"I am always surprised when I see several cameras, a gaggle on lenses, filters, meters, et cetera, rattling around in a soft bag with a complement of refuse and dust. Sometimes the professional is the worst offender!" - 365 Project, Day 43

The most expensive commercially-available lens I have ever seen (a video of) is a Canon 1200mm f/5.6L lens.  The thing was 36lbs and was being sold used at B&H for US$99000 (and, funnily enough, had a minimum focusing distance of 46 feet!).  Nikon once produced a 300mm f/2 lens that weighed a little under 17lbs (and sold on eBay a few weeks ago for about US$12000).  Price here is not my focus, but rather weight is.

Having a great lens is a good thing, I won't say anything different, but, again, how far will someone go to get the picture they want?  The Nikkor 300 f/2 must be one hell of a lens to shoot with, but at 17lbs, there's a slight level of inconvenience to lugging the thing around.  I've hand-held a lens that weighs 2lbs and on my 7D that really twisted my wrist in weird ways sometimes.  I can't imagine anybody hand-holding a 70-200 for any kind of period longer than an hour or so.  Some of the equipment some people use is just crazy.

Today's pictures show none of this weight problem, as I doubt the heaviest camera used today weight more than 1.5lbs.

Frank

His note: No comment.

Mandy

Her note: I really loved this old beetle. When in doubt, get creative!

Shannon

Her note: Had no idea what to take today, so I snapped a pic of the supplies on my desk.

Pat

A few of things about the picture.  I like the colour of the sky.  I like the way the branches come down over me.  Lastly, I wanted the show the buds finally growing.

I will post something else tomorrow, obviously.  See tomorrow to see what that is.

"The camera cannot lie, but it can be an accessory to untruth." - 365 Project, Day 42

For me, the day started at 5:30 in the morning when a thunderstorm decided smear my window with lightning and fill my apartment with crushing noise.  Lucky as I am, as soon as I got my tripod and gear outside on my balcony, the storm had gotten bored with me and had moved on, taking both thunder and lightning with it.  As such, I do not, today, have a spectacular picture of a lightning bolt tearing up the sky.  What I had to show for all this work were soggy hair and a wet shirt.

This whole ordeal does fire up a couple of neurons.  Everybody has seen pictures from National Geographic and the like showcasing insane angles from ridiculous heights and depths.  One wonders what danger some photographers will go (or have gone) through to get a good angle.  How many deaths are attributed to stupid photographers each year who, looking through their viewfinder for that perfect shot, casually walk off a cliff?

On the other side of that coin, how many shots are not dangerous at all, but only seem that way thanks to zoom, wide-angle and tilt-shift lenses twisting and crumpling perspective and distance?  I will also not even name that piece of software that alters photographs in every imaginable way.  The point is, I don't consider myself the safest person in the world, but I do know what a good photograph is worth, and if I have to take the picture in the middle of a busy highway to get the perfect angle, I will at least wait until a slight lull before I go play in traffic.

Frank

His note: As they say, today is the first day of the rest of your life.  It is true for this couch.  I have purchased a new one and this one goes to a charitable organization today.  I hope whoever gets it enjoys its comfort as much as I did.  I chose a black and white (& grey) theme for this shot as it is a sad day and the couch is old.

Mandy

Her note: One of these spudz just ain't like the other...

Shannon

Her note: Hmmmmm what's wrong with this pic? Guess they don't believe in doors.

(Epic architecture fail.)

Pat

I tend to stay out of politics so this picture has no message in terms of who to vote for.  What I do like is the semi-futility of this advertising endeavor.  Why put one poster when a million will do, especially if your rival will do the same?  I was going to take more pictures to eliminate the people on the right side, but I liked the framing with the person half in the picture.  Other than the fact that this piece of street will never really be totally void of people at that time of day, I just like her walking in the frame like that.

Today was somewhat windy, but an absolutely gorgeous day.  I took another picture of the gorgeous blue sky (that I didn't put up because I already have one of the sort).  I hope tomorrow will be similar.

"If I saw something in my viewfinder that looked familiar to me, I would do something to shake it up." - 365 Project, Day 41

I've thought before about how many times a thing can be photographed before it gets old.  I seem to be unintentionally putting that into practice.  I have, I believe, showcased this magnificent parking lot thrice times by now.  Every time, however, is different, though I'm not sure how many other angles will work.  I'm not sure whether I'll get bored of this spot or not.

Would patience, I wonder, be a feature of most photographers?  I only ask this because it, on occasion, takes more than a few minutes to setup for a shot.  Sometimes, it takes more than a few attempts to get the perfect portrait at a model shoot, as well.  Perhaps it depends on the type of photography one is doing.  Are street photographers less patient than landscape photographers?  Say a type A personality lived their life with a camera stuck to their hand.  What memories would that SD card end up holding?  Maybe I should find a type A person (or simply strap a camera to my cat), and find out this answer.

As for the pictures today, here they are.

Frank

His note: This is the throne for our Brotherhood president.  It was made specially for him as a birthday gift and he uses it as his 'Head of the Table' chair when we have meetings.  It's a conversation piece as well as a kibitzing piece at every meeting.  He takes it all in stride LOL.  The pink bandana hanging from the handlebar is always on the throne and it is in memory of a close Sister who died while riding her motorcycle... Rest in Peace France

Mandy

Her note: He had a BIG appetite!

Shannon (I edited out the license plate.)

Her note: How safe are our streets?

(Of course they're safe!  Do you really think drivers would do anything dangerous, geez...)

My picture

Once again, my favorite parking lot.  It was raining pretty hard when I left work and I didn't what what to expect out of this shot.  I was covering my camera with my arm so it wouldn't get wet.  It turned out well.  The raindrops are very clear, the reflection of the light isn't too strong and the angle is pretty nice.

Today is done, and I can hopefully do something fun tomorrow (like laundry) to upload a more interesting picture.

"A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know." - 365 Project, Day 40

Though I really wish I could form interesting sentences today, my brain seems to be more interested in thumping in my skull.  It's not as bad as it sounds, but it would rather not string words together at this particular moment.  (In fact, it took me about 4 minutes to write that last sentence.)  I will be back tomorrow with more words.

To the pictures!

Frank

His note: I'm a huge Tweety fan as those who know me can attest.

(Trust me, he is.)

Mandy

Her note: My baby.

(I've never met Apple, but she seems like a happy dog.)

Shannon

Her note: Great day to head out to the sugarbush.

(Today was Shannon's first day off in a little under a month, so I'm surprised and somewhat disappointed her picture today is not of her pillow.)

My picture

I wanted something very grainy and very dark; something amateur and very rough.  I love the way this picture turned out.  As far as I can tell, there's no real motion blur (given the slow shutter speed), and the softness is the noise from S95 being at ISO3200.

Again, my brain seems to have turned off a few hours ago and I have nothing else to say to conclude this post.

"Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and composing the beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph." - 365 Project, Day 39

As is wont to happen, some people distinguish between photographs and snapshots.  The best example I can use to explain the difference is the distinction between a film and a movie.  A film is something deep, meaningful and tries to teach or say something about humanity or society.  A movie is something Hollywood produces to make money and serves solely as entertainment, while trying very little (or at all) to say something deeper than, say, aliens trying to take over the world and people trying to stop said aliens.

Keeping the comparison in line, a photograph would be something that would convey a feeling or a message.  As an example, perhaps seeing a homeless person asking for money on the street while, in the background, people are eating expensive meals in a very posh restaurant.  A snapshot, by comparison, would be taking a picture, say, of kids playing around a fountain.

Assuming then, that photographs and snapshots are different (given this definition), is a good photograph more valuable, more important than a good snapshot?

Films may say something deeply emotional, but they're generally not seen by many people.  Movies are potentially seen by millions of people, and bring a lot of enjoyment to those millions of people, even if they don't try to enlighten them.  They both have their uses.  Though snapshots may not mean much to other people, you know their context.  They bring back good emotions and make you smile based on your recollection of them.  Photographs can say something deep about humanity, but they may also be pretty depressing, which is not very enjoyable for some people.  Their message may also be pretty esoteric and not understood by some people.  Again, both of these have their uses and one is not necessarily more important than the other.  

This, of course, is all contingent on whether you distinguish between photographs and snapshots.

Let's take a look at today's, uh, pictures.

Frank

His note: Seems like these things are getting to be archaic .

Mandy

Her note: Fajitas. Om nom nom.

Shannon

Her note: While waiting for the bus this morning I turned around and saw my shadow. Thank god my legs aren't really that long!

Pat

My note: Nothing particularly special.  Just a brick wall I saw while walking home.

The weekend starts tomorrow, though I work.  I will hopefully get a picture of something more interesting than work.

"Some photographers take reality...and impose the domination of their own thought and spirit. Others come before reality more tenderly and a photograph to them is an instrument of love and revelation." - 365 Project, Day 38

What is the favorite photography you've taken?  Why is it so?  Does it require context?  Would anybody be able to appreciate it in the same way you do?

What makes the perfect photograph?It would be silly to say the perfect photograph contains a perfectly tack-sharp subject, or one where the rule of thirds is followed in exemplary fashion, or that is exposed properly (and the like) for two simple reasons.  One) I've seen terrific pictures that break these rules.  Two) I've seen pictures that are nothing special, though they perfectly follow the rules of photography.  In that case, then, my simple question remains.  Is the photograph perfect because it explains something about the photographer, or the subject, or society, or even humanity?  Is it a picture that captures something unique, or that shows the photographer's body and soul?

This is a pickle of a question, it seems, as there is no simple answer.  I truly dislike relativism when it comes to questions like these, for the main reason that some pictures are timeless.  Whether simply aesthetically pleasing or divulging a secret of some kind, some pictures are simply better than others.  The tough part, however, comes when seeking to find all elements of a good/memorable photograph into one whole.  Would that whole then be a perfect photograph?

Then you may ask the difference between a photograph and a snapshot...

Today's pictures show very random things, and I don't we've had such a diversity before in a day.  This is good.


Frank

His note: Only one thing to say about this Viper.  SAWEET!!!

Mandy

Her note: Our Turnip from Jan is not only still kicking, but it's ALIVE!

Shannon

Her note: Awwwww the signs of spring. Baby pinecones have started to grow.

Pat

I've been taking  a lot of pictures of landscapes, streets and bigger things in the past little while, so I figured I'd post a close-up to change things up.  (Truth is, I was running around and didn't take any other pictures today, so I took this one.)  This is at the top of Tux's scratching post and he plays with it occasionally.  Looks a little worn.

"Contrast is what makes photography interesting." - 365 Project, Day 37

Almost every day I saunter from home to work and back (though the latter happens a fair number of hours after the former).  A piece of that walk is snapped fairly occasionally.  One wonders - well, perhaps not one, but I wonder - how much of my walk will be on this site by next March.  How many bits and pieces will you be able to, well, piece together?  Which street connects to which street, and what building or tree belongs on which corner on the outskirts of other pictures?  (For example, my picture today and my picture on April 3rd or more or less the same angle, though taken at different spots with different focal lengths.)

By the same token, how much of Ottawa will be for all to see on this site after these 365 days are done?  We have four people sending in pictures, and though we relatively live all in the same quadrant of Ottawa, we usually go to different areas for work and/or play.  I may (though also may not) analyse this perhaps-observation nearer the end of January or February 2012 to see how if any part of Ottawa can be jigsawed together.

Today's pictures literally take us from sunrise to sunset, as you'll see.

Frank

His note: You know spring is here when it's time to change to summer tires.

Mandy

Bearpatty.

Shannon

Her note: As I was waiting for the bus I was blinded by the beautiful sun.

Pat

I spent way too much time at work, and by the time I left the sun was setting, as you can see.  I wanted really high contrast with everything in silhouette.  I'm happy with this.

"Photography is 90% sheer, brutal drudgery" - 365 Project, Day 36

I have a little story to relate.  Keep in mind, it has nothing to do with photography, but its relevance will be explained in due time (perhaps not in this post, but some time in the future).  My best friend's mother likes the slot machines at casinos.  She walks the endless aisles of one-armed bandits, looks at one, say 'This one looks nice', and start playing.  A little while later, after my best friend have handed over all our money to the casino (which, it has to be said, graciously accepted it), we walk past and see her (at the same machine) with three or four huge cups of quarters, having come out on top anywhere from $50 to $400.  I've seen this happen.  Multiple times.

My father and I were talking around taking pictures today and much to our dismay the weather seemed to have been spitting on us.  It didn't seem to have enjoyed our presence very much.  I have a recurring joke in my mind that, after this project is done and over with, I will publish a book of this project with the title 'The Worst Year in History to Take Pictures: A Glimpse Into 2011's Crappy Weather'.  Some people simply have bad luck.

The weather unabashedly seems to laugh in the face of photographers (and, to be fair, non-photographers as well) this year.  It is inconsiderate and, quite honestly, pretty rude of the weather to do so.  We do not want to laugh at it, saying it has thick angles or bad hair.  We simply want to capture it and show it to the 30 or so people that see this blog from day to day.  Quite honestly, even if we did want to laugh at its bad hair today, 30 people is hardly a number that should alter its self-esteem much in anyway.  The weather can be so insensitive and inconsiderate.  Sometimes I feel like walking outside and taking pictures simply out of spite!

Today's pictures laugh in the face of such weather, as most of them were taken outside.

Frank

His note: After a great afternoon of taking photos with my son I'm sitting here wondering what shot would I choose for today's blog photo.  As the rule is we can only use a photo we took on that specific day for the blog photo.  I finally decided on this one because it reminded me of so many memories relating to trains.  These are 2 railway spikes.  As a youth, folk music was quite popular.  The Canadian king of folk at the time was Gordon Lightfoot.  He wrote a song called Steel Rail Blues.  And after staring at the photo for many minutes I decided to dedicate this photo to him for creating this specific song.

Mandy

Her note: My dad always look so serious. I caught this rare smile from him and I like the fact that he is looking down; he almost looks bashful.

Shannon

Her note: Went for a walk at lunch today and saw this old clock that didn't seem to be working.

(To clarify, the picture was taken a little before 1pm, not 4:30, like the clock indicates.  For those that don't believe me, take a look at the EXIF data, thank you very much.)

My picture

This is somewhat representative of the weather we've had this year.  It's April and there's still ice, no leaves on the trees, and it looks drab.  Try as I might to bring out the colours, editing the file only made everything look, well, more drab.  This scene is somewhat tragic and unfortunately didn't work as a black and white picture as much I would have liked.  The colours are very dull, so it works anyway.

I have no idea what tomorrow will look like, but we'll see what it will bring.  I doubt it will be particularly nice, but I'll have four new pictures nonetheless.

"I just think it's important to be direct and honest with people about why you're photographing them and what you're doing. After all, you are taking some of their soul." - 365 Project, Day 35

What does photography try to capture?  What, and this question is only half-rhetorical, does photography try to accomplish?  Does it merely try to capture some cute little moments in time (as my picture today), or does it propose somewhat of a greater ideal?  Does a portrait capture someone whole or simply a piece of them?  How much of a person can it capture?  Pretend I take a picture of a landscape and everybody likes it, does it mean more than a picture of my cat that everybody likes?

Working out the purpose of photography is somewhat of a moot point, I found.  It carries as much relevance as any other medium, to be hones; it's there as a hobby, or a form of memory, or a profession.  At worst it's a slight waste of time, but at best it transmits a deep message from the photographer to the viewer.  Pictures can be moments that are to be forgotten, or create a certain timeless mood to be remembered.  There's not special about photography comparing with any other medium, and is only as relevant as your outlook on life will allow it to be.  In the existential sense, it serves no grand purpose, but then again nothing else does.  In a more immediate, practical sense, it does what I've mentioned a few sentences ago.

Like with music, film, books, and, quite frankly, even hair cuts, some pictures are more timeless than others.  Having said that, is there such a thing a pop photography, or fad photography?  I'll look into that.

Here's the timelessness that April 4th will provide you.

Frank

His note: Didn't want to go outside today so this is a shot of one of my lamps.  The bulb is halogen and it's light is quite white.  However for some reason the reflective dome came out golden.

Mandy

Her note: It was a very squishy day, rain falling, mud doing what it does best. I generally like the look of raindrops in any form, and the side mirror on my dad's car had them in plenty. I like the orangy, red bokeh in the background. It adds to the blue, its complimentary colour of the car.

Shannon

Her note: Thought these salt and pepper shakers were kind of neat.

Pat

What I have to say:  I apologise for the shaky picture, but I saw these kids playing around a fountain and had to take a picture.  Here, they're looking at the middle of the fountain, that spews water up about 30 feet in the air every couple of minutes.  I would have taken more pictures (and better ones, though I did want the kids to be blurry), but I didn't want to creep their parents out.  So I'm happy with this one.

Tomorrow should see the same sort of weather, so we'll see what results occur.

"Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships." - 365 Project, Day 34

I've written before that I don't edit my pictures too much.  Though this is still true, for the most part, I don't know how long I'll keep that up.  I'm not too picky about the pictures I take, but sometimes the picture needs a bit of something.  As with any digital camera, dynamic range is always an issue.  If I owned a Phase One P65+ or even a Nikon D3X, I wouldn't even care, but with the equipment I have, I can't compete with those cameras on a few levels.

I'm very pleased with, say, the picture I took yesterday.  The blues were very nice before retouching the picture (and to be honest, I would have posted the before-and-after pictures had the three others forgotten to send their own pictures (as I thought might have happened because I got all three pictures pretty late in the day)).  I just wanted to give them a bit more punch.  The same goes for today.  In the LCD screen of my 7D, the picture was dark with very nice contrast.  On my laptop, it looked a bit brighter, making it seem more bland.  All I did what match what I saw when I took it.

There are those that say editing a picture is sacrilege (or perhaps something not so drastic), and though I can appreciate the care and finesse that goes into creating the perfect picture in-camera, I will say this.  When processing film, there is, well, processing going on.  To a certain extent, when creating a photo from a negative, you can control the exposure and can easily underexpose or overexpose certain areas you wish to hide or highlight.  At the very least, you control how dark or how bright the picture will be.  Editing digital pictures, in my mind, is just an extension of that.  Some people can go overboard, but the idea is the same.  You can control what you couldn't control when you took the picture.  Digital cameras are by their nature lacking something and all editing is doing is trying to reproduce the photographer's vision.

Today's pictures are next.

Frank

His note: I stopped by one of my favourite stores today, Home Depot, and some tubular carts were all lined up outside, I just had to take a few shots of them.  It's funny how people look at you when you're setting up for a shot like this.  They looked at me funny.  I suppose they were thinking: "what's that idiot doing?"  LMAO, I was having fun.

Mandy

Her note: Beautiful roses I was brought. :) I really like having them off to the side in this picture. The roses also look like velvet.

Shannon

Watermelon!  If you put this in a food dehydrator, would anything be left?

Pat

Right outside of work the sunset was very nice.  I really enjoyed the shape of the clouds and the contrast created by the uneven horizon.  I boosted the contrast and clarity a bit to give the picture a bit more punch.

I have the next two days off, so I will definitely be taking a lot of pictures.  Hopefully there will be at least two good ones.

"Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter." - 365 Project, Day 33

I am far too tired today to write anything of significant meaning or, quite frankly, coherence.  I will return tomorrow with something silly to write.

Frank

His note: What a beautiful spring day.  Part of a tin roof was calling me to take its picture.

Mandy

Her note: This is my niece Rosalie, the perfect little model!

Shannon

Her note: In the carwash.

My picture

Couple things.  1) This is where I wish I had a tilt-shift lens, though I doubt it would be very useful on an S95.  2) Those aren't the colours that appeared out of my camera.  The blues are obviously boosted a little bit, though the sky itself was pretty vibrant without the boosting.

I should theoretically be more chatty tomorrow, unless I have the same type of day as I did today.  I will try to write something either way.

"Minolta makes the best bodies, Nikon makes the best lenses, Canon makes the best compromise." - 365 Project, Day 32

To begin this post, I will say that I will forgo any lame April Fool's jokes.  Mostly because I haven't really thought of today as April Fool's Day, and also because I don't have anything meaningful and witty to fake.

Today was the least coldest day of 2011 so far in Ottawa and though the sun was being masked by clouds of varying thicknesses, I did enjoy walking around.  Even if it wasn't a perfect day, it had its own charm and was relatively full of life.  Thanks to the clouds' insistence in doing what they did today, the colours were somewhat drab, but little critters and things running around were certainly not lacking.  I think the weather is finally realising it has to play nice and let animals procreate.  Indeed, it was a little charming watching squirrels chase each other around trees and ducks walking along together.  I got some decent wildlife shots, though I would have wished for an actual telephoto lens.  I saw a badger walking around, which isn't as common as, say, pigeons or squirrels, though he was extremely jumpy.  I tried walking around to get a better angle and he quickly scurried away to his hole.

That's the problem I've found; most animals don't seem to want to cooperate with photographers (and this is where telephoto lenses are particularly handy).  This is far too inconsiderate of them.  I don't really need a picture of your backside, your face is a lot more interesting.  I am also far too impatient to get a monopod and be stationary for any period of time.  This is probably why I don't usually dip my foot in the wildlife pond.  Birds and squirrels don't find me important enough to help me with my photography.  In your own experience, how many great shots of the various wildlife in your region would you have had if the animals had only been nice enough to pose for at least one shot?

Having said that, my picture is actually not of any animal (though I had 3 of those I was eying to put here today). Instead, I chose a shot I quickly took of some stairs.  See below.

Frank

His note: Coat hangers.

Mandy

Her note: Like the look of this photo, specially in black n white. It's our mail stack.

Shannon

Her note: As I was on my way to work this morning, I looked down at the seat in front of me and saw the following....wondering if that person was hungry!

My picture

Oh, what I would do to have a wide-angle lens.  This was shot at 18mm (on a cropped sensor), but I would have loved the distortion created with a 12 or even 10mm focal length.  Just some stairs leading up to a street, from a little park.

I have no idea what tomorrow is supposed to be like and though I could easily check a very educational website about that ignorance, I am too lazy and indifferent to check it right now.  I'm sure the pictures tomorrow will answer that concern for you.

"Photography is truth. Cinema is truth 24 times per second." - 365 Project, Day 31

A friend of mine asked me to help her with a video resume idea she had.  Although I'm jumping at the chance to help her, I have very little videography experience beyond shooting bad singers at karaoke bars and shooting my cat chase his own tail.  I've learned enough to know the rules for photography don't overlap perfectly with those of video.

Lighting, composition and appearance are all relatively the same, but one of the simplest things, editing, is completely different.  (I just had a very odd thought.  Photography is not technically 3 dimensions, given that pictures are only on 2 axes (i.e. height and width).  If that's the case, can video be considered 3 dimensions, given the two picture axes and time axis?  Moving on.)  Whereas picture editing is only concerned with a minuscule amount of time concentrating on colours, exposure and detail, with video editing, time is infinitely more important and the other things enumerated have to be measured prior to shooting and cannot be as easily corrected post-process.  Though video is only shot at, say 24 frames per second, shutter speed is also a consideration when shooting with DSLRs, oddly enough (not to mention aperture and ISO).

We shall see how everything turns out and though the clip would be relatively short (say 30 seconds), my knowledge of the work ethic of he likes of Stanley Kubrick and Werner Herzog tell me this 30 seconds may prove to be quite the endeavor.

On to the pictures of the day, which show a very nice variety.

Frank

His note: This again is a gift from the melted ice on a sidewalk near my favorite grocery store... If you look closely at the melted water pattern it looks like the face of a cartoon monster.

Mandy

Her note: Net of trees.

Shannon

Her note: As I was waiting for the bus to come home, I saw these shoes.

My picture

On my way to work I took this shot and liked the composition.

For some reason, I want there to be rain tomorrow.  I don't think it'll happen.  I have the feeling it'll mostly be overcast, but we'll see.