ALL POSTS INDEX
A hyperlinked index of every ULTRAsomething post in descending chronological order
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The Miscreant Photographer
On February 16th, 2009, the UK began to enforce their ambiguously-worded counter-terrorism laws that, essentially, call into question the motives of all photographers and cast doubt upon their actions. Photographing any police officer, military personnel or intelligence official is an ‘offense’ for which a photographer can now be arrested. The…
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Shut Up and Shoot
For a photography blog, these posts certainly skew toward the wordy. Every now and then I need to exercise a little restraint, and simply let the images do the talking. So, in that spirit, I present a few street shots from the previous couple of weeks — each of which…
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The Reel World
Canada’s annual musical celebration, the Juno Awards, descended upon the streets of Vancouver and so, inevitably, did I. It took me only a couple of minutes to grow bored with the musical performances — all of which “borrowed” from classic rock structures of the 1970’s, but regurgitated them into soulless…
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The Positive of Being Negative
Lately, I’ve been thinking about negatives. This might seem curious since I rarely shoot film anymore. So why am I thinking about negatives? Because I’m thinking of them in the stylistic sense, rather than the traditional. Specifically, I’ve been thinking about creating the opposite of an image — inverting every…
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Construction Site
The 2010 Winter Olympics are just over 10 months away, and construction projects continue to disfigure and disrupt this beautiful city as if Mothra and Godzilla had chosen to wage a street hockey battle in our little metropolis. Alas, in spite of the poetic imagery inherent in these words, this…
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The Freedom of Free
I’m sure my accountant would argue that there’s nothing good about volunteering for a free photography assignment. And, should one wish to pay for such mundane things as rent and food, she would be right. But for me, both rent and food rank slightly below coffee on my list of…
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Like a Leica (Addendum)
A month after publishing my impressions of the Panasonic DMC-G1 and its ability to adapt M-series lenses, I revisited some of the issues in this article. Paramount among them was a manufacturing issue with the original Novoflex M-to-MFT adapter, which caused many of the focussing problems discussed in earlier articles.
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Tempted by Texture
To many photographers, photographic artifacts such as grain, grit, softness, and noise are about as welcome as a rabid Rottweiler. To me, they add texture and intrigue to an image. This article discusses how, after spending several years seeking images of the highest fidelity, I’ve come full circle and, again,…
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Termino Morbus
After a week of malady compounded further by the medicine meant to combat it, I finally felt like venturing out of the condo yesterday. Well, maybe I didn’t exactly feel like it, but I was beginning to suffer from an opportunistic affliction known as termino morbus. Don’t worry, it sounds…
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For Dan
My good friend, Dan Timis, passed away yesterday. I was fortunate enough to have worked with Dan on two separate occasions over the last twenty years — at both Opcode Systems and at Muse Research. Dan was a brilliant digital audio programmer, and a very clever fellow. He could see…
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Signs and Times
Sometimes a walk is just a walk. Other times (particularly those when you carry a camera), it’s a metaphor for everything from the latest financial meltdown to a miserable Vancouver Canucks losing streak.
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Like a Leica (Part 5)
My discussion of the Panasonic DMC-G1 was originally a four part review. But the fourth post was so long that some people had trouble downloading it. So, I’ve split Part 4 in half, creating this new “Part 5.” It contains my conclusions about the G1’s “street” shooting abilities and a…
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Like a Leica (Part 4)
The nitty gritty. The dirt. The details. Everything you want to know about using the Panasonic Micro Four Thirds DMC-G1 as a “street” camera in a single post… well, OK, “two” posts. The article was so long, it got sectioned into a separate Part 5. Dive in. Enjoy.
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Like a Leica (Part 3)
After rejecting an SLR, a portable “enthusiast” camera, and a rangefinder film camera, I’m left with only one alternative — micro four thirds. In this article, I discuss the allure of the MFT format and my decision to go there.
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Like a Leica (Part 2)
In this article, I discuss why a rangefinder is ideal for street shooting and, as such, why a street photographer might actually consider a return to film.
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Like a Leica (Part 1)
Do you love your SLR? You must not be a “street” photographer. Do you love that little portable enthusiast camera with the faux rangefinder stylings? You, too, must not be a “street” photographer. In this, the first of a five part series, I discuss what I expect from a street…
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Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
A short, subjective review of the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM with sample images.
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White Christmas
Vancouver has recently seen about a foot-and-a-half of snow, and more is falling as I write this. The air is fresh and crisp. The dogs are happy. The trees are enrobed in a shroud of white where, just last month, they were warm in their brightly saturated red, orange, and…
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Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM
A short, subjective review of the Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM with sample images.
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Lensbaby 3G
A short, subjective review of the Lensbaby 3G with sample images.