As we move through 2023 and dip into 2024, and to help celebrate my 40th year in business and my recent 60th birthday, I’ll be doing my best to capture 60 new BW personal portraits during the year. Capturing portraits has always been my ‘happy place’ and I’m really looking forward to the creative challenge of capturing 60 new ones!
“A portrait is not only an opportunity to learn about each person I get to photograph, but perhaps also a little more about myself.”
Cheers, Dwayne.
We had a really fun and memorable day this week while visiting my mom, Donius Glover, in Alberta. She lives in Edmonton, where I was born and raised, but we decided to take a little nostalgic detour down to Drumheller on our way to Calgary. My 82-year-old mom may be small in stature, but she’s got the tenacity of a Tyrannosaurus Rex—never one to back down from a challenge!
Thanks, Mom, for also braving the camera for the 60at60 series!
Donius Glover / Drumheller, Alberta
It was great to share a couple of beers and take a few photos of Chris Bosley in the studio last week. Chris and I have worked together for several years, collaborating and capturing imagery for Infinity Convention Centre since it opened eight years ago. This time, we stepped away from the event space and into the studio to get to know each other better and capture a more personal portrait.
Chris’s calm, experienced leadership style truly sets him apart—a quality that has played a significant role in Infinity’s continued success. As we worked through the session, it became clear that his composed and thoughtful approach is more than just a leadership quality—it’s an integral part of who he is.
This portrait captures Chris’s quiet confidence. His directness and strong yet relaxed posture reflect the steady hand he brings to his role at Infinity, where professionalism, calmness and approachability blend seamlessly.
It was great to step out of our usual work context and capture Chris in a more personal light!
Cheers, Dwayne
Chris Bosley / General Manager, Infinity Convention Centre
Most of my 60at60 portraits are pre-arranged with people I know, but some special ones are impromptu, with people I meet randomly. Today, while working on a photo project for the Lord Elgin Hotel, I met Tiem Nguyen, a ‘maintenance houseman’ who is well loved by everyone who works at the hotel. He was kind, calm, and had the sweetest smile. I couldn’t resist asking him if I could photograph him!
Thanks, Tiem!
Cheers, Dwayne
It was lovely spending time in the studio with my friend, Jake Volt, this afternoon. We chatted about the value of words (without exclamation marks!), the local advertising community, dog walking, and family (of course) while taking a few photos for 60at60. Anyone who has worked in advertising in Ottawa knows that Jake Volt is one of the nicest and most talented ad guys in town. Over the years, he's worked at all the big agencies, been a partner in one, and now has fun making a difference teaching advertising at Algonquin.
Thanks Jake, for lending your kind face to the project!
Cheers, Dwayne.
Jake Volt / Creative Director / Advertising Prof. / Proud Dad / Soon to be a dog walker.
We recently had the privilege of photographing documentary filmmaker and entrepreneur Bob Huggins for his new profile portrait and a portrait for my ongoing 60at60 project.
Our discussion about the parallels between still photography and documentary filmmaking added depth and fun to the session for both Bob and me. Bob also shared insights into his pioneering work, bridging newspaper analogue microfilm to digital through his project Cold North Wind. Bob graciously allowed us to experiment with lighting and angles throughout the shoot, resulting in some truly lovely and authentic portraits.
Thanks so much, Bob!
Cheers, Dwayne.
Bob Huggins / Strategic Advisor / Digital Imaging Pioneer / From Startup to Scale/EIR, Mentor / Award Winning Indie Documentary Filmmaker
We did an intensive shoot today at Algonquin College for their 2024 Brand Campaign, capturing editorial portraits of 8 students on campus. All of the students were super awesome and open to helping us create interesting imagery to help tell a variety of student brand stories for the campaign. One of the students really stood out for me. His name was Anannya Prakash, an international business management student. He was genuinely curious and had a cool and infectious energy. I couldn’t resist creating a 60at60 portrait with him!
Thanks, Anannya!
Cheers, Dwayne
Anannava Prakash / International Business Management Student
Yesterday, we had an exceptional experience photographing Alexander Shelley, the Music Director of Canada's NAC Orchestra. Alexander kindly invited Jennifer and I to his backstage dressing room after a unique two-day recording with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, The Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, and Canadian piano sensation Kevin Chen.
Anyone who has seen Alexander Shelley in performance has witnessed his passionate - almost ballet-like movements and his skilled approach to how he conducts and guides the orchestra. If you've ever met Alexander in person, you get to experience his kindness and his personable and curious focus. Regardless of his many responsibilities and time restraints, he can make your time with him feel like you're the only person in the world. Yesterday, we mostly talked about family and life - Alexander is a family man and a kind human first, then a conductor and music director (or perhaps it's the culmination of them all which makes him such a special person).
I'm very grateful for his time collaborating on yesterday's photography and his kind friendship. Thanks, Alexander!
Cheers, Dwayne.
Alexander Shelley / Music Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, as well as Principal Associate Conductor of London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Artistic and Music Director Designate of Artis - Naples and the Naples Philharmonic.
It's always great to spend time with my friend Anil Dilawri. I'm glad we finally found some time to take a 60 at 60 portrait a couple of weeks ago. Around town and beyond, Anil is known as 'the presentation guy,' but to me, he's more the guy who generously offers optimistic support and champions people. He always wants to know how your business is going and, how it can be better - and, how he can help.
During our session, we didn't just chat about business and the parallels between headshots and presentations; we spent most of our time talking about family and how vital parenthood and partnerships are. After all, without the anchor of the family, any business's success would be pretty flat.
If you’d like to learn more about Anil’s sessions in strategic listening training and executive coaching, please take a peek at his website: www.saveitlikesully.com
Thanks, Anil!
Anil Dilawri / The Presentation Guy + Optimistic Listener
Photographing Amanda Glouchkow in the studio the other day was such a pleasure. We were working on a new LinkedIn headshot for Amanda, and during the shoot, we had a such great conversation about the work she’s been studying and is now practising in - Neuropsychology. It was a really great chat about ADHD, neurodivergence and how we’re all wired differently.
Photographing Amanda reminded me that every shoot and every conversation, is an opportunity to learn.
Thanks so much Amanda!
Amanda Glouchkow
We had a lovely treat this weekend. After a scenic drive from Ottawa to Creemore, we celebrated Brad MacIver’s premier art show on Friday evening. In addition to being Jennifer’s uncle, Brad is a super-talented painter. With his roots in editorial design and art direction, Brad’s work is graphic, detailed, and beautifully captures light and atmosphere.
To make the weekend even more special, Brad and his partner Dana hosted us for a delicious lunch yesterday. Our visit gave Jennifer and Brad time to catch up, a lovely visit with Dana, and I could also photograph a portrait of Brad in his studio.
It was also fun to meet their dogs, Annie and Pip, who have appeared in many of Brad’s paintings!
Thanks so much, Brad, for sharing part of this important weekend with us.
(Brad’s work will be up until November 30th, at the Gallery by Lagom, in Creemore, ON)
Brad MacIver
It was beyond apropos to visit with and photograph my dear friend Carolyn Patton yesterday to mark the studio’s 40th anniversary. Carolyn and I worked closely together in the 80’s on many advertising and corporate projects. What I remember the most was that everything we did, we were doing it for the first time. We weren’t following any examples; we were creating imagery together that was unique and as different as we could make it.
Carolyn continues making a difference after years of leading creative teams and helping countless organizations with their advertising and marketing strategies. She’s most recently combined her creative and leadership skills as the Chair of the Vimy Foundation and the Alberta Chair of the Canadian Forces Liaison Council. I’m so grateful for our friendship and very proud of the work Carolyn is doing!
Thanks, Carolyn!
Carolyn Patton / Proud Mom + Creative Maverick
It’s been super nice this week, to have my buddy Tom Trevatt visit from the UK. Over the past couple of years, Tom and I have not only become friends but also creative colleagues through our shared passion for Headshots Matter. Tom is not just a remarkable portrait photographer; he’s also kind, honest and emotionally intelligent - all of which make him a great creative collaborator and a terrific friend.
It was great fun taking the doors off and exploring the Gatineau Hills.
Thanks Tom!
Tom Trevatt / Shot in the Gatineau Hills, Quebec.
It was lovely to see and photograph Carley Schelck this week. We were photographing Carley in the studio for some new professional branding headshots, and I couldn't resist taking a BW portrait for the 60 at 60 project.
It was fun to catch up with Carley and talk about her continued culinary passion project (and business), The Urban Element, along with its dynamic evolution. As many local folks know and remember, The Urban Element used to be located on Parkdale, in the old fire hall. Since the pandemic, it has been operating in a more versatile manner, utilizing and partnering with various physical spaces. Learning about that evolution took our conversation to interesting topics about leadership, working as a team, optimism, and the fun of constant reinvention. The fascinating outcome of our conversation was discovering that Carley and The Urban Element are not just a culinary company and owner; they both serve as a wonderful testament to the value of creative entrepreneurship.
Thanks, Carley, for sharing some time and your humble wisdom!
Carley Schelck / The Urban Element
It was great to spend the evening with my buddy Mark Vidalin and his ‘56 MGA! Mark has been a friend for a really long time, and I've always been impressed by all that he does – from music to art, business ownership to family man, Mark wears all of these hats so wonderfully well! When we talked about a '60at60' portrait, I knew I wanted to photograph Mark with his car, as it has been his personal project throughout his adult life. He took it from a discarded car in a farmer's field to the classic beauty that it is today, right here in this field. Perhaps it poetically represents his patience and commitment to all things dear to him.
Thanks so much Mark!
Mark Vidalin / Musician, Artist, Business Owner and Loyal Friend
It was terrific to catch-up with Perry Jackson and his wife Tracy this past week in Halifax, where Perry runs a very successful commercial photograph studio - capturing both moving and still images. Perry is likely my oldest professional friend, with a friendship spanning over four decades. We first met when I was a photo assistant in the early eighties, then we become fast friends when Perry became my assistant, when I first started my commercial photography studio in 1983.
It was so great to share a few beers at a cool bar in the north end, called ‘The Local’, and talk about the fun days when we both were still cutting our creative teeth. And it was also great to still see, that no one tells a good story like Perry Jackson!
Thanks Perry, I’m truly grateful for all your creative support back in the early days and for your continued friendship!
Perry Jackson / Passionate Photographer + Preeminent Storyteller
It’s always a treat to see and visit my longtime and dear friend Deborah Vail. We’ve been friends for over 30 years and reconnecting in person, here in Halifax, has been lovely!
Deborah has enjoyed a long and successful design career in Calgary and Charlottetown, and I’ve always felt she was the best print designer I’ve ever worked with. Its awesomely cool that she now has the prestigious role as the senior graphic designer at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.
Thanks so much Deb for your friendship and for braving the camera!
Deborah Vail / Halifax, Nova Scotia
Last night, we had the opportunity to visit and share a delightful dinner with my dear friend Barry Styles and his wife Catherine at their home in Halifax. It’s been a long over due visit as it’s been well over 20 years since we last met in person. Back in the 90’s, while Barry owned and ran one of the best and busiest ad agencies in Calgary, I got to work with Barry and his team on many fun and important advertising projects. He wasn’t only the best connected man in town back then, he was also a dedicated business owner who took pride in getting the job done. Whether managing campaigns for the Calgary Stampede and other local and national brands, or assisting the Premier of Alberta with political messaging, he always did it remarkable strategy and unwavering integrity.
Thanks Barry and Catherine for the wonderful meal and even better conversation!
Barry Styles / Ketch Harbour, Halifax NS
I had the pleasure of photographing Susan Odle in our studio, for an upcoming project that she will soon be unveiling. Susan is such a vibrant and driven person who exudes a cool and grounded energy that is very inspiring. She is super passionate about life and finding ways to blend one’s work skills and their creative passions. Keep an eye on Susan’s LinkedIn for her official unveiling!
Thanks Susan!
Susan Odle / Fixer | COO | Board Member | Creative | Mother | Mentor (and a whole lot of other things!)
It was so lovely yesterday to meet up and get out for a photowalk with my dear friend Julia Scott! Julia is one of the nicest, most interesting free-spirits you’ll ever meet. She’s full of ideas, curiosity and optimism. Oh yeah, and she’s a pretty great photographer too! I’m truly grateful to call her one of my best friends.
Thanks Julia, for hanging out and getting on the other side of the camera for this!
Julia Scott / Intrepid Traveller + Cool Shooter
It was such a pleasure to photograph Jen Sugar and Djuna Penn, in the studio a few weeks ago. Capturing a portrait of a couple is always such an honour, providing the opportunity to preserve a moment in time and, perhaps, a piece of family history!
Thanks so much, Jen and Djuna!
Jen Sugar and Djuna Penn