Monday, January 5, 2009

Losing touch

There comes a point in all our lives where the needs and wants of those close to us can become to much and consume our every waking moment .We grow up thinking that we have to spend "Our" lives pleasing all those around us. Its just not possible for us to spend our entire lives doing what others think is right. And the sad part is most people live there entire life with a guilty conscience and never take the time to make themselves happy.
Keep in mind now, we are all only given this one life to live, and you need to spend your short time here as happy as possible. If there is something in your life that is bringing you down, whether it be a job, relationship anything at all. Take a good look and see how much it is affecting "Your" well being. If you don't love someone let them go. plain and simple. If u hate your job and dread the next work day then quit. You must think about yourselves before u let life's worries and problems weigh you down and stop you from expressing your true creative self, nothing not even money is worth losing touch with yourself.
Now i am now saying to treat others like dirt, i just mean that you have to take sometime to work on yourself in this world. We are an ever changing being with emotions and thoughts, and are on a life long journey to find ourselves and our purpose. Do what it is you love and surround yourself with those "You" love, express yourself in ways that "You" love. Many people will tell you that these are trying times in our world and that the time for change is now. Well they are right, but the change has to start within, we can not make the world into the happy and beautiful world that it deserves to be, until we can learn to be as happy and beautiful as "We" can be. And then and only then can we feel the way we are meant to and the world can continue on in its natural state free of war and hate.

Friday, January 2, 2009

radio silence

Ahh the hermit lifestyle, not a lifestyle deisred by all. I myself happen to enjoy being a hermit at home with my dogs. I guess u could say ive never really been a people person. Now dont get me wrong i love people and do enjoy there company, when i feel like it, but for the most part though id rather sit at home and think. Being alone has given me the time to sort out my thoughts and get my life going in the direction needed. Ive also been taking the time to be more creative and not let my brain turn to mush, hence why i am writing a blog. I always enjoyed writing but never really had the self esteem to express myself on paper for anyone to read(thankfully u dont need paper to write a blog!). Now the plan is to use this blog as a way to express my thoughts that i cant seem to say.Writing helps to give me a chance to clearly think through the rapid thoughts in my brain. It can be annoying talking to me sometimes i am sure, i forget what im talking about alot, and jumble up my sentences. oh ya i talk really low so no one can even hear me half the time either...Now see i lost my train of thought with this blog already. To think straight one day would be fucking lovely.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Good morning 2009


As the rest of the world lays down to sleep off a rough night (presumably followed by an even rougher morning), i lay restless beside my dog Monty....my girlfriend was on the couch do to that rough night i had mentioned. My OCD is in full swing these day's, but hey finally onto photography again...and well the presumed doomsayers calling forth the end of mankind as well. After clearing my head of negative thoughts I decide to celebrate the new year by photographing the first sunrise of the year. Oh how glorious it shall be.

"attention" its facking cold

Ok so time to suit up for the sub zero temperatures here in Canada. long johns, 2 hoodie's , 2 t shirts, 2 pairs of socks, a big fury hat and a warm jacket with all the pockets one can imagine. Grab the bag and the tripod and off we go for the half hour hike. As i leave the house i hit the tunes, ah some good old Less than Jake will keep the frost away. The walk goes fast but as i arrive at my destination the cold starts creeping up on me. it found my week spot...my crappy gloves. I started setting up to get some blood back into my hands. Once I'm done I'm excited and could care less about my fingers. Soooo we wait for the light.....waiting....waiting......wtf....a cloudless ski except for far off on the horizon. all this way to get a horrid scene. Instead of crying about it i decide to play with some flash and balance ambient with the flash, as per the strobist 101 course.. i failed this time around. By now the cold was getting to me so i decided i should probably head home before i freeze to death. I start packing up just as the wind starts to pick up, lovely its in my face the whole way home.I can make it my music will keep me going....wait...my music stopped? frozen to death. ill have to trek it alone.

So the journey home was the highlight of the trip i grabbed a few photos on the way home. much nicer then the decrepit sunrise shots i got. Ive worn out the scene cant see it in a creative light anymore.I'm just going to post the last few photos for you to enjoy seeing as how its 10am and I still have yet to sleep. Happy new year

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

The Starving Artist

Well seeing as this is my first blog i guess i should introduce myself huh? I'm lee an amateur professional photographer. WTF is that u ask? Im an amateur making my living off photography..although not much of a living.

Ive recently been introduced to the strobist group here on blogspot. There's lots of great tips and tricks to learn no matter your skill level. So the more i poked around the more interested i became in the power of my little flashes that i was so poorly using. I ran across DanD on flickr and fell in love with one of his photos. being an amateur i did my best to recreate his photo as a learning process.Now I don't have the greatest of equipment, and always used that as an excuse to not push forth and progress. I'm here to tell anyone with any doubts, if u believe you can, you can create amazing images with whatever crappy equipment you may have now. Ok so with that said here's a list of my crappy equipment.

- Sigma EF 500dg super, used on slave. non ttl so i gotta run around on manual during a wedding!
- Vivitar 2000 manual flash. just a little dial to slightly adjust power output. used on camera and bounced.
- Home made softbox, created out of a box tinfoil and an old T-shirt.

here's a picture to see what i work with.


There it is in all its glory folks. My fridge was my backdrop, i had a stack of books to hold the spoon steady (i forgot to get a photo of that part) i covered them with a bag as to keep them in good shape, and to keep my gf happy, seeing as they were her books. Now i had the soft box mounted up top a cd stand looking over from camera left. i had on camera flash bouncing off the ceiling and triggering the slave. The hardest part was to get the timing right on the drop. Well its getting late and i should head off. but before i go i want to thank the strobist group and blog for all your help up to now and plan to be an active member from here on in.