Canada’s entertainment industry is expected to be worth around $1.28 billion by 2029, as it continues to grow steadily year-on-year. Over the next four years, it will also showcase a healthy CAGR of 6.85%.
Photographer Richard Beland has been at the heart of this industry for more than 20 years, working alongside some of the best international music artists, including Aerosmith, Coldplay and even the Rolling Stones.
Beland has also worked extensively as an in-house photographer at two of Canada’s biggest casino resorts. But which establishments has he helped to immortalize with his imagery, and how has he built such a successful career over time?
Working in Casinos – Which Brick-and-Mortar Establishments has Beland Been Employed By?
While the Canadian casino market was beginning to transition online at the turn of the century, the nation’s top land-based establishments were also continuing to thrive. In 2002, Beland became the in-house photographer at Casino Rama, which is located in the city of Rama, Ontario.
Beland is based in the Ontario city of Sarnia, and in 2007, he became the in-house photographer at the nearby Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort. He has worked at this iconic and picturesque location ever since, while the resort is now home to a permanent gallery that houses more than 200 of his best images.
Beland has certainly developed an affinity with the $1 billion complex, which overlooks the Horseshoe Falls and is arguably the single most prominent feature in the Niagara skyline.
Beland’s images have captured various aspects of the Niagara Fallsview resort, including the recently constructed and opened OLG Stage. The doors to this 5,000-seat concert hall opened in August 2022, while the $130 million venue has been heavily photographed by Beland.
Beland’s Iconic Career in Music and Entertainment
Before Beland became Canada’s premier casino photographer, he worked almost exclusively in the music business. More specifically, he was the lead photographer for Canada’s Chart Magazine and its online counterpart Chart Attack, which was once one of the region’s leading music publications.
Beland photographed various live shots for the publication between 1994 and 2009. Although the online version is no longer available, it enjoyed its pinnacle during Beland’s tenure, as the photographer snapped some of the most popular and iconic international artists around.
His portfolio also includes various publicity and promotional snaps for Iggy Pop and the Beastie Boys. One of the more memorable photographs was used as the cover of the book Rhyming & Stealing: A History of the Beastie Boys, which was written by The Guardian’s leading music critic, Angus Batey. His images have also appeared in books about David Bowie and Pearl Jam.
In addition to capturing international artists, Beland has also covered Canadian bands like Nickelback and The Tragically Hip. His ability to successfully capture the live performances of these bands helped them to achieve national and international fame.
A Little More Information About David Beland
In his earlier life, Beland pursued qualifications in mechanical engineering, but his enduring passion for photography inspired a career shift. He subsequently studied photography for four years, before spending 20 years in Toronto capturing the biggest international stars.
In addition to his famous live images and ability to capture music concerts, Beland has also completed a number of studio portraits and corporate projects.
To this end, his skill set also includes real estate photography. He has showcased an incredible ability to present properties of all types in the best possible way, earning contracts from individual homeowners, developers and agents alike. His work in this field demonstrates his understanding of the commercial world and how to deliver a valuable corporate service.
The Last Word
Ultimately, David Beland remains a seminal name in the world of pop-culture photography, and he has been at the heart of Canada’s thriving entertainment sector for more than 20 years.
Despite his work capturing land-based casinos and real estate, Beland remains best known for his iconic music imagery and output as the lead photographer for Chart Attack. He also contributed to the print version between 1991 and 2009, before leaving to concentrate on his casino works and additional private projects.
Regardless, Beland is one of the foremost entertainment photographers of his generation, while his work continues to inspire others across the globe.