~ Obama's Adddress ~

This was a www.wordle.net of the words used in Obama's congressional address...pretty cool. :) I like how small the word Iraq is, George Bush used it every 3 words it seemed. Obama is just so cool. :)

~ Wednesday ~

Feb. is almost done, YAY, getting so close to spring, I can't wait to get outside more with my camera. I am going to hit that vagabond II like a madman this year. I got it kind of late in the year last year and did not really get much play in with it. I think my challenge with it will be learning to meter it and using natural light mixed with strobe. I did okay learning to use my 430ex but that helped because it was in sync with my 40d, the alien bee's are going to be under moi control. So it'll be up to me to get it "right".....but that is the fun of photography. You get those "happy" surprises sometimes and it just turns out right.

I think my goals this summer season are going to be:

• more nature
• more natural light and strobe shots
• hopefully more male models (still don't have enough in my portfolio)
• more couples (wanna try some new ideas of shooting couples for my port)
• more babies, heheheh (practice for when I have one and for my port)
• more kids
• more pets/animals (maybe) hehehe, if I can get away from shooting my kittens
• Hmmmm, that's a long list, I prob will never get through :P

~ Tuesday ~

The weather has got really cold and I am sure missing those days of nice warm weather we were having. The Oilers decided tonight they want to play hockey and actually got a win!!!!!!!!! I am happy, I shall wear my Oiler uni tomorrow for work. :)

I went to a cool website today called wordle.net and it made this awesome picture for me using words off of my blog. So I thought I'd just share that with people reading my blog today. It's an awesome site and I plan to use it with my students at school.

~ Older Shots ~

Sometimes, (okay a LOT of times) I like to go back and edit from previous shoots. It is what makes me happy, I guess it's my form of artistic expression and a lot cleaner then getting out the acrylic paints and making a mess. Here is a shot of Shantelle I took awhile back. I used my 430ex and used an off camera bracket for this shot. It was a LOT of fun, windy and a bit cold and Shantelle just always looks great....so I have tons of worthy images to edit from our shoots. Hopefully we can do some updated shots soon. I recently heard from her and she is interested in doing more work. I hope to do more outdoor and on location work with her. I think it'd be awesome to go out with the vagabond and go crazy. :)
-Randy

~ Monday ~

Today was a wild Monday, I awoke feeling so tired. It was rough, I should of got more sleep on the weekend. However I got a copy of Street Fighter IV and well, it was fun....heheheh. I have fond memories of playing that game in the arcade. Sneaking out of my studio courses at Red Deer College and going to the student arcade with buddies and wasting a bit of our student loans on that game. It is also the first arcade game I really remember playing as a teen. I was in love with Chun Li's character...hehehe, I always chose her to fight with. Those wicked kicks of hers....yeah.....so back to the present. I was thinking I'd rock at this game but turns out my reflexes are not like they were 15 years ago. I also have more trouble pulling off the mad moves needed to succeed at this game. The boss is named "Seth" and is almost impossible to defeat.

I have to say I am going to try and get to bed early tonite, a LOADED day tomorrow. I'll need my rest. I won't even rant about the Oilers losing to the Shames on Saturday night. That's a whole other rant for another day....heheheh....(hiding my rage).

Testing new Blog format :)

~ Whacky Wednesday ~

Random Thoughts:

The good news of the day is my back pain is almost gone...I'd say I am running at 80% which is great for me. I feel a bit of pain but nothing near what I was having a few days ago. I feel for people with chronic back pain and hope I never have to go through this on a regular basis.

Today will be a long day, I am staying late at work for a meeting so I don't expect to be home until quite late. Oh well, it'll be a good reason to get some extra work done @ work.

The Oilers are starting a TYPICAL playoff run....they win, win, win and then LOSE......just enough to tease their fans. It's like they fear success...they look like an awesome team, then POW, back to playing below average. This team seems unable to get over the hump of being an average team. HINT TO OILER MANAGAMENT: NEW COACH, NEW COACH.....look at the rest of the NHL teams, if this was the Penguins, Mac T would be long gone. I think he was an awesome player, but players don't make great coaches.....so, ummm, yeah, get a new coach plz Edmonton.

Sleep, I wish I could of slept in today...it's just one of those days I wish I could lay in bed and sleep the day away. I think I am going to be resting up this weekend.....nap time here I come.

~ Dissed by ATB Finacial ~

Well, I entered my photo and was not even in the top 3.....(sob, sob)...heheheh. The good news is the Oilers won!!! 7-2 over the HABS....it's about time Oil.

Anyway, the 3 finalists are posted on the Oiler website and I am seriously wondering who at ATB picks finalists. Anyway, I'll try not to be a sore loser...(ATB sucks)...:). They can be sure I'll never do business with them again.....I am sure they are not going to care....considering I am no where near a rich dude.

Oh well, our classroom has a Wii and we have a fun day today....yipeeeee!!.....so I'll just forget that they didn't pick my picture and love my long weekend......hope everyone at ATB works like dogs this long weekend....muhahahahah.

-Bitter Photographer Out (my 2 umbrella's died for u atb and u didn't pick me)

~ Oilers Contest ~

Okay, I drove out to my vp's place and was able to do a shoot with Billy. He was a great sport and did a great job in helping me achieve my idea. I was a tool however and lets just say due to brain freeze I mangled up my umbrella's quite badly. Hoping Jenn and her delicate touch can fix them for me, knowing me I'll just snap them in rage trying to fix them. :) Love the soft touch of a woman.
So I have a deadline until noon today to enter a picture and here are the two I came up with from the shoot. I don't know which one I'll enter...here's to hoping I pick right. Yeah, only 1 more day of work till the weekend.

~ Music and Art ~

I think music and art go hand in hand. In art school, we had our studio classes pumping with music. I love all genres of music...depending on my mood I will listen to a little bit of everything. Like this moment I have some Tone Loc playing....I find when I am doing a photo shoot or editing I have to listen to some music. Music fills those gaps of what would be awkward silence when I am setting lights up or doing something that requires my mental effort. I am after all a male and we suck at multi tasking in the best of times. Music sets a mood for the shoot and can really get the model in the mood to be in front of the camera.

People that know me quite well, can testify how varied my taste in music is. One minute hardcore rapping, the next old school church music. I'll listen to top 40....but also to bands most people have never heard of like the Cadillac Tramps or The Holmes Brothers which are one of my faves. Music keeps the wheels in my brain a turning.

Tomorrow I am going to be shooting my picture to enter in to the Edmonton Oilers, Spirit Of Hockey contest. The deadline is fast approaching and I am eager to get my take in. If I were to win I would be ready to retire. :) For me to win a photography contest related to my all time favourite hockey club would be an honor. The prizes would just be icing on the cake. I will be asking for everyone that stumbles over my blog to vote for me. The big test is making the finals, only the finalists will have their work posted on the Oiler website. The voting only lasts for a few days so be ready to vote people. I am going to shoot tomorrow and hopefully have the entry mailed in before noon on Wednesday. This will take some mad photoshop skills, because my entry is going to be photoshop intensive and if it turns out anything like my mental image of it, I'm going to be in the hunt for winning this baby. (cross your eyes, toes oh yeah and fingers too please)

~ I won!!!! ~

My back is on the mend, there is less pain and I am starting to look forward to being able to walk normal again. This whole back pain stuff is not fun.
My happy news for the day is I won a photo contest. I won first place in the category of Urban Life on the connect to Edmonton website. I appreciate everyone that got on there and voted for my picture. I was surprised when they contacted me and told me I had been short listed and had a chance at winning.
Teacher Convention was fun, got to see some old colleagues of mine, the worst part was trying to walk around the Shaw with a sore back. I probably looked like some drug addict the way I was walking. I hope I can get my back feeling better....I have been resting it all weekend, hope it helps. Not much else is new....so I'll end this post with my winning image.

Her Morning Elegance / Oren Lavie

I saw this on nakedeye's blog and decided it's too cool not to post on my blog too, hehehe. (copy cat achievement)

Did you know? Technology.

I think stuff like this just shows how fast things are moving now with technology...I wonder how all this fast moving technology is going to impact students today, families and relationships as we speed along at such a fast pace and with seemingly litle regard for how it is impacting people, the planet and just our every day life.

~ Kitty Little Death Trap ~

So, there I was on Saturday trying my best to add a little fresh little for my kittens. I reached down to pick up the box of litter, (not the costco kind that weights tons) this was just a smallish box, that even a frail granny could lift. The big tall photographer who is used to lifting 70-200mm canon glass around and a heavy old 40d, grabbed this kitty litter and then POP!!! In the lower back a thousand little voices all screamed out in pain. Then I went and threw away my man card and proceeded to act like something just the opposite. I have no pain tolerence and it was good that Jenn was in Calgary, because she wouldn't of wanted to see my sad scene of self pity and agony. I did pull myself together, but wow!!! I never thought the back could hurt like that. I did go to see the doctor today and have a GREAT collection of narcotics aimed at helping myself get back to "normal" whatever that might be.

I did watch the super bowl, it was quite entertaining, I just didn't have much interest in either team but it's the NFL and it was fun for me to watch. I am also excited it's a short week. I have teacher convention Thur and Fri at the SHAW!!! I hope the back holds up as I hike around from session to session. Ohhh and Tammy if you're reading this, we need to chat, I need to find out if I am still shooting that wedding for you still....heheheh. Yeah and I need that 5D you said you didn't want anymore.