I love a good coffee, and more than that, I enjoy the conversation over any old coffee. If you know Paula, you know she's a thinker, and can articulate those thoughts, while you fumble around with the words. There was a lot of me saying Yes, YES, YESSS, exactly!

Great post, Paula!

D

Untitled, a photo by PaulaRussell on Flickr.

I had a wonderful breakfast meeting with Donna. We went to the Apollo downtown which has a fantastic feel, I guess both the restaurant the the downtown shared a similar feel this morning. Donna and I started a project last year whereby we aimed to have an espresso based beverage from all possible Guelph based locations, which we would then follow up with a bit of a review. I think this blog might just be the forum to roll out those reviews, but that will come later. This morning, after talking about the slideshows Donna created from some of the images of Jenn and April's wedding, I noticed that both Donna and I had made images of our meeting. I used the iPhone while Donna pulled out a Kiev 60, I think, with its authoritative shutter snap and imposing size. This got us talking about how we make images. A while back, in an online forum of some local group, I got involved in a discussion that turned on film v. digital. At that time I shot exclusively film, why, because that is all I had. I tried a few dSLR cameras but the process just didn't feel settled. Donna gave me a 25 cent panorama camera, and a TLR Yashica Mat, and I shot primary with a repurposed SLR that I had once fished out of the Speed River. I used film because that is what I had, and I really enjoy the ritual of producing images in the darkroom. I didn't use film because I thought it was superior, or elitist, or somehow more relevant than digital, I used it because that is all I had and it was how I was comfortable making images. I contributed to the discussion by saying that I felt that while the image is public, the process is personal. Often this discussion isn't really about which approach is better, but more about which photographer is better, but in each case it skirts the only aspect worth considering, the image. I am stunned by the extent to which people are afraid or unwilling to address the image; critique it for its meaning, its context, its working elements, and its strengths and weaknesses. Who cares that you used film? Rather than broadcasting the process why not simply stand beside your work? The camera doesn't make the image, and the film doesn't birth the vision, so why not focus on that, the image and your vision? So on that note, we are going to roll out a critique series on this blog. We will start with our own images, and then perhaps we will branch out from there.

P

I could use a nap. Having a cold and it being foggy and damp just makes me want to curl up with my ipad or in a pinch a book, and drift off after a few minutes of reading. A nap, it's something I could take every day. It's something I was told I missed as a child when my siblings were well beyond it. It's something I've often claimed was a hobby. Ah naps, sometimes, most times you are close by in my thoughts. :)

, a photo by PaulaRussell on Flickr.

I love Fall. I love the cooler temperatures, I love the feeling of nature hibernating, I love entropic slumping of leaves and grasses, and I love the wet and the muck. I like when nature is bare, it reminds me of effortless and natural beauty, not one disguised by colourful flowers and ornate leafery. I think summer is to me what winter is nature, I would prefer to hibernate in the summer, returning to the outside world with the first of the heavy morning frosts. I am looking forward to shooting this season.

Here is an iPhone photo from the wedding venue. I love a number of elements in this image, the sun through the branches, a path, groupings of trees, and a lot of feeling.

, a photo by PaulaRussell on Flickr.

The amount of prep work that went into this weekend was amazing and the people that made it happen were even more amazing. The space evolved from homey camp to organic elegance. The people buzzed with excitement as they filled Mason jars with wildflowers, stocked the bar with beer and wine, and brought in extra limes. It felt and looked like a village had come out to celebrate a marriage of two people who grew up in their midst. Hope everyone is having a great weekend,

P.

Here are a few shots from the rehearsal. There was such a great feel to the event, happy, light, joyful, and it set the tone for the rest of the weekend! When Donna and I first met with Jenn and April to talk about their wedding photography, family, children, nature, happiness, and love were some of the things they identified as being tremendously important to to them. We used these values to inform on our approach to photographing their wedding, and you can certainly feel them throughout their images.

P.

Last week I went to Toronto to hang out with my niece, see her apartment, and to check out Nathan Philip Square. There were still news crews interviewing Jack Layton supporters. It was touching to see the amount of chalk drawings and messages over every possible surface, and all positive.

The light was pretty harsh for this little chinese camera, but I really wanted the high message and this is what I got.

Back to wedding photos next week!

Apparently the party raged by the fire until well passed 4am! Donna and I were long gone by then, but you could still hear the laughs and camp songs caught somewhere in the trees. We will have a big post next week, for now, here are a few morning-after shots. Have a great long weekend!

I thought I would post a few of Donna's images that really caught my attention. We have swapped images and it is really interesting to see how Donna saw, captured, and experienced this event.