Day 365 Plus 1

 

New blog – Carrying on:    http://pauldickie2012.wordpress.com/

It’s been a week since I finished up here. Unwilling to put the camera away, I did take a few days off & caught up with stuff that got ignored during the daily chase. The urge to shoot, however, is strong & I have been out & about.

I’ve been casting about looking for a project to sink my teeth into and, until I settle on one, will take a more leisurely approach to shooting. To that end, and to keep this last year separate from anything else, I have started another blog.

http://pauldickie2012.wordpress.com/

I had intended to spend a lot of words talking about what I learned in the past year. On reflection, though, I think that each of us who embarks on a journey will find that it is one of self discovery. Each day is another opportunity and making the most out of each one will yield results that are personal. If I can share the stories and visions along the way, I’m satisfied. So, in the words of the infamous Brian – ‘Carry On’.

 

Day 365 of 365 – The Swan Song

The End

Well, this is it. The final episode of a year long venture.

I wasn’t sure what the end would look like but, as chance would have it, I had spent the evening at Doug & Betty’s partying and making loud music with friends of 40+ years. In the cold, grey light of morning as I looked out the kitchen window, I saw this image & went after it. (Looks best in full screen.)

Symbolically – leaving the confines of the yard to strike out on another adventure. I won’t simply be wandering off into the sunset to disappear. I’ve decided to take on a project – yet to be defined – but it will involve people. People live their experiences and tell their stories. Maybe I can capture some of that.

The past year has been a challenge and a learning experience with the odd day (or days) of frustration and yearning for it to end, but mostly satisfaction at capturing some images that I like. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve achieved what I set out to do – reinvigorate my passion for shooting. Along the way I have realized that, as an art form, photography takes effort, knowledge and continual learning. As with a traditional art form, simply taking a picture or making marks on paper do not an artist make. The effort is a combination of indulging the artistic eye with as much background & technical information as one can possibly call on to make it work.

So, thank you to the folks who have shared my view of the world around me, have commented on it and have decided to follow this adventure. It’s been a kick start to whatever comes next. And it has been a heck of a documentary on one year of my life.

November 17, 2013

Day 364 of 365

Sunset

Missed tonight’s moonrise, but got the sunset. Modified slightly using NIK color FX, then NIK Viveza to bring out the color & detail.

Day 363 of 365

Corn Flower

… ” at my door the leaves are falling …
– Johnny Cash (I Still Miss Someone)

Heading into the long, cold, dark months of winter. Gotta find a gig somewhere sunny & warm.

Day 362 of 365

display

Museum of Civilization

Canadian Museum of Civilization, soon to be transformed into the Museum of History.
This image depicts a laundromat operated by a Chinese worker.
For those who have never been there, the second image is the grand hall as seen on entering the museum.

Day 361 of 365

Photojournalism class.
Quick lessons in lighting for portaiture.

Day 360 of 365

Ottawa train station – ramp leading under the tracks to a boarding area.
I shot this location some years ago, but wanted a better light.

Day 359 of 365 – Remembrance Day

Veterans

Human nature has it that there have always been those who would oppress and those who will resist. Freedom is something that we inherently seek out and struggle to maintain. Remembrance Day is a way to bring to light the sacrifices made in the fight for liberty and to teach the young about simple freedoms. One day a year is really not enough; however, it seems that honoring our veterans and their efforts is becoming more widespread.

What these 3 images mean to me:
– reflections of a veteran, many of whom do not speak of the horrors they have lived through;
– the young who believe that service in the defense of their country is a personal calling;
– respect for those who have sacrificed personal comfort and even their lives and teaching the young that it counts.

Medic

Honor the sacrifice

Day 358 of 365

Senator Anne Cools

Bomber Command played a vital role in the war effort during WWII.
This role has gone largely unacknowledged. Last Saturday and today, I was on hand to view a documentary on the building and unveiling of a memorial to Bomber Command in downtown London, England. Aluminum from a recovered bomber, RCAF Halifax LW682, was used in the construction of the ceiling of that memorial.

On a separate occasion, Senator Anne Cools traveled at her own expense with Bomber Command Museum of Canada contingent to the Virginia War Memorial dedication (on Oct. 22, 2013) of a special stone tablet and plaque dedicated to the 16 Virginians killed-in-action in the RCAF.

The photo in Senator Cools’ hand shows Laurie Hawn MP, Karl Kjarsgaard and Senator Cools just after the dedication – the Canadian representatives at this special ceremony.
This photo which was presented to the Senator as a token of appreciation for her long standing support of the Bomber Command Museum of Canada.

The metal plaques are made of aluminum from RCAF Halifax LW682. An ingot is shown sitting on the stool, bottom left.

More on this story at:
http://www.57rescuecanada.com/
http://www.dunrobincastle.com/

Day 357 of 365

Plasco

Detail from the towers at Plasco.
Plasco is a waste conversion facility utilizing its proprietary technology to convert Ottawa’s post-recycled waste into electricity, an inert slag that can be used as a construction material and recovered clean water suitable for surface discharge.