Dream, Believe & Create

Wednesday, 17 April 2013

Mommy.... It's Over

Since september 2012, I have come a long way in the work I have been able to produce. I am creating images and conepts I would have never dreamed about in the past and for that I am very thankful of the amazing staff at the Algonquin Photography Program. Thanks to these amazing people and the friends I have met along the way, I have become a better artist. Here is my 2012 portfolio:

©Sophie Fortier 2013
A big thanks to Michel Delaurier who helped my get into the amazing building with my large 4x5 view camera to complete this image of the iconic building of the Capital. This is the Parliament building in Ottawa Ontario.

©Sophie Fortier 2013
This image was particularly difficult to achieve because of the topsy turviness of the glasses. They kept falling over and we had to set them back up countless times. After a long debate on using water trickling down, we decided against it simply because we did not have the time. Perhaps another time, I could revisit the concept and add water!

©Sophie Fortier 2013
A big thanks to my models here, Natasha Riley and Nick Ballantyne for helping out during this shoot. The concept behind is the nightmares that chase us not only in our sleep but seem to stay with is during the waking hours.

©Sophie Fortier 2013
An old family heirloom, used for my Metal commercial shot, an old sterling silver coffee pot.

©Sophie Fortier 2013
This one was taken just after easter and was inspired by the decorations my mother put up for the weekend. ( I wish it was in color, it looks much better)

©Sophie Fortier 2013
This is not an actual lizard, although I will not give away my secrets to the internet, you will have to try to figure it out yourself ;)

©Sophie Fortier 2013
Big thanks to Models International and Faraji for this shoot.

©Sophie Fortier 2013
Again, thanks to MIM and Elise for this shoot, had a blast in the studio with her!

©Sophie Fortier 2013
And last but not least a very big thank you to Natasha Riley for being my model countless times. I am sure you guys know her face well by now! She is amazing and I will never get enough photographs of her. Shooting with you is always fun, keep it up girl!

Today was my last exam and I am now free. Although now I don't know what I will do with myself During the day, I will surely be very bored but don't worry all those long months of insomnia have taught me to stay busy and productive during mundane hours. In either case, I bid the school year farewell and I hope to see you all at the Expo on April 29th!!! Be there or be square... yeah that's right I am that lame. I leave you all with the video of our program dropping our portfolios. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cnnRZgZuOkY

Thursday, 4 April 2013

The 11th Hour

As I find my portfolio due date approaching, I can feel myself getting stressed. I'm obsessing over little details in all of my images and trying to make things perfect. As I stare at my work, I find myself doubting everything. One last image to shoot, then printing and matting and it's all over. My first year in the photography program will be finished. I'm not sure if I am sad that it's halfway done already, happy that I am one step closer to my dream or scared that there is still so much left to do!

In times like these, when the stress is eating away at me and I find myself eating everything around me... I go back to the essay I wrote for my english class in 11th grade. I had actually posted it here not too long ago. For those that don't feel like reading it ( I know you... you're just as lazy as I am), it talks about taking the time to slow down and taking in everything around you when the world gets too overwhelming. I should start taking my own advice and relax. I know there is room for improvement... Hell, I'm only just about to turn 19 and this industry is forever learning and growing. It takes time to get everything right; and even them the doubt never leaves. I know that, yet I know I will fight against it for the rest of my career.

This is the ever-constant cycle of an artist. No matter what medium you may use, be it paint, graphite, a camera, a guitar or a type-writer, doubt is inevitable and completely unavoidable. All I have to say is push against it. If you are not able to push past your doubts and tell yourself that you ARE good enough, you will never produce anything of intrest. Move past the box you've created as a comfort zone and do something you've never done. The worst thing that will happen is that you fail and learn from the mistakes; you will better yourself through every disaster. Mistakes are what make us who we are and they define our styles. All in all, lets keep our heads, heels and standards high.

I will leave you with an artist that has inspired me (I found her through Sue Bryce and Creative Live) The amazing Mildy Glendhill's I Do Adore

Tuesday, 2 April 2013

Spring

©Sophie Fortier2013
Natasha Riley

Spring has finally arrived! Honestly, it could not have come any slower and I'm so happy that the air is starting to warm. I can see the grass and smell the renewal in nature's life. That is one thing that I love about where I live. The winter months can be difficult but beautiful in their own way and when they disappear I get to watch everything come back to life. The world starts bleeding in colours and the days get longer. Summer is just around the corner and I can't wait to soak up the rays with a good book and spend my days lazing about and going for walks. The beach will be my permanent home with friends and family and I just can't get over how exited I am about summer and everything that comes with it. The warm rays kissing skin, the long nights and bonfires the stolen kisses and beach days, the friends and family moments, the smell of freshly mowed grass and the love of everything surrounding us. I'm beaming just thinking about it all, aren't you?

On top of all that, my first year of college is over in two weeks. I am exited, nervous, scared and ecstatic all at the same time. There is still so much left to do but I know that I will get through it all. Exhibition is on the 29th and my birthday about ten days before that. Let me slow down for a second, I'm geting a little ahead of myself; what I wanted to highlight today was the amazing grace of Natasha Riley. She has been a dream to work with and an amazing friend through it all. She is capable of making anyone smile in the most difficult times and has an amazing personality and a great smile. I keep telling her that she has to go into professional modelling but she is too shy to even think about it. I'll let you guys be the judge; here are the images from my shoot with her from last week.

©Sophie Fortier2013
Natasha Riley

Above all, she deserves the best that life can offer and I wish her all the best. Oh I also hope that we will spend much of the summer together and be silly all the time like the following behind the scenes images:

Tuesday, 26 March 2013

Nightmares

As children, we are haunted by the nightmares that seed from horror movies and ghost stories at slumber parties. As adults, we are traumatized by the realism of these all-too-real dreams. These images follow us during the day and taunt our thoughts; they make us forget the best things about our lives and instead make us dwell on the horrors of it. This can change the way we look at everything. Nightmares suck.

Last week, I had the opportunity to shoot with my good friend Natasha and my lovely boyfriend. They helped me realize a concept I had been longing to do for a long time. Here is the result:

©Sophie Fortier 2013
Models: Natasha & Nick

This particular concept has been haunting me for a while; as someone who has been through a lot of bad dreams and even night terrors, these things have been following and plaguing me for a long time. For those of you who know what it feels like to wake up in sweat and tears, I salute you. Don't give up and don't let it lead your life. Wake up and live through the day. The worst thing you can do is feed your fear; it will only get worse. If you push through those anxieties and refuse to let them take over, the dreams will diminish. I know this from personal experience. Now, it is rare that my dreams take a turn for the worse, though they are very odd in most cases, they no longer make me wake up with my heart pounding with tears in my eyes.

This image came out beautifully, even better then I had imagined and I will thank the two who helped me get through it (not to mention the driving my boyfriend did that night, missing the sens game for me <3). It took a lot to get the scream and hands just right so again, you guys are awesome and make my dreams come true. To end on a happier note, I have a shoot with the lovely lady in this image tonight so stay posted for sneak peaks later!

Thursday, 21 March 2013

High Key Vs. Low Key

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been living at school. Two different portrait assignments have given me the opportunity to work with the wonderful models from Models International Management.

The first was Elise. She is a wonderful girl who potentially wants to venture into photography later in life. ( I told her to enroll at algonquin and go for it, not matter what others might tell her about the industry) Calm and gentle, she posed for me like a pro! This High Key assignment was a succes.

Traditionally, High Key images are taken on a white background of a subject with fair hair and skin. These are some of the images from the shoot:

Elise from MIM
©Sophie Fortier 2013

Being pleased with these results, I called the agency up for another model for my Low Key portrait assignment. Faraji is a charming man who has come to Canada form France. Never having shot a man (Other then my boyfriend) I felt nervous for this shoot. He put me and my assistant (Jacynthe Blanchard) at ease by helping us with our set every one in a while and bringing many different outfits and posing like a natural. He was a brease to work with and I wish him all the best!

Low Key imagery is traditionally shot with a male figure who has dark hair on a dark background with minimal lighting. The overall effect is very dramatic. Here are some of the images from that shoot:

Overall, I was pleased with the results and love both lighting styles. It amazes me how far I've come along since the beginning of the school year. Algonquin has taught me so much, and so much more to come! Stay posted for more images and my digital portfolio at the end of the semester. And remember, stay beautiful!

Wednesday, 13 March 2013

Second Semester

This past semester has taught me so much. I have made good friends, I have met very interesting people and I have been stressed. Working under pressure can make me do my best work. Reshooting assignments and booking studio times and equipment is insane. All the first and second years are scrambling to get our assignments done and get them right the first time so we don't have to reshoot for portfolio. I have learnt that pushing myself past the limits can have amazing results and that I can produce images I had never dreamed of. Here are a few examples:

Flat Metal

Texture

3D Metal

Texture

Light Field Glass

Dark Field Glass

Tuesday, 12 March 2013

Portraits

Last week I had the opportunity to shoot with my boyfriend again. These photographs were for an assignment and potentially my portfolio. Having been very pleased with the results I hope you guys will be too. I love shooting the people I love and I will never get enough of it. You guys already know how much I love this man so I will spare you the ooey gooey details once more time. Here are the images from my session:

This shoot was inspired by Mindy Glendhill's music and one of my favorite songs :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP5cJfVScGw

I do adore everything you do <3