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Natalia Osmolovskaya masterfully merges magical concepts with sentimental childhood memories to create compositions and scenarios that take viewers to places that are familiar yet fantastic. By: Natalia Osmolovskaya “I want to bring the viewer into a new world and help them see connections between ordinary scenarios and magical circumstances.” Natalia's skills set is used in her role as a post-production artist and photographer for an architectural visualization company based in Toronto. The studio works with architects to create 3D images of up-and-coming condominiums, public buildings, and city proposals. She creates visual stories in Adobe Photoshop that depict the mood of future neighbourhoods. The images that Natalia posts online are personal creative explorations. She is inspired by fantasy movies such as the Harry Potter series, Interstellar, and The Martian. Clearly, her speciality lies in creating conceptual yet realistic imagery with a hint of magic. Natalia says, "The ideas behind my surrealistic images are connected to my yearning for my past, mixed with my present life. Being a sentimental person, I always find myself reliving memories from my childhood that have shaped me into the person I am today. A big part of those recollections comes from memories of family trips I took as a kid. Seeing the places I've travelled to as an adult always bring backs to melancholy feeling. My overall vision is to create worlds you see as a child but often forget as you grow older. "Although my work does not depict the real world, it provides an outlet to express the beauty in the serious and non-stop lifestyle of an average city dweller." www.natosmo.com Our PRINT EDITION - SOLD OUT! But you can still find this story and more photo manipulations in our DIGITAL EDITION - on ISSUU. #womeninphotograhy #canadiancreatives #yyz #nataliaosmolovskaya #photoedmagazine #igerscanada #creativecommunity

Drawing on deeply personal and emotional experiences, Shira Gold’s photographs demonstrate grief, loss, identity, and change. Wellness experts around the world increasingly recognize the indisputable health benefits of spending personal time with art, to the extent of even prescribing museum visits to combat illness. A comprehensive 19-year study published by the World Health Organization (WHO) found that art has positive overall effects for mental and physical health at all stages of life. If interacting with art, even merely as an observer, has therapeutic power, what happens when an artist takes up an active practice with a conscious search for solace, healing, and equilibrium? Vancouver photographer Shira Gold discovered this important intersection of photography, mental health, and well-being during a time of personal crisis. These crucial connections would ultimately guide her healing through loss and grief. Born and raised in Vancouver, Shira spent several teenage years learning photography at Arts Umbrella, a local non-profit centre for youth arts education. It was something of an antidote to an ongoing struggle in high school where she fought hard to meet academic expectations and defy negative and discouraging early childhood messages. With her self-esteem in a fragile state as a result of these messages from teachers who didn’t see her potential, her lack of confidence could have been crippling if not for her camera. Photography offered Shira a sliver of control over something concrete and became a tool to interact with the world and express her point of view in a positive way. That involved acknowledging and purposefully connecting with feelings of discomfort and intentionally deconstructing experiences that felt overwhelming. “It’s the only time in my life when my mind and my heart feel aligned,” she said. Repetitive motion is a widely accepted behavioural therapy technique for lowering ones heart rate and blood pressure and for calming an overactive mind. On the advice of health professionals, Shira tried, among other things, running, knitting, and deep breathing exercises to achieve these goals. Results were less than satisfying and not especially effective in slowing her racing thoughts. Then came an implosion. In 2001, when Shira’s mother Melanie became seriously ill, Shira made the pivotal decision to become her primary caregiver. Mired in grief after losing Melanie in 2003, Shira desperately sought a healing mechanism to relieve the searing pain of mourning. Photography, again, came to her rescue, providing the urgent support needed to navigate this difficult period. Picking up her camera again, she says, “was like finding my breath.” What Shira discovered to be genuinely therapeutic was the simple, repetitive act of making images, regardless of the subject, the time available, or the end result. Through this process she learned to visually diarize what she couldn’t articulate. “It was visual therapy,” she said. Diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at age 35, her camera became a tool for harnessing her distracted thinking and, along with summoning mental focus, making photographs allowed her to slow down and be, as she describes, “fully in the moment.” Shira describes the bewildering period from becoming her ailing mother’s primary caregiver, to experiencing Melanie’s death and being bereaved, to authoring and self-publishing a guidebook (titled Choosing Joy’s Empowerment Index), to becoming a mother: “It was like all the space in life between struggles and triumphs compressed and there wasn’t room to process what I had been through.” Good Grief is a series of landscape images that serve as a visual dissertation of Shira’s movement through loss. This series earned her an Honourable Mention in the Julia Margaret Cameron Awards, a nomination to the Fine Art Photography Awards, a semi-finalist spot in the Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series, and also a finalist position in the LensCulture Art Photography Awards. Shira says, “If sharing my stories makes others feel less alone in their life circumstances, then maybe that’s the most important thing I do. My work has always been driven by my life and all the crazy, wonderful, painful experiences. As one who lives my days with a busy mind, there are few things that create pause and reflection. I think that when we tap into our vulnerability and channel it in our art, we are being authentic. That helps us to better understand ourselves, and to find balance and beauty in life.” www.shiragold.com IG: @shiragoldphotography + If you're in Vancouver, check out Shira's studio/gallery space on Granville Island, at 1249 Cartwright Street, she takes studio visits by appointment. GET THIS STORY AND MORE #MentalHealth & Healing through photography stories - delivered IN PRINT! Enjoyed this free read?! Consider supporting us! JOIN US AS A PATRON • SUBSCRIBE FOR PRINT DELIVERY • READ our digital editions • Make a donation #womeninphotograhy #canadiancreatives #MentailHealthandPhotography #PhotographyForHealing #photoedmagazine #igerscanada #creativecommunity

By Dan Pollack @ Dan Pollack Law It is hard to think of a legal issue that causes more confusion and headaches for photographers than model releases. The frustration is justified – there are few “hard and fast” rules and it can raise multiple legal principles that may vary depending on the country.  With that in mind, and with the usual caveat of recommending that you speak with a lawyer if you have specific questions, here are some model release FAQs to outline some general guidelines.  Note that I am using the term “model” to refer to anyone portrayed in an image. Does a model have a copyright in an image that I create? No.  You own the copyright in the image unless you have assigned it in writing to someone else.  The Copyright Act of Canada was amended in 2012 so that you own the copyright in the image even if it was commissioned by someone else. What legal rights does a model have in an image? In Canada, a model’s rights can be based on several legal principles.  Rights of publicity, or what is also referred to in legal terms as “misappropriation of personality”, is based on an individual having the exclusive right to market their image, name or likeness for financial gain.  A model can also claim that their rights of privacy were violated if there is a reasonable expectation of privacy.  A model could also have a claim for defamation if the publication of the photograph creates a false impression and harms their reputation. Do I need a model release for editorial uses? In general, no, so long as it is an image of a newsworthy event captured in a location where there’s no reasonable expectation of privacy.  But use caution if the event/issue is controversial.  For example, you would not need a release if you took a picture of someone speaking at a pro-marijuana rally and the image was used in connection with an article about legalizing marijuana.  You would need a release if the image was of someone smoking marijuana in their backyard for the same article because they would have a reasonable expectation of privacy.  You would also want to get a release for the same article if the image was of someone attending the rally.  They could claim that the use of the image is defamatory – maybe they were just passing by and do not want to be associated with the issue.  In similar situations, Canadian courts (particularly in Quebec) have held that people portrayed in an image have a reasonable expectation of privacy even though the image was captured in a public setting. Do I need a model release if I want to license the image or sell prints of the image? In general, yes.  If you plan on licensing images (either directly or through a stock agency) with models for commercial purposes, you should definitely obtain a release.  If you are only selling prints of the image you should also try to get a release.  For example, if you want to exhibit and sell prints of your images of street photographs at a gallery and a model raises an issue, you could assert that the images were captured in public and they are not defamatory.  However, the person in the image could claim that you are violating their publicity rights.  In the United States a release is generally not required if the work has artistic merit (which is construed broadly under the First Amendment), but that exception has not been recognized in Canada.  If you do not get a release in this situation you are taking a risk, but the potential exposure to damages is limited if the images do not harm the model’s reputation and the images are not being sold for large sums. Do I need a model release if I am commissioned by my client to photograph a corporate event and I want to use the pictures on my own website? Probably not, but you should have a written contract with your client setting out how you and your client are allowed to use the images (e.g., to promote your work, but not to license) and shifting liability to your client if a model raises an issue.  Your client should also prominently display/promote the fact that the event will be photographed and that the images will be published.  But from a practical standpoint, the potential exposure to damages is limited if you are only using the images on your website to promote your work and not licensing them for commercial use. What if you can’t recognize the people in the image? Probably not, but keep the sensitivity of use in mind.  For example, if the image is of a busy beach scene from a distance that happens to include overweight people and it is being used to promote traveling to that location, then it’s probably fine if no individual in the image is easily recognizable.  But if the same image is being used to promote a treatment for obesity, you would want to have a release if an overweight person could be recognized through something like a distinctive shirt or tattoo – especially if the individual is a minor. What should my model release include? You should work with a lawyer to prepare a standard model release, but some basics include your name and contact information, the name of the model and their contact information, and the date and location of the shoot.  I also recommend including a picture of the model with the release.  It should include a release of all claims relating to your use (and your licensee’s use) of the image and an acknowledgement that the model is not entitled to any additional compensation.  If you plan on licensing your images for stock purposes, I recommend including language about the model not being allowed to raise a claim even if the use of the image is objectionable to the model.  Also, if the model is a minor, you need to have a parent or legal guardian sign the release. Hopefully, this addresses some of your questions about model releases.  For my next article, I will attempt to tackle the even murkier issue of property releases. © 2015 Dan Pollack Law Dan Pollack is a Toronto-based lawyer who primarily focuses on copyright and contract law, helping creators such as photographers, filmmakers, musicians and writers protect and gain value from their work.  Dan is admitted to practice in Ontario and California.  He can be reached at dan@danpollacklaw.com and through his website at www.danpollacklaw.com. *This article initially appeared in the Summer 2015 issue of Gallerie Magazine, which is published by the Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC). You can learn more about the PPOC by visiting their website: www.ppoc.ca.

In case you missed our EDMONTON 2019 PHOTO INSPIRATION Pecha Kucha Event at the GARNEAU THEATRE - check out international award winning documentary photographer - Amber Bracken's moving presentation on how she navigates the world as a photographer. In case you're not familiar - Pecha Kucha is a format where speakers only have 20 slides X 20 secs/ slide to share their story. It's TOUGH. But really, really worth it. IF YOU LOVE DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY... Amber also participated in a panel discussion about ethics in photography in our PRINT edition. Get it - today! #womeninphotography #documentaryphotography #AlbertaPhotographer

Women’s contributions in history have often been dismissed. In terms of Canadian photographic history, these omissions have provided us with a somewhat one-sided vision of our country’s history. With the digitization of collections in archives across the country and the creation of easily searchable online resources, the work of female photographers has slowly but surely been unearthed and shared. It’s about time that these female photographers were acknowledged and credited. Born in England, Hannah Hatherly married Richard Maynard at 18 and moved to Bowmanville, Ontario. While Richard traveled around Canada as a prospector, Hannah learned photography. When the family moved to Victoria, British Columbia, she set up her own business as, “Mrs. R. Maynard, Photographic Artist and Dealer in All Kinds of Photographic Materials.” By 1880, Victoria’s growing tourist trade enabled Maynard to move into a larger studio and hire an apprentice. In 1897, she became Victoria’s official police photographer. Anyone arrested was taken to her studio for a mug shot. Besides operating a successful business and raising five children, Maynard experimented with her medium in a way that was not only creatively ahead of her time, but technically superior to the work of her contemporaries. Her signature works include photomontages, multiple exposures, and photosculptures. Her multiple exposures and montage images were revolutionary. She used various techniques to create new kinds of images. Her photomontages sometimes involved thousands of images. Maynard created The Gems of British Columbia series annually between 1881 and 1895. She made the final image into a New Year’s greeting card, sending it to all the mothers of the children she had photographed in the preceding year. She carefully cut out each portrait, pasted them together, and re-photographed the result on glass. To make a photosculpture, Maynard covered her subject with white powder and black cloth, took a picture, and then superimposed it onto an image of a papier mâché bust or figure. Maynard used mirrors and partial glass negative exposures to create unique narratives about herself and surreal tributes to the deceased. In 1969, Ron D’Altroy entered a weathered storage shed in Beaton, British Columbia. Inside the damp shed, among rat feces, he found something unexpected: 200 of Mattie Gunterman’s glass plate negatives. After months of careful treatment, the negatives were saved. The shed was revealed to have been Gunterman’s darkroom. Mattie was born Ida Madeline Werner in La Crosse, Wisconsin. At age 17, she moved to Seattle, Washington. While employed in a hotel, she met her husband-to-be, candy maker William Gunterman. In 1892, they had a son, Henry. A few years later, she was diagnosed with tuberculosis and the Guntermans headed north for a dryer climate. They purchased land in Thomson’s Landing (Beaton), British Columbia. The Guntermans and their dog Nero walked a thousand kilometres, hunting, trapping, fishing, and working as cooks in mining, logging, and railroad camps along the way. At the time, most amateurs used fixed-focus simple film cameras. Gunterman used a 4×5 inch glass plate camera. This gave her the advantage of a larger negative, more precise focus, and a choice of shutter speeds. Using an extra-long cable release, she would include herself in her photos. Once in Beaton, Gunterman spent winter months developing her plates and making prints. Her photographs show some of the difficulties of pioneer life and the joys of leisure time. She photographed the men at work in the Nettie L. Mine, including the deceased miners as they were being shipped back to their Nova Scotia homes for burial. Geraldine Moodie was born in Toronto, Ontario. Her entry into photography began when she photographed and hand coloured her mother’s flora drawings for her great aunt Catherine Parr Trail’s books. In 1878 Geraldine married John Douglas (J.D.) Moodie. They moved to Calgary in 1886 when Douglas became an inspector with the North West Mounted Police (NWMP) tasked with mapping a trail to the Yukon. As early as 1895, Moodie copyrighted her negatives, indicating her awareness of their importance. That same year, she documented the annual Cree Sun Dance and Prime Minister Mackenzie Bowell commissioned Moodie to document locations relating to the Riel Rebellion. While her husband’s career advanced (he became the governor of Hudson Bay in the eastern arctic district), Moodie did not sit idly by. She worked as a professional photographer for over a decade. She ran studios in Battleford and Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, and in Medicine Hat, Alberta. She operated this successful business while raising five children. In 1904, Moodie travelled to the North West Territories with her husband aboard the ship Arctic as a secretary. Her husband attempted to acquire official photographer status for her. The request was denied but her photos continued to be sent with reports, including correspondence to Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier. In 1911, Moodie photographed a NWMP contingent leaving for the coronation of King George V. When her husband retired, she continued her photography in Maple Creek. To date, more than 600 of Moodie’s photographs have been collected. They can be viewed online thanks to the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, Alberta. Gladys Reeves was born in England. Her family settled in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1904. One year later, 15-year-old Gladys Reeves worked as a receptionist, then a retoucher, and then a photographer, in Ernest Brown’s photo studio. Reeves hadn’t intended to become a photographer. The original job was meant for her older sister. But Brown and Reeves ended up working together for nearly 50 years. In 1911, Brown, motivated by a decade of success, built and moved into a new building complete with studio, office, store, and rental units. As the economy sank during World War I, Brown’s business deteriorated. In 1920, he was evicted. Everything except his photos were seized. He stopped photographing for about seven years but helped Reeves establish her own business. Disaster hit Reeves when a fire ruined her studio. Roughly 5000 prints, including many of Brown’s, were destroyed. Brown helped Reeves open another photography business. This one operated until about 1950. Brown and Reeves were interested in increasing awareness of pioneer life. In the 1930s, they created the Birth of the West photo series for use in public schools. Brown willed his photographs and his collection to the Province of Alberta. Reeves was hired to organize and document its contents of over 10 000 photographs. Reeves’s photographs are in the Brown collection. Reeves has been recognized for her extensive contributions to the City of Edmonton. Beyond her photographs, she was interested in horticulture and worked tirelessly to beautify the city. A 2009 Edmonton Fringe Festival performance, The Unmarried Wife, was loosely based on Brown and Reeves. Photographer Elsie Holloway was in business in St. John’s, Newfoundland, for 40 years. In 1914, she photographed hundreds of enlisted men in the Newfoundland Regiment. For years, the Holloway Studio was also popular for children and family portraits. Holloway and her brother, Bert, learned photography from their father, a founder of the Photography Society for Amateurs. In 1908, two years after their father died, the siblings opened the Holloway Studio. Elsie took most of the studio portraits while Bert focused his attention on outdoor scenes. Holloway continued the business after her brother died in World War I. As business increased, her staff included eight assistants. Holloway’s career highlights included meeting and photographing Amelia Earhart in 1932 at Harbour Grace. In 1939, the photographer’s presence was noted when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth stopped on their royal tour. Some questions remain as to who took which pictures: Elsie, her father, her brother, or other photographers. Most are simply stamped “Holloway.” For a time Holloway’s glass negatives had been incorporated into a greenhouse. Those that survived are in the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador. ---------- Our CELEBRATING CANADA issue #49 / Spring Summer 2017, featured these stories and more women in Canadian photo history. Check out the full DIGITAL edition: HERE. #LauraJones #womeninphotography #canadianphotography #photohistoryincanada #HannahMaynard #MattieGunterman #GeraldineMoodie #GladysReeves #peoplephotography #portraiture #analogfilm #blackandwhite #doubleexposurephotography #filmexploration #BritishColumbia

In case ya missed our TORONTO 2018 PHOTO INSPIRATION Pecha Kucha Event - or want to see it again - underwater photographer + artist Meaghan Ogilvie talks about the challenges and the beauty of shooting underwater. In case you're not familiar - Pecha Kucha is a format where speakers only have 20 slides X 20 secs/ slide to share their story. It's TOUGH. But really, really fun... WANT TO SEE MORE? Meaghan was featured in our FALL 2018: CANADIANS ABROAD issue - which SOLD OUT in print, but is now available as a replica (with BONUS content!) on the ISSUU platform: HERE. #womeninphotography #emergingartists #fineartphotography

In case you missed our CALGARY 2020 PHOTO INSPIRATION NIGHT event - check out our video featuring #yycartist Megan Conley. Megan uses photography as a tool for creative therapy. Hear the story behind her work and dealing with 10 years of facial surgery trauma, “My mouth, chin, gums, and jaw now have 25 plates and screws that will keep everything intact for the rest of my life,” she explains. Check out her live presentation to an audience of over 350+ Calgary photography lovers in Pecha Kucha format. If you are not familiar - Pecha Kucha is a format where speakers only have 20 slides X 20 secs/ slide to share their story. It's TOUGH. But really, really worth it. #mentalhealthmatters #artastherapy #womeninphotography WANT TO SEE MORE?! Check out the more videos from our PHOTO INSPIRATION nights HERE. + We featured Megan's work in our SPRING/ SUMMER 2020 - Photography + #Mental Health edition. GET IT DELIVERED IN PRINT or Check out the DIGITAL EDITION

Sometimes I cry so hard I think the tears will never stop. ​ Sometimes I feel so tired I want to lay my head down and sleep forever. ​ Sometimes I feel absolutely nothing and wonder if I will ever feel happy again. I wrote those words in a workbook when I was feeling particularly overwhelmed and vulnerable a few weeks after a health crisis in my family. No matter who we are, we all face life challenges. No matter what crisis we face, we all struggle with a range of feelings. Through images and words, I wanted to share my journey with others, in hopes that it may help someone else deal with their own struggle through difficult times. In the weeks and months following my husband's stroke, I spent most of my daytime hours at the hospital. When I returned home in the evening I would sit in an exhausted daze, my mind alternating between frantically racing around, or totally void of emotion. In an effort to turn off my worry and feelings of helplessness, I turned to photography. I wasn't up to shooting with my camera, but I used my own photographic library to create images that depicted my feelings. An introvert at heart, I am not usually one to talk about my feelings with other people, so I used my artistic process to express my feelings and help myself heal. Some of the images are composited self-portraits, pictures of myself inserted into situations of my own creation. I call this series "Stroke of Emotions". This series was inspired by the work of photographer Brooke Shaden. Some of the images are composited with pictures of trees and birds, a more symbolic representation of similar emotions. I believe trees represent growth and strength, with roots to ground us in our traditions. I see birds in flight as symbols of freedom, with the power of dreams and life renewed. Together, trees and birds create powerful images of inspiration and tools to heal the soul. I call this series "Roots + Wings". This series is comprised of 14 images and includes verse to pair with each image. We featured Sara's work in our SPRING/ SUMMER 2020 - Photography + #Mental Health edition. GET IT DELIVERED IN PRINT or Check out the DIGITAL EDITION See more of her work online: www.saraharley.com Instagram: @saraharley.photos #novascotia #womeninphotography #photomanipulation #experimentation #photographycanada #fineartphotography

Photographer Vicky Lam has a pretty sweet job creating eye candy for clients By: Briar Chaput Photographer Vicky Lam's work can easily be identified by its carefully crafted, detail-oriented, and graphic style. From large corporate advertising campaigns to colourful creative projects, Vicky creates images that have an impact on a national audience, all from her Toronto studio. Early on, Vicky considered photography "a cool way to travel the world and meet new people." But, once she began creating images in the studio, the meditative nature of the work, as well as the control she had over her environment and subjects, helped her discover her love for a more illustrative form of photography. As a commercial photographer, Vicky must produce work that satisfies not only her but, more importantly, her clients. When speaking about the challenges that come with this type of work, Vicky says that the clients are usually great to work with once the project's concept is settled on. Most "demands" are only small things, such as a client wanting an excessive number of props in a shot or additional shots that weren't initially agreed on. If any larger issues arise, Vicky takes comfort in the fact that she can reach out to the team at Westside Studio, her home base, to discuss ways to solve the issue - one of the perks of working in a shared studio space. In Vicky's words, "commercial photography is a lot of problem solving, but it's worth it to see my efforts out in the real world in a tangible form that I can share." One of her most recent and largest accomplishments was creating images for a Google product launch. Vicky's photos were featured in a public campaign that included images taking over Toronto's Yonge-Bloor subway station and the stories-high digital screens at Yonge- Dundas Square. Contributing to a billboard was one of Vicky's goals when starting out, and accomplishing that goal means that her work is truly out there for the world to see. When asked about what advice she would give to new and emerging photographers, Vicky says, "hang on! There will be moments where work is slow, where you might feel isolated (especially working in a studio), but keep going. Get outside, meet new people, explore artists and different types of art from your own, be persistent, and be patient. The work will come." Vicky especially loves art gallery experiences and illustration work, and it shows. For inspiration, she often looks to artists outside photography, such as large-scale installation artist Olafur Eliasson. This Icelandic-Danish artist creates work that suspends audience attention by using simple elements to produce spatial experiences for all the senses. Looking ahead, Vicky is experimenting with stop-motion animation and is excited to keep giving everyday objects a new and exciting life, crafted in her Toronto studio, before being ready for the world to see. Find this feature and more in our STUDIO MAGIC - ISSUE #54 We SOLD OUT in PRINT - but you can get the goods in our DIGITAL ISSUU

In case ya missed our TORONTO 2018 PHOTO INSPIRATION Pecha Kucha Event - or wanna see it again - photo-based emerging artist Sage Szkabarnicki-Stuart talks about how tv shows like Jackass inspire her to create images to stop viewers in their tracks. In case you're not familiar - Pecha Kucha is a format where speakers only have 20 slides X 20 secs/ slide to share their story. It's TOUGH. But really, really fun... If you're a Sage Szkabarnicki-Stuart fan (as we are!) you'll LOVE the RISK-TAKERS issue - IN PRINT! GET YOURS TODAY! (we don't have many copies left!) #womeninphotography #emergingartists #fineartphotography