Random nothings (1)

Every day I walk the same route to my faculty and occasionally stop to enjoy its familiar air. I take pictures now and then since I’m one to admire its random beauty. There’s nothing special about this path, nothing intriguing. It’s not even long enough sometimes to go through a whole song on my iPod. I just take notice of small changes and random things that peak my interest. Like today… I noticed all the cars in the parking lot seemed stuck in ice.





Other times I notice the sky change colors… or the just the plain ole’ winter weather that gets in my way is taken into photograph…










I love how you can document specific moments into the memory bank with a camera. Although sometimes its nothing compared to the real thing…

The Golden Arrow is Back!

I see that I have taken quite the detour from this blog, but I’m back. I still have many things to share through unspoken words because I have too large of an imagination, which sometimes, I have to write about. I need to let the world know how my brain functions when it comes to my photography… and my fascination of trains!

To begin, I would like to clarify a little more about my love of photography. As stated in my statement of purpose to a certain university I wish to continue in the Masters’ field:

"As a child, I always wondered what it would be like to be behind the lens of a camera. Now that I am in the position of the photographer, I recognize the restriction of scenery that offers the viewfinder as a way to built memories in a subjective manner. I also believe that one frozen moment in time is a way of looking at the world that surrounds me. I can after, come back, and reminisce on these photographic memories; these very moments in time.
Photography is, for me, a way of life. When I carry around my camera like a third eye, I look through my viewfinder and see more than with my own bare eyes. I’ve come to look at any subjects with the interruption of a mechanism: my medium format camera. As I look, feel, and control what will be the subject recorded in my film, as a result I can control the spectator’s look. I manufacture their thoughts through my photographs. They will see exactly what I want them to see. Therefore, my photographs are a way to be in charge of the images and scenes I wish to create. "

Like Susan Sontag once said "To photograph is to appropriate the thing photographed" (1977)

The train... obliterated!

Ok, so I do love my digital camera! But sometimes I really hate it…

Technology serves us well in many ways but when it comes to its complex jargon, you better watch out. For example: you would think the word “format” should define a sort of layout, a set-up or an arrangement of some sort for things like pictures or documents, no? Well guess again. Today you should know that “to format” is to ERASE. That’s right, formatting is to remove, wipe out, expunge or even obliterate something clean from either your computer, or in my case, a DIGITAL camera!!!

Oh yes, thinking the option “format” was another term for rearranging my picture option, I went in. And I pressed “ok”.

Bad move.

It wouldn’t have been a big deal since most of my pictures were uploaded on my computer already… except for the fact I had just recorded a video (which is one reason why I love digital cameras) of a glorious freight train crossing the Elmwood Dr.

It was a beautiful night with a nice cool autumn breeze and the sky was full of stars. I had called in a friend of mine whose father worked for CN, and wondered if there would be a train passing at night. There was. He gave me the time of its departure from the Moncton Humpyard, so I got myself ready and waited for it. And waited… I waited up until I heard the rail crossing warning system come on. It was great!! I never got so close to a train at night until then. The loud sound of each cars rolling over every set of tracks and the occasional sparks from the wheels gave me such a thrill. I felt fear and excitement all at once. It was so close to me I could almost reach out and touch it! What a sight! And I had completely caught in on camera in its magnificent monstrosity.

… It was all good until I played with my camera on the way home and accidentally formatted my memory card. So there goes my train.... OBLITERATED!!



Something you would never be able to do with a film.