Hello World! I am currently in the process (finally) of updating my website. The new and improved version will include my portfolio along with pricing options for family and event photography. [last updated July 18, 2014]
Back From the Dead
It’s a miracle! I’m online, have two cameras sitting next to me (both itching), and am writing. It has been quite a while; since March, in fact. Please, let me explain.
Shortly after my last post, or at least my last photo of the week, this showed up on my back deck:
Pre-adoption, pre-naming; how could I not take pity?
This poor animal was clearly starving, distrustful of both dogs and humans alike, and was clearly in mortal danger of starvation. I began feeding her, though she remained quite wary. After a few weeks of watching her and, to my surprise, her watching me, I decided I would keep her rather than drive her eight hours to a shelter. After a couple of weeks, she would come to me for affection and food and I would be grateful to see her observing me from a cautious distance when I went trekking on hikes.
After a breaking-in period, she has turned out to be a fantastic dog. All dog owners, or at least any worth their salt, would happily talk the hind leg off a horse about why their dog is the greatest and most interesting animal ever to grace the earth. They are all wrong, however; mine is.
Now, my dog, whose name is Korbo (from the French, “Corbeau”), was a wild animal. She is a mix of God knows what, though there is a strong husky/malamute influence, and making her a [semi]domestic creature was not without its perils. I lost a couch, almost a wall, have spent hours on training, and have to keep her well exercised. The result is a much less pitiful creature; she is happy, kind, gentle, intelligent, fully grown (I hope) and no longer starving. It only took several months.
Photo courtesy of my father (2013).
I also have had work, a social life to attend to, so forth and so on. There are plenty of things that occupy our time, energy and other resources. Otherwise we wouldn’t have bucket lists, we would have fulfilled lives (some of us, anyways). I have also fallen prey to these necessary distractions. So, I fell out of the routine of taking pictures, fell out of the routine of tending to my website and have fallen out of the routine of thinking much about photography.
Well, here I am; I have my Nikon D-SLR ready to go and an old Minolta SLR with a prime 50mm lens that I’m excited to play with, if for no other reason than to force me to think about my photos before I take them. I’m back in the game!
Stay tuned, as I will post some of the photos I have taken over the last few months in my “Photo of the Week” section and, with luck, will resume my regular updates and new shots. I will also endeavour to keep you up-to-date with any interesting happenings in my life, should they occur.
Megapixels – I’m For ‘Em!
I recently read an article that suggested that my camera’s 24 megapixel count is outrageous and completely unnecessary. Naturally, I need to come to my camera’s defence.
The article does have a point though – my first camera, a Canon 3.2 megapixel point-and-shoot, took some very nice pictures. Many of them have been printed in 4×6 and 5×7 size and never once did I bemoan their quality. Still, it was nice when I upgraded to my 6 megapixel Pentax K100d D-SLR. With that, I can make good sized prints and not notice that it is not a film camera – it really is a good piece of equipment in the hands of a good photographer. Now that I’m a Nikon man, I’m shooting with 24 megapixels, and I use them.
It is often suggested that high megapixel counts are simply a marketing ploy. This is partly a valid point, as many people entering into digital photography equate megapixels with quality, and this is certainly not true. My D-3200 shoots in 24 megapixels, but performs a little less well than the D-5100, which shoots at 16 megapixels. The quality of the sensor is important, as are the optics (the lens) filtering the image. Professional photographers have been managing quite well with fewer megapixels. Nonetheless, it is better to have more than less on the market, so it is a smart move by Nikon.
Now, I am not brand new to the world of digital photography, though I have a lot to learn. So why do I like having such a high megapixel count? It is because I use them. We no longer live within the constraints of film photography, not should we act as though we are. I have a great deal of respect for photographers who shot in photo-chrome leaving no room for darkroom magic. My father did this for a while and got some great images, but he is now using a mid-range Olympus D-SLR. He still gets great shots, but he also has embraced Photoshop.
I use the megapixels because I crop many of my images. This is sometimes because I need to modify my composition, indicative of my inexperience, or because I do not have sufficient equipment to zoom in. Sometimes I like the perspective that wide angle provides, but am unable to physically move myself close enough to the objects I would like to isolate. My last argument in favour of megapixels, and I believe the most universal, is convenience. For common photography purposes, I do not have to changes lenses as much as I used to. If I am driving and see something, I can pull over, release the shutter with a lens at 35mm, and be on my way. I can get away with carrying less equipment and I can get away with changing lenses less.
I should note that this is purely for convenience – if I were making a billboard, I would not be cropping as much as I often do. However, for 8×10 prints, I have printed images that maintain print quality in spite of having been cropped quite significantly, in some cases losing more than half of the frame.
This is why I like megapixels – it frees me to do more with less equipment and with more room for error. Ultimately, I aspire to be able to shoot as though I were using photo-chrome film, but will never regret having the flexibility and convenience of more megapixels, harddrive space permitting.
Do I Have Style Yet?
Here is a problem many beginning photographers face – people will ask, “what sort of photography do you do?” I was asked that just last night, in fact, and it can be a very difficult question to answer convincingly. Fortunately, I was prepared.
A couple of months ago, I read an article that talked about consistency in photography being a hallmark of a good photographer. This does not mean that an excellent landscape photographer cannot take a nice portrait here and there; it means that if I am trying to market myself as a serious photographer, albeit an amateur one, my portfolio should reflect my strengths, interests and what is unique to my work. That is what spawned my “Photo of the Week” challenge, which I have embarrassingly neglected twice when life got in the way.
So, over the last two months, here is what I have discovered (and begun to hone). I like landscapes. I don’t know if this is because I like landscapes or if it is because that is what my environment is most suited to right now, but most of the nicer photographs I am getting are of the wider environment around me. I also like high saturated colours – a polarizing filter s in my future, but in the mean time I have been using computer software to increase saturation slightly. I like textures in snow and in the sky, and like to have sharp (crisp, not necessarily pointy) objects contrasted against a bright, saturated and nicely textured sky. Where saturation is difficult, I like to add a filter to make things a little more interesting – I have been particularly fond of adding a purple tint to some of my photographs. Generally speaking, I prefer a slightly warmer than suggested white balace during morning and evening hours, but like to cool things off a bit when the sun is high in the sky.
These preferences, which I believe are beginning to incubate my “style”, are observed in these photographs:
Little Playgreen Lake (Norway House, MB, 2013)
Speed Limit on Mission Island (Norway House, MB, 2013)
Afternoon Sky (Norway House, MB, 2013)
So, when asked, “what’s my style”, I would generally answer that I focus on landscapes during the earlier or later hours of the day, looking at well saturated colours, rich contrast, and that I try to have the sky paint a nice backdrop for crisp subject matter. I am beginning to develop a consistent portfolio of work to back that up.
I hope to continue to get better at event photography, portrait photography, and when finances and time permit, would love to experiment with night, macro and more abstract photography – at present, my personal and work routines as well as my environment are not easily suited to that (though I do have control of all of that, with the exception of not having a macro lens). Fine art photography is not only outside my comfort zone, but likely falls outside of whatever shreds of innate talent I am trying to exercise.
Nature and wildlife photography… well, we’ll just have to wait for bear season to see that that goes.
The Guilty iPhotographer
This morning, I splurged on an iPhone app called “Wood Camera”. It cost me a full 99 cents and was reviewed to be more powerful than Instagram, so I thought I would take a risk and try it out. I love it. If you are into smartphone photography, I highly recommend it. It has also made me revisit my guilt for using technology over time honoured traditions.
I have really enjoyed using my iPhone to take, edit and share fun and interesting pictures. I have also felt quite guilty when I take and share a photograph that, in my opinion, turns out quite nicely. The great photographers of yesteryear spent years mastering their craft, studied fine arts and spent thousands of dollars on their equipment. Who the heck do I think I am, taking to the streets (or wherever) with a phone in my pocket thinking I can compete with them? When I do get a picture that I’m really proud of using my phone, this question spurs pangs of guilt.
Am I a cheater? Do I know nothing? Am I contributing to the death of D-SLRs and highly skilled photographers? The answers are: a little bit, no, and no. Technology still cannot overcome poor composition or complete lack of creative observation, but more and more, it is helping, and has certainly transformed some of my uninteresting snapshots into share-worthy images. Take, for instance:
That said, filters and effects won’t overcome impossible composition, even if it will mask it slightly. Some of my pictures may not have turned out as I had hoped, but I was still thinking about composition, colors, shapes and light when I took them. This helps a great deal. While it is fun, artistic and certainly breaking down barriers from the 35mm days, I highly doubt I would rely on my smartphone-savvy cousin to replace a professional photographer at my wedding. National Geographic still sends people with a lot of skill and gear out on expeditions, at least until they invent smart-sat-phones.
I believe we are entering a new era of technology-assisted art. As with most art, the best will come from photographers with a practiced eye, knowledge of composition, familiarity with their software and the occasional genius. I will continue to invest in gear and strive to get more familiar and fluid with my D-SLR, but will feel less and less guilty when I take a picture with my iPhone with an eye to digitally apply filters and textures. After all, art is either an inspired moment or planned aesthetics, is it not? Either way, photography, in most of its forms, is there for both.
What are your thoughts?
By the way, I made this post from my iPhone.
The Golden Beast
A colleague of mine has a fantastic truck. I believe it is a 1989 Chevrolet, and is miraculously still standing on all four wheels. I would love to take more pictures of this truck, as the rusted and worn parts give great texture and the odd-coloured replacement body parts make the truck “pop” more than most old vehicles, which are uni-chrome and often quite faded.
What I like most about this truck is its personality – there are signs and decals on it. One of the doors, for instance, is labelled “DOOR”. The side doors are red, but bed of the truck is beige. The snow has accumulated in the back of the truck, and it seems little cause for concern (I suppose it adds weight to the back wheels, ideal for increasing traction in the winter). To top it all off, it has a decal on its back window reading, “The Golden Beast”.
Someday, I would love to explore this truck a little more with my camera, but it was in a bit of a tight spot this morning and I have yet to frivolously purchase a serious wide-angle lens. Regardless, here is a small taste of the wonderful personality that is the Golden Beast.
The Golden Beast (Norway House, MB, 2013)
Back to Norway House – Bandwidth is Limited (Please be Patient)
Tomorrow morning, I will be venturing back to Norway House. While I am excited to return home, and a little wistful at having to leave some of my friends and family behind in Ontario, this means I will be back in Canada’s hinterland, back to work and back to photography. However, it also means I will not have internet. Hmm….
It is possible I will be able to update this website from my work, internet-proxy gods permitting. However, in the event that I am blocked from updating my website, I will still be able to access the internet by tethering my phone. I have a 250mb limit, so I will have to limit my blog posts (perhaps this is a merciful restraint), but should still be able to post my Photo of the Week.
From my most loyal readers (you know who you are), I have been getting some wonderful feedback about the new site, including typos or poor form. While there are inevitably some more oversights I need to track down, I ask for you patience as my connectivity is soon to be very limited. I will do my best to keep publishing interesting pictures, but sadly will no longer be able to afford the luxury of endlessly tweaking the site. Hopefully, broadband will arrive in Norway House soon, as promised, and you will once again be able to regularly indulge in my whimsies. Thank you for you patience and I will, hopefully, be in touch soon.
Be good, be safe, and I’ll see you around. All the best!
Cold Feet Yield Good Pictures
Today is the last full day I have with my family in Brockville, Ontario, and my father and I figured we ought to spend some time outside practicing our photographic skills (playing with our cameras, really). While aspirations for a full afternoon in the wilderness fizzled in the face of necessary errands and post-lunch fatigue (on my part, not my father’s), we were able to make it to the Brockville Yacht Club for a short while. After all, it is a place full of interesting shapes, colours and textures – my father has gotten some great shots there over the years.
Here’s the problem – I’m “Arctic Tim”, meaning I should know that if it is cold outside, I should dress warmly. My warm clothes, however, are in the back of my car waiting for me in Winnipeg. I figured the eastern Ontario winter would pale in comparison with northern Manitoba winter, so I put on my finest loafers and we went for our stroll. Then it snowed. It snowed on top of the mountains of snow we got a week ago. Very quickly, my feet got wet and cold. This, combined with the fading natural light, cut short our little expedition. The lesson here is: always dress/plan for the conditions you expect to photograph in! It seems obvious, but most notable and illusive truths do.
Fortunately, I was able to get two images I like. One is of the hull of the BYC utility boat, Recovery, and the other is a close-up of a blue weathered rudder. I hope you enjoy – leave some love (or loving criticism).
Rusted Hull of Recovery at BYC (Brockville, ON, 2013)
Close-Up of Blue Rudder at BYC (Brockville, ON, 2013)
The New and Improved ArcticTim.ca
Welcome to the new site, and thank you for visiting. I suppose this is ArcticTim.ca 3.0, and I hope I will not have to do any upgrades that leave content behind in the near future. However, leaving the old ArcticTim.ca behind is something of a blessing… perhaps.
Up until now, my website has been: a personal website, detailing miscellaneous ongoings or thoughts crossing through my mind. It has been a professional website, sharing links and resources relating to teaching in fields of media and technology. It has been a photography website, with me posting various recent images to galleries. In short, it has been all over the place. What started as a blog grew into a wild incongruous mix of core aspects of my life. With ArcticTim 3.0, we get to start fresh.
Photography is currently my most favoured hobby. It also reaches into my professional life, as I teach Photography and Digital Imaging. It is something that I have had a longstanding interest in and have continued to develop, at different intensities at different times of my life, as the years wash over me. It is something that I am determined to get better at and something that I might consider marketing in the future, should I advance my skills sufficiently. So ArcticTim 3.0 is now a photography website, chronicling my successes, mishaps and goals.
What’s New? The Photo of the Week is the most notable new addition. As part of my challenge to become a better photography, I am forcing myself to publish my favourite photograph from each week. This means I have to take a lot of pictures each week. With any luck, this practice coupled with careful thought will lead to notable improvements in the quality and consistency of my work.
What’s Gone? I have left behind the Teaching Resources section of the website. I am a teacher, and if you have any questions at all about my teaching or would like me to share any resources I may have, please feel free to get in contact with me. I am also leaving behind posts relating to my personal whimsical thoughts – while my whimsy may be reflected in future posts, they will not be whimsy for the sake of whimsy. The site is decreasingly about me and increasingly about my photography.
For those of you who enjoyed reading my tumultuous adventures, fret not – there will inevitably be plenty of mishaps for me to write about or even share photos of. Photography is simply to glue that will hold this new and improved version of the site together – I, complete with my sens of adventure, inescapable charm and penchant for mischief and mishap, am still at its core.
Please feel free to comment, e-mail me, or tweet to me on Twitter (@ChouBot) with any comments, questions, criticisms or complaints. I hope you like the new and [hopefully] improved ArcticTim.ca – enjoy it in good health.
Flowers at 13th St. Winery
Vineland, ON, 2011)