Dale MacMillan
photography
e:
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p: 780.446.9592
Wei Wong
photography
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p: 780.970.4447
w: W2gallery.com
W2 Gallery
#101, 10265 - 107 Street
Edmonton, AB
(By appointment only)
Dale MacMillan
Wei Wong
How and why did you get into the industry?
Wei: I started out with humble beginnings as a watercolor painter back in 1988. I only had a small taste of photography back then, mostly shooting floral orchids and prairie landscapes so I could use them as my painting subjects.
I opened Kamena Gallery in 1993 after I’d mastered my picture framing skills. I worked with a few local photographers including the photo editor of the Edmonton Sun, who introduced me to Dale Macmillan. I became very excited when digital photography first appeared in the art industry. With the help of my photographer friends, I started to acquire the right camera gear.
Dale: I enrolled in the NAIT Photography program in 1992 and got on with the Edmonton Sun that summer. Like most people, I loved photography. Before I went to school, I would shoot my nephew every week. I shot families, weddings, and a lot of amateur sports. I loved doing it and it didn’t seem like work – which was perfect. I knew I wanted to do this for a living.
I’d advise anyone looking to get into the industry to be sure to enroll in a photography program first. I see too many people out there with thousands of dollars in gear who don’t know how to use it. People think that if it looks good on the back of the camera, then it must be fine. Schools offer much more than technical training, and in the end you will be much further ahead than most of those who don’t.
Did anyone inspire you? Do you have a mentor?
Dale: I had many mentors as I learned in the first couple years I was shooting professionally. When I got my start at the Edmonton Sun, I actually had eight photographers and editors who I looked up to and was critiqued by every day. It was the best way to learn at a very quick pace, with creativity topping the scale. I was very fortunate to have those people there every day to guide me through my most impressionable years.
What do you feel is your specialty?
Wei: I discovered my style of photography by chance. In the spring of 2006, a client requested I come up with semi-abstract images. I remember her saying, “Get me some coppers and blues.” The only thing that came to mind at the time was the Edmonton Oilers uniform.
Realizing I wanted to go beyond a sports uniform, I went down to the Whitemud Creek, where I photographed the rushing water and reflections in the ravine. I photographed the plants caught in the current of the copper-hued water, along with the reflection of the blue sky, and voilà! I found my coppers and blues.
Through incorporating the vivid colors and patterns of nature with a semi-abstract/modern image, I developed a style I could call my own. Some of my images come from a close-up shot that’s about a square foot or zoomed in to a square inch like the wine bubbles in a wine glass.
Dale: I am definitely known for my sports. I started out there and continue to work in most of the pro scenes. Lately, though, I have been getting recognized for the scenics. That’s definitely where I will spend a great deal of my time improving on.
Another thing that makes me stand out is that I am very picky when it comes to my images. If it’s not the best product I can put out there, I don’t want people to see it. I pride myself on a high quality of work that my clients have come to expect.
What have been your challenges?
Dale: With the digital age, there are probably more challenges after the fact working with images on the computer than actual shooting. The industry changes so quickly now that it’s imperative to keep up with technology. Most photos now are put through some sort of computer work. Some are heavily manipulated to achieve the higher standard that clients have come to know. But the shooting itself doesn’t change too much. You still need to have the eye and creativity for it, but it’s what you do afterwards now that sets you apart.
What’s new or cutting edge in your opinion?
Wei: The ever-changing technology in digital photography is fascinating: not only cameras and lenses, but the printing techniques as well. With the large-format printers and all sorts of media, we can print images up to 5 feet by 10 feet while still looking sharp. I remember back in early 2000, a wide-format printer would easily cost over $100,000, and the speed and quality did not match up to what it is now.
Dale: The HDR programs are top of the list. They allow you to achieve perfect images by blending several scenes together, creating stunning images that would have required extensive darkroom work in the old days for the likes of Ansel Adams and West.
Tell us about the photo trips you’ve taken.
Dale: Wei and I started travelling together in 2007, with a trip to Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper. We had no expectations at the time, but thought it would be fun to camp instead of taking the hotel route. Both of us are pretty easygoing and Wei is an awesome camper.
We started out in search for train stock images. We got a laugh at the fact that every time we heard a train horn sound, we scrambled like two kids hearing the ice cream truck on a hot summer.
There had been some stories in the news about bear and cougar attacks, and Wei was a little concerned. “The bears, you play dead,” he said, “but what am I supposed to do about a cougar?” I told him to make himself as big as possible and sing something no one likes to hear. I left to take some pictures of a bridge over a river coming off of Johnson Lake.
I came back an hour later, and found Wei near the water shooting his niche reflection scenes. He couldn’t hear me walk up because of the current from the rushing creek, and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to test his cougar skills. I crept up behind him as he leaned into his viewfinder framing his next shot and I let out my near-perfect cougar growl. He turned around slowly, with eyes as big as I’ve ever seen on any human and face as white as a ghost. He did nothing – he forgot everything I had told him that morning! All he could say was, “I thought I was a goner.” I laughed for the rest of the day, and tell that story every time someone sees my picture of the bridge. Ironically, we now call it Cougar Creek to one another as a reminder of the moment Wei thought would be his last.
Wei: It worked out well for us taking photos together because Dale would focus on capturing the dramatic wide-angle shots, whereas I would zoom in for my close-up images.
Our first out-of-the-country adventure came when we went to Italy to visit our good friend Jason Johnson in 2008 while he was playing American football in Catania, Sicily. Along with Jason’s wife and another photographer friend, we travelled throughout Italy. That was my very first trip to Europe, and I was incredibly impressed by the aesthetic architecture I saw there.
Our journey took us through Rome, Florence, Tuscany, Siena, and Venice, and all the while we experienced the culture and tastes of each city. Our favorite spot we stayed at was Vernazza, where we were warmly welcomed by the locals. Before we knew it, we were swept up by the charm of the village.
Surrounded by my friends and the locals of Vernazza, I realized that I was living my dream. That special moment inspired the name of our art shows.
Since then, we have travelled elsewhere: to China, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Holland. Many people think that travelling to exotic places to take photos is all fun and play, but what they don’t know is that we spend a lot of time and effort scouting for the perfect location. And even then, we still have to wait for the perfect lighting to capture the perfect shot. This usually only lasts a half hour at sunrise and sunset, so we have to work fast, but at the same time make sure we get quality shots.
However, no matter how challenging it can get, it’s always rewarding. Because looking back at any one of my photos, I am reminded that I am living my dream.
Currently the “Living The Dream” show is at Kamena Gallery 5718-104 Street, 780-944-9497.