Top Photo Locations in Edmonton

Top Photo Locations in Edmonton

One question I get asked quite often is, "Where should we go for our portraits?" To help with planning your outdoor portraits or family photo session, here are a few suggested photo locations from Edmonton and area, including both indoor and outdoor spots for great pictures. Of course this is by no means an exhaustive list, but it is a great place to start! If you have other suggestions please let me know
My personal favorite photo back drop is the Whitemud Park
There are some great locations - interesting trails, bridges and access to the river front - the going is sometimes a little uneven so wear comfortable shoes.
Great opportunities whatever the season
Alberta Legislature
(Outdoors open free to the public; indoor photographs are not permitted.)

The Alberta Legislature grounds is one of the most popular - and populated - parks in the city. With amazing variety of mature trees, beautiful architecture and plentiful flowers there are abundant photo opportunities here. There are often other weddings on the grounds as well as tourists, but there is so much space this rarely creates a problem.
Some of these location charge a fee, for formal photo shoots like weddings so please check out their appropriate web sites to see their rules and regulations regarding formal photo shoots
Royal Alberta Museum & Government House
Contact: Administration at (780) 453-9100

The Museum grounds and the Government House are very popular for wedding photos. An excellent blend of landscaping and architecture provide lots of visual variety within a relatively small area. This is a public park, so there is no charge to use the grounds or building exteriors for portraits.
Citadel Theatre
Contact: Administration at (780) 426-4811

The Citadel theatre has a large indoor garden featuring an upstairs lake and a waterfall wall. An atrium upstairs may be rented for indoor ceremonies. Daytime sessions are best as most of the interior light comes from their large windows.
Edmonton City Hall
Booking Clerk: (780) 944-7740

City Hall is a beautifully designed building with a selection of railings, pillars, staircases and smaller features which keep portrait backgrounds interesting. A high-key (light) colour scheme dominates most of the interior. Most days the interior is fairly quiet although on a nice summer day the fountains outside do attract waders.
Devonian Botanic Gardens
Contact: Bookings at (780) 987-2496

Although this is an outdoor-only location - and a bit of a drive too - the Devonian Gardens provides almost unparalleled beauty and variety. The Japanese Garden is the most popular section, featuring a waterfall, bridge, lake (with stepping stones), walkways, and varied foliage for a wonderful variety of beautiful photo locations.
Fort Edmonton Park
Photos site - www.ftedmontonpark.com
Contact: Phone: (780) 496-8787

For a stunning historical look to your portraits Fort Edmonton offers an amazing variety of beautiful locations. The river valley setting and the many different faces of this facility add a unique character to your portraits. Some churches and buildings on the grounds can be booked to add character to your ceremony or reception.
John Janzen Nature Center
Phone: (780) 496-2925
Located right next to Fort Edmonton Park, the Nature Center offers a varied natural parkland for beautiful photo opportunities. A bridge leading over a small pond leads into a system of nature trails which are great places to spend some time exploring - and taking pictures!
Muttart Conservatory
Contact: Bookings at (780) 442-5311 or muttartquestions@edmonton.ca
Cost: see details on website
Beautiful any time of year, the Muttart Conservatory contains four indoor gardens of differing style. Lots of flowers, indoor waterways and bridges, and paths through the greenery make for excellent photographs. You may book this location for your portraits or your entire ceremony and reception, but call early as it is popular and books up fast.
I have used the grounds for family photos and pet portraits
Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village
Guided Tour
Contact: (780) 662-3640 or email uchv@gov.ab.ca

Very few locations in the Edmonton area bring out the sense of history and beauty that you will find at the Ukranian Village. Just 20 minutes from Edmonton city limits, the trip is very reasonable and the results are worth it. Beautiful historic churches to host your wedding ceremony, unique photo opportunities and a rich historical character to the park all make for an enjoyable visit.
Outdoor Locations that are also lots of fun
Here's a brief list of alternative ideas you may wish to consider!
- Alberta Railway Museum - http://railwaymuseum.ab.ca
- Celtic Hall - www.edmontongolfdome.com/
- Windship Aviation (Hot Air Balloons) - www.windshipaviation.com
- Edmonton Valley Zoo - www.edmonton.ca/valleyzoo
- Ukranian Cultural Heritage Village - www.cd.gov.ab.ca/uchv
- Edmonton Queen Riverboat - www.edmontonqueen.com
- John Walter Museum - www.edmonton.ca/johnwalter
- Edmonton Aviation Museum - www.albertaaviationmuseum.com/
Corn maze - is a seasonal location but offers lots of unique opportunities
City Golf courses – please contact each one individually to get permission and enquire about their booking and fee structure .
City Parks - there are oodles of parks throughout Edmonton usually one in each small community
Lets use Edmonton as the perfect photo back drop
www.imagineitsold.ca
for photo packages and pricing

New Year in November

New Year In November

Ok – I know I am early and some would say I missed the fun Christmas season and am going straight to the
Gut churning life changing decisions we all make on Jan 1st
Yes its only 60 days till “New Years Resolution” time
So I say to make this a whole lot easier lets do it in November.
I am not talking about the lose 10 - 20 - 100 pounds before summer kind of resolution.
I am thinking in terms of what direction you want your life or business to go in 2011
So you see the long cold November nights are a perfect time to start making plans for next year.
I like to do a post mortem (evaluations) on my last year
I look at all the various work and promotional activities and really examine
What worked and what could have gone better – There are no failures - just opportunities to learn and do better next time.
You will be surprised at what new ideas and opportunities present them selves from this simple - paper and pen (glass of wine optional) excersise.
Once you have identified areas of your life/ business that need change it is easy to start planning how, Come January you can make those changes.
Personally – I want to teach more equine photography and marketing courses - I would like to travel to warmer places to do this during Alberta’s long cold winter.
SO now I have a goal it is easy to figure out the steps to make it a reality.
1. Find equine associations/ clubs in Arizona, Texas, New Mexico to partner with.
2. Set a date for the workshop
3. Create support marketing materials for new partners
4. Get on a plane / taxi / teach the class

Details of my “Equine photography workshop” is on line at
www.imagineitsold.ca
The beauty of New Year in November is there is no need to take physical action now after all we have 60 days in which to create a workable plan. Removing all the stress and panic of “Oh my God – Next Year has to be better”
So please join me for “New Year in November”

Tips for Photographing Horses

My name is Linda Finstad and I think I have the best job in the world.
I am a full time equine photographer - I spend my days capturing the natural beauty and elegance of Horses. Equine photography is more than a job it is also my passion and one, which I love to share with others. I offer Equine Photography workshops where photographers of all ages and skill levels can learn how to take amazing shots of their favorite animals.
I've picked up a few tricks for equine photography over the years. It's a deep subject that would take a full-fledged book to present thoroughly, but I will try to offer a few tips that will help you avoid the worst mistakes.
Composition
Because horses are so large, it is necessary to get back at least 15 or 20 feet to prevent distortion, and a camera with a telephoto lens is a great help. Otherwise, keep your distance, and enlarge the prints if necessary. If you get too close, and say it's a head-on shot, the animal’s nose and face will be huge, and the rest of the body will appear quite small.

Natural Framing
Unless you are taking a registration photograph try to avoid standing your horse up against a plain barn wall
Instead look for places around the yard that will create a natural frame - like an overhanging tree or position your horse in a gate way even long grass can be used to frame and add interest to your pictures.
Pictures of horses in bright yellow canola fields always look stunning –
Be sure to ask permission from the farmer first.

Time of Day
I often get asked what time of day is best for equine photography
My simple answer is anytime that the sun is shining.
Sunshine adds contour and texture to a horses coat and muscles giving your final picture a three dimensional appearance. In harsh sunlight’s a black horse will gleam and look stunning.
Dull overcast skies produce dull flat pictures and your black horse will just look like a blob on the page with no definition to his form.
There is also something know to photographers as the “Golden Hour” this is the time just before sunset - not necessarily an hour, this very special lighting might only last for 10 to 15 minutes, just as the sun goes down your photographs will take on a beautiful golden glow. This is especially beautiful in the Fall as the autumn tones in the leaves will be enhanced.

Best Angle
On all shots, either have your camera level to or slightly lower than the horse (you may have to kneel down.) Do NOT take pictures where the animal is on lower ground than you are. It makes his legs look short, and his back will not look good! It's just an unattractive view.
Make sure your horse is standing on level ground and not with his front feet in a dip, as this will affect his top line. If you have to make a choice on uneven ground, always place your horse so he is standing up hill rather than down hill - he will look taller and more imposing.

Action Shots
To capture crisp sharp photographs of moving horses you need to have a fast shutter speed and lots of light.
Trying to capture action shots in an indoor arena is notoriously hard (even for the Pro’s) as there usually is just not enough light to allow your camera to obtain a fast enough
Shutter speed.
It takes a little bit of pre planning, to give your self the best chance of capturing the action. You need to make sure you are in the right place and anticipate the right time to click the shutter.
Fortunately for the photographer, most people don’t go over a jump just one time, if you hang out in the warm up area you will see trainers with their students practicing over the same fence several times. Giving you plenty of chances to get “The shot”
This is also true of most equestrian sports – there is always a pre competition warm up time. This is the place for budding equine photographers to hone their skills.
Here is a great tip!
If you are unsure where the best place around the arena is to take your shot from - go and stand near the Show Photographer – She knows all the best angles.
A word of caution - Please stay safe and don’t get in anyone’s way the collecting area can be a dangerous place.

Equine Photography workshops

2010 saw the launch of "Equine Photography Workshops" these were tons of fun and everyone who attended learnt special insider tips from Pro photographer Linda Finstad.
* How to pose both horse and rider fro beautiful portraits
* Composition and natural styling
* How to time the "Jump shot" perfectly every time
* They even discovered hot to "See the light"

Linda revealed all her down and dirty tricks of the trade to budding horse photographer of all ages and skill levels.

There will be lots more opportunities to learn from Linda at upcoming workshops in 2011

Plus Linda is currently working on a new workshop - that will take you step by step
"How to turn your passion for photography into a profitable business"
Dates and Locations will be posted on her web site
www.imagineitsold.ca

If you would like to host a workshop in your area please contact Linda for an info pack

10 Ways to boost your Mojo
OK so what is your mojo – well my understanding is that “it is your internal energy, enthusiasm, power and inspiration that gets you moving joyfully in whatever direction you desire” Mojo is like the fuel you need to fulfill your goals and dreams
If you feel that your Mojo is more like a Nojo try these simple tricks to get it back in full gear.
1. Embrace the Peter Pan in you - think more like a child – they only see the possibilities not the danger. I really like a quote from Peter Pan “to live will be an awfully big adventure”
2. Be good to yourself, I am sure you know how to make “To Do Lists” well make a Self care list and write down all the things that would make you feel healthy. Like regular walks, fresh air , time to sit and enjoy your food not eating on the run. If it helps pretend you are writing it for someone else.
3. Defrag your mind – just like your computer your mind gets overwhelmed with all the things it has to process, so carve out 15 mins a day to meditate or pray.
4. Learn to live in the moment – let go of past and don’t fret over the future but truly live in the here and now. This is a very special gift I have got from photography - after all it’s all about catching the moment.
5. Live in an attitude of Gratitude – if you face each day from a perspective of gratitude then you will never have that familiar feeling of running on empty.
6. Mojo Stealer, learn to recognize people or situations that drag you down and avoid both – believe me you won’t miss them.
7. Look for the miracles in everyday life – it might be that just getting out of bed in a morning is somewhat of a miracle for you - if that is the case give thanks.
8. Kill stress – my easy solution to this problem is to call it what it really is! Instead of saying to yourself I am stressed say “I am overloaded” then itemize all the things that make you feel overloaded and either remove those responsibilities or delegate until you start to feel life is good.
9. Recognize time stealers – and get rid of them – for me it is my crazy obsession with farm-ville – for you it might be TV shows, or crossword puzzles. Recognizing where the problem lies is half the battle.
10. Eat chocolate – it makes all the cells in your tummy sing Halle Lulea – and just knowing that scientifically (unproven) theory makes my Mojo go
-

Top 10 Reasons to Hire - A Sharper Image - Photography

Top 10 reasons you should hire a Professional Photographer
Well these are really good reasons why you should hire A Sharper Image actually

Whilst reading a marketing book recently, it posed a question that I felt worth spending a little time pondering.
The author suggested you put yourself in your client’s shoes and ask
Why should I hire you?
He was really trying invoking advertising copy and creating a unique selling proposition. But I thought that question warranted some serious thought.
So here are my top ten reasons to hire A Sharper Image - Photography
1. Top-of-the-line Equipment – My camera is worth more than my car, and I have a whole slew of lenses. Along with all the “Must have” pro accessories
2. Expert Eye – As a professional photographer I anticipates all the possible moments in an event. And know how to capture these moments and immortalize them in a single, cleverly angled shot.
3. Coaxing a Shot – I know it’s hard to believe but sometimes I have to deal with uncooperative subjects. This takes experience and patience to coax a shot.
4. Lighting Techniques – Another reason why you should hire a professional photographer is I know how to deal with different lighting conditions. I can gauge what kind of equipment is needed if the present natural lighting conditions are unsatisfactory and recognize what kind of light will make a photograph pop.
5. Focused Concentration – Hey as a professional photographer is hired to do one thing and one thing only, he or she will have the concentration that is needed to capture special moments in an event.
6. Education – I have formal photographic education plus attend workshops to continually upgrade my skills. Unlike the amateur who has barely skimmed the instruction manual.
7. Proper Etiquette – Years of experience has developed the proper way of acting in an event. I can document the event without being conspicuous.
8. Objectivity – During an event, there are a lot of emotions going on and if you hire a friend or relative, chances are, they will be too involved in the event to take excellent shots. A professional photographer who is outside an event can give this necessary objectivity.
9. Dealing with Other Professionals – The professional photographer will be able to coordinate with other professionals, such as a Judges or videographer or event officials, to make sure that every important shot is taken without getting in the way of other professionals.
10. Standards of Quality – I am totally committed to producing high quality photographs. After all that is my business.

Wild Horses Of Alberta

I had heard all kinds of stories about the “Wild Horses of Alberta” some people said they were farel horses meaning horses that had either escaped or been turned loose and allowed to roam and breed free.
Other people told me the number of supposedly wild horses was proportionate to the price of hay – meaning when times were tough and hay at premium prices people were guilty of just setting their horses free to fend for themselves and hopefully be accepted into the herds of wild horses.
Others claimed these wild horses were brought to Alberta by the first nations people long before the land was settled by white folks. The first record of large herds of wild horses roaming in the Sundre area was in mcDougals journals written in the 1800’s
So I was very keen to go and see for myself.
There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that there are free roaming horses in the foothills – this is a fact.
Bob and Doreen Henderson head up WHOAS - the wild horses of Alberta society and they are active in trying to protect these horses. They very kindly offered to take me out to see them.
I met the Hendersons in Olds and they took me and all my camera gear in their all terrain vehicle on out quest to find the horses.
Bob told me there were about 300 head but they live in small family groups made up of one stallion and his mares along with the youngsters. He explained the bachelor males who hadn’t yet managed to secure and females for themselves also live in small groups this is for both company and safety. Bears and wolves are their natural preditors in these parts.
I ask Bob about the farel horse theory and he said some horses do get tuned loose out here but most of them don’t survive the winter, domestic horses that are used to being fed good quality feed and fresh water really suffer. The streams are frozen all winter and there is no grass – only the hardiest of horses can not only survive but thrive and breed in these conditions.
We traveled about an hour and a half west of Olds and turned of the main road onto the logging roads, I was extremely thankfull that Bob was both driving and knew where he was going because everywhere looked the same - snow and trees - it would be very easy to get lost up here.
As we were driving Bob told me to look for both horse poop and fresh tracks as this would be our clues to finding these elusive horses.
We spotted several white tailed deer but after driving around for about an hour we still hadn’t seen any horses, then Bob stopped the vehicle and told everyone to get out quietly. He had spotted what looked like horses in a clearing. So I grabbed my camera and followed quietly behind Bob eventually we cane upon a family group of horses. The stallion was a very flashy chestnut with white stockings and large white blaze on his nose. He had 11 mares and youngsters in his group.
He was very aware of where we were and patrolled around his mares snorting and pawing the ground in warning for us not to get too close.
I was thrilled to watch the group interact and forage for food, and got some great shots.
Back in the vehicle Bob asked me if I still thought they were farel horses and I had to readily admit they were all of a very definite type.
They were all stocky horses around 14 hh , they had good bone and feathered fetlocks. They had rather large heads with characteristic roman noses, along with thick full manes and tails. These horses were not like any other breed I had encountered in Alberta.
Even though we are nearing the end of winter and you would expect to find horses living free - looking poor and malnourished - that is certainly not the case all the horses looked well and fat, their coats were thick but shiny. Some of the mares looked like they were in foal and even the young stock appeared to be in good health.
After watching us for a little while “Socks”decided to take his girls to a less populated place and he herded his family off into the dense trees. Bob explained they are not only very elusive they are extremely skittish and at the first sign of someone encroaching in their space they take flight.
So we set off to see if we could find more family groups.
We had a very successful trip and throughout the course of the came across 5 groups of horses ranging in size from 5 to 13 and all these horse had the same body type and were around 14 hh.
I am sure that without the help of Bob and Doreen to locate and track the horses I would have never found them.