JULY 13th SUMMER UPDATE

So summer's off and running and so far I have not done as much photography as I hoped. Gonna need to change that. I did go to Edmonton and was able to do x2 shoots in one day. What I discovered was I am REALLY out of shape and it was a challenge having to cope the next few days of pain after. The pandemic really took it's toll on my mental and physical health. I am in MUCH need of some exercise so I have been hitting the air bike more and trying to make plans to get out and walk, move and just keep busy physically. Finny doesn't love my new getting up more routines as he LOVES cuddling. 

Well, I am off to start moving as my BIG project is to organize our basement and purge some useless things I have been hoarding. Time to release some things I have not used in many many years. 

Here are some visuals from summer so far:

~ Memories of 2019 and ALEX SHOOT ~

 THINKING BACK TO 2019 and SHOOTING WITH ALEX

MEMORIES FROM 2019

So it was in the end of September 2019 I was hospitalized with what I knew was a football sized mass inside me. I soon was told that it was cancer. It was a life shattering and altering thing to face and it was a difficult road to follow. Thankfully I got so many prayers, people supporting me that I never expected. I am truly blessed and humbled by it all. My hope is to try and give back to others the love and kindness shown to me by so many. 

SHOOTING WITH ALEX

This week was a challenging week of work and I got home today with the plans to get into my studio and do some photography. Thankfully this model Alex came to shoot but things did NOT GO smooth. Due to covid I haven't used my studio gear and when she got to my place my trigger batteries all died and we had to zip out to get new batteries. Then the main trigger would not wanna work....which was frustrating and as I tried to get it working, Alex got my older backup trigger to work. We were short on time so we shot what we could. It was sure a blessing to do something I loved like photography again. The pandemic really shut things down for my photography as it did for mostly everyone. I am so rusty and made a lot of rookie mistakes but it was fun to shoot again. Here's a few shots from todays shoot. 

~ Sigma 150 - 600 C Shots in Elk Island National Park ~

 ELK ISLAND ADVENTURES

Got to go to the beautiful Elk Island Park with my new lens. There was TONS of humanity there and I think the animals and birds all went into hiding from all the people. I drove the Bison Loop and just saw other vehicles. Jen and I walked around a bit and I did manage to catch some photos. I am really excited how this lens opens up new doors for me in my photography. It's so much fun to be able to get ZOOMY with my camera!!!!Stay tuned for more images.

~ University of Alberta Botanical Garden Visit ~

On a spontaneous whim my wife and I went on a trip to the University of Alberta Botanical Gardens near Devon. We had a great time, it was a sunny and hot day. It was great to see a lot of the flowers in full bloom. We have gone before but later in the summer when flowers were not as healthy as they were in July. It's great to see these gardens and the updates they have been doing to the grounds since the last time we went. I love to photograph flowers so it was a lot of fun, by the end of the visit I was drenched from the heat. I still have a ways to go with my personal health. The exercise we got from walking around was much needed on my end.

Here are the photos from our visit:

~ iPad Pro Summer 2019 ~

Going into summer I was feeling pretty rough. My health hasn’t been good (mental or physical) and I know change is needed. Photography hasn’t been as fulfilling lately and I have been really wanting to do more art lately. Digital art has always been something I wanted to do but I could never really get used to the Wacom tablet as it just never felt right.  A few years ago I tried out an iPad Pro with the pencil and was SOLD at how comfortable it was to use to draw.

I got the nice big version of the iPad with the pencil 2 and a very cool case for it. So far I couldn’t be happier. It fits with my style of art and it’s so fun to sketch and doodle on it.  The power of the iPad Pro is amazing as well. I use the app Procreate and it is outstanding to have tons of layers open as I draw.

I used to always open sketchbooks and a big inhibitor of drawing was that I always wanted my art to look perfect. Many sketchbooks just sat blank due to my lack of knowing what to draw and my desire to make it look great. The iPad takes away my mental barriers and lets me just sketch or doodle away. Giving my the layers allows me to change things if they don’t work out and instead of ripping a page out of the sketchbook I can just delete it or just start fresh and get it to where I want it to be.

Definitely stoked to draw more and I love the portability of taking the iPad with me wherever I go. Excited to share some art here and also photos too. Here are some recent drawings and photos of my precious iPad Pro.

~ Alberta Election ~

With an Election Day comes my political rant. Hehe. (Disclaimer: if you disagree just move along, unfriend if you get that bent out of shape) 

Ok let’s get this started. The average Conservatives supporters in Alberta seem to connect really close to the average Trump lovers. They think that the UCP party will bring jobs and do great things for our economy. Forgetting that the reason the last election went NDP was out of anger at corruption and greed and we were “draining the swamp” and giving a new group of people a chance. 

The conservative supporters also seem to have this make Alberta strong and free idea. Why not just use MAGA and get it over with??? This Alberta hate against Ottawa is ridiculous. We are part of Canada. Just cuz you can’t jack your truck up another few inches due to lack of funds is not the fault of Justin. This whole mentality of “we got the oil and should separate from Canada” seems common among the conservative Alberta supporters. 

I hope people can see that education is a huge factor in this election. Strong schools and more access to education will result in jobs.  Better education = better humans. I can make my point quite easily. Go to any politician twitter or social media page and read some responses of conservative supporters. Engleesh does not seem to be their first language.  This is evident by reading their responses to anyone that has a different point of view. Strong education = better paying jobs and better future. 

Alberta is STRONG. Alberta is FREE. We don’t need to disconnect from such a great country. We should be questioning our leaders and staying informed. However in this election to me there’s only one strong choice and that is the NDP. The Conservative party has dominated this province for far too long. Giving them the keys back again so soon after they went on a joy ride and smashed up our car is stupid. Allow a new group of leaders the time they need to create a better place for us to live and work. Don’t get sucked into stupid catch phrases and wanna be Trumpland mentality.

Polar Vortex

This has been some super cold weather last few days.  I have been totally staying inside and not going anywhere.  This morning with wind chill it feels like -42.  I have not been doing much photography but I feel this time has given me some time to edit and really consider where I am going to go creatively in 2019.  I am really going to try and write more as well.  This blog is a lot of fun and for personal growth as a writer I should really give it a shot.  I never really did feel like writing was my jam which is why I was more into creating images with sketches and now with a camera.  I prefer to allow my images to speak for themselves rather than try and write.

I also want to get back onto working on my YouTube channel.  I think it would be fun to show more video work with my cameras.  Possibly mix in some video from my gaming and blend it in with photography work.  Throw in some photography tutorials along the way.  YouTube has been something I have ignored for a long time and I really think it could be a fun way to expand on being creative with photography.

I hope if you're somewhere caught in this polar vortex you're staying warm.  Enjoy the day and look for ways to be creative in your own life.  Without creativity this world is a super dull and boring place to be living in.

This is a great video by John Spencer

~ November 2018 Update ~

I have neglected you BLOG.....time write something new.  So here is a bit of an update.  I am currently fighting off a nasty old cold.  It wasn't fun, sick for a few days but I am on the mend.  Photography has gotten to be SO SO SO slow.  I am not shooting much TFP anymore and have been actually enjoying art a LOT lately.  Watercolor paints are so much fun and I am trying to spend more time with art.  I have also been playing a lot of Call of Duty (Black Ops 4) on my xbox one x.

I am hoping to get my studio lights up one day soon and find a model or two to come shoot here.  I think in a few more days this cold should be gone, just in time for my November break.  Tomorrow in the United States I am HOPING Americans can get it right and vote out some of those moron Republicans.  For me it comes down to tomorrow, if they don't go with the BLUE wave then it will tell the world that America is this toxic and Trump does represent current American values and attitudes...which is seriously sad if that happens.

My photography shares today are from the FLICKR feed, which has just updated it's PRO account.  It's a bit more pricey but I am so impressed with it's features.  Unlimited full sized images and a few more nice features for professional photographers.  I have used 500px less and less over the last few years.  I kinda have a soft spot for FLICKR as I was on it from pretty much the beginning of these photography shenanigans.  So back to the photos for today...these are some sunset pics, shot only a few minutes away from my house.

This wild and crazy world....

So I have finally started year 21 of teaching and still loving the challenges and learning I experience every day.  There is a LOT of potential for changes in my life right now but looking forward to what these changes will bring.  I love photography but lately I've been actually doing what I have said I would do for years, which is to pick up a pencil and some art supplies and create some art.  I added a link to my website to showcase my creative side more.  It's felt good to mess around with art and create without the camera.

I am trying my best to not worry about the world but it's been crazy.  Make America Great again and it looks like a dump.  The climate change that so many try to ignore is looking quite real.  So many terrible storms and wild fires.  It's tough to stomach news lately with the nutty things happening.  I am thankful for art, music and creative people.  Thankfully there are people trying to make the world a better place with their talents.

I will drop a few pics here of recent things I've been doing with my camera.  Gonna try and share more art as well.  Stay tuned and if you're reading my BLOG a huge thanks as I am a terrible writer and hoping posting a blog or two will help with that.  The photos in this blog feature a model I love working with: DESTINY and we shot them late summer out in Vegreville.  It's always fun to collaborate with her.  She's always been a great model and friend to work with.  She got me some amazing Oiler players to give me autographs!!! Spoiled photographer here!!!!

-Randy

~ Mini Shoot in Edmonton with Craig ~

Shooting With Craig

Last night I met with a male model in Edmonton for a mini shoot.  We did a shoot for about an hour.  I don't often get to work with male subjects so it was a blast capturing pics of Craig but really the gender of a subject does not matter it comes down to light and just shooting cool locations and making the best shots possible.  Here are a few shots from our shoot:

~ Some new Black and White Shots for 2016 ~

Thursday - APRIL 28th, 2016 - Trying to Get Back To Blog Life

I have hardly been updating this blog....I need to refresh my photography blog and hopefully try and do an update once a week.  I really do love blogging.  I never really know who is reading what I write nor do I much care as it's just fun to share random thoughts and ideas and never know where they end up.  More important than my writing is being able to share the photography I do.  If it wasn't for people I would not have much fun doing photography.  People are interesting subjects and I find each portrait I shoot a new challenge to get images of a person that they appreciate and will value.  Life is so short, I want people to look back fondly at an image of themselves and remember that was them at a certain point in their life.....or even more special have my image be a lasting memory of that person for generations to come.  I just created a new black and white gallery on my FB photography page.  Black and white images are so timeless and really show the beautiful contrast of shadow and light.  I love to shoot in RAW format and then edit a shot to color or black and white.
-Randy

~ Mural Mosaic Vegreville ~

The town of Vegreville is going to be the first of 150 towns across Canada to get murals created by the talented minds of Mural Mosaic  and on May 20th, 2015 it was revealed.  The mural was made up of 1500 tiles that were painted by community members and many of the students attending schools in Vegreville.  The mural is located on the wall of ATB and will join together with the other 150 murals to create a larger image.  Recently elected MLA Jessica Littlewood was there to represent the Alberta Government.  It was a fun day and some very cool art.

I teach art at the High School and was able to paint a tile and have my students be a part of this amazing experience.  Of course I shot some images. Here are a few of my favorites from the day.

~ Too much planning Spoils the Fun of Photography ~

When I am planning a creative photo shoot with a model they usually ask me what theme I have in mind.  I have to admit that themes can be fun and there are times when I do have an idea in my head for a shoot.  But the true fun for me comes from not planning shoots.  When the model comes up with looks on her own, does the hair and makeup it's fun and exciting to see what locations we can go discover that fit her look.  Some of my favorite shoots have been spontaneous in the outfits and locations.  I have discovered some really cool places to shoot just by going on an adventure and not knowing the destination.  Had I planned every last detail I would have missed out some great locations, light and images.

EXAMPLE #1(Model: Galina)

This is a shot of Galina taken in the country side north of St.Albert, Alberta.  We drove north and we just looked for some country roads and finally I saw this spot off the road we were on.  It was a farmers approach and it was grown with tall grass and lined with rows of bushes on either side.  The light looked great and we stopped to shoot a set of images here.  I could have gone out to scout locations in advance and driven right on by this spot.  Sometimes it's just about the light, light needs to be perfect and locations you scout do not always provide the best light due to weather, time of day, etc.  This spot was just perfect for the images we wanted.  I'll prob never go back to it, it was just a special photography adventure and the lack of planning made it exciting and fun.  It probably has a lot to do with my personality but I really dislike making detailed plans. :)  I am all about the unexpected and not knowing what is around the corner.  I love exploring the world with my camera and if I have a model or not, I think the same goes for nature photography.  Finding the light, the location and capturing a moment that is unexpected and impossible to plan for.  

EXAMPLE #2 (Model: Katelyn)

We drove around in the St.Albert area too, similar to the shoot I did with Galina.  We were near sunset (golden hour light) and found a construction area where residential buildings were being constructed.  This was mostly an empty field with some large concrete tubes (I have no clue what their technical names were) but they looked cool and Katelyn climbed on them and did some amazing poses.  The only things we had planned was where we would meet (A Tim Hortons) and from their we just drove around.  We had also briefly talked about the outfit but I didn't know her look until we met for the shoot.  It was just fun and I could never have expected we would find a place like this.  I know this is nothing new, many photographers/artists work like this but I just encourage people to sometimes step out of their comfort zones if you are a person that likes planning everything.  Try going out and being random....find something new and exciting and shoot there.  In Edmonton, I know the typical locations you can find photographers: Legislature grounds, many parks, Museum, Muttart, river valley, Fort Edm.....I've shot in these places lots too, but I have to say if I know I'm shooting there I kind of already know what to expect for light, for location.  

So basically go exploring with your camera!! :)  Make plans if you must but just be willing to go off the rails and find something new and be creative with it. :)

APRIL's Model of the Month is Jane

What is the most challenging thing about modelling?

Trusting yourself and your body. Sometimes you just have to “go with the flow”, with the music, with the weather or the mood of the shoot. The most awkward poses sometimes make the coolest shots.

What advice would you give a model that is just starting out?

Just go for it. If it feels a little scary, you should tackle it and put the trust in your abilities, whether you know what those are or not.

Color or Black and White?

Definitely Black and White. Color is beautiful for some shots, but black and white allows you to see the emotion in the shot by focusing on the face, the eyes, and the feeling.

How many shoots have you had with Randy Pond?

Is it possible to lose count? If not, then 6 or 7 maybe?

Do you prefer natural light or studio light?

Definitely natural light. Something about the challenge of capturing it and properly posing in it creates some fantastic shots!

Where would be your dream location to do a photo shoot?

Europe! So many fantastic locations and wonderful, old architecture. Bodies of water are pretty great too.

What kind of music do you like to listen to when you are at a shoot or getting ready for a shoot?

Something upbeat that allows me to pump myself up. It helps when conveying emotion later on.

What color is your favorite?

Blue. It’s a calming and cooling color.

What social media do you use?  Feel free to shamelessly plug yourself or stay secretive.

Just a regular ol’ Instagram model! (@zhenyaua). But really, I use the holy trinity of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

What would you say is your biggest strength?

Passion and dedication. While that’s two things, technically, they do go hand in hand.