Peter

I interviewed Peter for our magazine in June of 2010. After we talked, he allowed me to take some photos, and for this particular one, he led me down to the stream that runs behind his house. He took me to the edge where a large tree had fallen, an old weeping willow. As I was clicking away, Peter stopped me and said, "Why don't we switch places? There is better shot looking down this way." So we switched and I took this photo. The light under the bridge says so much about Peter's journey at this point in his life-and the fallen tree too. It's an observation though-not a prediction. I am so grateful Peter turned me around...

You can read about Peter in the July issue of Start Stratford Arts and Culture Magazine

Peter died after a courageous fight with cancer, on January 8, 2011

John Miller

John is the Artistic Director of Stratford Summer Music, a successful music festival that happens here every summer. I was taking John's photo for an online arts magazine that I am a co-founder of called Start Stratford He was kind and enthusiastic when I arrived and was very open to any ideas I had. He was not shy about having his photo taken, so the shoot went pretty smoothly. This is my favourite portrait to date. I think it says a great deal about who John is...a mayoral quality. This is my intent for portraiture-to capture both the obvious( and not so obvious), as I continue the dive-though perhaps its a dive upwards, in ascension? I shall try.

You can read about John in the July 2010 issue of Start Stratford Arts and Culture Magazine.

Scott & Marion

Scott and Marion have been together for almost 25 years. Both have been actors, in the US and here in Canada-but what is truly inspiring about them is their ability to reinvent themselves. Scott is now not only an actor(he is in a new TV series called "Baxter", shooting in Toronto), he also a director(Shakespeare's LLL in Santa Cruz CA this summer)and playwright. Marion is an award winning librettist and presently has a new musical appearing in Phoenix, AZ called All The More to Love. I really enjoyed taking their portraits for our new online arts magazine called Start Stratford. They were very flexible, receptive and ultimately made it very easy for me relax and have fun.

I wanted to show them as I see them-still in love, incredibly comfortable with each other. They are both incredibly intelligent, funny, and open. Their ever expanding creativity is truly an inspiration.

A healthy relationship is contagious.

mark

Mark has been acting for 20 years or so now and lives in Vancouver, but is originally from South Western Ontario. I've know Mark for many years and he is a funny, up beat guy who admitted to me that he did not like having his picture taken. Sigh. I shall strive through this endeavour to find a way(or many ways, I'm sure)to help folks feel more comfortable in front of the camera. Sure, a great big vortex staring you in the face can be intimidating! Anyhow, I asked Mark if I could take his picture(he was visiting us here at home). He said yes and, after a visit to the mirror, sat down, ready to go. What a guy! I didn't take too many shots of Mark, due to time constraints, but I think these turned out well. A more formal-informal portrait would be nice to take in his home in Vancouver. Mark seemed pretty relaxed to start, although he kept making goofy faces and talked a lot about his new T.V. series, Stargate Universe, which is meant to be fantastic! Perhaps he wasn't so relaxed after all. I would have liked(again) to get him to look at me in the colour shot. It was easy for me to direct Mark to look out the window-harder, though, to help him bust through his anxiety and look at the camera. This, of course, is mostly due to my inexperience. Uh. I must remind my subjects(and myself)to breath!