Dodging and Burning

My photography assignment for last week required us to take five pictures and dodge and burn them using Photoshop. In other words, changing the exposure of selected spots to make them darker or lighter. Since they could be pictures of anything, I decided to stick to a theme instead of having five randomly picked images. The Humber Arboretum was the first place that came to mind so I asked my friend Leviana if she wanted to be a model for me and she said yes. So here they are. 

It's probably not that noticeable without the original print right beside it, but dodging and burning helped make the picture look more natural. For example in the last picture with the red umbrella, the trees in the background were extremely dark. Using the dodge tool, I decreased the exposure to make the trees lighter, allowing for more detail to be seen. I don't usually edit my photos in Photoshop, but this is something that I may consider for the future. 

Yours truly. 

Lexy

For my photography assignment I had to choose a photographer and mimic their style while incorporating a bit of my own. I decided to follow Elliot Erwitt (http://www.elliotterwitt.com/lang/en/index.html) because I love how he focuses on capturing everyday candid moments. He also has an extreme love for dogs which is what I decided to make the main focus of my project.

This couple living in the basement of my friend's house owns a chocolate lab who originally bred puppies at the puppy mill. She was then brought to the pound and roughly five or so weeks ago was adopted by Julie and Mark. Lexy is one of the happiest dogs I have met and seeing the amount of joy spread across her face when you greet her is priceless.

Day 2: Childhood Revisited

I am actually really happy with today's results. I woke up with a ton of energy, which has been quite rare this summer, so I knew that it was going to be a good day. I shot mostly with digital, but used the Holga for the random shot. I am truly satisfied with how the blue the sky turned out in most of the photos. I was practically making out with my screen as I flipped through the photos on my laptop. 

I started my day by the old gas station on King St. Of course there are never any old, abandoned arcade games dumped there on the days that I want to photograph them! Sometimes there will be four or five arcade game boxes standing together in the middle of the station; today there was only one lying on the ground in shambles. I have no idea where they come from or who places them there, but their mysterious presence intrigues me so! 

In the back of the building I found what seemed to be some kind of lighting system. The front of the box had been ripped open to reveal wires and electronics that I would not have any idea what to do with. On the top were three lights, one had a red gel on the inside. I could only imagine the life this thing had... 

I felt ashamed of the pink and yellow paint and graffiti splattered on the walls and the amount of collective debris on the ground. It's sad to think that this gas station probably served many happy go-lucky drivers and now it's home to people who think that it's just a dump site. There is obviously history in this building and we honor it by writing on it and leaving garbage everywhere. 

My next stop was a more pleasant one as I walked around Port Colborne's Museum. The main building showcases different artifacts and there are a number of log cabins outside open for exploring. Today was the first time that I actually spent time looking through the buildings when it wasn't Canal Days. The craft show used to be held there so it gave an excuse to give attention to these buildings. 

I guess it never occurred to me that the Museum would be open for regular hours during the week. I first thought that I was trespassing and was making the effort to hide from the gardener. Once I noticed that all of the doors to each building were open did I realize that it was supposed to be like this. 

Adrenaline rushes through my body every time I come across a new and unfamiliar setting which makes me become completely obsessed. I only saw two other people, not counting the gardner and employees, walking around the area which gave me the opportunity to become absorbed in the atmosphere. However, everyone that I did see, smiled and said hello which made me feel welcome.  

It didn't seem like it, but I spent 45 minutes walking around and observing the Museum. I almost didn't want to leave, but I realized that I wanted to get some other places photographed before the afternoon was over and started feeling tired. 

I stopped by the mini park which is located next to the Museum and the library before driving off to get a banana slurpee. It's been a while since I've swung on any swings and after a couple glides I remembered why... I was only on there for a minute when I started to feel dizzy and my stomach started going for a whirl. Those days of seeing how high you can swing are long gone for me. 

While I was in my happy mood, I decided to venture over to my old neighborhood to take a look around. I haven't been in that area for a while now, but old memories hit me hard once I turned down Sheba Crescent.

The picture at the beginning of this blog was taken of the hill at the memorial park located in that sub-division. It's located next to No Frills and overlooks the West Side Arena and the baseball fields once you get to the top. We used to climb this hill to the top and then roll all the way down to the bottom. Something my stomach probably couldn't handle anymore. Today I ran up to the top, something that I haven't done in eight or so years, and my instant thoughts were, "I remember it being so much bigger".

Garbage and green bins lined the roads and I realized that Tuesday is garbage day for this neighbourhood. A smile ran across my face. 

In the beloved book, A Secret Garden, Mary's nurse believes that being outdoors has a positive affect on a person's overall being. I'm beginning to believe this as I've been in a feel good mood since yesterday. 

Yours truly.

Photo Story Day 1: Weathered Tombstones

Today was a great start to my attempt at completing a photo story about Port Colborne. I am happy with today's photographs which has motivated me to continue! Also, my mom generously loaned me the car for the day as the weather was looking temperamental. I'm the WORST for making decisions, but today the weather beat me. One minute grey clouds would cover the sun and then they would soon be replaced by fluffy, white clouds and blue skies. However, I am thankful that no rained poured as that would have been a downer. 

I decided that Hopkin's Tomb and the cemetery would be the first stop because it takes around 15 minutes to get there (from my house) by car. In other words, it's far. I also hate driving down Lakeshore Road, which is nothing but curves and narrow lanes, so I wanted to get it over with. 

As you drive around the bend, it is not hard to miss Hopkin's Tomb because it is sectioned off from the other tombstones. Climbing up the few stairs, you open the black, detailed gate and follow the 10 foot path up to the front of the tomb. A two foot wall marks the perimeter, making you and the tomb the only things present in the entire vicinity. 

  

Read this site to learn about Samuel Hopkins and his cursed tomb : http://www.hamiltonparanormal.com/hopkins1.html

I don't usually take to cemeteries, but for some reason this one appe

aled to me today. Behind Hopkin's Tomb were tombstones so old and worn that the inscriptions were no longer visible. They appeared as white slabs of stone covered with black spots and limestone. Some were broken in half while others stood crooked. As I knelt in front of each one, I couldn't help but imagine the rotted corpse punching its hand through the dirt. 

I gained some respect for those old tombstones today. Even though they appear as blank slates, there are still centuries of history incorporated in them. They have withheld Mother Nature's powers, especially the Blizzard of '77, and have remained untouched as new tombstones have surrounded them. 

I also saw something new today. Never have I seen one of the lakers emerge from the canal and make it's way into Lake Erie. I normally watch the ships pass through the canal from one of the three bridges, not from a spot so far off from the main inland. It was quite amazing to see something so common in Port Colborne from a different perspective. I guess that's what they call good timing. 

I was parked by Surfside Sandy's, a restaurant along the lake, hoping to score some nice shots of the Marina and the Maple Leaf Mill from a distance. It was when I was walking down the path, away from the car, did I notice the laker coming out of the canal. I was able to see the waves crafted by the ship from where I was standing. For the first time I noticed how much lower the stern is in comparison to the rest of the ship. It made me realize that there are some things never seen when you are standing so near to something.

Today I shot my photographs with my Nikon D300 and my 35mm Holga camera that my cousin Renée bought me for my birthday. It was the first time I have used the Holga and I became quite involved in it. I was able to upload my digital files onto my laptop once I got home, but I have to wait until Friday to see my film results. I will be kept in extreme suspense until then! 

Yours truly. 

Goal

Not many people know about Port Colborne, let alone where it is in Ontario. It isn't until you drop the names, St. Catharines or Niagara Falls, do they get a general census of where it's located. 

My goal for this upcoming week, August 24 - August 30, is to hopefully change that. Even if I do not become that successful in spreading the word about Port, I will still have accomplished something this summer. I plan on creating a photo story about Port Colborne, outlining the landmarks and such that, in my opinion, define the town and what it's worth. 

I love a good adventure now and then :)

Yours truly.