A Two Month ReCap

Okay I know it's been a while since my last post. It's been two months. Chances are you're not even reading this because you've given up looking for updates and are now doing something more interesting with your life. However if you're one of the one's that still checks this spot everyday or perhaps you've subscribed to this blog then "Hello" I say and thanks for reading.

Despite the fact I've been neglecting the blog, I have been taking pictures pretty much every day with the odd picture blackout in between, It's okay Hell has not frozen over, there are actually good reasons for putting down my camera (or not picking up as the case may be). There are reasons for not updating the blog as well. Laziness comes to mind, but I'll try to recap what's been going on over the last two months. I could post a picture for every day that has passed or at least almost every day that has passed but that would require a lot of work, a lot of writing and a lot of going into the bowels of my memory to reconstruct what happened.

Since I'm not trying to solve a mystery regarding a murder, lost child, or even missing keys I will let the reconstruction of the days past slide. To all those readers that live life vicariously through my blog entries I can only say that your life is much much more interesting than mine has been in last two months. If you as the reader still feel unnerved, pretend I was abducted by aliens, thrown into a time machine and popped out two months later with no memory other than the following notable experiences...

Fashion week Autumn Winter 2007


Arthur Mendonca boned for lighting.... again.

For the most part, the lighting was terrible. Most notable was the Rudsak show where the 24 hour newspaper only showed heads of the models because the bodies and what the models were wearing were in complete darkness. It didn't help that the clothing line was mainly comprised of black outfits. Lighting them with a single weak spot light that was aimed with the precision of a drunkard peeing and aiming for the puck, Rudsak's models had their heads and legs clipped by the dark. The sad fact is that this cost the designer more to light them this way than to use the standard crappy house lights.

Don't even get me started on the Arthur Mendonca models standing around in patches of bad lighting (this is the second season this designer was boned for lighting), the mixed colored lighting of Pink Tartan, or the gradient lighting of some other catwalks where models are walking out of the darkness. While this may be considered great stage lighting, catwalk lighting no. What's the point of having a catwalk if you can't shoot the models with the clothing flowing until they reach the end? The event this year was pretty disappointing from a photographers point of view.


Colin has moved

One weekend, I and some others helped Colin move out of his long time lived apartment.


Colin in his apartment for the last time.


The Moving Van


The Last Football pass (Hey why are they not helping?)


The last picture of the dot pattern.


Fan Appreciation day for fans of Falcon Beach


An onlooker looks to see if there's any activity.


The cast Of Falcon Beach.

This was an event that took place at Sam the Record Man, a record store, down on Yonge street. I was amazed at the number of teen girls that demanded the male actors take off their shirts.


Microsoft job


David and Neil looking at the electronic storyboards

This is probably the biggest reason that I haven't been updating the blog. I was working for about three weeks straight on some animation for the Microsoft booth at N.A.B. (National Association of Broadcasters) convention in Las Vegas. No, I didn't get to go to Las Vegas.


A Girl named Brigitte


Me and Brigitte at Sanjay's birthday party.

During the course of the Microsoft job I did manage to slink out of my apartment to do some things. One of these activities was to attend Sanjay's (the publisher) birthday party. While it wasn't my intention to meet anyone, I think I was pretty low on energy at the time, I did meet two new people of note. Vanessa, a model from fashion week that I took pictures of, and Brigitte, a fellow Nintendo player who claimed that she could kick my ass at Bust-a-move. Yeah right. She's also a Wii player. This piqued my interest as I've been thinking of getting a Wii since boxing day.


Brigitte demonstrates her kicking technique


"S'up?"


Gabby and Melissa's birthdays


Gabby and Melissa seem disinterested


Rogers announces video conferencing on your cell phone


William Shatner talks over the cell phone with a video image!

To launch video calling in Canada, Rogers pulled in William Shatner from L.A. The press release was very secretive and didn't say anything other then to show up for something amazing. While waiting for the presentation to start I was talking to another photographer who said "I hope this isn't like the Burger King press release."

When I asked him for more details he told me that the PR company has sent out a vague over the wire saying something big was going to be announced. Perhaps a new sandwich. No one knew. The announcement was that People preferred Burger King hamburgers over other burgers. It was a let down for the reporter.


William Shatner and John Boynton (the senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Rogers Wireless) fiddling with the video phone.

William Shatner showing up to the event really worked. Pretty much everyone but the CBC showed up to see what the big news was. Video Conferencing.... the first thing I thought was that Star Trek communicators dont' have video. Oh well.


I took a picture of William Shatner's shoes as you probably wouldn't see this in the press


John Coburn's Art Exhibition


Robin, a fashion week model, poses for John

Another outing I managed to do during the Microsoft job was to see John Coburn's exhibition at a hair salon on King street. I was invited to this during fashion week and decided to pop in. After the show Brigitte and I went to grab some food. We stayed out much later than I anticipated and as a result I had to stay up until noon to finish a render and deliver it. Was it worth it? Yes, without question.


Robin looks at the camera


Brigitte flies into the painting at the Queen Mum.


Blueberry Juice - Something fishy


Blueberry juice with Omega 3

Maybe you've heard of weird drinks like Clamato, Tomato juice mixed with calm juice. What about blueberry and grape juice mixed with bits of anchovy and sardines. I kid you not.

Today I bought a blueberry grape juice with omega-3. When I got home I decided to read the label. It actually has fish bits in the contents. How weird is that?


Anchovy and Sardines? What the...?


The Microsoft job continues...


A last minute photo taken by me using the light coming in through the window.


After an all nighter we end up at the Goof for breakfast


David


Me, quite tired


Darryl with coffee


Al's Birthday Bowling


Danforth Bowl located just west of Coxwell on Danforth


Linda stretches


Leah bowls


Birthday Bowling Al.


More Microsoft Work


Zoe plans the next stage in the Microsoft project while squeezing her baby's stuffed animal.


Darryl hard at work in the kitchen


A quick walk to the beach clears my head for the Microsoft project


Ice formations on the edge of the lake.


The balmy beach club sign


Pippa, Zoe and David's baby, smiles when called "Supervisor" or hears "Darryl, get to work!"

FaceBook

My facebook photo taken in the back yard

Here's another reason I've neglected blogging. I've gotten sucked into the world of facebook. It's an addictive web site where you can reconnect with all your friends. I've heard it nicknamed stalkerbook by some people.


The Tijuana Bibles last performance


This photo taken by Alan Martucci shows me in the front (wearing white) waiting for the band to start playing.


The Tijuana Bibles


The Crippler


Super Destructor, Sky-Hi Lee, and Sonny-Boy Liston


Other Photos of Interest


A woodpecker in the back yard


Emmanuel at the Stem


My Hot Hamburger at the Stem


Christina Cruze


John Duncan of Swimsuit Canada and Christina


Simon Mah and "his girls"


John Philp film maker of "Yoga, Inc." stands in front of the Royal theatre


The Bust-a-move Showdown


Brigitte casts out.


Dinky the camera phobic cat


Dinky tries to squirm away from the camera

To follow up on the last entry where Brigitte said she would kick my Bust-a-move ass. She did! Out of twenty games she kicked my butt but good. Granted it was the Super Nintendo version of the game. I've called a rematch with the Wii version, a version which neither of us have played. Am I trying to level the playing field in order to win?... you betcha.


Brigitte kicks my Bust-a-move ass... for the second time, 21-14


Alex


William and Sara's baby. Alex doesn't seem impressed with me.


Sara and Alex say "Hi" as I get off the streetcar.

After about a year I finally get to meet baby Alex.


Other things of note


Brigitte with the coveted Filbert World Cup.

After kicking my butt, Brigitte and I decide to make a trophy out of this plastic fish. We've given the fish the name of Filbert. Whoever wins the next round gets to keep the fish until the next round and so on.


Laer with a new Nikon D80

Laer buys a Nikon D80.


XXX-ray

Worked on a short film made by a friend (of Origasmi fame) starts a huge cast made up of mostly past Hard Liquor and Porn filmmakers. I worked on the film shooting stills and even made a cameo in a patient outfit.

That brings you pretty much up to date.

Fashion Week Mix-up

The main hall for L'Oreal fashion week.

Due to a small mix up with my media badge I had shown up to the Liberty Grand to pick up said badge early in the morning. I was politely shooed away and told to show up at 2pm, three hours later, then at 4pm, 2 hours after that.

There's not much around the Liberty Grand as it's located on the Canadian National Exhibition grounds near the highway. For the first three hour wait period I walked up to King street and grabbed a long lunch. The second two hour wait I found myself sitting across the street at this gazebo.


The gazebo.

As it turns out there was a live power outlet. I hooked up my laptop and did some work while waiting around. The air was cool. The time passed rather quickly and before I knew it, it was time to go back to the Liberty Grand. The person I was waiting to see had shown up and had my pass ready for me.


My fashion week gear.

Everything went rather smoothly for the rest of the day.

Nice Lens Design

To continue my unfortunate story about my lens being damaged, I've shot a series of photos of my lens in the different stages. You can see how and where it was damaged, and how I managed to fix it.


Here is my Nikkor 70-200 mm 2.8 lens. From here it looks okay.


Upon closer inspection you can see that the plate that mounts the tripod adaptor is bent outwards.


With the tripod adaptor on you can see how bent the plate is.


How did my lens manage to get so bent without a scratch on my pelican case?


The construction of the lens has this metal plate that gives or bends leaving the rest of the lens alone. If you look at the equivalent Canon lens you'll notice that the adaptor is one piece that wraps around the lens. You can still remove it but the foot part is solid. Should something hit it, like the ground, the damage would go through it right to the lens. With this Nikon feature the plate acts like a crumple zone. The damage is directed at the plate made from softer material.

The replacement plate (shown here) was just under $67.00 CAN after taxes. Not bad considering the whole lens is just under $2000.00 CAN.

The plate is screwed on with standard tiny Phillips screws. To fix it, all I had to do was unscrew the bent plate and screw back on the new flat plate. Note: if you try to do this yourself make a note that the screws are of two different lengths. If replaced in the incorrect position the lens with not rotate on axis fully.


Here's the lens once the new plate had been installed.


Woo Hoo just like new!

The Boots, the Beach, the Blister

a large ice covered puddle

It's been awhile since I've taken pictures outside just for the sake of taking pictures outside. Mainly due to the cold weather and the slippery surfaces but also because of my Warcraft addiction. Yes, I'll admit that becoming a slug in front of the computer has it's rewards (like being a level 30 mage!! Take that you orcs and slime monsters!).

Before starting to feel those bed sores coming on, I decided to force myself to go out. A) to work in the new boots, B) to get away from the computer (and WarCraft), C) to get outside while the sun was out, D) get some exercise.


a tree surrounded with ice


I just liked the lines here


tree reflection


If you look closely you can actually see the squirrel in the tree taunting the dog


the thin layer of ice on the ground


the empty cold beach


A life guard station

In case you're reading this blog entry wondering where the blister was. I got one on the back of my foot breaking in the new boots. Nothing crazy ass big, just thought it sounded better in the blog title line to have three things that started with B.

Don't forget the Zamboni

Janice Williamson embarrasses herself at a birthday party

At the intersection of Bloor and Clinton, at a place called Clinton's, Rob Pincombe had his 40th birthday party. Darryl Gold who turned who knows how old only two days earlier was also on the scene. Alas, the Zamboni (the vehicle that makes the ice rink ice smooth) was forgotten.

The anniversary of the Zamboni is actually the day in between Darryl and Rob's birthdays and the date is a stupid piece of trivia burnt into my brain from when we all worked on the NHL hockey rulebook CD way way back long before this blog was even born.

In birthdays past, Rob and Darryl used to have grand birthday parties involving talented friends getting up on stage and doing their thing. Singing, telling jokes, playing some instrument, there were even conspiring sock puppets. It seemed nothing could stop these two from having fun... except maybe all the prep work involved.

Today was a scaled back tribute to the birthdays long gone. Maybe not as much prep work went in, but the payoff was just as good and entertaining. You might recognize some of the following Canadian (and British) talent, and if not, keep your eyes glued for them. They'll pop up somewhere. Yes, they are that good.


Dave Sparrow tells tales of being a dad to two daughters


Claire Jenkins sings with an almost hypnotic spell


Chris Gibbs shows his talent at making a balloon animal (a worm with a blister)


Graham Powell - singer, song writer, member of the Supers and a photographer!


Clinton's - the back party room


Rob Pincombe and Darryl Gold

Happy Birthday you two!

When it rains it pours...

Gudrun directs her latest epic

I'm not really sure what's been happening lately. Is there a full moon or some other astronomic oddity? Today I had a lot of stuff crammed into my to do calendar. The day started off with an meeting regarding some motion graphics animation, followed by a mocumentary set shoot, ending off with a shoot at the local Indigo bookstore to shoot a few stills of some book writers.


Lisa hides behind what looks like a script while Mike waits to get make up.


Sven and Lisa in their 70s gear.


Mike gets into character


Hamming it up for the photographer

The mocumentary was a film being made for Darryl's next HLAP film festival. The director and producer of the film Gudrun Heinze, now a seasoned B-movie film veteran, took command of the cast and crew while running around the location looking for props and clothing.

Due to my squished schedule and having to get to Indigo I only had about an hour to shoot pictures before running out the door to the next venue.


Fans that make the authors day

I was told that for a saturday the crowd that packed the Indigo bookstore was pretty large. Over 200 people crowded around to listen to Sanjay Burman (author of "The art of Persistence") and Marie Diamond (contributer of "The Secret") talk about their books and inspirational stories.


A book fan with Marie Diamond

The picture above is of a laywer who was a huge fan of Marie Diamond. I gave her my card so she could get a copy of this picture but haven't heard from her. Hopefully she'll try google or use some other search engine to find this. If you are reading this email me I have a larger res photo with your name on it. Likewise if anyone recognizes this woman have her email via the bagelhot site.


Sanjay Burman and Marie Diamond


Marie and Sanjay pose with their poster