Sebastien hard at work and hamming it up in his usual 5 year old fashion.
Thanks to his patience (which was rapidly declining) I managed to snag this photo of him in the last few weeks of December 2012. Typical of him he was hamming it up on the drum kit and as usual being a ‘ham’ doing so.
The Globe & Mail newspaper published this image on January 28, 2013 in the LifeStyle section as part of the Globes camera clubs’ call-out for portraits.
Needless to say my little drummer boy was super excited to see his photo published in a newspaper and a prestigious one at that! As for me…I’ve been smiling all day, and the effort that I went through setting up 3 lights, a muslin background and rearranging our basement furniture to accommodate the shoot was worth it. It was great seeing my big little man smile this morning and having both sets of grandparents call in complete surprise 🙂
A doll? No…you want a bike for Christmas. Next year make sure to put that at the top of your list.
With the year rapidly coming to a close my thoughts turn to how much fun I had this season. Fun riding, fun photographing, fun talking, fun being with friends and fun making lots of new ones. And, as always, fun promoting our sport because we all know riding woods is just too much fun not to share.
CGP would like to thank you for your support. As a reminder, all 2012 photos will be removed from my gallery via my website on Dec. 31, 2012. By purchasing photos it has covered my costs for travel to events, and allowed me to keep my equipment in good working order (dust, rain and photographic equipment don’t mix well). I look forward to attending most trail rides and races next year and will post photos as they become available.
Thank you also to Offroad-Ontario, the KTM Trail series, the CMRC Trans Canada, Substance Projects, Sasquatch Vintage Racing, the CMX, and to all the countless volunteers for a superb year.
Finally, I am hoping that my next post in the New Year will have some fantastic news. But, for the moment I must keep my mouth closed. In the meantime, please have a safe and happy holiday season. See you out on the trails with either my camera, my bike or both.
The Magic of Christmas began at Humbercrest Nursery School this past week.
After a last minute change due to unforeseen circumstances, the children were treated to a magical day beautifully organised by our wonderful Doris.
There were cookies and crafts, music and laughter. The real treat though was a chance to speak with Mrs. Claus and a visit from the big man in red himself.
The fire drill Wednesday afternoon was indeed an unforeseen event. Needless to say Santa was a big hit with all the King George students as he walked out onto the field with our precious pyjama-clad babies.
Please click HERE to see the photos of your child (don’t forget to enter the password that was emailed to you). Each child will receive a print(s) of their exciting day the first week back in school. However, please feel free to download photos of your child. The Christmas Committee would like to thank all volunteer parents, Santa Bill and Doris for a wonderful ‘in-class’ party. Have a safe holiday, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.
Cecile
PS Please ignore the ‘big black box’ at the top of the ‘album’ page that is included for editors only. This is my business website and in a nutshell, I didn’t want to delete the paragraph and have to remember the wording let alone put it back in 🙂
Seems like it was only yesterday when I was working on my Georgian Bay photo art series for the 2012 annual Ojibway Art Show.
I once again visited ‘Empress Channel’ what is hands down my favourite place in Pointe-au-Baril this spring. A combination of the white washed rocks, rugged coastline, lonely pine trees, and the treacherous shoal laden clear blue waters give this area the most unique feel of northern portion of The Parry Sound Archipelago.
My hopes, through my photography and photo art, is to show the natural beauty of the area. Building on my previous years theme I take an original photo that I took the previous cottage season and manipulate it into a digital painting. Through painting I am able to add movement and depth into my photographs thus moving my two dimensional photo into a more vivid and dynamic one.
For this particular image, much like a painter with oils or acrylic, I took away a few bushes and pine trees to better isolate the tree. I took this photo in early spring when the leaves had just started coming out. The bright greens against the blue sky, cool blue waters and white rock remain a vivid memory. I feel I have captured ‘Empress Channel’ the way I remember it with the above image.
All my prints are for sale. They are Museum Quality, and Giclée printed on Hahnemühle Fine Art Papers. Prints are signed and sold in limited quantities. As always, please feel free to email me with comments or questions. Thank you for looking and taking the time to go through my website.
A morning with 3 very active young children is one of the best ways to spend a late fall morning.
It was indeed a crisp, clean and to the point kind of day as temps hovered slightly above zero. My trigger finger was not too happy at times but seeing these three kids with perpetual energy keep me on my toes. And that alone, kept me warm.
Although most of the leaves have fallen there are still plenty of photo ops to be had at this time of the year. In fact, the muted colours, and often barren landscapes of November can make for a simple and elegant backdrop allowing the focus to be on the main subject of the photos – the family.
Should you be interested in a family portrait please contact me for more information.
Zacharie, Luke and Oliver taking a short time out under a mature maple tree whose leaves were, surprisingly, still on after Hurricane Sandy’s wind storm that recently swept through the city.Younger brother vs Older brother in a friendly head to head foot race.I just love this picture of Oliver. Three year olds at their best!I am a mother of two myself and why is it when dads are around we become second fiddle? Just know that if it wasn’t for moms the world would be a lot more chaotic.
Welcome to the 55th edition of the Terra Nova Enduro 2012 which was largely set in beautiful Mulmur Hills, Ontario and surrounding area. For event photos please clickHERE.
The crew at The Halton Off Road Riders Association (HORRA) put on yet another stunning and well run event. Despite the rather gloomy forecast rain was only evident in the morning and replaced by warm winds and cloudy skies by early afternoon. All the typical Terra Nova tracks one comes to expect were used including single track from various Simcoe County Forests, and private tracks from Lance’s, Neils, and Lee’s farms. Shame on those who stayed in bed – the weather man got it all wrong and you missed a fun yet challenging event.
Following the new style of enduros HORRA wasted no time in created a super cool enduroX. Lee Martin and Kevin Burnett (Rally Connex) worked hard, moved land, and re-sculpted the old MX track at Primose campground. Considering the size of the track I am sure others helped out and hats off to you. The EnduroX was definitely a Terra Nova highlight and created quite the level of awesomeness!
It takes a lot of work to put together an enduro of this length (190km+) and, again, without the help of the countless volunteers events like this would not be possible. A huge thank you to all you unsung heroes.
The first special test of the day was a greasy but fun one.My favourite quote of the day came from Vet. Expert supastar Rome Haloftis: ‘I fell OFF the grass track’. Not sure how you fall off a flat grass track but look Rome…someone else did too 🙂OFTR watchdog. Looks downright vicious doesn’t he?This foot long hotdog wasn’t the meal of choice for the riders but……it was this puppy’s choice of food who really didn’t appreciate me taking his picture. Joking it’s a Halloween prop!!This rider (Bill?) came in hot into the EnduroX and gave the spectators the most entertaining show with his go for broke ‘ride ’em cowboy’ style. Not sure what the time was on his report card but IMO he was the fastest through the X section.While some riders landed nose down KTM’s Mission Cycle backed rider Kevin Cockayne rode through with the front wheel up and landed the top step on the podium in the Pro class.The log section.Lee Martin showing us the line in the final corner of the X section before the big, sandy uphill finish.The wall. Intimidating from the bottom.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for taking the time to read my blog, and purchasing photos. Your support is truly appreciated and while I cannot contribute to the household income my hopes are to cover gas expenses and repair my equipment when it gets damaged from the elements (mainly water, dust and sand). For me photography is not only recording an instance it is also an art form and I strive to include art into my photographs. Your comments good or bad are always appreciated (constructive feedback is how I learn). Spread the word. It’s been a ride this year and sorry I didn’t get any photos from the Great Pine Enduro. I had the itch to race myself. Find me on Facebook on my page ‘Cecile Gambin Photography’ for the latest updates.Oh look…it’s a Berg. A sandy Berg. Had it had been any colder I could have said an ‘ice Berg’. But since it was rather mild I’ll just call it a tired Berg. hehehehe…No disrespect intended on my behalf … but thanks for the entertainment and good photo ops at the finish line 🙂Thank you HORRA, racers, volunteers, Primose Campground, land owners and many others for a great day!
I love autumn. More specifically shooting at this time of the year makes for great family or individual portraits. It’s all about the colours and the soft light.
I was on a mission this past Thanksgiving weekend taking photos of my two boys. Primarily of my youngest as I realised that I had more photos of my eldest at the same age as my youngest right now. Amazing how two young bodies can keep you busy and before you know it they’ll be asking for the car keys and the only picture you have is of them sucking their thumb.
If you would like a portrait for your family or yourself for memories I would love to be given the opportunity to take the photos. Please feel free to contact me.
Welcome to the 59th edition of The Corduroy Enduro. For access to photo albums please clickHERE.
Over 150 + riders from across the country gathered September 21-23 to race the country’s hardest off-road event. This years race was made even more special as one of the worlds top ‘Extreme Enduro’ athlete Chris Birch from New Zealand suited up and raced his first event in Canada. The Cord, as this race is affectionately called, is touted as Canada’s toughest race as riders slash it out over the picturesque but harsh, rocky, hilly and rooty trails of the Haliburton Highlands in eastern Ontario.
This event would not be possible without the help of countless volunteers. Club members from across the province came to help – LVDR, HORRA, TNT, BMA, HHTR, OCMC, SCORRA, ODSC, OFTR. A HUGE thank you again to Dave Wrack, Ed Strohak, Blair Sharpless, Dennis Lever, Ken Hoeverman, Kevin, Scott & Sue and many others for pointing me in the right direction. We all know my map reading abilities are astounding!!
A HUGE shout-out is also extended to Tracey Evans, her mom and her sisters for keeping the riders, volunteers and others well fed and, for making fresh mashed potatoes. Do you have any idea how long it took these women (and Dave Wrack) to hand peel potatoes with love for over 50 hungry racers for Saturday nights dinner? I can assure you…they all had arm pump at the end of the peeling marathon.
I hope you enjoy the photos that I have selected for my photo report. Comments are always appreciated and thank you for those of you who take the time to do so. There are many more photos available (please see the link above or click on the ‘Gallery’ tab). Because there were so many riders and my computer has been very unstable lately I have only uploaded a few photos from each area I went to. This also helps keep the album down to a more manageable viewing size. Please email me with your minute number, side plate number, description of the bike and clothing would also help. And while I did my best to try and take photos of everyone please understand that chasing around over 150 riders is not easy and I apologise in advance if I was not able to get a photo of you.
Chris Birch, KTM/Red Bull/Comsol Bell Racing pro athlete aboard a KTM500 charging up fresh loamy dirt on Friday’s second test of the day at Scott and Sue’s place. Chris just came back from downhilling in Whistler, BC’s famous bike park and little did he know that a little bit of the west coast greenery and mossy woods greeted him here.All around nice guy Patrick Beaule, KTM/Aldo Racing/Flanny Media, using the Cord as a training ride for his upcoming Dakar 2013 race.Yamaha backed rider, Brian Wojnarowski, staying on the throttle throughout the entire weekend finished the event in second place only five points behind a world class rider. Congrats on your awesome ride Wojo!Shooting the breeze early Friday morning before the mandatory riders meeting.As the saying goes…’a picture is worth a thousand words.’ You may interpret this pic as you like.A rider at the MX1 grass track early Saturday morning under a light rain, or was it sun. Oh wait…it was both as temperatures, rain and sun changed regularly every 5 minutes. The Cord definitely tested my skills as a photographer with the ever changing light!Birchy’s slight bobble in the rocks didn’t stop him as he swiftly and skillfully attacked the infamous Greens Mountain.Scott Bowes choosing one of the many lines available on Greens Mountain.There was carnage on Greens Mountain Saturday morning as racers took to the hill in the opposite direction of Fridays test. Spectators lend a hand to weary, tired and frustrated riders.Saturday afternoon racers faces resembled this beautiful Styrofoam mannequin head – dirty with a wide-eyed ‘WTF did I just get myself into’ look?Kevin Burnett from Rally Connex displayed his big Katoom with some nifty discoteque-ish lighting.I am sure some racers were dreaming early Saturday night after an exhausting day of mud, sweat and tears. The Cord has a way of reducing a person’s ego to bits and pieces and many first timers need to know that and be reminded that many don’t complete this race on their first try.Sunday morning saw the pros once again riding the pristine trails on Scott & Sues property.I could spend all day here shooting at Scott & Sues. Found a really cool line that requires a seriously skilled rider. The landing could hurt a bit but it would make for a killer photo. Any takers?
An estimated 50 spectators lined the south side of the ‘Tunnel of Love’ silently waiting for riders to test their skill…and let’s face it…watch some carnage.Knackered is the word that comes to my mind but I’m sure this rider thought of a more expletive word.The normally quiet and reserved Wojo rocked the tunnel as he cleanly bounced around the rocks a few times looking for a pass in his quest to gain time on Chris Birch.Rome Haloftis, Vet Expert winner, focused and railing another gorgeous Haliburton Highland forest just past the Tunnel of Love.Birch captures the win and with it the top finisher for the 59th edition of The Corduroy Enduro. Congrats Chris!The future of off road racing Zach Lewis always ready and riding in style at Sedwicks Quarry, Sunday afternoon. Zach finished second in his category and I believe the youngest finisher in the Cords history having just turned 16 a few months ago. Congrats!Easy viewing for the last race of the weekend at Sedgwick’s Quarry.‘Mad Mike’ Pflug showing off his collar bone post-Romaniac race.Brian Wojnarowski giving thumbs up before the last Endurocross of the weekend.A relaxed Chris Birch before the last test of day. Birch is one of the most humble and down-to-earth pros I have ever met and it is refreshing to see this in a top level athlete.
Ummm…this is no time for a nap Birchy! Despite the fall in the soft sand, Chris Birch comes back and pulls off a win at the spectator friendly EnduroX race Saturday afternoon.
For quick access to the Codrington photo gallery please click here. Please note that I have at least 2-3 pictures of each rider so scroll down or give me a shout and I’ll help you out.
Just north of the 401 at exit 509 lies a small community called Codrington. I had never been there before and all I knew was that it was close to the Northumberland Forest. ‘Fair enough’ I thought to myself, ‘there’s has got to be some excellent riding with some fun hills thrown in.’ I arrived at the farm around 7:30 just in time to get the last bit of sweet sunlight. I had planned on being there earlier but the Tim Hortons at Port Hope took over 15 minutes to prep my toasted sesame seed bagel with regular cream cheese.
I grabbed my camera and began recording the last Off Road Ontario XC race of the year. It was a beautiful morning and the sun was fighting hard to burn off the mist left over from the cool night. It was strangely quiet as campers lay dormant and only a handful of people were busying themselves with morning chores. At the base of the campsite stood a drumlin majestic in its own solitaire way – uniquely Canadian and typical of this area. I was captivated by the beauty of the farm and its surrounding fields decorated in fading yellows, delicate whites, and crimson flowers. A wonderful course layed out by the TNT crew and a perfect place to end the XC season.
I would also like to take this time and say thank you to the riders for allowing me to take your pictures and to the race organisers and volunteers for pointing me in the right direction. Photography for me is an art and I love spending my time in the woods looking for that perfect shot. Thank you also to my supporters – your comments and enthusiasm towards my work does not go unnoticed and it is a strong driving force – one that I often reflect upon when sitting in the woods getting regularly eaten by black flies, deer flies and mosquitoes. And than there’s the poison ivy…but that’s another story. See you all at the enduros or on the local trails and don’t forget to style it when you see my camera.
Off Road Ontario’s KTM 2012 XC series was sizzling hot. Great races, great people and tons of fun.Run-bikes eagerly waiting for their owners to take them out for an early morning spin.Races aren’t always hectic and noisy. In this picture mom spends some quiet time with her son.TNT and OO member Bill Watson explaining the arrows.And the races have started with the pee wee and junior riders going first.Minimalism. You either like it or you don’t. I enjoyed the simplicity of the fields showing their late summer colours and textures.When I walked through these fields I was dwarfed by the flora. From a distance I could only see the young racers helmets as they flew through the tall grass.The morning racers are off and battling for ‘holeshot’ bragging rights.Number 1 plate holder for the 2013 season Ted Dirstein showing us how it’s done on ‘Hones Hump’.The course was described as fair but tough just like ‘Judge Judy’. This rider got rocked in a greasy technical section of the course.Riding tip: quite often the best line if the one closest to the tree and off to the outside of the trail. Choosing the correct line is essential to keeping smooth and conserving precious energy.
Third place finisher Mike Vanden Hoeven pilots his Suzuki around the deep ruts and slippery rocks.Bill Watson sharing with us the reason he spends time organising events – because riding is a lifestyle and it’s something he loves to do! A HUGE thank you to all race organisers, OO crew and the many volunteers for making the 2012 season a success.Flying high with Machine Racing Yamaha rider Zach Lewis who had a horrible start and worked his way into 2nd place.Yamaha rider Wojo taking the win and with it the number 1 plate for the 2013 season. Congrats!Number one plate holders for the upcoming 2013 season. Kudos to all racers and to countless volunteers that make racing possible.
Have you ever had a race, or a day, when you realise you should have just stayed in bed? Well that’s how I felt Saturday night as I was driving back home from the 2012 edition of BMA’s Calabogie Boogie trail ride. I stopped at the local Tim Hortons in Perth, picked up my BLT toasted on white with no sauce, and contemplated the day and my lack of photos. I sat in my still wet clothes inside my car for a good half hour, closed my eyes and tried to clear my mind. I called home, explained the day and my husband David told me to book a room and go back to the Boogie tomorrow. Bless his heart.
This event was important for me to shoot for several reasons. First, to document the ride and hopefully nail some shots so riders could have a few sweet pictures of themselves riding a classic event in difficult terrain and show their friends and family what they do when they ride off-road. Second, ‘Romaniac’ team mates Rome Haloftis, Barry Armstrong, Paul Phillip and Mike Pflug managed to talk pro Red Bull/Comsol Bell Racing enduro athlete Chris Birch from New Zealand to come to Canada and ride our trails. How cool is that? A world class enduro rider hitting our homegrown trails!
I arrived Friday night around 7pm with dark brooding clouds covering the Calabogie Highlands. It was great to meet up with people I had not seen in a while and I chatted up a storm. Nearing mid-night it was time to check into Hotel GMC and as I watched lightening strike across the lake I visualised the type of photo I wanted. Having ridden the Boogie several times in the past I knew how devastatingly difficult yet beautiful the terrain could be and I had envisioned the perfect shot…I just had no idea where in the 170+ km day I needed to go. Thankfully, Dave Wrack gave me some pointers and a map of Saturday’s trail ride.
Enter Saturday. Rain, thunder and more rain before the riders meeting should have given me a clue as to how this day was going to turn out. I headed out well in advance of the riders and checked out a few spots. And the rain continued. I thought about doing some ‘drive by shooting’ where I literally took pictures from the inside of my car but decided that the only place I could do that really did not make for exciting pictures. I realised I could not drive too far into the trail with my 2WD and so opted for hiding underneath a huge maple tree and hoped for the best. Soon enough, the rain got the better of my flash and I made the decision to pack up my gear and leave before I destroyed everything. Artistically I would have prefered to stand out in the open to allow the viewer to see the length, steepness and technicality of the trail but I decided to not risk damaging my camera gear. Electronics and water rarely mix well.
The rain continued heavily throughout the lunch hour. I had found the lunch stop and took refuge, along with the riders, under the two tents. I decided to change my game plan and chose to take photos for a project I am currently working on. Little did I know that was going to be my style of shooting for Sunday as well. Many riders opted out of riding the afternoon as the cold settled into their bones and chose to end the ride via the K&P Trail heading for the comfort of their hotel room, tent, or trailer. I decided to try one last area before I called it quits in my attempt to salvage my day. Kudos to the BMA pre-riders and volunteers continually upkeeping the trails the day of as high winds and rain knocked over larges branches.
Somewhat sheltered from the rain under the protection of a few trees the riders made their way up a slick rock infested hydro line before disappearing into a low cloud.Check out the rain setting the stage for what became a long arduous day in the saddle.Umbrellas were the hot item before the ride.And more umbrellas.In queue waiting for sound check and dodging rain drops.Despite the rain some riders were all smiles. Love the positive attitude!! View these pics on a large monitor and you can see the rain steadily getting harder.There are truly some hard core riders out there and this guy screams that. Head down, wool sweater…rock and roll old man! (Meant with the upmost respect.)
During the lunch break I took shelter under the two tents, along with the other riders. It was getting crowded and this was honestly the only opportunity for me to take photos in a relatively dry area. I took advantage of it.
Taking refuge in a trailer by the lunch tent. Rain is progressively becoming harder and cool air slowly taking over.Heading out after a warm lunch sandwich Jeff Denton, Ed Kikauka and um…not sure who the other rider is get ready for the second leg of their journey.Wringing out the gloves ready to tackle the trails once more.Rome Haloftis seen emptying a recycled water bottle as a make shift jerry can ’cause he ran out of gas. See the rain in the corner of the photo? Yup, still raining…hard.Chris Birch riding a slick, rocky technical uphill late in the day. Thanks are also extended to the super kind sweepers for helping me find this trail, and for helping me with my trials bike (carbs gummed up). Thanks a heap!A boyish grin from a very humble world class athlete.
Chris Birch chillin’ on the days last extreme section. Hurray…the rain stopped by mid-afternoon.
Sunday – blue skies and cool temps greeted the region today. Back at base camp riders were eagerly prepping themselves for another great day in the saddle. Sadly though, the MNR decided to kibosh the killer trails on the north side and along with it the beautiful scenery. And, unfortunately, I mis-read the map and realised that most of the riders were on a trail to my far left thus resulting in me missing the pretty much everybody in the morning. At that point, I decided to change my game plan, again, and just take pictures to satisfy my creative itch.
Despite the foul weather and land issues BMA ran a top-notch event and riders came away happy. As for myself…my misfortunes on Sunday were all of my own doing. Serves me right for always following David and not paying attention to map reading 101. Overall, I may not have been able to get the photos I had envisioned but I am quite happy with the pictures I did take. Kudos are extended again to all the help the BMA crew gave me and for creating a great and unforgetable weekend.
Sunday morning and I betcha that riding gear isn’t dry.Riding the hydro line on a beautiful Sunday morning. Thanks to all the riders who gave me a wave. Feelin’ the love!Swinging out the rear end stylin’ it for the camera 🙂This is my favourite photo of the weekend. Sue and Scott – a wonderful couple deeply involved in bettering the off-road scene finding some quiet time together before hitting the road again.I asked Chris if he liked our trails and he said ‘yes’ and even loved, and welcomed, the rain yesterday. I guess they don’t get much rain in South Africa which has been his home for the past two years.Not sure what the guys are looking at but I was checking out the trial tire on the back of the KTM.Rome and Chris tackling another pink section.Final stretch of Sunday’s ride. You’re almost there buddy. Thanks to the BMA crew and volunteers for providing a safe and kick-ass event show casing Ontario’s finest trails. It was a hard ride Saturday but in the end it was a great and unforgetable event and one that will only make us stronger physically and mentally.
Sebastien hard at work and hamming it up in his usual 5 year old fashion.
