The incoming storm

Black and white photography can be a great way to capture the dramatic essence of an incoming storm. By removing color distractions, it emphasizes the contrast, textures, and mood of the scene. When photographing a storm in black and white, look for strong shapes, striking cloud formations, and play with light and shadow to create a powerful composition. Experiment with different exposure settings and post-processing techniques to enhance the drama and convey the storm's intensity in your photographs. Stay safe while capturing those captivating moments!

Leica Q2 Monochrom at night

The camera can essentially see at night.  The above shot is taken at ISO 6400.  It’s a 15 second exposure shot about half an hour after sunset.  Shot at ISO 6400, f5.6, 15 second exposure.  You can see the Canadian government buildings on the left with the Ottawa river in front.  In the middle is downtown Ottawa and on the right is the Museum of Canadian History.  I was out for maybe an hour with the Leica Q2 Monochrom.  I know I took a few shots at f16, about a 74 second exposure.  I want to see if I get the starbursts from the lights in the buildings and the lights on the ground.

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Time for a total change

The last 7-8 years, I’ve had a deep, constant feeling that I need a change.  A life change.  I’ve been doing the regular 9-5 job since finishing school.  It just doesn’t feel right anymore and has felt completely wrong for at least the last 7-8 years.  It just feels like a need to get out of the apartment.  Get out of the cubicle.  I don’t feel free at all.  Just living the daily grind.  Going through the motions.  When I started in the I.T. field I thought I would be in a better paying job doing something completely different.

I absolutely love photography.  I love shooting photos and video.  I love editing the photos and the videos.  I miss being in the mountains.  I miss seeing the stunning lakes in the Canadian Rockies.  I miss the fresh air of the mountains.  I miss seeing the snow capped Rockies.

What really impacted me the most was my trip in 2016 to Arizona and Utah and of course me working in Calgary back in 2017 for 4 months.  I feel like I just can’t do the office job anymore.  I’m 47, turning 48 in 7 months.  I don’t want to finish living my life this way.  I don’t want to work in an office for the next 20 years wasting my life away..

Alberta here I come

 

I'm sitting here at the Tim Horton's on Lancaster Road in Ottawa.  I just finished keywording and naming pictures that I shot from last winter.  Yup, last winter.  The last 10 or so months have been an emotional hell for me.  I was basically physiologically screwed up by my ex.  It's not easy to admit and it's embarrassing to say and admit.  It basically took me six months to basically get back to being myself and being alright with myself again.  

I don't blame my ex as I should have seen the red flags and I should have bailed years ago but I wanted the relationship to work.  I basically didn't want to give up but I should have.  I actually never should have come back to Ottawa back in 2017 when I was in Calgary for 4 months for work.  But it is what it is.  I've learned from another mistake in my life.  

I think another mistake is staying in Ottawa.  April 1, 2023, I will be going to Calgary.  I am 100% sure of this move.  I just miss the mountains, the fresh air, the lakes in the mountains.  Doing photography in the mountains.  I've been single for 6 months and 1 day as of today.  Will I date again?  Possibly.  In Ottawa?  Probably not.  Right now, I just want to focus on me, my photography and my photography business.

Winter is coming up awfully quickly here in Ottawa.  You can smell and feel it in the air.  I'm going to have to find a part time job here in Ottawa for the winter months.  Just something part time in the evenings and weekends.  I'm going to have to squeeze in photography as well.  And look for a job out west.  I don't know how long I can last at DFO for.  Rumor is we're getting our crappy CS4 back.  He hates us and the team hates him.  

This weekend and/or week I want to actually upload pictures to my other website so I can actually start selling them at reasonable prices.  No more of this micro stock agency shit where you get literally 10 cents on the dollar for a high quality, high mega pixel stock photo.  The return on investment is ludicrious.  I could teach photography as well on a one on one basis but it's hard to get your name out there.  Especially now with people having a camera in their pocket 24/7.  

So this afternoon and evening, I will be learning how to setup a Squarespace website.  Hopefully, I'll learn enough to configure at least most of it.  Tomorrow, configure my website and this week look for a job out in Calgary and temp evening job here in Ottawa for the winter.