Day Before The Wedding

Well.. it's officially the day we are getting married. Wow. Today was a fun day getting everything set up and it's actually still going. At least, I should say, the girls are still going. I decided to let them do their thing and focus on some of the photos I captured from the day. 

The day started at Rooster's Bistro, such a great breakfast. If you haven't been, definitely check it out. After some eggs, sausage, potatoes, toast and a couple cups of coffee we were ready to tackle the day. It was then off to Walmart for some odds and ends, and eventually arriving at Cora's house, where the wedding is eventually taking place. Luckily we ended up getting a great deal on a big tent for the backyard which was set up by A to Z Rentals who did a fantastic job. Jamie, Cora's grandson, was the boss the whole time. He helped carry poles and ultimately told the workers what was on his mind the entire time.

Once the tent was set up, Anne, Cora and Jordan worked on the wedding arch. The final touches need to be added tomorrow but I think it looks stunning. I can't wait to stand underneath it with Anne tomorrow. The next stop was a few more odds and ends around town and then home. We only had a quick break before we headed off to the hall to set up as much as we could. The whole room really came together, and with a few things left to do today, I think it's going to turn out perfect. 

For the whole day I decided to use my X-T1 paired with the 16mm and 35mm. Just so simple and fun to use with so many keeper images. It will be extremely painful to not be able to take photos of my own wedding today but I'm sure I will find a way to snap a few of the beautiful bride. Either way I'm sure Tony and Chris will do an amazing job taking photographs and video for us. 

I simply cannot to wait to marry Anne. I'm a lucky guy to have ended with such a wonderful woman. Plus, this means, I have a model to photograph for the rest of my life. :)

Stay tuned for photos of the wedding in the coming weeks!

4th Annual Fat Guys Auto Show 2015

On my way to a wedding I was photographing today I quickly stopped at the Annual Auto Show at Fat Guys Auto Parts. I went last year and really enjoyed myself so I wanted to at least make an appearance this year to take a few photos. I literally only had about 10 minutes so I walked around quickly and just snapped a few things that caught my eye. I could have easily spent a couple hours there but I simply didn't have the time this year. 

All photos were taken with the Fuji X-T1 paired with the 16mm 1.4. 

In Search of a Cold Beer

Anne and I finally found the time to go for a good walk today. Our goal, as per usual, was to find a bar stool and a drink, preferably with some alcohol in it. Along the way, we figured we could get some exercise. We decided about halfway through the walk to make our way to the marina to grab some food and drinks at the Breakwater Taphouse. We had only be there once before and we liked it so it was time to give it another try.

Part of the problem with going to restaurants and pubs these days is the overwhelming choice of beers. Luckily, the bartender at the the Taphouse was kind of enough to give us some samples. Some were good and some were not really my cup of tea but it was great to taste test beers I wouldn't normally try. I was impressed with Anne for actually trying some of the beers as well. That's not to say she didn't make some faces along the way but it was a good effort.

After some fantastic nachos and a refreshing drink we left and quickly checked out the summer in the park. It was our first time attending one of these this year and I was amazed at the amount of people there. We probably would have stayed and watched some of the live music but we weren't really dressed for it. And so the walk continued back home with one more stop along the way. The Madhouse was our final destination for one more drink. Anne got to vent on me a little about our wedding planning, or should I say, my lack thereof. 

During the whole walk I did what I always do, and that is, picking out little moments along to capture. Some included Anne and others were my usual random and spontaneous photos.

For this walk around I brought my Fuji X-T1 paired with the 35mm 1.4. 

Canada Day at Chippewa Park + Downtown Port Arthur

Canada Day has come and gone but I finally got a chance to go through all the photos from that day. We started off by going to Old Fort William which I could honestly spend a whole day photographing. We ended up only going for a couple hours but it was plenty of time to walk around take lots of great photos. Not only were there a lot of people walking around, there are endless buildings to go into, each having there own unique personality. I would say my favourite moment there was in the stables. There were goats, roosters, sheep and a few other types of animals. I came away with some fun shots, one of the best ones being a sheep getting sheared. 

Before we knew it, it was time to go. After dropping off the kids we decided to head downtown. It was still early in the afternoon but there was actually a huge car show going on which we knew nothing about until our friend Cora let us know. We just caught the last few minutes of it but I was still able to come away some good shots. 

After working up quite the thirst and appetite we headed on over to Gargoyles, a local restaurant. The meal was great and I actually captured a few more good photos there, particularly the Gargoyle wearing a red tie. Once we were done we headed home to rest up a bit before going back downtown for the fireworks. My goal this year for the fireworks was to try and do a time-lapse. This was my first one and I have yet to process it but we will see how it turns out. I ended up getting a little gorilla pod which actually worked quite well with the Fuji X-T1 and 16mm combo. Perhaps I will do another post with that time-lapse if it actually turns out. 

One thing I did try since I had my little tripod out was a long exposure of the people leaving the fireworks. I don't usually do long exposure photography but I think it actually turned out kind of cool. For all these photos the Fuji X-T1 performed admirably. The lenses I used were the 16mm and 35mm. As usual, I think for almost all of them I just used the jpg's with the Chrome preset and processed them a bit with Lightroom. Thanks for viewing!

Last Minute Camping at Trow Bridge

It's been a busy week so I am just now getting to photos from the previous weekend. What a great weekend it was too! Anne and I decided to go for breakfast at the Hoito for some pancakes and were trying to figure out what to do for the weekend. Well, just like that we decided to go camping at Trow Bridge. It would be only our second time camping this year, the first being at our usual place, Happyland. 

So we quickly got some supplies from the grocery store, headed home, packed up and before we knew it, we were at Trow Bridge. Our usual campsite wasn't available so we 'settled' for a nice spot right next to the river. For the trip I brought my X100s and X-TI with the 16mm. Most of the photos below used the classic chrome setting with a few tweaks. They were then processed in Lightroom like I always do. But, they didn't need much work at all. The colours from the Fuji cameras never cease to amaze me. 

Just like most of my posts, these are all random photos. If something catches my eye, I photograph it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. The photos below are my favourites. Of course, it helps to have some wonderful models. Both dogs and girls. 

I did have big plans to get some long exposure of the rapids, I even brought a tripod (gasp). I haven't used one in a long time. As I got ready to head down to the rapids around sunset I realized I forgot the plate for the tripod. So instead, I just propped the camera up on rocks and such. It wasn't ideal, but I managed to get a couple keepers. 

Until the next camping trip... 

Niagara Falls + Hamilton + Toronto with the Fuji XE-1 + 16mm 1.4

As I mentioned in my last post, I recently travelled to Southern Ontario with my Fiancé Anne to attend a wedding. In that post I mentioned I only brought one camera with me during the trip and that was the XE-1 and the 16mm 1.4. Well, I put it to good use during the rest of our trip which took is through Toronto, Niagara, Hamilton and eventually back to Toronto. 

One of the things I was looking forward to purchasing while in Toronto was the grip for the XE-1, but surprisingly 3 camera stores didn't have it in stock. Either way I always attach my small strap so it easy to carry around. With the 16mm attached it wasn't heavy by any means but the grip would have definitely made it a bit more comfortable. 

This was our first time flying Porter and we definitely liked it. Flying into the new airport was actually kind of exciting. It was overcast that day so photos upon landing of the skyline weren't really feasible but I was able to get one decent one. Going on 3 hours sleep wasn't ideal but once we arrived in Toronto we just kept going. Breakfast was first and then as I mentioned above, I tried a few camera stores. No luck there. We decided to head on over to the St. Lawrence Market as Anne had never been there before. Although the XE-1 isn't the fast camera, I had absolutely no problems quickly turning it on and focusing on a given subject. Whether it was a window cleaner dangling from above or a skittish pigeon on a ledge, it did amazing. It also helps that the 16mm is a fantastic lens. It really is a nice combo.

One of the things I wanted to practice a bit on this trip was 'street photography'. My definition of street photography, at least for me, is mainly taking photos of people on the street and moments. I was able to capture a few in Toronto and some more again in Niagara. For each of them, I actually used auto focus for the most part, with a few being capture by way of zone focusing, which I am still trying to practice. My favourite of the bunch was the one of the lady sitting on the bench with people passing her by.

Niagara provided endless opportunities for photos, especially with the Falls. Along with the standard photos of the Falls while walking around, we were able to hop on the ferris wheel and capture some great expansive views. 

We then had one full day in Hamilton for the wedding. If you haven't seen my previous post, head on over to see how the XE-1 and 16mm performed! The last day of our trip was briefly spent in Toronto. Our destination before taking off was the Distillery District. Sadly it was raining, but we decided to purchase a very overpriced umbrella which allowed us to walk around a bit. (I highly recommend you bring your own umbrella when going to the Distillery District, we couldn't find one under $35. Yikes)

The good news was that the rain provided some awesome photo moments. I was able to capture some more street photos which I think turned out pretty good. Then it was off to the airport. We took advantage of the free snacks and coffee and left shortly thereafter. Please enjoy some of my favourite photos from the trip. As usual, all of them are processed in Lightroom. 

Walking the East End with the Fuji XE-1 + 16mm 1.4

It was starting to get late last night when I got the urge to just get out and walk around and take some photos. Although it may not be generally known as the nicest part of town, I'm usually drawn to the East Side when taking photos. I guess I just love the atmosphere. The rain was slowly creeping in but luckily it held off long enough for me to really put the Fuji 16mm lens to the test. My camera of choice was a simple one, since it is currently the only once I can mount the lens to, the Fuji XE-1. For a while I was trying to sell it but I figured I would give pull it out of hibernation and start using it again. It may not be the fastest camera but over the past week of using it, it has taken some of my favourite photos of the year. 

So I set off into the East End with that combo and wandered around aimlessly, like I usually do. The first stop was the East End bridge to get a few expansive shots of the neighbourhood. The 16mm is probably becoming one of my favourite lenses, not only for landscapes, but just for general use. It is sharp all the way through, focuses extremely fast (even on the XE-1) and produces great tones. With a lens this wide, it's hard not to play with the angles a bit as you can see from the first image. 

After walking in and out of some of the streets I decided to drive on over to the long path that overlooks the Sleeping Giant. With the clouds rolling in and a hint of the sunset it made for some nice dramatic photos. All in all it was a fun walk around. It goes to show you that even if it is raining out, there are always opportunities to just get out there and create some good photos. Of course, make sure your camera is waterproof.

(The last image is of our dog Willow. I couldn't help but take a photo of her all curled up outside in the rain when I got home... such a hard life.)

All images shot with the XE-1 and 16mm 1.4. Enjoy!

More Fun With the Fuji X100s

I just wanted to take a moment to share some more randomness with the Fuji X100s. As usual, there was no specific thing I set out to take photos of, rather, I just photographed what caught my eye. Some of the photos were shot indoors and some outdoors. Regardless of whether they were done inside or outside the X100s performed great. Honestly, I just keep it on the same setting all the time, which is auto ISO. When I'm outside, the only thing I really need to do is turn on the built in ND Filter. 

In good light I really don't have any problems focusing or exposure. The X100s, locks on quick and almost always nails colour and exposure. If i'm looking to adjust the exposure I just use the compensation dial. Unless I'm shooting something professionally I just use JPG's and not RAW. There just really isn't any point since the it does such a fantastic job with the JPG's. 

As I mentioned in previous post's, I use custom presets that I have built or start with a VSCO filter and then adapt it to fit my needs. Each photo has it's own tweaks and fine tuning. That's what I love most about processing the images. Once in a while, for black and white photos, I'll use Nik Silver Effex Pro 2. Thanks for viewing!

Enjoying the Warm Weather ... while it lasted

We finally got some warm weather this past week so I here are some photos from those days. It's a random mix of Kakabeka Falls, hanging outside around the house, my Mother's Birthday and of course, enjoying a fire in the backyard. 

I used a few different cameras this time around. Most of them were shot with the D610, but a bunch were also taken with the Fuji x100s and my trusty D700. The lenses of choice were the 50mm 1.8 and the 85mm 1.8. Just when I think the 85mm is my new favourite lens, the 50mm still blows me away with the quality it produces for such a inexpensive lens. 

All the photos were edited in Lightroom using my adjustments, combined with various VSCO presets. Basically I like to build form the VSCO presets and make my own unique combinations. Sometimes I will take the BW images into Silver Effex Pro 2, but this time around I just used Lightroom which does a great job on its own. Thanks for viewing!

It's almost spring!

I had the chance to get for a little bit this past weekend and enjoy the brisk spring weather. It was mid afternoon which meant bright sunny conditions. Instead of looking for low contrast and subtle photos I focused on finding nice shadows and strong bold images. 

My combo of choice this time around was my D610 and 85mm 1.8. The 85mm might be my new favourite lens. I love how light it is and the colours it produces are just amazing. Plus, for me, it's a great focal length, at least when walking around. 

The ultimate destination for this walk was to meet up with my Fiance Anne at our friend Raven's house. It was to be our first bon fire of the year. It was still a pretty chilly day but sitting on the deck in the backyard with the fire blazing and the sun beating down was really nice. It reminded us how much we are looking forward to camping this year.

It was a pretty relaxing afternoon and evening but that didn't mean I put the camera way. While hanging out on the deck I decided to practice and explore the continuous focusing abilities on the D610. I have always known how to use them but I really wanted hone my skills. What better way to do so then to follow and track to hyper dogs, Daisy and Jack. The camera locked on very well and almost always held focus. I was often using a very large aperture as well. Suffice it to say I was very impressed. 

In the end I had to leave the fire around 10:00pm. I'm just not as tough as the girls, I was freezing by then. With that being said, I can't wait for warmer evenings around the fire. I will of course have my camera by my side the entire summer capturing every moment.

View from Hillcrest at Sunset

It has a been a very long time since I have been able to get up to Hillcrest Park and get some sunset photos. Well, I finally got a chance to spend some time doing that very thing. I arrived at Hillcrest Park about 30 minutes before sunset. I absolutely love this time of day as everything gets a nice orange glow, and there are still some soft shadows among the buildings in this case. 

Admittedly, there aren't too many views from Hillcrest, with only a few being completely unobstructed. I managed to get a bit creative with some of the photos using the foreground to lead into the composition. I also converted some to black and white, well, because I love black and white. 

As usual I used the Nikon D610 paired with the 85mm 1.8. I find that lens gives that nice compression and offers a fairly wide enough angle for what I needed. I will eventually go back and see how it looks using my old 20mm 2.8. 

I am by no means an expert landscape photographer but the way I take photos like this is by focusing about 1/3 of the way into the scene and using an aperture of about F8 - F10. These are all handheld too, as I didn't feel like lugging around my tripod. As for processing, I used some VSCO filters with my own flair, then brought them all in my RAW sharpener program. Then, for the colour images I used Nik Vivesa to add just a bit warmth and Nik SilverEffex Pro 2 to enhance the black and white images.

As you can see they are all still kind a bit of muted and not too saturated. This is just personal preference. My next project is to actually get out and do a time lapse with the setting (or maybe rising) sun. Until then.

It's a Port Arthur Thing

Friday finally arrived and I was all done work so I figured I would take advantage of the longer days and sunlight and go take some photos. I was to meet my Fiance Anne, and her friend Raven at The Madhouse, so I bundled up, grabbed my D610 and 85mm 1.8, and headed out into the cold.

Whenever I walk around with the camera I always try and take routes that I wouldn't normally follow. This usually involves a lot of back alleys and side roads. I'll even cut through parking lots or in behind businesses. Without really knowing what I'm looking for I just keep my eyes open and basically look for anything catches my eye. There are always the usual 'landmarks' or buildings which I just love photographing. But, as with the first image above, I waited patiently for about 30 seconds for the seagull to take off and caught that exact moment. 

Other times, I will just snap a quick photo and be on my way. I have gotten a lot of great shots that way too. Things that catch my eye are bold colours, contrast or even patterns. When seeing something I want to photograph I almost always ask myself if there is a better angle to explore or perhaps the option to shoot through something and incorporate some framing. 

If a different photographer walked the exact same route I did, I can guarantee you that he wouldn't come away any of the same photos. That's not saying that I am better, it's just that everyone sees things differently. That is what I love about photography. 

A Visit From Felix

Our friend Jen stopped by today with her 15 month old son, Felix. Last time we saw him he wasn't really walking much but now he pretty much runs everywhere. After a quick snack, and what seemed to be about a litre of orange juice, he was off to the races. There was a lot to see in our apartment. I soon learned that his favourite toys were remotes, fragile light shades and our flat screen TV. 

If you haven't already noticed I love taking photos of kids. If and when we eventually have on of our own, I will most likely be documenting every single day. For now, Felix filled the void for his brief visit this afternoon. I pulled out my trusty D610 and 50mm 1.8. I almost went for my flash but I wanted to see how it performed with the higher iso and natural light. There isn't much light in our downstairs basement apartment but there was enough to get some great photos. 

Anyone who has ever tried taking photos of kids should know that they just don't sit still. Felix was no exception. There were moments where he 'cried', but they didn't last long. He would soon be off to find the next object to grab and run away with. 

Because it was a nice day out, we decided to let him run around outside for a bit. This is where some of my favourite photos happened. Our former cat, Nessie, decided to hang out with us outside. She had no problem rubbing up to Felix, a brave cat indeed. 

Then, just like that, the visit was over. Jen forced him to kiss us both on the cheek and with a big smile and a turn of the head from embarrassment, he was done. Off to the next adventure. It's amazing how much energy a little boy can bring to an otherwise calm day. Thanks for the visit.

Downtown Port Arthur with the Fuji X100s

It was another chilly day out yesterday but I figured I would walk around still and get some fresh air. This time around I brought my Fuji X100s. It's a such a fantastic little camera. It's a different experience shooting with the Fuji then it is with my slightly larger D610 full frame camera. The main difference I find between the two, is the use of EVF. In direct sunlight I did find myself using the OVF but most of the time I just held the camera up and looked at the screen. If the exposure was good, I took the photos. If it wasn't perfect, I simply changed the exposure compensation dial. I just find it a bit faster in certain ways. 

As with Simpson Street in Fort William, Cumberland street and Downtown in Port Arthur has it's share of some run down buildings. But there is also a lot of great character as well. Each part of town has it's good and bad. 

My settings for the X100s were simple. Auto ISO, Neutral Density filter applied, the Pro Negative Standard jpg setting and I was off to the races. Even with the jpg's in Lightroom, I really didn't have any problems with the Dynamic Range, especially seeing as how the afternoon was bright sunlight. I was able to pull back the highlights in almost any photo that needed it. I'm always impressed how well the X100s performs in this regard. As usual, I used a combination of VSCO filters combined with my own tweaking.

A Walk Around Simpson Street

So it was a relatively brisk morning the other day when I decided that instead of going home and sitting in front of a computer, I would go walk around Simpson Street and test out my new Nikon 85mm 1.8. I'm so glad I did as it was very refreshing and it has honestly been a very long time since I really just took some time and walked around to take photos. This winter has been brutal. 

For those of you who don't know, Simpson Street is a pretty rundown area of town. Honestly, that is why I like it. There is still a lot of history there and tons of old partially abandoned buildings. Don't get me wrong, there are some businesses on the street that are doing just fine, but overall, it's an area of Thunder Bay that needs a lot of work. 

I decided to bring my Nikon D610 and pair it with the 85mm 1.8. Once again, I mainly used Auto Iso and Aperture Priority. I rarely went above F8, and most of the time I was around F2.8. I would have gone lower but it was bright and sunny out and I have yet to purchase an ND filter. The only drawback I have encountered so far with the D610 is the max 1/4000 shutter speed. But, in the end, it is an easy problem to solve. 

Aside from the limitation with the shutter speed, the camera performed perfectly. White balance was almost always right on and the metering was great as well. There were no issues with focusing, but then again, I was only photographing static subjects for the most part. 

As for the lens, it's a dream to use. It's light, compact and focuses great. And of course, the bokeh is outstanding on it. So, for someone looking for a really good priced lens in this focal range, you really can't go wrong for the price. I can't wait to use it on my portrait and wedding sessions. 

Getting back to my actual walk, after I went up and down Simpson Street once, I ventured over to Kam Park. It's not always the safest area to walk around, but that is mainly at night. Seeing as how it was 10:30 in the morning, it was all good. Plus, once I got there, I was literally the only one walking around, save for a few pigeons. 

Kam Park has a really cool tugboat there which I just love to photograph. I didn't have my wide angle lens, but I managed to get a few landscape shots with what I had. Once I got to the end of the boardwalk, I got some cool shots of the bridge off in the distance. I processed these ones as black and white in Lightroom, simply because I thought they looked better that way. Plus, I find when shooting in overhead sunlight with no shade, black and white often softens the photos a bit so they aren't so contrasty. it all depends on the look one is going for though.

With fear of my meter running out, I started back to the car. By now it was at least a 20 minute walk. I managed to get some photos of some more old buildings and just random stuff as per usual. 

All the photos below were processed in Lightroom. I tend to start with a VSCO filter and then make it my own by tweaking it and just playing around with each photo. I love taking photos, but I would stay that editing them afterwards is just as fun.

Wedding Dress Shopping in Duluth

It was another action packed weekend, this time we headed to Duluth. The main goal of the trip was for my Fiance and her bridesmaids to look for dresses for our upcoming wedding. Of course, we went down for some fun as well. 

As usual, I made sure to pack some camera gear. This time around I took my Nikon D610, Nikon 50mm 1.8, Nikon 85mm 1.8 and of course the Fuji X100s. Everything fit perfect into one of my small camera backpacks. I mainly used the Nikon D610 as I gave the girls the X100s to take photos of them trying on dresses. That's the beautiful thing about that camera, it's still relatively easy to use even for those that aren't familiar with the camera. Of course, I did set up so they can simply just click away. 

Overall the trip was a ton of fun. We we stopped briefly along the way in Ryden's and then Grand Marais to get some supplies. One of these days I really want to spend some more time in Grand Marais. There are a lot of old buildings there as well as a gorgeous waterfront. But, with the 5 minutes I had I managed to capture just a few photos of the downtown there.

Once we arrived in Duluth, we made our way to Buffalo Wild Wings. They have a good beer selection there as well as some pretty good food. After that, Jay and I dropped off the girls at David's Bridal. After walking around for a couple hours we decided to head to Grizzly's to have a drink and wait for the girls. I would eventually pick them up and come back there to eat again.

I managed to take a few photos there. They had some funky lighting in Grizzly's but the 610 performed pretty well. I had to do some white balance adjustments in Lightroom, but nothing to difficult. 

It was then off to the Hotel. We usually stay at Black Bear Casino, just outside of Duluth. Mainly because it's cheap but it's also quite nice. Most of the photos in the hotel were shot with the D610 and 50mm 1.8. Again, I just set it to auto iso and away I went. There was really no need to use manual control. 

In the hotel, I got some really good photos. My favourite is the morning after of Jay and Cora sitting in our hotel room waiting for Anne and Raven to get ready. It's a great silhouette image, which I don't really do often enough. 

It was then time to leave. Just a short stay. Before going home we headed to Perkins and then the Miller Hill Mall. While here, I used a bit more of the X100s, because of it's portability. Then, before we knew it, we were on the highway heading home. By the time we got back to Grand Marais, we decided to stop in at Sven and Ole's for some pizza. Here, I pulled out the d610 for some more photos of everyone. The very last photo I took was just as we were making our way to the truck. I got the girls to stand in the middle of the street and give me there best pose. And with that, they did. 

I can't wait to see the wedding dress Anne got. I guess I will have to wait until August 8th. She doesn't even keep it in the house, for fear that I may look at it or try it on or something. The wedding day can't come soon enough. 

Trip to Kakabeka

With some slightly better weather finally here me and my Fiancé Anne, managed to drive to Kakabeka. As we have done before during visits there, we grabbed a bit to eat at the Metropolitan Moose. It's a wonderful Cafe that has some really good food. My camera of choice today was a Nikon D610 and my Nikon 50mm 1.8. It's a relatively light combo and paired with my Black Rapid strap, it's very easy to carry around. 

Before heading out on our trip I set it to Auto ISO and kept it on Aperture Priority mode. Every once in a while I would use Manual but it was really needed. All the photos in this post were also taken with natural light, no flash. A lot of the indoor shots were actually right around the 6400 ISO mark and they came out really good. I did use a bit of noise reduction in Lightroom but I actually don't mind the noise produced by the D610. I don't know if I would go any higher then 6400 ISO, but I'm sure it's manageable. 

Before leaving the cafe, I got a couple quick photos of some of the vintage objects around the property, including a bicycle and car. I could probably spend a good 2 hours there but we didn't exactly have the time. Plus, Anne is very patient when I take photos, but that would be drawing the line.

It was then off to Kakabeka Falls. As usual, Anne was my personal model. I'm always taking photos of her. Not only is it good practice, as I am always trying new things, but it's also fun as she is the prettiest girl I know! Plus, she's a good sport. 

All the outdoor shots were shot at low apertures. That's just my preference, especially for portraits. Even with a relatively cheap lens like the 50mm 1.8, you can get some fantastic photos with it. That's probably why I use it a lot during my wedding and portrait sessions. That, and it's very light.

I was amazed that the Falls were still frozen. I managed to get a couple shots so you can get a general idea of what it looks like. I do wish I brought my wide angle lens, perhaps next time. 

Anybody looking to learn more about photography reading this post, the best advice I can give you is that you really don't need much to take good photos. Even though I am using a full frame camera, you can get similar photos on any one of the lower end models, in any camera system.

Of course, all the photos below have been processed to my style in Lightroom. I tend to lean towards a bluer tone and a lot of times I actually add a bit of noise to give my photos a bit more character. That's just a personal preference though. Stay tuned for my future post which will show how I edit photos in Lightroom. I might even start testing out the waters on offering some free and paid presets. 

Any comments or questions are always welcome. Enjoy!