Lately, I have especially appreciated the work of small, local business owners, who persevere amid the worries of Covid-19. . . . Before returning to my Praxis 30th anniversary, entrepreneurial portraits, in this week’s blog posting, I will profile another outstanding, local small biz, that you may not know exists!
Long before it became a “thing,” I remember wanting to support local businesses. In Mr. Jacoby’s English class at Aden Bowman Collegiate in the late 80s, we listened to fellow alumna, superstar Joni Mitchell; and we read about the origins of medicare in Saskatchewan. Part of being of fierce Prairie stock was knowing and supporting our neighbours.
Three decades later, “Buy Local” is emblazoned on Tshirts, bumper stickers and ball caps . . . . It’s become virtually a cliché. . . . And yet some local businesses offer such quality services, in a quiet and reliable way, that they cry out for some hard-earned praise. . . . And one such case is Debra Marshall Photography.
Have you had a recent family portrait, business headshot or promotional picture taken? In the “dog days of summer” in August, the planets (mid-Covid) aligned long enough for me to replace the “dated selfie” on my website with a professional headshot.
Enter Debra Marshall, one of the province’s finest portrait photographers (https://debramarshall.ca/). Five minutes into a photo shoot, I found that a process that I half-dreaded had turned out to be a fun and career-centred conversation. Debra described herself as “an introverted photographer”; I knew instantly why we (pardon the pun) just “clicked.”
Able to put at ease a wide variety of subjects, from the nervous teenager dressed for their high school prom, to a proud team of award-winning, senior scientists at the U of S, Debra is in high demand for corporate and organizational subjects, as well as for portrait work. She cut her teeth in part on wedding photography and boasts an impressive portfolio featuring portrait, corporate/editorial, equine and fine art photography. You can also sample Saskatchewan-themed, hometown and travel-related subjects on her website. Most of the images on her website and on Instagram are available for purchase.
Debra graduated from the photography program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) in 2001 and has participated in photography workshops and consumed “billions of pixels,” since, as she’s honed her craft.
Buying local means supporting Debra, a Saskatoon-born French major who trained in and taught English as a Second Language in Japan and other locales, and who has taught photography in French (combining two areas of expertise). She’s lived across the world, including on the Isle of Wight, Chicago, Quebec City, Lake Louise, and Lisieux (France).
You can view more of her stunning photography on Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/debramarshallphotography/)
Here’s my recent headshot by Debra.
And here is Debra, herself: 
She winks at her prospects, citing pioneering American photographer, Imogen Cunningham: “Which of my photographs is my favourite? The one I’m going to take tomorrow.”
Debra Marshall Photography (306) 280-3814
Debra_marshall@hotmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debramarshallphotography/