The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra recently put on a concert of some great Frank Zappa songs, re-imagined for a symphony setting. Zappa collaborator Ed Mann and Zappa sideman Ike Willis joined as special guest soloists. Check out the full set in the gallery!

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra plays Frank Zappa! photographed by Edmonton Event Photographer Douglas Dollars

Another great shoot celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, this time we visited the lobby of the Hotel MacDonald to photograph the French horn players of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.

You can see more from this shoot in the “ESO 60 at the Hotel MacDonald” gallery.

French horn players in the Hotel MacDonald photographed by Douglas Dollars

Broderyck (Broddy) Olson photographed by RAD GRANDPA / Douglas Dollars

You can see more of this shoot in the gallery.

Shooting with Broddy was one of the most easy-going sessions we’ve done to date. His natural charm and good nature can’t help but fill a frame and before either of us knew it, we had the shots we were hoping to get.

Broddy’s Edmonton Symphony Orchestra biography gives us some insight into why this man is so happy,

Broderyck (Broddy) Olson is the longest-serving current member of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, having joined in 1961. He was appointed Assistant Concertmaster of the ESO in 1966, and continues to hold that position to this day.

Mr. Olson has taught hundreds of violin students over the years, many of whom have gone on to professional careers (one such is the ESO’s own Robert Hryciw).

Violinists at the Rutherford House photographed by Douglas Dollars

You can see more from this shoot in the “ESO 60 at the Rutherford House” gallery.

This evening the Winspear Centre was home to some of the finest wines Canada has to offer, all hailing from the Naramata Bench region of BC’s Okanagan valley. Guests tasted wine from over a dozen wineries while listening to the smooth jazz sounds of Sandro Dominelli.

Winspear Centre Naramata Bench Wine Tasting photographed by Douglas Dollars

See more from the Naramata Bench wine tasting event.

Edmonton Symphony Orchestra cellists in the Muttart Conservatory

You can see more of the Muttart cello adventure in the gallery.

Horn-playing pirates invade the Santa Maria in West Edmonton Mall, photographed by Edmonton portrait photographer Douglas Dollars

Our gallery contains more of their pirate adventure.

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s great double bass group were our latest models, this time the venue was our own Edmonton City Hall. The weather outside was chilly, and Christmas decorations remained up well beyond the New Year, but this fine group of people are what made the shot work.

Edmonton City Hall with the symphony's double bass group photographed by RAD GRANDPA / Douglas Dollars

Check out more from our fun Edmonton Symphony Orchestra 60th season series in the portrait gallery.

It was an absolute honor to shoot the inside cover for the upcoming season brochure of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s 60th season. For this shoot we assembled the full orchestra in their finest duds and had them form the shape of a “60″. It took a little while, but teamwork always wins out in the end. 60 models shot at once for the 60th season.

To get this angle and shot I had to ascend via a secret series of staircases and drop down onto what’s known as “the mothership,” the big puck-shaped area above the stage. The staff and crew were amazing and at no time was I worried about the heights.

The symphony assembles photographed by RAD GRANDPA / Douglas Dollars

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in the shape of a 60 photographed by RAD GRANDPA / Douglas Dollars

You can see more from this amazing shoot in our Edmonton Symphony Orchestra gallery.

This is another in a series of entries about the fine folks of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra that I’ve been fortunate enough to meet and to create portraits.

Scott Whetham photographed by RAD GRANDPA / Douglas Dollars

Scott Whetham is the principal tuba player of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and has been with the ESO since 1984, and appears on fifteen of the orchestra’s recordings!

The biography from the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra website gives us some more information on Scott:

Other orchestras and ensembles with which he has performed include the Calgary Philharmonic, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Opera and Ballet Orchestras, Broadway’s touring production of Annie, and the National Symphony Orchestra of Peru. He has taught at the the University of Regina, The Banff International Festival of Youth Orchestras and currently teaches tuba at the University of Alberta and MusiCamp Alberta (formerly MusiCamrose).

Mr. Whetham began playing tuba in the North Vancouver Youth Band, under the direction of Arthur Smith. He studied with Dennis Miller (Vancouver Symphony), with further training at the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and the Eastman School of Music. Attending classes of Arnold Jacobs, Roger Bobo, Richard Erb and Christopher Leuba (horn) were additionally inspiring. He has been featured in broadcasts on the CBC as both performer and composer. His Nonet for Brass – After Emily Carr was recently premiered at the International Women’s Brass Conference in Toronto. In Edmonton, he plays with the Tarragon Tea Orchestra (a European style salon orchestra), a tuba quartet and a basement rock band.

We’ll be at the Winspear Centre as season photographer of the 60th anniversary of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. If you’d like to see more of Scott, Ronda, Bill, or any of the other amazing people I’ve photographed from the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra you can visit our Edmonton Symphony Orchestra gallery which contains some of the portraits we’ve taken to date. To see more of Scott in particular, we have a Scott Whetham gallery showing some photos taken at the Jubilee Auditorium.

If you’d like to have your portrait taken, we offer many portrait photography packages. Get in touch!

Paul and Melissa are a couple that clearly get along well, have a lot of fun, and wanted to express it. For this shoot they brought their new puppy Masuka over and wanted to have some photos made and processed to emulate well-known movie posters. The puppy’s indecision over whether to behave, pose, sit, or walk around made the shoot a little less predictable, and provided laughs for everyone. I’d never done a movie poster photo shoot before, but the whole session was a lot of fun.

Sleepless in Edmonton movie poster photographed by RAD GRANDPA / Douglas Dollars

Along Came Melissa movie poster photographed by RAD GRANDPA / Douglas Dollars

As we like to remind folks, we’re a small Edmonton portrait photography studio. If you’d like to get your portraits taken, get a holiday photograph made before snow arrives in Edmonton, or have any questions, get in touch with us!

Who is this smiling woman? It’s Ronda Metszies, cellist for the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra! Our third subject in the series of entries about the fine folks of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.

Ronda Metszies photographed by RAD GRANDPA / Douglas Dollars

Ronda’s Edmonton Symphony Orchestra biography gives us some more of what makes her such a great portrait subject,

Ronda Metszies was born and raised in Edmonton, where she studied cello with Sheila Laughton. After receiving her Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Victoria, she continued her studies in Edmonton with Tanya Prochazka and then in Germany and Austria, where she worked with Julius Berger, Friedrich Sellheim and Heinrich Schiff.

Ms. Metszies has released two CDs of music for cello and piano on the Arktos label, both of which are frequently played on CKUA and CBC radio, as well as a music video for Bravo! Television. Before moving back to Edmonton, Ronda was living in Los Angeles, where she performed regularly at the University of Southern California and in several local chamber music recital series. In addition to playing with the ESO, Ronda has a special interest in early music, and is a member of the Alberta Baroque Ensemble. She is also a member of Kent Sangster’s Obsessions Octet, whose debut jazz CD was nominated for a Juno Award in 2007.

This is our second in a series of entries about the fine folks of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra that I’ve been fortunate enough to meet and to take portraits with in their native habitat …the Winspear Centre here in Edmonton Alberta.

Bill Eddins photographed by RAD GRANDPA / Douglas Dollars

Bill Eddins is the Music Director and oftentimes Conductor of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and 2010/11 is his fifth season. Bill keeps the audience attentive and always seems to enjoy the show the ESO is performing.

The biography from the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra website gives us some more information on Bill,

Bill has been playing piano since he was five when his parents bought a Wurlitzer Grand piano at a garage sale. He started conducting during his sophomore year at the Eastman School of Music, and most of the ’80s were spent trying to decide whether to pursue a career in conducting or piano. The quandary was answered for him when he realized that the life of a poor, starving pianist was for the birds. In 1989 Bill decided to study conducting with Dan Lewis at the University of Southern California, from whence he managed to land assistant conductor posts with the Chicago Symphony and the Minnesota Orchestra in 1992.

Bill is committed to bringing classical music to the greater public. He has started a podcast – Classical Connections – which is dedicated to exploring the history of classical music and highlights live chamber music performances in which Bill has taken part.

We’ll be at the Winspear Centre as season photographer of the 60th anniversary of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. If you’d like to see more of Bill Eddins, Musical Director of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, you can visit our Edmonton Symphony Orchestra gallery which contains some of the portraits we’ve taken to date.

If you’d like to have your portrait taken, we offer many portrait photography packages. Get in touch!

Greeting the friendly ghost of the Cirque de la Symphonie

Last night we were lucky enough to attend the Winspear Centre gala featuring the amazing acrobatics of Cirque de la Symphonie and the musical talents of Edmonton’s own symphony orchestra. We’d like to express our thanks to Marissa Loewen for contacting us to photograph the event, as well as Eleanor and Kathrine for being wonderful hosts and for helping me navigate through the fun-filled and quite active post-performance party.

A gymnast at the gala

This is the first in a series of entries about the fine folks of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra that I’ve been fortunate enough to meet and to take portraits with in their native habitat …the Winspear Centre here in Edmonton Alberta.

Lucas Waldin photographed by RAD GRANDPA / Douglas Dollars

Lucas Waldin is the Resident Conductor of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and 2010/11 is his second season. Lucas is a very funny fellow and it was difficult for people on either end of the camera to keep from joking around or pretending to be too-serious when he was around. If you’ve been to a performance with Lucase Waldin, you’ll know that classical music is hardly a thing for the stodgy.

The biography from the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra website tells us a little more,

This mentorship position is made possible through the Canada Council for the Arts and Enbridge. Mr. Waldin graduated in 2006 from the Cleveland Institute of Music with a Masters in Conducting. He has performed with L’Orchestre du Festival Beaulieu-Sur-Mer (Monaco), Staatstheater Cottbus (Brandenburg), and Bachakademie Stuttgart. Lucas was assistant conductor of the contemporary orchestra RED (Cleveland), director of the Cleveland Bach Consort, and a Discovery Series Conductor at the Oregon Bach Festival. In 2007, he was invited to conduct the Miami-based New World Symphony Orchestra in masterclasses given by Michael Tilson Thomas. In Lucerne in 2009, he also participated in a masterclass led by Bernard Haitink, with the Lucerne Festival Strings.

A native of Toronto, Lucas Waldin has spent summers studying in Europe, including studies at the International Music Academy in Leipzig, the Bayreuth Youth Orchestra, and the Acanthes New Music Festival in France. On this continent, he has studied under the renowned Bach conductor Helmut Rilling at the Oregon Bach Festival, and has attended conducting masterclasses with the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra in Toronto. Mr. Waldin received a Bachelor of Music degree in flute performance from the Cleveland Institute, studying with Joshua Smith.

We’ll be at the Winspear Centre as season photographer of the 60th anniversary of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and here as official reporter letting you see some of the amazing sights that what we capture, but for now if you’d like to see more of Lucas Waldin, Resident Conductor of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, you can visit our Edmonton Symphony Orchestra gallery which contains just some of the portraits we’ve taken to date.

If you’d like to have your portrait taken, we offer many fantastic portrait photography packages. Get in touch!

It’s with no small amount of pride that I announce that our little studio has been chosen as “the Official Photographer of the 60th Season of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.” Those who are deeply familiar with the ESO know that the 60th season is actually 2011/12 and that the 2010/11 season has only begun a month ago, but as work takes time to prepare, plan, and print, I’ll be giving you sneak peeks of what we’re creating as it happens before it appears next year.

A little more than a week ago I was lucky enough to meet with some of the key players of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and was also able to take their portraits with our beautiful new lens. I’ll be there to photograph some upcoming events as well, but in the meantime I hope to keep you occupied and interested with individual posts on some of the amazing people I’ve met and photographed so far. The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra is filled with brilliant, passionate talents, and it’ll be good to let their personalities come through.

Stay tuned!

Another season begins at the Walterdale Playhouse and my photography for them continues for the fourth year in a row. The first play of the 2010 – 2011 season is Perfect Pie by Judith Thompson, with the cast of Michele Vance Hehir, Nicole Lemay, Holly Cinnamon and Stephanie Wigston.

In photo: Stephanie Wigston and Holly Cinnamon / Portrait photography by RAD GRANDPA

This evening’s photos include a lot of great set lighting and color fills. See more of the productions actresses in the Perfect Pie gallery.

We’re a small Edmonton portrait photography studio. If you’d like to get your portraits taken, have your event photographed for media, or have any questions, get in touch with us!

In photo: Stephanie Wigston and Holly Cinnamon / Portrait photography by RAD GRANDPA

Model: Elle-Vie, Makeup: Kelly Ible, Photography: Douglas Dollars / RAD GRANDPA

Laura (Elle Vie) is the latest Edmonton model we’ve had the pleasure of photographing, and our setting was the Edmonton river valley during a great autumn evening. Her light complexion almost glowed against the dark red leaves and her pose ideas made the shoot a snap. You can see more of Elle Vie’s model photography shoot in our gallery.

If you’d like to have your portraits taken in our studio or at a location of your choosing, or if have any questions, get in touch with us! Our photography packages are very reasonable and we love to help others see you better.

Robert Zschuppe photographed by Douglas Dollars / RAD GRANDPA

We also created a black and white version of the social network photo of Robert for his gallery. Check it out if you’re interested, or to see a larger version of the photo below.

Our brand new 85mm f/1.2 lens arrived the afternoon I was preparing for Robert’s shoot, and I like the results. The lens is considered by Canon to be their “definitive portraiture lens” and is absolutely one of the best portraiture lenses I’ve ever had the pleasure of using. The lens is known for its smooth transitions between focus areas and its fantastic color reproduction, and I can attest that it absolutely lives up to our expectations. All portraits through to the end of 2010 will be using this new lens, with no increase in our rates or portrait and wedding package pricing. I’m looking forward to seeing the results, and I think you’ll like them as well.

As we like to remind folks, we’re a small Edmonton portrait photography studio. If you’d like to get your portraits taken, have your event photographed for media, or have any questions, get in touch with us!

Out most recent shoot was for a play that isn’t running yet! Edmonton local magazine Avenue Magazine planned to do a piece in December for the Walterdale Playhouse. The production of Much Ado About Nothing goes on in December and I got to see the most brief of sneak-peeks.

Erika Conroy and Murray Cullen by Douglas Dollars

Thank you to our incredible actor-models, Murray Cullen and Erika Conway, who will be in the production, for making time for the shoot, and I look forward to the next show! You can see more of the pair below or in the Much Ado About Nothing gallery.

Photographing local theatre is a great way to your event out to the media. My work for the Edmonton theatre community has appeared in not only Edmonton’s weekly papers (SEE and VUE) but also the St. Albert Gazette, The Edmonton Journal and The Edmonton Sun. We’re a small Edmonton portrait photography studio. If you’d like to get your portraits taken, have your event photographed for media, or have any questions, get in touch with us!

Erika Conroy and Murray Cullen by Douglas Dollars

Model: Tunc Gunes, Photography: Douglas Dollars / RAD GRANDPA

Tunc Gunes joined myself and some other Edmonton photographers as the latest model to be subject to the warm tones of autumn leaves and quickly-cooling evenings. The Edmonton river valley served as a great backdrop to the scene and we got through the photo session without being attacked by mosquitoes or any river creatures. You can see more of Tunc in our gallery from yet another successful Edmonton portrait photography session.

If you’d like to have your portraits taken or have any questions, get in touch with us. Our photography packages are very reasonable and getting your photos taken in autumn is a good way to capture the season before another Edmonton winter arrives!

We noticed that a lot of our subjects were using our session photos for their social network photos. We love it and it’s incredibly flattering that our work represents them so well, but we think we can do better. Our newest package has arrived, it’s here to specifically show your personality online.

The Social is only $60 and creates a single portrait you can use with Facebook, Twitter, eHarmony, Match.com, Plentyoffish, LinkedIn, OKCupid, and any other social network or dating site you like.

We’ll shape the photo for each service to present a consistent style that will keep your look in people’s minds. Contact us to set up your session and the world will see you more clearly. We think you’ll like this one a lot.

The R in the acronym that is RAD GRANDPA, Rachel, decided to humor me for a quick portrait test with our new studio backdrop. She looks lovely and her good humor came through easily. You can see more of Rachel, including our new way of styling photos to look like old Kodachrome prints from the 1950s and 1960s (not shown below) in Rachel’s personal portrait photography gallery.

Edmonton Portrait Photography Douglas Dollars / RAD GRANDPA - Rachel Pressick

Edmonton Portrait Photography Douglas Dollars / RAD GRANDPA - Rachel Pressick

As we like to remind folks, we’re a small Edmonton portrait photography studio. If you’d like to get your portraits taken, have your event photographed for media, or have any questions, get in touch with us!

Saturday had one of the most interesting and exciting events I’ve seen in the Edmonton in quite some time, and I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to photograph it. Local 124 hosted the Highlevel downhill longboard race in the river valley, which features long skateboards, steep hills, sharp curves and good old fashioned racing competition!

To quote Rachel, the R in Rad Grandpa, “Speed, smashes, and crashes!” I think you’ll agree. Check out the photos below, see the Highlevel downhill longboard race gallery, and get in touch with us to photograph and capture your next event in all its glory. Our prices are quite reasonable, and we’re very fun.

Highlevel downhill longbard race - Holding the curve

Highlevel downhill longbard race - Skimming the ground

Highlevel downhill longbard race - After the crash

This Saturday afternoon featured the fantastic Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival in the Edmonton’s north Saskatchewan river. Teams of 18 (20 including crew) from all around the city competed to see who could work together the best. Team Bioware dominated the races that I was able to watch, often beating other teams by more than two dragon boat lengths!

Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival - Leading the charge

While our specialty is portrait and wedding photography in Edmonton, we shoot a lot of events as well. Contact us at any time to discuss our event photography or to have us photograph your concert.

Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival - Watching victory slip away!

For its 31^st year, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival has filled Gallagher Park near downtown Edmonton, bringing dozens of performers from North America and around the globe. We were granted media access to the performances and as a result were as close to the stage for concert photography as we were comfortable with.

Concertgoers race down the hill to get a space to listen at the main stage of the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, August 4-8 2010

From the opening of the gates and the rush for folks to stake their claim on the hills with their tarps, over the course of four hot days and countless songs, we captured the event fully embracing the shared sense of community that only Folk Fest can bring. See more of our Edmonton Folk Music Festival concert photography in the gallery, including concert photos of Sarah Harmer, Jimmy Rankin, and more!

Basia Bulat, performing with Sarah Harmer at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, 2010

Alejandro Escovedo at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival 2010

Jonny Jacques is a young entrepreneur and manager of the Avenue Theatre along Edmonton’s avenue of Champions. I’ve had the pleasure of photographing a few shows at his exciting venue and was incredibly flattered when he contacted me about being the wedding photographer for the big day.

Jonny’s bride, Ally, suggested a style similar to The Royal Tenenbaums, including some serious faces and stoic posing, which was a fantastic idea. Our goal was to not have a traditional wedding photography set, and from there shot ideas started spreading. The result was not a ‘regular’ wedding wedding set at all, but something to match the fun spirit of everyone in the group, including individual ‘actor’ title cards like those in the film’s opening credits.

The ceremony was held at the Avenue Theatre and shortly thereafter continued to Forest Heights park and then to a low wooden bridge for some impromptu posing and fun photos. Despite a week of rain storms, the weather held up nicely and was mostly free of mosquito bites.

The wedding party’s long time friendship definitely came through and everyone was in great spirits. These are a few of my favorite photographs of the day, including the footbridge session. My thanks again to Jonny and Ally for trusting me to photograph your Edmonton wedding and for allowing me to share it with the world here. Congratulations on a great wedding and the years filled with joy ahead!

See more photos of this great summer wedding in the Edmonton river valley in the Jacques Wedding gallery.

Now Presenting: Ally and Jonny Jacques' Wedding!

Ally and Jonny Jacques

The bride and bridesmaids lift the groom

The Bouquet Toss