Join me once again in reminiscing on another stellar year of concert photography, friends! I can't believe how quickly 2018 has gone by... I feel like it wasn't too long ago that I was typing up a similar long-winded blog about how cool 2017 was... But alas, here we are again; You're still the coolest for reading this (don't forget that) and I'm still drinking cheap wine while writing these yearly blogs... Surprise, surprise! 2018 has offered so much to me as a person and as a photographer, and I have the amazing people around me to thank for that; I learned a lot this year, and your support and encouragement has made it all worth it. So, without further adieu, let's jump into what made 2018 a killer year for this gal!
Throughout 2018, I managed to photograph roughly 76 shows across the city of Edmonton, the city of Drumheller, and in the province of British Columbia; Absolutely crushing last year's count of 55. I shot approximately 11 press photo shoots for local artists that are all amazing in their own special ways, and I love each of them all to bits. However, I decided against doing a calendar of all of these wonderful people this year, but I want you to appreciate them as much as I do, so I've included a special little gallery of these kat's jumping for joy, just for you! Check it below.
A handful of my photos, both live and press, made it to numerous editions of Exclaim! and Vue Weekly (R.I.P) throughout the year, and I was pleased to have photograph some of the most bangin' underground gigs for Concertworks across Edmonton. I also had the great pleasure and honor of photographing some of the coolest music related events in Edmonton over the course of the year, the biggest of which, being the 106th Grey Cup Halftime Show at Commonwealth Stadium featuring Canadian pop sensation, Alessia Cara. It's always been a goal of mine to shoot the musical portion of a major sporting event, and I'm pretty damn proud to finally be able to say that I've done it. I was also fortunate enough to cross a huge name off of my bucket list this year, having photographed Sir Paul McCartney at Rogers Place. It was surreal to have a member of The Beatles in front of my lens, and even more so to have a musician as renowned as Paul McCartney officially claim a spot in my portfolio.
It felt great to venture out of Edmonton, periodically, over the summer again. I spent a weekend in the badlands with my rock 'n roll pals, Sparrow Blue, shooting their press photos and simply enjoying the wonders of Drumheller. This was the first time I had planned a photo shoot outside of Edmonton, but we managed to get some really killer photos out of that trip, which makes me one happy kat. For the festival season, I had the pleasure of covering a handful of concerts at Edmonton’s staple carnival/concert festival KDays, where artists like Walk off the Earth had the whole midway singing their songs, and Ice Cube, who broke a record for having the biggest outdoor hip-hop show that Edmonton has ever seen. I also ventured back to breathtaking British Columbia for Metallion Festival's 5th year in Vanderhoof. This was my first time at Metallion, but I must admit, the times had at the festival were truly unforgettable. And to cap off my short festival season, I returned to my beloved Loud As Hell Festival in Drumheller. Despite only being able to stay at the fest for the first evening, I still had a wonderful time reconnecting with good friends from other cities and provinces who I don't get to see all that often, and I find that specific part of the festival season and circuit in Western Canada to be so uplifting and refreshing.
Summarizing this year is... A challenge. 2018 was truly a test, for lack of a better word, and I feel as though I'm coming out of the other end of this year rather triumphant despite the hardships. Many changes were made throughout the year; Between my personal life and career related adjustments, I believe it's safe to say that the hustle of 2018 didn't quite kill me, but made me stronger and so much more grateful for my family and friends, both old and new, and the truly incredible opportunities that 2018 had to offer which has made me a better photographer and person. If anything, this year has taught me the importance of having a strong work ethic, and has made me more persistent than ever when it comes to achieving my goals. Through the grind, 2018 has easily been the most successful year of my career, and to everyone who has supported me throughout 2018; Whether it was sharing my posts, referring me to your friends or hiring me for your biggest event of the year, from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU! Thank you for letting me be a small part of your lives as musicians, music fans and lovers of photography. So, as I bring another long-ass, year end blog to a close, I've sorted through thousands upon thousands of photos that I've snapped over the year and have compiled some of my personal favorites into a little gallery (in no particular order) for you to feast your look-balls upon. I want to wish everyone (especially you kats who stuck through it and made it this far) all the love and utmost success in 2019, let's kick it's ass together! From my heart to yours, HAPPY NEW YEAR! <3
