Crystal Shawanda is a member of the Wiikwemkoong First Nations on Manitoulin Island and is a country and blues singer, now based in Nashville. I discovered Crystal’s music in 2017 when she played a festival I was shooting. I was blown away by her powerful voice and the emotion she delivers her songs with. Crystal is a powerhouse onstage and always a pleasure to photograph.
Crystal Shawanda, Calabogie Blues & Ribfest, 2018
I have been noticing this tree lately. I really like the look of it’s branches, all twisted and gnarley looking. I tried to hike closer but it’s in a marshland and being spring, it’s pretty mucky and I couldn’t get close so I went the other way and used a long lens instead. This is a pretty drastic crop but I still like the look.
Neist Point is one of the most iconic places on The Isle of Skye and is a favourite of landscape photographers for that reason. It’s home to the Neist Point Lighthouse and it’s unique location, but if you look around the area, you will also find other interesting things. Neist point is really a place that deserves more time and waiting for the “good light” but travel photography doesn’t always allow for that unfortunately. We were a fair distance from home base and wanted to get off the island before nightfall to minimize driving on unfamiliar roads in the dark.
This mother with two small children interested me. They were sitting, watching out over the sea like this for some time. I suppose they might have been watching for some of the varied sea life that might be viewed from this lookout but with or without sea life, this is a very beautiful place to just sit and enjoy.
Last week, I had the opportunity to photograph Colin James. I hadn’t seen Colin onstage before so I really didn’t know what to expect. He is a Canadian icon in music and certainly lives up to that onstage. If I had to describe a Colin James concert in one word, it would be Wow!
Concert photography……my biggest pastime these days when it comes to photography. I have spent a very long time learning the ropes with concert photography, it isn’t for everyone, but I love it. I get asked a lot about how it works and what it’s like. Typically, you shoot the first three songs, no flash and you leave. With a time limit like that, you have to pretty much nail your settings off the hop and make the best of your time in the pit, it goes quickly.
This is The Hunter Brothers at Leon’s Centre.
