So here’s the ‘little’ video I shot while at Cupcake Camp. Enjoy!,

You would think that we would be sick of this cupcake fad already. The trend started a few years ago when boutique bakeries in Manhattan and LA started selling (and viciously competing) gourmet cupcakes. The gals from Sex & the City took several bites – the rest is history. The trend took a while to hit Toronto, but it did and had similar effects. Lately though it seems that maybe we got sick of these sugary treats? Or did we? Over 350 strong turned out yesterday to prove that cupcakes do make the world go round. Jump for pics, and….Video!… Read the rest of this entry »

What an awesome video!

Coldplay, “Life in Technicolour II”

It’s a quiet night, and one of those where you’re either too lazy or too scared of the cold to head out to the grocery store. So you rummage through your fridge to figure out what you can make for. Dinner for 1.  Such a night, so a very simple plate. In under 15 minutes, veal scallopini and salad.

I’ve been meaning for a while to put up these photos. I had a great time taking them.  Street photography will always be one of my favourite aspects of the medium and its always something I fall back to connect with my surroundings, practice, or experiment. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m a picky recipe collector. I don’t really come across recipes that I like, but rather aspects of them peak my curiosity. By nature, I deconstruct and reconstruct and experiment. The process isn’t always rewarding, but most times the results are enjoyable.  There is however one recipe I came across — I think I will carry with me for the rest of my life — due to its simplicity.

Heston Blumenthal is world renown for having the second best restaurant in the world, many books, and his hit food network show.

I caught one of the episodes of In Search for Perfection in early 2008, and in it, Heston shared his recipe for authentic pizza.

Watch the video for full details on the technique, revolving around the concept that in order for pizza to taste fantastic, it has to be cooked quickly and at very high temperatures.  He describes how to achieve this at home with a conventional oven, a cast iron pan, and some fresh ingredients.

This recipe is easy to follow (just be careful with the cast iron pan and oven heat), and gives you the opportunity to really get creative with sauces and toppings.  I’ve made dozens of successful pizzas and everyone that has tasted them has loved it. Yes, it does take only 2 minutes.

I’m having one of those days, where I have the entire day to myself, but I can’t force myself to go outside to take photos because of the frigid cold. The furthest I got was Front street near the st Lawrence market where I snapped this. I quickly grabbed a coffee and ran back in, couldn’t take anymore.

Recently, while shooting a wedding in beautiful and extravagant las vegas, I had a chance to really give the Canon 5d mk2 a test drive.

Going into the trip, I knew that on top of shooting the wedding conventionally, I wanted to see if I can build a set of clips from which to build some sort of montage. I didn’t have the editing and production planned out, but I knew I wanted something.

Shoot now, figure it out later.

With very little time to teach myself how to use the new HD video functionalities (I studied the manual on the flight) I gave it a go. I shot almost everything I could, prior to wedding day. Las Vegas is great for this. The city is spectacularly photogenic.

The wedding was also beautiful, and we had a wonderful day shooting the 70+ party. Mixed weddings always provide for great photos.

Since the wedding was in December, I’m still working on processing the photos. But in the meantime, I wanted to see what I could do with the clips, so I stitched together a bit of a montage. Most of the clips + a few photos in between and some music. Here you have it. I’ll put the pics up when they’re ready.

One of the really cool things about being on a social video network like Vimeo, means that not only will you stumble upon some really amazing vids, but also creative collaborations such as the 5×5 vignette project. The concept is to closely stitch 5 short clips to create a visual video haiku of sorts. What a brilliant concept!.

I was watching the raps play on Friday, and tested out the new cam quite a bit. Here’s a vignette from some of the clips.

I remember, love, and miss you for various reasons.

…for listening.
…for teaching me how to play golf.
…for playing the role of the companion on my various adventures.
…for never taking advantage of naivety or bliss.
…for knowing when something is bothering me, before I acknowledge it.
…for all the times you have cooked for me.
…for having faith in my ability to take photos on the most important day of your life.
…for showing me how to cook, and sparking a lifelong obsession with food.
…for teaching me how to listen.
…for taking care of me when I have been sick.
…for teaching me how to be a better friend/lover/man.
…for re-introducing me to sushi after a miserable first experience. I love sushi because of you.
…for never making me feel like second best. For making me feel important.
…for taking a real interest in my 99 hobbies and bragging about them.
…for boosting my confidence, and mounting my photos on your walls.
…for the warm.
…for forgiving me when I didn’t call back.
…for loving red wine and the wonderful conversations.
…for being patient with me over the years.
…for constantly asking me to update my blog. You’re reading, I’ll listen, ill write, I promise.
…for never giving up.

Friendships are often put to the test because of physical distance, work, hobbies, relationships, and sometimes the simplest melodrama. I’ve found that a few friendships have withered away as a result.

I hate resolutions, but I need to make one. To rekindle lost friendships, and to make new ones. Life is empty without friends.
My secondary resolution is to keep this blog more active. 2009 will be different, promise.

“Never shall I forget the days I spent with you. Continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours.”
- Ludwig van Beethoven