Canada Day Fireworks in Medicine Hat, Alberta

Fireworks are pretty awesome, and Canada Day is the perfect time to see them. Last year I photographed the fireworks over the Saamis Teepee in my hometown of Medicine Hat, Alberta. The post was a hit and attracted thousands of viewers. This year I wanted to switch it up slightly, and focused on capturing some video of the experience. Here is a short video of the Canada Day fireworks over Medicine Hat, Alberta's most recognizable landmark. 

Progress on the Schoolwide Documentary

For the last 6 months I've been shooting a documentary and capturing countless hours worth of raw material at Dr. Roy Wilson Learning Centre in Medicine Hat, Alberta. At the beginning of the year I expressed my initial thoughts towards the ambitious project that we were all embarking on together. Now, on the last day of school, it seems fitting to share a few updates. 

First things first, this is not the end. Admittedly, certain aspects of this undertaking are just as open ended as they were at the start. Documenting the evolution of a school, the process of learning, etc. is no small feat, and we knew this going in. A big part of this experiment is rooted in the experience of creating it to begin with. But, we've come a long way!

Seeing the enthusiasm of students, how they collaborate with one another, and their eagerness to share (especially when the camera is pointed in their direction) has been an absolute blast. You'd be amazed at the impact a camera makes. In the beginning it was a novelty, but as they warmed up to it it provided an opportunity. It gave students an informal excuse to express themselves and to share their candid thoughts directly from the classroom. 

The story for this documentary may not be complete, but I've captured some amazing moments so far. A lot of them have been subtle, but as a collection they paint a layered picture that I don't think most people actually get to see. That's been incredibly exciting. 

My entire perspective on kindergarten to grade 8 has been refreshed over this last year. It's also made me realize that there's not only value in the story we choose to tell, but as an archival project this material will only become more insightful with age. How many other documentaries like this are being shot over months and months at a single school, spanning multiple classrooms? That alone makes this noteworthy.

On a personal level this has been so much fun to be a part of. The teachers and staff have been so friendly and welcoming from the very start. The students have been amazing and have overwhelming embraced the camera and open concept of the project. The youngest grades, especially, have made me feel like a celebrity every time I visited one of their classrooms. I can also thank the well timed release of the latest Star Wars movie for keeping Luke Skywalker on everyone's mind, as the nickname stuck after my first week - that's been a lot fun too!  

In June alone I interviewed over 50 individuals, and after capturing so much random material around the school it was nice to have a few formal discussions. It wasn't that the interviews were that heavy, it was just the candid nature of the discussions that made them unique. Time clearly moves differently when you're a student, and their retelling of the school year seemed just as random and disjointed as it was for me. If I hadn't been documenting it as I went, you'd have thought that everything was a lot more straightforward than it was in reality. 

More than anything, it was all of the positivity from the students that stood out. There's something thrilling about documenting them as they're just starting to figure out who they want to be, what they like, and where they want to go. And if the project has proved anything, it's that they just appreciated someone bluntly asking them to talk about themselves. Sometimes everyone gets so caught up in what they're doing day to day that they're not able to see the big picture. That's where I came in. 

If this first half of 2016 was about getting our feet wet, I think the fall will be about sculpting and refining our approach even further. Whether it's a single video, episodes, or part of some other elaborate plan, I think there is still a lot of material to come out of this experience. I don't want to hype it too much, but I'm still as excited as ever to see how this journey continues. But, more on that later. School's out!

 

Innovation @ Medalta

In a video project that began late last year, Innovation at Medalta ultimately combined a lot of different skill sets. From 3D modelling at Medicine Hat College to 3D sculpting at Streamline Automation in Calgary to finally producing the ceramics at Medalta Potteries, there were months of production involved. In the midst of all of this, I was there documenting the process.

What's always exciting about a project like this is that you get to see so many talented people in their element. The very nature of the project was about blending traditional ceramic techniques with cutting edge technology and how it could advance both in the process.

  

Over the weeks of shooting I saw how the 3D design process worked at Medicine Hat College, I went up to Calgary to see the foam cutting technology at Streamline, and I saw the step by step production as Aaron Nelson created plaster molds and large scale slipcast ceramics at Medalta. It was an eye-opening experience, but I'll let the video speak for itself.

10 Tips to Improve Your Instagram

Instagram can be a tough egg to crack, but it's now one of the most popular social media platforms with some of the most engaged users. How do I grow my following on Instagram? How do I make my feed better? What should I share on Instagram? I've grown my following to over 10K in the last year, and have asked myself all of these questions. Here are a few things I've learned, distilled into 10 tips to improve your Instagram feed, following, and reach.

For more check out @editingluke on Instagram.

Downtown Calgary: Ghosting Images 2

Ghosting Series: Calgary, Alberta
Archival images merged with modern day shots of the same locations in downtown Calgary, Alberta. More here: http://goo.gl/J1W6sp
Posted by Editing Luke on Sunday, April 10, 2016

The following is the continuation of my downtown Calgary, Alberta ghosting series. The process of ghosting involves merging archival images with photographs of the same locations today. Here are some of the latest additions featuring Calgary's downtown core.

Burns Building - 1920 merged with 2016.

Stephen Avenue - 1940s merged with 2016. 

The dramatic changes to 8th Avenue over the decades are especially clear in this image.

Palliser Hotel - 1940s merged with 2016. 

Imperial Bank - 1910s merged with 2016.

It's always cool to see these old street scenes and then imagine how amazed these people would be to see the towering structures that make up the scene today.

Hudson's Bay Department Store - 1930s merged with 2016. 

Minor changes to the facade show just how familiar this structure has remained over the decades.

City Hall - 1918 merged with 2016.

Calgary citizens gathered outside of City Hall to celebrate the end of World War I is contrasted with the modern surroundings of the structure today. 

Grain Exchange - 1912 merged with 2016.

One of Alberta's earliest office towers is contrasted with one of its latest as the construction of Brookfield Place dominates the background.

Herald Building (on the right) - 1920s merged with 2016.





First Street West - 1930s merged with 2016.

A Week Exploring Vancouver Island

Mountains, forests, and rugged beaches make Vancouver Island, British Columbia the ideal place for adventure and exploration. I just got back from a week of travel shooting and road tripping all over the Island to expand on my expansive Pacific Northwest photography series. 

A photo posted by Luke Fandrich (@editingluke) on Apr 4, 2016 at 5:49pm PDT

Splitting my time between the great outdoors and cultural landmarks, I did my best to capture iconic locations as well as find some unique spots off the beaten path. I spent my days hiking the coast, driving winding mountain roads, touring B.C.'s capital, photographing surfers in Tofino, exploring some breathtaking historic sites, and even reconnecting with some friends from university just before my birthday. All in all, it was a really eventful week.

Vancouver Island
A week spent travel shooting on Vancouver Island. http://goo.gl/9hcDHp
Posted by Editing Luke on Wednesday, April 6, 2016

I brought back a handful of treasures from my journey (see below). This included some beer and glasses from the Tofino Brewing Company, some archival images and a vintage 1925 newspaper from Victoria, and the cake toppers from my birthday in Nanaimo. More to the point, I encourage you all to stay tuned as this new collection of images from Vancouver Island is added to my Pacific Northwest series. See the entire list of locations here.

A photo posted by Luke Fandrich (@editingluke) on Apr 6, 2016 at 6:55pm PDT

Concert Photography: Volume One

In recent months I've photographed some amazing shows. From pubs to arenas to music festivals, my library of concert photography has been growing quickly. I put together this highlight reel to showcase a few of my favorite shots from over the last year (most of which were shot in Medicine Hat, Alberta). Artists include the Tragically Hip, Hawksley Workman, Paul Brandt, Joel Plaskett, Barenaked Ladies, Chantal Kreviazuk, Yukon Blonde, Tim Hicks, and more. 

I have to thank the Canalta Centre, the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre, Medicine Hat Folk Music Club, Medicine Hat Jazz Fest, and Shambhala Music Festival for granting me media passes to their events. Also, huge shout outs to the local artists who invited me to their shows and to all those who were involved in making these shoots possible. 

Concert Photography: Volume One
Local acts, music festivals, arena concerts and a bit of everything in between. These are some highlights from my concert photography shoots over the last year. Featuring The Tragically Hip, Hawksley Workman, Paul Brandt, Joel Plaskett, Barenaked Ladies, Chantal Kreviazuk, Yukon Blonde, Tim Hicks, and many more. Further shout outs to MHZINE for being a link to the local music scene, and to the Canalta Centre, Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre, and Shambhala Music Festival for hooking me up with media passes. It's been a blast to photograph so much talent!
Posted by Editing Luke on Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Ghosting Series: Medicine Hat, Alberta

Using archival images for inspiration, I've been amazed at how popular my ghosting series has become. I think everyone just likes to see the contrast and change of a location regardless of whether or not they even know where Medicine Hat, Alberta is. The effect is created by merging modern day photographs with archival images from the same perspective.

This new video is a brief highlight reel of some of my favorite shots from my Medicine Hat ghosting series. I recently expanded the series to include Calgary, Alberta - but more on that to come. Explore all of my original Around the Hat ghosting images here: 

• Medicine Hat, Alberta Ghosting Images: PART 1
• Medicine Hat, Alberta Ghosting Images: PART 2
• Medicine Hat, Alberta Ghosting Images: PART 3

Ghosting: Medicine Hat, Alberta
Archival images merged with modern day shots of the same locations in Medcine Hat, Alberta. These are "ghosting images" from the Around the Hat photo series. More here: http://goo.gl/HmwRzs
Posted by Editing Luke on Saturday, March 19, 2016

Editing Luke on Instagram

After recently surpassing 10K followers on Instagram @editingluke I got a bit nostalgic. I've loved sharing my projects, travels, and random day to day snapshots through Instagram, and this milestone inspired me to put together a brief video to highlight a few of my favorite shots. In addition, I just wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of you who have followed along and made the experience so much fun! More here. 

Editing Luke on Instagram
Let's get out and make something! Editing Luke is all about "exploration, culture, and lifestyle" showcased through original images, videos, and features. Allow me to introduce myself. https://goo.gl/GTdBvQ
Posted by Editing Luke on Saturday, March 12, 2016

Receiving My Academy Award in the Mail

After this year's Academy Awards I became curious if it was possible to buy a realistic looking Oscar. From Hollywood Boulevard souvenir shops to movie memorabilia websites, I've seen all manner of knock-offs that were certainly Oscar inspired, but in no way actually resembled the real thing. Sure, the day may eventually come when I find myself working on that dream project that gets me closer to the actual award. Until then, I found this.

What's in the box?
Getting Leo's mail by accident.
Posted by Editing Luke on Tuesday, March 8, 2016

I ordered this Oscar statuette from a professional movie prop company in Hong Kong. Not only does it look like the real deal, but it's pretty much as close as you can get to an authentic Academy Award without winning it yourself. 

The sculpture is completely accurate, and just like an actual Oscar it's 13.5" tall, weighs 8.5 lbs, and is 24K gold plated. As a result, you'd be correct in assuming it was a bit more expensive than the novelty statues I previously came across in those souvenir shops.

A photo posted by Luke Fandrich (@editingluke) on Feb 28, 2016 at 11:41am PST

So aside from being an interesting conversation piece, you might be asking what's the point? Well, if you saw this post on my Facebook or Instagram you'll already know that I made myself a faux Oscar back in high school before heading off to film school. That art project is something that I've kept and displayed year after year as a symbol of my early film ambitions. It's also a personal reminder of my achievements in that pursuit.

Buying an almost-real Oscar isn't because I take myself that seriously. It's because it's another symbol. A bit of motivation and/or fantasy perhaps. Frankly, it's just one of those things that I would've loved to have had as a student, but never could've afforded. Just as I've enjoyed seeing my handmade Oscar on the shelf, this new one will look great standing right next to it.

Travelling Exhibition Program

At the end of last year I found myself in the small town of Bow Island, Alberta to shoot this brand new video for the Travelling Exhibition Program. TREX thrives on bringing artwork to communities all over Alberta and sharing them in non-traditional gallery spaces. I was at the Bow Island Library as a new exhibition arrived and documented the experience. 

Travelling Exhibition Program (TREX)
Artwork, rural communities, and non-traditional gallery spaces around Alberta. This is a video I made for the Travelling Exhibition Program (TREX) in cooperation with the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre and captured on location at the Bow Island Library in Bow Island, Alberta. Learn more about this incredible program here: http://www.trexprogramsoutheast.ca/
Posted by Editing Luke on Monday, March 14, 2016

There is no other program like TREX in Western Canada. The Travelling Exhibition Program makes professional art accessible to communities that might not otherwise have the opportunity to see it. Because the spaces are non-traditional galleries, there's also an added charm and originality with each and every exhibition. In addition to Artist's Workshops, it's clear that TREX provides tremendous value in promoting arts and culture within the province.

This video would not have been possible without the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre, and the cooperation of the Bow Island Library.

Downtown Calgary: Ghosting Images

Calgary, Alberta has a rich history, and there's a lot to see when wandering around the downtown core. From new skyscrapers to modified historic buildings, there are a lot of clues that tell a story about the city's evolution and growth. I'm fascinated by urban landscapes, and as a professional photographer I've enjoyed showcasing them through the art of "ghosting". 

Ghosting Series: Calgary, Alberta
Archival images merged with modern day shots of the same locations in downtown Calgary, Alberta. More here: http://goo.gl/J1W6sp
Posted by Editing Luke on Sunday, April 10, 2016

Ghosting is the process of taking an archival image, photographing the same location as it looks today, and then blending the two compositions together to showcase both the past and present in a single shot. I first attempted "ghosting" in my hometown of Medicine Hat, Alberta and came away with some really intriguing results. Applying this technique to downtown Calgary, Alberta meant that the juxtapositions would be even greater. Here are some of the results.

Explore part 2 of the Calgary ghosting series here.

Calgary Fire Hall No. 1 - 1915 merged with 2016.

In this image you can see the old fire engines lined up outside of the fire hall. The exterior of the building is nearly identical to how it looked a century ago, although the skyscrapers in the back demonstrate how Calgary outgrew the station. Today the building houses a car rental company.

Hudson's Bay Department Store - 1920s merged with 2016.

Still an impressive building in the heart of downtown, the Hudson's Bay store is still very recognizable. It's the traffic and towers that surround it that have changed dramatically.

Central United Church - 1930 merged with 2016.

I love that the Calgary Tower is visible in this ghosting image. The Central United Church still looks the same, however an LRT line now runs in front of it and the building across the street has been replaced with a modern office tower.

Palliser Hotel - 1912 merged with 2016.

Here you can see the exposed girders of the hotel blended with the facade as it looks today. It can't be understated what a big construction project this hotel was for Calgary at the time. Canadian Pacific Railway was constructing the Palliser as a hospitality stop for the influx of tourists heading west to their Banff Springs Hotel.

City Hall - 1920s merged with 2016.

Contrasting the old and new city halls.

Grain Exchange Building - 1912 merged with 2016.

The growth of downtown Calgary is further emphasized by the construction of Brookfield Place in contrast to the Grain Exchange - one of the first office towers in Alberta.

Bank of Montreal - 1910s merged with 2016.

The surrounding office towers, especially The Bow in the background, are prime examples of Calgary's growth around this once large downtown bank.

Train Station & Palliser Hotel - 1930s merged with 2016.

The historic Canadian Pacific train station has since been demolished, however a new icon now stands in its place. The glass base of the Calgary Tower now dominates the former plaza / parking lot that used to be in front of the station.

Stephen Avenue - 1910s merged with 2016.

The painted ads, streetcar tracks and traffic have now been replaced with pedestrians on today's Stephen Avenue. 

Stephen Avenue - 1920s merged with 2016.

One more from this amazing street.

North American International Auto Show 2016

Each year the North American International Auto Show is held in Detroit, Michigan. Covering nearly a million square feet at the Cobo Center in downtown Detroit, NAIAS is one of the top tier auto shows in the world. This year the Detroit Auto Show attracted over 800,000 people, and among them were my Dad and I on a trip that we'd been discussing for several years. 

From video screens and light shows to concept cars and technological innovations, what makes the North American International Auto Show a standout is the overall production value. The displays featured everything from tiered and/or spinning platforms to animated video walls to interactive video games. There were also debuts for brand new production cars and demos of some of the new technology showcased in state-of-the-art concepts. 

All in all, there was more information at the Detroit Auto Show than any one person could possibly consume. Even after several visits during the week I was discovering cars I'd previously missed. It was a blast, and exactly what I'd hoped it would be. Armed with my camera, I set out to capture as much of the experience as possible.

I documented the North American International Auto Show in detail, and below you'll find some of my highlights as well as a brief promo video I put together. This is part 1 of 5 of my images from NAIAS 2016. For more original photography explore my Middle America series, featuring all of my Detroit, Michigan highlights under the Great Lakes banner. 

Also, for more automotive eye-candy from other international auto shows check out my images from the 2015 First Hawaiian International Auto Show in Honolulu, Hawaii and from the 2014 Calgary International Auto Show in Calgary, Alberta.  

Complete series: Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5  

Motor City: Detroit
Motor City. Motown. Detroit.Last week I experienced some incredible scenes at the North American International Auto Show (#NAIAS). New images and a brand new photo series all about Detroit is on the way. http://goo.gl/egmgY4
Posted by Editing Luke on Monday, January 25, 2016

Acura Precision Concept - NAIAS 2016

A photo posted by Luke Fandrich (@editingluke) on Jan 18, 2016 at 3:00pm PST

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV - NAIAS 2016

BMW M2 Coupe debut at NAIAS 2016

2017 Infiniti Q60 debut - NAIAS 2016

2017 Lincoln Continental debut - 2016 NAIAS

Audi h-tron Quattro Concept - 2016 NAIAS

2017 Lexus LC 500 debut - NAIAS 2016

Buick Avista concept - NAIAS 2016

Nissan Titan Warrior Concept - 2016 NAIAS