I am a son and a brother, a nephew and a cousin. I am a friend and a best friend, an acquaintance and a stranger. I am a familiar face, a polite customer, a name on a form, a mere number. I have worked for a custom furniture builder, as a waiter, a cook, a volleyball referee, a landscaper, a fishing guide, a janitor, a Mini-Mart cashier, and I have delivered the newspaper. Presently I am working for an oil and gas field service contractor. I am an Alberta boy, raised under the broad sky of the prairies that surround the small town where I have spent the last fifteen years. I love the country and the out of doors. A day spent fishing, hiking, rafting or skiing is truly a good day. I need relationship - the grandest solo adventure pales in comparison to the simplest campfire shared with cherished family and friends. I spent part of a year in Montana. I really like Montana. I enjoy drinking tea: English Breakfast in the morning, Vanilla Rooibos in the evening, or Chai at any time of the day. I have a weakness for good music, especially folk. I can not stand rap. I played piano, putter on the guitar, and purpose to learn the mandolin. I sing boisterously in the shower and my family pokes fun at me because of it. I have made wine, it could have been worse. I thoroughly enjoy a severe thunderstorm. I have faults and failings that I will be perfectly content to keep you in the dark about. I am just a man, one of oh so many.
I am also a Christian though I am reluctant to say so. I am not ashamed of the fact, but it seems the word means many things to many people. What I mean when I identify myself as such is that I am one, who by grace, “Christ is in”. It is on faith that I base this claim and also faith by which I do my part to live and abide by the principles and precepts written in the Bible.
I first started into this whole photography business when I was nine. I was given a camera - a Value Village special - for my birthday. On New Year’s I braved the bitter cold to photograph the fireworks. The pictures I took were stunning, at least I am sure they would have been had I remembered to put film in the camera. I was so frustrated by that experience, as well as preoccupied with other hobbies and responsibilities, that it was not until digital cameras became affordable that I reinvestigated my long dormant interest in photography. My first digital camera, a PowerShot G3, served to burst the world of photography wide open like one of those fireworks. That was in the spring of 2004, and since then I have come a long way. I went to school for photography. There I learned that I did not want the pursuit of images to define my life and my career. When I own it, it is fine. When it owns me, I am not happy.
I am Tim Andries - my parents almost named me Eric - this is my photoblog.
I do not know why I take pictures. At different times it has been for different reasons. I started out seeking to record memories, and then it was for assignments at photography school. I do not run a photography business, nor do I intend to, so it is not for others that I take pictures. All then that is left is me, and although I enjoy the whole process of taking a scene or idea from discovery or inception to the fully layered file, it simply is not enough. I am weary of taking pictures for my hard drive. It does not care and as time passes I have begun to follow suit. Basically, what is the point of taking pictures no one will see? As far as I can tell, there is none. I created this photoblog to address exactly this. Now I have a place where I can share the different scenes that catch my eye with an audience of far greater than one. I do not know why I take pictures, and I do not expect that a photoblog will provide the answer. However, at this point in time it seems like a good excuse, and I could use one, so here I am.
Even though this is a photoblog by name and purpose, I have decided to expand on the idea and add some music to the mix. I enjoy a good tune at least as much as I enjoy a good photograph - probably more - and I garner a fair bit of inspiration from the different songs that move me. I am constantly stumbling across another excellent track from obscure and mainstream artists alike and I find it hard to keep such fantastic sounds to myself. To this my friends and family can attest as I often hijack the most handy music player in order to share my most recent find - whether they would like to hear it or not. My enthusiasm is usually tolerated, though I know begrudgingly at times. I will admit, I can be an ass about it. So I have added the music player to the photoblog to share with you what I am really digging or what inspired me to make a particular photo. You can listen on your own terms, and I am sure you will like what you hear!
The content of this site is my own, and I strictly forbid anyone from making use of it for any purpose without first asking me. That said, I would more than likely be thrilled to allow you the use of my pictures, that’s not the issue, the issue is doing so without my knowledge, behind my back. E-mail me, let me know what you have in mind. I’ll discuss licensing on a case-by-case basis (for now) and we’ll go from there.
So what about the music? A fair question. All music has been acquired by legal means and is presented here as an aspect of my own personal use of it. I make no profit nor garner any funds by using the music on this site. The half-minute clips are presented under the principle of Fair Use while full length tracks are made available only after I have received written permission.
If you don’t like an image, if you think I could have done better, if you have anything constructive to say, please say it. As much as I like to hear praise, it is from my mistakes that I learn and get better. If you have good things to say, by all means share them, but if I need to invite a certain style of commenting, I know that it is the critique that could use that invitation. All I ask is that you tell me honestly what you think. Thanks!
I shoot with an EOS 20D. My lenses are an EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5, an EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS, an EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS, and an EF 50mm f/1.8. I photograph primarily available light but use my 420 EX flash to add light when I need to. I also have a PowerShot G3 that has been converted to a dedicated infrared camera. Save for a small selection of filters and a tripod, these are my tools. That said, do remember that lenses only focus light, cameras only record light, it is people who make the pictures.
Canon Digital Photography Forums - Over 100’000 members and discussion forums about everything. Much of what I know I either learned here or was pointed in the right direction. You don’t have to shoot Canon either.
CD Baby - For independent music, this is the place to go. There is a lot of gold to be mined from this site. Musical styles to match every taste as well as those in between.
CKUA - Alberta’s public broadcaster. An eclectic mix of music all day and all night. One of the best things about living in Alberta, and you do not have to live here to enjoy it.
Folk Alley - Online radio station from Kent, Ohio streaming only folk music 24/7. You can listen for free or donate to keep the service alive and well. Some of the best music you will ever hear (at least, I think so).
j-roumagnac - I did the design work for this blog, but none of it would have actually made it online if it weren't for this guy. If you're in need of programming or code writing, there's nothing Julien can't do. And his customer service gives Starbucks a run for their money. He's also brilliant behind the camera.
Michael Wilson - Simply the finest photographer I have ever had the good fortune of spending time with. He's a generous and wonderful person, whose handywork sits just to the right of these words you are presently reading.
Photoblogs.org - Those of you who are photobloggers already know, but this is the nerve centre of the photoblogging realm. If you like what you have seen at almosteric.ca (and especially if you have not) you will find more and better of the same here.
