Jay Gough of Nikon Canada, along with Trisha Gillings of Panasonic Canada (not pictured), will be on site all day with trade show style booths demonstrating their latest equipment, and delivering “Tech Talks” over the lunch hour

It’s springtime in the Yukon and our days are getting longer, Yukoners are preparing for the summer season and imagining new ways to tackle and explore our beautiful territory. According to Executive Director Matt Jacques, the First Light Image Festival organizers intentionally chose this time of year to build upon the emergence of spring and the new energy that entails. In fact the inaugural event in 2017 took place on the same day, April 7, last year and was a huge success.

“Last time, the event was a runaway success,” Jacques said. “We were at the Old Fire Hall and sold out 130 tickets. The response was great, we needed to follow up and build on it for 2018.”

According to Jacques, they couldn’t have done that without support from the community and their sponsors: Air North, Panansonic, Nikon and the Community Development Fund. This year’s event moves to the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre (KDCC) and is more involved. The different opportunities in the space will allow the event to grow, but not be overwhelmed. “We wanted to grow, but keep it sustainable,” Jacques explained. “But we spoke to the folks at the KDCC and it was a flexible space that will accommodate us.”

Last year’s festival was mostly designed as a social event for professional photographers, but also attracted a good number of part-timers and amateurs. Jacques says this showed an opportunity for building on the event. This year, they have expanded to include a daytime component with various workshops for learning and exchange of ideas. Unfortunately, for anyone looking to get tickets, the workshops have already sold out.
They also have two keynote speakers from Outside, Pat Kane from Yellowknife, N.W.T. and Andy Clark of Gibsons, B.C.

Kane is a member of the Timiskaming First Nation in Ontario/Quebec and specializes in telling stories about Northern peoples, issues and culture.

Clark is a veteran photographer who spent 27 years with Reuters News Pictures covering international events around the world. “He has a real knack for finding that one feature shot that will capture an event,” Jacques said.

In addition, the event will provide an opportunity for photographers to see some of the latest, greatest new equipment. Sales representatives from both Nikon and Panasonic will be onsite during the day.

As well, The Camera Store from Calgary, Alberta will be in attendance and has a special feature they’ll be doing. “They have a Camera Store TV channel on YouTube with over 300,000 subscribers,” Jacques explained. “They’ll be recording a segment for the channel right at the festival.”

There are still tickets available for the social evening; doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event starts at 7 p.m.

For more information or to purchase tickets for the social event, visit the website at FirstLightImageFestival.ca.


First Light Image Festival Schedule

Workshops (Sold out):

The business of photography

(Cathie Archbould & Brianne Bremner – 10 a.m.)

Social Impact Photography

(Mark Kelly & Alistair Maitland – 11:15 a.m.)

The Angry Editor

(Mike Thomas, publisher of the Yukon News – 11:15 a.m.)

Sponsor Tech Talks

(Trisha Gillings, Panasonic Canada & Jay Gough, Nikon Canada – 12:30 p.m.)

Creating, Pitching & Editing Projects

(Pat Kane – 1:15 p.m.)

Finding Feature Images

(Andy Clark – 2:30 p.m.)

Evening Social

(Tickets available)

Doors at 6:30 p.m.

KDCC Longhouse

In pursuit of the perfect shot

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