Magazine Subscription Giveaway!

Zinio is host to many well known magazine publications. Some titles include Hello, Cosmopolitan, Harper's Bazaar, Artnews and Wallpaper, just to name a few. Here, I am giving 10 lucky readers the chance to win a free subscription to any one of the Zinio magazine titles.

So many great titles to chose from, I'm having a hard time deciding between Elle and Forbes magazine for myself. However, I could always use some inspiration for my Keepsake jewelry line with an art mag of sorts... Click here to view title options. 

All you have to do is shoot me an email at contact@deborahkanfer.com with 'Magazine Giveaway' in the subject line. In the email, please include your first and last names, email address, and title of the magazine you would like to win a subscription to. 
Good luck! 

While I'm at it, I will also mention that Zinio is also offering a 2 for 1 special. This offer ends on March 4th. Chose from selected titles, an offering of a 2 year subscription for the price of one. Click here to see which titles apply to this offer. Good luck and happy browsing! Read more...

Watch Your Step 2013

There's that staircase and banister again Normally banal everyday entities that one would not normally notice, I decided to capture these subjects from a different angle. The series of both of these images, I feel, creates a sense of continuity; up and down, back and forth, to and fro. Compatible dialectics, of sorts . Read more...

Door #1 or Door #2? 2013

Introducing the newest additions to my Interiors collection. This body of work (a sub-theme under Cityscapes and Living Spaces) capture the quirks and details, that caught my eye, in a Living Space during an Artist in residence program I participated in, in 2010. You will notice that the stair case and banister are common features in most of these works. Geaometric patterns and shapes are what draw me to these subjects. A submissive and passive sense of order and form. Read more...

Queen st W, Toronto 2012

My newest addition to Cityscapes and Living Spaces is Queen st W, Toronto. Slowly working through key neighborhoods in the city of Toronto, representing them in a way that, to the Toronto resident, encompasses the city in all of its landmarked and quirky glory. Like in The Annex 2012 I have slowly incorporated rough 'unfinished' pencil sketches. These symbolize the oscillation of a metropolis as well as just general being; an unfinished entity. Read more...

Artists, ACHTUNG!

Before I get started, I would like to express how I don't normally post 'ranty' content on this website. This site isn't my diary/journal/lifestyle blog, it is my professional fine art photographic website, so my scope is to maintain a rigid professional and updated site for you and for myself. Lately I have been receiving a lot of acknowledgement and recognition for my work and progresses in my profession. So much so, to the point of getting overwhelmed with happiness and fulfillment. Its something I have worked so hard towards for a very long time, and to be able to finally succeed in receiving such genuine praise, to see how all of my hard work is finally paying off is the biggest reward of all. I recently participated in a local fundraiser where I was more than happy to provide a piece, all in the name of a good cause. To make a long story short, my work ended up getting sold, but only for a fraction of its real worth. I had expressed, to the coordinator the value of the piece, and even after my specification, it was sold at an extremely undervalued amount sans my approval. Needless to say, I was/am not impressed in the least, and will probably not participate in that fundraiser again. Luckily. this issue has been rectified, but I would just like to emphasize to artists and everyone alike, beware, because there are people out there that are always looking for a 'good deal'. I'm afraid 'good deals' don't apply to the arts. Its the nature of the beast. I'm rather particular with gathering relevant and necessary info regarding any event that I will be providing work for, and I never agree to anything until a full disclosure and understanding of what is required, from both sides, is reached. This situation particularly frustrated me as I did follow all of my usual steps and protocols, and it was unavoidable as this issue took place based on one's initiative. So that's it. This is just a reminder to us creatives out there, how easy it is to be taken advantage of, but don't let it happen! Stay strong and continue believing and fighting for your worth. My university professor gave me some very wise advice 'never undersell yourself!'. He is correct, and I never will, you shouldn't either. Just a piece of my mind I would like to share and hopefully this reaches out to you. Thanks for reading! Read more...

Keepsake Fine Art Photographic Jewelry is Born! keepsake.name

Keepsake is my new jewelry line that I have created. Each piece of jewelry is handmade, limited edition and one-of-a-kind. They all directly correspond to photographic artworks I have created and will create in the future. Each item contains a traditionally printed black and white photographic silver print - Deborah Kanfer Fine Art Photography now also comes as wearable art! Please visit my jewelry blog at keepsake.name as this is where you will be able to see my collection as it grows. I am also on Pinterest (pinterest.com/keepsaketoronto), so also please feel free to follow, share and comment! I am so excited about this new venture, and I am even more excited to be able to share it with all of you! I hope you like what you see! :) Read more...

What Defines 'Art'?

Fine art photography vs commercial photography - these are just two categories photography can fall under. With so many different kinds, it comes as no surprise that many people are unaware of the subtle differences between each. Thresholds are so easily blurred that at the end of the day, what is it that makes it art or commercial? Fine art photography, for those that are unfamiliar, refers to a photograph that's created from the vision of the photographer with a creative and non-conventional intention. It differs from the likes of say photojournalism, as while the latter is intended to document and portray photographic evidence of an event, fine art photography is created to be looked at, to be enjoyed and to gain knowledge about the artist and their thoughts - subject matter varies. Advertising, for example, is one where it requires a decent amount of creative thought and conceptualization in order to create an advertisement/campaign. Surely this could be considered an art form too? Visual appeal, intelligent copy, every last detail is planned out. Whether photographic or not, the imagery within the advertisement is a creative artistic product. FoxyBingo.com is a decent example for this type of image and copy compilation. Photographers have been distributing their photographs as 'art' for well over a century now. Regardless of the debate, whether or not the medium is considered an art form. There would seem to be no accurate telling for how far back fine art photography stems. However one historian claims the earliest examples were created by John Edwin Mayall in 1851. Much of the fascination with fine art photography, are its roots which can be traced back to the Victorian era. As a time when photography was still new and difficult to come by, it makes the images captured ever more important to the history of photography. Overall, its an amazing medium that possesses the ability to capture and freeze time in one frame.


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Untitled (Queen st W) 2012

Black Market, Queen st W, Toronto, Ontario.

Green P, Queen st W, Toronto, Ontario.

Two new works to add to my new theme of Cityscapes and Living Spaces Also, these two works will be up for auction and on display at the fundraising event this Saturday, September 15th, Kiki For the Kids.  Click here for further details. These pieces will also feature, in some way, in my latest photomontage that I am currently working on: Queen St W, Toronto. Read more...

NEW! Toronto Themed Handmade Jewelry.

The first piece of many more Toronto Themed pieces to come. check h.a.d. Design Store for the newest additions. This Toronto theme follows my new theme of my photographic artworks of Cityscapes and Living Spaces. Read more...

NEW! Handmade Brooches - h.a.d. Design Store

Super duper excited about my newest addition to my jewelry line.Visit h.a.d. Design Store to see the full collection of brooches and other handmade photographic art jewelry pieces. As always, feedback is always welcome and encouraged! Read more...