Friday, March 11, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Walking Through Color
Well after going to this same location twice to get the correct symmetry I still did not get it perfect and cannot correct it through photo-shop with cropping and straightening (probably because my camera position was slightly off set to the center of the picture) so this was the best that I could turn out with the pictures taken. One day I will go back and try again to get perfect symmetry of the lines and colors. It was still a very fun shoot with Christi, we both had a great time despite the cold temps and we got to explore some photographic creativity. I really love the colors of the paint on this fairly new bike shop building which is right off the main highway of 100 Mile House BC (my home town). The colors were the inspiration for these photos. Great fun!
Pink Chair
While walking around the 108 lake I noticed a chair in the distance. As I got close I was pleased to find this pink seat encrusted into the snow and ice. I decided to come back at sunset for another picture but forgot to increase the exposure compensation. It still turned out alright.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Canon Rebel
My Canon Rebel T1i came in all the way from B&H Photo in New York a few days ago. I am having a great time learning photography and my initial impressions with my first SLR have been very positive. The picture quality with my 50mm fixed lens is pretty good although sometimes difficult to focus for close up shots (a 100mm Macro would be better for portraits). The very first picture I shot with this camera is of my sister Christianne; I was immediately amazed at the sharpness and picture quality. It was definitely worth the buy!
The photographers that have inspired me over the last few months have been Chromasia (http://www.chromasia.com/iblog/about.php), Jay Maisel (http://www.jaymaisel.com/biography/), Ansel Adams (www.anseladams.com/), 10mmGalore (http://10mmgalore.com/), Minimalistics (http://www.coppercoastworkshops.com/minimalistics/), Blearyeyes (http://www.blearyeyes.org.uk/), Joe Catalino (http://accidentalcliche.blogspot.com/), and especially Ken Rockwell who has written numerous articles on how to take better pictures free for public use (http://www.kenrockwell.com/).
The photographers that have inspired me over the last few months have been Chromasia (http://www.chromasia.com/iblog/about.php), Jay Maisel (http://www.jaymaisel.com/biography/), Ansel Adams (www.anseladams.com/), 10mmGalore (http://10mmgalore.com/), Minimalistics (http://www.coppercoastworkshops.com/minimalistics/), Blearyeyes (http://www.blearyeyes.org.uk/), Joe Catalino (http://accidentalcliche.blogspot.com/), and especially Ken Rockwell who has written numerous articles on how to take better pictures free for public use (http://www.kenrockwell.com/).
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Welcome To The Darkside
Some interesting light formations where coming out through my window and onto my wall one morning. I shot a few pictures of the light itself which did not turn out to be very interesting. I took a few more shots and suddenly realized that my hand was in one of the pictures creating an interesting shadow that was mixed in with the vine like light. Some enhancement and shadowing gives the lighting effect.
Photography
So I have bit the bullet and bought a new Canon Rebel EOS T1i. A digital SLR (stands for "single lens-reflex a fancy way of saying that what you see in the viewfinder is nearly 100% accurate to the image or light that is coming through the lens). I have spent quite a bit of time looking for the right camera and lens(s) to buy and I think I made a good choice with the amount of money that I could spend on a camera at this time. That is just the beginning, learning how to take good photographs that make the viewer wowed is another story entirely. You could have the most expensive equipment in the world but without the basic understanding of art and structure your photographs will be rubbish.
So why spend time learning photography and the art of taking great photos?
I am enthralled by the ability to capture beautiful moments in time that will last forever. When you take a photograph you will never be able to recapture the exact same image again. If you end up in the right spot at the right time without a camera you have lost the opportunity to shoot a spectacular moment.
Jay Maisel, one of the greatest photographers in history really summed up why he takes photographs in the following statement. "The serendipity of not knowing what I am going to shoot is what keeps me going." He carries his camera everywhere he goes and when he takes photographs they happen mostly spontaneously, he doesn't know what he is going to shoot until the opportunity arises. And that's really it, you never know what you are going to shoot and that is exciting. When you do capture the perfect picture it all pays off for having the know how to have made that image look amazing.
The art, creativity, and freedom of taking photographs is really surreal. I cherish to have the ability to be able to share photographs with my family and others. The experience of going back in time to when the photograph was taken is priceless.
Gabe
So why spend time learning photography and the art of taking great photos?
I am enthralled by the ability to capture beautiful moments in time that will last forever. When you take a photograph you will never be able to recapture the exact same image again. If you end up in the right spot at the right time without a camera you have lost the opportunity to shoot a spectacular moment.
Jay Maisel, one of the greatest photographers in history really summed up why he takes photographs in the following statement. "The serendipity of not knowing what I am going to shoot is what keeps me going." He carries his camera everywhere he goes and when he takes photographs they happen mostly spontaneously, he doesn't know what he is going to shoot until the opportunity arises. And that's really it, you never know what you are going to shoot and that is exciting. When you do capture the perfect picture it all pays off for having the know how to have made that image look amazing.
The art, creativity, and freedom of taking photographs is really surreal. I cherish to have the ability to be able to share photographs with my family and others. The experience of going back in time to when the photograph was taken is priceless.
Gabe
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Layers: Foggy Highway Morning
I am actually quite proud of this picture as it was taken on a whim while driving to Williams Lake for a morning shift (summer of 2010) at approximately 0630. It was shot with my simple point and shoot Panasonic Lumix. Notice the layering from top to bottom. Sky, trees, fog, barren grass, road lines. A cool effect. Picasa 3 used for editing. Death and Dying
Below is an experience that I had in the hospital recently.
A few weeks ago I cared for a palliative client. Palliative care is for persons who are nearing end of life as their condition may be deteriorating quickly and their overall prognosis is poor. Failing body systems caused by cancer, old age, trauma, disease, medications, etc. ultimately end in death. The particular patient I was caring for had extensive bowel cancer metastasizing to the pancreas, failing liver and kidneys, and oxygenation to tissues was becoming poor. When I cared for this patient I saw her deteriorate quickly; she was responsive to stimuli i.e. she would react to my voice or touch on the first day I cared for her, but on the second day she presented as unresponsive to stimuli (she was however still breathing and had a pulse).
I found that the most difficult part of caring for this patient was not that she was dying, it was the impact that her dying had on her family who came to the hospital to see her pass. As the patients primary care provider at the time I am responsible in caring for both the patient and family during the patients stay in the hospital. Your responsibilities as the nurse for a palliative client is to console the family, answer questions, effectively communicate to family members the patient's condition and measures of care, provide comfort measures to the patient (control pain, turn patient Q2hrs to reduce the chance of skin breakdown, clean mouth, etc), advocate for the patient, and collaborate with the patient's physician.
On the day of the patient's death her husband phoned the hospital and asked me if his wife was going to die today. Not literally in those words but that is what he meant. How do you answer that question? I told him that the his wife was doing poor toady, more so than yesterday, and that we do not know when she is going to pass. He asked me if he should take the kids out of school to see her. I responded that he should come and see her himself and make that decision, I cannot make the decision for taking the kids out of school to see her as patients can still survive for many days in the same state that she is in but she could also pass suddenly.
The whole family (or those who could make it) ended up coming to see her. They said their good byes and mourned for her. Many tears were shed... she had a young daughter. She ended up dying a few hours later after the family arrived (this is a phenomenon that happens quite regularly, the patient holds on to the last thread of life until family members say their good byes or at least come and see them in their final hour).
This is a bit of a morbid situation yes, but it is important to think about death and how it affects us personally and others around us. I thought about this situation extensively after it had occurred because I have not had many patients die under my care.
So what did I learn and what do I know?
1) A persons perspective of death is obviously effected by the experience of death in their lives. Many people have never seen someone die or had someone close to them die. The effect of death may have a very different impact on this person than someone who has been through the process of death and mourning of a loved one. The experience of death can be very negative, on the other hand death can be seen as very peaceful, and it is for many people. It can be seen as a beautiful transition from one life to the next. Many people die in their sleep or otherwise painlessly.
I do not know how I would react to the death of one of my family members. At this time because we are all so young I think it would come down fairly hard. But I know there would be light somewhere at the end of that tunnel. My spiritual beliefs would comfort me because I do believe there is life after death, I know that I would see that person again.
2) Why am I thinking about this? Well unfortunately or fortunately in the nursing profession you are thrust into situations where death is imminent and you are a crucial piece in the dying process for helping the family and the patient transition from life to death. It is key to have an understanding of the death and dying process in the nursing profession because you will undoubtedly be exposed at one time or another.
3) Death and dying experience, life experience, and maturity is key to finding the appropriate way to communicate with family members and close friends of the patient who is dying.
4) It is critical that as a nurse you are able to dissociate yourself from the situation. If you get too emotionally attached to the patient or the family you will suffer from increasing distress and negativity in similar situations ending in burn-out. Maintaining a caring presence for the family is key but a balance must be made with your inner-self and the context of the situation.
5) I did alright. I was able to console family members to the best of my ability and experience at the time. I was thanked for my care.
6) Death is a part of life and is a transition into what we do not know, and that is why it can be a source of fear for people. It can also happen at anytime, making the thought of death for yourself or a loved one even more scarier. I have decided to not be afraid but instead to be prepared, I want to have lived as righteously as I could have during my life so that when I do come to the time of death I can reflect and say to myself that I did what I was meant to do.
Gabe
A few weeks ago I cared for a palliative client. Palliative care is for persons who are nearing end of life as their condition may be deteriorating quickly and their overall prognosis is poor. Failing body systems caused by cancer, old age, trauma, disease, medications, etc. ultimately end in death. The particular patient I was caring for had extensive bowel cancer metastasizing to the pancreas, failing liver and kidneys, and oxygenation to tissues was becoming poor. When I cared for this patient I saw her deteriorate quickly; she was responsive to stimuli i.e. she would react to my voice or touch on the first day I cared for her, but on the second day she presented as unresponsive to stimuli (she was however still breathing and had a pulse).
I found that the most difficult part of caring for this patient was not that she was dying, it was the impact that her dying had on her family who came to the hospital to see her pass. As the patients primary care provider at the time I am responsible in caring for both the patient and family during the patients stay in the hospital. Your responsibilities as the nurse for a palliative client is to console the family, answer questions, effectively communicate to family members the patient's condition and measures of care, provide comfort measures to the patient (control pain, turn patient Q2hrs to reduce the chance of skin breakdown, clean mouth, etc), advocate for the patient, and collaborate with the patient's physician.
On the day of the patient's death her husband phoned the hospital and asked me if his wife was going to die today. Not literally in those words but that is what he meant. How do you answer that question? I told him that the his wife was doing poor toady, more so than yesterday, and that we do not know when she is going to pass. He asked me if he should take the kids out of school to see her. I responded that he should come and see her himself and make that decision, I cannot make the decision for taking the kids out of school to see her as patients can still survive for many days in the same state that she is in but she could also pass suddenly.
The whole family (or those who could make it) ended up coming to see her. They said their good byes and mourned for her. Many tears were shed... she had a young daughter. She ended up dying a few hours later after the family arrived (this is a phenomenon that happens quite regularly, the patient holds on to the last thread of life until family members say their good byes or at least come and see them in their final hour).
This is a bit of a morbid situation yes, but it is important to think about death and how it affects us personally and others around us. I thought about this situation extensively after it had occurred because I have not had many patients die under my care.
So what did I learn and what do I know?
1) A persons perspective of death is obviously effected by the experience of death in their lives. Many people have never seen someone die or had someone close to them die. The effect of death may have a very different impact on this person than someone who has been through the process of death and mourning of a loved one. The experience of death can be very negative, on the other hand death can be seen as very peaceful, and it is for many people. It can be seen as a beautiful transition from one life to the next. Many people die in their sleep or otherwise painlessly.
I do not know how I would react to the death of one of my family members. At this time because we are all so young I think it would come down fairly hard. But I know there would be light somewhere at the end of that tunnel. My spiritual beliefs would comfort me because I do believe there is life after death, I know that I would see that person again.
2) Why am I thinking about this? Well unfortunately or fortunately in the nursing profession you are thrust into situations where death is imminent and you are a crucial piece in the dying process for helping the family and the patient transition from life to death. It is key to have an understanding of the death and dying process in the nursing profession because you will undoubtedly be exposed at one time or another.
3) Death and dying experience, life experience, and maturity is key to finding the appropriate way to communicate with family members and close friends of the patient who is dying.
4) It is critical that as a nurse you are able to dissociate yourself from the situation. If you get too emotionally attached to the patient or the family you will suffer from increasing distress and negativity in similar situations ending in burn-out. Maintaining a caring presence for the family is key but a balance must be made with your inner-self and the context of the situation.
5) I did alright. I was able to console family members to the best of my ability and experience at the time. I was thanked for my care.
6) Death is a part of life and is a transition into what we do not know, and that is why it can be a source of fear for people. It can also happen at anytime, making the thought of death for yourself or a loved one even more scarier. I have decided to not be afraid but instead to be prepared, I want to have lived as righteously as I could have during my life so that when I do come to the time of death I can reflect and say to myself that I did what I was meant to do.
Gabe
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)