Fun, Unusual and Unique Photographic experiences with Photos By Madman

Well, with a title like that, let me start off with a one liner: Did you hear about the guy who had a photographic memory? Unfortunately it wasn't developed. OK, now for some serious fun.

We've been asked: "Do you just do the traditional photography?" If you are asking that, this must be the first page on this site you visted. The answer is NO! On the other hand, while many photographers claim to do a "reporting" style of photography, or other unusual methods, Peter gives you both the traditional and the untraditional. While some photographers wedding pictures look like a celebrity wedding in a newspaper with no traditional, and others have just the staid formal shots without any (or maybe just one) more informal, comfortable or fun shot. We think both these styles miss the intimacy and love that traditional and Peter's enhancement of traditional brings. But this page isn't about that, this page is for those that want the traditional, the non-traditional AND have some ideas - or want ideas - for the unusual, the unique, the just plain fun. So lets move on to that right now.

We've been asked: "What is some of the experience and plans you've had for fun, unusual and unique weddings and family portaiture?"

• The littlest church in the world - a 12 seater (almost) church just west of Drumheller.
• In the mouth of the dinasour (Drumheller again)
• Helitour to glaciers - wedding and photos on the snow and/or meadows, stunning backdrops, magestic times.
• "Home on the prairie"
• How about Heli-skiing?
• A Western wedding. (100 Years ago this was "traditional", now it is "unique")
• The hoodoos (in the badlands, Dinosaur park, near Abraham lake, near Banff, near Drumheller and others)

We've been asked: "Can we see them all?"  Some can be seen on  my web site. But most people choose to have the photos kept for the private viewing of their friends and family. See the next question. I can legally show you some in the privacy of my studio or when meeting you but most people have not given me the rights to email them to you or send you samples by print.

Now it's our turn to ask questions:

Do you have something really different ... and want to save some loonies (for my Canadian clients) or bucks (for my American clients)? If you have an idea that would result in fun, unusual or unique photos, and you would be willing to let me purchase the rights to the images so I can show other clients, enter in contests etc.., talk to me, I may be willing to give you a discount. You see, most people do not want their photos used this way, and I completely respect their request.

Do you want other ideas?  Personally, we think that if you want a unqiue photograhic session, be it family or wedding, you should look to yourself first. Are you rock climbers? What about a wedding on a cliff? Are you scuba divers? What about a family session in the water, perhaps both with and without scuba gear. Are you a family that flys together, or hikes, or a caver (or if amateur, a spelunker<g>), or horse lover or what else is there about your life that you would like to record your family or wedding doing? Peter of Photos By Madman is willing to work with you to get the best photographic experience possible. You may have to help with the logistics, especially if you are an expert at _____(type of event) - because Peter probably won't be, but he is willing to work with you to bring your dream true and he is flexible, able and willing to change to work with your preferences and the realities of the moment.

Are you planning a traditional wedding, in a church, is the sacredness of the ceremony your priority? In case the above suggestions "scare" you, please be aware that the majority of weddings Peter photographs are indeed that kind or very close. See the images on the web site, or ask to see samples of weddings so you can see what to expect. While Peter will try to give you a few unusual, loving images within even the traditional setting, you can be assured that Peter is very flexible and works professionally to deliver the type of images that you want. Part of the prep-meeting is to discuss these to make sure Peter knows what images and styles are most important to you.

But what if you are thinking: "I want my wedding unique, but still sacred..." (That's sacred, not scared in case you are like the one fellow that misread it): Peter treats all weddings as a sacred covenant. Whether the setting is highly unusual, spectacular, stunning, daring or completely traditional, Peter takes the actual ceremony as being a covenant between two people and God or between two people and the state. Especially during the ceremony, Peter works hard to photography the proceedings with the absolute minimum of interference and visibility. His goal (and he is very successful at it) is to be as invisible as possible during the service. If the ceremony is being held half way up a cliff, the goal will be to have everyone in position so that, once the ceremony is started, the photography is secondary to the service and not interfering.