I like ketchup

with my eggs



I somehow got off cycle this week. I spent too much time trying to figure out why my video was not rendering without errors. During the week it is hard to snap photos when it is dark in the morning and dark on the commute home. I often get ideas for photos but find that there is no safe place to pull over, but I have a tripod in the trunk always ready for action, if needed. I have resorted to snapping shadow photos in our company parking lot during lunch hour



this was on one of those rare days when the rain finally stopped. I generally look forward to the weekends when I have more time to explore more photogenic places around town. Saturday morning found me at home waiting for my plumber to work in my washroom and also to disconnect my dishwasher, in preparation for a new one. I thought that this would be a speedy process and imagined that I would have the whole afternoon to myself and my new camera. He arrived around 9:15am while I was making breakfast, my ham omlette (1st photo above).

My plumber was happily working away and about half an hour later there was a knock on the door. It was the contractor who repaired my siding and had come today unexpectedly to repair a few loose ends. He is becoming enamoured with photography and we talked about this and that and he decided to purchase a Canon T3i upon my recommendation. I showed him some of my work and videos and how you were able to use "adapted" lenses on the EOS due to the short film plane to sensor distance. His friend was urging him to purchase a Nikon. I am mainly a Nikon person myself but I am very glad to have a Canon as it is more versitile. I think Nikon may theoretically have the edge in IQ but in the real world, there is little difference and you should purchase what feels good in your hands. I still have my D80 but I have the ability to now attach my Nikon lenses on my Canon.

My contractor was working in my kitchen, then downstairs, then outside in my carport. Between talking and working and discussing photography the whole day was shot as he finally left around 3:15pm.

I had been eyeing a new tripod that I saw on Granville Street last week. It looked very well made and I since discovered from my friend Google that all parts are forged and the ball head is machined to a very close tolerance. I already have too many tripods and I recently added to my collection just over a month ago when I picked up my first Pan Head tripod for video use. As I am typing right now, I have 5 tripods within 5 feet of where I am sitting, a 6th one in my trunk, not counting my two Manfrotto monopods, and my fat gecko suction mount. Almost forgot my small Manfrotto on my V-strom in the tool tube. I wanted a very small tripod for travelling to put into my backpack. This new one collapses to just under 12" and comes with a small sling carry pouch. I think it is made better than a Manfrotto and will double as a monopod, in a pinch. It is a Sirui and looks like THIS

I had plans on Sunday to drive out into the country and try out my new tripod, and snap a few photos with my Sony NEX-5n but Mrs Skoot wasn`t feeling well so we just ate at home and I decided to print and frame some photos. I haven`t used my printer in months and I was afraid of clogged heads but my Canon Pro9000 MK2 fired right up, made some head cleaning noises and the prints came out flawlessly.



We jokingly call these jackets our "City Slicker" Jackets because they are matching colours. We only wear them during the colder winter months. They come with a detachable fleece liner and have lots of storage.

Roger has recently issued a challenge to post 5 of your favourite photos from 2011 and I am still thinking about it. The problem is that I take too many photos and they are scattered amongst various external hard drives all over the place, and some are already archived onto DVD . Here is one taken in Victoria last May, 2011 during the Capital City Scooter Rally. It was taken from inside Pagliacci's. I have been attending this rally for many years and never have I been able to get a parking spot right in front of the restaurant's window. And Princess Scooterpie is no where to be seen.



Another Christmas window display from Granville Street