Famous Creative Dogs Amongst Us: Lupe

In this 3rd instalment of FAMOUS CREATIVE DOGS AMONGST US we meet Lupe.

Lupe is a FAMOUS CREATIVE DOGS AMONGST US!

With a most famous namesake, rap legend, Lupe Fiasco.
I photographed Lupe at his crib with directors Stuart McIntyre and Stephanie Pigott.

Looking hard.

And living large.

For the most part, Lupe has avoided the trappings of the Game, but has one weakness. 

Dope?

Nope. 

Eating bars of soap. 

Someone tickled the Ivory.

Tender with puppies. 

More compassionate than any man. 

Stuart and Steph easily agree that Lupe has a heart of gold.

But I imagine Lupe would call it Bling.

Who will be the next FAMOUS CREATIVE DOGS AMONGST US ?

Famous Creatives Amongst Us: Meredith Klapowich

In this 6th installment of FAMOUS CREATIVES AMONGST US we meet Meredith Klapowich. 


Meredith Klapowich is an Art Director at Bensimon Byrne. 
Meredith Klapowich was photographed inside and out of Le Select Bistro.


Meredith Klapowich is a FAMOUS CREATIVES AMONGST US.

On a rather cold day, the lovely Meredith Klapowich was approached not once but twice by civilians utterly compelled to acknowledge that she is a FAMOUS CREATIVE AMONGST THEM. First amongst them, Nancy.

Nancy is a fine and experienced member of Le Select’s wait staff. Upon learning that Meredith Klapowich is indeed a FAMOUS CREATIVE AMONGST HER, Nancy proceeded to ardently accept her aspiration of being photographed with the famous Meredith Klapowich.


Fearing that all was becoming too much, we escaped Le Select into the daylight. Within a heartbeat of a passing sparrow yet another civilian approached Meredith Klapowich!

His name? 

Filmon. 

His devotion? 

Meredith. 

He drew so daringly close to the personal proximity of Meredith Klapowich.

But who could blame Filmon! And Nancy!

What closeness they craved! 

What devotion they demonstrated! 
What dual displays of closeness and devotion were delivered!



Filmon!!!

Who will be the next FAMOUS CREATIVE AMONGST US?

My Hot Little Hands

Actually, my fingers are quite long. So are my toes. But that's neither here nor there.

What is news, however, is that the new American Photography has just landed in my hot, not little, hands.

Tom Feiler's very personal copy of the latest American Photography Annual.

In a previous blog entry I had mentioned my acceptance to American Photography and how I was thrilled to be published in the company of legendary photographers like Annie Leibovitz.

So it wasn't too much of a stretch, for my imagination, that these legends would be thrilled about the news too!

Annie Leibovitz gushing to Tina Brown.

Mary Ellen Marks near tears.

Edward Burtynsky just showing off.

So, if  you ask me nicely, I’ll let you borrow my Annual and put into your, very own, hot little hot hands. Or hot big hands? Cold, skinny hands. Fat, dry hands..

That makes you feel weird.

I'll stop. Sorry.

Lessons I Learned: Smooth Talking Tweens or Heeding Grandmother

My Grandmother always said, 
"Tommy, legyen óvatos a sima beszéd tizenkét éves korosztály!" 

Mary Curko heed her.

Roughly translated it means: Tommy, smooth talking 12 year olds...be wary of them.

I should have heeded my Grandmother more for recently I was asked by a rather smooth talking 

12 year old named Grace Feiler to come into her classroom and, I quote, “take a few pictures of our class.”

The “few shots” evolved into this full on production for Holy Name School and the Toronto Star’s documentary project called “For This I Give Thanks.”
Myself and a dedicated crew of six hardworking Grade 7 and 8 students shot the video seen HERE.

Lessons learned: Be cautious of smooth talking 12 year olds and listen to your Grandmothers.

(Vance Schritter was the editor who was also smooth talked by his own 12 year old.)

Famous Creatives Amongst Us (International Edition): Jeff MacEachern

In this fifth instalment of FAMOUS CREATIVES AMONGST US we meet Jeff MacEachern. Art Director at Taxi 2, photographed at Habaneros on Rojo Gomez in Puerto Morelos, Mexico.


He is a FAMOUS CREATIVES AMONGST US.

Jeff MacEachern shields his eyes from the International sun.

On that rather hot day, a delightful table of three was sitting around at Habaneros (a wonderful bar and live music venue in Puerto Morelos. Open Daily).
Upon learning that Jeff MacEachern was a FAMOUS CREATIVE AMONGST THEM, they became enchantingly enthralled and proceeded to ecstatically enthuse their enthusiasm at being photographed with Jeff MacEachern.

From left to right: Cathie R, Jeff Mac Eachern, Richard W, and Christina B. from Germany. 

What international looks they gave!

What robusto handshakes were exchanged!
What enthusiasm they enthused!

What a joyous grupo abrazo they executed!

In fact, a perro callejero came by and smiled at the happy scene.

Perro Callejero a.ka. Stray Dog.

May the meaningful (and occasionally international) gestures continue!

Who will be the next FAMOSAS CREATIVA ENTRE NOSTROS?

The Holy “C” word: Crèche.

A Crèche is not a cookie and has nothing to do with cherries. That’s "Kirsch" a German cherry liquor.

A Crèche is a Nativity Scene that is meant to depict the birth of Jesus. Just like in the Little Drummer Boy cartoon by Rankin/Bass.

As a kid, I would play with these figures for hours in their wooden manger underneath my parent’s Christmas tree. There was the usual gang: Jesus, Mary, Joseph, a shepherd and the Three Wisemen. Occasionally, arguments would break out amongst the Wisemen regarding who should stand closest to Mary (obviously) or who was to blame for the shepherd’s sheep straying too far. I fondly remember the feel of the cotton baton that was the snow on the roof of the manger and the delicate clinking sound the figures made if they got too close to one another, usually Mary.

In the very same holiday spirit, I wish you a Merry Christmas, abundant with joy and Kirsch.

Famous Creatives Amongst Us: Alan Lukatela

In this fourth instalment of FAMOUS CREATIVES AMONGST US we meet Alan Lukatela.
Alan Lukatela is an Art Director at COSSETTE.


He is a FAMOUS CREATIVES AMONGST US.


I photographed him on the north west corner of Spadina and Wellington just steps from ROOSTER in Toronto. A delightful man named Ahmed was walking along on that rather frosty day when upon learning that Alan Lukatela was a FAMOUS CREATIVES AMONGST HIM he became decidedly drawn to be photographed with Alan Lukatela.

The delightful man named Ahmed shook Alan Lukatela's hand. The delightful man named Ahmed looked at Alan Lukatela's face with admiration. When it was over, overwhelmed, like so many others before him, Ahmed left briskly. The moment seemed just too much for him to digest all at once.

But what an admiring look he gave!
What a handsome handshake they shared!

May the meaningful gestures and looks continue!

Who will be the next FAMOUS CREATIVE AMONGST US?

Exhilarated by the exchange, Alan Lukatela quickly demonstrated his prowess for hanging off things. 
I now ask myself, "What can't Alan Lukatela hang off?"

Home is Where the Pigeons Aren't.

This is my parents’ house in Welland, Ontario.

They built it from scratch.
Although there have been some renovations throughout the 

years some things have never changed:

This box used for holding potatoes is on a ledge as you walk downstairs.

This is one out of a 100+ Bolo ties that my very sweet Aunt Stephie's husband made. Aunt Stephie is not really my Aunt. We called all adults Uncles or Aunts when I was a kid. She is sweet though.

This doorknob is 54 years old.

This phone doesn't work as the battery last for only 49 seconds. When I asked my Dad why he doesn’t throw it out he replied,

“Why? It works if you only say important things quickly!" 

This is an ashtray that has always been here although no one smokes anymore.

These plastics flowers are in the room my mother calls the "Florida Room." My dad calls it the "glorified porch."A room that's too hot in the summer and freezing in the winter although it is a good place to store Walnut Kolache.

This is a plastic owl that hangs outside to keep pigeons away.

I have never seen a Welland Pigeon but, if they exist, they will not be roosting around my parent's house in Welland.

The Truth about Turkeys: TTS (tetanic torticollar spasms) or just not so smart?

I photographed a turkey once for a Canada Post 35¢ stamp.

The turkey, who was named Tom, was very uncooperative. During a break in the shoot
the farmer accompanying Tom related a Tall Turkey Tale to me.

"You know Tom (Tom Feiler), if you leave a turkey outside in the rain the turkey will stare up to the sky and open it's mouth and stay frozen in that position. As if hypnotized. It will leave it's mouth open until it drowns."

"Hmm..", I thought.
The shoot continued and I got the shot along with some turkey poo on the studio floor but the question remained:

So why do turkeys sometimes stare skyward? 

Tom Savage, a professor of animal science at Oregon State University, says that the root of this behaviour is not stupidity, but genes. In the early 1990s, he discovered an inherited condition in turkeys, called tetanic torticollar spasms. This condition can cause turkeys to exhibit abnormal behaviours, such as looking at the sky for 30 seconds or more at a time.

Not Tom the Turkey.

So the debate remains: genetic defects as a result of TTS or just plain dumb?
All I know is that Turkeys do not like being photographed and they get nervous. In a bad way.

My Great Grandfather’s Moustache and Drying Noodles.

Movember. 

The month that people focus their attention on mens’ prostates.

There are a lot of moustaches out there and every time I see one 

I can almost smell drying noodles.

Noodles?

In my Grandma’s house, the upstairs bedrooms were used as places not to sleep. But dry noodles. When I was about 7 years old, I remember climbing up the stairs and entering one of these rooms. Noodles were splayed out all over the bedspread, and on a dresser where there was a framed photograph. I can still remember picking up the frame and staring at the people in the photograph. Especially the solitary moustached man.

I don’t know how long I was upstairs in that room when my Grandma (Mary Curko) walked in and began pointing at the picture.

"Tommy this is my mother. My sisters. My father. And your Great Grandfather. He loved his moustache." 

She paused for a second and then said,

                    "Tommy. It is time for soup.” 

She turned and walked out of the room. I carefully put the frame down, followed her down the stairs and had soup. She made good soup. 

Years have passed and I haven't thought about that photograph until I was asked to shoot this series for Bensimon Byrne. The smell of noodles was in the air that day.

Happy Movember Great Grandfather.

Creative Directors: David Rosenberg, Hayes Steinberg, Chris Harrison


Art Director: Chris Harrison


Copywriter: Hayes Steinberg