10x10 Photography Project

Once upon a time I did a photo project called the Mr/s. Movember Project and a curator named James Fowler from Toronto, Ontario discovered it online and asked me if I'd like to participate in his Project (this is the part where I reveal my special project).

The 10x10 Photography Projectis a ten-year photo project currently in its third year. Each year ten photographers are chosen from across Canada to create ten portraits of LGBTQ Canadians who have contributed to the Arts.

I was incredibly honoured when James asked me to participate in the Project, and I almost said NO. I'm proud of myself for facing my fears and ultimately saying yes, because the Project has challenged me on so many levels. It has challenged my creativity, my confidence, my fear of failure, my photography skills and my communication skills. I'm halfway through the Project now and it has been a wonderful experience collaborating with talented people I so admire. We've had a blast playing in the studio and I'm excited for the upcoming shoots in April.

Alas, I cannot share the images with you until after the Toronto Gallery Showing and book launch in June. I can tell you that the concept for the Project involves vulnerability, body language, and having my people posed semi-nude. I've been collaborating with body painter Carole Lagimodiere (pictured below) and her work has enhanced the Project significantly. I am so grateful to my ten artists Amber Dawn, DJ Miss M, SD Holman, Paige Frewer, Gwen Haworth, Eileen Kage, David Robinson, Zoée Nuage, Mandy Randhawa, and Noam Gagnon. What an amazing gift it was to collaborate with you.

i like to play with my friends

It's a perk. I admit it. Sometimes folks end up naked during my photo shoots.
I'm not really sure how it evolves to clothes being shed. I'm not complaining though.
I find the landscape of the body exquisite and when well lit, it can be breath taking.
This is my new friend Palmer. I asked them to help me practice my lighting. A photographer girls gotta keep her chops up you know.
It's my vocation to help people feel comfortable in front of the camera and to create beautiful images with them.

The Mr/s. Movember Project story

by Aileen Penner

Vancouver photographer Belle Ancell had a vision of handsome queer women in moustaches. For Movember, she made it happen. On a fall day as the rain poured outside, and Madonna reverberated on the stereo inside, six queer women sat for their close-up. The camera clicked and the first queer Movember Project in Canada, "Mr/s. Movember", was born.

The Movember art campaign is a series of six queer female models ranging in age from early twenties to late forties, photographed in portrait, and in a moustache. Movember is a global campaign to raise funds and awareness about men's health - specifically prostate cancer. This year, the organization has added mental health to the campaign.

Belle Ancell is a celebrated child of the 70's and loves moustaches. She heard about the Movember campaign when she relocated to Vancouver two years ago. "I thought it was a fabulous way to create dialogue about prostate cancer and to support men's health. I kind of wished I could participate and grow a moustache myself. And that is how the idea for Mr/s. Movember came about," Ancell explains. She thought it would be fun to get a group of handsome queer women together to rock their own moustaches.

The photos in "Mr/s. Movember" are about identify, playing with identity, and raising awareness by prompting private and public conversations in the GLBTQ community about health. Some of the models in the project identify as lesbian, butch, male, female and all of the above. Yet all queer women have men in their lives - whether they are partners, brothers, fathers, uncles, nephews, or sons who are dealing with prostate cancer and mental health issues.

"One of the great things about Movember is that having a moustache starts conversation and gets Canadians talking about their health", said Peter Bombaci, National Director, Movember Canada. "It's the power of the moustache that has raised awareness and reduced stigma surrounding prostate cancer and it's exciting to have the opportunity to do the same for mental health."

"I am very happy to see this year's Movember campaign focusing on the LGBTQ community more and for including anti-bullying and mental health in its funding for this year", says Ancell. She says this is just the beginning for the Mr/s. Movember photo project. Over the next year she will be photographing more women and having a fundraising gallery opening of all the images in support of the 2013 Movember campaign.

Mr/s. Models are: Chris, Rina, Kaylee, Robin, SD and Palmer. Isabelle Champigny (Visual Effects Makeup Artist), and Katrina Gurr and Kelsey-Ann Derksen-Hatt (Assistants).

 Gratitude extended to Aileen Penner for the above article on the Mr/s. Movember Project.

Visit Aileen's BLOG to read the more in depth article on the Mr/s. Project and the Movember Campaign.

PLEASE DONATE TO THE Movember Campaign AND/OR SUPPORT A GROWING MO.

 To see more of my Personal Projects please visit my LGBT portraiture websitebelleancell.com

The Real Crystal Precious

I took the big studio lights out on location and photographed Crystal Precious, Vancouver's Queen of Sass. Part riot grrl, part raver, part burlesque dancer and part rapper.

Crystal graciously agreed to be photographed in the old Dayton Boot Factory on Hastings Street. The good folks at Dayton were very accommodating and lent Crystal five pairs of shiny new boots to wear.

Having the opportunity to collaborate with the bodacious Crystal Precious, while enveloped in the smell of leather in a dark sexy setting, what more could a Photographer Girl want?!!!