03 December 2011

MOVING!

That's right folks. I'm giving up on blogger. I've whined about it long enough... the formatting here is crappy and I'm too damn lazy to learn HTLM so... hie-ho-hie-ho it's off to Tumblr I go.

MUCH more photo friendly.

Here's the link. Hope you all 'follow' me over there too

in case you missed it... THIS IS WHERE YOU CLICK TO GET MORE BLOG OUT'A ME!

(& in case blogger gets upset & someday my links stop working... http://kreddibletrout.tumblr.com)

01 November 2011

NEW STUFF

"I am in blood stepped in so far..."

Macbeth opens in a week but that hasn't stopped me from adding a whole buncha stuff to Ye Aulde Website.

Stuff like this:


and this:


and let's not forget this:


 ...and this pretty little number:


and this:


Seriously, you wouldn't even believe how much new stuff there is over there. I mean, there's entire new sections! Lunenburg Walls is a lot of fun. Very colourful. Really, don't just take my word for it, go over and have a look!

WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING HERE?

checkitoutcheckitoutcheckitoutcheckitoutcheckitoutcheckitoutcheckitoutcheckitoutcheckitoutcheckitout!

24 September 2011

Dusty blogs, the big move and some old scottish guy

...pardon the dust... cough!
I uh... wow... this - cough!- this dust is...
should there even be dust in the internet? This blog is...

WHERE THE HELL IS THE MAID?

So... I left this place in a bit of a rush a few months back. Needed to pack up my life in Victoria, BC & move to Toronto, ON via Halifax, NS... yeah, that's how I do things. I'm complicated.

Nutshell: first and foremost, above all this picture taking business, I am an actor. Every now and then I fall out of it. Partially from circumstance, partially from a severe allergy to the 'business' side of it. I seem to break into furious, sweaty, trembling sneezing fits & emit a smell not entirely unlike tapioca when confronted with schmoozing or schmoozers. Sadly, many in 'the business' act as though this aspect is more important than actually being on stage (or in front of a camera). This is what I'm allergic to.

So, a few years back I fell out of it.When I tried to get back in I found the town I was in didn't have enough work to support the actors already established there and, as I had landed there not acting, I had to start from ground zero. I've re-booted my acting career several times in my almost 20 years at it and I really didn't want to build from the bottom again in a city with a very low ceiling. So... as much as I have resisted it these many years, I decided to move to the big shitty (Toronto) and make it happen here. I have many peers from over the years here which means more feet in more doors. There is a lot of work ahead and this huge move, which has uprooted not just me but my loving, supportive wife, will draw me away from photography for a while. Not altogether, because I feel almost as strongly for it as I do acting (and dislike the 'business' side of it as much) but this move must take the majority of my focus.
Which it has since my last post.
Spent the spring/summer in Halifax reprising one of my favorite roles, The Sheriff of Nottingham in Shakespeare by the Sea's The Adventures of Robin Hood. This was a re-mount, re-vamped production of our 2005 creation and was phenomenal.
I just landed in Toronto where my wife and I are settling in & I've landed the next role that will ensure I spend very little time with my camera or computer: MacBeth in Hart House Theatre's November production of Beverly Hills Cop II... oh, sorry, I mean, MacBeth

...that was one big nut.

So... we're still around... we still have pretty pictures to look at on the Mothership Kreddible Trout Connection. Once things settle I do plan to bust out a tonne of new 'Uniquely Mounted' pieces and will be looking to do some large scale photo installations here in Toronto. I'm doing headshots fairly frequently & hope that all these things will be able to partially sustain me between acting gigs. That's the plan.

So...
...hello Toronto. I've come to act all over you.
...contact me for headshots or other photo work.
...here's me as the sheriff:




12 March 2011

The Tao of Ego and the Tee of Me

ok... so a while ago a friend of mine (who is clearly as unstable as me) saw a self portrait of yours truly on redbubble and said in the comment section that he wanted it on a t-shirt. So, as I aim to please and as I also like to entertain myself with delusions of egomaniacal grandeur I complied.
Months passed.
I began to think he was actually a mentally stable person and just joking about the tee. This, of course, made me worry that I, in fact, was as egomaniacal as I pretend to be having actually designed the shirt. I decided to leave it up if for anything to draw ridiculous attention to it from time to time. I won't waver on my ego-mockery until it stops being mockery.
Then... one day I got an email from redbubble telling me I had made a few sales. This always excites me and I went to see what had sold. Amongst a couple of other things, the tee of me sold! At the time I didn't know it was him so I immediately began plotting my world domination. Is there another lunatic out there? Maybe a complete stranger? Will I soon have an army of Troutians all wearing tees of me? Will the Tee of Trout soon outnumber the Mask of Fox at political rallies???
No. It was Stephen, the friend who demanded the shirt some months before. I was relieved. The pressure of world domination was off. (...for now.)
The other day on facebook he posted himself wearing the shirt. (There's really not many ways to say that someone is 'wearing you on their torso' without it sounding... funny.)

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you, 
the first 5 star general in the Trout Army:
Stephen.
(you're a brave and mentally questionable man)


10 March 2011

THE day THE was featured on THE redbubble homepage

My shot 'THE' was featured today on the redbubble homepage. I didn't actually see it as sometimes they rotate the homepage more than once in 24 hours, but it WAS there... look, here's the proof! Proof that, you know... I could have photoshopped in less time than it takes to load the program wherein I'd be editing the photo... but I SWEAR it's real!


That's all for today... tune in again soon & read a funny story! And don't forget to check out this entry and give me your opinions to win an original Piece Of Trout! Contest ends soon.  

Void to all employees of Kreddible Trout Photographic Industries and Subsidiaries 
and all parent, sibling and little baby companies as well as anyone named Nephi. 
(sorry Nephi)

02 March 2011

Straving Artist Sale on NOW!

That's right folks, down here at Krazee Kreddible's we're so Krazee that we're slashing our prices by HALF in our Downtown Victoria Showroom! Our showroom, cleverly disguised as a cafe/bakery called Demi Tasse (formerly Rising Star) at 1306 Broad Street is where you'll find three of Kreddible Trout's patented Uniquely Mounted pieces for your art viewing pleasure! Word has it Mr. Trout was seen there just today with his magical PRICE SLASHING PEN, magically slashing prices! With prices this low you'll say "Man, why don't you just get a real job?" to wit I'll probably try and reduce YOUR price Mr. Smarty-Pants!
Hu-HA!

(uh...we're Kuh-RAZEE?)

These are the three pieces, they're linked to the website which has a description of each but really, they need to be looked at with your own eyes in real life to be fully appreciated. Hurry down, folks. I've been told there's a lot of talk about these pieces and with prices dropped by half... they're sure to not last long.
This sale will only last until tourist season begins so if you're in the mood for some yummy, yummy local artist fare... now's your chance! We expect the sale to end in early May but we're krazee so... you never know!



... because EVERYONE should have a nice piece of Trout to nail to the wall!

28 February 2011

this is NOT a trap

Ok, this is not a trap, really, this is what I think I heard someone one time call 'market research'. (..shudder...)
I have a little field trip to take you on and at the end you'll be asked to give me your impressions, opinions and suggestions. This won't take too long and I promise, despite the direction we'll be going, not to try to sell you anything. If any of you forgot to get your parents to sign the paper, you have to stay here.

So, I've been searching to find an online service to use to do the back-end stuff (printing, mounting, shipping... etc.) and I think I've come across the site that I like. I like it because it offers the widest variety of options. From giclee prints on standard photo paper to cotton rag to stretched canvas, framed, unframed... the works. My only hesitation is it's functionality. It's layout. How easy it is for you, the art savvy consumer, to navigate and not get frustrated. It seems mildly convoluted to me, but then again the laptop from which I write this is really just an abacus with some wires taped to it.

So, this is the point of the field trip. Anyone who wants to click on this link will be directed to the page on my website that I'm using to test this new endeavor. You then need to click on the big white link & navigate around on the other end. Play around with all the different formats & frames & just have a ball. Then, if you'd like to be a help you can pop back here (leave a trail of breadcrumbs) & let me know what you think by leaving a comment below. I'm specifically looking to find out about ease of use. If you were looking to purchase some of my yummy yummy art, would you through this service. I know many of you know me & would just contact me direct to be all '...yeah, so I know the artist, I'll just call his personal line...' but just pretend you were a stranger.

And, as thanks, every response will be entered into a draw to win an 8x12 of the image in question (a shallow grand) or take a chance and ask Monty Trout for the 8x12 print behind door number 3! I'll do the draw on March 15th.

Now go on! (and don't go getting lost on the internet!)

21 February 2011

Take The Trout Challenge!

New stuff over at the Mothership Kreddible Trout Connection (my website) which includes this piece & the story that follows:
Cherry Tree & The Blue Bins



Very little of my work, as I often rant and rave about, is digitally augmented. Occasionally I use the photoshop, but I try not to. I feel that it's a lie.
The reason I'm so adamant about it is that I learned to see the world through the lens, not the photo-editing software. Before digital I'd line up the shot, sometimes giving myself a cramp doing so, shot it & hope that it turned out & wasn't slightly off center or just wrong.

There was magic.

Since I sold out and went digital I've lost some of that feeling. Like I said, I still try to do as little 'post' as possible but, with digital there is another cheat that we don't talk about...
When I first got a digital I visited one of my best friends, Pam, and was excited (if somewhat embarrassed) to show her my new toy. She had been around when I was first courting my K1000 & watched my passion grow. So, there we were sitting at a cafe on Main Street in Vancouver & I was showing her some shots off the back of my shiny new Rebel XT (x-tra trout, baby... oh yeah!) that I'd taken that day. I scrolled and scrolled and amidst her always encouraging 'oohs' and 'ahhs' she had to take a jab as we passed three or four almost identical shots.

'Wow' she said, 'so you can just keep shooting until you get it right then, huh?'
'oh shaa-aa-daap!' I said and kept scrolling as she punched my arm and cackled.

...but she was right.

I used to believe that 'if I get it I get it, if I don't I don't'. Sometimes I'd take two shots just to be sure I got it but, until it came back from the developer, I had no idea.

There was magic.

The immediacy of digital is definitely helpful but it is a cheat. To me anyway. Yesterday I was reminded of the purity and faith of just taking a shot and walking away. The above was the shot. I set it up (& let the two people [who always find their way into even the most deserted streets just to look at me like I'm a weirdo for taking pictures of walls] walk by.) like in the old days, taking my time, and shot it. I looked at it on the display & began, instinctively, to raise the camera to my eye again... then I stopped.
"Hey dummy, the shot is fine. It is what you wanted anyway. You don't need to take it again.
...Uuuuse the Force...

So I walked away and gave myself a new challenge: shoot like you used to. Not always. Not religiously. Just from time to time.

It's nostalgic.

It's magic.

If anyone out there can relate, I'd advice trying The Trout Challenge yourself. It'll bring that old spark back. Now get out there and take pictures of garbage! Cos someone's got to do it!

...or, like me, you can always take the ol K1000 out for a stroll from time to time... it'll appreciate it. So will you.


15 February 2011

... a little something while you wait...

I'm gonna just start just ploppin random stuff all over this blog. Spend too much time pontificating on what should go here that nothing actually goes here, so...

this is a shot I call
ANTICIPATION


To an actor, the feeling of walking onto a bare stage for the first time and looking out into an empty house is second only to performing to a full one. An empty house holds promise. The seats feel alive with anticipation and are not vacant at all. You can feel them yearn for the ride you’re about to take them on. Your best monologues clamor and lurch to the tip of your tongue only to be stifled by the reverence of the moment. This silence, this anticipation, you imagine placing in the palm of your hand with Iago’s slightest inflection. The silence of ‘I got you’. The silence all actor’s live for. An empty house promises it.



23 January 2011

Beards, New photos, No photos & Looking to the Burrito Horizon...

Well, the dopamine has worn off and I woke from my hibernation with a beard. The holiday season finds itself in the haze of recent history and I notice the blog is a little dusty. So, consider this a feather duster.

A few updates to share.

Firstly.
The Mothership Kreddible Trout Connection (my website) has been updated. Rearranged some things and added some new stuff in the new folder called The New Stuff (was that redundant?) which will house anything shot since January 1st. It's still just a fledgling folder so please stop by regularly as it needs your encouragement.

Secondly.
This isn't news just yet, but something that might become it. In relation to Firstly I'd have liked to have posted a few examples of the photos I wrote of, but I have just been so MASSIVELY FRUSTRATED by how MINDBOGGLINGLY IMPOSSIBLE it is to arrange photos in blogger that I gave up. Unless I want all the photos in one line down the page... it's almost impossible. To expect to try to put them on in a simple grid... wow. Some posts recently have taken me HOURS to get up & they still look shoddy. This is something that has been an issue for a while now and I have just had it. Why and how the cyber-geniuses over at google haven't come up with an easier way to manage photos within the posting  is beyond me. It seems that with the last upgrade they decided to go back to 1999 technology or something. I've read forums, I've tried to manipulate them as is told in tutorials but they really seem to have a mind of their own. A lot of the writings about how to manage photos within blogger tell you it's easier to manage them within the HTML... if I knew HTML I wouldn't be using blogger now would I? Blogger is for laypeople like me.
SO... so I may be moving ship. Just the blog. Probably Wordpress or Tumblr. I toyed with Wordpress a couple of years ago and found it too convoluted & intricate for my needs so, I'm gonna see what Tumblr is all about. It looks pretty simple and I like what I've seen. We'll see. Any advice would be welcomed and if I've missed the glaringly obvious here in blogger & someone knows 'the trick' please feel free to let me know. Jeebus knows the good folks at blogger ain't answering my calls.

Thirdly. Have Trout Will Travel again
Headin' down to San Diego again for a quick photographic jaunt. Seems Col. J needs some new big art for his new regional office & has commissioned yours truly to do it all up for him. Flying down on Thursday after work work to run amok in the land of sand and burritos for three days and returning on Monday. I'll be documenting the city which is something I really didn't get a chance to do when I was down last spring as I was too busy preparing for Artwalk. For those of you who don't know who Col. J. is or what Artwalk is about you'll have to get in the 'it's the Kreddible Trout Photography blog Time Machine' and start waaaay back here. The linked entry was the first announcement of my incredible trip last spring called the Kreddible Trout (part of the) World Tour 2010.
Wow. Almost a year ago. There are many adventures to read following that. Feel free.

Fourthly.
There is no fourthly.

Finally.
We here at Kreddible Trout Photographic Enterprises want to wish you the very best this Valentine's Day Season and remind you that there are only 21 shopping days left til this joyous day. So remember... 
...nothing says 'I Love You' like 
a nice piece of Trout.