Hit the Road Jack

On Sunday I went up North with my Dad.  So I decided to take pictures along the way and make a time-line of it for a blog post.  So here's how it went: 

4:30 AM

-As my radio starts to play, letting me know it’s time to rise and shine, I beg to differ.

-Now, I’m no morning person, so as I got ready for the day I kept the lights low.  Very low, I did not want any light invading my tired eyes yet.   They stayed low until I absolutely needed them on fully.

5:20 AM

-I leave home in the passenger seat as my Dad drives my dog and I into the fading darkness of the early morning. 

^ 5:24 AM.

^ The highway as we left.

5:30 AM

-Pit stop at Timmies.                                          

-I get an Apple Cinnamon Tea (pretty much as usual) … however after ordering it I realize I’m kind of tired.  Usually I get it clear (aka no milk & no sugar) but I ordered milk in it.  My first  thought on this was gross. 

^ As the moon went down, the sun was making it's way into view.

^ Traces of fog started appearing.

^ What a tired dog...

^ The fog was definitely noticeable.

5:47 AM

-When I try the tea, it actually tastes good, phew.

6:30 AM

-We stop at High Falls, which is closed.

-My Dad figures there’s a way in through the back, so…

-We drive back on the highway and go in the back way, which is not blocked off at all.

^ We stopped at High Falls, this isn't actually the falls, this is a picture more of just the dam part before the falls.

^ 6:38 AM. We head back on the road.

7:00 AM

-In Huntsville we go to Timmies for a bathroom break and a bagel.

-And of course, my Dad insists on sharing the bagel with our travelling dog buddy. 

^This is the windshield I had the privilege of taking pictures through while driving.  A little 'dog slobbery' from all the times our dog sticks her nose to the window.  My Dad cleaned it off at the next stop.

^ You can see more fog lingering here around the telephone poles.

7:30 AM

-I start driving.

-The sun is shining, and it’s super bright, sunglasses are a must.

9:00 AM-ish

-We stop at a gas station in North Bay.

-There have been plenty of deer and moose crossing warning signs so far.

**There are no pictures around here because I was driving.. and that would just be bad.  :)

10:45 AM

-3 and a bit hours later (my hands are soooo tense from driving three hours, let me tell you.) we’re in New Liskeard where we stop at Wendy’s for lunch.  However the parking lot is empty and then I change my mind and want Subway instead.

-Off to Subway we go.

-It’s still very sunny outside.
-There is still snow.

-We gets subs and I get a rainbow M&M cookie with my sub. (really goooood cookie)

-Now there’s only about half an hour to where we’re going.

^Subway  :)

^There was still snow. 

^Minimal amounts, but snow none the less.

11:30 AM

-We arrive at the place we’ve been going to.

-It’s sunny and 10 degrees out.

-I play in the mud with my dog…embracing my inner child.

-I wore white shoes for the day so… when we get there and the ground is muddy and wet (from the melting snow and dirt combination I guess) I slip my Dad’s very large rubber boots over top of my shoes.

-while we’re there it spits rain a little bit.

^ 11:31 AM.

^ Sporting my Dad's handy dandy rubber boots.  Which I could actually fit my feet into while wearing my white running shoes.

^ Cutie.

^ Splash.

^ Splashing in the mud.

^ The sky was super nice looking.  haha

3:40 PM

-We leave to go home.

4:00 PM

-We go to Thornloe Cheese Factory and buy smoked mild cheese for my Mom. (sounds pretty good to me)

-We also get a mini bag of garlic cheese curds (which sound gross I know, but they’re actually really good)

 

^ cheeeeeeeeeeeeeese.

4:30 PM

-we stop at Timmies and get their soup deals. (Mine with Beef Noodle soup)

-I get an Apple Fritter doughnut with it and once again an Apple Cinnamon Tea (this time I have it clear like usual)

-After we’re done we head on our way again.

^ Food.  :)

5:15 PM

-I drive again

6:30 PM

-We stop in North Bay where the sun is still shining hot as ever and Dad switches to drive again.

-We also stopped at Timmies where I tried one of their real fruit smoothies.

^ The sun was shining in a type of valley area, it just looks like plain forest here but, in person it was better.

^ 7:55 PM.

^ Sunset, these pictures are taken all while driving, except for the ones from when we were actually at the place.

^ this is a little hard to see, but it's one of MANY deer warning signs.

^ Sunset continued.

^ Bokeh.

^ Lights, road, night.

8:53 PM

-We get home :)

All in all, we went from O town to Englehart.  A total of 821 km round trip.

Underwater through the Sunshine

I tend to like all the seasons for different reasons, but since summer is on it's way I thought I'd talk about underwater photography.  I think it's really cool, and wish I could do it, but I'm thinking it's kind of tricky..

I see underwater photos as being cheery, happy, energetic, or on the other hand eerie, creepy and mysterious. 

I prefer the energetic type but the 'darker' underwater photography interests me too because I enjoy the sense of mystery.  I like watching crime shows, trying to figure out what's going on.  So the mystery makes me think about what could have been going on, create a story behind the image, or what the intent of the picture is.

Underwater photos continually make me wonder.  I think it's mostly because I'm always trying to figure out how in the world the photographer got the shot they did. 
 

Here are some awesome (in my opinion) eerie underwater photographs.  (Links 1-4)

1

2   (I think this one's got a pretty adventurous tone as well)

3

4

& here are the rest of the photographs I found to be awesome. (Links 5-14)

5

6

7

8   (There are multiple photos in this link)

9   (This isn't exactly underwater but I liked it)

10

11

12

13

14

Facebook .

Awhile back I came across an interesting video telling me about some of the statistics on Facebook.  Not only was it really interesting, but it was actually up to date for 2011.

So below is the first video I found for you to watch :

 

There is also an infographic with the same information if you'd prefer to read it :

Facebook Infographic Here

& I also found this recent Facebook informational video:

Facebook Infographic 2011 from Natalie Suthons on Vimeo.

I think it's crazy how Facebook can become so addicting to people sometimes.  

I also think it's crazy how children have Facebook accounts that their parents have made for them.  I mean, when I was eight years old I wasn't networking online, I was playing outside or with friends.  And get this.. the friends I was playing with weren't through cyberspace over 'internet checkers' they were real life kids - got a ride to my house and played with me IN PERSON, face to face.   I know, I know, times are changing, but children should just stay kids, free. 

Facebook has really changed the world we live in.  

It's changed how people view others, how people get jobs, how we communicate and many many other things.

B&W vs COLOUR

Before the time of colour photography, black and white was all you got.  Everything in photographs was seen through a monochrome (Consisting of or displaying images in black and white or in varying tones of only one color.) eye.

Nowadays photographers have the option to shoot in colour or in monochrome, whether it be good old black and white or versions of monochrome (like having a green tint or blue tint, etc etc).  Photographers can shoot in monochrome right in their camera or change the photograph in post processing later on into black and white.  (aka taking your colour photograph and clicking the turn this into black and white button on editing software)

Most photographers generate their own personal style as they go along.  As they gain experience they learn what they like to shoot, how they like to shoot, and whether or not they like to shoot in monochrome, colour or both.

Sometimes colour can be distracting.  Like a photograph with something red in the focus area.  Red is a very dominant hue and if the red is not where you want the real focus of the picture to be, then you have an issue.  Where as if you turn that same photo with the distracting red into black and white, the focus is no longer on the red.  It's now on the subject matter and contrast, more of the mood will shine through.  If you do want red to be a main focus in your picture then keep it in colour by all means, but if it's distracting, you can change it over.

When dealing with contrast in a photograph black and white can give one the best effect.  I'd say this is because the viewer is not so distracted by the colours, they're now looking at the subject and lighting in more depth.  I think the contrast plays a larger role when no colour is apparent.

Black and white photography can sometimes come across more dramatic because again without the colour to distract you the viewer is simply looking at the subject and what the photograph is saying to you.

There are no rules that say you cannot use colour in certain situations or vice versa with black and white.  It's just what looks more pleasing to the eye in the end.  Every photographer has a different opinion on things, as do the viewers.

Here's a list of links (1-10) of monochrome photographs I like:

1 

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Here's a list of links (1-10) of colour photographs I like:

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Architectural Photography

Architectural photography might seem boring at first.  Straight lines, walls, buildings, metal, and many other things you see in buildings these days.  However, if the photographer uses design techniques like the use of line, perspective, and vanishing points, among many other things in an interesting way, the composition of the photos can become intriguing and mysterious.  That's my take on it.  You personally may find a picture has a happy tone, whereas someone else sees it as mysterious and dark.  It all depends on each persons unique opinion and take on things.

I think because the composition of architectural photography is mostly made up of harsh lines and geometric shapes the colour or lack there of is very important in how the end product looks. 

*HERE* you can see a picture of two buildings in colour.  *HERE* you can see a similar picture of (I'm pretty sure) the same two buildings in monochrome.  The first coloured photograph seems more lively and exciting to me.  The second monochrome photograph, while still very good, seems to me to be more blah and less exciting compared to the first.  However, in many cases monochrome can make a photograph look better and more intriguing, in this case it worked the opposite.  For example, sometimes there are pictures with so much colour it's overwhelming, and monochrome simples the focus points and cleans it up.  However, a lot of colour is not always a bad thing because there are pictures out there with every colour of the rainbow and they look fantastic. 

I think that not only does the composition play a key role in how great a picture is, but the actual subject matter does to.  Although, don't take that as me saying that you can't photograph a boring piece of wood and not have it turn out great.  Because you can.  It's the role of subject matter and composition and how you portray your idea through your image.

So I'm pretty much saying that you can do anything in photographs.  You just have to think about it as a piece on it's own, and bend the 'rules' to make it look its very own personal best.  Because as we know, not all rules work for everyone.  I think knowing and learning how to take great pictures comes from experience.  I'm just guessing here, but I'd say that the best photographers around the world love what they do.  They come up with new ideas for shoots because they love it and it's fun for them.  They know when to use what and how to think out of the box.  I'd say they've practiced endlessly and gained know how that you can't learn from a book.   

Below is a list of links (1-11) that take you to some of my favourite architectural photography examples:

1

 2 

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

&

11

 

Photographer: Alisdair Miller