Leon Hains, Cindy’s father.
Technical: Canon EOS 1D mark II, 1/2000 at f1.8 with a 50mm prime lense - ISO 200, no flash

Some like to photograph sexy girls in bikini. I personally prefer to shoot that kind of guys

Clement Denis, Cindy’s uncle.
Technical: Canon EOS 1D mark II, 1/250 at f3.2 with a 85mm prime lense - ISO 50 + direct flash on camera right

I’m in my hotel room in Maniwaki, QC. We are here to see Cindy’s grand-mother, or if you prefer: Edward’s grand-grand-mother. It’s a very long way from home, but it would be even worse if we were visiting her parents.

The fun think about being a freelance photographer that has stock photo as part of his business is that every travel that you make can count as a business related stock shooting. Because that’s what I do: I stop here and there to collect photos for my bank. So gas, restaurant, hotel and every other expenses are tax deductible.

“I’m not sure the bed will go thru the stair case”, said the delivery guy. “Did they move your current one thru there, or did they lift it thru the balconies?”

And here we go again.

“I don’t know. My parents took care of everything because we where at the hospital the day we moved in”

In many situation of our daily life, we are remembered the day Victor came and left. Now that we have Charles-Edward, we are often asked, “is he your first one?” Each time, we don’t know if we should say the truth, “he’s our first one alive”, and creates an uncomfortable moment or if we should diplomatically say yes, at the expense of his memory.

Time faded the injury, but sometime, our memory of that day comes back and it really hurts.

Sometimes, when on assignment, I stop shooting and say out loud: “Men! I’m PAID to do that!”

It was the case with this one. “Softair gun” is a mix between BB gun (fusil à air comprimé) and paintball gun. The story was about a bunch of kids playing with them in a remote suburb of Quebec city, and how dangerous they can be. I asked a kid to shoot me at point blank. And yes, it hurt.

Anyway, I decided to do this assignment in a very “immersive” way. I was running everywhere with them, taking cover with them, and sometime getting hit by a stray bullet. That was so much fun!

Sony Gravel-Paquet, left, tries to dodge a bullet from Emmanuel Talbot-Lanciault, center, as Maxime Labrecque looks on during a “softair gun” battle in St-Ferreol-les-Neiges, 50km east of Quebec city. A mix of paintball and BB gun, the softair gun is restricted elsewhere but not in Quebec. Photo Francis Vachon for the Montreal Gazette
Technical: Canon EOS 1D mark II, 1/160 at f4.5 with a 16-35 at 27mm - ISO 200

William Guilbault, left, uses Alexis Herrmann as a human shield during a “softair gun” battle in St-Ferreol-les-Neiges, 50km east of Quebec city. A mix of paintball and BB gun, the softair gun is restricted elsewhere but not in Quebec. Photo Francis Vachon for the Montreal Gazette
Technical: Canon EOS 1D mark II, 1/1600 at f4.5 with a 70-200 at 135mm - ISO 400

Alexis Herrmann tries to dodge a bullet from Elodie Talbot-Lanciault’s gun during a “softair gun” battle in St-Ferreol-les-Neiges, 50km east of Quebec city. A mix of paintball and BB gun, the softair gun is restricted elsewhere but not in Quebec. Photo Francis Vachon for the Montreal Gazette
Technical: Canon EOS 1D mark II, 1/500 at f4.5 with a 70-200 at 200mm - ISO 200

Agence France-Presse has issued a correction, saying that the image of four missiles was “apparently digitally altered” by Iranian state media. The fourth missile “has apparently been added in digital retouch to cover a grounded missile that may have failed during the test,” the agency said.

In an Iranian Image, a Missile Too Many

Francis caught chimping

I’ve often told younger photographers that the most important day in their fresh careers just might be the one where they turn down a job. Turn down a job? Sacre Bleu! You might feel a lump in your throat as you enunciate your thoughts, no question. But it’s a sign that you’re in control of your own destiny.

Matt Mendelsohn on Getting paid

I got the call at around 4pm. The photo editor tells me that all she gets from the photo agencies is politicians. She wants to put “Quebecois enjoying themself” on the front page. “Can you go downtown and see what you can get?” Sure can!

Granby resident Sylvain Brodeur and his mother Claudette sing along during the Quebec city’s 400th anniversary show in front of the National Assembly Thursday July 3, 2008. Photo Francis Vachon for the Montreal Gazette.
Technical: Canon EOS 1D mark II, 1/250 at f4 with a 24-70 at 45mm - ISO 200 + fill flash

Vancouver resident Angela Spacewalker, 5, dances as she sits on her father shoulder, Simon, during the Quebec city’s 400th anniversary show in front of the National Assembly Thursday July 3, 2008. Photo Francis Vachon for the Montreal Gazette.
Technical: Canon EOS 1D mark II, 1/250 at f4 with a 24-70 at 70mm - ISO 200

Elisabethe Bussiere, 4, carefully watches the show as she stands on her uncle’s shoulder during the Quebec city’s 400th anniversary show in front of the National Assembly Thursday July 3, 2008. Photo Francis Vachon for the Montreal Gazette.
Technical: Canon EOS 1D mark II, 1/250 at f7,1 with a 70-200 at 170mm - ISO 200