Image Challenge Judging

It is a tense day in the Lambton College Digital Photography studio.  Our annual student Image Challenge judging is happening right now!  

Our three esteemed judges:

-Leonard Segall, of the Sarnia Photographic Club and The Lawrence House Gallery
-Glenn Ogilvie, Photojournalist, The Sarnia Journal
-Petro Tiahur, Commercial Photographer -LUXE Photography Co.

Have been evaluating, and critiquing the student's work for over 6 hours and they will likely be hard at it for another 3-4!!

The many students and faculty in attendance are hanging on every word! There is silence from the students as the judges view the photographs.  

Here are a few images taken by first-year student Neko Guo. 

More to come! check back next week for a posting on the WINNERS and SPONSORS of the award categories.

Thanks to everyone who came out today.  Especially the judges who volunteered their valuable time to share their wisdom and opinions!

Judges Petro Tiahur, Glenn Ogilvie and Leonard Segall discuss an entry during image judging. Photo by Neko Guo 

Students listen and watch during Lambton College Image Challenge judging. Photo by Neko Guo

Judges Petro Tiahur, Glenn Ogilvie and Leonard Segall discuss an entry during image judging as faculty member David Chidley keeps an eye on the proceedings . Photo by Neko Guo

A really Big Show…and MORE to come!

Second year student Jaime Babcock
Photo by Cheyann Howard

Imagine Imagery

As part of our Program, in the Portfolio Development class, second-year students are required to hold a public gallery showing of their work.  Most of the events are happening in the next week.  The first of the shows produced by Jamie Babcock was held March 6th.  It was such a success that Jamie is holding another show.

Please check the scheduled events below and come see some of the amazing work created by our Lambton College Students.

By Jamie Babcock

This month’s First Friday, March 6^th, 2015, I experienced one of the greatest rewards of being a photographer and designer in Sarnia, Ontario.  The artistic scene in downtown Sarnia has grown a lot over the past few years, since First Friday was first introduced.  I have learned to appreciate it and decided to use it to my advantage this month. 

I started planning in December, 2014.  During February’s First Friday event, I went around downtown with a few close friends and made a night out of finding a venue to host my very first exhibition.  I went around to each place I could see fitting well with the images I wanted to showcase and I collected cards of venue owners who were interested in viewing my work.  Over the next week, I was lucky enough to get the venue located on Front St. in downtown Sarnia, On, Memorable Moments. 

Jamie's gallery show at Memorable Moments, Sarnia.

Then I was on the hunt for music.  I knew I didn’t want a D.J. (though the venue was large enough to accommodate one).  I wanted to go with a unique sound that was light and pleasing to all types of guests.  I came across a band called Catacomb Castaway.  I absolutely fell in love with their original songs and heard they did covers of popular music that I am a fan of, like ‘Skinny Love’ by Bon Iver, and Kings of Leon.  I adored their sound and got in touch with them right away.  We exchanged working together for the advertisement, word of mouth, and enjoyment of the guests on First Friday.  It has since become a great friendship and I will be working with them on a music video by the end of this term. 

Catacomb Castaway, plays at gallery show.  

I had the venue, the band, and my final prints all coming together finally.  I decided to book a caterer and have some finger foods available for my guests.  Once I finished ordering frames and getting the food together, I started advertising.  I continued to bombard Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and anyone I saw over the next few weeks about the upcoming First Friday show.  I was worried about filling the large venue.

About a week before my show, I got a call saying that there had been an issue with the venue and that I would have to downsize and switch to the smaller venue, Raw Symmetry next door.  At first this was something that seemed like bad news, but turned out to be good luck.  Well, it ended up turning out amazingly well.  What worked so great was that the space was smaller but accommodated all of my guests and because we weren’t downstairs, people from outside just walking by could see my work and were interested in taking a further look.  It ended up bringing in more people to the event. 

It was a lot of work, but then I got to enjoy the night.  It was mine.  I am proud to say that I sold 2 of my prints including the frames, and that I sold a few other prints as is.  The night was AMAZING!  One of the greatest things I have ever experienced.  Something I put together and accomplished all on my own.  I now have new friends, Catacomb Castaway.  Not only did I love the music that they put together but I appreciated how polite and respectful they were.  Everyone loved them.  Imagine Imagery was catered by Paresh Thakkar, who not only prepared more than I had paid for, but came to the show after another event he had catered just to see the exhibition.  

I felt amazed the entire night.  The compliments, the questions, the enthusiasm of others, and all for my very own accomplishments.  It was truly rewarding.  I can't wait to showcase again soon!  This is only the beginning of JnPhotography & Designs in Sarnia, Ontario.

Jamie's gallery show at Memorable Moments, Sarnia, March 6th, 2015

"Unmask me" Image compilation by Jamie Babcock 

"Fever Jam" by Jamie Babcock=

"Built Up" by Jamie Babcock

"Lone Fae" by Jamie Babcock

"Momentary Loss" by Jamie Babcock

"Out of the Shadows" by Jamie Babcock

"The Sky is the Limit" by Jamie Babcock

Student Gallery Show schedule:

Student                      Show                                       Date of Opening / Location / Time

-Bisi Alawode - What Matters Today                      -April 22nd, Stokes's Bay Grill & Bar Sarnia

                                                                                       485 Harbour Rd. 6:00-9:00

-Jamie Babcock - Insight                                          -May 1st-July 1st, Cheeky Monkey, Sarnia

-Paige Bertholds –Art of Dance                               -April 16^th, 111 Chatham St. N. Blenheim Debbie McGonighle’s School of Dance 6:00-9:00

-Elizabeth Bosma –Pelee Parking Lot                     -April 10^th, Lawrence House 127 Christina St. Sarnia.  6:00-9:00

-Jessica Dillon -Depleted                                          -April 13^th, Bayside Brewery, 970 Ross Lane, Erieau 6:00-10:00

-Amber Doxtator –Creative Expression                  -April 10^th, Blue Dog Coffee Roasters, 199 Brant Ave, Brantford 7:00-9:00

-Melissa Elliott – Rustic of the Ying and Yang        -April 11^th, Strathroy United Church, 131 Front St. W. Strathroy

-Cheyann Howard –Children Portrait Gallery       -April 17^th, Lambton Heritage Museum, 10035 Museum Road, Grand Bend, 5:00-8:30

-Lorraine Kraayenbrink - Solace                             -April 10^th, Lawrence House 127 Christina St. Sarnia.  6:00-9:00 P.M.          

-Natali Bravo –                                                           -April 10^th, DNA Studio, 141 Christina Street N. Sarnia, 6:00-11:00

-Raeven Ramirez                                                       -April 10^th, DNA Studio, 141 Christina Street N. Sarnia, 6:00-11:00

…more to come, please check back!!

Turned upside down

Morgan Smith modeling for first year Design and Composition project  2013
 - Photo by Paige Bertholds

Hello my name is Paige Bertholds and I am a second year student at Lambton College in the Digital Photography program. I want to express how this course made me personally strives to achieve the goals I needed to, to succeed. After I started school in September 2013, I would go home on the weekends and have my sister model for my school projects. My stepbrother would also get involved by suggesting different locations and ideas. The three of us were always there for each other. On October 31^st, my world was turned upside down when my stepbrother was found unresponsive and later passed away in hospital on November 2^nd, 2013.

My relationship with Kyle was a unique one. I had three stepbrothers but Kyle was only one year older then me so we both shared some experiences together. I supported his baseball career and he would attend my dance recitals. He seemed to be more than a brother to me; he was someone I consider to be my best friend. WE would argue like any other siblings but we would also hang out together watching TV, talking, and giving each other advice on our situations. He was also very supportive with any of my decisions. When Kyle passed, everything in my life seemed uncertain. The stability I had known seemed to be non-existent.

Mental Health Awarerness photo featuring Morgan Smith spring 2014 -
Photo by Paige Bertholds

I was an emotional mess. I felt like I was completely lost. I had to push myself to go back to school knowing I had to finish the program. School was something that I had started and that I needed to finish. Once I had returned to school, I felt awkward being there. After I returned, our class was given an assignment to create a image for a poster within the college for Mental Health Awareness. The assignment is what I believe helped me express my emotions that was feeling with the loss of Kyle. He meant so much to my sister and me, so I had my sister pose for the picture. I asked her to reveal how she felt when she heard the news of Kyle passing. I also got to express my emotions I was feeling through this photography assignment. My picture was chosen for the poster, and I took this as a sign from Kyle to purse my photography. My photographs ever since have been detailed enough to include emotion. My goal is for the viewer to be able to not just see the photograph, but also feel something as well.

Macro assignment "Motor" being my step brother's nickname.
 photo from the Digital Photography Tec II first year in Studio at
Lambton College, Sarnia, Ontario spring 2013 Photo by Paige Bertholds

With this experience in my life while taking the photography program, I have realized that photography is more about capturing a moment in time, that it is just a picture. It allows you to be able to express your emotions without saying anything. I would like to thank my teachers and fellow classmates for helping me learn to express myself in this creative atmosphere. Photography is a great artistic outlet. I would recommend this program to anyone looking to find a way to express themselves while working closely in a team environment.