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Misadventures in the Canadian Rockies with a side of Punk Rock Upper Kananaskis LakeI have lived in Calgary for going on 9 years now and during that time I like to think I had the place pretty well explored. I know of a lot of beautiful nooks and crannies nestled in the prairies, foothills and Rockies, perfect for landscape photography. I have traveled around British Columbia and Alberta for most of my life, leaving very few places unexplored. So with this in mind, I am more than a bit embarrassed to admit that I had never been to Upper Kananaskis Lake until this month. What a stunning location. Actually, I'm going to say that again a little louder. What a STUNNING LOCATION It was so stunning, after I learned of the lake I reserved a campsite near by for Thanksgiving weekend and then dragged my husband, mother in law, friend and his dog to go look at it. I clown carred my mother in law into the tiny back seat of my truck with a stranger and a dog and as far as I'm aware, I'm still in the good books. It's that beautiful. We just stood on the shore and breathed it all in. If you are in the area, I recommend doing the same, it's good for you.
The Press GangI have just finished going through the photos I did recently for bringers of the heavy, staples of the Calgary punk scene for the last 7 years and all around nice guys The Press Gang. I must admit, while going through these photos there were a number of instances where all I could do was stare at the screen in disbelief and just laugh. Not only is the Press Gang a great band to see live, they're fantastic to work with and seeing their giggle fits and shenanigans captured on my computer screen kept me entertained long after the shoot was over.
Failure At Frank LakeOne of the things I notice when following other photographers, is they typically don't talk about their failures, they're always going on about their successes and how damn awesome they are. I agree, they're awesome, but people who are that awesome usually have some terrible horrible secret like they're currently wearing a coat made from their neighbour's skin. I am only awesome some of the time, other times I suck and I currently do not have a torture chamber in my home. Science. I'll start with my failures at Frank Lake.
Frank Lake is a Failure # 2. Right in line with my delusions of grandeur, I seriously over estimated how long a 200mm lens was. I found the birds all right, thousands of them. Geese, ducks and swans swimming and flying around all birdlike and cute. Could I get a decent shot? Not if my life depended on it. The whole reason for being there, kiboshed. Failure # 3. Did not scout a bathroom. Granted, this failure could have ended much worse as accidents were avoided but do you know how difficult it is to locate so much as a tree on the prairies? The entire place was not designed with women in mind.
Failure # 4. This is a doozy. I did not properly prepare myself for tromping around a slough. It was surprisingly freeeeeezing cold and I had not brought proper freeeeeezing cold clothing. I also failed to pack rubber boots, which are apparently essential for tromping around a slough (pft who knew?!). This is where the failures culminate into plain stupidity. I didn't have proper clothing and my lens was not sufficient for what my goals for the day were, so I tip toed closer to the birds to try to get a decent photo and wound up getting sucked into the mud and water a good distance away from the truck. I ended up soaking wet in freezing weather and my feet were so unbelievably cold I had to hobble back to the truck. At that point I gave up. I also gave up my hopes for ever climbing Everest. Evidently I don't do well with cold.
However, with every good failure, there should be a success story so as to not get you down, so I can happily say that I did come back from that trip with some of my favourite prairie landscape shots. Just no birds. Or toes.
Calgary's FloodWhen much of Southern Alberta flooded in June of 2013 I could barely sleep, I knew it was history in the making and I had to be out with my camera. I drove around for three days, running on very little sleep, taking it all in. The water rose higher and higher while the City was at a standstill, bracing for the worst. Experiencing the great flood of 2013 first hand was eerie, sad and awe inspiring. I was able to witness strangers standing side by side on hill tops in complete silence watching the water rise, helpless to do anything but wait and see what comes next. I was also able to witness the mindblowing amount of kindness and generosity shown by strangers from all over the city, province, country and world that could restore even the most grinchlike person's faith in humanity.
The sheer amount and power of the water was hard to comprehend. It still is. Downtown sat closed off and silent save for the sound of rushing water, sirens and distant generators furiously trying to keep flood waters at bay. The radio was a constant barrage of road closures and updates on water levels dotted with the Emergeny Broadcast System reports as one by one communities across Alberta were evacuated.
When the water receded and the damage fully revealed, it was difficult for every body. It was difficult for those who lost their loved ones, their homes, their livelihoods, their possessions. It was also difficult for the countless volunteers who helped strangers rebuild, knowing that no amount of work they do will make it hurt less for their neighbours. The moment that the sheer amount of loss struck me was after an evening of volunteering in Bowness. I drove past pieces of a piano that had been left curbside and I knew I had to photograph it. To me, the single image of a lost family heirloom, sitting abandoned at the side of the road embodied the loss more than any photo of a water logged basement or mangled bridge could. I went home that night and cried. The photo is now framed and hung in my own house and serves as a reminder to be thankful for what I have.
Halloween 2013
Playing bass in The Rigormorticians means that Halloween is the busiest time of the year for us and this year was no exception. I'm curled up on the couch after a whirlwind weekend hosting guests, playing gigs and house parties and hauling gear all over the place. Despite the madness, I was still able to get the camera out. It was a great party, though an evening at Verns always is, and an even better show with top notch performances from everybody. The entire set of photos can be found here, but for now, here's two of my favourites.
Tom (bass) and Steve (drums) of The Escorts Fame.
Face melting Jennifer of the New Jacobin Club I Win at the WildernessLet preface my exceedingly long story and tell you about the dream I had the night before wherein I was at the location I was going to, about to wade across the creek in fishing waders (the ones I had already packed) I stepped in, camera in hand, and found only a muddy bottom, sunk and was immediately in WAY too deep. Managed to scramble out but got my camera soaked and destroyed in the process, all while a little red Fox swam around in the creek mocking me. I woke up and said - I'm going to not going to go in the creek today as it is a stupid idea.
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