Opening Ceremonie favs

Hello all :)
Here is a small explanation of what a Tilt-Shift Lens is - which is what I used to shoot most of my photos of the opening ceremonies with. Had I any idea of the fact that I was sitting 3rd row on the floor, 30 feet away from the flag bearers I maybe would have rented a long lens...but since I assumed that I would be higher up I thought it might be fun to experiment with a tilt-shift lens... For those of you who are unaware of the effects of this lens, I will give a small explanation. This lens uses the effect of selective focus, that it achieves via tilt and or shift. It is often used to simulate a miniature scene. I knew from the moment that I received this ticket that this would be a once in a life opportunity that would seem surreal. Sitting there I felt tiny, a feeling that I wanted to simulate in my photographs. I have re-posted my favorite and most successful images from the night...

A dream?

Hello everyone back home! I hope life is good. Today is the day! The Games Start! It is gloomy and gray here but at least it's not cold. Last night must have been a dream... but alas it wasn't! I was at the opening for the "Best of Beijing" a group of photographs chosen by Anthony Edgar, the head of press at the IOC, and while talking with him and my dad he asked me a strange question. Would I be able to get tomorrow night off work? I stopped for a second and looked at him, trying to figure out why the head of press at the International Olympic Comity would care if I could get a night off of my ever important job as Photo Assistant in the main press center. I looked at him and said "Ummm I'm not sure, I mean I guess...." There was a pause that seemed like forever, and finally he reached into his jacket pocket, and handed me a golden ticket! Well not as much gold as it is blue and white. It was a ticket to the opening ceremonies that are happening tonight! After that I thought wow this night can't get any better! Well was I wrong! I got back to the MPC (main press center where I work) and while I was getting the night off - which I am for ever in debt to Gene (a volunteer whom I have never met but took my shift for me so I could go to the opening ceremonies) Scott called me over and told me it was my lucky night. I was able to get another golden ticket - one to the Canon Nikon party for all the photographers at the Olympics!!!!! It was an awesome party at the Aquarium, and I was surrounded by the best of the best...and some pretty cool fish :)

What night... and here comes another! I'm sure I will be taking a trillion pictures tonight, I'm just on my way out to rent a lens... I'm just going to take what ever lens I can get on this short notice!!!!!

I miss you all....

N :)

Day 1

Hello everyone!!! Here is a little slideshow from my first walk around the city! These are no works of art - can't a photographer just walk around and take their own tourist photos? :) It's nice and hot here, yesterday I was walking around in a Tshirt :)

-A photo of me just before my first shift :)

-The burberry store is just down the street from the hotel, so I know when I see all these nice shops I know I'm close to home :)

-Even starbucks is celebrating the olympics!

-The shot of the building with MPC (Main Press Center) on the side is where my Dad and I work

-Is it the winter olympics? There are flowers blooming on trees here!

-A shot of my free bottle of Olympic wine for Volunteers, my pass to the dress rehearsals of the opening ceremonies tonight and my pass card

I think if you guys click on the button beside the Get Yours it will take you to another page that will show the photos. I am still finding a good way to post a whole bunch of photos....

Soon to come!

I will be posting photographs of my time Vancouver during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. I will be arriving in Vancouver on Feb 8th, so check then!