The launch of 'Mike Grandmaison's Prairie and Beyond' at Winnipeg's McNally Booksellers on Monday evening proved to be an overwhelming success. A capacity crowd was on hand for the launch of Mike's latest book, published by Turnstone Press of Winnipeg, ending a 9 event 'book signing tour' throughout Western Canada.
I will be touring the Canadian Prairie Provinces in April following the release of my recent book 'Prairie and Beyond'.
The various events will include some traditional book signings as well as some illustrated presentations. See the list below for an event taking place near you.
It is very exciting to finally publish a photographic book of my 'adopted home'. In this new book, made possible from a recent collaboration with my new publisher, Turnstone Press, I hope to dispell the misconception that the prairies are flat and uninteresting as they are truly anything but.
While we traditionally think of the prairies as uniform and unexciting landscapes of wheat fields and old barns, the prairies are so much more than that. While they do include a varied agricultural zone and grasslands, the 'prairie region' reaches far 'beyond' to feature badlands, sandy areas, forests, wetlands and even the subarctic and the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
I will be one of 15 speakers presenting at this year's 'Frame By Frame Photo Forum' in Regina from April 13 to 15. The Keynote speaker will be Freeman Paterson, arguably Canada's finest photographic artist. I have been fortunate to take in more than a half dozen of his presentations over the years and I always look forward to attending the next one.
My presentation will focus on 'Seeing Canada'. I will also be launching my latest
Ian Tamblyn is, without a doubt, my favorite singer-songwriter and one of Canada's finest musicians, if not the most underrated. I have been following Ian's career since 1977. A quick look at the Discography on his web site and I realize that I own every single one of his recordings ... 34 vinyls, casettes and CDs in all to date! I rarely travel without some of his music to keep me company.
Would You Like to Publish A Book of Your Work ?
Don't miss this event!
I love books! I particularly love 'fine books'. Many people dream of publishing a book but don't have a clue about how to go about it. Beginning with the idea and followed by the creation of the works (paintings, photograph, prose, etc), there comes a time when the idea must be put down on paper for all to see and enjoy. Finding a publisher today is no easy task as there are not only fewer publishers around but also more people wanting to publish a book.
I travel extensively across this great Canadian country. As I drive about, I am constantly searching for photo possibilities. Often it’s merely a question of recognizing a photo opportunity, parking the vehicle and getting out to explore. For years, I swung my large (and much too heavy) photo pack over my shoulder and started walking, anywhere from a few dozen meters to a kilometer or more. While I usually have a camera mounted on a tripod with a particular lens for the task at hand, once in the field, I may decide that another lens may be a better choice or simply provide me with some alternative options without having to return to the vehicle.
Turnstone Press is pleased to announce an exhibition of 10 fine art prints by Winnipeg artist Mike Grandmaison. The images displayed offer a glimpse of the upcoming photographic book 'Mike Grandmaison's Prairie and Beyond'. The book will be available in late March.
The exhibition may be seen at the Millennium Library in downtown Winnipeg
The winter of 2011 - 2012 has been a rather mild one to date. I don't believe the mercury has dipped much below - 20 degrees Celsius for more than a couple of days before January, which is quite unusual for the Winnipeg area. A few weeks ago, I ventured out to the Whiteshell area with a couple of buddies, Peter Blahut and John Bykerk. We left Winnipeg around 5 AM to arrive at our chosen location of Sturgeon Rapids in Whiteshell Provincial Park well before sunrise.
As you plan your next trip through the immense province of Ontario, you will undoubtedly find 'A Photographer's Guide To The Ontario Landscape' an indispensible guide to countless photographic locations. My friend and colleague, Andrew McLachlan, has produced an outstanding e-book to direct you to these wonderful locations. I had the pleasure of traveling and photographing with Andrew during some of these excursions. Throughout the book, Andrew has interspersed many tips about making fine images.
This e-book is published by Arthur Morris' 'Birds As Art Books' . You may read a review of it in Arthur's latest bulletin, Birds As Art Bulletin # 393. The e-book is available exclusively through the Birds As Art on-line store.
Wishing you Joy, Peace and Contentment during this festive season and Best Wishes for 2012.
Dave Reede has been photographing for more than 30 years. Splitting his time between teaching and photography, Dave has built up an impressive portfolio of agricultural and prairie landscape images. While he was recognized for his passion in teaching science to kids throughout his teaching career, Dave is arguably this country's finest agricultural photographer.
His new exhibition may be seen at 'Crea8ery' for a one week showing from December 1 to 6. Join Dave for the opening on Thursday evening, December 6, at 7 PM. You can read more about Dave at the Crea8ery web site.
The Canadian Photographers Coalition, a partnership of the Canadian Association of Professional Image Creators (CAPIC) and the Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC), continues the battle for copyright reform. It recently produced an elegant brochure from which I gleaned the following information.
Canadian photographers are image creators. Largely small business owners, we reside in communities nationwide. Our industry directly employs more than 15,000 people and
I woke up this morning and made my usual two cups of coffee. Looking outside my office window, I noticed a dense fog in the air, as well as a heavy frost on the windshield. I decided I would drive to Birds Hill Provincial Park, 30 minutes northeast of Winnipeg.
I drove slower than usual because of the very heavy fog. I passed by my
'Madonny' is a photography exhibition by Winnipeg Photographer Mirek Weichsel.
'TRICKLE DOWN' is an exhibition by the 'River on the Run Artist Collective'. This exhibition features new work by Bob Haverluck, Rhian Brynjolson, Sam Baardman and Deborah Schnitzer with Joy Eidse and Derek Eidse.
The poster is self-explanatory.
If you haven't been to to see the current gallery exhibition entitled 'Nothing Is As It A Piers' by award winning Winnipeg photographer Joe Kerr, then you should. This is a thought provoking collection of vignettes of multiple images conjuring up feelings and emotions of social and environmental issues.
The collections include:
Manitoba's Best Bread & Breakfast ( from the dark side )
Fortuitous Symphony ( organizing the chaos of the forest )
Mine Mine ( A different side of the gulls )
My Garden, My Habitat ( Environmental punctuation )
Shy Skies ( Skies rarely seen )
The exhibition runs from October 10 to November 1 at Pixels Gallery, (217 McDermot Ave). Monday to Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The 2011 Friesens Engagement Calendar has won a 'PIA Award of Recognition' in the category 'Diaries and Desk Calendars'. I am honored to have been the featured artist in the current edition of Friesens Engagement Calendar. The prestigious calendar, elegantly designed by Jef Burnard, showcases more than 50 of my nature images. Over the years, Friesens has masterfully printed many of the projects that I have been involved with through various publishers, including my last four coffee table books.
The Premier Print Award Competition recognizes the highest quality printed pieces in various categories from around the world. Each year, only the most worthy pieces receive Awards of Recognition, Certificates of Merit, and the highest honor—the Benny statue. The Benny has become a universally recognized symbol for excellence in the printing industry. For more than sixty years, winners of the largest, most prestigious print competition in the world have leveraged this honor to gain a competitive advantage.
Thousands of entries were submitted for the 2011 judging of the Premier Print Awards, the world's most prestigious international print competition. The judges honored a total of 875 pieces with one of three awards—106 Best of Category awards, 200 Awards of Recognition, and 569 Certificates of Merit.
Here are a few more pages from this prestigious calendar.
A complete list of 2011 winners may be viewed on the Printing Industries of America web site at: http://www.printing.org/ppawinners2011
I recently came upon a well written and well thought out article by Djanka Gajdel, a Photographic Representative as well as an Art and Commerce Consultant, about the essential differences between professional and amateur photographers. I have always loved the definition of an 'amateur' given to us by Ernst Haas, often considered the 'father of color photography', during a photo workshop as meaning "a lover or devotee of an art or science". A number of professional photographers (myself included) enjoyed the status of amateur photographer before leaping into the world of the professional. The problem arises however when the amateur enters the world of the professional without the proper training or business knowledge.
The article, 'Pro vs. Amateur / Professionnel par rapport à amateur', was posted in a recent CAPIC Newsletter which I receive as a subscribing member. CAPIC, short for the Canadian Association of Professional Creators, was founded in 1978 as a national, not-for-profit association dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the rights and interests of photographers, illustrators and recently, digital artists, working in the communications industry. I invite you to view their web site at http://www.capic.org.
First, I hope you enjoy this interesting article by Djanka Gajdel, reprinted here with permission from the author. As Djanka mentioned in her note to me, "creating a conversation is always the first seed of change'.
Pro vs. Amateur / Professionnel par rapport à amateur
By Djanka Gajdel (a short BIO follows the article)
Like many others in this industry, I repeatedly cross paths with those who are not in the photographic industry. Because of access to the latest digital photographic equipment however, they believe that they are qualified professional image creators. I'm not including those that are genuinely talented and may not have heard their calling the first time around. I'm speaking about that archetypical individual, you know the one, could be the Bay Street investor who thinks "work with me baby' is the medium mantra or the bored homemaker who thinks it would be cool to add 'professional photographer' to her list of hobbies. No mention of the minimum 10,000 hours they are sorely lacking, the fundamental technical, creative, digital and business skills that haven't crossed their radar, or their incredible lack of skills in both lighting and composition. They are holding a camera enveloped entirely by their egos and in their world they believe this will position them into a new profession with little effort.
What a night it was! It started off very slowly but it sure picked up steam as the evening wore on. Joe Kerr, owner of the new Pixels 2.1 Gallery in Winnipeg, joined me and we drove up to Matlock, on the western shore of Lake Winnipeg. A couple of days ago, we had received an email notice from http://spaceweather.com indicating that northern lights could be possible in the next couple of days. We hoped perhaps to frame the auroras with one of the iconic piers of the area.
What makes a particular photograph a work of art? This is an age old question that will be tackled once more by a panel of very distinguished guests this coming Wednesday at Pixels 2.1 Gallery in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The panel of art gallery curators, critics and fine art photographers, most of whom are renown internationally, will draw from a varied background and experience to discuss various aspects of fine art photography.
The week went by quickly and it proved to be a lot of fun too! It certainly helps when you have a great class of very interested particpants, all eager to learn something new and willingly share their knowledge with the rest of the folks. I feel fortunate to have had two great classes in the last couple of years.
We had spent a long, arduous day hiking in the Killdeer Badlands, in the East Block of Grasslands National Park in Southwestern Saskatchewan. I, along with three of my colleagues - Dave Reede, Peter Blahut and Brad Smith - had enjoyed a pleasant day making images of this seldom visited park which is quite off the beaten path. It was a very hot, sunny day with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius. Nearing sunset (and as the clouds rolled in), we dragged ourselves up the coulee after a grueling 15 to 20 kilometer hike.
'Pixels - The Exhibition' is held over for another week. It will end on Saturday July 2nd. This exhibition is the latest to be held at the new Pixels2Point1 Gallery in the historic 'Exchange District' in downtown Winnipeg. Pixels2Point1, also affectionately known as Pixels 2.1, is a gallery dedicated to displaying the works created by Manitoba photographers.
The exhibition was a great success, having welcomed hundreds of folks. Many new faces visited the gallery each day. As part of this exhibition, a number of the featured artists discussed how they approach their art. I presented 'Impressions', talking and showing images of a more abstract nature.
The artwork I included in this exhibition will also be featured at 'The Canadian Gallery' in the near future.
Pixels 2.1, a gallery dedicated to photography and the photographers of Manitoba, now features a group exhibition of its finest. 'Pixel Fusion', which runs from June 3 to 26, will feature 6 prints by each of the 12 photographers. Photographers exhibiting include Alexandra Morrison, Chris Brown, Chris Gray, Dennis Fast, Geoff Lussier, Hans Arnold, Mike Grandmaison, Mike Karakas, Keith Levit, Tami Reynolds, Rodney Brown and Anil Sud. A 'Special Gala Opening' where folks can meet the artists begins at 7:30 PM on Friday, June 3rd.
I recently collaborated with Morna Edmundson, artistic director of the Elektra Women's Choir and Shelagh Rogers, CBC Radio Host of 'The Next Chapter' in a series of concerts called 'Kindred Spirits'.
From the Elektra web site:
Kindred Spirits brings together Shelagh Rogers, an icon of Canadian broadcasting and dear friend of the choir, and Elektra in a concert that celebrates themes of friendship, love, and life. Shelagh shares stories and reflections from her own life and those of people she’s meet in her work across Canada. Morna has matched those with musical selections that offer illumination, commentary, and beauty, all with a backdrop of Mike Grandmaison’s spectacular Canadian landscape photography. Kindred Spirits offers a synergy of music, stories, and photographs, presented by old and dear friends. Come share the experience with us!
My latest 'Discovering Canada' feature, 'The Lure of Lake Winnipeg' was just published in the latest issue of Outdoor Photography Canada magazine. For each of these features, it is always a struggle to choose which images will accompany the article as it is never possible to publish more than a few. It just occurred to me that the Blog is a wonderful vehicle to show additional imagery of some of these special Canadian destinations.
Over the years, I have donated prints for fundraising efforts to a variety of not-for-profit organizations. Recently, I made two such contributions for slient auctions.
I donated 'Prairie Crocus At Sunset' to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) for their 12th Annual Eye on the Arts Benefit Art Auction which was held on March 17 at the Winnipeg Convention Centre. Proceeds are used to help Manitobans living with vision loss.
I look forward to returning this summer to conduct another workshop at the Niagara School of Imaging in Ste. Catharines, Ontario. Last year was my first as an instructor at this prestigious photo school and I was quite impressed with how well the school ran. 'Making A Living As A Nature Photographer' runs from August 21 to August 25 and will explore the 'ins and outs' of a working nature photographer's life. We'll spend a lot of time shooting outside locally as well as very productive time inside looking at images and understanding why some work and why others don't work quite as well. Check the web site for full details about the course.
On March 9, along with about a dozen or so presenters, I made my debut at PechaKucha Night in Winnipeg. PechaKucha Night was devised in Tokyo in 2003 as an event for young designers to meet, network and to show their work in public. But the concept has since turned into a massive celebration, with events happening in hundreds of cities around the world, inspiring creatives worldwide. Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of conversation (“chit chat”), it rests on a presentation format based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds – keeping presentations concise and moving at a rapid and entertaining pace.
On Friday, April 1 Winnipeg's own Chris Gray delighted the 'full house' at Pixels 2.1 Gallery with his entertaining images of a recent trip to Africa. 'Dreams of Africa' was no April fool's joke either! It was an evening filled with information about getting to Africa, what to watch out for when booking a tour or photo workshop and, of course, it was about seeing a beautiful collection of Chris' images. One of 'humble Chris' images was voted a 'fan' favorite in a past National Geographic photo contest! The presentation was another in a series of 'First Friday Speakeasy' events held at Pixels 2.1 Gallery where photographers are gathering to meet, talk and breath PHOTOGRAPHY!
I had the honor of being selected as this year’s featured artist for Friesens 2011 limited edition corporate calendar. Friesens is arguably one of the world’s finest book printers and this prestigious, exclusive calendar features 58 of my “signature images”. The calendar is distributed to Friesen's clients and is also used by the corporation as a 'showcase' to attract new clients around the world.
SmibsTV host Peter Urban interviewed me via skype just as I was about to launch my new photo gallery. His online program 'Fine Art Photography Weekly' probes into the fascinating world of fine art photography by chatting with various fine art photographers from around the world. On Episode 33, 'Starting Your Own Gallery', we talked about various aspects of setting up a gallery, including finding the right location at Photo Central; the extensive research required at the beginning; the collaboration with a great design team at Circle; the experimentation with various paper substrates, mounting and laminating materials; how to display the prints; marketing approaches, and much more.
'The Canadian Gallery' was recently launched in Winnipeg, Manitoba to showcase my premiere collection of fine art photographs. A companion, online gallery was also launched which features the complete collection. Corporate art buyers, art collectors and anyone interested in premium fine art photographs can browse the collection based on themes. Each image is offered in one of three editions: an open edition, a limited edition and a signature edition.
After nearly 1.5 years of planning and production, I launched a photographic print gallery called 'The Canadian Gallery'. Andrew Toews, owner of Photo Central (Winnipeg's Pro camera store), made me an offer I simply could not resist and I subsequently set up a gallery in an unused space on the second floor. The gallery showcases my premier collection of fine art nature photographs. Along with the physical space, I also launched a new web site dedicated to promoting only my fine art photography at www.thecanadiangallery.com
Want to have a little fun to start the New Year?
If you have ever wondered how well you can differentiate between different colors (hues) and the subtle nuances between various tints, shades and tones of a color, try this simple little test at the link outlined below. I had a few colleagues take the test with some very interesting results. My good friend Anil Sud sent me the link.
http://www.xritephoto.com/ph_toolframe.aspx?action=coloriq
For what it's worth, my score was " 0 " ! That's good by the way!
Have fun!
"Speak ill of no man, but speak all the good you know of everybody."
Benjamin Franklin
From "2011 INSPIRATION" Calendar by Browntrout Publishing
Photography by Mike Grandmaison
I was fortunate this year to be selected as the featured artist in the 2011 MPI calendar. Every year, the Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation publishes a beautiful calendar of Manitoba images reflecting a different theme. "Serene Splendour - A Year in Manitoba" showcases some of this province's picturesque landscape locations. The calendar is purchased by insurance brokers and other businesses for free distribution to their customers. Get your calendar now while supplies last!
"Like a Mother, the Earth bore us and sustains us, asking little in return but love and respect". I've always loved that phrase by Robert Peters, good friend and excellent graphic designer. Following are anecdotes , meditations , natural reflections and images about the natural world.
"Arctic fox, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada"
Every good image is a result of thousands of previous trials, some successful and others not so successful. It takes years to develop the skills required to be a the top of your game, whatever that happens to be. I've been photographing for more than 30 years now and I learn something new every time I photograph.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS !!!
"There was a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
Anais Nin
From "2011 INSPIRATIONS" Calendar by Wyman Publishing
Photography by Mike Grandmaison
"Seeing Trees" - Mike Grandmaison Presents at Pixels 2.1
From Joe Kerr, Pixels 2.1
Thank you to everyone who came out on November 5, we officially have our first First Friday under our belt. We believed the Pixels project would serve a need in the photographic community and your response has proven that to be true. As we move forward be on the lookout for much more to come.
I have always been a strong proponent of buying locally, whether it's buying vegetables at the local market or purchasing a camera at a local camera store. The benefits of dealing with local businesses far outweigh the few "pennies' you may save buying out of town.
"VisionMongers - Making A Life And Living In Photography"
by David duChemin
If you have any intention of pursuing a career in photography, this book by Canadian photographer David duChemin is a must "read"! Even if you don't, you should read it. This is by far the finest resource about the business of photography that I have ever come across.
Last August, I taught a photo course entitled "Making A Living At Nature
On Friday, November 26, 2010, Pixels 2.1 Gallery will host the official opening of Rodney Braun’s photographic exhibition entitled “Beauty and Simplicity". This exhibit will take you on an enchanted journey across Canada as he traverses prairie fields and mountainous snowscapes capturing the essence and beauty of this vast country.
Doors open at 6:30 PM. Rodney will speak about his amazing journey from 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM.
The exhibition runs from November 23, 2010 to January 10, 2011.
Hours: 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Saturday.
Pixels 2.1 is Winnipeg's newest photographer's den, located at 217 McDermot Ave just off the corner of Albert Street in the historical Exchange District. This joint venture was conceived by Tse Li Luk and Joe Kerr. It officially opened on October 3, 2010 with an exhibition of black & white photographs by Tse Li Luk from his recent trip to China.
Pixels 2.1 Gallery hopes to become an important centre for photography in Winnipeg. It will focus on the photographic works of Manitoba photographers by hosting various exhibitions of their work. Pixels 2.1 will also be hosting a series of presentations on the first Friday of each month. The first Friday event featured Chris Brown who presented very interesting images of "movement". The Gallery is in the process of planning various photographic workshops. For more information, visit the gallery or call (204) 415-5480.
I love looking at beautiful images and reading beautifully crafted books. When I have a chance to attend a seminar, an exhibition or any photo event by someone whose work I admire, I do. While I’m not a “techy kind of guy”, occasionally I come across a publication well worth sharing or a piece of equipment or software that I feel has great value. In "Drawing From The Well", I will share some of these resources with you.
"Outdoor Photography Canada" Magazine
The Premier issue of "Outdoor Photography Canada" magazine was published almost 4 years ago, in the spring of 2007. The magazine continues to showcase excellent photography from professionals as well as those aspiring to one day reach that professional status. Editor Roy Ramsay realized a long time, childhood dream of publishing a magazine and OPC has been going strong ever since.
