It always makes me smile when past students hit big milestones!
France Rivet completed our ProProgram and has just published her second book – this one chronicling the unfortunate treatment of eight Inuit who were paraded through Europe as novelties in a zoo. It didn’t end well for Abraham Ulrikab and his friends.
Four years of research has produced:
“In the Footsteps of Abraham Ulrikab: The events of 1880-1881”
Read more and order France’s book!
Félicitations, France!
France Rivet
David Trattles has been offering workshops through HarryNowell.com for years. He also offers some amazing trips independently.
This winter he’s leading another trip to South India:
“Dave’s Best Quality South India Bicycle Adventure”
Dave does things differently. And I mean that in a good way.
Dave Trattles South India Bicycle Adventure
This is a trip like no other. If you have a passion for photography, bikes, and people this trip is meant for you!
See some reviews from past trips.
Contact Dave directly for more information.
Many thanks are due to many people!
Last week I took down my solo exhibition at La Fab in Chelsea.
La Fab exhibition with home made 8×10 camera
The show
I exhibited works from my long term Watershed project. For 14 years I’ve followed and documented the ‘little’ creek behind our house – so far that’s been 18km of exploration along Chelsea Creek (and tributary) and photography, mostly, using medium, large and very large format equipment.
I also exhibited a much newer project using a much older medium – cyanotypes – in a way they are not supposed to be used. I placed the paper directly in the captured and used all day exposures to capture the sun streaking across familiar landscapes.
Roadkill along the Watershed
We closed the show with a discussion about the dangers to wildlife who travel along the Chelsea Creek Watershed and choose between a haunting trip through a tunnel under Highway 5 or a dangerous trip across the major highway. There are permanent blood stains from animals who do not make it across the road…
Chelsea Mayor Caryl Green and others listening to the “Preventing Roadkill on the Watershed” discussion.
Press
The exhibition was well received and earned a visit from the region’s mayors and local press coverage. The exhibition caught the interest of Radio Canada’s Bernier & Cie who featured the unique works in the exhibition.
Many Thanks
Many thanks to Jeffrey, Reid and Adrienne who saved me from a very late night hanging the show. Thanks to Sandrine who coordinated the exhibition, to the media for their kind words and to Catherine Joyce who wrote an Artist’s profile. And a big thanks to everyone who visited, commented and purchased the artworks!
In our photo course for Communications Professionals we offer a crash course to help people take better workplace photos. We briefly introduce the idea of archiving their organization’s photos and other digital media.
In the course I suggest an ideal scenario where all of an organization’s photos are centralized, appropriately key-worded and accessible to staff.
I usually get blank stares.
The task of finding, organizing and setting up such a system can feel overwhelming.
There is help!
Colin Rowe, event and commercial photographer, also runs Archi-Media.ca to help large organizations make sense of their photos and digital assets.
© Coline Rowe
Managing Digital Assets Workshop
Colin has just launched a timely Digital Assets Course to help you how to take control of your organization’s inventory of digital assets (images, videos, logos, design files and documents) quickly and effectively, while saving time and money.
Archi-Media reception
Course Agenda
Over the course of the day you will:
• organize your current inventory of digital assets
• properly name files and folder structures
• organize your model and talent releases effectively
• non-destructively edit your current inventory of assets, with your team’s help
• create metadata for tagging these assets, in a new or existing digital asset management system
• decide which metadata are important, manage current incomplete metadata and create a controlled vocabulary for your organization
• determine which internal policies your clients are using, and the issues and legal considerations that affect those policies
• assess and use digital asset management systems
Course Details
October 28th, 2014.
$685 + HST
Location: Central Ottawa
To register contact Colin at colin@archi-media.ca or 613-277-7693.
More information (links to Colin Rowe’s site)
Coming soon to La Fab in Chelsea:
See brand new works from my SunStreaks and Watershed collections.
Join us!
La Fab
212 Old Chelsea Rd.
Old Chelsea, Qc.
September 18 to October 5, 2014
Vernissage: Thursday, September 18th; 5-7pm.
SunStreaks
In 2013 I got excited about a very old process that is traditionally used to create Contact Prints. I started playing with the process placing the blue paper directly in my hand-made large format camera to track the sun’s arc across the sky – this is not supposed to be done!
One of my first tests resulted in the sun burning a hole in the paper while the paper was exposing. Ouch!
SunStreak – St Stephen’s Church – Old Chelsea, Quebec The blue line is the path of the sun.
Watershed – Original Prints Straight from the Camera
In 2012 I traveled to Victoria BC to teach a workshop. On that trip I discovered a seed that developed into a process I tweaked to produce unique Black & White Photos.
I have applied this process to my Watershed collection of work.
The final paper is loaded into the camera, exposed and framed.
>> There is no negative, no digital file, no post processing and no opportunity for darkroom manipulation. The result is a one-of-a-kind B&W photo.
This process tests my skills behind the camera and requires me to get a perfect exposure for the complete photo. It’s demanding!!
Watershed Old Chelsea, Qc B&W print direct from the camera – no negative, one-of-a-kind, shot straight from a home made 8×10 camera.
Join us…
Vernissage:
5-7pm: September 18th; 212 Old Chelsea Rd., Chelsea, Qc.
My home made, large format camera – 8×10 field camera
We’re having a gear sale at our studio.
I’m taking some time off (see our newsletter) and we’re downsizing our collection of equipment.
Photo Gear…
Details:
• Saturday August 16th;
9am to noon.
• Ottawa Studio Works
160 Preston St.
• Cash or credit card.
• Some items (business) are taxable.
• All sales final.
Items must be picked up the day of the sale.
I want to move some equipment. Priced accordingly.
Want photos like this? – I’m selling some gear that can help…
Partial list expected for sale (we’ll be updating the list on our Facebook event page):
• 42″ LG monitor
• Backdrops
• Prime lenses (all AF Nikkor) – well used, functional and cheap.
• Recent production zoom lenses
• Nikon D300, D300s, D200, F90x
• Canon film camera/lens
• Manfrotto Autopoles and other rigging equipment
• risers for studio portraits
• photo props (like new – basketball, boxing gloves, barbell…)
• miscellaneous camera items
• metal picture frames
• hard wood desk
• office furniture
• comfortable folding chairs (from the Congress Centre)
• Darkroom equipment
• some other items like MEC baby backpack (brand new)… some xc ski equipment… boxing gloves… barbell…
We’ve had confirmation from others – we expect recent DSLRs, lenses and related equipment. The list keeps growing.
Do you have anything to sell or trade?
A few people will be selling their (quality) camera and related products. And we have room for a few more people.
Contact us by Wednesday, August 13th if you’d like to sell some gear at our sale. Space is limited – we may not be able to accommodate all.
Gear must be brought to the studio BEFORE the sales starts. You must be present to sell your gear.
Sell your gear!
Get new gear!
Exposed! Photo Newsletter – New Adventures
In 2006, my web-savvy girlfriend suggested “Write a free photo newsletter with tips and upcoming events.”
I thought she was crazy! It sounded like extra work to me.
Well, I did it (and then married my girlfriend.) I’ve sent Exposed! every month with photo tips, ideas and workshop announcements for almost a decade.
• I’ve promoted imagination, creativity and exploration of new ideas.
• I’ve challenged you to try new things at the risk of failing (on the way to new successes.)
• I’ve urged you to take time off to keep your creative juices flowing.
I’m about to take a big dose of my own advice…
I’m taking a 9 month sabbatical from my business to build on my love of teaching – I’ll be pursuing my Bachelor of Education degree.
Read the newsletter to get all the details.
Coming in September I’ll be exhibiting works from my Watershed & Sunstreaks Collections at La Fab in Old Chelsea, Quebec.
Watershed
The Watershed project started 14 years ago as my dear old dog and I started exploring the little creek behind our home.
That turned into an 18 km (so far) exploration of a traditional watershed in Chelsea and Gatineau Park with medium and large format photography. It’s been an amazing adventure seeing how the waterway changes over the years.
Watershed – Black & White One-of-a-Kind Originals – Straight from the camera. 2013
SunStreaks
My latest project started with a home made 8×10 camera and tweaking a 170 year old art process that’s not supposed to involve a camera. The original, one-of-a-kinds depict the sun as it streaks across the sky.
Kingsmere Lake SunStreak – the blue line is the path of the sun. The gaps? Cloudy periods… One-of-a-kind originals – Straight from the camera
The Big Camera
Some of each project is captured using a very large, plywood camera, built by hand. The camera produces originals straight from the camera. Unlike traditional photography there is only one final piece of art available with each exposure.
Hand made 8×10 Large Format Camera
Join us!
La Fab
212 Old Chelsea Rd
Old Chelsea, Qc.
September 18 to October 5, 2014
© Al G. 12 foot Challenge
In July we offered our Online Photo Members a different challenge.
We said they could shoot:
• anything
• anyhow
• anywhere
… as long as this month’s photos were all within a 12 foot radius (ideally) centred around their back door.
© Judy S. 12 Foot Challenge
I thought they might say:
“But there’ll be nothing to shoot!”
“Boring!”
“What about something adventurous?”
But they didn’t!
They got shooting and one member said:
“I had a blast with this month’s challenge!”
© Maisie – 12 Foot Challenge
It’s harder than you’d imagine. A whole month of shooting within 452.29 square feet will stump even the most creative photographer. And that was the point.
We offered creative catalysts and ideas to bust through blocks interfering with their creative potential.
And their month’s efforts made me smile. Sounds like it made them smile, too:
“I must say that when I first heard your challenge for this month I just went brain dead. I live 22 stories up in a building with a 6ft wide balcony and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. But I surprised myself once I got started…”
© Jeffrey F – 12 Foot Photo Challenge
Congratulations, everyone!
Last blog post we announced the arrival of the World Press Photo Exhibition at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
Past Winning Photos
Since then I discovered a site showing the winning photos of the award from 1955-2011. The photos give an idea of what to expect from this year’s exhibition.
WARNING!: Some photos in the link above show scenes of conflict or portray challenging situations that may not be suitable for all audiences.
Local World Press Award WInner
Ottawa’s own David Barbour, below, won a World Press Award in 1986 for a photograph taken in Egypt for CIDA.
Exhibition Details
This year’s exhibition runs from July 25th to August 21st, 2014 at the Canadian War Museum. It’s free!
Ottawa’s David Barbour – 1986 World Press Award winner