Showing posts with label photo babel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photo babel. Show all posts

The Worst

Author: Canoncowgirl // Category: , , ,



I was looking through my archives and stumbled on something I'd written back in photography school when I was forced to use 4x5 film cameras and take pictures of buildings. For some reason this never got posted and I think it has to do with me loosing the photos of the 4x5 camera I used. I found a replacement so enjoy ;-)


I was going to start this post by saying "I think I'll stick to equine photography beccause, hey, whats the worst that could happen?" but I'm not going to say that. I'm not going to say that because God seems to have an irritatingly ironic sense of humor, so the moment I say "whats the worst that could happen?" I'll find out.

I bring all this up because I had an architecture shoot this weekend. I am not usually an architecture photographer, but, thanks to a required class at the Art Institute of Seattle, I am this quarter. Along with the class you're required to use a school owned view camera. If your not familiar with view cameras, they are an old, but still valuable design, a film camera that takes 4"x5" film. Heres what one looks like:




This one is actually almost identical to the one I used except this is camera #1 (not really) and I used camera #7. You can tell the difference between cameras 1 and 7 because camera 1 has a "1" painted on the side and camera 7 has its ground glass completely shattered. You see where I'm going with this?

I had all of Saturday reserved to make the hour and a half trip to Seattle to get the camera and then go on to Bellevue to photograph some of the beautiful new skyscrapers that have gone up. As I was walking out the door I had a nagging thought "Maybe I should bring the 20D, just in case" I scoffed at my own fears (or was it common sense?) thinking "Nah, besides-" say the fateful words with me "whats the worst that could happen?"

It was past 3 by the time I had my tripod set up in front of a building and was almost ready to shoot. The first two buildings I had wanted to photograph were a bust because of construction. The sky had been high overcast all day, which is great for portraits but awful for architecture because it results in an empty white sky. I was praying for a break in the clouds for a little blue sky and good light.

Shooting architecture requires a different lens and bellows than the camera is stored with and in order to swap them out you have to carefully take the camera apart. As I was attempting to do this the worst that could happen...happened.

The back of the camera includes the ground glass, the viewfinder for the camera. Ground glass is absolutely essential for composition, focusing and straitening the image. While I focused on dismantling the bellows the back came loose, tumbling from the camera and landing squarely on the rail- shattering the ground glass into a dozen pieces.

I imagine that someday when I am a ridiculously wealthy world famous photographer and someone is inspired to write a book about me the passage will go something like this:

"She stared forlornly at the glass, shattered like her dreams of photographing the beautiful buildings that day. As she looked up she saw the skies clear over the subject building, creating a perfect shot of cloud studded blue sky and soft glowing light. A shot that no camera, not 4x5 or 20D, would catch. In that moment she realized something deep within her. It was a burning desire...to never touch another view camera again."
My writer is a tad melodramatic apparently, but surprisingly accurate.

The real fun comes Monday when I get to return the camera and explain to Jeff, who is in charge of renting them, why the camera is broken. I suppose I shouldn't be nervous, Jeff is a reasonable guy and besides....whats the worst that could happen?

;)
Comments (0)

It all starts with Helix

Author: Canoncowgirl // Category: , ,


"It all starts with Helix"

I've had that phrase going through my head the last few days and darned if I know why. Or even what it means. While I'm aware that not everything that I think in my head is true, I feel like there's something to it.

I'm not sure what exactly I'm expecting, what grand "it" it is that I think will begin in a tiny bit of a town. Although if nothing else Helix (and Dayton of course) are the beginning of my rodeo season, a chance to finally catch up with the events that have been going on since March. Its a whole world that I've been cut off from since September when Ellensburg finished and I've been suffering withdrawals. Its been calling me for months now and I can't resist it anymore.

I need this trip for my sanity (yes what little I have). Because photographing wildly flailing horses is what I do, I HAVE to do it. Whatever "it" is, if its anything, I'll find out soon. I head out tomorrow afternoon.



PS: something else that just crossed my mind: I originally created this blog to be a sort of behind the scenes of my photography, to talk about things that just wouldn't fit on a business type blog. This blog is for the journey and my business blog is for the outcome. While my posts will probably still be random/insane trains of though (it IS still me writing) expect to see more of that type of post coming up...and it really will start with Helix.

PPS: Like the new look? Its kind of an all dressed up and nowhere to go feeling seeing I have...no readers lol. Ah well. At least I look good.
Comments (0)

Cutting Cattle and Shooting Horses

Author: Canoncowgirl // Category: , ,
My family has no idea what I'm talking about most of the time. Between being a horse person and a photographer my everyday conversations may as well be another language. Take for example just this weekend.

I had a photo session with a lovely woman who's husband trains cutting horses. She told me I should forget about the rodeo boys and check out cutters cause they know how to ride in style. I'm a big fan of riding and style so I was very interested in the idea. This conversation soon followed:

Me: I'm going to get hooked up with a cutter!

Cousin (thinking I'm now into emo kids with low self esteem and access to razor blades): Why would you want any part of that kind of violence?

Me: WTF is wrong with cutting cattle?

Cousin: They cut COWS too?? What kind of sick freaks do you hang out with?

and at this point I'm like: You can take your Animal Rights bullshit and shove it up your ass!!

We're still not talking to each other and neither of us is positive why.

Then there's the issue of photo babel. I'll go off on technical spiel and not even realize it until I look up and see the glazed expression on my family members face. The worst was recently when they overheard a conversation I was having with another photographer:

Other Photographer: So what do you like to shoot?

Me: Horses mostly. I'll shoot cats and dogs just for fun, but mostly I'm shooting horses. You?

Other Photographer: I'm all about shooting kids.

Family: <::::FEAR::::>

So when I say "my family has no idea what I'm talking about" I really mean "my family thinks I'm violently insane". And to add insult to missunderstanding they've taken away all sharp objects or anthing they think I could use as a weapon. I have to cut things with those damn plastic donkey scizzors. Thats the last time I talk to them about my interests.



PS Is "emo kids with low self esteem" redundant?

PPS Just to show them, I'm whittling the donkey scizzors into a shank.
Comments (0)

Tips for A Properly Accessorized Goat

Author: Canoncowgirl // Category: , , ,

While trying to find an old blog entry I wrote called "How Not to Get Arrested At A PBR Event" (yes based on actual experience) I ran into a blog I had started many moons ago when I was first venturing into rodeo photography ('05 ish?). Rodeo was a vast new territory and there was a lot I didn't know. Although my knowledge has grown, my insanity level has stayed about the same which led to articles such as this. So! For your reading pleasure:

Tips for A Properly Accessorized Goat

So I (hopefully) will be headed out to shoot the NJRA event in Port Angeles when it comes. For those of you who don’t know the NJRA is the Northwest Jr Rodeo Association. I’ll be there just for practice trying to stay out of the way of the official photographer while at the same time taking note on how he’s shooting the event. This will be a great learning opportunity for me and in fact they’ve already taught me plenty.

Embarrassingly enough I looked at their line up and realized I didn’t know half of the events that they were talking about. Chute dogging, steer daubing, goat tail tying? I knew for sure these weren’t included in the Kitsap Stampede, and was pretty sure OLN wasn’t having primetime specials on goat tail tying. It’s a small hole that I live in so research was necessary.

Here’s what I found out:

Chute dogging and steer daubing have their roots in bulldogging (steer wrestling). For chute dogging the idea is to wrestle the steer just as with bulldogging, except you start in a chute like one would use for the rough stock events, instead of on horseback. For steer daubing you are on horseback and start in the same manor as steer wrestling, only instead of leaping off your horse to the steer, you mark it with a special stick (usually a stick with a chalk covered tennis ball, it looks like)

Goat tail tying is the far back starting point to calf roping, just as mutton busting is the starting point for bull riding (mutton busting is kids riding on sheep if you didn’t know). Its for the littlest of the little ones who may eventually go on to goat tying and on from there. For this event the goat is tied to a stake, they run up, grab it and tie a bow on its tail. It has got to be the worlds most adorable rodeo event (which isn’t all that hard of a title to come by come to think of it, I don’t hear anyone referring to bull riding as “adorable”)

All of these are awesome starting points to the big time, although I have to say (mostly in jest) that they kind of lack some of their originating events … well, point. Calf roping originated from the need to catch calves and immobilize them for branding, medical care ect. In fact, most rodeo events started with some sort of ranch chore nesessity. All except, I think, for bull riding which came from guys needs to do things that are stupid. (flashback to the old west) “Hey Eddie, betcha couldn’t get on that bull and live to tell about it.”…… “I’ll bet I could!!”

Lets share a moment of silence for Eddie the first bull rider.

Alright that’s enough of that

So as I was saying, these starter events don’t seem to have any practical ranch life uses…but lets pretend they did.

Chute Dogging: On a cattle drive, a cocky steer tries to steal your sandwich. You wrestle him a few feet out and drop his ass in front of all his cow friends. Its like prison, if you take down the big ones every now and then, it keeps the rest in line - less hassling, more sandwich.

Goat Tail Tying: Your goat is leaving for a date when you realize it doesn’t have the proper accessories to match its outfit! You make a mad dash, ribbon in hand, and make the tie. That dumb goat would never get any if it weren’t for you.

Steer Daubing: Honestly I’ve got nothing for this one. Although it kind of reminds me of the kid I saw poking a dead opossum with a stick yesterday, only at high speeds.

All in all, despite being a great way to advance into the big-time events, I think I’m glad that the jr rodeo events haven’t made their way into the PRCA, tying ribbons on goats just isn’t as cute when a full grown man is doing it…especially when he’s wearing the pigtails….never mind.

Anyway, it looks like I’m going to have my work cut out for me. I’ve only been at this whole rodeo photographer thing a couple weeks and suddenly there’s a dozen more events than I originally thought. Poor ignorant me. It’s a great big rodeo world out there….this is gonna be fun ;)

Liz

Oh and PS: for a real kick Google “goat dressing”. It involves two guys, a goat and a pair of panties… the “practical ranch life” use of that one I’m leaving well enough alone.

Comments (0)

About Me

About Me
Cowgirl/photographer. Crazy. Currently living in a mcmansion (with no furniture) and working at a Pet Food Store. Chasing my real dreams and cowboys when I get a chance. These are stories from my life.

Stalk Me!