vancouver fashion and portrait photography

It is that time of year again! The cold weather is coming with less frequency, the flowers are starting their journey to the topsoil and the geeks are starting to prepare for their yearly pilgrimage to Austin, TX. For a few weeks every March, the small independent city of Austin, TX is turned into a heavenly setting of geeks, technology and general debauchery with the annual South by South West Festival. This 12 day event is the setting for history making, whether it is in debuting new awesome technology or partying with your favourite twitter followers. The festival is split into three parts: SXSW Interactive, SXSW Film and SXSW Music. Welcome to the world of geeks, movies and rockstars.

With the return of the fall cold weather and the brightly changing colors of the leaves, there is also the annual return of the PopTech conference in Camden, Maine. This three day event connects some of the brightest and most innovative social change individuals from around the world for realtime sharing of ideas, problems and active solutions.

What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas. When it comes to the geeks though - what happens in Vegas stays on the internet, especially when the geeks are gathering for the Blogworld 2010 Conference. A plethora of bloggers, internet whiz kids, geeks and tech-heads, Blogworld is a three day event of everything that is connected to blogging. From podcasting and making money from your blog to mommy and military bloggers, there was something for every blogger. Static Photography photographer Kris Krüg had the opportunity to give a keynote about new media photography for the ever expanding world of the internet.

The world has watched with wide eyes as the Deepwater Horizon oil well has spilled millions of barrels of crude oil in the Gulf of Mexico for the last 75 days. News reports of threatened wildlife, coastal destruction, media blackouts and the end of fisherfolk communities have plagued the news feeds of many concerned residents and citizens. Deciding this situation, with its saturation of misinformation, was a call to action, Dave Troy and Nate Mook decided it was  time to organize an event that would bring together the eyes, the ears and the minds of people involved. On June 28th, TEDx Oil Spill took place in Washington, DC.

It was a geek blogging heaven this past weekend in Vancouver when the annual Northern Voice blogging conference stormed the campus of the UBC. Highlighting its sixth year of existence Northern Voice came back bigger and better than ever. Two days with multiple tracks and over 500 attendees, this conference showcased some of the best and brightest in the blogosphere of Vancouver.

The World People's Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth  wrapped up its four days of non-stop working activism a little over a week ago. Located in the small Bolivian town of Tiquipaya, right on the outskirts of Cochabamba, the WPCCC was a collective effort to gather the voices of activists, indigenous people and the global community at large into a collective document. This document titled Submission from the Plurinational State of Bolivia to UNFCCC would include the People's Declaration Agreement on Climate Change and the Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth. Static Photography had the chance to head down to South America to photograph this event which sparked a strengthened voice in the people's movement around climate change. 

Ten years ago the city of Cochabamba, Bolivia was engaged in a political war, called the Cochabamba Water Wars, with the Bolivean government over the privatization of the water systems.  

These wars were a series of protests and demonstrations over the World Bank influenced private contract of the city's water systems which included village community systems and even legislated rainwater control.

What started as a rural movement grew into a country-wide organizing effort to over turn the government contract. 2010 is the ten year anniversary of the successful win for the right of water in the city of Cochabamba.

With the world moving at an ever-quickening pace, it is very important to document the change process as it is happening. Static Photography has had the opportunity to be at some of these world-changing events such as the United Nations Climate Change Conference that took place in Copenhagen, Denmark in December of 2009.

Another such event is taking place in Bolivia this week called the World People's Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth. This conference is more directed towards a people's movement for negotiating climate justice legislation on a global level.

It was only a few short weeks ago that the entire world had its eyes and ears glued to the news coming out of the city of Copenhagen. Known extensively for its bike culture and its chocolate, Copenhagen was the home of the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference . This conference was a global meeting of international leaders and designated negotiators, gathered to develop a ambitious, fair and binding global contract around carbon emissions. Lasting just under two weeks this conference, coined COP15, was covered by thousands of media and NGO from around the world. We were very excited at Static Photography  to have sent Kris Krüg  to Copenhagen to cover the conference as a UN accredited photographer. 

Sometimes opportunities arise that are once in a lifetime photographic events. The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen is one of those global events. This conference, named COP15 , is the 15th meeting of international leaders from nations around the world, to discuss global negotiations on climate change and carbon pollution.  Climate change is a global issue with its effects creating devastating damage on communities in varying degrees. This conference, like its 14 predecessors, was initiated to create change by brokered negotiators appointed by various countries but COP15 is particularly special because the entire world has rallied together to in global campaigns to promote the responsibility that COP15 carries.

How could Static Photography say no when asked to participate in the first annual ReThink Hawaii conference in stunning Waikiki. Three days full of geeks on a island, discussing topics such as business, technology and sustainability made ReThink: Hawaii the perfect working vacation destination for all of the hard-working participants who attended. Kris Krüg had his camera in hand and a lei around his neck the entire week, all the while capturing the rad events of this awesome conference.

Static Photography has been in Camden, ME this past week for the amazing Pop!Tech 2009 Conference. Three full days of sessions with speakers from around the world all talking around the topic of Reimagining American. The third day was just as jam packed with knowledge as the first two days. Kris Krug has had his hands full shooting all the speakers during this busy week. The third day's sessions were divided into four themes: (R)mixed Messages, Edible Futures, Meaningful Engagements and Healthy Desserts.

It has been an amazing ride for Static Photography out here in Camden, ME for the 2009 PopTech Conference . Day Two was fillled with amazing speakers, amazing musicians and complete with a full fledged ice cream social to end the eventful day. The sessions on Day Two focused around Re:imagining America and speakers were categorized into four themed sections. Those sections were: Mindshifts, Teaching Change, Energy/Form/Motion and Challenging Conversation. Kris Krug has been very busy shooting all these innovative speakers but it's worth it!

Static Photography has been at the PopTech Conference in Camden, Maine for a few days now and it has been a photographic whirlwind! Kris Krug has been shooting photos of all the speakers during the sessions of the conference. The best and brightest have been here talking about various topics around the theme of Reimagining America. The day one sessions were split into four sessions: The Reset Moment, American Stories, A Keen Sense and The Invisible Made Visible. Here are some photos of the speakers from day one.

Autumn has snuck up right around the corner, as well the Pop!Tech conference that happens in Camden, Maine every year. Static Photography has had the opportunity to be to at the event for the last two years with Kris Krüg being the official photographer. With over speakers and musicians from around the world, this event is life-changing and packed with innovative thinkers, world-changing leaders and our change makers of today. We are really excited to be heading back to Camden this year to photograph this amazing event again!

Static Photography has had the opportunity to travel to many different conferences for awesome photographic opportunities! Whether it is shooting portraits at Microsoft Tech Days , or giving a photo recap talk at Gnomedex 2009 , or even heading back to Pop!Tech to be their official photographer, Kris Krug is definitely busy at conferences. Come this November Kris will have the awesome opportunity to lead a PhotoCamp at the first annual [Re]Think Hawaii conference .

Since the last time we were there, the Microsoft Tech Days conference has continued across Canada, all the way to Toronto. Following just a few weeks behind the Microsoft Tech Days Conference in Vancouver , the Toronto leg of the Microsoft Canadian Tour was September 28-29. Static Photography was present for the all action and to capture many lively and candid portraits of some of Microsoft Canada's employees.

Microsoft Tech Days was held in Vancouver, BC this past week as part of a cross-Canada tour that Microsoft curates every year. This two day conference was filled with multiple tracks that showcased sessions for developers and technologists that work with Microsoft software. There were six tracks held simultaneously with one bonus track that introduced bonus material for developing within a Windows operating system cell phone. Static Photography was on scene for the conference and Kris Krug had the opportunity to photograph some of the amazing people that helped create the sessions for Microsoft Tech Days Vancouver.

For the last two years Kris Krug has had the opportunity to be the official photographer of Pop!Tech , a 4 day fall conference that happens in Camden, ME. Over the past two years he has shot dozens of speakers while they were presenting on a wide range of topics, including inner-city violence , the fate of the oceans , musical possibility , linguistic theory and emotional robot technology . From musicians to leaders to the change makers of the present world, Pop!Tech has hosted them and Kris has photographed them.