High Street ( Night edition) :dltphoto

Since we had a day time shoot it seemed only fitting to try an evening shoot.

Tulip Festival 2014: dltphoto

When I  worked at the old store where I was the printing machine for many years, about this time every year I would print sooooo many photos of an event I had never been too but knew all about though the images I printed. I told myself I would never go and do the same. Well, one of my ex work colleagues suggested we go along with Mr "Cameraman" Koopmans. Firstly I was shocked by the hordes and I mean HORDES of tourists in Buses that were visiting this festival. Canadians were clearly in the minority at this event, as were REAL CAMERA'S. Wow, hardly anyone of the tourists had any real cameras. It's very disappointing. Cell phone and tablets, yes tablets, are very convenient, but they do not create what an actually camera can create. NO. Not ever. I'll admit I have been using my phone for things, but it's fun. I use my real camera's to create GREAT images.
The camera manufacturers need to address this confusion that Cell Phones can replace the handy point and shoot camera. Nikon attempted the Coolpix S800C, which is really an Android Cell Phone in a Camera. Perfect right? Combine the fun of a smart phone in the amazing ability of a Camera. Nice! Too bad Android only let them have an older version of that software which made the camera operate a little slower.

Anyways, Patience is the name of the game here if you want to snap a pic with the hordes of people in your shot, that and the Nikon 1 V1 with the 70-200 lens, for the ultimate in "isolation".  Here are some of my images mildly edited images shot with the "sprightly" Nikon 1 V1.  Check out some more images from a different perspective

Granny and Grumpa's, Revisit 2013: dltphoto

Its been over a year now since Wallace and I visited Granny and Grumpa's Antique collection in Abbotsford. Last time was very overwhelming and I was not well prepared for so much stuff. This time I went with an idea not to try to see it all, just to pick out certain shots and concentrate on nailing them. This time also I only frequented one of the barns. With another 3 barns available I'll have plenty more to shoot on 3 future occasions.
I shot with a few different camera's... As to be expected! I finally had chance to muck around with some wireless flash with my trusty Nikon 1 V1. This first image of the Ice Cream toting Statue of Liberty was done using one remote flash off camera. I really enjoy this shot. Possibly my favourite from the day. It shows wonderfully the clutter and craziness of this corner of the barn. It's actually where I picked up an interesting Lenticular Print which I bargained with Grumpa for. I'll attempt of shot of this in the future.

Here are a few images, still have some film out and some other gems to go though. I'll save them for a rainy day!

Nightfall : dltphoto

Normally every year I post some glorious fall/ autumn tree shots. All glowing red and orange etc... But this time I tried something a little different. Must trickier and something that needs to be better thought out for next year!

I went out a night with Mr Koopmans to find the perfect coloured tree at night. Scouting ahead of time would have been smart as the pretty trees aren't so easy to spot, but that wasn't the only issue. FOCUS. Since we were basically shooting under pitch black nighttime it was incredibly hard to focus. Fortunately I had my blast of light flashlight with me (Fenix) and we atttempted to set our focus, it was still very challenging though.

So initially I started off doing some wireless flash to attempt to light up a tree we found in Fishtrap Creek. Along with a long exposure we got some nice effects, but that soon morphed into Flash and Flashlight which became a little bit of light painting which I have never really fooled with. Plenty of experimenting that night!
Light painting is simply using a long exposure (tripod required) and walking around with a light type device, in our case a really bright flashlight. Then at the end it wasn't about the colourful trees anymore since we couldn't tell if they were colourful or not. So we just messed around with a gazebo type thing in the park!

Out Of Focus!!!

Anyways, we played for a while and here are some of my winners.

it's been done: dltphoto

Some people have issues about doing something that's already been done!

Check out the talented version of this image.

Olympus XA2 V2.0: dltphoto

Thanks to Mr Koopmans for the very nice gift of an Olympus XA2. I had acquired one recently for nothing and it was working fine until half way through it's second roll and then kaput. Seemed the shutter only wanted to stay open for a 2 second exposure only. Oh well. So this is the XA2 V2.0, which I think has a small underexposure issue but its something I can live with.

The XA2 is the perfect pocket camera. Small, quick and  sharp images as long as you remember to Zone Focus it. A touch of lovely vignetting finishes the image quite nicely.

Of Paramount Importance: dltphoto

I recall a short time ago a friend of mine was petitioning to keep this old theatre in Chilliwack from being torn down, Alas I think it has been slated to be destroyed. Too Bad, interesting buildings are fun to shoot.

Attempted my first GIF file though! I need to work on it!

Why Woodn't You?...:dltphoto

Out on a recent epic cold and wet  morning with Mr Koopmans discovering new wooden things in Chilliwack. Can you spot the Cell Phone pic??

Favourite Photo Backlog, March, April and May 2012:dltphoto

Ack... its been a busy few months, honest!
Here are March, April and May's, "my Favourite Photo".

March, 2012

 I just love the busyness of this shot, the snow coming down in March... MARCH, with the tree bloom wanting to sneak though. Nikon D200 w/70-200 2.8vr

April, 2012

 This was from a typical April, sunny and warm for brief periods! Nikon D200 w/70-200 2.8vr

May, 2012

This was from a little photo escapade I went on with Mr Koopmans. We got a decent half days shooting done in and around the Maple Ridge area before it began to rain. This was a little wooden box that caught my eye. I loved the textures! Nikon D200 w/ 60mm 2.8 macro

I'll try not to forget the next  "my favourite shot" of the month post.

"Backlit Macro Pro" you say....: dltphoto

Recently a friend of mine watched an upload on the mytubo site and instantly reported the image as being mine since he noticed it as being my style, which I later found out to be "backlit macro pro"... hahahahah
 "my Style?"... I dont see it! I think he's mad!

Mytubo App: Android Phone: dltphoto

So a friend and I have embarked on a voyage into the unknown... the new super world of Phone Photography. Mr Koopmans and I are swimming against the iPhone tide, with our Android phones and our Mytubo photo App, iPhone'rs are using the ever popular "insta'gram" app and this mytubo is our equivalent.
What is most appealing is the square format nature of the App which for me as a rectangle shooter for all these years is unique. The two of us have dedicated ourselves to use only our phones for this project... since others are clearly uploading images from their real cameras which is removing the instant creativity from the user with the phone and giving them a clear unfair advantage into image quality and compostion.
Its not really a social networking place, more a place where you can "like" images and leave comments, not nearly as involved personally as your common garden variety Facebook is.
Here are a random assortment of images I have used from my phone.. but if you want to see them all folks you'll have to get yourself an android and download the app and search me out!!!