Le Photo Quotidien

may 9

2009-05-09T22:33:00.000-07:00

blossoms on graveley street

january 18

2009-01-18T00:02:00.001-08:00

Now that the snow's all melted, I miss it.

These festive berries and lacy branches were a bright spot on my walk through the neighbourhood on Christmas Eve.

january 17

2009-01-17T22:53:00.000-08:00

I quite like this twilight shot of Cordova Street with the cranes of the port in the background. I took it from my car on as I waited for the light on Prior Street.

december 22

2008-12-22T23:47:00.000-08:00

A festive view of the East End rail yards, on a clear, cold evening.

december 17

2008-12-17T22:14:00.000-08:00

My little christmas tree looked so cute in all the snow tonight.

december 12

2008-12-12T16:52:00.000-08:00

Another view from my office - a (rare) December sunset.

december 3

2008-12-02T23:29:00.000-08:00

I wandered through 1000 Parker St at this year's Culture Crawl, and was inspired all over again to pull out my camera - even if it was just the point n shoot.

november 27

2008-11-27T15:31:00.000-08:00

My favourite from a photo shoot this past weekend, I caught this moment while the rest of the family were getting ready for the formal shots.

november 11

2008-11-12T00:04:00.001-08:00

I'm a big fan of the free stitching software I downloaded. It does all the work for you. I love that.

november 10

2008-11-10T21:18:00.000-08:00

By the time we got around to buying a pumpkin for Halloween, they were all sold out.

No problem - we just carved some of the tiny ones instead. Perfect for tealights.

Boo!

november 9

2008-11-09T17:36:00.000-08:00

Lougheed Highway under construction on a foggy November morning

november 5

2008-11-05T23:10:00.001-08:00

On one of the last perfect fall days, I went for a walk along the Alouette River in Maple Ridge.

october 22

2008-10-22T23:02:00.000-07:00

This is the view from my desk. I saw this fellow yesterday dangling from the building across the way yesterday, swaying to and fro on a single line and harness, washing windows with just a bucket and squeegee.

october 21

2008-10-21T16:54:00.001-07:00

East-side autumn: brilliant fall leaves on Grant St, just east of Nanaimo.

september 28

2008-09-28T23:10:00.001-07:00

autumn on Denman Street

september 22

2008-09-22T16:41:00.000-07:00

A perfect fall day in my Eastside garden.

september 18

2008-09-18T12:26:00.000-07:00

Starting again, with a stitched panorama of Coal Harbour from Stanley Park, taken on a particularly gorgeous early September evening.

may 4

2008-05-22T22:10:00.000-07:00

Our nightly sunset view from Ben's verandah

may 3

2008-05-20T22:17:00.000-07:00

Panther was gruff when we first met him, but once we won him over, he had the sweetest temperament - and quite a charming smile.

may 2

2008-05-20T22:08:00.000-07:00

Bela was the blonde bombshell of the litter.

may 1

2008-05-20T21:45:00.000-07:00

At the end of the April photos, I was going to switch back from Sulawesi to home - but I just couldn't resist another little visit with my Indonesian pups.

Ginger, the littlest one, tagged along one afternoon as I wandered the gardens.

april 30

2008-05-08T22:10:00.000-07:00

Ben's verandah view, daytime.

april 29

2008-05-08T21:47:00.000-07:00

The night view from Benja's verandah.

Coconut trees sway under drifting clouds and a million stars; Tasik Ria shines bright as Manado twinkles in the distance.

april 28

2008-05-08T21:21:00.000-07:00

Another colourful boat tucked away on the beach at Bunaken.

april 27

2008-05-07T22:22:00.000-07:00

Mt Klabat, north of Manado, drifting in clouds.

april 26

2008-05-07T22:03:00.000-07:00

Bunaken village, when you approach from Manado, has a spectacular backdrop. The Christian church stands out against the volcano on Manado Tua island, just beyond Bunaken.

april 25

2008-05-07T21:29:00.000-07:00

We spent a few days on Bunaken Island, which has spectacular diving. As much as I liked the diving, I liked the boats even more. Wooden boats painted bright green and blue, speeding across clear turquoise water.

april 24

2008-05-06T22:18:00.000-07:00

The way almost everyone gets around in Manado is by Microlet. Hundreds of tiny blue vans troll along set routes, horns and kickin' sound systems blaring, picking up and dropping off passengers at will (good luck getting the driver to hear your "stop, please!")

Microlets are privately owned, and most are personalized to some degree. Decals adorn rear windows and windshields alike, and I made a game of capturing the different slogans.

Manado is primarily Christian, with a church for every 300 people, so most decals slogans are unabashedly religious: Holy Spirit, Katholik Boys, Nazareth, Halleluyah, Blessings, Gloria, God is Love, Blessed Child.

Edgier microlets sported sayings like Stoner, Bad Boys, Destroyer Team, No Fear, Hanter (?), Forever Young, and my personal favourite - Blaze of Glory.

april 23

2008-05-06T22:12:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what this flower was, but there were lots growing in the garden. I love how lush and vibrant tropical flowers are.

april 22

2008-05-05T22:41:00.000-07:00

"Camboja" closeup - this one with the macro option on the Digital Elph.

april 21

2008-05-05T22:31:00.000-07:00

Luscious orange blossoms looked good enough to eat.

april 20

2008-05-05T22:20:00.000-07:00

Maya's garden had the most exquisite tropical flowers. This one is called "Camboja" (like Cambodia) in the local Manadoese dialect. I shot this with my close-up filters, just as the sun came back out after a torrential downpour.

april 19

2008-05-05T21:57:00.000-07:00

Crates of palm wine in Tomohon market, Minahasa.

My favourite Sulawesi drink is made with a strong distilled version of the palm wine, called Cap Tikus (Chap Teekoos - I'm told it means "Kiss from a Mouse").

Pour some Cap Tikus over ice, squeeze in lots of fresh lime (there are wonderful orange-green limes in North Sulawesi), and mix with lots of palm sugar - a Minahasan Margarita!

It's a little like drinking Mezcal, in Mexico. No worm - but you get that little extra kick.

april 18

2008-05-05T21:56:00.001-07:00

ikan merah

(bahasa Indonesia for red fish)

april 17

2008-04-24T15:53:00.001-07:00

Small boats buy fish from the big boats, and ferry them back to the market.

april 16

2008-04-16T17:29:00.001-07:00

In the harbour at Manado, near the market at 5:30 am.

april 15

2008-04-16T17:28:00.000-07:00

Rice and kecap manis (soy sauce).

There are dozens of varieties of rice for sale, and prices vary widely.

The price of rice has tripled since January. The black rice is 14,000 rupiah per kg - about 80 cents per pound.

april 14

2008-04-16T17:27:00.007-07:00

He's laughing because I pointed at the peppers, pointed at myself, and mimed that they made me cry.

Hot peppers are a staple in every Indonesian dish we tried - including the breakfast porridge. They make habaneros look like candy. These ones nearly burnt a hole right through my eyes.

april 13

2008-04-16T17:27:00.005-07:00

Thousands and thousands of small dried fish.

april 12

2008-04-16T17:27:00.003-07:00

These adorable little girls were thrilled to see their photo.

april 11

2008-04-16T17:27:00.001-07:00

I didn't expect to find potatoes in a market in Indonesia.

april 10

2008-04-16T17:26:00.009-07:00

I wasn't sure how my camera would be received in the market. I needn't have worried. Unfailingly, as soon as I pulled it out, vendors animatedly volunteered friends and neighbours for a "potret".

This rather dignified flower-seller was quietly pleased as he prepared himself for a pose.

april 9

2008-04-16T17:26:00.007-07:00

Playing cards at the market. Thousands of rupiah were passed around after this hand.

april 8

2008-04-16T17:26:00.005-07:00

Market stalls are mostly all lit by dim flourescent lights. It makes hand-held shooting tricky, but not impossible if you hold your breath. It also makes for some very cool light quality.

april 7

2008-04-16T17:26:00.003-07:00

Beauty products at Tanawangko market, Sulawesi

april 6

2008-04-16T17:26:00.001-07:00

When you get tired of all those pesky bugs and rats, the local market has a few options to deal with them.

april 5

2008-04-16T17:25:00.008-07:00

Some Sulawesi bugs are made of pure gold.

april 4

2008-04-16T17:25:00.007-07:00

Who needs guard dogs when you have a spider the size of a dinner plate living at the bottom of the driveway?

I wish I had something to show the scale of how big this guy really is, but I truly am too wimpy to get my hand that close to the biggest spider I've ever seen.

april 3

2008-04-16T17:25:00.005-07:00

Geckos - or "cicaks" [chee-chucks] - are everywhere after dark. Every night, 20 or 30 geckos gathered on the walls and ceilings of the terrace, feasting on jungle bugs.

I caught this little fella scooting across our bedroom floor one afternoon. He was barely the size of my finger.

april 2

2008-04-16T17:25:00.003-07:00

The jungle was the loudest place I've ever been. Crickets like this little green fella chirped incessantly.

april 1

2008-04-16T17:25:00.001-07:00

Bugs in Sulawesi are big and a little scary.

This is a Logong. He hung out for quite some time on my filter, making the rounds on the edge.

Those things on the end of his legs look to be rather sharp claws. I never did quite get up the nerve to let him crawl onto my hand, although I did pet his horns a little bit.

march 31

2008-04-16T17:24:00.008-07:00

Kiki on the volcanic black-sand beach near Tasik Ria

march 30

2008-04-16T17:24:00.007-07:00

Pasar Tanawangko, near Manado

march 29

2008-04-16T17:24:00.005-07:00

Our Manado welcoming committee

march 28

2008-04-16T17:24:00.003-07:00

Japan!

Where else in the world can you buy sweat in a vending machine?

march 27

2008-04-16T17:24:00.001-07:00

Tiny perfect frogs in Narita airport, Tokyo

march 26

2008-04-16T17:23:00.006-07:00

A more typical shot of springtime Vancouver.

march 25

2008-04-16T17:23:00.005-07:00

Luscious bouquet at the flower shop on Charles at Commercial.

march 24

2008-04-16T17:23:00.003-07:00

Across the viaduct from the Costco Condos - more development.

Every time I go by this site, near Tinseltown and International Village, I can't help thinking about the condo I was offered in 1998. 2 bedroom and den, 20th floor, with a view of Coal Harbour and the North Shore mountains. Insider deal, from the girl I knew who was head of marketing for Henderson, the developer. Price? $178,000.

I thought the ensuite bathroom was a little small for the price.

march 23

2008-04-16T17:23:00.001-07:00

Costco condos near Beatty St. Condos and Costco go hand in hand.

back home, and starting up again

2008-04-16T16:58:00.000-07:00

I'm back from Sulawesi - and way behind on the photo a day blog!

My intention, originally, was to keep things up chronologically and post a photo a day for each of the days I was away. And, I'm still behind for a few days before I left.

I was going to be lazy and just start again from today, but I know it'll bug me to see that gap at the end of the year. And the one and only rule I have is one photo per day.

So... I have a lot of catching up to do. Lots of updates coming in the next few days, for anyone out there who's looking!

on hiatus

2008-03-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

Photo a Day Update!

The blog will be on hiatus for a few weeks while I'm in Sulawesi. I'm all geared up for the trip, with about 6 gigs worth of memory cards for the two cameras. We're only in Singapore and I've snapped away quite a few so far - but nowhere to upload them.

Hopefully I'll find a place I can upload and post some photos in Manado. If not - there will be a couple of weeks' worth once I get home.

Stay tuned!

march 22

2008-03-24T15:02:00.001-07:00

On the bright side... after I got to work from the too-early Calgary flight, we went shopping. We borrowed a cart from the mail room, went over to Sears, and wheeled a wicked little bar fridge back to the office along Robson.

Our cubicle is now kitted out for ice cold beverages and tasty snacks.

march 21

2008-03-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

Two days in a row I got up at 4 am to catch a flight for a 1-day business trip to Calgary. This was my plane home.

I'm not a morning person. Now I have a wicked cold.

march 20

2008-03-20T13:14:00.004-07:00

Granville at Robson - same corner, different viewpoint.

march 19

2008-03-20T13:14:00.003-07:00

Canada Line construction on Granville Street at Robson. I wonder how long the low building on the corner will last?

march 18

2008-03-20T13:14:00.001-07:00

On the skytrain near Science World.

According to Nyla, there are 58 buildings under construction in Vancouver right now. In this photo you can see about half of them.

march 17

2008-03-18T00:07:00.001-07:00

Clayton closeup.

march 16

2008-03-17T23:54:00.003-07:00

Carrying on the pet theme, but counterbalancing the cat... here's Rose, my sister and brother-in-law's gorgeous shepherd cross. Rose lives in Seattle. She's a little camera-shy, and today she was extra mellow after chasing squirrels on our long morning run along Lake Washington.

As for including a shot I didn't take, it's really only half-cheating; it was my camera, and I coached W setting up the shot :)

(ps Matt - this is the first posted shot with the 50mm 1.8!)

march 15

2008-03-17T23:54:00.001-07:00

yawning... or telling me what she really thinks?

march 14

2008-03-17T22:55:00.000-07:00

Being a first class procrastinator, I'm not that diligent about uploading a photo every single day. I do catch up though. Tonight I'm doing three days, and it's a pet theme.

This shot is from a few weeks back. Fraidycat was in her usual afternoon lounging spot, on the back of the green couch. A beam of sunlight lit her up beautifully.

march 13

2008-03-13T23:25:00.000-07:00

One more blue shot from our ski day at Cypress. Just after the fog lifted and the skies cleared, we found an exquisite view of Grouse.

march 12

2008-03-13T23:16:00.001-07:00

Another of my favourite "blue" shots - my niece Quin on a ski day with auntie at Cypress. The January morning started with drizzle and fog, but cleared in the afternoon for amazing views of Howe Sound.

I spent a good deal of the day going backwards on my skis "coaching" Quin down the hill on her new snowboard, as my nephew Reid carved circles around us.

One far too fast year later, I race the two of them down the slopes but it's no longer a given that auntie will win.

march 11

2008-03-13T23:09:00.000-07:00

I'm getting a little behind these days and need to catch up! I love the blue twilight sky behind the inukshuk at English Bay.

march 10

2008-03-11T22:43:00.001-07:00

Another one from the archives... Fraidycat in a ray of autumn sunlight.

march 9

2008-03-09T21:40:00.000-07:00

Mia, my friend Elisa's baby girl, was my first real client - I did baby shots of her last May, when she was about 2 months old.

Mia turned one on Saturday, still with the gorgeous big hazel eyes, and the most squeezable cheeks I've ever seen.

march 8

2008-03-09T20:50:00.001-07:00

While the rest of the country digs itself out from a foot of snow, the cherry blossoms that started blooming in February are dusting Vancouver in pink.

march 7

2008-03-09T20:49:00.001-07:00

JJ Bean at Powell and Victoria - the best coffee north of Hastings.

march 6

2008-03-06T22:42:00.000-08:00

More from the new neighbourhood (or, as I prefer to think of it, the eastside seaside).

This is the way to my favourite local coffee house. North on Victoria, straight down the cobblestones to the railway tracks, with a stunning view of the inlet and mountains all the way.

march 5

2008-03-05T22:04:00.000-08:00

North of Hastings and west of Victoria, old houses share the the industrial neighbourhood with warehouses, factories, and shoes.

march 4

2008-03-04T22:26:00.001-08:00

One of my favourite views of Vancouver is from the overpass to Crab Park.

This semi-secret gateway to the port and convention centre reveals a skyline uncluttered by condos and cranes.

Freight trains trundle along between the working waterfront and the historic warehouses of Gastown.

march 3

2008-03-03T18:06:00.003-08:00

W has commandeered my laptop, where all the newer photos are. And I still can't find my little Elph.

So I'm digging through the oldies again for pics.

I shot this nearly 2 years ago, on a grey September afternoon at Sunset Beach. The chairs were part of the Sculpture Bienniale that ended sometime last year. At one point the chairs were at English Bay, then they were moved here to Sunset Beach.

I wish I could say I loved all the sculptures, but I didn't. I don't really miss the big engagement rings at English Bay, or the Donnie Darko-esque Rabbit.

But I adored the whimsical, poetic chairs scattered along the beach. I especially loved it when people would quietly walk up, sit for a while, then nonchalantly try to make off with the unyielding chair.

march 2

2008-03-03T18:06:00.001-08:00

I have, for the first time in 12 years, a garden to play in; and, for the first time in my life, it's a garden that's completely mine.

It's lain dormant for months and I've been checking since early February for signs of life. I've spent a an hour here and there, tidying up and freeing shoots and buds from the autumn and winter leftovers of twigs, branches, dead leaves.

A week ago I noticed lush, green points and spikes pushing up the dirt in the corners of the garden. By Sunday - today - there are 4 miniature daffodils blooming in the wintry sun in all their tiny joyful glory.

Wanting to post a new photo from my garden, I got right down in the dirt and shot the lusciuous yellow blooms with the macro setting on my Canon Elph. I came inside, put the camera down - and haven't seen it since.

So in honour of my wee daffs, here's a pic of last spring's narcissus instead - blooming near the heron's nests in Stanley Park.

march 1

2008-03-03T11:30:00.000-08:00

As I was riding home Friday, none of my cameras with me, the sun shone out from below the heavy rainclouds, lighting up Science World.

I was under the viaduct, and wasn't quite fast enough to catch the scene until the light had faded into a soft yellow and twilight blue.

Luckily, my new Blackberry Pearl has a camera. It's no SLR, but I like the grainy blurriness.

A year ago, there would have been a dozen or more derelict boats in this photo, moored illegally in the easternmost stretch of False Creek. These got cleaned up sometime in 2007 - a few were towed away, a few sunk, most just moved on.

I miss them - they added quirk and character to what's becoming a slickly packaged and sterile waterfront.

february 29

2008-02-29T12:00:00.001-08:00

The only building left standing on South False Creek is this old warehouse.

february 28

2008-02-28T16:16:00.003-08:00

On a brilliant September Saturday, W and I ate ice cream from Mario's and peeked at the construction zone for the Olympic Village development along South False Creek.

february 27

2008-02-28T16:16:00.001-08:00

I am becoming more and more obsessed with the construction/destructionof Vancouver. It's all I can think about.

But I've only slowly woken up to the idea of documenting it. This was my first attempt, last April.

I parked one morning in the permit zone on Barclay Street, just west of Burrard, as the old YMCA building was being torn down. I happened to have my camera with me, and no meetings scheduled that morning, so I stopped for a few shots.

10 years ago, I volunteered here as a conversational English teacher for Korean students.

Today, another condominium is going up in its place.

february 26

2008-02-26T23:55:00.001-08:00

While I'm on the topic... my former view of the West End, and the former Safeway at Robson & Denman.

february 25

2008-02-25T23:48:00.000-08:00

I love my Eastside house and neighbourhood, but sometimes I miss my West End views.

february 24

2008-02-25T23:46:00.000-08:00

English Bay sunset from the 31st floor of the Coast Plaza hotel. This was the view from Kevin's 2008 Oscar Party suite.

february 23

2008-02-25T23:23:00.000-08:00

In Vancouver these days, you're never more than a block away from a crane. This construction site at Seymour and Nelson was lit up prettily Friday night, as I walked past on my way to Maury's 40th birthday. It's a little fuzzy despite my best attempt to hold my breath and keep still while hand-holding a night shot.

february 22

2008-02-22T17:46:00.000-08:00

I love this shot of my sister and nephew on the pumpkin ride, at Remlinger Farms near Seattle.

Clayton's birthday is just before Hallowe'en. He's crazy about pumpkins and loves being scared.

This ride was a little slice of Clayton heaven.

february 21

2008-02-21T23:35:00.000-08:00

In Kiwassa, the next neighbourhood east of Strathcona, residential and industrial share the same street, and half-million dollar heritage homes sit 15 feet away from the railway spur to the port.

I ride over these tracks on my daily commute along Union Street, but today was the first day I stopped to really look.

february 20

2008-02-20T20:23:00.001-08:00

From December - a shot from the Winter Solstice Lantern Festival, at Sun Yat Sen gardens.

february 19

2008-02-20T18:40:00.000-08:00

Cypress lights just as the snow stopped, January 2008. I held my breath for this handheld shot with my 5-year-old, 3 megapixel Olympus.

february 18

2008-02-18T17:39:00.000-08:00

Caught the sunset from Third Beach just as the camera battery faded away.

february 17

2008-02-18T17:29:00.000-08:00

valentine's tulips, day 3

february 16

2008-02-18T16:14:00.000-08:00

Warren's happy place - a bike shop.

february 15

2008-02-15T15:53:00.001-08:00

Stopped my bike on the Dunsmuir Viaduct to capture this shot of the construction around the Stadium skytrain station.

february 14

2008-02-15T15:34:00.001-08:00

In honour of Valentine's Day:

Fraidycat, loving one of Warren's shirts just a little too much.