Environmental Portraits by GBP Creative

Fact: Environmental Portraiture is our JAM!

I was going through the old vaults yesterday and realized we have a bunch of environmental portraits in there that we haven't shared in a while...So what better way to spend a rainy Tuesday than taking a look through some of our favourites from the past few years.

The reason we love environmental portraits specifically, is the fact that they have so much of a story in one shot.  Not only are you going for a natural, authentic shot of your subject, but you also get to highlight something important to them-whether it's their workplace, their home, or a significant landscape in their lives. 

Plus, it's just super fun taking any situation, and finding the awesome looking background hiding in a seemingly 'normal' looking place...





Mmmm Morels

Here's what we know about morel mushrooms so far:

1. The year after a forrest fire, they grow out of the burn sites.

2. They look like little brains popping out of the ground, but also look very similar to pine cones, which can be deceptively tricky when looking for mushrooms.

3. They taste DELICIOUS

4. It is hard working picking these little guys...but it's like a treasure hunt so it's fun hard work.

5. Burn sites are a crazy beautiful and peaceful environment.  (Stay tuned for our portrait session we did out there, to be released soon!)

5. When driving to the burn site you can play Iggy Azalea on repeat, and drive Gary Bremner crazy. 

6. Carmacks has a milkshake machine you guys...and it's called "F'Real" which is apparently a thing in Ontario??

7. Basically, spending time in the woods, picking your future dinner, in a crazy beautiful place is pretty sweet...especially when you end it with weird milkshakes.

 

Dear Yukon Summer...

Dear Yukon summer,

I'm writing on behalf of this beauty couple who are about to have a very important day tomorrow. They are getting married.

Now I know you appreciate a sports fan, and I can assure you that these guys fit the bill. Not only do they cheer for the Jays, but they met at a sports tournament back in the day and have been together ever since.

They take advantage of your awesomeness...and i'm just writing because I think you should take advantage of theirs too.  

All we really need is a light overcast, (even just between 2-6pm) to make sure that these two look their absolute best.  Heck we'll even take sunshine if you'd rather.  We can make it work. Just no rain or crazy wind ok?

We promise to take a ton of photos to prove to you that they appreciate your playing along. 

We need a win here Yukon summer...Montreal couldn't quite do it, even though they gave it a good effort, but we know you can.

Sincerely, GBP.

 



Corporate Photography with GBP Creative

As visual design nerds, we are always stoked when we get a call from a corporate client that works in that world and comes to us looking for imagery for their company.

We are even more stoked when that company is looking for something a bit more unique-something that really showcases either their space, or their personalities, which is exactly what one of our recent clients, Northern Front Studio, was looking for.

This wasn't a tough sell as they are located in the new Waterfront building in a beautiful office, and not only is the team awesomely personable and approachable, but they just so happen to have their fourth team member, who happens to walk on all fours, but still holds a high spot in the company.  Well played office dog, well played.

If you want to check some details on the team and their architecture and design work, check out their website at http://www.northernfront.ca 






Get your dancing shoes ready...Portraits by GBP Creative

Ok...so let me tell you a little story...

A guy and a girl each decide they want to take Salsa dancing classes.  So they sign up, not knowing that they are about to meet each other there while practicing their sweet moves...Then BAM. They TOTALLY fall in love and eventually get engaged, then call GBP for an engagement session to which Gary and Bri reply: "Are you KIDDING ME? You met and fell in love at salsa lessons?? That is full on movie set cute...You people aren't real." 

Seriously guys...this actually happened. And these are the photos that resulted. 

HUGE thanks to the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre for hosting us in their beautiful space for this shoot.  We needed a location with high ceilings to accommodate dancing and lighting gear, and this space worked out perfectly.

And congratulations to Brigitte and Justin for having the most adorable story, and moves, out there...

 

Photo Shoot Fresh... Portraits by GBP Creative

Birthdays. They are always a good time.

They become even better, when you get to gift one of your best friends a surprise portrait session! And even BETTER is watching that friend's boyfriend have to try to organize the whole surprise (which also included her whole family flying in for the weekend) and him just about having a melt down trying to keep her from finding out...Now THAT is what made this particular session so damn fun. (Beal, you're a good man buddy!)

Needless to say, we had an awesome time with this shoot. How can you go wrong with Prosecco and party dresses?



Speed Control Takes Over

When Speed Control visits the GBP studio, you can hear them comin'... 

Like literally...every shoot with these guys seems to end in gut wrenching screams that probably leave our neighbours wondering what the hell we have going on in this place...

           **Sorry neighbours!! We promise we're not doing anything too weird!

But hey, sometimes 3 grown men just have to scream as loud as they possibly can in in order to get the shot, because it turns out it looks pretty damn rad.  And if anyone's going to be down for an unconventional shoot, it's Speed Control.

We did try a few more serious looks at first, but when editing, quickly realized that it just didn't look like 'them'.  Anyone who's seen a Speed Control show, or knows these guys personally, will agree that these shots capture their energy a lot better than the old "band standing in a triangle brooding toward the camera" shot.  

On top of the shoot itself, we were lucky enough to have our friend Brett Elliot come by and film a Behind the Scenes video for us as well! We are so stoked with how it came together, as it was cool for us (and hopefully you guys!) to see how the shoot went down, and then how that process transpired into the final images.

So again, a HUGE thanks to Brett for putting this video together, and of course to the Speed Control guys for taking over the studio for a night! Always a good time! 

To check out more on Speed Control, visit their site at: http://speedcontrol.ca

 

5 in 1...Headshots by GBP

We've done quite a few posts featuring our head shot work as it ends up being quite a large part of our business.  Whether it's for people to use on their social media, a business needing them for their bio page on their website, or for an actor to use when auditioning for a play, each head shot is unique in terms of it's purpose and the look/feel that is being captured.

We really loved the shots we got out of a recent session with Tara, who is the editor of a Northern Magazine.  She needed a large range of variety in her shots, and we really wanted to feature not only her awesome personality, but also her epic sense of style.  

Plus, anytime a shoot ends with literal puppy love...it's a good day.

So without further delay, here's Tara, looking fabulous as ever!

Oh hi there Hawaii...

Mmmmm holidays...especially those that take you to magical lands like Maui...

We just recently snuck away for a week with a couple of our friends to rent a condo in Maui, and re-set before the summer season starts. 

Along with sharing a few of our favourite shots, we thought we should also share some of the major highlights/things we learned:

1- Maui has some weird liquor laws...we decided it was actually the town from Footloose because it's illegal to dance in bars unless you're in a designated dancing area. (seriously...bars have to have a specific dance floor or else it's banned).  

2- If Brianne were travelling alone, she would have gone on this awesome tour of this really great condo that she didn't even have to be interested in buying, which only would have taken an hour of her time and then she could have gotten LOADS of free tours and coupons! But noooooo, everyone had to be all debbie downer and say it was a time share and drag her away from the nice sales man. (Whom she trusted whole heartedly) 

3- SEA TURTLES.  They are giant and magnificent creatures

4- Lu-au's, although touristy and cheesy, are the greatest thing ever when your name is Brianne Bremner

5- Gary still yells at landscapes when the sun doesn't set properly... (Anyone who's taken our photo course knows this has to do with his control issues...HA!)

6- Drinks DO taste better when there are mini umbrellas in them

7- When watching a world class group of wind surfers do their thing, you are incredibly humbled and realize you will never be even as close to as cool as them...not ever.

8- SUP boarding is overrated.  See GIF below.

 

9- Yelling out "Surf Board" in a Beyonce voice (a la Drunk in love) never gets old...for Brianne...it probably does for Gary though. (Katie Hill gets me) 

10- Seeing people boogie board nude is an interesting experience...

So to sum it up...you should probably go to Hawaii some time...turns out it's pretty great.


Theatre's where it's at...

Anyone who knows us, knows we are big fans of the arts...And we are insanely lucky here in the Yukon to have such an incredible artistic community that is really supportive of each other, and full of unreal talents.

And one of those groups filled with unreal talent is Open Pit Theatre.

Open Pit is a professional theatre company based here in Whitehorse, and we just recently finished a project with them where we made a trailer for one of their recent live theatre productions, Leave a message, Après le Bip.  

Check it out, and for more info on Open Pit, and updates on what they're up to, check out their site at: http://openp.it