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Teef Baby New Year

Teef Baby New Year
So everyone’s doing these retrospective NYE blog posts and I’m pretty unprepared (as usual) so I’m pulling up this photo of Quinn with his new teeth pokin’ through- not quite the baby new year with the sash and diaper (like I said, I’m unprepared – maybe that could be a resolution for me!?).

This was a pretty eventful year when I look back at it:
• New City
• New House
• New Job
• New Baby
• New Fiancée
• New Lenses(!!)
• New Friends
• New gigs (thank you to everyone who made this my best year as a “Photographer” yet)

I miss my family and friends in Toronto, I miss my friends from KW and Guelph, but there’s no way I could possibly trade the little guy (pictured) for anything or anyone.
Thanks to everyone who come to the blog and comment – you let me know that the photo I’ve taken means something to someone other than me – and to those who visit and don’t comment or those who subscribe, because you’re my audience too and you’re enabling my putting of random shit up here.

A special Thank-You to everyone at Sunnybrook who helped me with my crazy-ass transition (Kevin, Jeff, Betty, Raissa, Dana, Sandra, Barb, Candace, Bill, Claire, Stephen) and thanks to my new peeps at the ORCF who helped, also, with said crazy-ass transition on the Ottawa-end. If you’re philanthropic at all these are a few great organizations doing fine work in Toronto and Ottawa respectively.

The New Year?

I’m hoping I get better at taking photos – Brad says I have – and that means a lot because he’s a pretty talented guy too (go visit his blog and read his stuff) – and I’ll keep challenging myself to that effect.

I hope I get better at being a father, though is that possible? I’m so awesome.

I hope Thinsite starts taking pictures again, because he’s a limitless talent, my inspiration for getting into this whole mess of aperture, shutter speed, and gear – oh god the gear – he’s also part of a pair that made me believe in love and marriage where I thought the latter to be out-dated.

Thank you everyone for a great 2008, and I promise to make 2009 an even better year!

Dec 31, 2008 | Categories: Portraits | Tags: , | 1 Comment »

Lights On, Parliament

Lights On, Parliament
I did a photoshoot last night with a wonderful family: the Carlson’s. I was hoping to use the lit-up Parliament as a backdrop, but it wasn’t quite as bright as I had hoped, though it does add some great red and blue tones in the background, it’s not quite as dramatic in the portraits as it is here though.

Anyways, we walked around for an hour doing a lot of different shots, it was getting colder out so we were pretty quick to finish, and I’m happy with the results.

I did most of the shoot using a 580exII PW’d and on a shoot-through umbrella – which gave me a great spread of soft white light. I was filling it in with my 430ex attached ETTL -1 EV on-camera. Also, couldn’t have done it without Sterling, who was my VALS (Voice Activated Light Stand) and actually got me the gig. If you need a painter in the Ottawa area, he is definitely your man.

Dec 30, 2008 | Categories: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Untitled 2

Untitled 2
I’ve been organizing my Lightroom 2 catalogue all day (yaaaay), and I have to say – I take a lot of crap photos. Though I did take a lot of Ottawa, especially this summer, that warrant a second look.

What I’m trying to say is that I plan on doing some archive diving in the next while as I sort my mess of a hard drive out.

Question: What are your backup and organization strategies? Mine is pretty basic, I do everything through Lightroom, by date in folders by year, and add to collections as needed (pictures of Quinn are under a Quinn collection etc.). Though I’m pretty interested in setting up different catalogues for various work projects I do – keep ’em separate from my every-day personal stuff. I then have a LaCie 500GB external hard drive that I use to back everything up once a week… so – what do you do?

Dec 29, 2008 | Categories: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Imperfections

Imperfections
Ottawa’s had some crap weather of late; that, and the holiday season, have kept me indoors for four (is it five now?) days straight. I’ve grown a beard and am oddly serene and at ease.

However, I am starting to look at the family as if they’re food because a man can only eat so much turkey.

Dec 28, 2008 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Imperfections

Sweepea

Sweepea
Quinn’s first Christmas, my second in Ottawa, and the first in our new house. This is his first ornament.

There’s something about Christmas time that makes me want to process HDR images, it’s probably the surreal nature of the whole time – I mean really – who goes through all this trouble EVERY freakin year? I HDR’d last year with both Mel’s and my Mom’s Christmas trees, I do it with ornaments and I’d likely HDR Santa if I had any pics of him – shoulda brought the camera to the Mall (with Ottawa Transit on stike I bet the Santa’s were begging for attention).

Dec 27, 2008 | Categories: HDR | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Sweepea