My Second Cousin On My Wife's Side, Once, Or Twice Removed...I Can't Remember

She is producing a short film as a project for her film school course. She was kind enough to ask me to be the "stills photographer" for the film. These pictures have nothing to do with that. However, we were doing a lot of driving around today as she was organizing stuff for her film and I was the driver packer guy. While waiting for her at one location in Vancouver I got to hang around an alley. What fun! Naturally I got the camera out and started clicking. 

 Vancouver has a lot of old brick buildings and some people have taken to painting their art on the brick work. I found this in a dark little alcove. I generally try to format to about 8.5x11 but went out on a limb, this is closer to 17x11.  Shot using my 17mm at 1/50th sec f4, iso was 200

Here is another one, just for fun.... 

17mm at 1/60th f4 iso 200.

Chicka dee dee dee

These are flighty little guys and rarely sit still for any length of time. They are pretty common and they are pretty tame. They'll come check you out to see if you have any food. So if you're a little bit patient you will have a lot of opportunity and should be able to get a nice photo of one. 
This is a Black Capped Chicadee. I took this at Reifel Bird Sanctuary. I have talked about this place before. 


Picture info. Lens was a Tamron 200-400 f5.6 zoom. Set to 360mm and 1/640the sec at f5.6

Don't Bury Me On The Lone Prairie

For today I reached into the distant past (2003). This was a photo from a trip we took to Drumheller in Alberta. We stayed at a bed and breakfast just out of town while we were there. On the first day I went for a walk in the evening with the camera to see what I could see. 

This was one of the pictures I came away with. I hadn't been to the prairies since I was a boy and had never spent any time in Alberta. This photo really represented what the province was to my mind. 
I don't have any exposure information recorded for it. This was taken with my Nikon Coolpix995 which I have talked about before in this blog.

It's me Daddy!

This is my favourite photo from yesterday. There were a lot to choose from. Some others really stood out for me as well. This part (the formal part) of a photo shoot can be very nerve racking. Any picture can use some processing but if you don't get it right in the camera, you get nothing. I am finding though as I gain more experience and know my equipment better, it's that much easier to go to a location and do what I need to. I learn something every time. 

 Shot with the 50mm at 1/125th, f5.6, iso 100. Flash was through the umbrella from my left.

Jenn's Big Day

No! Not that one! You know, the other one. High School.....  
Normally when I went to a special occasion with my camera my thoughts were to record the actual event. Since I was there from the beginning yesterday I had the camera out while Jenn got ready. It was fun being a bit in the background clicking away while everyone did their thing. I definitely want to do this more. Who knows, someday I might be good enough to take on a wedding.....
Wait, what did I just say?

Taken using my trusty 50mm 1/80 sec f1.7.

Beercan

As I mentioned in a previous post, my little girl is graduating this year. Her commencement ceremony is tonight so I thought I would get today's post in early. 

The joys of telephoto. I took this picture in Steveston, some time ago. I had just bought my 70-210 telephoto and was out testing it. On a bright sunny day I shot this at 210mm, 1/1600sec at f5.6. I wanted to keep the lens wide open to get a shallow depth of field.  This was to isolate the seagull from the background. Here is an interesting little tidbit about shooting with telephoto. Any movement is exaggerated when taking a picture with telephoto making sharpness a concern. If you are handholding the camera, the minimum shutter speed should equal the focal length of the lens. For example, if you are shooting with a 300mm lens, your shutter speed should be at least 1/300sec. 
That is the lesson for the day. 

Ps: The reason for the title is the lens I was testing was an old Minolta lens referred to as a "beercan" because it is all metal and a rather heavy lens. If you shoot with a Minolta (no longer in the camera business) or Sony DSLR, this is a good cheap lens to have. 
 

Keep It Clean Would Ya?

Well, I learned something about macro photography tonight. If what your shooting is smooth and highly reflective, make sure you clean it first. Every little piece of dust, fibre and whatever shows up quite glaringly and you may not see it till you've done all your shooting and put it on the computer. I was trying to figure out how to get some shots of a chunk of amethyst crystals. Once I thought I had what I wanted, went to the computer and found a very dirty stone. So needless to say that is a project for another day. 
In the meantime. 

I remember taking this quite well. We were at Minter Gardens out all day taking photo's of flowers outside. Towards the end of our visit we wandered in to the flower shop. One of the staff was watering the plants and I happened upon this. I put on my 100mm macro lens and looked straight down. The iso was set at 400 and shot at 1/80th sec f8. I don't have a clue what the flower was, it was all about the colours in this one. 

Ps: My friend Nicola advised me this is a Gerbera flower. I was even able to find a photo of a similar one on the internet.  

My Little Girl is All Grown Up

Today was Jennifer's turn to pose in her cap and gown. She graduates this year. I just couldn't take her photo and not show it off..... 

 I shot this at iso 100, 1/100sec f4.5. Had the flash through an umbrella to my left. The sun was behind her and above the cedar bush. I used my 50mm lens which I got from ebay for under $100. I don't think I owned a 50mm lens till I went digital. Now it's a handy little portrait lens. If you own a DSLR you should get one, it's pretty sharp, especially for the price.

A White Flower

While I was out weed whacking around the yard this afternoon I came across these white flowers on a bush. I knew they were there but hadn't paid much attention to them until I was quite close to them. They were really quite white and quite pretty. 

I

I did an internet search but didn't find anything (mainly because I didn't look real hard). I still thought it was worth taking some photo's today.

The Path at Lighthouse

I made this some years ago now. I had been holding off putting it up here mainly because most people who come here have seen it. I've made lots of prints of it, even sold a one or two. Made prints from 4x6 to 11x17 inch. I never tire of it myself.

Here's something. Go to the next page to read a little fact about this photo. 

A Fairy in the Moonlight

Talking to Jenn about the photo's I've been taking I was telling her I had to think of things to Photograph. She said "Why don't you take a picture of my little fairy?". The idea took a moment to sink in but I started to get an idea. I had forgotten what she looked like, when Jenn brought her out I knew I had been thinking along the right lines all along.

Just one flash again. High and to the left behind her with a DIY snoot on the flash. Set the rock on black paper and hung some black cloth behind her. Shot at 1/125 f5.6. This didn't take very long to do at all and was fun.

Look Up. Look Waaaay Up......

Waterfalls are big and can be awe inspiring with the thundering noise and all that water falling from great heights. You work hard at getting the whole thing in the frame. How about taking pictures of parts of it? Zoom in with your lens, look around and see what you find.

 

 The title of this post is from my favourite show as a little boy, The Friendly Giant.
Remember Rusty and Jerome?

It's Not Unusual

There is a Day Lilly getting ready to flower on our balcony. It put me in mind of some pictures of it last year. Trying to get a different angle on it. I think I did.

 Actually I think I did more than once. 

What About....

Food? The local supermarket might not be awe inspiring for food pictures and the staff there might get suspicious of people taking photos of the frozen pea's or whatever. Never tried it myself. I've never had a problem at public markets. I think if you don't get in the way of paying customers they don't mind. Probably like better if you bought some of your subjects after. Sometimes the way the food is arranged can be rather pleasing. It's all how you look at it I guess. 

 Now that I have said food pictures in a supermarket might not be awe inspiring, I wonder if I should wander in there with my camera. 

Mistakes Can Be Okay

After Jenn's fancy dance party the other week I asked her if she was game to try a photo I was thinking of. She was even though she was tired. I wanted to try something with a shallow depth of field focusing on the eyes. I set up the flash wirelessly through an umbrella and started shooting away. The on camera flip up flash controls the main flash so it was up as well. After taking a few shots I realized the on camera flash wasn't triggering the other one. I thought about continuing but my little girl was just too tired to carry on. I actually quite liked what I got. 

 

Can You Spot the Little Birdie?

How Interesting I thought "A photo at the bird sanctuary with no bird in it" I was wrong.

The Bassist

Photographs at a concert can be quite a challenge. I shot black and white this evening and was quite pleased with what I got in this photo. Hope you like it too.

As I mentioned before I shot in black and white. With digital it might be better to shoot colour and convert. You have more control on the look of it that way. As far as shooting went. I shot manual exposure and metered on a bright area under a light. Then I just followed the musicians as they played, using continuous shooting usually about 3 frames at a time. There were lots of interesting frames from this evening. This one stood out for me. 

A Serious Photoshoot

A friend of mine has a son who is graduating this year. She asked if I could take photo's of him yesterday. I agreed and although a little nervous went out to their place. We all got together in a small park near by and spent almost an hour taking pictures of her son and other members of the family. I thought it went quite well, they were a fun group to work with and I think we got some nice photos. My friend gave me permission to post some so I thought I would share one or two. Here is her son. 

 

 Take the jump

Yesterday we went by a florist shop. I have always like these orchids. I decided to buy one for, you guessed it, some pictures. I've taken a few, I will likely take some more. I had the flash shooting through a white umbrella just to my left. 

Ah what the heck, one more shot. 

 Hope you enjoy them.

When You See a Chance, You Take It

Standing on the balcony barbecuing some steaks I have this feeling I am being watched....

We have enough cats around I normally try to chase off visitors. When I saw this fellow staring so intent. I thought "Here's my post!". He must have been hungry, he didn't move for quite a few pictures. Eventually he did move but not far. 

Take a look to see what I mean. 

Just Add a Little Twang

There is a two fold purpose to this picture. I have been very bad and not practicing my guitar. I also need to get a photo up today. I took this the same day I took This one. I know it might be a little cliche, but I believe everyone who owns a guitar and a camera should have a picture like this.

The Story of a Picture of Roses

From a Face Book post some time ago.

The story of a relationship that, uncared for, became dry and only a faded image of it's former beauty. The open book of hopes and dreams. Lit by the soft light of a north facing window...

Ok so I was itching to take a picture. Found these dried up roses and stuck 'em in a vase. "Is that cook book in the way? Naw just throw it out of focus. Crap my flash broke! That's ok, I'll just stick everything in front of this window".

Let There Be Light...ning

 One summer evening while in the Okanagan a storm rolled over us making lots of lightning and thunder. What a great opportunity. On to the pier I went with the camera on a tripod and a cable release. I set the camera to "bulb" pointed the camera to where I thought it more likely to be lightning and pushed the button. I would hold the shutter open until there was lightning then I would let go. So you won't know what you are getting till you got it. 

Go!

As promised here is today's post today. It's a direct sequel to Ready Set... Nick is the reluctant one of my two to have pictures taken. So it is a bit of a struggle to get him out there and then to keep him from being too goofy. We got a few and although a bit unusual I think this one worked out. I forgot to mentioned I was using my 17mm lens hence the wide angle effect on them 

If you know my son you will recognize the "Nick" look. He is holding back from doing something that will get my goat. For this one I shot manually and exposed the background 2 stops below the metered reading. As before the flash was triggered wireless controlled by the camera. Jenn held it off to my left. 
I should mention, Nick is also Peter His Mom and I call him Nick and almost everyone else in the world calls him Peter. It was his idea to go by his first name, we are just kind of slow to catch up.

Ready Set.....

Yesterday Blogspot went down overnight. As a consequence I didn't get to post a photo yesterday. It caused me no end of stress but alas, yesterday is, well, yesterdays news. So I will post 2 today.
 Here is yesterday's. 
  

We were driving home this last evening and I thought I wasn't going to get a photograph today yesterday. I had the camera with me (which I really have to do more often) because of another photograph I had in mind. Hummingbirds chose today yesterday not to show up. Probably because I brought my camera today yesterday.  On the spur of the moment I told the kids I was going to take some photo's of them so we pulled into the parking lot of a local park. They mumbled and grumbled a bit but came along and pretty soon they were having some fun with it. I say some because as kids are they got tired of it before I did. So here is was Jenn. Check out the paint job on her nails. 

For this I exposed manually and set the exposure for the background. I had the flash held by Nick off to my right triggered wireless and with the Lumiquest Softbox III on. The flash is metered TTL (Through The Lens) and controlled by the camera.

I took some pictures of Nick to and picked one out. I am going to save it for another blog another day today.

A New Way of Looking at Things

Flowers were the subject du jour yesterday. I always go out with my trusty macro lens and/or zoom lens and often get nice shots. Just for the heck of it yesterday I put on my wide angle lens to try something different. 

What a concept!
I know it is nothing new but I had been used to a certain way of doing things. I find I am often hurtling the the same old problems and getting similar results. This was a bit of a revelation for me. I am going to have to explore this some more.

Used my 17mm lens at 1/50th sec at f16. I know these are Rhododendrons and they are red. Which variety they are, I do not know.

Another Tyneheadless Day

Didn't get to Tynehead today again. I did get to another local park that has a garden in it. I went to see what flowers were out. There wasn't much. I guess it's still a little early. I went wandering in some trails close by and there were some flowers. I found a lot of these. 

 Foxgloves apparently. I had to look them up which took a while. I started with "purple bell shaped flowers". I finally found them on flickr where someone had taken a photo and someone else had to tell them what they were. I do enjoy taking photos of flowers even though I don't know a lot about them. 

I won't be going to Tynehead tomorrow as I am working. Maybe Sunday. 

Got Milk?

I didn't get to Tynehead today. I guess I was just a bit too tired from work. So instead this evening I experimented shooting shiny stuff with a flash. I used a black tea cup with some flowers painted on. 

I wanted to see if I could get pictures of it without hot spots on it from the flash. I also wanted to see how it would differ with a black background and a white one. 

click for the results. 

Stormy Weather

The weather here has been a little stormy the past while. We have had some downpours, dramatic skies with stormy windswept clouds. I took this picture around Sechelt earlier this year and thought it is appropriate for the kind of days we have been getting lately

I have been at work for the past 4 days so I haven't had any chances to get out there and do some photography. I am off for three so maybe I can get out there. I wouldn't mind getting over to Tynehead Park in Surrey. I haven't been in some time and I always enjoy walking through there.

2860

My family has railroad in it's history. A great grandfather, a grandfather, and my father all worked for the railroad. Both my brother and I did for a time as well. I was born after the age of steam of course. No really, I was. 

This photo is of the Wheels on the Royal Hudson at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park in Squamish B.C.