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Rango

Apr. 1,2,3,5

Doors Open at 7:30PM  Show Time 8:00pm  Tickets $5

Remembering Amazing Moments

One of the most enjoyable things I get to do after a wedding season is over is to look back at all of the Beautiful Couples! Over the last 21 years, I have to brag – I have had the pleasure of spending amazing days with some of the most incredible individuals ever! – I can remember stories from every wedding - from split dresses and spilled bubbly to surprises that made jaws drop! The past year, I saw tenderness, courage, thoughtfulness and laughter – all of this enveloped in love. Thank you for allowing me to share in and capture the memories of your Amazing Day!

*Music Credit: Marry Me by Train

Color–The New Photo-Sharing App

This past Wednesday I caught a quick review on CNN on this new app "Color” by Bill Nguyen.  The app launched on the same day has had over $40 million in backing, and is known as the picture version of Facebook and twitter.  The app allows users to share with anyone and see the pictures that other people in their area are taking.  Nguyen describes the app  “like social media on steroids”.  Not sure I really want to get my social media images hopped up on steroids at this time , however I really like the fact that the app was designed for both iPhone and android.  It will be interesting to follow the stats.

To Log In Or Not To Log In, That Is The Question

 

How many times have you gone online to order prints and you just want to get it done quickly so you don’t bother to login?  I know I’ve done this many a time, and many a time I have regretted my impatient decision to do so.  There are I’m sure pro’s and con’s to both – I’d be interested to hear your input – please feel free to leave your comments.  As for my thoughts, here are my “pro’s” for logging in:

 

1. If you realize later you actually wished you had ordered more of a certain picture, there is no need to find and upload the image again – simply login and order

2. If for any means you lose your original source, your computer or external drive crashes or worse – then your images are online and you can still print them off.

White Balance Quick Trick

Lightenupandshoot.com

We often don’t have the benefit of having an 18% grey card with us on a shoot, but there are little tips and tricks to help you obtain the correct white balance.  Today I found this short video by Lighten Up and Shoot Photography.  It gives an easy method using Photoshop to obtain a very balanced look. 

Main Tip:  2 out of the 3 colors (RED, GREEN or BLUE) are close to 128.

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Hall Pass

Mar. 25,26,27,29

Doors open at 7:30 PM  Show Time 8:00 PM  Tickets $5

Spring Morning Walk About

Well spring has arrived…but mother nature apparently hasn’t figured this out yet.  Through the night we received a continuous sprinkling of the fluffy white stuff and we awoke once again to a winter wonderland.   ….and yes, I did get to use my snow blower once again too!

Community Theatre

There are incredibly talented individuals around every corner.  Some with leadership skills, some with great intellectual skills, wood working skills, mechanical, electrical and plumbing skills, care givers, leadership and organizational skills, and in some cases even acting skills.  I am proud to be part of a giving community that not only posses these talents, but uses them to bring a smile to the face of others. Community theatre is just one of the ways talented actors and actresses share their talents with others, and coming up is a comedy at the Victoria Playhouse called Shootout at the Sacred Heart Saloon.  Check it out online HERE.  And to the two talented actresses that I know: Katie Komaricky and Lyn Faulds – thank you for sharing your talents!

Lambton Shores On Ice

 

Recently the Thedford Figure Skating Club put on their annual carnival. Due to the construction taking place at the Thedford Arena the carnival took place at the Forest Arena – the theme – Lambton Shores On Ice!  Everyone was fantastic, from youngest to the oldest. It was a great time had by all, and many many thanks to the organizers and coaches of the event.

Press play to view the slideshow, or click on the envelope on the bottom right to share with a friend.

 

Out At The Sugar Shack

 

It’s that time of year again -  Canadian’s are out in droves to the sugar shacks!  The sap is running and is being pain patiently boiled for hours and hours to produce the sweet maple syrup Canadians are so proud of.  Once again we decided to go visit Harold Zavitz at his long standing family sugar shack just off of Nauvoo Road outside of Arkona.  The rustic barn is filled with treasures to see, trails to be travels, and sweet tastes to be tested!  Thank you once again for the great visit!

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Just Go With It

Mar. 18,19,20,22

Doors open at 7:30pm  Show Time 8:00PM  Tickets $5

Oh Glory!

Just a little funny for your Wednesday !

I now pronounce…

A New Look

I spent part of yesterday working on the new look for my main website.  I wanted a clean look that is easy to navigate through.  Check it out by double clicking on the image about or clicking here: www.CapturedInnocence.ca

Heading To Japan

With the earthquake in Haiti, many many individuals and groups booked their tickets and headed out to help in whatever way they could.  Some where helpful, some where basically disaster tourists, and some made a difference.  Sadly just over a year later another massive disaster has hit.  Again many will do what they can, whether by prayer support, giving financially, or packing their bags and heading out putting their own lives in harms way.  In 2010 Michael Andrew ventured out with a clearly thought out plan to help after the deadly Haitian Earthquake.   His plan, to search out areas that where without aid and helping to get that aid to those in need.  In the end Michael was able to be a part of getting thousands and thousands of meals out to those in need, and even returned to Haiti in the fall of 2010 to follow up with additional aid and meetings with those stationed there long term.  Another project that was added was the fund raising for water purification systems for the residents of Haiti. 

Michael has once again chosen to take part in assisting those in need after this latest devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit so hard in Japan.  The environment and culture will be drastically different, but the need is great.  Please feel free to follow along on Michael’s Blog, or iReports and see how you can make a difference where need is great.

Below is a short clip of Michael Andrew describing one of the situations that took place while in Haiti.

 

Tsunami’s

      *Image From DWNetwork.inc

It was of course the only story on CNN this morning as we woke up to the news of the 8.9M Earthquake, followed by a tsunami that hit Japan.  Currently the tsunami is still making it’s path of destruction, and has made it’s way to Hawaii while 53 countries in all currently have a tsunami watch on.  The devastation will be huge, and those beginning images out of Japan are incredibly sad to see.  Please continue to keep those affected in your thoughts and prayers as the days ahead will difficult to say the least.

11 Facts About Tsunamis

1. A tsunami is a series of sea waves caused by an underwater earthquake, landslide, or volcanic eruption. More rarely, a tsunami can be generated by a giant meteor impact with the ocean.
2. A tsunami is not just one wave but a series of waves or a “wave train.”
3. Many witnesses say a tsunami sounds like a freight train.
4. When the ocean is deep, tsunamis may be less than a foot high on the ocean’s surface, can travel at speeds up to 500 mph without being noticed and cross the entire ocean in less than a day.
5. Once a tsunami reaches the shallow water near the coast, it slows down. The top of the wave moves faster than the bottom, causing the sea to rise dramatically, as much as 100 feet at times.
6. Tsunami waves can be as long as 60 miles and be as far as an hour apart. These waves can cross entire oceans without losing much energy.
7. Flooding can reach land 1000 feet (300 meters) from the coastline and the dangerous waves have enough force to lift giant boulders, flip vehicles, and demolish houses.
8. Scientists can accurately estimate the time when a tsunami will arrive almost anywhere around the world based on calculations using the depth of the water, distances from one place to another, and the time that the earthquake or other event occurred.
9. Hawaii is the U.S. state at greatest risk for a tsunami – they get about one per year and a damaging one every 7 years. California, Oregon and Washington experience a damaging tsunami every 18 years.
10. In 2004, the Indian Ocean tsunami was caused by an earthquake that is thought to have had the energy of 23,000 atomic bombs.
11. Within hours of the earthquake in 2004, killer waves radiating from the epicenter slammed into the coastline of 11 countries, damaging countries from east Africa to Thailand. By the end of the day, the tsunami had already killed 150,000 people. The final death toll was 283,000.

On July 12, 1993 a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in the Sea of Japan produced tsunami that totally destroyed the southern half of Okushiri Island. Waves were greater than 30 feet and some could have been 100 feet. The earthquake was about 50 miles offshore and the tsunami arrived within minutes. 120 people died.

The states most at risk for Tsunami are California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. Hawaii is at greatest risk and they have about 1 tsunami a year and a dangerous tsunami about every 7 years.

On March 28, 1964 an extremely large earthquake (magnitude 8.4) struck Alaska. It caused tsunami waves that were very destructive in southeastern Alaska, in Vancouver Island, Canada, and in the States of Washington, California and Hawaii. Waves ranged in size from 6 to 21 feet. The tsunami killed more than 120 people and damages costing more than $106 million. It was the costliest tsunami ever to strike the Western United States and Canada.

~Dangerous Planet Website

Although a large asteroid impact is highly unlikely, scientists studying the possibility have decided that a moderately large asteroid or about 5-6 km in diameter falling in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, would generate a tsunami that would travel all the way to the Appalachian Mountains in the upper two-thirds of the United States. Coastal cities would be wiped out by such a tsunami.

Nuclear explosions could possible create tsunami but none have ever been generated from testing yet. Furthermore, such testing is currently banned by international treaty.

Tsunami waves hit Hawaii in the early morning hours Friday and were sweeping through the island chain after an earthquake in Japan sparked evacuations throughout the Pacific and as far as the U.S. western coast.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said Kauai was the first of the Hawaiian islands hit by the tsunami. Water rushed ashore in Honolulu, swamping the beach in Waikiki and surging over the break wall in the world-famous resort but stopping short of the area's high-rise hotels.

Waves about 3 feet (a meter) high were recorded on Oahu and Kauai, and officials warned that the waves would continue and could become larger.

Roadways and beaches were empty as the tsunami struck the state, which had hours to prepare. Residents in coastal areas of Hawaii were sent to refuge areas at community centers and schools while tourists in Waikiki were moved to higher floors of their hotels. People waited in long lines stocking up on gas, bottled water, canned food and generators, and officials told residents to stock up on water and fill their cars with gas.

"People here are a little concerned," Malia Zimmerman, publisher of the Hawaii Reporter, told FoxNews.com from her home in Oahu. "We're all in a holding pattern right now."

~Fox News

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Gnomeo & Juliet

Mar. 11,12,13,15

Doors open at 7:30pm  Show Time 8:00pm  Tickets $5

Because After The Wedding Day…

 

Every Bride to be has a huge collection of decisions ahead of her as she begins to plan her wedding day.  The venue, the flowers, the dress, the favours, the cake, the menu, the caterer…and of course, the Photographer.  Looking through Bridal Magazines can be helpful, and there are often lists of sample questions for choosing your photographer.  I see some of the questions listed there as essential – however the best write up I have seen was written by a photographer couple out of the States.  GrantDeb Photographers is an award winning husband and wife photography team with amazing talents located in South Eastern Virginia.  The article written encourages couples to look at 5 different categories, and feel comfortable with your choice.  I would encourage all Bridal Couples to read this, because after the wedding day, when the flowers have died, the dress is boxed, and the food is eaten, your wedding photography is the one tangible thing from the day that you have!

Article Link:   http://grantdeb.com/wedding-photography-blog/181/How-to-be-certain-your-wedding-photographer-is-best-for-YOU

Canadian War Plane Heritage Museum

A Special Treat Today From My Guest Blogger AKA My Husband Ralph!

I was in the best of both worlds this weekend. I have had a lifelong fascination with airplanes and by extension airplane models. I have built many airplane models in my youth and when Albert, my oldest brother, told me he was going to see a scale model show at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton it was just too tempting.
The talent of these modellers is just amazing. Their ages went from the youngest to the oldest. One older gentleman proudly showed off his models with electric motors added to spin the props and remotely controlled parts of a B24 Liberator. He said with a grin that he prefers his display models to have moving parts.

There were some large model ships that were made entirely of paper and until we were told what they were made of we had no idea that they weren’t plastic. The intricate details these talented people can come up with leaves me speechless sometimes…….like now. The space shuttle and the Bell X-1 models have to be seen to be believed. I only had a wide angle lens to capture the full size planes at the museum and I really wish I had another lens to capture more clearly the details of these 2 models (and others).

It was fun to look at these models with the backdrop of full size aircraft around us. The museum is preserving these aircraft as a tribute to the brave airmen who flew them in war and peacetime. My favourites would have to be the Avro Lancaster and the Supermarine Spitfire but also right up there are the Canadian designed and built CF 100 Canuck and the F86 Sabre. The Sabre has some of the skin covered with clear plastic so you can see the inner workings of an airplane. The Lancaster (102 foot wingspan by 69 feet long) was under maintenance and we could clearly see the framework holding the engines plus the wiring and hydraulics. It’s bomb bay is, in a word, massive.
The museum gift shop also has many remote control models hanging from its ceiling. There is a gorgeously modeled FW 190 that caught my eye, more than once. Then there is the CF 104 Starfighter at the entrance to the museum. I wouldn’t mind if it were in my backyard (I’d say front yard but Heather might object).
It was well worth the visit. It cost more in gas to get there and back than it did to get in, not too hard these days. See their website at: http://www.warplane.com for more information.  Your special guest blogger, Ralph.

Google Chrome

At first I had no idea what Google Chrome was – I simply wanted to have Google Earth on my laptop and Chrome was offered – Junk, I figured, and I passed it by.  Recently however I have noticed a few news tid bits about Google Chrome, and decided to look into it more thoroughly.  Basically - Google Chrome is a web browser – much like Internet Explorer, Fire Fox and Safari – but faster.  Google Chrome is available for PC and Mac users alike – and works great on both!  An incredibly easy to use browser, that even comes with it’s own online webstore for adding apps.  PS – If you play games online – this may just give you that extra advantage you’ve been looking for

Check out a few of the perks of Google Chrome…

• Speed

  Chrome is designed to be fast in every possible way: It's quick to start up from your desktop, loads web pages in a snap, and runs complex web applications fast. Learn more about Chrome and speed.

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• Simplicity

  Chrome's browser window is streamlined, clean and simple.

  Chrome also includes features that are designed for efficiency and ease of use. For example, you can search and navigate from the same box, and arrange tabs however you wish — quickly and easily.

  Watch video

• Security

  Chrome is designed to keep you safer and more secure on the web with built-in malware and phishing protection, autoupdates to make sure the browser is up-to-date with the latest security updates, and more. Learn more aboutChrome's security features.

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• And more features

  Chrome has many useful features built in, including extensions, translation in the browser, themes, and more. Learn more about Chrome's newest and most-loved features.

CNN iReport Video

Tomorrow will be your last chance to vote as the first annual iReport awards.  There are so  me incredible stories listed, take the opportunity now to have your voice heard.  iReports are an incredible news service where CNN will accepts “photos and audio from a computer or cell phone.  A compilation of news items submitted by citizen journalism.”

Vote Today!

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The Green Hornet

Mar. 4,5,6,8

Tickets $5 Doors open at 7:30  Showtime 8:00pm

White Balance Colour Checker

I remember back in college having to do a massive spread of images with an %18 grey card – over exposing, under exposing, overdeveloping and under developing, I can’t even remember how many images were needed to complete the project…I do remember I had to do it twice…and that Steve K. patiently endured holding the grey card !

Today the process is so much simpler, and even possible without having to use an 18% grey card.  The first video below is by Fro Knows Photo and very simply and straight forward shows you how to use a grey card, and then how to set your white balance once you import your images into Lightroom.  The second video is by Gary Fong, and this one will actually give you a handy tip on how to make use of your light sphere to get your proper white balance.  Both great teaching tools!

ps. this picture taken in 1989 was so not taken with a digital camera, actually it was taken with the college’s twin lens reflex camera!

Fro Knows Photo

Gary Fong

DSLR Photography Class

There was a fantastic group out on Saturday for the DSLR photography class.  We started at 10 and went right through to 4:30 covering all of the buttons and common features you would use on your camera.  With a mixture of practical and theory…and even a small test, we covered how aperture settings can totally change the look of a picture by adjusting the depth of field, and how shutter speeds can be used to our advantage in low light, sports and panning situations.  Thank you to everyone who came out for this fun day of learning ! 
Photos below are a mixture of my own and class participants.