This is going to be one photo-intensive post and I won't waste your time with long-winded stories. Maybe just a sentence or two for each one.
The first photo in this post we are very grateful for as it was made by our good friend, Amanda and her great guy, Garrett, from over at Renditure Photography. I wanted to test out my latest investment and it performed exactly as I'd hoped. No more pushing my speed lights to the limit. I have a flash capable of some heavy hitting, when it is called for. We didn't quite make our hats look like cowboy hats, as an earlier photo of Fiona that many people were very fond of, but we thought it looked pretty good.
Soon I will speak about some excellent work that I have been doing in collaboration with the Canadian Paraplegic Association and Saskatoon City Hospital Rehab Department. We've been working to create a database of accessible homes in and around Saskatoon. The purpose being to provide newly injured people a resource to help them decide how to best renovate or build their home following a spinal cord injury or similar disability. It also could be used for someone looking for good ideas to include in a future build. I know that I have seen a number of very affordable and reasonable options that I would like to incorporate into our existing house. A few of those have already been implemented, thanks to my dad's hard work.
During the process of this project, one of the condos that I photographed was overlooking the river from a seventh floor balcony. What an unbelievable view. The homeowner and former CPA employee/board member, offered me the opportunity to photograph the upcoming Potash Corp. Fireworks Festival. How could I say no?
While I was up there I wanted to get a simple basic cityscape from a perspective I may not have the opportunity to get to very often.
A few weeks ago I led another accessible photo excursion at the University. We had a better turnout this time and, despite some unexpected heavy rain and a little bit of lightning and thunder, we had a good time, made a few photos, and enjoyed a coffee afterward.
A little bit of creative framing and you'd never know that Emma was dry and standing in a doorway. The way it was rumbling at that moment I thought we might just get a flash of lightning in the background. I must admit that it was very exhilarating to be making a nice portrait of someone I'm very comfortable photographing, while it was raining and lightly storming.
It was nice that Fiona's nap time worked out so that she and her mommy could join us. Even if we were inside, it was nice for them to get out on a bit of a rainy and windy day with me. She was in a great mood and the pictures are proof.
It's no Reptile World but our little Geology Building is certainly a fine place to go for a look at whenever animals they might have there and to listen to the relaxing trickle of some water. I think it would be nice if they had a designated area for people to sit and enjoy the atmosphere.
Finally, I took the time to make a photo I've had brewing in my mind for a little while, now. A fresh order of coffee arrived from Matchstick Coffee Roasters in Vancouver (just two days after I ordered it!) so I used the ample amount of beans to put together the photo I had envisioned.
It has been awhile since I posted, but now that I found time there has certainly been a lot to share. With the summer seemingly coming to a close I'm in a bit of a hurry up and get it done mode for a few of the photos that I need to do outside. If the weather forecast holds I should have one more quite elaborate photo to share within the next week.
That photo does belong to Challenging Reality. I know there has not been much for updates there for some time but this one will be worth it. Moreover, I feel like as much as those pieces of technology are important, the accessible home photo database has the potential to help more people in a much larger way than what I've done to this point on Challenging Reality. As well, I have been selected to participate in a photovoice project the health region is putting on where chosen individuals photograph the barriers they face in the community because of an acquired injury. My injury may have been some time ago but these photos, and the conversations that will follow, will make it to some pretty big decision-makers. I hope that my efforts there and the quality of my photos will help them to understand the importance of proper and safe accessibility, and even the discrimination of inaccessibility. I may have to make a few trips down Broadway to prove a point. But that won't be until after my stop to photograph the very steep and dangerous curb cuts just outside City Hospital.
Finally, there is an organization by the name of Barrier Free Canada that that is working hard to have a Canadians with Disabilities Act legislated. Regardless of your political stripes, now is the time to be asking hard questions of candidates to see what they think about something like this and if they have any clue about how far behind Canada is on accessibility compared to the rest of the first world. I encourage you to check out their website and, if you believe this is something that Canadians with disabilities deserve, to participate.
Thanks!
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