_my name is George and I am addicted to cameras_

Hello my name is George and I am addicted to cameras. The first step in the path to recovery is admitting that you have a problem, right? Unfortunately, I've been stuck on this step for a while now.

We popped into The Camera Store this weekend, and they know me well enough to immediately point to a beautiful bulky Pentax 6x7 camera in their used gear counter. I already own one of these bad boys, but this one was listed for an insane fire sale price of $200. It would have been a crime not to buy it.

Anita's reaction was a not unwarranted eye roll, mostly because our conversation while heading to the store involved her predicting (correctly) that I would buy a camera, despite my pleas and reassurances that all I wanted was to 'look'.


Left: P6x7, 105mm f/2.4 lens, and NPC Polaroid back. Right: P6x7, 55mm f/4 wide angle lens.


These bricks are H-E-A-V-Y, and serve a dual purpose as blunt weapons in cases of need.

Anita, the Reluctant Model

More from the 'Anita the Reluctant Model' series. She has this thing about not wanting her face to be photographed, so I shot a few obscured face portraits of her, including a continuation of my 'Glass Half Full' portrait series.











Black and White photos taken with the Pentax 6x7 on Kodak T-Max 400, developed in Ilfosol 3, 1+9 at 68deg for 6 min. Colour photos taken with the D300.

The V's and P's of Anatomy

We don't have rugrats of our own, so we miss out on the funny and awkward questions they ask. Like when Mariana (my 6 year old niece) was rubbing Tubby's belly last weekend, and her hand brushed up against his very pronounced boys - he has white fur, but he's got a dark coloured scrote (yes, I'm sooooo mature). She turns to Anita and I, and asks "What's that?". 'Ta and I just looked at each other and laughed nervously without answering.

Now I know some of you are rolling your eyes and thinking we should have just explained that they are TESTICLES, because it's better to have that conversation in a safe controlled environment rather than her learning about them with peers her own age (ie: yucky boys). But this isn't my kid. I shouldn't have to have the V's and P's conversation with her. V's and P's stands for Vags (pronounced with a 'J' sound) and Peens, in case you didn't make that connection. Again, I'm sooooo mature.

Anyways, I was trying really hard (ha... there's a bad pun in here somewhere) to find a photo that could appropriately represent the awkwardness of this moment, but alas, I don't routinely take photos of dog scrotums... and yes, I'm giggling as I write that. So I leave you with another edition of the Dead Bird Diaries instead, only it's not a bird. Welcome to the Dead Squirrel Diaries, episode 1.


Photo: Asahi Pentax 6x7, Takumar SMC 105mm f/2.4, on T-Max 400. Developed in Ilfosol 3, 1+14 at 68 deg. F for 10:00.

Friends on Film

Sort of the opposite of my ongoing Strangers in the City project, Friends on Film is my attempt to photograph the people that I know through various aspects of my life. It occurred to me that for the thousands of photos I take every year, I have hardly any portraits of my friends. And then it also occurred to me that it's likely because I have no friends haha... but for real, the next time I see you, don't be surprised if I demand that you sit for a portrait. I want to end up with a giant collection of negatives with your mugs permanently fixed to them. None of that digital crap that you lose when your hard drive crashes. I want a physical reminder of how you look so that when I'm a senile 90 year old, I can pull out these things and be like, "Who the frick is this guy?"


The most important of all the folks in my life, Anita, my beautiful wife.




Tytus, my fellow nerdy goof-tard that I wish I still worked daily with. We wouldn't get much work done though...




Gregg, fellow Vegrevillian I've known since Kindergarten. Movie buff, freelance writer, and webcomic creative genius.


Erin, Gregg's prettier half. I feel bad that we ditched her halfway up a mountain a few weeks ago, but she graciously took it in stride.


Jeremy, funniest dude I know. Also the only person I know that is skinnier than me.


Sandie, keeps threatening to neuter my in-laws dog when we're not looking.


Bruce, fellow beer connoisseur and all around handyman.


Yasko (and Aren), once spent 16 hours scrambling a horrendous mountain with me after having met me only the night before.


Ray (and Kai), easy going other half of Yasko. Also a fellow mountain warrior. We miss you guys in Calgary. Move back!


Chris, street photography ninja. Seriously, dude shoots street photos with a hasselblad (not a subtle camera).


Tytus again... with his 'steampunk' goggles. See why I called him a nerdy goof-tard earlier?


Andy, my awesome bro-in-law. The only knock I have against him is his habit of shooting with a Canon. :-/


Scott, fellow photo nerd and beer enthusiast. My two favourite things.


Wing (and Grace), the only man I know that has a bigger obsession with watches than me.


Paul, who recognized me on the street from photo postings in the Film Shooters group before I'd even met him. This shot of him blinking is a reminder of why you should always shoot an extra frame of film.

All black and white photos taken with either the Kiev 88, Pentax 6x7, or Rolleiflex 2.8E, and home developed in Ilfosol 3. Colour shots developed at a commercial lab.

Stampede Adventures

Ten days of carnies, crazies, and poor life choices - all battered, chocolate dipped, and deep fried on a stick. Welcome to the Calgary Stampede folks! How does one know the self proclaimed 'Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth' is here? Five tell-tale signs:

1) The flesh parade in the streets is like a fully stocked fresh meat display at Safeway (think a mixture of lean steaks, rump roasts, and far too much jiggly head cheese).

2) Inhibitions are inhibited. In other words, watch for a spike in regret and birth rates 9 months from now.

3) Every man, woman, and dog is now a cowboy. Seriously, Asian cowboys. About as authentic as Chicken Balls and Egg Rolls.

4) The Miracle Shammy man swindles you out of your life savings because you can't say no to a 2-for-1 deal (and so you buy 5 sets - YEEHAW, 10 Shammies!)

5) The hopelessly outmatched 8 year olds get their dreams crushed at Whac-a-mole by yours truly.

Our day at the Stampede begins with a bus full of Asians. Why? Well because it was Free Admission before 9:30am on Sunday, of course! No caucasian would be brave or stupid enough to compete for a spot on the early shuttles to the grounds with a marauding horde of my kinfolk en route. Don't ever stand in the way of us and FREE anything.

We arrive, and load up on carbs (sugared mini-donuts) for energy and optimal mental fortitude to compete at midway games. Anita apparently doesn't understand nutrition (or the concept of blending in), and instead opts for a veggie falafel. I'm surprised they didn't throw us out right then and there. Who goes to the Stampede and orders vegetarian fare? That's like ordering medium rare baby giraffe steaks at a PETA fundraiser.

Next up, Whac-a-mole, wherein a few kids and a lot of adults leave empty handed, as I demonstrate my mad one handed whacking skillz. Wait... er... nevermind. Moving on.

We wander aimlessly for hours, taking in the smells (smoked turkey legs! fresh horse poo!), sights (endless flesh spectacle - a fleshtacle?), and sounds ("Step right up! 5 dollars per game wins your choice of handmade (in a gruelling sweatshop!) stitched plush toy"), before finally tiring and breaking for lunch.

Later in the afternoon, the mother-in-law spots a TD bank giving away FREE bandanas - all you have to do is yell "YAAAAAAHOOOO" into a microphone. While it's bad karma to poke fun at your mother-in-law, I got a good laugh when she attempted, but her lack of English speaking ability made her scream YAAAA WOOOO... Twice. Hilarious. Times 2. But hey, a FREE bandana is a FREE bandana (which she won't ever use). But it was FREE!

Before retiring for the day, I indulge in another healthy snack in the form of a deep fried twinkie on a stick, covered in powered sugar and drizzled with chocolate. Only, it wasn't truly a Twinkie, but tasted like a knockoff. A Twonkie?

Enjoy some photos.








B&W photos shot with a Pentax 6x7, Takumar SMC 105mm/f2.4, on Ilford HP5+. Processed in Ilfosol 3 at 68 deg. C for 6.25 minutes.

Strangers in the City

More results from my Strangers in the City project, in which I am approaching random strangers I encounter to take their portraits on medium format film. I've had a couple more polite rejections from some folks, and I also pooched a couple shots of some strangers that agreed to sit (sorry dudes). But overall, the project is going well, and I may start a whole new site dedicated to it. Enjoy, and meet some of your local Calgarians.


Maisy, yard sale hunter extraordinaire. She found a sweet red sequinned hat and ceramic dog from a yard sale just a couple blocks from where I took this portrait (Blonde's Diner).


Lauren, the other half of the yard sale hunter duo. Lauren's hat is what actually caught my attention about this duo, as the hat is exactly the same as one I bought in Ha Long Bay, but failed to bring home cause I didn't want to crush it in my luggage.


Krista, a gal who was minding her business at the bus stop, reading and listening to tunes through her earbuds when I interrrupted to request a portrait. She was more than patient with me, as I first screwed up the shot, and then had to change to a new roll of film before finally getting this shot off.


Kiri was enjoying a coffee outside The Roasterie, when I interrupted to ask for a portrait. When pressed for some personal details, she stated that she was just a girl trying to find herself.


Dionne, budgie owner. Seriously, we passed by her in the Kensington area, where she was sitting with her pet budgie, Icky. You don't see bird owners take them out for walks very often, so this was kind of cool. Other interesting connection, I was wearing a Muse shirt from the concert earlier this year, and she had also gone and bought that same shirt.


Icky the budgie, who probably prefers to think that she was out taking her pet human for a walk.


Scott, analog camera junkie, not a stranger. But I had to finish off my roll before I could develop it. Scott likes cameras. Like, REALLY likes them. Probably moreso than me. That's saying something.


Andrew, also not a stranger. Although we only met today. Appears to own significantly more cameras than me (and I have 35). Was shooting a frankencamera of a Polaroid Land 100, with modded lens and finder. My new hero.


Georgette, Andrew's other half. TLR and SX-70 shooter. What more can you ask for in a girl?


Anita, my better half. Without her, none of the happy stuff in my life exists.

6x6 shots taken with a Kiev 88 on Ilford HP5+. 6x7 shots taken with a Pentax 6x7 on Fuji Neopan 400. Both rolls developed in Ilfosol 3, diluted 1:9.

Strangers in the City

I've started a new personal project that I'm tentatively calling Strangers in the City, in which I am approaching random people I encounter and asking them to sit for a portrait. The intent of this project is multi-fold. I want to break out of a personal comfort zone, while also breaking down isolating barriers that society has taught us throughout our lives about not talking to strangers. It can be strangely lonely in a city of a million plus. There is a huge void of intimacy and community as we all go about our daily lives - ignoring the people around us in favour of our smart phones. And out of 'politeness', we stare at our shoelaces rather than look at each other and perhaps establish some form of connection. Hopefully the people I meet as part of this project will feel more engaged and connected to this city, and maybe they will adopt a less distant demeanour towards the people around them as well.


This is Gabriela, a lovely lady originally from Mexico, but now a Calgarian. She liked that I was photographing strangers and building community. Photo taken inside Clive Burger on 17th Ave.


Say hello to Kate and Kelsey, who caught my attention when I saw them staring at my camera. Turns out one of their moms (or maybe both) is a photographer as well. Another interesting connection between us - they work at the Drop-In Centre, which I volunteered at for a year way back in the day. Photo taken at the streetside patio of Melrose on 17th Ave.


These three didn't want their real names used, but asked to be referred to by the faux gangsta names of Niqq, Kpop, and One-chain. Photo taken outside Reid's on 17th Ave.




I asked this gal if I could photograph her backpack cause I love the look of these Herschel Supply Co. bags. I wish I had also taken a portrait of her as well. Much regret!


This is Josh, a nice dude who was waiting for the bus on 4th street. I love the Pabst cap. Very rad!

In total, I approached 11 people today, and only had one person politely decline. Unfortunately, a photo of Drew and Darren (two Calgary firefighters) was ruined because I completely underexposed the shot, and got a big black frame. And one shot of Kristal is at the start of my next roll, which has yet to be developed. All photos taken with a Pentax 6x7, Takumar 105mm f/2.4, on Fuji Neopan 400. Developed at home in Ilfosol 3 diluted 1:9.

Confessions of a Cameraholic - pt. 2

I ran a test roll of Ilford XP2 Super 400 through the Pentax 6x7 last weekend. I'm quite pleased with the results - the 105mm f/2.4 lens is killer. Not quite sold on the 165mm yet, but I did only shoot a couple things indoors with it. Can't wait to try this lens outdoors for some portraits. Who wants to come for a portrait session? Promise I'll do my best to not make you look fat.

We leave for Vietnam in just over 72 hours. Shiat, I have a lot of stuff left to do before then. Someone please find me that time stopping sub-weapon from Castlevania.

Confessions of a Camera-holic

I've officially lost my mind. I bought my 30th camera this week (25th film one at that). This is my new (to me) Asahi Pentax 6x7 medium format SLR, with 105mm f/2.4 and 165mm f/2.8 lenses). It's a beauty - I'm going to borrow a description from that Chinese newspaper/ The Onion's declaration of Kim Jong Un as Sexiest Man Alive - and say that this beast is 'Devastatingly Handsome.' You don't get a true sense of scale from looking at these photos but it's a tank, weighing in at over 5.5lbs (and a bit heavier when mounted with the 165mm f/2.8 lens). When the shutter is fired, the mirror slap sound is like cocking a shotgun on steroids. Oh the glorious photo adventures we will go on.