Canon Vixia HF G40

So today I finally picked up the Canon Vixia HF G40 camcorder.  I wanted this prosumer camcorder so bad.  I upgraded it from the Canon Vixia HF R62.  The G40 provides a few bit more controls when shooting video like Exposure and ISO settings.  I can actually physically attach an external mike as well to the G40.  It's more of a prosumer camcorder rather than a top of the line consumer camcorder. I will post a better review when I actually start using the camcorder in real life situations.

Sony RX100 Mark II

I had this little pocket camera in the past but upgraded to the Sony RX100 Mark IV which was a good walk around camera as well.  I sold both to upgrade to a DSLR body and a camcorder.  But I think I will buy the Sony RX100 Mark II again as it was a great all around pocket point and shoot little camera.  Plus I could buy some accessories for it as well and attach it to my telescope to do some astro videos of the planets and do some small astrophotography with it. 

Plus it's an awesome pocket walk around camera that is light and fits right into my jean pockets.  I have 3 Canon DSLR's with various lenses but together the weight of those cameras combined kills my back when I'm walking for long distances.  Anther good reason to have a small walk around pocket camera.

I was saving up money to buy the Canon Vixia HF G40.  But I do have a great little camcorder in the Canon Vixia HF R62 which does everything that I need from a camcorder.

Photo & Video

Lately, I've been doing shooting a lot of video as I have had plenty of photos on the various micro stock agencies.  I'm just trying to build up my video portfolio.  It's time consuming doing both but I do love doing both.  Video clips sell for a much higher price but they are far and between what I typically sell.  I do still sell a lot of photography.  Not as much during the summer as most people are on vacations.  I'm hoping sales of both video and photos pick up again in September.

July is the slow time!

The summer months are the slowest times for photo sales.  At least from my experience.  As people take vacations, they purchase less from micro stocks where I do pretty much all of my business.  I travel as well to various parks to do my photography.  The above shot is from Barron Canyon in Algonquin Park, Ontario.  Took it just before I got to the Algonquin Radio Observatory.  I'm thinking next weekend going to Algonquin Park again.  But this time to the southern Highway 60 corridor.  There are a lot of moose sightings.  I also want to do some astrophotography imaging.  Hopefully the weather will co-operate.  If not Algonquin Park, maybe one of the other parks which are located 2-3 hours just west of Ottawa.  Weekends in Canada are just amazing with the weather and scenery.  

I typically go to Parc Omega in the fall and winter seasons as the landscapes are amazing as the tree leaves turn colours.  I hope to make it to Tremblant as well for a day or two.  It's a good time to be living and doing photography.  The technology is just amazing.

Algonquin Radio Observatory - The short version!

The shorter version.  Because attention spans are shorter than gnat lives.

Algonquin Radio Observatory shorter video

There is just something about this place

There is just something about Algonquin Park located in Central Ontario.  You get a real sense of the wilderness.  Even with this 46 metre telescope, you just feel the size of the park and it's natural beauty.  Especially on a bright sunny day with large, puffy clouds making their way across the sky.

On my way out of the park, right before exiting the radio telescope location I did encounter a female moose which was a perfect ending to a perfect weekend.  Well, almost perfect as I left two or three pints of blood as I was eaten alive by the mosquitoes and black flies.

The photo and videos from Algonquin Radio Telescope are up for sale

Photos and videos are finally being accepted on the various micro stock sites listed on the right of this blog such as Bigstockphoto, Fotolia, Pond5 and Shutterstock and my own site.  Hopefully I'll make a sale or a dozen off from my fun trip to the Algonquin Radio Observatory at Algonquin Park, Ontario.

The photo and videos from Algonquin Radio Telescope are up for sale

Photos and videos are finally being accepted on the various micro stock sites listed on the right of this blog such as Bigstockphoto, Fotolia, Pond5 and Shutterstock and my own site.  Hopefully I'll make a sale or a dozen off from my fun trip to the Algonquin Radio Observatory at Algonquin Park, Ontario.

Hurry up and wait

So now that I've uploaded everything to the computer, edited everything in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC or Apple Final Cut Pro X, I uploaded everything to the various websites.  Now I have to hurry up and wait for the various websites to curate all my submissions and update their various databases so my images and videos can be sold to everybody.  Waiting is the worst part as I'm not in control of anything.  Waiting always kills me.  But at least now I can go shoot some more photos and video my surroundings.

I've also added some of my other portfolios for more customer options.  I hope you enjoy!

Algonquin Radio Telescope

I had the privilege of staying the night at the Algonquin Radio Telescope in Algonquin Park, Ontario which is located just a 3 hour drive west of Ottawa, Ontario - Canada.  I've been to Algonquin Park on several occasions to camp and do some nature and landscape photography in the past.  I've heard of the Algonquin Radio Telescope a few years back.  But due to life getting in the way, I never had the chance to go up there to visit.

As it turns out, I finally had the chance on the Canada Day long weekend in 2016.  This was the first time visiting the site.  I got there at about 14:00 or so and checked into the house where the researchers stay.  I roamed the area around the house overlooking Traverse Lake.  It started out a beautiful, cool day with white, puffy clouds.  It was supposed to clear out for the night and no rain was expected.  

I asked one of the resident astro-physicists if I could access the telescope site to take some pictures and at 17:15 I was able to access the telescope site.  The 46 metre dish is something to behold on first sight.  It is a gigantic dish in the forest.

I first spent about 75 minutes walking and photographing the site from various angles.  What a sight to see.  I left the sight at about 18:30 to go get ready for a nicely prepared dinner of curried chicken and rice.  We were joined by Robbie who flew all the way from Ireland to see various Canadian sites.  After dinner, Robbie, a fellow photographer and I decided that we wanted to go photograph the dish at sunset.  Again an amazing sight to see.  Especially at dusk with no clouds and no moon.  It was just an awesome experience to see the site, meet new people and get some education in the process.

If you do decide to go, bring several small children to entertain the large amounts of mosquitos, horse flies and black flies.  I mean this in all seriousness.  The bugs took 2 pints of blood from me which were quickly refilled with some much needed Irish whiskey.

Algonquin Park weekend!!!!

I have been waiting for this weekend for quite some time.  I've always wanted to go to the Algonquin Radio Telescope in Algonquin Park but never had the chance because life and certain events just got in the way.  The weekend has finally come when I actually get to scratch something off my bucket list.  Today I head up to the radio telescope for the whole weekend with my cameras and camcorder.  I'm just hoping the sky clears up.  At least that's what the weather channels are predicting.  At least it won't rain like it did yesterday on Canada Day.  Missed the fireworks for the second year in a row.