walt's eye

talent

2011-04-04T17:02:00.006-04:00

I know it's a little outside the realm of "photography", but I came across this video on Vimeo (great site, by the way) and it reminded me of how remarkably talented some people are. It's entitled "Shapeshifter" and is narrated by Gabriel Byrne.

ShapeShifter from Charlex on Vimeo.

The side-effect of having watched this video, however, is that I now feel really, really ordinary.

Ernie

2011-04-02T09:24:00.000-04:00

So, here I am GENUINELY trying to keep up with this photo blog...and I think this "mobile upload" jazz is really gonna help. Clearly, an iPhone photo is never going to compare to something taken on a DSLR but it's better to be shooting with SOMETHING than nothing at all, am I right?

My first mobile post attempt

2011-03-26T15:15:00.000-04:00

I just set myself up to blog via the ol' iPhone. I have NO idea how well it will work, but I figured I would toss a little photo along too just to see how that works too. It's a beverage I had a few days ago.

Could Walt start POSTING again...?

2011-03-26T12:11:00.005-04:00

Maybe so, my friends. It's about time, really (Easter of '08 was the last time???).

Stay tuned...and if you know me personally, let me have it if I don't follow through!

This is a little on the fly, but for now I'll just quickly post one of my Amsterdam shots from this past October.

See you soon...hopefully :)

easter '08

2008-03-24T21:44:00.006-04:00

We had another fabulous Easter feast at my brother Nick's house yesterday. We really do enjoy sharing some fine food with Nick, Aimee, the little squirt (Jackson) and Aimee's family--awesome chow, light and fun conversation and of course...fine, fine brew!

That brings me to the picture above. In case you're one of those "conclusion-jumpers", already thinking we have the kid hooked on stiff dark roast coffee, allow me to clarify a couple things: (1) It's merely a robust medium roast and (2) there's nothing left in that particular cup (except the intoxicating aroma of a coffee well-enjoyed...and how can you blame the little guy for diving into that!).

I should note his eyes were not quite as bright and wide BEFORE he stuck his face in the cup. That's my nephew!!

best friends

2008-03-10T21:30:00.004-04:00

I actually took this photo a couple years ago, but it's one of my favourites. My only regret is that I didn't get the rest of the gentleman's head in the frame. I added the aged effect to this picture because it has a very classic, ageless feel for me. That being said, I do still love the original black and white version.

We ran into this pair while out for a walk one day. My dog Ernie was very interested in this, the first Boxer he had ever seen--the Boxer was a little more reserved. As a note of interest, the next Boxer Ernie had the pleasure of meeting, smacked him in the head...lesson learned, I guess.

We've recently (March 8th) had a record snowfall in Kitchener-Waterloo: both the single day record (37cm) and the yearly record as well. The last record snowfall was 22.5 cm and was in fact also on March 8th (the year escapes me right now). Regardless, I'm so much more ready for the Spring season I see in this picture...but hopefully it'll be a long Spring--I hate the heat even more than the cold!

tasty still life

2008-03-02T19:55:00.003-05:00

Thanks largely to some rather annoying "computer issues" I haven't had the privilege of posting for quite a while (phew! finally it's not my laziness for once!).

I decided to kick off this new post-computer-trouble era with some still life. I guess this is actually the first time I have ever photographed something that was dead too! I've taken any number of pictures of flowers, trees and other plants and animals, but unlike this delicious Bosc pear, they were all alive and kicking.

It's not that I decided to all of a sudden photograph a pear; I was sitting in my apartment one evening after work and the winter-rare golden light of dusk began to bathe the living room. Like my favorite Australian wedding photographer and podcaster Shelton Muller often says, "Find the light and put them in it". So that was exactly what I did--not with a bride and groom, but rather, a brown Bosc pear that was sitting in a fruit bowl on our table and bordering on over-ripe. To spare you the gruesome details, my subject became part of my dinner as soon as the light faded.

Such is the fickle nature of that period of golden light. I was in fact, quite lucky to even harness some of that light given I had not really planned on it. Usually, if you are not prepared the light dissipates too much before you get your gear ready to shoot. This is particularly true of landscape photography.

Fortunately for me, the landscape in this photo was a couch in my living room (conveniently close to my camera) and my subject was ready and willing...and juicy...oh so juicy.

out for a stroll

2008-01-29T20:44:00.001-05:00

Ernie was due for a good walk yesterday so we decided to oblige. I think he somehow knew he was getting a new leash at the pet store because he had that little extra bounce in his step (it was that or his usual "Snow! Snow!! SNOW!!!" mentality).

Thw weather was milder than it had been in a while (around 0 degrees Celsius) and as a result we took a slightly different and longer route than our daily norm. Though a little heavy at times, I was glad I took the camera because towards the end of our walk, the light was slipping into one of those "golden times", just before sunset.

The picture above, however, was taken in the shade. There's a man in our neighborhood who's pretty heavy into the woodworking--he always has some sort of new creation visible on his property. Anyway, this is part of his little shed, complete with handcrafted flower box and "heart windows". I decided to go black and white with this shot because it has strong features and lots of texture. You don't get to see the deep mahogany-colored wood and bright yellow flowers, but you'll live.

There's lots of time for color some other day.

cute for the sake of cute

2008-01-24T19:55:00.000-05:00

This will be a shorter than usual posting...I just figured it was most important that I at least try to post pictures with some degree of consistency (hence, the main purpose of a "photo blog"?). I also figured I couldn't go wrong with another dose of adorable! Baby Jack and his folks, Nick (bro) and Aimee (sis-in-law) came over to our place for a little visit before we left to go back to Newfoundland for Christmas.

We decided to give him one of his gifts, which turned out to be his first Christmas gift ever! It was a cute little green coat (I liked calling it his "little man coat"). Unfortunately, poor Jackson must forever carry the stigma of having been given clothes as his first gift.

In retrospect, that was just plain cruel.

why go south?

2008-01-21T14:27:00.000-05:00

Why go south? I'll tell ya why, because it's -25 degrees Celsius!! Well, tell that to the little birds at our cottage back in Hall's Bay Newfoundland. Mostly Chickadees (the photo above) and Nut Hatches, I find it amazing that many of these birds stick around all year, toughing out even the coldest of weather. I guess it helps that my Nan keeps this little bird feeder stocked up with birdseed, scraps and the occasional chocolate chip cookie.

They seem to like the black sunflower seeds best (note you can see NO black seeds above). My dad figures it's because those seeds have the greater amount of fat--smart birds!

I spent a fair amount of time shooting small birds on my holidays...the non-lethal sort of shooting, of course. The new remote shutter trigger helped with that and as a result I must have taken 300+ shots like this. I enjoy wildlife photography a lot--maybe someday I'll be able to chuck $15000 on a long telephoto lens (yeah...I'll hold my breath!). I took quite a few pictures at higher shutter speeds of 1/500th or 1/600th of second, allowing me to freeze the action a little. This made for some fun shots, like the "dive-bombing chickadee" pictures to the right.

Anyway, there's not a lot of birds swinging by my 16th-floor balcony...particularly these days. Unless of course you count the occasional Turkey Vulture--but I will NOT be leaving black sunflower seeds out for those suckers!

Say hello to Ben

2008-01-16T23:09:00.001-05:00

I decided I couldn't wait even one more day to share Ben with you. I've posted pictures of my brother Nick's little guy Jackson previously, but this is Stephanie's brother's son...and I don't think it will take much to convince you that he is absolutely adorable!

In the picture above, I caught him rummaging through Nanny Hamlyn's spice rack. This kept him busy for quite a while, as it was not only necessary to take out almost every little bottle, but to also return them all to their original locations. You know as well as I do that is is difficult even for the seasoned "spice-stacking" adult, let alone a 19-month-old. Ben is, however, a very sharp little boy and he fared quite well.

Ben is now moved to Houston, Texas with his Mom and Dad where he will no doubt develop the cutest little "twang" in his voice over time. We'll miss him and his folks for sure and wish them the greatest of adventures. We were just so thankful that we not only got to see him before he left, but also got to spend Christmas morning with a little boy and his toys.

Land of Snow

2008-01-15T23:33:00.001-05:00

Well, well...would ya look at me, all "postin' two days in a row"! I better take it easy or this might just go to my head.

This picture was taken in Botwood Newfoundland over the Christmas holidays. We we made it home (regardless of the Air Canada service---sheesh!) in time to spend the morning of the 25th with Stephanie's folks. We were also lucky to spend the day with her brother Stephen, his wife Robyn and little Ben (he'll definitely show up on this blog really soon).

Needless to say, I was literally shocked at the sheer amount of snow on the Island and the consistency with which it fell! I mean, I whispered the occasional prayer for "lots of snowmobiling snow", but little did I know the result would be 4 to 5 storms!. The picture above is of my dear wife enjoying a mid-storm shovelling of the deck. Don't get me wrong--she knows all too well that the snow will replenish itself overnight, but there's something magnetic about getting outside during a crazy snowfall (particularly when you have absolutely no reason to be on the highway!).

Yeah, the snow was great. My Dad and I went for several snowmobile excursions back into the country and for me, it was like taking medicine. I smiled so much my cheek bones were tender (I'm serious!). On one occasion I stopped the machine for a bit and walked 7 or 8 yards off the main trail, which is usually well-groomed. Hmmm...let's just say it's been a long time since I've had to wade in chest-deep snow to relieve bladder pressure--quite an adventure, to say the least!

Before I finish, I just HAVE to stick in this picture of my father, up to his windshield in fresh powder. This is the life...there really is no substitute.

"Patriarch"

2008-01-13T22:31:00.001-05:00

Yup...I know, I know. It's been literally months since I last posted. You see, I started out SO well, posting almost every day or at least every week...but then my whole process broke down (or at least it must appear that way to my 2-3 regular readers--ha!).

Anyway, I'm back. Hopefully I'll be able to stick with it a little better in 2008--but I resist calling it my "New Year's Resolution". They never work: It was my resolution to lose weight for at least the past 10 years and what's the final result? Now I'm "Walt x 2"! Moving right along...

I figured I would start blogging again after I took this picture of my Dad over Christmas holidays. I just love the character and detail in his face--and this sort of contrasty black and white photo really plays on that well.

This is a picture I will have with me forever. It's a timeless portrait of my father and hero, Claude Thomas Kippenhuck. Here's to you Dad!

Happy New Year, all.

Reverend "Aunty"

2007-10-04T17:35:00.000-04:00

First off, let's conveniently avoid the topic of me having not posted in nearly a month (sheesh!).

This past Saturday, September 29/07, friends and family from all corners of the province attended the Ordination ceremony of my sister-in-law, Carrie-Anne Kippenhuck. This all took place at the People's Church on Mohawk St. in Hamilton, Ontario.

I personally don't know all the implications of becoming ordained, but I do know that she can now perform marriage ceremonies and she is allotted the title "Reverend". Needless to say, we are all so very proud and it was a true privilege to share this great accomplishment with her. In case you were wondering how she felt about the day, well, I think this picture says it all! This was taken after the ceremony while we were waiting outside Turtle Jack's restaurant in Guelph. We were a party of 12 with no reservation, but Carrie-Anne's expression certainly doesn't give away that we had been waiting outside for about an hour-and-a-half at this point. I guess this was aided a little by the close proximity of her darling nephew Jackson, seen wearing the new little hat she had just given him.

We eventually got inside the restaurant, split between 3 different tables, and the food and company was totally worth it. It was a great day all around--here's to the Reverend!

mr. black and white

2007-09-12T22:12:00.001-04:00

I know, I know...not as pretty as the last post. That's fine--I accept my lot in life. Not everyone can be pretty. Ah, but what is that feature I DO have...hmmm...oh yeah: "Character". I guess that's my self-esteem-boosting way of saying I have facial imperfections that catch the light well (ha!).

I'll be honest, I don't have anything really to say. I just figured that since this blog is all about motivating me to take more pictures, I might as well at least post one. I also figured it was about time MY mug actually showed up on here--it's my blog, right?!

I guess I really do like the lighting in this picture (even if the subject isn't the greatest). I took this the same evening as the last picture of Stephanie I posted. It was in one of the "Golden Hours" (just after sunset...guess when the other one is!), but I guess you don't see much golden in this black and white version.

One little tid-bit I could add here, I guess: when taking a portrait of any man/woman/child/creature, it is paramount that you have the eyes in focus. There's tolerance for any other feature being slightly blurred or out of focus, but the perceived quality of a portrait is in the eyes. That's where we, as humans, connect.

mrs. black and white

2007-09-08T20:15:00.000-04:00

I've been dragging my feet a little lately with the blog, but what better way to jump right back in than with a picture of my darling Stephanie.

This isn't just ANY picture either--it's a black and white picture. With all the advancements in colour photo technology over the last 30-40 years, there's still something special about B&W, our first love! The strangely complex simplicity and sharp contrast provided by a photo void of other colours is often striking and has the ability to evoke serious emotions in people.

B&W photography has been my favourite creative outlet ever since I first dabbled with an old Russian Zenit EM my wife bought at a flea market years ago, before we were married. The vendor, a retired photographer, had been so all his life, as did his son whom he taught. In fact, his son had learned on that very same camera and he has since gone on to shoot for National Geographic. I always liked that story; it left me with the subtle impression that I TOO could someday take pictures for National Geographic and travel the world!

A lot has changed since then. I didn't even have my first 2-megapixel digital point-and-shoot Canon until a year or so after that. At that time, having a digital camera made be fairly special, because few others did. Nowadays, you can spend a tenth of the price for a camera even better than that one...and for the same price, you can get a digital SLR camera.

That's where I am now. I shoot with a Canon 20D DSLR and I still adore black and white.

natural light

2007-09-02T17:13:00.000-04:00

It's been a few days now since I've last posted, but I finally decided to get back on the horse again and take a few pictures. I took this one today, in fact, as an example of natural lighting. I know it may seem a little obvious to some of you, but natural or available light does not rely on any intentional artificial lighting (flashes, strobes, lamps, etc). There are indeed many professional photographers who never use anything but the light they can harness naturally on location. I used the word "harness" here intentionally.

Sometimes the light is shining a little too brightly and creates harsh unflattering shadow on or behind your subject (not unlike what a flash often does!). In cases like this you can diffuse the light causing it to spread more evenly . A white bed sheet or translucent window drapery, for instance, could serve this purpose quite well. Ask just about any wedding photographer and they will agree that cloudy or overcast days are far better for outdoor pictures than those with bright, direct sunlight. Why? It's because the clouds themselves are acting as celestial diffusers!

There are occasions when the available light doesn't shine into some of the more shadowy areas as much as you'd like. In cases such as these, you could use a reflector. Readily available at photo stores, these devices allow you (often with the help of an assistant) to redirect some of the available light into those darker areas. Even though they work very well and fold away neatly into a little pouch, you don't really need one of these reflectors to achieve this effect. In fact, a sheet of paper or bristle board can often perform quite well. And it doesn't have to be white either--many reflectors are gold, silver and even various colours to achieve different lighting effects and casts on skin tone.

You can probably tell I'm a fan of natural lighting...and it's because it's just so...well...natural. There's no other way to put it, I'm afraid. A picture that uses the available lighting conditions has the ability to transport you back to that memory much better than a "deer-in-the-headlights" flash shot, in my humble opinion. It just seems a little more real to me. I do intend to further learn the subtle arts of flash and studio lighting photography some day, but for now I guess I'm content being au natural.

back from "the rock" - vol.4

2007-08-27T22:12:00.001-04:00

When planning our somewhat impromptu trip back home, we never really made too many concrete plans short of (a) Stop in to see Nan (and maybe the folks) at the cottage, (b) Surprise Steph's parents in Botwood and (c) Max and relax for 5 days. One day, however, we took a little trip to Grand Falls to visit one of my old friends, Kirk Stride. The picture to the left is of him and his little fella, Mason (about 18 months). Kirk and I met back when I first moved to Point of Bay in 1989. It was always a laugh whenever I was at their house...which was often! Kirk's sister Connie, recently married (congrats!), is also a dear friend of mine and their parents, Ray and Myrtle, were everything I could ask for in a second set of parents. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they had move back to Newfoundland and that I would be meeting Kirk and Mason at their house. Anyway, I just had to grab a picture of them before I left!

The weather the next day was less than perfect, but we had talked the day before about wanting to visit the salmon ladder in Grand Falls. Partially pictured to the left, it was built on the Exploits River to allow the salmon to progress upstream past Grand Falls to spawn. It's funny...I had lived in that area for all of high school and had never gone there before.

At the top of the ladder, the salmon take their final leap into a holding tank that runs adjacent to the Salmonid Interpretation Centre, where they are intermittently allowed upstream via a gate system. The gate is fitted with camera equipment that track the actual salmon numbers every year. Inside the Interpretation Centre, we were able to view the salmon while they awaited they're turn in the holding tank.
Up until now, the rain had held off pretty good. Of course, once we decided to head outside to see more of the salmon ladder, it had to rain some...so we got a little wet...who cares. I think Ernie probably got the soggiest because he also liked to forage around in the wet grass. This was our last day for "outings" and it was a good one--rain or shine.

The next day, after an awesome pot roast meal, we set out on our way back to the cottage. Our ferry crossing was at midnight again and we were meeting Mom, Dad and Nan for a seafood supper before we left. The supper included salmon, codfish and one of my favorites, stuffed squid. We stayed longer than planned, as the boat was delayed 3 hours, but after a treacherous drive in the rain, we made it to the ferry in Port aux Basques and ultimately left port at about 4:45 am - I slept well that night.

So we were officially off the island, heading back to Ontario and taking in every Big Stop Irving we could before we were out of New Brunswick (those places have EVERYTHING!).

It was a fun trip, but the occasional glance backward to see the signs TO Newfoundland made it a little bittersweet. I don't get home to see family and friends as often as I'd like sometimes and this was just a short little adventure...a short, wonderful adventure.

back from "the rock" - vol.3

2007-08-26T12:06:00.000-04:00

I was so in love with the idea of "not driving" that for the first day I was in Botwood, I was doing some serious vegetating...pure relaxation and loving every second of it. Steph, however, decided to take Ernie for a stroll and explore the trails at the end of the lane. She later returned with news that there were blueberries and raspberries...but she also had samples (my favorite part!). I then accompanied her to the trails, Ernie randomly roaming about and loving it. There were quite a lot of blueberries. Many had been picked over and still more were yet to ripen, but we picked about a gallon with ease and headed back to the house.

In the exploring mood still, I decided that we should later go to Botwood's local park. Having been closed this year, with no one to take care if it, the park was a lot more run-down than I remember. It was a favorite location for Sunday School picnics and the sort in the past, but everything was pretty grown-in now and most wooden structures were in need of repair..case in point: the playground area. In fact, there used to be a bridge across the river but it has since collapsed!
But this didn't ruin our fun. It was a beautiful day and the river and trees were all so lush and refreshing just to look at. Ernie was a little warm and felt obliged to flop down in the shallow water near the shore. I later dipped him in some more--that put a spring in his step. I remembered swimming deep into this river, named Swanee's, as a teenager and coming face-to-face with an eel. Let's just say I swam back to the surface a little quicker than I had originally submerged.

Later that evening, not wanting the beautiful weather to go to waste, Stephanie's dad Ivan asked if we wanted to drive to a nearby lake to go fishing. We were game, of course, and within a 1/2-hour we were all piled into the car and on the road: Ivan, Sylvia, Steph, Ernie and me.

We arrived there to find the site of an old abandoned Boys and Girls Club campground. The dock and nearby shoreline were convenient places to both fly fish and launch the canoe. Stephanie and her father popped in the canoe and headed out to the middle of the lake to try for a fish. In the meantime, Sylvia and I stayed on shore to take photos and video while Ernie searched for mischief (and nearly found it in the form of an old fire pit!). I later went for a short row in the canoe, accompanied by Ernie, while Ivan continued to try his luck with the fly rod from the dock.

The fish weren't biting that evening but we had a great time...and besides, we were all in the mood for squares, pie and a cup of tea anyway!

back on "the rock" - vol.2

2007-08-24T23:54:00.000-04:00

After an awesome night's rest at the cottage, we continued our Newfoundland saga at around 11 am the next day and headed towards Botwood (about 1 1/2 hours away). If you remember my last post, this whole trip has been about trying to sneak home and surprise Stephanie's parents, Ivan and Sylvia (pictured, left). Everyone else was in on it: Mom, Dad, Nan, Steph's brother Stephen, etc, etc.

We arrived in Botwood at about 12:30 pm (just in time for lunch!) but found no at home when we arrived. After a little investigation at Ivan's work place, we discovered that he had the day off and him and Sylvia were gone to Grand Falls-Windsor for the day--about 30 minutes away. On the bright side, at least we knew they weren't gone camping for a week! Instead of heading off to find them at various family locations in Grand Falls, we decided to try and keep the surprise alive and travel around the local area a little.

I remembered a little trail called The Pendragon in a smaller community next to Botwood called Northern Arm. The next picture to the right is the trail's entrance. This simple little path, with plenty of plant life to cling to Ernie, lead down to a gazebo on the shoreline overlooking a local bird sanctuary. As soon as we got to the water we were welcomed by a sign for the Muddy Hole birdwatching area, featuring pictures of various species we might see. One such bird was a Sandpiper and we did indeed see one of those before we left.
The trail was quite nice--tucked away along the shoreline, occasionally dipping a little deeper into the forest. Everything was SO green and fresh and there were little convenient areas to rest and take in the scenery along the way--like this little bench where Steph and Ernie took a breather. We definitely enjoyed our walk; it was hard not to in such beautiful weather, I guess. I'll take 25 degrees Celsius with no humidity any day!
As nice as our stroll was, we were getting pretty hungry. Like I said earlier, we arrived in Botwood at 12:30, so by now it's probably more like 1:30. That's far too late for a vacationer to leave lunch! Luckily, I remembered a great little take-out spot about 2 minutes down the road...the Bayview.
The picture to the right is of the sign next to the take-out (which had become an "eat-in" as well since I had last been there!). One item on this sign may stand out to you...not your typical menu listing...a little "strange" maybe. Unless you're familiar with Newfoundland the thought of eating cod tongues must sound very peculiar! Believe it or not, they are considered quite the delicacy to many who live there--and "many" includes me! I just had to take a picture of this sign when I saw it. Something told me that this might possibly be the one and only time I would have this opportunity--not a whole lot of cod in Ontario (let alone their tongues).
After filling up on seasoned steak bites, fries and a double quarter-pounder, we took a little trip further down the shore to an even smaller community called Point of Bay. This is where I lived for the entirety of my high school years. I think that a little over 300 people lived there when I was around but I had a feeling the population had dwindled significantly upon this visit. Much more of a retirement town now, I'm not sure that I saw a single child while passing through. This would have been quite strange when I lived there. The inset picture is of a small island just off the coast of Point of Bay called Grassy Island. Creative, I know...almost as creative as the name of the other small island nearby, Woody Island. This picture was taken from the local wharf, which I was pleased to see was being taken care of a little more these days. We continued on a little past the town limits, chatted with some old friends I ran into and then headed back to Botwood. By now, it's about 3 pm--surely Steph's parents had returned.
Just to provide a further small cushion of time for her parents to return, I swung the car down near an area called The Base in Botwood, where I knew there was a retired Canso water bomber aircraft--I wanted to get a picture. You'll notice the plane is a couple shades of grey in this photo, but when I had last seen it, the Canso was a bright orange and green. These could be seen occasionally flying around during the summer when I was younger--probably patrolling the parks and many untouched wilderness areas. I kind of miss the old colour, but she still looks pretty cool.
After I had my fill of the water bomber we returned to Ivan and Sylvia's place but they were still not there. To make a long story short (too late for that, you say!), we got a spare key to the house from Steph's Aunt Mary, placed a "Surprise" sign on our car outside and watched movies inside until her parents returned...at 11:30 pm.

They were surprised.

back from "the rock"

2007-08-23T21:46:00.001-04:00

Well, we've finally returned from our vacation back home (Newfoundland--"The Rock"). Technically I've been home for about 3 days but I needed a good chunk of time to both sort through all my photos and just plain crash! A 36-hr drive each way can really do a number on you. Even my dog Ernie, who probably slept about 30 of 36 hours, STILL isn't completely back to chipper self.

I thought I'd toss in a few different pictures from the trip--maybe I'll do this for the next few posts (way too many pictures!). The first shot here is one of many 5 am shots I took during our crossing on the MV Caribou (the ferry) from North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Port aux Basques, Newfoundland. That brings me to the next picture.

Channel Port aux Basques is one of two Newfoundland ports you can access via the ferrys from North Sydney (the other is Argentia, on the Avalon peninsula). It's a very typical (almost stereotypical) small Newfoundland community, carved out along a rocky shoreline and full of character.

After a 3-hour ferry delay due to high winds, we finally landed on the island at about 9 am and headed out across the highway through the high mountain tablelands of the west coast. After about 5 hours we arrived at our first stop--my Nan's place in Hall's Bay. It's a pleasantly secluded cottage on private family land and it's right on the water. I took advantage of this and did some scavenging along the beach, where I found many fossils like the one shown in this third picture.

Our plan was to stay at the cottage with Nan for a night and then head out to Botwood to surprise Steph's parents. I received an early surprise, however, as my parents were able to meet us at the cottage that night--a treat indeed. They live in Port Hope Simpson Labrador and up until the day before were not sure if they would be on the island during my visit. Here's a picture I snapped of them before I left the cottage. I really don't get to see them that often, living about 3000 km apart, so I take every photo opportunity afforded to me.

I guess before I end this posting, I'll toss in one more picture of my Uncle Leslie dismantling an old dock of his, which had suffered heavily at the hands of sea ice over the winter. He's actually my great-uncle (Nan's brother-in-law) and he's definitely one-of-a-kind!

In my next post, I'll continue our trip to Botwood in our attempt to surprise Steph's folks. But for now...much awaited sleep...precious sleep.

i'm free!

2007-08-10T23:07:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow we leave for vacation and we couldn't be happier! We're heading back home (Newfoundland) to see if we can surprise Stephanie's parents. It'll be the first time Steph and I have ever taken the 36-hour journey in car (we usually fly) and though it will be tiresome, it'll be fun too. I'm particularly excited about the prospects of a meteor shower on the very night we cross from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland on the ferry--you couldn't ask for much darker than that!

So, in case you haven't noticed, none of this has ANYTHING to do with the picture I have posted. This was intentional, however, because I just wanted to post a little something to go along with my pre-vacation "bye-for-now" message. The picture is of a Browalia that is growing on our balcony. The bright colours put me in a nice summer vacation mood!

We'll be gone for about 10 days, so I most likely won't post during that time...but when I return with a camera bursting at the seams with photos...well, that's a different story! Maybe I'll post a small collage of pictures or several posts in a row. I imagine there will be no shortage of time to iron out the details during 3 days of driving!

the first

2007-08-09T22:20:00.000-04:00

This is one of the first "isolated on a white background" pictures I ever took. Without any lighting equipment or backdrops, this was achieved using natural light (cloudy morning on my balcony) with a couple shelf brackets holding a seamless sheet of white paper behind the object. It was fun experimenting with something I had never done and I was pretty happy how it turned out, considering my lack of equipment. This experience, however, is not "the first" I refer to in the title.

My wife Stephanie and I began dating in April of 2000. As a result of summer employment abroad, we didn't get to spend as much time together as we hoped, so by Christmas we were still in that awkward stepping-on-eggshells stage. You know what I mean--you want everything to be perfect...you don't want to make any stupid mistakes to ruin this good thing you have going...like getting the wrong Christmas gift.

I was stumped for quite some time. I wanted to get something thoughtful and we weren't exactly spending a lot of money on each other while in school. That's when I found this figurine, who reminded me of Treebeard from Lord of the Rings. He was an incense burner that allowed the smoke to rise up through the top of his head. Steph, as it turned out, was a routine incense user at the time. Better than that, she had always been a huge fan of Lord of the Rings (long before all the mainstream hype of the movies), having read ALL of Tolkien's stuff before we ever met.

So, did she like the first Christmas gift I ever gave her? I think so. She doesn't burn as much incense as she used to, but Treebeard has his own permanent little roost on a shelf in our living room to this day.

urban bird

2007-08-08T23:07:00.001-04:00

Here's the story: it was mid to late April and Steph really wanted to go get groceries. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of groceries...I'm just not always so keen on grocery shopping. So, like many times before, I decided to stay in the car and wait while she did her thing inside. Sometimes I would bring a book--more times I strapped on the iPod (I'm a little "podcast-obsessed").

This particular time I decided to take my camera. The sun was beginning to settle into a nice pink/golden sky and I planned to capture some of that nice light on the horizon while Steph shuffled through frozen entrees and checked to see if cheddar was on sale.

Like any number of times in the past, I was a little too late for that. Just a hint for all you aspiring "golden hour" photographers out there: aim to arrive at your shooting location at least a half-an-hour earlier than you ever think is necessary. You'll be surprised at how many times you'll miss the light when you don't do this!

Back to the story at hand. Having missed my intended horizon shot, I settled in for some talk radio in the car. It was then that I noticed these little birds frolicking in and around the shopping cart corral. I rifled off a dozen frames or so and was reminded of how this area was once theirs--full of trees and meadows instead of metal and asphalt. I like to think of this little bird as having adapted to the present situation, stopping to take a breather on a shopping cart while travelling to the park across town. Then again, maybe he was just waiting on his wife too.

ernie's solo

2007-08-07T22:40:00.001-04:00

I was just about to upload a cute picture of my brother's dog Libby (I'll post it another day) and then I realized something: if I post one more dog picture on here, before Ernie has had his solo appearance he may smother me in my sleep.

Of course Ernie would never do that--he's too adorable.

After having lost one little Shih Tzu named Winnie, Ernie came into the world on Steph's birthday, December 17, 2005 and 8 weeks later we took him home. Vocal right from that first night, he never was a barker. Rather, he speaks his own little language of hums, whines, sighs and sniffs, some of which almost combine to form the mutterings of a little old man. This is, after all, who Ernie is deep down inside. I know it sounds crazy, but I swear his first words were "Oh no".

I guess I should have taken this as a sign, since he gets into his share of mischief from time to time (as mentioned in a previous post, "ernie's impatiens", he's had a few experiences with strange meal choices).

Over one-and-a-half years old now, he still continues to surprise us. Full of character and spunk, there's no one else Steph and I would rather come home to everyday after work. Then again, there are few people I would let jump up, lick my face and chew my ears anyway. So this works just fine.

rattlesnake

2007-08-06T23:32:00.000-04:00

As mentioned in my last entry, Steph and I were hoping to hook up with my brother and his wife for a little outdoors fun. Fortunately, we were able to do just that and they took us to Rattlesnake Point Park.

A relatively short car ride from Nick's place in Guelph, Rattlesnake Point is a beautiful place to go for a hike or leisurely stroll (I was tending towards the later, as it was a little balmy outside). The trails are wide and well-trodden and the tree cover is great. After our dogs towed us for about 5 minutes or so, we arrived at the edge of a high cliff overlooking the valley below. As hoped, the scenery was quite photogenic and I snapped off about 100 shots in the hour we were there.

One such picture was of the climber you see above. This was a bit of a treat for me, being far from the rock-scaling scene, so I gobbled up the rare opportunity and managed to grab a few keepers.

So what's the other significant feature of this picture? It's my first official posted picture that was actually taken since I started this blog. Finally the blog is serving it's original purpose...not that I don't enjoy posting some of my older favorites.

the "new guy"

2007-08-05T15:41:00.000-04:00

Say hello to the start of the next generation of Kippenhucks!

Now, before you jump the gun, this is not my child. Jackson Thomas Kippenhuck was born on May 6, 2007 to my youngest brother Nick and his wife (and my and sister-in-law) Aimee. He's a handsome little devil (I did say he was a Kippenhuck, right?) and he develops more and more character everyday.
Nick, Aimee and Jackson live in the next town over, Guelph, but I admittedly do not see them as much as I'd like--especially with the new bundle around. Yeah...I manage to keep myself busied just enough to sometimes forget the important things, like family.
Anyway, it looks as though we may get together with them tomorrow for a little day trip. I'm hoping to grab a few nature shots, but I'm sure Jackson will sneak into some! All this, of course, hinges on whether it's too hot. Being from Newfoundland I'm not yet accustomed to the miserable heat/humidity combo that Southern Ontario offers up every year...and last I heard, "the great outdoors" has yet to install A/C.

one and only

2007-08-04T19:57:00.000-04:00

This is Stephanie--my wife of 2 1/2 years and soul companion for life. I'd say that I made a great life partner choice, but this is one area of my life in which I know God decided to bless me in a way far greater than I ever deserved.

Polar opposites in so many respects, we connect in a billion other ways that truly matter. There are things that her and I can laugh about that no one else in the world would get. She refreshes me with honesty that can only come from true love and I find great comfort in it.

A younger friend of mine once asked me, "How do you know when a girl is the one?" I'll be quite honest and say that until that exact moment I had never really thought about it. But right there and then, without hesitation, it came to me as clear as day..."When you realize that no matter where you go, who you're with, what you do or how much fun it is, you know it would be far better if she was there with you."

And that about sums it up: my life is better because she's here with me.

ernie's impatiens

2007-08-04T00:06:00.000-04:00

In case you're already wondering if I misspelled "impatience" in the title of this entry, I did not. This flower, one of many varieties Steph is growing on our balcony this year, is one example of a group of flowers called Impatiens. This white variety has a specific name, but it escapes me at the moment.

What does this have to do with my dog Ernie, you might ask? A little while ago, Ernie decided to visit us in the bedroom, only to gag a little and then vomit. After having passed the more nervous puppy months, we are no longer as paranoid about this sort of thing--dogs routinely "up-chuck" and that's about it. However, in this case I noticed that he had been into the Impatiens (evidenced by the remnants of leaves, stalk and petals on the living room floor). Many plants are poisonous to dogs, so we looked it up. One website said, quite bluntly I might add, "All parts of Impatiens are poisonous for dogs". Not the best of news.

Fortunately, we looked up a more reputable source that sited specific types of Impatiens and found that this variety was for the most part harmless.

Just one more chapter in Ernie's book of "munching incidents"...catastrophe averted! Now, if I can just keep him out of my Wine Gums!

above the ducks

2007-08-02T19:04:00.001-04:00

Soon after moving into our 16th-floor apartment we came to realize that "fowl fly-bys" was going to become a common occurance. But not just birds...other "flyers" too--bats, june bugs, pigs (well...I'm still waiting on that last one...but I'll be rich when it happens!).

As wingless creatures with our two feet firmly planted on land 24/7, we normally experience birds in flight by the usual means--looking up. Sometime if we're lucky they might fly past us on our lowly level, but in this picture I was finally on top!

I'll admit, this was definitely very much a "spur of the moment" shot, but I was pleased with the result. The ducks (female chasing male) were probably a dozen floors or more below us, so I zoomed in as best I could and later cropped the picture to my liking. I also desaturated everything but the ducks themselves--I love how their colours stand out.

To achieve this shot I used a technique called panning, which involves steadily following the subject(s) with my lens and snapping a shot at a relatively slow shutter speed (something like 1/30 of a second, which better represents how our eyes might perceive the scene). Together, the panning and slower speed create a great sense of motion.

I wonder where they were heading? It was early April, so I feel confident I can at least rule out "south".

what a team

2007-08-01T21:37:00.001-04:00

In May of this year I attended my first ever dog show. Stephanie and I both adore dogs and I was definitely counting down the days until we could go.
As much as I love dogs, I must admit I was equally excited about getting a chance to photograph so many breeds under one roof. I had recently got my new zoom lens in the mail, so I was amped at the prospect of being able to possibly fill a frame with a single dog--anything but a huge collection of really wide-angle shots with 50 different small ambiguous pups in one frame! All of this, of course, was based on the assumption that floor access would be pretty limited and I would be stuck behind a rail in the stands. I was so wrong.
I was shocked at how freely I (and anyone) was able to roam the floor. Not only could I take shots of the competition itself, but I was afforded an awesome opportunity to meet breeders, handlers and their dogs (of course!) one-on-one.
That brings me to this particular picture. I will say that I was not a fan of all the breeders and handlers I came across. For many, this was a job...and that was it. The dog was carted around like a glorified suitcase and there was no connection with him/her like a pet--a connection I and many others enjoy with our dogs. Have a look at this picture. I feel as though I captured a great moment between a beautiful dog and his owner. When I look at this picture I can't help but think she is saying to him, "This is only a show...No matter what happens, you're still my puppy."
I'll take a scene like this any day over a starched suit handler holding a subdued "show dog".

numero uno

2007-07-31T18:43:00.000-04:00

I guess the first question is, "Why did I choose this as my first posted photo?" For me, the answer is simple.

This shot nicely sums up my little family: my wife Stephanie (the taller one on the right) and Ernie (peeing on the tree). Trust me when I say these roles are never reversed--Steph is all class. The picture isn't particularly close up, nor do you see much of either of their faces, but it serves to remind me of other important things, like our little outtings together. This was a chilly day in March (2007) and we decided to go for a little jaunt to Waterloo Park (one of two parks within reasonable walking distance of our apartment).

I find it cute when Steph bundles up and pops on her little wool toque. Ernie, as smart as he is, manages to see the same hat as one of many signs we are heading outside--and he definitely wants in. Other signs include the jingling of my keys, the unlocking of the door's deadbolt and any of the following words: "Walk", "Outside" and "Outdoors".

So that's my little family unit..."Tree Pee" Ernie, "Cute Toque" Steph and me...hiding behind the camera.