"I trust pictures, but no pictures made in my world - because I know what goes on." - 365 Project, Day 213

After taking certain pictures, I am left with the impression that I had no idea what I was doing.  It seems, on occasion, that my fingers prefer heeding my heart more than my head.  I simply soak in the scene's aesthetic appeal, while completely ignoring (and, to be fair, not really contemplating) its intellectual significance.  It then becomes a very strange expericence sorting through my pictures and naming them.  I am attracted, in some vague way, to the creations I have borne, though I cannot verbalise the reasons.

In post, the cloudiness of the attraction can, on occasion, mutate into some clarity.  Playing around with sliders and colours gives new meaning to a feeling, to a thought.  More often than not, verbalisation still does not become possible, though, thankfully, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Try writing a thousand words with these pictures.

Shannon

Her note: Another beautiful sky.

Pat

Not too sure what I was trying to do, but I somehow like the look of this picture.  I basically found a nice look to it when I was messing around with it post-production.  For some reason, I always heavily edit my cell phone pictures, though I'm not sure why.  I guess I want them to look very polished (or look heavily edited) and kind of overcompensate for the fact that it's taken on a sensor a fifth the size of your fingernail.

I'm feeling good about tomorrow.  I have to call the repair depot the explain my S95's exact problem.  We'll see how that goes.

"Whether he is an artist or not, the photographer is a joyous sensualist, for the simple reason that the eye traffics in feelings, not in thoughts." - 365 Project, Day 212

I've taken quite a few pictures of the type I'm posting today.  Everybody knows taking more pictures leads to more talent, but is there a limit?  If I keep taking pictures of this kind, will I ever reach a level where these types of pictures will not get better?  For that matter, how many different angles and zoom lengths do I need to photograph for me to reach that plateau?  For that matter, does taking a picture of simply one thing make me a better photographer for other subjects?

I suppose any experience is better than no experience, and learning something in one field may help you out in another one.  Knowledge of, say, lighting in one particular type of photography may also bring fresh eyes to a different type, bringing with it new views and ideas.  For that matter, it may help out, not only in photographer, but in other creative fields, and vice-versa.

Here are Frank's, Shannon's and my pictures.

Frank

His note: The service doors at Toyota.

Shannon

Her note: I was stung about a month ago from one of these little buggers that lived in here.

My picture

I like the look of these kinds of pictures, and this is no different.  It's a different street from the ones I've taken before, and though I'd prefer a wider-angle lens, I'm happy with this.

I enjoyed today.  Hopefully, tomorrow will have the same effect on me.

"Photography: The science which relates to the action of light on sensitive bodies in the production of pictures, the fixation of images, and the like." - 365 Project, Day 211

There's an old joke I heard about the weather in Ottawa.  If you don't like the weather, just wait 10 minutes.  Indeed (besides probably saying this before), this year has had some interesting days.  Even in the past couple of weeks, the warmth and coldness have been arguing over who's going to take control.

Inexorably, though, the leaves change colours and the Celsius meter slows starts dropping.  Though it can get stupid cold in Ottawa, the fall always brings some gorgeous colours.  The many random parks and trees found around the city provide for great photographic opportunities.  To be fair, it's not as photogenic as, say, the various blooming trees and flowers on Jeju Island, but it definitely has its own appeal.

This is what appealed to us today.

Frank

His note: You couldn't pay me enough to climb up there and work all day then have to come back down.

Shannon

Her note: Yes... Yes, I'm looking at you.

My pic

Different colours on the way to work.  I was trying to blow out all the highlights to create a very bright and airy picture, but unfortunately the whole this is just too busy to get the look I wanted.

Unlike yesterday, I have a very nice feeling about tomorrow.

"Skill in photography is acquired by practice and not by purchase." - 365 Project, Day 210

It's been said a thousand times before but the gist of this is that the photographer makes the photograph, not the camera.  It's sad to see so many people buying very good cameras, expecting them to take great pictures, when they have no idea how to use the camera and no intention to learn.  I'm not sure if they realise that great photos re made and not just snapped.

I've heard so many stories of someone buying a camera because their friends went on vacation and has such tremendous pictures, while on their last vacation, their little point-and-shoot pictures didn't even come close to looking as nice.  Well, the camera makes very little difference.  The friend's experience and willingness to sit down and learn the craft makes a lot more of a difference than the camera used.  By the same token, I've also heard stories of people buying better camera because they couldn't do what they wanted with their previous camera, and learning how to use it, ending up very happy with their purchase.  Everybody has to start somewhere, but, it seems, not everybody realises that.

Here's what we ended up with today.

Frank

His note: Could it be?  A hobbit house?

Shannon

Her note: Mmm peanut butter sandwich.

My picture

I've taken a few pictures like this before (though didn't post them on this blog), but I've never been on this street.  I like the angle of the houses, and though it looks lopsided, it's level.  I guess I might also like it if the whole bottom half were black, I like the very small reflections off the cars.

I'm not holding a lot of stock in tomorrow.  I don't think it's going to be particularly bad, I just don't think it'll be particularly creative.

"It's one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like, it's another thing to make a portrait of who they are." - 365 Project, Day 209

On the advice of Shannon, I didn't post this when I got home from work, and unfortunately probably waited too long to post.  In any case, here are the pictures.

Frank

His note: I couldn't resist.  This looked so much like somebody's first and last name.

Shannon

Her note: Pat taking a break during full count.

My picture

I just saw this on my way to work and wanted to take a black and white picture.  Unfortunately, cell phones don't have the best metering system, but it ended up looking decent overall.

Next pictures are next.

"Photography is fun, and digital photography is more fun!" - 365 Project, Day 208

I'm not sure why this writer thought digital photography is more fun; I've heard that hardcore photographers think of developing their own film as part of the process, and they look forward very much to spending time in the darkroom dodging and burning their creations.  On a side note, film also offers a greater dodging and burning range than digital without getting noisy (or so I've heard).

I suppose digital is more fun as it gives you instant feedback, and you can adjust your pictures accordingly.  It's much easier to get the look you want and to edit pictures than with film.  It lets to make mistakes with virtually no punishments.  It lets you take more pictures to grow faster and to fine tune your pictures on the spot.  Digital photography gets you involved in photography much more and makes it easier to get the picture you want.

Our digital creations follow.

Frank

His note: The beginning of a BBQ ribs party.  Everybody brought their own ribs and everybody tried everybody else's.  Very good idea, very good ribs!

Shannon

Her note: That time of the year again and the signs of Winter have started.

Myself

I spent pretty much every waking hour today at work (don't ask), so my picture was, not surprisingly enough, very close to work.  I just saw this lady walking her two dogs and figured it would be a good picture.  It's a bit noisy, but I was pushing ISO3200 so it's not too surprising.  The picture turned out nicely enough.

Tomorrow, I can pretty much guarantee there will be no little preamble, as I'll be getting home quite late.

"I knew how to take pictures before I knew what a camera was." - 365 Project, Day 207

This is an interesting thought.  I suppose it has to do with one's love of the aesthetically pleasing and of the fun things to look at.  Composition comes naturally, as you like what you like, and colours and shapes complements this composition.  It's somewhat subjective, as there's always a nice angle for something, and all that is needed is to look around.

Searching for something interesting is the most important part.  All the camera does is try to replicate reality as best as you can allow it.

Here's what was pleasing to us today.

Frank

His note: Was walking by a store today and saw these (and many other potted flowers) for sale.  I thought the flower season was over.

Shannon

Her note: The pages of my book that I will hopefully finish soon.

Pat

My note: I wish I'd had a bigger zoom lens, or been closer to these for this picture.  (I suppose I could have cropped, but I'll keep the picture as is.)  I just liked the way this played out.  The bus showed up, taking these kids to school.  There's a meaning in here somewhere.

Tomorrow will be a long day.

"Life is a movie; death is a photograph." - 365 Project, Day 206

My question, then, is this: if a picture tells a story, then is it still death?

A good picture will always have something interesting about it, though, to be fair, it does depend on the type of photography.  Landscapes tend to be pretty and awe-inspiring, portraits tend to make the subject aesthetically pleasing as much as possible, but, say, photojournalism, or documentary-style have to tell a story with a single moment.

It's true that using video is a lot easier when it comes to telling a story, but a single photograph can be a lot more powerful.

So, I didn't get Frank's email from yesterday until this morning, so I'm guessing the same thing is going to happen today.

Shannon

Her note: The lonely flipflop in the parking lot.

Pat

My note: This, believe it or not, is the most posed photograph I've had since starting this project.  I actually took the leaf and put it there for the sole reason of taking this photograph.  I had another idea, but got distracted by something shiny and forgot about it.  I'm not sure if it's supposed to mean anything, I just think it's kind of cute.

I want to be tired tomorrow.

"Photographs are a way of imprisoning reality...One can't possess reality, one can possess images--one can't possess the present but one can possess the past." - 365 Project, day 205

Some Canon cameras have a small little feature called Movie Digest.  In that mode, the camera constantly records something when it's on, and keeps a couple of seconds of video before every picture taken.  At the end of the day, the camera creates a mini-montage of all the clips it has saved.  Many of the features compact cameras have, I simply can't understand, though this one I enjoy, which is somewhat ironic given it's a movie feature on  stills camera.

I've many instances where I would have loved to have a video snapshot of a moment.  Nothing long or complex, just simple moments in life that one would remember, if it were in a montage of some kind.

Here's what we have today.

Frank

His note:

Shannon

Her note: The zipper on my bag.

Pat

Tux has taken to wake me up way too early for human eyes again, and this is what I saw as I looked out my window.  It was very foggy, and for some reason the camera actually cut through some of the fog.  You'll excuse me for the framing, but, as I said, this was even before the sun decided to show itself, so I was slightly groggy.

I'm still not sure what to think of tomorrow.  Given what it looks like, I don't think I'll have much opportunity to take pictures (unless, of course, Tux wakes me up too early again).

"Since I’m inarticulate, I express myself with images." - 365 Project, Day 204

I seem to be able to express myself, but moving muscles in the oral area needs a certain amount of energy, which, for this somewhat-lazy person, seems like a waste of calories.  Instead, allowing a few pixels mouth off for me seems like a good compromise.

On occasion, I can't add anything to the photo other than to describe what's there, which, I suppose, ends up in redundancy, if the photo can already speak for itself.  Some pictures require context, though most of them can simply be enjoy.  Indeed, if a photograph needs context to be good, it inherently carries a deficiency, given it has to be explained instead of enjoyed.

Here's what we expressed today.

Frank

His note: How close do these clouds appear over the building?  Seems like you can just reach out and touch them.

Shannon

Her note: Liked the formation of these clouds.

My pic

Considering my little spiel up there, I don't know if I should describe anything here.  I was basically walking home and saw these on the ground.  I also had a couple of nice shots of a few people walking in the sunset, but I'll take this one because it's stranger.

I will talk to you about tomorrow later.

"Photographers mistake the emotion they feel while taking the photo as a judgment that the photograph is good." - 365 Project, Day 203

People sometimes tell me they really like some of my pictures, but I don't think all that much of them, while some of my personal favourites go unnoticed.  For example, the background on one of my laptops is my entry from June 28th, and is a personal favourite, because it's an odd colour for a sunset, and mixed in with the rain it created an interesting picture.  However, I've had no feedback about that picture.

Maybe if you feel a particular emotion when you're taking a picture, you feel somehow attached to it, and therefore means more to you.  Because it brings back a special memory, the picture is simply more than just a picture, though to others it's nothing more than simply a picture.  It's a tough call, but photographers have to be brutal about their work, especially when it comes to choosing your best work.

Mandy told me today she's concentrating more on her painting so she's not really able to submit pictures.  I understand given the nature of her work, but hopefully she'll be able to come back soon.

Frank

His note: The rusty head of an old fire hydrant.  I wonder if it still works?

Shannon

Her note: Ziplining is so much fun I recommend everyone should try it in their lifetime.

Pat

This picture introduces my fifth piece of hardware to this project.  It's not the best picture but it's first time I'm taking pictures with it.  I got it as a temporary camera while my S95 is being fixed.  The colours seem a bit bright, but we'll see how everything turns out.  This camera is also slightly more discreet than my big 7D.

We'll see about tomorrow.  I'm undecided about it yet.

"I suspect it is for one’s self-interest that one looks at one’s surroundings and one’s self. This search is personally born and is indeed my reason and motive for making photographs." - 365 Project, Day 202

It may be thought that only creative people can take good photographs.  It is possible, though, that taking photographs changes the way you look at things.  I've always looked around when I walked.  I used to collect beer bottle caps, and random pieces of metal (don't ask), so my eyes have always wandered.  Not all people, though, are like that.

Perhaps taking pictures every day forces you to look around and see things you wouldn't normally look at.  It might de-center your view so you think of the world as seen by a dog, or child, or a bat.  I've certainly wondered what it's like to be my cat Tux.  I've often told myself that one day I won't do anything but follow him around, at his level, to see what his day is like.  The experience would certainly be unique and would possible change my outlook on life.

Here our outlook for the day.

Frank

His note: I could never grow indoor plants until I moved into an apartment.  This one is still hanging in there.

Shannon

Her note: Jack's new haircut.

My picture

Every time Tux walks out onto the balcony, he smells everything and looks around.  I keep wondering if he's forgotten what he's seen the last time he was there.  I've heard cats like constancy, so maybe he's just there to make sure everything is pretty much the same.  Like clockwork, after a few minutes of rubbing up against me on my balcony, he went over to the edge and looked around at the world below.  He seems generally happy.

I feel slightly better today, but tomorrow should be even better.

"I’ve never been successful at making films, really. I’ve never been able to do it right. And there’s something terrific about that. There’s something good about being a failure - it keeps you going." - 365 Project, Day 201

Manos: The Hands of Fate is arguably rated the worst movie ever made at IMDB.  (It may not hold the number 1 spot, but it has the lowest mean and has the most votes.  IMDB has a strange way of ranking movies sometimes.)  Plan 9 From Outer Space is generally regarded as being the worst movie ever made.  i would argue that these movies are not the worst out there.  The movies' technical ineptness actually adds to their entertainment value - people magically changing spots after a cut, the looping being horrible, the acting being bad, the lighting and cinematography being horrible and the overall direction being mind-blowing (as it, you want to shoot your head off).

I've also seen movies with a slightly higher level of polish, but that were simply horrible to look at and sit through (Feardotcom and Glitter come to mind).  One wonders if, say, the movies of Edward D. Wood, Jr., had they been slightly less ineptly made, would be as entertaining.  There is a value in camp.  In fact, camp often has a more genuine entertainment value, as it never tries to be something it's not, and if it does, it fails so miserably, it's highly entertaining.

For obvious reasons, Mr. Wood, Jr., Bert I Gordon, and even Roger Corman (and a slew of others), were never critical darlings, but that did not stop them from having some sort of filmmaking career (albeit with varying levels of success), and develop a reputation, for better or worse.

Here are today's successes.

Frank

His note: Hallway outside my door.

Shannon

Her note: These forks are silver but the flash turned them black.

Pat

I was just taking random pictures of anything on my way back home and I liked this long-ish exposure.  I suppose the composition could be better, but at the time I took it I found it very intriguing.

On to tomorrow.  Don't expect much, as I'm pretty sure I'll be spending my day in bed, headache-y and all.

"When photography's good, let me put it that way, it's as good as painting." - 365 Project, Day 200

This was another couple of days where I spent very little time at home.  This is actually going to be an especially short post because only Shannon and I have picture.

So, let's get on with it!

Shannon

Her note: View of the sunset from the Civic Hospital.

My picture

I finally got my S95 back but the sensor dust is still clinging so I have to send it back.  I just liked the angles and the lines created by the supports and tubes here.

Next up...

"You can photograph anything now." - 365 Project, Day 199

I don't know when this sentence was pronounced, but I would think it's always the case.  I suppose cameras can be so small now that anything can be photographed, or they're so powerful, nothing is impossible.  We can photograph even photograph individual atoms all the way to the entire universe (or, rather, its background radiation).

Another way of interpreting that would to say there are no more taboos (though, were there any to begin with?).  Many strange things can pass as art, especially if it's black and white, or well-lit (as the old joke goes). For better or worse, photography seems relatively free and as long as the photographer doesn't want to make money off the photo, they can take almost anything to display it.  That's a nice feeling, and it definitely allows everybody to be as creative as possible.

Here's what we took today.

Frank

His note: Peek-a-boo Mao.

Mandy

Her note: It's an ELEPHANT.  I was standing reeeeeeally close.

Shannon

Her note: Loved the sunset and I tried to get a good shot of the flag but it was to windy.

My picture

This picture is probably only special to me.  I find this little house pretty interesting for some reason.  I don't know why, but I keep trying to take a picture of it.  The family living there is always doing things outside, and indeed, just on the left side of the house was someone doing something.  I figured if anything can be photographed, I should be able to photograph this, regardless of everything.

I finally got my Canon S95 back today, on the day the S100 was announced.  Go figure.  I'm happy to have it back and I expect to use it a fair amount, as well.

"Above all, I know that life for a photographer cannot be a matter of indifference." - 365 Project, Day 198

Today's title, should it have been possible, would have been this song.  (Now, know it's technically possible to have what I want, but I don't want to go fiddling with random HTML code because really don't know enough of it to get what I want this time.)  It ties in to my own picture and the idea of flying through the air tying in to the bird in my picture.

Unfortunately, looking back at the video (and it has the same problem as Wynter Gordon's Talk Dirty video), it is simply horrible.  Low-budget videos usually, though there are exceptions;  creativity can certainly come into play (such as, well, pretty much anything OK Go has put up) and spruce up something that might otherwise be dull.  That's not to say more expensive music videos are always good, but they certainly are more polished.

There is something raw about low-budget shoots.  Everybody involved is in it for the fun of it, and there is usually lack of pressure from bean counters in studio offices.  Whatever they do, they don't think about the money, and it's all about the energy and the joy of actually doing what they're passionate about.

The same goes for photographers (or, to be fair, any kind of artist, or anything where there's a distinction between amateur and professional).  They never shoot something they don't find interesting in some way.  If they don't like the scenery and end up shooting it, they try different lighting, exposure or focus to make the scene interesting in some way.  Nobody takes a picture unless they like the scene, or they want to convey some sort of emotion by it; whether it's a drunken snapshot in a club or a majestic vista showing a tremendous valley, every picture is there for a reason.

Here are the reasons we grabbed our cameras today.

Frank

His note: Two Harleys for sale close to home.  Wish I had the money!

Mandy

Her note: AAAAAAHKK!!

Shannon

Her note: This guy tied a shopping cart to his scooter and drove away.

Me

I decided to go walk around downtown and on the way back I caught this.  The reflection of the sky in the river, with the colours was nice, and the bird flying overhead gave it something extra.  To be fair, I've taken a picture of this river and buildings two or three dozen times, so I know how to frame it, but I liked the way it looked.

I know the kind of picture I want to take tomorrow.  Now, will I end up taking that kind of photo?

"When people look at my pictures I want them to feel the way they do when they want to read a line of a poem twice." - 365 Project, Day 197

Yesterday, I wasn't feeling my best and fell asleep way before I intended, which is why I'm putting this up a day late.  I feel better now, in case you're wondering.

Quickly to the pictures.

Frank

His note: This flower garden is near the back door of the apartment building.

Mandy

Her note: I found the leaning tower of pomodoro on my floor!

Shannon

Her note: Always Coca-Cola!

Me

I find it strange anybody, especially in Ottawa, would try to grow sunflowers in their front lawn.  Also surprising that sunflowers would actually grow on anybody's front lawn.  This is a day I really had nothing to post, so I have this silly picture.

Tomorrow will come quickly.