While travelling through Alberta on assignment for Management Matters magazine, I took a few hours of personal time off to work with model (and fellow photographer) Renee Robyn at the newly revamped Art Gallery of Alberta. The new gallery is a breathtaking light in Edmonton’s Churchill square, nestled snuggly to other great art-friendly showcases; the Windspear Centre and the Citadel Theatre.
After exchanging numerous text messages through the day, Renee agreed to meet myself and Brien Gehring (assist, surprised?) in front of the new gallery space, ready to shoot in an “indie” or “alternative” spin on high fashion photography. Renee was very punctual and professional and her personal photography skills are an asset to both new and well-seasoned photographers alike. Renee could easily visualize the lighting setups and ensured she kept her posing toward the light (critical in such a minimalist-type setup).
The portion of the gallery we wished to shoot was roped off for maintenance, and our presence attracted the gallery security staff within 5 minutes of our arrival. We were surprised and pleased to hear that security were more interested in what all the gear was for, than removing us from a public location – so we shot with an extra audience member (who was more than likely interested in Renee’s corset than the photography process – but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt…).
After shooting low and wide on the art gallery steps, we mixed up the wardrobe with a wonderful dress – credited to Edmonton local designer: Esther Bhatti. Brien and I chose to remove the ambient light from the scene and restrict our lights with a large grid – giving you the dramatic images you see of Renee spinning around the square.
We visited the gallery itself the next afternoon and were deeply impressed with the quality and number of varied exhibits that accompanied the reopening of such a breathtaking facility. From sculpted ballerinas by Degas to a hands-on studio shoot in the Karsh exhibit, the gallery is a must-see for anyone in the Edmonton area – or for Albertans looking to a quality day trip by car.
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4 Comments
Michael,
These shots are incredible! You are an amazing artist!
Lo
I love that splash of light on her boot… I hadn’t noticed it at first!
I love this set and how rich and warm it is. AWESOME.
Thanks Tanya – this was a fun break from all the travel and editorial shooting that day. We had only met Renee the 10 minutes previous to shooting the art gallery frames, yet she was a total pro. Most of the post here is draft, but I like the direction!
I love the initial top marquee image. Aside from that of the well-executed basics elements such as composition, color, contrast, and the likes, there is one specific aspect that I commend: your usage of wide-angle. I am finding that as of current, increasingly wide-angle lens are primarily being employed to achieve, for lack of a better fitting term, “gimmick”-type photographs. Thus, I appreciate your utilization of said lens in a complementary manner to that of the model-based focal point. It does not distract the eye into an radically skewed corner, but instead, it enhances the image while drawing the eye into the center. Nice work.
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RT @mwarf Images from Edmonton: http://www.lethbridge-photographer.com/2010/03/03/arts-sake/