Modern Photography

Authentically me, 100%.

Q&A: Scottish ceilidhs and safe spaces with Sarah Murdoch (Calgary, AB) | Focal A Calgary-based photographer, Sarah Murdoch has been photographing weddings since 2006. A product of the film era, Murdoch cut her teeth in the darkrooms at the Alberta College of Art and Design. It's that same handcrafted approach she carries into her shoots—"the biggest goal in my business is to...

Really excited to be featured on Focal!

Q&A: Scottish ceilidhs and safe spaces with Sarah Murdoch (Calgary, AB) | Focal A Calgary-based photographer, Sarah Murdoch has been photographing weddings since 2006. A product of the film era, Murdoch cut her teeth in the darkrooms at the Alberta College of Art and Design. It's that same handcrafted approach she carries into her shoots—"the biggest goal in my business is to...

Book your Fall photos now! And ask about my year-round mini-session rate too!

|at first glance| a late summer wedding and an entrance to remember

Head over to my blog to check out the Zoom wedding I just did!

A Zoom Wedding, in the time of Covid-19 - Modern Photography - Canmore Wedding Photographer A Zoom Wedding, in the time of Covid-19 What does a wedding look like during the world's largest ever Pandemic? Well... to be honest, it's kind of the same. Some might argue that it's more inclus

Look at me, blogging again!

A Calgary Ukrainian Wedding - Modern Photography - Canmore Wedding Photographer A Calgary Ukrainian Wedding S + J got married at St Vladimir's Ukrainian Church and it was amazing. Can we take a moment to gush about S's wedding dress. I got married 10 years ago, a

Still going *strong*

was started in the US and it immediately resonated with me. Authenticity, documentation and connection are the most important parts of photography for me. So I’m going to spend the next while participating in the project. I don’t have an end goal or a quota, I’m just going to go with the flow.
"I just want to be clear that I think you have been very responsible in your Porchtraits work. One of the things I have learned is that in any crisis, there are important stories that need to be told. This work helps accomplish this."
-Tom Sampson, Calgary emergency management agency chief as reported to Calgary Herald April 11, 2020

My 6 year old son and I went for a nature walk to participate in the City Nature Challenge (https://inaturalist.ca/projects/city-nature-challenge-canada-2020-defi-nature-urbaine) He took these photos with my guidance that I use to teach as an artist in residence at Calgary Elementary Schools.

Tips for young children:

Introduce Birds Eye and Ant's Eye view (From above like a bird and below or laying down looking low and straight ahead like an ant.

Have the child look first for what they want to photograph.

Ask them to take one picture from birds eye and one from ants eye (if possible) and one closer.

Encourage them to move their bodies, get on the ground laying on their stomachs or backs. Crouching down, or getting higher where its safe.

Once they get the hang of it, ask them to choose either birds eye or ants eye and then ask them to get closer and closer and closer with each photograph (usually around 5 images)

Don't be afraid to look through their images with the child and point out "distractions- people, feet, fingers, other competing main subjects" and get them to go back and do it again. And again and again. Children thrive on repetition and it doesn't take them long to figure it out.

Get outside and have fun!

I have the coolest clients!!!

UCalgary hydrologist leads water scarcity research Tricia Stadnyk named 2020 Faculty Research in Sustainability Award winner