iPhone Diaries #693: Free Market: another reason why Guelph is a wonderful town

Guelph Tribune, June 26th.

The Slap video

The best goalkeeper the World Cup has never seen

iPhone Diaries #692: Grads

Sheraton Hotel, Queen Street West, Toronto. June 18th

and this is why I am now shooting video...

Telling life stories with video, instead of Stills. June 19th.

iPhone Diaries #691: real, delicious, beer

 

I'm no beer connoisseur but my son introduced me to Royal City Brewing last night and I know what I like, and I love it. Unfiltered and unpasteurized (best enjoyed within a day or two after purchase directly from the brewery), I'm adding this to my list of things I will dearly miss when I am away from Guelph. 

Established in 2013, this Nano Brewery is on 199 Victoria Road South, Unit 8C, Guelph. Facebook page for Royal City Brewing Company

1-888-485-2739

iPhone Diaries #690: Via Train

on a bright Saturday morning, on the Alma Street crossing looking north, a brief 27-second interlude. June 14, 2014.

2012 Booty Bash: a repost

So it's been a year and a half since my first big video shoot using the Sony system (switched from Canon), using iMovie'09. I've gotten good reviews on this video, which just goes to show that when you have content, technique doesn't matter as much. Te accompanying text below was written at the time of original posting in 2012.

My latest video, shot in a really, really dark venue. It's a challenge in itself but in addition, the Sony a65 I used is capped at ISO1600 for video. I wish I had the hacked GH2 with the high ISO and high bitrate.

Now that I have the Sony a57 (capped at ISO3200), I'm looking forward to my next wedding video in early October. I used 3 lenses: Minolta 50f1.7, Sony 35f1.8, Sony 16-50f2.8. Lighting on some clips was with a Lumahawk 144LED.

I couldn't use the soon-to-be legendary (and proprietary) Sony phase detect autofocus because this closes down the aperture to f3.5. I used manual focus and although the focus peaking works really well, the room was so dark I had to pull and push the focus quickly to find out where the focus was. It was a constant battle looking for focus in a fast moving crowd. I used 1980x1080 @60p.

The soundtrack needs to be redubbed as "the highlights are clipped", to use a photo term. Not sure what the proper wording is in the audio world.

iPhone Diaries #689: a robin's nest

 

 

How often do we take a break and to wonder of the many things around us that works: our municipal sewage system, skyscrapers, the internal combustion engine that harnesses millions of explosions to drive the wheels, the internet, GPS, robin's nest? How does a creature without opposable thumbs  create a delicate and yet sturdy hemisphere from spit and just the right variety of grass, twigs, feathers, rootlets, and worm castings? 
June 10th.

left brain, right brain

Sony A7s shooting 4K in really, really, low light

crazy low-light capability… a must-have in every photo-video journalist's bag… and it's crazy small too!  They may have spliced the DNA from the eyes of an owl with the light wells on the sensor. 12 MPs on a full-frame sensor. CRAZY!

Menu of Life

If Life has a menu, I'd ask the kitchen to create something to my taste... nothing fancy, something simpler, just different.

overheard at the barbershop:

Rob the barber to young client: "Are you following the hockey playoffs?"
Fergus the barber (under his breathe): "It's fuckin' June already."
( Fergus is Scottish, and like most sane people, follow soccer after April.)
Guelph, June 7th.

Shannon + Eric

May 23rd.

A fine Friday morning to listen to Arkham Awaits

From a shooting-a-video perspective, the place sucked: too dark, with barely enough room to set up a tripod, and one too many tall guys in front of me.
From a music experience perspective, as Levin Maaskant (is that a cool name or what?) would say at the end of the set, "fuckin awesome"!

Arkham (from Batman) Awaits is a made-in-Guelph band that is described by Gain Music as:
"Arkham Awaits is one of the newest incarnations to come out of the Guelph metal scene. Formed in early 2011, this band has already caught the attention of many fans and fellow lovers of metal alike. Every show this 5-piece melodic hardcore band play is a learning experience and although they are new to the scene they are mature beyond their time. Reminiscent of a young Alexisonfire, with catchy riffs that hook you in mixed with a certain punk rock element that can't be ignored.
As soon as you meet the band you know they're in it for the long haul. With a handful of shows under their belt and an energy that is evident as soon as you meet them, these guys will throw heavy riffs and shout at you from the stage and kill you with kindness off. Definitely a band who will be contenders for "Nicest Dudes in Metal" over the next few years."
Kyle Bushert - Vocals, Paul Skinner - Guitar, Steve Brown - Drums, Levin Maaskant - Guitar, Vocals, Nic Brent Emeny - Bass Nick Wever - Guest Vocals

iPhone Diaries #688: Heavy in Pink

On Dundas and Elizabeth, June 3rd.

Stephanie

Rose Theatre, Brampton, ON

Brooke

Rose Theatre, Brampton, ON

iPhone Diaries #687: The Guelph Quarry

the open face of the quarry,

 and, on closer inspection. June 1st.

Persistent Feelings

Listen to and take heed of, the persistent feelings that you don't have the vocabulary for.

iPhone Diaries #686: Misha: you will be missed.

 

 

 I am sleepless, hard to believe you are not on our bed tonight. Tonight you are wrapped in your favourite baby blue flannel blanket, the one that used to be Liam's. You are forever asleep tonight, free of your cataracts and the aches that came with growing old. You are now with Celtie and Utah, your energies running in the woods and through the tall wet grass. You were an eight pound heavyweight, an equal to the 70 lb+ Celtie and the 90lb+ Utah, leaving a huge impact on the lives of many. 
We mark the passing of time, and the life milestones of our growing family, with the dogs (and cats) that have come and gone. Rex and Leica were there when Ben came into the picture. Celtie was a puppy when Tomas was born, and you Misha, was there when Liam came into our lives.
And now you are gone... but you will never be forgotten, for as long as Ben, Tomas, and Liam are around. We know that Rhodie and Uber will be missing you.