stephen j edgar photoblog

whoa.

had an excellent experience while on a last minute gig last night. Got the call at the eleventh hour to and shoot a university hockey game…but not just ANY university game, a SEMI-FINAL university play off game…not just ANY University Semi Final play off hockey game but WOMEN’S University Semi-Final play off Hockey. and you know what else? The game was won in a thrilling end-to-end over time that had me riveted. Just a shame I was only one of a handful of spectators.

Serious hustle. Serious skills. Serious Fun. I loved it. And listen, I’m a hockey fan, big time. But like many Hockey fans ’round these parts, I’m feeling major LEAF-fatigue. With all the Trade deadline crap going on I’m just about ready to throw up. Millionaire hockey players ENOUGH. What perfect timing the gods have sending me to shoot this game. Must admit as well, I’m one of those guys who, while I’m quick to give huge heartfelt props to the gals on Canada’s Olympic squad, I’ve never really paid too much attention….Things change baby, things change.

Hey, another thing I must admit, I’ve never shot a hockey game (other than my son’s) before. It’s tough work!! Hats off to the guys and gals who do this regularly. As a Nikon shooter I’ve always felt a little behind the Canon set when shooting sports. Canon’s auto focus is lightspeed faster than Nikon’s. No contest. And frankly, that’s fine. I tend to photograph things OTHER than sporting events…however last my trusty D2X’s autofocus system was put to the test -these gals were Flyin’!!!  I had to really pay attention, utilising not only my YEARS of photographic experience, but also my hockey prowess (ya right!) to keep up with them.

AND in the end, at about 2mins to go in overtime, it all paid off. I was right there with Lauren Barch (no.77) as she swiped home the game’s only goal, the OT winner!

Read the story in Monday’s KW Record.  Hey! and while were on the topic of hockey, my number one son has a goal per game streak going!  I’m so proud!!!  He’s at 4 games now…Keep it going Devlin!!!  and don’t forget to play defence!

Anywho, back to the Oscars.  I’ll report on THAT mess 2morrow!

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HI there!  Seems like my Lunar Eclipse shots were well received.  Thankyou for all the feedback!  I even got a little nudge in WIRED magazine’s science blog.  Check it out here.  Apparently I live in a  ‘far-flung place’.  Yahoooooo, it’s something I’ve always aspired to!  Snowing again.  Shocker .  Will spend much of today shoveling.

wow. what happened there? I kinda like, doped off for a couple of months….

Let’s recap: It won’t take long.
Christmas: got sick and skipped off much of the holiday. Shoveled snow. Managed to make it up to 705 land for some family time with the folks. Very Nice. Shoveled snow.
New Year’s: stayed home and recovered from flu and continued to shovel snow.
Went away to Clearwater Fla to visit with the inlaws for a couple of weeks in January. Was there for the Tom Cruise Video Release Party. A real blast considering Clearwater is Scientology Central. VERY Strange atmosphere in Elrond Hubbard’s HQ. It’s like watching a game of lemmings….all these folks wearing similarly tailored shirts and slacks, wandering around in groups….there seems to be a hierarchal identity thing communicated with various combinations of blue shirt with beige pleated pants, or white shirts with blue pleats…and then there are the pagers. Now sure, we see this stuff everyday in corporate North America. Lemmings are the groove and pulse of many downtown sectors…but something is amiss here. Maybe it’s just the auspice of SCIENTOLOGY that creates this weirdness. However there’s more and it’s tough to explain. Was it their frozen smiles? The ‘hundred-yard stares’? Or was it the fact that on many occasions when I attempted to follow these gaggles of sheeple, I would go to check my watch, or check out my reflection, or whatever…I’d go to resume my sluething and they’d be GONE! It happened more than once, I tell you! One second, there…the next second, NOT. Poof!

Now as I am a photographer, you’d think that I’d suit up and take to the streets in pursuit of this scoop…but I did not. No, I was content to just check it out with my eyes and leave the Brownie at home. Also, I have to admit, as interesting the Tom Cruise video was, and as messed up as I think Scientology is, part of me was feeling a little sorry for them. I mean, not to get all philisophical and deep and thoughtful on this but, judgment and persecution of religious practices that don’t mesh with our own personal beliefs is a little F’d up. The group Anonymous is all over Scientology. They point out some VERY disturbing facts about their practices -business and recruitment techniques ya da ya da ya da. Personally, I think there are WAY bigger and badder things going on out there in our little world. Things much more worthy of our attention than this organisation/cult.

Jeez, some recap. Forgive me. I HAVE been busy with photo shoots and designing stuff and taking lots and lots of meetings. And there have been a great many world events since we last spoke. But so much snow shoveling tends to eclipse all else….D’oh! I almost forgot; there was a Lunar Eclipse last night! WOW, very very pretty. I hope you appreciate the snaps! Damn near froze my ass off! It kinda caught me off guard…heard about it moments before it was to start. Otherwise I would have found a better lens for the moment. As it was, I had my 200mm on and managed to get just enough detail in the moon’s hilights while earth’s shadow slowly swallowed her up. During the height of the eclipse had to REALLY slow down the shutter speed and REALLY up the ISO. For any of you Nikon D2Xers out there, you know that means NOIZE galore….Regardless, it was still a beautiful sight to behold.

Isn’t that sweet?

Speaking of Eclipse, did anyone see Chris Bosh manhandle Dwight Howard and the Magic last night?! WOW!!!! Go RAPS!!!!