As the saying goes, you only get one first impression. And in the case of magazines, the cover is what I'd consider our first impression. If the cover shot is dynamic, fun and visually gripping, the chances are all the better that you'll dive in and read the actual articles within the magazine.

For the September issue, our first impression is a shot of Old Montreal—an image that highlights our photo essay celebrating the iconic locations of WestJet destinations that have been featured in some of our favourite movies. Check out the Cinematic Cityscapes blog post to see all of the places we featured.

Montreal-based photographer Ken Kaminesky was the photographer behind the cover shot (and the Montreal shot within the article itself). He blogged about his work with up! on the weekend, and it's really fascinating to hear the story behind his work.

Here's a sneak peek of what Ken had to say in his blog:

"We have had very strange weather this summer in Montreal. I had to go several times to get the right shots, as it seemed to rain every time I’d make an attempt to shoot. The cover photo was the easiest one of the two, since this time I wanted to get some people in the shot. As a rule I try my best to make sure I don’t have anyone in my images. However this time I think it conveys a better feeling of what it’s like to walk around the old city at night. There is a nice blend of locals and tourists walking about as you hear the sound of music coming from Les Deux Pierrots, Old Montreal’s most famous boîte-à-chansons (song club).

Walk a bit further and you’ll arrive at Place Jacques Cartier, next to Montreal’s beautiful city hall. There you will find some great buskers that perform to the delight of onlookers. Just to the south you’ll find the Old Port of Montreal where there is a lot of cool stuff to do, for people of all ages. Art galleries, museums, great restaurants, and you can even bicycle or rollerblade on the F1 Grand Prix track! Old Montreal is a fantastic place and once you visit, you’ll want to come back again and again."

Check out Ken's full blog post to read the whole story behind the cover shot and see more of his photography.

Big kudos to Ken for his fantastic work, and for spreading the word about our September issue!