Grade 1 student Theodore Janz, 6, poses for a photo in the sensory calming room at Our Lady of the Prairies Elementary School in Edmonton on January 8, 2016. The room allows some students time to decompress, from the noise and buzz of an ordinary classroom. Photo by Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal

This video was a fun challenge to make. There were so many interesting lights and objects to shoot but the room was very small and dark. I used my Dedolights to shape and splash light on objects to bring out details.  For example, I beamed light on the chair, the toy on the floor, behind the tree and the painting on the wall. If lighting is done right you shouldn’t be able to tell it was lit at all.

Behind the scenes photo of my interview setup with Journal freelance sports reporter Jason Hills.

Boxer Ryan Ford poses for a photo at Avenue Boxing Club in Edmonton on January 6, 2016. Photo by Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal

Jessica Pigeau, a student with autism, who will be presenting a research paper at the 17th International Conference on Autism. She will be one of very few autistic people to be presenting. She poses for a photo at the University of Alberta in Edmonton on August 11, 2015. Photo by Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal

Here is Paula Simons helping me test the lighting. I used two lights to the left and right and one above on a boom arm.

Behind the scenes photo of Kane reading his child welfare file. I used cinefoil (black tinfoil) to control the light from my LEDgo light panels.

Kane Blacque poses for a photo in the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton on March 30, 2015. When he was young he would spend hours in this spot by himself and think about his life which was spent working as teen prostitute in the 1990’s. Last August, Blacque filed a Freedom of Information request with Alberta Human Services to see his entire child welfare record. Photo by Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal

Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry conducted training exercises around Josephburg, Alta. on March 19, 2015.  Photo by Ryan Jackson, Edmonton Journal

Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry conducted training exercises around Josephburg, Alta. on March 19, 2015. Photo by Ryan Jackson, Edmonton Journal

Members of the Scotford Hutterite Colony check out the historic DC-3 Dakota used for Operation Varsity at Josephburg airport on March 19, 2015. Photo by Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal

The Mayerthorpe Fallen Four Memorial Society held a candle lighting ceremony in Mayerthorpe, Alta. on March 3, 2015 to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of the deaths of RCMP Constables Peter Schiemann, Leo Johnston, Anthony Gordon and Brock Myrol in what was the worst multiple killing of Mounties in modern Canadian history. (Photo by Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)

We were going for five days so I had to pack relatively light for the trip. I new it was going to be cold which meant everything would slow down so the less gear the better. I was able to fit all my camera gear and clothing and supplies in two Thinktank Logistics Manager suitcases. I love these cases because they are tall enough to fit tripods and light stands so that you can literally have everything on wheels. I brought two Panasonic GH4 cameras for shooting video and a Canon 1DX for stills. I also squeezed in a Kessler Pocket Dolly and a Slik tripod and head for support.

We interviewed the Mayor of Fort McMurray and other local business owners about the economy and looming recession. The price of oil hadn’t plunged anywhere near to where it would be a year later. I bet if we re-asked all the same questions today we would be getting very different answers.

Here’s a photo of me shooting some video on the hood of our rental SUV. The Panasonic GH4’s handled the cold surprisingly well. I only had one incident where the camera literally froze up and the buttons stopped working. On the bright side it kept recording video and I didn’t miss anything.

The gate to the Fort Chipewyan winter ice road.

The winter ice road from Fort McMurray to Fort Chipewyan in Northern Alberta on on February 4, 2015. The 200-km temporary road typically opens mid-December and closes mid-March depending on the weather. During that short window of time all the construction materials, heating oil, gasoline and diesel fuel for the year is shipped up to the isolated community of Fort Chipewyan which can only be accessed by air or river barge in the summer. Photo by Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal

The winter ice road from Fort McMurray to Fort Chipewyan in Northern Alberta on on February 4, 2015. The 200-km temporary road typically opens mid-December and closes mid-March depending on the weather. During that short window of time all the construction materials, heating oil, gasoline and diesel fuel for the year is shipped up to the isolated community of Fort Chipewyan which can only be accessed by air or river barge in the summer. Photo by Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal

A construction worker sprays water to build up ice thickness on the Firebag River along the winter ice road from Fort McMurray to Fort Chipewyan in Northern Alberta on on February 4, 2015. The 200-km temporary road typically opens mid-December and closes mid-March depending on the weather. During that short window of time all the construction materials, heating oil, gasoline and diesel fuel for the year is shipped up to the isolated community of Fort Chipewyan which can only be accessed by air or river barge in the summer. Photo by Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal

This was the weirdest thing we saw on the ice road. This tree was literally in the middle of nowhere. A random tree is decorated in Christmas ornaments along the winter ice road from Fort McMurray to Fort Chipewyan in Northern Alberta on on February 4, 2015.

Journal reporter Marty Klinkenberg, left, and photographer Ryan Jackson try to push Isaias Morgan’s vehicle after he got stuck in a snow bank after losing control along the winter ice road from Fort McMurray to Fort Chipewyan.

Journal photographer Ryan Jackson, left, and reporter Marty Klinkenberg try to add weight to the back of Isaias Morgan’s vehicle after he got stuck in a snow bank after losing control along the winter ice road from Fort McMurray to Fort Chipewyan.

Journal reporter Marty Klinkenberg stands by as Ice Road Trucker Ed Sullivan pulls Isaias Morgan’s vehicle out after he got stuck in a snow bank after losing control along the winter ice road from Fort McMurray to Fort Chipewyan.

We made it to Fort Chipewyan!

You don’t see buffalo crossing signs every day.

This was the worst!
On our drive back from Fort Chipewyan we had an incident. Marty drove the way up to Fort Chip and I drove back. It was my birthday that day and my wife and I were headed to Phoenix the next day for a nice warm vacation.
I was so excited and happy to drive the ice road that I didn’t notice when I missed the VERY IMPORTANT turn to head SOUTH to Fort McMurray. Instead we drove North for TWO HOURS before seeing this faded sign that said we were only 119 kms from Fort Smith, NWT.
We were in disbelief for a moment. We thought we were almost back to Fort McMurray and here we are two hours north in the wrong direction!
Lesson learned. Even in 2015, a compass can come in very handy.

Double truck story by Marty Klinkenberg in the Edmonton Journal on Feb. 28, 2015.

Shepard Wesley Henning with his flock on his farm near Mayerthorpe, Alta. on January 22, 2015. Henning says he loses 7-10% of his flock each year to coyotes and has taken measures such as deep fences and dogs help protect them. (Ryan Jackson/Edmonton Journal)

Glenn and Patricia Mattson pose for a photo with their quarter horse Missy on their farm near Mayerthorpe, Alta. on January 22, 2015. They say coyotes haven’t been much of a problem for them in the 40-years they have raised horses and cattle on their farm with the exception of a cat that was attacked once. (Ryan Jackson/Edmonton Journal)

Council chambers at City Hall were packed with Edmonton taxi drivers opposed to the ride-sharing service Uber coming into Edmonton to compete with existing taxi services in Edmonton on January 20, 2015. (Ryan Jackson/Edmonton Journal)

Bradley Moss, Artistic Director of Theatre Network rummages through the rubble of The Roxy Theatre which burned down on Tuesday in Edmonton on January 14, 2015. (Photo by Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)