Title Block Photograph

I took the photograph at the top of the page coming back from a Christmas party that was held at a friends place in Grand Valley. I went to school with Angus in grade one at the two room stone school house in Huntsville.It does not seem that long ago.

The image is like my photography based on lots of experience and old technology but moving forward into the future. I now use digital cameras instead of film and might be seen as a bit of a geek for my computer skills and buying habits on new camera and computer equipment

My style of photography has also changed over the years and I shoot a more candid journalistic style of portraiture but still call back on my training for a more formal portrait when needed.

I was not expecting these wind turbans as I drove to Grand Valley. Its like driving onto a movie set for a sci-fi film as suddenly you are surrounded by these turbans , about 85 of them , all slowly rotating. I found it rather mesmerizing.
You don't see the old windmill till you turn off the highway to enter Grand Valley

Posters

Hired today to take photographs on the first day of operation of a new taxi company in Orillia, All Canadian Taxi. They also own All Canadian Towing. Took some photographs at the old GL&V factory site as well as some more scenic places around town. I like the old wall at GL&V and think they could promote this to the film industry as a location site for movies, Bonnie and Clyde era type movies.

Put together two posters for All Canadian Taxi. Tried to give them a nostalgic look, still some retouching to do on the car from rear shot.

Studio Studios

Just signed a contract to work for Studio Studios again this year so I am presuming most of my weekends from June till September will be booked. Will likely get a schedule in the next month. They have studios in Mississauga and Newmarket. They closed the one in Barrie but are still doing weddings there.
They seem to book me to do a lot of weddings were the reception takes place at golf courses and I really don't like golf , not that, that effects my pictures.

I grew up outside of Huntsville Ont. and at 14 and 15 before you were old enough to work at the resorts I caddied at a small golf coarse. This was when you carried the bag or pulled the cart. Never could see the point of the game but then I was never good at it.

Back to photography, recently more urban photographers are staying away from the traditional parks and taking there wedding customers to downtown streets, cafes and bars.I took a seminar put on by the Australian photographer Yervant a couple of years ago. I like his style of less posed and urban environment photographs. This is a link to some of his wedding albums

http://www.yervant.com/albums.html

More Dance Photos

I have been procrastinating again, some how the computer had more appeal then the dirty dishes. Here are three more dance pictures I edited in photoshop.

Lease is up

The lease on the window I had rented to display my photos in front of Pharma Plus ran out at the end of February and the new tenants in the old Lets Dance Studio have taken over the window for their own use

Dance Season Starts Soon

I just started to prepare for photographing dance competitions this year; first one is March 27,28,29th at Blue Mountain organized by All Out Dance. And procrastinating on doing the real work I photoshopped a few of the images from a competition in Ottawa last year. Here they are.
These are the first images that I found appropriate for using this boarder effect.

Ice Castle at Orillia Winter Carnival

I would like to thank Barry, Sandy and Linda from the Orillia and District Camera Club for helping me do the following picture by holding and aiming the coloured flashes to light the ice castle and also thanks to the fire fighters who were working on the castle for posing for the picture


Thanks for braving the cold
John McQ

I hate writing, I would rather be taking pictures

As you can tell if you look at the number of posts l am not much of a writer.
A long long time ago I tried to keep a diary on a 2 year trip a friend and I took around the world, working in Australia, traveling through south east Asia , Europe and back to Canada. It was the same with me writing something every 2 or 3 months
but back to now, I have Jimmy Buffet playing in the background on the computer and have decided to bring this blog up to date or at least add something.
Just finished doing some photographs for a potter Lisa Parsons , she is entering a craft show and needs photographs to submit







Lisa hopes to be at the Muskoka Arts and Crafts Show in Bracebridge July 17 -19 2009