Last year’s new year’s resolution for photography was that “I would take a much larger number of photographs of people in all types of settings”. I thing I have been very successful.

This year I gave my self possibly a harder to keep resolution. My resolution for 2007 is: “put more mood into my photographs.”

First step in my half baked plan is to figure out what mood really is I don’t mean the text book definition provided by our learned experts.

Foolish me my first thoughts are maybe the media makes a difference so when someone offered me a canon film body compatible with my lens for next to nothing I jumped at the chance. Back in the old days I shot holiday and travel photos without any skill or desire so I do know a bit about shooting film but not much.

Anyway I digress more about modern film cameras in a later blog.

My next thoughts was that maybe a vintage camera will give a vintage feel and mood to my shots. So I purchased this 1956 made in the USA Argus C44 range finder camera. The C3 the forefather of the C44 named the brick (shown in the Harry Potter Movies) sold 3 million copiess and established 35mm as the major film format, but the c3 has a cheap lens system and is quirky.

Besides the fact that people don’t believe its 50 years old the 50mm f2.8 lens is not bad and the pictures it takes do seem to have a vintage feel maybe because of the lack of ease of use, you can be the judge. You can even with great difficulty swap lens in the field.

Three rolls later and its up for sale as I brought a new /old vintage camera a German Zeiss rangefinder this time and I am thinking two vintage cameras makes me a collector. But I am having second thoughts its too shinny maybe I will keep it.

So, so far I feel a vintage camera does alter the mood of the photographs. Only slightly because of the camera but more so because I am associating the experience using the old camera with the vintage periods of the 40s and 50s.

More Photos

BlogTO

The new look of my photographic “business” card.

The skies were pure and the fields were green
And the sun was brighter than it’s ever been
When I grew up with my best friend Kenny
We were close as any brothers than you ever knew
It was always summer and the future called
We were ready for adventures and we wanted them all
And there was so much left to dream
And so much time to make it real
But I can still recall the sting of all
The tears when he was gone
They said he crashed and burned
I know I’ll never learn
Why any boy should die so young
We were racing, we were soldiers of fortune
We got in trouble but we sure got around
There are times I think I see him peeling out of the dark
I think he’s right behind me now and he’s gaining ground
But it was long ago and it was far away,
Oh God it seems so very far
And if life is just a highway,
Then the soul is just a car
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are …

And when the sun descended and the night arose
I heard my father cursing everyone he knows
He was dangerous and drunk and defeated
And corroded by failure and envy and hate
There were endless winters and the dreams would freeze
Nowhere to hide and no leaves on the trees
And my father’s eyes were blank
As he hit me again and again and again
I know I still believe he’d never let me leave,
I had to run away alone
So many threats and fears, so many wasted years
Before my life became my own
And though the nightmares should be over
Some of the terrors are still intact
I’ll hear that ugly coarse and violent voice
And then he grabs me from behind
And then he pulls me back
But it was long ago and it was far away,
Oh God it seems so very far
And if life is just a highway,
Then the soul is just a car
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are …

There was a beauty living on the edge of town
And she always put the top up and the hammer down
And she taught me everything I’ll ever know
About the mystery and the muscle of love
The stars would glimmer and the moon would glow
I’m in the back seat with my Julie like a Romeo
And the signs along the highway all said,
Caution! Kids At Play!
Those were the rights of spring and we did everything
There was salvation every night
We got our dreams reborn and our upholstery torn
But everything we tried was right
She used her body just like a bandage,
She used my body just like a wound
I’ll probably never know where she disappeared
But I can see her rising up out of the back seat now
Just like an angel rising up from a tomb
But it was long ago and it was far away,
Oh God it seems so very far
And if life is just a highway,
Then the soul is just a car
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are …
… And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are
She used her body just like a bandage,
She used my body just like a wound
I’ll probably never know where she disappeared
But I can see her rising up out of the back seat now

Meat Loaf

The second annual “Picture the Cure“, a visual arts fundraiser to benefit the Canadian Cancer Society, will be held at the landmark Gladstone Hotel in Toronto on August 21.

The goal for this year is to raise at least $5,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. Proceeds will go towards:

• funding research on all types of cancer
• offering comprehensive and credible information on cancer, risk reduction and treatment
• providing support for people living with cancer, family members and friends

Join us for this one-evening event showcasing visual art by local and international artists, featuring:

• silent auction with more than 100 matted and framed prints
• live entertainment
• door prizes/raffles
• light fare

Get your tickets today!

Picture the Cure 2006
August 21 (Monday)
6pm-midnight
The Gladstone Hotel
1214 Queen Street West
Toronto

Advance tickets: $10
At the door: $15

For more information, email: info [at] picturethecure.ca

My artist profile and submissions can be seen here

“Photography / Community / Spirit”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 24, 2005

Canada’s largest camera club, the TPMG Photography Club, is pleased to announce its first gallery exhibit – a diverse selection of more than 50 images from its members, covering a vast area of subjects and styles. (For a selection of images, see www.tpmg.ca)

“Photography / Community / Spirit” will run from December 20, 2005 to January 22, 2006, at the Art Square Gallery, 334 Dundas St. West, Toronto. An opening reception will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 20, from 6 – 9 p.m. The public and the media are welcome to attend.

The TPMG Photography Club is just over a year old – but it has grown remarkably over that time. With more than 650 members, it is now the largest photography club in the nation, and may well be one of the largest in the world.

The club’s members come from a wide range of backgrounds, and represent a myriad of different approaches to the art of capturing images. Some are professional photographers, armed with the latest digital SLR cameras. The majority are keen amateurs, pursuing photography out of the sheer love of the hobby. One thing they have in common is a desire to share their enthusiasm with other like-minded camera buffs – something the TPMG allows them to do on a regular basis.

The TPMG Photography Club began life in the fall of 2004, with less than a dozen members. Since then, it has blossomed. It now holds weekly shooting events, monthly workshops and print swaps, and has done several out-of-town trips. Just in the last few months, the club has traveled as far afield as Algonquin Provincial Park and New York City, and many places in between.

Some two dozen photographers are contributing to “Photography / Community / Spirit” – for some of them, this will be their first chance to show their work to the larger photographic community, in a gallery setting.

The acronym TPMG reflects the group’s origins as the Toronto Photography Meetup Group, part of the popular meetup.com website, where club members continue to exchange information and post announcements.

Multiple exposure of some of the work

Collage of 36 out of 58 entries

As initiator and one of the organizer doing my first and the club’s first gallery exhibition has been less fun then I had hoped. But I know the end result will be worth the effort, the exhibition is going to be great.

Friday night was my first attempt to shoot a band playing in Toronto at this old fish house converted to a nightclub. With very little stage lighting I switched between ISO 400 with flash and ISO 1600 (no flash) with 50mm f1.8 and 100mm f2.0 lens. I was fasinated by the lighting from the disco ball. The two shots below were done with a flash and a long exposure where after the flash fired I moved the camera in the direction of the disco ball. Of course the floating disco ball on the right was put in later.
More of my first attempt

More about the band The Beethoven Frieze

I don’t know why but viewing this slideshow makes me smile.

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