OUR CALLING CARD IS THE PHOTOGRAPH
we put on our cover. I’m sometimes asked if it’s the first part of our production. People are surprised to learn that it’s often the last piece of the puzzle.
We might begin with a concept but it changes as the magazine takes shape. I like it when we have multiple cover options, even though this makes for tough decisions. That’s what happened with our 10th anniversary issue last October. We had to choose between models or cupcakes. We opted for cupcakes because we’d never done that before. It was our only cover that didn’t feature local people.
Our first cover of 2016 showcases two women who are comfortable in front of a camera. Vanessa Rempel and Melissa Shadd have connected daily with their TV and online audiences through their Rogers TV shows. Find out more about them on pages 34 to 38.
A great cover is just part of our visual story. We want every page to be lively so we publish quality photographs throughout the magazine. Subjects range from candid people shots, found in our Crowd Appeal pages (one of our most popular sections), to action and artistic shots and formal portraits.
A great image complements and enhances words on the page. Sometimes it’s all we need. In 2010, we reserved the final page of the magazine for Grand Finale, a series of stunning images shot along the Grand River. It was a nice way to sign off.
Fashion photography is challenging. Our fashion shoots might percolate for a while. I have long wanted a fashion spread to show how one wardrobe staple — for example, a white shirt — can be transformed. You can see how photographer and stylist Alisha Townsend tackled that assignment on pages 65 to 70.
Grand also features illustrations. Diane Shantz, our talented graphic artist, often creates them. Her spring watercolours are a personal favourite. She also does caricatures, such as the one in this column. She incorporates joyful elements, such as a favourite colour or a love of hockey.
I thought it would be fun to use Diane’s image with my last column as editor-in-chief. I have been at the helm since we launched Grand in 2005. I’m off for new adventures now.
Grand is the greatest success with which I have been associated in 30-plus years of journalism. We set the bar high, vowing to bring Waterloo Region a local lifestyle magazine of top quality. Our work has been recognized internationally through several awards from the Local Media Association, an industry group judging editorial content from media outlets across North America.
But the real highlight for me has been to meet Grand readers. I’ve connected with you at service clubs such as Probus and Rotary. You’ve chatted with me in grocery stores and hockey arenas. These conversations provided insights that we incorporated into Grand to make it your magazine.
It has been an honour and a pleasure to be with Grand from its inception. I’ve worked with talented colleagues who share my passion for editorial excellence and celebrating local achievements. I leave knowing the magazine has a loyal following and is poised to deliver more inspirational stories.
Like many Grand readers, I love to travel. I have seen much of the world in my journalism career and also on solo or family trips. I’ve written about visiting places such as Paris, California, Barcelona, Rome, the south of France, the southern United States and Cuba. I’m looking forward to exploring more of the world, with many enticing places on my travel bucket list.
An exciting journalism career has prepared me well for new opportunities in early retirement. It has indeed been a rewarding journey, telling your stories and watching the magazine thrive. I leave with fond memories, eagerly anticipating the next chapter in my own grand adventure.