Photo © Janadak
I was lucky enough to have a chance to shoot with Montreal born Canadian Actress Carinne Leduc over the last week. Results of our cooperation lead to a stunning portraits of this talented and rising actress.
Here is Carinne’s short bio as she stated on her official web site.
CARINNE LEDUC is enjoying the early stages of a very promising career. After a debut on casts of the feature films A Broken Life, Pure, Le secret de ma mère, it is with 3 Saisons that she played her first true cinematic lead role. This engaging performance as a homeless street kid went on to earn her several prestigious awards, including the Borsos Award for Best Actress at the 2008 Whistler Film Festival and Best Actress at the 2009 Salento International Film Festival in Italy. Carinne has played in several television productions as well, including Colocs.tv, Sophie, La forêt enchantéeand Down to Earth. Her theatre experience began with children’s theatre and was soon followed by a principal role in Le Cours de Maux, directed by Rene Gagnon and in La Deposition. Carinne also works behind the camera as writer and is currently co-writing a follow up feature film project supported by SODEC, As If Nothing Happened.
I am working on a new series of portrait of Canadian Poets. Well let me tell you how this project began. My Neighbours are both writers/poets and recently they moved to new place. Before they moved we talked outside of the building and Sharon told me that once they move out their friend rob mclennan – poet will come to visit Toronto from Ottawa and will stay in their old place. I looked at her and said that would make a great photo and then we talked more and we came up with idea of doing portraits of Canadian Poets.
rob came day before the moving day and helped them to move. We met and discussed possible photo shoot. Days passed by as I got busy with other stuff and I started to worry about how much time do I have till Rob leave back to Ottawa, so one night 30min pass midnight I saw his lights still on so I knock on his door to remind myself and the photo shoot. It was hot, very hot day and Rob opened the door wrapped in towel. I apologized for late visit and we arranged day and time for photo shoot. I went back to my apartment but still was saying myself that was the perfect photo right there, empty apartment and him in his towel on the chair of almost empty room. Having conversation with myself about how late it is but the image is perfect, but it’s soo late and I don’t even know the guy but still the image is perfect I pull out one film from fridge, set my old Rolleiflex TLR on tripod, grabbed the light-meter and knocked on his doors again. I said I am sorry and I know it’s late and this is crazy but this is the photo of you and I wanna shoot tonight. rob looked at me and said well I see you have it all figured out and have plan and image already, so we shot that same night and this is the image I imagined at the very beginning and the whole set up and dress made in even better. I am looking forward to portrait next Poets and build up this series. Stay tuned more stuff coming 
rob’s Bio:
Born in Ottawa, Canada’s glorious capital city, rob mclennan currently divides his time between Ottawa and Toronto. The author of some twenty trade books of poetry, fiction and non-fiction, his most recent titles are the poetry collections a compact of words (Salmon Poetry, Ireland), wild horses (University of Alberta Press, Edmonton), kate street (Moira, Chicago) and a second novel, missing persons (The Mercury Press). An editor and publisher, he runs above/ground press, Chaudiere Books (with Jennifer Mulligan), seventeen seconds: a journal of poetry and poetics (ottawater.com/seventeenseconds), The Garneau Review (ottawater.com/garneaureview) and the Ottawa poetry pdf annual ottawater (ottawater.com). He spent the 2007-8 academic year in Edmonton as writer-in-residence at the University of Alberta, and regularly posts reviews, essays, interviews and other notices at robmclennan.blogspot.com.
Here is selection of my images from G20 Summit in Toronto. My intention is not to present riots, vandalism but to show that there were a lot of regular people who joined the rally to express their opinion and to point out some issues that are visible and to send the message out. That’s why I started to photographed 3 days before actual Summit when the so Called Red Zone was still open to public protected by probably the most expensive fence in the World and watching this part of Toronto becoming a “ghost” town following every day until saturday when Peaceful Demonstration was held. Starting in Queens Park right in front of Ontario Parliament continuing dow the University Ave all the way dow to Queen St. I was lucky enough to get close to the fence on Saturday June 26th so I can complete my documentary photography about the fence.
It’s sad to see what started as peaceful march turned in to vandalism and riots for what is no excuse in any terms. Hope you enjoy my view
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June 26th Queen Street West Toronto. Two Police cars were left behind on busy Queen St. W. just East of Spadina on Saturday afternoon. My question is ” why would cops leave two cars behind”? Was that suppose to be some sort of trap or simple laziness or provocation? What were you thinking that will happen? For several hours unattended cars were trashed by ” anarchist” and one of them set on fire. Car was in flames for almost hour or maybe bit more until police came with Firefighters. If you were hoping that nobody in Toronto would do such a thing as trashing car well think again and next time why don’t you use your own car instead of one that’s payed by tax payers !!! Or maybe you just need new cars and this was the easiest way to get rid of those, which at the end will be payed by us tax payers, or maybe this was an perfect excuse for you to harass general public with your Riot Geared officers. What happened to serve and protect?? You did not served public and did not protect the city, but it’s hard when your focus was to scare people with your “new toys” you were anxiously waiting to use!!!
June 26th-27th Toronto is hosting G20 Summit, Canadian Government spend millions of dollars to ensure smooth and safe summit. This Year themes for the summit are : Sustainable and Balanced Growth; Financial Sector Reform; Reform of International Financial Institutions; Global Trade and Growth.
Downtown Toronto was slowly changing in to a ” ghost City ” over the past few days. I went down to “Red Zone” the centre of the summit on Wednesday June 23rd. First thing anyone notice is the traffic restrictions and a long fence separating the “red zone” from the rest of the City, it feels like whole new city inside of the city has been created.
Walking in the Red Zone felt like quiet moment before the Storm, Police officers standing by, making sure everything is running smooth and maybe imagining the scenarios for the up coming weekend. Events like G20 attracts thousands of people from all around the World to come and have their voice heard. I don’t want to judge if either of the side of the fence is right or wrong but one thing I am sure of, most of the public is hoping for the change and expecting their elected leaders to make or initiate that change but then when World leaders meet to discuss particular issues people are not happy about how much money has been spend of one event. Politicians do live in paranoia and even in first I felt like they are trying to separate and isolate me from my town the truth is that it is not me who is isolated but them who isolate them self from public !!! Maybe we should remember this in next election when they will be running around hunting for more votes
And to the people who are planing to come to protest here is just a tough instead of giving them a reason to blow all those millions on security to make sure you won’t get anywhere near why don’t you do your own summit, somewhere out of town at the same time ignoring the city but not the event. That would surprised them more if nobody showed up but instead you sending the message out from place where you can freely express yourself and where there is no reason for extra security and spending all those money. But I know security is mainly because of the” terrorists” and to prevent any accidents.
Anyhow welcome to Toronto if you traveled from out of town, have a nice stay and I’ll see you Saturday
Walking in the Park downtown Toronto on Sunday afternoon photographing people and streets suddenly World turned upside down, I only hope for a good and safe landing.
Photo © 2010 Jandak
Lately I have problems to find my perfect balance, seems like I can’t concentrate on things the way I want to and all the energy floating around me like a leaf in the wind.
Photo © Jandak
Jesus followed by his apostles walked on the water one summer day.
Photo © JANDAK
Every time I am going on the trip I am looking forward to stay in Hostel, not cos there is extra great service or comfort but because of the people I meet. After all if you stay in hostel all you pay for is bed and shower
Before I went to New York I booked hostel, it was Candy Hostel located in Upper West Manhattan, but as soon as I arrived they send me next door to Fresh Hostel, which is own by the same company and is the same building but have different number. I got room 201, it was small room with window and two beds.
Room #201 became not only place to sleep for me but also my temporary studio to shoot with models.
Hostels are great places to meet interesting people, fellow traveler, backpacker, young people exploring new places and cultures. Great thing about Hostel is constant flow of the people, some are leaving and others are checking in. Fresh Hostel have not had common area to socialize and free wi-fi internet worked only at reception area, what was a great thing since reception became place where people meet and chat. I met lot of young people from Europe and since in USA you are not able to buy booze if you under 21 I offered I’ll get some beers and booze. It was interesting experience having “stairway Parties” at first it was only few of us but soon more and more people joined in, we were hiding on the stairs cos you are not allowed to drink on public in US.
No matter how tired we were Party always went long and never ended before 2AM. Group of French High School students checked in to Hostel and instantly joined our company.
Before I knew it I was photographing everybody inside and outside of the Hostel, people trusted me and never questioned me why am I taking pictures.
Communication was hard especially with French girls since they did not speak English, but thankfully there was one french guy who could speak English and was translating for us. I am sure Rony appreciated him being around cos he was the only hope for him to arrange time and place with this French girl to have “some private ” time, it was interesting watching this situation two young people need 3rd person to have sex.
How ever I always looking forward to go back home it is always sad feeling to leave hostel. Asking myself who will come today, what other interesting people I might meet but I guess things happen for a reason and we should take the best out of it and carry it on. Luckily for me I am taking more than just a memories with me I am taking photos as well that will brings those good memories back anytime I look at them.
