Backlog IV - The Last Bits

These three images don't really seem to fit in anywhere, yet. When I finished processing my backlog I had a clutch of images that didn't really fit anywhere. Over time these images may find their way into an evolving theme that I don't know that is evolving. 

The first two are tied, somewhat tenuously, by motion. The first one is a bakery at Granville Island. I really enjoyed dancing with the counter staff, reacting to their energy and becoming part of their choreographed motions. 

Our Daily Bread

This field is where Ernest Manning High School once was. It's now just a blasted heath as a result of the Westline LRT in Calgary; I have now idea what the city has in store for it. While I was on leave I had been driving my daughter to school and on the trip home this remnant of what was once a place of learning kept tweaking at me. It kept reminding me of some housing estate in Scotland; all what was missing was DI Rebus.

Finally, one rainy September morning everything came together; I had time, I had my cameras with me and I was feeling just right. I worked the perimters of the field and then as I was crouching down to take a shot of the pathway to the LRT station, these kids came running by; click, click, click. They actually apologized for running into the shot. I wish I could thank them and give them this image as they made the shot.

On the Run

The last one is the last "triste" image I think I'll take for a long time. I'm done with that, I think. I took this just as I was starting therapy and I was a truly emotional low. It was a grey, dull day and I almost didn't go out shooting but I set myself a challenge to make the light work for me. Wandering around the Glenmore Dam I came across a barricade to prevent people from skateboarding on the balustrade along the top of the dam. It's a nothing picture really; yet to me it reflected the barrier I was feeling looking out at the rest of the world.

You Shall Not Pass

With the backlog done, I can start working on projects anew. It was important to work through and reflect on these images as they were taken during a fairly tumultuous time of my life. Now however, it’s time to move on. This coming weekend I’ll be back at my old stamping ground, Heritage Park doing some more infill shooting.

Technical Notes

All of these were with a Leica M-E. The first two were shot using a Zeiss Biogon 35/2.8 and the latter with a Summicron 50/2.0.  Processing was done in LightRoom and b/w conversion done in SilverFX 2.0.

Backlog III - Break and a Smoke (and some mangled metaphors)

Part of my backlog is a large number of images that I've taken at one of my regular fishing holes in downtown Calgary: Stephen Avenue Mall. As I've said before the Mall is Calgary's living room (there, I've totally mixed my metaphors now) and always (let's see if I can mix it up even more) a happy hunting ground.

Some days I return empty handed, other days I return with my creel overflowing but most days, one image will be my take. I find that there about three spots that are worth setting up shop and casting for a while gives me good results.

Reviewing some of my backlog I found that I had several images that were reflective of "Break and a Smoke".

Export "A"

Early Morning Smoke

Poutine and Chop Sticks

Finally, a color image. This grabbed me as it was a perfectly good tubesteak left on a bench with a Pepsi to wash it down. I'm not sure where the diner went, it looks like they left in a hurry.

Break Over

Technical Notes

All of these images where captured using an Olympus E-P2 and the 45/1.8 lens. This is a really potent combination and while many like wide for the street, I like the portrait focal length. Processing in Lightroom and then into SilverFX 2 for the b/w images.