Expressions Photography is located in the old Toronto Dominion Bank at 200 Centre Street. Hali Booth – the owner of the photography studio – purchased the 100-year-old building in 2016 after moving from the former Ottenbreit Studio at 531 Centre Street.
Although Booth had the building remodelled, she ensured to maintain essence of the former bank after completing the structure’s makeover. “We tried to keep as much of the old charm as possible,” Booth explained.
Born and raised in Assiniboia, Booth selected a career in photography after working as a hairdresser. “I’ve always been kind of artsy. I was a hairdresser for years and years, but I developed back problems.”
Booth received mentoring from Orville Ottenbreit when she started Expressions Photography in 2010. Ottenbreit had been operating his photography studio in Assiniboia since 1969. She continues to take computer-based photography courses and studies techniques, equipment options and other camera-related information whenever she can, taking care to absorb as much knowledge about photography as possible – even when she’s off shift.
“In my spare time, I do all sorts of research on photography,” Booth said.
Booth’s photography business is a multifaceted concern. She takes portraits on location and inside the studio. She photographs sport teams, family portraits, anniversaries, weddings, graduation, babies, passport photos, excels in aerial farm photography and she also does photo ID shots.
“Photo ID is a huge part of my business,” Booth said.
Additionally, Booth takes school portraits in eight schools located within the Prairie South School Division.
When Booth is taking school photos, she utilizes the Green Screen technology – this feature requires a significant amount of training. “The Green Screen gives the people in the portraits the option to choose the background.” Booth knocks the green background out then replaces this veneer with a digitized backdrop chosen by her subject. When installing the new backdrop, she takes extra care to ensure the updated insertion won’t clash with the subject pictured in the foreground.
“The lighting on the screen has to be perfect. The lighting on the subject has to be perfect. This is very touchy work,” Booth explained, as she discussed how to use the Green Screen.
In addition, Booth offers assistance to the schools she works in, to help them with their yearbooks, should they require added support.
Custom framing and matting are also available at Expressions Photography with a vast choice of sizes to choose from. “I can build any size of frame out there,” Booth reported.
She also stretches canvasses. “One of my favourite things to do,” she said. Moreover, Booth offers services in laminating, plaque mounting, custom card printing and photo retouching.
“I do photos that are damaged to bring them back to their original glory,” she smiled.
Many businesses have been affected by COVID-19. Expressions Photography is no exception. Her baseball team photos were cancelled this year – she isn’t sure about what’s going to happen with the 2020/2021 hockey season either at this point in early November.
Since there were no formal group photos for the graduates at the Assiniboia Composite High School, Booth came up with some unique improvisations. For example, she amalgamated all 42 of Assiniboia’s graduation portraits into a single photo. Moreover, she’s created some interesting ways to inform the town about their 2020 graduates.
“I created yard signs with pictures of the graduates. I also put the pictures of the grads in the windows of local businesses.”
Finally, as a volunteer for the Assiniboia Civic Improvement Association, Booth constructs the ads for the digital board at the end of Centre Street. “I build the ads, format them, then upload them onto the sign,” she said in closing.
