Jason Panda

Happy Birthday!

panda — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:14:43 +0000

As one can probably tell from my recent photography posts… I am of the age where I and a number of my friends have young children. This, at times, can be very loud, chocolatey and (of course) fun. It also means that I am constantly surrounded by wonderful subjects for the camera.

Birthday Party Photos (Password Protected)

Why?

panda — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:13:07 +0000

Panic

panda — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:35:20 +0000

Resolution #12: Put your work online

panda — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:08:41 +0000

This has been my resolution for the last 10 years. And every year, for the last 10 years, I gather, dabble and assemble… but it never quite gets there. So when making this ridiculous vow as the bells rang in the New Year, why did I think this year would be any different? Honestly I didn’t. I’m a creature of habit and if it’s been said for 10 years then why mess with a good thing? Make the claim and then stealthily brush it under the rug with the others… No one will notice.

Ah ha! Except New Years Resolution #3 was get things done! Also a reoccurring theme… But partnered with New Years Resolution #5 (No really… get things done) I knew we had something.

So what did I do the first week of the Year? I got things done! Actually I didn’t get anything done. The house is a mess, I need a haircut and I think I’m forgetting to eat. But I did get this site done… to a point.

This site is (hopefully) the beginning (or in some cases rebirth) of a few things for me:

A blog. One part blog therapy, one part blog portfolio… Who knows if, how and what the blog will shape into. But let’s see what happens. Blog.
~~A Tumblr with~~ ongoing photos and / or doodle posts. (Probably all from and through my iPhone.) I’ve never felt the need for a Tumblr account, but a few wise alumni told me that it was a good thing. So who am I to argue with wise alumni? I think the daily part will either kill me or make me stronger. I already started it 6 days late, but so far (since then) I’m 3 for 3. Go team! Unfortunately Tumblr is blocked in our school board… So instead, for now, I’m just using this site under the category ‘camera roll’.
Creating art. Each day, when I trek down to my dungeon office and look around at the piles of blank canvases, the tablet that is collecting dust and the impressive collection of art supplies that looked great in the store but is now very annoying to walk around, I realize how long it has been since I created something just for the joy of creation… Not for a client, not for a class or project… But just because. Let’s see if I can change that.

To avoid starting with nothing, I’ve gone through my archives and added some photos, projects and designs from my past. This is not at all everything I’ve created, but it’s a decent collection that represents what I do and how I do it.

So now what? I guess we’ll see if I can maintain this site and keep it up to date with content and visuals… Here’s to Resolution #12! Now let’s see how it goes.

Project Sample

panda — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:20:34 +0000

Instead of a photo (which in hindsight would have been much easier) I thought I’d play in Photoshop. This started as an example for a ‘story’ project (Humpty Dumpty) that I put together for my Grade 10s last year. Today I added a little more detail and finishing… And no… I’m not sure why he has hair.

Low Light

panda — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 01:55:11 +0000

I forgot to take a photo in daylight (that’s what I was hoping), so instead I decided to play with some longer exposures and some movement.

Mmmm Coffee

panda — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 01:49:11 +0000

Centre in the Square

panda — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:00:55 +0000

Today we took the kids to see Disney Live at Centre in the Square. Today is also the first day of my photo a day New Year’s Resolution. I’m 6 days late… That’s a good start.

Snapseed in Niagara

panda — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 12:00:21 +0000

This fall a photographer friend showed me an impressive collection of photographs that had been taken with a point and shoot camera and finished with an iPad app (Snapseed). I was amazed, and a little wary, but decided to take up the challenge and see for myself how it would work.

So, on a trip to Niagara Falls, I kept my DSLR holstered and ran around with a small point and shoot camera framing and snapping whatever I could.

Afterwards I sat down with a large coffee, dropped the photos onto my iPad, opened up Snapseed… and was amazed. One coffee later I had a small collection of photos that I wasn’t too upset with. (This is good for me since I’m rarely happy with my work.)