I’m often asked what kind of camera I use.  The question is usually asked by another photographer, and rarely by a client.  The truth is, I own quite a few cameras. Some dating back as far as 2002.  If you include phone cameras, add another four or so.  

You see, the cameras all do the same thing to different degrees of accuracy. They record light and shadow on a sensor.  The buttons and bells might be in different places, but the bare bones functions are the same.   It’s not the camera that matters in the creation of a  beautiful, creative portrait. It’s the person behind it. LOL. That would be me, and at the risk of sounding pompous, I’m going to tell you a little secret. I may be ok with a camera, and ok at editing, but real genuine creativity and assistance comes from my staff.

This is Tracey.  Her daughter Bryanna was in my modeling program for 2 years. Then she pretty much started running it.  Tracey often helped out.  Bryanna was insanely creative, and when she moved to Vancouver, I was really, really sad.  Where could we find another mind such as this?  Mom of course.  Tracey brought in the mother-load of creativity and ‘wow-factor.’  She is able to inspire me when I’m stuck with photographers’ block, style people with as little as a bobby pin, turn a bag of garbage into haute couture and all the while keep smiling and making people feel like a million bucks.

This past year, I also learned that she is not only a stylist, but an artist.  Again, she is able to leap tall buildings and run faster than a speeding glue gun.  Just look at the cauldron made with spray foam, moss and bubble wrap.  I’m pretty sure the spell book that she made winked at me.  Equally impressive have been the concrete milk-shakes, faux cherry pies,  and of course who could ever have imagined the flame-thrower she made from an old vacuum.  

All this imagination has been an incalculable source of resourceful fun for our photos.  Shine Photo may be a photography studio, but technical skill and fancy cameras aren’t what makes the images stand out.  It’s the people behind the camera.  All of them. The staff and team here at Shine are truly remarkable and this year, I’m giving Thanks for the best group of people any entrepreneur could possibly ask for.

Thank you Tracey,  Brynn (weddings and second shooter), Sandy (second shooter), Hailey (weddings and dance) and Briane (editing).  You are all so very much appreciated!