Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

We had ourselves a bit of a snowstorm the other day.  Something to the tune of 50cm reported where I live in Longueuil.  So, what do you do in the middle of a snowstorm?  You go out and take some pictures!  I wanted to protect my camera and my lens, so I had originally outfitted my stuff with a transparent bag specifically made to hold a camera and a flash.  However, the small hole in the bag made to wrap over the viewfinder quickly stretched out of place and made for a bothersome experience.  The next trip to the camera store will see me picking up an eyepiece extender which will hold the bag in place without fear of rips or tears.  Back to the photo, I felt that this image pretty much summed up the situation for many people on the night.  Standing by their cars waiting for the snow removal companies to pass by and free them.  I love the blowing snow all over the photograph and the way it is captured in the lights of the tractor.  This shot was captured at f/2.8, 1/80sec, ISO 1600 at 42mm.  The lights of the tractor actually helped me out as they allowed the camera to get up to 1/80 second for the shot, which would have been nearly impossible otherwise, even at ISO 1600.  The higher speed allowed me to capture the show as is, instead of being one white blur.  Okay, it still looks like a white blur, but it's a detailed white blur.  I took several photos during the course of the walk, so there should be some more that will make their way to this page eventually.

A Stately Fellow

Welcome back everyone, hope you all had a nice Christmas.  I had a fine time, and as usual, my camera was never far behind.  This statue of Santa Claus is one of the many decorations that could be found in my Uncle`s house where the family gathered for supper.  The way that he was lit from below by Christmas lights really caught my eye and I waited with impatience for everyone to finish their meal and clear out of the area so that I could get a closer look and to snap a few shots.  Even with the lights being right at the statues feet, the scene was still not properly lit enough to be able to use a low ISO, and I really didn't want to use my flash as I felt it would be to strong for the scene.  Thus, this photograph was shot at f/2.8, 1/20sec, ISO 1600 at 30mm.  I placed the statue on the left hand side of the frame to give him more space in the shot, and also because I really liked the cranberries that were hanging from the wall and the shadows that they gave.  Christmas decorations can be fun to shoot, though still not quite as fun as opening presents.

Merry Christmas To All

The snow has finally arrived and as the old song goes, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  What better way to celebrate than with a photograph of everyone's favourite red nosed reindeer pulling a sleigh.  This particular shot comes from 2010 and was used on the front page of a December issue of the weekly newspaper L'Action Regionale, which serves the St. Basile Le Grand-Chambly-Carignan-St. Bruno area, though I actually took it in St. Lambert.  I was the unofficial photographer of the newspaper from October 2010 until May 2011 thanks to my knowing the editor-in-chief.  It was a great experience, taking photographs not necessarily to appease my eye, but rather to accompany a story.  It was also my first experience with every photojournalist's worst enemy, the graphic designer.  I once went to a conference given by La Presse photographer Bernard Brault (http://www.bernardbrault.com) and he described how in the beginning of his career it always bothered him how the graphic designers would butcher his photos.  After my experiece at l'Action, I understood the feeling very well.  But, I was still grateful because it was fun to see my name credited besides each of my photos, especially my front page shots.  This photograph was taken at f/4, 1/50 sec, ISO 100 at 24mm.  I chose f/4 to put an emphasis on Rudolph leading the sleigh as my selected aperture made the rest of the photo less sharp.  I hope that you all have a Merry Christmas and that Rudolph manages to lead that jolly old elf to your homes.

Front Row Seat For The End Of The World

If you are to believe certain people and certain prophecies, this will be the last time that I post a picture, and these will be the last words that I write.  So, I figured if you've got to go out, go out with a bang!  This is a shot from a few years back taken at Seaway Park in Saint-Lambert, QC.  It was during the annual fireworks competition.  While I was digging through my archives trying to find something to fit the end of the world theme, I came upon this photograph and thought it to be a good mix.  I like digging out photos for this blog, especially shots that I would have normally discarded and never used.  Honestly, I was there to capture nice shots of the fireworks, not a ball of smoke and white light.  Thanks to this blog, however, this photograph is granted a second life.  The blast of light was taken just after the final fireworks had gone off as the sky was just a big mess of light and smoke.  I was also positioned behind a bunch of summer spectators who were taking in the event, and thus inspired the new title for this photograph.  This shot was taken at f/4, 21sec, ISO 100 at 70mm.  It's the long exposure time that allowed the crowd to be properly lit by the blasts of the fireworks which is kind of important as this picture would look kind of empty without them.  Sadly, this shot cannot be repeated as the city built a soccer field where most of these people are now seated, but with the world coming to an end, I guess that's not really that big of a deal after all. 

Something New

I've grown to be annoyed with seeing my name stretched across my photographs like a bad tattoo, so I am debuting a new watermark with this photograph.  While I deem myself to be somewhat handy with a camera, I am far from being a graphic designer, nor am I an expert in all things Photoshop.  However, I wanted to create something a little nicer which wouldn't hide as much of the photograph, yet still offer a bit of protection along with saving my images at a small size and resolution.  So, I took the words you are all used to seeing, "Eric Mahannah Photography 2012" and I shaped them into the form of an eye because I thought it to be kind of cool as I use my eyes to prepare my photographs and you use your eyes to view them.  Hey, nobody ever accused me of being poetic.  On to more interesting things, the photograph.  This image was taken back in September, and is another example of my famous 'going home with an interesting photograph you hadn't planned on taking' theory.  This one was taken while I was waiting for a tour bus to move from in front of Montreal City Hall.  While saying some nasty words under my breathe about the previously mentioned tour bus, I turned my head to the left and saw the wonderfully lit skyline with the moon nicely placed in the sky.  The different shades of blue are due to the sun having just gone down over the horizon, but there was still enough light left in the sky so that it wouldn't appear to be totally dark.  This shot was taken at f/9, 8sec., ISO 100 at 24mm.  Along with the sky, I also like the two 'ghosts' who are walking along the sidewalk in the bottom left hand side of the shot.  This effect is caused by the 8 second exposure time of the photograph, which also creates the 'star' like shapes around the lights.  Hope you enjoy.

Sneaky Little Frogger

One of the things that I like about photography are the little surprises.  You can plan on taking a certain image, and then you get home and find something that you didn't even know was there.  Such was the case with this photograph.  I'm sure that there will be some doubters out there on the interwebs, but I swear to all of you out there that I did not know that the frog in the lower right hand corner of the photograph was there when I took this picture.  I was still new to the photography game when this picture was taken, and this image was actually taken as a 'homework' assignment for one of my courses.  What I was looking for was something colourful and I really liked the look of the green lily pads against the dark water.  The green, yellow and black immediately caught my eye as I thought this picture would be perfect as a jigsaw puzzle.  This shot was taken at f/7.1, 1/1000, 52mm at ISO 400.  It was only after getting home and putting the images taken that day on my computer that I noticed my little friend sitting right there and giving me his best smile.  I was really happy to include this image in my exhibition as it was one of my early shots and that little guy proved charismatic enough to generate a sale and many smiles.

Three Months Later

It's been a little more than three months since I opened up this little spot on the web, and thanks to all of you who have been visiting.  One of the first photos I had wanted to put up here was the photograph you see to the left of the screen.  I asked for, and was given permission to use it way back in August, but things always seemed to happen.  New shots were taken, there was an exposition to prepare for, I got lazy...the regular excuses.  Better late than never, here is one of my favourite photographs that I have taken.  One of the toughest jobs you can have as a photographer, in my opinion, is to photograph someone's wedding.  I've had the honour of being the 'guest photographer' at the weddings of two of my good friends and both were great learning experiences.  The role of 'guest photographer' is quite easy.  Take as many pictures as you want, but stay out of the way of the real photographer.  I had ample opportunity to take the in-between pictures which can be just as beautiful as the shots the pro is taking.  This particular shot was taken in the alley behind a restaurant in Vancouver.  The wall was a red that was very easy on the eyes.  The wedding photographer had set the bride exactly where she wanted her with the afternoon light softly falling on her face.  As the photographer was adjusting her camera, I snuck off a little to the left and snapped away.  I like how it appears the sun created a window, made special just for the bride to show off her beauty.  I also like how she wasn't looking at me directly, but rather seems to be lost in a moment of quiet contemplation.  The photo was taken at f/5, 1/100 sec,ISO 400 at 30mm.  I also owe a debt of gratitude to Gracci & Rico Pelaez who took this freshly graduated photographer and took the time to teach me a couple of tricks as well as being very generous with their time considering they were on the job at the time.  Visit their website and see their amazing photographs at their website http://www.pelaezphotography.com/.

Bernard's View

Here is a shot that I guess would qualify as the MVP of my recent photography exhibition.  I took it this past July during the annual La Ronde Fireworks Competition.  It's also a shot that has a fun story to it.  One of my "photography hero's" is Bernard Brault, who is a photographer for the La Presse newspaper in Montreal.  I first started to follow his work during the 2008 Summer Olympic Games as he had a daily photography journal featuring shots he took not only during the Games, but also regular shots he had taken during the day, complete with the information about what camera settings he had used.  It was a daily must read for me.  Two years ago, he took a photograph of the La Ronde Fireworks to mention how the latest competition was beginning and I immediately realized that I live about five minutes from where the shot had been taken.  It became my mission to get out there and try to take a similar photograph.  I had to wait a year as the pedestrian bridge where this photo was taken was closed for repairs, and then I had to return three times this year because my first attempt was marred by the smoke from the fireworks being blown in my direction.  The second attempt was ruined by strong winds that kept causing my camera to move, but finally, the third time was the charm.  This shot was taken at f/14, 11sec. at ISO 100 at 140mm.  I also cropped the final image to make everything a little more tight.  I personally love the fireworks in the sky above and the light streaks left by the passing cars below, but I was surprised to learn from people who bought this photo that they also liked the street signs as much as anything else as they reminded them of familiar locations.  While trying to come up with titles for my photographs to be used during the exhibition, I felt it was natural to name this one after the man who has not only helped me to learn more about photography, but someone who's work I enjoy as well.

Frelighsburgh Treasure

As I've already mentioned, I have family who live in the region of Quebec known as the Eastern Townships.  I head down there every once in a while to visit, and sometimes I stumble upon something really cool to photograph.  This isn't really one of those times as I knew that I was going to be invited to take pictures inside of the Bishop Stewart Memorial Church of the Holy Trinity.  I came upon this good fortune thanks to my father's cousin, Geraldine, who was also nice enough to purchase one of my photos during my recent exposition.  She and her husband, Norman, have the keys to this wonderful building.  Originally built in 1808 and then reconstructed in 1884, this church is decorated by several wonderful stained glass windows, which when the sun shines onto them, give off unique reflections all over the interior of the church.  It was a great honour to walk inside of the building as it also holds much significance to my own family as my Grandfather had been baptized there.  It was quite dark inside of the building as the only light inside came from the sun coming through the stained glass windows as I had asked that all of the interior lights be closed. I didn't want to have the interior lights get in the way of the reflections.  As a result, that meant we'd be using low f-stops and a higher ISO.  Ofcourse, having mentioned that I now get to say that the first photograph was shot at ISO 100, but also at f/2.8 for 1/60 sec while at 24mm.  There was still enough light coming into the church to allow me to keep the ISO at 100.  I wanted to capture how sharp the light being reflected from the stained glass windows was against the brick walls of the building.  I got up real close, focused on a nice pattern and then backed up just enough to catch the reflection.  The second shot presented here was also shot at ISO 100, though I assure you that I did use ISO 400 and all the way up to ISO 1600 over the course of the afternoon.  To complete the necessary information, the second photograph was shot at f/2.8, 1/50 sec at ISO 100 while at 24mm.  For this one, I really liked the image of the stained glass window behind the cross which was on the ceremonial table.  By focusing on the cross, but exposing for the window, the cross becomes a darkened silhouette while the window becomes very soft due to the focus being on the cross and my chosen aperture.  I was kind of taking a chance because it is not recommended to shoot handheld at anything past 1/80 sec. as there is the good chance to camera shake causing problems for your photos, but I guess the Big Guy above approved of my being there.  The third photo was taken at f/20 with an exposure time of 1sec. at ISO 100.  The sun was still kind of bright at that point and I wanted to capture not only the stained glass window, but the reflection it was casting on the old wooden roof.  I took no chances with camera shake on this one, I made sure to use my tripod.  I'm going to continue working on some of the shots I took while there on Friday and you'll probably be seeing more shots over the coming weeks.  I'm starting to build up a good stock of fresh photos which should help me to keep things fresh here over the coming winter months when I head out less often.  I also hope to have the good fortune to visit this church again in the future.  Thanks, Norman & Geraldine.

***UPDATE 1/13/2013

I recently learned of the failing health of a family member who found this site and my work through the above pictures I had taken of the Bishop Stewart Memorial Church of the Holy Trinity in Frelighsburgh, QC.  In her honour, I'd like to post another picture from my day at the church as she continues her fight against a terrible disease.  Through family connections, I learned that we may have actually met while I was younger, but that was many years ago.  This shot was taken at f/2.8, 1/50sec, ISO 100 at 24mm.  My thoughts are with her and her family.

Five For The Price Of One

 I'm not the biggest fan of Photoshop, though I'm also not against the use of it either.  When it comes to photography, I try to adhere to the words of my professor as much as possible.  "If you get it right in the camera, you don't have to waste time at your desk."  Words to live by.  However, when it does come to using Photoshop, I generally stick to two different functions.  Levels and Cropping.  I don't really even use the Levels function all that much as a) I have more trouble with it than I do success, and b) it doesn't always improve the photograph.  Cropping, though, is a whole other story.  Sometimes due to either location issues or not having the right lens with you, cropping becomes a great tool in turning a regular photo into something much more interesting.  By the way, 'not having the right lens with you' is never a good excuse.  That's why back rubs were invented.  The first key in order to do successful cropping involves making sure that the original file you're going to be cropping is large enough to survive the procedure.  Whenever I shoot, I make sure that my camera is set to the highest possible quality.  In the case of my Canon 30D, that's 3504pixels x 2336pixels. By photographing at such a large size, you can freely crop away without any fear of losing picture quality.  Personally, this frees me up to take pictures from a location where I can't get close enough either physically or with the help of a lens.  Such was the case here as the original shot was taken at then end of a bicycle path on a wooden dock.  So, here are five photographs to try and help me show you what I mean.  The first photograph is the original image.  It was taken at f/7.1, 15sec. ISO 100 at 70mm.  I'm not going to lie, I like the original photo on it's own, but I also knew that once I got it home and on the computer, I'd be able to cut out a few different views from this one.  I generally try and stick with a crop of 2"x3" as it's the regular size that will allow me to print at 4"x6" or 8"x12" without losing anything from the image.  However, I've recently started trying to crop my images at other sizes, and had success with the 20"x8" crop of Montreal that was shown at my recent exhibition.  This photograph seemed like the perfect candidate to try a similar crop.  When all is said and done, I managed to create four different photographs from one original shot.

Lest We Forget

Remembrance Day has always been important to me as I feel it is important to remember the sacrifices made by soldiers and their families over the years.  My family was fortunate to have not lost any members in battle, but my Grandfather and several other members of my family did serve in World War II.  I took this photograph a bit before the service held in Mercille Park, Saint-Lambert.  There were several photographs being taken, and one day I hope to have the courage to actually go up to the front of the cenotaph to photograph the placing of the wreaths, as one such photographer did.  However, I'm not there yet as I find that particular moment of the ceremony to be a bit to sacred to have Eric Mahannah standing front and center.  Seems like that photo would be better served getting with a telephoto lens to me.  In any event, this shot was taken at f/14, 1/80sec. at ISO 100.  I also shot this photo in full Manual mode which is a change for me as I try and shoot in AV mode as much as possible.  However, the camera AEB was jammed at -1 whenever I tried to shoot in AV, so I was happy that I was able to adjust.  Ofcourse, as soon as I got home the problem cleared up.  Be sure to take a moment to think about those who sacrificed their lives today and thank a veteran whenever possible.  It's thanks to them that we enjoy the freedom we have today.

It's Just A Suggestion

The show is over and it's time to dust off the old tripod and camera.  Back to getting on the road and taking some pictures.  I had the idea for this shot a few weeks back, but I originally wanted to use a speed limit sign that had a relatively low speed, like 30 KM/H.  Problem was, I couldn't find any such signs that were positioned low enough for me to catch the light streaks of the passing cars.  Then, when I was out this evening with plans for taking another photograph, this opportunity caught my eye.  Funny how often that seems to happen.  This stop sign is actually on a bicycle path, meaning it is positioned lower than regular stop signs.  As a result, the sign was low enough for me to accomplish my goal of finding a seemingly ignored road sign as the passing light streaks make it look like nobody is bothering to stop at all.  It's actually better off that this was a bicycle path sign as there were no excess light bumps from the cars actually having to stop.  This image was shot at f/8 for 31secs. at ISO 100 using a focal length of 40mm.  I'm also glad to report that I didn't cause any accidents while taking this photograph, which is quite the accomplishment considering all of the turned heads I caused from curious drivers who were passing by.  I was even stopped by a curious onlooker who seemed quite impressed when I showed him one of the many shots I took during this session.  I hope that some of you out there are too.

Come On Down...For The Last Time

Sadly, my month long exhibition at the Greenfield Park Library is coming to an end.  Your last chance to see my photographs will be this coming Tuesday, November the 6th as they will be gone the next day as I make way for another talented artist.  For those of you who haven't had the chance to visit and would like to have the full experience of a guided tour by yours truly, you're in luck.  On Sunday, November 4th from 2:00PM - 4:00PM I'll be at the library for anyone who wishes to stop by say hello.  Feel free to stop by and chat, though in a low voice (we are in a library after all).

Spooks Against Cancer

This past Saturday night I was asked by my friend Jasmine to be the photographer at an event she was throwing.  It was a Halloween Party and also a fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society.  Jasmine is a cancer survivor, and like many people, I have lost family members to cancer. Add all of that together and this was an invitation that I couldn't refuse.  I was also looking forward to this event because I don't have much experience shooting parties, and it meant another battle with my sworn nemesis, the Canon Speedlite 580 EXII.  I don't have another piece of equipment that I can be totally in love with one minute and then be ready to throw against the wall in frustration mere minutes later.  I think I managed to win the battle this time as not only did I manage to take some pretty good shots, I also managed to successfully bounce the light using the built-in reflector.  If I could show you the histogram of this photo, it would be almost perfect.  Now, I just need to remember to return my settings after doing non-flash shots.  Using ISO 1600 with flash is not really the greatest of ideas...  Anyway, this photograph was shot at f/4.5 for 1/250sec at ISO 100.  I ended up coming home with several good shots and lots of money was raised for the Canadian Cancer Society.  In my books, that makes for a pretty good night.  To learn more about the Canadian Cancer Society and to find out how you can help in the fight against cancer, you can visit the Canadian Cancer Society website.

Still Rocking

I've still got some of that Rush concert flowing through my veins and it inspired me to dig through my archives to find this picture I took a few years back of my friend Louie, rocking out on the train tracks.  Louie is a good friend and has been playing the guitar since leaving the womb.  He was in a pretty cool band called Dim back in the 90's and still jams with his currents group of musicians whenever he can.  This photo came about because one of my projects while taking my photography courses was to create a CD booklet.  This picture ended up being used as the back sleeve where all of the album tracks would be listed, thus why I left so much space on the right side of the photo.  Even without the song titles, I really like this photo.  I was trying to capture a Bruce Springsteen/Bob Seeger type of vibe as I had seen several photos of both artists standing by railroad tracks.  To get the image, I shot at f/2 for 1/250sec at ISO 400 as it was getting late in the afternoon and the sun was going down, but I still needed enough speed so that his hands wouldn't blur as he was playing the guitar.  Creating the CD booklet was one of the projects I really enjoyed doing, and I have yet to fulfill my promise of creating a second.  One of these days...

Soon, In The Pages Of...

Those of you out there who live in the Saint-Lambert/Greenfield Park/Longueuil area will be seeing this photo in one of your local newspapers in the coming weeks.  It's a photograph I took of the department managers at Provigo Richard Gagnon, located on Victoria Ave. in Saint-Lambert.  I was asked to take the picture and was happy to do so as there is nothing I like more than seeing my name in print listed as a photo credit.  This also served as a lesson in being the 'hired photographer' as I was bound by the creative vision of the boss, thus the grey background and lack of uniforms.  The lesson, one that I have been told several times in the past, 'the customer is always right'.  Once my ego healed, I shot the above picture at ISO 100, f/7.1 at 1/250sec using the Canon 580 EXII as my main source of light.  We also blocked a large window to stop the sunlight from getting into the room and causing all kinds of ugly shadows.  I then cropped the photo to 20"x7" as I was asked to produce a panorama type of image.  Next time I see it will be in the newspaper.

***UPDATE***  The photo will not be appearing in print this week.  I've been asked to shoot another photo this coming Thursday and it will be used instead.  It will be appearing in the special Fall Advertisement section of the Saint-Lambert Journal which I think comes out in two weeks.

Oh, What A Rush

Went to see Rush at the Bell Center this past Thursday night and as usual, they put on a great show. The only distraction I had from the music happened at the beginning of the second half of the show when the press photographers hit the scene to capture some images for the papers the next day. For two songs, the music served as background noise while my attention was focused on the photographers moving around the floor trying to get the best angles for their pictures. I haven't had the good luck to photograph any big name rock bands, but I did have a great time with the Choeur Vives Voix (http://www.vivesvoix.ca) back in April. This shot came from a musical number during their show. It being a low light situation, I had to pump up the ISO to 1600. Meaning that if you could see a full size blow-up of this image there would be lots of 'grain' in the photo. Luckily, this isn't visible at such a small size and results in a nice little photo. The same applies for newsprint as the noise wouldn't show in a newspaper either. I shot at f/3.2 with an exposure speed of 1/125sec which is near the limit to be able to freeze movement. I had lots of fun at that show and maybe with a little luck, there might be a Rush waiting for me somewhere in my future as well.

"We've taken care of everything
The words you hear the songs you sing
The pictures that give pleasure to your eyes."

Eating All Of Those Nuts Makes You Thirsty

As I've said before, the fun thing about going out for a day of taking pictures is that often you end up coming home with a picture you had no intention of taking which ends up being better than the ones you left home wanting to take.  Such was the case yesterday as I hit Ile Saint-Helene with the idea of getting some nice shots of the changing colours and also ending my day with some nice shots of the Biosphere's light being reflected in various bodies of water.  However, while I was walking along the numerous paths that are on the island, I came upon this little scene.  This was the base of a rather large tree which appears to have been carved out by some kind of squirrel or groundhog and probably used as as home.  And sitting right in front of the front door was a couple of discarded juice boxes.  The first thing that came into my mind was the classic scene from movies where you see the wrecked front lawn of a home after the teenagers have trashed the place after a party.  It was rather cloudy when I took this picture, and the leaves were still rather thick on the trees so it made for a dark scene.  So, I threw the camera into Manual mode and shot at f/2.8, ISO 100 for 1/20sec.  In hindsight, I probably should have upped the ISO, but I still like the finished image.  As a side note, it's crazy how much litter is strewn along those paths.  People, pick up your mess. 

A Little Love For My 70-300mm Lens

Before everything got turned upside down in preparation of my exhibition, which still can be seen at the Greenfield Park Library (225 Empire, Greenfield Park) until November 6th, I went on a kind of rant against my 70-300mm Canon zoom lens.  So, in the search for some good karma, I wanted to publish a photo taken with the much maligned lens in question.  The image above was taken from a bicycle path just underneath the Jacques Cartier Bridge.  I was there to photograph some fireworks, but this photograph was taken while I was waiting for the sky to explode.  I decided to test out my lens to make sure I was a good distance away to capture the fireworks.  The swirling effect you see around the ride is the ride itself rising up.  It was some kind of attraction that spins around a lot and generally causes people like me to lose their lunch.  Which is why I much prefer photographing these things as opposed to riding them.  The light is captured by the camera and remains in the final image, much like it does with the light streaks from cars.  The shot was taken at f/20, 30sec. ISO 100 at 270mm.  My only regret was that the Ferris Wheel wasn't turning at the same time.  I took several versions of this shot hoping that the wheel would eventually turn, but no dice.  Guess Ferris Wheel's aren't as popular as they used to be.

Smashing Success

Thank you to everybody who came to my vernissage this evening and to those who bought some of my works. Your presence and kind words were very much appreciated.

Don't forget, my photographs will remain on display until November 4th for those who haven't had the chance to see them, and for those who wish to see them again.

Merci à tous ceux qui sont venus à mon vernissage et qui m’ont encouragé en vous procurant certaines de mes œuvres. Votre présence a été fort appréciée.

N’oubliez pas que vous avez jusqu’au 4 novembre pour voir ou revoir mes photographies.

Diary Of A Photo Exhibit

 That stack of wood that you see in the above picture is the chair in my living room.  Sitting on it is 25 framed 10x15 inch photographs and one 20x7 inch photograph that will be making up my exposition at the Greenfield Park Library.  It took 30minutes just to unwrap the frames, and good four hours to finish framing everything, and 10 seconds afterwards to not want to frame anything again for a good long time.  The stack sat there until a bit before noon when everything was packed into the car.

 Up next, everything was delivered to the Greenfield Park Library, located at 225 Empire.  From there, it took a good hour and a half to do the first 15, which I thought was pretty good time for a guy who isn't known for his manual dexterity.  Things then took a slight turn for the worse as the library ran out of the little plastic hooks that hold up the photos.  The solution?  Hooking everything up using chains.  This took up much more time, as the final 10 photos ended up taking me two and a half hours to hang from the wall.  It was a bit of a pain, but standing back when I was done and seeing all of my photos on the wall put a smile on my face that is still there as I type.

So there it is, the front door with my poster on it.  This is a little voyage that began about four years ago with my first photography courses from Concordia University.  I'd like to think that I've done a good job and I hope that as many people as possible take some time out of their day to come and see my work. 

One Of The Final Cuts

I'm currently in the process of selecting the chosen few photos that will be in my show next week.  October 4th to November 6th, Greenfield Park Library, 225 Empire for those who may have forgotten.  This picture was one of the final cuts.  It was taken during a trip to the Old Port in Montreal.  The photo was taken at 6:29PM and it was actually a little bit darker than the photo appears.  That's because I shot at f/10, ISO 100 for 3 sec.  This combination brightened the sky in the final image, as well as creating the star effect around the lights on the walking bridge.  I really liked the star effects on the lights, as well as the reflection of the red lights on the water.  The photo ultimately didn't make the cut because I felt that the sky was actually a little to bright for my taste.  Still a very nice photo, but there is only so much space on the walls.  Maybe next time.

Farewell Summer

Those who know me are well aware that no tears were shed on my part with the changing of the seasons.  30+ degrees of sun, sweat and humidity are not my thing.  But, 11 degrees of cool, late summer overcast sky is not only music to my ears, but is wonderful for photography as well.  The big clouds reflecting on the calm lake and the empty chair on the dock just had a "thanks for coming, summer.  See ya next year." feel to it.  It's kind of tricky to take good sky photos as often the sky is way to bright for the rest of the image.  In order to avoid a dark foreground or a blown out sky, I took my readings off of the dock, which was pretty close to a neutral shade of grey.  I ended up shooting at ISO 100, f/9 for 1/500sec. This made sure that the dock would be the proper exposure, even allowing for the shadow from the chair to appear.  There are some small parts of the sky, near the whites of the clouds that are a bit blown out, but I don't feel it's really all that noticeable.  It also helped that the clouds themselves were a good shade of grey as well.  I really like this photo as it has lots of elements that I enjoy to looking at.  The puffy clouds, the blue sky, reflections on the water and the way that the red chair grabs your eye.  All that's missing is the empty bottle and you'd have the makings of a good beer commercial.

Everything Old Is New Again

After finishing up my Certificate in Photography from Concordia University, I spent my time trying to refine my skills and keep learning about my camera to enable myself to take the best photographs that I could.  I still didn't really think that my photographs would ever go much further than my computer screen or possibly the walls of my home.  However, this photograph is what led me down the road to where I am today.  Or rather, the photograph you see below is.  Thanks to a very persistent girlfriend, I entered this image in a photography contest for a local magazine, Lambert (http://www.magazinelambert.com/), and it won 2nd Place.  However, since winning that contest, I continued to learn and discovered that the same kind of photograph can be taken a little earlier in the evening, which results in a lighter skyline while keeping the light streaks of the passing cars.  Thus the 2012 re-do that is at the top of this post.  The above photo was taken around 7:30PM using the Canon 24-70mm lens at f/20, ISO 100 for 9sec.  The original photo was taken closer to 10:00PM using the same lens at f/11, ISO 100 for 25sec.  While I still like the original photo below, I also can't help but feel that the above photo is much better as I've retained all of the detail in the foreground of the picture, but the lighter sky allows the buildings to better stand out and it adds a bit more color to the final product.

Choeur Vives Voix

Back in the month of April, a friend of mine invited me to photograph a show that her choir group was putting together.  The show was called Contre Temps and it was put together by the Choeur Vives Voix, http://www.vivesvoix.ca/.  I was nervous about accepting to help them out as I had never photographed a live stage show before.  However, I was also really excited about accepting because I really wanted to photograph a live stage show.  The experience was one that I will never forget.  I went for the final dress rehersal and had full access to the floor, allowing me to position myself anywhere I wanted to get the best shots possible.  Knowing that I didn't have a reliable telephoto lens, I got myself as close to the stage as possible and shot away.  I was using my Canon 24-70mm lens as it was the best quality 2.8 lens that I have.  The light was very low, so I had to crank the ISO up to 1600, which terrified me as I was afraid that all of my photographs would be grainy.  Much to my relief, there was no such problem.  This image was shot at f/2.8, 1/30 sec.  It is my favourite shot from the show, and one of my favourite experiences I have had as a photographer.  More of my photographs from this show are available on their website, http://www.vivesvoix.ca/photos-contretemps.shtml.  Mine begin with photograph #8 and continue to the end.  I hope I get the chance to work with them again.

***UPDATE 1/24/2013***

A little photo  update to go along with the announcement that I will once again be photographing the show put on by the Choeur Vives Voix, http://www.vivesvoix.ca. The show this year will be called Romeo vs Juliette and if it is anything like the show they did last year, then it will be a smashing success.  Go to their website to find out more about the show and how to get tickets.  The above shot was taken at f/2.8, 1/100sec, ISO 1600 at 40mm.  As explained above, the high ISO is necessary due to the relative lack of light in the theater while 1/100sec is near the absolute slowest you can go to capture movement without much in the way of blurring.  I can't wait for April.

Sometimes You Have To Get Dirty

I went picking apples on Saturday and had two missions in mind.  One, to fill the bag as full as possible with apples, and two, to come home with a photograph that would make me forget the frustrations of Brockville.  I think that both tasks were successfully completed.  The apples were picked at Verger Petit et Fils (http://www.auxvergerspetit.com/) in Mont St. Hilaire.  I spent a good part of my time there looking for a nice, hanging group of apples that I could photograph.  However, I was having problems getting the background effect I was looking for as there were always leaves, branches or other apples in my way.  While you wander through an apple orchard, you quickly realize that there are almost as many apples on the ground as there are in the trees.  It was while I was wandering, that I came upon this apple, all by itself just beside the gravel trail used by the tractors that transported the pickers in and out of the orchard.  It was the forgotten apple.  I got down flat on the grass, used my Canon 24-70mm lens, set at 24mm.  I shot at ISO 100, f/4 for 1/200sec.  The result is the full focus on the apple as the background becomes very much blurred and out of focus.  You get the feeling of how the apple is isolated and very much alone in its environment.  Mission accomplished.

I Want A New Lens

Had a nice visit to the city of Brockville, Ont. today.  I took a cruise of the 1000 Islands, thanks to http://www.1000islandcruises.com, and I learned two things.  The best view is on the left side of the boat, and that I really hate my Canon 75-300mm f/4 - 5.6 lens.  Okay, that's a harsh word, but I do have a love/hate relationship with it.  It saved my hide when it was time to photograph the final fireworks display of 2012, but today on the boat, all it did was give me headaches.  This is probably the nicest shot of the day, out of the 234 photographs I originally took and the 78 that remain after a rather severe triage.  This image was shot at ISO 100, f/5 for 1/250 sec.  It's probably the least attractive photo you'll ever see of the 1000 Islands, but I chose it because I love the 'Keep Off' that was written on the rocks by someone who is obviously not a fan of visitors.  So, why bother to post a picture that I don't like?  Because it's important to remember that while every outing might not result in 'amazing' shots that are meant for an art gallery, they will serve their purpose as personal mementos.  Keep practicing and learn from your mistakes.  Also, keep off of this guys island.

It's In The Details

Every year in Saint-Lambert, they hold a Classic Car Exhibition, usually around the 3rd weekend in May.  Everyone at these events seems to always want to grab the odd picture of the cars, which are always parked in such a manner that it makes it difficult to really grab a unique photo.  So, what I like to do, as well as a couple of other photographers I spot each year, is look for the details.  Such as this wonderful hood ornament.  This image was shot with my Canon 24-70mm lens at 51mm.  ISO 100, f/2.8 with an exposure time of 1/1000 sec.  I also did a vertical crop on the photograph, to put a real emphasis on the hood ornament.  Full disclosure, I also like the uncropped version of this photograph as well.  The result is a decoration that really stands out from the blurred out background.  I'm also really fond of this shot as one of the local newspapers used a shot that was very similar to my pre-cropped image as the cover photo for their edition that covered the event.  Now, if only I could learn to take notes about the cars as well as I do with my shots, I might actually remember what car this hood ornament came from.

I Have Fun When The Sun Goes Down

 It should be no secret by now, says the guy with the blog that has been online for only a little more than a week, that my favourite kind of photography is night photography.  The above image isn't the photograph that I was originally out to get the other night.  However, I always keep my eyes open and this opportunity developed in front of me.  I've taken several shot of Montreal before, but I saw this as an opportunity to do some cropping.  I've never really done any, for lack of a better term, panorama cropping before but I knew this photograph would allow me the chance to play.  Above, is the final, cropped image, and below is the original image I took.  Using my Canon 24-70mm lens, I shot at ISO100, f/7.1 with an exposure of 15 sec.  I then cropped the image to 10' x 4' to give it the panorama look.  I still like the look of the original photograph, but the cropped version is, in my opinion, much tighter and more pleasant to look at.

Early For The Midnight Train

Paid a visit to my parents, and while there, I decided to visit a favorite location of mine.  I've always liked railroad tracks, and this one location just manages to always give off a 'middle of nowhere' feel.  The sun was just the right level to make the leaves on the trees a nice colour of green, and was also at the right level to keep the tracks in the shade.  I shot at f/5.6, 1/50 and ISO 100.  I was using my Canon 24-70mm lens, set at 42mm.  Your eye just follows the tracks to the back of the photo and you can't help but wonder where the trip will lead you.  That would be what we call a 'leading line'.  It's a photography technique in which your eye get attracted to a line, and really brings the viewer into the image.  I think I've accomplished that with this photo, but only you the viewer can know for sure.

Special Effects

One of the reasons I originally decided to sign up for photography courses was because I loved looking at photos of light streaks, fireworks and the way things looked at night.  I was drawn to night images, yet had no success taking them.  While learning how to take those kind  of photos, I also learned about some special effects shots that can also be taken once the sun goes down.  The image above was actually a hanging decoration at a local Cancer Walk.  I was using my trusty Canon 30D with a Canon 24-70mm lens at 70mm, ISO 100, f/7.1 with an exposure time of 6 seconds.  However, in order to achieve the light streaks you see while the picture was being taken, I was playing with the zoom ring to zoom in and out of the image.  As a result, the camera captures the light as you zoom in and out of the object being photographed.  Kind of like the when you capture streaks of light of cars going by, but in this case, you are creating the streaks of light while with your lens, rather than just capturing them.  It's a cool little trick that can be used to change something you would think to be rather ordinary into a totally original photograph.

The Vernissage Invitations Have Arrived

Pretty exciting day.  I received the poster for my exhibition and the invitation slips in the mail.  We're getting closer to the big day and this just gets the blood flowing in a very good way.

Photograph Everything

One of the big problems I had when I first started to get serious about picking up the camera was finding the motivation to actually photography something.  I won't lie, I still have that problem to this day as motivation has never been one of my strongest attributes.  However, it's true what everyone says.  Practice makes perfect, and sometimes something as simple as practice can leave you with a pretty cool shot.  This photo was taken at Christmas 2000-something at my Uncle Paul's house.  The presents had been unwrapped, supper had been eaten and I'm pretty sure that everyone was sick of my taking their picture.  So, I decided to pull out my Canon 60mm Macro lens, lined up some candles and decided to play around.  After I few attempts, I decided to go with ISO 400, f/4 and 1/15sec for the exposure.  I took several pictures, but I feel that this on was the best.  Whenever I'm feeling lazy about pulling out my camera, I try and make my way back to this image in order to remind myself that even the simplest of things can be used to create a very nice image. 

A Kind Of Magic

I've always been a fan of fireworks.  Boys love to hear things go boom.  One of the perks of where I live is that I am steps away from the Montreal Fireworks competition every year and have discovered several different locations to photograph them from.  This particular shot came from a vacant field just a bit before the Longueuil Marina.  It was shot using my Canon 30D and a Canon 70-300mm lens at 70mm.  I was at ISO 100, f/8 with an exposure time of 14sec.  I like having the bridge in the background of this shot and I also enjoy the little light streak in the top corner that is an airplane that was flying by.  I actually did a healthy cropping job on this shot as well in order to eliminate the parking lot that was directly ahead of me and to change the image from a vertical to horizontal shot.  I'm not a big fan of photoshop, but I don't view these kinds of changes as cheating.  This was the final show of the competition and the theme was 'A Tribute To Queen'.  Thus the title of this blog post.

The Photo That Has Caused All Of This

I took this picture a few years back in Saint-Lambert.  I am positioned on top of a railway bridge and using a Manfrotto Tripod.  I was shooting at f/22, ISO 100 and using a Canon 30D with a 24-70mm Canon lens.  The exposure time was 75 seconds.  I adore the skyline in this photo and I had to wait a little while to finally get that bus to go by and add that extra streak to the photo.  This picture is also extra special to me as it was chosen by the judges as the photo that allowed me to be chosen to win a month long exposition at the Greenfield Park Library. 

Facebook

Those of you who know me well are well aware of my dislike of Facebook.  Well, after much debate and arm twisting, I now have a page.  You can view it at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eric-Mahannah-Photography/348316065254493.  There will be much linking back and forth between there and here.

Here it is, the Eric Mahannah Photography Blog.  Hopefully this will continue to push me forward in my photographic endeavours.