Frustrations

This morning I am to say the least frustrated.I recently bought a set of strobes and of course they don't work properly.I bought them from EBay.Recently my EBay experiences have not been the best.I tried to buy a copy of a photo editing software only to be ripped off.Now I have bought what I hoped was something that was going to be the savior of the winter for my photography.being up here in the Arctic it's very challenging to photography at -40.So I hoped that I would be able to use these strobes to set my studio in my house.

Joining Up

Today another part of my photographic journey began.I joined CAPA.The Canadian Association for Photographic Art.It is an national organization for the furtherment of the photographic arts.It is affiliated with a number of photographic clubs across Canada and they hold competitions and works shops.
I am not sure what this will give me.I hope it will open up my thoughts and creative eye by viewing others work and possibly entering some of the competitions that will test me.

Shooting From The Dark Side

"You shoot from the dark side",this was the quote that got me thinking.Tonight I sit here and watch a retrospective of the work of Canadian photojournalist Ted Grant.The quote refers to his style of shooting from the shadow side of subject.Ted's style has led him to take some of the most iconic Canadian photographs over the last half of the 20th century.

Shooting mostly in black and white Ted Grants works cover every thing from the political life of prime minsters to the historic photo of Ben Johnson winning the gold medal in the Sole Olympics.

Ted Grant and I share one item.My father at the end of his life suffered from an affliction called tri-geminal neuralgia.This is a painful condition of the nerves in the face.Ted Grant also suffered from this condition and over came it.
The biggest things that I take from Teds works is the back lighting that is his trade mark.Shoot from the shadows.

A new Challenge

Today I created a new challenge for my self.I have decide to take a picture a day for the 30 days.I have been watching Chase Jarvis and his new project of "best camera".Chase has produced a book of photos all taken with his I-phone and the new apps that he help developed.
The best way to help challenge yourself is to take lots of photos.This I hope is a way to develop a new photographic eye.
here is today's entry.

Learning Curve

The learning curve.It's a term we have herd many times,but what is it really?We as human beings all learn at different rates and in different styles.Some people can instantly sit down read the instructions and precisely get to the task at hand.Some people learn best by jumping in and tearing apart the task and making mistakes.Others learn best one on one.Having that interaction between one human and another.The latter is me.I learn best by having a person to bounce my thoughts off of and being shown,but recently I have discovered a new way of one one learning.Youtube!

Youtube is a new library that will on any day have a video on almost any subject that you like.For me it is photography.I love the fact that I can simply type in the subject that i want to learn about and a list of videos produced mainly by amateurs show up.I have learned about dramatic photography,how to start a photography business and studio lighting.

So this is my thank you to Youtube and the people that take the time to post videos for other to watch.

Nobel Prize

Today they announced that Willard Boyle won the Nobel prize for physics.Why is this important,well not only is he a Canadian but he is also a maratimer.OK,OK he also invented the charged couple device that gave us digital photography.
Willard device has change the way we see the world.Today almost every one carries a camera.Weather its a DSLR or the tiny single mega pixel that is in almost every cell phone.Now millions of images bombard us every year,
In my own photography the digital revolution has re energized me to take a lot more photos.No longer dose it take days to have the photos developed and returned to me.It also will allow me to start a business that will hopefully be my legacy tot he family and maybe also the world.

Patients

Patients is a virtue,or at least that what my parents tried to teach me.In photography patients is an asset that I wish I had.I am trying to teach my self to slow down and smell the rose,so to speak.You see ,I manage a fast food restaurant.Every thing moves fast.If your too slow than the job will fly right past you.My problem I tend to rush everything(well almost everything).In my photography I long to be able to be patient enough to wait for that magic moment.
Patients is playing out in my latest purchase.This week I bought a set of strobes off of eBay.I cant wait to experiment with studio lighting.But it will take about twenty days or so to arrive.Arrgh!
remember Patients.