John W. MacDonald's Weblog

The Kids in the Hall

2010-02-01T19:28:00.000-05:00

The 'kids in the hall' before bedtime.

Witton Flatware

2010-01-31T21:59:00.004-05:00

This would have been a typical setting at the dinner table circa 1975-1985 and beyond. These are just three of many similar pieces of flatware sitting in a shoe box unused for a future purpose - lord knows what. Oh, and Happy Birthday, Mom!

Charlie Brooker - How To Report The News

2010-01-30T15:59:00.001-05:00

via: http://duckrabbit.info/blog/2010/01/news-according-to-charlie-brooker/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+duckrabbit%2FNrks+%28duckrabbit%29

Matthew & Silhouette

2010-01-29T16:45:00.003-05:00

When the sun goes down the light passes through the house from the backyard window and reflects off the wall in the hallway creating a pseudo-camera obscura
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_obscura
I say pseudo in the sense that there is no pin hole and the windows aren't entirely covered up. I don't think Matthew really gets the concept of "pseudo" just yet but he thought the shadows of the swaying branches on the wall was pretty cool.

Block & Burin - No. 42

2010-01-29T14:14:00.000-05:00

I received a complimentary copy of Block & Burin in the mail today. They published an earlier photo of mine of Elke & Tim Inkster who received the Order of Canada last year. Block & Burin is the (gorgeously illustrated - my emphasis) newsletter of the Wood Engravers' Network based out of Nashotah, Wisconsin.

Infinite Solutions Carpet Cleaning Quick Tip

2010-01-21T21:53:00.001-05:00

;-)

NAC Balcony

2010-01-16T23:01:00.001-05:00

The Boy in the Moon

2010-01-16T09:05:00.001-05:00

CBC News - The National - In Depth & Analysis - The Boy in the Moon

Valentine's Day Engagement Photo Shoot in Ottawa?

2010-01-15T11:19:00.003-05:00

Just under one month till Valentine's Day!
Are you thinking of proposing to your mate?
Want to photograph this special event in Ottawa?
Give me a call for details. 613-821-5501 or email me john@johnwmacdonald.com

Captain Simon Mailloux

2010-01-12T19:27:00.003-05:00

Capt. Simon Mailloux, who lost a leg to an IED blast, is seen finishing the 2009 5K Canada Army Run, placing fifth in his category. Mailloux is the first Canadian amputee to return to active duty in Afghanistan. More info here:
www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20100111/afg...

Captain Simon Mailloux at 2009 Canada Army Run

BBQ Sauce - Sweet

2010-01-10T09:50:00.004-05:00

I slow-cooked some pork butt yesterday and made some sauce for the pulled pork sandwiches. After searching the net for homemade BBQ sauces I modified one that I really liked. Here is a recipe that you may want to try. Personally, I prefer the sauce to be sweet and tangy but not too acidic. Here`s a disclaimer: Most amounts are approximate, aside from the ketchup and vinegar, as I really don't measure ingredients exactly. For example, I just poured molasses until I felt like it was enough. These measures, however, should get you started.

BBQ Sauce - Sweet

2 cups Heinz Ketchup
1 cup Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar
4 tbs Molasses
3 tbs Dark brown sugar
2 tbs White granulated sugar
3 tsp Sea salt
2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper - to taste
1 tbs Hoisin sauce
2 tbs 'Honey & Ginger' Honey
2 tbs Pure Maple Syrup
2 tsp Soya Sauce
1 tsp Tabasco sauce - to taste
1 tsp Liquid smoke - Hickory or Mesquite
* 2-3 tbs of your favourite bottled bbq sauce - optional*

If there is too much vinegar taste for your palate, add more ketchup and season to taste. Add all ingredients to a medium pot and stir well till sugars are dissolved. Heat and simmer on med-low for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning, then bottle and serve warm to guests. Makes about 3 1/2 cups sauce and recipe can be made well-ahead of time.

I put brand names like "Heinz" and "Tabasco" in list but feel free to add your preferred brands. If you've never used liquid smoke before, go out and get some, it really adds another dimension to the sauce. You may add other ingredients or modify amounts listed to your taste.

NCC Christmas Lights

2010-01-06T10:37:00.005-05:00

In December of 2007 I did a small photo contract with the NCC (thanks to Thom Fountain). I just noticed today (by chance) that they used my photo of Parliament Hill lit up by the lights as their home page web banner. Sweet!

from the NCC website: "From December 13, 2009 to January 7, 2010, every day from 4:30 pm to 2 am, Canada’s Capital Region will sparkle with more than 375,000 dazzling lights." More details here:
www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?ci...

Today, if I had to do it again, I would shoot this scene with the Brenizer Method (google it) with my D3 and a different lens and stitch a panorama together with Photoshop.

However, this 2007 photo was shot with a 30 second exposure at 12mm at f/22, with a Nikon D200 on a tripod. I remember it was quite nice outside and not too cold.

Tom Hanson Photojournalism Award

2010-01-04T14:55:00.002-05:00

Applications for the Hanson Award will open in November (2009) and must be submitted by Jan. 4, 2010. Finalists for the Hanson Award will be interviewed by the selection committee in January with a winner announced by Feb. 1.

"When Hanson died suddenly at age 41 in 2009, his family, friends, colleagues at The Canadian Press and the country’s photojournalism community wanted to find an appropriate way to honour his memory, talent and spirit. The result was the creation of the Tom Hanson Photojournalism Award."

See website for more details:
http://www.cjf-fjc.ca/awards_tomhanson.htm

________

Winnner update:
The winner of the inaugural Tom Hanson Photojournalism Award is Adrien Veczan.
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2010/04/c6795.html

The Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat: One Year Later

2009-12-30T11:43:00.011-05:00

A year has passed since the official opening of the building on one of Ottawa's ceremonial and institutional roads. I have made some trips back to the building to take some additional exterior photos on a much warmer fall afternoon in 2009. When taking architectural photos I particularly like to include people in my shots. It gives a context of the size of the building and adds a dimension of humanity which is often lacking in photos of buildings. Here is a photo of just what you might expect: a person capturing an architectural detail which caught his eye on the Sussex Street entrance.

In the year which has passed I have discovered an innovative tool for the photographer. Not a physical device as much as a online map called Google Street View. If you are not familiar with this application, it is basically a WYSIWYG mapping tool which is integrated with both Google Maps and Google Earth. Its use is primarily to help prep in photographing buildings around town. As you can see, the following map link allows you to go directly to an interactive 'driving' tour of the surrounding streets in order to see the structures in the environment from the vantage point of the street. Below is the interactive map which shows the front of the building on Sussex Drive as a starting point in this example. Go ahead, click and move your mouse or use your computer keyboard on the map and try it out.

View Larger Map

With this in mind, it is hard to underestimate the impact for architectural photography for both the amateur and professional photographer alike. It is a useful planning tool from which to virtually visit a location from a computer. With built in geographical coordinates, you can approximate when and the best time to photograph on location and examine different photographic angles you have never previously imagined. I am certain that this particular tool is not the final word in improving one’s architectural photography, but rather it is another interesting tool for photographers scouting for photo locations which offer a big-picture of the surrounding environment.
More info: http://www.google.com/press/annc/20091007_streetview.html

Thom Fountain - Real Estate Head Shot

2009-12-29T21:55:00.001-05:00

Thom, a friend and fellow Ottawa photographer, asked me this fall to do his head shot for his new real estate career and for social media use. I realized just now that I posted a photo of him a few months ago holding up the Kodak colour checker strip but never posted a finalized photo of him from the shoot. Well, here it is!

Thom Fountain - Ottawa Real Estate Head Shot, promotional photo.

David Bowie - Panic In Detroit

2009-12-28T21:00:00.002-05:00

David Bowie - Panic In Detroit

Valerie

2009-12-26T17:59:00.002-05:00

http://www.amywinehouse.com

Kelly

2009-12-21T21:12:00.001-05:00

One from today. She's just a little angel. So too is Megan, of course. However, this afternoon she wasn't too cooperative in giving my camera a second look.

After three years I still can't believe I have three babies running about the house. It's an absolute joy. (Okay, enough of this, back to the laundry.)

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-20T11:36:00.000-05:00

All the best wishes to you and your family!

Christine Donkin - Headshots

2009-12-18T11:39:00.001-05:00

Here are a few of my favourite picks from our Ottawa head shot photoshoot with Christine Donkin, composer. More information about Christine is on her web site: www.christinedonkin.com

Earlier this year I photographed her sister, Catherine: www.johnwmacdonald.com/blog/2009/09/headshot-catherine.html

MTLS issue #5

2009-12-17T15:06:00.001-05:00

Maple Tree Literary Supplement, MTLS issue #5 is now online at http://www.mtls.ca/issue5/index.php

*Editorial: “Of Grammatology and Writing”
*‘Roundtable’ with novelist, essayist and gardener, Merlyn Simonds
*Essay by John Ralston Saul
*Fiction by Olive Senior and sundry
*On the art of printing with Stan Bevington of Coach House Books
*Reviews by George Elliot Clarke and sundry
*Photos of literary events on the Festival of Life page
*Nnorom Azuonye asks hard questions of Chimamanda Adichie
*Artworks and more.
*poetry

In This Issue

Madhur Anand
Nnorom Azuonye
Claudia Del Balso
Nicolas Billon
Stan Bevington
Amatoritsero Ede
George Elliott Clarke
Julia P.W. Cooper
Benson Eluma
David Fancy
Harry Garuba
Carla Goldberg
Salim Gold
Patrick Iberi
Onyinye Ihezukwu
JL Jacobs
Michael Laverty
Julie Leroux
Allan E. Levine
John W. MacDonald
Ben Noble
Sanya Osha
Niran Okewole
Chukwuma Okoye
Céleste Parr
Justin Pfefferle
Dawn Promislow
Rebecca Rustin
Naben Ruthnum
John Ralston Saul
Halima Sekula
Olive Senior
Dianne Scott
Merilyn Simonds
Carly Stewart
Amanda Tripp
Kọlá Tubọsun
Uzor Maxim Uzoatu
J.A. Weingarten
S. Nadja Zajdman

Shauna - Promo Photos

2009-12-09T21:00:00.003-05:00

Here are several of my favorite selections of a recent Ottawa photo session with clarinetist, Shauna McDonald.

Shauna McDonald joined the Ottawa Symphony as principal clarinetist in September 2008. She also recently joined the clarinet faculty at the University of Ottawa, and performs frequently in the National Arts Centre Orchestra.

Watching the Wheels

2009-12-08T13:22:00.000-05:00

John Lennon-Watching the Wheels

Holiday Photos

2009-12-08T10:31:00.003-05:00

Book your family photo session today! email for details: john@johnwmacdonald.com

Book your family photo session today! email for details: john@johnwmacdonald.com

Jessica McLiesh

2009-12-05T21:25:00.001-05:00

Jess is currently an exchange student from Australia. She's been in Ottawa since July and is heading home in a couple of weeks after taking some university courses at Carleton. I met her at rob's poetry reading last week at the Carleton Tavern. She was a taking a poetry class with Michelle Desbarats.

www.jessicaleemcliesh.blogspot.com/