Finally. A decent-sized act comes to Brooks. And this is likely the only review you'll find of it!
I've been ranting for years that we could easily accommodate large shows like this one. We have the largest highway uniting the entire country - second largest in the world, I might add - flowing through our city limits, and we can't seem to pull bands off that divided concrete on their way from Medicine Hat to Calgary? It's quite sad, really.
However, Theory of a Deadman did have their bus driver flick his turn signal and make way for the Centennial Regional Arena parking lot. Granted, a beginning of the week show, but hey - we're just happy to have the music come to town at this point! Kudos to the local promoters who worked so hard behind the scenes to make this event even happen.

First to hit the stage, well, second - Tyler and Caitie from 101.1 The One warmed up the crowd (with famous selfie stick in tow!) - was Tilley's own Faint Awakening. Now, if you're from this area and have not heard of this band of siblings, move out from under your rock. These brothers and sisters are just plain great. We've written about them before, and it's always a pleasure to hang out with the family before a show. They were the perfect choice to have open the event, setting a fairly high bar with their set. It's so interesting to watch them as they develop as a band. They sound so tight, heavy and loud....a perfect trifecta. What I like about this band is not only are they solid musicians, but their writing chops are equally impressive. Quite interesting to hear audience members refer to stuff from their earlier catalog as personal favourites - you got a nice fanbase going, guys and gals!

Up next were Renee and Jonny of The Standstills. They were not in an enviable spot - the crowd was getting restless for the main event, and they had to follow up a family band that owned the stage.
But, this duo proved their worth - especially with their cover of Ram Jam's 1977 hit Black Betty. Think I'm still amazed by Renee's drumming style, she is an unbelievable talent behind the kit! Also nice to discover they're supporters of local business, having stopped in at Full Circle Music before the show (incidentally, I think Jonny sold me on checking out Vox guitars....).
Again, another personable band, and it was a pleasure to watch them perform. Would be nice if they could put on another show on their return trip home!

Blasting onto the stage somewhere around 10 p.m. was the main event. Theory of a Deadman was in the house! They were nothing short of amazing. Thankfully, the boys didn't pull any punches - from the pit, you couldn't tell if this was the same spot with the Brooks Bandits dropped the puck, or some huge stadium south of the border. The energy level was intense.
These guys are all heart - before the show, the band met up with some VIP ticket holders. Great chance for a few lucky fans to shake the hands of the people who formerly only lived in their radio or iPod. Yeah, I know - this is the sugary stuff bands have to do to keep in touch with their fans, but Theory were genuine with the meet and greet.
In short, they gave the fans one heck of a show - all the razzle dazzle you'd expect and more.

What impressed me most was how strict everyone kept to the timeline. I know, when you're a concert-goer, the gaps between bands seems like an eternity, but the take down/set up between acts was fast. Just enough time for people to get up and stretch, check out the merch tables or grab a cold beverage. 
This show was a turning point for Brooks. We proved that a big-name act can perform here. The venue of the CRA was great, and support staff did an excellent job of making sure the event ran smooth. No discernible glitches were noticed.
Now (and here I return to my soapbox), how about we keep up that level of excitement and get some more high-quality acts in. Shows like this prove the economic benefit to the area, and they are the perfect venue for our local talent to shine. We have some amazing musicians in the area, and it's time to bring these hidden gems to the spotlight.
So thanks to Cory and Mike for their hard work in making this a reality (and for having RyKie Images & Events shoot the show); thanks to the City of Brooks for the venue and awesome staff working that night; and special thanks to all who attended. Especially to those who helped sell out the items on the merch table. When you buy a CD, shirt, poster, or any other paraphernalia from a band, you are financing them. Think of the analogy of a restaurant server - they get paid lousy, but count on the tips.
Don't be a jerk, tip by buying some goodies.
By the way, bonus points to The Standstills with their innovative USB design. Very smart idea! 
Keep your eyes open for more images from the show!

“So I saw this on Pinterest…”
Inevitably, this sentence pops up during nearly every client consultation I’ve had. Every time I hear someone say it, I smile.
Why? Because you, dear client, are quite wise!
I know some folks cringe and roll their eyes when they hear their client refer to something they’ve seen on Pinterest, and “could you do this?” Not me.
When someone tells me they saw something on Pinterest and ask if I could re-create the image during their session, it tells me a few things. Primarily, this client has taken the time to research what they like and don’t like. They’ve found something that appeals to them, and they are excited to try out the pose. Excellent! I’m not going to discourage your creative idea, in fact, I encourage it. Finding what you like is half the battle!
I’d rather have a client come to me with a few ideas of what they like than have them standing blankly, saying “well, you’re the professional. Make me look good.” Even if they are cheesy ideas, hey – they’re your preference. It’s all about getting the images that you want.
I’ll admit, I’m not as technically savvy on Pinterest as I’d like to be, haven’t really hung out there much. But, we do have a presence on that service, and if you see something you like, pin the image on RyKie Images & Events.
We promise to check it out more. Call it a mid-year’s resolution, perhaps!

Weddings today are more like a shooting range.
Everybody has a camera, or some sort of device that features a camera, and they will recording every nano-second of your day.
No pressure, what could be more natural than having to smile for an entire day?
Here are a few tips to help you look your best:

1.       This is not a firing squad.

One thing I get all the time – be it weddings, family sessions, or even pet and me shoots – are the stiff, “hands at your sides” folks who look like they’re about to face someone with a gun. Relax. We’re here to have fun! This isn’t going to hurt a bit. If the camera is intimidating, focus on your partner – keep your eye contact locked on them, and after a few moments, your nerves will settle.

2.       Don’t forget to laugh.

It’s easy to get caught up in the worry of your wedding day. There are several hundred things and people all demanding your attention at once (spoiler alert: at least two things will go wrong on your day. It’s Murphy’s Law, Wedding Edition). My clients know I use humour quite a bit to illicit certain reactions – all of which are flattering…trust me! I view my bridal party sessions as a quick break from the insanity of the day.

3.       Book an engagement session.

Having a chance to work with a photographer before your day can help big time. This session gives you a chance to get to know each other, thus you will be more calm on the big day. All of our wedding packages include an engagement session at no charge, just for this purpose. It’s common for people to be worried that their photographer might miss a shot, and seeing some early results can be very beneficial.

4.       Comfort and confidence

Another important aspect is to wear things that you look and feel great in. If you don’t like the way you look, or your shoes are killing your feet, the expression will show on your face.

5.       Lighting

Lots of wedding receptions are held in dark little caves. Be kind to your guests (and your photographer) – have some lights on for goodness sake! Your images will look better, and people won’t be tripping in the dark.

6.       Shoot early

Make some time for images for yourself and the bridal party. Using a traditional ceremony as an example, between the ceremony and reception is usually the preferred time. Everyone is still looking good, and nobody has consumed too many beverages yet!

A few more tips:

-          Consider a ‘no-device’ ceremony.

Ask guests to kindly refrain from using their phones or tablets to get images during the ceremony. Not only is it distracting, none of their images will look anywhere near as  good as what your photographer is getting. Even worse, when one of these offenders looks and realizes they haven’t got the shot on their device, they will try multiple times to get it, which interferes with the ceremony. To accommodate these folks, have the bridal party pose after the ceremony.

-          Have a private session

For the bridal party images, go somewhere exclusive where your photographer is the only one with a camera in their hand. If you have paparazzi hanging around, it is inevitable that at least one person will not be facing the photographer when needed.

-          Feed your photog when YOU eat

Sounds pretentious, but here’s why: your photographer will be hungry. Why not feed them when there will be no action going on (while the bridal party is eating), instead of having them eat when they are supposed to be shooting?

-          Buy prints

Digital images and files are great, however, you will enjoy prints in your home much more. With digital files, you also run the risk of losing them, or the medium becoming corrupted (ex: discs).We feature a variety of products for our clients to display.

There’s a battle brewing in the world of image editing: the Americans versus the British. And it looks like those chaps from across the pond are in the lead.

Serif Labs just launched their much anticipated editing app Affinity Photo on the Mac App Store. We’ve written about how much we love this app before, which has been in beta testing since February.  So, now that Serif Labs wants you to dole out some dough for their magnificent creation, the big question is: should you?

Of course you should. In comparison to the popular industry standard of Photoshop, Affinity Photo meets and exceeds expectations in several ways. We're not going to expand here all the why's and wherefores, besides - Serif Labs isn't paying us to write a promo here. We just really like this app. Go get it and brag about how cool it is on your own blog! 

Anyway, back to the article. 


Like we stated before, that moment when you’re tooling around in Photoshop, trying desperately to manipulate an image whilst thinking “there must be an easier way,” the folks at Serif Labs have found that shortcut for you.

What amazes me is how relatively quiet Serif Labs’ movements have been throughout the community. Is it because nobody dares to entertain the thought of another company coming close to Adobe’s amazing programs? Everybody uses Photoshop, Lightroom, InDesign… they’re all up floating on the Creative Cloud and happily paying their monthly subscription. Are we too afraid to embrace change? Heck, Adobe’s products have found their way into our lexicon as a verb, for crying out loud. How many photographers are asked if they can simply “Photoshop that out”?

Sure, Serif Labs is the new kid on the block, but that kid has some smart ideas. Getting back to the subscription thing, Affinity Photo is available for one-time purchase with free updates and no subscription. It’s a powerful tool aimed more toward the professional.

Sadly, for all you IBM users out there, Affinity Photo is only available on Mac; something that may or may not be a hindrance to Serif Labs. By narrowing their focus on a target market (us Mac users aren’t the 2500 or so loner geeks hiding in the dark anymore), it does allow the freedom to mature in that specific environment.

So, back to the big question of should you buy it. Yes you should. If you only buy one app this year, buy Affinity Photo. However, if you are in more of a beginner level in terms of image editing, you may get frustrated with some of the more technical components. Just like Photoshop, this isn’t a basic editing tool. If you want basic and a little bit powerful, go download Pixelmator.

If you are accustomed to how the Photoshop environment operates in general, you will have absolutely no problem catching on to Affinity Photo. Right now, there simply is not the vast support available in how-to videos on YouTube for Affinity Photo as compared to Photoshop, which is why I caution the newbies. There are some videos for Affinity Photo out there, just not the 97 gazillion how-to vids that Adobe fanboys and fangirls have posted to compare with.

We’ve been using Affinity Photo since the first beta testing began, and have very much loved it. Yes, we’re still holding onto our PS security blanket, and Pixelmator is still in the Applications folder, but AP is being launched more and more these days. So, to recap: go to the App Store and buy this sucker (you can thank me later), it’s a rival for Photoshop and blows Pixelmator out of the water. For the price of the app, Affinity Photo is a no-brainer.

It will be exciting to watch the Affinity line over the next months. Affinity Photo is the gateway drug of Serif Labs’ family of apps. They’ve already reached quite a bit of success with their graphic design software, aptly named Affinity Designer. In fact, Apple gave them a design award during the Worldwide Developers Conference last month. One boasting feature was the million-percent zoom. Yep. That’s million….with an ‘m.’ The next battle may even be Serif Labs versus Adobe......you as the consumer have the voting power aka cashola to decide.

Coming soon, Serif Labs will release a desktop publishing app named – wait for it – Affinity Publisher. Okay, they’re not very creative with naming their products, but when you’re this good, why give your stuff a goofy name anyway? No firm details on a launch yet, just sometime this year. 

Wow, what a fun day! In case you haven't heard, Rosemary is THE place to be on Canada Day. Our small town puts on a huge event each July 1, and attracts several people from the County of Newell and beyond.
For starters, we have an awesome parade that you can enjoy twice. After the floats make their way around the route, the entire parade turns around and doubles back. The best part - each float still has candy for the kids!

After the parade, there's all sorts of activities - a show and shine, tractor pulls, vendors in the arena, petting zoo, volleyball tournament, live bands, and much more.
Check out a gallery here that shows some of the exciting activities!
Plus, we have the best fireworks in the County of Newell to end the day. Make your plans now to come to Rosemary on July 1, 2016!