LDPhotolab Prints Fine Art for Photographer Paolo Rubini’s Capture Photography Festival Exhibit ‘Hands On’

Photolab Manager Adonia (left) and photographer Paolo Rubini (right) showing one of Paolo’s prints currently part of his Capture Photography exhibition at VIFF Vancity Theatre

Originally from Italy, photographer Paolo Rubini has travelled the world capturing a wide array of cultures and the hidden beauty of everyday life. He now calls Vancouver home, and his project ‘Hands On: A Handcrafted Human Mosaic’, which features images from 15 different countries, was recently selected by Capture Photography Festival for exhibition during the 2019 season.

“Hands On came to me as a project idea while travelling in India. It struck me as an original and potential-full opportunity to try and analyze our human condition across different countries and latitudes, by using an aspect of our body we all have in common as a common ground,” explains Paolo.

As a supporter of Capture Photography Festival since its inception 6 years ago, the London Drugs Photolab has provided gallery quality prints for selected photographers like Paolo to showcase their lens-based art during  the annual photography exhibition. Our Photolab Technicians work one-on-one with the selected photographers to choose the right print surface for their images, adjust the colours and other elements to the photographer’s specifications, and ensure the final product meets the high standards of gallery quality prints.

Building a trusting relationship between photographer and Photolab Technician is an incredibly important part of the printing process. When Paolo first met with LDPhotolab Manager Adonia, he was looking to have his black and white images printed on a metallic surface. After looking over Paolo’s images however, Adonia suggested Paolo might like to try a more matte and textured print surface, such as linen paper. Surfaces like linen or bamboo paper look particularly excellent with black and white images, and Adonia recognized the linen paper would also work well with the fact that the prints would be backlit with natural light in the exhibit space. After testing both metallic and matte surfaces, Paolo made the final call to print on linen paper!

Photolab Manager Adonia and photographer Paolo Rubini discussing the texture of linen prints.

“Black and white convey a certain poetry and timeless feeling, furthermore it helps the viewer focusing more on the composition of the image, its narrative and the texture of the elements on focus. Color sometimes can be distracting and misleading, especially in a concept series like this one,” says Paolo. “I usually go for a glossy reflecting surface, mostly in colour but also black and white. My go to paper would be the photo-metallic paper because it gives more depth to the colours. This time, considering the texture I wanted to enhance and the light coming from the back of the picture I opted for a thicker and more textured paper: the LDPhotolab’s Linen White. It proved to be the right choice for this show.”

Once the final decision on print surface was made, Paolo was able to provide feedback on tweaking the colouring of the images (in this case, the warmness or coolness of the black and white, the darkness of the blacks and the brightness of the whites).

“Working with Adonia and her Granville location photolab team was particularly inspiring because of their expertise and wealth of knowledge in understanding and accommodating my vision and their outstanding customer service. They went above and beyond with me, making my show almost like it was their own,” says Paolo.

After the collaborative process of tweaking the images was complete, our photolab printed all of Paolo’s images for the exhibit using the state-of-the art Epson 9000 large format printer. Photolab Manager Adonia then met with Paolo one last time for a final inspection of the fine art prints. Paolo looked over each image individually to confirm they were ready for display, even asking for some final feedback from our Photolab Manager Adonia on what part of each image drew her eye, to ensure it was achieving the desired effect.

“It has been such a pleasure working with amazing photographers like Paolo, and so rewarding bringing their artwork to life,” says Adonia. “The journey from initially meeting and viewing photos, to producing the physical prints in such an impactful way is one of the best parts of being a photolab technician.”

Of course, seeing the fine art prints on display is always a thrilling part of the process for Paolo. “After the set up and the opening, I was very happy to take a step back and look at all their picture displayed together. Each of them was carrying its little story, informing and inspiring others. It is a collection of humanity that I’m very proud to share because it talks about us and what makes us all similar and yet each unique,” he says.

Paolo Rubini in front of his Capture Photography Festival exhibit ‘Hands On’, at the VIFF Vancity Theatre in Vancouver

If you want to check out Paolo Rubini’s prints in person, you can see them at VIFF Vancity Theatre in Vancouver from April 14th to May 5th, Monday to Sunday, 6pm onwards (and when films are being shown).

15 Exhibitions to Check Out During Vancouver’s Capture Photography Festival

London Drugs Photolab supports featured artists with gallery-quality prints for lens-based art exhibits

 

For the 6th consecutive year, London Drugs is proudly sponsoring the Capture Photography Festival in Vancouver. Photography exhibits will pop up all over Metro Vancouver during the month of April, celebrating lens-based art by both local and international artists. In support of these talented artists, the London Drugs Photolab is providing printing grants to select artists participating in the Capture Photography Festival. These grants will supply the artists with the gallery quality prints they need for their gallery exhibitions.

Over the past few weeks, our experienced Photolab Technicians across Vancouver have been working diligently with each of the selected artists to get their images ready for public display, ensuring the colours are to the artist’s specifications, and printing everything from enlargements to aluminum metal panels and fine art Hahnemühle bamboo fine art prints – all using the most innovative photofinishing equipment.

Photolab Manager Cassidy works on the Iris Film Collective’s LOOPDALOOP exhibit, printing stills taken from 16mm motion picture film (Photo credit: Alex MacKenzie)

Capture’s community engagement assistant, Laura, picks up a set of museum quality prints from Photolab Technician Lee, ready for display! The prints will be on display as part of the Flash Forward Incubator student exhibition.

 

To show your support for the local photography community and see the final prints in person, check out these Capture Photography Festival exhibits this April – all supported by London Drugs printing grants:

 

NPAC’s National Pictures of the Year Nominees

Mark Blinch – The Canadian Press, 2018

April 1 – 26

Group Exhibit – News Photographers Association of Canada

Pendulum Gallery, 885 W Georgia St, Vancouver

 

Opening Reception

Thursday April 11 6-9pm

https://capturephotofest.com/exhibitions/news-photographers-association-of-canadas-national-pictures-of-the-year-nominees/

 

Boundaries Exhibition & Silent Auction

Bohdan Lee, Flash Forward Incubator Program, 2019

April 2–6

Group Exhibit – Flash Forward Incubator Program

Roundhouse Community Arts Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver

Tuesday–Friday 9 am–10 pm, Saturday 9 am–3 pm

 

Silent Auction

Saturday April 6, 1–3 pm

https://capturephotofest.com/youth-program/boundaries/

 

In Transit: Reflections

Arts Umbrella Student, In Transit, 2019

April 6–15

Group Exhibit – Arts Umbrella Students

Remington Gallery, 108 East Hastings St, Vancouver

Saturday & Sunday 12–4 pm, Monday – Friday by appt. (604-218-2109)

 

Opening Reception

Saturday April 6, 5–8 pm

https://capturephotofest.com/youth-program/in-transit-reflections/

 

On Friendship: An Exhibition of Portraits by Children

Garnet Hertz, (Overhead shot of visitors and artists at a Back Alley Gallery Project exhibition and potluck in October 2018), 2018

April 27 (one night event)

Group Exhibit & Community Potluck

Back Alley Gallery Project, located in the alley behind 2448 E 8th Ave, Vancouver

Saturday April 27, 5–9 pm

https://capturephotofest.com/youth-program/on-friendship-an-exhibition-of-portraits-by-children/

 

Photography without Cameras: Lumen Printing Workshop

April 13, 2019 (one day event)

With Artist: Phyllis Schwartz

Vancouver Lipont Art Centre, 4211 Number 3 Road, Richmond
Sat. Apr 13, 11 am–3 pm

https://capturephotofest.com/events/photography-without-cameras-lumen-printing-workshop-with-phyllis-schwartz/

 

Disposable Camera Project IV

Pamela Rounis, DCP III, 2018, digital photograph

April 27 (one night event)

Participating Artists: Tom Hsu, Taby Cheng, Karilynn Ming Ho, Hyung-Min Yoon, Christian Nicolay, and Helen Shaw.

SAD Mag Pop-Up, 1050 E Hastings St, Vancouver

Sat. Apr 27, 8–11pm

https://capturephotofest.com/events/disposable-camera-project-iv/

 

where the hour floats

Amalie Atkins, Aprons, 2015, chromogenic print, 40”x50”, Courtesy of Amalie Atkins

On until April 21

Artist: Amalie Atkins

Art Gallery at Evergreen, 1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam

Wednesday – Saturday 12–5 pm, Sunday 12–4 pm, closed Monday & Tuesday

https://capturephotofest.com/exhibitions/where-the-hour-floats/

 

Finding My Father at Yongpyong

Taehoon Kim, Finding my father at Yongpyong #7, 2018, archival inkjet print, 12”x16”

On until April 29

Artist: Taehoon Kim

North Vancouver District Public Library, 1277 Lynn Valley Rd, North Vancouver

Monday – Friday 9 am–9 pm, Saturday 9 am–5 pm, Sunday 12–5 pm

 

Opening Reception

Thursday April 11, 6–8 pm

https://capturephotofest.com/exhibitions/finding-my-father-at-yongpyong/

 

LOOPDALOOP

Zoe Kirk-Gushowaty, part of LOOPDALOOP, 2019, 16mm film installation

April 4–28

Group Exhibit – Iris Film Collective

Participating Artists: Ariel Kirk-Gushowaty, Zoe Kirk-Gushowaty, Alex MacKenzie, Lisa G. Nielsen, Nisha Platzer, Sydney Southam, Amanda Thomson, and Ryder White

Burrard View Fieldhouse, 545 North Slocan St, Vancouver

Monday – Sunday 7–9 pm

 

Opening Reception

Thursday April 4, 7–9 pm

https://capturephotofest.com/exhibitions/loopdaloop/

 

The Strata of Many Truths

Roxanne Charles, Truth, 2011

April 5–25

Artist: Roxanne Charles

Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut St, Vancouver

Monday, Tuesday, Sunday 10 am–5 pm, Wednesday 10 am–5 pm, Thursday 10 am–8 pm, Friday & Saturday 10 am–9 pm

Museum admission: $9.75 (child)–$20.50 (adult)

 

Opening Reception

Friday April 5, 7–9 pm

 

Curatorial Panel Discussion

Saturday April 6, 1–3 pm

https://capturephotofest.com/exhibitions/there-is-truth-here/

 

Shadow Architecture

Michael Love, Architectural Study #8, 2018, inkjet print, 20”x30”

April 11–May 4

Artist: Michael Love

Franc Gallery, 1654 Franklin St, Vancouver

Saturday & Sunday 12–6 pm, Monday – Friday by appt (ron@francgallery.com)

 

Opening Reception

Thursday April 11, 6–9 pm

https://capturephotofest.com/exhibitions/shadow-architecture/

 

What It Is

Dan Jackson, It Isn’t It, 2018, archival pigment print, 36″x36″

April 12–14

Artist: Dan Jackson

Studio 730, 730 Richards St, Vancouver

Saturday & Sunday 10am–6pm

 

Opening Reception

Friday April 12, 7pm–midnight

https://capturephotofest.com/exhibitions/what-it-is/

 

HANDS ON–A Handcrafted Human Mosaic

Paolo Rubini, Game on (Phnom Phen, Cambodia), 2018, giclée photo metallic print, 14”x21”

April 12–May 5

Artist: Paolo Rubini

VIFF Vancity Theatre, 1181 Seymour St, Vancouver

Monday – Sunday from 6 pm (+ when films are on)

 

Opening Reception:

Friday April 12, 7:30–9:30 pm

https://capturephotofest.com/exhibitions/hands-on-a-handcrafted-human-mosaic/

 

Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation Basketball

Alana Paterson, from the series Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation Basketball, 2018

April 13–May 12

Artist: Alana Paterson

The Polygon Gallery, 101 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver

Tuesday – Sunday 10 am–5 PM, closed Monday

Admission by donation

 

Opening Reception

Saturday April 13, 1 pm

https://capturephotofest.com/exhibitions/sḵwx̱wu7mesh-nation-basketball/

 

Green Glass Door

Theo Terry, Picture for Butchers, 2018, pigment print in custom frame

April 25–May 19

Participating Artists: Noah Friebel, Marisa Kriangwiwat Holmes, Theo Terry, Graeme Wahn

Trapp Projects, 274 E 1st Ave, Vancouver

Saturday 10–5 pm & by appt (info@trappeditions.com)

 

Opening Reception

Thursday April 25, 7–9 pm

https://capturephotofest.com/exhibitions/green-glass-door/

 

 

Which exhibit are you most excited to check out? Follow along on Instagram to see behind-the-scenes of the gallery images being printed by our Photolab, as well as get a sneak peek inside the gallery exhibits!

London Drugs Photolab Prints Fine Art for the 3rd Annual Capture Photography Festival

For the 3rd consecutive year, London Drugs is proud to be a sponsor of the Capture Photography Festival, celebrating local and international lens-based artistic talent in Vancouver. The festival is devoted to exhibiting challenging and thought-provoking photography at over 50 esteemed galleries and public installations.

This year, the London Drugs Photolab printed the works of several high profile Capture exhibits, including LA-based photographer Aline Smithson’s exhibit Self & Others: Portrait as Autobiography, and the News Photographers Association of Canada’s National Pictures of the Year awards exhibit.

Using the best in photofinishing equipment and innovative materials such as our Hahnemühle Fine Art Bamboo Paper, our passionate, experienced Photolab Technicians printed flawless fine art pieces hung in galleries across the city.

These fine art printing services aren’t just reserved for professionals, either. Amateurs, freelancers, and professionals alike can get museum-quality prints, using the London Drugs Photolab’s cutting-edge printing services.

Visit our Photolab in-store or online to find the right print for your photography project!