MPIO's 2016 International Nature Photographer of the Year!

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Mike Guilbault shown with (from left to right) the Master Photographer in Fine Art Award, the Best in Class (Seascape), Best in Class (Landscape) and the 2016 Nature Photographer of the Year awards from MPIO.

It is with great honour that we are able to announce that local Elmvale photographer, Mike Guilbault, MPF, was selected as the 2016

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

by the Master Photographers International Organization based out of Calgary, Alberta (Canada).

The 2016 International Image Competition was held earlier in 2016 and drew entries from professional photographers throughout Canada, the USA and overseas. In the competition, Mike earned Best in Class Awards for Natural Landscape and Natural Seascape along with 4 Awards of Distinction, all leading to his nomination for the highest award in this category.

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The trophies were received this past November and are shown here along side of his previous award for the Designation of "Master Photographer in Fine Art".

The international judging committee consisted of Martin Grahame-Dunn (Warwickshire, UK), Dennis Hammon (Idaho, USA), Mark Bryant (Montana, USA), Craig Minielly (Vancouver, Canada), Mike Grandmaison (Winnipeg, Canada), John Woodward (Florida, USA) and Mercury Megaloudis (Victoria, Australia).

More information about MPIO can be found at their website, www.MPIO.co

For more of Mike's artwork, visit Fine Art Photography.

My Dog is Home Alone!

Most of you are aware for my love of animals and dogs in particular. I have a page on the website that has this information but thought I'd include a blog post about it because I believe it's important.

So many people have pets at home that are alone during the day while their owners are at work, running errands, visiting friends, or otherwise away from home for some reason. Have you ever stopped to consider what would happen to your beloved pet if you were in an accident, became very ill, or otherwise unable to return home to care for them?  

This simple little card, filled out and inserted into your wallet or purse could save their life! 

The "My Dog is Home Alone" Card in action!

I made one for myself, but have received many inquiries on where people may also get a card, so, I designed one and had it professionally printed to business card size on business card stock.

You may pick up a card, for free, at my studio in Elmvale.

Unfortunately at this time they are only available for pick up.  Please call ahead to make sure I'm available and the studio is open, otherwise it's by chance or pre-arranged time.

Please feel free to pass on this information to friends and family with a pet at home, especially dogs.

Mike Guilbault

What is a Professional Photographer?

I added the line, "I am a Professional Photographer" to my personal Facebook info today. I typically simply say that I'm a photographer and leave the professional out of the sentence. So why add it now?

Well, for one thing, it seems that everyone is calling themselves a photographer these days just because they have a camera (including but not limited to smart phones) and some even know the difference between an f-stop and shutter speed. But that's like me calling myself a blacksmith because I have a blow-torch and a hammer. One gets really hot and the other hurts like hell when you hit your thumb. I know the difference, but a blacksmith I'm not.

So what makes a photographer professional. Well, along with everyone calling themselves a photographer, it seems that they are now adding the word professional as well, even if it's just a hobby where they make a few extra bucks on the side. Just because you made some pocket change doesn't make you professional. Just because someone was willing to pay you for a photograph doesn't make you professional.

Professionals are not just 'gear-heads' that can rattle off specs of the latest/greatest new piece of equipment. They can produce results even with equipment failure. For one thing, a professional always has backup equipment. A professional can shoot a job with anything from an iPhone to a high end camera, and the client wouldn't know the difference unless it's pointed out. Maybe not even then. 

To me, a professional is more than just what percentage of your income is derived from photography. There are full time photographers that shouldn't be and plenty of amateurs that could be. It has a lot to do with photographic skills, of course, learned over time but with continuous improvement. But there's more to it than that.

A Professional is someone that understands the craft as well as the art. Someone that can be trusted to produce what the client desires, no matter what the conditions are, what hurdles are met and in the time-frame required. Someone that can consistently deliver, day after day, no matter what's going on in their business or personal lives. When you're 'on the job', that's all that matters. A professional is someone that can run into obstacles, inclement weather, stressed out subjects, dog bites, crying babies and hurricanes, yet still deliver. It's someone that goes the extra mile, often literally, to 'get the shot!'.

So, when you hire me I don't just bring my gear to a job - I bring a lifetime of experience to get the job done and my passion for photography to every job I do.

The camera is a tool, just like a blow-torch or hammer. But in the hands of a professional, it becomes more. It becomes an extension of their knowledge and their vision. That to me is a Professional Photographer.