Len Grinke
Len Grinke Photography
693 East Braemar Rd.
604-307-4566
https://grinkecreative.com/
Business Operating in Lynn Valley since: 2005
What do customers like about you?
I am “The North Shore’s Family Photographer”. What people like about my business is that they can come to me for all their family portrait needs, be it a head shot, tween, teen, graduation, family group or weddings.
And what do you like about your customers?
I like the fact that I have had the opportunity to see my clients’ families grow and change. Many of our clients have been with us since the beginning when I started photographing portraits over 20 years ago! Some of them I first photographed as brides and grooms and I am now seeing their children turning into young adults. Others started out as young children and are now the brides and grooms. It is awesome to see these families grow and our community grow with them.
Can you give us a photo tip?
When photographing children, photograph them from their level; that way, you will see in the image of what they see.
What are your other accomplishments?
My greater goal is to ensure that photography continues to be a viable art form. To this end, I teach photography through lectures and workshops and I am currently writing a book of flash photography.
I also curate a gallery in the Lynn Valley United Church with the goal of showcasing local artists. We produce a new show there about every two months. If you are a local artist and are interested in showing some of your work, give me a call!
Can you tell us about your hobbies?
Outside of photography, my two main hobbies are playing music and restoring old cars. My current car project is a classic Camaro. My favourite music to play is classic rock on my guitar, but I am studying the intricate complexities of jazz with the hope of one day being able to keep up to my boys!
How about community involvement?
Through the Lynn Valley United Church I am creating a space where local artists can showcase their work. Coupled with another weekly event at LVUC called Friday Night Live, it is an ideal way for the community to share in the great performing and visually artistry that is abundant in this community.
Tell us something we don’t know about you!
Except for a short period when I lived in Deep Cove, I have lived in the Lynn Valley area for over 40 years.
What’s the business taught you?
Visual art is a form of communication; images tell a story! To be able to tell a story, you must first know what that story is. As a portrait photographer, I want to tell a story about the person I am photographing. To do that, I need to develop some sense of who that person is. And to do that, I need to listen. When I listen to their stories, I can go beyond taking just a likeness of them and begin to photograph who they are. This business has taught me to listen!
Future plans?
In the near future, I want to finish the book I am currently writing. Ultimately, I would like to find someone who loves photographing people as much as I do and turn my business over to them while I travel and share my knowledge of photography with an eye to preserving photograhy as a viable art form.
Favourite quotation?
“Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language” – Walt Disney
Email: [email protected]
