This is one of the shots I took Sunday at the Vancouver Strobist meet. No, Joe McNally was not anywhere near this shot (long gone at that point). But I like this setup anyway. My buddies Steve and Ian went high with an umbrella for key and another one low for fill against the backlighting of the window. However, I think when I shot this one I might have somehow missed the key light.

Had a rad time this Sunday with some very talented folks including -- in a surprise drop in -- National Geographic photographer Joe McNally.

Joe McNally is one of the real stars of photographic instruction these days with the excellent and inspirational book "The Moment it Clicks" which I reviewed earlier and a leader of well-respected workshops when he isn't on assignment for various magazines.

There was a moment during Tuesday's Remembrance Day ceremonies honouring our veterans and currently serving soldiers when I and most of the people around me began to lose it. The Vancouver Bach Choir had begun singing their version of "In Flanders Fields" and the priest had finished his sermon. The rain had been pounding the few hundred assembled at Victory Square in downtown Vancouver off and on for the past hour and the wet was amplifying the cold. We had seen a dwindling number of older veterans march resolutely under these conditions, protected only by light ponchos, their heads covered by thin berets and caps. Somewhere close by the artillery were firing and the gunshots were echoing around the buildings. These are moments of sombre ceremony that we don't experience often here so I think that's one of the reasons it is so affecting.

As I have in recent years I spent part of November 11th standing in respect to our veterans of Canada's conflicts and emergencies as well as to our military serving now in Afghanistan and other places overseas. Seemingly every Remembrance Day in Vancouver is a cold, wet affair and yesterday was no different. It was well attended despite, with people bringing their children, older people out in their walkers and scooters and many young people as well. I almost lost it when the Bach choir began singing "In Flander's Fields" and there were many wet eyes about.

I took pictures but they were al

This Saturday one of Commercial Drive's biggest events will be on again and I will be one of the main attractions. Ha. Actually, I will be one of the sideshows preying on the costumed characters attracted to the event. In association with the Public Dreams Society, I will be setting up a photobooth with the help of other Vancouver Strobists.

This post begins with a mea culpa. This was my first big shoot in about a month and I think I need to make it more frequent. The reason is that once you get out of the groove of preparing for one of these you get a bit blase about the prep work you need to do. Some photographers always have a ready bag for when they get an opportunity. They know everything in the bag is packed just right and there have the right amount of batteries, film, filters, connectors, what-have-you and they are ready to go. Me, I'm one of those who like to take the entire night the day before, lay everything out, test everything, put stuff aside, consider what I really want to use. And then I pack things up -- maybe twice. I don't have the certainty of the guys who have their ready bag.