Trevor Connell Photography

Using Flock to Blog

2008-12-21T23:30:00.001-05:00

So, I'm trying out a new browser called Flock and it's claim to fame is that it seamlessly connects you to all you "media" avenues all in one place. So far, I have connected through my Flickr, Facebook and now blogger accounts. It has this little sidebar thingy that updates in real-time, allowing you to read, view, and comment on all types of media content. It's pretty cool!

Oh yeah, this post was my first test at posting through Flock. How did I do?

;)

Cheers!
t.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Organizing the Baby's Room

2008-10-26T11:39:00.007-04:00

Yesterday Dana and I had some time to go through all the gifts that we got for Baby Connell over the course of the last couple of months. This was no small task as you will see from some of the pics below. We are truly blessed for having such generous friends and family.

For the rest of the set, please visit my Flickr page HERE.

Cheers!
t.

Controlling Light

2008-09-28T10:53:00.008-04:00

Yesterday I had a chance to brush up on my skills and make some photographs utilizing off-camera lighting techniques. There is a new movement in the industry called the "Strobist" movement that basically allows photographers to use small strobes with wireless flash triggers to create big results. I've posted some examples of what I did yesterday below. If you are interested in reading more about Strobist Techniques, please visit David Hobby's site CLICKING HERE.

Please don't hesitate to post your thoughts and comments below and for the rest of the set, please visit my Flickr page HERE.

Cheers!
t.

Craft Your Success Tour

2008-09-07T21:52:00.002-04:00

In two weeks time, there will be a one-day seminar called "Craft Your Success" (craftyoursuccesstour.com). This is being run and sponsored by award winning Canadian photographer Davide Greene (davidgreene.ca), Rock Star Photographer David Jay (davidjay.com), and Michael Anderson (michaelandersonphotography.ca).

I've followed David Jay through his Open Source Photo forum (OSP) for quite some time, idolizing what he has done in the industry and what beautiful pictures he makes. I've also been fortunate enough to meet Davide Greene through an OSP/meetup.com meeting last year where I got to know a really great guy who is a wealth of knowledge. And even though I don't know Michael Anderson, just to be associated with both David(e)'s gives him credibility beyond belief and I am sure I will learn a lot from him too.

If you are a photographer, wanting to learn more about the business side of things, this is probably an event you are not going to want to miss.

Cheers!
t.

The Toronto Air Show

2008-09-05T14:16:00.006-04:00

Last Saturday, Chris, Leah, Dana and I went to see the Air Show and then to The Ex. It was a great day of fun in the sun!

Below are a couple of pics from the show and the rest of the gallery can be found by CLICKING HERE.

Cheers!
t.

Creative Maternity

2008-08-17T11:23:00.010-04:00

While Dana and I were at the cottage, we took the opportunity to take some maternity shots. It was great to be outdoors and I think the photos really reflect how happy we are being pregnant. We can't wait to meet our little guy!

Enjoy a few of the pics!

t.

Lindsay & Andy's Wedding

2008-08-14T08:06:00.006-04:00

Ok, ok, I know Lindsay and Andy got married last year. And I know I should be better at processing my photos...so I guess all I can do is apologize! To be truthful, I didn't really think at the time that I got very many "good" ones. So, I let them sit. I moved through other things. But when I had a bit of time on a recent holiday, I revisited them. And I must say, I'm pretty happy I did.

See below for a couple of examples.

t.

Lindsay and Andy's Son Grant with his Grandma

Lindsay and Andy's first kiss being married

Now introducing Mr. & Mrs. Dowker

Lindsay & Andy's friends have some cute kids

Fun Pics from the Cottage

2008-08-01T13:29:00.004-04:00

Been another month since my last update...sorry to all my loyal readers (if there are any of you out there)!!!

While we were up at the cottage on vacation for a week, I took the chance to take some photos.

Below are a couple of pics from the show and the gallery can be found by CLICKING HERE.

Enjoy!
t.

EuroHip 2007: Show #4 - The Paradiso Night 2

2008-06-23T08:44:00.005-04:00

Hi All,

In keeping with the previous posts, today we look at the photos I took from my final night on my EuroHip trip: The Paradiso, Night 2. The Hip played another rockin' show in what has got to be the coolest concert venue I have ever seen!

Below are a couple of pics from the show and the gallery can be found by CLICKING HERE.

Cheers!
t.

EuroHip 2007: Amsterdam

2008-06-21T19:15:00.005-04:00

Well I finally got back to finishing the processing of my EuroHip pics today. This post comprises of examples of our walk around Amsterdam. Actually, most of them are from the Heineken Brewery. It was a lot of fun. Stay tuned until tomorrow when I will post the pics from the last show at the Paradiso on September 26th, 2007.

Below are a couple of pics I took in Amsterdam and the gallery can be found by CLICKING HERE.

Cheers!
t.

Play: "Trying"

2008-06-17T09:02:00.005-04:00

Last week I was fortunate enough to be able to shoot a play for a good friend of ours. The play is called "Trying" and only has two actors in it (and on stage) for the entire play! For anyone who knows theatre, that is tough to do! But Carolyn and Vince did an excellent job and hats off to Dia and her crew for making this all happen.

Here are some samples of my work:

Until next time!
t.

So we weren't trying for long when...

2008-05-15T09:56:00.007-04:00

I get a little surprise from my Wife on my nightstand...

so we showed them to Annabelle (Molly ran away)...

and then we celebrated with a couple of pics of ourselves....

So don't be surprised if this blog turns into a Happy Dad taking pictures of his son/daughter all the time. I don't know if I wll be able to resist.

t.

Fix You

2008-03-29T22:49:00.003-04:00

I didn't even know this existed! Looks like there might be a pro-shot DVD out there somewhere. If anyone can give me anymore details on this one, please leave a comment!

Oh yeah, and it's a great video showing why Toronto simply rocks for live music!

t.

Mark Forward at Yuk Yuk's

2008-03-03T15:03:00.002-05:00

So one of Dana's friends from Humber Theatre school is tearing up the comedy scene these days and we had a chance to go see his act at Yuk Yuk's last night in Mississauga. Man, is this cat funny!

Please check out this clip from Youtube of Mark performing at Just For Laughs last year.

Keep a watch out - I have a feeling we are going to hear a lot more from Mark in the not-to-distant-future!

Cheers!
t.

Kinda Wish...

2008-02-15T14:21:00.002-05:00

I could have convinced my wife to do something like this for OUR reception...

SWEET!

Wintersleep at the Phoenix

2008-02-10T20:45:00.000-05:00

The Phoenix

Cold Night

Packed House

Awesome Atmosphere

Wintersleep LIVE

What more could anyone ask for?

Below are a couple of pics I took during their set and the gallery can be found by CLICKING HERE.

Cheers!

t.

Flash Lightnin' at the Phoenix

2008-02-09T16:16:00.000-05:00

Last week I was able to shoot the Wintersleep concert at the Phoenix Concert Theatre. One of the opening bands was called Flash Lightnin'. They rocked out pretty hard and if you have a chance, you should take in their show. It was great and I would see them again.

Below are a couple of pics I took during their set and the gallery can be found by CLICKING HERE.

t.

Improv Everywhere Strikes Again

2008-02-04T22:10:00.000-05:00

From the people that brought you The No Pants Subway Ride....watch below!

Be sure to check out Improv Everywhere.

[b] school blog

2008-02-01T12:23:00.001-05:00

Hey Guys,

One of the most amazing wedding photographers and great guy [b]ecker has a new feature and blog called the [b] school blog. He does great 2 minute shorts each and every day on topics that should and will excite every photographer. You don't have to be an expert to understand the relevance of what this guy has to say.

So, please have a look at the following trailer and head on over to the [b] school blog and check back each and EVERY day for a new short.

Making Christmas Pies

2008-01-30T17:30:00.000-05:00

So back in December, we got together with some friends to make some Christmas pies. We had a really great family recipe to use so we went to Costco, grabbed some supplies, and started cooking. It was a lot of fun and I currently have 8 Meat Pies in my freezer to eat over the course of the year! I'm also quite lucky because my wife doesn't eat red meat so they are ALL MINE!!

Below are a couple of pics I took throughout the day and the rest can be found in a FLICKR gallery by CLICKING HERE.

ENJOY!
t.

I'm pretty sure the cats didn't know what to think of all that red meat!

This expression is priceless!

Ashes of Roses

2007-12-06T08:50:00.001-05:00

Hi All,

So most of you know that my wife is pretty crafty and recently she has decided to pursue that craft-y-ness (now I'm just making up words!!) by starting her own crafting (how many times can I say craft in one paragraph??) business. And even more recently, she sold some of her products at a Craft (*sigh*) Show in Huttonville, which is just outside our hometown. She did extremely well for her first go at this and I am very proud of her.

I was fortunate enough to be able to snap a couple of pics for her and they can be found below. And if you are interested, please visit her website (still in it's infancy) and contact her for more information on what she's doing. Here website can be found by CLICKING HERE.

And if you have a chance, please wish he all the best!

t.

Wintersleep @ The Mod Club

2007-11-18T12:26:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned in the previous post, I was fortunate enough to shoot the Wintersleep concert at the Mod Club on Friday night. A fellow Hip fan and good friend Dave got me hooked on them. They have three great albums out, their latest (and some might say probably their best) was just released last month. So, in support of that album, the band rolled into the Mod Club last Friday. It was an early show because of a DJ night that was to happen after the show but it was still a blast nonetheless.

Below are some samples of the shots I got. You can see the rest of the gallery by CLICKING HERE.

I hope you enjoy!
t.

The Wooden Stars @ The Mod Club

2007-11-17T15:52:00.000-05:00

Last night I shot the Wintersleep concert here in Toronto at the Mod Club. The opening band was The Wooden Stars. I have heard them live a couple of times before but they were especially good last night. It's too bad they played a short set because of time constraints. I would have liked to have heard more.

Below are a couple of samples of the photos I took and the rest can be found by CLICKING HERE.

Cheers!
t.

EUROHIP Concert #3: The Paradiso, Amsterdam Night 1

2007-11-16T15:10:00.000-05:00

Hi All,

Continuing with our tour of Europe, the next stop is the first of two nights at the Lengedary Paradiso in Amsterdam. Below is a sample of the shots I took, with the rest of the gallery accessible by CLICKING HERE.

I hope you enjoy!

t.

EUROHIP Concert #2: Oosterpoort, Groningen

2007-11-12T13:30:00.001-05:00

Hey All,

As I continue to work through these photos, I have completed another set. The samples below are from our second concert we saw, this one at the Oosterpoort in Groningen. There is quite a long story to the start of this show, one that saw myself not allowed to enter the venue with my gear, then it was ok, then it wasn't again and I had to take it back to the Hotel, then that changed again and I was finally allowed to bring everything in. A big thanks to Snoo for running from the venue to our hotel to let me know the good news.

Anyways, have a gander below. The rest of the gallery can be found by CLICKING HERE.

Enjoy!
t.

Continuing EuroHip 2007: Groningen

2007-11-10T19:53:00.000-05:00

Back to the trip in September so neatly dubbed "EuroHip 2007" we find ourselves in Groningen for a couple of days. The photos below are taken over the course of those two days touring around the city. The rest of the set can be found by CLICKING HERE.

Enjoy!
t.

Matt Merritt's new blog

2007-10-22T11:12:00.001-04:00

Hi All,

Just wanted to let you know a good friend of mine Matt has started a new blog. It can be found by CLICKING HERE. He's a great guy so please head on over and have a look.

Cheers!
t.

EuroHip 2007 Concert One : The Astoria, London, UK

2007-10-19T09:18:00.000-04:00

The first of the four concerts I went to during EuroHip 2007 was the show at the Astoria in London. This venue has been around for quite some time and many popular bands have played there. It was very dark inside as everything was painted black. There was an upper balcony and Chris, Ben, Snoo, Matt, Emma & I stood in the front row. We had a great vantage point as you will see in the following pictures. The remainder of the gallery can be found by CLICKING HERE.

Some of my favourites are posted below.

Cheers!
t.

EuroHip 2007

2007-10-15T09:32:00.000-04:00

Over the course of 8 days in September, I travelled with half a dozen friends to Europe to see The Tragically Hip play four concerts. We toured to London, Groningen & Amsterdam, spending 2-3 days in each city. We had a blast and over the course of the next couple of weeks, I will be posting my pictures that I took from this trip.

Today we start with London, England. We were there on September 20th and 21st and had a chance to do some "touristy" stuff. Below is a sampling of my pictures and the rest have been uploading to a set on my Flickr site. You can CLICK HERE to view them if you want.

Cheers!
t.

Matt Nathanson Tonight!

2007-10-08T16:41:00.001-04:00

Tonight Dana and I are going to see Matt Nathanson perform live in Toronto at the Elmo! This will be the third year in a row that Matt has graced Canada with a presence. Unfortunately, Dana and I missed the show last year because we were still in Scotland but we will be there, rockin' tonight!

If you have some time and are in the area, venture down to the Elmo at 7pm, you won't regret it!

Chris and Leanne's Wedding

2007-09-08T17:10:00.000-04:00

On August 18th, 2007, Dana and I traveled to Gatineau Quebec to witness our good friends Chris and Leanne get married. The ceremony and reception took place at Chateau Cartier (Website here) and was very beautiful.

Chris and Leanne asked me to read a blessing for their wedding ceremony and I was completely honoured. Here is what I read:

A Blessing for a Marriage:

Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be the shelter for each other.
Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be the warmth for the other.
Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before.
Go now to your dwelling place to enter into the days of your life together.

And may your days be good and long upon the earth.
Treat yourselves and each other with respect, and remind yourselves often of what brought you together.
Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness and kindness that your connection deserves.

When frustration, difficulty and fear assail your relationship –
as they threaten all relationships at one time or another –
remember to focus on what is right between you, not only the part which seems wrong.

In this way, you can ride out the storms when clouds hide the face of the sun in your lives -
remembering that even if you lose sight of it for a moment, the sun is still there.

And if each of you takes responsibility for the quality of your life together,
it will be marked by abundance and delight.

___

We were asked to not take any pictures during the ceremony but I grabbed a few from the reception. Here is a small sampling:

Chris and Leanne sharing a kiss:

Chris and Noa:

My gorgeous wife Dana:

Kiko and David:

Dana and I:

Chris and Leanne's first dance:

The rest of the gallery can be found on my Flickr site BY CLICKING HERE.

Hope you enjoy!
t.

MATT NATHANSON - Some Mad Hope

2007-08-14T21:07:00.000-04:00

Today one of my favourite singer/songwriters released another studio album called "Some Mad Hope." He is a really great guy with some wonderful songs full of heartfelt emotion. I've seen him in concert a bunch of times and really love his work. So, if you have a moment, step on over to HIS WEBSITE and have a listen. If you like, maybe pick up his new album - I promise you really won't be disappointed.

t.

Cedar Tip 2007

2007-08-12T18:57:00.000-04:00

Just got back from a (far too) short vacation at the cottage for a week. Unlike (it seems anyways) everyone else in the world, we have to drive a great distance to get to our family cottage. It's about 6-1/2 hours actually. But, as you will see from the pictures, well worth it. We had an abundance of sun and heat which was welcomed by my wife and I. The water was super warm and there wasn't a day that we didn't spend a large portion of it in the lake. Overall, it was a nice time away.

Hope you enjoy the pics!

t.

Cedar Tip

The beach

A daisy

A froggie out on a new adventure

A dear we spotted on our way back from a daytrip

The BEST rocking chair in the world

A statue someone cemented to a rock down the lake

My HOTTIE wife

Swimmer's Cove

Dana and I on a picnic

J-Long 2007

2007-07-22T23:16:00.000-04:00

I was finally able to get around to processing some of the photos I took at this year's J-Long over the Canada Day long weekend. We had a great time with our hosts Jay & Shannon along with a plethora of other friends. The weather was a little uncooperative but still had a blast!

Below are some examples of the pics I got. The rest can be found in my Flickr gallery by CLICKING HERE.

Comments always welcome!

t.

Jen & Jason's Wedding

2007-07-17T10:32:00.000-04:00

On June 16th 2007, my cousin Jen married Jason in front of friends and family. It was a super-beautiful (but hot) day. The ceremony was held in an open-air chapel with refreshments being served on the garden patio immediately following. After some good conversation and some pops, dinner and dancing was held in the dining hall.

These are a sample of my pictures from the day. The rest can be found in my Flickr gallery by CLICKING HERE.

Enjoy!

t.

The Rest...

2007-07-11T12:35:00.000-04:00

As promised, here are the rest of the honeymoon photos. CLICK HERE.

Love to hear what you think!

t.

Honeymoon Photos

2007-07-09T12:51:00.000-04:00

So my honeymoon was quite a while ago (October 2006 to be exact) and much to the chagrin on my wife, I have been putting off processing the photos. I don't have an answer to why I did (work, other photo shoots, family, life to name a few) it just happened.

So I have finally been getting caught up on some of these archived photos. It's been good to finally get back to them.

Below are some of my favourites. I will soon be posting the collection to my Flickr gallery but for now, these will have to do. I will update here when I have completed the rest of them and they are uploaded.

t.

The front/top of Rosslyn Chapel

Dana outside Holyrood Palace

Dalhousie Castle

Dalhousie Castle

At the top of Edinburgh Castle

My honey looking stunning outside Edradour Distillery

Walking around Pitlochry

More Pitlochry

The fields of Colloden

A grave at Colloden

The monument at Colloden Battlefields

"Hughie" a highland cow

The grounds at Glengarry Castle

Our view at Glengarry Castle

The old Castle Ruins nearby Glengarry Castle

A waterfall at Glengarry Castle

Our drive towards Eilean Donan Castle

More scenery on our way to Eilean Donan Castle

Overlooking the Valley near Eilean Donan Castle

Eilean Donan Castle

The Old Man of Storr

Lots of these guys around

Our drive through Fintry

More driving

The scenic mountains through Fintry

My wife at the "Ladies Lookout" in Stirling Castle

Father's Day Prints

2007-06-19T13:21:00.000-04:00

For Father's Day, my wife and I gave my Dad three prints of some photos I took while we were in Scotland. My Father had been on a bus tour of the Northern country of Scotland but most of his pics didn't turn out because he was on a bus (and we all know what happens when you shoot through glass with a flash on...). So, we thought it would be nice to refresh his memory with some of the wonderful sights that he saw.

Below are the pictures we framed.

t.

Urquhart Castle

Eilean Donan Castle

Road through the hills of Fintry

Brampton Masters Lacrosse

2007-06-10T21:50:00.000-04:00

So this summer I decided to try something a little different. When I was younger, I played lacrosse every summer for Brampton. For as long as I can remember, my summer's were about lacrosse and nothing more. So when I saw an ad in the Brampton Guardian this spring for a "Masters" lacrosse league, I knew I had to join. And really, it has been the best thing that I have done in a while. Not only am I getting some much needed exercise, but I am having a blast doing it. And the league is filled with guys I used to play with so it has been great reconnecting with them.

Last week I decided to put some of my photography skills to work. I took some photos of 3 games and have posted some examples below for everyone to see. If you have a chance, please visit MY FLICKR GALLERY for more of the images. And if you are so inclined, please visit the BRAMPTON MASTERS LACROSSE website and keep track of how I am doing. I am on Louisiana Seafood.

Enjoy the photos!
t.

A little lacking

2007-05-24T13:56:00.000-04:00

So, it's been a while. Sorry to all those that have been waiting for an update. I do have some photos to post and I hope to do that real soon.

I promise you won't have to wait much longer!

t.

COLLECTION: Reception Photo Booth

2007-03-26T10:01:00.000-04:00

Now that everyone is starting to get their Thank You's from Dana and I for attending our Wedding Reception, people are starting to see the Photo Booth images that were taken. Since we unfortunately couldn't send a complete set to everyone, we thought it would be nice to post them on the Internet where anyone interested to take a look. Below are a couple of examples and at the end of this post you will find a link to my Flickr Gallery containing the rest.

Comments are always appreciated!

Enjoy!
t.

My FLICKR Gallery can be found by CLICKING HERE.

It's been over a month but hopefully worth the wait...

2007-03-16T11:23:00.000-04:00

Hi All,

So the title references the pictures I took at the Hip show at the ACC on February 8th. I have been so busy as of late, that I haven't had a chance to filter through and post process my favourites. Well, the wait is over. Below you will find a small example of what I captured, and the link at the end is to my Flickr gallery where you can find the rest.

These were taken from my seat in the third row on Robbie's side. I didn't have the convenience of moving around (like I did in the Media Pit in Oshawa) so at first, I didn't really think that I got any quality shots. As I started processing them, I realized that the angle that I was on really allowed for some great contrasts. There are some wonderful shots of the band isolated on black backgrounds and in some vibrant colours.

Anyways...enough talk, here are the photos:

And here is the link to the rest : Flickr Gallery Here

t.

A Wonderful Engagement

2007-03-12T09:36:00.000-04:00

Got a phonecall from my buddy Chris last night with some very exciting news...he and his sweetheart Leah are engaged to be married! This is such wonderful news and I am so very happy for them both!

Here's a pic of the happy couple from my wedding reception:

Congrats Chris & Leah!

t.

So...yeah...

2007-02-16T22:39:00.000-05:00

Hey Kiddies!

Have been busy! Can't you tell? No updates in like two weeks! That's a shame and I am sorry for that. Been super busy with all the cool things I have going on in my life right now. Hopefully I will be able to get back to some of these other great things real soon.

I still have yet to process the photos I took of the Hip at the ACC on February 8th. I will get to those soon, I promise. Plus, we have a ton of photos that still haven't been completed from our wedding, our honeymoon, and our reception. Those will be done soon too, I double promise.

I also hope to get out and shoot again soon...hopefully!

Stay warm everyone!
t.

And so that was cool!

2007-02-03T13:05:00.000-05:00

As mentioned earlier, I was able to shoot the hip from the "media pit" this past Wednesday for three songs. It was a really cool experience but definitely a very quick one as well. I really never knew 10 minutes could fly by so quickly! Thanks once again to the Hip and MAv for making all that happen!

Unfortunately, I don't have any pics to post at the moment. They are all sitting on my external hard drive at the moment and I haven't had a chance to process them yet. (And yes, it is killing me!)

I have taken a quick peek and there are some good ones there. Hopefully I will be able to post something next week.

Have a great weekend all!

t.

Living out a dream tonight...

2007-01-31T11:41:00.000-05:00

Hi All,

Just got some wonderful news! As you have seen, I took some pictures of my favourite band, The Tragically Hip, last Thursday in Barrie. I am going to another of their shows tonight, this time in Oshawa.

After a couple of friendly emails back in forth, I have found out that the Hip's Webmaster has been able to get me a photo pass for tonight's show. This means, that for the first three songs, I will be in the media pit, shooting the band!!!! And, if I do well, you may just see some of those shots on the Hip's website! Isn't that cool?

It really is just a dream come true for me!

Wish me luck and hopefully I will have news tomorrow of a very successful experience!

Cheers!
t.

PS: Don't forget to visit The Hip's Website here. You just never know when you might see some of my stuff pop up!

The Tragically Hip in Barrie 2007-01-25

2007-01-28T21:42:00.000-05:00

I had the extreme pleasure of shooting the Tragically Hip in concert last Thursday at the Barrie Molson Centre in Barrie Ontario. This was only the second time that I have been allowed in with my DSLR and the first time with a new pro-series lens. As you can see, it makes all the difference in the world!

I took over 800 shots and had a hard time filtering them down to a reasonable amount to post. There are some examples below and more on my Flickr site. Go to Flickr to see the rest!

Cheers!
t.

Skype

2007-01-16T21:52:00.000-05:00

For those of you who are unfamiliar with VOIPing, here is the lowdown: Skype is KING! VOIP stands for "Voice Over Internet Protocol" or "Voice Over IP" for short(er). This is not a new technology but has started to gain some momentum in mainstream markets. Basically, the long and the short of it is this: Skype (and other services) allow users to talk to anyone in the world (as long as they are using the Skype service) for free. It uses a microphone and the speakers on your computer to send your voice via the Internet to a connected computer on the other end. You can buy all these cool accessories such as wireless phones, USB keys and such that all work with the service. And (and a BIG AND), for a nominal fee, you can establish your own number (with voicemail) that allows others (who can be anywhere in the world) to call you from not just their computer, but their phones as well. You can establish a number just about anywhere. For instance, DB is a friend of mine in Japan. He established a number with a 416 area code so that I (and his other friends) can call him and only be charged local calling charges. The phone then rings in Japan and you would never know he was there and you were not. It's really darn cool!

I just signed up (I know, I know it has been a long time coming DB & CH) and it looks like it is going to be a real winner for me.

More to come once I have my phone charged and all the services established.

Go to SKYPE for more information!

t.

Julia's First Photoshoot

2007-01-11T15:36:00.000-05:00

I had the privilege of taking some pictures of my beautiful niece last night. She was a little fussy because her Father kept blowing air in her face, we kept taking her out of her warm blanket and exposing her to the cold, and because...well...she was hungry. She's hungry pretty much all the time now, which is a great thing! Some of us believe she wanted some of the pizza we had for dinner. Maybe when she gets some teeth!

Anyways, these are just some of my favs from last night. It's nice to shoot something other than the cats for once :)

t.

Apple iPhone

2007-01-09T15:44:00.000-05:00

Oh baby! Apple announced today that, starting June, they will be shipping their first ever cellular phone! As you can see from the picture above, it has a touch-screen, built in support for email, websurfing, and "visual voicemail" which is something relatively new to the cellular world. The "phone" also includes a 2 megapixel camera, either 4 or 8 gig storage capacities, and enough support for all your digial music you can handle.

The iPhone will be available on the Cingular Wireless network in the states starting June. Nothing has been mentioned for us Canadian folk yet but I am sure that a deal will be struck soon.

For more information, tutorials and screenshots, click here.

Today could be a day to remember in technology history! Mark it on your calendars kids! January 9th, 2007, the day Apple changed the way we use our technology on the run!

Cheers!
t.

New Glass and a Cat in the Box...

2007-01-06T14:52:00.000-05:00

So I read somewhere that if you have nothing else to shoot...shoot your pets. Of course, I mean that in the best way possible. On Friday, my new lens arrived and I needed to test it. I took some shots of the Christmas tree, some ornaments, and then I noticed that Annabelle was in her box. You see, just before Christmas, Dana had left a box in beside the kitchen counter that she had just taken some Christmas presents out of. So Annabelle, being the nosey cat that she is, decided to call it her new home. We haven't been able to get her out of it since. No...really, she never leaves it. So, to document how cute she looks in her new home and to test out my new piece of glass, I thought I would take some shots of her.

See how she loves the camera?

I think we can all agree that my new glass was a great purchase!

t.

For d...I love you.

2007-01-03T14:08:00.000-05:00

and I remember too.

t.

Build you own Ring Flash...

2006-12-31T17:34:00.000-05:00

So there are a number of blogs out there on the web that specialize in giving tips and tricks to the digital photographer. With the prices dropping fast and furious along with the availability of "pro-sumer" DSLR's, more and more people are making the jump. The great quandry of course though is: is this saturation of new users lowering the quality of pictures taken? Are we as a society decreasing our intelligence by increasing our need for the "snapshot?" I will let the others dispute these thoughts until the cows come home. That's not what this blog is about.

What I thought I would do is start to include links to other blogs that introduce cool new ideas into the realm of photography. So, as we roll in 2007, you will start to see some links to other cool blogs and websites. I will try to feature something new every day or so.

Today we start with a really neat feature I found on the "DigiHack's" blog. The author gives a great tutorial on how to build your own ring flash. For those of you who don't know what a ring flash is, it is a device that is typically circular that you put your lens through which allows for a very flat, illuminated subject without any shadows. You will see this used in fashion photography quite often. To top it all off, the catch lights that are created in the eye of the subject are really cool.

So if you have a moment and are interested in building your own budget ring flash, have a wander over to: DigiHack

At the bottom is a good example of the quality of light produced by a ring flash.

Cheers!
t.

Uncle Trevor? I think I like it!!!

2006-12-27T09:54:00.000-05:00

So this was a pretty good Christmas. No, this was a pretty awesome Christmas!! Dana's sister (my sister-in-law) Alison and her husband Arek gave birth to a little baby girl on Christmas Eve! At 4:41pm, December 24th, 2006, Julia (pronounced Yulia) Cur came in to this world. Alison was a real trooper through the whole experience. Actually, I think she probably had one of the best birthing processes you could wish for! That's good because she deserved it! We can only hope Dana and I get so lucky (when our time comes of course - I am not using this opportunity to tell you that we are having a baby so stop asking!!!)

Alison called me Uncle Trevor at the hospital on Sunday and it was the first time I had ever been called that. Really cool experience!

Below are some pictures of my beautiful niece. What a great Christmas present for all of us!

t.

the "Mothers" getting the good news:

the happy Father and his Mom:

our first glipse of Julia:

the cute little Santa hat the nurses put on her:

Mother and Daughter:

Father and Daughter:

a very proud Aunt:

an equally proud Grand Dad:

what's this? A yawn? Sooooo cute!

Eilean Donan Castle

2006-12-21T10:43:00.000-05:00

This is one of the beautiful castles Dana and I saw while on our honeymoon in Scotland. As you can see, it is quite picturesque and has been maintained very well. We learned that over the years, the castle had been expanded and contracted with the tennants that occupied it. At one point, it was much larger than it is today. We were able to walk through most of the rooms and the courtyard within the castle, learning about the hardships it has been through over the years.

This picture was taken with the Canon 350D and a Tamron 19-35 lens, shot around 1pm in the afternoon. I absolutely love the reflections in the water!

Cheers!
t.

Reminiscing is fun!!!

2006-12-18T13:45:00.000-05:00

Over this past weekend, friends Sharon and Brian had some of us over for a Christmas Party. While there, Jay unveiled his long-awaited wedding DVD of Yvan and Kathryn's wedding last September (2005 that is). I thought I would include a couple pictures from that fine, fine day.

The happy couple:

Their beautiful cake:

And Leigh ROCKIN' out:

Ahhh, good times!

t.

One Sexy Beast

2006-12-15T09:19:00.000-05:00

Annabelle is my girl. She may be a little big bone(ded) but I love her nonetheless.

I had a chance to use Canon's 70-200L F2.8 for a bit and man, what a wonderful piece of glass. The clarity is outstanding, the USM is dead silent, the focusing is quick and painless, and the consistent 2.8 across the entire range is just to die for. This is the first piece of "L" glass that I have had a chance to use and I don't think I can go back!

Love it (and her too)!

t.

Oh how I miss this drive!!!

2006-11-30T10:16:00.000-05:00

This morning I woke up to rain and fog and it got me a little down but not for the usual reasons rain and fog get me down. Normally rain and fog means lots of traffic and idiots on the road for my mornings drive to work. Today wasn't really any exception but that's a story for another time. No, today reminded me of the exquisite landscape that we saw in Scotland. The low-lying fog that hung over the tops of the mountains as the sun tried ever-so-hard to peek through. It was amazing then and it's still crystal clear in my memory now.

Here's a little glimpse in to what we enjoyed on our honeymoon!

t.

Marcelo's Office...Round Deux!

2006-11-23T08:31:00.000-05:00

Hey Kids,

Well not 24 hours after I asked "what would be next?" to happen to Marcelo's Office, the battle continued. This time, "Marcelo's Petting Farm" was turned into "Marcelo's Winter Fantasy Land!" It was quite hilarious but you must see it for your own eyes!

Enjoy!

t.

Marcelo's Office

2006-11-16T09:33:00.000-05:00

So there is this battle going on between a couple of guys at work where they do fun stuff to each others office's. Nothing really harmful, just playful banter. The pictures I have included below are from the first time something MAJOR happened to one of their office's (I say office but it is really a cubicle). This was November 9th...I give you "Marcelo's Petting Farm!"

I wonder what will be next?

t.

The Rush is on...

2006-11-13T15:52:00.000-05:00

So, I have been neglecting you again. So sorry am I! Despite having promised that I would try harder, I simply haven't. But there's a good reason my friend: there just isn't enough time! Dana and I have been busy arranging the last minute details for our impending reception this weekend and it seems like there hasn't been even a moment for fresh air. I certainly would love to post more, but I simply can't. Not now anyways.

Give me a week and then we will see just how frequent things are!

(that is of course if you are still visiting by then?)

t.

CK with....hair?

2006-11-08T11:13:00.000-05:00

So in starting this blog based around my photography, I am forced to look back into the vault, something I haven't done in a long time. A quick scan this morning found an interesting picture of my buddy Chris. You see, Chris hasn't had much hair for a while.

Insert Exhibit A:

So when I saw the picture below, I couldn't resist! It was taken at our good friends Yvan and Kathryn's wedding last September. At the reception, Chris had to sing a song and part of the act that the DJ made him do was wear a wig and a big set of lips. I believe he was singing a Stones song but I could be wrong. Chris, if you are around, pipe in and let us know!

Anywho...enjoy today's picture.

t.

From the Photo Vault!

2006-11-07T11:22:00.000-05:00

Back in Autumn 2005, my then fiance now wife was in a community play called Taking Sides. This play ran for (I believe) 3 weekends at the Dundas Theatre in Dundas Ontario. "Taking Sides is a 1995 play by British playwright Ronald Harwood, about U.S. accusations against German conductor and composer Wilhelm Furtwängler of having served the Nazi regime." The cast was excellent and their performances were stellar.

So I thought today I would post a picture that I took of Dana in that play.

Enjoy!
t.

Photoshop and the "Art History" Brush

2006-11-03T09:15:00.000-05:00

So believe it or not, I have had a little bit of spare time over the last two days (I KNOW EH?). And when I have some spare time, I enjoy reading tips and techniques to better my photography. Upon reading PBase's latest electronic magazine (www.pbase.com/magazine), in the Photoshopography section (Page 14 onward), there was an interesting technique by Stephen LeQuier explaining how to use the Art History Brush. It is a pretty indepth technique so I won't go into too much detail here but I decided to try it out on one of the pictures I took in Scotland. In lamens terms, the technique allows the user to "paint" over an existing image using the data and colours below it. You are essentially creating an electronic painting.

If you are into this sort of thing, I suggest you try it out. It's a pretty cool technique.

Here is my first attempt.

The Picture:

The Painting:

That is definitely a technique that I would like to get better at. I believe that a Graphics Tablet would come in real handy when trying to paint those thin edges. Of course, maybe I just picked a really difficult image for my first attempt. Oh, well, who's judging?

t.

The Best Band in the World!

2006-11-01T11:35:00.000-05:00

Ok, so everyone has their favourite band. Everyone thinks that their favourite band is the best band for whatever reason. This is no different. Ever since I can remember, I have been listening to a Canadian band called The Tragically Hip (www.thehip.com). The have been together for 20 years and have just released their 13th studio album. They have evolved over the years (like any good band does) but they still remain untouched in my mind. Their music is poignant, historic, moving and poetic, all at the same time. There are not a lot of bands out there that have had the same 5 members for their entire career and it shows. These guys truly are family.

So enough about the history, let's see the present. The band is currently on a "Multiple-Show Small Club Gig" tour in Canada. This doesn't happen very often because here in Canada, they sell out 20,000 seat arenas in less than a day. I was lucky enough to be able to go to the 4 nights that they played at the Phoenix Concert Theatre (The Phoenix) here in Toronto. I was also lucky enough to be able to shoot all 4 shows. Below are just a couple of snaps I took over the 4 nights as well as links to the full galleries.

Please enjoy and if you haven't heard The Hip yet, please do yourself a favour and pick up one of their CD's.

t.

Night 1: Sunday October 22nd, 2006.

Night 2: Monday October 23rd, 2006

Night 3: Wednesday October 25th, 2006

Night 4: Thursday October 26th, 2006.

Too Long I know...

2006-10-31T12:48:00.000-05:00

Hi all,

So I'm back from the wedding in Scotland and it was fantastic! Sorry that it has been pretty infrequent on this blog, I promise it won't be that way from now on!

So, the wedding, well, yeah, what really can I say? Perfect Day, perfect weather, great hospitality, beautiful castle, the best family and friends...and one beautiful bride.

The picture below pretty much sums it up for Dana and I...we had our very own fairytale wedding!

More soon!
t.

I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane!!

2006-10-05T09:07:00.000-04:00

So it's already been a while between posts. Sorry. Lots on my mind these days. Why you ask? Well, because I'm getting married in a week. I'm off to Scotland today! Woo Hoo!

So I promise that I will be a little more consistent with my posts when this wedding is all said and done. And at that point, I should have a ton of photos and new stuff to show you all...whomever you are!

cheers!
t.

Marriage

2006-09-15T15:13:00.000-04:00

So, anyone that knows me knows I am getting married in less than a month. My fiance Dana and I have been planning this wedding for over a year now and it is hard to believe that all these plans are about to take action.

One of the last things that has come up is that we have a reading to pick for the actual ceremony. Dana remembered a fabulous passage from Khalil Gibran's "The Prophet" that I would like to post here for you all to read. It goes a little something like this:

Khalil Gibran… “On Marriage”
…Let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together, yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

I believe that one of the greatest things that weddings do is that they allow the people involved to be touched my external factors. What I mean by this is that when I think about Dana and my relationship with her, I think about all the great things that I am thankful for. And as our date gets closer, it seems that many external factors will trigger my thoughts and emotions towards her. It could be as simple as reading the passage above. Or a song on the radio that reminds you of a special moment you shared. Or a family member welling up with emotion because they are so happy for you. All of these things bring joy and love greatness to our lives.

...now wouldn't it be great if we could remember these great feelings always? Block out all those greedy, egocentric, manipulative thoughts that so many have and focus on the good.

I believe it was the great John Lennon who said: "All you need is love." How very true!

t.

Understanding all of this...

2006-09-14T13:50:00.000-04:00

To understand this picture, you have to understand my family. I live with three females...my fiance and our two cats: Annabelle (the white one) and Molly (the tabby). At the best of times, I will get along with two of the three. I don't think all four of us have ever been on the same page. I just don't think that can happen in our situation.

And that's why this picture is soooooo funny. Annabelle and Molly are actually sitting beside each other and being civil. And please understand something, if I could read minds, I might be able to tell you that they are not liking this setup one bit. But, because they both want to be in this blanket and because it isn't spread out, they will put aside their differences (however briefly) to have a common goal.

Now what makes this blanket so special? Who knows.
And was this an isolated incident? Nope, it happened again last weekend when Dana had the blanket out on the porch.

...females....

t.

Rock Point Shore Lunch

2006-09-11T21:31:00.000-04:00

So, this post hopefully accomplishes two things: (1) It gets a photo of mine up on my blog and (2) it allows me to see exactly what image sizes work and which ones don't.

This image was taken over a 4-day long weekend in July spent at my family's cottage. This year was a reunion of sorts as it was the first time in about five years that both the Hodgdon & Connell families were up at Chiblow lake at the same time. As most of us are all grown up now, it was an interesting time. Lots of laughs, a few heated discussions, and even a few tears.

This image is of the master of the Hodgdon clan, enjoying the view of the lake after a delightful meal out on the rocks. It very much encapsulates the tranquility that is this area in Northern Ontario. With a little White Balance adjustment, some cloning, a slight s-curve, and a little burning, I believe I have arrived at the desired effect.

C&C's always welcome.

t.

There's a first time for everything...

2006-09-11T14:08:00.000-04:00

So...here we are.
I'm officially entering the world of Blogging.

...should be fun.

t.