Artist Statement

There is something magical about taking a photograph, and being able to experience a moment in time over again. But as a photographer the feeling goes deeper than that, looking through the lenses at a subject be it a person or a lone tree in a field, right before the shutter snaps there is a moment where the photographer feels for that time, that there is nothing else in the world except them, the subject and the camera. Photographs to us speak louder and more often than words. They are a ticket into the past, they are the feeling that touches your heart and a moment recorded forever.

We are the consummate team. Both find beauty and order in chaos, watch for the delicate interplay of light and contrast and -SNAP- there is that moment. That moment of shear natural beauty in everyday things. We approach our calling with an openness of spirit, an openness of mind that allows us to become caught in a moment of time, however minute, and find the perfection that exists in everyday moments. Perfectionists at heart, we are driven to improve, learn, and to find the connections between technology and artistry, nature and mathematics; there is a mathematical equation within every image. We experiment with new media, lighting techniques, proportion, layering. We are driven to develop constant mastery of technical skill which we realize is the unattainable goal and therefore will provide us with a lifetime of learning opportunities.

We don't like to use chemicals for development, nor do we want to waste paper, so we view our images on the computer and print only the very best. We enjoy photographing a variety of subjects, be them people, or inanimate objects, landscapes or interiors. Delving into different worlds keeps us fresh and creative. Each different area of photography we tackle helps to compliment another and only helps us to fulfill our ongoing quest for knowledge.

But at the end of the day the purpose of our photography like all art is to share the beauty of the world and to evoke emotion. To tell a story through the image, to create a believable subject and to deliver a message of truth. Our art is 50% heart and 50% soul, its speaks to us on so many levels with so many layers. It is every ounce of who we were at that moment in time, it is a reflection of our life, our family, and our community. It reminds us of our past, and is helping to pave the road for our future.

Jamie Loves Sarah – Part Three

Thursday, August 21, 2008 Posted in Trash the Dress

Hello there! If you are new here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed or email updates to make sure you dont miss a thing from Rowell Photography.

Yeahhhh! It’s finally here, Sarah Trashed her Dress! We have been waiting since the wedding when we first saw the dress to do this shoot. Of course there wasn’t much literal trashing involved, she just got the dress wet. For those of you who need more information as to why a bride may want to do this here is www.trashthedress.com, perhaps the best answers can be found here.

We all piled into the boat and headed out on the lake in Muskoka to capture some really cool shots. This was the first time I ever saw a bride jump 2 stories into a lake to trash her dress. See photos below. Sarah and Jamie grew up, met and were married in Muskoka so the cottage was the perfect setting for this shoot. We all went to some fun little islands called “Bad Boys Island” and “Bad Girls Island”. Bad Boy’s Island was literally a rock with a few trees, so small you couldn’t even stand on it, luckily there was a small shelf of rock just a few inches below the water that Sarah could stand on, she looked like a super model walking on the water. That was pretty much the only rock, so Ryan was waist deep taking shots in the water, and I was shooting from the boat, we even has a light stand in the water.

We really love how Jamie and Sarah’s wedding locations were connected like a story, From the engagement shots on the front porch of their house, to the wedding on the lake, and reception in a boat museum, that had a set designed to look like a front porch of a house where their head table sat, and finally the trash the dress in the lake.

We are really sad that this 3 part series of photo shoots is over, but we hope that someday soon they will call us again for the 4th part (their first baby, hint, hint)

We want to thank Sarah and Jamie for being troopers, and our most dare-devilish couple to date.

And we would like to thank Logan, our assistant, no one holds a light quite like her, she is always happy to do whatever needs to be done, even if it means standing knee deep in the lake or driving a boat in circles so I can grab the perfect shot.

Here they are, the shots from our first Trash the Dress for 2008.

Enjoy!

Erika & Ryan

P.S- Wanna see more photos of Sarah and Jamie? click here to view Parts #1 & #2.

trash dress weddings ramsbsarjame2 Jamie Loves Sarah Part Three