CANON DEL SUMIDERO

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The Mexican government graciously sent me down on four trips to do travel features about their beautiful country, for which I'm extremely grateful. This is the Christmas Tree formation in Canon del Sumidero, a dazzling waterfall which smells like a rainforest. It's north of Tuxtla Gutierrez in central Chiapas, just west of Guatamala.

DONE DIRT CHEAP

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Al and Curtis in AC/DC tribute band, Dirty Dudes. Just an off the wall show at the Black Dog, this week's SEEN photo.

SOMEWHAT PLASTERED

Paul Matwychuk came up with the idea of writing up the first Edmonton Canon, an attempt to periodically lay out the foundations of our city's music scene and its history and players. Raymond Biesinger had done this visually with The Chart, but a writeup like the Canon allowed for some details.

As with any such list, there was a bit of hectoring, accusations of nepotism and so on, but I really dug the idea.

For the cover photo, elaborate plans to have a plaster fist rising from a lake of fire gave way to this simpler museum setting. The right hand is Norm Omar's, speaking of museums, which in his delicate care has since shattered to garbage.

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BURNING BRIGHT ENOUGH

This is Batali, the tiger who attacked when two drunken Calgarians snuck into his space at the zoo in October. I happened to have been there the day before, so this photo ended up in a couple regional papers.

Having a small-scale cat with a vicious streak when it comes to things smaller than her, I assure you I didn't get too close to this fellow.

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FABULOUS RUINS OF LONDON

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Highgate Cemetery in north London is a breathtaking ruin.
While the central rings housing Douglas Adams and Karl Marx are well-tended, the perimeter has been left to the eternal hunger of undergrowth rising.
This ended up being a photo feature in the sustainability-themed Display. The magazine will have a new issue discussing design in music in the coming months.

DEEP TOKYO

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If you happen to have some red-green 3D glasses lying around, enjoy!
This is looking towards Yokohama, where I first penetrated Japan in 1987.

The image was part of a show with Tim Rechner called The Experiment.

TUTU PONIES I

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This is Norm Omar, a dancer in Trevor Anderson+aAron Munson's recent film, Figs in Motion. The short ran at the Art Gallery of Alberta, along with photos from this series. If you're looking at this before April 29, 2010, there will be another screening of Figs coming up at Metro.

LOVING THE ALIEN

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Sony hired me to shoot David Bowie in the bowels of the Coliseum after his 2004 show. I was understandably happy.

SNOW CROW

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This handsome devil flew by me this morning over the Groat Bridge.
I sent it into the Sun as a spec shot.

SORORITY OF ROCK

A shoot for the Secretaries in the 1915 Chicago-style McLeod Building. Happily enough, this ended up being VUE's cover.

THE WHALE'S BACK

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Halifax's wedding photography scene is tightly gripped by an elite entity who, in my opinion, charges ridiculous money, especially considering how poorly his staff is paid. Regardless, DJing a wedding I followed them out to the Whale's Back outside Peggy's Cove and caught some real magic. This is a casual moment of relaxation between being posed.

JUMPIN'

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The bridesmaids at my friend Anna's wedding last summer.
The dresses were handmade by Calgary designer Lindsay Sutton.

WHITSUNDAYS

Publicity photo for Whitsundays, rumoured to soon appear in a major publication.

Whitsundays on Myspace.

LIFTOFF

And so it begins, in response to a storm of requests over the years, I'll be regularly updating this blogger site with samples of my professional-leaning work. Please stay tuned.


Dara's other work.