A few of the film shots from the aforementioned test shoot with Kristi Dawn. More to come!

Vancouver Portrait and Fashion photography: www.alexwaber.com

I spent Thursday in the studio with a fantastic model friend of mine (Chloe) continuing the work on my beauty series. With the help of an awesome makeup artist, and my assistant Alison (who tragically is leaving at the end of the month to go back home to Ontario) I think I managed to get some really great shots. We slowed down tremendously and really fine tuned all the lighting for each pose. I also re-evaluated some of the poses in terms of their lines and symbolisms and I think (and hope and think and hope) that I got something really good. Now to head to the lab to drop off the film and see if it actually worked out.

I recently had the pleasure of shooting a 12 page editorial for SAD Magazine, a vancouver art and culture quarterly. The subject of the article is the comedy scene of Vancouver, so I was to photograph a hand full of the movers and shakers of the scene in a glamorous 40s style. This is just one of the images, you’ll have to grab the magazine to see the rest.
It was a great project to be part of! I had an amazing team helping me along the way, got to work with some hilarious people (a few shots ruined due to me laughing while hitting the trigger) and a handful of fun challenges. This shot, for example, was originally supposed to be in an office, but for unforseen reasons we had to move at the last minute to the roof of an apartment and create a scene there. Other fun challenges were building sets, like paper sky scrapers, dark offices, bohemian studios and the like, to the fact we were working exclusively with film so we couldn’t fake a thing. 
I’m extremely happy with how the photos all turned out. If you’re interested in picking up the magazine its available all over the place in Vancouver or you can find it online here: http://www.sadmag.ca

I was recently asked by a local Vancouver art and culture quarterly called Sad Mag to help out with an editorial about the thriving comedy scene we have here in our city. The brief I was given was to produce 7 images of different groupings of comedians, each group has been given a different archetype to portray based on their style of comedy and role in the community; characters such as the Godfather, Heavy Hitters, Golden Boys, New Girl In Town and Ones to Watch. To spice it up even more the shots are to be done in the style of 1940s magazines, ranging from glamour and pin up to classic portrait and documentary. And they’re to be shot on film

So far we’ve done two of the shots (still waiting for the lab to finish developing), the God Father and the Heavy Hitters and they went very well! The first we shot in studio, building a small stage set of an office to shoot in and rocking some fantastically dramatic lighting. The next shoot was to be in a beautiful window filled apartment but due to unforeseen challenges we ended up shooting on a roof instead and changing the idea to fit the new scene. So from next to nothing we created the scene of a swanky roof top bar with the beautiful skyline of vancouver twinkling behind.

I’m having a great time with this project and its twists and turns and can’t wait to see how it all turns out and to share some of the images with you. The issue is set to launch in early November so, unfortunately, you have a bit of a wait.

-Alex

Manning Park. Early afternoon. Bright and sunny (Not the weather we wanted). Not that cold (If you’re wearing four layers). Beautiful (Very).

The very opening scenes of the film were shot that day. The lone actor, Kirstin, did an amazing job despite being dressed as a fairy in the wintery wonderland.

She was cold. We put in our best efforts to keep her warm.

Other challenges were the birds.

All in all it was a very good day (And a lot of fun!)

Just a reminder, the project is “A Wish Where the Wind Once Blew” which is a short film about a fairy who’s wings are breaking down. The film is to be shown at the 65 Red Roses Gala on February 11 2011. It is sponsored in part by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. For more information please visit www.saffronfairy.com

Day two we shot the final scene of the film out at beautiful White Cliff Park in West Vancouver.

Last minute Make Up by the remarkably talented Carolyn Secord.

Stuart Gillies directing the film’s youngest actor, Tess, playing the part of the Red Fairy.

Costume design and creation by Christine Stathers and Tyra Weitman.

To find out more about the film “A Wish Where the Wind Once Blew” please visit the website!

I’m acting as the Artistic Director and Stills Photographer for the film. Its called “A Wish Where the Wind Once Blew” and deals metaphorically with Cystic Fibrosis.

Filming began on Saturday out in New Westminster begining with a scene with Gypsies.

It was a long cold day, but the results were well worth it. The team is fantastic and all have a strong connection to the project.

 Tomorrow we’re off to Manning Park to do the opening scene for the film.

If you’d like to learn more about the project or donate to help make it all happen (its partially funded by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, but also from our own pockets. We’re all volunteers working on the project because CF has in some way affected us all) please visit the website: www.saffronfairy.com

The film will be premiering at the 65 Red Roses Gala on February 11th 2011.