Geoff Howe is a Vancouver, BC based Event and Editorial Photographer covering Conferences, Tradeshows, Conventions, PR Events, Headshots, Photojournalism, Editorial Portraiture and Weddings. Over 10 yrs experience working with Corporate, Government, News, Media, PR and Event Planning agencies across North America.
I was very fortunate to once again shoot the Grey Cup this year, this time as one of two official CFL photographers. (with my great friend Liam Richards!) Shooting the Grey Cup is a crazy fun experience, and covering it from the corporate side of things was a fresh change from the wire service. I’ve done both, and while shooting for news publications is very rewarding, the ability to cover the event in my own way with a great tight-knit team was so worth it. Congrats BC Lions!
Sometimes personal work is the most rewarding, and it rang true in this case as I covered the Ministry of Casual Living’s eviction party yesterday in Fernwood, Victoria. The MOCL is an artist-run gallery that has been in Fernwood for almost 10 years, and was forced to close when their building was rezoned to residential. Several galleries in Victoria are facing the same predicament, as higher rent costs and economic fluctuations force them to consider new options for continuing their art and community presence.
It never gets old seeing the Northern Lights. I always feel like a kid again. And they come when you least expect it.
I’m visiting northern Saskatchewan for a couple weeks, and luckily there was a light stand with umbrella adapter handy that fit my camera, so I was able to achieve the 8 to 15 second exposure which seems to be magic spot for northern lights in capturing their free spirit and dancing magic.
I covered the Occupy Vancouver protest and group assembly for The Canadian Press and Associated Press yesterday. It was peaceful and pretty much uneventful, making for a few cool pictures to add to the global slideshow of the Occupy Wall Street Together movement. Minus a couple of heated moments, I’m quite glad it didn’t turn into a riot like the Stanley Cup Finals.
Yep, Victoria is pretty cool. I lived here for a year and love coming back every time. Being so close to Vancouver, it’s easy to hop on the ferry and grab a breath of fresh air from the big city. I’ve been here on and off the last two weeks for several jobs and meetings, and couldn’t resist taking a few simple snapshots of my favourite Clover Point and downtown.
Photos from the Rona – Vancouver Canucks announcement of sponsorship and community partnership in Vancouver. Canucks’ players Ryan Kesler and Mason Raymond were on hand for autographs and official jersey swapping photos. Fans had lined up for over four hours to get their chance to meet the star players up close.
Yesterday I shot the last MLS soccer game at Empire Field for The Canadian Press between the Vancouver Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders. Next week BC Place will be up and running and football / soccer games will once again be under the bubble. It’ll be nice to show up not having to worry about weather issues, but I will miss the stadium atmosphere at Empire.
While shooting the Stanley Cup Vancouver Riots earlier this year I was given permission to sneak behind police lines to snap photos of the aftermath near the Canada Post building. There wasn’t much to shoot at that point as all the fires were out and rioting had spread to other areas of downtown.
I was asked to deliver my cards to editors for filing at Rogers Arena in a couple minutes before heading further downtown to follow the action, so my main goal was to catch one quick 360 degree photo of the area for my own collection. It’s hard to show in such a small file how much information is there, (the full size pano is 62″ from 21 pictures), but looking at this brings back all the smells and thoughts of that night, wondering how the positive sentiment of so many went sour in such a short time.
It feels like yesterday, and already the NHL is in preseason.
Here’s wishing for another great season for the Vancouver Canucks, and hopefully a riot-free Stanley Cup win.
I’ve been finding myself use the iphone 4 more and more for snapshots and day-to-day photos of the ordinary and extraordinary. The ease of shooting and convenience of having it everywhere unobtrusively makes it perfect for snapshot and fun photos.
Mobile phones may never match the quality and technical needs of professional dSLRs, but they sure bring the fun back into photography. It makes things more simple, and simple is good.
My favourite app for shooting is Instagram. It frames your photos in square (everything is cooler square, right? back to the Hasselblad-Holga days), gives a basic option for several hipster-vintage filters which simulate older film and processing techniques, and allows you to post on your favourite social media site.
I’ve found the best way to use Instagram is to shoot within the App, apply your filter and let it send to Instagram. At the same time it copies a full-size image to your iPhone Camera Roll, and from there you can use it without further ads or tags on your posts and content. You can delete it off Instagram at that point if you wish.
Here are some of my recent photos while hiking, exploring and surfing great coffeeshops in Vancouver.
I miss Jack Layton. I can’t think of a politician in my lifetime that exemplified more integrity and passion for his cause and country. I was fortunate to photograph Layton several times over the years in various capacities and along his journey to become official opposition. This was my last photoshoot of Jack for The Canadian Press when he visited the Canadian Labour Congress of Canada in Vancouver to rally fellow pro union supporters.
Following the Vancouver Riots, of which I was assigned to cover for The Canadian Press, I was pretty discouraged with the event and disrespect by so many for our awesome city. I spent the next day documenting activities of volunteer community action to rebuild the downtown core. In hindsight of what occurred, I hope the community solidarity and rallying for positive growth will be given as much notice as the riots themselves.
Some of my favourite portraits for editorial and corporate publications during work in Saskatoon and Saskatchewan. I miss the prairies for the wonderful people and cool photo opportunities from agriculture research and prairie industry. And not much makes a better back drop then a prairie wheat field. #iheartsaskatchewan
Photo coverage from yestersday’s CFL Football action between the BC Lions and Toronto Argonauts for CP Images and the CFL . The shoot was one of the hottest games I’ve ever covered, with unexpected but beautiful sweltering weather in Vancouver. The coldest shoot I’ve ever shot, in comparison, was the Grey Cup in Regina and Vanier Cup in Saskatoon, both at close to negative 35-40C windchill.
This weekend I photographed Colleen and Jeremy’s wedding in beautiful Waskesiu, Saskatchewan, deep in the valley of Prince Albert National Park. Their wedding was set over the weekend with a retro-themed dance party on Friday, wedding on Saturday and golfing on Sunday. The weather was picture perfect and ceremony right at sunset was such a cool idea.
Part I
One of the most overlooked aspects of downtown Vancouver’s eastside on hastings is the colourful history and collection of eccentric building aesthetics in the area. The community and culture is ripe with character on the fringe of society, as is the amazing collection of active and defunct buildings and businesses. Everytime I walk through the area I’m exposed to a new set of buildings and history that contains much of Vancouver’s colourful past, rarely seen in the updated and more affluent areas of town.
by Geoff Howe
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by Geoff Howe
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