Thompson Rivers University 2017
One of the most exciting and reaffirming things that can happen to a photographer, or any business for that matter, is a return client. When your services have provided so much value to a client that they choose to come back, it's an incredible feeling that pushes you to continue the path you’re on. When the email from my friends at Thompson Rivers University's marketing and communication team popped into my inbox, I knew it would be a great day. Having previously worked with them to create photography for the school's engineering program in Kamloops and the cover of their magazine (see photos here!) , I was excited to see what they had in mind. This time, they were looking for help to capture portraits of a number of students at the school for the upcoming academic year's viewbook. This publication is a big deal in the university world; it shares all the exciting and innovative things that are happening at TRU and in the city to draw students from around the globe to the university. The viewbook is sent to all incoming students and even distributed at other events like university fairs. Needless to say, I was on board from the get go. Each subject had a unique story and background that we worked to show in the images. Additionally, the team and I wanted to showcase the beautiful campus and buildings of Thompson Rivers University from a number of different perspectives. For each subject, I will walk through the creative planning of the shots and the choice of lighting and location. Enjoy!
For the shot of Suraj, our aim was to show him at common grounds, a popular student-run coffee shop in the Student Union Building to represent student services available on campus. The natural light from the large windows provided soft lighting on Suraj so there was no need to add artificial light.
Christine, another student studying at TRU, balances her academics with raising a young family. We chose to shoot the portraits of her in the stunning Brown Family House of Learning, which incorporates wood, glass, and metal in its construction. We wanted to show off the architecture of the building alongside our subject. Because of the bright backlighting from the windows, I made the decision to add artificial light to make Christine pop. In both shots, I have a softbox set up left of the camera to illuminate her face.
Iuliia, who came to Kamloops all the way from Donetsk, Ukraine, is a volleyball superstar. She played for the Wolfpack throughout her time at Thompson Rivers University. For the portraits of her, we wanted to show off the more natural aspects of campus. Shooting outside under cloudy skies gave soft light on Iuliia and the foliage in the background.
Tristen is working toward a degree in psychology at TRU. For this shot, we wanted to tie in the beautiful artwork that adorns the walls of the House of Learning and the architectural design of the building with the subject. Glass construction of the building and white walls = a bunch of beautiful, soft light bouncing around in the building, so there was no need for artificial light in the shots of Tristen.
If you've got to this point, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed seeing a bit of background on these shots that I am so proud of. Also, I want to extend a huge thank you to Caitlin, Linda, and Amanda and the whole creative team at Thompson Rivers University for hiring me to create these photos; I can't wait to work with you again!
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