Tuesday, September 7, 2021
DON'T BRING YOUR CAMERA
Submitted by Mona D’Amours. Summer is over. Back to school. Lessons to learn. NEVER BRING A CAMERA if you go white water rafting. I survived Class 5 rapids on the Thompson River, BC after our zodiac flipped on the "Frog" August 15, 2021. I was trapped under the boat with no air pocket. The only man beside me who was also caught under the zodiac, but had an air pocket, grabbed my life jacket. We were both swept underwater by the rapids, and ended up 50 metres away from the zodiac. That was the longest 6 seconds of my life. Feeling helpless underwater with rapids swirling in all directions was terrifying even though I was a lifeguard and qualified scuba diver in my youth. My buddy and I held on to our oars, and tried to swim to our zodiac, but couldn’t. The current was too strong. We had no choice, but to succumb to the rapids until we were pulled on board by a motorized zodiac further downstream. Without the rescue, I wouldn’t be here writing this story since I would have been swallowed up by 18 rapids. It was the perfect storm with low water levels exposing more rocks than normal, compounded by the heat wave, drought conditions, and fierce winds that literally flipped the boat upside down, not once, but almost twice.
Friday, August 20, 2021
CATALOGS - CAPTURE ONE - GET ORGANIZED!
Submitted by Bill Booth How many times have you asked yourself "Where is that image? I know it is on some drive or other, but exactly where?" Since the advent of digital photography, a huge issue has been the DAM - Digital Asset Management. Programs have come and gone. DAM systems have consumed hours of setup. Computer operating systems have changed, and files have grown larger by several magnitudes. My Nikon D3 files are 12 MPX, while my new Nikon D7II produces 45 MPX files.
Monday, August 9, 2021
PIXEL ENVY
Submitted by Richard Cooper Why do you need more pixels? Before you run out, and buy a camera with more pixels you should ask yourself, “What do I want to photograph?” and “What is my market?” I hope this blog helps you come to a decision.
Sunday, July 18, 2021
PPOC PHOTOGRAPHERS - CALL TO ACTION
Submitted by Mona D’Amours I am writing to all PPOC photographers with the intent to encourage each of you to share your stories on our News feed. I look forward to meeting each of you face to face one day, and when I do, I will most likely approach you with three questions. What is your name? What do you do? Where do you live? It is strange that most of us can answer these questions easily under normal circumstances. However, we have been living in abnormal times, but I would still like to know the answers to these questions. Therefore, I am presenting a challenge for each of you. I would like to know more about YOU. First, introduce yourself. Then . . .
Thursday, July 1, 2021
The True North Strong and Free
Submitted by Mona D'Amours Regardless of whether we agree or disagree with the restrictions for the past sixteen months during the pandemic, the truth is that we have all been impacted. We lost our Canadian Rights and Freedoms, such as freedom of assembly, freedom of movement, freedom of worship, and countless other freedoms which we took for granted. The first image that reflects this reality is LOCKDOWN. It was a provocative emotionally charged image I entered for the National Salon competition 2021. This was my first time submitting since my accreditation in February 2020. I did not know how the judges would respond to it. They could have easily dismissed it without comment, and a result of “not accepted”. However, the image was judged three times for 12 minutes 33 seconds, and two of the five judges gave it a score of “excellence”. I also wrote the poem though it was not part of the image for adjudication. What impressed me with the judges is that they were thoughtful, honest, and open-minded to my message. I am sharing the judges critiques with you to understand how it reflected the loss we have all experienced. As a former psychology professor, the comments of the judges reminded me of the defence mechanisms we use during times of stress and anxiety such as denial, intellectualization, and rationalization.
Friday, June 18, 2021
ORNITHOLOGY / BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE VALUE OF CITIZEN SCIENCE
Submitted by Violet Aubertin. As a recent recruit to PPOC I am very pleased to announce my first successful accreditation in Ornithology / Bird Photography. After retiring from a career in health care in 2018 I made the decision to pursue my long time passion for photography by letting it guide me to my destination. My photographic interests are many allowing me to explore several techniques and genres, but one that has kept me active through all seasons has always been Ornithology / Bird Photography making it the best choice for my first accreditation.
Sunday, May 16, 2021
ACCREDITATION: MY PERSONAL JOURNEY THROUGH THE HIGHS AND LOWS
Story by Terry Tinkess. I guess I would have to lay blame at the feet of photographer Joe McNally for being the reason photography became more of a pursuit than an interest for me. It’s not like he came to me and said, “You’re good kid,” although he did say something similar, years later after I had stopped being a kid, and as part of a paid workshop/critique session.
Thursday, April 29, 2021
2021 NATIONAL IMAGE COMPETITION AWARDS
PPOC had their annual Gala (virtual this year), on April 18th - to celebrate the accomplishments of all the members who entered the National Image Competition. It also celebrated the achievements of our membership who attained new Professional Photography Designations. The fact that this Gala existed this year, is a testament to all the hard work and dedication of our volunteers. The following is a list of our major award winners from the 2021 National Image Competition. Congratulations to them and all who participated.
Sunday, April 11, 2021
6 Food Photography Myths - Busted
Story by Jules Sherred. Food photography is one of the most technical forms of photography that fall within a wide range of classifications, including fine art, editorial, lifestyle, advertising and more. In the infancy of food photography – think Mad Men – the form was mainly advertising and had a very specific look, thanks to tomfoolery and plastic food. In recent years, there has been a huge shift in the industry, thanks to a mix of cameras in every pocket and truth in advertising laws.
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Taking Colour A Step Beyond Simple Harmony
(Submitted by Jay Terry MPA). As every artist knows, a successful image has many elements to it: lighting, composition, a center of interest, impact and story. Each has a role to play in how an image is viewed and interpreted by the viewer. An image maker can, through their use of line, contrast and depth, influence how the viewer’s eye travels through an image and what parts of the image hold more “weight” than other. Each element can play off of another, enhancing their mutual effects, but one intersects and connects them all: colour. The right balance of colour can add either harmony or tension, depending on the intentions of the maker, by using any one of the principal colour schemes: monochromatic, analogous, complementary, split complementary or triadic, and finally, tetradic.
