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Sunday, October 30
First runner up / Premier finaliste
by
Francis Vachon
on Sun 30 Oct 2005 04:47 PM EST
Back from Toronto! The Great
White North Workshop was amazing. Seeing the work of such talented
photographer just make you want to go out and try it by yourself. I
also had the privilege to see my portfolio reviewed by 3 staff
photographers and one photo editor. Let’s say that the experience was
really more a success than the last time.
Moreover, my portfolio finished as the first runner up special award
for the Eastern Canada News Photographer Association student bursary,
equal with Aaron Lynett’s one. That’s pretty neat to receive this award
in front of many influent people.
| De retour de Toronto! Le Great White North
Workshop était vraiment trippatif. Voir le travail de photographe si
talentueux est très inspirant. Cela donne le goût de courir
essayer de faire de même. J'ai eu aussi la chance de voir mon portfolio
regardé par 3 photographes pros et un éditeur photo. Disons que
l'expérience a été beaucoup plus positive que la dernière fois!
Ajoutons que mon portfolio a reçu le prix spécial du « first runner up
» (premier finaliste) pour la bourse d'études de l'Eastern Canada News
Photographer Association (association des photographes de presse de
l'est du Canada), à égalité avec celui d'Aaron Lynett. Disons qu'il est
très intéressant de recevoir ce prix devant autant gens si influents.
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Monday, October 24
Hospital debriefing: day 1 / Débreffage de la première journée à l'hôpital
by
Francis Vachon
on Mon 24 Oct 2005 10:13 PM EDT
First day at the Kingston
General Hospital : 4 hours in the operation room to photograph an open
hearth operation. Seeing someone hold a beating hearth in his hand is
probably the most fascinating thing I have ever witness.
I still can’t believe that 2 months ago, I was sitting for 8 hours in
front of my computer cutting and pasting text into web pages.
| Premier jour au Kingston General Hospital: 4
heures à photographier une opération à coeur ouvert. Voir quelqu'un
tenir dans ses mains un coeur battant est sûrement la chose la plus
fascinante que j'ai pu voir dans ma vie.
Et dire qu'il y a à peine deux mois, j'étais assis 8 heures par jour
devant mon ordinateur pour copier-coller du texte dans des pages web.
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Friday, October 21
This will be a great week / Ce sera une semaine intéressante
by
Francis Vachon
on Fri 21 Oct 2005 04:33 PM EDT
Long time since my last update, right? Well… Last week, my girlfriend Cindy was in town so I spent most of my free time with
her. And this week, well.. I just didn’t take the time to do it. I bought a new PC game and I spent way to much time on it.
Next week is an interesting one. It is officially a “week off”, but I
will be very occupied. Starting Monday at noon, it’s our special
project. We will be, for 48 hours, at Kingston General Hospital. We
(the second year photojournalism students) have FULL access to the
hospital. We will be able to photograph the ER, surgery, the morgue…
ANYTHING we want. Even the plane that send medical supply to Hudson
Bay! For 48 hours, the place will basically be our. That is pretty
amazing, thins is pretty exciting.
Then, Friday and Saturday, I’m heading to Toronto for the Great White North Workshop. It’s our national photojournalism weekend with speakers, workshop, and portfolio review. This will be very interesting..
| Cela fait longtemps depuis ma dernière mise à
jour, n'est-ce pas? La semaine dernière, ma copine Cindy était en ville
alors pratiquement tout mon temps libre a été utilisé avec elle. Et
cette semaine... Eh bien, je n'ai juste pas pris le temps de le faire.
Je me suis acheté un nouveau jeu d'ordinateur et j'y ai passé un peu
trop de temps.
La semaine prochaine sera plutôt intéressante. Nous avons officiellement une semaine de lecture, mais je serai pas mal occupé.
D'abord, dès lundi midi, c'est le projet spécial. Nous serons, pendant
48 heurs, à l'Hôpital Général de Kingston. Nous (les étudiants en 2e
année) aurons accès COMPLET à l'hôpital. Nous aurons la possibilité de
photographier la salle d'urgence, la chirurgie, la morgue... TOUT ce
que nous voulons. Pour 48 heures, la place est à nous! Cela est très
excitant!
Ensuite, vendredi et samedi, je me dirige vers Toronto pour assister au Great White North Workshop.
Il s'agit de la fin de semaine nationale des photojournalistes et
il y aura des conférenciers, des ateliers, et des « portfolios review»
(commentaire de professionnel sur nos portfolios). Cela sera très
intéressant!
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Saturday, October 8
A Saturday afternoon at Starbuck Coffee
by
Francis Vachon
on Sat 08 Oct 2005 02:55 PM EDT
I’m done
with The Pioneer. This Tuesday, we are back to normal class. Courses were on
hole during our 4 weeks at the paper. Now, some print journalism students are
taking over, and the other half of the photo-journalism will do so later this
fall.
I’m a bit
sad about that. The first two weeks, I was a bit lost; I did not understand
this paper. But I finally got the beat and my last week was fantastic. I signed
two stories that I’m pretty happy with. The only advantage that I will have not
working at the Pioneer is to have more free time. No school on Friday and class
start in the afternoon on Monday. That will allow me to do more personal photo
project and do some photographer-shadowing. I intend to ask some staff photographer
to join them for a day at their job.
***
I covered
the Belleville McFarlands yesterday for the Intelligencer. They play in the
Easter Senior A hockey league. Since the deadline was at 10pm and the game
started at 8pm, I was only able to get the 1st period. That working
on pressure! I did manage to get some shots.
The Bulls
play tonight. Since the Intelligencer is not published on Sunday, and since
Monday is a holyday and they are not published as well, they don’t need me. I
will be covering this Monday’s game though. I intend to attend tonight game
anyway. I’ll try to get new angle, new spots, and new ways to cover the game. When
the paper expect good pictures, you play a bit safer. When you shoot for fun,
you are less reluctant to try new thing that you can use in paid assignment if
they turn good.
***
I’m now a
big fan of prime lens. Last spring, when fast tracking, I took the 300mm a
couple of time, and I hated it. Not being able to zoom when shooting sports was
a non-sense to me. But this fall, I forced myself to use it, and now I can’t
live without it. You just have to know how to position yourself a bit farther
away. You have to accept the fact that
it is better to have great and some very sharp picture of a part of the field
that a lot of softer picture of the entire field.
I borrowed
the 50mm from the school yesterday and played with it a bit. The conclusion is
the same as the 300mm: sharp, sharp, sharp! I’ll see if I can do something with
it tonight at the Bulls’ game.
***
Cindy, my
girlfriend, is arriving from Quebec
City Sunday night. I have not seen her in about 3
weeks and I miss her a lot. I can’t wait to hold her in my arms. She will be in
town until Friday before she goes back to La Vieille Capitale.
Friday, October 7
Pioneer on stand!
by
Francis Vachon
on Fri 07 Oct 2005 04:06 PM EDT
My articles for this week edition of the Pioneer is Knitting is weaved deep in her bloodline and Poverty activist groups meet at Queen's Park. Sadly, this is my last week at the Pioneer. Back to normal class next Tuesday.
Saturday, October 1
Payday / Jour de paie
by
Francis Vachon
on Sat 01 Oct 2005 05:56 PM EDT
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Friday, Aaron Lynett, James (a second year who did not fast track), Mike and me went to Kingston to cover the obstacle course of the Royal military College. There is a lot of good opportunity to get pictures of cadets crawling through the mud, climbing walls, getting hosed down, etc. Ian MacAlpine, staff photographer at the Whig-Standard, gave me the tip for that event. We went at the Whig before and we had a quick visit of the newsroom. Definitively a paper and a city were I would like to work.
I have six interesting shot that you can see on the left column. At first, I did not really know what to expect. I was a bit randomly covering what I was seeing. Soon enough, one of the cadet was hurt in the face, but she courageously continued – and finished - the race, receiving some medical attention at the beginning of the following stations.
As soon as I saw her, I decided to follow that small girl for the rest of the race. All along the course, the instructors were really surprised and in awes. “Wooooh!!! Here’s a toughs one!” I heard from one of them, his eyes wide open.
At the end, a Major (this is a senior officer) that was there just as a spectator, step into the platoon celebration and asked the girl’s name. In front of all her colleague, he congratulated her. She received a lot of cheering and applause. I bet she is now one of the most respected cadet of her platoon, and that she will remember that day as long as she live. That was a very nice and touching moment to get on picture.
The title of this post is “payday” because on our way home, we had some bonus pictures. An accident occurred on the 401 so we stopped to get some spot news pictures. Poor girls who, all of a sudden, see 4 guy step out of a car with each a long telephoto lens. A driver passing by honked me and seemed very angry at me. I can understand but... Well.. That’s part of my future job!
Tonight, The Bulls play at home and I’m freelancing again for the Intelligencer.
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Vendredi, Aaron Lynett, James (un « deuxième année » qui n'a pas fait le « fast track »), Mike et moi sommes allés à Kingston pour couvrir la course à obstacles du Collège militaire Royal. Il y a là plusieurs opportunités de bonnes photos de cadet rampant dans la boue, escaladant des murs, se faisant arroser à grand coup de boyaux d'arrosage, etc.. Ian Macalpine, photographe au Whig-Standard, m'avait donné le tuyau pour cet événement. Nous sommes allés au Whig avant le début de l'épreuve, et nous avons eux droit à une rapide visite de la salle de presse. Indéniablement, un journal et une ville où j'aimerais travailler.
J'ai six photos intéressantes de l'événement. Au début, je ne savais trop à quoi m'attendre. Je photographiais un peu au hasard ce que je voyais. Bien vite, je remarque une des cadets blessées au visage, mais qui continuait courageusement l'épreuve en recevant des soins médicaux entre les différentes stations.
Aussitôt que je l'ai aperçu, j'ai décidé de la suivre jusqu'à la fin de la course. Tout au long du parcours, les instructeurs étaient surpris et en admiration devant ce petit bout de femme. « Whoooo! Celle-là, c'est une vraie (here's a toughs one)", ais-je entendu de l'un d'entre eux, les yeux grands ouverts.
À la fin, un Major (un officier senior) qui était là en temps que simple spectateur, a interrompu les célébrations du platoon (aucune idée du mot français). Il s'avance et demande le nom de la jeune cadette pour la féliciter devant tous ses collègues.
Elle a reçu de nombreux applaudissement et de “hourra” (cheering). Je suis sûr qu'elle est maintenant une des plus respectées de son platoon et qu'elle se souviendra de ce moment jusqu'à la fin de ses jours. C'était un beau et touchant moment à prendre en photo.
Le titre de ce billet dit “jour de paie,”, car sur le chemin du retour nous avons eu droit a des photos bonus. Il y avait un accident sur la 401, et nous nous sommes donc arrêtés pour prendre des photos de “fait divers.” Pauvres filles qui, soudainement, voient 4 gars sortir d'une voiture avec chacun un téléobjectif. Un automobiliste passant près de moi m'a klaxonné et m'a fait quelques gestes de colère. Je peux comprendre, mais... Well.. Cela fait partie de ma future job!
Ce soir, les Bulls jouent à la maison et je fais à nouveau de la pige pour l'Intelligencer. |
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