High Key
I have a portrait lighting class Wednesday nights at SAIT. This week we had a couple models and two setups, one with 4 lights and one with 2. We were lucky to get some professional models in as well. It was a lot of fun working with the girls and the photos turned out great!
New and Exciting Things are Happening
It has been a little while since I have added a new post, so I thought I was due.
Elias and I have been busy starting a partnership called Good Earth Photography. The website is under construction, and will be up and running in the near future.
We photographed Walter & Patti’s wedding at Wintergreen Golf & Country Club on May 15th. We finished processing just in time to photograph Rob & Ashley’s wedding at Cottonwood Golf & Country Club on June 4th.
I had an amazing time at both weddings and am super excited to share the photos soon.
Here are a couple teasers from Walter & Patti’s wedding:
Dahlia
Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, perennial plants native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. There are at least 36 species of dahlia. Dahlia hybrids are commonly grown as garden plants. The Aztecs gathered and cultivated the dahlia for food, ceremonies, as well as decorative purposes,[3] and the long woody stem of one variety was used for small pipes.*
These are my favorite flowers, they are large and very colorful. The girl at Golden Acre explained it best, they look like fireworks, like they are exploding. I love it.
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahlia
Baby Mackey
Karisa and I have been friends since junior high school. We graduated from high school together then moved to Lethbridge in search of bigger and better things than our small town could offer us. August 8th, 2009 I was proud to stand up for her and be one of brides maids at her wedding. She is now Karisa Mackey.
In November 2009 I was doing some work in New York. The long days were all starting to blur together and on another late night, I get a surprise text message. It was Karisa telling me that her and Jason were pregnant!! I was so excited I started tearing up even let a few tears escape. As I was madly texting her back about how excited I was, I was praying that my customers wouldn’t come in and see me crying, lol.
Now it is May 2010 and Baby Mackey will be here in the next couple of months. We were lucky to have Karisa come for a visit this weekend, and we took full advantage of her and Baby Mackey and did a photoshoot. I am so happy that Karisa let me do this photoshoot with her and Baby Mackey. It means a lot to me.
A baby has a special way of adding joy in every single day.
– Author Unknown
A new baby is like the beginning of all things-wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities.
– Eda J. Le Shan
Alberta Prairies
I grew up in Southern Alberta and of course never truly appreciated the beauty of the prairies. I have always loved the old barns that you see along HWY 1 that are starting to lean at 45° angle to the ground. I hope to be doing a tour of Southern Alberta this summer devoted to taking photos of the old barns.
A to Z Project
Although I was rejoicing when I completed my 365 project, I am starting to miss having a photo project. After tossing around a few different ideas I have decided on the A to Z project.
A is for Apple
I have finally joined the iPhone generation. I was a blackberry girl for a long time, but when I started using my boyfriend’s iPhone all the time instead of my blackberry – I decided it was time to make the change, and I am really happy I did.
Dear Mountains
I love you. I can not wait to breath your crisp, clean air again. I can not wait to look up, smile and admire your beauty.
The mountains are an amazing place. This was taken with my blackberry 8900, summer of 2009. Elias and I went on one my favorite hikes – Galatea
“Galatea Creek Hiking Trail to Lillian Lake
Spray Lake
Difficulty Rating: Difficult
Distance: 12.6 km return
Elevation Gain: 500 m
Time 6-7 hours return
Location: From Canmore, drive 35 km east on highway 1 towards Calgary the take the highway 40 exit and drive south into Kananaskis Country. The trailhead is 32 km south at the Galatea Day Use Area.
Description: Trail CLOSED until June. This is a well-defined trail that crosses Galatea Creek nine times. The hike will take you by steep rock cliffs, open avalanche slopes and a narrow gorge. A steep ascent will bring you to the Guinn Pass junction and then it will be a gradual slope to the Lillian Lakes. For the more adventurous, try the 1.2 km, 200 m elevation, extra hike to the Lower Galatea Lakes. There is a backcountry campground at Lillian Lake for those wishing to make this an overnight trip.”
-http://www.residentialconcierge.ca/day_hikes.htm
Spring has sprung in Bellevue
I was out and about this weekend in Bellevue and Seattle. Spring is in full bloom here and it smells as beautiful as it looks.
★ It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want – oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain
Spring in Washington
I am in Bellevue, Washington for 3 weeks for work. I went for a walk after getting checked into my hotel last night and was quite happy to see flowers in bloom everywhere. One of the first things I noticed when I left the airport was how green everything is here.
YAY Springtime.
Narcissus also know as daffodils
A cherry blossom is the name for the flower of cherry trees known as Sakura
I Dream in Purple & Blue
★Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living. – Anais Nin
Snow Moon
Full Snow Moon – February 28, 2010
Since the heaviest snow usually falls during this month, native tribes of the north and east most often called February’s full Moon the Full Snow Moon. Some tribes also referred to this Moon as the Full Hunger Moon, since harsh weather conditions in their areas made hunting very difficult.
Chinook Nature Park
Chinook Nature Park is located within the boundary of Fish Creek Provincial Park bordering the Calgary community of Cranston in S.E. Calgary. Even on a cool February day there are many fly fisherman to be found scattered along the river. We found this great place while on the hunt for some geocaches. The pathways had some icy patches, but nothing a good pair of shoes can’t handle.
Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.
-Albert Schweitzer
Toon Paint
Tonight’s post is about an iPhone app called Toon Paint. My boyfriend downloaded it and it is sooo cool. You just snap a quick photo and then load it into Toon Paint and you look like you are out of a comic book. Check out the pics we took and processed on the iPhone. The credit for these photos goes to Elias Hazen. He was the mastermind behind these cool shots and processing.
Wishing for Summer
Living in Canada, I am a fan of all the seasons including winter. However once the sun starts staying up longer and getting up earlier and you can feel it’s warmth on your face you start to think, “Spring is on it’s way.”
This is a photo taken June last year while going for a walk through Fish Creek park. I am crossing my fingers for an early spring.
★ No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow. ~Proverb
365 Day Challenge
Do you ever wonder why I take so many pictures of myself? Am I infatuated with myself? I can’t find anyone who will let me take their picture? Lol, no no no. It the 365 day project on flickr.
There are quite a few different 365 day groups, but this is one of the original self-portrait projects. The rules are simple:
The 365 Days group is a project in which members submit one self portrait each day for a year. Yep that is it. Anyone can do it and can start it anytime.
I started my 365 project on March 13th, 2009. It was scary thinking, am I really going to take a picture of myself for 365 days? But once you make the decision it really isn’t too bad. I started to play around with photoshop, I was able to record all the exciting things that happened to me through out the year and I got used to being on the other side of the camera. Today is day 335, only 30 more days to go!! Woohoo!! Some days I was more inspired than others, but I have done well. I am going to put all my photos into a blurb book when I finish. Even now it is quite fun to look back at my previous photos.
All of my 365 photos to day can be found here. Now here is a random sampling of my 365 collection.
This is one of my Mom’s favorites:
Some creative ones that I would never have been able to do on day 1:
They don’t have to show your face, as long as there is some part of you in the photo:
Or you can just have fun:
It a very fun and worth the journey. Just remember to always keep a camera on hand and have fun!
Geocaching
Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment. *
My boyfriend and I started geocaching in September 2009 and are in love. It is so fun to go for a walk or a hike and find hidden caches along the way. We went for a walk on Christmas day and found one just around the corner from his sister’s house. Besides Alberta I have found caches in Massachusetts and New York. I am looking for my upcoming site trips which will allow me to find caches in two more states. We also are hoping to get caches in a couple more provinces this year as well.
It is inexpensive, fun for the whole family and can be done pretty much anywhere in the world. We have even hidden a cache of our own in Fish Creek Park and hope to be hiding more soon. It is fun to read the logs and see the photos posted about our cache.
How it works:
1. Sign up for a free geocaching account at www.geocaching.com – you don’t need the premium account, it is something you can look into if you catch the geocaching bug.
2. Get the gear – first of all you need good walking shoes, and some sort of writing stick. You also need a GPS, it can be $10 Geocaching App for the iPhone, or $20 Geocaching App for the Blackberry or any other GPS device you may have. We have been using both the Blackberry 8900 and the iPhone and have found 50 caches.
3. Pick a cache and hit the road. You can search for caches through the website or using your phone app there is usually a button to “Find Nearby Caches”.
4. Select the one you want and use the navigation tools to get to the coordinates posted.
5. Read the description and title of the cache for any hints or clues as to where it may be hidden. It is also a good idea to check the size of the cache so you know if you are looking for something the size of a key chain or a big ammo can that could hold a lot of treasure. If you still aren’t sure, you can check and see if there is a hint. (this geocache is posted by Igloomaniac and called Stop In Cranston)
6. Be stealthy and make the grab (it is a fake nut and bolt. second down it is magnet and the bolt screws off and the log is inside. They aren’t all like this, there are a lot that are tupperware containers hidden under rocks or in a tree trunk)
7. Sign the log
8. Photographic log (you don’t have to do this but it is fun to keep a record of all the caches you find)
9. Rehide the cache where you found it
10. Log your find on the website
11. Rinse and repeat
See just that easy a nd it’s so fun. When geocaching keep an eye out for unnatural piles of rocks, sticks or twigs. This is usually a sign of a hidden cache. You can find caches hanging in trees too. They are everywhere. This cache is called a Traditional Cache, which means you go to the coordinates posted on the website and you should find a cache there. There are a wide variety of caches. You can read about the other types here: http://www.geocaching.com/about/cache_types.aspx
In browsing geocaching info I found a great blog that a girl in Ottawa is writing about geocaching and her family’s adventures. Stop by and give it a look: http://geonarcissa.wordpress.com/
My geocaching name is angestar. If you sign up please feel free to add me as a friend.
P.S. – My boyfriend and I bought the Garmin Dakota 20 GPS today. We went out right away and found a cache with it. After having used it for a while, I will post my review.
Elbow Falls
Elbow Falls is a small set of waterfalls along the Elbow River, west of the hamlet of Bragg Creek within Kananaskis Country, Alberta. They are located along Highway 66, 20 km (12 mi) west of the Bragg Creek turnoff on Highway 22X. Elbow Falls is a great place to go if you want to get out of the city. There are picnic tables and fire pits all over.
My boyfriend and I headed west of Calgary today to get some fresh air and take some photos at Elbow Falls. it is a very popular place during all seasons. It was a beautiful day and there were a lot of photographers out shooting. After getting our shots and chatting with a few friendly people, then headed into Bragg Creek for some amazing pizza from Dave’s Pizza. If you are in the area and craving pizza, you should definitely check it out.
P.S. – this is my first real outdoor shoot with the new 50D and I still love it!!
★ Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. ~John Muir
EH O CANADA GO!!!
It is day Day 7 of the 21st Winter Olympics, being held in British Columbia, CANADA.
Canada currently tied for 5th place with 2 gold medals, 2 silver medals and 1 bronze medal.
Quatchi is a young sasquatch who comes from the mysterious forests of Canada. Quatchi is shy, but loves to explore new places and meet new friends.
Although Quatchi loves all winter sports, he’s especially fond of hockey. He dreams of becoming a world-famous goalie. Because of his large size, he can be a little clumsy. But no one can question his passion. He knows that if he works hard and always does his best, he might one day achieve his dream. Quatchi is always encouraging his friends to join him on journeys across Canada. He is also often recruiting others to play hockey – or at least to take shots at him!
The sasquatch is a popular figure in local native legends of the Pacific West Coast. The sasquatch reminds us of the mystery and wonder that exist in the natural world, igniting our imagination about the possibility of undiscovered creatures in the great Canadian wilderness.*
I ♥ 50D
I bought a new camera this weekend. It is the Canon 50D and I love ♥ it!!! I have used my Rebel XTi for 2 years now and loved it and learned a lot. However with all of the courses I have been taking I am starting to reach the limitations of the Rebel and am ready to take the next step. WOOHOO!! I won girl’s club on Saturday which meant a cool $750 in my pocket. It wasn’t even there for 48hrs before I was heading to Saneal.
I plan on doing some comparison shots with the same exposure and lens, only changing the body. It will be interesting to see the difference.
Good night! I hope everyone has a great Wednesday.
♥ Happy Valentine’s Day ♥
February 14, 2010
Saint Valentine’s Day (commonly shortened to Valentine’s Day) is an annual holiday held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The holiday is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius I in AD 496. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines“). The holiday first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffery Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.
Modern Valentine’s Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards.*
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentines_day
Alberta Sunset
In Calgary you can head west and be in the mountains in an hour or you can head east and be in the prairies. I headed a few minutes East out of the city to get this shot. During winter time in Alberta there are a lot of people who suffer from seasonal depression. It is always great to have a bright sunny day and the opportunity to wear your sunglasses.
Check out a panorama I made:
Candle Holder
This candle holder was part of a gift the my friend Nicole gave me as a house warming gift when I bought my first home just about a year ago. It is very unique.
