Category: Lifestyle Portraits

Climbing Fears

Posted on by cecile

As I dangled over the edge my mind said yes and my body said no. Or, was it the other way around? All I know was when I was asked to walk backwards into the void I found my voice and it firmly said ‘nope…not happening’!

I was proud of myself for somewhat hanging over the upper part of that ledge right below the tree in the above photo and taking photos. I wasn’t super comfortable at first but the more I hung around the better it got. Afterall, I was in a harness and securely tied off so I knew I wasn’t going to fall. The problem was my mind didn’t believe me. It was a total mindphuck!

And, then it was time to move and I knew, onto bigger and scarier things. Yelp!

My friends Jasmine and Marie-Eve took me on a short climbing expedition. Armed with my camera and several lenses I took on the challenge. While I didn’t achieve rapel down (the 100 meter drop, the jagged rocks below and the cold, torrential waters did it in for me) I am proud of the photos I took from where I was.

My friends made climbing look easy and that gave me an false sense of ‘easey peasey, I can do this’ attitude. Ha! I was so wrong. I think I would have mustered my fears had I have started on an easier, and shorter pitch but, I think Marie-Eve was getting back at me for taking her on a black diamond mountain bike trail littered with skinny’s and drops (and, it was only her second time on a mtb). Serves me right. Payback is a bitch! LOL!!

I learned a lot in the few hours we had and had tons of FUN (except for the part where I couldn’t see my feet). I’d love to have the experience again! I just need a bit more warmup time before the big drop into nothingness!

Merci les filles!!!

I dangled off the side of this cliff for this shot. #Proudofme

Add a bit of Bling to your Face Mask

Posted on by cecile

Adding bling to your face mask is a sure way of getting you to wear them (more). But, finding the right photo isn’t as easy as you think.

Not all photos are made to go on a mask. You need to consider colour, composition, sharpness, contrast and the quality (resolution) of the photo as well as the type of printing and the material it will be printed on.

Lucky for my kids, I’m a pet photographer and they were able to choose their favourite photo of our cats so that I could order their very own face masks. The verdict? They LOVE them. Letting them choose the photo was key as it gave them control over their masks and they are proud to show off their furry friend. Perfect for school and getting them to wear them.

I used a local printer. The masks are made with a stretchy material and slip on easily over the ears for a comfy, secure fit. They come in 3 sizes – small, medium and large. I ordered a large for my husband and it fits him great. For myself and the kids I ordered a medium . It fits me perfectly. However, the mask is a tad loose on both my boys. I think I’m going to reorder another set for them (with different photos for the fun of it) in the small size. My kids are aged 10 and 13.

If you are interested in customizing your face masks with a photo of your dog, cat, fish, horse or other animal let me know. I’d love to take a photo of them indoors or outdoors (don’t worry, I am practicing Covid-19 rules). Pay for the photo session and I’ll throw in a mask for free with your choice of photo. Not only will you end up with a kickass mask you’ll also have high-end photos that you can use for custom prints, wall-art, albums or a coffee table book.

$49.99 – gets you a short photo session, you choose the photo or I can help you and, a mask. I’d love to hear from you!!

Cecile

Double non Genre by JR Krauss

Posted on by cecile

I created and designed a CD cover and booklet top to bottom and side to side along with my friend Jason Dack. What a rush and experience it was. Woot!!

With it’s edgy guitar playing and smooth lyrics this album feels right on a long road trip or when I’m home with a really good sound system. It’s Canadiana – a music genre coined to reflect Canada’s diverse cultures and music. It’s fun, bright, catchy, romantic, honest and rockish with hints of country and jazz.

I met the man behind the tracks, Randy Krauss, a few years ago taking photos of a motorcycle event in Calgary. I did a bit of work for him afterwards putting together a really cool poster of his Norton 850 Commando. A beautiful bike! But, that’s another story.

© Cecile Gambin Photography
Bob Christy – Track 2 ‘Crows Road’ (L) and Randy Krauss (R) with his wicked Dusenberg Guitar.

Randy reached out to me early summer to see if I would be interested in creating a CD cover and inside booklet from start to finish. I would head up the entire operation. OMG! YES!! 

I spent a few weeks listening to the tracks and studied the title before I did anything else. Since I was on vacation it felt right to sit down by the dock with a Kracken n’ Coke to listen, think, feel and refine my ideas.

I contacted my friend Jason Dack, a fellow photographer and graphic artist, whom I knew enjoyed music and would appreciate working on this project. Together, we hashed out ideas and eventually created several images and layout options for Randy to choose from.

Once the layout was chosen my next step was to find a suitable duplication services company. I eventually chose Sask Media. Don, the owner, was instrumental in a timely production and was there the entire way answering emails on weekends, late at night etc.

© Cecile Gambin Photography
We used a combination of stock images as well as those I took from both an informal and formal photo sessions with Randy. We wanted the photos to reflect the songs and the vibe of the music.
© Cecile Gambin Photography

A large part of the success is that I understood what Randy wanted and was after. Take the cover for example, Randy a retired pilot, often saw dark, looming clouds while coming in for a landing in his native Southern Alberta. And, his explanation of how he remembered his mother in the song ‘Ella and Her Fella’ as a young boy had me in tears. The production of a CD is more than just putting photos together – it’s essential to get the vibe right and have the images tell a story that coincides with the songs, and the artist.

© Cecile Gambin Photography
© Cecile Gambin Photography

I could go on about how Jason and I put this together but it’s rather nerdy, and techy. It’s suffice to say that I couldn’t have done this without Jason’s savy Illustrator and graphic arts skill set. We met a lot of good people along the way, and had fun working and creating this project. Smart writing, talented musicians, recording gurus, photographers and graphic artists pulled together to create a very strong album.

You can find Double non Genre on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Deezer and CD Baby. Or, click here for the full album. For the best experience grab a drink, sit back, crank it up and don’t be afraid to sing or play your favourite air-instrument.

Cats are Not Dogs

Posted on by cecile

Except for Bengals. They are, cat-dogs.

More boisterous than other felines these mini-leopards run, jump, explore, play in water, and then run and jump some more. Which makes photographing them interesting, fun and real test in patience and skills.

Meet Casper. He’s a 5 month old Bengal who is unusually timid. Probably because he was the runt of his litter and confidence is a struggle for him. Photographing him was a bit more difficult over other cats and dogs I’ve worked with but with some patience and a few tricks up my sleeve I was able to get him to relax enough to show his sweet side.

Before I take photos of animals I meet with their owners to get a sense of their pets personality. That’s what I’m interested in. I want to capture what makes them them – their uniqueness, their quirks, their grimaces, their furry smile and their thoughts. The fun, and the pure awesomeness that went with having them by my side day in and day out. That’s how I would want to remember my pet.

I try not to keep the animal longer than needed. I realise they have more important things to do in their lives like eat and play. Sometimes a photo session can last 30 minutes or longer than an hour. Whatever the case, I don’t rush it. I’m flexible and work with you and your pet.

For inquiries or to book a photo session please contact me via email or phone. You can find my coordinates on my contact page. Thanks!

Mount Robson with an iPhone 7+

Posted on by cecile

I left my cameras at home and relied solely on my iPhone 7+.

I recently took a 3 day camping trip into Mount Robson’s provincial park with my family. As my kids are still young they can only carry so much. We, the parents, have to carry the rest. So, I decided to leave my cameras at home in lieu of food, and clothing for chilly (and rainy,) September days.

Did I make the right decision? My back says yes. Would I have liked my big, heavy, cumbersome Nikon DSLR or even my smaller Fuji XT-2? Of course, but the ease of whipping out my iPhone from my pocket and not having to carry heavy gear in an already heavy backpack full of camping equipment was really, really nice.

I’m amazed at what cell phones can do these days and I really wanted to push myself and the phone to what it could do. I learned how to make the phone work for my style of photography. I like to take energetic photos but cell phones don’t typically do well freezing motion so you have to work around that. Example, I usually have my subject ride, or walk towards (or away) from me. Or, if they ride parallel to me I pan with them before I release the shutter. I also love the pano(rama) mode. But, it’s easy to over do the length of the shot and you have to constrain yourself.

I don’t have the latest phone out there and the photos are standard JPEGS. But, the photos are pretty good, IMO. It’s not until I zoom in close do I really see a difference in quality and detail. In other words, if you plan on keeping the photos for memories and sharing through various social media platforms than by all means – cell phone pics are great. If, however, I wanted to sell a photo, or print larger than a 4×6 than no. It all depends on the photo’s end use.

 

Not Just Another White Wedding

Posted on by cecile

This is Laura and she’s just had the wildest white wedding ever. So wild in fact that her ‘husband’ never showed up.

No worries though…it was a fake wedding. You see, I was hired by Desiree Ellis – a very talented Hair and Make-Up Artist – to take photos of Laura showcasing Desiree’s make-up. I’ve worked with Desiree in the past and I love the energy she brings to the sessions. In fact, I’m sure our brides would rather spend more time with us than their husbands. It’s because we have fun and, we understand what you are going through.

We want to make you the best and the most beautiful you can be. We also want you to be relaxed. If that’s not enough, our photo sessions are anything but boring. We’ve had face-slapping winds, snowy skies, endless laughter, and missing husbands. We’ve had to redecorate entire apartments just to nab that perfect shot of our beautiful brides in white. And, by the end of a photo session, you feel great about yourself and can confidently, and unapologetically, say ‘F-you!’ … as was the case with Laura. Haha!

Desiree and myself want you to be real. Unfiltered. Strong. Our job as a Make-Up Artist and a Photographer is to bring out the best you. We work hard to make you beautiful and to create artistic and memorable photos that will stand up over time.

It’s important to choose the right professionals for a photo session. If you think my photographic style, and Desiree’s artistry is in line with your tastes, vision and personality than we’d love to hear from you. It doesn’t have to be a wedding…

 

 

Skinning with the Kids!

Posted on by cecile

No, this isn’t a click-bait article and we did in fact go skinning with the kids this past weekend. It was our first time skiing in the backcountry as a family and as the term skinning suggests we skinned up and we skied down.

Before we got ourselves into trouble though we decided to hire a guide because we like our lives. Neither my husband or myself have our avalanche training so we played it safe. Our guide, Jean-Francois of Coast Mountain Guides, was friendly, knowledgeable, great with kids (he’s got two himself) and he speaks both French and English! As well as guiding us he also educated us on safety, snow packs, contour lines, weather and beacon training throughout the day. No wonder my little one didn’t want to go to school Monday morning. He most likely learned more in the 7 hours we were out over a week of school.

Backcountry skiing is something my husband and I had wanted to do for a while but had to wait for our children to be old enough. We like the idea of being able to go where few people do, surrounded by snow capped mountains and skiing in pristine powder. Our youngest is now 8 and our oldest is 10. They both ski very well and have no issues on single blacks at Whistler Blackcomb. Jean-Francois catered the route towards the kids to keep them happy so they would want to go again. Both kids were enthusiastic. Annnnd then we had lunch when our oldest decided to bust out the rescue shovel to create snow-furniture so he could sit properly to eat his lunch and our youngest – well – he just decided to dig a hole in the snow at the edge of the lake and dangle his feet in the slush. Ugh.

After lunch we skied out of the valley and towards our final climb of the day which would lead us to what JF affectionately called ‘Moon Rocks’. This would take us into our final descent out of the backcountry and into Blackcombs’ in-bound ski area. This is where ‘mommy-dearest’ fell one more time proving that I really suck at steep, narrow shoots. Let it be known that on Sunday, February 11, 2018 my kids have officially become better skiers than me. And for the record, I’d like to blame it on my skis that are 10cm longer than what I’m used to.

For equipment, we outfitted ourselves with brand new miss-drilled skis – David’s were 50% off the ticketed price – and backcountry style bindings with pins. All my gear were misfits as well – miss-drilled, miss-used and near misses. But, they were on sale. We found used rental boots, also on sale, and they didn’t stink. In fact, I don’t believe they were used more than 3-4 times as there were very little scuff marks. For our youngest we found a pair of new 2016 boots online. This was the last pair and on discount. We also hit the Whistler Blackcomb Outlet Store in Squamish and found a pair of used Atomic powder skis for the kids – fairly light and fat. For the bindings we bought new from Hagan – a small Austrian based company selling backcountry equipment with a US distributor. The bindings are relatively light, and versatile – fitting smaller boot sizes with a DIN from 2 to 7. We should be able to get 2-4 years before they out grow them.

We had an amazing time. My husband will be taking an avi course and I will follow up with mine soon after. This was an unforgettable experience that the entire family enjoyed. It doesn’t come without dangers though. Safety and experience is essential and not something to skimp on. If you don’t know your way around the back country than hire a guide. That’s what they are there for!

See what I did there? I put in that sentence about dangers so that you don’t attack me in the courts. I told you, and you read my post.

Interested in documenting your adventures or vacations? Or, having that unique family portrait that isn’t staged? I’m good at this. Let’s talk.

 

Bikes ‘n Brides and Action!

Posted on by cecile

Lately, my photos have taken on a new twist. That is, not a twist of the throttle – something I’m used to but one where I have been shooting more bridal and portraits in settings outside my norm.

For me, photography is an amazing experience as it allows me to grow creatively. Some times though, I wonder if I’m cut out for this and if my work is actually worth looking at. Aside from parenting, photography is hard. It’s hard finding clients and finding people who appreciate what I do and are willing to pay for my services as a professional photographer.

It takes time to create an image and I take each one of my opportunities seriously. I thank you all for your confidence in me. I am proud and beyond stoked at the images I have been able to create with you.

 

Braving a cold, damp, snowy, and foggy winter day typical of coastal BC we took longer than expected to wrap this shoot because the light and conditions kept changing. Each photo was as beautiful as the last and vastly different. We couldn’t of asked for better weather.

Make Up Artist – Desiree Ellis

Model – Ling Chen

Equipment – Nikon camera and Elinchrom Lights and Modifier

Sking with the Udovic family in Big White, BC. Accommodations for action photos? Heck ya! Sign me up. Perfect March break getaway as we loved our stay and all the kids got along. Perfect scenario for families with young kids as they more or less kept themselves occupied giving the parents some much needed adult time. Well…perfect until we gave them popcorn…but that’s another story.

Equipment – Nikon Camera with 70-200mm lens

Another very wet but beautiful month. I was lucky enough to explore some amazing mountain bike trails and share them with some very special pups as I needed photos for an article that was being published in Mountain Bike For Her Woof!

Equipment – Nikon camera and 70-200mm lens

Our family trip to Garibaldi Park was on a whole other level. It was one where I saw my boys grow stronger mentally and physically. The sheer vastness and grandeur of the park was a reminder how small we are in on earth yet how much of an impact we can have on her. I still can’t believe that we saw a handful of people the entire 4 days. Canada is truly an awesome country.

Equipment – Fuji XT-1 with kit lens

From winter like conditions in BC only a few days before to hot, summer days in Quebec. I had the opportunity to spend two weeks riding off-road motorcycles while photographing for Traction eRag during the inaugural Woods Runners trip.

Equipment – Nikon camera, 24-70mm and 70-200mm lens

Five river crossings, and close to 50km of riding. We took our boys mountain biking to celebrate my husbands 50th birthday in style. There was a bit of heckling at first as not all uphills were liked but in the end the boys had a great time. Thanks to Troy of Tyax Adventure for safely guiding us through grizzly country and navigating some fast, and deep water.

Equipment – Fuji XT-1 with 35mm lens

Just because we couldn’t get enough of our spring trip into Garibaldi we decided to hike our spring route backwards. This time instead of snow covered fields we saw plains of lava as history unfolded with each step we took. The boys liked this trip just as much except for the mosquitos.

Equipment – Fuji XT-1 with 35mm lens

With cold rainy days ahead we moved indoors for a photoshoot. This time with professional model Coco. The studio was booked for three hours and we three different outfits we made excellent use of props and walls going for two different looks – formal and edgy.

Model – Coco

Make-up Artist – Desiree Ellis

I had the opportunity to work with Shelley Brookes – an extremely talented painter.  This is the largest painting I have reproduced to date. As I checked for colour accuracy I was amazed at the different layers and images I could see inside her painting – hidden deep in contours, and colours I saw faces, animals and people.

Artist – Shelley Brookes

I’m hoping 2018 will be just as exciting and creative. If you have a project you’d like photographed please consider me. It’s what I love to do.

 

Documenting the back country with 4 young kids

Posted on by cecile

 

I woke up to temperatures cold enough to freeze the melting ‘snow rivers’ underneath our tent pad. With the kids locked in a deep sleep I enjoyed a moment of silence and soaked in the cool, fresh mountain air. Bliss. How lucky we are to be here.

Just a few weeks prior my friends Nicolas and Natalie had a crazy idea and proposed a 28 km backcountry camping trip into Garibaldi Provincial Park, BC spread over three nights and four days, and one mountain pass with four boys aged 7, 8, 9 and 10.

Wooohooo! I’m in.

No need to ask the kids…they’ll love this!! Backcountry camping, big heavy backpacks, long arduous hikes, steep uphills, and sore feet…what’s not to like?

Six hours before we left my biggest concern was how to get all this gear into my 60 litre bag, and into my boys two 30 litre backpacks. Wool socks, Moon Cheese, camp fuel, bear spray, tent, sleeping bags, Thermarests, clothing, and lots of food among other gear.

This trip quickly established itself as both a mental and a physical test of strength and will for each child as they struggled on the first ascent with loaded backpacks, and a steep, rooty up hill path.  While I carried the heaviest gear theirs were busting at the seams and weighed in between 10-15 lbs. I am sure this added to the many stops and drops along the forest floor as little bodies screamed in distaste at the sheer steepness of the trail.

But with lots of coaxing, breaks, a few needed temper-tantrums, and snacks we prevailed and reached Helms Creek campground 9 hours later. Annnnd luckily my husband had already found and dug out the tent pad from under 2 feet of snow. Thanks David…love ya!!

The next day we saw Black Tusk standing stoically in front of us. We looked up with jaws open mesmerised by the sheer beauty and vastness of the landscape. No one complained. No one talked. The fatigue melted with the snow.

With blue bird skies and a hot mid-day sun we couldn’t have asked for better weather. Stopping occasionally for water breaks, and lunch we trekked on for 9 km ocassionally breaking through the snow. Progress was slow but only because of the soft snow. No more complaints. In fact, I truly believe that this day was a game changer for the boys as they realised the benefits of hard work.

Our final campsite was Garibaldi. Our feet were cold and wet, and our stomachs empty. But our spirits remained as high as the mountains surrounding us. Once more we had to pitch our tent in close to 3 feet of snow but the experience was worth it as I saw all the boys grow and accomplish tasks they never thought they could. Whereas, I always knew they could they now believed it!

 

Dog Gone It. That was a Fun Ride!

Posted on by cecile

 

Dog Gone It! That was a FUN Ride with the pups!

Over the past few weeks I have been meeting and documenting some pretty hardcore 4-legged friends that can seriously shred the gnar. I’ve watched them hop, run, walk, play, eat, and even steal doggie treats out of my camera bag.

In preparation for an upcoming article with Mountain Bike For Her I turned to social media to find my eager models (2 and 4 legged ones). Riding again with a furry friend made me think a lot of our family dog when we used to take her riding. How she loved it. And how I loved watching her gracefully clear fallen trees yet aggressively tackling a tight turn. I marvel at a dogs athleticism…and their ability to find the route of least resistance. I’ve always said that if you want to win a DH race follow your dog. It might not always make sense but it’s fast.

These action shots weren’t easy to get and I cannot wait to show you the rest once the summer issue of MTB4Her comes out. In other words, can’t release the ‘hounds’ just yet. Get it? Anyways, I’ve got some real beauties and am totally stoked at the results.

Thanks to my new furry and non-furry friends for making this real. Your exuberance is infectious. Let’s go ride again!!

Woof!