Mar 22, 2016

Ghosting Series: Medicine Hat, Alberta

Using archival images for inspiration, I've been amazed at how popular my ghosting series has become. I think everyone just likes to see the contrast and change of a location regardless of whether or not they even know where Medicine Hat, Alberta is. The effect is created by merging modern day photographs with archival images from the same perspective.

This new video is a brief highlight reel of some of my favorite shots from my Medicine Hat ghosting series. I recently expanded the series to include Calgary, Alberta - but more on that to come. Explore all of my original Around the Hat ghosting images here: 


Ghosting: Medicine Hat, Alberta
Archival images merged with modern day shots of the same locations in Medcine Hat, Alberta. These are "ghosting images" from the Around the Hat photo series. More here: http://goo.gl/HmwRzs
Posted by Editing Luke on Saturday, March 19, 2016


Mar 21, 2016

Creating an Epic Burger: Create Your Taste

Last week I was invited by McDonald's Canada to take part in their new Create Your Taste campaign. Now, if you're anything like me, you probably have a few misgivings about fast food and how good it can really be. Let me tell you, this experience resulted in THE best burger that I've ever had at any McDonald's restaurant (and I'm not just saying that to be polite). 

mcdonalds canada create your taste burger medicine hat alberta



I came in with an open mind and a lot of curiosity about what "Create Your Taste" even meant. Never did I expect to hear things like "Chipotle Aioli" or "Sundried Tomato Pesto" or "Artisan-Style Bakery Roll" uttered in a McDonald's - let alone offered as ingredients. This new campaign seems to bridge the gap between fast food and fine-dining by offering a comfortable middle ground that allows you to customize a gourmet burger entirely to your liking.

New kiosks allow you to place your order and see exactly what it will look like. Initially I was thinking this would be a bit impersonal, but an employee is actually there specifically to help - and more importantly, to offer recommendations based on all of the new ingredients available. One of the perks of ordering from the Create Your Taste menu is the addition of table service. Once your order is placed you grab an electronic number and your food is brought directly to you. The burger is on a wooden plank, the fries are in a metal basket - it's a nice touch.

mcdonalds canada create your taste burger medicine hat alberta
In an effort to make the most of my experience I set out to create a burger unlike anything that I'd ever had at McDonald's before. I opted for 2 angus beef patties, natural cheddar, lettuce, tomato, 2 long sliced pickles, BBQ sauce, chipotle aioli, caramelized onions, sundried tomato pesto, guacamole, 2 bacon strips, all on an artisan-style bakery roll with a side poutine and a strawberry banana smoothie. If that sounds like a strange combination, you'd be correct. But, it was amazingly good! I've also never had a McDonald's burger that was this photogenic before. 

create your taste burger medicine hat alberta mcdonalds canada
You may be curious why I was approached by McDonald's Canada in the first place. As it turns out, Alberta is the first province in the country to get the new Create Your Taste kiosks rolled out in all of their restaurants. By 2017 they will be in 1000 McDonald's locations across Canada. 

Long story short, I was impressed. I never thought of McDonald's as the place to go when I was craving a really good restaurant-style burger, but this is a pretty solid shift. The old menu is still there, but this new Create Your Taste menu is a major upgrade. When it comes down to it, a good burger is a good burger in my book.

Mar 18, 2016

Editing Luke on Instagram

After recently surpassing 10K followers on Instagram @editingluke I got a bit nostalgic. I've loved sharing my projects, travels, and random day to day snapshots through Instagram, and this milestone inspired me to put together a brief video to highlight a few of my favorite shots. In addition, I just wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of you who have followed along and made the experience so much fun! More here

editing luke instagram alberta

Editing Luke on Instagram
Let's get out and make something! Editing Luke is all about "exploration, culture, and lifestyle" showcased through original images, videos, and features. Allow me to introduce myself. https://goo.gl/GTdBvQ
Posted by Editing Luke on Saturday, March 12, 2016


Mar 16, 2016

Receiving My Academy Award in the Mail

After this year's Academy Awards I became curious if it was possible to buy a realistic looking Oscar. From Hollywood Boulevard souvenir shops to movie memorabilia websites, I've seen all manner of knock-offs that were certainly Oscar inspired, but in no way actually resembled the real thing. Sure, the day may eventually come when I find myself working on that dream project that gets me closer to the actual award. Until then, I found this.

oscar statue trophy replica

What's in the box?
Getting Leo's mail by accident.
Posted by Editing Luke on Tuesday, March 8, 2016


I ordered this Oscar statuette from a professional movie prop company in Hong Kong. Not only does it look like the real deal, but it's pretty much as close as you can get to an authentic Academy Award without winning it yourself. 

The sculpture is completely accurate, and just like an actual Oscar it's 13.5" tall, weighs 8.5 lbs, and is 24K gold plated. As a result, you'd be correct in assuming it was a bit more expensive than the novelty statues I previously came across in those souvenir shops.

A photo posted by Luke Fandrich (@editingluke) on

So aside from being an interesting conversation piece, you might be asking what's the point? Well, if you saw this post on my Facebook or Instagram you'll already know that I made myself a faux Oscar back in high school before heading off to film school. That art project is something that I've kept and displayed year after year as a symbol of my early film ambitions. It's also a personal reminder of my achievements in that pursuit.

Buying an almost-real Oscar isn't because I take myself that seriously. It's because it's another symbol. A bit of motivation and/or fantasy perhaps. Frankly, it's just one of those things that I would've loved to have had as a student, but never could've afforded. Just as I've enjoyed seeing my handmade Oscar on the shelf, this new one will look great standing right next to it.

Mar 15, 2016

Travelling Exhibition Program

At the end of last year I found myself in the small town of Bow Island, Alberta to shoot this brand new video for the Travelling Exhibition Program. TREX thrives on bringing artwork to communities all over Alberta and sharing them in non-traditional gallery spaces. I was at the Bow Island Library as a new exhibition arrived and documented the experience. 

travelling exhibition program trex alberta


Travelling Exhibition Program (TREX)
Artwork, rural communities, and non-traditional gallery spaces around Alberta. This is a video I made for the Travelling Exhibition Program (TREX) in cooperation with the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre and captured on location at the Bow Island Library in Bow Island, Alberta. Learn more about this incredible program here: http://www.trexprogramsoutheast.ca/
Posted by Editing Luke on Monday, March 14, 2016


There is no other program like TREX in Western Canada. The Travelling Exhibition Program makes professional art accessible to communities that might not otherwise have the opportunity to see it. Because the spaces are non-traditional galleries, there's also an added charm and originality with each and every exhibition. In addition to Artist's Workshops, it's clear that TREX provides tremendous value in promoting arts and culture within the province.

This video would not have been possible without the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre, and the cooperation of the Bow Island Library.

Mar 14, 2016

Downtown Calgary: Ghosting Images

Calgary, Alberta has a rich history, and there's a lot to see when wandering around the downtown core. From new skyscrapers to modified historic buildings, there are a lot of clues that tell a story about the city's evolution and growth. I'm fascinated by urban landscapes, and as a professional photographer I've enjoyed showcasing them through the art of "ghosting". 

calgary alberta ghosting archival images


Ghosting Series: Calgary, Alberta
Archival images merged with modern day shots of the same locations in downtown Calgary, Alberta. More here: http://goo.gl/J1W6sp
Posted by Editing Luke on Sunday, April 10, 2016


Ghosting is the process of taking an archival image, photographing the same location as it looks today, and then blending the two compositions together to showcase both the past and present in a single shot. I first attempted "ghosting" in my hometown of Medicine Hat, Alberta and came away with some really intriguing results. Applying this technique to downtown Calgary, Alberta meant that the juxtapositions would be even greater. Here are some of the results.

Explore part 2 of the Calgary ghosting series here.

calgary alberta ghosting archival images

calgary alberta ghosting archival images
Calgary Fire Hall No. 1 - 1915 merged with 2016.

In this image you can see the old fire engines lined up outside of the fire hall. The exterior of the building is nearly identical to how it looked a century ago, although the skyscrapers in the back demonstrate how Calgary outgrew the station. Today the building houses a car rental company.

calgary alberta ghosting archival images hudsons bay
Hudson's Bay Department Store - 1920s merged with 2016.

Still an impressive building in the heart of downtown, the Hudson's Bay store is still very recognizable. It's the traffic and towers that surround it that have changed dramatically.

calgary alberta ghosting archival images
Central United Church - 1930 merged with 2016.

I love that the Calgary Tower is visible in this ghosting image. The Central United Church still looks the same, however an LRT line now runs in front of it and the building across the street has been replaced with a modern office tower.


calgary alberta ghosting archival images palliser hotel
Palliser Hotel - 1912 merged with 2016.

Here you can see the exposed girders of the hotel blended with the facade as it looks today. It can't be understated what a big construction project this hotel was for Calgary at the time. Canadian Pacific Railway was constructing the Palliser as a hospitality stop for the influx of tourists heading west to their Banff Springs Hotel.

calgary alberta ghosting archival images city hall
City Hall - 1920s merged with 2016.

Contrasting the old and new city halls.

calgary alberta ghosting archival images grain exchange
Grain Exchange Building - 1912 merged with 2016.

The growth of downtown Calgary is further emphasized by the construction of Brookfield Place in contrast to the Grain Exchange - one of the first office towers in Alberta.

calgary alberta ghosting archival images bank of montreal
Bank of Montreal - 1910s merged with 2016.

The surrounding office towers, especially The Bow in the background, are prime examples of Calgary's growth around this once large downtown bank.

calgary alberta ghosting archival images train station
Train Station & Palliser Hotel - 1930s merged with 2016.

The historic Canadian Pacific train station has since been demolished, however a new icon now stands in its place. The glass base of the Calgary Tower now dominates the former plaza / parking lot that used to be in front of the station.


calgary alberta ghosting archival images stephen avenue
Stephen Avenue - 1910s merged with 2016.

The painted ads, streetcar tracks and traffic have now been replaced with pedestrians on today's Stephen Avenue. 

calgary alberta ghosting archival images stephen avenue
Stephen Avenue - 1920s merged with 2016.

One more from this amazing street.