Day 50- Thursday, April 30, 2009

Day 50:

Well, here it is. Today's been a strange, hard, strange, weird, kinda bad, strange, crappy day. Whatever; I'll live. 

It IS my brother's birthday today though! Congrats to him! Dave, you're 28, you're old, you're a derf. Congrats homey.

Day 49- Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Day 49:

I really enjoyed today's endeavor from start to finish. It was a really fun item to shoot, and I'm pretty happy with the way it came out.

I have to say this though: I officially finished my first year of college today and I'm totally lost. Although I had a good time doing this shot today, I felt sorta lost and confused in the process. I don't have assignments to do right afterwards, I don't have a class to wake up for in the morning, I have nothing pushing me to DO anything. It's kind of scary actually. As a photographer I think I work best - more comfortably at least - under pressure. If I'm to enjoy this free time, I think I'd have to be doing it on a beach or out away from all my camera stuff. I hope that's not a bad omen. 

Hmmm, reading over that, I'm not saying that I don't enjoy shooting, or that I can't relax. I suppose it's just that I experience things differently when I'm in the photography mode. Although I don't see it happening, maybe I should take a vacation from the camera. Maybe we all need a break from even the things we love. 

Ps - I shot this in my bedroom on a desk. It's amazing what can be done with so little...

Day 48- Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Day 48:

Today has been incredible. It's been the first day in a while that I had to work on stuff solely for myself. No homework, no shooting, no photoshop... I dusted and vacuumed my room, did a ton of laundry, tidied, and spent hours and hours backing up one of my hard drives onto another one. I also got to watch Napoleon Dynamite and Ocean's Twelve during the whole process. I must say, Ocean's Twelve makes a LOT more sense the second time you watch it; Napoleon Dynamite however is still just whack. 

So anyways, I know that cleaning, and spending hours sifting through hard drive files doesn't sound like an "incredible day" but it's been way too long since I last got any significant work done for myself. I've been needing a day like this for a while... sigh.

So, without further ado, today's shot. 

Enjoy

Day 47- Monday, April 27, 2009

Day 47:

Today was busy - 7 hours of exam invigilating. Fun and also kind of exhausting... Anyways, some stuff came up and I had to rush off. No time to shoot something tonight. This shot is pretty recent though. I know it's dirty and dusty and weird but that was sort of the point. I want to keep experimenting with backlit shots, with lots of flare and dust on the lens.

Enjoy!

Peace/Love/Wicked good vibes!

Day 46- Sunday, April 26, 2009

The Junction! I've actually never seen them before in all these years of local shows. Weird eh? Well, I finally did, so cheers. They played tonight in Acton at The Roxy with Ulysses and The Siren and some other bands. Ulysses was tight as per usual. I wanted desperately to get up on stage and jump in on the drums, ALSO as per usual. Sigh - such is life. 

Anyways, I enjoyed the show, shooting was fun, good times were had by all. I hope everyone else had a relaxing and peaceful Sunday night.

Sleep tight y'all!

Love

Day 45- Saturday, April 25, 2009

Day 45:

Holy, holy butts. Tonight was incredible. I'm going to come back and write more about this soon.

Update - I'm really, really sad; I'd been trying pretty much since I bought my ticket to find out if I could bring a camera inside the Mod Club. I don't have much experience with clubs and shooting bands and stuff, so I tried and tried to make sure I'd be able to get through the door. In the end, I couldn't get a hold of anyone at the club so I just left my camera at home. Of course, a bunch of other people were there with DSLR's so, I blew it. Anyways, I want to include a photo from the set, whether it's mine or not. Gary Mo, whoever you are, thanks. You are a lucky/smart dog.

This woman is ******* unbelievable! I'm not even lying when I say this: she is better live than recorded... I'm not exaggerating IN THE LEAST. It's actually something that's made me depressed ever since I realized it. ... 

... So I'm kind of sad about the whole experience.... The most beautiful things are actually totally heartbreaking - nothing good lasts forever...

Day 44- Friday, April 24, 2009

Day 44:

Long day tutoring, nearly falling asleep all night at home, sketchy partying, home again, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Nurse Ratched is an evil woman.

Here's the shot. Enjoy!

Day 43- Thursday, April 23, 2009

Day 43:

WEEK SEVEN!

So here is something challenging. Presenting this image is hard, for myself and the viewer, because it's so tall and skinny. It doesn't conform to the Golden Ratio and it doesn't really fit well on a computer screen.... but I acknowledge that and say "pish tosh!"

This is the first image out of this project that I've been real excited to print. There's a beautiful grain to the high rez file that I want to see blown up on a large print. Hopefully, I'll have time next week to buy a few 13x19 sheets from someone to get it done.

I'm also glad to have shot another abstract. I love shape and pattern, and the way that light curves and kisses the contours of complex objects. Explore your world people!

Anyways, that's all for now. Love love love.

Day 42- Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Day 42:

I've been feeling like doing something abstract again. I've posted so many portraits lately... this is refreshing. I actually shot this while waiting for Brenden to come up to the studio to shoot... yes, some more portraits!

How special he must feel that a portrait of a stool won out over him.... heh heh, sucker.

Love y'all! Hope you're doing well!

Day 41- Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Day 41:

Here it is, speaking for itself today. 

Night!

[Boredom is for the boring]

Day 40- Monday, April 20, 2009

Day 40:

So I didn't get a chance to shoot anything original today. It's been busy and very "seat of the pants". It was also gross and rainy - I admit that I love rain and so do the grass and the birdies, but today I just wasn't feelin' it.

So anyways, I finished my movie poster for Photoshop today. It's the last project for my first year of college. Big deal eh? Anyways, I was just about to post the shot when I stumbled over the original 2 minute concept drawing I did. I think it's pretty fascinating how ideas can come to people, and it's often interesting and funny to see how they [scramble to] record those ideas. I figured you all might like to see an example of the birth of an idea, and how it evolves into a finished product. Funny eh?

Goodnight y'all!

Day 39- Sunday, April 19, 2009

Day 39:

Before I begin, I just want to say that this is by far the hardest post I've ever written. It's probably taken me about an hour and a half. I want to say what I mean, and I want to say it right. I want to treat this subject with the care and respect, and objectivity that it deserves. So here goes.

Today has been a really, really good day. Really.

Andrew was baptized at Norval United. Whatever your feelings are towards religion, traditional indoctrination, The Big Guy In The Sky, and all of that controversial stuff, you have to be willfully ignorant not to get caught up in the atmosphere of Genuine Human Good. 

Religion gets a bad wrap. And at times in our history, it's been very, very deserved. However, we all know that things are not as black and white as our emotions want us to see them. I myself, found a path a long time ago that runs outside of the traditions of organized religion; the Bible story and the traditional Christian scene is simply too small a box for what I believe. However, when any group of people get together and spend an hour or two, or six or ten, all deeply engaged in focusing on one broad idea - Human Good - it's a remarkably profound thing. With all the conflict in the world, with the great unstoppable momentum of nearly seven billion people simply trying to live every day, especially in this day, there is so little time to stop and focus on pure, human goodness.  

I don't care that church isn't my thing. I don't care how "uncool" it is these days. You don't have to believe a single thing anyone tells you in order to sit in a room with these people and be welcomed and loved. Isn't that what's important? I think so, and even as I remind you again that I'm not the traditional churchgoer, I am not at all ashamed or embarrassed to say that church communities can kick a lot of ass. 

C'mon though - church isn't the only place. Go out and join a drum circle or collect litter on Earth Day with your neighbors, have street parties, talk to an old person in the park or volunteer at a hospital! The point is to shake the idea that this modern world is one of disconnect and unstoppable movement towards detached, material, internet-based virtuality, and furthermore to promote a compassion and a goodness whose only rule is this: 

We've all got the same blood in our veins. We are all family.

...  Gosh, this post was supposed to be about my wicked nephew being baptized today and how incredibly happy I am for him and his righteous parents, Jen and Jason. 

Day 38- Saturday, April 18, 2009

Day 38:

This isn't about beautiful photography. It's about capturing something hilarious. Simplicity is itself a beautiful thing.

Day 37- Friday, April 17, 2009

Day 37:

My God! What a busy day - two exams, finished my last big theory project, off to Toronto to spend time with my beautiful school mates.... 

We decided to take a bunch of equipment with us back to Emilie's so we could shoot for fun. After dinner and a few drinks, I saw almost exactly what I wanted. 

I never pictured Brenden in the shot messing with the record player until he walked in to change the tunes. When I saw him standing there, I needed to have him in a suit, IN the photo. Amazingly, but not surprisingly, Emilie just happened to have an epic plaid suit hanging in her closet. Seriously, no surprise... it's Emilie.

Anyway, Emilie's amazing, Brenden rocks, everyone is beautiful. I love you all. 

Tonight rocked. I'll leave it at that....

Love.

Day 36- Thursday, April 16, 2009

Day 36:

So I was walking back to my apartment from the bus today, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a lumpy little shape that didn't look so familiar. I backtracked a bit and to my pleasant surprise, saw my first groundhog in the arboretum. I've seen all kinds of birds, a snake, tons of deer, and some kind of huge wild turkey once (which startled me so bad, I almost peed myself; nature photographers must carry spare underpants, or maybe rubber slacks ala Pinky.....anyways).    ...

SO! I grabbed my camera, threw down my stuff and started taking photos of this little guy. He was very still and watchful. As I switched lenses I was afraid he'd disappear but he was perfect and hardly moved. 

I'm excited though; this feels like a good omen, a sign from the arbs that things are coming alive, that all the little critters are out and about and lots of photo opportunities are to be had. 

Summer, here I come!!!

Anyways, I should be sleeping. I have my Portrait and Theory exams tomorrow and then exciting adventures downtown at Emilie's apartment - always epic good times. Full of win! 

Until next time, breathe easy and dream safe my friends!

CVD

Day 35- Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Day 35:

Old School vs. New Age - A Friendly Time Warp - Nostalgiagraphy....

This shot makes me smile. On the left you've got Ryan, a second year student at Humber and the funniest guy you'll ever talk to after he's had a few coffees. That hand cannon he's got is a nearly-brand-new, 39 megapixel Hasselblad 645 camera. It costs something in the neighborhood of $20,000 and the school just bought about 20 of them. Let's just say I dig Humber college. They'll be the standard commercial studio camera for next year and I often go to bed drooling at the thought. 

On the right, we see Brenden, holding a Yashica Twin Lens Reflex camera that was designed sometime around 1960. It's a beautiful, BEAUTIFUL camera, and for enthusiasts and film lovers, dear god, get one! They're quiet, super fun and super stylin'.

Anyways, Brenden told me that Ryan was going to shoot him for some portfolio work or something this morning, and I walked into the studio to see the two guys with their cameras out. It was such a cute combination, but seriously, you cannot underestimate the Yashica. Old cameras are still way cool and produce beautiful images LIKE THIS ONE! [Shot by Brenden]

If you can teach me how to get that contrast and quality in a digital photograph, I'll kiss you and give you a bag of wizard gold!

So yeah, respect had to be paid to the sexy gear. I can't wait to get my hands on the Hassie's next year and I can't wait till I can afford a solid, old, film camera. 

Hope you guys are well! I'm obviously up way too late but such is life. 

NIGHT!

Day 34- Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Day 34:

So maybe you're getting bored of me saying this but again, I am crazy tired. This week is really hectic so forgive me if I'm not goin' all out with the project. I had a double exam today, handed in one assignment, worked on another, went to Woodbine with Janice to get another assignment printed, slept on my bedroom floor for an hour and a half - actually quite comfortable by the way - and then worked on some photos of my sister and my nephew for my couples (intimacy) assignment as well as to send to her for some kind of baptism slideshow. I hope there is really good music with the slideshow or an epic voice over by that guy from The Wonder Years..... or Morgan Freeman! 

Okay so I'm totally going batty here, which is what happens when you live, breathe, sweat and.... no I won't go there- sweat photography, all freaking day. I need to go dream now. 

As per our contract, here's the daily shot. I said in the post from Day 22 (I believe) that I'd come back to "the wall" occasionally and do some more detail shots of it, share some of the writing on it and stuff. So, here you go. 

Hope you're all well!!!

NIGHT! 

Day 33- Monday, April 13, 2009

Day 33:

So this is going to be a crazy week or two. I'm pretty mangled - lack of sleep, not liquor. I only slept about 3 hours last night and I've been going full steam all day today. I think I went white and green earlier. WICKED!.... Not. But yeah, this was a fun little 10 minute shoot today. I think Janice is just super. Seriously, really, really special. She's a special girl. Just special. And kinda precious. Kinda.

Haha, okay so I'm messin' around. I need to get to bed though. Hope you're all doing well!

Love, 

Chris

Day 32- Sunday, April 12, 2009

Day 32:

I want to get into dramatic portraiture. I want to get into the Karsh styles. I should call up Tony Hauser or something....

Here it is. Enjoy.

Love, Love, Love.

Day 31- Saturday, April 11, 2009

Day 31:

Well, it's been a long, long day. I don't really feel like stopping but it's kind of hard to carry on without a printer at this point. 

I miss the wild space around my house. I hope I can get back this summer to do some shooting. I also have this fantasy of getting a pair of hip waders and exploring the forests of Georgetown by following the rivers. 

Sigh....

Goodnight.

Day 30- Friday, April 10, 2009

Day 30:

Okay so it's super late, I'm kinda messed up, I feel pretty whack, it took me an hour and a half to walk home and, it was a rough walk. I'm pretty insane some days. However, I had a wicked time tonight playing with this lens (Nikkor 85mm f2.8 Tilt-Shift). 

So yeah, enjoy the photos; I'm not going to say anything more. 

Goodnight. Good day. Goodness.

Love,

Chris

(Ps - Someone came up with a funny tonight - "Julia's acting pretty pigheaded."..... Siiiiiigh)

Day 29- Thursday, April 9, 2009

Day 29:

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

Week 5!!! One month all finished! Time to celebrate? So....

Les Voila! I've been interested in stuff like this for ages but I've never had the motivation to do it until I watched some really well done stop motion stuff the other day. It took me a long freakin time to get this all put together last night - so much so that I couldn't post it until today, but it's a nice way to celebrate one month of the project. I had a really hard time learning how to keep the video quality decent so that you could see what I've written. As it is now, you can just sort of make it all out. I'll keep trying to figure out how to make it better. 

Anyways, I'll let the video speak for itself. I'm definitely going to start making a bunch of these!

Love!

Day 28- Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Day 28:

SO! I had big dreams of posting something very special tonight, but alas, I don't think it's in the cards. It's getting late and I'm running on four hours of sleep from yesterday. I was at school till almost 9 pm and I just need a break. So I'm going to pull a harmless little cheat again. This photo is from Monday, and the reason I say "harmless", is because it was SUPPOSED to be the daily photo for that day. But, of course, Bill Nye had to get all up in our hood and steal the show. That is actually one thing I've been wanting to mention: Rules!

I said I would SHOOT and POST a photo every day. I really meant that I wanted to shoot a photo ON the day, and post it THAT day. However, what happens if I shoot two different but equally "kinda awesome" (thank you Brenden) shots in one day? Or, what if I intend to use something for a daily photo and then use something else as in Monday's post?

Now really, these are rhetorical questions. This is my blog damnit! Mwaha! I can do what I please!.... But I FEEL kind of like a cheater when I do this. So, as a personal promise to myself, I will try not to use shots from other days too often. Sometimes it just needs to happen, because honestly, I need a break some days. THAT actually leads me to another thought that had been crossing my mind. It goes a little something like this:

I am a creative person and I NEED to do creative, expressive things to stay sane. I get really, REALLY depressed and disappointed with myself when I'm not putting in effort to create things. So, for example, I started this project. However, and not to be a total wishy-washy cry baby, but on the flip side, constant work at creative endeavors is exhausting. Some days lately, I've felt totally and completely pooched. Further-however... SO FAR, I've been loving the stress. It's a good hurt. No pain no gain right? So my point is, all that considered, bottom line, there is or will be a point for every person where passion becomes unreasonable, a point where it takes over and becomes an addiction or an obsession or a burden. I'm not saying I'm feeling that at all. I'm not saying I regret taking on this project, but I do accept the reality that that might happen. Obviously it's scary because, I'm doing this for me and I would feel like I'm letting myself down. I guess, I'm really just discussing that fine line between an avenue for exploration and catharsis, and an activity which becomes incredibly consuming...... (I shall call it Hobby Cancer!)

Cool.... so wow. I know that these posts have turned into novels lately but deal with it; I write too!

Enjoy for now and I will have a very special post for my one month monthiversary!

LOVE!

Day 27- Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Day 27:

I'll be honest; I love my Buddha. I love taking pictures of him. I could probably spend all day doing it. I wish I had other Buddha heads, preferably stone, to shoot all day. Maybe I will start shooting strictly Buddha heads. I will be a world renowned Buddha Head Photographer and create a new niche market, doing all the Buddha Head Photography for those hippy new age stores, ie. Green Earth, Magic Mountain Trading Co. etc... 

.... Okay but seriously. Here it is. Le Daily Photo. Enjoy.... and maybe be inspired to chill out and breathe.

On a side note, I was checkin on one of Jackie Musial's blog posts as I do from time to time - you should check her out, she's a craaazy talented artist/illustrator(?) :  http://jackie-musial.blogspot.com/ - and she had a post with a snapshot of her workspace. It was pretty cozy, and by cozy I mean "itty bitty student sized ghetto nook". I can sort of relate, with my desk which I'm pretty sure I've had since I was knee high to a grasshopper.  Workspaces are pretty intense and profound places though. For artists and creatiphiles, these places are more home than anywhere else. I know that I pretty much spend more time at my desk in a day then anywhere else. 

I guess my point is, when we think of artists, we don't really think of the place WHERE the art was made, OR, we get a very distinct idea of what that place looked like. What if DaVinci worked in a room with Tupac posters all over the walls. Maybe Dali painted in the nude with S&M gear hanging from all the walls and chai garlic candles blazing in a pentagram around his easel. You feelin what I'm sayin? Workspaces are profound, magical places and it's fascinating to understand how they influence us. The whole science of ergonomics and Ikeaolgy revolves around this notion. WOO.

Soooo, anyway, I decided to take a quick photo of my workspace to share with you all. After the magic of Tupac and Dali's kink studio, I guess it's a let down to see that I'm just a slob. Ahah, but really, everything here serves some purpose or another. Also, it does clean up pretty nice and it's not always so bad. I'm just having one of those days where the mess piles up faster than I can clean it. Okaaaay, so enough rambling. 

Peace y'all!!! 

Day 26- Monday, April 6, 2009

Day 26:

Wait! What... is that?..No!....Is that?....Is that who I think it is???

YES!!!!!!

SCIENCE RULES!

NOW YOU KNOW!

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

I give you Bill Nye!!! I decided to forgo the single photo in favor of a little montage to emphasize the awesomeness. But yes, it's true! Bill Nye is still alive! 

As part of Earth Week here at Humber, HSF pulled some kind of miracle and gave us our childhood science hero, the one and only Bill Nye. He was preceded by the less exciting but no less informative George Smitherman, our current Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. But really, back to The Science Guy.

 By the time I got down to the concourse where the event was being held, the limited seating was filled and the crowd around the gates was far too thick. I headed up to the second floor to get a view from the open walkway that looks out over the concourse. It was pretty perfect except that I had to stand the whole time and my lens was a wee bit short for my liking. 

Bill talked for probably 2 hours but sadly, I left after the first hour. I was really tired and starving and my roommate was getting pretty pooched from standing and not having food in her tummy. It was a long day for both of us. In the end, I reeeeaally wish I had have stuck it out and stayed for the whole thing but what's done is done. I hope this was not my last chance to see the great Bill Nye speak; he may be older and less in the limelight but he's still as wickedly animated and entertaining as always!

I hope this brought back a piece of everyone's childhood as it did mine. 

Love, 

Chris.

Ps - sorry for the not-so-fantastic quality; I was far away and so my ISO was cranked to pick up what little flash I could throw in his direction. Digital grain = boo! I'm so jealous of the kids who got front row!

Day 25- Sunday, April 5, 2009

Day 25:

It's late, I'm tired, it's been a long weekend. Hereth ye go.

Oh, but before I sign off, I just have to make an observation: For inanimate objects, electrical outlets sure are expressive. Seeing this, I think of trendy contemporary minimalist cartoonery;

 " *GASP* Oh no! Here he comes with that plug again! If only the humans knew how much it hurts!!!" 

Love.

Day 24- Saturday, April 4, 2009

Day 24:

William Christian Tyler Turner Esq.

I love going to Christian's place. The basement is the kind of seedy, dank, skid row-esque sort of place that you come to love after many, many years of late night chillin'. The furniture, the mess, the guitar and drum equipment all never seem to remain in the same place from visit to visit. It smells like stale smoke and beer and it smells like memories of my misspent teenage years. It always smells like music.

 I love going to Christian's... God help you if you're a chain smoker though.

Oh PS ! :

 Sadly, the time stamp thing says this is a Sunday Post but it's lying. Well, okay,  technically it is Sunday. I didn't get home from Christian's till 3 a.m (HA! Take THAT Rives!) so I was pretty late getting this posted. But I will state once and for all that a "DAY" is henceforth defined as one period of time [aprox. 16 hours] between waking and sleeping. 

Day 23- Friday, April 3, 2009

Day 23:

Yikes! Gross eh? I promise I won't do this too often. I actually hate bugs a lot. It's an interesting thing; I've always been a pretty big sissy about bugs. But, when I got my macro lens a few years ago, I loved shooting them. I think there's something really perspective-changing about... well, changing your perspective. The world looks really different through a new lens. I mean any lens, whether it's a lens on your camera or the lens in your head. I guess I shoot stuff like this because I want to force myself [and hopefully others] to at least TRY to see things in a new light. 

Anyways, there it is. Hope you're all doing well. I did a bunch of job hunting at school today so I think there'll be some decent opportunities for work over the summer. I'm mad stressing about money.... sigh.

Peace!!!!

Day 22- Thursday, April 2, 2009

Day 22:

HAPPY WEEK 4! 

I'm so excited to make it a month! So anyways, this shot is a photo of a photo [ + Sharpie and typewritten word]. The "scene" you're seeing is not a photograph of mine. The shot is actually a Converse ad from American Vogue. I've always had a bit of a hate on for Chucks and something about this shot really grabbed me in a love/hate sort of way. I mean, the shot itself is pretty awesome, the guy in the shot is handsome and the image of male indie perfection, and it's overall an effective ad. However, that's ALSO what makes me hate it. I often wish advertisers would abandon the commercial machine and get their butts into the fine art world. Seriously! Advertisers are some of the smartest dang artists out there! 

But, I think that statement is definitely opening a can of worms that I don't feel like debating. I don't REALLY think that all advertisers should flood the fine art scene; it's just, a thought. 

Anyways, several months ago, I decided to do a little "art project"/decorating in my room. I photocopied this ad and took a Sharpie to it and then ran it through my typewrite (as seen in Day 9's post). As you can see in Day 10's photo, I plastered a corner of my wall in this thing... It's rad. I plan on taking some detail shots further in the future to share. It'll be a recurring motif here at Le Project. 

Anyways, it's late, I need my sleep. Goodnight people!

Ps - Thanks for following this far!!!!

Day 21- Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Day 21:

Here's today's shot. I was feeling like some abstract whackness needed to be on the menu, so here it is. 

I think I'm getting sick. I feel pretty gnarly and my right ear is completely and totally plugged. Gross.

More importantly, I just read (from sources which have yet to be confirmed) that my laptop is going to cost NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS to buy out at the end of this school year!!! I was under the impression that it would be three hundred. I honestly don't even know if I can afford to own a computer for my 4 months of summer. This of course means no Project 365 for 4 months and no SHOOTING for 4 months. Pretty unacceptable right? 

So my plea is this: Everyone please send good, incredible, positive vibes out into the universe for me and just generally wish me well. I really don't want this project to fall on its ass and I can't even fathom not being able to shoot for 4 months. 

That being said, hope you're all well.

Night!