photography

Lesson from My Fuji Fail /  by Christina Varvis

In short: use the flash, kids.

When taking photos, especially for assignments, I make mistakes all the time - some minor, some major - but I always try and learn from them, during the shoot and after the shoot. Particularly in photography, I think mistakes are absolutely necessary. Aside from allowing your skills to improve, they sometimes result in unexpected images that you love. Unfortunately, that was not the case with these photos. Although, fifty years from now, maybe I will feel differently? Maybe underexposed, grainy, barely visible scenes will be the next trend?

About this disposable experience, I have to rewind a touch. Soon after the new year hullabaloo had subsided, I met up with two awesome friends of mine - Tyler (@tylerbiard) and Carlo (@generalanesthetics) - for a very-well needed chill session. Our agenda for the day was simple: hot dogs, coffee, Fujis, and the funicular. The Fujis were specifically the Fujifilm Smile and Snap Single Use Cameras with Flash 400, which Carlo ordered from Amazon. (If you want to buy a pack of them, it's best to order them online to save money, but if you want to buy just one, then you can find them locally at London Drugs.) We used the Fujis throughout the day, but mostly towards the end when we explored the funicular. The funicular is Edmonton's newest connection to the river valley, which is definitely worth experiencing, especially once it's complete! It boasts beautiful lookout points and plenty of seating to really enjoy the surrounding views. And the best part: it is accessible to everyone.

If I were to guess, I hadn't held a disposable camera in my hands since I was in Grade 7 or 8. I remember using them so much as a kid, specifically at birthdays and the New Year's Eve parties at the Hellenic-Canadian Community Centre. (Good times, those were.) When I began shooting with this one, I loved it just as much as I did back then, and it satisfied my feelings of nostalgia.

Something that just didn't click as I was taking my photos, though, was how much I actually needed the flash! I overestimated the amount of ambient light in my scenes, especially indoors, because when I looked at my developed exposures...well, you can see for yourself above. I only triggered the flash twice, and not once while capturing those evening scenes from the funicular. (Don't ask why.) Although, by that hour, it would have been too dark for it anyway. Some frames I didn't even get back, because they were so underexposed. I still feel disappointed and embarrassed, but happy to have them - not just as a reminder to use the flash, but as token of the good times shared in every frame, (even though I can't see them...haha).

Thank you so much, Carlo, for ordering them for Tyler and I!

Getting Personal: Evy's First Birthday Celebration /  by Christina Varvis

It is truly fascinating to see how quickly babies grow, but y'all need to slow down. I'm looking at you, Evy.

You're probably assuming that Evy is my kid, but she is actually my niece! She was born on December 8, 2016, and if you ask me, it feels like that date was just yesterday. Somehow, though, more than a whole year has passed since then, and I know I sound like everyone else in this social media world, but I just can't believe how fast time goes. 

Evy has brought so much life into our home and has affected each of us a certain way, especially because she is the first grandchild to arrive into the family. I think she has made her grandparents feel about 30 years younger, and as for myself, she has made me feel like I have more purpose. From our 2017 Saturday night mudroom dance parties (that involved me holding her and dancing in front of the mirror) to our present reading sessions, I can't wait to share more moments with her and our family together. 

We were very lucky to celebrate her birthday with close relatives and friends at the Victoria Social Room that looks over the Victoria Golf Course. Equally great to the venue was the food, which was catered by the Culina Family. (The treat was definitely the chicken - it was so crispy, tender, and perfectly seasoned! I low-key wanted to take the whole tray home with me.) Actually, I know I just said the chicken was the treat, but I forgot that the cake was really good, too. My sister ordered it from The Art of Cake, and it was just right for the Nutcracker theme. She also ordered double chocolate cupcakes, which were naturally a hit with the kids. About the theme and decorations, it was all styled by my sister, and I think it worked perfectly for a December birthday. 

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
 

Once again, using flash still feels very new to me, but I have been warming up to it and becoming more comfortable with trying to control it. With that being said, I still have to practice so much more and experiment with different modifying tools. A kit that I have been playing with recently is the MagMod Kit, and I wish I had it with me that day, because it would have diffused the light and made it look much softer, which I think would have been a more suitable look for the nature, setting, and time of the event. I think it's essential to consider these things when choosing your light, because it can greatly affect the feel and style of the event in the images.

Something else I reflected on is juggling the role of the photographer and family member. It was challenging at times trying to be both, because I was trying to focus on what everyone was doing around me, but trying to catch up with family and friends at the same time, while also making sure I didn't miss any Evy moments. It also left me with less time to experiment with perspectives and even photograph detail shots of the space. Yet, as with my dad's 85th birthday, I loved it so much for many reasons. The biggest one of all is because it brought me to realize how I missed having photos of my family and relatives, and I furthermore remembered how entertaining they are to photograph! We haven't had photos like this of my family since my sister and I were kids, so I'm very glad that Evy has rekindled these times together.