Daily Xtra Columnist Aaron Chan || Vancouver Headshot Photographer

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Once upon a time I photographed full covers for Xtra Vancouver's print publication.
Since they moved to their online digital format the freelance assignments are smaller but I get to pick & choose which ones resonate with me.
I had previously photographed Aaron Chan at the Qmunity International Day Against Homophobia Breakfast where he recited a powerful story about coming out to his family.
These new portraits were taken for Aaron's new Daily Xtra column where he writes about his multiple identies as a Gay, Chinese, Canadian man.

'You Belong in Vancouver' Tourism Vancouver campaign || Behind the Scenes

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I was incredibly nervous working on my 1st commercial campaign for Tourism Vancouver.
I just might have ate too much chocolate that first shoot day.
'You Belong in Vancouver' will promote Vancouver as a fabulous holiday destination to LGBT folks who live in the U.S. Intimate video interviews combined with portraits (my part) of LGBT Vancouverites will be used in the campaign.

He's the Bees Knees

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"What do you call a bee that gives milk instead of honey? A BOOBee!!"
This is the joke I told Governor General Literary Award winner Mark L. Winston.
Thank goodness he has a wonderful sense of humour and an adoration of bees.
I recently met Mark when the Arts Council of Canada chose me to photograph him for the 2015 Literary Awards.
Mark is a world renowned expert on bees and won the prestigious award for his non-fiction book, Bee Time: Lessons from the Hive.

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The Unstoppable Conni Smudge

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And she is. She literally stops traffic!!
The West End BIA asked me to share what I love about the West End on their Instagram account for a week.
I'm a Main Street girl but I spend a lot of time over there. It's always fun to have company on an outing so I asked my friend Conni Smudge along after her regular Hott Smudge Sunday Brunch at the Junction.
Here are some of my favorite moments from our adventures together. Thank you Conni. XoXo
Follow me on Instagram @belleancell for more images from my wonderful LGBTQ community and my Vancouver life.

Xtra: THE FINAL ISSUE PHOTO SHOOT

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On Wednesday, February 11th the last print issue of Xtra Vancouver was published.
I am so grateful to Editor Robin Perelle and Xtra for taking a chance on an emerging photographer with no editorial shooting experience.
The day Robin asked me into her office to invite me to shoot for Xtra I said yes, but I was terrified!! So terrified of failing that I turned down my first cover shoot with them. But I didn’t turn down the next one.
It was a shoot with the Little Sisters Bookstore family for their 30th Anniversary story.
I will always have that wonderful memory of working with them and with Jim Deva before his tragic death.
I will have many wonderful memories from the shoots I did, the fabulous people I was privileged to photograph, and the pride I felt at seeing my he{art} work in print on the newsstands.
Thank you Xtra for believing in me. Thank you for honouring me with the task of photographing this incredible group of community leaders for your last print issue.
 

Read the full story and the bios HERE about the individuals honoured in this commemorative portrait.

Behind the scenes of the Xtra newspaper final print edition photo shoot with Vancouver LGBTQ community leaders. Video by Tony James ~ dreamfixation@gmail.com

Check out more of my LGBT portraiture at belleancell.com

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My first 2015 COVER for Xtra newspaper of the wonderful Vancouver Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
This one was particularly satisfying as I pitched the story and cover idea to Xtra and they went for it!!
Click this LINK to read the full story about the Sisters and to see their beautiful portraits.

Xtra did a creative crop of my Sisters image for the cover so I couldn't resist having some fun with a silly selfie.  

Check out more of my LGBT portraiture at belleancell.com

éloquent en blanc

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I was thrilled when author Amber Dawn asked me to create 2015 promo images for her.
One of these beautiful images we created together will be used on the back of her new book jacket. Amber Dawn's new book of poetry will be revealed Spring of 2015!!

Check out more of my LGBT portraiture at belleancell.com