Wednesday, June 30, 2010

June 2010 Photo A Day

June 2010 Photo A Day


1. 152.365 Vroom!, 2. 153.365 The Mug Revisited., 3. 155.365 Nifty Fifty Reflective., 4. 154.365 Reflective Panel., 5. 156.365 Look Dad!, 6. 157.365 Landing Gear Down., 7. 158.365 Yuck!, 8. 159.365 King Of The Hill (Boulder), 9. 160.365 Vent Cap LR3 Test, 10. 161.365 New Thumb Drive, 11. 162.365 Piling Up., 12. 163.365 Jewel Encrusted Portrait., 13. 164.365 Peace Offering., 14. 165.365 Immovable Object., 15. 166.365 Butter Tart, 16. 167.365 Father's Day Gift., 17. 168.365 Silica Gel, 18. 169.365 Ginger Snaps, 19. 170.365 Nice Little Freebie, 20. 171.365 Happy New Father's Day, 21. 172.365 Storms Brewing., 22. 173.365 Better Brew, 23. 174.365 Industrial Rose., 24. 175.365 Can You Explain This To Me?, 25. 176.365 We Have An Addition To The Junk Pile., 26. 177.365 Flying A Kite, 27. 178.365. Summer Hat, 28. 179.365 Zoe., 29. 180.365 Intertwined., 30. 181.365 Makin' Labels.

Chris.

181.365 Makin' Labels.

Wednesday June 30 2010.

I was making some labels for my files when I noticed the contrasting colors of the label maker.

181.365 Makin' Labels.



Chris.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

180.365 Intertwined.

Tuesday June 29 2010.

I came across this tree growing through a chain link fence. Neither can be taken down without taking the other down too. More of a chain link tree than anything else.

180.365 Intertwined.



Chris.

Monday, June 28, 2010

179.365 Zoe.

Monday June 28 2010.

Stopped over at my brother's house this evening for my nephew's birthday and saw a great photo op with his dog Zoe. She's pretty big and lost of fun.

179.365 Zoe.



Chris.

Friday, June 25, 2010

176.365 We Have An Addition To The Junk Pile.

Friday June 25 2010.

On my way by the "junk pile" this morning I noticed this very old very, cool vehicle cab. Not sure what it's from perhaps an old model T? It was very cool though. I had to take several shot's of it.

176.365 We Have An Addition To The Junk Pile.



Some additional photos.




06252010 IMG_3309 50D


06252010 IMG_3311 50D


06252010 IMG_3313 50D



Chris.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

175.365 Can You Explain This To Me?

Thursday June 24 2010

I have a very hard time understanding the thought process of some people. This mattress and dresser have been dumped along the yard of one of Canada's largest steel recyclers, General Metals. It says METALS people not General Garbage. We have a land fill for a reason. They couldn't even be bothered to take the sheet off first! On the top of the green bin is the box spring.

It amazes me when I think about the laziness of some people. Sure it would have taken you 15 more minutes to drive to the dump and cost you about 10 bucks but come on people deal with your own junk.

I'll stop ranting now. Thank you.

175.365 Can You Explain This To Me?



Chris.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Black Fridge Panel + Photography = Cool.

When we bought our new house last summer, the previous owners left some items behind. One of the items was a couple of fridge panels, black on one side, white on the other and very shiny. I have been having a blast with the one I took to work and put on my table. It's right beside a great big window. I get great light there.

I guess I just want to thank them for leaving their garbage behind. One man's trash is another man's photo gear!

Here are some samples.

154.365 Reflective Panel.


155.365 Nifty Fifty Reflective.


161.365 New Thumb Drive


169.365 Ginger Snaps


168.365 Silica Gel


Reflected Cup.



Chris.

Monday, June 21, 2010

173.365 Better Brew

Tuesday June 22 2010.

I'm tired of the crap they call coffee at work so I've started bringing my own. My canon mug will hold a large Timmie's and this thermos will hold 1 and a half of them. Keeps it piping hot until I'm ready for it.

Here's to a better brew. (raising canon mug in toast.) :)

173.365 Better Brew



Chris.

172.365 Storms Brewing.

Monday June 21 2010.

The best part of summer is the awesome storms that come with it.

172.365 Storms Brewing.



Chris.

171.365 Happy New Father's Day

Sunday June 20 2010.

I would like to wish a very happy Father's day to Cameron. He's a new dad. Carter here is only 3 weeks old and man is he cute. Mikayla was very fascinated with him.

Cam, welcome to the very scary world of being a Dad. I know you are going to have a blast with your new son and I look forward to seeing him grow up. Congrats man.

171.365 Happy New Father's Day



Chris.

170.365 Nice Little Freebie

Saturday June 19 2010.

The kids and I went to Princess Auto today to pick up some tools for me. They gave away this cute little truck. It deserved a photo or two (or 10).

I took this at f/32 which required an iso of 800 to get a fast enough shutter speed. It's still not sharp through out. Oh well. It's cute.

170.365 Nice Little Freebie



Chris.

Friday, June 18, 2010

169.365 Ginger Snaps

Friday June 18 2010.

Yes, this was my breakfast this morning. :)

169.365 Ginger Snaps



Chris.

168.365 Silica Gel

Thursday June 17 2010.

I keep a couple packs of silica gel in my camera bag at all times. It helps to keep any moisture out of the camera.

It says not to eat it. What would happen if we ate a pack? Hmmm. I think a rat test is in order. LOL.

168.365 Silica Gel



Chris.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

167.365 Father's Day Gift.

Wednesday June 15 2010.

We had a Father's Day event at my son's kindergarten today. We built kites then flew them and then had hot dogs.

They made these cute little shirt and tie projects for us. They are so creative. LOL.

It was a great time for all us kids big and small.

167.365 Father's Day Gift.



Chris.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Monday, June 14, 2010

165.365 Immovable Object.

Monday June 14 2010.

Today the girl discovered what happens when an unstoppable force (her) meets an immovable object (arm of couch). You get a bruised cheek.

165.365 Immovable Object.


Chris.

164.365 Peace Offering.

Sunday June 13 2010.

A peace offering of a handful of sunflower seeds to the poor young squirrel whose crap I scared out when I snuck up on it.

Poor little guy. I've never seen a squirrel jump strait up before. I laughed so hard. Then he ran a couple of feet up a tree and tried to stare me down. LOL.

164.365 Peace Offering.



Chris.

163.365 Jewel Encrusted Portrait.

Saturday June 12 2010.

A boy and his jewel encrusted castle on the beach. Well, it started out as a castle and ended up as more of a mound. He loves the beach.

163.365 Jewel Encrusted Portrait.



Chris.

Friday, June 11, 2010

162.365 Piling Up.

Friday June 11 2010.

So, today I'm spending my time at work cleaning up and scanning old files. At least the staples reflect nicely.

162.365 Piling Up.



Chris.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

161.365 New Thumb Drive

Thursday June 10 2010.

I got this new USB Thumb Drive to replace my dead Darth Vader thumb drive. This one has a 5 year warranty. So far so good.

161.365 New Thumb Drive



Chris.

Flickr Photographer Interview - Billy Fairchild

It seems I'm on a roll this week with interviews! I truly enjoy Billy's photography. I love to see how he sees the world. I think it reminds me of how I see the world (that should scare you Billy! LOL). Enjoy the interview and please check out his Flickr stream and his blog.

Billy Fairchild (28Photos)

1 ) How long have you been interested in photography?

I had an instant interest in photography the moment that my parents bought me an old Kodak 110 camera when I was 5. I can remember being amazed with taking abstract viewpoints, and being so excited when they came back from being developed.

2 ) What got you started in photography?

See above I suppose lol, However professionally I started taking some classes and people started seeing my work. I was more into nature, abstract stuff at first. I never really wanted to do portraits, then in March of 2009 my 5 year old son passed away. I realized that portraits may not be able to save life, but it can really capture ones spirit and keep memories of them for years to come.

3 ) Do you have any photographers who's work you admire?

Honestly everyone's. I love seeing how each photographer has their own style. It's great.

4 ) What inspires you to make photographs?
Just a passion, it's like I get a giddy feeling when I see something that would look great in a photo.

5 ) Do you have a specific style that you like to shoot, such as portraits, fine art, photojournalism?

Well, pretty much all of the above. I do portraits professionally for a large company, as well as on my own. But, there is nothing like shooting something that no one else would see in the way I did through my camera.

6 ) What is your favorite photographic subject?

Old barns, I love them and have always been fascinated by them.

7 ) What gear do you shoot with?
I shoot a Nikon D300s with 18-55mm, 50mm Prime, and 55-200, as well as a few lensbaby lenses.

8 ) What is your favorite lens?

Hands down my 50mm 1.4

9 ) Do you shoot in Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority Or Manual?

Full manual ONLY

10 ) Where do you see your photography in 10 years?

I am hoping to open my own studio within two years. Crossing my fingers!

11 ) Do you have a tip for our readers?

Shoot manual! If you think you can't your wrong! Just force yourself, it will come and you will be happy you did!

12 ) Do you have a favorite photo of yours that you would like to share with us?

58/365 Beale Street is such a howl!



That's great stuff Billy. Thank you once again for sharing with us.



Chris.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

160.365 Vent Cap LR3 Test

Wednesday June 9 2010.

A friend of mine just go a copy of Lightroom 3 and was kind enough to let me import some photos to test it out. Let's just call it amazing. I've only tested it on a few photos but wow! I'm going to buy it for sure.

This is a vent cap for a 25000 liter fuel tank. I put it on my reflective fridge panel. Nice and clean but not too unexpected until you read this part.

This is shot at ISO 6400 on my 50D! f/16 for 1/40 sec. I've done nothing except import it in. The new process settings in LR3 are amazing. It removed the noise without me even touching the settings. I was able to bring back some of the detail on the side that was smoothed out a bit too much as well.

Wow.

160.365 Vent Cap LR3 Test



And this one is at ISO 12800! LR3 Rocks. And this is just for noise reduction!


06092010 IMG_2976 50D.jpg



Chris.

Flickr Photographer Interview - Pete Holmes

Well, it's been quite a while since I've done an interview. Life sure has a way of getting in the way. :) That being said, I still have lots of photographers on Flickr whose work I enjoy and follow.

I met Pete Holmes in a group called Photo Dads. We both take a lot of photos of our kids and whatever else crosses the path of the lens. His photos have a sense of fun and excitement to them that really catches my eye. Here is my interview with Pete. Enjoy.
1 ) How long have you been interested in photography?
Off and on, for as long as I can remember.

2 ) What got you started in photography?
I think my Dad got me one of those 110-cartridge cameras when I was about 5 or 6 years old.

3 ) Do you have any photographers who's work you admire?
Annie Liebowitz, Martin Parr, Dave Gorman.

4 ) What inspires you to make photographs?
My kids, documenting family life and capturing moments.

5 ) Do you have a specific style that you like to shoot, such as portraits, fine art, photojournalism?
Definitely people, and preferably reportage/candid. Although I still work Monday to Friday as a Graphic Designer, a couple of years ago I set up my own secondary business photographing weddings and doing children and family photoshoots. www.phocus-images.co.uk

6 ) What is your favorite photographic subject?
Probably my own kids.

7 ) What gear do you shoot with?

I currently use a Canon Eos 30D.

8 ) What is your favorite lens?
I only have two! My favourite probably being the 75-300mm zoom which is great for capturing candid portraits from distance of wedding guests.

9 ) Do you shoot in Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority Or Manual?
A mixture... Shutter priority in low light conditions, Manual for night shots and when I have time to set up shots. I also, dare I say it, use Automatic modes when taking a lot of outdoor shots at a wedding or photoshoot.

10 ) Where do you see your photography in 10 years?
It's already progressed beyond a hobby, and the business is doing well doing a select number of weddings a year. Possibly giving up the day job and going full-time in the future? I've also just started getting a few images accepted into the Getty Flickr Collection, so shooting specifically for stock photography needs is also an option.

11 ) Do you have a tip for our readers?
Personally I'm not massively into getting technically-perfect shots. Capturing a specific moment in time (a smile, a glance, a grimace) is more important to me. So I suppose my general tip would be to not get bogged down by technical stuff, get out there, shoot what interests you, and have fun doing it.

12 ) Do you have a favorite photo of yours that you would like to share with us?
I'll always love this one...

SJF_0253



That's one of my favorites in Pete's stream as well. Great capture. Such a fun moment. That's one to stop a mother's heart too!



I hope you all enjoyed learning a bit more about Pete Holmes and encourage you to visit his photo stream and his web site. Great looking site Pete and the photos are outstanding.



Thanks again Pete for sharing your insight into your photographic life.



Chris.

159.365 King Of The Hill (Boulder)

Tuesday June 8 2010.

Part mountain goat I tells ya.

159.365 King Of The Hill (Boulder)



Chris.

Monday, June 7, 2010

158.365 Yuck!

Monday June 7 2010.

Yuck.

158.365 Yuck!



Chris.

Understand The Risks.

Photographing kids can be risky. Yes, you read that right. Risky. Personal and equipment harm is a real possibility.

Take these photos from my son playing some tee ball out at the lake this past weekend for example.....

06052010 IMG_2818 50D


Great hit, I'm safe 50 feet away aren't I?


06052010 IMG_2821 50D


Just before it took my hat off. I guess I wasn't safe even at 50 feet away!


06052010 IMG_2862 50D


He hit the tee. The ball went straight up but the tee, well it came after me with a vengeance.


06052010 IMG_2863 50D


It quickly crossed the 15 or so feet to me tumbling end over end.


06052010 IMG_2864 50D


Just after this it decided to smash into me. Hitting right on the end of my lens. Good thing I never take the lens hood off!



See, personal and equipment harm could happen just like that! But then, I knew the risks going into the shoot. :)



Chris.

157.365 Landing Gear Down.

Sunday June 6 2010.

I chased him down the beach until he decided to land.

157.365 Landing Gear Down.



Chris.

156.365 Look Dad!

Saturday June 5 2010.

Just what I needed. :)

156.365 Look Dad!



Chris.

Friday, June 4, 2010

155.365 Nifty Fifty Reflective.

Friday June 4 2010.

I find myself in a dark reflective mood this week. Not photographically but it seems to be spilling over there too. Good think I have that black shiny fridge panel just waiting to be put to use.

155.365 Nifty Fifty Reflective.


Chris.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

154.365 Reflective Panel.

Thursday June 3 2010.

I have this metal fridge panel painted white on one side and black on the other, very reflective. It's about 2' x 2' and is perfect for product photography with smaller items where I want a cool reflection.

It is beyond a doubt the best thing the previous owners of our house left behind. They left 2 of them. One for home and one for work. :)

154.365 Reflective Panel.



Chris.

153.365 The Mug Revisited.

Wednesday June 2 2010.

Yet another photo of my favorite coffee mug.

My nifty fifty was feeling neglected so I thought I'd take it for a spin today.

153.365 The Mug Revisited.



Chris.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

152.365 Vroom!

Tuesday June 2 2010.

Before you send me the hate mail, the truck is parked and not running. :) These guys are so cute and they eat the dandelions.

152.365 Vroom!


Chris.