Got a nice call to wake me up this morning. The Globe and Mail wanted me for a picture. This was my first collaboration with this prestigious newspaper.

Later on, I got a call from a prestigious magazine that will be named later. They wanted to have a look at some of my stock photo. That was my first contact with them.

I made it. If you google photojournalist Quebec city or Editorial photographer Quebec City, I’m right there in the first 3 spots. Today, one of my two jobs was for a magazine in Toronto that needed someone to get a portrait of a restaurant owner. I did not asked, but I’m pretty sure that they found me thru Google.

So 2 jobs today and a job for the Gazette last Thursday, just before leaving for the 3 days equestrian event in Bromont. That adds to 2 requests I got today to cover upcoming events (one thru Google) in the area and 2 stock photo requests. Yep, things are rolling pretty well!

Some things never change, apparently. Pregnant Cindy = Cindy’s weird craving du jour. And today’s craving du jour is…. Beans!

It took five pregnancy test (including one at the Doctor) to convince her that this time is was true. After almost a year after the tragic event, life is growing again in Cindy’s body.

Delivery should be around May 2008.

I got my flashes back, and it cost me only $120 for both. I tell you: If you live in Quebec City, you must go to Service Caméra Pro (2042 Boul. Père-Lelièvre) for all your repair need. They don’t sell camera; they only repair them so they know what they do. They are cheap, fast and reliable. They even clean your sensor for $40 in 10 minutes while you wait!

When should I talk about a shooting I did? Just after it is completed and fresh in my memory, but without being able to show it here, or after it is published, sometime months later?

This time, I’m not going to wait. I’m still recovering of the intense job I did for La Presse, one of the Montreal’s dailies.

It was a two and a half days job, with 50 portraits made in about 4 minutes each. Again I will quote my ex-teacher Frank O’Connor: “Creativity on demand!”

It was suppose to be head shot only “a good gig, but a bit boring,” said the photo editor over the phone. On the first day, we had only one person to photograph (I was tagging along with the reporter), and I decided to give him a bit more. I sent a nicely lit and composed portrait of the guy. I asked him by email if he wanted more of that, or if he wanted me to stick with the plan.

“Go ahead,” he said, “as long as you have an head shot of everyone.” With 4 or 5 minutes only per subject, not everyone got more than the head-shot, but I’m pretty happy with the result.

What I like with La Presse is the reproduction quality, one of the best in the country. You have to understand that we use 5000$ cameras to shot pictures that will be printed in something that is as good as toilette-paper to reproduce photo on. Some papers do a better job that other. They might use better paper, better press, or have a better workflow on the pre-press process. La Presse does a wonderful job and, since they got their new press a year or two ago, the photos look terrific. Wich is good since I used my 85mm for almost every picture. I can’t wait to see how the paper can hold this level of sharpness!

It should be in the paper (and on the web) in mid-July. Only then I will show you a selection of pictures I took for this job.