Ottawa Fashion Week: Here I come!

I've got butterflies. I don't know what to wear. Am I going on a date? I don't know what to pack. Will I bring enough or too much? Will I fit in? No, I'm not going to summer camp. Will I meet good contacts? This isn't a conference. Will I succeed in getting the right shots and tame this new flash (SB-600)?


If you care a little about what's in vogue or if you put effort into your personal style, you may have noticed that this, my friends, is the beginning of Ottawa Fashion Week.


Why do I care?


Only because yours truly has been lucky enough to be invited to join Gilda Furgiuele (Royale Boutique Photography) to shoot for the organizers of OFW.


*Cue freakout*


As a girl and amateur of fashion in my own right, I now find my closet unworthy. "Look the part but be comfortable"...Really? Wish I knew what the recipe for that was.


As a photography student, I'm feeling suddenly very intimidated by my flash and Caleb (my D3000) seems to have gotten cold feet.


Just when I get a golden opportunity, an urge to self-sabotage invades the pit of my stomach. Will I be good enough? Will I mingle? Will I put my foot in my mouth? Will I embarass my mentor? ...


Then, I remember to breathe. I suppose I should enjoy the ride: I am in fact, a very lucky girl to even be attending, so for I'll try to make the best of it!


Let's just hope I make it there, on time, looking half decent without forgetting something, like say, a spare battery or a memory card.


CATWALK! Clic clic clic!

Shadowing: Not a passive role

Over the week-end, I had my second shadowing experience in photography. My first was with Gilda Furgiuele (Royale Boutique Photography) in the studio a few weeks ago, and my second was with my teacher, Harry Nowell (Harry Nowell Photography). Even though I have another 30 hours of shadowing to do, I can already tell that shadowing is anything but a passive role.


I haven't shot any photos in either case yet. Partly, this is because I didn't have the models sign releases for me as well as the photographers hired (Gilda & Harry) but also because of lack of experience and of material. For instance, it's difficult to shoot in studio without a flash - enough said. Also, Harry wanted me to pay close attention to his interaction with his client, to his set-up and to results achieved. In both cases, I had to observe, take mental (or actual) notes and ask questions about how to run a smooth shoot.


Sure, there was a lot of standing around and a few rather long stretches but they were all part of a photographer's reality. There are a lot of elements involved in a shoot, whether it be studio or on location. There's planning: getting to know your client and their needs and figuring out how you're going to meet those needs and achieve great results that will get you a good reputation with this client, and perhaps even another gig. There's set-up: where are you shooting, what equipment do you need and how long will it take? There's the actual shoot, with all this entails: interacting with the client, directing and taking the photos and providing feedback, asking for it and making delivery arrangements. Then there's post-processing and delivery. I haven't assisted in these stages yet, but from my own experience, this tends to be a lenghty, tedious stage.


At any rate, I've managed to successfully build a few sets, lug equipment, interact with the clients and even - lucky me! - choreograph some action shots. I left both shoots wondering just how much I'd learned. I realized that shadowing isn't about theory and what you can recite or write down, it really is about experience and growing ease with the "doing" part of learning. Shadowing, even when you are not shooting, is about familiarizing yourself with the environment, the dynamics and going through the motions of a photographer's unconventional routine.

Heart of a bootcamper

I am two weeks into some of the most intense dance training I've ever known. I thought at first that I hadn't quite experienced anything like this before... But my muscles remember being taunted, being put to the test for art. I am bootcamping for Swing Dynamite's TNTeam. What this means, essentially, is that I'm currently training with some of the most advanced lindy hoppers in Ottawa. They are experienced, they are determined, they are fearless and their middle names are "Fun".

My heart says "Kaboom"

The last time I've pushed my body this hard, tested my memory for choreography or defied the laws of physics to achieve new movements, I believe it was when I was competing in jazz, ballet, tap and hip hop (circa 1997-1999). Obviously, I've danced since then, but I haven't quite challenged myself this seriously in a just over ten years - and I've been dancing for 16 already. This should attest to this milestone.


I am now dancing a minimum of twice a week for two, three or four hours at a time. Here I am trying to perfect my technique, to improve my style and to forget that if I loose focus, just one moment, I may injure myself. I also live with the stress of hurting my partner if I don't hold my own. I am tackling one of my greatest intrigues: aerials! I've never been light as a feather and even though aerials conjure awe, they also incite fear in me. Every bone aches, every muscle is tender and every day, I discover new bruises. My doctor asked me if I had gotten in a fight... Quite frankly, I think she should've been more concerned about my persistant cold. I digress.


Why, you might ask, would I want to put myself through all of this? Because I love swing! Because I can. But also because I was born in the 80's and not the 20's or 30's and I have to learn through training and not in a club. I am challenging myself because I learn about aspects of my personality that I've never known existed. As a little girl, I was always attracted to swing and hoped I would one day find a school to teach me. I am bootcamping because I have the heart of a swing dancer. Mine doesn't beat "boom boom" it sings, sings, sings to Benny Goodman.


Most of all, I'm trying so very hard to soak up as much information as I can and improve my dancing as far as this journey takes me. I'm bootcamping because it's an honor to even be considered as part of TNTeam - even temporarilly - and it's a pleasure to learn from all these fabulous dancers.


Stick around folks and drop by to see the bootcamp performance on Oct. 30, 2010 @ 151 Chapel Street in Ottawa. Be there or be square!

Swing Dynamite, 2010

To my fellow bootcampers, from Rhythm Blasters, to D-Boys and Dynamite Girls, and lastly, to TNTeam members who've so graciously welcomed me and encouraged me this far, thank you for sharing your passion. It's a blast!


Tic tic tic Swing DYNAMITE! Tic tic tic KABOOM!

Usher - DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love ft. Pitbull

I don't know about you, but I've always had a special place in my heart for two male pop stars with mad dancing skills... Justin Timberlake and Usher. There's something about men dancing that I truly admire. I suppose one could say it's because dance is not a big part of our Western culture to dance socially. Maybe in part, but I think it has a lot more to do with the physicality and aesthetics of it that intrigues me. I enjoy watching male ballet dancers, lindy hoppers, latin ballroom dancers, hip hoppers and B-boys. I guess it must have something to do with the underlying idea that any dancer (man or woman) exudes a certain confidance; they must be comfortable with their body to use it as a means of expression and put it on display.


I thought of sharing this because this video - along with many I could post - reinforces my appreciation for male pop dancing. It also can't hurt that the tune is catchy, right?

Whirlwind

Hot Air Balloon Festival, 2010

Wow! Has it been 2 months since my last entry? In all fairness, I was out, living life...or trying not to let it slip by without my surfing a few of those waves that have crushed here and there.

Festival, 2010

I started working as Communications Coordinator at the AOE Arts Council in Orléans (Ottawa). I have been on possibly the steepest learning curve so far. Thus, it also makes it the most exciting! While juggling the challenges of a new job, I have also been reintroduced to the joys of being a student... except that this time, it's on my terms! My photography program is tailored and offered part-time for busy-young-professionals-trying-to-better-their-conditions, such as myself. I have also auditioned and been accepted into the TNTeam swing dance bootcamp. Have I mentioned yet that I'm busy? My friend Ian - currently studying in the US - asks me today: "Are you feeling any better?" He was referring to the "broken heart" condition. My answer was: "Well, I've never been better... I've managed to be so productive, that I've worked myself sick (with a damn persistant cold might I add)." And so, I'm blogging.

Selections 2010, Juried Arts Show

Quick review of August-September 2010. I was hired, to my bank account and creditors immense relief, in a delightful and dynamic community Arts Council. I've been learning truck loads about publications and website content management. I can also safely say that I've been schooled on many of my misconceptions about arts in Ottawa. Why, yes, we have many galleries and vernissages, and we are blessed with numerous dedicated artisans, film societies, choral societies, community theatres and contemporary dancers. Let that be known, I stand corrected: Ottawa is full of Art.

Speaking of which, I have been getting friendly with Caleb (my Nikon D3000). He and I and starting to develop some chemistry. My ratio of bad/decent photos has improved considerably; I even now have the occasional "breath-taking" shot. I've taken the Natural Light Portraits workshop with Harry Nowell and the Photojournalism and Social Documentary with David Trattles (Canadian Geographic). During this "break from blogging", I've also shot a baptism, Swing Explosion 5, a musician's portfolio and a vernissage. There may be a photographic style emerging there... Last week, I've secured myself an internship with Royale Photo Boutique - Vintage photography. Check it out: www.royalephotoboutique.com.

Theresa & Scott, Swing Explosion V

As for swing... Well, I'll be blogging about it on http://blog.swingdynamite.com shortly! I'll be posting news about the Ottawa scene, about Swing Dynamite and I'll share discussions with Lindy Hoppers as I'll share my own experience as a student and bootcamper! Performance is on Oct. 30! Don't miss it!

Did I forget something? I suppose that's what happens when you get caught in a whirlwind.