2008 RFL, episode 2: the girls clickin' some cancer butt

When I started the DLS Workshops, I really had no idea the direction they would take.  Mostly, I just wanted to share what I knew, and introduce people with a passion for photography to a) the technical side and more importantly b) the philosophical side of why I do what I do.  When the act of taking a photograph transcends beyond technique to become art and documentation all rolled into one, it's the greatest feeling in the world.   At the heart of my Photographilosophy is the belief that the stronger your connection to whatever or whoever you're photographing, the stronger the finished product will be.  Not only have I been consistently amazed by the natural talent these women have, but their desire to evolve and really make their photography meaningful, to go beyond simply taking a photograph to capturing an image full of raw emotion with as much impact as beauty is admirable and inspiring.  

I call giving back to my community through pictures Photographilanthropy, mostly because I'm a geek.  But I digress...  When it was initially discussed with Christine McCourt how the Relay for Life team photographs would be done, I knew two things right away.  Number one was that I couldn't do it alone - to cover an event that size would require far more manpower than I could provide alone.  Number two was that beyond needing help, I wanted to share the experience of this emotional and powerful event, and since I happened to have a large pool of eager photographers at my disposal, it was an easy decision to ask them to join ticdesign in the form of "Team Clickin' Cancer's Butt."  

Sometimes there are simply greater forces at work than I have the power to recognize except for in hindsight.  I call this 'found treasure' serendipity, and it was truly serendipitous that the group of women who had participated in the workshops were in fact willing to help me out with such an immense and important task.  They brought with them an intense dedication and a wide range of skills and styles that brought life to a concept, and turned a dream into reality.  For me, it was really the pinnacle of success to be surrounded by fellow shooters who became as passionate about the reasons for the pictures as the pictures themselves.

None of us went into it seeking fame or fortune, merely the opportunity to provide a meaningful service while having a meaningful experience.  This is, of course, the crux of what I had hoped to impart through the DLS Workshops all along, and I think I speak for every one of us when I say it was nothing shy of phenomenal to be a part of this event as the Official Team Photographers. It was my both my pleasure and honour to work with this talented bunch of ladies (in alphabetical order) and commend them: 

for braving giant wildlife, 

Amy Alexander of Photos by Amy

for combining work with strollercize, 

Lareina Dibben of Lareina’s Photography

for having the guts to get up on stage, 

Heather Duperron of PixelPie: the substance of life 

for quietly orchestrating the largest team photos, 

Lisa Holmes of L. Holmes Photography

for surviving a hectic grad shoot and still showing up after, 

Christine Hopaluk of Christine Hopaluk Photography & Design

for taking the leap and proving me right, 

Amanda Kerr of Lifeprints by Amanda Kerr

for staying to the bitter end, 

Amanda McCrea of Images by Amanda

for enduring swollen maternity ankles, 

Rebecca Manchul of Twinkle Pix

for braving the survivor banquet solo, 

Laura Jane Penner of a la mode - slices of life by laura jane  

Again, words cannot express my gratitude to you all.  We laughed, we cried, we played, we walked (a lot), and I HOPE we can do it all over again next year...

*These images copyright Canadian Cancer Society