Stephanie Jager Photography

Off into the sunrise...

2011-10-28T16:00:00.001-07:00

I'm off! I boarded my plane early this morning, and flew off into the sunrise (it was gorgeous). There nothing like seeing a sunrise when you are above the clouds.

For those of you who do not know, my final destination today is Guatemala City. I am returning after a year and eight months. In February 2010, my husband and I traveled to Guatemala on behalf of the creative non profit, Athentikos. We were participating in the filming of the

documentary movie "Reparando". Today is an exciting day, because I finally get to meet my wonderful friends, and producers, Scott and Amelia Moore, who I have been skyping for two years.

For the next two weeks, we will be visiting friends, and working on the next film, "Becoming Fools". Before we get down to the real nitty gritty of filming, we have the pleasure of spending a few days with the children from the slum of La Limonada. We will be accompanying them to Mision El Fargo (on the east coast) for art therapy camp. I will be teaching two classes a day of art therapy. I did my due diligence to research some art therapy activities etc, and wrote up detailed lessons plans, in case I got nervous and forgot everything. What trip is complete without a few mishaps? Last night, as I was about to do a few last minute tasks on my laptop, the Mac decided it needed a system reboot. And decided that it's operating system discs were no longer good enough. So I will be making do with my husband's laptop, with no photo editing software and no lessons plans. I know how I will be spending my bus ride to art camp. Anyways.... I am really looking forward to art camp. When we get back we will have an exhibit of all the art works the kids created for their family to see.

I'm hoping to update my blog more regularly then the last trip. Good internet can sometimes be hard to come by.

I just want to thank all my friends and family for making this trip possible! It always amazes me all the support I have behind me.

Great Day!

2011-08-20T16:30:00.000-07:00

Today was a great day! Where do I start....

Once upon a time ago I was inspired by photographer Jeremy Cowart's Help Portrait initiative. And have always wanted to do something similar. Other photographer friends of mine, had similar dreams, but we had never got around to it.

My friend Dan Rossi, who owns the charity 5 With Drive , had another amazing brain child for Calgary's women. And today was the second Women's Health Expo.

"The Women’s Health Expo is an annual event which looks at providing women, particularly vulnerable women impacted by poverty, domestic violence and single parenthood, a day of opportunity and insight. The Expo provides the tools needed for women to reach their goals of achieving greater self-sufficiency. Information and resources on site provide exposure for women to identify with groups and programs that will positively impact their lives. This event includes organizations that work in the areas of domestic violence, health and wellness, education and money management. Numerous displays create awareness and education of support networks that are available in Calgary. Our desired goal is to impart hope to underprivileged women by working collectively as a community. This event was a resounding success last year, with over 350 women in attendance. We hope that with the addition of several educational sessions, this event will attract over 500 women this year."

There were henna booths, doctors, dentists, free clothing, food, seminars, etc. It was a great event. We were all able to combine our passions and give back to our city. We had a beauty booth, providing, haircuts, styling, makeup and a mini photo session.

My friend Brittany Robart came along side and helped make it happen. Two of my photographer friends, Britta Kokemor, and Jessy Bee helped with the photography. Caroline Stanley, Michelle Dewar, Pam Hoof, and Karyn Zuidhof helped make everything run smoothly. I am so blessed to have so many friends to support and come along side of me. Thank you ladies!

It was a fun day making women feel special and beautiful. Seeing them smile when they saw their picture printed was priceless.

Hopefully we can all do it again next year!

Thanks to the Camera Store for helping us out with the printer. Thanks to Shoppers Drug Mart for donating some makeup supplies!

The photo booth team! (we were too busy and forgot to get the rest :( ).

Slack Lining with a Twist.

2011-05-19T16:59:00.000-07:00

Summerish weather has finally come to Calgary, Alberta. It was a beautiful a few weekends ago. So what better way to enjoy such weather by stringing up a 12ft slack line between two trees.

Reparando Premiere - What a great night!

2011-04-23T15:46:00.001-07:00

This is a longer over due blog post. I apologize for the delay.

April 14th was the Calgary Reparando Premiere, and what a great night it was! I was hoping and crossing my fingers people would show up. When I saw people pouring through the doors, I was so excited. Over 340 people came out!

Photo Credit Reuben Krabbe.

People starting to file in.

Photo Credit Reuben Krabbe.

A packed lobby!

Photo Credit Reuben Krabbe.

Some of my wonderful volunteers at work!

Photo Credit Reuben Krabbe.

Paul Verhoef, the chaplain at the U of C, and good friend of mine was the Emcee.

Photo Credit Reuben Krabbe.

The lovely and talented Denise Hearn and Sam Masterton started the evening.

Photo Credit Reuben Krabbe.

We also had the privilege of having Roland Vanderburg from Cause Canada come and speak about his experiences in Guatemala.

Photo Credit Reuben Krabbe.

There was quite a buzz of excitement after the film!

Photo Credit Reuben Krabbe.

We were very fortunate to have corporate sponsors cover all the costs for the evening. All ticket sales and donations are being shared between Calgary's Streelight (mobile drop-in for homeless youth) and Micro Financing in Guatemala.

Photo Credit Reuben Krabbe.

It was a great evening of exposure for Streetlight.

Photo Credit Reuben Krabbe.

Photo Credit Britta Kokemor.

My wonderful friend Samara and I. She was such a great help organizing this evening. She has been a great friend to me, alway supporting me and my crazy endeavours.

Photo Credit Britta Kokemor.

Paul and I. He did such a great job as emcee and made the evening very special.

Photo Credit Britta Kokemor.

My wonderful husband Matt, who has been right there beside me through this whole journey to and from Guatemala.

Photo Credit Britta Kokemor.

Some of my wonderful volunteers who made the evening happen!

Photo Credit Britta Kokemor.

Allan and Ivy from Streetlight. Selfless people!

Photo Credit Britta Kokemor.

The dashing John, Isaiah, and I.

Photo Credit Britta Kokemor.

The wonderful Jill and I.

Photo Credit Britta Kokemor.

I want to thank my dad for all the hard work and time he put into helping plan this event. He and my mom have always been there supporting me! With out them this evening would not have happened.

There are so many people to thank for making this evening happen.

Thank you to all the corporate sponsors: Glamorgan Bakery, DeJong's Insurance, Process Color, Wilco, Ed Weening, Peter DeBoer With you we are no able to support two great causes.

Thanks to all my volunteers who made the evening so flawless. You are awesome!

Thanks to Reuben Krabbe and Britta Kokemor for photographing the event.

And THANK YOU for all those who bought tickets and came the show! It was so great to have you there!

We are still collecting donations, so the final numbers of how much was raised are still coming!

If you were at the Film Premiere, I would love to hear your response to the film. Please email me @ hello@stephaniejager.com. To see others responses to the film

go to the Athentikos Blog.

If you would like to get your hands on a dvd, I will have some very soon or you can go to www.reparandomovie.com/store. Type in "Trophies of Grace" for $5 off coupon!

Folllow Athentikos for news updates on upcoming projects.

twitter: @athentikos

fb: facebook.com/athentikos

I was on the radio!

2011-04-13T16:55:00.000-07:00

This morning I was on the radio!

I had the opportunity to talk a bit about the film Reparando and the Calgary Premiere, on Shine Fm. To listen to the interview click here.

Tomorrow is the first Canadian premiere at the Uptown Stage and Screen.

For more info go to: www.reparandomovie.com/screenings.

Better hurry, tickets are going fast!

Amazing Love

2011-04-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

I took this photo while I was in Guatemala on behalf of Athentikos doing still photos and film for the documentary Reparando. Each day we were in the slum La Limonada we would join the community for lunch at someone's house. Ten to fifteen people would all duck through doors to fit in small one or two room homes, sit on beds or whatever was available to share a meal. These were some of my favourite times. True community and friendship was very evident. Even though these families did not have much, they were completely willing to share whatever they could with their neighbours.

This couple was a testament of the hope and love in La Limonada ad-mist the pain and violence they are surrounded by. He is blind and not very mobile. She is old, frail, and suffers from stomach problems. They love each other so much and are devoted to caring for each other. Their home is always open to those in the community.

To learn and hear more about beautiful stories of hope in Guatemala check out www.reparandomovie.com/screenings to find a premiere near you.

The Calgary premiere will be on April 14th at the Uptown Stage & Screen.

Streetlight - Ivy

2011-03-12T14:53:00.000-08:00

Ivy comforting one of the regular youth at Streetlight.

Over the last month I have been putting in many hours planning the Reparando April 14, Calgary Premiere. I'm really looking forward to the evening! I know it is going to be a very fun night!

If you are familiar with my work, you may have seen some of my photographs of the street youth in Calgary. This is another reason I am very excited for the premiere, 50% of all the proceeds of that night are going to, Streetlight, the mobile drop in trailer.

I received a letter this week from, Ivy, one of the staff at Streetlight. She is Streetlight's advocate against human trafficking and prostitution. Ivy is quite an amazing woman. She has dedicated hours and hours of her time to developing relationships with the homeless youth. I want to share this letter with you, so you can have a inside peek on what and who Streetlight is. And where 50% of the proceeds from the Reparando Premiere will be going.

Dear Family & Friends,

I have been working full time now since January 3rd and it has been an exciting adjustment. I struggled in the beginning with trying to switch my concept of work from an administrative work environment to a non-administrative, any time of the day environment. I now feel that I have adjusted and have figured out (for the most part) how to work in this different capacity.

Two of the challenges I have been facing since I started my job are building relationships with the youth and raising additional monthly support to keep me employed and keep my program running. Interestingly enough these are two fundamentals in my ministry and without them I would not have a job. I would appreciate your prayers regarding these challenges.

One Monday evening I was asked by a youth why I wanted to hang out with her and I was rendered speechless. I have never been asked that question before so needless to say I stumbled with an answer that may or may not have answered her question. I haven’t been able to forget that question since.

To give you an update on Tanya (the girl I mentioned in my last letter), she has temporarily lost her daughter to Child and Family Services for a minimum of six months. She is now required to go through some training and counselling to provide her with tools to better handle the challenges she faces in life as a young adult female and as a mother.

On the positive side, February has been an exciting month for StreetLight. Two youth graduated from a rehabilitation program and a third youth (Tanya’s boyfriend) admitted himself into a rehab program. I have known these three youth for almost seven years so being able to encourage them through these steps in their lives has been a joy and a blessing.

I invite you to check out StreetLight’s blog at http://streetlightcalgary.blogspot.com/. My co-worker Allan Peters is posting updates on what is happening in the StreetLight program through this forum.

Thank you for your interest and support.

Lovingly,

Ivy

An Afternoon at the Zoo

2011-01-09T00:09:00.000-08:00

Last week I had a chance to go to the zoo while it was "warm" (-6 degree celsius)with my niece and nephew. I debated whether or not to take my camera. I thought, why bring my camera? What would I use these photos for anyways? Yes sometimes I feel that way, just more kbs of space being taken up. However, I think I need to get over it! It has been so long since I just took photos of whatever, with no expectations of what they would look like. And it was great!

Enjoy my take on the zoo that afternoon:

Family Photos

2011-01-05T14:24:00.000-08:00

Before the snow fell this year (I mean last year), I did some family photos for my brother-in-law's family. They chose this great location in an abandon house! The walls had such great texture and natural light!

Reparando Guatemala – Episode 1 & 2

2011-01-05T12:12:00.000-08:00

Athentikos had the chance to go to Guatemala again in November. I sadly was not able to join them. They had a great time visiting the people we filmed for Reparando, putting on art camps, and hosting premieres of the film. Below is the first two episode of their trip!

Reparando Guatemala – Episode 1

Join Athentikos as they travel to Guatemala to premiere 'Reparando', participate in Art Camps for children and scout future stories.

Reparando Guate - Episode 1 from Athentikos on Vimeo.

Reparando Guatemala – Episode 2

Behind the scenes with Athentikos as they travel to Guatemala for the premiere of ‘Reparando’. Episode 2 includes Cafe Condesa, exploring ruins, and researching micro-enterprise.

Reparando Guate - Episode 2 from Athentikos on Vimeo.

To see more go to: Athentikos Blog or Reparando.

Joal Kamps - CD Design

2010-11-02T13:35:00.000-07:00

In August I received the opportunity to work on the cd cover for my friend Joal Kamps' new cd. It was a great job that allowed me to be creative and try new things. I was so excited with the outcome, I had to try so hard to keep it a secret. Joal's cd is out and he is on tour! So now I can share and post this!

For more info on the album go to: http://joalkamps.com/site/patio.html.

For more info on Joal's current tour go to: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=107380632660297

Jacob Will No Longer Retouch

2010-10-20T19:53:00.000-07:00

I was browsing the internet and came across this tid bit of information on www.jacob.ca.

As of September 1, 2010 Jacob has started an "no retouching" policy for its photos.

JACOB becomes the first women’s fashion retailer in Canada to publicly commit

to not digitally alter the body shape of its models

Montreal, September 1, 2010 – With the launch of its new fall campaign, JACOB has committed to no longer

digitally alter the bodies of its models in images for both its JACOB and JACOB Lingerie brands. The Quebec-based company, which has always felt strongly about women’s issues and respecting its customers, decided it was time to take a stand on retouching.

“As a socially responsible company, JACOB has always made an effort to promote a healthy image of the female body. By adopting an official policy and broadcasting it publicly, we hope to reverse the trend in digital photo manipulation that has become excessive in our industry,” says spokesperson and Communications Director Cristelle Basmaji. “Our decision to never reshape the bodies of our models is particularly innovative for our JACOB Lingerie campaigns.”

The basis of the new “no retouching” policy is to promote an honest and realistic image of the female body. However, JACOB is not against all forms of touch-ups. Certain digital enhancements cannot be avoided in order to produce an image the size that is required for advertising. In all transparency, JACOB will continue to retouch its photos in some regards, as there will always be a need to calibrate colours for better product representation and to even out skin tone or erase tattoos and scars.

Images from the first campaign under the new “no retouching” policy now grace the windows of all JACOB and JACOB Lingerie stores across Canada.

(http://www.jacob.ca/htm/en/JACOB_PRESS_RELEASE_no_retouching.pdf)

Brian & Sarah

2010-10-14T22:02:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of photographing two good friends of mine, Sarah & Brian.

I have known Brian for quite a few years. He is such a great guy and has helped Matt and I out tremendously over that last year. Meeting Sarah, I instantly knew she was a wonderful woman, and we too became friends. Needless to say, I was very excited for them both when I heard about their engagement.

We had a great time creating some engagement shots for them. I enjoyed seeing the love and adoration they had for each other. Can't wait for their wedding!

Stephanie Jager in FIASCO Magazine

2010-07-05T21:56:00.001-07:00

Check me out in FIASCO Magazine's July Issue!

Happy Birthday Eliana

2010-06-20T22:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a post a little more on the personal side of my life. I had a great weekend spending time with family on both sides. Saturday was my nieces 2nd birthday. I was asked to bring my camera. It was a treat shooting with no pressure and no expectations of what the final image will look like (this doesn't happen often). Just shooting for fun. I need to shoot for fun more often.

The theme for the party was Dora the Explorer.

So how perfect but to have a pinta.

But when Dora was decapitated things just didn't seem so fun.

However, when candies exploded out of Dora's backpack...

Smiles returned, and the loss of Dora's head was soon forgotten.

Another of my darling nieces.

Happy 2nd Birthday Eliana!

Reparando Coming Soon!!!

2010-06-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

Reparando coming soon!

Check out the Athentikos blog for news and updates!

I'm pretty excited!

My photos are even being used in the promo material above!

Guatemala - La Limonada - Day Eight

2010-06-08T15:44:00.000-07:00

So I have been MIA for awhile, but determined to finish off my Guatemala posts. I apologize for the lateness.

Day Eight

I was very excited to be returning to La Limonada! I was enjoying hanging out with our new friends and learning about their lives in Guatemala. We were picked up by Tita and her van full of volunteers. Once in La Limonada we joined Tita and Shorty on their community visits. I really enjoyed this time exploring the barrio, meeting all the wonderful people and hearing all their stories. During this time it was also my job to get photos and footage of Tita and Shorty's interactions for the film.

As we walked through the barrio Tita described what life was like when she first came to La Limonada. She told us about the violence, and how gang members guarded the barrio boarders with guns. As we were walking to the closest border, this was the sight we saw (below). Boys playing soccer, laughing, and smiling. It was a beautiful sight to see hatred and violence replaced with friendship and joy.

We walked past them to the border of the barrio and Tita showed us the walls riddled with bullet holes from the gang wars. Tita is such a brave and loving woman. Since she has been in La Limonada she has befriended the gang members and ministered to them with her love and friendship. As she started building her schools and building relationships with the people the in the community, the violence has slowly started to dissipate.

The holes in the wood door (above) from buckshot of a shot gun, injured the woman who lived inside. She had to get surgery to remove the buckshot from her leg.

As we continued walking through the streets I saw the love and respect the La Limonada community had for Tita. Kids would see her coming and run to give her a hug and be near her. Everyone was overjoyed to be in her presence.

Shorty and Tita took us to a mural that had been painted by the gangs.

Marco, who used to be involved in a large and dangerous gang in LA before he became a Christian, described the meaning of the mural to us. The cross represents the fact that gang members realize the only way out of gang life is through Jesus Christ. The mask in the top left corner represents the mask/facade that they are living "the good life". The web represents how easy it is to get tangled up in gang life and how hard it is too get out. The jail bars represent that jail is an inevitable place you will end up as a gang member. The pot leaf represents that drugs is the only way to cope with the violence and horrors of being in a gang. The dice represent that they know they are gambling with their life joining a gang. The sun on the bottom left represents that there are some good times as a gang member. Even though young boys and men are fully aware of all the risks, they still choose to join gangs to find a sense of family and belonging in such a broken life so many of them have.

We couldn't leave without getting a photo of Shorty and Marco dressed and posing like they used to back in the old days.

So precious.

After having lunch with a few of the women and their children in the neighborhood, we returned to the school. We hung out with some of the older children and teenagers so I was able to cross off more of my shot list.

I love the colors Tita has chose to paint the school. The colors create such a vibrant and joyful atmosphere.

This little boy (above) was so cute. I sat down with him while he was doing his english homework, and slowly he scooted closer and closer till he was almost on my lap.

All the kids crave so much love and attention.

After a few hours at the school we headed out with Tita, Shorty, and Kate to rally up the troops. Tita and Shorty are working hard to bring the community together by having once a month gatherings in some one's house to sing songs, and Shorty will preach. The first one was a month before we came and about 12 people showed up. We started walking down the street to the woman's house that was going host the gathering. First there was about 6 of us, but as we walked knocking on peoples doors we soon had a long line of 20 to 30 people making our way through the narrow streets.

We all crammed into the main room and bedrooms of the a small house. There must have been about 50 to 60 people.

Everyone sang and listend to Shorty preach for about an hour.

After the community gathering we headed back to our apartment in a Seminiary/College complex. I have been amazed and grateful for the warm welcome and acceptance by the people of La Limonada. I was not sure what their reception would be to a white girl with a big camera. I know it would not be this easy with out Tita and Shorty and the respect they have earned from the community.

Graduated!

2010-05-17T13:54:00.001-07:00

This past Thursday was graduation! I had been looking forward to this day for six years now! It was a very exciting! I have now officially graduated with my Bachelor of Design with a Major in Photography! Yeah!

Celebrating graduation with my lovely husband!

Cool African Drum beats that lead us in to the auditorium.

Walking the stage!

My work in the grad shows.

*Photos brought to you by my wonderful family.

ACAD GRAD SHOW

2010-05-03T12:18:00.000-07:00

2010 ACAD Grad Show
Don’t miss the 2010 ACAD Grad Show, opening next Wednesday May 12, and running through May 22, 2010. Join us for a unique showcase of innovative next generation art and design this May 12 – 22, 2010 at the Alberta College of Art + Design Graduating Student Exhibition and discover how ACAD is engaging the world and creating possibilities.  

ACAD is at the core of Calgary’s thriving creative community, and for over 85 years our graduates have gone on to transform their fields of endeavor through their creative process, becoming important voices in art and design in Calgary and beyond. Join us as we celebrate the work of over 200 of our graduating class of students, highlighting creativity, experimentation and innovation in the fields of art and design.

The annual comprehensive exhibition of work, curated by Wayne Baerwaldt (Illingworth Kerr Gallery) will be installed throughout ACAD providing access to classrooms, workshop spaces, hallways, windows, and many other spaces not traditionally open to the public. The ACAD Graduating Show premieres with a public opening reception on Wednesday, May 12 at 5 p.m. and runs until Wednesday, May 22, 2010.

Stephanie In WLWL Mag

2010-05-01T21:27:00.000-07:00

I was surfing the internet and came across me! I am in the third issue of WeLikeWeLove Magazine. These photos are from the notorious Cecil Hotel in Calgary that is now closed.

To see more photos from this hotel check out my book, at Blurb.

D Day

2010-04-21T23:27:00.000-07:00

The day we have all spent three years preparing for is here.

Stephanie Jager In the Loop

2010-04-16T09:58:00.000-07:00

I am in The Loop! The Loop Breakfast House that is, formerly known as Nellie's in the Loop. The breakfast hotspot just underwent a few renos and a name change. And I received the pleasure of having some of my fine art nature prints put on the walls (which are also for sale). So if you happen to be in Marda Loop check it out!

Alice in Wonderland

2010-04-05T10:12:00.000-07:00

So with graduation nearing closer everyday life has been a bit ridiculous. Hence the lack of updates about Guatemala. But they will continue, hopefully soon.

For now, here is a photo from a photoshop assignment based off Alice in Wonderland. It was a very fun project. My little model was perfect! We had a great critique in class, and two visiting Vancouver designers would like to purchase it. I feel quite honored.

Day Seven - La Limonada

2010-03-17T18:50:00.000-07:00

Day Seven, very exciting day. It was our first day in the slum of La Limonada shooting some of the must have shots and film for the documentary being made by Athentikos. I had the list and storyboard for all the shots I needed to get, but I was a big nervous. I did not know what to expect and if I would be able to get all I needed.

La Limonada is a notorious slum in Guatemala. It is home to more than 60,000 people. La Limonada is a one mile gully, that used to be a natural ravine with a river running through. Fifty years ago, Guatemalans from rural villages fled to Guatemala City, and began squatting in the ravine to escape the violence of the civil war. La Limonada, which was once an escape from violence has now become notorious for its gangs and drugs. Bullet holes riddle the walls and alleys. La Limonada is divided roughly into ten barrios (neighborhoods), each controlled by a separate gang. The citizens are bound to the gang borders in fear of death. Citizens have much difficulty getting hired for jobs when employers find out where they live. In Guatemala City there is no respect for La Limonada and those who live there.

We met two wonderful, amazing, genuine people. A woman, named Tita, who is rising up above the fear and violence, crossing gang borders and building relationships in the slum. She has a heart for the people and all their trials. She has been working for seven years in La Limonada and started two schools. Since her presence in the community, gang violence has decreased.

The other Shorty. He is an ex gang member, now pastor and mentor to boys and men of all ages. He tries to prevent young boys from getting started in the gang life by providing mentorship and works all over Guatemala City in prisons, and slums encouraging men and boys to leave the gang life.

During our first day in La Limonada we followed Tita and Shorty thorough their daily life. We spent time at the schools, doing house visit, and just watching them love and listen to anyone around them. Our friend Gary, who we had met earlier that week joined us to do some filming. We filmed Tita and Shorty interacting in the neighborhood, and did some shots for the cover of the dvd packaging.

The following is a behind the scenes video of our wonderful day! (It's a little rough, but it does the job).

La Limonada - Feb 24, 2010 from Stephanie Jager on Vimeo.

Day Six - Pigeons and Vultures

2010-03-05T14:18:00.000-08:00

Day Six - Our plans slightly changed since our Driver/Translator/Friend's car broke down. We had the pleasure of meeting Summer and her family, she had done a lot of the logistics for our trip. I always enjoy finally meeting someone you have had contact with via email and phone. Summer and her husband took us to Central Park in Guatemala City. First thing I saw was all the pigeons. I have a phobia of birds, so I was really hoping they wouldn't land on me. But they avoided me so it was all good.

We had the chance to go into La Catedral De Santiago De Guatemala. It was quite amazing! Unlike any cathedral or church building I have been in before.

La Catedral De Santiago De Guatemala

Central Square

Sawdust carpets for lent in the cathedral.

Beggar outside of the cathedral.

One one of the other sides of Central Park was the National Palace of Culture.

We had a tour and learned a lot about Guatemala's history. Very, very interesting!

There were many awesome art works. I have always enjoyed my art history classes, so I was heaven! Matt was loving all the wood details and carving as well. Definitely worth the tour!

Door to the National Palace.

Fresco painting depicting the history of Guatemala (battle between the Mayans and Spanish).

Inner courtyard of the National Palace.

"Sin Titulo" Victor Vasquez Kestler 1959

Victor Vasquez Kestler

Victor Vasquez Kestler sculpture of Jesus

"Personajes Cotidianos" Roberto Cabrera 1976

Gold ceiling.

"Finger print" of the president who built the palace.

Brass railing.

After our excursion in Central Park we met up with Joel Van Dyke, a missionary in Guatemala, at good old Pollo Campero.

It was great meeting Joel, as well. He is so filled with passion for the work and ministry he does. Joel took us to the National Cemetery. When the word Cemetery comes to my mind many different images come to mind, but this cemetery was beyond anything my imagination would have expected. Something that I only thought existed in movies.

People lined the sidewalk outside selling flowers. Once inside the big stone gate their were families gathered around tables having picnics. Mariachi bands circled waiting for opportunities to play for funerals. Kids ran through the rows of mausoleums playing.

We drove toward the back corner and saw hundreds of vultures circling. Now these birds were more intimidating the pigeons, that's for sure!

We got out of the car and walked through the vultures as they flew off around us to the edge of the cemetery. At the edge you could look down the hill and see the city dump.

The dump is the largest in Central America. About 11,000 people work in the dump every day. They scavenge for anything of value, such as recyclables, metals, cardboard, old clothes etc. What they do find they turn around and try to sell.

It was quite a sad site. Joel explained to us what he does with Vision Team trips (teams who come to see and observe missions). We stood there for awhile just taking it all, the sights, smells, as the wind swept up dirt and trash around us.

View of the dump from the National Cemetery.

Vultures resting on the tombs, waiting to scavenge in the garbage below.

Part of a coffin thrown over the edge of the hill.

A person pays for seven years for their "plot". If family does not renew after that time the plot gets opened, the body goes into a mass grave, and the casket gets tossed.

More vultures.

Vulture peeking out of a broken in grave.

Trash being dumped and people sorting through to find recyclables.

Damaged grave.

Day Five - First Day Out In Guatemala City

2010-03-04T19:46:00.000-08:00

Monday morning, we woke up for a first day in Guatemala. We made our way to the dining room at the seminary to have a good Guatemalan breakfast: beans, eggs, some sort of tapioca oatmeal cereal and of course coffee. If I have not mentioned yet, the coffee in Guatemala is AMAZING! No sugar or cream required. When breakfast was finished our driver, translator and soon to be friend, Gary pick us up for the day. I think we were all pleasantly surprised to find we were all close in age. As we drove to the small town just outside of the city, we instantly became friends. Our first stop was an place called, Por Mie Barrio Centro De Alcance. It is an after school program for kids in the neighborhood. Kids can come and hangout have a safe place to hangout during the day. There are volunteers who teach the kids reading, writing, math and computer skills. Public schools in Guatemala are not very good, 50 kids to one teacher, which makes learning quite difficult. Women can also come and learn cooking skills, participate in exercise class, and attend beauty school classes. This gives them skills that they can use to earn a living to support their families. We met two young women who are interns from the United States. They helped translate and tell us more about the center. We met a wonderful lady, kids called her Mimi. She dedicates her time everyday to running the school and being a role model for the children. We spent some time there photographing the school and the children.

One of the cutest girls me met. She was six or seven years old and quite hyper. She spoke so fast, no one could understand her. Her father and brother had died in an earthquake five years ago, leaving her and her mother with some mental and emotional damage and learning disabilities.

A pila. A sink they use to wash their hands, clothes and dishes.

The little girl (previously mentioned) insisted I take a photo of this picture she was holding. To me it speaks volumes the choice of image she decided to rip out of a magazine and keep. An imagine of what she wishes her life could be.

Then Mimi took us on a tour of the neighborhood to meet some of the families who's children attend the center. I don't think I was completely prepared for what was to come. We walked down the streets filled with meat and fruit shops. We then went through a corrugated metal gate into a court yard. There were children playing, laundry drying, and dogs napping. The air smelled of urine and garbage. There were 5 or 6 single mother families living in this small "complex". They had built a fence around their "complex" and had their shacks on the perimeter. In the middle was their version of a sink, called a pila. It was pretty sad. They did not have much. I was brought here to take photos of their living conditions but I found it very hard. Here I was, a white Canadian walking in for a few minutes with an expensive camera to say hi and see their living conditions and then leave. Or at least that's what it felt like. I knew it was for a greater purpose, but I felt guilty, like I was taking advantage of their poverty for my own good. I don't think I really got any photos I love from this day, since it was so hard for me.

We hung out with the kids for awhile and I photographed them, in hopes to send the photos back for them. We then moved on to the next houses. More one room houses built out of corrugated metal, and dirt floors. The families and children were all very friendly. I took some more family photos for them. As we were leaving they gave us some oranges from their fruit stand as a gift. We accepted, but I felt bad, I could easily by an orange, but it would be an insult, since it was a gift. They split the oranges in half and sprinkled them with salt and crushed pumpkin seed powder. It was quite good! We said goodbye to Mimi and then were on are way. Such a short visit.

This little boy lived with his mom and younger brother. His mom was gone to work from 5am to 7 or 8pm. He took care of his younger brother and they would wait in the evening for her to bring them food.

A wall of a house.

This little boy was not quite a year old, but very sick.

Gary took us on a drive through the country to a lake called Amatitlan. This lake was a popular place for the locals to come hangout. It was cool to see somewhere that

Guatemalans hangout, unlike the tourists places we had seen so far. There was a market and lots of

street food stands, that we were not allowed to eat at. We had the pleasure of eating at Pollo Compero.

Pollo Compero is a Guatemalan fast food change, similar to Kentucky Fired Chicken.

We were told our visit to Guatemala would not be complete with out trying it out.

As we drove back onto Guatemala City, Gary's car started to over heat. We had to pull over on the "side"

of a very busy road as the car started to smoke. Things did not look good. Matt and Gary got out of the car,

opened the hood to find that the water and oil had mixed together and come out.

I don't know anything about cars, but it sounded pretty serious to me. So there we were, pulled over

on the "shoulder" which was more of a bus stop for the crazy driving chicken buses. (Chicken Buses are old school buses

painted crazy colors with big horns. They are notorious for their crazy fearless drivers.

And they don't pay much attention to others on the road). While Matt and Gary were outside, I stayed in the hot car with the camera.

Still trying to get my bearings for Guatemala, I felt I was safer inside the car. My short red hair seemed to draw a lot of attention.

I felt a bit vulnerable in our situation and hearing that robberies and muggings were frequent occurrences I protected the two things that mattered most.

I put our passports down my pants, and the camera memory cards that had photos on them in my bra.

I figured a camera was replaceable, but if worse came to worse I would not loose any of my photos.

Well the car was not fixable at that moment. So Gary called us a cab, and we made

it back to the seminary safe and sound, sweaty

passports and memory cards in hand!

View of Amatitlan.

Drinking out of a coconut for the very first time. I was quite excited!

Our ride to Pollo Compero.

Day Four - Last of Antigua

2010-02-24T19:00:00.001-08:00

With nothing planned for the day we slept in. When we got up we realized it was a nice hot sunny day! We checked out of our hotel but they let us store our baggage so we didn’t have to carry it all around with us.

On a side note, if you (reading this) go to Antigua, we highly recommend staying at Entre Volcanes. The staff there is wonderful and it is quite beautiful. The rooms are small and simple. But very clean and you get your own bathroom.

For breakfast we went to our favorite, Rainbow Cafe, for the last time. Since I hadn’t been feeling well I stayed and chilled at the cafe while Matt walked around town and got some sun. Matt came back after about an hour to report on some of his interesting finds. He had found an eccentric American who had been in Antigua since 1989. He had a small shop where he roasted and sold coffee beans. We went back to his shop to stock up, since Guatemalan coffee is extremely delicious!! After walking around for a bit more we headed back to our hotel to catch our shuttle back to the city. When we got to our street we saw a large catholic processional starting! We let our host know we would be back in 10 minutes. So off we ran. The air was filled with incense! We photographed quickly, and ran back to our hotel in hopes we hadn’t missed our shuttle. Our driver was waiting patiently and said not to worry, so we went back out on the streets for more photos.

After the processional had passed our hotel we jumped in a truck with our driver and the owner of the hotel, who was also going to the city. They took us up to the hill that over looked Antigua since Matt and I had not had a chance to get up there yet.

We were very thankful our hostess had decided to come with us. She spoke very good english and proceed to call to find out our exact location of where we were to stay once we were in the city and talked to the people at the gate to the seminary. She wouldn’t let us go until she dropped us right in front of our door. She said if she hadn’t been able to drop us off safely she would take us back home with her. And if we had any troubles she said just come back to the hotel and she’ll take care of us. Our driver warned us to be careful, and thought we were crazy for the area we were staying is apparently known to be quite dangerous. We checked in to SETECA. SETECA is a seminary school. It is a large complex with high walls and barbed wirer all the way around the top. There are two entrance gates locked and guarded twentyfour hours a day. We were very warmly greeted. After dropping our stuff off in our apartment we rand to the nearest Dominos, a block down the street, to get supper before it got really dark. When we got there and had ordered we realized we did not have enough cash in the write currency. So we ran back. Matt dress in loose clothing, with his hoodie and toque in attempt to blend in, leaving me behind. As a girl with short bright red hair and big green eyes, I tends to draw too much attention around here for some reason. Matt made it back just fine. Another day enjoyed and complete.

Over looking Antigua.

Beautiful Flower and Sawdust "Carpets"

Ringing of the bell.

Day Three

2010-02-24T17:30:00.000-08:00

Matt enjoying beautiful San Pedro

San Pedro

We woke up at 4:30 am for a 4:50 am pick-up. We had quite the day planned, but nothing prepared us for what happened. We expected a day out on what we were told was going to be a chilly day out on a Atitlan Lake. Nothing could have been further from the truth! It was a crazy two hour drive through windy roads up and down steep inclines. We arrived in Panajachal just as the shops were starting to set up. After breakfast in a local shop we checked out items other shops were selling before heading out with our guide to get on our boat. It was a simple clean outboard, longer than most North American boats and it had a roof with open sides. The lake was incredible. There were three large volcanos that sloped into the lake with more visible out on the horizon. These were dormant volcanos covered in lush green vegetation. It was starting to get quite hot by now. Much warmer than Antigua! And with the sun reflecting off the water, it soon reached tropical warmth. A 45 minute boat ride took us to a small village on a steep hill, San Juan. Almost as soon as you walked 50 paces on land you were walking up a steep hill. The road went up this hill and into the town. The town was an arts town. Of all the towns it was the one with the painting and the textile shops. Each lake town had its own speciality. For this one it was art. the paintings were nice and well done, but we especially liked the weavings. In one of the ‘out of the way’ shops, we walked in and saw the ladies making the fabric. They make their own dyes and spin their own thread. Then there was an old lady working on a simple loom making beautiful patterns. We were impressed. These took a lot of time to make. Everything was done by hand the dyes were extracted from plants. Even their ‘silk’ was a fabric made from plant fibers. We bought a beautiful blanket, another piece with Mayan pictographs weaved into it, and then a scarf. San Juan was a quite town, very peaceful. We miss it the most.

After laying in the sun on the dock, our whole group arrived and we left for the next place, San Pedro. This place was more of a tourist town, lots of bars and restaurants, street vendors and advertisement for almost anything. Quite a few white people, as well. This town was known for its bars and the coffee. Apparently, the best coffee in the world.

The next town, Santiago, is where things got interesting. It was a fishing village. In the previous town, our guide, a short Mayan with greased hair, asked if we wanted to see a Mayan god. We thought he was asking us if we wanted to smoke pot with him in the next town because of his pot smoking hand signs with his thumb and fore finger. And he said we would have to leave the village. We both couldn’t understand him very well. We were hoping maybe there was a rock sculpture in the hills that that we could see. We told him politely we don’t smoke. Eventually he said that most of the group wanted to go, so we thought maybe it wasn’t about smoking pot so we decided to tag along and see what what we would be getting ourselves into. He called his connections to get us a taxi. The “taxi” came, it was pick up with bars to hold on too in the back. Those of our group who wanted to go piled into the truck box and drove through the town. We drove through tight alleys and streets, then along the lake before heading inland through the forest. After 15 minutes we came to a small family farm. In one of the small huts there were people milling about. Some were tourists, and some were Mayan locals. We thought we were meeting a friend of the quite to get permission to go see the rock statue or whatever it would be. But when we looked more closely we could see smoke billowing out the entrance to the hut. And as we got closer we could hear some sort of chanting. There were cheap party decorations that hung from the ceiling of the hut and shimmered in the fire light. For fire there were quite a few candle on the floor. Some were quite big, some small. Near the door there was a man and a woman kneeling on straw mats in front of the candles. The man was swing a tin can full of incense. That was where the smoke was coming from. Incense, not pot. We went in and sat down. Behind the candles was the Mayan god. It took me a second to see and realize what it was. It was a shaped like a man, but a man with out arms. It wasn’t very tall so maybe no legs either. Only four ft. It had 2 hats on and probably a dozen or more ties over its suit. It had a well carved wooden face. His name was Maximon. The story goes that a long time ago his village was going off to fight a battle. Maximon opted to stay behind and “protect the women”. When the warriors returned, they found all the village women to be pregnant. THey took Maximon and killed him. Cutting off his arms and such. This greatly upset the women and the men were forced to worhisp him and give him gifts of tobacco and alcohol. Every year Maximon would be moved to a new house, a new host. Behind the god, were a bunch of older men sitting at this table drinking and smoking. I suspect there were smoking pot, but wasn’t sure. Maximon is known for his smoking. They actually put cigarettes in his mouth and light them. Apparently he drinks too, but I have no idea how that works.

On the way back to Antigua we were told to take a different bus back that took a different route. Not knowing spanish meant being unsure if we were even going to actually end up in Antigua. Even thought we tired to ask as the response was always “Si, Si”. But we made it back just fine. We found a quiet place to eat then went to bed happy with our day.

Taxi

Mayan Textile Artisan

Matt sun tanning with the locals.

San Juan

Lots of plastic bottles floating in the lake. At first I thought it was garbage but learned it was for fishing nets.

Fisherman

Maximon Ceremony

Maximon

One of the many children trying to sell you trinkets.

In Santiago

Ground zero of the terrible flood that happened five years ago in Guatemala and wiped away houses. They are still digging to find pieces of houses they can reuse.

Day 2 - Antigua Guatemala

2010-02-21T10:39:00.000-08:00

Farm fields on the side of the volcano.

Volcano Fuego

First site of lava.

Hiking on all lava.

Flowing lava!

One of the guides lighting his cigarette.

Roasting marshmallows.

Farmer who lives on the side of the volcano.

An old cathedral we visited.

Guatemalan wiring.

Traditional Catholic procession in celebration for lent.

My little shoe shine friend Carlos.

So yes it is day five by now, but I wanted to catch up on all that has been happening. We have been keeping ourselves very busy! Getting up at 4 or 5 am and being busy till nine at night. By the time we get back to our hotel we are exhausted! As well, internet is a bit more difficult than I thought (unless I’m technically challenged). Most places have internet, but we are finding that either it is a very weak connection, or we can’t seem to get it to work, or there are no electrical outlets. You feel spoiled when little things like that frustrate you at the end of a long day.

We are having a great time out here! Experiencing things we never even expected. So I'll get down to it.

Our second day here in Antigua we booked a hiking tour up one of the live volcano Pacaya, one of the live volcanos in the area. We were told to do most activities out of the main city by tour, otherwise we would be robbed.
So we found a good price, $7 per person (we discovered later that day that sometimes even if you pay more in hopes to have a better tour, you still get lumped all together in the same group with cheap people like us).
We were picked up from our hotel at 6 am. Our driver proceeded to drive around the town picking up 12 more people. We all fit in to a Mitsubishi van. It took about an hour/hour and half drive to the volcano. It was a great drive, we were able to see more of the country side and towns where the Guatemalans live.
When we got to the "parking lot" immediately kids were opening the door of our van to offer us walking sticks for rental. They tried to convince us we would need them for the very steep hike. Matt caved as a very cute little girl looked
up at him with her sad eyes. So off we went. The beginning was quite steep. Men with horses followed us till they couldn't go any further, trying to convince anyone in the group who looked tired to take their taxi. We met a couple of older
gentleman who were in our tour group. They had been friends since high school and now lived in separate states but still kept in contact with each other (they had another friend who had stayed behind for the day). They had taken a trip to Mexico
many years ago and wanted to repeat their trip and have a reunion. They had quite interesting stories of places they had been.
The first part of the hike was through the jungle, 200 year old cypress trees, small vines, and gorgeous flowers.
Once and a while the foliage would break and we could see the views of other volcanoes and farms and fields on the volcanoes' slopes.
Guatemalan families who had hiked up earlier in the morning were camped out along the way ready to sell you fruit, water and even
souvenirs. After two thirds of the way the jungle stopped and there were hills of dried lava and we could see the top of the volcano smoking.
The last 30 mins we were hiking on hard dried lava. As we got ascended the cool breeze transitioned into warm air.
We knew we were getting closer to the lava. When we did it was unbelievable. Rivers of lava were bubbling up and flowing.
You could hear the crackling and see the steam rising. Other groups had marshmallows and were trying to roast them. We stood
there in awe for quite some time. We were unable to go all the way to the top. Most guides to do not like going further as the path becomes
more unpredictable.
After our hike, Matthew asked our gentlemen friends if they would like to join us for lunch back at Antigua, they were delighted, as they had
enjoyed our company thus far.
Back in Antigua we quickly showered and then met our friends at one of our favorite places, the Rainbow Cafe. We exchanged more stories,
and they were delighted to hear why we had come to Guatemala. They decided to treat us and pay for our dinner. We said Adios as they were off the city
as they were leaving the next day to return home.

We were tired form being up so early and hiking but definitely not ready to sit and relax, we wanted to do some more exploring. So off we went walking
the streets of Antigua. We made our way to central park, to our surprise a celebration for easter was just starting. We ran to get closer and take some photographs.
For the rest of the afternoon we perused shops and store fronts, explored an old cathedral.
On our way to get some refreshments from central park, we saw a large gathering of people and heard music. As we got closer we could see a procession starting. My photographer instincts kicked in and I started running to get closer. It was a very unique thing to see, and a great way to end the day.

Stay tuned for more stories and visiting Mayan gods.
(ps. sorry for the lack of updates, working internet is hard to find here)

Guatemala: Take Off & Day One!

2010-02-18T16:59:00.000-08:00

So right now Matt and I are sitting in am open roof restaurant called The Rainbow Cafe. One of the oldest cafe's in Antigua Guatemala. We have had a great introduction to Guatemala so far. It is quite beautiful and colorful. Even the air smells sweet!

Rainbow Cafe

We took off at 12:35 am from Calgary Wednesday morning. Had great flights. Our expected two hour layovers turned into mad dashes from customs to our next connection but we made it! Landed around 4:15pm in Guatemala City. Our expected shuttle was not there waiting for us. So we took another shuttle with some Americans to Antigua. The biggest thing we missed out on so far was not having the guy at the airport waiting for us with a sign with our names. I always thought that would be cool. On route to Antigua we were stopped by the polica. I was a little worried but all they cared about was to see if our driver was legit. And he was so we were waved on with a smile! We arrived at our hotel and checked in. Tired and exhausted we headed out to find a place to eat. The quaint little town of Antigua was quite alive. Motorbikes, scooters, taxis, and chicken buses racing by on the cobble stone streets. One thing we noticed right away was the absence of North Americans. I'd expected this to be more of a tourists town. but so far the overwhelming majority consists of Guatemalans. And quite a few of the still dress traditionally with beautiful colours. We walked into one of the first decent restaurants we saw, once past the entrance, to our suprise it opened up to an open air courtyard with plants, and handmade tables and chairs with candles and flowers on the tables. We were greeted by the owner and told the music we heard was the band practicing for tonight. We had a delicious meal while listening to some beautiful authentic pan flute Central American music. It was a great first night. Beside the fact that we might have been slightly ripped off with the exchange rate by our server in our exhausted state. We headed back to our hotel early and fell into our bed.

This morning we woke up eager to explore Antigua in the daylight. The air was warm, no jackets needed. 24 degrees! What a treat from Calgary weather!! Our housekeeper gave us some bananas and bread and we were off! We walked the streets for hours! Taking in the sites, the people, and their way of life. Stopping at great shops with wood furniture that Matt inspected meticulously. Saw many churches and the ruins from previous earthquakes. Met a fellow Canadian photographer in Central Park who bought us coffee. His in-laws live in Antigua for 3 months of the year. So him and his family were out to visit. We swapped stories while we were repeatedly interrupted to have our shoes shined. When we replied "No Gracias", one boy then continued to offer us marijuana or cocaine. He couldn't have been more than 13 years of age. We were surprised at the number a huge cathedrals. All of them hundreds of years old. But way back in 1776 a pair of massive eathquakes struck. now there are these ruins right in the town with incredible damage, huge domes had collapsed and thick walls crumbled in places. Today the ruins are still lived in and worshiped in ( even if there are no roofs). Some have been repaired, but only to a certain extent. We only saw one complete cathedral. We hope to attend mass there Sunday. Tomorrow morning (Friday) we are scheduled to be picked up at 6 am to go on a hike up an active volcano. Supposedly we get close enough to roast marshmallows on the liquid hot lava. We'll see. Till our next blog.

In Him,

Steph Jager
aka
Steph and Matt Corbel

Cathedral Ruins

Delicious Guatemalan Coffee

A Land Rover just like ours. =)

Matt inspecting the fine wood furniture. He was quite impressed.

An amigo trying to open a car with a coat hanger. Hopefully his. =)

Ruins of a collapsed cathedral dome.

One of the parks.

Horses

2010-02-12T21:56:00.001-08:00

I think horses are such magnificent animals. So that made this job quite fun. This was sort of a commission piece. The owner of the horses really wanted some photos, since his favorite horse was sick, and would probably have to be put done very soon. So I got to spend a lovely summer afternoon and a beautiful ranch photographing. It was quite fun and relaxing! A great no pressure job.

Engagement Photos

2010-02-12T21:49:00.000-08:00

Busting out some old photos I did for our engagement, and wedding favors. Did these on a tripod with a remote. Alot of fun!

Guatemala, T-5 Days

2010-02-11T08:14:00.000-08:00

Guatemala, Here I Come!!

2010-02-09T08:10:00.000-08:00

So a new adventure has come my way, a two week trip to Guatemala City. Very exciting! It has all happened pretty fast. I wanted to go do another photo documentary similar to the one I did in June 2009 to Mexico. I made some contacts with a missionary, Joel Van Dyke, down in Guatemala City and he put me in contact with a group named ATHENTIKOS. They were in need of some more still shots and possibly some more footage. The plan is for me to go and get the rest! I'm very excited that they have asked me to make the trip on their behalf. The group is out of the States so I have not met them but have had email correspondence and a telephone conversation, and they are great people to work with! I'm very excited. I will keep you updated as things happen. Leaving on the 17th, so much to do!

Mmmm Tea

2009-12-30T18:05:00.001-08:00

These are from a shoot earlier this week for Pastiche Tea Set concept by Carrie Wowk.

Aaron & Ruth's Wedding

2009-12-30T17:42:00.001-08:00

Here are some photographs I did from my brother's wedding at the beginning of August.

New Website!!!

2009-12-08T22:00:00.000-08:00

So I have spent many hours learning web design and now have created my own website! Very excited. Check it out at www.stephaniejager.com

Old Favorites

2009-11-22T20:35:00.000-08:00

I was going through my photos and found some of my old favorites.

This photo is from an avant-garde fashion assignment last year.

I was inspired by Tim Burton. My dad currently had this photo 24 x 38 inches hanging in one of the bathrooms in his house =).

Model: Joal Kamps

This photo was for a pastiche assignment last year, in the same series as the previous photo.

Model: Sanja Lukac

This photo is from my 2nd year, of my old violin.

This is a photo from last year for a assignment on levitation. I was bored and uninspired with winter, so I tried to find a way to make winter more interesting.

Portrait of an amazing celloist, who is not a famous model, Theo Hall.

San Diego Sun Set

2009-11-17T18:35:00.001-08:00

This is a photo from my trip to Mexico. Had a day off in San Diego and went to the beach. Finally got around to working on it!

2009-11-17T18:31:00.000-08:00

Here is a random photo I was working on. It was taken during The Raven shoot.

Model: Joal Kamps

The Raven

2009-11-05T14:38:00.000-08:00

This photo is from an assignment in my photoshop class. Our assignment was to create a photograph based off Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven". This is what I came up with.

Model: Joal Kamps

Erin

2009-11-05T14:33:00.000-08:00

My beautiful friend Erin, not much more I can say.

Dave & Julia

2009-11-05T14:09:00.000-08:00

I did a wedding back in Invermere back in August. It was a great day, super hot! Must have been over 30 degrees! Dave & Julia and their wedding party were awesome. A lot of fun to shoot! Just finished up editing the photos, and thought I'd share a few of my favorites. Enjoy!

The Street

2009-10-27T17:04:00.000-07:00

Today was a great day!

I started on my 'Hiccup' assignment for my portfolio class. Basically we propose our idea to our teacher and he tries to throw some "hiccups" into it to make it more challenging for us.

The City of Calgary has decided to undergo major plans to renovate the east side of down town. The east side is full of old buildings, some abandoned, and is known for its crime, drugs, and homelessness. I have some opinions on what the city is trying to do and how they are spending their money to "fix" this area. However, I thought what would be interesting is to go down town and ask the people who are actually living there right now, what they think. So that was my proposal. My teacher was impressed with my "very ambitious" idea. And it found it hard to throw a hiccup in.

So today, my friend Meaghan and I (my caring husband, family, and friends were not to eager to have me going alone), stopped in at Tim Hortons to pick up a box of coffee and box of donuts. Streets of Calgary, here we come! We met some interesting people and heard some crazy stories: A lady who was a prostitute for 17 years, a man who had moved from Winnipeg three months ago to be closer to his son, and another man who defies some of the homeless stereotypes and has been sober for 27 years. So far, the opinion from the street, (regarding the renovations of the east side) was the that Mayor Dave Bronconnier is a slum lord and the east side should be renovated with low income housing instead of posh apartments.

More to come.

This is Ben. He was the only man who allowed me to photograph him today. But all in all it was was a good day!

Northern Lights Wolf Centre

2009-10-20T10:27:00.000-07:00

My story to come.

More Info: Northern Lights Wolf Centre

Self Portrait

2009-10-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

Streetlight Article

2009-07-02T08:05:00.000-07:00

So I am back from Mexico and it was a great trip! I have been extremely busy ever since. I was really sick for a bit and now I'm engaged. So it has been a whirlwind of excitement and activity.

While I was in Mexico, one of my photographs was published in the Calgary magazine Swerve. The photograph was taken during a documentary assignement I was doing.
Here is the link, so check it out! Street Light Article

http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/swerve/story.html?id=e516cd6b-b7cb-44ee-a308-67735b3403fa

ps hopefully more about Mexico to come...

Off to Mexico!

2009-05-31T23:47:00.000-07:00

So I'm getting pretty excited. I'm going to be off to Tijuana Mexico in a few hours! I'm going to be gone for 10 days in total!
I'm going to be doing a project that I have been dreaming about for a few years now. My goal is to get enough epic photos to create a photo documentary of an orphanage, rehab center, and anything else that catches my eye. All the photos will be compiled into a book that will be sold to fundraise for the mission work being done down there. I'm hoping to do some updates on my blog so stay tuned!

Stephanie

Climbing in Can

2009-05-13T21:51:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo from this past weekend. Had the chance to get out and climb. Was pretty cold, but worth it. This was taken at Grassi Lakes in Canmore. Here's Matt posing on the 10c he lead. Made it look like a 9.

I'm Back

2009-05-09T23:28:00.001-07:00

So after a long year and half (or longer), I have decided to return to blogging.

I have just finished up my third year of photography at the Alberta College of Art and Design. It was a good but hard year. It had it's up and downs of doubts, and discouragements that had to be overcome. Sometimes I wondered if this was what I was really meant to do.

Looking back, one of the biggest highlights was learning about documentary photography from one of my teachers, George Webber. I had the opportunities explore the streets of down town Calgary by doing a small documentary about street kids and a Ministry called Streetlight and exploring the infamous Cecil Hotel. The Cecil Photographs I put together in a book. You can view or purchase the book here:

Leftovers

The Cecil

By Stephanie Jager

These two experiences have made me realize the documentary photography is one of the major areas that I want to pursue.

My photo documentary on the street kids at Streetlight has given me some encouragement in various forms. I received the Photography Major Public Service Award/Scholarship this year, which was very exciting. And on May 15th, one of the photographs will be published in Calgary's Swerve Magazine!

I am very excited for this summer, the possibilities that keep rolling in. On June 1 I leave for Mexico with my boyfriend to do a ten day mission trip. One of my main projects/goals for the trip is to publish a photo documentary book the rehab center and orphanage we are going too. All the proceeds of the book will be donated to the rehab center and orphanage (I'll keep you posted). Throughout the summer I will also be volunteering and continuing to photograph the streetkids at Streetlight. I am also currently in the works of setting up another photo documentary project with a convent for retired nuns.

So this is a bit of what is going on right now. I'll try to be back very soon with some photographs of this past school year's latest adventures. It is getting late and I'm slowly loosing consciousness. Ciao for now.