ryan macdonald PHOTOGRAPHY blog » Random

2011 – A Year In Review

Ryan — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 23:52:26 +0000

Whirlwind. Blur. Wow. 2011 was fantastic! As I was looking back through my blog at the year in images, I was having a hard time believing that the sessions from the Spring were even this year…it’s really been a year like no other. The Magnum Workshop in Toronto was a major highlight of 2011, and attending it with the rest of the Photographer Network crew was the icing on the cake. I traveled quite a bit, and I always count myself fortunate when piping and photography collide. The piping and drumming community has been so supportive, and the opportunities which emerge through the connection of music never fails to astound me! My clients, new and repeat…you are the best! I often drive away at the end of a session and can’t believe how trusting you are, allowing me to witness those special little slivers of time. A giant sincere THANK YOU for ‘getting me’ and my (sometimes crazy) ideas. Family and friends who don’t forget me after long periods of time when I’m editing for months on end, thank you for understanding. Finally to my Jamie, thank you for taking care of me, tricking me with coffee dates in order for me to take a break, and being my biggest and most supportive fan. Judy and Nona…you two still hold the title for most supportive blog comment posters! Here’s a little slideshow of the year in review, set to the music of Kenneth and Angus MacKenzie and their track, Slow Drive. If you don’t already own their album Piob Is Fidheall, buy it today! It’s my favourite album of 2011 and it provided the soundtrack for editing the majority of these images! Thank you to Kenneth, Calum, and Angus for allowing me to use their music (Kenneth is also the second image of the slideshow). All the best for 2012 and I’m excited to see what the year brings!

Cupcakes with The Little Cutlets

Ryan — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:41:26 +0000

Bonnie Jean and the twins made cupcakes on Halloween day. I took a lot of video this day because I didn’t want to forget how cute and proud they were as bakers…pirate bakers actually. The morning I left, they put on their baking kerchiefs again and made me ‘panpakes’ for breakfast.

Kendyl + Callum – Sunshine in Jacquie’s Room

Ryan — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 05:19:34 +0000

Jacquie moved to Edmonton. At the last family bbq at the Troys, we were playing hide and seek and used Jacquie’s big empty room as a top hiding spot. I called a break in the game for some photos while the sun was setting through the window of her bedroom. Love these two little munchkins!

Kelly’s Graduation – University of Victoria

Ryan — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 21:44:42 +0000

The Dagg/O’Farrell/Hoyle/Burke crew had me take photos after Kelly’s graduation ceremony from the University of Victoria Nursing Program. Doug and I were Western Academy of Photography classmates, and I have luckily known his awesome wife Jenny since then…she’s a pretty special lady. Kelly is Jenny’s daughter, and the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree! Congratulations Kelly!

Isley + Elliot – MacKenzie Beach, Tofino BC

Ryan — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:18:41 +0000

The hockey game was on before Ben and Naomi’s wedding in Tofino this past weekend. We were over in Ryan and Julie’s room as they were feeding Isley and Elliot (and watching the game), and I couldn’t resist taking some photos. We took a walk along MacKenzie Beach, flew a kite, threw some sand around, and got enough fresh sea air to make all of us fall asleep.

Michael – Cape Breton Portrait Session

Ryan — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:06:29 +0000

My sister Shannon had just left for the Congo before I arrived in Cape Breton last October. Her boyfriend Michael, had come from Italy to harvest the garden they had worked on all summer on the North Shore. When he wasn’t drying onions and picking potatoes, we spent time drinking coffee, having evening snorts of rum, and laughing at Mantracker. We took these photos in the ‘backyard’ to send to my sister during her first month away to let her know we were thinking of her. She’s days away from finishing her placement in Shamwana as a midwife with Doctors Without Borders and we’re extremely proud of her. A few weeks after this session, Michael went off on his own placement with Doctors Without Borders, in a different area of the Congo. They’re a tough pair!

Amanda – Fernwood Winter Portrait Session

Ryan — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 20:25:26 +0000

Amanda was one of my 2010 brides. She’s working on getting a jumpstart on her MA application with a program through UVic called the TD Indigenous Student Career Transitions Project. She’s asked (as part of one the program components) to job shadow me, and since she’s a great gal, I naturally said yes! For the next 10 weeks we’ll be in job shadow mode, with lots of fun things planned. We met up on Saturday afternoon in Fernwood for a few hours of shooting each other and chatting about ideas. Another image from Saturday is my photo of the week over on the Photographer Network blog.

Jamie Troy – Victoria BC Portrait Session

Ryan — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 01:13:31 +0000

I’m part of the Photographer Network and each Monday we post an image we shot during that week. During the winter months, when it’s either too rainy or cold for regular portrait sessions, I grab the opportunity to have a bit of fun and experiment. Every Sunday we have a bbq/evening with the Troys and before the grill fired up, Jamie was my patient model. One more image is over on the Photographer Network as my Photo of the Week.

Annabelle Hennigan – Job’s Daughter Victoria BC

Ryan — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 19:34:15 +0000

In December, I took photos of Annabelle for her appointment as Honour Queen for Job’s Daughters in Victoria. The Fisgard Street Masonic Lodge Hall provided a beautiful space for her portraits. Congratulations Annabelle!

2010

Ryan — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 07:17:15 +0000

When you look back and reflect, each year seems like a whirlwind. Many thanks to my clients who have been wonderful and trusting folks…humouring my whims during sessions. To my family and friends, thanks for your patience when I was behind my computer editing for weeks at a time. Most of all, to my Jamie…even with his busy schedule, he’d still make a point to invite me on afternoon coffee dates during the busiest part of the year so that my eyeballs wouldn’t fall out from the editing. I am the luckiest.

I’ve put together a slideshow of some of my favourite images from the year as a recap of the places and faces I’ve seen (the soundtrack is provided by my dear and talented fiddling friend, Ivonne Hernandez). Enjoy, thanks again for your ongoing support and encouragement, and all the best for 2011!