Queens Care IX Vancouver

Xtra Vancouver hired me to photograph Queens Care IX and I was blown away by the Drag talent in the Vancouver LGBTQ community!!
The ninth annual fundraising event was created by Drag Queen Joan-E as a memorial to honour Drag icon Diana Rose and DJ Jules.
Diana Rose and DJ Jules were well loved philanthropists in the LGBTQ community.
Co-hosted by Carlotta Gurl and Joan-E, proceeds raised were donated to Out in Schools, Health Initiative for Men and Rainbow Refugees.
It was sexy. It was nasty. It was a blast!!
Enjoy the video below of Xtra Vancouver's coverage of the fabulous evening.

Diva's Den SHOOT

Pants off fun with sexy folks from Vancouver Dyke March creating promo images for this years Diva's Den.
Diva’s Den is an inclusive women for women centered strip show featuring professional and amateur performers.
All funds raised will be used to support the 11th Annual Vancouver Dyke March.

Cor Flammae Fallen Angels

100 metres of fabric, 25 fabulously draped singers, 4 hair stylists, 7 makeup artists, 4 set stylists, 2 shoot assistants and one photographer. That is what it took to create this incredible 2015 promo image of Vancouver's classically trained Choir Cor Flammae.

Wardrobe/Set Styling:
Adam Dickson (Concept)
Jenny Gagne / Shelayne Mulholland
Movement Consultant: MaryAnne Wong

Makeup:
Belinda Sui (Team Lead)
Andi Alexander / Kasey Chen / Bingjie Dai / Raven Dickhout / Mei Lin / Oscar Xu

Hair:
Missy Clarkson (Concept)
Hair by Soo (Team Lead) / Jenny Lynn Goodwin / Katrina Shelast

Photographer/Lighting: belle ancell
Lighting Assistants: Maylies Lang / Debbie Pipe
Colour Treatment/Retouching: belle ancell / Reem Abdel-Jabbar

Queer As Funk !!

Always exciting to see images I've created for folks featured on their websites. Check out the brand spanking new website for Vancouver's Funktastic Queer As Funk.
Click HERE to see images I shot during their spectacular sold out September 2013 show with the Leadfoot Butch Choir.

cor flammae DEBUTs

21 fabulously attired singers, 3 hair stylists, 3 makeup artists, 2 wardrobe stylists, 2 set stylists, 3 shoot assistants and one photographer.
That is what it took to create this image of Cor Flammae, Vancouver's new classically trained choir.
This shoot was a milestone for me as it was the most people I've ever photographed in one sitting!! 
What a wonderful experience it was to be a member of Team Flammae.

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Go Team Flammae !!
Wardrobe Styling:  Adam Dickson (lead) and Jennifer Gagne
Hair:  Missy Clarkson, Soo Jeong and Shea April
Make-up:  Andi Alexander, Sande Rees and Belinda Siu
Shoot Assistants:  Reem Abdel-Jabbar, Lindy Cairns and Robin Toma
Photographer: belle ancell

Queer As Funk BAND!!

 I love it when a photography gig includes belly laughs, hugs, flirting, a slow dance with a handsome butch and the occasional nip from a flask. 
Thank you Queer as Funk and Leadfoot.  

When the Sun comes out

I never thought I would utter these words. I loved this Opera. I saw the workshop last summer at the Queer Arts Festival in Vancouver. Well, I had to see it. I was photographing it for them. Seriously, it was not what I expected. First of all, I developed an instant crush on the lead soprano. Secondly, the male role broke my heart. Like tears in my eyes and heart crushing compassion for his story, that kind of broke my heart.

This was the largest, longest and most elaborate photo shoot I've ever done and involved the collaborative efforts of 12 people to pull it off. It was so worth it. We created some awesome images for the Opera. The Georgia Straight, Xtra and the Courier all featured the images which had enormous impact in its promotion.

The Opera is so poignant today in a 2013 world where we can still be tortured and murdered for simply being who we are.

From the Queer Arts Festival website - "When the Sun Comes Out is the world premiere of Canada’s first lesbian opera, commissioned by QAF. This ground-breaking new work is written by composer Leslie Uyeda and poet Rachel Rose, and directed by James Fagan Tait.

A story of forbidden love, divided loyalties and culture clash, the opera explores the oppression that queers face, and the risks they take, in nations where homosexuality is illegal."

From left to right: Aaron Durand, Teiya Kasahara, Julia Morgan, and Leslie Uyeda (with baton).

Pride in Arts | Queer Arts Festival

This year I immersed myself in art and community as the principle photographer for the Queer Arts Festival here in Vancouver, BC.

I met some incredibly talented individuals; I experienced poignant performances; I challenged myself photographically and I felt a deep sense of community and pride.

Soprano Teiya Kashahara performing in the Queer Arts Festival's Workshop of the Opera 'When the Sun Comes Out'. Canada's first lesbian Opera, commissioned by the Queer Arts Festival, from Composer Leslie Uyeda and Poet Rachel Rose.

My favorite performer during the festival. Kate Bornstein, Author, Playwright, Performance Artist, Gender Outlaw, Advocate and radical role model for queer youth.

"Do whatever you need or want to do in order to make life worth living. Love who and how you want to love. Just don't be mean. Should you get sent to Hell for doing something that isn't mean to someone, I'll do your time in Hell for you."

~ Kate Bornstein

The Real Crystal Precious

I took the big studio lights out on location and photographed Crystal Precious, Vancouver's Queen of Sass. Part riot grrl, part raver, part burlesque dancer and part rapper.

Crystal graciously agreed to be photographed in the old Dayton Boot Factory on Hastings Street. The good folks at Dayton were very accommodating and lent Crystal five pairs of shiny new boots to wear.

Having the opportunity to collaborate with the bodacious Crystal Precious, while enveloped in the smell of leather in a dark sexy setting, what more could a Photographer Girl want?!!!