Richard Beland the program coordinator is featured in the Sarnia Observer newspaper and online edition.

NEWS LOCAL
TEN: Richard Beland
Observer Staff
Sunday, October 27, 2013 10:14:42 EDT AM

http://www.theobserver.ca/2013/10/27/ten-richard-beland

Beland just can’t sit still Sarnia Observer 13-10-28 

Editor’s Note: Each Monday, the Observer will publish a Q&A with a local citizen to help readers better understand what makes him or her tick. Our subjects will come from all walks of life, but will have a strong connection to Sarnia-Lambton.

Richard Beland is an instructor and coordinator for Lambton College’s Digital Photography Program and is a working music and entertainment photographer. His extensive body of work, which dates back to 1993 and includes live performance photographs as well as studio portraits, celebrates popular music's depth and eclectic breadth. From photographs of Coldplay to those of The Tragically Hip, Beland's images of international stars and Canadian icons reveal his passion for his craft, his keen sense of composition, and his steadfast commitment to detail.

1. Who is your favourite entertainer?
Well, my rock and roll friends may be perplexed by this answer but, in all honesty, I have to say that Tony Bennett is one of the best performers I have had the opportunity to see and work with. He is a consummate professional. I’m also a big fan of Dave Grohl, mainly with the Foo Fighters, but in every band I’ve seen him play with. In my experience, Dave is one performer that always gives you his all. I can recall photographing him in the UK in the midst of a torrential rainstorm. He was drenched, the crowd was drenched, the photographers and their gear were drenched and, in spite of all this, he was unfazed. I’d say he worked even harder!

2. Who do you most admire and why?
My children and how they move through their young lives with limitless ability to see the beauty of life and its surroundings. They constantly and consistently inspire me.

3. What book has impacted you the most?
At the request of one of my students, I just read (I actually listened to the Audio Book) Animal Farm last week. One of my favorite albums, Pink Floyd’s Animals, was directly influenced by the story. So the actual story and the connection between the book and album both have had an impact on me.

4. How do you relax?
I don’t. I mean, I try but I don’t sit still very well. I intend on relaxing when I retire.

5. What is your most embarrassing moment?
Hmm... there are many. I’d say it was either when I was chased by a cow while walking along Modeland Road one day, or when Chris Martin from Coldplay heard me singing their song “Yellow.” Before our photo shoot, I was in the men’s room washing my hands, singing away in my best warbling falsetto like no one was listening. Mid-song Chris appeared from one of the closed stalls.

6. What career would you opt for if you could do anything else?
Without hesitation, an NHL hockey player.

7. What do you love most about living in Sarnia-Lambton?
I just returned back to the area after living in Toronto and London for the past 27 years. The things I love most about living here is access to Lake Huron in the summer. I had a really great childhood in Bright’s Grove and every corner I turn, I’m flooded with good memories. I’m also very happy to be close to my family and extended family that live here.

8. Name three things on your bucket list:

     1. To see the Pyramids in Egypt.
     2. To make the Lambton College Digital Photography Program the best in the province. 
     3. To live the answer to question #4 to the fullest.


9. What is something that few, if any people, know about you?
There are probably lots of things that people don’t know about me. Considering my lines of work, I’m incredibly shy. To be a photographer and an instructor I’ve had to learn how to overcome this but it still dogs me at the most inopportune times. Also, in my late teens, before I studied photography, I worked part time as a garbage man. I have the utmost respect for the garbage man.

10. What local resident has influenced you the most?
Am I allowed to say my kids again? In all seriousness there are too many people to name, but I have had an immense amount of help and guidance from my colleagues at Lambton College. They know who they are and I am grateful for everything they have taught me. Ultimately, if I had to choose one person I have to say my younger brother, Dave Beland. He has an admirable work ethic and a vast desire to learn. Despite being younger and maybe an inch shorter, I constantly find myself looking up to him.

To recommend someone to be featured in The Observer “10” series please email jack.poirier@sunmedia.ca. Please outline your rationale, what your nominee does and provide that person’s contact information. 

The 10,000 hour rule

I (Don) mentioned to my class on Monday that it takes 2,000 hours to become an expert at anything. I erred on the number, and an Internet search turns up the fact that it is 10,000 hours.

A couple examples are given: one is the Beatles, who became a great band after their sessions in Germany in their early years. They performed as many as nine hours a day and Lennon and McCarthy both have been recorded as saying that all the performance time resulted in a massive increase in skill levels.

The other example commonly mentioned is Bill Gates, who was a high school student who was allowed access to a computer (rare in the time when personal computers did not exist). He spent hours each night programming and developing his skills, so that when the personal computer revolution happened, he was ready to form a little company he called Micro-soft.

I mention this because sometimes as students you will complain about your work load. We are pushing you for a reason … we all know that experience is the best teacher, and the more time you spend taking photos, the more of the 10,000 hours you are filling in. That is why in an Art History course, 70% of your marks will come from photos  -- more often in that field you are assessed by writing essays and research papers.

I remember when I graduated from College (as a journalist) I was amazed that I learned more in the first three months on the newspaper than I did in two years at college. It was because I was now spending 40 hours a week as a reporter, and not the 5-10 I spent reporting while at college. For a short time I wondered if the time at college was a waste … then I realized that without what I learned in college, I would not have been able to do the job in those first three months. I suspect the same will happen for you when you graduate. You will learn much more in whatever you specialize in, but it will all be possible due to the background you are learning here in the program.

So, in short, you will not leave the program as an ace photographer. You need to get your 10,000 hours in first. We just hope that we have given you a head start on that goal by all the work you have done here at the college.

NYC - A look back

The second year students excursion is now complete, the experience was unforgettable as those of us in the department who were not involved have been hearing over the past few days.

Student Jeff McCoy joined Coordinator Richard Beland and Faculty Dave Chidley in a presentation about the Digital Photography Program to the Sarnia Photographic Club last night and Jeff spoke highly about the New York experience.   We are discussing another club presentation covering the trip in detail, once all of the images have been sorted and reflected upon.

Here are just a few more photos from the journey.