Baby, it's cold outside

Well to be honest it's rather mild. We're in the middle of a wet, snowy spell. I got a Fujifilm Finepix F200 EXR from my mother for Christmas to take with me when lugging the DSLR around would be inconvenient (i.e. most of the time).


Near South Keys transit station after freezing rain, Dec. 27, 2009


Near South Keys transit station after freezing rain, Dec. 27, 2009

I may actually be updating The Other Side of the Shutter more than once a year now ...

Water under the bridge

Looks like it's time for my annual Other Side of the Shutter post. I just got back from Nelson, B.C., where my sister, niece and brother-in-law reside. We had a bit of a family outing to their farmer's market where I perused the local record seller's offerings (nothing too fascinating, except a Swan Records compilation of the Rockin Rebels) and snapped a photograph of nearby Cottonwood Falls.


Cottonwood Falls, Nelson, B.C., September 5, 2009

It's a nice place; shame about the graffiti.

One wedding and a flugtag

There wasn't much to do on Sunday. I hadn't heard there was a punk rock show at the New Bayou on Sunday, so instead of listening to The Botched Suicides and folks like that, I decided to go and photograph other stuff just like I'm always threatening to. Like everyone else I'd heard of the Flugtag at the Museum of Civilization, sponsored by a well-known energy drink company with a soft spot for ridiculous sports events (and overpostering). They expected about 30,000 spectators I'm told; it was plain from the crowds streaming over the Alexandria St. Bridge that they got a lot more. I found a place to lock up my bike and found my way through the crowd to a place near the on-ramp. There wasn't a good place to take pictures from, but I did snap a few pictures of the contestants.

I believe this is team Banana Hammock.



Here come the first, pizza-themed contestants.



Everyone had a chance for a 2-minute skit. These guys just ran around and hit one another with their giant hot pepper and wasabi tube.



Ready, set, jump!



Yay!



The next team had some technical difficulties - a wheel on their cup broke and consequently, it did not runneth over. They only used the glider, which despite its suspiciously aerodynamic appearance had all the handling capabilities of a boulder and went straight into the water.



The cup handlers gamely followed it in.



After that the Gatineau police made everyone move back so they could pretend there was a clear route for the ambulance. I tried to find a decent spot for photos, failed and bicycled home. They had closed the pedestrian walkway over the bridge, there were too many people lingering on the somewhat rickety structure.

As I passed the Congress Centre there was some ruckus - evidently a wedding of some kind, with the groom arriving in style.



The shovel girl has her fingers in her ears because it was quite noisy.

Shoot out the lights

Here's a selection of photographs taken from the grassy slope new the Laurier St. Bridge just across the Rideau Canal from the Department of National Defence. I don't think the framing is as nice as last year, but the turnout ruled out a higher vantage point.









See you next year!

Looking out my back door

More clouds, these viewed from my apartment balcony. The building bottom left houses my insurance broker, Scrivens.


Clouds, Ottawa, June 20, 2007

This picture predates the rainbow below, but I've been busy Bluesfesting , among other activities, and have just gotten around to unmusical photographs just now.

In colour

I've been snapping a few sky pictures lately. This rainbow comes courtesy of Ottawa's recent wet weather. I snapped it sometime before Built To Spill's Bluesfest set.


Rainbow, 8 p.m., July 13, 2007

Remarkably enough, none of the recent rain has delayed any shows.

Tremendous kaboom

Another Canada Day, another excuse to slow down the old shutter speed and capture lots of colourful explosions. Huzzay! You've already seen the first if you've just come from National Capital Rock.


Fireworks over the Chateau Laurier Hotel, July 1, 2007


Fireworks over the Chateau Laurier Hotel, July 1, 2007


Fireworks over the Chateau Laurier Hotel, July 1, 2007


Fireworks over the Chateau Laurier Hotel, July 1, 2007


Fireworks over the Rideau Centre, July 1, 2007


Fireworks over the Rideau Centre, July 1, 2007


Fireworks over the Rideau Centre, July 1, 2007


Fireworks over the Rideau Centre, July 1, 2007

And of course a big thanks to the lady in the latter four photos who decided to stand right in front of my camera. Provides a more interesting foreground, you know.