Reflections

These two images were taken as I walked around downtown looking for photographs for my class. The reflections were so clear they were pretty much screaming for me to capture it on 'film'.

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Gamble II

Another shot of Gamble's tombstone in Beechwood Cemetery. I took this when my photography class had a field trip to the cemetery. I wasn't feeling that great as I was pretty sick, so I went for something easy, something I knew I could get a great shot from.

*Note* I am using this photo for my photography course at Algonquin College.

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Portrait Studio II

Here are a couple images from the portrait studio class that the photography course I am in had last Wednesday (I apologize to the models if I have mispelled their names - or if I forgot them since the class, I will try and find out the spelling and actual names themselves next class)

This photograph was taken using flash lighting. Two flashes on either side (one main, one fill) and the hot shoe adapator to have them go off in time with my camera was used.
The photograph of Jordan was also taken with the flash setup. She seemed to actually not mind being a model too much - not nearly as much as other students, including myself.
This photograph of Lucrecia was taken using available light (ie. no flash). We had two lights directed at reflectors (to soften the light) and had to adjust our cameras to deal with the low light settings. It took me a few shots to be able to get my camera set up just right for these situations, but I eventually got it. Lucrecia seemed to really enjoy being a model, actually she admitted that she was really liking it so I have quite a few good ones of her from the class.

Unfortunately, I cannot use any of the images taken during the studio class for my assignment, but lucky for me I have a friend who doesn't hate having her picture taken and she is going to be my model for me - Thanks.

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Portrait Studio

Last night the photography class was held in a portrait studio at Algonquin College. I was really nervous about it to begin with for multiple reasons.
1) I have never worked with studio lighting before,
2) I am not the greatest at directing people in terms of positions and feelings to express, etc,
3) There was the possibility I was going to have to model for the other students (eek),
and 4) I have never really taken pictures of people in non-candid. non-tourist scenarios before.

It turned out to be a really good experience and actually quite enjoyable. I didn't end up having to model for anyone as there were students there that seemed to enjoy being in the spotlight. The lighting situations were fun and made me use my camera settings in ways I never have before to compensate for the low or high lighting. I got to use a hot-shoe to connect to the professional flash setup which was neat as I have never used a hot-shoe or the flashes before. I enjoyed moving the lights around and eventually became more comfortable with doing so and with directing the model, though I never really did that too much as there were so many other people directing it wasn't entirely necessary for me to do it (kind of a shame really).

The only thing was that there were just too many people. It was hard to get the shot you wanted and whenever you did, someone would come up and mimic whatever it was that you just did - so that was frustrating.

A while ago I came up with this ingenious idea of making my own background setup out of PVC piping and some bed sheets and have had the love of this idea rekindled since last night. The idea would be especially appropriate since I now have a second assignment were I have to take 7 portrait shots of the same person under different lighting situations, with different outfits (to get the colour right on them as well as the person) and different places. I am really looking forward to this assignment as it is something I have never done before and will actually make me think and be creative. The first assignment was things I do on a regular basis with my photography and therefore no real effort was involved other than taking the pictures and making myself select a certain number of them. This one is going to be tricky though and will make me think outside the box and get out of my comfort zone and all those other things people say. :)

Now I just need to find myself a model...any volunteers??

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Waiting

I took this photograph on one of my walks along the Greenbelt trails. She was trying to lure a bird to perch on her hand and eat the seeds therein.

*Note* I am considering using this photo for my photography course at Algonquin College so any and all advise, comments and/or suggestions you have about it would be greatly appreciated.

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Nevermore

I took this several weeks ago at Beechwood Cemetery. Had to follow the guy and his friends around for a little while until they landed on something interesting.

*Note* I am considering using this photo for my photography course at Algonquin College so any and all advise, comments and/or suggestions you have about it would be greatly appreciated.

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DA Contributions

I have written an article on DeviantArt. If you want to check it out here is the link: http://news.deviantart.com/article/59744/. Thanks.

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Dragonfly

This little guy sat and waited for me to take the shot at several angles so patiently. I took it along the Beaver Trail, part of the Stony Swamp Conservation Area in the Greenbelt of Ottawa.

*Note* I am considering using this photo for my photography course at Algonquin College so any and all advise, comments and/or suggestions you have about it would be greatly appreciated.

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Civilization

This is the Museum of Civilization as seen from the Ottawa side of the river (Parliament Hill to be precise). I used to go to this museum every year with school but now that I live in Ottawa, and am older, I find I don't go here nearly as often as the exhibits don't change that often and the fun ones are really only fun once in a while. It is still a very good museum.

*Note* I am considering using this photo for my photography course at Algonquin College so any and all advise, comments and/or suggestions you have about it would be greatly appreciated.

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Assignment #1

We have been given our first assignment in the photography course I am taking at Algonquin College. I am actually pretty excited about it even though it is pretty basic and simple. The assignment has multiple parts to it so far and it will get bigger as the course goes on (so essentially we have one assignment with multiple parts only some of which we have been given so far).

1. Depth of Field
   a. 2 sets of photos showing depth of field (ie. take one photo in each set at the smallest and then the largest aperture to drastically change the depth of field).
   b. Two to three general pictures showing depth of field.
2. Motion
   a. 2 Freeze Action Photographs (Name pretty much says it all – capture motion in a single moment, all aspects of the photo should be sharp)
   b. 2 or 3 Selective Motion Photographs (Depicts motion by allowing some elements of the photo to be blurry (moving parts, etc))
   c. 2 Panning Photographs (Captures motion by having background blurred while moving subject remains sharp. This is achieved by moving the camera at an identical speed as the subject passes by (ie car, etc).)

I technically have all the photos I need to fulfill the assignment as I took shots for each category when I was downtown this past weekend, I just want to make sure I have the best and most interesting photograph for each one. I don’t want to have the same pictures as everyone else and at the moment my panning shots are nothing special – just cars passing by, though they do have the parliament buildings in the background rather than just trees or something else.

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Demonstration

The day I walked around Parliament Hill was also the day the group Sister Spirit (I apologize if I have gotten their name wrong) was there doing a demonstration of violence against women in the native community - mostly concerning how they believe it is virtually ignored by police and politicians.

*Note* I am considering using this photo for my photography course at Algonquin College so any and all advise, comments and/or suggestions you have about it would be greatly appreciated.

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Perched

Took this little guy's picture while walking along Beaver Trail, which is a part of Stony Swamp Conservation Area here in Ottawa. Never would have been able to get this shot without my new 70-300mm lens, so glad I got it.

*Note* I am considering using this photo for my photography course at Algonquin College so any and all advise, comments and/or suggestions you have about it would be greatly appreciated.

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Persons

I took this photograph last spring while I was walking around Parliament Hill. It is part of a display on women getting the right to vote. I plan on making another trip to Parliament Hill now that it is Fall - this display will probably be part of my walk again.

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