MediaMentor's Photo Blog

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Ceilidh Friends - Steve Goff

DSC_9770-m, originally uploaded by The MediaMentor.

Steve Goff (right), musician, photographer, geologist, and storyteller, passed away very suddenly on Saturday, August 1, 2009.

Ceilidh Friends – Yellowknife
Conibear Park Family Afternoon

Hailing from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Ceilidh Friends is a four-voice group that performs traditional, modern and Northern music.

Known for vocal harmonies, the group also plays a variety of acoustic instruments including guitars, Appalachian and hammered dulcimers, recorders, percussion, tenor and five string banjos, ukulele banjo, mandolin, bowed psaltery, and autoharp.

www.celtarctic.com/ceilidh_friends_main.htm

www.rambles.net/ceilidh_yellow.html

Merv Hardi ferry crossing the Mackenzie River

Saturday, August 01, 2009

George Lessard celebrates a personal photographic milestone

GEORGE LESSARD
is very pleased to announce
that his images on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/
have, as of
August 1st, 2009,
been seen
over 100,000 times.

Apologies for duplicate posts

--
GEORGE LESSARD

Information & Media Specialist
6402135 Canada Inc.

451 Norseman Drive
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
X1A 2J1, Canada

Yellowknife Land Line # (867) 873-2662
Yellowknife Cell # (867) 445-9193

Online Business Card:
http://lessardcard.notlong.com

Home e-mail media@web.net
Alternate e-mail: mediamentor@gmail.com

Home Pages http://mediamentor.ca
Online Activities: http://www.web.ca/~media/index.html
Photos: http://photosbygeorge.notlong.com
My Public Bookmarks: http://del.icio.us/themediamentor

Member:
Canadian Association of Journalists http://www.caj.ca
Canadian Artists Representation / le Front des artistes canadiennes
http://www.carfac.ca/
Canadian Artists Representation Copyright Collective http://www.carcc.ca/

George Lessard celebrates a personal photographic milestone

GEORGE LESSARD
is very pleased to announce
that his images on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/
have, as of
August 1st, 2009,
been seen
over 100,000 times.

Apologies for duplicate posts

---

GEORGE LESSARD
Information, Communications and Media Specialist
451 Norseman Dr.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
X1A 2J1, Canada

Yellowknife Land Line # (867) 873-2662
Yellowknife Cell # (867) 445-9193
SKYPE: themediamentor

Online Business Card:
http://lessardcard.notlong.com

E-mail: mediamentor@gmail.com

Home Pages: http://mediamentor.ca
My panoramic images
http://panoramas-by-george.notlong.com
My YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/mediamentor
Online Activities: http://www.web.ca/~media/index.html
Photos: http://photosbygeorge.notlong.com
Photo Illustrations: http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/72157603627797568/
Etcetera: http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/459582/

My Public Bookmarks: http://del.icio.us/themediamentor

Member:
Canadian Association of Journalists http://www.caj.ca
Canadian Artists Representation / le Front des artistes canadiennes http://www.carfac.ca/
Canadian Artists Representation Copyright Collective http://www.carcc.ca/

Thursday, July 30, 2009

"Who owns the photographs?" Should poor countries do more to exploit their poverty in the media?

Should poor countries do more to exploit their poverty in the media? A
film by artist Renzo Martens asks thorny questions about photojournalists
and aid agencies.

Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yREqd8QYtsQ

A line of Congolese militia trudges through thick vegetation. All but a
few of them are skin on bones. "We need to show them the bodies," they
tell the cameraman following closely. They lead the way to a huge compound
dotted with a few huts. A number of swollen, fly-infested bodies lie here
and there. The Western photographers zoom in, clicking away rapaciously.
Then they kneel and reposition their camera lenses for a better shot.

Later on filmmaker Renzo Martens asks one of the photographers, "Who owns
the photographs?"

The slightly puzzled photographer replies, "Me."

"But they organised the situation," counters Martens.

"Yes, but it is me that chooses to make a picture out of the situation, so
it is mine," the photographer insists.

more at
http://www.panos.org.uk/?lid=28074

"...Exploiting poverty

This is one of the many thought-provoking scenes in Renzo Martens's
documentary-style film 'Enjoy Poverty' being screened around Europe.
Martens is a Dutch artist who uses his film to protest against the
exclusion of the Congolese people from making money from a resource that
belongs to them. This resource is poverty.

He argues aid agencies and journalists alike generate the pictures of
Africa that we see for their own benefit, but do not make any real changes
in local communities. "There is no interest in changing the structural
issues," he says, "they [NGOs] want us to see a child suffering but they
do not show us that the parent is earning four dollars a week. It is
beyond their mandate."

Martens contrast the poverty in the Democratic Republic of Congo with the
earning power of the media who are there to capture it. We see, for
instance, the plantation worker who earns 50 cents for three days of hard
labour. He has a severely malnourished daughter, and he and his family
survive by eating manoic [cassava] leaves. A Western photojournalist, on
the other hand, could earn 300 US dollars for a photograph portraying
this.

In the film Martens convinces some Congolese wedding photographers that
they could earn similar amounts if they took photographs showing "rape,
death and malnutrition." However when they try selling their pictures to
the medical aid charity, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), they are rejected
because of their poor quality...."

Minister Bob McLeod's Reply Re.: ITI and GNWT's NWT Arts release form and artists rights in the NWT

"... ITI would be open to again inviting CARFAC to conduct such workshops and ensuring that they are available to artists in all NWT regions. ..."
---

GEORGE LESSARD
Information, Communications and Media Specialist
451 Norseman Dr.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
X1A 2J1, Canada

Yellowknife Land Line # (867) 873-2662
Yellowknife Cell # (867) 445-9193
SKYPE: themediamentor

Online Business Card:
http://lessardcard.notlong.com

E-mail: mediamentor@gmail.com

Home Pages: http://mediamentor.ca
My panoramic images
http://panoramas-by-george.notlong.com
My YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/mediamentor
Online Activities: http://www.web.ca/~media/index.html
Photos: http://photosbygeorge.notlong.com
Photo Illustrations: http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/72157603627797568/
Etcetera: http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/459582/

My Public Bookmarks: http://del.icio.us/themediamentor

Member:
Canadian Association of Journalists http://www.caj.ca
Canadian Artists Representation / le Front des artistes canadiennes http://www.carfac.ca/
Canadian Artists Representation Copyright Collective http://www.carcc.ca/

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bob McLeod <Bob_McLeod@gov.nt.ca>
Date: 2009/7/30
Subject: FW: ITI and GNWT's NWT Arts release form and artists rights in the NWT
To: mediamentor@gmail.com
Cc: Bob Bromley <Bob_Bromley@gov.nt.ca>, David M Krutko <David_M_Krutko@gov.nt.ca>, David Ramsay <David_Ramsay@gov.nt.ca>, Floyd Roland <Floyd_Roland@gov.nt.ca>, Michael Miltenberger <Michael_Miltenberger@gov.nt.ca>, Glen Abernethy <Glen_Abernethy@gov.nt.ca>, Jackie Jacobson <Jackie_Jacobson@gov.nt.ca>, Jackson Lafferty <Jackson_Lafferty@gov.nt.ca>, Jane Groenewegen <Jane_Groenewegen@gov.nt.ca>, Kevin Menicoche <Kevin_Menicoche@gov.nt.ca>, Michael McLeod <Michael_McLeod@gov.nt.ca>, Norman Yakeleya <Norman_Yakeleya@gov.nt.ca>, Paul Delorey <Paul_Delorey@gov.nt.ca>, Robert C McLeod <Robert_C_McLeod@gov.nt.ca>, Robert Hawkins <Robert_Hawkins@gov.nt.ca>, Sandy Lee <Sandy_Lee@gov.nt.ca>, Tom Beaulieu <Tom_Beaulieu@gov.nt.ca>, Wendy Bisaro <Wendy_Bisaro@gov.nt.ca>

Mr. Lessard,

Thank you for your email about the NWT Artists Database and artists' rights. Promoting arts in the NWT is very important to the Department of Industry, Tourism, and Investment (ITI).

The NWT Artists Database is an NWT Program with the goal of providing exposure and publicity to NWT artists. Ensuring that artists are paid for the exhibition and use of their photographs is important to the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT). This particular Database is a voluntary promotional program for interested artists. More than 200 NWT artists have opted in to this Program so that their art can be featured on the web site and in related publications such as "ARTISTS' NEWSLINE", a regular GNWT Newsletter for the NWT Arts Community. It is just this sort of promotion of artist's works that is contemplated and allowed by the release form as presently worded.

In the case of public exhibitions of physical works of art, ITI either purchases the work in question or provides the artist with financial compensation for its display, even in cases where images of the work have been submitted to the NWT Artists Database. In your letter, you specifically mentioned tourism campaigns as being of concern; please note that NWT tourism campaigns are generally created by NWT Tourism, an outside agency that does not have the right to use photos submitted to the NWT Artists Database according to the terms of the release form in question. Furthermore, the Tourism and Parks Division of ITI has a policy of only using pictures from their photo library (which is distinct from the NWT Artists Database) and even then, only using photos once explicit consent has been obtained.

We also appreciate you expressing concern about the importance of artists being educated about their legal rights and obligations. To this end, the GNWT invited Canadian Artists' Representation/Le Front des Artistes Canadiens (CARFAC) to the NWT to deliver CARFAC's Copyright Workshop for artists. This was done both by directly inviting CARFAC to deliver a workshop, on July 15, 2004, and by providing funding for workshops generally to the Great North Arts Festival, with which the festival paid for a CARFAC representative to deliver such a workshop. ITI would be open to again inviting CARFAC to conduct such workshops and ensuring that they are available to artists in all NWT regions.

We appreciate your concerns and thank you for your interest in the NWT Artists Database Program which aims to help promote and advertise NWT artists and their works.

From: George Lessard [mailto:mediamentor@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, July 25, 2009 4:39 PM
To: YT CARFAC
Cc: Carla Wallis; Peter Vician; Bob Bromley; Bob McLeod; David M Krutko; David Ramsay; Floyd Roland; Michael Miltenberger; Glen Abernethy; Jackie Jacobson; Jackson Lafferty; Jane Groenewegen; Kevin Menicoche; Michael McLeod; Norman Yakeleya; Paul Delorey; Robert C McLeod; Robert Hawkins; Sandy Lee; Tom Beaulieu; Wendy Bisaro; Boris Atamanenko

Subject: Re: ITI and GNWT's NWT Arts release form and artists rights in the NWT

Mario Villeneuve

National President
Canadian Artists Representation / le Front des artistes canadiennes
P.O.Box 31256
Whitehorse, Yukon
Y1A 5P7
867-393-4515
Website: http://www.carfac.ca
carfac.yukon@hotmail.com

Mario,

Thanks for your interest in this issue here in the NWT.... as a long time member of Canadian Artists Representation / le Front des artistes canadiennes and the Canadian Artists Representation Copyright Collective, this issue, the lack of payments to artists by the Government of the Northwest Territories for their exhibition rights and the lack of education for artists on all of their artistic rights is of great concern to me, especially as the government's Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is mandated to assist our artists in the development of the arts sector in the territory

"... Building on partnerships, our vision is to foster a diversified economy that provides all communities and regions of the NWT with opportunities and choices.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is working to meet this vision by: promoting development that reduces regional and community disparities; working with regional business corporations and other partners to identify new economic opportunities; Advancing alternative energy initiatives and supporting the development of sustainable local economies through small businesses and community-based sectors such as tourism, agriculture, arts and crafts, and the traditional economy. ..."
http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/about-iti/

"... A valued reflection of the culture and history of the NWT's Aboriginal people, the production of traditional arts and fine crafts is also an important element of the Northwest Territories' economy.

This vibrant cottage industry is one of the key areas in which the Government of the Northwest Territories is working to promote economic activity in smaller communities and to expand and diversify sectors like tourism and the traditional economy.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment supports the arts and crafts industry with a variety of programs and services developed and guided by the NWT Arts Strategy. Read more... ..."
http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/artscrafts/

A little background....

About four years ago, when I lived in Fort Smith NWT, The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/artscrafts/ held its first (I believe) public workshop concerning its NWT Artists Database http://www.nwtarts.com/NWTArtist.aspx and during that workshop it became clear that they required a release for any images images an artist would contribute to their own entry in the database that would release it, automatically, for any use by any sector of the territorial government. See the text of the release here
http://www.nwtarts.com/pdf/Releaseformpackage.pdf

The lady presenting this workshop was / is Carla Wallis Manager, Arts & Fine Crafts... CARLA_WALLIS@gov.nt.ca (867) 920-6130 who also is listed as serving as NWT Film Commissioner (867) 920-8793 in the governments phone directory at
http://directory.gov.nt.ca/utility/directory/index.html

When I queried this provision of the release, pointing out that would automatically remove any potential for licensing (and realizing income from) these submitted images to any NWT government department (especially the tourism campaigns run by their department) I was told that their lawyer had told them that this was the only way that they could do this and if I had a problem with it I should talk to their lawyer... I did do this and the lawyer simply said... in effect, that I did not know what I was talking about, and as a lawyer, this person knew more than I did and I had the choice of not participating... but the release could not change because it represented the requirements of the law.

I suggested to the group that they should go to the CARFAC and Copyright Collective websites to learn about their rights as artists.

About a year ago, here in Yellowknife, Ms Wallis gave a very similar presentation and the same release form with the same conditions attached was included in the package of information and I brought up the same question concerning the apparent rights grab by the territorial government... this time there were several other artists in the audience who were also equally concerned with the "license" and the potential loss of revenue to the submitting artists.... The reception our queries received was as frigid as an Arctic night in February and we were once again told the same platitudes expressed to me in Fort Smith.... One individual was even motivated to bring it to the attention of CARFAC as I had also done..

This brings me to the most recent ITI presentation at the Great Northern Arts Festival...
Well... four years later... same old same old... no change... still the same rights and income grab from a government department that is supposed to be helping artists with the same defensive attitudes of the department's position.

Any help you and CARFAC can offer to the artists of the Northwest Territories to protect their rights and incomes against what seems to me as a rip-off, would, I'm certain, be welcome by the artists... and any understanding / implementation of policies recognizing / protecting these rights you and CARFAC might be able to help ITI and the GNWT with would, I'm also certain, be greatly appreciated by the artists and their heirs.

FYI .... I am CCing this to INDUSTRY, TOURISM & INVESTMENT's Ms Wallis and

ITI Minister......................Bob McLeod................ (867) 669-2388 BOB_MCLEOD@gov.nt.ca
ITI Deputy Minister...............Peter Vician............ (867) 920-8048 PETER_VICIAN@gov.nt.ca
and the MLAs of the NWT.

I am also releasing this e-mail to the NWT media and Artists organizations.... four years is too long for this issue to have remained hidden and for NWT artists to have been treated in this deplorable way by their government.

Yours truly,

GEORGE LESSARD
Information, Communications and Media Specialist
451 Norseman Dr.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
X1A 2J1, Canada

Yellowknife Land Line # (867) 873-2662
Yellowknife Cell # (867) 445-9193
SKYPE: themediamentor

Member:
Canadian Association of Journalists http://www.caj.ca
Canadian Artists Representation / le Front des artistes canadiennes http://www.carfac.ca/
Canadian Artists Representation Copyright Collective http://www.carcc.ca/

Online Business Card:
http://lessardcard.notlong.com

E-mail: mediamentor@gmail.com

Home Pages: http://mediamentor.ca
My panoramic images
http://panoramas-by-george.notlong.com
My YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/mediamentor
Online Activities: http://www.web.ca/~media/index.html
Photos: http://photosbygeorge.notlong.com
Photo Illustrations: http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/72157603627797568/
Etcetera: http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/459582/

My Public Bookmarks: http://del.icio.us/themediamentor

2009/7/21 YT CARFAC <carfac.yukon@hotmail.com>

Thanks (...),
I will look into this, it is a bit of a broad request of rights. An other case of people just put legal jargon on a for without knowing what it means. I will get in touch with George via e-mail tonight, to see what we can do.
Thanks again for the head-up.
later
Mario

C/O Yukon Representative
National President
Mario Villeneuve
P.O.Box 31256
Whitehorse, Yukon
Y1A 5P7
867-393-4515
Website:www.carfac.ca

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Fwd: 2009 Banff Adventure Photography Workshop - Application Deadline extended

If you are experiencing difficulty viewing this message, click here to see this email on the web.


	Mountain Culture and Environment

2009 Banff Adventure Photography Workshop

Note: The application deadline has been extended

to August 15
Workshop Dates: September 25 – 28, 2009

Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre and the National Geographic Expeditions Council offer you the opportunity to work alongside National Geographic photographers Gordon Wiltsie and Bill Hatcher, and award-winning adventure photographer, Alec Pytlowany, in both outdoor and classroom sessions during the upcoming Banff Adventure Photography Workshop.

Intense and interactive seminars will be interspersed with fieldwork and critique. A maximum of 25 participants will be accepted to the workshop.

Friday, September 25: Welcome reception; orientation to the program

Saturday, September 26: Lectures and fieldwork

Sunday, September 27: Fieldwork; Critique of field performance

Monday, September 28: Critique of field performance; screening of the "best of the workshop"

In order to limit this seminar to photographers with an existing knowledge of the fundamentals of photography, applicants will need to submit a portfolio of 5 images for review. Please visit our website for information on submitting your portfolio.

Please Note:
All participants are expected to bring digital cameras and laptops with appropriate software to manage their digital images. There will be no film processing available on campus.

Full Workshop Registration includes:

3 nights private accommodation at The Banff Centre

Three meals daily

All sessions and fieldwork activities

Transportation to/from field work sites

Models participating in a range of mountain activities for you to capture digitally

CDN$1200* Apply Now!

*Discounted rate available for Workshop Only (CDN$990), and shared accommodation (CDN$1100).

We invite you to submit your portfolio for review for the 2009 Banff Adventure Photography Workshop.

Best Wishes,
Christine Thél
Workshop Coordinator

Above photos, left to right: Laszlo Podor (2008 workshop participant); Kilian O'Donoghue (2006 workshop participant); Sam Ramadan (2008 workshop participant)
To be excluded from being contacted by Mountain Culture for photography emails in the future, click here to unsubscribe and send a blank email.
Mountain Culture and Environment The Banff Centre Box 1020 107 Tunnel Mountain Drive Banff, Alberta T1L 1H5 Canada	Phone 403-762-6347 Fax 403-762-6277 banffmountainphotos@banffcentre.ca www.banffmountainfestivals.ca

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Re: ITI and GNWT's NWT Arts release form and artists rights in the NWT

Mario Villeneuve
National President
Canadian Artists Representation / le Front des artistes canadiennes
P.O.Box 31256
Whitehorse, Yukon
Y1A 5P7
867-393-4515
Website: http://www.carfac.ca
carfac.yukon@hotmail.com

Mario,

Thanks for your interest in this issue here in the NWT.... as a long time member of Canadian Artists Representation / le Front des artistes canadiennes and the Canadian Artists Representation Copyright Collective, this issue, the lack of payments to artists by the Government of the Northwest Territories for their exhibition rights and the lack of education for artists on all of their artistic rights is of great concern to me, especially as the government's Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is mandated to assist our artists in the development of the arts sector in the territory

"... Building on partnerships, our vision is to foster a diversified economy that provides all communities and regions of the NWT with opportunities and choices.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is working to meet this vision by: promoting development that reduces regional and community disparities; working with regional business corporations and other partners to identify new economic opportunities; Advancing alternative energy initiatives and supporting the development of sustainable local economies through small businesses and community-based sectors such as tourism, agriculture, arts and crafts, and the traditional economy. ..."
http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/about-iti/

"... A valued reflection of the culture and history of the NWT's Aboriginal people, the production of traditional arts and fine crafts is also an important element of the Northwest Territories' economy.

2009/7/21 YT CARFAC <carfac.yukon@hotmail.com>

Thanks (...),
I will look into this, it is a bit of a broad request of rights. An other case of people just put legal jargon on a for without knowing what it means. I will get in touch with George via e-mail tonight, to see what we can do.
Thanks again for the head-up.
later
Mario

C/O Yukon Representative
National President
Mario Villeneuve
P.O.Box 31256
Whitehorse, Yukon
Y1A 5P7
867-393-4515
Website:www.carfac.ca

Canadian Copyright Consultations & webcasts

Town halls will be held in Montréal and Toronto. Canadians will be able to participate in these important discussions in person, or live over the Internet via interactive webcast.

The Government of Canada is hosting a nationwide consultation on copyright modernization.

This website http://copyright.econsultation.ca/ will help Canadians find important resources about copyright and the modernization process to date. It will record the progress of these consultations so that you can follow the major issues shaping the conversation. You can stay in touch by following our RSS Feed. http://copyright.econsultation.ca/rss?lang=en

You can participate in a few different ways:

The online submission centre: This gives you an opportunity to respond to a few specific questions on copyright. You can also submit your own paper or report to us so that other people can view your work.
The online discussion forum: This interactive venue gives you a forum to talk to the government and to each other online.
The multimedia centre: This will hold the audio and video transcripts of the round tables and town hall meetings. (Check back soon!)
In a city near you: Minister Clement and Minister Moore will be hosting two town hall meetings (one in Montréal and one in Toronto) later this summer. There is limited space available for members of the public — but even if you can't be there in person, you can still participate via web streaming.

Schedule of Events

Remaing events
July 29: Gatineau - Round Table
July 30: Montreal - Town Hall
August 5: Winnipeg - Round Table
August 27: Toronto - Town Hall

Consultations website:

http://copyright.econsultation.ca/ [3]

Consultation sur le droit d'auteur

Les assemblées publiques auront lieu à Montréal le 30 juillet et à Toronto le 27 août. Les Canadiens pourront participer à ces discussions importantes en personne ou en direct sur Internet, par le biais d'une webémission interactive.

Calendrier des événements
20 juillet : Vancouver - Table ronde
21 juillet : Calgary - Table ronde
29 juillet : Gatineau - Table ronde
30 juillet : Montréal - Assemblée publique

5 août : Winnipeg -- Table ronde
27 août : Toronto -- Assemblée générale

Inscrire à l'assemblée publique qui aura lieu à Montréal :
https://secure.brentmoore.com/ei/cm.esp?id=81&pageid=_2P90NWZ68 [4]

Inscrire à l'assemblée publique qui aura lieu à Toronto :
https://secure.brentmoore.com/ei/cm.esp?id=81&pageid=_2PC0PF5PN [5]

Site-web des consultations :

http://droitdauteur.econsultation.ca/ [6]
---

GEORGE LESSARD
Information, Communications and Media Specialist
451 Norseman Dr.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
X1A 2J1, Canada

Yellowknife Land Line # (867) 873-2662
Yellowknife Cell # (867) 445-9193
SKYPE: themediamentor

Online Business Card:
http://lessardcard.notlong.com

E-mail: mediamentor@gmail.com

Home Pages: http://mediamentor.ca
My panoramic images
http://panoramas-by-george.notlong.com
My YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/mediamentor
Online Activities: http://www.web.ca/~media/index.html
Photos: http://photosbygeorge.notlong.com
Photo Illustrations: http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/72157603627797568/
Etcetera: http://www.flickr.com/photos/george-lessard/sets/459582/

My Public Bookmarks: http://del.icio.us/themediamentor

Member:
Canadian Association of Journalists http://www.caj.ca
Canadian Artists Representation / le Front des artistes canadiennes http://www.carfac.ca/
Canadian Artists Representation Copyright Collective http://www.carcc.ca/

Friday, July 24, 2009

Google Street Car In Yellowknife

Google Street Car 1, originally uploaded by Jason Simpson.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Inuvik's pretty painted houses...

DSC_8320_V2, originally uploaded by The MediaMentor.

Inuvik's pretty painted houses...

Photo ©2009 George Lessard

Inuvik Igloo Church

Inuvik Igloo Church, originally uploaded by The MediaMentor.

Inuvik Igloo Church
Our Lady of Victory Roman Catholic Church

Photo © 2009 George Lessard

Designed by Brother Maurice Larocque and Father Joseph Adam. Two years to build and opened in 1960

For more information about Inuvik NT, please visit
http://www.inuvik.ca/

For a full sized view of this large panorama, please visit
http://share.gigapan.org/viewGigapan.php?id=28369

20090717_Inuvik_Igloo_Church_JPG

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Images of Inuvik's Great Northern Arts Festival 2009 by George Lessard

Artist's Pass for the 2009 Great Northern Arts Festiva

2009_GNAF_Artist_Pass_George_Lessard, originally uploaded by The MediaMentor.

DSC_8308_V2

DSC_8308_V2, originally uploaded by The MediaMentor.

This sculpture, symbolic of the cooperation of the three races in this community and in the North, was erected by the Government of the Northwest Territories in honour of the official opening of Inuvik. The opening ceremony was performed by the Right Honourable John George Diefenbaker, P.C., M.P. who was the first Prime Minister to visit any part of Canada north of the Arctic Circle, July 21, 1961

Photo ©2009 George Lessard

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

George Lessard's Artist's Pass for the 2009 Great Northern Arts Festival

2009_GNAF_Artist_Pass_George_Lessard, originally uploaded by The MediaMentor.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Good Time Delta Band # 03

The Old Time Dance - Jig 'Till You Can't Jig No More... with James Rogers and the Good Time Delta Band, Monday July 13, 2009 at the Great Northern Arts Festival in Inuvik Northwest Territories, Canada
For more on GNAF, please visit their website at http://www.gnaf.org/

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Where Credit is Due (PART 1 of 3)

Winner of the 2009 jhr Human Rights DocFest.

Please visit http://www.jhr.ca to learn more.

Director/Editor: Hans Olson
Cinematographer: Mike McLaughlin
Producers: Hans Olson, Gail Stolee, Margery Gaede and Alan Fielding

Produced by Sahakarini Inter-World Education and Development Association

GNAF_2009

GNAF_2009, originally uploaded by The MediaMentor.

Canadian North Great Northern Arts Festival

I will be in Inuvik from July 10th to 19th.... and will present the following workshop....

Introduction to Digital Imagery and the Internet with George Lessard (Yellowknife)
Saturday July 18 1:00PM

This 4-hour workshop is designed to introduce participants to digital photography and the use of digital photographs to increase their income and protect their intellectual property rights. Participants will learn how to choose the right digital camera to buy; basic photography skills; and how to show your work online for little or no money. In the end you will have the tools to be able to buy the right camera at the right price that will be a good investment and meet the your needs; understand how to edit images for use on the internet or for print use; and how to have a presence on the internet that you can maintain yourself. $65
Visit George's website at http://mediamentor.ca

Watch for daily posting of images on my Flicker site

and videos on my YouTuble page

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Special Section: Digital Photo from the Toronto Star

http://www.thestar.com/digitalphoto

Focused on a budget? Here's what $150 gets you
Richard Lautens Jun. 30, 2009
Cameras are everywhere these days. Almost every new device we own seems to
come with a camera attached. It won't be long before my "toothbrush cam"
will be keeping an eye on my molars.

Exposed! An HDR primer
Spencer Wynn Jun. 18, 2009
For amateur photographers seeking to get the most out of their images,
High Dynamic Range photography is a technique worth learning.

Tripods will keep photographers - and their images - steady
Maarten Heilbron Jun. 18, 2009
When the blur icon on your camera warns you to hold the camera steady, do
you click the shutter and hope for the best? Maybe steady the camera,
holding it close with both hands? Or run out ...

Star photographer's tips to improve photos
Richard Lautens Jun. 04, 2009
Camera manufacturers today seem determined to take the photographer out of
photography.

DSLRs offer something new for every shooter
Paul Marshman Jun. 04, 2009
In this recession, you might expect camera makers to stick to
bargain-priced entries for this spring's new digital single-lens reflex
(DSLR) models. You'd be wrong.

More work, bigger payoff
Maarten Heilbron Jun. 04, 2009
As a digital point-and-shoot photographer, I believe luck plays the
largest part in getting good results.

Technological advances include the wet, wild and affordable
Paul Marshman Jun. 04, 2009
For some, spring means baseball or gardening. For photographers, it's time
to take pictures.

The Top 10 digital camera trends this season
Paul Marshman Nov. 27, 2008
Camera companies are offering some intriguing new compacts and single-lens
reflex (SLR) models, with a host of improvements and new features that put
them a cut above last year's choices.

Video: Breakfast Brulé
Contributing technology writer Maarten Heilbron produced this short video
using a still camera. The Fuji S2000 is capable of recording HD video in
720 mode.

Gallery: Compact Cameras
Photos taken by Bill Taylor while he tests three compact digital cameras.

Choosing the perfect camera
Cameras are some of the ultimate toys and probably the most popular time
to buy a new camera is before a vacation.

Compact cameras have limitations but can take great pics
Bill Taylor Nov. 27, 2008
When it comes to cameras, I'm a tech-and-specs dunce.

DSLR camera reviews
Paul Marshman Nov. 27, 2008
Latest crop of high-end digitals emerge with features that include movie
mode, higher ISOs, more megapixels.

Digital camera reviews
Kevin Scanlon Nov. 27, 2008
When it comes to digital cameras in the under-$300 bracket, prepare to
have your eyes opened wide.

HD camcorders get cheaper
Kevin Scanlon Nov. 27, 2008
Call me cheap if you will – although I prefer "frugal" – but I have never
been able to force myself to spend more than $1,000 on a new piece of
camera equipment.

Fuji camera impresses with its video
Maarten Heilbron Nov. 27, 2008
FinePix S2000 HD distinguishes itself with unique function that zooms
while it records.

Photo printers can produce stunning photo art that lasts a lifetime
Tom Katsiroubas Nov. 27, 2008
With the advent of everything digital, sharing your photos takes on a
whole new meaning. Through popular photo-sharing websites such as Fickr,
Photobucket and Facebook you can instantly ...

Digital camera review: Sony Cybershot DSC T700
Maarten Heilbron Nov. 27, 2008
This year, every point-and-shoot camera in the $250-$450 range has more
than enough megapixels. As you get through your checklist, you'll find
there's little difference between models and brands in this crowded ...

Steep learning curve for amateur photographers
Kevin Scanlon Nov. 27, 2008
Like most amateur photographers, I have always wondered if I could be as
good as the pros if only I had the same equipment. Let's call it a serious
case of camera envy.

Now that the recording is done ...
Maarten Heilbron Jun. 12, 2008
The party's over and the camera crew has just dropped off the video
footage and a script scrawled on the back of an envelope at the
post-production video-editing suite.

Planning makes all the difference with a video project
Kevin Scanlon Jun. 12, 2008
So, your family reunion is set for this weekend and you are the designated
videographer. Have you finished your script yet?

Images flow around the world
Spencer Wynn Jun. 12, 2008
"I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as
I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can."

Transforming an ordinary street scene
Spencer Wynn Jun. 12, 2008
A carefully framed shot or using subtle lighting can make a photograph
much more striking.

Cellphone camera brings quality one step closer
Paul Marshman Jun. 12, 2008
Sony Ericsson broke new ground in 2006 with its K790a, the first cellphone
to sport a three-megapixel Sony camera. Now it's back with the K850i, a
new version that boasts a whopping five megapixels.

Trouble shooting?
Denis Cyr Jun. 12, 2008
Experimenting is always a great way to discover what your particular
camera is capable of and what its limitations are.

Nikon's new pick of the crop
Paul Marshman Jun. 12, 2008
Ever since Nikon released the powerful D200 in 2005, photographers have
eagerly awaited the company's next big semi-pro DSLR.