Oven Now Reserved for Cookies

Dear Reader (2019-12-08),
(Reposted on 2019-12-09 due site to site issues)

The major project for this year was to complete a studio space. The space was finished nearly two weeks ago, and I spent 3 days trying to photograph a shirt. Now this is no ordinary shirt. This is the shirt I wore the most while finishing the studio. It got so dirty that it was banned from the washing washing machine and I was banned from the house if I was wearing it. So the shirt lived in the studio and I would change into it if I was mudding, sanding, or painting.

You may well ask why did it take 3 days. I had to figure out where things went, how do you place things, how are lights placed and modified, and how is lighting in the space controlled. Each of the first 3 photos below are the best of their respective days. The results from the first 2 days were sketches . I am happy with the result from the 3rd day. I also tried my hand at a self-portrait (another non-trivial experiment).

Whip

Today is the last in this December’s half-baked ideas sequence. I’m sure there will be more random collections in the future. This sequence was composed of:
• Day 1 – So Many Half-Baked Ideas
• Day 2 – Ethnic Flavours
• Day 3 – Whiplash
• Day 4 – Twice Baked But Still Half
• Day 5 – Oven Now Reserved for Cookies
As always, thank you for visiting and I am always grateful for comments (regardless of length).

Cheers, Sean

In case you were wondering if this is truly the end of baking, here is an out-take from a current project.

Twice Baked But Still Half

1 Reply

Dear Reader (2019-12-07),

Last Sunday (Dec. 1), Keith and I wandered along some of the paths at the
Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area. His image collection from that walk can be found here. My images were banal and uninteresting, until I started playing in Lightroom. The first two images are from the walk. On Wednesday, I went out looking for images that could be treated in the same way.

I have written before about fishing, and Wednesday’s fishing trip was initially going to be to Black Diamond / Turner Valley. Sometimes the fish are much closer. I was lured to the south end of Fish Creek Park, by a half seen fish. The fish seen at 90 km/h from Stoney Trail turned out to be real. I never left Calgary.

This is Day 4 of Half Baked Ideas
• Day 1 – So Many Half-Baked Ideas
• Day 2 – Ethnic Flavours
• Day 3 – Whiplash
• Day 4 – Twice Baked But Still Half – Today

Cheers, Sean

Whiplash

2 Replies

Dear Reader (2019-12-06),

Today the walk along 17th continues. But, we have a problem. There were not enough of any of the following explorations to make a complete post. Instead you get a cornucopia of views that caught my attention. In other words, there is no theme, unifying thought, or semblance of cohesion in today’s collection.

This is Day 3 of Half Baked Ideas
• Day 1 – So Many Half-Baked Ideas
• Day 2 – Ethnic Flavours
• Day 3 – Whiplash – Today

Cheers, Sean

Ethnic Flavours

1 Reply

Dear Reader (2019-12-05),

The other day I found myself walking 20 blocks or so of 17th Ave. SE. Some people call it the hood, others call International Avenue, others refuse to go there, and I found it photographically rewarding. The focus is a little soft on some of these so I will be returning with tripod.

This is Day 2 of Half Baked Ideas
• Day 1 – So Many Half-Baked Ideas
• Day 2 – Ethnic Flavours – Today

Cheers, Sean

So Many Half Baked Ideas

5 Replies

Dear Reader (2019-12-03),

I have been going madly off in all directions, which might induce whiplash. This would be most unfortunate especially as these are not WCB approved work spaces. Over the next 4-6 days, I will be posting some of my recent explorations. The range will cover a bit of urban, a bit of rural, and studio tales .

So to start we begin with a rural dawn, barely outside the city limits.

Cheers, Sean

Prairie Pano Plus

4 Replies

Dear Reader (2019-11-13),

Though I had been thinking of photography, I hadn’t actually been out there with my camera for too long. On Monday, photography began later than originally envisaged. But, I did get out. That was a good and needed thing. When I started driving, my mind was blank of ideas and imagined images. For the next 3 / 4 (or maybe it was 5) hours I drove 4 sides of a rectangle out NE of Strathmore. The drive was filled with a multitude of U turns and reverses.

Content as I was, emotionally I wasn’t sure where I was going, what I was doing, or even what I had. I did think there were some new additions to a series that is not yet ready for prime time. It wasn’t until the day’s collection was in post that I discovered there were quiet successes. Despite those successes I remain unsure of many of the images in today’s collection. For instance, photo 4 (16 x9) and 5 (pano) are taken from the nearly identical spot. Does one work better than other (based on any criteria that comes to mind or heart)? Again, what about 6 and 7? I really like 8 and 9 might be a 5 (too early to tell). 10 is a nearly (nearly good but is probably a 3). The fence is too close to the bottom edge and the left side is cut-off. The result is the whole image feels cramped.

As always, I invite your comments, especially given my above indecisiveness. Also as usual, this set will work better on a monitor than a phone.

Cheers, Sean

Not The Limpopo River

2 Replies

Dear Reader (2019-11-03),

This collection is not about crossing the great green greasy Limpopo River. For fans of Rudyard Kipling and the Just So Stories, the Limpopo River is where the elephant got its trunk. In my case I met a couple of people crossing the Red Deer river who were returning to their home in the Maritimes, after travelling by motorcycle through 13 states and as far as north as Alaska.

I met nothing that even vaguely resembled a crocodile when I drove out into the Prairies late August, in the general vicinity of Drumheller. Some of these images are panoramas and would print very nicely very wide.

Cheers, Sean

PS Thank you Kelly for adding me to your blog roll.

A Walk in A Park

4 Replies

Dear Reader,

I have recently handed in my resignation, and now I can get back to important things like sharing my recent wanders with you. Yesterday was a walk in a park with an old friend and new friends whom I had never met. The park was the western end of Fish Creek. Keith was our enthusiastic lead wanderer. Before I left the house, I decided my constraints would be my 35 mm (on a crop sensor), and a tripod. At the start of the wander, I waffled about the tripod constraint. As you can see from the images below, waffling was resolved.

All the photos are 4s except for photo 5. That one is really a 3.5 because the focus is off. But, I did take my shoes and socks off and waded into the f..g freezing creek with the tripod. I give myself points for seeing the image. I lose points on the execution. Maybe, next time I will carry boots with me.

For the record the image that is currently holding my attention the longest is the vertical one – go figure.

A walk in a park is always rewarding – it was a good wander with good people.

Cheers, Sean

From the Shot List

4 Replies

Dear Reader,

Between my mind and recorded fragments, I have a shot list. Sunday morning, I had plans, and then I saw the fog, crabbed the camera bag and tripod, and drove downtown to the Gas Plus bar to retake a photo. My previous attempt had been a bit of a pig and lipstick story. No matter how much post-processing I did it was still a pig.

Sunday, was a different story. While I was setting up the tripod and doing a couple of test shots, I noticed a man and his belongings off to my right. When he looked as if he was going to cross my path, I asked if he minded if I took his photo. In the first dozen images he was playing to the camera. Those images didn’t work. I am pleased with the one below. I asked our daughter if she preferred the colour of the b&w version. She like the b&w version because it is easier to see the cart in the b&w version. She is right. The colour though initially captivating is actually distracting, and the story get’s missed. I am also pleased because I took this photo with the subject’s permission (I am slowly learning to ask strangers for permission).

The pair of photos is of a scene that I wanted to make sure I captured before the bridge was lost. In the past 2 months I have lost now vanished scenes because I didn’t plan soon enough. I actually like both versions of the image. Do you have a preference?

Cheers, Sean

Housekeeping.
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Ahh To The Sea Again

4 Replies

Dear Reader,
Today we end the 2019 Devon Trip with a horizontal feast. Besides this post the 6 other posts in the series were:
~ Ahh To The Sea (2019-07-24; 9 images)
~ Dawn to Dusk (2019-07-25; 4 )
~ On the Edge Walking Part 1 ( 2019-07-26; 9)
~ Geology Here and There (2019-08-10; 9)
~ Happy Vertical Day (2019-08-11; 10)
~ Devon Miscellany (2019-08-12; 13)

Total Number of Images Including today’s set 64
Total Captured > 900
Total Deleted > 300
Total >= 4 stars 94

As you can probably guess I’m thrilled with today’s collection. As both a family event and photographically, the trip was a great success. If there are any photos that you found particularly rewarding or disappointing I would love to hear about them.