For the last fifteen years the sole subject of Mark Laurie's lens has been women Beyond his subject matter, his recognized trademark is innovation and creative excellence. The awards for his work have brought him recognition as the most awarded photographer in his field on the continent. Selections of his images are even on board the Voyager 3 space mission's time capsule, launched at the end of 1990. With this stature, his clientele ranges from housewives to politicians, celebrities and movie stars.

Several of his awards and showings take prominence over the rest. The MPA, Master of Photographic Arts is the highest designation one can earn in the Professional Photographers of Canada association. 1995 saw him as a finalist for the Photographer of the Year Award. Most never do, Mark earned his within 4 years of becoming active in the association. He has earned accreditations in seven specialties: Female Body Sculpture, Female Portrait, Female Nude Portrait,
Boudoir, Crossover Artographics, Female Fantasy Makeup and Nude Couple portraiture. He ranks in the top five of accredited photographers in Canada. In five of the accreditations, he is the sole holder. In almost every year since 1987 his images have taken First in Class in either the provincial or national print competitions. This year he will be a judge at the PPOC National Print Salon. Mark has received the Kodak Awards for Photographic Excellence and Best in Interpretive Photography. One of his nude images is in the Professional Photographers of America Loan Collection., others are in the Professional Photographers of Canada Loan Collection.

A selected image has also hung in Disney's Epcot Center. Collections of his work have had showings at the grand opening of the Hungary National Culture Center, Czechoslovakian International Celebration of Women, Calgary Stampede International Print Salon and the Government of Alberta's "Fine Light" print show. He has also had requested showings at the Calgary Women's Show for 9 years, "Ain't I a woman" celebration and the Southcentre display of International Photographic Art. Images of the celebrities he has photographed have been requested to hang in the International Hall of Fame in London, England. Several of his clients have submitted images Mark has taken to Playboy and Penthouse, successfully becoming a featured layout from his photographs.
Three years after opening his studio, Inner Spirit Photography, Mark began fulfilling requests to teach his unique brand and approach to female portraiture to other photographers. Since that time he has given seminars to most of the photographers in his field in Canada. Being selected as one of the main speakers at the PPOC 1991 National convention in Ottawa, reflects the leadership Mark has in his field. His lecture circuit has extended down through the western states. The television series he hosted and produced has been aired across Canada and sold to US cable stations. Mark represents his Mamiya camera system as a professional consultant and advisor to Dayman Photo, the Canadian supplier of Mamiya cameras.
His work has had such an impact on his client's lives, he has been studied by psychiatrists. The results have been published as a phototherapy paper. This resulted in his portrait sessions being used as a therapy tool for some abuse and rape victims. The study found that impact of the photo session and the resulting enlargements had a lasting and positive effect on the subject's lifestyle and self-image.

The innovative and experimental side of his work has lead to collaborations with talented craftsmen from other disciplines. With Tim Hammell, a painter and airbrush artist, he has entwined photography with art, creating images that could not exist in either medium. This medium has been called Crossover and is internationally recognized. Some of these commissioned art pieces have been created to 8 feet by 4 feet, appraising at over $6,000 per piece by Lloyds of London representatives. With Fred Potter, a recognized computer artist and technician, they have integrated female images into 3d computer images. These resulting images have received several nationally recognized awards for both of artists. Pushing the limits of computer alteration of photographic images, Fred and Mark have converted female portraits into watercolor renderings with final output as inks on watercolor art paper. A currently commissioned project involves both Tim and Fred in creating a Crossover Image altered to watercolor and produced 36 inches by 48 inches onto museum quality art paper.

www.inner-spirit.com