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Saturday, February 28, 2009

The Poetry is the Music

The Poetry is the Music
It's rare that I put down my camera and clap to the music. Greg Frankson's first annual event, Scribology, made me do it. And despite the icy roads and sub-zero temperatures, it was a great party from begining to end.

Here is my first posted image from the night's event. I thought it captures some of the raw energy as the concert was coming to an end. The audience jumped up on stage for the finale and just danced. It was great.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Scribology

The inaugural edition of the capital's newest annual multi-arts showcase, Scribology, takes over the Library and Archives Canada Auditorium on Friday, February 27 at 7 p.m.

Presented by Cytopoetics and 10milligram promotions, Scribology is an annual spoken word and music concert series that exposes Ottawa to the very best in poetry & music fusion. Come and discover the earthy, political force in the work of Ottawa's Young Griot Collective (YGC). Be amazed by the on-the-spot live organic improv of Montreal-based Kalmunity Vibe Collective. And tap along to Canadian Folk Music Award nominated band The Fugitives from Vancouver. The event promises to be a special, groundbreaking night for Ottawa both for music and spoken word. You don't want to miss out!

Scribology will be hosted by CBC Radio One personality and long-time Ottawa spoken word supporter Alan Neal.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show gets underway at 7 p.m. SHARP!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Lost Generation?

Sunday, February 22, 2009

I live five minutes from here


A response to US President Barack Obama's first official visit to Ottawa, Canada - 19 February 2009.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Harold Hoefle

Harold Hoefle
Harold Hoefle read from his first novel, "The Mountain Clinic" (Oberon Press) at the Manx Pub - 21 February 2009.

It's a Whole New World


A response to US President Barack Obama's first official visit to Ottawa, Canada - 19 February 2009.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Welcome Obama!

Welcome Obama!
A touching moment happened when the elderly lady on the right fell into an embrace and sobbed. Moments later she thrust her fist into the air as she walked away. Barack Obama had just waved to the crowd on Parliament Hill.

Helicopter

Helicopter
Craning to see a glimpse of Barack Obama.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Obama - What Does This Day Mean To You?

19 February 2009, Ottawa.

Inspired by Faces of Joy, a photo essay by Magnum photographer Bruce Gilden, I set out to Parliament Hill to capture the spirit of Obama's first official foreign visit as President of the United States of America. I began by asking the person if I could take their photo, then I asked only one question: What does this day mean to you? The answers varied from work, to hope, change, victory, and everything in between. My day began at 5:00am to catch the early birds, and ended with the last photo in this series at 12:30pm.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Special Event

Special Event
Obama's presence felt e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. Luckily turtles are out of season. Otherwise they would get towed away for moving too slow while Mr. President is in town.

This shot was from earlier today on Lester Road, near the airport. Yet, these signs are pretty much everywhere on the route Obama will take to get to Parliament Hill tomorrow.

Barackade

Barackade
Parliament Hill Web Cam one day prior to Barack Obama's visit to Ottawa. Note fenced-off area below the steps leading up to Centre Block of the House of Commons. This is a still photo taken from here:
www.collineduparlement-parliamenthill.gc.ca/text/camera-e...
It would be nice if the NCC and/or Public Works and Government Serices Canada would put in a nice HD Camera for its web cam or at least make the picure bigger. Live streaming would be nice, too. Hint. Hint. Not just for Obama's visit mind you but for other events like Canada Day, etc.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Closed Roads

United States President Barack Obama will be in Ottawa for one day on February 19, for his first visit to Canada.

Residents are encouraged to plan ahead and allow for extra travel time, particularly in the downtown core and when the President is moving to and from the Ottawa Macdonald –Cartier International Airport.

To assist the movement of the President and his entourage, temporary road closures, traffic and transit detours will be established when the President arrives in the morning and departs in the afternoon. Road closures will begin at approximately 7:30 a.m. The known road closures at this time include:

Wellington Street closed from Lyon to Rideau
Elgin Street Northbound closed from Laurier to Wellington
Elgin Street Southbound closed from Wellington to Queen
Colonel By closed from Main to Wellington
MacKenzie closed from St Patrick to Wellington
Sussex closed from George St to Rideau
Daly closed from Nicholas to Colonel By
Unanticipated traffic disruptions are also possible on the day of the visit. To help you make informed decisions regarding your commuting plans, please monitor local radio and television stations.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Obama: Nice Beaver

Family Day!

Family Day
To request the above photograph: *
Send an email (Subject: Family Day) to john @ johnwmacdonald.com with your name and address.

If you are the first person to respond after this posting, you will receive this photograph in the mail. The raspberry measures about 4.75" x 4.75" centered 8 1/2" x 11" photo paper.

* Photo is no longer available.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

blog update

I have now changed the number of posts that show on blog.johnwmacdonald.com to just 5 days worth. Previously it was 14 days. Consequently, it took some folks an inordinate amount of time for the page to load (especially now since the photos are much larger). Sorry for that. But I am not sorry about the larger pics.

So, if you've been away from reading my blog for a little while and wondering were all the photos are, just go down this page to the archives section on the left and click the appropriate month. Now back to the photos...

Again - thanks for stopping by!
Like what you see? Buy a print!
Don't like what you don't see? Hire me.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Scar

Scar
For C.E.
Baseball macro, 2007.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Air restrictions announced for President Obama's visit

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2009/13/c8550.html
It's official. Barack Obama coming to Ottawa. Leave your jets at home and take the bus to work that day.

All Heart: The Steve Sauvé Tribute Show

Steve Sauvé Tribute
Cathy of the Dusty Owl holds up a photo by Charles Earl at a recent event at Swizzles. The photo was to be signed by patrons to show their support for local Ottawa poet, Steve Sauvé who recently died in January.

There will be a tribute/fundraising event tonight. Details below:

Date: Friday, February 13, 2009
Time: 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location: The Mercury Lounge
Street: 56 Byward St.
City/Town: Ottawa, ON

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

trees

trees

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

First Lady

First Lady
First Lady Wigs, Rideau Center, Ottawa - 2007.

Monday, February 09, 2009

Bite Me

Bite Me
To request the above photograph: *
Send an email (Subject: Bite ME) to john @ johnwmacdonald.com with your name and address.

If you are the first person to respond after this posting, you will receive this photograph in the mail. 8"x10" on soft-gloss centered 8 1/2" x 11" photo paper.

* Photo is no longer available.

Dave Cooper

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Where You Work Like a Dog

Where You Work Like a Dog
Apparently there is just one of them.

What they Really Mean to Say

What they Really Mean to Say
Is that they dont sell no damn apostrophes.

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Democratic Poultry

Democratic Poultry
Elected Eggs

Friday, February 06, 2009

Kelsey's

Kelsey's

Kelly in the sink!

Kelly in the Sink!
Kelly in the sink! Time for another quick photo shoot - this time while her twin sister, Megan, is taking a nap.

Thursday, February 05, 2009

Dragon

Dragon
Got this photo on Parliament Hill in the winter of 2007. I don't know why I haven't posted till now. Thought it was kind of funny at the time.

There are so many tourists and locals alike who go up to Parliament Hill in Ottawa and they take a photo of the Centennial Flame. Lord knows I've taken my share of these shots. I wanted to do something a little different as they say. Here it is.

Megan in the Sink!

Megan
Megan in the sink! Time for a quick photo shoot while her twin sister is taking a nap.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

There is Sports Photography...

Then there is Mark J. Rebilas' sports photography. Holy smokes! I discovered his photography just around the time of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games last summer and been a follower of his blog ever since. If there is a better action photographer around I'd like to know. In the last week or so he was crowned the 2008 Motorsports Photographer of the Year.

His talent is not limited to just motorsports. He pretty much covers the gamut of athletic activity. And like a good photoblogger, he updates his work frequently. Rebilas also gives the tech specs behind each photograph, for example a typical entry would have the caption "Nikon D700, 70-200mm, 2500iso, f2.8, 1/320th." Kind of geeky but it's neat info to know. What sets apart his work are his photos tagged with "In Motion". It is a mini slide show of a series of photos leading up to the moment of peak action. Gimmicky but it works. He's using the rich media of the internet to his advantage.

In my books, he's up there among my other favourite sports photographers like Donald Miralle, Brad Mangin, Bob Martin, and Dave Black to name a few off the top of my head.

Blue Balls

Blue Balls
Westboro, 2008.
Sometimes it take months to come up with a great photo title. Sometimes you know it before you click the shutter.

OIWF Silent Auction

"The 2009 Spring edition of the Festival will feature, for the first time, a silent auction to raise funds for the festival's literacy programming. We need friends of the Festival to donate signed books, photographs or other items. Ideally, the item for sale should have some connection to the festival, or at the very least to the writing life, but that connection can be ... creative. (Have a cellar of wonderful wine that pairs well with a good read?)

From the silly to the sublime, we're looking for it. Kate Heartfield, a journalist at the Ottawa Citizen and long-time festival host with a pile of signed books from all her years hosting the festival, is collecting the goods for the auction. Drop her a note at kheartfield@thecitizen.canwest.com and let her know what you have, by Friday, March 6th 2009."

Me? I am donating two 8"x10" prints. The starting bid? Priceless... hahaha! ;-)

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Oh, Canada

White House Press Briefing 1/30/09

Question: If I could just stay on "buy American" for a second, is the President aware of some of the anger, particularly up north, that this provision is causing? And could that make for any awkward conversations in the upcoming visit?

MR. GIBBS: Oh, Canada. I didn't know if you meant, like, New York, or -- (laughter.)

Q New York is still part of America last time I checked.

MR. GIBBS: But you didn't say up north, not in America, so I was -- I was clarifying if we were, like, into southern Vermont or whatever. (Laughter.)

Look, I think, as I said the other day, I don't think there's any doubt that trade is going to be on an agenda for a bilateral meeting between the United States and Canada. I think that would have been the case regardless of who those two participants were. But again, the administration will review that particular provision, and we'll make a determination on that.

Q But Canada said it specifically violates trade laws. I mean --

MR. GIBBS: Which is precisely why the administration is going to review that, and once it makes that review --

Q Does he agree with that point of view?

MR. GIBBS: Guys -- let me -- no, no, no. Give me a second, let me -- I'm going to say this for, like, the fourth time. The administration is reviewing that provision. It understands all of the concerns that have been heard not only in this room but in newspapers produced both up north and down south. So let us undertake that review, and when we have something to announce as it relates to that review, I will be able to answer any number of your questions related to a review that has not yet currently been done.

Monday, February 02, 2009

Christine McNair

Christine McNair
Book conservator & poet, Ottawa - 2009.
http://www.bywords.ca/november2008/index.php?p=1

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Andrea Simms-Karp

Andrea Simms-Karp
Andrea Simms-Karp caught in my camera lens for a candid portrait as she bundles up to head outside after she sang a beautiful musical set at the Bywords.ca reading at Swizzles today. She has an amazing voice and she lives in Ottawa. Aren't we lucky to have her?

More info on her website: www.andreasimmskarp.com
Buy her CD, it's amazing.