One of the blogs I came across was Chris Weeks’ APhotoContributor. He’s a hot shot and has a bad attitude. I came across him because I’m a gear fetishist and he shoots a Leica M9. Turns out he hates gear fetishists. Turns out that I think he’s right and I realized I have a problem: too much gear fantasizing and not enough shooting. More on that in the days to come.

BUT, hurt feelings and introspection did force me to go back and look at what kind of stuff I shoot and what I’m proud of. Until I get off my ass and shoot some more I’m going to post some of my favourites – the stuff I like to shoot, not the stuff that makes the forum people happy. (forums are a dumb trap, stay out of them). Weeks inspired me, or shamed me. Either way, it worked.

This is my wife, before she was my wife. I made her pose kinda like John Coltrane on the Blue Train poster. This series is all from 2005 I think. Doesn’t seem like that long ago.

Not bad? I shot that with an Olympus E-1, a camera that I sold later for a Nikon D200, which probably didn’t do much for my photography. Shot the one below in Vancouver at a clothing store I won’t name. Shot that with an Olympus C-7070, which I kinda miss.

Another one I like from my old C-7070. This one in Edmonton, with friends Kosta and Rebecca.

in the rain

They were visiting from London, making me jealous of all the coolness of their lives.

I shot this one because I thought I should be a micro-stock photographer. Yes, I thought, that will make me happy AND rich! You know how that one ends.

zoooom

This is one of the beautiful River Valley vistas everyone goes on about in Edmonton. Personally, I find this preferable to the other typical landscape stuff which I started trying to shoot for no good reason other than the internet seeming to approve of pretty, conventional pictures of water at the bottom of valleys.

River Valley

Then fall came. I know shots of the sky and tree boughs are cheesy but I don’t care. I liked what I saw and pushed the trigger. I liked seeing the leaves blow of the limbs of the tree, and since we get only five minutes or so of beautiful fall colour before the city turns into a back drop for a Tom Waits song, you might as relish it.

falling leaves

I used to go for coffee a lot more than I do now. Why is that? I would just sit and BS with people forever. What is wrong with me? That was so much fun. It’s what I’m going to do on Saturday. This one was from the Sugar Bowl Café, before it turned into a brunch scene. Oh yeah, now I know why I don’t go there any more.

before the brunch invasion

Back then life was simpler. I worked for a small newspaper called the St. Albert Gazette. My co-workers were awesome and my editor and the two-person photo department were great, letting a hack writer like me play photographer. These are some shots from a shift I spent with a small town vet. I liked the photos better than my story. P.S. The dog pissed all over he was so scared. I think I shot these with a Canon 10d, my first digital slr.

stare down

By the way, calling these guys “small town vets” is in no way meant to be an insult. They work on everything. Horses, bulls, puppies. Not like those chi chi suburban-wholistic-reiki-acupuncture cat doctors.

wrestlemania

This little guy looked so sad.

awww

And it got pretty ugly. I witnessed an autopsy. Some guy suspected that his dog was poisoned. Don’t know how it turned out, except for the poor dog (not pictured). Don’t think we published this one.

remains

Actually, I got a little confused about the timeline on these shots. The exif on this last one says 2004 – the vet shots all came from 2004. The other shots said 2005 in the exif. Whatever. It was in the past, and I miss it.

Working at the Gazette was a good gig. Nobody respects you as a journalist. Even less if you’re weekly journalist. The boss pays you poverty line wages, every source has an agenda, and you have every reason to think you’ll soon be downsized. But it was great fun, and I’m sure that’s why so many people do it, even for the sucker wages they pay you. These are some good memories.

Rockin’ August – annual retro/classic car celebration. Love the Wal-Mart in the background. Shot these ones with a 1d, maybe even a MKII.

Poodle Skirts

Last quarter and no hope, from what I remember. This is is why I hated team sports in school. What teenager needs an extra helping of disappointment during puberty?

no hope

Okay, that’s enough nostalgia for one night. Think I’ll bounce back and forth between old and new for the next few posts. Hope you enjoy ‘em, all five of you out there reading.

What did I learn from all this? I’m better at taking pictures than I thought. 99 per cent of it is just having the balls and motivation to go stick a camera in someone’s face. Thanks again to Chris Weeks.

No Life Without Roots CD release party, April 17, 2009 - click for larger version

I showed the photo above to my good friend Vladimir (Che-ish guy looking to the left) the day after taking it at The People’s Poets April 17 CD-release party at The Artery in downtown Edmonton. He was ecstatic: “that looks way better than the show actually did!” I don’t know about that, but I love showing people a photo that they love. The good news is I probably have 50 more photos they will LOVE. And I love sharing the love.

About the People’s Poets: The people’s poets are three Edmonton MCs who rap about social justice issues, local and global. rosouljah, 4 Life and solidario joined up in the fall of 2006 with the intention of making critically conscious hip hop. They then hooked up with Edmonton’s renowned cut artist DJ Dice, who has over two decades of experience in contributing to the local Hip Hop scene. Representing their Latino refugee roots from Chile and El Salvador this hip hop colectivo mixes rhymes about life experiences with social and political commentary. The people’s poets performed at over 20 events in Edmonton and Vancouver in 2007. The people’s poets are committed to building and networking at a community level for social change and development. These RAPTIVISTS are involved in a variety of issues and movements such as affordable housing, labour education, and youth empowerment. “We be the people’s poets and we believe another world is possible.”