was a tough category to win. There were nearly 100 different names submitted, although to put that in context, there were at least 10 different spellings of third place finisher Bonny Makarewicz’s name.

At the top of the list as Whistler’s favourite shutterbug was Insight Photography’s Andy Dittrich, whose name was also subject to several spelling attempts. Andy’s work is regularly featured in Partial Recall and the entertainment section, and you can usually find him at social events around town.

Anastasia Chomlack, who focuses her lens on Love, Life and Laughter (anastasiachomlack.ca) with an emphasis on children, was runner up.

As mentioned, third place went to Bonny Makarewicz, who teamed with writer runner up Stephen Vogler and fellow photographer Toshi Kawano on the recently published Top of the Pass. Blake Jorgenson, a past winner of the Pro Photographer Showdown, finished fourth.

NEW YORK

I am almost caught up and will soon stop posting a month late on EVERYTHING!! LOL
Last month my amazing husband sent me to New York with some of my friends who are also photographers... 4 days in New York to drink coffee... eat yummy food... take photos... chat photography... and SLEEP!! I came home renewed in creativity... rested, and excited about being a photographer... a mom and a wife!! New York was fun... I hated Time Square and all things touristy... I definately found my fit simply window shopping in Soho!! It was amazing to make new freinds and connect with old. I wanted to say thank you to all who participated in getting me to New York... what a surprise to get on the plane with notes and letters from all my friends encouraging my love of photography.... of course... I cried! I thought I would barely have enough money to pay the hotel and eat!! But instead, thanks to all of you... I had more then enough to also drink coffee everyday and all day... and to hit a couple great thrift stores in Brooklyn!!!!
In so many ways I think my photogrpahy has improved since this trip... and I am looking forward to a new year of being able to practice all that I learned!
Thanks again!!!
Here are a few photos from my trip...
One thing I definatley learned is that I like taking photos of people... I thought that I only took photos of families and children because that is where I am in life... a mom. But really... when given the chance and space to photograph whatever I would like... I really was not that into it!! This many be the only time you ever see buildings, nature and birds on this blog!!!! enjoy!

and a few of my friend Jo... the one stuffing her face above with her very first hotdog... who has never had a hotdog?? weirdo!!!

and the only picture of the two of us that I got... ridiculous... last day taken with my outstretched arm!!!