I recently played show with local legends Fiinn and the ascending new band, Sunday Club at the Handsome Daughter in my hometown of Winnipeg Manitoba. It was such a pleasure and privilage to play my songs for a great crowd, and to open the show for two bands that I genuinely love.
I’ve been steadily writing a fresh batch of songs in the alt folk, emo, grunge, country space and starting to play shows under my own name, in the past I worked under the moniker, Strawberry 25, and been a steady contributor and player in my sister’s project, Boniface.
Songwriting and photography are convergent outlets for me to explore the connective nature of being alive. Every soul bearing being on earth shares in the unlikely and visceral experience of every day, and there are stories to tell of the beauty and terror held within this experience. I feel my role as an artist is to encourage people to consider the depth of their own experience, move toward acceptance and love, and to acknowledge the true and difficult feelings associated with growing up in of inhuman systems that fail to recognize the value of human, animal and plant life that exist in natural symbiosis.
Soooo yeah, and I see live music as reminder of the rawness of who we are, when we gather together. That night I took some photos of these forementioned bands with my trusty Canon WP-1 loaded with Kodak Ultramax.
I’ve also uploaded my full raw set below, if you’d like to hear my songs live. And you can visit this link to hear secret, currently unreleased songs I’ve recorded.
I’m excited to share some new analog photographs from a currently untitled series I’m working on.
These photos observe a liminal space between home and homesick… for me that looks like the Interlake in the spring… equal parts creepy and comforting, a place where the past and future blur together and I feel like I experience the present as a fluttering moth would, relying on the moon to orient itself upright and travelling forward through space.
Below I’ll explain my approach, services offered and a pricing structure. Any questions? Email me at josephRvisser@gmail.com. Wanna skip to nice images? Visit my portfolio here.
Ethos:
I bring a conscious, holistic, and dynamic approach to honouring the moments made by You. In celebration, in transition, and in remembrance. There is an effortless true nature inside all of us that is available to be realized and celebrated everyday, in all occasions. My practice is about bringing awareness to this inborn spirit and creating a window to this truth through the act of photography.
Rather than “taking Your picture” I believe my job is to reflect what is already there, in the most authentic, light, and beautiful way possible.
My practice is approachable, collaborative, communicative and fair. I seek to ease client stress, and bring fun, positive creative energy, and conscious presence to the precious moments that make up life.
Creative approach:
I work in both digital and analog format. Usually melding both if it’s within client budget.
To describe my style in a few words: cinematic, dynamic, expansive… I see the photo a portal into the vibe of the actual event and a representation of the foundational truth in my introduction.
I take a mostly candid, documentary approach, while also leading with clear aesthetic direction into my sessions. I enjoy the process of documenting the unique spirit and creative vision of each one of my clients and view every shoot as a collaboration.
My practice rests on four pillars of special interest..
Celebration: Beyond my personal photography projects and natural inclination toward working with musicians and other practicing artists, I specialize in alternative weddings (backyards, elopements, destinations, “small” celebrations, with small budgets.)
Transition : Births, graduations, family milestones and just because moments. New pets, old pets, whatever it may be, your life ecosystem is unique and beautiful and I wish to honour this through my practice.
Remembrance: I approach old age and end of life with reverence and respect. I have meaningful experience in this highly sensitive field, having worked with parents with dementia, and various health challenges. As well as funerals, burials, and hospital visits. I believe all moments are worthy of presence and reverence. Especially the ones that feel most difficult.
Support:I’ve worked with a number of grassroots, non-for-profit, alternative businesses, and arts organizations that focus on promoting the well-being of communities and individuals. I seek to create compelling visuals that tell the story of your organization and leverage the potential for awareness and future funding.
Rates:
Photography… in this economy??
Simply put, I seek to exchange my best, most meaningful work, for the most accessible, fair and good feeling price possible.
I believe in fees that are not inflated or gate kept. Everyone deserves beautiful photographs regardless of their socioeconomic status. Obviously. And let’s be honest, something like a wedding can be ridiculously expensive, societal norms make them so. The photographer you hire will charge partly based on their artistic experience or simply creative ego. Which is totally standard in a capitalist system, but not ideal for the average human who’s in love and would like to remember their day for less than the price of a small car.
If you’re interested in paying that much you’ll have an easy time finding your dream photographer. But I believe dreams have an easier time coming true when you remove barriers rather than enforce them with inaccessible pricing, and the quality of work doesn’t have to be sacrificed to do so. An equitable rate can be established if the work created is itself seen as part of the reward. I feel it’s a privilege to create this work with you. To bring something positive, sustainable and joyful to the world together, rather than creating a stressful, exclusive or high stakes event led by rates that simply don’t work for most humans.
Before the shoot a custom quote will be approved by all parties, no hidden fees, no surprises, just one, all inclusive price.
My base rates are as follows:
Standard Wedding: $1300-$1600. Digital photos delivered within 14 days of event. Up to 6 hours coverage. Pre and post ceremony, family portraits, and time to explore any creative or sentimental images you may have in mind. Per hour rate is slightly hire than individual shoots because of the volume of photos to edit post actual shooting.
Individuals, bands, family’s, special projects: $175/hour (if a shoot goes slightly over time you will not be charged extra, the idea is we get the shots required to make the shoot a success.)
Corporate rates: A custom quote will be built for each new project. Corporate clients can expect to pay $200/hr of actual field work. $75/hr for consulting, brand advice, developing content strategy, other design work or web development and in depth editing. Initial in person consultations are free of charge. Increased corporate rate is simply because larger organizations can afford it, and more strategy and planning is required to promote a specific brand message or goal of the client. Corporate rate offsets rates for individuals and allows a pay what you can program to exist.
Funeral, burial, memorial: Sympathy rate of $300 for up to 3 hours of coverage.
Pay what you can program: Every month I open 2 pay-what-you-can slots that are booked at a first come first served basis.
This applies to any family, band, or individual portraits: This is our opportunity to meet you where you are at. After a small fee of $25 for travel expenses, you can choose to pay what you can for a hour(ish) photo session. This can range from $5, to $5000. There is no catch and no questions asked. Any amount received is received with gratitude.
Referral Program: Refer a new client and receive 50% off a future session with me. This offer is valid once and never expires. The client you refer will also receive 10% off their first session with me as a bonus. This does not apply to Pay What you can Program.
Prints and framing: If you’re interested in having my work printed and framed for your home or business, a custom quote will be established. I will handle printing and framing and send you a complete ready to hang product, any photo you see on my website or social media is eligible to be purchased, unless it’s a portrait of an individual, or commissioned work for another organization. I use the highest quality paper, and printing methods to insure the work remains vibrant for years to come.
Conclusion:
My practice is in service of creating an equitable, sustainable, creative ecosystem to nourish collective spitit and allow for positive energy to flourish and flow. My work is ultimately about deepening presence in relationships, our true nature, the love all around us, and the wonder of the present moment.
