Sparks Photographers

@reggiepics : My shoot for Capital Group last year was one of the most rewarding, and at the same time, one of the most challenging projects I have ever undertaken - 16 shoot days, approx. 20 locations, 5 cities, 2 countries, and 98 final images. This project required capturing still photography during the shooting of 4 commercials, using the same talent and locations. I had my own producer, crew, and schedule - all independent from the motion production. This allowed me to... have full control of my set and the ability to work one-on-one with the talent, capturing the specific still images required. It was such an immense pleasure to meet and work alongside director, Hurbert Davis, and DP, Oliver Millar, on this project. We understood that we each had a lot of ground to cover, and that we had to work around each other in a productive and respectful way. I look back on this experience with gratitude to have been entrusted with such a massive undertaking by the talented crew at @juniperparktbwa I'd especially like to thank CD @hellofromallofus whose leadership and vision made this all possible, and AD @crysallclearlee whose calm disposition and quick creative thinking made this ride as smooth as it could be. I couldn’t have hoped for a better working experience!

@mikeseehagel : "Images of Raptors Champion Fred VanVleet, shot for American Express. Working with athletes is always interesting because in my experience it has always been a studio or portrait setup, and not necessarily focused around them playing their sport. Fortunately this shoot was different, and spending time with Fred on the court really put it into perspective what a talented player he is. Nailing every shot or drill we asked him to take, and admittedly he probably wasn't even really trying that hard either.

@mikeseehagel : "A photo series of a man named Shango, shot in Jamaica. We were on location filming a small section of the river for part of a commercial while Shango was climbing up into the trees, diving into the water and hanging from his rope swing. When we wrapped filming, Shango was kind enough to teach us about his home, show us some tricks and even let us try out the rope swing.

Alright alright alright.... just in time for the weekend we’re sharing the work of @mikeseehagel : "Images for the Lincoln Motor Company, shot alongside a broadcast spot with Oscar winning director Garth Davis featuring Matthew McConaughey. I've been very fortunate to work on a few commercials for Lincoln, and have yet to see another production to that scale. With close to 200 people on set, multiple Russian arms, boats, helicopters, trains, it made for a very wild and surreal experience.

@_markian_ : I had the amazing opportunity to spend time with legendary Canadian icon, singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. This one was for @wsj -Mansions. Shooting subjects in their homes is always the most rewarding assignment. It's the best portrait setting for any subject - at home, comfortable, in their natural setting...the layers of their personality are laid out in front of you like a wonderfully detailed landscape...each item a reflection of their adventures, totem...s to memories, tales and things they hold dear. Gordon and his wife Kim were the most relaxed hosts. They invited us in, offered us drinks and opened their home to us with a comfortable ease. He gave us a tour of his mansion and was game to shoot in any room we asked to. A shoot always has outtakes that never make it into print and this one had so many beautiful candid moments. Gordon shared stories and notes on his memorabilia, all the while singing and whistling a tune, guitar in hand. Story by Marc Myers @JazzWax. Thanks again @juliajuliajuliajulia_@tsiah

@_markian_ : I had the amazing fortune of being @martinschoeller first assistant for several years. We travelled the globe taking portraits of some of the worlds most notable personalities. I captured the images shown here while on assignment with Martin for The New Yorker Magazine. We were in the Amazon forest to document American linguist, Dan Everett, and his study of the Amazon Basin’s Pirahã people. I’ve never shown these images before. They hold a special meaning to me...and my career, as they represent the moment I realized it was time that I stopped being a photo assistant and to venture out on my own as a photographer.This series of images was taken at the end of an extremely long and hard day of shooting deep in the ‘old forest’. It was the second last day on assignment and Martin had given me the green light to head out and take some portraits of my own. I was fully exhausted from the 16 hours of trudging with camera bags and hauling equipment through jungle and waist high water, but I jumped at the unexpected opportunity. It was the one moment where it was just me and the Pirahã; no words, no translation, just silent gesturing for permission to snap a portrait. It has always stayed withme...the importance to make a silent connection with your subject. It’s that moment of recognition that you are both engaged in this interaction, a glance that seals the silent contract. In that moment when your subject lets their guard down, even if just slightly, you get a glimpse of something real. It becomes a tangible connection made, and if you are lucky, can be that instance when you happen to capture a beautiful or impactful image. @ Amazon Forest See more

@manhire :: A few years ago I had a really clear idea of how my photography career was going to go, when I first committed to it. My priorities were being athletic, travelling and constantly being outside of my comfort zone. Whether it was competitive sailing, mountaineering, climbing... the suffering and success of it all was really appealing. I remember being so stoked about a couple hundred bucks, or free flights, free experiences and pushing myself. As long as I took pict...ures, every opportunity was mine for the taking. Eventually more time in Toronto exposed me to new and exciting commitments, colleagues and inspiration. What started as a simple desire to have a creative and adventurous lifestyle segued me into assisting on giant commercial sets with people who completely flipped (what I thought was) my career avenue on its head and changed the course of my life. Reducing travel and athletic challenge forced me to re-examine what photography was going to mean to me and how I was going to self-identify with it as a medium and a career. With all that being said... I can’t WAIT for air travel to figure out its new normal @ The World See more

Stay tuned over these next several weeks as our roster photographers take over our feed to showcase some of their work and give you an inside look on what went on behind the scenes. Today we’re kicking it off with @hennessyj ... These series of images were shot in Iceland in June of 2016. This trip was very empowering because it was the first time I had travelled somewhere completely alone and without any sort of planning. The only things I had booked were a plane ticket, car reservation and a one night stay in a cheap hostel. At this time I was struggling with motivation. I wanted to shake things up and was frustrated with myself for not getting out of my comfort zone. Almost all of my most precious and memorable moments were when I was doing something I never thought I would do. I wondered if I would regret not planning a trip to somewhere with so much beauty to see, but in my mind, I wanted to experience the country as an explorer. I didn’t want to have schedules, or consult a lonely planet book. I wanted it to be me vs the terrain and I'm so glad I did it that way. -Jason

We don’t want to be a company that just posts a black square and a hashtag about a serious and important cause and then just move on to our busy lives without actionable change. We are officially offering time for mentoring youth and answering any questions about getting involved in our Industry. All you have to do is visit the contact page of our website site and email Julia with your request. Please use the subject Mentorship Invitation and please, let’s all work together to reflect equality in all aspects of our lives. Sincerely, Pamela Hamilton

#blackouttuesday

I’m very happy to support a project documenting how Canadian life has transformed during COVID19. Please follow along and participate on Instagram @canadacovidp...ortrait. Canada Covid Portrait is dedicated to creating an album for the future about what we are experiencing today. #CanadaCovidPortrait invites all Canadians to participate in documenting how every aspect of Canadian life in this country has suddenly transformed as we adapt to this new normal. Our goal is to bring together thousands of photos taken from around the country capturing the gamut of life, in the spirit of solidarity, to record this transformative moment in history fraught with fear, while we find hope. We are looking for fly-on-the-wall pictures of people that capture how everyday aspects of our lives now look different due to the measures we must take to prevent infection. Share your images on Instagram using #CanadaCovidPortrait or email [email protected] Please Note: A submission link and website are forthcoming. Stay tuned. "Visiting my Father today. A glass window between us. It's not a hug or a handshake but I'll take it." Toronto, April 20, 2020. Photo @georgepimentel1

S/O to all the reporters who are working tirelessly to make sure we are getting the right information @lisalaflammectv @michelledubectv @nathandowner77 of @ctvnews @ctvtoronto photographed by @manhire