tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2813445835298584032024-03-05T16:35:01.123-07:00Wanderfull's Wanderings"The more you look, the more you see." - PirsigWanda Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828761245820965660noreply@blogger.comBlogger393125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-37500170512042208162023-11-28T14:50:00.005-07:002023-11-28T15:49:08.819-07:00DerailedTo say that COVID derailed my photography would be an understatement. Looking through all the events I have taken photos of through the years (starting in 2009) and looking at what I've posted this year on Flickr... it is clear that I don't get out much anymore. Most of my photos are either going to or going home from work. And my cat. The thrill of taking event photos is marred by the uneasinessWanda Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828761245820965660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-82907780995400255472023-08-10T11:28:00.001-06:002023-08-10T11:28:39.488-06:00Summers of Smoke "Summer" is now "forest fire season." The new norm. We must adapt. The article, Canada in 2060, in the September 2023 issue Macleans Magazine makes it seem so.Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-16848815276995818212021-10-19T17:54:00.004-06:002021-11-21T19:56:31.116-07:00It's Autumn - and still COVID. It's October. And still, there is COVID.
The Alberta Premier's announced over the summer that COVID was over and that it was going to be the best summer ever. Yeah, right. Masks came off. People gathered. There was even a Stampede. Mask-resistors were joined with Vax-resistors (people against getting vaccinated).
While Kenney went on vacation for three weeks (or into hiding, Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-32431184328995111782021-01-08T16:20:00.002-07:002021-01-08T16:20:46.261-07:00It's Winter - There's COVID. It's winter. There's COVID. Going nowhere. Nowhere to go. Chillin' with my super warm chubby tabby. Looking out my window at the beautiful outside.Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-77434724599125007942020-12-27T12:51:00.007-07:002020-12-27T12:55:08.541-07:00COVID ChristmasThis year the COVID pandemic changed how people spent Christmas. Social distancing rules made the gatherings smaller and/or more creative. I tend to regard all gatherings with a bit of dread and a whole lot of anxiety and every year have to drag myself into the spirit of Christmas. Sure I like Christmas music (played in December), Christmas movies (yeah Grinch & Scrooge!Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-29555933077170978342020-08-11T22:34:00.000-06:002020-08-11T22:34:16.667-06:00COVID-19 SummerIn spite of COVID, this month I actually took photos of performers; the John McCaslin Trio at Tigerstedt Block and Jeremy Gignoux at McHugh Bluff. Something I haven't done in a while, even before COVID. For the most part, though, I stay pretty close to home, only venturing out to do groceries, go to work, and see the odd community pop-up event. It was a treat capturing the weed grazingWanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-87594967896907763332020-06-19T14:51:00.003-06:002021-11-21T19:13:24.453-07:00Nothing New - Until COVID-19It's been over a year since my last blog posting. Sorry. Laziness on my part. Also, nothing new happened in 2019.
There were protests,
cosplay,
one year with Lana,
the usual events,
and some street photography.
But for the most part, there was nothing new to say about the photos I posted. This year, 2020, started out the same way.
Then Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-16906248639597907922019-06-05T11:52:00.000-06:002019-06-05T11:52:21.622-06:00Lord Strathcona Mounted Troop
As part of Corpus Christi primary school's 60th Anniversary, the Lord Strathcona Mounted Troop entertained kids and a few neighbours with a musical horseback ride on the school grounds. A friend called me up, thinking I'd be interested in shooting some photos. It was a lucky call. The few bystanders I spoke to heard it from a friend or maybe through the local church or they Wanda Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828761245820965660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-55191413261808483822019-05-28T12:32:00.000-06:002019-05-28T12:45:59.129-06:00Rally 4 Indigenous Rights
Local Indigenous people rallied together in Olympic Plaza Monday afternoon to protest bills being passed by the Federal Government that change Indigenous rights and treaties. The protest calls the new bills Whitepaper 2.0, referring to PM Pierre Trudeau's attempt at changing the status of Indigenous persons with the Whitepaper proposal of 1969.
I was on my lunch break for the May 27thWanda Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828761245820965660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-23822562586326223752019-03-19T19:10:00.002-06:002019-03-19T19:24:52.742-06:00#strike4climate - Youth Climate Strike rally
Interesting Friday - I yelled at a driver, followed a youth climate change protest, and spoke with a couple of female Mormon missionaries. The yelling I will save for another post that will probably turn into an idiot-driver rant. This posting is mostly about the mass of young people who decided to skip school to protest climate change. It was actually a worldwide event thatWanda Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828761245820965660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-42123851738881358402019-02-01T16:01:00.001-07:002019-02-01T16:36:17.710-07:00Creating my first professional looking video
Rant warning...
This week I completed SAIT's disappointing DSLR Video 101 program.
Class instruction relied heavily, too heavily, on bland PowerPoint presentations (with errors occasionally corrected mid-lecture), four thin module handouts, and YouTube videos that I could have accessed for free. The instructor also called upon an unsuspecting but accommodating classmate, a professional Wanda Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828761245820965660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-8027822277362324712018-10-13T12:09:00.001-06:002018-10-13T13:50:45.941-06:00Cat's World - video Sarah Rose - Cats' World from SokoLove on Vimeo.
So, I'm browsing around Vimeo looking for interesting and inspiring short films and animations and I came across Sarah Rose's beautiful little "Cat's World". The lighting and photography are dreamy. Which makes sense from a dreamy cat's perspective. Lovely.
So far the videos I've taken of Lana look similar to the clips you find in cat Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-61086880699131210352018-10-07T01:56:00.000-06:002018-10-13T13:55:22.529-06:00Calgary Zombie Walk 2018 - with video
So I went to the Calgary Zombie Walk today and decided to do something a little different. I attempted to make a video!
It was a much smaller group this year. Probably because of the big snowfall we had on Tuesday. Or maybe it was because the event was cancelled on the Facebook Events page. Who knows? Still, fun as you can see from the big smiles on these scary ladies.
The zombies did a Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-2533642876912610892018-08-12T16:26:00.000-06:002018-08-12T19:08:09.668-06:00Lost, lost, lost, lost... somewhere on Highway 533.
Lost, lost, lost, lost... somewhere on Highway 533.
On the way to the Brooks Medieval Faire I missed my "short cut" turn onto Highway 22x in Calgary that would take me through Gleichen to Brooks. I keep forgetting the 22x sign was replaced by Stoney Trail. No problem. I'll just go down Highway 2 instead. There's got to be a parallel road that links to Brooks, right? Not so much. Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-996987863763837962018-08-06T13:13:00.000-06:002018-08-06T13:14:37.727-06:00A four day Blues marathon with the little brother... done!
Popa Chubby
A four day Blues marathon with the little brother... done! Might sleep for a week.
As usual, the festival acts I was most excited to see were not my favorite performers by the end of the Festival. I wanted to see Jim Byrnes and Sue Foley, my brother the headlining BB King's Blues Band with Russell Jackson. While they were good my brother wound up buying Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-78755729872612603902018-07-31T15:34:00.001-06:002018-08-01T14:59:57.595-06:00Getting to know LanaConfession - since well before Kit passed away, probably during the year she was ill, I really did not feel like taking photos. There was nothing interesting or compelling about the festivals or street images around me. After she died I stopped doing volunteer photography for non-profit organizations. My heart wasn't into it.
After Kit died it was an effort to take my camera out. I Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-64323513226191270422018-07-20T18:57:00.001-06:002018-07-20T18:59:45.361-06:00Macro LanaThere's something relaxing about watching a cat wash.
No rush.
No other obligations.
A nibble between the toes.
A lick and swipe over the ears.
You can feel your heartbeat slow.
Tension eases away.
There's something relaxing about watching a cat wash.
This afternoon I pulled out my favorite lens (100mm macro) and caught Lana as she was grooming herself, in dappled light -- the sun filtered Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-81623575842965221812018-07-01T15:21:00.002-06:002018-08-09T17:59:52.693-06:00Meeting LanaIn one of Lana's three online photos, it looked like she was puckering up to give the photographer a kiss. It made me smile. I had to meet her.
Lana is a beautiful ten-year-old brown tabby. We met, or I met her, online through the Calgary Humane Society adoption website. I requested more info by email and voicemail and received the following answer.
Thank you for your interest in the Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-46652818796802251632018-06-20T21:11:00.000-06:002018-06-20T21:15:03.085-06:001491s : Wounded White Warrior Savior PhotographerIf you've been following my blog for a while you will know that I have been educating myself about Indigenous history and issues. I'm just nearing completing the University of Alberta Indigenous Canada course.
In the final module (#12), which talks about Indigenous art, they introduce a comedy troupe called 1491s. I visited the 1491s YouTube site and found this hilarious gem... Wounded Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-52708870893442125072018-05-17T10:59:00.002-06:002018-05-17T10:59:29.881-06:00Squirrel frustration & funnyWho would have known that a squirrel-proof bird feeder and clever squirrels could be so entertaining? Apparently, a lot of people. This week I had a wicked laugh at a video of a squirrel trying to climb an oiled pole to get at a bird feeder.
Meanwhile, I continue to shoot ... er, photograph the squirrels on my patio. They've kind of become my cat substitute. Although, last week someone left aWanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-71180090832031307112018-04-17T20:04:00.000-06:002018-04-17T20:49:15.143-06:00#Next150 Challenge - Part 2 - FrybreadA couple months ago I joined the #Next150 Challenge. This week (9) the challenge takes me way out of my comfort zone. See my #Next150 Challenge Part 1 blog posting for weeks 1 to 8.
Week 9: Bannock/Fry Bread
The challenge is to make bannock or fry bread and either post a video of you going through the baking process or a photo of the end result.
There are great instruction videos Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-62433079836509909412018-04-15T10:03:00.003-06:002018-04-15T10:17:12.606-06:00Casey Eagle Speaker talksLast week I went to a talk that Casey Eagle Speaker (Sorrel Horse) gave on Native spirituality at the Wild Rose United Church. A two-part series, the talk on Wednesday was about beliefs. The next one in two weeks will be about ritual.
Casey Eagle Speaker has given these talks before and I found videos posted on YouTube. They are worth watching. Session 1 is pretty much the same as the talk he Wanda Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828761245820965660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-59942382031371509192018-04-01T14:38:00.003-06:002018-04-17T17:28:57.264-06:00#Next150 Challenge - Part 1
This post is a little different from my usual photo blog. A couple months ago I joined the #Next150 Challenge. What's that? In short, it is an Indigenous response to Canada's 150th birthday celebrations. But it's much, much more.
"The #Next150 challenge is all about setting a different tone in 2018 than what we've seen in the first 150 years of our country. Throughout 2018, we will be Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-33542066192837714362018-03-02T16:15:00.000-07:002018-03-02T16:34:01.718-07:00New Central Library - Part 1
Nominated one of "The 12 Most Anticipated Buildings of 2018" by Architectural Digest, the New Central Library (NCL) is getting close to completion. Opening day is November 1, 2018. On February 28th, the Library opened up for local media. CBC News posted a sneak-peek video of the New Central Library, as did the Calgary Sun. The Sun's story gives more detail about what will be new at the Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281344583529858403.post-8015070159189424022018-01-31T13:29:00.002-07:002018-02-21T15:47:52.129-07:00January - a month of squirrels
At the beginning of January I set out a bird feeder full of peanuts, originally for wild birds, but the squirrels have claimed it as their own. They can quickly remove the lid from the feeder and swing upside down and sideways plucking out the nuts. After I froze one afternoon trying to find the lid in the snow, I decided to tie it to the feeder with plastic computer cable Wanda Martin Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03110504738113299569noreply@blogger.com0