the coppertone portraits

Not long ago I wrote a post about seeing The Coppertone perform in Toronto. Funny reading it now, I completely forgot that I had actually written "I'd love to do a portrait session with this girl sometime", although it has definitely been on my mind. So when I heard less than a week in advance that she was coming to Ottawa, I had to try and make it happen. After some back and forth emails figuring it all out, I'm very happy to say that it happened and couldn't have gone better! The location (which I can't actually disclose) turned out to be way more interesting than I originally thought, and Amanda was the the best subject I could ask for. Totally chill, down for whatever I suggested, and was excited about it. Lots of chit chat in between about recording demos, yoga, our mutual lack of knowledge in sports, and an impressive steam room at her hotel. Sophie was also a great assistant/pack mule :) 

Here's some of the photos. Her new vintage hat, bought that day in the market, made it's debut as well. I love how it matches the chair in the second shot. 

At the end of the shoot I remembered that I brought my polaroid camera. We decided to take a couple of her. Then she suggested we get one of the three of us, and for fun, we all signed it. 

And since she was in Ottawa for a show, Soph and I obviously went to down to the Raw Sugar Cafe to see it. Then I was invited to shoot and chill in her box at the Ottawa vs Tampa hockey game they performed at the next day, so Leanne came along and we had a great time. Here's some shots from both nights. As always, they were great shows with no shortage of genuine passion through those raw, soulful tunes. 

I posted a couple of my favourite songs in that last post, so be sure to check those out. But here's another one I really like, called Heroine. Simple, but so effective. There's this one line that I love, that always sticks with me. 

'But damn, you've got the best of what's left of me.' 

You know an artist speaks to you when you've been listening to the only 13 songs available on repeat since like May, still loving every one as much or even more as the first day. That's only happened to me a few times. I can't wait for the new album. It will be great to add new ones to the mix. 

Soo go buy both the debut album and more recent EP on iTunes. Also check out her Twitter, Facebook, and blog. I've honestly been turned on to so many other great artists from all three.

Thank you SO much to Amanda, and everyone that played a part in making all of this happen. It means the world. 

In other news, I did some editorial for Tony Greco's Total Fit Magazine. I photographed a musician named Jay Vado (the shots in the gym), and the owners of Capital City Dance. Here's the tearsheets. 

I also did another People Feature in the Winter issue of Our Homes Ottawa, some commissioned headshots and portraits, and I'm going to be doing some interiors this week. And for Christmas, got two new incredible photo books. Gregory Crewdson - Beneath The Roses, and Annie Leibovitz - A Photographer's Life. I spent two hours looking at each of them. I was just completely consumed. So good. 

And here's yet another Ted Talk, gotta keep up the tradition. Cameron Herold - Let's Raise Our Kids To Be Entrepreneurs