It has been a while since I last wrote. I hope this update finds you healthy and taking extra time to care for yourself amidst the pandemic.

Last year I had the pleasure of working on a photo project in my own neighbourhood here in Ottawa. I live in Vanier and the project was to mark 50 years since its name changed from Eastview. Over the course of a few months, I captured a series of portraits and places that make up the community.  My photos were published online alongside residents' thoughts about the neighbourhood and other pieces by local artists. You can visit Vanier 50's website here. I have also put together a special gallery of the photos on my own portfolio.

Vanier is a neighbourhood that is welcoming, diverse and full of character. There is a genuine sense of community here and an eagerness to support one another.

Like many communities in Canada and around the world, I feel my neighbourhood has come closer together as we face these challenging times. The Vanier Facebook group I follow has seen a lot of growth in its membership and we all seem to be checking in more with each other. These are good things in my opinion, and a trend I hope continues once the pandemic is behind us.

Stay well and stay connected!

Cheers,
Caleb IMG_0993

Enter Chantal, pictured above. She is an experienced teacher at PranaShanti Yoga Centre and a lifelong student of the practice. I am always struck by the thought and wisdom Chantal puts into her movements and try my best to convey that feeling when photographing her. Chantal's sessions were spread out over this past winter, summer and fall. I invite you to click on the links to view a selection of photos from each one.

To help contextualize the images, I thought it would be fitting to share some of Chantal's own philosophy:

"The way we move our physical bodies can shift how we move through our lives. How we move through our emotions. In our day to day stuff we may have learned that it's only acceptable to move our bodies in certain ways...of course certain times and places that's appropriate- but we used to move in so many more ways before we adapted to modern life. If that's the case, and you feel called to move in other ways, find places where you can move freely and openly. Find people who encourage your expression. Find time to tune in."

IMG_3488-1

I had such a great time meeting people at the show that I have signed up for many more since then. I am happy to announce that I will be returning to my favourite one on November 3rd: Something New Edinburgh. If you are in town that day, please feel free to stop by and say hello! There will be 30 other local vendors selling beautiful gifts you can't find anywhere else.

Meanwhile, I have been testing the market in brick-and-mortar stores as well. I partnered with my first storefront in 2017, and have since expanded to four locally-owned retailers. 

With this success, I decided to try my luck across the river in Gatineau. Enter Marie-Josée from Habitude Design, pictured above. Earlier this month she graciously offered to carry my cards in her store. I am thrilled to be collaborating with her and other great businesses in Ottawa.

It is incredible to think how far I have come since that first sale. I am forever grateful to all who have supported me along the way!

IMG_1635

Austin Powers and I got along very well. He took a fond interest in sniffing my camera and kept me on my toes for much of the session. After all, I needed a certain amount of space between him and I to keep him in focus! My goat friend also liked to wag his tail. The sanctuary's founders, Sarah and Steven, explained that some adult goats express their happiness this way.

Sweet Sanctuary is a happy place. Sarah and Steven are very passionate about what they do and are committed to saving horses and other farm animals from neglect, abuse and abandonment. They have high ambitions to open their farm sanctuary to the public in 2019. Visit them online to learn more.

IMG_0581-1
 

In the spirit of story-telling and to thank you for connecting with me, I want to tell you a bit about my own journey as a photographer.

I have long been interested in travel photography and capturing the places around me. More recently I have branched out to the world of portraiture and am developing my own distinct style therein. I find myself gravitating towards environmental portraiture - portraits that tell a story through the backgrounds and contexts that make up the image.

Take my self portrait as an example. I wanted it to say something about me as a photographer:

The image in the frame is my favourite photo. I took it a decade ago in Benin, a country that continues to inspire me and teach me much about the world.

The wooden frame itself was made by my Dad, someone who also has a special photography connection to Ottawa and someone I can always count on to tell me how to improve my work.

The most special part, though, is the camera on the shelf. It belonged to my Grandma, a person I admired very much and someone who also shared her love of photography with her community. IMG_7172-1