Polaroid Love

I have been handed a treasure. One that I do not fully understand yet and perhaps, that I will need to deserve. My mom cleaned out her closets, boxes and storage as she is preparing to sell her house. She walked up to me with a big bulky black box dangling from a string, that I see from the corner of my eye... 


Could it be??? No...


"I thought you might use this for your photography...you know, if it's not too old."

It was a Polaroid Spirit camera. The one I remembered my parents using when I was a child, the one from which came most of my baby pictures. The one I was so sad to hear my parents had "misplaced" or "gotten rid of". My mom pipes up: "I took all of my graduation photos with this, sweetheart." It was in front of me, in all it's glorious vintage charm.


I tinkered a bit with it, curious but afraid of breaking anything. A few blank photos popped out! The film was way too old and it'd been in there for...how many years? It was nostalgic and mysterious nonetheless. I started thinking of the fun I could have playing with this very old camera, if I were to get my hands on polaroid film... Apparently, you can get some anywhere on the web - remember how I've stated I find the Internet to be a wonderful place - but specifically, you can find anything polaroid-related through the polaroid-passion website. That said, my being entrusted with such an oldschool jewel, I'm inspired to learn from local business owners and experts such as the Camera Trading Company, on Bank street (Ottawa). I'd first like to find out if they have film and if they could evaluate its condition. 


I really don't see how it would not work, as my mother took exquisite care of her belongings, but what if it needs to be cleaned or tuned-up? Ok, it's not a car, but any antique or car collector knows that you need to verify the condition of collectibles, and if you find a priceless piece, then you need to make sure it's up to par! I feel like I suddenly became a parent and feel ill-equiped to care for this new baby of mine.


At the same time, I probably know more about cameras (tools) and photography (art) than I ever have before. Maybe that is why I can appreciate the value of my mother's gift. Maybe that is why it still holds such wonder to me that this camera, however bulky for our digital age, is its own dark room. Wow.


As soon as I've settled into my new pad, I will go on a Polaroid adventure. After all, I will soon be exploring film more in depth through SPAO's Film Bootcamp.

For y'all swing folks

Another of my Internet radio discoveries...

"Swing Out!" Vintage Lindy Hop shot.

This time, it's a specialized SWING music station! Indeed, Live365 (Kingdom of Swing) plays 30s and 40s classics that are both delightful to listen and dance to. While 8tracks present mixes, this is an ongoing radio station and is not user-generated.

I may be very behind on what began with satellite radio and developed with Internet based radio and custom radio, but I can't get over how FANTASTIC it is. I'm in love.

The World Wide Web is not just a big ol' scary place full of codes, spyware and viruses. Among my all-time internet favorites: email, google, youtube, facebook and blogs in general.

Regardless of being part of this generation who "grew up" with the web, I never quite "caught" all the trends and on the rare occasion that I really *get* a tech concept, I am overly excited by all the possibilities that open up. What can I say, I never cease to be amazed with all the good that technology can bring, despite what I mumble in my office on a daily basis about design and mass-email softwares.

Dancing at the Ottawa Gala

OttawaGala.com

Midnight in Marrakech was the theme for this year's Ottawa Gala, this past April 16, 2011. The party was snazzy, the music was exotic and the food was delicious. What about the performers? Well, the belly dancing was very fitting for the thematic part of the entertainment and, of course, a swing performance was showcased.


Luckily, Swing Dynamite has been attending this gala for the past few years and I was part of the privileged few who got to wear the gorgeous costumes, dance our elegant choreography and of course, enjoy the fixings of a sweet gig: access to a VIP room, live music and a floor to dance your heart to, tasty nibbles and drinks. I suppose it was the place to be for up-and-coming young professionals and party goers.

Yes, I've been stalking the website for the 2011 photos... but considering that the 2010 photos aren't up, I'm not expecting them anytime soon. *Sigh*

Thinking back, I wonder what I was most excited about: performing this number for the first time, dancing my first swing gig, being on stage again for the first time in a while or simply to be at such a classy event. Definitely, all of the above.

It was a fabulous way – and I mean that quite literally – to break into performing this style of dance which I have been working on for nearly two years now. It’s different from competing or performing for other swing dancers: this is sheer entertainment and what it feels like to do show business… late nights, partying, dancing and putting your body through intense training and ensuring you are performance ready.

…I love the rush, and I put in the work, but at the end of the day, I’m grateful that this is not my daily routine. I truly respect professional dancers for how much they can handle and pull off.

Now, I'll admit, I still need an occasional fix; when is the next gig?

Event Photography - Part 2: Post-processing

Food, flowers and drinks
(c) M. Déziel-Hupé

This week, I shot AOE Arts Council's AGM. Having never been assigned to this type of corporate event, I wasn't sure what to expect. I found that much like any other event, the challenges were the same.

Volunteer Gifts
(c) M. Déziel-Hupé

Lighting is always terrible, people move and some aren't very photogenic, no matter what you do to showcase their best features or get a flattering angle!



AOE Staff mix and mingle
(c) M. Déziel-Hupé

 I decided to shoot mostly in 50 mm manual focus, using medium ISO (400 or 800 and 1600 for stage shots and practically inexistant light sources) big aperture (f1.8 to f2.5), medium shutter speed (approx. 1/60s) and often synching the external flash and diffuser. I was relieved to work mostly with one lens, as this allowed me to focus on the other features of my camera. I juggled the shot list and photo opportunities in my head, balancing again, the notions of technical perfection and circumstances.

Performance by OYPTS.
(c) M. Déziel-Hupé

I believe I was able to deliver a reasonable amount of photographs to my client (aka my boss: AOE Arts Council). In my very rough evaluation, about a third were a total loss, a third were decent to good and the last third are working progresses - which means (in english) that they need to be photoshopped to correct exposure or colour balance.

ARTicipate Endowment Fund Director,
Chantal Rodier
(c) M. Déziel-Hupé

Essentially, I am feeling encouraged that I've taken the challenge and have met expectations. Well, at least, other peoples'... mine are another story!

However, shots included here are among my favourite of the evening. They are also a fair mix of the elements of the Annual General Meeting and give an adequate overview of the atmosphere: formal speeches; networking and socializing among AOE members, Board members and AOE staff; entertainment and refreshments in a decorative "artsy" environment.

Event Photography - Part 1

From the Black Light Party, March 2011
(c) M. Déziel-Hupé, 2011

I met with my photo teacher, Harry Nowell, last week to discuss my progress in the certificate program (also known as the ProProgram). Many items were discussed, such as balancing technical perfection and circumstance in the quality of your photos. Another topic we discussed was the level of difficulty in certain types of photography, namely, in Event Photography. This, of course, ties into to the conversation we had regarding technical perfection and circumstances.

What came out of it was that essentially, as opposed to Studio Photography, Event Photography is a field that offers little to no control over your subject. This in turn complicates your job as event photographer - how do you get everything on the shot list? Which lens do you use? Is your lighting test correct? What's too much in terms of equipment? Then, you have to make sure you don't mess up the podium shot, the VIP hand shake or that any other moment you cannot stage, like a christenning's blessing or a wedding's kiss.

From the Black Light Party, March 2011.
(c) M. Déziel-Hupé, 2011.

Harry was expressing how proud he was that most of what I was shooting recently was Event Photography because I was therefore challenging myself in a way, to get THE photo (or photos) that reflect the event I'm covering. Most of them have been dance-related events, which is a passion for me. Tonight, I'm actually applying my acquired knowledge and skills to my job's AGM. I'm already breaking into sweats about the podium shots... I'm more of a mix and mingle photographer then the type who boldly goes to the front of the crowd and attracts plenty of attention with her equipment. Alas, that is part of the gig.

Here's to hoping I get everything I need on the list!

Wind of Change

Maybe it’s spring that awakens people, maybe it’s just the thing about change of seasons, the key word being “change”. A lot of people dread it, some people welcome it. The latter understand that the only thing that is constant, that is sure, is that all things pass, grow or evolve. To avoid frustration and to feel harmonious, it’s important to be open to change as it is inevitable.

This has become particularly important to me as 2010 was a rock’n’roll kind of year and only in the last few months have I started to embrace that some of the hardest and most dramatic changes are the ones who have the most positive impact.

My life, I am fortunate to say, is about to take on a very exciting journey.

I’ve successfully reoriented my Communications career into Arts Communication and this is an ongoing project which I believe to be increasingly more rewarding as I get involved further. Finally, my communications education is serving a passion of mine and going to work every day feels a lot less like a job and a lot more like a calling.

My photography certificate is drawing to an end and I feel a bit of nostalgia and anxiety. “How could I be done when I have so much left to learn?” I trust that I will continue growing, so much so, that I have challenged myself to a film bootcamp with SPAO. I’ll be starting in May…

For a plethora of reasons and because of a combination of factors, I’ve also decided to return to school part-time on a more formal basis. I broke the ice with photography, now I think I can handle exams as well… Come September, I’m tackling Social Media at Algonquin. Fitting, isn’t it?

If my career prospects weren’t effervescent enough, I’ve embarked on an exciting adventure with the Canada Dance Festival. I will be part of their communications team, so stay tuned! I mean, what better way to combine business with pleasure? Expect to be reading a lot more about dance come May/June…

Last but not least, I’m leaping into one of my biggest adventures yet. Actually, it would be for a lot of people…

It’s one that is both risky and thrilling. It’s bold and perhaps tinted with a bit of naiveness. It’s a rewarding battle between genuine happiness and mundane disenchantment. It’ll likely make me laugh and sometimes cry, it’ll yield feelings of frustration and of satisfaction. If anything, it’s bound to be a unique experience that will create cherished memories and hopefully, plenty of chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies.

Le Boyfriend and I have decided to shack up! Worry not, the career gal is feeling up to the challenge. She might even try to use the kitchen. ;)