Cyclist's Mane Blowing in the Wind!

They say a lion's mane is an intimidation tool, used to show it's size and prowess over its competition. This rider's hair was unique among all others, as most cyclist remove as much hair as possible to reduce weight and wind-drag. 

However, Zackary Davis #27 finished 24th overall, the highest placed rider that I took pictures of that day. Perhaps he's on to something? Maybe the wind blowing through his hair makes him feel faster, thus motivating him to peddle harder? Perhaps it makes him feel lion-like as he chases down the riders in front of him? Whatever the reason, he looked pretty cool in a sea of shaved head riders....Ride On Zach-Attack!!

Bike Race Face: Part 2

 As mentioned on my earlier post, as I was shooting this race I became more aware and interested in the expressions of these riders versus the bikes themselves, even though I'm an avid bike rider. That's why I decided to crop the bikes out of the picture. In this shot, I liked the way the setting sun spotlighted Erik Mulder #67, but shadowed Baily McKnight, who actually placed 40 spots higher by the end of the race.  No posing here folks. These are real expressions. Ride On!!

Giro Di Burnaby 2012: Ride On!!

Bike races are great to watch. Unlike motorized races, cycling events make very little noise as they whip past, like a stealth animal hunting down a prey. All you can hear is the clicks of their gears changing, and the wind swooshing past their aerodynamic bodies. Even their crouched sitting position and their determined expressions reminds me of a predatory animal. Look at the beast-like tongue sticking out on Scott Zwizanski (rider #13)!!

Photographically, all the different colours and logos and stream-line clothing and equipment makes for a great picture. I noticed many photographers with big zoom lenses, but they weren't getting any successful shots.  I would recommend getting as close as possible and shoot with a prime (non-zooming) lens. I shot with my 35mm F1.4 and a cropped sensor Sony A700, and I just panned my images.  Many were asking me what I was doing panning so quickly, and how could I shoot with such a small lens, and why I wasn't using  a flash. I just smiled and showed them my pictures. I had a few conversations with other amateur photographers that evening.......

I could only stay for about 20 minutes so I didn't get too many pictures. Lots of fun though.... Ride On Burnaby!!

iPhone 4 Run Over by a Car!!

While driving around Saturday morning with Cocof0sho, we saw an iPhone just laying in the middle of the road, face down.  Running out onto highway traffic and retrieving it, we realized it had already been run over, multiple times perhaps. We plugged it in, wondering if it may still kinda work.....nope! Although the screen was completely destroyed (but surprisingly still sticking together like a car windshield), look at the back, it's intact! I think the thin yet protective carbon fiber-esk decal kept it in one piece, even though it's also made of glass....


What's the lesson here? Don't drive with your iPhone dangling out your window while driving? Maybe. Don't just throw out your old iPhone out the window like a cigarette butt just because you've recently upgraded to an iPhone 4S (not really an upgrade) and you're rich enough to just throw it out the window of your Ferrari? Also a maybe.

I think the real lesson here is that no matter what you throw out the window of a moving car, if it looks like an iPhone, you're not really littering, because some fool will eventually pick it up!!  Hey, maybe we can plug it into a computer and download some personal pictures? Cocof0sho? Anything interesting?

Palindromic Graffiti Logo at Emily Carr?

Walking past this graffiti outside Emily Carr Institute on Granville Island, something struck me about it, so I quickly took the picture and moved on.  Weeks later, as I looked back, I examined it, wondering why I liked the way the person decided to break the word ATTACK in two lines.....very cool I thought.

The top ATTA is a palindrome, and even the double T looks like the Greek letter Pi, which is also palindromic in shape. As a palindrome, there's this balanced look to the ATTA, almost iconic or logo like. The CK along the bottom is pretty cool too because it's a repeat consonant like the double T in ATTA, both the C and K making the double K sound in English.  

Aesthetically, the roundness of the letter C really adds to the overall balance of the rest of the letters, as the other letters are all made with straight lines.  The kerning on the two lines, how the cK actually touches the ATTA makes it clear that this is meant to be a single word or symbol, not two.  Even the angle of the A's work with similar angles on the letter K as well, and the cK reminds us of an iconic brand, only adding to the strength of this logo-like graffiti. Over analyzing? Yes. Just a kid with a spray can who had 15 seconds to make it count? Probably.

Do You Give a Hoot about Truck Graffiti?

I've been noticing graffiti on white trucks lately, and I don't know if it's true graffiti, or if the owners are allowing random artists to spray their trucks.  This one looks like a commissioned job.  I thought it was cute. Owls are pretty cool. Big headed birds. Although this owl can actually change his face to look like a bat when it senses danger or competition. Insane!!

Ken Doll Reporter Backlit Backwards Portrait

I was walking through Gastown with my wife on our way to our newest favorite coffee shop, when we ran into a TV crew setting up.  Even from behind you can tell this reporter has the perfect height, perfect build, perfect hair, perfect sized hands, perfect posture....need I continue? I like backwards portraits, and I liked the way he was standing, or perhaps it was posing? He was actually frozen like that, as if he's practiced that stance many a times in front of a mirror perhaps? The spot light masked his face somewhat, but you can still imagine his impeccably handsome face. In fact, the guy walking to the far left couldn't stop starring!! Ha ha!!

Very Clean & Translucent Fiat 500 Ad

I enjoy creative advertising.  This one isn't spectacular, but it was really clean, and since it was on glass, you get double the exposure for the same price!!  Look at these other really creative bus stop ads.  I like the last one by 3M with the stacks of money!!

SLR Top Panel LCD Screen Door Sign

When I worked in the sign industry, most people's outside door sign was pretty basic: store name, hours of operation, phone number and e-mail address. When I saw Hans Sipma's door sign, I was blown away! Why didn't I ever think of that?!? Very cool Hans! 10 bonus points! And it's the old school SLR top panel I think, as more and more manufacturer's are getting rid of the top panel LCD, a residual from the old film days when nothing was shown on the back panel (that's where the film went). Check out his website too (click on his name above). Cool pics.....

Drink Water Week Advertised on a Toilet?

I posted this on Twitter a week ago but decided not to post on my blog, but now I change my mind! Bike to Work Week, yes. Butt Out Week, yes. Mental Health Awareness Week, yes. But Drinking Water Week? Isn't this just common sense? And how about not just a week, but for the rest of our lives!!  Drink water people!! I also thought it ironic that the advertising for Drinking Water Week was on the side of a public toilet.... leaves a bad taste in your mouth, no?