As a photographer I often have to wait until after my client has posted the work before I can say or post anything myself. It’s really hard to sit on projects that I am really pumped about, but hey, that’s the way it is. Months later when I am able to post about it, the excitement has fizzled a bit. But not this time. You can only imagine how hard it has been to keep this quiet!
A few months back I had the privilege of photographing musician Alan Doyle. What a gem!
I have been a huge fan of Alan Doyle and Great Big Sea since the early 90s, (to the point where their Hard and the Easy album was the inspiration for a screenplay I wrote in university). Geez what an album! And I am currently loving his So Let’s Go and Rough Side Out albums. (Are they still called albums?). His song It’s Okay is my favourite get-you-throuh-COVID song. If you’re struggling through this COVID-thing then give it a listen and I promise you will feel more than okay. Check out the Isolation Edition on YouTube.
I grew up in a musical family and dare I say, am the world’s okayest guitar, banjo, fiddle and ukulele player. From jamming The Jolly Butcher on my fiddle at house parties to the Sea of No Cares on ukulele with my sister at the beach, I think this guy’s music is magic. I have loved East Coast Music forever so to have the opportunity to photograph Alan Doyle was a dream gig.
His concerts are an experience you will never forget, the best time you’ll ever have. Oh, and his books are burst-out-laughing hilarious.
The photos were for the announcement of the 2022 Charlottetown Festival season’s show Tell Tale Harbour. I’ve already got my tickets. Go get yours because it’s going to be amazing.
The shoot was in a very cramped location and I couldn’t use my go-to big lights so I used one small light and a reflector. We pulled it off and had fun doing it. My vision was to capture Alan’s warmth with a Vanity-Fair-Oscar-portrait-meets-Newfoundland-rock-star kinda vibe. Thanks to my awesome team for their help and to Alan for making this experience so great. See you all at Tell Tale Harbour!
Special thanks to Alan Doyle, Confederation Centre of the Arts and Jordan Hartley.
