A Collage of Tokyo Street Scenes

Some of my favourite shots on any given travel shoot are the random street scenes captured between locations. As my series from around Tokyo, Japan continues to unfold as part of the Overseas collection, in anticipation of the (delayed) 2020 Summer Olympics, I put together this collage to provide a brief overview of some of the releases thus far.

 

New Limited Release: Cinema Collage Prints

Now available as a lifetime release of only 50 units per collage, the latest print sale from Editing Luke features these two, brand new archival collages of the Towne Theatre and Monarch Theatre - two historic movie theatres located in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

To skip to the sale post on the Editing Luke facebook page click here. 

As a filmmaker who was feeling particularly nostalgic at the time, in 2013 I set out to document two of the iconic local movie theatres from my childhood - the (now former) Towne Theatre and the (since refurbished) Monarch Theatre.

What makes these collage prints rare is that they showcase no longer existing details, architectural elements, and equipment from the interiors of two cinemas that have seldom been documented for their own merits. Years of project research and exploration through numerous archives around the province has only further confirmed this.

When the images for these collages were shot in 2013, the Monarch was still undergoing upgrades and the Towne had yet to be gutted. As a result, these limited edition collages highlight the character of these cinemas as they had existed for decades prior.

From the concessions to the projection rooms, these archival collages are certain to bring back memories of summer blockbusters, first dates, opening weekends, first jobs, and weekend matinees. Anyone who grew up in the Hat almost certainly has a story about going to the Towne and the Monarch.

As a lifetime release of only 50 units per each cinema, these hand-signed, numbered prints will never be licensed, reprinted, or duplicated. There will only ever be the original 50 collages of the Monarch and 50 collages of the Towne movie theatres released.

To inquire or order, visit the sale post here.

Medalta's Black & White Gala 2015

I was once again on hand to capture Medalta's Black & White Gala this year. The event was held on October 30, and in addition to the usual fun of photographing the event, I was asked to take part in a gala tradition and come up with an original design for a dinnerware set that would be featured in the live auction.

My photography / graphic design work isn't exactly the same as ceramic artists or painters or illustrators when it comes to projects like this, so naturally I was a bit nervous about what I might do. In the end, I decided I'd feature iconic signs and text from around Medicine Hat, Alberta that I'd shot as part of my Around the Hat series. The resulting design was then put on a 12 piece set of vintage Hycroft China. This was the result. 

A photo posted by Luke Fandrich (@editingluke) on Oct 26, 2015 at 5:10pm PDT

Overall, it was a really great experience. The dinnerware set ended up going for over $3000 in the auction, and I had a blast reconnecting with everyone in attendance at this annual event. The Black & White Gala is Medalta's largest fundraising event of the year, and allows Medalta to continue expanding the various community programs that they offer.

A photo posted by Luke Fandrich (@editingluke) on Oct 26, 2015 at 8:44pm PDT

Shambhala Music Festival: A Photo Series

Trying to document the visual explosion that is Shambhala is no easy task. This electronic music festival in British Columbia, Canada is a non-stop party with an incredible and infectious energy - one that I quickly found myself embracing. I was lucky to have a media pass to showcase this amazing experience and this 10 part photo series was the result. 


After tens of thousands of views I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone who has followed along. It's been an absolute blast for me to recap this unforgettable experience! To wrap up this project I've put together a few of my highlights from Shambhala 2015 below. View the remainder of the series here. Take me home! 

Aloha Hawaii (2015)

This month I enjoyed a dream vacation with my family to Oahu, Hawaii. It's been years since I've traveled abroad with my parents and siblings, hence we decided to really make this trip count. We all stayed at the same hotel on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, and from there enjoyed a full week of wining, dining, and unforgettable adventures. 

I didn't film too much, but I wanted to capture enough to create a brief promo for the photo series I'll be sharing in the weeks ahead. From sailing on the ocean to a beachfront luau, we made time for all of the classic Hawaiian activities. On a day away from the family I arranged to rent myself a $200K Bentley Continental GTC to road trip around Oahu. All things combined, it was an amazing week with my family that I won't soon forget.

Stay tuned for the new photo series in the weeks ahead, and in the meantime check out my new video featuring sunset sails, hula and fire dancers, and winding coastal roads through paradise.

Goodbye Student Loans

Seeing as I began this website in film school as an outlet to share my projects, experiences, and student life frustrations, this particular update has been a long time coming. As of the first of this month I have officially repaid 100% of my student loans.

 

It's a great feeling to tackle something that at one time seemed so overwhelming. Although new debt has replaced old debt, financially I'm in a significantly better position than I was after university. In total it took me 6.5 years to pay back my national student loan, although I paid back the provincial portion in just over a year. Was university and the debt worth it? I'm still trying to answer that one. Right now I'm just happy that this chapter has finally come to a close. All things considered, I made it out alright. 

 

University of Regina / Film School (2002-2008)

Christmas Snapshots 2014

I had a great Christmas this year. After a week long run of get-togethers with family and friends, lots of food, and some generous gifts, I'm feeling exhausted, but happy. Here are a few of my snapshots of the festivities (including the Christmas tree at Hollywood and Highland from my road trip a few weeks ago). For more, you can follow my Instagram feed here.

Medalta's Black & White Gala 2014

This year I was asked to be the official photographer for Medalta's 4th annual Black and White Gala. Just like last year, it was an absolute pleasure. This black-tie event is always a chance to mingle with Medicine Hat's business community and support one of our city's best treasures, Medalta Potteries. Here is a sampling of some of what I captured on October 25, 2014.

How My Picture Became a School's Art Project

Last month I received an email from student teacher, Jarrett Bardal who was working at Isabel F. Cox School in Redcliff, Alberta. As part of his practicum he was tasked with coming up with a project that would involve all of the 300+ students and staff members at the school. Jarrett's idea was to blow up an image that captured the essence of Redcliff, cut it into squares, and then have each student and staff member artistically recreate their own square for a giant collage.

Jarrett's search for images lead him to my site and an image that I shot of the Redcliff water tower in 2012. He explained his idea to me, and in addition to donating my image for the project, I was genuinely excited to see how it would all turn out. Isabel F. Cox is a K-3 school, and just yesterday I finally got to see the result of everyone's work. 

Made up of over 300+ squares from the students and staff, the final piece is a colourful mosaic rich in detail. Knowing that so many hands were involved in bringing the interpretation to life, I found myself immediately drawn to each of the little squares. From the youngest kids who coloured squares for the sky to the girders and rivets done by the later grades, the resulting artwork is a captivating depiction of one of the community's landmarks - and a complete reinvention of my photograph.

I want to thank Jarrett Bardal for choosing my photograph for his project, and also congratulate all of the students and staff at Isabel F. Cox School in Redcliff for their beautiful work. Creativity inspires creativity, and this project brought that idea full circle for me. I'm proud to know that this will be hanging in the school for years to come.       

Adventures With Darwin

Every time I make the trip to Regina to visit Wendy and Darwin I'm guaranteed a good time. Darwin reminds me more of his dad (my friend Dave who passed away in 2011) with each visit. His mannerisms, his wide-eyed stare, and his limitless appetite are spot on, and it only makes the hangouts more entertaining. 

Darwin took no time to warm up to me this visit, which makes me think he's finally starting to remember me. The moment I got to Wendy's place, Darwin immediately sat next to me and started talking my ear off (in adorable gibberish). At 2 and a half he's a master mimic. From 'cheersing' my glass and copying reactions, Darwin is a sponge and it makes playing with him a lot of fun. He even made a few attempts at saying my name - a whispered "ook". That "L" sound is tricky.

As always, Darwin was hilarious. A free slot machine app on my iPad had him jumping and flailing his arms with every spin until he was red in the face. Chasing him around Chapters, seeing him freak out at the dinosaur inside the Royal Sask Museum, and getting early morning wake up calls from Darwin wanting to climb on me were all par for the course. I loved it. And last, but certainly not least, there was the car ride where Darwin treated us to "Ho Hey" by the Lumineers.

Calgary International Auto Show 2014

Returning to the Calgary Auto Show this year was a lot of fun. From checking out the new lineup at Jaguar to comparing the latest supercars, there was no shortage of stunning automobiles to focus on. I loved being in able to get up close and actually sit in a lot of the vehicles to get a feel for them. I was curious about the new Chrysler 300 to compare it to mine, and similarly we did this with almost all of the cars that we were familiar with or had an interest in. The Calgary Auto Show is one of the largest automotive exhibitions in Western Canada, and if you have a chance to go in the future it really is worth your time. It made for a great afternoon - we had a blast!

View a few highlights from the 2012 Calgary Auto Show here.