ryan macdonald PHOTOGRAPHY blog » Musician

Angus + Kenneth + Calum – Mabou’s MacKenzie Boys

Ryan — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:47:22 +0000

I had a quick session with Angus, Kenneth and Calum MacKenzie following the Piper’s Ceilidh during Celtic Colours. After the finale, we beelined to South Haven to my old piping instructor’s house, and had a quick chat with her grandmother to ask if we could borrow her barn for a few photos. She thought we were a bit crazy, but laughed and said fine…as long as I would take a few photos of the boys in front of the barn on her camera. Not only are the MacKenzie boys super multitalented musicians, they’re among the funniest people I know. Like any good trio of brothers, they were pestering each other the entire session and laughing at the expense of the others (mostly Kenneth). The boys released an album, “Piob Is Fidheall” last year and it’s really great! They kindly allowed me to use a track for my year end slideshow and if you haven’t heard them play yet, make it a priority as they’re pure talent!

Gillis Family – Barrachois Family Portrait Session

Ryan — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 20:16:15 +0000

We laughed. Holy smokes we laughed during this session!! I arrived at the Gillis household and had a little visit before we started shooting. The kids were in fine form and every single thing that came out of their mouths was hilarious. The damn cat, the damn Leafs, general bathroom humour, you name it. Brenley had a mere dozen or so outfit changes lined up for herself (complete with a wide array of sequins to match the rural setting), and her mom Dawn joked that she thought perhaps she was part crow. Every 20 minutes or so, she’d disappear into the house and reappear in a new and fully accessorized outfit, much like Beyonce at the Grammy Awards. Madden is a natural comedian and he’s only a toddler…I can’t even imagine the things he’ll say when he realizes he’s funny! You don’t have to search too hard to see where the kids get their comedic ways…their parents are a laugh and a half! At one point the kids started killing themselves laughing, and when I turned around to see what was so funny, Dawn was cartwheeling across the lawn! I might just hire her to cartwheel herself through every session if that’s the reaction it produces!

Drea + Jera + Their Folks – Louisbourg Train Station Session

Ryan — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:26:26 +0000

This is the fifth year in a row I’ve been doing sessions with Kelly, Mike and the kids. I’ve seen their family expand and their kids grow up, and a trip to the East Coast wouldn’t be the same without a session with the ‘MacShep’ family. Kelly has been a great promoter of my work since day one and I’m always grateful to her for sharing my name and images, and making sure I have a busy schedule during my Cape Breton visits! Drea is one of the best behaved and sweetest little kids I’ve ever met, and it’s always a treat to take her photo. She also has a giggle like a machine-gun, which makes you laugh along once she starts! Jera is the squishiest little boy with a grin as big as his entire face, and he’s forever on the move…just like his mom. Mike and Kelly ‘get’ me, and always choose the best locations for their family sessions. This year we went to the Louisbourg Train Station, and it was the only year we had a session where it wasn’t freezing! We all bundled up in sweaters assuming we’d be frozen as usual, and it was like summer outside. Go figure.

The Hicks Family – Dartmouth Family Portrait Sneak Peek

Ryan — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 02:37:29 +0000

Two images from my session with The Hicks Family during my last day on the East Coast. We were freezing in Fisherman’s Cove during our first attempt at their session, but our second try a few days later ended up much better! Here’s Angus, and Isla and Dave in a park just around the corner from their house in Dartmouth. Wait to see Kelly in the full post!

Ivonne Hernandez – A Sneak Peek

Ryan — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 04:22:22 +0000

One image from my session with Ivonne Hernandez this evening before she heads back out on the road on Sunday.

Mariel Vandersteel – An American Fiddler in Victoria BC

Ryan — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 02:23:31 +0000

Mariel and I first started communicating through a middle-musician – Emma Beaton. Mariel and Emma were in town at the end of their tour and after taking photos of Emma a few years ago, Mariel was in need of some promo photos with the upcoming release of her album. She’s a Berklee School of Music student and a very talented fiddler now based out of Boston. She brought out an instrument I’ve never seen in person, the beautiful Hardanger fiddle, and I was entertained by her playing for the rest of the session. When I photograph musicians, I always feel like I get more out of the session than they do as I always ‘encourage more playing for the sake of the photos’. Selfish, I know! It can be pretty inspiring to hear musicians play during my sessions, and Mariel was no exception. Head over to Mariel’s site and watch her cute video about the Kickstarter project to fund her first solo album, and hear some of her music of course.

Ivonne Hernandez + Jeremy Walsh – Victoria Musician Photography

Ryan — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 01:44:36 +0000

No strangers to the Victoria music scene (and after performing together for many years) musicians Ivonne Hernandez and Jeremy Walsh have have finally recorded an album together! They finished in the studio a few days ago and the album has an anticipated release before April!

Seudan – Cape Breton Session, Day One

Ryan — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 18:26:48 +0000

This is a long overdue post from my session with Seudan in October. The group is made up of pipers Fin Moore, Angus MacKenzie, Angus Nicolson and Calum MacCrimmon. I met up with the boys over in Mabou for day one of our shoot for some promotional photos for their upcoming album. They were over from Scotland to record at Lakewind Sound Studios, and to perform at Celtic Colours. Angus MacKenzie, Fin, and myself go back around 20 years so it was nice to spend time with them since they both live in Scotland. Needless to say, Angus Nicolson and Calum are just as comical…I think that’s pretty clear from the photos! Talk about fun.

These guys are talented to the max and are all fabulous musicians. Keep your eyes peeled for their upcoming album…it’s going to be super. If you’re needing to round out your piping library, pick up everything from Angus MacKenzie’s band, Daimh, and his newly released album with his brother Kenneth (which just arrived here last week and has been playing non-stop), the latest album from the Angus Nicolson Trio, and Calum MacCrimmon’s band Breabach. For you curious pipers, they play Highland Pipes in A (made by Hamish and Fin Moore) which are a reproduction of the 1785 set in the Inverness Museum.

Ivonne Hernandez – Victoria BC Fiddler

Ryan — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 23:44:25 +0000

A little sneak peek of my session with fiddler Ivonne Hernandez yesterday. She’s the talent behind the soundtrack for my 2010 recap slideshow. A full post of the session (including images of Ivonne with local musician Jeremy Walsh) coming soon!

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!