Photographing the new AGO! November 16, 2007
Posted by steve in : Uncategorized , add a commentLook! Up in the sky!!!! It’s a bird, it’s a plane…NOPE. It’s just the photographic genius.
What a blast going 80 feet up over Toronto’s AGO to photograph the new Frank Gehry addition. Holy Crap was it cold! Not the best weather for an architectural photograph but what the heck…can’t have everything. Anyway, here’s a shot, or rather, a series of shots…
I’ll get some specs for all 5 of you but suffice it to say in the meantime that this is a heavy-duty piece of work. The boys involved are working their tails off to get this baby up and happening and it was a real priveledge to not only to see this from the sky (thanks Derek and Dan!) but to walk around the site and wonder at the engineering! See the top horizontal beam? It runs the whole length and is more than 3×3 feet thick! The diagonal pieces (still in there green packaging) start as verticals at the centre of the ‘breezeway’ and then slope further and further out at their base until at either edge they are almost horizontal…does this make sense? Probably not. It’s all WAY beyond me….
Back on the ground had a wonderful lunch (buckwheat crepes!!!) and cafe au lait at a fantastic little gallery/cafe called ART SQUARE (334 Dundas W. TO). They even threw in two homemade organic chocolates -almost made me blow a gasket, these did. Many thanks to my pal, Billy K, who footed the bill.
Back in my outlying community things are very nice and relaxed. The snow is falling and threatening to stay. I’m here editing my photos (never ending task) with a great new software called “Photomechanic” while watching the Raptors beat up Indiana.
For photographic insperation visit my site, www.stephenjedgar.com
talk soon
Walk in the woods November 12, 2007
Posted by steve in : Uncategorized , 52commentsWow…watching American History X and editing some images of my family from over the weekend. Pretty messed up movie VS. going over shots that might just make me weep. I’m torn: AMX is well shot I must say, and Ed Norton…WHew! what a actor, WHAT A ROLE -’nuff said, back to editing. Here are some faves from a great weekend (albeit WAY too short!) with my two lads. Here they are, 10 years apart and great pals. It’s hilarious watching them play off one another…they both take turns being obstinate little angels…
:
Living out of the city is the way to go. I can feel myself loosening up, shedding stress and pent up bullshit. It’s good. I’m inspired.
Anyway, check this one out:
and the detail:
What a little dude…and then we met an old old spirit…
This beautiful retriever hung out with us the whole time running and laughing -or so it seemed- for the whole walk. It was so much fun.
For me photographing kids and animals is like a holiday -just so much spontaneity, always unscripted. Running through a field with a camera and just shooting what you feel -shooting for the moments. So much camera technology these days is all about FOCUS. You got VR -vibration reduction- and AF -auto focus. When I got to certain point in my shooting something clicked (ha ha), I just stopped concerning myself with this focus thing. Hey, focus is cool and necessary but man, Blur gives Life! I love what I do for a living. Kids and dogs: run ‘em in the morning and again at night. What am I trying to say? I’m tired. Enjoy the shots. As always, go to my sight:
printing November 11, 2007
Posted by steve in : Uncategorized , add a commentsitting at fedex/kinkos printing a copy of my book. Sacrilege! (and on Remembrance Day too…I’m going to hell.) Any photographer would cringe at this, but, hey! gotta do it. I’m throwing my photography out there so many places at once…a book gets expensive!!! and the kids gotta eat. Which reminds me: I haven’t had any dinner. Great place here called Kismet -beautiful Bangladeshi food- stomach is grumbling. but I digress.
Kinkos. Printing. Portfolio.
Got a presentation with the photo editor of the local paper. I guess one of these days I should name the little place I’ve moved to…this has nothing to do with protocol and everything to do with my ego…I’m just (still!) attached to the stigma of being OUT of the Big City. hey man, I’m connected…that old “gotta be in the centre of the universe to make it as a pro” mentality is SOOO antiquated. Whatever, I live in a small town…The Photographic Genius LIVES IN A SMALL TOWN! and I’m submitting my photographic portfolio to the local newspaper dammit!…and I’m proud to be doing so… Nothing wrong with that, is there? -hell no, infact, it makes a nice little story. so there.
But what if they reject me?
ugh now I don’t feel so good. The photographic genius from the big city gets rejected by the little local paper…doesn’t sound good.
Maybe it is a good thing I’m doing my book on a laser copier at kinkos for cheap….I dunno, we’ll see.
Here’s a shot that made it into this presentation:
see? It ain’t too bad, is it? With the new ‘green’ treatment I’ve given this image it’s actually a truer representation of how my subject, Andrew Martin, was feeling that day. Sick as a DAWG he was…The guy almost tossed all over my backdrop! Kinda sexy isn’t he? Maybe that’s yet another new look for our model/actor types. Gives a whole new -yet old- meaning to the saying, “…man! he’s SICK!..” What a sport Andrew was that day. The guy is super cool.
To see more of this stuff check out my site:
Lights Cameras, LEAFS! November 10, 2007
Posted by steve in : Uncategorized , 2commentssit
ting here watching the Leafs…yes, I know I know: why? they suck! Old habits die hard. Generally speaking, I’m liking the Raptors, but that’s another story.I’m hanging with my twelve-year-old, Dev. He of the title, “THE most photographed kid of all time”, but I’m thinking soon he’ll be usurped by his kid brother, Ethan. Just the way it goes I guess; every dog has its day. Which takes me back to my love-hate relationship with the Leafs. Nope, ain’t gonna happen this year, nor the next, nor the next. Enough ink has been wasted on the chain of command in MLSE -the faceless evil empire that owns the boys in blue. It’s just another example of little to no transparency in big biz…only this time ( IhopeIhopeIhope) the Leaf Nation seems to be catching on to the shenanigans. If I were a little better at the blog thing I’d fwd you to a series of articles written on the matter by folks who really know what they are talking about…WHATEVER.
Hey, I’m a photographer and -who’s kidding who- this blog aint’ here to show off my writing skills, eh? NO! It’s to draw the attention of millions and millions to my awesome shooting skills! Public Engagement, BABY!!! oh ya I can hear them bangin down the door now! -hey, i’m not called “The Photographic Genius” for nothing!!!! Stand back folks….ok, here it goes:
so….like…I’ve got a new fridge magnet, eh? Love to hear what you think. isn’t it awesome?
oh ya…just waiting for the money to start rolling in.
curious about any of these thumbnails? Just check out the site!
go RAPTORS!
The First Entry!!! November 7, 2007
Posted by steve in : Uncategorized , 3commentsWell, here we are. It’s c-c-c-cold today, and the new (old) house is showing it’s age. Built in the late 1800s, it can be called the cookie-cutter of it’s day. Rubble foundation, yellow brick, square….wood floors, unfinished basement, 37″ flat screen hd lcd etc etc. Regrettably, the nice new plumbing installed, didn’t prevent a little fecal explosion the other day….up to my elbows, I was! Saw a slow draining washer tub in one corner and a little drip drip drip down the line…hmmmmm, thought I, red flags unfurling. Checked out the colour of the water drip -’uh-oh’….gray with a little bit of…Brown… Luckily had the presence of mind to take everything out of the line of ‘fire’….slowly released the valve and “SISSSSS, BLICK, SQUIRT…” can you say, “are you embarrassed easily??”
Anyway, this blog wasn’t meant to give you the moment by moment exploits of the shit-busters -so I’ll say, ‘NUFF SAID on that whole experience…cept I have to toot my horn and admit with a little smile that the plumber almost threw up -a true badge of honour.
Hey, almost forgot, check out my site