Rendez-Vous Marketing | RDVMKT

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Presenting pictures & video by Vanessa Elle for the “Rendez-vous marketing expérientiel” event. It was a pleasure to save moments, create memories & sponsor this great event. The experiential marketing Rendez-vous with MosaiC & Moment Factory was an event organized by the Jeune Réseau de Diplômés HEC Montréal.
Invited Speakers: Pierre Balloffet, Laurent Simon & Alain Boudreau
Event date: May 15th 2013
Event place: Club Peopl
- More about my experience coming soon…

Photography ( to see pictures coming soon: http://Facebook.com/VanessaElleOfficial

TEDxHECMontréal | Vanessa Elle

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Vanessa Elle is happy to share 2 minutes of “ideas, experiences & wishes worth spreading”. I created this video montage & song exclusively for TEDxHECMontréal, an event worth attending on May 25th 2013.
-It was a wonderful experience to team up with TEDxHECMontréal & to live those moments with my dear actors & actresses. Thank you!
List of names/credits coming soon.
Videos, montage realization & song by Vanessa Elle.

Behind the scenes images

Prom Photography | Vanessa Elle

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Prom Photography | Faculty of Law at Université de Montréal
Cocktail & Photobooth pictures taken on May 5th 2013 in Mont-Tremblant.

Dear future lawyers & notaries,
it truly was a pleasure to be your prom’s photographer
& an honor to capture this cheerful milestone in your lives.
Congratulations & make the beginning of your new life journey beautiful,
Vanessa Elle

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Slideshow of some pictures… For more visit my Facebook page.

Prom CocktailProm
3, 2, 1: HANDS IN THE AIR, SCREAM!
I must say… It’s breathtaking to gather hundreds of people together, stand in front of them, & then share your positive energy with them. To see their hands simultaneously move up towards the sky & to hear them loudly scream is an amazing short-lived moment.

Prom Photobooth
Prom Photobooth | Posing, dancing, smiling, screaming, laughing… An evening filled with colorful expressions! Photobooths add a significant favorable euphoric & creative experience to the event or occasion in question. It’s really the time of the day &/or night when people can express their creative senses & enjoy every step of the fun photobooth process. From choosing one or various combination of accessories, to walking or dancing their ways to the photobooth “stand or scene”, to inviting friends to join in to take pictures & to then posing, dancing & having a blast in front of the camera… My role? Motivate & cheer them up to be themselves, go crazy & make sure that they live the ultimate best out of their moments. It was awesome to see law students of UdeM express feelings of success, feelings of joy & feelings of pride in completing their Bachelors degree in Law! I simply had a blast with you guys!

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For more pictures: Vanessa Elle Facebook page
Prom Photography Album: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.170254276472573.1073741836.119889021509099&type=1

Master’s & Ph.D Prom

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This weekend, graduate DESS, M.Sc, MBA & Ph.D students of HEC Montréal & I celebrated our well deserved end of year – graduation prom. This year, the prom commitee of the aecs (Association des étudiants aux cycles supérieurs de HEC Montréal) invited us to to celebrate our academic progress & success at Hotel Sacacomie in Saint-Alexis des Monts. From cocktails to supper & from supper to party…

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Elementary school + high school + college + undergraduate + graduate school; together, this approx. adds up to a 19 years old academic life! 19 years of experience as students definitely does deserve a weekend celebration filled with happy, fun, emotional & crazy times, laughter, unforgettable moments, champagne cheers, lots of dancing & not enough of sleeping… May 11th-12th 2013, dresses & suits reunited to liveuphoria the  ”academic success” way.

As Marketing M.Sc students’ representatives of the aecs at HEC Montréal, my colleague & I were motivated to live an experience with graduate marketing students. To celebrate their progress & success at completing their masters degree, him & I decided to offer glow in the dark glasses & bright sunglasses, both branded with our “traditional” I <3 MKT logo,  as a gift. (MKT stands for Marketing) Welcoming all marketing students to participate in the process of making those glasses glow (breaking the fluo liquid) is becoming a vivid “rite of passage” for the marketing option (branded glow in the dark glasses were used last year as well). I love MKT sunglasses, I love MKT glasses… simply one way to bring students together, to reinforce a sense of belongingness by reuniting them around the one principal thing that they & I have in common: our academic decision to pursue a higher education in marketing!
Just a creative way to express & highlight in the fact that they, we & I heart MKT.


Special thanks to the aecs, the end of year prom comittee, to my partner in crime & to all of you students for celebrating success with us. Congratulations!!!

Creative Leadership

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The “Leaders créatifs: de l’idée à l’action” conference in one image… What’s better than  having creativity, leadership & inspiration for breakfast? Aren’t those amongst the healthiest & most delicious mind & business nutrients? April 26th 2013, I had the privilege to live a vivid & fulfilling morning experience at HEC Montréal.

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Slideshow: few pictures that I have saved…

About this event
Isabelle Hudon, Stéphane Cardin (replacing Francis Baillet), Hugues Foltz, Martin Gauthier, Sylvie Geneau, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, Laurent Simon & Jean-Jacques Stréliski were invited to express their mind’s say about ideas, creativity & innovation, leadership, management & many other crucial topics. What is a creative leader? How to free this creative leader which exists within us? How to integrate creativity & innovation across different contexts, workplaces & industries? & more… Conferences, interviews & a debate session helped address such important questions. Important? Highly & tremendously important, yes! Let’s just say that “managing creativity is the main priority, according to 70% of CEOs”. Let’s also add that according to IBM, creativity was selected as most crucial factor for future business success (2010).

My experience
From serious to fun, from expected to surprise & from laughter to goosebumps… The beauty of this journey was the unique & captivating ways each person further contributed to our perceptions & understanding of creative leadership. They were in fact leading us with their creativity. The words & images of each person significantly added a memorable flavor to this “breakfast for the mind”.

Conferences | Few of those experts’ words
Isabelle Hudon 
“Creativity can be done alone. Leadership, never!”
“Creative leadership: with ambitions, audacity & authenticity, nothing is impossible

Laurent Simon
Creative leadership: Connections, collaboration & creation (the 3Cs). “Rethinking innovation: Leadership must change & be creative! Make sense, be passionate & stay curious”
“You need to have the right resources, the right raw materials: ideas!”

Stéphane Cardin
“Inspiration is when someone speaks to me about their dreams & passions”
Philosophy: “Fail faster, follow the fun”

Martin Gauthier
“Creative leadership is a marathon not a sprint”
“We all have a small creative leader within us and we must set it free! – Martin Gauthier

Interviews & debate | Creative Leadership in one image…
It truly was interesting & captivating to see how Sylvie Geneau, Jean-Jacques Stréliski, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon & Hugues Foltz each “visually” defined Creative leadership. Below, you will see the image(s) that they presented & briefly elaborated about to the audience. Creative Leadership according to …5 copy Crealeaders3_Liveuphoria copy Crealeaders4_Liveuphoria copy Crealeaders5_Liveuphoria copy
To conclude, I must say that it was impressive to further discover this notion of “creative leadership” which turned out to be extremely creative itself! Regardless of whether one perceives the brain, legos, train tracks & wanting creative leaders as representative of creative leadership, one thing needs to be kept in mind: even if the representation of this term may vary form one person to another, Martin Gauthier reminds us to just set it free!
-
How would you define Creative Leadership? What moves ideas to action?

Reference
Leaders créatifs: de l’idée à l’action

News | Vanessa Elle

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When my work evolves, so do my brand, my logo & myself! – Vanessa Elle

Spring is when nature resumes her loveliness & when “life is alive in everything” (Christina Rossetti). It is with this “spring” state of mind that I have decided to beautify my brand’s logo to let it breathe a more significant life, to let it visually  communicate & freely express itself. By changing logos from “Ve Photography” to Vanessa Elle Photography & Videography, the image now officially mirrors or better represents Vanessa Elle.  Truly excited to sign your moments, your lifetime memories & my future artwork with this adorned signature!VanessaElle Facebook

Vanessa Elle Photography & Videography: a passion, a business… a love affair!
Instagram
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VanessaElleOfficial

-Thanks to all of you showing support either by expressing your thoughts, sharing very kind words &/or by “liking” my Facebook page!

Liveuphoria with Oprah

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“The real purpose is to realize your purpose. If you’re not living on purpose, you’re not living” – Oprah Winfrey
OprahAn evening with Oprah, Montreal
Clapping, chanting, screaming, smiles & tears welcomed a famous woman known around the world. Wearing a white chemise and long green skirt, she carried along with her enthusiasm, happy emotions, a beautiful smile & glowing tears!  «I’m going to cry up» she says with a sense of humor as she moves her head backwards looking towards the sky. WOW, what a breathtaking begining! Was the television & interview queen truly standing in front of my eyes? Was the host of The Oprah Winfrey Show, the owner of the OWN network, the greatest philanthropist in American history, the world’s most influential and powerful woman in the world, the richest African-American of the 20th century, the founder of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (South Africa), the successful woman who has interviewed thousands of people… Was she really here in Montreal for the first time ever? Yes, yes and yes! The inspiring Oprah Winfrey was at the Bell center on April 11th 2013. During this evening she shared with us her life experiences, stories and guided us on a journey communicating the importance of taking control of our lives and showing us how to reach our fullest potential. 15 000 people (mostly women) including myself shared space & time with Oprah this Thursday evening, a true once in a lifetime opportunity. I must admit, Oprah was not the only one who was “crying up”. Those very 1st few seconds of seeing Oprah live for the first time seemed so unreal. Her enthusiasm & emotions filled the entire place and were so contagious that many people were «crying up» along with her, even me…

8231228Oprah started the evening by asking the audience a simple & yet complex existential question: Why are we here? The purpose behind her question was to emphasize that regardless of who we are, what matters is that we are all breathing, all alive & that we are  now here for the same positive reasons. Even her first few minutes talk was awe-inspiring. Then, she openly spoke to us about her professional and her personal life. She shared with us the unique path that moved her from being a victim of poverty, abuse & rape to being the successful woman that she is today. “Being poor worked out for me” said one of the richest woman on the planet. “If I didn’t believe women could go so far, I wouldn’t be where I am!” Impressive to hear that the woman who repetitively attempted to kill her self as a teenager is also the same woman who today lives to give life, devoting her time, effort & positive energy to making a difference in people’s lives! It is the sharp contrast between her past and her present, the sharp contrast between who she was and who she is today that makes her a tremendously inspiring person for millions. The purpose of life, spirituality, intentions, failure & success, love & fear, happiness, hope, power and the conscious self were amongst the plethora of fundamental life topics uttered by Winfrey.

It is with enthusiasm that I would like to share with you, the readers, some of Oprah Winfrey’s wonderful, meaningful & powerful words said yesterday evening during this absolutely empowering experience. In order to do so, I take the interview approach, the Liveuphoria interview approach. During her uplifting evening talk in Montreal Canada, Oprah “answered” most of the questions that I would have loved to ask her in person…
How does Oprah Winfrey Liveuphoria? Here are some of Oprah’s sayings last night…

Who inspired or inspires you the most?
“Barbara Walters. I always pretended to be her early on in my life

What is the first thing you do or think of every morning?
“I watch the sunrise every morning. It’s my favorite moment. The sun is my faith!”

According to you Oprah, what is the purpose of life?
“The real purpose is to realize your purpose. If you’re not living on purpose, you’re not living. Just live the highest expression of yourself.”

The Oprah Winfrey Show, tell us about your experience…
“I had the best 25 years of my life. For 25 years, everyday was like my wedding day! That’s why I didn’t get married.”

What is your definition of failure?
“Failure is life at its poignant moment. It looks like the end, it looks like failure but it’s just the universe coming to tell you to move in another direction.”

According to you, what is power?
“The greatest power is your ability to love. You are the one teaching people how to treat you so know where your power is. Be yourself, love yourself, take control of yourself.”

Oprah, are there any words you would like to share about your experience here in Montreal Canada?

Oprah’s conclusion

As a final message to her large audience filled with fans, this fabulous woman tells us to:
 change our enery from negative to positive
, to express gratitude, to be grateful for what we have
, to be who we are
 and not pretend to be someone else & finally, in her own words, she concludes by saying: “my wish or prayer for you is to listen, to pay attention to your life. TAKE YOUR GLORY AND RUN!”

Once in a lifetime experience
From TV to reality…
Fascinating, incredible, touching, breathtaking, heartwarming, uplifting, impressive… It is the sum of those words & more that could best describe my experience. It was beautiful to finally see & meet a person who also loves life, courageously aims high, takes risks, remains positive no matter what & who loves to share her happiness, her energy, help & encourage people to make their day beautiful. The unpredictable length of time that we have left in life is enough to motivate us to take control of ourselves, live a life with purpose, be grateful & liveuphoria daily! Pay attention to your life and remember : ” life wants you to know that you alone, just with yourself, by yourself & for yourself is enough”
- Oprah Winfrey

Few pictures coming soon

Bal en Blanc 19

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“There is no other place in the world I would rather be spending my Easter Sunday than here in Montreal for the amazing Bal en Blanc” – Markus Schulz

Imagine walking through large dark curtains & discovering a world filled with thousands of people dressed in white from head to toe, a world in which the sounds of music can over stimulate your sense of hearing & trigger a mind-skin sensation of goosebumps or chills, an experience energized with the colorful lights & the multitude of laser light effects emitted from the stage. Imagine that the only people in front of you are your favorite Djs & if you look next to you or behind you, you could see a huge crowd of excited fans dancing, jumping & singing. Then as the songs reach their “angelic” or “vocal” climax, imagine thousands of people slowly raising both of their arms up, moving their heads up towards the sky, closing their eyes & letting the anticipation of the music’s build up take their minds away. Armin Van Buuren described those euphoric moments saying that “trance music has an effect on people. It makes them ecstatic & it almost has a religious effect”. Finally, imagine that all of the above could last for hours, 15 hours of exhilarating moments bringing house & trance music lovers together under the same roof, for the sake of seeing & hearing some of the best DJs in the world such as Armin Van Buuren (#1 DJ in the world), Markus Schulz, Ferry Corsten (Trance room) | David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Dubfire (Main House Room).

In Montreal on Easter Sunday, March 31st 2013, 14 999 partygoers & I dressed in white & gathered on Palais des Congrès’ huge dance floor to celebrate the 19th edition of Bal en Blanc!

Endless dancing, endless smiling & endless goosebumps… this is how I describe my mind & body’s journey in the trance room. Project Offset, Cosmic Gate, Armin Van Buuren & Markus Schulz b2b Ferry Corsten’s (aka New World Punx) performances were amazing! The best hours of my night: Armin & New World Punx! This white Montreal rave party is about living an uplifting experience not only with the people around you who appreciate the art and beauty of electronic music but also to liveuphoria with & for yourself! If you love & appreciate electronic music, I strongly recommend that you add Bal en Blanc to your “must experience at least once in a lifetime” list.
I agree with what Markus said: ”there is no other place in the world I would rather be spending my Easter Sunday than here in Montreal for the amazing Bal en Blanc“!

Trance Room DJ Lineup: Mike McCarthy, Project Offset, Cosmic Gate, Armin van Buuren,  Markus Schulz b2b Ferry Corsten aka New World Punx, W&W, Andrew Rayel

House Room DJ Lineup: Stef Agostino, Franco Fabi, Sultan & Ned Shepard, David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Peter Rauhofer, Nicole Moudaber, Shaded, Dubfire

MyMontage: Armin Van Buuren at Bal en Blanc 18

Pics & videos taken with IPhone

See previous post: http://liveuphoria.ca/bal-en-blanc-18-2012/

The last MKT supper

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MKTT copy

The last supper & wine organization for the 2012-2013 year. Thanks to all of the graduate students in marketing for being present & sharing those cheerful moments with us.
On March 21st 2013, I made sure to save those great final supper moments of the year. It truly was a pleasure creating those memories with & for them.

To see pictures: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.155500284614639.1073741830.119889021509099&type=1&l=7f931834f4 … pic.twitter.com/G4bFzG413u

MKT stands for Marketing

Teatime with Jacques Nantel

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Photos, Interview & tea | Jacques Nantel, a professor, doctor, author & marketing expert!
“If you get to know what your fundamental competencies are all about, and in which ways you are unique, then you will, by definition, be the best of your kind.” – Jacques Nantel

Professor-Nantel-Tea-Liveuphoria About Jacques Nantel
Jacques Nantel is the second student to get a Masters of Science in marketing at HEC Montréal. As he said during our interview: “I got diploma number 2!”. He then pursued his education & few years later was awarded a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) with distinction from Indiana University. After completing his studies, this marketing expert followed the path to teaching. In fact, this year marks his 33rd year teaching at HEC Montréal, 38th year teaching in general. Aside from teaching, Jacques Nantel has been active & taking on various roles: Secretary General at HEC Montréal, holder of the Omer DeSerres Chair of Retailing, the founder and first holder of the RBC Financial Group Chair of E-Commerce, board of directors for several companies-organizations such as Videotron group, PLB International, Groupe Renaud-Bray, Centraide & the list goes on… But it’s not all! This scientific researcher has published over 70 articles in academic journals. The pleasure he finds in writing motivated him to write a total of 5 books so far. On veut votre bien et on l’aura is the most recently published book (2011).Screen shot 2013-03-09 at 2.24.36 PM

Throughout his life, Professor Nantel has received a number of distinctions, including the HEC Montréal Grand Prize for Teaching Excellence, the Leadership in Management Education award, best professors of Canadian business schools, the Laureate of the Year award in the consultant-trainer category, “personality of the year” for his contribution to the advancement of the marketing profession & more.

| Interview & pictures |
On March 8th 2013, I had the privilege to have a rich & enriching discussion with this marketing expert, asking him a variety of questions in regards to his academic, professional & more personal life. Dr. Nantel was “truly honored” to meet with me & share his sincere thoughts & words for my “photo-interview & blog”. This baroque opera music enthusiast & I covered topics such as business, marketing, education passion, dreams, inspiration, music, space, love, & of course, he expressed his ways to reach & liveuphoria. It was a highly inspiring interview surrounded with cheerful moments of laughter all of which while enjoying a cup of tea!

Jacques-Nantel-Liveuphoria copyFew of the many questions…
Tell me a bit about you & your inspirations?
…“Everybody is highly competent in something! One of the things that inspired me throughout my life is the “butterfly metaphor”. There are no two similar butterflies. Every butterfly is the most beautiful butterfly of its type. If you get to know what your fundamental competencies are all about, and in which ways you are unique, then you will, by definition, be the best of your kind.”

What did you want to be when you were younger?
“I always wanted to teach. It never really mattered what I would be teaching. In fact, my first teaching experience, I was teaching swimming. This is how it all started.
Why teaching?
“Teaching is the most beautiful career you can think of to be able to help someone achieve his or her goals.”

Idealist, optimist, realist or pessimist?
“I am a realistic person, although I am optimist by necessity. My personal life has been a tough one for various reasons. But soon, I realized that within life you are going to be challenged, that you better have a realistic position. If you have it you can cope with challenges and by coping with them, you can therefore increase your level of optimism. You don’t need to be optimistic to cope, but you need to cope to be optimistic.”

How do you liveuphoria? What really makes you happy in life?
“By making sure that you are giving as much as you are taking from people. I hate to owe something to anyone. I want to make sure that I give more than I take. Without evenness you can’t reach the basic, the steady state of hapiness. Then once that state is fulfilled, happiness can be found in the simplest things in life.”

Tea-LiveuphoriaWhat is the first thing that you think about in the morning? (A question he loved)
“I hate to sleep. Sleeping is almost like a punishment to me. The first thing I think of when I wake up every morning is “thank God I’m awake!”"

What is one of your dearest passions?
“Sailing! It’s such a “humbling experience. I love this sport” he replied with high enthusiasm.

Can you tell me something about yourself that only very few would know?
“Marketing is not my biggest passion”

What is one of your favorite quote-citation?
“ if they succeeded at what they succeeded, then it’s probably because they did not know it was impossible”
- Mark Twain

Out of all your achievement & success, which ones bring you a sense of pride? (not in order)
The RBC chair of commerce, seeing where my students are, following their progression, & my book “On veut votre bien et on l’aura”

What message would you like to share with present or future marketing students?
To present or future marketers?
“Something I always loved about marketing is that unlike a lot of areas, marketing is a blend of areas. Essentially, what’s great about being in marketing, are the little bits of you. Mainly, the message I’d like to share is: keep all those tools active. It is the blend of those capacities that make this profession so interesting.”

| About my experience |

Dr.Nantel and I - LiveuphoriaA meeting with a welcoming, caring, inspiring, positive & successful marketing doctor, an opportunity I simply could not miss! Overall, it was a wonderful experience to hear Jacques Nantel’s mind’s say, the verbal way! It surely was motivating to interact with someone who also shares a passion & dedication to live happy by simply savouring the simplest things in life. Above all, it was awe-inspiring to learn that regardless of one’s difficult past, a person can realistically cope with negative life challenges, reach higher optimism, continue following his or her dreams & even realize every single one of them! This high achiever & I both agreed that everything does happen for a reason and that there is no one single path to success, no one unique way to liveuphoria. After all, if he succeeded at what he succeeded, then it’s probably because he did not know it was impossible!
& this, to me, was an experience absolutely worth sharing!

*Verbal & written consent to share words & pictures were obtained.

Nuit Blanche Montreal 2013

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Montreal pulled an impressive all-nighter yesterday! Videomontage of my experience & moments. *Words about my thoughts & experience as well as pictures are to be added to this blogpost soon | liveuphoria.ca/nuit-blanche |

Yesterday, March 2nd 2013, was the 10th edition of Nuit blanche, a once in a year experience in Montreal. It was “Nuit Blanche” in 5 different areas from which we chose: Quartier des spectacles et centre ville.

Activities
Fireworks – Place des Arts
Abécédaire au carré
24 hours of vinyl – Le Bleury, bar à vinyl
Society for Arts and Technology [SAT]
DJ – VJ live performance
Pluie du lumière (LED light containers – Casino)
Dome RBC

The city was awake & illuminated with its cultural, artistic and eclectic variety of activities. An amazing & unique winter evening in Montreal!

Behind the scenes… (IPhone)

Montréal en Lumière

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Without snow, some activities & events would, to some extent, loose their meanings, their uniqueness, their exclusiveness…
Montreal en Lumière, a free exterior site located in downtown Montreal, offers a wide range of activities to enjoy this winter season.
When? Between February 21st and March 3rd, Montreal evenings will be brightly & colorfuly shining!
For a second year in a row, I decided to relive this winter experience though this time, I saved few moments “in motion”. Enjoy my 2 minutes video montage of Montréal en Lumière, captured February 28th 2013.

In this respective order, you will see;
- Air France ferris wheel
- RBC Dome
- On stage band performance
- Bistro SAQ
- The Milk Urban Slide

For more information: Montréal en Lumière

Mind & Bodypump

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Photoshoot & Interview with Louis-Philippe Baraby | An Entertainment Marketing Consultant & M.Sc marketing Student.
“I’ve always been a really intense person. No matter what I choose to do, I always really go at it, I never go halfway” is how Louis-Philippe introduced himself at the begining of our interview which was held on February 14th 2013. In fact, whether at school or at the gym, Louis-Philippe is a person who simply does not believe in the words “giving up”. His passion for health & fitness as well as his success oriented self are what motivated me to discover & write about the ways this young gentleman was living euphoria.
LPBofficial

Interview
“It’s a huge accomplishment” he says. Louis-Philippe Baraby was recently selected for the Les Mills BodyPump training. He was amongst the 16 participants to be selected out of the total 40. & how is that a step closer to reach one of his most desired goals? Well, in April 2013, this graduate student will be realizing one of his dreams; obtain the BodyPump certification & become a Bodypump instructor!

What inspires you to be an instructor?
“It’s rewarding to help people just become better. When your health is better so is your life. I think you’re a better person when you’re healthier… It’s about helping people reach their goals, pushing them out of their boundaries”

According to you, what is a good instructor?
“A good instructor is someone who doesn’t just arrive on time to teach class set music & pick up the bar. You have to get there early, connect with people, learn about the participants. You have to have some sort of connection… Get people to do the routine properly, positively and get them excited about it so they can to come back to the class.”

But what exactly is Less Mills BodyPump?
Bodypump“Les Mills BodyPump is an approx. 55 minutes workout which is all about endurance, toning muscles, getting stronger & building a better cardio. It consists of choreographed routines which change every three months. BodyPump instructors & the class need to learn a new choreography by heart.” During his undergraduate years as a marketing student at University of Ottawa, Louis discovered BodyPump. Ever since 2004, he has been in love with this group fitness training. For those of you who may be interested in seeing what BodyPump is about, here is a link recommended by my interviewee:

Who-what inspires you?
“I think I pick up the best and the worst from the people around me who do things that motivate me. I don’t have a role model. There’s always something you could look up for in people, when you find the right people. I think you are who you surround yourself with. I’ve often heard that one is the average of the five people you hang around with the most. The more I think about it, the more I think that it is true. When you let go of the negative people, its hard at first but then it changes you, for the best!”

Talk to me about your Gymnoholic blog & concept…
I think I am one (a gymnoholic). It’s a way for me to show people what working out is about. My friends are always asking me for advice like what to eat, what music to listen to etc. The blog helps keep me motivated.” This “gymnoholic” also mentioned that the purpose behind his concept and blog is “to share the love of working out” which according to me, is a beautiful initiative.

Photoshoot (more pictures coming soon)

LPBB

What message would you like to give to readers?
“No matter what body shape you currently have…you don’t need to go to the gym everyday. Its just important to be active, its possible to get to a fitter level. Any exercise is good. It’s about small incremental steps and nutrition is really 70-80% of it all.”

Concluding Remarks
Louis & I
Although he was slightly shy at the beginning of the interview & of the photoshoot, Louis-Philippe quickly entered a state of comfort, a state of flow. Asking him questions & listening to him respond was as great  as seeing him communicate joy & excitement through his facial reactions and body gestures. It’s amazing to see and hear people freely express themselves regarding their dearest passions, accomplishments & dreams. Our optimistic personalities & attitudes sure created a great synergetic photo-interview experience which could have lasted for hours if time was not a constraint.

I strongly believe that such “intensity” (such as is refered to at the beginning of this blogpost) awakens in a person the moment motivation, passion, determination & dreams meet.This said, it was a pleasure to discuss & collaborate with this blogger. Without a doubt, this future BodyPump instructor will soon be building connections with his “students” & help them bring their positive energy with them to class. Looking forward to  assist to one of Louis’ BodyPump classes & perhaps, have a followup photoshoot, interview & maybe even a videoshoot session of him instructing…

To be inspired & to inspire! What inspires you? What are your dreams?
How do you liveuphoria?

*Verbal & written consent to share words & images were obtained.

PA-SHION

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| PA-SHION |
A photoshoot & interview with Julia. M, a fashionista & M.Sc Marketing student.

Photoshoot
It is with great enthusiasm that Julia & I met on January 11th 2013 for her fist photoshoot. It was a day filled with energy, creativity & of course, lots of clothes. Prior to shoot day, Julia had prepared five different sets or outfits to wear.

PhotoShoot: In order to allow for her to express herself & find ways to possibly communicate her fashion style & tastes, I attempted to capture moments as we experienced them. (more pics to be posted soon)

Interview (a short version of our discussion)
February 11th 2013 | “My entire life is about fashion” - Julia. M
Since a very young age, Julia has been interested in the world of fashion. Her interests kept growing larger thus motivating her to work for fashion-boutiques. After some time, she became a buyer for new store collections which opened the doors to travelling opportunities, another passion of hers.

Fashion & education?
“Because the best part of it all is that even at school, I get to put together my passions for fashion & traveling. My thesis is really a bridge between my passions & my education.”
After completing her bachelors degree in communication at Université de Montréal, this young fashionista has made the decision to pursue her education, pushing it to a higher academic level with an M.Sc in marketing. As a current graduate student at HEC Montréal, Julia seeks to study luxury branding, fashion blogs & consumers’ perceptions. To not be unfair to one of her passions, Julia is considering traveling abroad to collect data information for her thesis!

Who-what inspires you?
“Mainly, three fashion blogs: Song of Style, Sincerly Jules & The Blond Salad. Chiara Ferragni & Aimee Song are both examples of fashionista bloggers whom I am inspired by and whom I follow.”

What are your general thoughts-opinions about the photoshoot?
“I wanted to try something different. Maybe it did clash with my typical kind of pictures but it’s a great experience, a positive one.”

A clash? Please elaborate.
Some pictures don’t really represent me. I feel as if I’m posing in all the pictures. Usually, i prefer street style pictures.

Street style fashion pictures?
“Yes. Street style is more about pictures effortlessly taken in a casual outdoor-street context. It’s the opposite of posing. Commercial advertising emphasizes on such posing techniques but today it’s all about fashion on the streets, luxury on the streets. Its not about the bag its about how you feel. It’s not about the professional studio but rather about natural pictures randomly taken outside on the street. That’s street style.”

As we looked at the pictures together, Julia had the impression that she was “posing” in nearly every single picture even if most shots were taken on spur of the moment & even if she was not directly looking at my camera! Althoug some pictures are indeed more “posy” than others, Julia’s perception & definition of the “natural” appeared to be completely different! It became clear while discussing that the context in which the picture is taken is what made the difference between pose style & street style. Seems like today’s fashion pics are context dependant. Could the plain studio background no longer be “the” typical context of today’s fashion sphere? Her perception of “posing” was mostly tied to the background in the image & to her eye gaze rather than to the overall feel of the image. Perhaps it was her influence/inspiration from fashion blogs speaking!

Note: the photoshoot was planned to be taken outside (streetstyle) but the weather did not permit.

Julia&I

This is the beauty of taking the time to listen to others’ perceptions & visions. It’s what helps extend our horizons above and beyond it’s actual state. Overall, it was a beautiful experience to share my photography passion with her passion for fashion. Truly enjoyed the entire process from pre-photoshot to post-photoshoot meetings. After all, there is no other better way to meet the wants & desires of your “photographee” than by communicating with them, paying attention to their preferences & tastes before, during & after the shoot. Every individual is different and so are his or her photograph-ideals! It’s not only about taking pictures, it’s about living this experience with the person, having fun as a team, discussing about it & also… writing about it!

Fashion is her path to liveuphoria, what’s yours? What inspires you?
Feel free to share comments, questions, ideas…

Vanessa Elle Facebook page: In progress…

*Verbal & written consent to share words & images were obtained.

Mkt supper & Snow Village

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vdn“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” -John Steinbeck

January 24th 2013 marked the before last supper that my friend & I will be organizing before the end of our one year mandate as “Marketing Option Representatives”. In an attempt to save moments & create longer-lasting memories, you will find some of the pictures taken yesterday at the restaurant. Thanks to all of the students who were present despite the icy cold weather. A great evening which was possible simply because of you.

After a cozy supper filled with discussions, laughter & of course some wine, all graduate students across all options were invited to pursue the evening with a “beginning of the session” party. This year, L’ AECS, (Association des étudiants aux cycles supérieurs de HEC Montréal) | HEC Montréal’s graduate student association sure found a way, an occasion to take advantage of the winter season! Winter coats, winter boots, tuques, gloves, scarfs & more, all welcomed to reunite together under amazing & warm igloos at the Snow Village | Village des Neiges. Ice ceilings above our heads & frozen snow underneath our feet, nothing like music to stimulate our minds & guide our bodies to appreciate this attractive winter destination.

Overall, this entire evening was a beautiful way to remind each & every single one of us that every weather has it’s beauty but not everyone sees it.

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Amour et Séduction | Everything to do with Sex

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Everything to do with Sex Show | Salon de l’Amour et de la Séduction
Warning: 18+ | Avertissement: 18+

The Salon de L’Amour et de la Seduction will be held at Place Bonaventure from January 18th to 20th 2013. It is considered as North America’s best Adult Consumer Show: http://www.amouretseduction.com | http://www.everythingtodowithsex.com/salon.html

The Salon de l’Amour et de la Séduction’s ”whole entertainment lineup has been updated for this year, featuring all new entertainment. Look forward to seminars presented by industry professionals. Also check out the Dungeon area to see and learn more about the local Montreal fetish community. Look forward to shopping for the latest and greatest products from our vendors, everything from teeth whitening to glass toys. New for 2013 we have completely updated all our 2012 area and guests including the Sexy Fitness Zone (details will be posted soon) and added new areas: the Erotic Art Area, Celebrity Star Area, Social Media Lounge, and Fifty Shades Playroom!!” (amouretseduction.com, 2013)

“Salon de L’Amour et de la Seduction is a window into the world of the products and services that enhance one’s sex life. Products range from the hottest new sex toys, lingerie and leather fashions and sensual fragrances, to books, body and visual art, erotic massage and health and nutrition.”

Sex Consumption, welcome to the Dungeon, Lingerie and leather fashion & sex with Dr. Jess are the four themes that I will briefly discuss about. Whether or not you have been to Montreal’s sex show, here is a picture collage that will either help you better imagine & visualize it or trigger your past memories as you read the following.

SalonAmourSeduction_Liveuphoria

Sex Consumption
Men & women, single married or in a relationship, alone, in couples or with friends… Regardless of age, culture & sexual orientation, hundreds of people visited this “kingdom of fantasies & desires”. This grand “sex shopping-mall” showcases an abundant selection of sex products & services such as sex toys, lingerie, condoms, sexy paintings, masques, sex books, sex workshop, sex «party services», sex shows, strippers, pole dancers, porn movies, penis & vulva-shaped chocolates & lollipops, luxurious & romantic motel rooms & so much more!

One can experience, discover, learn, participate and shop at the same time, at the same place. Such sex show or gallery can truly stimulate all 5 of the senses. One can taste breast-shaped candies &/or drink a beer, hear the echos of spanking and whipping sounds, see naked bodies decorated with paint, dip fingers in fluorescent shower gels, feel the multiple levels of dildo vibrations, get a free airbrush tattoo, spray some sex-formula perfume etc. At the “everything to do with sex show, you can see, hear, smell, touch and taste the various ways of consuming & producing love, seduction & sex. One of the many things that impressed me was the fact that the showcasing & selling of products&services were bathing in an ocean of information. In other words, aside from  being entertaining, they were also informative, taking the time to listen to potential consumers & communicate with them at a personal & private level. Also, it was great to see that the medical cabinet specialized in sexual health (Clinique A) was present to distribute condoms & heart-shaped chocolates.In addition, the fact of having sex experts, sexologists on the field (ex: Dr.Jess ) is another example which I consider tremendously valuable. This said, it is this beautiful balance between consuming sex products & services & consuming the sex information & “sex health tools knowledge that contributed to my overall positive feeback about the Montreal sex show.

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Welcome to the Dungeon

Screen shot 2013-01-19 at 7.18.31 AMIn BDSM (bondage/discipline, Dominance/submission, sadism/masochism) sexual play, “a dungeon is any space set aside for “scene” activities” – Wikipedia.

A dungeon area at the Salon de l’Amour et de la Seduction? Yes of course! A show or exhibit about everything to do with sex cannot be complete without presenting the different possible flavours of sex practices & this does not exclude BDSM. Although pictures were forbidden in this section of the “everything to do with sex show” exhibit, above is an image to stimulate your imagination. As I entered this place I was welcomed by men & women dressed in black & I was greeted with echoes of spanking & whipping. In addition, it was interesting to hear one of the women speak to the audience-visitors, providing them with information & explanations about BDSM practices. Interested to find out more, I approached two members of the community who kindly made the time to discuss with me.  After shortly “interviewing” each one of them separately, I have significantly gained more insights about their experiences, practices & the Montreal Fetish community in general.
“It’s a playground” one of them said & that, regardless of where you practice BDSM (at home or in dungeons). Respect, fun & security were values constantly emphasized by both of the individuals. We spoke about practices, rules, codes of conduct, events & meetings, dress codes & sex.

In an attempt to clarify some misconceptions, one of the individuals said: “with swingers, everything is possible until you says no. With BDSM, noting will happen until you say yes”

In sum, my short journey in the dungeon area was fascinating! Thanks to the two individuals in question.

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Lingerie and leather fashion
Here are few of the pictures which I took during one of the shows. Well, if this represents what is trending in the bedroom this year, you sure will find a piece of lingerie in your favorite color! Bedroom apparel, another expression of love & seduction.

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Sex with Dr. Jess

During my visit at this Montreal exhibit, I had the opportunity to attend to Dr.Jessica O’Reilly’s seminar/workshop about oral sex. Dr. Jess “is a sexologist, public speaker and author”. This sex & relationship expert has also hosted PlayboyTV’s SWING” (sexwithdrjess.com). Recently, Dr. Jess’ new book Hot Sex Tips, Tricks, and Licks: Sizzling Touch and Tongue Techniques for Amazing Orgasms was released (January 2013).

Dr. O’Reilly’s workshop was informative & entertaining. Her expertise & great communication skills have captivated my attention. Even if sex talks in general make some people feel shy or trigger some level of discomfort, this author constantly encouraged this segment of the audience to feel more at ease with a touch of humor.

After her presentation regarding oral pleasure & oral sex, her & I briefly discussed. It’s just amazing to meet someone with whom you have lots in common. & since I am a person who also optimistically seeks to pursue my academic, professional & artistic goals & dreams, Dr.Jess certainly is an inspiration. Assisting to her “sex conference” & interacting with her was a true highlight of my experience at Montreal’s sex show.

Screen shot 2013-01-19 at 3.46.18 PM

  Concluding Remarks

Screen shot 2013-01-19 at 6.59.01 PMThere is no other better way to summarize my visit than with the letters s, e and x. The Salon de L’Amour et de la Seduction has met my expectations for many reasons some of which I have presented above. This sex show indeed is a “window into the world of the products and services that enhance one’s sex life”. It is filled with a world of fantasies & desires to be met, explored & satisfied. Overall, this grand “sex shopping-mall” did have “everything to do with sex” & that includes adopting a clitoris!

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If you haven’t been, would you go?
If you have been, what are your thoughts about Canada’s best  Adult Consumer Show?

Marions-Nous | Let’s Get Married

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Les Grands Salons Let’s Get Married | Les Grands Salons Marions-Nous
Let’s Get Married’s Grand Salon Marions-Nous is “Canada’s largest bridal wedding exhibit-show featuring hundreds and hundreds of wedding specialists showcasing their indispensable products and services for the bride and groom”. (marionsnous.ca) This large wedding exhibition was held on January 5th & 6th 2013 at Place Bonaventure in Montreal. This “Grands Salons” gathers together many specialists in the wedding industry. Visitors can find wedding rings, bridal dresses, tuxedos, reception hall facilities, photograhers, videographers, DJs, dancers, florists, limousines, home furnishing, hair & makeup consultants, wedding planners & so much more… Each business brand had its own kiosk amongst which the public can circulate on a large red carpet.

Liveuphoria_SalonMarionsNous

My experience & perceptions
Are you the bride? When are you getting married? Did you find your wedding dress? Did you book your reception hall? Who’s your photographer? Do you need a florist? Or maybe you need a limo? Perhaps you’d like a piece of chocolate? They are delicious! Try!…
Pretty impressive! Bombarded with all those questions, yes I was! The only question that I answered was the chocolate one & yes they were delicious! Aside from being bombarded with questions, I received a large number of flyers & business cards all of which I carried in a bag that I was given as a gift. January 6th 2013, I experienced Les Grands Salons Let’s Get Married for the first time.

I personally believe that it can be a great source of ideas & inspiration for engaged couples (target market) to visit & interact with businesses in the wedding industry. The Grands Salons does offer a wide range of product & services, inspiration & one can obtain lots of information in an easily accessible & convenient way! However, to some extent & with a small portion of exaggeration, visiting this wedding exhibit felt like a flea market experience. Some kiosks were “louder” than others. Whereas some were trying to convince me to book “my wedding” with them, others were nearly silent. The smile on their faces was the only word to be heard.

Concluding Remarks
Overall, it was a great experience. I think it can be a very attractive milieu for a businesses in the wedding industry to expose products and services, meet & interact with actual or future customers, & network with other businesses… In addition, I had the opportunity to see people with whom I have worked with (as a photographer or videographer) & to socialize with other actors in the industry. It was amazing to see the rich diversity & the plethora of possibilities presented to couples. However, I strongly believe that the most important values were missing. Do I need to remind the reader that it was an exhibit for a once in a lifetime event? Perhaps the bride & groom did feel treated in a special way for their special day? As for me, I strongly think that it’s not about how loud one is, how many flyers one gives or how delicious the chocolate is. Uniqueness & differentiation in the world of love & wedding is about making a difference, adding a significant value, “beautifying” the experience of one of to the most important & special day in a person’s life. After all, how can the values of passion, love & care be nearly absent in this world of dreams, memories & magical love?

What about you readers? Have you ever been to the Salon?
If yes, feel free to share your thoughts?

2012 Photo & videography

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2012 Photography

2012-Liveuphoria

2012 Videography
Videography_Liveuphoria

On my 2012 bucket list: follow my photography-videography passion, seeking to progress, gain more experience & never give up on something that I love to do & do with love.  Item checked! Even if its been less than one year and a half that I have purchaed my camera, I am happy to say that I have exceeded my own expectations! Very honored to have had the opportunity to save a plethora of special & once in a lifetime moments for people who believe in my passion, trust my work & appreciate my positive, creative & energetic personality! Today, thanks to my firm motivation & persistent determination, I have realized another of my dreams! Vanessa Elle officially is my business & as a creative entrepreneur, I will keep to aim high in order to meet my personal & business 2013 goals.

“Everything seems impossible until it’s done” – N.Mandela
Happy New Years everyone :)

A Self-Portrait of Montréal

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ABCMTL_LIVEUPHORIA

The ABC:MTL exhibit – A Self-Portrait of Montréal
Curious & with a never-ending appetite for novel experiences, discoveries & knowledge, my friend & I decided to visit the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA). Located in downtown Montréal, the CCA is an “international research centre and museum on the conviction that architecture is a public concern” (cca.qc.ca, 2012).

A Self-Portrait of Montréal?
If it were possible, how would Montréal draw or paint it’s own portrait? How would a city represent itself? How could it express itself? Or perhaps the questions we should be asking ourselves is: how would  citizens express themselves & their understanding of MTL? After all, aren’t the visitors & inhabitants of a city playing an important & influential role in shaping a city’s portrait and it’s self-image?

Until March 31st 2013, the CCA offers to the public a large & creative “collage”. This « collage » or collection of work represents the collaborative participation and contribution made by many different individuals. Different individuals, different work, one mission… To answer the following question: What is Montréal? You Tell us. » which was the slogan to this project. As an open-source exhibit, this project welcomed many different kinds of work submissions (« locals, tourists; individuals, collectives; videographers, musicians, architects, artists, writers: we want your perspective on Montreal » is written on their work-submission page).

About my experience
I was impressed to see the many various possible ways of defining & understanding Montréal. Contributions/artwork included pictures, sculptures, drawings, videos & more. To be more precise, according to their official website, “over 90 contributions including photography, music videos, sculptures and installations, drawings, models, workshops, lectures and performances». I think that this expression of variety is a wonderful reflection or representation of the “variety” one can experience in Montreal, whether it being variety in terms of buildings or variety in terms of cultures & religions. Montréal locals, tourists artists & more have used their freedom of expression & made the decision to share their skills, talents & knowledge with the public! I perceive this as a “bring your own art-talents-skills-knowledge” kind of exhibit which made my appreciation skyrocket.
Liveuphoria Montréal & my concluding remarks
Because to me, this exhibit shows that it doesn’t matter who you are, or what you do, or what you look like or who you believe in or how long its been you are in Montreal etc. You have the freedom to express yourself & share with others your perceptions & understanding of this city. You can represent the meanings this city holds for you. After all, isn’t open-mindedness one of the beautiful traits of Montréal?