A small sample of images I took over the years featuring some of the best climbers that I know.

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©Jamie Fike 2009

My name is Jamie, and I am a photographer and videographer, I’m also a rock climber….this is my story.  Climbing is a way of life.  Some people quit their high profile job in order to climb the world.  The obsession runs deep in some individuals and since I am a part of that community, I wanted to document this way of living to show to the world what it’s like to live and breathe this adventure sport.

I was planning my summer Utah 2009 trip and shooting schedule. And, from last year’s experience, I knew I had to tweak my set-up.  I wanted to capture the tension in the climber’s arms, the concentration in their eyes, the gritting of their teeth when they pulled with their full strength.   I needed versatility so I could capture as many angles as possible.

I had big plans for this nine week trip to Utah; my focus was taking stills of climber as well as getting a wide variety of interesting scenery along the way.  I would be scouting locations and shooting some test footage for an upcoming climbing documentary film scheduled for 2010.

I had a checklist of things I wanted to be capable of doing, because really, sometimes your gear can limit your creativity so I decided to make a trip to Vistek.

To be continued…

Maxime Dugal on Homerpalooza, Utah, July 2009 - ©Jamie Fike 2009

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Looking for a way to let the industry know just how talented you are? Want to have your name instantly recognized by potential clients,  senior creative staff as well as your peers?
Applied Arts Magazine is looking for submissions to their 2010 Applied Arts Photography & Illustration Awards. With dozens of categories in both Photgraphy & Illustration, the show is an incredibly economical means of marketing yourself & your work. Some of the new categories for 2010 include: Limited Editions/Gallery Prints (Photography & Illustration), Retail Applications (Photography & Illustration), and CD/DVD Illustration.

Winners and their work receive extensive media exposure in the annual Applied Arts Photography & Illustration Awards issue (published in June), at the online Photography & Illustration Awards Winners Gallery & at the Winners’ Exhibit in Toronto (which features an exclusive invitation-only opening reception for senior design and advertising creatives & winners alike.)  You’ll also nab a suitable-for-framing Applied Arts Winners Certificate (not just bragging rights – tangible proof!)

Last year, 95% of entries were submitted digitally. And, as a result, this year’s awards has gone entirely digital – including both submissions and judging, allowing for a broader range of judges from across North America & abroad.

Deadline for submissions is Jan. 29 and winners will be notified (via email) in early March.

Oh, one thing, though – there is a fee to submit an entry that can range from $50 to $75 per submission. Think of it as a small price to pay for big time self-promotion.

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Congratulations to David Goorevitch & Anice Wong – whose talent has earned them free gallery space at Vistek Toronto and Vistek Mississauga, respectively, during this year’s Contact Photography Festival.  Their work will be on display from May 1 to June 15.

CONTACT runs from May 1 – 31 across the GTA at exhibition venues and  non-traditional exhibition spaces such as community centres, studios, cafes, shops, and restaurants.

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Vistek Toronto has a couple of exciting seminars taking place in the next few weeks that shouldn’t be missed.

Next Saturday’s (Sept. 26) Getting the Most from your Epson Photo Printer is for entry level to intermediate photographers interested in producing truly professional photo prints. This 3-hour seminar will teach you the proper techniques for getting effective, consistently perfect prints from Epson Pro Photo Printers.

You’ll learn:
• Step-by-step printing tutorial, including tips for monitor calibration
• How to optimize your digital images for printing
• Using the Epson printer driver for maximum results
• Discussion of different media types

Sign up now while there is still space available.
The Saturday after that (Oct. 3) offers an intermediate approach to creating and converting digital photographs into properly exposed Black and White Photographs. The 6-hour Digital Black and White seminar will teach:

• Exposure for Black and White
• Digital Conversion Photoshop
• Tools and accessories to achieve different effects

The first part of the session will involve  hands-on photography walking through the neighbourhood, so bring your camera! And a laptop with a recent version of Photoshop is required (download the free trial version of the most recent version , if you’re not sure how current your software is.)

Oh yeah – lunch is included in your registration fee!

Sign up today!

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Gear Magazine has posted a gorgeous example of the Hi-def capture that can be created with the Canon 5D Mark II. It’s a a short film – created by French animation & video artist Régis Hervagault by shooting continuously from 8pm to midnight on July 23 of this year.

LAVAL 23.07.2009 by Régis Hervagault
(music: mindthings)

We decided to take a look around and found that Hervagault has a collection of similar works posted to a number of collective sites. Take a look at what can be created with the Canon 5D Mark II, a kit lens and a tripod.

::Source::

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Bogen Imaging’s Bogen Cafe is presenting photographer Michael Clark this July 17 from 2 to 3pm ET in a free webinar – Fundamentals of Adventure Sports Photography – that includes interaction with the presenter as well as one of three prize giveaways of the Traveler Series 2 Carbon Fiber 6X Monopod. Unfortunately, only our neighbours in the US are eligible for the draw, but the seminar alone is reason enough to reserve a spot and tune in. Everyone gets a recorded version on the entire webinar, however – a pretty handy reference tool to have.

Topics include:

• Artificial lighting
• Photo equipment
• Outdoor gear
• How to approach and shoot rock climbing, mountain biking and whitewater kayaking – what it takes to be a pro!

Register here.

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If you’re in the GTA, you can check out the Colour Management Basics seminar at Vistek’s Mississauga location. This Saturday morning seminar starts at 10am and presents the theory behind colour management and will show you how to put it this theory into effective practice.

For those of you a bit further west, Vistek’s Sports Photography Basics seminar also gets underway at 10am this Saturday (10am) at the Edmonton store. With an aim to make sure you can catch all the action – from your child’s little league game on up – this seminar will teach you valuable shooting tips as well as show you the best equipment for the best shots.

Admission is $50 & registration for both events is available online.

Colour Management Basics (register online)
May 23/09 @ 10am
Vistek Mississauga
5840 Mavis Road

Sports Photography Basics (register online)
Vistek Edmonton
10569 109th Street NW

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Who says you never get anything for free?

We just heard about a FREE web seminar that photographer Harold Davis & O’Reilly Media are holding December 2 at 11am & 2pm.

Here’s the deal:

Secrets of Digital Night Photography

Presented by Harold Davis

Tuesday, December 2, 2008 11:00 am Pacific Standard Time (GMT -08:00, San Francisco)

& Tuesday, December 2, 2008 2:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (GMT -05:00, New York)

With an aim at revealing some of the secrets behind the art of digital night photography, Davis will be demonstrating exposure and post-processing techniques. He’s even planning to finish the 60-minute seminar with a question-and-answer session with
attendees.

Check out Harold Davis’ blog – Digital Night.

And sign up at O’Reilly Media now to reserve your spot!

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