Torontowide

Dx3 - Giving Social Media a New Meaning

2012-01-28T19:53:00.002-05:00

By Erica Brown

Social Media… a term you hear used a lot, but when you think Social Media you are probably imagining something along the lines of Facebook, Myspace, or some other type of social networking site in which you enjoy. However, social media is not always that simple; within the last couple of years social media has launched itself into to a new level of technology, basing many ideas off old media and evolving them to fit society’s standards.

But what is the process really like? How did social media become so popular to so many, how did it evolve over time, and what exactly does social media represent? These and many other questions were answered for me recently at the Dx3 Social Media Conference in Toronto.

Among this technology and media convention one can find everything from online marketing and advertising companies, to online chains of credit processors, “hotshots” such as VISA and Rogers, and even emerging organizations from America.

No matter your taste the Dx3 Conference had it all.

Transcontinental or TC offers their services to magazines such as Canadian Living, by writing the companies, Twitter, Blogs and other “bullhorn” communications. SAY: Media offers advertising and website design for companies that need a little bit of flair, sass, or colour in their media relations projects. Iab.canada offers a non profit choice for interactive advertising and online marketing - what I personally enjoyed when interacting with iab.canada in particular, was the fact that they’re “student friendly” and offer interactive courses such as social media marketing, paid search marketing, and many more.

Before the convention started however; I had the pleasure of sitting down and interviewing Danielle Restivo, Manager of Corporate Communications at LinkedIn. In her years of work experience, Danielle has handled publicity and communications for brands such as Samsung, CBC, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Pampers, Iams, BMO Financial Group and various tourism boards including Jamaica, PEI and South Africa.

Over the last two years she has worked extensively in digital marketing, focusing on building relationships with online influencers and marketing through social networks. Here’s what Danielle had to say about her experience at Linked In.

Question: How does LinkedIn target students?

Answer: “With LinkedIn we’re really concerned about helping students develop their professional profile before they graduate; a lot of students will say why should I be on LinkedIn? I don’t have a job yet, and I don’t know anyone yet. My counter argument to that is that you actually know more people than you think. Think about the people that you worked with in your summer job, your internships, or faculty that you may have known. Then there are alumni, which you can actually use LinkedIn to research. Alumni groups are those people that you can really reach out to, and when you’ve gone to the same school you can always count on your alumni to help you out with job opportunities. So that’s certainly something to think about.”

Question: So would you say that your network is your networth?

Answer: “Oh it is absolutely your network and you have to keep that in mind. What I like to say is start off with, like I said earlier, the people you know now and you’ll start to see that your network grows really quickly.”

Question: What settings does LinkedIn offer for privacy?

Answer: “We give a lot of control into the hands of our members. If you go into the settings part of the site you can check off how you’re seen on LinkedIn, and how much information you choose to show. You have a number of different options, so we really put you in the driver’s seat, and allow you to make whatever changes you need to make when it comes to privacy.”

Question: “How does LinkedIn differ from other social networking sites such as Facebook or Myspace?

Answer: “The best example is LinkedIn vs. Facebook. Facebook is the social site, so it’s where you’re going to interact with your friends and family, share photos, and talk about your vacation. Whereas LinkedIn is really that professional space where you’re showcasing who you are as a professional, and what you’ve done. For a student it could be something as simple as what courses you’re taking, what awards you’ve won, or even what projects you’re working on, and that’s all really important information. Keeping that information separate is important when you’re going to apply for jobs.”

Question: What would you recommend doing for someone who does not know how to operate the site or has little experience, when they are first creating their professional LinkedIn profile?

Answer: “First of all think about the position you are in right now. For example if you’re a student, think about what you’re majoring in, any organizations or associations, or even groups that you belong to are important to add in there. If you’re thinking about doing volunteer work or volunteering at all that’s really important to add, and often volunteer experience amounts to work experience. So put that in your profile as well. You may even want to post recommendations from your professors or people who you’ve worked with in a separate job.”

Question: How did you first get the job at LinkedIn?

Answer: “(With a laugh) I actually got it through LinkedIn. My husband had a contact on LinkedIn that let him know that someone was looking for this role in Canada, and so I contacted her through LinkedIn, and yeah long story short here I am.”

Overall Dx3 left a positive image on me and thousands of other patrons, media, organizations, and businesses in attendance. Once the large hall and booths were stripped down and patrons began to exit through the many doors, it was easy to see the amount of positive energy and knowledge that was shared. Many thanks to Danielle Restivo for lending our company a few minutes to speak about this topic, and the many other fantastic online media organizations that allowed us their time.

~ Websites Listed ~

- iab.canada: http://www.iabcanada.com

- SAY: Media: http://www.saymedia.com

- Transcontinental (TC): http://www.tc.tc.ca

Theatre Gargantua Leaves a Ghostly Imprint on Audiences by Erica Brown

2011-11-14T14:31:00.003-05:00

“You were the last of your poisonous line.”

Back for the second year running and featuring a cast of eclectic actors and highly trained dancers, Theatre Gargantua’s production of “Imprints” had people searching for clues at Toronto’s Factory Theatre.

The show, written by playwright Michael Spence, explores the concept of ancestral ghosts, inner memories, and our genetic code. It ties them all together in a surreal tale told through the character of Lily (Stephanie Belding).

Throughout the play the eccentric Lily is undergoing a rigorous experimental procedure for an incurable disease. However as the effects begin to kick in she is transferred to another world, a world in which she has never seen the likes of before.

The Alice-In-Wonderland world that Lily sees is a metaphor for her inner self, and the strange ghosts she sees are those of her ancestors and the strangers imbedded within her family history.

The characters that Lily comes across are unique in their own way.
There is Thantos, a maniacal figure seeking vengeance upon Lily’s family for what they’ve done in the past.
A group of ghosts, who are as peculiar as they are nice and give Lily answers without really giving them at all, riddling much like the Cheshire cat in Alice.
Finally there is the Mad Hatter character of Had, who is probably of the most help to Lily in her search to discover her roots. He confuses Lily even more in the search to discover the imprints of her genetic build.

So many of the technical aspects of this inspired play helped it stand out.

The spirits were projected and built up fantastically. The lighting stayed with muted menacing tones throughout most of the play, and materials such as silk, sand, and projection screens were used to add an eerie and other worldly vibe.

These effects most definitely added to the show and helped to build the overall chaotic tension as the plot unfolded.

The use of choral speaking, when the ethereal spirits were seen, was absolutely fantastic, the dancing was tight and very expressive, and it's a good thing that Stephanie Belding (Lily) has an extensive background in dance and theatrical arts as most of the play featured extensive flocking and heavy mirroring.
The ensemble was very physical with dancers running, jumping, and even crawling at some points around the tiny stage. The sound effects proved very effective, and I loved how the actors broke the fourth wall climbing off the stage to say their lines and assisting with stellar effects.

There is a longing throughout the play for Lily to find her father, and with this longing, comes my personal favourite scene in the play. I won’t give too much away, but the play does have an emotional ending which proved to be quite a tear jerker to me.

Over all, Imprints is a fantastic show, and it was obvious that the actors and company were well read, rehearsed, and on their game for this performance. The play held the audience in another world, a trip that is a must-see for all lovers of theatre, art, and dance.

Video by Douglas Brown, Olympus E-PL3 w/ mZuiko 45mm 1.8 lens

Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)

2011-09-14T17:20:00.001-04:00

Photos from the 2011 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival.

Click on the photos to enlarge.

Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie

Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Evan Rachel Wood, and George Clooney (click to enlarge)

Robert DeNiro, Kiera Knightley, Sarah Gadon, and Jason Stratham (click to enlarge)

Director David Cronenberg (click to enlarge)

Actress Yvonne Strahovski (click to enlarge)

Madonna (click to enlarge)

U2's Bono & The Edge flank Director Davis Guggenheim and his wife actress Elizabeth Shue (click to enlarge)

Keira Knightley (click to enlarge)

Madonna (Director) and Actresses Andrea Riseborough and Andy Cornish (click to enlarge)

All photos shot with the Olympus E5 with 50-200mm SWD and 12-60mm SWD lenses except the last collage which was shot with the Sony A77 with Zeiss 24-70mm 2.8 lens.

All Images Copyright Torontowide.com

CMT Plugs It In And Pumps Up The Country!

2011-08-27T11:12:00.010-04:00

By Erica Brown

Country Music was out in full force yesterday at the giant CMT Music Festival just outside Barrie in the beautiful rural area of Burls Creek Ontario.

From the electric edginess of The Heartbroken to the straight up country sounds of JUNO and CCMA Award winner Corb Lund, from the self-professed ‘Hillbilly Rock’ of the charismatic Blake Shelton to the radio-friendly romance of Lady Antebellum, the event cut a wide swath through the styles and genres that call Country music home .

Damhnait Doyle of The Heartbroken, nominated for Canadian Country Music Award for Best Group

Sprung from what was an empty field less than a week ago, the spacious park-side venue featured beer gardens, extreme sports, a kids area with Ferris Wheel, a market with a wide variety of cowboy hats on sale, and of course, an array of multi talented country acts on three stages.

Super Pixie Naomi Bristo performs on the main stage on Sunday

Co-Organizer and Co-Promoter of the CMT Festival Kitt Andrew had this to say about the process of creating the festival.

"I came to a Toby Keith concert almost two years ago and discovered the park for the first time. So having found the park, I got the idea of creating a larger scale festival here."

With years of experience in the entertainment industry, Kitt knew that he would have to put together a team of great individuals who knew the business well for this project. Together with the festival sponsor CMT, the talented team at 13 Entertainment gave birth to the CMT Music Festival.

The giant main stage looks bigger than the Molson Amphitheatre and Kitt says that his team started building on Monday at 6 AM to have the massive headlining stage finished by Friday’s opening night.

JUNO Award winner Corb Lund who played with his band The Hurtin' Albertans

As the opening day of the festival unfolded, artist after artist took to Kitt’s many stages, and amongst the line-up were some undiscovered acts on the secondary stages, one of whom was Celtic-tinged Country Folk band Tim Chaison and the Morning Fold.

We got a chance to interview front man Tim Chaison about how it felt to play to such a crowd of avid country listeners and how this P.E.I band got its roots.

Tim Chaison and the Morning Fold

Starting out as a solo artist, Tim Chaison found his band members Tian (Guitar), Nat (Drums), and Brian (Bass) to form a "musical friendship" that merged their individual sounds to match Tim’s vocals perfectly .

Originally from P.E.I, Chaison admitted to a history of fiddle playing family members stretching back as far as his grandparents. He credits his love of Celtic music as a kid growing up with the band’s sound, which is not as much country as a mash up of Blue Grass, Celtic, folk, and just a tiny bit of rock edginess.

Tim’s biggest early influences, were artists such as Stan Rogers and Gordy Sampson, however we had to ask how a small band based on the East Coast came to be involved with many big names in the Canadian Music Scene such as Joel Plaskett, The Trews, and Gordy Johnston of the band Big Sugar.
Tim explains that he met Gordy Johnston at the East Coast Music Awards, back when his band was looking for a producer. Johnston willingly agreed and after hearing a demo he hooked them up with Canadian Indie artist Joel Plaskett. Chaison says that the trio made a "nice little fit." The band then went on to tour with fellow Canadian band The Trews for 2 months.
Chaison had this to say about the tour: "It was fun, I mean it was a really awesome opportunity, really really great time, they're great guys."

As the sun began to set and the perfect blue skies turned to night, fantastic performances were given by Headliners Blake Shelton and Lady Antebellum.

Laid back in a plaid shirt and blue jeans, a down-to -earth Blake Shelton pumped up the high energy country crowd with a blend of original hits and some ‘way out of left field’ covers such as Play That Funky Music White Boy.

Blake Shelton kick starts the crowd with an energetic set.

Blake’s vocals were strong and sure, as most country artists usually are, and his charismatic rock star energy was on high as he effortlessly won over the crowd. Telling stories of his life and relating them back to his songs, with the crowd singing along, the energy never died as, born performer that he is, Blake absolutely nailed his set!

Then it was on to Lady Antebellum who started the show off with a blizzard of flashing lights and heavy drum-play. Opening with a few songs off their new CD, the band soon shifted to the more familiar ground of classics hits from their self titled album Lady Antebellum.

The trio really got the crowd involved midway through the set with an acoustic sing-along; covering songs from Bob Marley, Katy Perry, and Travis McCoy. It really worked in Lady Antebellum's favor, as audience members sang along word for word, many dancing along to the beat.

Lady Antebellum

Chemistry between bandmates Hilary Scott and Charles Kelley was amazing as they flirted onstage, highlighting the romantic theme of their songs and the show continued on a high energy pace before slowing it down a bit with chart-topper "American Honey".
This is when the band really started to show off their personal sides, as each song following became an individual message from the band. Once again they had the crowd going but this time in a little more serene way.
Audience members swayed their hands back and forth as everyone was brought together by the music. From happy couples, to the best of friends, to the sleeping six year old and her father wrapped in a blanket in front of me; the crowd was touched by Lady A and the emotional ballads that they sang.

The atmosphere while they sang was one of heavy romance and they performed a new song entitled "Got a Good Thing" as a shout out to their beaming band-mate Hillary Scott on her recent engagement.

Lady Antebllum perform in front of a sea of people at the CMT Country Music Festival

This is the band’s first tour as a headlining act, and there were subtle differences to their appearance last year opening for Tim McGraw at Molson Amphitheatre, as this time around each individual member of the band seemed more focused, particularly Hilary who has stepped further out front on this tour.
Her vocal talent really shone on a personal favorite of mine "Long Gone" in which she gave her own shout out to all the sexy ladies of Canada, “especially Canadian Country gals” which got a big response.

Hilary also owned the stage during upbeat song "Love Don't Live Here" the band switching tempo effortlessly all while having a good time rocking out and enjoying themselves.

So the opening day of this spectacular festival was a complete and total success. The event goes on for two more days in beautiful Burl’s Creek just outside Oro featuring many more famous and upcoming names in Country music.

Two line dancing ladies demonstrate that there is absolutely nothing hotter than a woman in a cowboy hat

The weather forecast for the weekend is good and tickets can be had by clicking here

The line-up for the main acts on Saturday and Sunday are as follows:

Saturday

MAIN STAGE

1:45 p.m. Colt Ford

3:15 p.m. Ronnie Dunn

6:45 p.m. Dean Brody

8:15 p.m. Sara Evans

10 p.m. Rascal Flatts

SECOND STAGE

Noon Tara Oram

1 p.m. Bush Hawg

5:45 p.m. The Treasures

CMT Music Festival Budweiser Beer Garden

3 p.m. Freddy Proia

5 p.m. Chuck Byrn

5:15 p.m. Rob Pue

5:30 p.m. Tonya Kennedy

Best Buy Kids Zone

1 p.m. Best Buy Kids Talent Show

*Registration will take place on Saturday.

2 p.m. Naomi Bristow

LATE NIGHT TENT

11:30 p.m. Bush Hawg

Sunday

MAIN STAGE

10:30 a.m. The Good Family with members of The Good Brothers and The Sadies: “The Gospel Bluegrass Brunch”

1 p.m. Ryan Laird

2 p.m. George Canyon

Special thanks to CMT for having us at your festival, and Tim Chaison and Kitt Andrew for allowing us time out of your day for interviews.

Wham Bam 2011: Summer's Party Rock Anthem

2011-08-15T10:44:00.015-04:00

By Erica Brown

Party Rock Anthem was the message last night as LMFAO, along with Kesha and Spank Rock, played a sold out show to an array of glitter laced party rockers in the electric atmosphere of the Molson Amphitheatre.

Rapper Spank Rock kicked things off, warming up the crowd with a few monster beats including his hit “I Can Make You Famous”. The enthusiastic rapper had everyone’s hands up as he appealed for help singing along and jamming out to his hits, and overall did a good job of staying real and interacting with his fans.

Then it was on to LMFAO who absolutely nailed it!

Opening with their song “Rock The Beat” and closing with a charismatic version of the hit song “Shots”, LMFAO took to the stage amidst strobing lights, tearing through their CD Sorry For Party Rocking hit by hit and turning the crowd into their own personal party zone.

Inflatable zebras, beach balls, and crazy dances were all part of the band's appeal, and the crowd had their hands up, ready to sing along, as LMFAO gave some major love to their Toronto fans on the Kiss 92.5 Wham Bam Stage.
From partying with Shuffle Bot and a giant panda, to rocking out with “Sexy and I know It”, from dancing around in their underwear and playing on a keytar, the band and an amazingly talented dance crew, stopped at nothing to entertain.

It’s clear from this high energy performance that LMFAO's motto is to entertain their crowds no matter what, and I can’t give them enough credit for the awesome show they played, and the joyous spirit they laid down for the many legions of colourful and vibrant fans. Party rock was in Toronto Trick!

The evening edged on as party girl Ke$ha hit the stage. Dressed in lit up sunglasses, a silver body suit, and an absolute crap load of glitter, the headlining star owned the stage from the very first moment.

Beginning with her hit “Take It Off” and ending with a bang, she kept up a constant driving edge, dancing all over the stage to the infectious beat amongst her back up dancers under a killer light show.
Playing up her sex appeal, but not taking herself too seriously, Ke$ha danced her way through single after single really soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the spirit of the night with her fans.
She really showcased her moves well on songs such as chart toppers “Blow” and “Your Love Is My Drug”.

I have to hand it to her, Ke$ha really knows how to rock out and enjoy herself on stage.

Her charisma especially shone in numbers such as “Party at a Rich Dudes House” where she played glitter flailing drums, got out the pretend keggers, and cart-wheeled her way through the song.
As well as “Animal” where she stood confident and proud, singing her self-proclaimed favourite song from the bottom of her heart.
Ke$ha's vocals on some numbers including her song “Cannibal” really impressed, and the back stories for her songs allowed fans to see her as a real person who enjoys what she does, making a connection with each number.

All in all Wam Bam was a big success and kept the crowd dancing in the aisles throughout the evening. Special thanks to Kiss 92.5 FM for having us there, and throwing the summer's hottest party!

Taylor Swift at Air Canada Centre, July 15, 2011

2011-07-17T10:14:00.006-04:00

A few more photos from our coverage of Taylor Swift's July 15th concert at Air Canada Centre.
I was allowed to shoot the 2nd and 3rd songs of the opening concert of two sold out nights during the Toronto stop of her Speak Now Tour.
The photos were taken in the media area right in front of the stage, sometimes from a distance of just a few feet.

Click on the photos for larger sizes

Sometimes when a woman straps on a guitar, even a smaller one like a Les Paul, it looks disproportionately large on the female frame. I think Taylor's model-like stature helps even it out and she wears a Les Paul very well, not to mention the fun she has hair-flipping, kicking and strutting all over the stage like a rock star.

All images shot with the Olympus E5 with Digital Zuiko 50-200mm SWD and the Olympus E30 with Digital Zuiko 12-60mm lenses.

Flirty Girl Fitness is Turning up the Heat on Bachelorette Parties - by Erica Brown

2011-07-15T10:01:00.004-04:00

Girl power was in full effect at the Flirty Girl Fitness V.I.P Mockelorette Party in Toronto last night.

The event featured a complimentary chair-tease class, and a bachelorette theme complete with bridal cupcakes and goodies.

Billie Holiday from Mad Dog and Billie in the Mornings on Virgin Radio was to attend as the honorary bride for the evening, but she had a last minute emergency and couldn't make it, so one of the other attendees played the role of our bride for the night. Guests were able to mingle and chat, complete the chair-tease class, nibble on some goodies and explore the studio.

Taking a personal tour of the studio, I found myself immersed in an upbeat vibe that was relayed through the employees.

Our dance instructor Theresa has been involved with the company for two years and has been performing since an early age. She mainly teaches Burlesque, and was very involved with the learning process of her students for the evening.

Theresa greeted us all with a smile and launched into a fearless chair routine to Katy Perry's chart-topper “E.T”. This class was not only fun, but gave me a sense of accomplishment. It was both a work out and an enjoyable way to interact with class-mates, and have a laugh.

I feel that the bachelorette party that this gym offers, would be the perfect fit for women who would prefer not to do the bar/club routine but still go a little crazy.

The gym offers three studios, a lavish interior complete with chandeliers, complimentary showers, a mini bar, and art work painted by their staff.

The staff are warm, welcoming, professional, and friendly. They are the perfect embodiment of the fun flirty everyday woman.

Prices are quite reasonable for the classes they provide. Single drop-in classes are $20, while punch cards range in prices from $90-$280. Regular memberships range from $98 a month.

So, laced in pink, this gym is a force to be reckoned with, and I strongly recommend it to any modern day gym bunny who is not only looking to have fun with their workout, but a different experience in the lead up to their wedding day.

Katy Perry - Bringing Toronto’s California Dreams to Life

2011-07-01T11:02:00.013-04:00

By Erica Brown

“I’m sorry if I goof around and say crazy things, that’s just who I am.” – Katy Perry

It was all gumdrops, cotton candy clouds, and over the top applause for Katy Perry as she brought her California Dreams Tour to Toronto’s Air Canada Centre last night.

The minute the candy pink curtains opened an energetic Katy dove right in with chart-topper “Teenage Dream”performed on a stage laced with gumdrop banisters, lollipop trees, cotton candy cloud screens, and a pepper-mint drum kit.
Wearing a mint green and white dress, Perry was not to be missed amongst all the staging, jumping up and down, dancing, and addressing both sides of the stage to get her fans pumped.

The fans enthusiastically sang the lyrics back to her and a bond between audience and performer was instantly established.

The theme and back story to this concert came formed a magical tale told though her songs throughout the concert.

The story tells of a girl named Katy employed by a very mean butcher who makes her chop meat every single day relentlessly. Trapped in this drudgery, one day when Katy goes to buy a cupcake from the local bakery, she runs into the baker’s boy with whom she quickly falls head over heels for.
Katy later confesses to her cat, Kitty Purry (of course), that she wishes she could escape her life and end up somewhere magical like candy land. Her wish comes true, her quest to find Kitty Purry and the baker’s boy begins in a candy coated Alice in Wonderland theme.

Personally, I liked how she would connect her songs to the story, allowing candy land to come to life within the context of the set list.
Especially noteworthy, Katy's first encounter with two cheeky mimes that appear on the large cotton candy screens above the stage before joining her on stage.
Dressed in an extravagant purple gown, Katy makes use of the entire stage singing her hit “Ur So Gay” as the mimes follow and mock her. Katy runs from the mimes, but they then bring her a giant brownie which she eats, declaring it to have an “interesting” taste. A very Alice-like moment indeed.

The mimes also return in her song “Peacock”.

Now dressed in a sparkly blue corset with a giant peacock tail, the singer dances her way through strobe lights along-side back up dancers surrounding her in giant peacock feathers. She belts this song out with great energy and even “gets low” at one point in the number showing some good dance moves.

The mimes end up floating over top of the star in harnesses while doing acrobatics above. These constant Cirque-like moments blew me away, and continued in numbers such as “Waking Up in Vegas”, and “Pearl”.

However, after a point I felt that the star of the show, as much as she out-did herself on the theatrical side, could have focussed more on her singing.

Katy has a good strong voice with plenty of range, and, while the theme was amazing, I found myself wishing for less distraction, more Katy. As such it was a relief when Katy took a break from the theatrics to move into her older hits such as “Thinking of You”, and “I Kissed a Girl”.

Perry has an absolutely beautiful, and I mean beautiful, voice and really knows how to use it to good effect.

In her song “I Kissed a Girl”, she enters to sultry music in a long flowing mint green gown and the emphasis shifts to showcasing her singing dexterity and the song structure. Katy’s vocal fireworks showed well in this number as she hits one of the highest soprano notes I’ve ever heard, before speeding up the tempo to allowing a fantastically sensual modern dance piece by two female dancers dressed in metallic gold to complete the theme of the song.

The number “Who Am I Living For?” was also very raw, emotional and ballad like.

Calming the crowd down on the heels of chart-topper “E.T”, the star stalked the stage alone and vulnerable, opening up to the audience, as four back up dancers pulled her in opposite directions with translucent ribbons as if to represent the deeper meaning behind the song.
This song was a personal favourite on the night because not only was she letting her fans in, but it’s also it was the perfect match for her voice type.

Another highlight of the evening was how she included her back-up dancers, singers, band, and crew in almost everything.

Her report with them seemed really honest and down to earth. She even introduced the single members amongst her back-up dancers in hopes of them finding them 'a Toronto hottie', and allowed them their own numbers in which both the singers and dancers alike, dressed in glitter and bright wigs, sang covers of the songs “I Want Candy” and Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”.

These performances, the way she included everyone from her crew - even the earth-bound extra terrestrial, and a very purry, energetic “Kitty Purry” - made me believe that this star is definitely humble, and down to earth.

Ending the night with a bang, Katy closed the show with mega-hits “Firework” and “California Gurls” where she did a transition from white candy body suit to metallic silver bikini.

In the song “Firework” under heavy blue lighting, she declares everyone to have a spark inside them and this was echoed in the empowering thrall of thousands of audience voices singing in unison with her. You could instantly feel the energy in the air, the crowd bonding with Katy as people came together as the song climaxed with a live fireworks show.

Just when it looks as if she’s ended a fantastic show with a bang, Katy returns to top this emotional high one last time with the song “California Gurls”.

It’s here that she really gets to show her playful side as she joins a chorus of dancing gingerbread men and glittery candy dancers, while throwing beach balls over the audience with a massive grin on her face in a shower of confetti sprinkling down.
And here Katy finally gets to use her surprise weapon; a candy cane stripped whipped cream gun. She proceeds to shoot it over the audience while saying her thank-yous on either side of the stage to a crowd locked in an ultimate candy land beach party.

So, after many vibrant and glittery costume changes; including more than five on stage in the song “Hot N Cold” alone, circus performers, mimes, magicians, and acrobats running wild, crowd sing-alongs, flowery swings, fan pictures on the monitors, good opening performances, skilled dancers, a tight band backstopping the concert all night long, amazing pitch perfect backup singers, candy thrown everywhere, over-the-top firework shows, cotton candy clouds, and an adventurous fun plot that makes everyone want to know what happens next ..... Katy’s candy land adventure in Toronto came to an end.

Most certainly a show to keep on your must see list.

Set List:

- Teenage Dream
- Hummingbird Heartbeat
- Ur So Gay
- Peacock
- I Kissed A Girl
- Circle The Drain
- E.T
- Who Am I Living For?
- Pearl
- Not Like The Movies
- Sing Along Game (Not an actual song.)
- Thinking Of You
- I Want Candy/Milkshake (Cover)
- Hot N Cold
- Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)
- I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Cover)
- Firework
- California Gurls

Photo: Scott Chalmers
Copyright Torontowide.com. All Rights Reserved.

2011 MMVA's Red Carpet

2011-06-20T13:38:00.003-04:00

Photos from the MMVA red carpet and backstage media room. Click on the images for larger versions.

Avril Lavigne with fans

Host for the evening, Selena Gomez

Danny Fernandez and Shawn Desman

Shay Mitchell works it on the red carpet

Justin Beiber is a surprise appearance lending support to girlfriend Selena Gomez

Actress Nikki Reid signs autographs

Actor Colin Farrell

Singer Kreesha Turner

Lady Gaga hops out of her limo (she always drives in the front passenger seat, often with her feet up on the dashboard) for an impromptu meeting with fans.

Muchmusic VJ catches the light perfectly

Actor Johnny Galeckie from the show Big Bang Theory

Nina Dobrev from Vampire Diaries

Blake McGrath recieves an award

Austarlian singer Cody Simpson

Alyssa Reid

All photos shot on the Olympus E5 with Digital Zuiko 50-200mm or DZ 12-60mm lenses

No use of imagery is allowed without prior written consent.

A Backyard Adventure For The Kids by Erica Brown

2011-06-16T10:37:00.009-04:00

This Wednesday June 15th, Toronto’s elite showed some serious support for at-risk youth, as Serve! held their annual Serve! Stock Festival.

In support of at risk youth, Serve! Stock featured Canadian talents Royal Wood, Sarah Slean, Ash Koley, and of course the organization’s long time supporters, The Barenaked Ladies.

Held on a makeshift backyard stage, the concert - complete with raffles, silent auctions, and delicious food - raised funds to help more than 100 struggling young people in the daily battle against poverty, homelessness, and other chronic issues.

Indie rockers Ash Koley performed an energetic set of originals and covers

We had the chance to interview Executive Director Alison Caird, and actress Tara Spencer Nairn about how they got involved with such a fantastic cause, what causes they were most passionate about, and why Serve! is such a great organization.

Executive Director Alison Caird, who has been with Serve! for over two years, hopes to raise one hundred thousand dollars from this event, and says that some of it will be used to pay for essential administrative and operational costs; but that most of it will go towards supporting programming and courses aimed at morale-building, skills acquisition, furthering education and providing opportunities to advance in the workplace.

Caird explains that there are two types of programming Serve! provides. One is geared towards youth ages 13-16, and the other ages 17-24.

“It’s a very complex model because youth problems are so intricate. The model or approach that we take is very holistic but also tailored, and very comprehensive.” The program runs for six months while the youth are out of work or out of school, and together they do many community service tasks.

Caird had first-hand experience with the organization before becoming involved with Serve! as she had the opportunity to see workers from the program in action while working at a local hospital. Years later when the Executive Director position came open she remembered those kids and knew that she wanted to devote her life to helping them.

Alison says that despite the economy in Canada at the moment, she believes that people are slowly becoming educated to the issue of youth at risk, especially in larger cities such as Toronto. “We really live it, and see it in Toronto, and I think that people are starting to understand.”

However she questions “Do people fully understand the issues of poverty and crime? If you don’t get at the root issues, kids have few choices when they’re un-employed.” Says Caird.

“There’s some movement but we’re not there yet.”

The event itself was hosted in a private Forest Hill backyard in a neighbourhood that is home to some of Toronto’s most wealthy residents, and the contrast between these benefactors and the young lives they hoped to improve could not be greater, but there was a tremendous spirit of giving and care evident during the evening.

Original Montreal Canadiens jersey signed by Jean Beliveau up for auction

The event featured many items of memorabilia up for auction, and corporate sponsors, including Flare Magazine, Licks, CTV, GE Profile, Eska, Elizabeth Grant, Tag No 5 Vodka, Admar, Warner Brothers, Labatt, Jackson Triggs, Stella Artois and State Street were plentiful.

The food from L-eat Caterer’s was fantastic, and the bands, playing in a stripped down acoustic style, were certainly energetic.

The home owners and planners of the event even made the time to make sure that the large screen TV’s on the patio were intact to play the Stanley Cup final game.

Performers on the stage received enthusiastic applause, but the evening was especially poignant for the talk Serve! Canada member Kevin gave as he explained his personal story.

Kevin told the audience that he grew up in a low income family where he would often hear gun shots just next door. He found out that he had ADHD, a learning disability, and Bi-Polar (a mood disorder). However, one day a friend from his basketball club informed him about Serve!, and how it would benefit him.

Kevin did a lot of team-building experiences with Serve!, and has been a member ever since. One day while leading a Nintendo Wii Fitness Program for seniors, he realized that his passion was to help aid and care for seniors.

What really touched me was that he has just his first year towards his college diploma as Personal Care Worker, something that would have been very difficult for someone in his position to do without the intervention of an organization like Serve!

Actress Tara Spencer-Nairn says that she was inspired to become a part of Serve! Stock 2011, by hearing the empowering story of another kid from the youth program last year.

Tara says that a lot of the people in the garden were brought to tears by this young girls experience and what Serve! did for her. When asked how she thought Serve 2011 was doing she replied: “I think that this festival’s going really well so far ...” and with a laugh, “ ... I hope people leave with empty wallets at the end of the day.”

Despite all the many causes she supports, youth programs are most certainly important . “You can’t help but want to help” the enthusiastic pregnant star says with a large smile.

All and all, the people who came out to support this great cause certainly believe children are our future, and showed their support in a very generous and tangible way!

All text and Imagery is copyright Torontowide.com.
All Rights reserved.
Photos taken with the Olympus EPL-2 with mZuiko 14-150mm
and mZuiko 9-18mm lenses

Rhianna Proves She’s the Only Girl in the World at the ACC by Erica Brown

2011-06-08T12:24:00.031-04:00

“I’m really shy, because I feel like all you guys are staring at me, sometimes you just need a little bit of love or what I like to call social lubrication.” – Rihanna

Click To Enlarge

Vibrant, sexy, colourful, and back with a vengeance, Rihanna’s second night of her Loud Tour Toronto stop was truly something to catch your attention.

Performing in the Air Canada Centre - the giant venue was packed to capacity - Rihanna appeared on a giant speaker shaped stage, dressed in a metallic blue trench coat and pink heels to begin the night by belting out the hit song “Only Girl in the World” from inside a Lady Gaga inspired bubble shaped cage.

From her song “Hate How Much I Love You” in which, dressed in a Romeo & Juliet inspired yellow gown, she started a crowd sing-along with her acoustic guitarist, to the songs “California Dreaming” and “Take a Bow”; where she uses the video screens to spotlight members of the audience, the bond with her fans is palpable as the rapture on the faces in the audience match that of her own grin.

Rihanna also shows a fun colourful side to this show in the song “Hard” as she hits the stage in a forceful way on top of a large pink tank, surrounded by back up dancers dressed in uniform, herself in a military girl costume.
The tank shoots a couple T-shirts into the audience as smoke from it turns into dust, then she performs break up hit “Breaking Dishes” raunchier than ever in a silver sequined dress.

She has many more over the top moments in this show including chart topper “S&M” in which, sporting a white corset, Rihanna watches four female dancer’s provocatively pole dance, and “Run This Town” where she walks through the crowd greeting each fan before taking to a small stage at the rear of the hall to play a drum solo, and sing a song.
Throughout the evening Rihanna showcases her dance skills, as she is in constant movement on every number.

From “Man Down” to “Skin”, to the older single “Let Me” the crowd's response shows that her older hits are still touching a chord with the fans.

Rapper’s B.O.B and J Cole opened the show with solid sets of their singles and hits. Both did a good job of warming the crowd up, and B.O.B dressed in bright yellow and purple pants picked up some local talent for his song “Airplanes”, performed with Toronto’s own Melanie Fiona.

Add to these performances a surprise visit from home town rapper Drake during Rihanna’s set and there was a lot of star power onstage over the course of the night.

Dressed in a purple sweater and dark blue jeans, Drake made an impassioned shout out to all Torontonian’s before performing his hit song “Over”.
He then segued with “I couldn’t do this without a little help from this girl right here” - and the crowd cheered loudly as they knew what was ahead - right into Rihanna’s hit song “What’s My Name”.
And coming back to the stage in a colourful multi-hued shall and denim bra and short shorts, Rihanna flirted with the charismatic Drake throughout this song against a backdrop of fire effects and writhing back up dancers.

Rihanna’s was the name front and center all night long, especially lit up on the giant screen behind her in this number, but it might come as a surprise that someone with such amazing concert presence could possibly be inhibited on stage.
She said: “I’m really shy, because I feel like all you guys are staring at me, sometimes you just need a little bit of love or what I like to call social lubrication.”

However Rihanna really did do justice to the party inference in the LOUD moniker for the tour as this bold show, so full of life and exuberance, reflects a persona expressed with fun, colourful, sexy tones all while maintaining an edgy playful side throughout.

Last night at the Air Canada Centre, for her legions of fans she truly was the only girl in the world .

All Photos and Text copyright Torontowide.com.

Imagery taken by Photographer Douglas Brown with the Olympus E5 with Zuiko 50-200mm SWD 2.8 lens

International self published photography book competition

2011-04-21T11:59:00.000-04:00

Blurb, a publishing and marketing platform that makes it easy to design, publish and sell professional-quality books, has launched its fourth annual Photography Book Now competition and is calling for Canadian entries.
The competition, juried by world-renown photographers including Steven McCurry, who famously shot the “Afghan Girl” photo, and Jon Levy, founder and director of FOTO8, offers a $25,000 Grand Prize.

Photography Book Now celebrates the very best in self-published photography books and the photographers behind them. For the first time, the competition will also celebrate up-and-coming talent with a Student category. Entries will be accepted in three professional categories – Fine Art, Documentary and Travel.

Noted photography book expert Darius Himes returns to the competition for the fourth year as lead judge. In this role, Himes will lead a panel of distinguished photographers, publishers, editors and gallery curators who will jury the Photography Book Now competition. The 2011 competition jurors include:

Markus Schaden, Publisher and Curator
Larissa Leclair, Founder, Indie Photobook Library
Jon Levy, Founder and Director, FOTO8
Chris Boot, Executive Director, Aperture Foundation
Matt Eich, Photographer, LUCEO
Steven McCurry, Photographer, Magnum
Whitney Lawson, Photo Editor, Travel + Leisure
Larry Fink, Photographer
Henry Horenstein, Educator and Photographer
Laura Brunow Miner, Founder, Pictory

“Photography Book Now offers photographers from all backgrounds and from around the world an incredible opportunity to showcase their best work in book form,” said Darius Himes, lead judge of Photography Book Now. “We are thrilled to have assembled such a prestigious group of photography professionals as jurors for this year’s competition. Submissions from the competition’s first three years have set the bar high, and our jurors are looking forward to seeing even more inspiring work this year.”

Submissions will be accepted through 3:00 pm PDT on July 14, 2011, at
http://photographybooknow.blurb.com/.

Leading photography and design organizations have joined Photography Book Now as sponsors. Hewlett Packard returns as the sponsor of the $25,000 grand prize. Adobe will be supplying $5,000 to each of the four category winners, and New Page Corp. is the exclusive People’s Choice sponsor. Other category prizes will be provided by liveBooks, Lensbaby, Wacom, Nik Software and X-Rite. Additional sponsors include Mohawk Fine Papers, British Journal of Photography, Photo District News, Digital Photo Pro Magazine, CENTER, D-Photo, FOTO8, iStockphoto, Monster Children Magazine, and PHOTONEWS. To view a complete list of sponsors and prize packages, please visit www.photographybooknow.com/sponsors.

The finalists’ books in each category will become part of the permanent collections at the International Center of Photography, the Indie Photobook Library and the George Eastman House.

“Creating a beautifully produced photography book while retaining complete control of the creative process is what every artist craves,” said Eileen Gittins, founder and CEO, Blurb. “We also have heard from past winners of Photography Book Now that having their work recognized by such distinguished jurors as well as featured at international photography events around the world has opened new doors for them professionally. We are deeply committed to celebrating the medium of photography books and are proud to present Photography Book Now for its fourth year.”

For more information and to enter the competition, please visit http://www.photographybooknow.com.

So What Exactly Do I Get For My 600mm?

2011-04-05T18:28:00.008-04:00

I'm testing out the Olympus mZuiko 75-300mm 4.8-6.7 ED lens, one of their new MSC lenses - which stands for Movie and Stills Compatible.

The new designation just means that special attention has been paid to making the auto focusing mechanism as quiet as possible so when the camera is in movie mode you don't hear the focusing at work on the video's soundtrack.

This really is a remarkable lens. It's smaller than a Canon EF 135mm 2.8, fitting comfortably in the palm of your hand, yet represents a full 600mm's worth of reach when taking the 4/3's 2X crop factor into account.

For old film guys like myself this represents a longer telephoto take on the world than was ever realistically available to photographers in pre-digital times, in an unbelievalbly compact form factor.

All the chatter on the internet I've seen about this lens tends to dwell on it's relatively slow max aperture, and although the ED and Super ED elements make it very useable throughout most of the range when shot wide open, there's no getting around the fact that f4.8-6.7 is going to restrict you somewhat as to which lighting situations suit the lens best.

Assuming you want to keep the ISO down, using it hand-held, you'd be talking pretty bright conditions - direct sunlight, high haze, midday overcast lighting, even with the Internal Stabilizer engaged. Putting it on a stable tripod with the use of mirror lock-up (Anti-shake in Olympus-speak) can extend that into the golden hours that bookend each day, but only if there is minimal to no subject movement.

However, for today I want to present some quick snapshots that illustrate just exactly what 600mm's of reach looks like in the real world.

First I did a photo of a scene at the 17mm setting of the 9-18mm mZuiko aproximating a normal view (35mm equiv.) the way your eye would take in the scene if you were standing there.

Then I racked the 75-300mm all the way out to show what kind of selective slice of life can be aquired at 600mm.

CLICK To Enlarge

In the normal (35mm) view I've drawn an orange box around the aproximate area seen in the telephoto photo to emphasize the narrow angle of view of the 600mm focal length (equiv.)

CLICK To Enlarge

Here you can barely notice the house on the hillside with the naked eye, in the telephoto photo you'd be able to recognise people in the yard.

CLICK To Enlarge

This set shows how you can use this lens to look past obstacles in the fore-ground and selectively crop distant parts of the scene out in the viewfinder.

You have to admit, there is some powerful magnification going on with this optic and many creative possibilities open up when using it. Remember, this is not something you lug around over your shoulder on a monopod, but a lens that sits lightly in hand, something you'll be able to take to places where perhaps previously you've left the tele-zoom lens at home.

I'm looking forward to the Toronto Spring season finally achieving lift-off and trying this lens out when there are abundant subjects about.

Photos taken with the Olympus EPL-2 and mZuiko 75-300mm ED lens.

Rod Stewart & Stevie Nicks at Air Canada Centre

2011-04-03T12:48:00.002-04:00

Some more photos from last night's Rod Stewart / Stevie Nicks concert at Air Canada Centre.
We got to shoot the first three songs for Stevie Nicks, and then Rod did us a big favour by spreading his three songs across two of the duets he does with Stevie Nicks.
So we got a nice variety of photos.

CLICK ON THE PHOTOS for a larger image.

Stevie Nicks solo.

Rod Stewart with the band during his solo song.

Rod was in fine form last night, everyone on stage seemed to be having a blast and the audience was with him from the very first song.

Singing duets of classic Rod Stewart songs with Stevie Nicks was an inspired idea.

The jam at the end with all the vocalists on the stage had a really good energy.

Photos shot with the Olympus E5 with Digital Zuiko 50-200mm 2.8 lens.

The 2011 JUNO Awards: Photos From The Red Carpet

2011-03-30T14:18:00.003-04:00

Photos from the red carpet and backstage media room at the 2011 JUNO Awards.

Click on the images to see a larger version. All rights reserved.

Shania Twain, Neil Young with his three JUNO Awards, Sarah McLachlan, Keisha Chante.

Host of the telecast Drake, Johnny Reid with his wife, K'naan, Emily Haines from Metric, and Kardinal Offishall

Country artist Carolyn Dawn Johnson

The girls of DALA

Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson from RUSH

Royal Wood and Sarah Slean

All photos done by Douglas Brown with the Olympus E5 and 50-200mm SWD 2.8 and 12-60mm SWD 2.8 lenses.

Copyright Torontowide.com. All rights reserved.

NFL In Toronto: Buffalo Bills VS Chicago Bears at Rogers Centre

2010-11-08T18:17:00.001-05:00

Photographed the final NFL game for this year of the Toronto/ Buffalo series yesterday at Rogers Centre. The roof was closed on a lovely afternoon, so everything was shot under the lights.

The Chicago Bears vs. The Buffalo Bills
Pretty even contest which Buffalo lost by a field goal, but they were in right up to the final minute.

All done with the E30 w/ 150mm f2 and 1.4 teleconverter, ISO 2000, IS mode 2

As the 150mm f2 is missing it's tripod mount, and as no one - including Olympus America - seems to have one in stock, everytime I use this lens I have to use the manfrotto shoulder brace with it.
This has some advantages - not as awkward to run back and forth with as a monopod can be, panning movement that is better than a monopod - but it also gives you a sore neck after 5 hours of covering the game.

Pictures:

The ball releases from the hand of Bears quarterback Jay Cutler emerging from a wall of offensive and defensive linemen.

Bills running back Fred Jackson stopped at the line of scrimmage.

Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick hears steps coming from behind as he winds up to pass.

A Bears defensive back tries to strip away the ball after a Buffalo reception.

Nice line of sight shot. As the pocket collapses, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler looks to his outlet reciever, who points to where he wants the ball thrown, as a Buffalo linebacker watching the quarterback's eyes moves in to make a play in the background.

Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick threds the ball through the upraised hands of the Chicago defenders.

Buffalo running back C.J. Spiller fights for extra yardage inside the red zone.

2010

Toronto International Film Festival 2010 - Impressions From the Media Pit

2010-09-19T19:12:00.009-04:00

A composite of Natalie Portman and Clive Owen on the red carpet at the Toronto International Film Festival (probably the 2nd most important film festival in the world after Cannes) and Nicole Kidman at a morning press conference.

There aren't many actresses who would face the world's press with no, or minimal, make-up as Nicole Kidman did, but we all know she's georgous when all done up.
The room was absolutely packed tight for her press conference. I spent half of it with a photographer I'm friends with using my shoulder to brace his 300mm 2.8 while occassionally getting dinged in the head by another photog shooting over my head with the same lens.

The night before she and Keith Urban were at a red carpet gala for her film, but I passed on that photo op as the venue's media area is ridiculously crowded and you have to stand on ladders for hours on end just to save your spot as there literally is no room to stand in between them.

At her press conference Nicole Kidman talked about how she enjoyed the quiet life in Nashville with her husband Keith and her new baby. Very down to earth. Didn't put on airs at all. And like a lot of models I've shot, she's not necessarily the most beautiful woman you've ever seen in real life, but the camera just loves her. I got totally carried away and shot a couple hundred frames of her.

The blizzard of flashes that went off when Natalie Portman stepped up to the media area caused my auto focus to fail at first. Could not get a lock for a couple seconds it was so intense, and from both sides as the fans were also lighting her up with a ton of flashes.

After the step and go is done, Ms. Portman heads on down the red carpet to the video cameras for interviews. Everyone starts putting away their equipment.
Photographers are not allowed to leave the media area until the talent has gone all the way down the red carpet, so minutes pass, we're all standing around talking, killing time, some guys are already FTPing images out on laptops, when suddenly out of nowhere ... Natalie walks right past us going the other way and goes back out to meet the fans!

You never saw so much equipment, bags, knapsacks and whatever flying around in your life as all the photographers in a panic grabbed anything with a lens on it and started hosing the scene again. After it was over and she'd gone back in, there was equipment spilling out of bags and cases everywhere, laptops lying around abandoned in mid-transfer, it was hilarious. Looked like racoons had been foraging for food amongst the equipment.

Clive Owen had the misfortune of having his film's premiere the same night Megan Fox was doing the red carpet thing. Since Megan Fox is a guaranteed sale (one guy told me he made $3600 just in overnight sales on her) everyone, and I mean everyone, was over at that venue.

At Roy Thomson Hall where Clive was there were just 4 accredited photogrpahers in the media area. The situation was so embarrassing for the festival that they brought over half a dozen amateurs with DSLR's from the crowd to fill out the press section a bit. The new recruits had a blast shooting the step and go with their idols just a few feet away. He was pretty generous with his time. Everyone got along fine.

Olympus E30 cameras w/ 35-100mm f2, 50-200mm and 150mm f2 lenses. 1600 ISO for Clive and Natalie, 2500 ISO for Nicole. Clive and Natalie in manual mode w/flash, Nicole in Aperture priority no flash allowed.

Here is a quick video glimpse at the chaos of the red carpet media pit - well, the photo section at least, the video side is much calmer - at the gala for The Conspirators featuring Robin Wright Penn.

As you can see, finding an opening in the wall of photographers is quite a trick. They are stacked up two rows deep.

At the Roy Thomson Hall venue the Photo media area is split into two areas at a 90 degree angle to each other.

If you want to shoot the talent outside with the crowd in the background (which my client prefers) then it's hard to reserve a spot in the area where the actors step in front of the logo-festooned background as well.

Thus you end up trying to squeeze your camera through small openings if you want to photograph any of this.

I've pretty much written off the logo wall as the area where I will experiment with video.

So, as soon as the photos of the talent are finished using my Olympus E30 DSLR, I pick up my little Olympus EP-2 PEN mirrorless camera in video mode, usually with the mZuiko 9-18mm wide zoom lens attached but sometimes with the mZuiko 14-150mm, and try to capture some of the energy of the event.

The laughter at the end is because another photographer and I ended up tangling our cameras together manouvering to get the shot. Although the interview part looks calmer, there were actually a lot of cameras and lense surrounding me just out of frame.

Note the publicist in the background moving the actor (didn't catch his name, have no idea who he is) along the line of video cameras.

At each stop they talk for about a minute or so, than on to the next one. It's a very long line of video cameras. I'm sure they hear the same questions again and again.

Also, a photo from the Robert DeNiro press conference with Milla Jovovich (yeow!) watching on. Done with the Zuiko 150mm f2 lens.

The results from the nightly galas and press conferences I shot with the Olympus E30 mirror or exceed published results achieved by other media photographers around me using D3's and 1Dmk4's.
The New York photo agency I contribute to were happy to acccept them with no negative comments at all.

Looking forward to trying out the recently announced E5 pro camera Olympus will have on the market by October.

I've spent the last 10 days surrounded by the most state of the art photo equipment available, yet I am constantly struck by how basic the needs are for this type of photography ... which has some relevance in light of the percieved shortcomings of the Olympus E5 in the online forums.

Most of the D3/1DMK4 shooters here are using manual exposure to control background detail (so much for the 1,000 pixel light meter).

The reason most celeb shots feature flash as the key light is because the background is intentionally darkened to make the celebrity stand out with no distractions. They will intentionally underexpose backgrounds by up to three stops so your eye goes straight to the talent (more sales to busy A.D.'s quickly scanning hundreds of photos).

Most of these guys are also using manual flash, again to control the daylight/flash ratio to an even finer degree - so much for flash TTL algorithms.

And a lot of them are using manual focusing, partly because as I said earlier, the stroboscopic barrage at some of these events (honestly, I don't know how these actors stand it) will throw off even the best autofocus systems - not giving those 51 point focusing modules much of a workout.

The major advantage they are looking for by using top pro cameras is durability, number one, and the increased cropping possibilities of the larger full frame sensor. The greater dynamic range full frame pixels offer is of secondary importance, in fact most of their lighting choices serve to narrow dynamic range rather than broaden the response of the scene.

Full frame's selective depth of field advantage is a joke here. They are all shooting at f8 - f16 (seriously).

When I am using the 35-100mm at f2 to isolate a subject, and one of my exposures coincides with that of another photographer's, it is completely whited out. Even at 5.6, which is as stopped down as I like to get, their flashes toast my image.

The reason for stopping down so far? Your image is literally never out of focus. Even if you miss focus, even if the celebrity moves unexpectedly, they have enough overlapping depth of field that they are pretty sure to get a saleable picture.

High megapixel sensor? The Agency I'm sending to requires that my 12 megapixel images be reduced to 10 megapixel then ftp'd at number 8 compression setting for the JPEG. What do any of them need with higher megapixel counts than what the current top pro cameras offer?

My point is that, even though a more highly evolved camera like a Sony A55 is a lot of fun to shoot with (and I really think that camera is a major indicator of the type of camera we'll all be using in a couple years), how applicable is such an uber-cam to the profession?
In real world pro usage, the E5 will be just as effective in many cases, as evidenced by the dumbed down methodology at work here at TIFF. Outside of high speed professional sports, there are a lot of pro assignments - one could say the majority of pro work - the completion of which would tap maybe 25 percent of a top pro camera's high spec capabilities.

All photos shot with the Olympus E30 with 150mm f2, 50-200mm 2.8, 35-100 f2, and 12-60mm 2.8 lenses. Video shot with the EP-2 with mZuiko 9-18mm and mZuiko 14-150mm lenses.

Red Carpet Gala for The Conspirators at the Toronto International Film Festival from Douglas Brown on Vimeo.

Buffalo Bills vs. Indianapolis Colts @ Rogers Centre

2010-08-24T19:20:00.009-04:00

Once again I was able to secure a much soght after media pass for the Bills vs. Colts NFL exhibition game at Rogers Centre last night.

In the photo above Buffalo's running back C.J. Spiller - who had himself a good game - powers over an Indianapolis defender.

The full image does a better job of conveying the impact of the collision, with the defender's dreadlocks spraying out in all directions, but the site's apsect ratio dictates the crop. Full frame you can really see he just knocked this guy on his @ss Even managed to get two cheerleaders out of focus in the background, all in one shot.

I mostly used the ZD 150mm f2 w/ 1.4 TC, wide open, alternating with the 50-200mm when the situation required - for instance shooting from the corner of the end zone with the offensive team on the ten yard line, the 50-200mm gives you reach to cover the whole end zone and close up if the play comes to the corner as well.

I varied from the usual routine in two ways. Left the monopod at home (wanted maximum portability), and didn't bring a wide lens at all (analysizing the results from last year's Jets game I noticed that very few shots were done with the 12-60mm, and in order to bring the 150mm I had to leave the wide lens at home) It all worked out okay shooting the game, but there were some stadium views that would have been good on the 12-60mm.

The 150mm w/ TC is a good combination, and at a 400mm 2.8 equivalent it's both perfect for covering the NFL from the sidelines, and much, much, lighter and portable than what my counterparts were lugging around.

The 150mm / TC combo would still be a little short for covering the CFL because of the CFL's wider field. The wider field also has the effect of negating a little bit of the defenders speed, more plays in the CFL come to the sidelines as the plays don't run out of room as soon as in the NFL, so you'd use a wide lens more often shooting CFL.
In the NFL it seems to be mostly straight ahead power running in the middle of the field.

The 150mm / 1.4 TC is an amazing value, and much easier on the photographer over the course of a three hour game, which is a major consideration because there is SO much clutter in the way along an NFL sidelines.

For instance, there are four ball boys on each side of the field. Each carries one ball, but four of them carry a second ball in a back pouch (that's 12 balls ... what kind of ball crisis are they anticipating here?). Then there is the yard stick crew (four people per sideline).

And all of these extra people, along with coaches, players, media, TV, trainers, pretty young cheerleaders, are clustered around wherever the ball is on the field at any particular moment.

Shooting through all this traffic becomes quite a problem sometimes, often it will even dictate which angle you have on a particular play.

It's something a lot of the photographers complain about ... well, except the cheerleaders. We'll keep them.

Add to this the fact that 1/3 of the sideline is off limits due to the players bench area (photographers are absolutely not allowed in there, even to cut through briefly as we run from one end of the field to the other) and you are very constricted as to how you can cover the game.

Honestly, if you ever had to shoot it, you would have a huge amount of respect for the guys who do this stuff every weekend and come away with amazing images despite all the obstacles.

These photos were done with two Olympus E30 cameras, one with the 150mm f2 lens with 1.4 teleconverter, and the other with the 50-200mm 2.8 lens on it.

All Photos Copyright Torontowide.com

No Reproduction in any medium is allowed without prior written permission.

Farewell G20 ... Don't Let The Door Hit You In the Backside On The Way Out.

2010-06-27T11:57:00.003-04:00

Well the G20 is finally over (what was it? all of 12 hours long?)

The politicians got their billion dollar photo op, and Toronto got large scale economic loss, wide spread physical destruction, and 5 spiffy new sound canons.

I heard on CBC that the world's leaders rejected getting together at a remote Army base (has the fence already and plenty of well-armed soldiers for protection) because it would send the wrong message.The people might feel cut off from their benign leadership were they to be percieved as walling themselves off.

How is that different from erecting the walls right through the heart of a major city, bringing everything crashing to a halt within and around that perimeter?

Twenty of the world's leaders visited Toronto - briefly.
Not one made a public appearance. It was like a ghost event. Without the CBC's breathless coverage would anyone have noticed it at all?

Considering the state of most of these country's economies, should this kind of extravagance be tolerated in the future?
G20 - next time go find yourself a remote little island. Trust me, no one will hold it against you.

Photos of the G20 Summit Protest March were shot with the Olympus Micro Four Thirds Pen EP-2 with 17mm 2.8, 14-42mm, and 9-18mm lenses.

Taylor Swift's Fearless Tour at Air Canada Centre

2010-05-23T14:25:00.013-04:00

Grammy winner Taylor Swift brought her Fearless Tour to the Air Canada Centre for a two-show stop in Toronto that began with Friday's concert.

I was allowed to shoot the first three songs from the pit in front of the stage, and then via a review pass watched the rest of the show from the media gondolo up in the rafters - thus managing the trick of going from 6 ft. in front of Taylor, to possibly the furthest seats in the building in one fell swoop.

Even from up in the thin air of the press area it was apparent that this was an exceptional concert event. None of the shows I've seen lately could touch this one for the intense bond between performer and audience, a feeling enhanced by the relatively modest sound levels that allowed for a sing-along atmosphere with the crowd from beginning to end. The sound from the stage never drowned out the crowd which had the effect of shrinking the large impersonal arena down to a more human scale as thousands fell into sync with every song.

Taylor's warmth and personality harnessed the technology and impressive staging to make a real connection with her fans. Whether it was forays right into the audience, warmly embracing fans with generous candor, or the frequent personal anecdotes that lead off many of her songs, she was met with loud approval at every turn, effortlessly shouldered being the focus of the entire production non-stop for nearly two hours.

She danced and swirled with an infectious tomboy energy propelled by an ecstatic wave of crowd energy from beginning to end.

It was a show that many veteran performers could learn from with it's mix of down to earth honesty, humour and spectacle.

At just 21 years of age, Taylor Swift has mastered the art of holding an entire arena in her thrall. A true star.

All images copyright Torontowide.com. No reproduction in any form is allowed without prior written permission.
Photos done with Olympus E30 cameras with Digital Zuiko 50-200mm 2.8 and 12-60mm 2.8 lenses.

Micro Four Thirds Update And Impressions Of The M.Zuiko 9-18mm Lens

2010-04-15T12:21:00.026-04:00

Today Olympus announced a wide ranging firmware update for the E-P1 / E-P2 and E-PL1 cameras. It is the first time in company history that Olympus have offered a firmware update that applies to so many models at once.

The main area addressed in this update is an increase in focusing speed - conservatively estimated by a company source as approximately a 15% increase in speed - but the new firmware will also improve AF tracking performance on all three models, and additionally it will allow users to do image review on the rear screen when using the optional EVF on the E-P2 and E-PL1. Currently, when using the EVF everything happens either in the EVF or on the rear LCD. This update will allow you to split the functions between the two screens.

There will also be a new method for updating the firmware which, for the first time, will be available through a dedicated web link as opposed to using the Olympus Master or Studio software to access the update.

The firmware update will be available as of April 22 by going to http://www.getolympus.com/penupdate

I have been using a beta E-PL1 camera with part of the final firmware version installed for the last couple days. Although it had the final version of the focusing firmware installed, the new focus tracking and LCD/EVF firmware versions were not included with this camera.

Having used it with one of the few full production M.Zuiko 9-18mm lenses available in North America, the new and old M.Zuiko 14-42mm kit lenses, and several regular Four Thirds lenses via adapter (40-150 kit, 14-54 f2.8, regular 4/3’s 9-18mm, 75-300mm), I agree that there is about a 15-20 percent increase in AF speed with the older lenses.

This doesn’t turn your E-PL1 into a D3-like sports shooting machine, but it adds some welcome zip to the auto focusing in all lighting situations.

Overall the camera feels enhanced with more certain AF responsiveness and positive focus lock. Whether using the kit lens, 17mm or regular Four Thirds lenses with the adapter, I found you could feel the difference to varying degrees depending on light levels. In bright light the improvement is especially apparent.

But it is when shooting with the M. Zuiko 9-18mm, and its new internal focusing design, that things get really interesting. Using this lens with the firmware update puts the E-PL1 right up with entry level DSLR performance. In all the light levels where you are likely to be using auto focusing the M.Zuiko 9-18mm grabs focus quickly and with total, uncanny silence.

I cannot tell you how impressed I am with the new 9-18mm. It is a small jewel of a lens. From its tiny form factor – 50% smaller and 40% lighter than other lenses in this range – to the smooth, well damped zooming action, the 9-18mm just feels completely right on this camera.

Due to its ground-breaking dual-sided super aspherical element and use of ED glass, the M.Zuiko 9-18mm produces outstanding images with very nice micro contrast and saturation that come razor sharp straight from the camera (no insane amounts of USM required)

The M.Zuiko 9-18mm’s focusing is so silent you literally have to put your ear up to the lens barrel to hear it focusing, a real plus when shooting video. By far the quietest AF lens I have ever used from any manufacturer.

Here is a video shot with the E-PL1 with latest firmware and M.Zuiko 9-18mm of Wen Wei Dance Company's dress rehearsal for their piece called CockPit as part of Harbourfornt Centre's NextSteps program.

Whether I was grabbing quick shots of people in motion, doing Hail Mary photos of my ‘auto focus immune’ jet black cocker spaniel chasing me across a field, shooting a squirrely teenage daughter and giggling friends for family photos, or scenery and macros into the sun from difficult angles … everything I threw at the E-PL1 / 9-18mm combination was handled with workman-like, no-nonsense efficiency.

No drama. Just zap it’s focused, click it’s photographed.

I even took the E-PL1 w/ M.Zuiko 9-18mm along to shoot Florence And The Machine at a concert as an accredited journalist, shooting from the media pit in front of the stage under what turned out to be the worst concert lighting I’ve seen all year.

As a point of direct comparison I tested my regular 4/3’s 9-18mm on an entry level E510 DSLR body against the E-PL1. On average the E-PL1 with M.Zuiko 9-18mm focuses just as quickly on multiple objects at varying distances and differing light levels, and with slightly more certainty. In dimmer light the E-PL1 actually achieved focus faster.

Rather than use focusing charts I tested the two in a room with lighting that varied from bright sunlight to deep shadows while focusing on objects, some of which were very AF friendly and some which would give any AF system problems.

Obviously this is not a definitive test under controlled circumstances, but my conclusion, and I have been using the highly regarded regular Four Thirds 9-18mm for more than a year, is that in casual shooting situations at the entry level there is now very little practical difference in focusing speed between the two Olympus systems in this particular focal range when using the M.Zuiko 9-18mm with the new firmware. My time with the micro version has me thinking it may just be the equal of its bigger brother in a lot of ways.
However, where the E-PL1 did suffer was the long blackout time after exposures, which makes it more suited to a slower paced shooting session.

The DSLR, despite the mirror flip, will shoot continuously with much less distraction, and the optical viewfinder is still best for subjects with a lot of movement.
So, if you were to combine the tiny, light weight 9-18mm and the upcoming equally diminutive 14-150mm (due to be released in June), you’ll have two silent, fast focusing, high quality lenses covering a range from 18mm to 300mm equivalent - ultra wide to a very useful telephoto - that are optimized for both video and stills.

Mate these to a body equipped with the optional EVF - offering a WYSIWYG viewfinder nearly the size of a DSLR camera – and you’d have a very compelling travel camera package, a low profile kit for photojournalists in traditional media, a good choice for online journalists with the high quality Micro Four Thirds video option, a load off the shoulders of Landscape/Nature shooters everywhere … or just something for anyone with a need for high image quality combined with excellent portability.

The M.Zuiko 9-18mm and 14-150mm would seem to offer all the performance most people will need, in a small package they’ll actually have with them when they need it.

Sample photos from the M.Zuiko 9-18mm lens (click photos to enlarge) :

Abandoned Dragon Boats – Split open and rotting by the lakeshore these abandoned dragon boats make for an interesting study in texture in the direct noon light.

Scarborough Bluffs – Shooting nearly directly into the sun the 9-18mm doesn't show a trace of flare, and this without the lens hood (which Olympus didn't have in stock yet)

Eaton Centre – Again, showcasing the enormous view possible with the M.Zuiko 9-18mm. Without a tripod to set it up perfectly, this image required mild correction on one side to make the uprights line up more or less parallel.

Capturing movement with the new firmware – Two grab shots to illustrate the improved AF performance with the 9-18mm.In the first shot I was photographing in what is known as Graffiti Alley, a long alley running behind a couple blocks of commercial buildings that have been turned into canvases for Urban Artists to showcase their work.
As I’m considering this shot I’m thinking it would be good with movement in front of the mural, and at that moment a woman turns into the alley and starts walking quickly towards me.Pressing the power button as I politely call out to her to ask if she would let me take a picture of her, unlocking the lens as she agrees without breaking stride, bring the camera up to my eye, she’s now within 6 ft., get focus lock and fire shutter as she zooms past. No chance to compose it, no retakes.

Covered Walkway – Again, a spur of the moment shot. I had already taken a few shots just of the walkway when I saw the group of people coming towards me. Got the camera out of the bag again, quickly locked focus and fired just as the man walked out of frame.

Massey Hall – A Toronto landmark, this photo of Massey Hall was taken looking up from the sidewalk in front of the hall.

National Ballet of Canada Announces The 2010/11 Season

2010-02-08T16:39:00.003-05:00

Karen Kain, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, today announced the 2010/11 season which features Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Christopher Wheeldon, a new full-length story ballet co-produced with The Royal Ballet (UK), and company premieres by Wayne McGregor and Alexei Ratmansky.

“I greatly admire these three brilliant choreographers who honour the framework of classical ballet, who don’t need to deconstruct the form completely to be interesting but who can respect tradition and still be creative,” says Ms. Kain.

The 2010/11 season begins with James Kudelka’s imaginative re-conception of the beloved story of Cinderella.
Less a conventional rags-to-riches fable than an allegory of individual growth and understanding through the reconciling force of love, this physically inventive ballet is funny yet romantic and takes full advantage of Prokofiev’s vibrant score.
Cinderella runs November 11 – 20, 2010.

Jiri Jelinek (the company's newest Principal Dancer, formerly with the Stuttgart Ballet) and Xiao Nan Yu dance an excerpt from Swan Lake at the announcement.

The Fall Season’s mixed programme includes British choreographer Wayne McGregor’s award-winning Chroma, created in 2006 for The Royal Ballet, featuring the music of The White Stripes.
The National Ballet is the only company in the world other than The Royal Ballet to perform this extraordinary ballet. Mr. McGregor is the Resident Choreographer of The Royal Ballet, Artistic Director of his own company, Random Dance, and the UK government’s first-ever Youth Dance Champion.
George Balanchine’s Serenade and Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite’s Emergence, winner of four Dora Mavor Moore Awards, are also featured in the mixed programme November 24 – 28, 2010.

Following The Nutcracker, December 11, 2010 – January 2, 2011, the Winter Season opens on March 5, 2011 with The Ninth International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize.

The comic and touching Don Quixote by Nicolas Beriozoff, after Marius Petipa and Alexander Gorsky, returns March 12 – 20, 2011 after 10 years of absence from the National Ballet stage.

The Winter Season continues with a mixed programme featuring Russian Seasons by Moscow-born choreographer Alexei Ratmansky.
Formerly the Artistic Director of the Bolshoi Ballet and now Artist-in-Residence at American Ballet Theatre, Mr. Ratmansky has risen to the top ranks of international dancemakers in a remarkably short time.
Russian Seasons, created for New York City Ballet in 2006, is a richly conceived blending of classical, folk and jazz idioms set to a touching score by compatriot Leonid Desyatnikov.
Russian Seasons makes its company premiere with Balanchine’s Theme and Variations and Apollo, March 23 – 27, 2011.

Noah Long and Tiffany Mosher perform an excerpt from 24 Preludes By Chopin at the announcement.

For the Summer Season, British Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon creates a new fulllength, two-act interpretation of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, a co-production between the National Ballet and The Royal Ballet (UK).
The combination of the well-known narrative with a commissioned score by British composer Joby Talbot and Mr. Wheeldon’s sophisticated choreography promises to be one of the highlights of the season.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland will debut first in London in February 2011 and then in Toronto, June 4 – 12, 2011.

Filling out the Summer Season, along with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, is a mixed programme featuring Balanchine’s Mozartiana, Maurice Béjart’s Song of a Wayfarer, not seen in Toronto for 24 years, and Twyla Tharp’s In The Upper Room, June 15 – 19, 2011.

For the first time in 20 years, the company tours to Québec City as part of Danse Danse on October 13, 2010 and to Montréal, October 15 – 16, 2010, where the company last performed in 2003.
The company will present Marie Chouinard’s 24 Preludes by Chopin and Ms. Pite’s Emergence, which Ms. Kain describes as “a perfect pairing of ballets ideal for contemporary audiences in Québec.”
The programme, along with Balanchine’s Serenade,will then tour to the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, October 21 – 23, 2010.

Tickets: range from $21.50 – $201.
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen Street West, Toronto
Box Office: The box office is located at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
(145 Queen Street West) or call 416 (toll free 1 866) 345 9595.

Tickets can also bepurchased online at national.ballet.ca

All photos and text copyright Torontowide.com. All rights reserved. No reproduction without prior written concsent.

Olympus E-PL1

2010-02-08T08:24:00.000-05:00

Way back in the mists of time during the Jurrasic film era, the family camera - taken out for holidays, birthdays and vacations then safely tucked away in storage - used a low quality format. Compared to the higher rez 35mm output, 110 was a sad, grainy, unsharp user experience.

At some point, after manufacturers had sold a 110 camera to everyone who wanted one, a company finally came out with a 35mm compact camera aimed at this demographic. I don't know whixch specific model it was, or which manufacturer produced it, but within no time all those family cameras were 35mm with greatly increased quality.

The new Olympus E-PL1 is that camera for the digital age.

Here is a photo of the sensor in the E-PL1 compared to one of the small sensors from your typical point and shoot camera..

It's not the feature list, it's not the size of the camera, it's the jump in quality coupled with a new digital age interface that makes this camera significant. This is the new family camera for the digital age. It may not be down to mass market level pricing yet, but make no mistake, that's where things are headed and Olympus got there first.

The new interface sells the camera. I have a document, that unfortuantely is embargoed for online distibution, that shows a comparison of screen shots of DSLR interfaces from Nikon, Canon and Sony comparing a simple function like changing the shutter speed. While the others are a mass of numerical scales and a jumble of symbols requiring deciphering, the E-PL1 is an elegantly simple experience using straight forward language.

A simple slider off to the side with 'Blurred Motion' at the top and 'Stop Motion' at the bottom controls this function. Button presses on the 4 way controller dial in a higher or lower shutter speed, depending which way you move it, without confusing numerical values intruding on the process. Since this is a digital interface, as oppossed to the analogue numerical ones, the image on the screen previews the effect for you.

At the demo the rep set up a bobble head doll and used it to show how the rear screen would preview the effect of the shutter speed changes, actually stopping the motion of the doll head or showing streaking depending on which way you slid the slider.

Olympus should include this doll with their sales kits to stores because an awful lot of lightbulbs are going to be turning on in people's heads when they see this in action.

And this same interface, with preview on the screen, with a simple slider mechanism as controller can be used for the Change Colour Saturation, Change Colour image, Change Brightness, Blur Background, Express Motions functions labelled in straight forward descriptive labels - although the Express Motions is slightly obscure - with preview of the effect on the screen.

DPReview may have a problem with the button presses, I frankly didn't see anything amiss with it's implementation. And as a 30 yr. pro photographer, I also didn't see anything that would hold you back from acessing all the controls you might need for a higher level of shooting as well. Some of the sliders have a small arrow in the centre, clicking on this brings out more hidden sliders for further customization.

It's an interface that isn't in your face, allowing people to just concentrate on taking pictures without the distraftion of multiple nemerical scales, symbols and distractions. Perfect for the family camera. I think your point and shooter is really going to appreciate the direct simplicity of operating this camera, while your more advanced user will find enough customization to cover most circumstances you are likely to be using this camera to shoot.

In the hand it is a light weight unit, noticeably lighter than the E-P2, with a surer grip than the Pens. Focusing seemed comparable, I thought it was possibly a little faster than my E-P1, but whether or not it is, suffice to say it's in the same ballpark as the higher models. It is slightly thicker, less svelte than the Pen.

Unfortunately the two new lenses weren't included in the tour. Olympus has increased the focusing speed by switching to internal focusing which means a smaller, lighter internal element is used instead of the larger, heavier front element in other m4/3's lens designs. Anecdotal evidence indicates that this has yielded a significant increase in focus speed, according to those who have used the new lenses.

The new E-PL1 may not be what the enthusiast market was champing at the bit to get, but I'm predicting these cameras are going to sell by the boatload.

At the demo, ranged across the table were an inovative, simplified entry E-PL1, the more sophisticated E-P1&2, higher performance regular M4/3's E620, and the fellow beside me was shooting this setup with a pro level E30. That's pretty good coverage of the entire market, and when you add in the Panasonic entries the solid footprint Panasonic and Olympus have established in just a couple years with m4/3's is truly impressive.

I think Canon and Nikon really have their work cut out for them to catch this system now.

Aszure Barton's World Premiere of Watch Her

2009-11-27T16:29:00.020-05:00

Scenes from Aszure Barton's amazing Watch Her, on now until Sun. Nov. 29 at the Four Seasons Centre For The Performing Arts.

I have to say, of all the contemporary dance I have seen over the last couple years this is the standout performance. The disciplne and precision of the Artists of The Ballet, the exprsssiveness of all of the soloists, this is a must-see for dance fans. Every moment conveys meaning and purpose. You can't take your eyes off this beautiful flowing production.

Photos taken with the Olympus E30 camera with SHG Digital Zuiko 35-100mm f2 and 150mm f2 lenses, between 1250 and 3200 ISO.

All photos copyright torontowide.com. All rights are reserved and written prior permission from the author is required before publishing in any medium.

The National Ballet of Canada: The Sleeping Beauty

2009-11-13T14:00:00.011-05:00

Additional photos from Thursday's late night National Ballet photo op covering the third act of the dress rehearsal for Tchaikovsky and Petipas collaboration, The Sleeping Beauty.

The production features principal dancers Sonia Rodriguez and Zdenek Konvalina with the Artists of the Ballet.

The Sleeping Beauty runs on selective dates from Nov. 13 - Nov. 22 @ 2:00 PM, with a couple of matinee performances thrown in, at the Four Seasons Centre For the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. (at University) Tickets are still available and range from $20 - $210

All Rights Reserved Torontowide.com
No reproduction in any medium without prior written permission.

Cameras: Olympus E30 Lenses: Digital Zuiko SHG 35-100mm f2 and Digital Zuiko SHG 150mm f2 ISO: between 1600 and 800 ISO

Amanda Martinez at Koerner Hall

2009-10-25T11:49:00.006-04:00

Photographed Latin Jazz singer Amanda Martinez at the brand spanking new Koerner Hall (opened about a month ago) on Fri. night. Beautiful soft latin jazz, the concert had a really nice spirit.
Here's a link to her site and the new CD. You can download a free song from it http://www.amandamartinez.ca/english/index.htm

As part of the Royal Conservatory of Music, the Koerner Hall is already renowned for it's accoustics. The sound in this place is fantastic. So I chose this concert to try out a gizmo I'm hoping will lead to better access to classical performances in the future.

Made by Matin (I believe they are a Korean manufacturer) this is listed as a weather protector, but rather than just the usual nylon covering Matin have also sewn in a fair amount of padding to suppress shutter noise, thus giving it a second, and frankly more unique, function.

You can see a picture of it from Vistek's site ($34.99 - www.vistek.ca) by copying and pasting this link http://www.vistek.ca/prodimg100/210914_100.jpg

You place the camera inside what is essentially a nylon bag with an extension to accomodate the lens - the diameter of the 150mm and 35-100mm lenses look to be close to the maximum size it will accomodate - then zip it up underneath the camera body. This allows you to use the tripod mount on the bottom of the camera while maintaining sound suppression. A draw cord seals it against the lens.

There is an access sleeve for your right hand, and an opening for the viewfinder to poke through at the back. The viewfinder opening is loose enough you can pull it back to get a peak at the LCD for image review, but in keeping with it's goal of making the photographer blend more into the background the LCD is still shielded from the audience's view when doing this.
How does it work?

Well it doesn't make your camera silent. However it does take that 'crunching pop can' top note out of the shutter sound leaving you with a more pleasant, and way more subtle, soft thunk. A definite improvement.

I was shooting right behind a row of people and had I timed it for just the louder moments (as you would during a classical concert) no one would have even known I was there.
As it was, shooting freely throughout the first three songs, the camera was barely noticeable.

There is one drawback to the design that is going to require a bit of customization.
While it was fine with the prime 150mm, it would be really awkward to operate a zoom ring as the only access is through the zippers located under the bottom of the camera.

And for the same reason use of the tripod mounting ring is a no-go as the bag won't stretch far enough forward. I was okay with using the camera body tripod mount for the monopod, since it was only three songs, but it's less than optimal to suspend a heavy lens from the camera body lens mount. This could be improved.

There is a business that does repairs to sporting goods around the corner, and I'm going to see if they can put a zipper underneath the lens extension at the front of the bag so it's possible to unzip, slip your hand in, and zoom the lens. This would also let you use the monopod connected to the tripod ring with longer, heavier lenses and hopefully won't let too much noise out.

I thought this might be of interest as it seems a lot of people like to shoot student productions or community plays. This inexpensive accessory can really make it easier for photographers to blend in when shooting in situations like that.
It does attract stares though. But oddly, it actually looks very professional.

As a rain cover I'll stick with the Optek covers I've been using up to now. The sealing around the viewfinder opening is not tight and would allow water onto the camera body. If you were stationary, shooting something like a soccer or football game (those are two separate sports in North America) with your jacket hood over the camera it would work, but walking around freely with it all out in the open while it was raining, the water would get in.

If I had a word of advise to Matin, I would recomend they lessen emphasis on rain protection (very few people want to shoot in the rain and there are cheaper, more effective products out there for doing that) and just concentrate on the sound suppression angle - which a lot of people have a need for. Beef up the padding some more, contour it better, and include the zipper under the lens extension section for zooming and you have a totally unique product. Not quite a sound blimp, but much more affordable.

BTW: Amanda was shot with the Digital Zuiko 150mm f2 lens (300mm f2 equivalent) with 1.4 teleconverter making it the equivalent of a 400mm 2.8 lens, wide open @ 1600 ISO, no post processing noise removal.

All photos copyright Torontowide.com. All Rights Reserved. No use allowed without written permission from the author.

Scenes From The Red Carpet ... TIFF 2009

2009-09-12T15:54:00.013-04:00

It's not often in life that your wife calls to ask when you'll be home for dinner and you can honestly tell her you'll be there ... 'As soon as I'm finished shooting Penelope Cruz'.

Scenes from the red carpet at the Toronto International Film Festival. L-R George Clooney, Penelope Cruz, Ewen McGregor, and Jennifer Connelly (with a body hand-made by God) in a drop-dead stunning red dress that unfortunately had to be mostly cropped out here (she made the front page of every newspaper in town yesterday) The power of the little red dress!

If you think Penelope looks just a wee bit put-off, you should have seen the barrage of flashes that went off when she took her place in front of the photo pit.

We're talking 50 plus photographers shooting more or less continuously at 8 fps. (because you never know how long they're going to stand there) all using flash from about ten ft. away.

I've done quite a few of these things but I've never seen anything like that. After a minute she looked completely stunned.

It's a bit tedious after a while, working the red carpet stuff. You have to get to the gala location three hours in advance to get a good spot, then wait around, sometimes standing the whole time, for what feels like forever, all so you can shoot one frenzied minute.

There is a strict Chinese wall between the photo and video areas, which is unfortunate. I like shooting the actors when they are being interviewed. They are often more animated and interesting when they are in front of a video camera. But it's not allowed here.

The first couple nights as soon as the big name stars were gone everyone packed up and rushed off to the next one, leaving the carpet deserted for late arrivals and lesser stars.

Now they have a rule that you have to stay until all of the talent has arrived at that location. Yesterday at George Clooney's film we all got held up for 40 minutes waiting for Michael Moore to show up - and he's not even in it! He just wanted to see the film.

Makes it hard to get to a lot of these things in a single day.

George Clooney was great with the crowds, walking all around the perimeter of the red carpet, talking, signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans. This was the gala for The Men Who Stare At Goats.

Ewen McGregor (below) was also very into the crowd interaction, making his way most of the way around the red carpet area.

Jennifer Connelly with her husband, and co-star, Paul Bettany at the gala for the premiere of Darwin, held at Roy Thomson Hall.

TIFF used a previous photo of mine for the front cover of one of the Festival Guides.One of my other shots is double page inside.

Photos done with the Olympus E30's w/ Digital Zuiko 35-100mm f2, 12-60mm 2.8, 50 -200mm 2.8 lenses and FL50 flashes.

The Ladies Get Busy

2009-08-20T11:59:00.011-04:00

Enough with the press conferences and publicity stunts, it's time for some top flight tennis.
This is a quick panorama of the media pit that sits along both sides of the court.
It's called the Olympus Photo Pit, as Olympus is a sponsor of the Women's tour.
This was shot with the 9-18mm, so the distance to the court and the players area is actually much closer than appears in this photo. You are actually about 10 ft. back of the players area.

Here, Maria Sharapova unloads her newly 'rebuilt' serve on her opponent. Perhaps showing the effects of her long layoff due to a shoulder injury, she played a sloppy game with many unforced errors and a whopping 15 double faults. Although she still managed to best Austria's Sybille Bammer, it was a shaky outing for the former number one.

Here the current Number one player in the world returns against Frances plucky Avanne Rezai who pulled a shocking upset beating the top seed 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.
The advantage of the close proximity really gives you an insight into the matches. From court level it was very obvious that Safin was beating herself.
After every serve, every shot she would get down on herself grabbing a towel from a ball boy at one point and screaming loudly into it. Too much intensity.
After the match I passed Safin in the hallway on the way to the media centre. She looked very shaken up, and red-eyed from crying. She was also soaked in sweat to the point it looked like she'd showered in her clothes.
Sometimes sport analysts in Canada speculate that players bring less then their best game to The Rogers Cup, preferring to focus on the US Open which is two weeks later. I don't think that was the case with Safin. She was pretty upset with the loss.

And here is Aravanne Rezai returning a backhand shot. If you look closely you'll see dust particles suspended in mid-air in front of the path of her raquet. Those are peices of fuzz off the tennis ball she's just launched back at her opponent. These appear in a lot of tennis shots and are particularly noticeable at 100 percent viewing on a monitor.

Lastly Sharapova lunges for a backhand return.
The lighting, as always, was very challenging during the day matches. The sun comes from an awkward rear angle and this is made worse by hats and vizors the players wear.

Most shots needed one stop of minus exposure compensation to factor out the dark background. I also used auto gradation to try to gain something back in the shadows cast by the hats.

From a photographer's point of view it would be worth running the lights during the day as sunny days at The Rexall Centre are very challenging photographically, but that's not going to happen.

All photos done with Olympus E30 cameras, with 35-100mm f2 and 150mm f2 lenses, 1.4 teleconverter, and 9-18mm lens.

These photos are the exclusive property of Torontowide.com

Maria Sharapova at Rogers Cup Draw

2009-08-18T09:06:00.012-04:00

Fri. evening was the official draw to determine who would face whom at The Rogers Cup Womens Tennis Tournament. The event was held at the top of the CN Tower and featured Tournament director Karl Hale, and star Russian player Maria Sharapova helping out.

Sharapova is one of the 'name' players at the tournament, recognizable from the many endorsement contracts she garnered with her Wimbelton win and former number one status on the Women's Tour.

She walks into the room in a storm of electronic flashes, and you just aren't prepared for what a physical presence she has. Supermodel proportions - her bio says she is 6'2" but she's taller than the security people (who are pretty big guys) so I'm thinking that might be understated - she walks with an easy grace, long arms and legs exuding an athletic power.

Tournament Director Karl Hale (L) says a few words, "We’re thrilled to have Maria join us at such a magnificent place, the CN Tower, and tennis fans will be thrilled with one of the best player fields in recent memory", and then we can all get back to the busines at hand - which is photographing Maria obsessively from every angle :)

The lighting in this room is a bit of a colour balance nightmare. There is coolish daylight (blue)coming through windows to her left, a weak 3600K flood from the front that is too under-powered and too garish to be the key light (red), and electronic flash on-camera at daylight temp (neutral).

I'm positioned so the window light will wash away shadows on the background, and I'm hoping it will act as a hair light on her left side as well. The on-camera flash (in bounce position with a Stofen difussor) relieves the shadows and prevents a 'short lighting' situation - which I don't want as her complexion isn't going to take to that kind of lighting treatment well - and I'm hoping the 3600K spot isn't much of a factor beyond warming things up a bit.

All the rest of the media are shooting from the other side of the room using the window lights as a broad diffuse source. I don't like that flat shadowless look preferring something a little more dimensional.
But staying on this side of the room means she will be paying less attention to my camera as on this side there is only myself and a Russian photographer with a funky Euro-lens - Bessa/Voitlander/Zenitar, who-knows-what - on a Rebel Xi camera (I never did quite understand what make or focal length that lens was as his accent was impenetrable but it was a cool looking optic)

Sure enough, things go to form. She really only looked directly into my camera a couple times, but I like shooting people in semi-profile so it didn't bother me and I stuck with it.

The Olympus FL50R flash did a really good job, which isn't something I can always say. If there is one area where Olympus lags the big two, it is flash performance. I find the FL50R can be hit and miss sometimes as oppossed to Nikon (bullet-proof) or Canon (dead on consistent)

After the draw they throw the floor open to Questions. A Russian journalist behind me mentions to Maria that there are over 200,000 Russian-speaking people living in Toronto and that, on their behalf, he wanted her to know that they would all be cheering for her and all the other Russian women at the tournament.
She thanked him for his comment and said that wherever she goes on tour, in whichever city, when she hears her named called out by it's Russian pronunciation she knows her countrymen are with her.

They must have been calling her name Monday night. After months sidelined with injuries, having fallen to 60th in the world rankings, Maria Sharapova during her first match back thrashed number 10 seed compatriat Nadia Petrova 6-3, 6-4.

Photos taken with the Olympus E30 with Digital Zuiko 50-200mm 2.8 lens and Olympus FL50R wireless flash

2009 Toronto Honda Indy Race: Friday Practice Session

2009-07-15T10:09:00.008-04:00

I'm shooting the Honda Indy this year with an all -access photo pass, so I can walk around the course and shoot through various openings in the chain link fence known as 'photo holes'.
Thought people might like to know what this experience is like as it might offer some insight into the challenges of shooting high speed motor sports.

The day begins with a mandatory 7:00 AM photographers meeting where they discuss such things as 'how to recognise someone is on fire' (they added some gasoline to the fuel mixture for the Indy Series this year so you can now see the flames) or 'what to do in the event of a high speed crash near you' (when the car hits the wall the carbon fibre splinters, these shards come through ther chain link fence like shrapnel. If you stand there with your mouth wide open or try to run away you might get injured, so the best thing is to drop behind the concrete wall - but not too close because the impact will move the barrier a couple feet)

We line up to get our photo bibs, which are numbered. You give them your cell number so if you do something stupid, dangerous, or give security a hard time they can use your bib number to identify you and call you to the office to take your bib away.
Head out onto the track and the first couple photo holes seem perfectly safe, the action is at a distance, any danger seems like an acceptable compromise.

But heading along the back straight-away you get to the holes that are placed right at the apexes of curves and corners - the point the drivers aim for as the closest they come to the wall.
You watch these little missiles on wheels scream right past at close quarters and it slowly dawns on you why everyone else around you is encased in layers of Nomex flame retardant clothing with gloves, boots, and in some cases racing helmets on. Meanwhile some of the photographers are standing around in shorts and flip-flops.

You also come to realise that not shooting from these areas, despite the danger, means not getting the best pictures.
So you slap on a wide angle lens, pre focus on a spot and set an aperture for max. depth of field.
Then put the camera in manual focus so it's locked in, and watch as a race car hurtles towards you, closer, closer, heading directly right at where you are standing, growing from a small dot to a full sized racing vehicle with alarming speed, brain starts screaming 'Holy Sh*TTT!!!!', then try to trip shutter in the millisecond an object travelling at 150 mph passes 2 ft. in front of you.

If you are patient enough or lucky you end up with a photo like this - the car that made me quit this hole after 15 minutes of shooting. This was the closest pass anyone made to that apex. The Track Marshall said the cars do between 140 and 150 mph. at this point. His rear tire is about 12 inches from the wall right in front of me. Despite a shutter speed of 1/2500th of a sec. there is still blur in the image.

The wake from the car going past blows your shirt up and makes you stagger back. Like a freight train going by.

And after half a day of this and it starts to become your new normal.

I'm walking around the track with another photojournalist who shoots a lot of sports, and he suggests we go to the photo hole at 'Carnage Alley' - so named for the number of spectacular crashes that have occurred there over the years.
And by this point you are so numbed to the danger of it all that this actually sounds like a great idea.

So after walking for miles - there are only three points where you can cross from the inside of the track where the pits are, to the outside of the track where this photo hole is, so it turned out to be quite a hike - we're all set up catching the end of the afternoon practice run.
The location is at the very end of the straight-away, a sharp right hand corner (corner 1).

I've photographed it from the other side of the track before, and from there the cars look like they are tracking through the turn precisely, but when you shoot it from the opposite side where we were you realise that most of them are really in a controlled skid heading right at you and then turning the car at the last moment.

Although they go into the corner at slow speed, the drivers accelerate right through it (an Indy car can go from zero to one hundred miles per hour in about three seconds) so at the apex these little rocket sleds are moving. And they are headed directly at us at the one place on the course most notorious for accidents.

If you are shooting from the inside, like Canadian Press's Frank Gunn, who can be seen leaning out of the inside hole in the background, if there's a crash all the wreckage will go away from you.

But, if you shoot it from where we were, everything will land in your lap.

This was definitely the scariest thing I did all day.

Towards the end one driver got a little sideways, smoking the tires, headed right at us and both of us ducked down. It freaked us out so much we ended up laughing our heads off behind the wall, with only a slight trace of hysteria in it, surrounded by smoke.

I'm actually glad that by the time we got there the practice session had only 10 minutes left because that was enough for me. He wants to go back on Race Day and shoot the start from there. I'm not going along for that ride. Thirty drivers all gunning it, going for the first corner.
Don't think so.

Also, a photo of Danica Patrick - the pioneering female Indy driver - who had a rough time in practice ending up last as her car gave up on her for the entire last session.
She attracts the most photographers along pit row.

All photos copyright Torontowide.com. No reprodution in any form is allowed without written permission from the author. All rights reserved.Photos shot with Olympus E30's, 200 ISO, auto gradation, AF-C, spot focus, IS mode 2 (for panning), 50-200mm and 12-60mm Digital Zuiko lenses.

Luminato: National Ballet's Carmen

2009-06-08T13:26:00.016-04:00

As part of the massive Luminato Festival of Arts and Creativity, The National Ballet of Canada is performing a re-imagining of Bizet's classic opera Carmen.
This piece is choreographed by Italian Davide Bombana, and Carmen shares the bill for the evening with Dominique Dumais's Skin Divers, a dark and gothic-tinged work.

The leads for the opening night performance are Noah Long as Don Jose, and Heather Ogden as Carmen. Sonia Rodriquez is cast as Michaela.

Paula Citron of The Globe And Mail found Carmen 'Striking, but not satisfying'.
I found it striking and flat out amazing. The hard driving pace of the production, and intricate movement between characters was fascinating to watch.

While she didn't feel any heat between the performers, I thought there was a nice sensual edge to the evening's performance as characters intertwined suggestively, and lust and carnality were in the air throughout.

Some photos from Carmen's dress rehearsal.

The Cigarette girls, with whom Carmen works.

One of the dancers from the company.

Lise-Marie Jourdain as Carmen's romantic rival faces off here against Heather Ogden, as the gang lounges in the background.

Sonia Rodriguez plays the role of Michaela who has been recast as Don Jose's ex-wife in this version.

The main characters, Noah Long as Don Jose and Heather Ogden as Carmen. Chemistry between the two is quite solid, and there's an aching, doomed sensuality to their performance

In this sequence Don Jose and Carmen are alone for the first time and share intimate embraces.

But soon Carmen returns to her flirtacious ways and jealous rage drives Don Jose to kill his love. Here he mourns her loss.

Carmen continues from June 10 - June 14 at The Four Seasons Centre For The Performing Arts.

All photos done with the Olympus E30 with Digital Zuiko 35-100mm f2 lens

Recent Work ...

2009-06-02T14:06:00.010-04:00

Nelly Furtado at MuchMusic. I was under the impression she was launching a CD for herself, but it turns out that this appearance was merely to lend her fame to a recently signed band on her own label.
First time with the 35-100mm f2 shooting at the MuchMusic studio. It's a perfect focal length from where we are allowed to shoot.

After the shoot at Much I hiked it down to Habourfront Centre's Enwave Theatre - such is the traffic situation Toronto it's not even worth taking the car downtown most the time - to shoot Melanie Doane' guest appearance with The Art Of Time Ensemble.
One of my favourite groups, this ensemble consists of an ever shifting cast of gifted musicians who will offer up a classical concert one performance and morph into a jazz group, or integrate dance into the next.

Led by master pianist Andrew Burashko, The Art Of Time are one of the gems of the Toronto music scene.
This evening they were doing very different arrangements on classic popular Canadian songs, with Melanie Doane handling the vocals.

Seen above, she opens the show with a beautiful slow arrangement, bathed in nostalga, of Kim Mitchell's Patio Lanterns that was unlike any other version you've ever heard of that song.
The 35-100mm f2 is a bit too short in this circumstance and some cropping was required on the final image.

Then from Enwave Theatre I walked back up Bay St. in the dying evening light for a late dress rehearsal of The National Ballet of Canada's production of Giselle.

This was the farewell performance for Principal Dancer Chan Han Goh after a twenty year career with The National Ballet. At their season announcement last Feb. Karen Kain had tears in her eyes as she broke the news of Chan Han Goh's leaving.
The performance itself was quite beautiful. Nice and fluid, easy to anticipate where things were going, unlike a lot of contemporary dance.
This is where I really fell in love with the 35-100mm. Absolutely perfect range of focal lengths to cover a performance like this, and it's high speed optics came in handy during the darker moments.

Next day, Mandy Moore, at Much again.
She's actually more beautiful in person, although I think she photographs very well. Quite tall, with statuesque model proportions. She seemed very friendly and down to earth when talking to the host.

Next night The Toronto Criterion Bike Race.

A fun shoot, I brought along my folding step stool ( a vital part of every photographer's kit and only $15 at Canadian Tire!) to sit on so I could shoot the race through the bars of the safety fence. With bike racing the action is in the corners.
Here I'm using the 1.4 teleconverter on the 35-100mm, and it's a very nice combo for framing in tight on the rider's faces, or widening out to include more of the location in the background.

The fellow in the middle was the ultimate winner with the rider in greenand white behind coming in third.

Lastly, DesiFest at Yonge Dundas Square. With a gloomy looking sky and low clouds threatening rain, I decided to zip down there and cover the afternoon concerts and activities in the square before the skies opened up.
Turned out to be a good decision as the evening portion of the one day festival was a pretty wet affair.
Here some traditional dancers wait off stage, preparing to go on with a Desi-style rapper. It was an interesting cultural mash-up, and I found myself really getting into the music.

This is a fun, friendly festival. Very colourful, and the music whether traditional or contemporary Indian Pop or Rap, was really enjoyable. It's the third edition of DesiFest. I haven't photographed it since the first, and was impressed with how far it has come from it's beginnings.

All photos done with the Olympus E30 w/ 35-100mm f2 and 50-200mm 2.8 Digital Zuiko lenses.

The Olympus 35-100mm f2 in Use

2009-05-23T10:09:00.016-04:00

Picked up the 35-100mm f2 yesterday, and within hours it was in use shooting one of the dimmest live performances I've done in a while, the dress rehearsal for Tapestry New OperaWork's production of The Shadow.

This is a high speed medium telephoto zoom (the fastest lens in it’s focal range that I’m aware of) with an equivalent focal length of 70-200mm - the classic 'go to' lens of the working professional. It’s fully weather sealed, so on an E3 body it will give you a dust and moisture proof combo.

Some scenes from The Shadow, a modern opera written by Alex Poch-Goldin and composed by Omar Daniel that will be enjoying a short run at the Berkeley Street Theatre Mainspace until May 30.

It's a dark menacing tale with a very modern abstract score (atonality abounds). Having since been to the opening night, the score really seemed to start working for me in the latter half of the piece where there were more melodic fragments to contrast with the dissonance.

The singing overall is terrific with Soprano Carla Huhtanen's Allegra and Bass Baritone Peter McGillvray's powerful vocal performance (seen above) plus CounterTenor Scott Belluz (below) as The Shadow particularly standing out.

Tenor Keith Klassen adds some comic relief as the waiter.

The lens when mated to an E30 body generally did an excellent job. Owing to the tightness of the space we had for shooting I photographed this opera all handheld.

First impression - man this thing is big! I mean it's only a 35-100mm lens, but it’s the size of a Canon 300mm f4. Of course, it is also a very bright f2 and designs for high speed lenses are always going to make you pay a price in terms of size. But adding to a general impression of bigness is an almost comically over-sized lens hood (seal the bottom, put a handle on it, and you could put a pitcher of draft beer in there)

Despite the size and weight I really didn't find it that taxing to do handheld for the hour and a half duration of the production. Every so often I'd just switch to using the 12-60mm on the other E30 and that would allow me to get the feeling back in my fingers. No all joking aside, it's really not that bad.

It’s a good lens for isolating subjects as the fast aperture allows for softer burred backgrounds when shooting wide open, and in fact it was this more than the increase in effective shutter speed in low light, that I was looking for from the 35-100mm.

Of course, everything works as advertised. Excellent sharpness wide open, nice contrast and saturation, focusing in dim, dim light was generally good.

Michael Cooper was photographing the production for the house with a Nikon D3, and there were a few instances where he got a shot I didn't because of the camera failing to find focus in time. But generally the E30 seemed to keep up with the D3 surprisingly well.

I had hoped to use the 35-100mm for street shooting, but might need a new plan for that. Pointing something this intimidating at strangers on the street may actually be illegal in some jurisdictions.

However for indoor shoots it's perfect.

All photos captured with the Olympus E30 w/ 35-100mm f2 lens

One Night Live Concert: Sting & Sheryl Crowe

2009-05-22T13:42:00.006-04:00

Did the big One Night Live fundraising concert at the Air Canada Centre last night featuring Sting, Sheryl Crowe, The Canadian Tenors and hosted by Chris Noth of Sex And The City fame.

The publicist warned us beforehand that we would be on a riser behind the sound board, even measured the precise distance (150 feet) to the stage for us. This was good info to know in advance, and consequently I left the 35-100mm f2 at home favouring the 50-200mm w/ 1.4 teleconverter instead.

The guy beside me, shooting for the Toronto Sun, had to lug two 1DMK3 bodies, a 5dMK2 w/battery grip, 400mm 2.8 lens, laptop, and video camera to the gig. He had so much stuff hanging off him that he cracked the rear LCD screen on one of the 1DMK3's in the elevator.

That 400mm 2.8 should be sold with it's own jeep to mount it on, and with a 1.4 teleconveter added on the 5DMK2 it didn't have any more reach than my E30 w/ 50-200mm and 1.4, but obviously it was significantly brighter.

From the distance we were shooting it was pretty difficult to see a photographic 'moment', so I just fired away every time they stepped out from behind the microphone.

We got to shoot the first two songs for Sheryl Crowe, the first three for Sting, and nobody cared how many photos we took of Chris Noth :)

The nice thing was, since the riser and people on it blocked the audience view behind, they sectioned off the first seven rows od seats behind us. After our songs were up we were allowed to sit in this section and watch the performance.
Amazing. Finally a promoter who shows some apreciation for the free publicity they are getting. Usually we get escorted right out of the building as soon as our time is up.

Sheryl Crowe seems a bit stiff live. I got the imnpression that she really doesn't enjoy the whole live performance thing. Seems to have a touch of stage fright which is odd considering how much experience she must have over the years.

Sting on the other hand seems totally comfortable and completely at home on stage - like he was born with a bass guitar in hand howling Roxanne in the delivery room. He had a first rate band with him and was more adventurous in deviating from the recorded version of his songs than Sheryl Crowe, who pretty much did a note perfect greatest hits package. Not that it was bad. She had the whole audience on their feet by the end and got very warm and sustained applause for her set.

Some of Sting's variations were more successful than others. He slowed Message In A Bottle down to a near ballad pacing, blending audience participation with fragments of other songs from the same LP, creating a hypnotic reverie that really highlighted the song structure of each melody. Energy-wise it was a low point for an audience that seemed impatient to party to the music at points, but I found it one of the highlights of what I saw of his set (had to leave mid-way)

The guy has sold 100 million albums yet plays one of the most beat to cr@p bass guitars I've ever seen (close up on the monitor I wouldn't be surprised if parts are held together with gaffer tape)

And speaking of guitars, isn't it about time Fender made female friendly versions of strats and telecasters. The regular sized ones look a little large and bulky on Sheryl's frame. Women have come a long way in rock from being just the back up singers.

Nowadays they're the stars often as not. You'd think guitar manufacturers would have taken note. I'm not talking about messing with the shape of the Strat or Telecaster - that would be heresy! - just shrinking the proportions a bit. It's not so noticeable on this one, but with some of the shots the size of the guitar makes her look child-like. Not a good thing for an adult artist.

All in all, an enjoyable evening. The unexpected bonus of being able to watch the show was a really nice surprise.

All photos taken with the Olympus E30 camera and Digital Zuiko 50 - 200mm 2.8 lens with 1.4 Olympus teleconverter added.

Toronto Tamil Demonstration

2009-05-17T17:19:00.005-04:00

An image from one of the huge Tamil demonstrations held recently to urge the Canadian government to get more involved in the human tragedy unfolding in Sri Lanka.

For days large numbers of Tamils have been gathering at points in the city then almost spontaneously moving to block traffic on major arteries as a way of calling attention to the unfolding horror in Sri Lanka.

A large crowd on foot even walked up an on-ramp onto the Gardiner Expressway - a 6 lane highway that is the major artery into the downtown area - bringing the on-coming traffic, which was moving at highway speed, screeching to a halt and causing gridlock for hours (It took the intervention of the leader of the official opposition party to get them to come off the road)

Here they are moving down Yonge Street, a main North/South route.

The reason I was at Yonge and Queen St. that night was to shoot a red carpet event scheduled for the theatre in the background. I turned the corner and ... bam, ten thousand people are marching right over where it's supposed to happen.

Obviously that plan never got off the ground.

With large crowds shots like this it's best to find some kind of focus for the shot. I went up to a riot squad officer and asked if I could step out in front of them to do a shot of the line of police officers in the foreground, demonstrators behind (what the heck, I thought it was worth a try:)

Got a predictably frosty response to that, and any other requests to somehow get around the line of police officers standing shoulder to shoulder blocking the view of the marchers, despite offering them press credentials.

So moving up the street I found an opening in the police cordon and just stepped out into the flow of people joining the demonstrators. I slowly drifted down Yonge street, carried along by a human river of people, accompanied by polyrythmic drumming, chants and slogans shouted through megphones. Every so often I'd stop to shoot images as people moved around and past me.

This shot was done with the Olympus E30 at 800 ISO, in live view with the flip out LCD angled downwards so I could hold the camera above head level. The lens used was the very sharp and lightweight Digital Zuiko 9-18mm lens.

I think the Toronto Police are doing a superb job handling this emotional situation. They are out in force - and the riot police definitely don't look like a group you want to mess with - but are allowing a lot of leeway as these Canadian citizens go about exercising their right to call attention to what is happening in their homeland. It's a fine line, and Toronto's cops are showing the disciplne and planning that proves them to be a very professional police force.

Toronto is home to one of the largest Tamil populations outside of Sri Lanka. Emotions among the demonstrators were very high. Numerous people stopped to talk to me, hand out press releases or gruesome photos from the war zone in Sri Lanka, and many tearfully thanked me for helping to focus attention on this human tragedy.

All in all, a much more satisfying shoot than the just another red carpet event to feed our celebrity besotted culture.
Earlier in the day I had been at the ROM photographing the opening of the Schad Gallery for Biodiversity, a major exhibit calling attention to the accelerating rate of species extinction.

Some days you shoot nonsense all day long, other days you get to do important stuff that might play a small role in a much bigger drama.

Sophie Milman @ First Canadian Place Waterfall Stage

2009-05-08T08:39:00.007-04:00

Jazz diva Sophie Milman did a quick promotional concert for the release of her second CD, Take Love Easy, at First Canadian Place's indoor Waterfall Stage on Thurs. Afterwards she did a CD signing session at the HMV store across form the stage.

She treated the noontime audience to a very generous set, singing most of the album while accompanied by a first rate band that included many of Toronto's top session players including Kieran Overs and Roberto Occhipiniti.

Sophie's love of the music is always right there on stage. She often seems to fall into a kind of joyful reverie mid-song as she listens to the interplay of the the various instruments during solo passages.

Her new album is red-hot at the moment, debuting at #1 on the iTunes Canada Jazz chart. Sophie’s heart-wrenching take on “I Can’t Make You Love Me” sits as the #1 Jazz Single, with tracks “Take Love Easy”, “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover” and “My One and Only Love” also charting in the Top 10.

Next up for the free noontime First Canadian Place concerts will be teen jazz sensation Nikki Yanofsky on May 13 (again, she will be doing a CD signing session at HMV after the show), the high energy boogie piano of Michael Kaeshammer on May 19, with more concerts coming for the summer when the series moves outdoors.
All concerts start at 12:15 PM

Integral House and the Toronto Summer Music Festival

2009-05-04T14:35:00.016-04:00

For several years now people in Toronto's Rosedale neighbourhood have been watching an extraordinary 18,000 sq. ft. home take shape. The vision of renowned mathematician Dr. James Stewart, Integral House is clad in natural wood with dramatic frosted glass panels wrapped around the second floor. The entire structure has been built with the goal of becoming a premiere venue for classical musical performance.

Situated in the heart of Rosedale on Roxborough Drive, and perched on the edge of a ravine over-looking the Don Valley Brickworks, the house offers calm, meditative panoramic views of the surrounding forest. Looking from the street the house is two stories, but you actually enter at the balconey level of the 2 storey performance space, then there are two more floors below cascading part way into ravine

It is the interior performance space that really sets the house apart. Acousticians have determined the ideal placement of the balconies and wooden louvered structures that harness sound energy from the glass surfaces of the windows and project it outward.
The floor is made of a special sound absorbing limestone so porous that red wine cannot be served at household functions lest any spills become permanent stains.

There are three balconies overlooking the main performance area. Here is a shot from the right-hand one showing organisers at Sunday's fundraiser / launch event for The Toronto Summer Music Festival arranging chairs for the concert portion of the evening.

Guests for the sold out $300 per ticket event were first treated to a scrumptuous meal, then the musical portion of the evening featuring Toronto's eclectic and energetic Tokai Quartet, followed by clarinettist Hubert Tanguay-Labrosse, a nineteen year old pheonom from Montreal, who joined the quartet for a final selection.

I'd estimate that the capacity of the room, using all three balconies, could probably comfortably hold slightly over one hundred people, which makes for a very intimate concert space.

The room itself has a bright, lively sound that maintains good separation between the instruments accurately conveying their tone and nuance. The Tokai Quartet sounded great, as usual.
It was a very dimly lit concert. I talked to someone from the architect's office who said eventually lighting will be installed on the side walls to illuminate the artists better.

All in all Integral House has to be one of the most unique performance spaces in the country.
In it's finishings, the purpose-built interior has the same attention to detail, and many of the sound-isolating principles, as the Four Seasons Centre. From the moment you enter the room there is an air of seriousness about it. You know this will not be a concert thrown together in someone's living room, but a high fidelty musical experience.
Although brand new, in fact some areas of the 2nd floor are yet to be finished, it's almost as if the city should slap a heritage designation on the building right now to ensure it's uniqueness will survive well into the future.

Beautiful space, beautiful music, Sunday evening's event bodes well for the upcoming Toronto Summer Music Festival.

For further information on the Toronto Summer Music Festival, check out Torontowide's Symphony section listing for full details.

Photos done with Olympus E30 cameras, with Digital Zuiko 9-18mm f4 lens, and Digital Zuiko 12-60mm 2.8 lens @ between 400 and 2500 ISO.

Susie Burpee: Mschance And Fair Fortune

2009-05-02T12:20:00.004-04:00

Mischance and Fair Fortune won 2005 Dora Awards for both Outstanding New Choreography and Outstanding Performance for Susie Burpee.
This emotionally powerful duet is based on Ovid's tale of two lovers who live and die without ever meeting, and pairs Burpee with the formidably talented Dan Wild.

Drawing on the themes of missed opportunity, and the struggle to connect, the work is a powerful emotional journey of love and loss.

Mischance And Fair Fortune runs on a double bill with Jenn Goodwin's Accidents For Every Occassion until May 2 at Harbourfront Centre's Enwave Theatre.

Photographed with the Olympus E30 w/ 12-60mm 2.8 Digital Zuiko lens and 50-200mm 2.8 Digital Zuiko Lenses

Opera Atelier: The Coronation Of Poppea

2009-04-26T09:33:00.012-04:00

Additional photos from Opera Atelier's production of Claudio Monteverdi's The Coronation of Poppea playing at The Elgin Theatre.

Soprano Peggy Kriha Dye is terrific as the sensual, scheming Poppea. Previously she was nominated for a Dora Award for her role in Opera Atelier's Idomeneo.

Bass Baritone Olivier Laquerre plays Ottone, in love with Poppea but driven to attempt her murder by the jealous Empress Ottavia.

The interplay between Michael Maniaci's Nero and Poppea is laced with hot sensual moments, but also dark shadings and foreboding. Based on the true infamous story of the Roman courtesan, Nero in fact ended up brutually murdering Poppea just four years after her ascencion to the highest position of Empress depicted in this opera.

Lighting Designer Kevin Fraser bathes the entire production in heavily gelled lighting that mimics a Renaissance painting. It's almost as if the opera is being performed by candle light. While beautiful to the eye, photographically this is a bit of a torture test for the camera's white balance as even a custom white balance reading off white or grey elements of the set fails to completely compensate for the heavy warming effect. It's always a bit of an adventure shooting Opera Atelier.

One of the reasons I often recomend Opera Atelier to visitors interested in attending opera for the first time is the variety of arts disciplines in each production. In addition to the operatic performance, you have the always excellent Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra providing the orchestral and choral element, and productions are enhanced by the artists of the Atelier Ballet lending a choreographic interpretation to the piece.

The Coronation Of Poppea plays at The Elgin Theatre April 25, 26, 28, 29, May 1 & 2.

Photographed with the Olympus E30 with Digital Zuiko 50-200mm 2.8 lens

All rights reserved. No reproduction of text or photos is allowed by law without prior written permission. Copyright Torontowide.com 2009

Toronto Alternative Arts And Fashion Week

2009-04-23T11:47:00.015-04:00

In addition to Toronto's two regular Fashion Weeks, Winter collections in March and Spring Collections in October, once a year we also have Alternative Fashion Week which takes a slightly more eclectic look at fashion, design, art, photography, and live performance.

Alternative Fashion Week acts as a showcase for younger, less established designers, but also casts a wider net delving into elements of design, art, and performance. There are even live bands in between shows.

Taking place at the Distillery District for the rest of this week, it's sort of a half sized version of the regular Fashion Week. Half the crowd (a good thing), half the space (less of a good thing), half the lighting (definitely not a good thing) and the shows are about half the length of it's bigger sister.

One thing that never changes with fashion ... every show is at least half an hour late in starting.
Alternative Fashion Week compensates for the smaller individual collections by grouping three and four designers into each show segment, and often there are performers interspersed with the fashion element. Here an aerialist performs between designers.

All this is not to denigrate the event. The clothes are fresh and often experimental, the atmosphere within the cozy confines of the Fermenting Cellar harkens back to past versions of Toronto Fashion Week when it was held at the Liberty Grand, and there is a nice relaxed energy to the evening. I found myself enjoying shooting this event.

One thing I noticed was that the models better represented the city I live in with different ethnicities and skin colours represented, even a few plus-sized models seamlessly blended walking the runway with the waifs in the shows I saw on Wed.

Toronto Alternative Arts And Fashion Week continues at The Fermenting Cellar, Distillery District tonight and tomorrow evening starting at 6:00 PM each day. Showcasing 200 innovative designers, visual artists, musicians and performers from across Canada, admission is just $20 for the night. There is a lounge area and cash bar to relax in between shows.

All photos above were taken with the Olympus E30 at ISO's from 1600 to 400, with Digital Zuiko 50-200mm lens, single focus AF, IS off, noise filter to low.

Comparing these directly to the photos I shot at LG Fashion Week just a month ago on the E3, it's obvious that the E30 had much better ability to hold highlights, and the files are much, much less prone to banding in post.

All photos and text copyright Torontowide.com. No reproduction in any medium allowed without prior written permission.

K-OS @ MuchMusic

2009-04-15T08:47:00.009-04:00

K-OS launched his new CD, YES!, at MuchMusic yesterday with a short performance set and interview.

With the whole Rapper/Hoodie thing going on, and the sunglasses, about the only part of K-OS I got in the performance shots was his nose. So I hung around for the interview.

Seems like a nice guy with a good sense of humour about himself. They showed a reel of funny things that have happened during previous appearances at Much.

He confessed that being on TV makes him uncomfortable, and indeed, he seemed ill at ease with the three photographers off to the side shooting him during the show as well.

Photos done with the Olympus E510 w/ Digital Zuiko 50-200mm 2.8 lens

COC: Verdi's Simon Boccanegra

2009-04-12T11:49:00.010-04:00

The Canadian Opera Company’s spring season opens with Verdi’s great opera Simon Boccanegra.

Simon’s election as the first Doge of Genoa is intended to unite the conflicted city.

For a time, it does, but the return of his long-lost daughter, Amelia ...

... exposes shifting political alliances and conspiracies that threaten to thrust the city back into chaos.

Soprano Tamara Wilson is terrific as Maria Boccanegra with a powerful, expressive voice.

Paolo Gavanelli plays a wonderful Doge of the city.

Simon Baccanegra plays on the following dates throughout April and into May.
April 11, 14, 22, 24, 28 @ 7:30 PM and April 18 @ 4:30 PM May 3 @ 2:00 PM Four Seasons Centre For The Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. (At University Ave.) Tickets: phone: 416 363-8231 or online by visiting http://www.coc.ca/

Olympus E3 w/ 50-200mm 2.8 lens

Holly Small: Radiant

2009-04-08T17:46:00.010-04:00

Choreographer Holly Small's Radiant opens Thurs. April 9th in the Betty Oliphant Theatre at 404 Jarvis St. (right beside the National Ballet School) The portion we were allowed to photograph was a surreal, flowing, sensual episode set to an abstract electronic soundtrack and featuring flashes of multimedia in the form of projected images and live video feeds.

The entire production is bathed in a warm amber glow, and it was really quite beautiful, intriguing, even with the restriction of viewing it through a camera viewfinder.

With Radiant, Small invites the audience into the vivid landscape of her imagination - a preternatural forest, ravaged by time, haunted by wraith-like figures that hover at the edges of memory and awareness. Rising from the darkness and tumbling through space, six stunning dancers merge with exquisite video imagery by iconoclastic artist John Oswald.

For the live performance they will have musicians on stage playing along live. Obviously it would be expensive to have them on hand for a rehearsal, so we didn't get to see the full effect, but it sounds like an interesting concept.

Radiant plays at the Betty Oliphant Theatre from April 9 - April 11 @ 8:00 PM Betty Oliphant Theatre Tickets range from $18 - $25 and are available by phoning 416 533-8577

Photos done with the Olympus E3 w/ 50-20mm ans 12-60mm lenses

Serena Ryder at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre

2009-04-05T11:09:00.012-04:00

One of the nice things about having a blog is that it allows us to show more than a single photo of an event. In years past, although we have often had major difficulties picking a final photo for the home page due to a number of ourstanding candidates, now we can show out-takes and lesser shots that, while not our top picks, still help to convey the atmosphere of the live performance.

For Serena we had several photos we liked. In concert, the energy of her performance really took me off guard. Her more radio-friendly songs don't give a hint of what a spunky performer she really is. Particualrly the head tosses, where she would get lost in her music, hair flying around her face like a mass of fine ribbons.

I liked these shots in particular, but owing to the very low light levels (the wide spread use of LED lights at concerts is really becoming a photographer's nightmare due to their generally lower light output) it was very difficult to get a focus lock on several of these moments. I finally gave up on auto focus altogether and switched into manual for the final two songs of the three I was allowed to shoot.

Ditto the 1.4 teleconverter, which I had on the 50-200mm 2.8 for most of the first song reasoning, as the photographers position was off to the side and back from the stage, that I might need the extra reach. I had never photographed in this hall before last night so I wasn't sure what to expect or which focal lengths would be necessary. But very soon it became apparent that the penalty paid in the decreased max. aperture with the teleconverter wasn't worth the extra reach.

A dramatic overhead light strobes on the band's guitarist during one song

I took it off and then started scrolling through the ISO's trying to find something that would give me an action-stopping exposure solution. Hit the maximum of 3200 ISO on the E3 and frankly I could have used the Nikon D3's 12000 or 24000 ISO. This was one really dim-lit concert!

Speaking of the hall, located on the grounds of Exhibition Place beside BMO Field, the Queen Elizabeth Theatre is an impressive facility. Sightlines look to be excellent as it is steeply raked, and the sound was quite good. Full capacity is just over 1200 people, which seems to be the magic number for a facility that has enough seats to attract major acts, but small enough that there is a sense of intimacy with the performer. And there is a bar in the lobby so you can slip out for a cold one between acts!

Also, parking, the bane of most Toronto venues, is no problem with acres of it available. There are good mass transit connections to the theatre as well, either by streetcar along the Harbourfront line, by bus to the Dufferin Gates, or by GO Train from the Exhibition Station.

The only criticism I would have, and it's a minor one, is the theatre doesn't seem to offer hard points back from the stage in front and to the sides to allow for better frontal lighting. The stage lighting was a little 'overhead' which is not always the most complimentary. This was a problem at the old Sony Centre as well. But it could just be an issue with this particular performer's lighting. Certainly focusing spots at the back, and there is plenty of room for them, would solve this. And this is mostly a photographer's issue as I'm sure the crowd didn't notice it at all.

Shot with the Olympus E3 w/ 50-200mm 2.8 (plus 1.4 teleconverter for some) @ 3200 ISO

All photos copyright Torontowide.com. All rights reserved and no reproduction is allowed without written permission.

Not a Naughty Glamour Pic: Guerrilla Photography at Yonge Dundas Square

2009-03-17T21:28:00.003-04:00

Okay, it does look like her breasts are about to burst out at any moment, but I promise you 'the girls' remained firmly under control and no delicate sensibilities were injured during the making of this photo.

This is a guerrilla photo shoot organised by the Mirvish PR department to celebrate the end of Dirty Dancing's long run in Toronto (and promote the fact that it has been held over for one further week due to strong demand)

Yonge-Dundas is one of the busiest intersections in the city. So busy in fact that it is the only one that has a special mode every third light change where pedestrians can cross not only in all four directions at once but diagonally as well.

This means the pedestrian flow is like a box with an X in the middle every third light, and we (Tara from the Toronto Star, myself and a CTV camerawoman) are going to shoot the famous 'lift' scene from Dirty Dancing right in the middle of the intersection.

We time it and the light lasts for 28 sec. Check the wind direction, because we don't want it going up the skirt of the actress and having every perv slapping it on YouTube 5 minutes later.

Mark a spot by the manhole cover for the couple to do the lift (she only requires three steps for enough momentum for him to lift her above his head at arms length).

Shoot a couple test shots of them doing the lift in the square off to the side to get exposure right.

I started out using a flash to relieve the shadows, but the camera locking up until the flash recycles is a really big handicap in a 28 sec. shoot, so I just turned it off and went without.

Finally at the appropriate light we charge out into the intersection.

The actress is aloft, towering over pedestrains who are either walking by like nothing strange is happening or stopping to gawk, Cameras and camcorders come out in the crowd, a police officer nonchalantly watches, and the PR people count down the seconds. With five seconds to go we all race for the curb with crazed taxi drivers revving their engines in hair trigger anticipation of the green light.

We did it three more times. A quirky, fun shoot for all involved. Even the ENG girl, who hates shooting 'fluff', ended up enjoying it :)

Olympus E3 w/ Digital Zuiko 9-18mm lens @ 200 ISO

Gene Simmons At Canadian music Week

2009-03-13T09:35:00.005-04:00

KISS frontman, reality TV star and non-stop entrepeneur Gene Simmons delivers the keynote address for Canadian Music Week. He recently announced he is forming a record label, partnering with former MP Belinda Stronach for this venture, that will focus on finding and promoting new Canadian talent.

Gene is an interesting speaker. Lots of charisma, a few controversial ideas, very funny. It was a good speech, and he made it all up off the top of his head.

The real highlight of Canadian Music Week will be the coming weekend when over 500 bands will be performing multiple showcases in nearly every club in the city. It's a massive live music party, rivalled only by the huge North By NorthEast Festival in June.

I'll be covering the Indie Awards on Sat. with performances by some of the best up and coming acts.

Listened in on the conversation amongst the photogs for the major papers while we were waiting to go in (1 hr. delay), and it seems the big rumour is that at least one, possibly two, major Toronto dailies are moving to be fully video in the near future.
The plan is to use screen captures off the video cameras for the newspaper photos, video only on the websites.
Photographers will becomer largely superfluous.

I was talking to a guy last month who had just been let go by the Toronto Sun. He's photographed every single Toronto Maple Leafs game since 1992. If you need someone to do hockey shots, this guy is the master class on doing that.
But I can't help but wonder, what kind of a skill is that in the larger world? In the sports journalism niche it's priceless, outside of that, next to useless. And now he has to claw his way back into a sports journalism world that is rapidly video-izing.

The media were held back in three waves for placement within the huge room the event was happening in which was completely sold out for Simmons appearance. First the TV cameras, then the major newspapers and wire service guys, and last (of course) the online media.

Now, the two major private TV networks in Canada are hemorhaging money. One is rumoured to be going under, and both have had hundreds of layoffs, stations closed, overseas bureaus shut.
They're even so poor there's talk of them giving up station licenses they can no longer afford.
All this is being blamed on lower ratings leading to sharply declining ad reveue.

The major newspapers have been cutting staff with equal enthusiasm (last I heard the National Post was down to just two photographers), dwindling readership, declining ad revenue, etc. etc.

Supposedly all the ad revenue is fleeing to online internet sites - because I haven't heard one story of hard times in the Advertsing business, I actually believe this. All that money is still being spent somewhere.

So my question is; What's with the online media always being treated like the poor cousin and getting the absolute dregs when it comes to photo ops? If traditional media is in decline, new media ascending, why are we third in line to get a spot in the room?

For that matter, why is it that every press conference I attend, the writers are right up front with a perfect view?
This is a group who could (and often do) conduct the questioning over the phone, or by direct link with a studio on another continent if they had to.
While the people who need line of sight are all way at the back - and in this room for Gene Simmons I mean WAY at the back. The 400mm equiv. (50-200mm Zuiko) lens I was using wasn't nearly enough from where we were postioned.

It's like there's a traditional way these things are done and nobody is ready to move on yet.
TV and major print always get preferential treatment because that's the way it's always been.
And the channel that, more and more, everyone uses - online media - gets treated like an after-thought because no one knows what to do with us :)

It's ironic that Gene, as the keynote speaker, mentioned many times during his speech how there has been a seismic shift in how things are done, about the need for 360 degree marketing in this all-new environment and for new creative thinking and different approaches.
Yet there's the media, all frozen in time, arranged in a rigid pecking order from another era.

I say, lets put the writers on the riser at the back, put the photographers and videocams at the front (with a rope to keep the TV guys from getting out of control and filming the subject from a foot away, ruining it for everyone else) and see if that doesn't get us better visuals while not hampering the writers in the tiniest little bit.

For this press conference the live audience in attendance would have kept the organizers from doing things this way.
But for the future ... Come on communications people. Think this thing through.

Tattoo Artist Kat Von D

2009-03-11T16:41:00.006-04:00

Kat Von D from the television show L.A. Ink appeared before a very enthusiastic, and extensively tattooed, audience at Indigio Books at the Eaton Centre on Wed. during the noon hour.

A few more pictures for her fans. As you can see, she's a very animated character in person.

Technical Details: All photos done with the Olympus E3 w/ Digital Zuiko 12-60mm 2.8 lens, additional fill light with the Olympus FL50 flash, 3600K gel taped to the flash head to match incandescent ambient lighting. All photos at @ 1600 ISO.

Papparrazzi + Rabid Fans = Hilary Duff Near Riot

2009-03-07T17:07:00.032-05:00

Celebrity shooting isn’t one of my favourite photographic pursuits. For the most part it’s a great big slice of ‘much ado about nothing’.

The long wait to get a decent vantage point, the predictable revising of the ETA past the scheduled arrival time, the frenzied fan reaction to the stars, a couple minutes (sometimes a couple seconds) of trying to corral the celebrity’s fractured attention. Then the star bugs out, you’re left with two hours of your life you’ll never get back, and all you have to show for it are some very basic flash-on-camera shots notable mostly for the recognition quotient of their subject. I believe they call this a star’s Q Score.

So Friday night it’s Hilary Duff I'm shooting, who has a very big Q rating and is appearing at a fundraising dinner for one of her favourite charities – children’s nutritional charity Blessings in a Backpack – at Ultra, an establishment previously known as the Ultra Supper Club, but probably more recognizable to a certain vintage of Toronto party-goers as the former Bamboo Club.

I’m there to shoot her arrival on the red carpet - which is actually looking more like a concrete sidewalk carpet – but never mind, less likelihood of her tripping.

Everything seems promising as we count down to the arrival. There are several dozen fans, but the only other media are a reporter and cameraperson from Fashion Television, a CTV videographer, and another photographer from Canada Press.

I’m positioned right beside the FTV crew, as I know celebrities are attracted first and foremost to television cameras at these things.

We’re right in front, dead centre.
The reporter – Mary Kitchen – agrees to position herself so she’s not blocking my shot while the interview is going on (thank-you Mary), and the camera person is okay with my flash going off while he’s filming (thank-you friendly camera guy who’s name I forgot to get).

I’m starting to think this might just be one of those shoots where you really do get enough time for some interaction with the celeb, as opposed to making due with whatever you’re handed.

And then I turn around, and over by the street where she will be pulling up to the curb, I see the Paparazzi.

How to recognise the paparazzi at occasions like this?

Well they’re the scowling, surly bunch who look just like a street gang, only uniformly outfitted with matching white Canon 70-200mm lenses. With accreditation, they are not anymore likely to misbehave than your average celebrity photographer (and that’s not setting the bar all that high), but without accreditation they are capable of some real nastiness in pursuit of a sellable image. At the film festival I’ve seen some unpleasantness from this crowd.

Worse, I don’t recognise any of them, meaning they aren’t the usual suspects I meet on the media trail, but the international paparazzi – our Toronto breed are, true to the cliché of our national reputation, slightly more polite for the most part than the international version.

Not good.

And as Hilary’s stretch SUV pulls up, the crowd reacts, girls start screaming, the flashes are firing as she makes her way to the media area, but as soon as she gets inside the media area everything goes to whole different level of crazy.

The paparazzi launch themselves at the crowd like a flying wedge. Fans swarm towards where she is standing. People are shoved right into me with a violent force, others are grabbing my arms, and trying to elbow in front.

The impact of this swarming towards the celebrity is such that if the videographer hadn’t been beside me I would have been knocked right over. Fortunately, he also has a couple guys pushing against him, which shoves him into me, and the two oppossing forces almost cancel out! It's like the videographer and I have become a self-supporting structure in the middle of chaos.

There is one guy pushing so hard against me to get in front that he is literally grunting with the exertion. I put my forearm across his chest and push back on him, but that meant that for most of these photos I had to do them one-handed.

As I’m shooting Hilary from about two feet away during her interview with FTV, covered with people fighting to get to her, someone holds out a video camera right in front of my camera completely blocking my view.

I get my arm free and gently move his arm upwards, gently because there is no time during these brief media ops to provoke fights and the situation is already tense enough, but he takes exception to this and starts tapping the end of my lens with the video camera to ruin my shot. I grab his arm and more forcefully position it above my camera – in other words, I’m showing him his lane so his camera isn’t in my way, but where he can still get his shot – and once again he starts harrassing me by tapping the end of my lens.

We’re so squashed together I can’t even figure out who this jerk is because it’s impossible to turn around. It’s an arm coming from over my shoulder is all I know. Just as I’m about to grab it again and show him his other option by forcing it down so he gets a perfect view of the concrete sidewalk, he goes away.

Only to be replaced by a rabid fan who is literally trying to climb right up my back. He keeps waving a pen in front of me, which is getting in my shots, yelling, along with everyone else, to get her attention. I'm being buffeted from all directions, trying to shoot one-handed while fending people off.

Under the guise of going for a low shot of Hilary I hunker down, which has the effect of hip checking this guy off me, but pressure is really building to an impossible degree right at this particular spot as Hilary has been doing the interview for at least a minute and it's become ground zero for all this neurotic energy.

Kids are getting shoved around, everyone is packed together so tight it’s becoming hard to breathe, I seem to be surrounded by people who are pushing with all their strength to get to Hilary by charging right through anyone who gets in their way. The reporter beside me has a panicked look in her eyes and wants to get out, but no one can move.

Fashion Television Reporter Mary Kitchen caught in the surge

The FTV cameraman has a digital point and shoot out and is trying to do a quick shot of the reporter and Hilary together.

I remember they planned on doing this photo for their web site at the end of the interview, so I tell the crazed fan with the pen I'm doing a couple more shots then he can have my spot. The cameraman is having trouble with the point and shoot, I hose Mary and Hilary at 5 fps with the E3, turn to the cameraman and tell him it's okay I got it for them, then step back and let this deluded fan have his moment.

This happens just as Hilary Duff moves on down the line, and I barely manage to step out of the way as a surge of people follows her. Pushing my way out of the crowd, I head back to where my camera bag is. It started out at my feet but ended up about ten feet away, complete with a couple thousand dollars worth of gear inside.

Meeting up with the FTV camera guy we’re both laughing nervously at how crazy the last couple minutes were, the reporter seems to have recovered her composure and likes the shot of her interviewing Hilary for their web site. We talk about meeting up again at Fashion Week, exchange email addresses, and five minutes later I’m sitting in my car still wondering what the hell just went on here.

This kind of virulent fan obsessiveness is really ugly up close, and if I had to do this every day it wouldn’t even really be like you were doing photography, or participating in any kind of communicative medium. In these situations your camera just becomes a conduit for perpetuating the fame of already over-exposed stars at an endless series of essentially meaningless photo ops.

Even your normal standard for accomplishment - getting a great shot - doesn't really apply. Hilary Duff is an exceptionally beautiful young woman, a celebrity at her level is photographed practically every day, and I'm sure great shots of her are actually quite common.

We pepper our normal Arts and Entertainment coverage with the occasional celeb photo because stars visiting the city is a part of Toronto's character. Just like I shoot sports once in a while - auto racing, tennis, baseball, soccer - because they're part of the city as well.
But generally we stick to accredited shoots and try to stay away from red carpet free-for-alls.

As many times as I'm required to do celeb shoots, I make no effort to keep up on the fame game. No tabloids, no US or People magazines. Never watch ET or all the other imitators.

In fact, I was shooting Taylor Swift recently and I asked the publicist if this kid was some kind of a big deal. She looked at me like I'd just fallen out of a tree and patiently explained that Taylor Swift is the highest grossing recording artist on the planet right now.
Who knew! Apparently only all the rest of the population was in on that little factoid. We had a good laugh over that.

And I'm not alone in this nonchalance towards the celebrity business. A lot of the guys covering it are the same.

Last week I had to explain to a wire service photographer who K'Naan was.
At the MuchMusic Video Awards red carpet it gets so bad they have a guy who's sole responsibility is to write down the names of each approaching 'star' in black marker on a large artist's pad so we can ID them later.
You shoot the name before each new batch of freshly minted stars comes in front of the camera so you won't get mixed up when sorting through the results.
And even he gets confused and doesn't know who people are sometimes!

From the inside it's a far cry from breathless hype of 'the stars were out and the crowd was buzzing!' hundreds of dedicated web sites, TV programs, and print journals spew out on a daily basis.

Really, there is nothing duller than shooting a red carpet event, except for the occasional excitement when a near riot breaks out.

I have a couple days off before I’m scheduled to do this kind of shoot again.

Next up, Kat from the TV show L.A. Ink, but we’re not anticipating anywhere near this kind of circus for her shoot.

Technical Details: All photos done with the Olympus E3 w/ Digital Zuiko 12-60mm 2.8 lens, additional fill light with the Olympus FL50 flash, 3600K gel taped to the flash head to match incandescent ambient lighting. All photos at @ 250 ISO.

The National Ballet's INNOVATIONS

2009-03-04T19:31:00.010-05:00

(L to R) Tina Pereira & Kevin D. Bowles, and Sonia Rodriguez & Jonathan Renna

I photographed the dress rehearsal for the National Ballet of Canada's world premiere of Innovation: Quanz, Matthews & Pite last night. The mixed program consists of a piece from each of three of Canada's leading choreographers - Crystal Pite, Peter Quanz, and Sabrina Matthews.

Unfortunately I didn't have time to shoot the complete set, but here are a few images from Sabrina Matthews piece.

Sabrina Matthews has created pieces for some of the most prestigious ballet companies in the world, including multiple pieces for the renowned Stuttgart Ballet.
This in demand choreographer has premiered works on three continents in over a dozen cities from Beijing, to New York, to London. Her choreography and dance films have been recognized with several prominent national and international awards.

Sonia Rodriguez and Jonathan Renna

For this piece she has positioned two sections of choristers on stage, framing the dance movements with the appearance of the occassional soloist at the wings of the stage.
Add in some dramatic lighting, a moving classical score and the very elegant, gravity-defying choreography, and it's an impressive show. Beautiful and intricate, with a graceful athleticism from all of the dancers involved.

Innovations runs from Mar. 4 - Mar. 8 at the Four Seasons Centre For the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. (at University Ave.) Tickets are $20 - $155 and are available by phone 416 345-9595, or toll free at 1 866 345-9595

Piotr Stanczyk and Heather Ogden

Olympus Announces The New E620 Digital DSLR

2009-02-23T21:19:00.003-05:00

Looking a lot like the best handling SLR in the Olympus line-up, (the E510/20) Olympus unveiled the E620 today, a camera that they are billing as the world's smallest DSLR with in-body stabilization.

A short list of E620 features includes a larger viewfinder (aprox. the same as the E1), seven point focusing module with double cross type focusing sensors, 4 fps. frame rate, 12.3 megapixel imaging sensor with increased dynamic range, optional battery grip (yeah!), illuminated buttons on the back of the camera, swivel 230,000 pixel LCD, wireless flash, and multi aspect shooting (in Live View).

According to the company, the E620's high-performance 12.3 megapixel Live MOS sensor delivers excellent dynamic range, accurate colour fidelity and utilizes a state-of-the-art amplifier.

Priced at $799 USD. And for another $300 your little pinky can find a home with the optional HLD-5 Power Battery Holder grip.

Sounds like a very capable little performer at a perfect price point.

Full details below:

Product type: Single-lens reflex Live View digital camera with interchangeable lens system

Memory: CompactFlash Type I/II (UDMA), Microdrive, xD-Picture Card (Dual-Slot)

Sensor size: 17.3 mm (H) x 13.0 mm (V)

Lens mount: Four Thirds Mount

Effective Pixels Number: 12.3 million pixels Image Pickup Unit

Product type: High speed Live MOS Sensor

Total no. of pixels: Approx. 13.1 million pixels

Aspect ratio: 1.33 (4:3)

Filter array: Primary color filter (RGB)

LPF: Fixed type

IR cut filter: Hybrid type

Dust reduction: Supersonic Wave Filter (dust reduction system for image sensor)

Recording format: DCF, DPOF compatible/Exif, PRINT Image Matching III

File format: RAW (12-bit lossless compression), JPEG, RAW+JPEG

Recording image size: [RAW] 4032 x 3024 pixels
[JPEG] 4032 x 3024 pixels - 640 x 480 pixels

File size
RAW: 4032 x 3024 (approx. 1/1.5 lossless compressed) Approx. 13.9MB

Large: 4032 x 3024 Super fine (1/2.7 compressed) Approx. 8.2MB

Middle: 3200 x 2400 Super fine (1/2.7 compressed) Approx. 5.4MB

Small: 1600 x 1200 Super fine (1/2.7 compressed) Approx. 1.3MB

Viewfinder: Eye-level single-lens reflex viewfinder

Field of view: Approx. 95%

Viewfinder magnification: Approx.0.96x (-1m-1, 50mm lens, infinity)

Eye point: Approx. 18 mm (-1m-1) *from eyepiece lens

Diopter adjustment range: -3.0 - +1m-1

Focusing screen: Fixed (Neo Lumi-Micro Mat screen)

Eyepiece shutter: Eye piece cover EPC-1 supplied

Eye cup: Interchangeable type EP-5/6/7/8, EP-8 is supplied (Magnifier Eyecup ME-1 is available)

Optical Preview (view finder): Available to set to Fn button

Live preview: Available to set to Fn button

View finder information: Aperture value, Shutter speed, Record mode, AF confirmation mark, Flash, WB, AE lock, Number of storable still images, Exposure compensation value, Metering mode, Battery warning, Exposure mode, AF frame (super impose), IS, Bracket, ISO value

Live View: High speed Live MOS Sensor for still picture shooting is used, 100% field of view, Exposure adjustment pre-view, White balance adjustment pre-view, Gradation auto pre-view, Face detection pre-view, Perfect shot pre-view, Grid line displayable, 5x/7x/10x magnification possible, MF/S-AF, AF frame display, AF point display, Shooting information, Histogram, IS activating mode.

AF: High speed imager AF, Phase-difference detection AF

Image Stabilizer System: Built in (Imager shift image stabilizer)

Mode: 3 modes (2 dimensional activation, 1 dimensional activation in landscape frame to vertical direction moving, 1 dimensional activation in portrait frame to horizontal direction moving )
Manual Function: input focal length 8, 10, 12, 16, 18, 24, 28, 30, 35, 40, 48, 50, 55, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 100, 105, 120, 135, 150, 200, 210, 250, 300, 350, 400, 500, 600, 800, 1000

Effective compensation range: Approx.4EV steps　(in maximum effect)

Shutter speed range: 2 - 1/4000 sec.

Monitor: HyperCrystal Ⅲ LCD (transmissive TFT color LCD)

Size: 2.7 inches

Total no. of pixels: Approx. 230,000 dots

Playback field of view: 100%

Brightness control: 15 levels

Color Balance: 15 levels

Focusing: AF system TTL phase-difference detection systemContrast detection system (with 25mm f2.8, 14-42mm f3.5-5.6, 40-150mm f4.0-5.6, 9-18mm f4.0-5.6, 14-54mm f2.8-3.5II)

Focus mode: Single AF (S-AF) / Continuous AF (C-AF) / Manual Focus (MF) / S-AF + MF / C-AF + MF * C-AF mode is not available with the contrast detection system

Focusing point: 7 points AF sensor with the phase-difference detection system （5points cross AF sensor / 7 points twin AF sensor )7-area multiple AF with the contrast detection system (Auto, selectable in option)

Focusing point selection: Single target, All targets with the phase-difference detection systemSingle, all 7 area, or Face detection with the contrast detection system

AF luminance range (phase-difference detection system): EV -1 to 19 (at 20℃, ISO 100)

AF illuminator (phase-difference detection system): Built-in flash (external flash available)

AF lock: Locked at first position of Shutter button in Single AF mode / AEL button (customizable)

Focus tracking: Interlocked with Continuous AF mode

Focus aid: Available

Fine Adjustment: +/- 20 steps, 20 data can be registered

Exposure Control: Metering systemTTL open-aperture metering system (1) Digital ESP metering (49-points multi pattern metering) (2) Center weighted average metering (3) Spot metering (approx. 2% for the viewfinder screen. Highlight / shadow bases are available)

Metering range: EV 1 - 20 (Digital ESP metering, Centre weighted average metering, Spot metering)

Exposure mode: (1) Auto (2) P: Program AE (Program shift can be performed) (3) A: Aperture priority AE (4) S: Shutter priority AE (5) M: Manual (6) Scene program AE (7) Scene select AE, Scene Program AE, Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sport, Night + Portrait, Scene Select AE Children, High Key, Low Key, DIS mode, Nature Macro, Candle, Sunset, Fireworks, Documents, Panorama* (* Available with the Olympus xD-Picture Card), Beach & Snow,Underwater Wide, Underwater Macro

ISO sensitivity: AUTO- ISO 200 - 3200 (customizable, Default 200-800) / Manual ISO 100 - 3200, 1/3 or 1 EV steps

Exposure compensation : ±5 EV in 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV steps selectable

AE lock: AEL button (customizable)

Exposure bracketing: 3 or 5 frames in 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1EV steps selectable

ISO bracketing: 3 frames in 0.3, 0.7, 1EV steps selectable

Metering Standard Value Adjustment: 1/6 EV step, +/- 1EV range
White Balance: Auto WB system, Hybrid detection system with High speed Live MOS sensor and dedicated external sensor.
Preset White Balance
8 settings (3000K - 7500K)Lamp (3000K), Fluorescent 1 (4000K), Fluorescent 2 (4500K), Fluorescent 3 (6600K), Daylight (5300K), Flash (5500K), Cloudy (6000K), Shade (7500K)

White balance compensation: ±7 steps in each A-B/G-M axis (in Auto WB / Preset WB mode / One touch WB)

CWB (Kelvin setting): 1 setting can be registered at Kelvin temperature (2000K - 14000K)

One-touch white balance: 1 custom setting can be registered

White balance bracketing: 3 frames in 2, 4, 6 steps selectable in each A-B/G-M axis.

Color Space: sRGB, Adobe RGB

Picture Mode: Vivid, Natural, Portrait, Muted, Monotone, Custom (default setting: Natural)
In custom mode, basic 5 modes and adjustment is available.

Adjustment parameter: Contrast, Sharpness and Saturation level available in 5 steps for Vivid, Natural, Portrait and Muted , Contrast and Sharpness level available in 5 steps for Monotone.

In custom mode, garadation level available in 4 steps.

Filter effect: Yellow, Orange, Red or Green filter available for Monotone

Picture tone: Sepia, Blue, Purple or Green tone available for Monotone

Gradation: 4 levels (Auto, High key, Normal, Low key)

Shutter: Computerized focal-plane shutter

Shutter speed: P(Ps), S, A, M mode: 60 - 1/4000 sec.
Bulb: up to 30 min. (selectable longest time in the menu. Default: 8 min.
1/3, 1/2, or 1EV steps selectable.

Self-timer Operation time: 12 sec., 2 sec. (cancel available)

Remote cable release: Available (with optional RM-UC1 Remote cable.)

Optical remote control: Operation time: 2 sec., 0 sec., bulb control available (with optional RM-1 remote control)

Anti shock mode: Available (1 to 30 sec selectable)

Drive mode: Single-frame shooting, Sequential shooting H, Sequential shooting L, Self-timer, Remote control

Sequential shooting speed: Approx. 4 frames/sec. in sequential shooting H, 1 to 3 fps selectable in sequential shooting L.

Max. recordable pictures: RAW mode: Max. 5 frames. On sequential shooting
JPEG mode: Depends on compression ratio and no. of pixels (Large normal mode: approx. up to card capacity with SanDisk Extreme IV 4GB)

Integrated Flash: Built-in flash Retractable flash, GN=17 at ISO200, (GN=12 at ISO 100.m)

Compatible external flash: FL-50R, FL-36R, FL-50, FL-36, FL-20

Flash control mode: TTL Auto (TTL pre-flash mode), Auto, Manual

Flash mode: Auto, Red-eye reduction, Red-eye reduction slow sync., Slow sync at 1st curtain, Slow sync at 2nd curtain, Fill-in, Manual (1/4, 1/16, 1/64), Off.

Synchronization speed: 1/180 sec. or less

Flash intensity control: Up to ±3 EV in 0.3, 0.5, 1 EV steps

Flash bracketing: 3 frames in 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1 EV steps selectable.
Wireless Flash Control:Compatible external flash FL-50R, FL-36R

Control method: Triggered and controlled by built-in flash light

Flash control mode: TTL Auto (TTL pre-flash mode), Auto, Manual, FP TTL Auto, FP Manual.

Number of channel: 4 channels

Group setting: 3 groups

Art Filter Mode: Pop Art, Soft Focus, Pale&Light Color, Light Tone, Grainy Film, Pin Hole

Multi Exposure: Number of picture - 2 pictures

Functions: Auto gain, Live View, Exposing on Recorded picture

Aspect Ratio: 4:3(Default)／3:2／16:9／6:6

Illuminated button icons : MENU,INFO,Playback,Liveview,Arrowpad（WB,AF,Metering,ISO）,OK,Erase,IS

E-620,BLS-1 Li-ion battery,BCS-1 Li-ion battery charger

Super Control Panel: Information (shooting) Battery information, Exposure mode, Shutter speed, Aperture value, Expsosure compensation value, ISO sensitivity, Exposure compensation indicator, Exposure indicator, Flash intensity compensation indicator, Date, BKT setting, NR setting, WB, WB compensation value, Picture mode, Flash mode, Record mode, Image size, Card information,
Drive mode, Flash intensity compensation value, Metering mode, Recordable still image number, Focusing mode, FP warning, AF frame, AF illuminator disabled notification, , Color space, Sharpness, Contrast, Saturation, Gradation, IS activating mode, Face detection, RC mode setting, My Mode, Flash Charge, Multi Exposure, Aspect Ratio

Information
Exposure mode, Shutter speed, Aperture value, Exposure compensation value bar, Exposure compensation value
Flash compensation value bar, Flash compensation value, ALE notification, Flash compensation notification
NR notification, BKT notification, AF illuminator disabled notification, Color space
Wireless channel setting, Built-in flash intensity, Group setting

(wireless flash commander)

Back Light Timer: Back light lighting time is selectable. (Keep, 8, 30sec, 1min)

Playback mode: Single-frame, Index (4/9/16/25/49/100 frames), Calendar, Close-up ( 2 - 14X), Slideshow, Picture rotation (auto mode available), Light box

Information display: Histogram (independent luminance / RGB available),
Highlight / Shadow point warning, AF frame, Shooting information

Menu Languages: Japanese, English (Additional one language is possible to download.)Others: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Russian, Czech, Dutch, Danish, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Croat, Slovenian, Hungarian, Greek, Slovakian, Turkish, Latvian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Rumanian, Indonesian, Malay, Thai

Reset & Custom Setting: Custom reset 2 setting recordable

My mode: 2 setting recordable

Merge Function: 2-3 pictures, merge gain step 0.1-2.0 0.1 step

Print function: Print reservation (DPOF), Direct print (PictBridge compatible)
Input/Output

PC interface: USB 2.0 High Speed for storage and camera control (MTP mode is available)

USB/Video connector: Dedicated multi-connector (Video: NTSC/PAL selectable, Optional Remote cable RM-UC1 is available)

Flash attachment: Hot shoe

Battery: BLS-1 Li-ion battery (included)

Sleep mode: Available (1, 3, 5, 10 min., off selectable)

No. of recordable pictures : Approx. 500 shots (optical viewfinder)
(with 50% flash light)
(with BLS-1 under CIPA testing standard)

Power battery holder: HLD-5 compatible

Dimensions/Weight: 5.11 in (W) x 3.70 in (H) x 2.36 in. (D)/130 mm (W) x 94.0mm (H) x 60 mm (D) (excluding protrusions)

Weight: 16.76 oz/475g (body only)　

Box Contents: Body, Li-ion battery BLS-1, Li-ion battery charger BCS-1, USB/Video Multi cable, Eye piece cover EPC-1, Shoulder strap, OLYMPUS Master CD-ROM, Instruction manual, Warranty card.

National Ballet of Canada's 2009-2010 Season Annoucement

2009-02-09T16:47:00.009-05:00

Artistic Director Karen Kain announces the 2009-2010 Season

The National Ballet of Canada Announced their upcoming season today in a press conference at the Walter Carsen Centre on Queens Quay that was tinged with sadness at the news that principal ballerina Chan Hon Goh will be leaving the company at the end of the current season.
It was a moving moment as Artisitic Director Karen Kain teared up in making the announcement and the two embraced before Goh made the news official.

Emotions run high as Principal Dancer Chan Hon Goh announces her retirement after 20 years with The National Ballet

"Chan has given us 20 years of beautiful and memorable performances at the National Ballet" said Ms. Kain. "Not only has she had a stellar career, she is a wonderfully kind and generous colleague with a professional etiquette and is a great model for young dancers.
Chan brings her remarkable energy and dedication to all she puts her hand to, from the building of her business to the raising of her lovely family. I will greatly miss her on stage and off, and look forward to her exciting future."

During her remarkable career, Ms. Goh danced almost all the lead female roles in the classical repertoire, including Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Tatiana in Onegin and title roles in Giselle, Madame Butterfly and La Sylphide. Recently, DanceView Magazine wrote "Goh is at the height of her powers, where technical ability and dramatic insight converge. Her dancing these days feels freer than ever; she is totally present and committed to what is unfolding on stage."

Chan Hon Goh and partner Aleksandar Antonijevic performed a segment from The Sleeping Beauty after the Season Announcement.

The 2009-2010 Season Announcement was next on the agenda, and it all kicks off next November with The Sleeping Beauty, a ballet that epitomizes, perhaps better than any other, the meaning of classical ballet.
It opens the 2009/10 season on November 13, 2009. Rudolf Nureyev’s The Sleeping Beauty was refurbished and restored to its original splendour to open The National Ballet of Canada’s inaugural season in the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.
"The Sleeping Beauty has an important place in the history of The National Ballet of Canada.
Rudolf Nureyev set his famous version of the work on our company in 1972, an event that is still a famous milestone in our artistic evolution," says Ms. Kain. "It gives me great pleasure to bring the work back this year to allow people the chance once again to revel in the riches and timeless artistry it contains."

The Fall Season’s mixed programme continues from Nov. 25 - Nov. 29 2009 featuring a new work by one of the most poised and exciting choreographers today, Edmonton-born Aszure Barton. Ms. Barton’s energetic, often riotously complex and utterly uncategorizable dances, commissioned by, among others, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Martha Graham Dance Company and Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, have drawn praise and superlatives from all quarters. George Balanchine’s refined neo-classical The Four Temperaments and Jerome Robbins’ vigorously modernist Glass Pieces are also featured.

Chan Hon Goh and partner Aleksandar Antonijevic dance a selection from The Sleeping Beauty

Following holiday favourite The Nutcracker, December 12, 2009 – January 3, 2010, the Winter Season opens on March 3, 2010 with Marie Chouinard’s brilliantly provocative 24 Preludes by Chopin, James Kudelka’s touching and elegant The Four Seasons and the company premiere of Jerome Robbins’ captivating solo work, A Suite of Dances.

The full-length work for the Winter Season will be Mr. Kudelka’s enthralling interpretation of Swan Lake, on stage March 11 – 21, 2010, throughout March Break. Never sacrificing any of the ballet’s allure, symbolic fascination and power, Mr. Kudelka re-thinks the tale for a contemporary audience.

The Summer Season features a new work by Finnish choreographer Jorma Elo, a highly sought-after choreographer who has created works for numerous ballet companies in both Europe and North America. Mr. Elo’s choreography is renowned for its speed and physicality, its intricate fusion of the classical and contemporary and for the extraordinary but rewarding demands it makes on dancers. This new work will be presented with Jerome Robbins’ exuberant and entertaining West Side Story Suite and his exquisite Opus 19/The Dreamer from June 4 – 13, 2010.

The 2009/10 season closes with one of the National Ballet’s most popular full-length story ballets, John Cranko’s Onegin, featuring beautiful new sets and costumes by Santo Loquasto, one of today’s most illustrious designers. Onegin is on stage June 19 – 25, 2010.

The company will tour to Western Canada in 2009 with 13 performances of The Sleeping Beauty: Calgary (September 17 – 19), Edmonton (September 22 – 23), Victoria (September 26), Nanaimo (September 28) and Vancouver (September 30 – October 3).
The company will tour to the National Arts Centre in Ottawa with The Sleeping Beauty November 5 – 7, 2009 for three performances.
Other touring dates will be announced later.

Chan Hon Goh takes a bow for the assembled media and patrons.