documentographer » life photographer

O my

O wow

OMG

Oprah

and my photO

For my birthday last year, my dear friend Christina wanted to buy me a subscription to a magazine.  Specifically, she wanted me to choose a magazine that I wanted to be published in.  We spend a lot of time talking about our careers and goals and dreams, and this present was intended to help support where I wanted to go next. Instead of choosing a local, more plausible, magazine, I chose the publication that I love the most right now — Martha Stewart’s Body and Soul magazine — knowing full well that this was a pipe dream, but certainly one that would make me happy coming into my mailbox.

Last week I got an e-mail from Body and Soul, saying they want to send me free copies of the magazine to thank me for my contribution. Delighted, I said, yes please!  But, what contribution?  I think I’d remember submitting to my FAVOURITE MAGAZINE.

Remember Vanessa Farquharson?  We did this photo shoot at this link for her new book ‘Sleeping Naked is Green‘, last February.  

Where did I find it, but in the magazine that came through my mail box yesterday.  Right inside the magazine, as a half page photo.

All I have to ask is this: is this a coincidence?  Or is it a result of Christina’s thoughtful present?  And if it’s from the latter, which I like to believe it is, my birthday is fast approaching again…

Thank goodness, no.  But the magazine?  My goodness, thank goodness, yes!

I’m happy to say there is one of my images from Prom Night in Mississippi in the current issue of Seventeen Magazine.

I’m a woman, now!

By the way, when I had my exhibit of the prom photos, people in Toronto were asking when they could see the documentary.  Well, the time is approaching, my friends.  You can see the film during Hot Docs, next month.   Click here for ticket and show details.  See you there!

Presenting, the first ever integrated prom for this highschool in Charleston, Mississippi!

(For more background on this story, click here.)

Can you believe this is real?

Want to know more about what’s going on here? Click here

Prom dance pictures tomorrow…

Inside this tiny building, about the size of a small kitchen, lived a hair salon.

Last Saturday it was jam-packed full of women waiting for their chance with the hairdresser. Most of them teenagers, waiting to get their hair styled for their prom.

As I mentioned in my last post, for the first time in this small Mississippi town, the highschool was having their first integrated prom.

So, even though they went to different hair salons, the white students were also getting ready. They same way. With hair salons and car washes.

More to come tomorrow to see portraits of the kids in front of their houses, before they headed off to this historical event…

I knew journalism school was good for something. Just kidding, it was good for lots of experiences, opportunities and employment. However, thanks to my time there, I got to meet Ann Rauhala, and begin to take photos for a book she was creating about adopting Chinese babies.

Here’s Ann:

And here’s the book, fresh off the press:

This month, five years in the making from concept to concrete, “The Lucky Ones” book is hitting the shelves. And it is really GOOD!
22 authors, writers and journalists write about their amazing and diverse experiences about adopting their children from China. Writers include iconic Canadian names such as Susan Olding, Sonja Smits, Havard Gould, Patricia Hluchy and many more, including a forward by Jan Wong. Some stories will make you smile and laugh out loud. Others will make you shake your head in disbelief.

I feel fortunate about being able to meet so many of these families, and take some portraits to represent their lives together. Here is a collection of the pics I took. Some in the book, some out-takes from the printed selections.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, it is $19.95 and available at any major bookstore. As well, proceeds from the book will go to FCC-Toronto’s charitable fund and Children’s Bridge charitable fund, both of which direct money to orphanage kids.

Who would get inside their refrigerator? Only a Farquharson.
Who would think of getting inside a refrigerator? Only a Farqharson.

That’s why we’re, well, a rare breed.

But those of us Farqs around do have some good ideas, whether we are in the same family or not. Take journalist Vanessa Farquharson (no relation) for example.

Every day for the last year, she has been removing an element of her life that is environmentally unfriendly. One by one. And face it, to be environmentally friendly, you just can’t have a working fridge. If you are thinking, “gosh, what would that be like?” check out her blog and find out: Greenasathistle.com It’s a very entertaining and impressive journey she’s been on. Great reading.

You might think she’s crazy. But she must be onto something, as she is getting quite the (shall we say Cult) following…

In fact, a book is coming out next year, based on her writing and experience.

For said book, some pictures needed to be taken. And that’s where this Farquharson came in.

Hit “continue reading” to see some more of today’s session.

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