First Job - An Engagement Shoot

Well, my first photography job, anyway! That is, if you can count a "contra" arrangement as a job: I exchanged my time and skill (am I allowed to call it that, yet?) for the right to use the images I take to promote my services.

I was working with a fellow photog who's starting out ... she's giving the engagement shoot to the happy couple as an engagement gift. Here's her website: Karora Photo

We were lucky with the weather - lately it's been SO windy and miserable here - not so much rainy, just chilly (jolly cold with the wind!) and uncomfortable outside! We had some sun, some cloud, and managed to dodge the few raindrops!

Thijs and Jessica are the couple, young, energetic and adventurous! Their challenge to us: Make a collection of "urban" photo's in our outsize-village rural town!

Here are some of my fav's from the shoot (there are some more in the set, on my flickr page):








Did I mention they're adventurous?

Pet Portraiture

This is definitely something that I'd like to get into!

Taela and I spent an hour on the golf course next door (no play yet - there's still some snow around!) today, having a blast taking photo's!

Well, I was having a blast and, as long as she wasn't being "posed", Taela was having a great time chasing the ball, too!

I'm hoping that I'm getting close to "salable" quality. What do you think? If Taela was your dog, would you consider buying photo's from me?
(More on my flickr page, if you're interested).






And there has to be at least one of these in every shoot:

Supermoon

Last night was the night that the moon passed the closest to the earth that it's been in about 20 years ... that is, about 1000km closer than it usually is!

Of course, true to form in BC, the weather was overcast!

Happily, I anticipated that and went out on Friday night, when it wasn't exactly clear because there was a layer of thin/variable cloud, but at least we could see the moon. Paul kindly accompanied me on this outing and drove us across the valley, where we parked behind the hockey arena, atop the bench above the lake.

This is the best shot of the bunch, imho. I am, always have been, terrible at moon shots, and my post production work didn't help a great deal, either!

But at least it gives you an idea of what we saw:

Down By The River ...

... the Kootenay River ... on a freezing morning!

Image Theft

So, I got angry today.

As angry as I’ve ever been.

I can think of just three other occasions on which I’ve been this shaking, quaking angry (no, I won’t go into the gory details).

Today’s episode came on very unexpectedly. Out of the blue.

Who knew that someone would think enough of one of MY amateur photo’s to STEAL it and post it somewhere, without attributing it to me, but under their OWN name?

And to be dumb enough to not only post it just a month after the original was uploaded by me … but on the same website where I originally posted it (yes!) … then to claim that it was a “back yard sunset” on February 14th, when it was taken at 11.20am on February 6th … and, to add insult to injury, to claim it as your own …

I supposed I should be FLATTERED!

NOT!

I certainly didn’t anticipate feeling this angry or upset!

I’ve no problem with someone copying a photo to use for their own pleasure – as a screensaver on their personal computer, or something like that.

What were you thinking, Justine Swindell, when you posted my photo on TWN’s website as if it was your own?!

I can prove that the original photo is mine because on the day I took it, I blogged about it here:
My Blog
and I also posted it here for my photog friends to look at:
NYIP Forum

Needless to say, my comments about the theft are now in several locations on Facebook, in the two photography fora that I contribute to, and now, again, here in my blog.

Thank you to www.theweathernetwork.com for promptly removing the fraudulent image.

End of rant.

Thaw

For the first time since we moved here in early November, I ventured out without a winter coat on today, when we went out to do a bit of grocery shopping. Ok, I still wore my toque and sorels, just in case ... I don't take a chance on freezing for anyone!

Better than expected - it was positively pleasant out - sunny and warm (about 8C) - we even drove with the car window open!

As we drove down into the valley, it immediately became apparent that there'd been a great deal of melting of the lake ice, with large pools of melt water lying on top.

While we were out, we stopped at Kinsman Beach to have a look at the lake. It was literally "a look" - no boots-on-the-ground testing - the ice was really mushy and rotten!

The ice-fishers' shacks are still out on the ice, and there've been no newspaper notifications that the White Way (the winter road across the lake ice for light trucks and cars) is no longer viable ... but you wouldn't have caught me out on the ice today, that's for sure!

Here are a couple of photo's I took today. I was trying to capture the water pooling on top of the sheet ice but ended up instead with what I think are some really cool clouds! Just goes to show, no matter how well you plan or check your composition, you can still surprise yourself with what you capture!