waterstone photography » outdoors

Caledon Badlands

Lisa the photographer — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:07:01 +0000

I love it here, especially on a hot day. Don’t drive by too fast or you’re guaranteed to miss this spectacular place. There’s limited parking, and drive slowly over the hills in the area! Lots of people visit here on the weekends. Pack a picnic and your cameras, and please don’t walk on the mounds!

(Click here for a map)

Biz News

Lisa the photographer — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 18:37:35 +0000

Just a couple updates!

I have been working on all the portrait sessions from my free studio over the last month… wow, what a thrill that was! I’m happy that I was able to get in as many friends & family as I did, and for all the fantastic comments I’ve received – so thanks!

Commercial studio has finally wrapped up in class for me, and it’s time to start working on my own studio. That being said, I picked up some new gear over the past couple weeks – wireless transmitter for my flash, as well as a 45″ umbrella and stand to put it on with my flash unit (kind of how photographer Lisa Bettany does many of her setups). I’ve only set it all up once while I was down visiting friends in Rochester (Thanks Sara! Hope you like your portraits!)

That said, I will be working on improving my business plan for this Fall, which includes offering additional products to clients and creating a new pricing structure that reflects the commercial quality I provide my clients. So, from now until August 31st, my portrait sessions will be just $75! Contact me here to book a session!

I must admit, I’m really happy with how my little business is progressing! It is allowing me to be creatively free, challenging me to break out from my comfort zone and really improve my skills as a photographer.

Annual New Dundee Victoria Day Weekend

Lisa the photographer — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 03:24:39 +0000

What a great day it was for this annual festival, and for my first visit.

A lady and her friend were happily browsing the market when I asked for their photo. I noticed they were trying on hats and seemed to be enjoying the still-quiet, early morning out at the market. The lady in pink agreed, and took a few moments to pick out the best hat for the photo.

(almost as soon as I’d taken her photo, I wish I’d composed it a lot better)

When I first arrived at the park, there were two people lined up to take a ride. I wanted to wait until there were more spectators before I went up. It just gives a photo more juice than if no one and no cars were around.

While I was up in the hot air balloon, the operator told me he’d been flying hot air balloons for over twenty years, but did not own his own.
I stated the obvious, that it was going to be a hot, busy day, and he chuckled in agreement.

Standing in the basket, taking in the view, he then pointed out a tiny car in the lineup of antique cars. When it was time to disembark, that’s where I went.

…this is not the Mini

After checking out the mini Mini Cooper (it’s 26″ shorter than a Mini), Bill captured my photo, and then made the connection of how we knew each other.
I first “met” Bill at the 2009 New Hamburg fall demolition derby & fair. I had anonymously (or so I thought) snapped his photo while waiting for the next derby heat to begin, and he found me while browsing photos from the event on Flickr. It’s always neat to put a face to a Flickr name ;)

Wandering through the vendor zone, I met Randy, owner of a kiosk selling various home decor items. I purchased a small bench picture frame with shells and oceanside flare. He agreed to let me take his picture while he was still setting up a few items for sale. Randy has been to a variety of markets in Southern Ontario, and is almost always at the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival. (Maybe I’ll track him down next year and give him a copy of this photo :)

An hour or so after I visited a few neighbourhood garage sales, I stopped in at a kiosk full of ethnic charm. Drums, necklaces, crosses, rings, tribal decorations. I’m always drawn to these kiosks to get a dose of distant culture, without actually leaving town. Handcrafted items have not just their unique, sometimes imperfect looks and feels, but they also carry the love that flowed through the artist’s hands. Victor introduced himself to me and we chatted about the variety of items he was selling. El Salvador crosses, Indonesian necklaces, Mexican drums, Peruvian bean-bead necklaces. I purchased the Peruvian bean necklace and asked Victor if I could take his photo. Such a nice man!

One of the garage sales happened to be a fund-raising effort put on by the youth of St James Lutheran church. I purchased custom-made reusable bags to support their cause, and then asked to take a group photo of the youth helping out. I hope they had a successful day!

Sights, smells, sounds… colours, shiny cars, dusty books, greasy foods, condesation covered cans of pop, sweaty kids, diesel, jet fuel, fried foods, cooling off in the shade

Met Donna, owner of a 1947 Dodge businessman’s coupe and a 1956 Dodge Coronet. Donna and her husband have owned these cars for about five years, and travel around every weekend during the summer to show them off.
Her husband keeps the business man’s coupe in shiny shape.

I told her I was a student photographer at Conestoga, and Donna offered to let me in one of the cars to get a few interior shots. I gladly accepted.

Clouds.

Lisa the photographer — Sat, 01 May 2010 15:04:18 +0000

I’m starting a new series of clouds. Here is the first entry, taken on April 27/10.
I call these “The Simpsons” clouds.

Remember Spring?

Lisa the photographer — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 02:09:06 +0000

It was here for a few days, then it turned cold again.
Wait for it… the warm air will return, and with it will be flowers of many colours, happier people in the public, and more photo opportunities – of course.

This weekend I hope to get out with a few photography friends. I expect the weather to be great!

Burlington Beach, Ontario – Summer 2009

Cemetery Photowalk – Waterloo, ON

Lisa the photographer — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 16:43:48 +0000

A mid-morning photowalk with a couple Flickr/Twitter friends. We met up at an old church cemetery in North Waterloo. It was cold, like -15 degrees Celsius. I was only out shooting for half an hour when my toes starting going numb in my boots. Crazy! The other guys were there for an hour and by 9am, we decided to book it to Tim Hortons.

The oldest headstone I saw was from the 1700s. Just amazing to see them still standing in this yard, somewhat legible. I definitely want to go back in the summer for a green grass contrast.

I processed my photos with a cold tone and black & white; I think it suits the theme of these images.

Click to view additional photos in my portfolio.

Olympic Torch Relay

Lisa the photographer — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 03:31:40 +0000

I had the incredible opportunity to capture the ever-emotional Olympic Torch Relay in Stratford, Ontario, on Day 59 (December 27, 2009). My friend’s step-mom, Cathy Dyson, was the first runner.

Click the images to view the full set.

I even got to hold the torch!!

Thank you so much, Dyson family, for inviting me to be a part of this amazing day for you! It was a real blessing to be that close to witness a little bit of history!

Meet the Fisks – Kitchener Family Photographer

Lisa the photographer — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:56:07 +0000

Finally, the snow stayed on the ground long enough for morning portraits! :-)

Webster’s Falls

Lisa the photographer — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:00:45 +0000

The morning was spent outdoors. Not too chilly out of the wind, which is where we were: in the valley of Spencer Gorge, aka Webster’s Falls in Dundas, Ontario. The leaves were off the trees and blanketing the ground all around us. It meant you had to watch where you were walking!

I captured just a few images and certainly nothing fancy- I was enjoying the outdoors and all that fresh air… hard to believe we’re already in November.

(ps. I may like my wide-angle lens a bit too much. Is that possible?)

A mini Webster’s Falls…

Spinning! Don’t stare too long!

Event Photography: WPL’s New Garden

Lisa the photographer — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:12:11 +0000

Having worked with the Waterloo Horitcultural society before on their Tour-a-Garden events, I was asked to shoot the making-of a new garden at the Waterloo Public Library.
It was a cool morning, but productive! About ten gardeners were out planting new vegetation, spreading mulch, and watering the new plants. It’s going to look awesome come springtime!

Watch for the article in the Waterloo Chronicle coming soon.