My new old-fashioned toy

September 18, 2013 | Leave a Reply

I haven’t been this excited in a long time: I have a new film camera!

It’s a Lomography lc-A + with a Russina lens – the brand that came up with those super saturated images now known as Instagram effects on digital captures. This is where that started. There was a film camera before there was the Internet, remember? Seems like forever ago. This camera has a lens that is ready for effects and adventure. You’ll know instantly what I mean when you see what she can do- and my images of my images here didn’t do justice to the beautiful prints I have.

I’m in *love* with my camera. Sadly there aren’t enough people driving business for Lomography’s rent payments on Toronto’s Queen West and the necessary profit margins, so the shop closed. Online is open 24/7 though.

I shot my first roll of film and it was incredible. I wish I could turn these all into black and white images to post them all here. I promise to shoot a roll for you. Maybe for the first snow this fall?

Here are a few snaps from the roll:

At Sandbanks’dunes this summer

View of the CN Tower from the parkette at the CBC

My sister in front of her new house, two weeks before the move

My nephew Maxime at the Winnipeg Zoo’s butterfly garden,

one month before his sixth birthday

All images by me.

Art: Saatchi Online

July 30, 2013 | Leave a Reply

If you follow me on Instagram and Twitter then you know that I’ve got painting on my mind. That is, I’m determined to paint all the walls in my new house white. Which white? Not sure. I’m still working that out. While I am eager to get painting, I am also thinking about future artwork and placement. I have a ridiculously big main bathroom and I think a large striking piece of artwork would be perfect in the space.

There are some great sources of art online and in stores at every price point. Saatchi is one such online retailer that carries a wide selection of originals and prints. Here you can shop online for picture collages, mosaics, photography, and even sculpture from artists around the world.

White Out by Amelia Midori Miller (USA)

White by Ana Devora (USA)

Interior by Mónica Trastoy (Spain)

Things From the Sea by Kriste Danil

Phidias I by Jason Blackmore (UK)

Letter to Mama by Catalina Viejo Lopez De Roda (USA)

Helia by Manel Rodrigues (Portugal)

Structure – Experimentation XVIII-3 by Francoise Issaly (Canada)

And the works at Saatchi aren’t all white. Just look at how vibrant these works are: Pink Wall, Turquoise Ocean Turquoise Sail, Hatch with Yellow and Green Shadows.

* This is a sponsored post.

Photography: Multiples

May 13, 2013 | 2 Commentaries

Who knew The Home Depot would be such a great place to practice taking photos with my new camera? While I was there a while ago, I snapped so many photos of multiples…stacks and stacks of the same item. I thought these photos looked particularly interesting.

spray paint cans

caulking containers (sorry – I don’t know what the official name is)

Home Depot painting caps

paint rollers

Home Depot tubs

Photos by Jordana.

Photography: American Girl in Italy

April 29, 2013 | 2 Commentaries

American Girl in Italy, photo by Ruth Orkin

American Girl in Italy, photographed by Ruth Orkin, is one of favourite photos. It’s been hanging in my room at my parents’ house (yes, I still have one there) ever since I bought it at Ikea at least 10 years ago. When I look at it, I think about Italy, I think about fashion, and I think about how the lady in the photo felt as the center of attention.

While I have owned this photo for so long, it was only this past week that I learned about how it all came to be (why I have never researched this before beats me!). So as the story goes…Ruth and Jinx (the “American Girl”) met while each travelling alone in Europe. Women travelling alone in the 1950s was not as common as it is today and Ruth came up with an idea to photograph Jinx to show “what it was really like”.

Jinx Allen, who is now known as Ninalee Craig, is as beautiful and stylish now as she was then. Here she is at an exhibit wearing the same orange scarf she wore in the photograph.

image via The Toronto Star, via You May Be Wandering

And while American Girl in Italy may be the most-recognizable photo, the others in the collection are also quite amusing and full of life.

photos via Ruth Orkin Archive

Thanks Mom for sending this my way.

Photography: Buying a New Camera

April 25, 2013 | 1 Commentary

I have been wanting to buy a new camera for a while now – something small enough to carry in my purse, better than my iPhone 4S and Canon Elph (I do still love the Elph), and something with a great lens that would produce gorgeous photos. Oh – and in the $200-$300 price range (always on a budget, I am!). So when my photographer friend Joel told me about a great sale on Panasonic’s Lumix LX5 at Black’s, I had to check it out (with his help of course). After his explanation of its features – and my many “Are you sure this is what I want?”, I decided to order it online as there were none in stock in London. A $500 camera for $250 and it’s got a Leica lens (cool)! Needless to say it was an exciting afternoon! It was even more exciting when it arrived about a week later.

Unfortunately I got sent a camera that had previously been opened/used/touched so I contacted Black’s (oh, the power of a tweet) to inquire. The service I received to resolve this issue was so efficient and friendly that I might just be a Black’s fan for life.

me and my LX5, photo by Joel (with a cell phone)

Me and my camera are becoming the best of friends. We’ve already gone to The Home Depot, to work and to Toronto. There’s much to learn about photography and I think this little LX5 is going to show me the way.

Thanks to Anthony S. at Black’s for providing excellent customer service. Thanks for your advice Joel.

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