back to the future

I was in Vernon last week shooting A Day In the Life of Vernon for the Morning Star and I came across this photo. The town is full of murals - you can't help but notice them. The colour and history of the Okanagan city stands out larger-than-life among the walls of many city buildings. Past meets the present as this group of touring motorists of yesteryear seem to catch a glimpse of the City's future automotive stylings.

the eye in the sky

Today I took a helicopter ride for the first time.
Two choppers left Kamloops and headed north into the Jamieson Creek area - spending a half hour in the air surveying the impact of the pine beetle on trees in the North Thompson. The media tour included forestry personel, MLA Kevin Krueger and local and provincial media from the Lowermainland. I was surprised by two things.

1. Kevin Krueger knows quite a lot about the pine beetle and forestry impact issues. He's done his homework.

2. Media from the Coast really don't know squat about the pine beetle issue.

It was the Interior media who understand the scope of the issues much more.

Later -- EAG

sibling soccer watchers

Sunlit siblings Nathan Buchner, left, brother Josh and sister Courtney enjoy the warm sun on their backs while taking in the TRU men's soccer match against Capilano College on Saturday at Hillside Stadium.

TRU Wolfpack vs. Capilano College Blues soccer match

Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack midfield Dan Cecchini, right, make a sliding tackle against Capilano College Blues Geoffrey Buchanan in men's soccer action on Saturday at Hillside Stadium.

Prepare for fowl weather

I've got to get the roof built on my shed. This rain is not helping.
My co-worker Markus saw this photo on my screen and liked it.
He wants me to send him a copy.

I guess that makes him a quacker-backer. -- EAG

To everything there is a season

Who remembers the song Turn, Turn, Turn (to Everything There Is A Season)?
It is a song written by Pete Seeger who set text from the Bible to music. Although he wrote it in the 1950's, Seeger waited until 1962 to record it. Covered by many artists -like folk singer Judy Collins in 1964, the most famous version that became one of the defining records of an entire generation was the chart-topping single by Jim McGuinn's famous rock band The Byrds, released in October of 1965.

I was walking through the park the other day and as I invariably do, I stopped and slowly turned 360 degrees. It's a simple exercise that can yield wonderful results when looking for photo opportunities. The light on the leaves above me caught my eye and this photo was the wonderful result. Three frames were all I snapped. Thinking only composition and focus. Sometimes when you labour over a caught moment in the camera by constantly shooting, reshooting and rethinking the original inspiration - the result comes out flat and contrived.

I'm actually wistfully yearning for the days when a finite roll of film was my source of capturing images. Somehow we photographers held a higher reverence for the process. We were more resourceful. Film space was limited to our budget. Even the space of time between the shutter firing and picking up the slides or prints from the lab was all part of the experience of the photo. You mulled over in your mind the experience of the shoot. You talked about how good it felt. People would say, "did you get that? Oh that's gonna' be a great shot."
Now it's instantaneous. You click. You look. You're done.
Yes - it's a time-saver and, a money-saver. I just think that we digital photographers should not forget our roots. The days of doing my own developing. I actually enjoyed the smell of developer. Occassionally I have negs processed and if I'm quick to get them before they're cut I catch the fresh aroma of the developer or stop fix. MMmmmm. It takes me back.
But alas, I digress.

I saw the backlit leaves and immediately thought of how in just a few more days, their colours will change to brilliant hues of red and yellow. In due time the world around us responds to nature's call. Growing seasons reach their end. River waters diminish. Trees and shrubs shake loose the last of their fall coats.

It's beginning.

Take a read from The Living Bible - Ecclesiastes 3:1-13

A Time for Everything
1
There is a time for everything,
a season for every activity under heaven.
2
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.

3
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to rebuild.

4
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.

5
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

6
A time to search and a time to lose.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.

7
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak up.

8
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.

9
What do people really get for all their hard work? 10I have thought about this in connection with the various kinds of work God has given people to do. 11God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end. 12So I concluded that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they can. 13And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

Take time, make time. -- EAG

Runaway Bride

Nicole Loehr, nee Link, made for an unusual sight in Riverside park on Saturday as she dons a pair of runners and sprints along the River's Trail.
The newly-wed Kamloops woman was actually being directed by local photographer Mike Fernie - to run towards her new hubby Geoffrey Loehr, just out of the picture frame.
Loehr, who is training for an upcoming half-marathon says she missed her 14 kilometre run with her running group from Runners Sole.
She ran to her new husband instead.

"Somewhere, over the rainbow..."

The silver lining to the weekend's short torrential rains was not only suppressed wild fires and cleaner air quality - but provided this beautiful rainbow lighting the sky over Kamloops.

seeing beyond the ordinary

Back to work - but still taking time to smell the flowers.

When the light is just right - and you spot a subject, you stop and shoot it. Even a simple shot of an Echinacea cone flower can be fun to capture.

Smell ya' later. -- EAG