February 28, 2015

Xtra: THE FINAL ISSUE PHOTO SHOOT

February 28, 2015/ Belle Ancell

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.

Xtra_the_last_issue_photoshoot_community_portrait

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

December 30, 2013

There goes the Octegenarian Club

December 30, 2013/ Belle Ancell

I always say each new photo shoot is the funnest shoot ever, but this one really was, when I photographed the ever so lovely and naughty Linda Fillmore for her 80th birthday feature in Xtra newspaper.

Linda is the Matriarch of the Fillmore Family Foundation. The Family is a non-profit foundation that raises money for organizations such as Out in Schools, A Loving Spoonful, Camp Out and McLaren Housing Society. I posted last month about the raucous Prairie Fairy Fowl Supper event the Family puts on each fall to raise these funds.

This was an amazing experience as it was the first time I 'pitched' a cover and story idea to Xtra and they accepted. I wanted to honour all that Linda Fillmore and her Family have done for our Community and create some beautiful images for her. We all had a blast in the studio and even did a 'Commando' run out to the Bull Statue downtown.