2018 Projects - Camex

The architects who designed this building in Nisku commissioned a series of photos for their portfolio.  Camex customized trucks for all sorts of special purposes.

Tokyo Roof Tops

The roof gardens above KITE shopping centre are a popular spot to unwind and look out over the plaza in front of Tokyo Station or to watch the bullet trains coming and going.

Tokyo Reflections

Whether the duck adds or detracts from this photo of the water surrounding the Imperial Palace gardens in Tokyo is for your to decide.

Tokyo Street Photography

I've said to many people that Tokyo is, in photographic terms, a target-rich environment.  There is a photo opportunity almost everywhere.  I took this image in plaza in front of Tokyo Station.

Tokyo Imperial Palace

I took this photo after our tour of the Imperial Palace Gardens in Tokyo.

Tokyo Street Photography

There's something about taking photos of people in the street, particularly with a big camera, that presents certain obstacles.  It seems like an an invasion of personal space and privacy to me.  With a small camera, or in this case, a smart phone that is more discrete and so common place that no one seems to mind.  I took several photos similar to this but the man walking by was such a character that I like this shot best.

Tokyo

At Shrines in Japan one will sometimes see 'Ema' such as these.  Ema are small plaques that are sold at the Shrine.  The idea is that you write your wish on the plaque and hand it on the Ema stand in he hope that the gods will grant your wish.  The wishes are broad in nature; people wish for true love, to conceive children, to pass an exam - just about anything you can think of.

Recent Projects

The Canadian Corps of Commissionaires was formed in 1925 with a vision to offer employment to military veterans.  That is still there mandate however today not all of their employees are ex-military.  This is their new office building in Edmonton, the photo is part of a series commissioned by the project architects.

Two From Glasgow

Here are two photos taken during a September trip to Glasgow.  The first is self explanatory. The lower one is from my 'what-in-earth-is-that-guy-taking-a-picture-of' series.

Remembrance Day 2018

I've posted photos of the Royal Air Force Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park, London before but it's one of my favourites.  Commemorating the crews of RAF Bomber Command who embarked on missions during the Second World War. The memorial, located on Piccadilly near Hyde Park Corner, was built to mark the sacrifice of 55,573 aircrew from Britain, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Poland and other countries of the Commonwealth, as well as civilians of all nations killed during raids.

Queen Elizabeth II unveiled the memorial on 28 June 2012, the year of her Diamond Jubilee.  As the memorial was unveiled an Avro Lancaster Bomber flew over dropping poppy petals over Green Park.

Glasgow Contrasts

Glasgow, Like most of the worlds older cities, has no shortage of reminders from days gone by.  Where vacant lots abut existing buildings one sees lost of walls that look like this with overlaying textures and geometric forms.  To my eye, these photos almost always look better in black and white.

Glasgow Back Streets

Since I missed last weeks post this week you're getting two photos - albeit of the same scene but photographed two ways.  Both photos were taken in a small side street near Kelvingrove in Glasgow.  Several artisans has shops in this small area and somebody had abandoned this ancient Citroen 2CV nearby.  The black and white photo was taken with the iPhone Hipstamatic and the colour version was taken with my Canon G1x.  It's up to you to decide which version you like better.

Glasgow Details

Not much to say about this detail photo taken in Glasgow; it's just a mailbox after all.  But I like it.

Glasgow Riverside Transport Museum

The Glasgow Riverside Transport Museum opened in 2011.  Designed by the late
Zaha Hadid, the building itself is quite nice but it's received some criticism as a a museum. For instance, many of the vehicles on display are on shelves that extend 3 or 4 stories making the vehicles impossible to look at up close.  Still, a great way to spend a few hours, followed by a look around the tall shop 'Glenlee' anchored on the Clyde nearby.

Glasgow Mural Trail

A few years ago the City of Glasgow developed a programme that allowed artists to create large works of art on walls that were unappealing and gloomy and often in areas where the overall appearance was a bit tired and dull.  Some of the works are permanent and others are temporary.  There are many of them and there`s a suggested walking route to see them all.  You can learn more at:
https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/citycentremurals

Glasgow Revisited

I first visited Glasgow in the spring of 1977; 41 years plus.  I've been to Scotland many times but I've never spent a whole lot of time in Glasgow.

This is Glasgow Cathedral photographed from the slopes of the Necropolis to the east. It was dedicated in 1136 and looks, part from having been cleaned, pretty much as I remember it in 1977.

Wikipedia has this to say about this historic building:

'The title cathedral is honorific and historic, dating from the period before the Scottish Reformation and its former status as the Roman Catholic mother church of the Archdiocese of Glasgow and thus the cathedra of the Archbishop of Glasgow (which is now in St. Andrew's Cathedral, the present mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Glasgow). The current congregation is part of the Church of Scotland's Presbytery of Glasgow. Glasgow Cathedral is located north of High Street and east of Cathedral Street, beside the Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
 

Recent Projects - Commerce Place Food Court

My client for this photo shoot was Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning who designed the modernized food court in Commerce Place.

Recent Projects - Shauna May Seneca School

My client for this photo assignment, Clark Builders, has constructed several schools in and near Edmonton in the last few years.  Several of them are essentially the same but things like this mural make this school distinct from all the others.

Recent Projects - Blu's Women's Wear

I recently took a series of photos of this high-end women's clothing store in downtown Edmonton.  My client was the general contractor who completed and extensive renovation project for the Owners.

Architectural Photography Anywhere

There are some basic 'rules' in architectural photography (which are often broken of course) but they do have some merit most of the time. Guiding principles are probably a more apt term than rules. For instance, hold the camera level, try to keep vertical lines vertical, pay attention to the overall composition and chose an interesting subject.  If there are people around include them in the photo.  Try not to have anything poking in or out at the perimeter of the  picture space (e.g. people half in/out, light fixtures, furniture etc). After that it gets technical, but a decent architectural photograph can be taken with any camera if you follow the guiding principles.  This photo was taken in the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) in Brisbane using the iPhone Hipstamatic.