UPDATED
July 05, 2010

Tom's Photography

Gallery 1

What is photography to you? 

A means of capturing memories?   To have images of people, places, and things that are special to you?
Of expressing yourself?  Of capturing life as art?  Of capturing life as it is?

Photography is all of that and much more.

Here is an eclectic mix of some of my photographs. old and new, from the world journey and
some taken quite recently around my home - Victoria, BC, Canada. 

If you have any questions or comments, please send me an e-mail.

Enjoy! 

 

 
On the road near KASLO, BC - April 2008.  Spectacular KOOTENAY LAKE is over 90 miles long.  I hope you are
not one of those who simply snaps photos out the front windshield or the side windows, especially while your vehicle is in motion...
Stop the car, get out, watch for traffic, and grab that shot!  You will be glad you did!  Because you might not come back to that place again.
After all, you want to preserve the memory for yourself - and show it to others, right?

 

 
KASLO, BC - the SS Moyie - steamship turned museum on the Kootenay Lake waterfront.
Kaslo is a beautiful small town with a layback lifestyle.  April 2008.  I have family here.
Now if I was taking this photo for commercial purposes, I would have, if possible,
removed the brush along the fence in the foreground and that white frame resting on the platform
next to the Moyie. Frame elements in your viewfinder that capture the essence of the scene.

 

Autographed for Tom Smith by BRYAN ADAMS - (Everthing I Do) I Do It For You - 45rpm record cover.
Bryan has long been one of Canada's best singer/songwriter's.  He's also an accomplished photographer!  His assistant
was very helpful in getting this signed for me.  An example of a photo of a personalized photo product - for sharing!

 

The former home of the Academy Awards.  This was one of my early portfolio photographs.  It helped me
get a contract with a photo agency in New York City a few months later. It was a beautiful, warm night...
a bit lonely, though.  The text I added to the image gives it, for better or worse, a "postcard" look.
But if you take such a photo, it is often the experience you remember.  For me, it was inspiring
just to look upon a place world-renowned for honoring accomplishment of the highest order.  
I just let the wonder of time, night, and light work its magic on film.
I had this one blown up to 20" x 30" (without text) matted and framed in coordinating colors...
Go for such images - they become great home or office decor.

 

The same blow-up, framing treatment for this one.
This is another of my early portfolio images - a time exposure of the well-illuminated Horseshoe Falls.
NIAGARA FALLS is about 25 miles from my hometown of RIDGEWAY, Ontario, Canada,
where I was born and raised.  Time exposures can render unnatural but still beautiful features, like turning frothing water smooth
and letting light accumulate in a mist, almost like a flame above.  This exposure was approximately one minute.

Photos do not have to be of your own making to mean something speical to you.
When someone signs something for you, it easily takes on personal meaning.
EWAN McGREGOR with best mate Charley Boorman just before their world journey,
Long Way Round.  Again, I had help getting this page from Vanity Fair signed.  That makes this image of Ewan special
to me.  Ewan also included a note of kindred world-rider spirit.  He later gave an awesom blurb for my book.
But it does not have to be a celebrity.  Get family and friends to sign photos for you!

Ah, PARIS, one of my favorite cities in the world.  It certainly has its hustle & bustle, but its
beauty is inspiring.  The side streets are both exciting and peaceful.   It's parks are beautiful refuges.
It's achitecture, amazing.  Beauty, class, elegance, art, style, noise, quietude, lights - PARIS! 
Look for elevated viewpoints to capture cityscapes.  This one was from the Arc de Triomphe.

 

It is cliche - but the EIFFEL TOWER is the quintessential romantic centerpiece
of this beautful, romantic city.  No wonder TOM CRUISE chose it among
all the places in the world to propose to KATIE HOLMES.
I believe such places are "cliches" for good reason.  And the feeling
of cliche disaappears when you are actually there.  If possible, try to include people in your photos.
They help give perspective and more meaning to otherwise cliche grab shots.

 

My home city now - VICTORIA, BC - indeed another very beautiful city.  August 2008.
Using telephoto compresses distance, bringing the distant mountains closer for a stronger and more balanced image.

 

Another view around VICTORIA, BC - one of our famous western sunsets.

 

VICTORIA, BC's world-famous EMPRESS HOTEL, facing the city's Inner Harbour.
Here you can include foreground elements to get a more accurate feeling of the location of the subject.

 

And then there are times to simply kick back, kick up, and have fun!
PLAYLAND - Vancouver, BC.
Action in photos helps bring them to life!

 

And I love images of LOVE... so I sometimes go after COUPLES
unposed - in the act of being themselves

 

 

 

 

 

And CHILDREN - for they are our future...

 

 

 

Did I mention that I love wildlife? 

This MULE DEER looked at me with its big beautiful eyes as it came right up to
my tent at GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK, Colorado.  I took this photo during my photo junket
across the USA and Canada in 1984.  Photographing animals can take considerable patience.  Let them get
use to your presence before releasing the shutter. 

That was espeically true of the Rhesus Macaque monkeys below.
I sat near the orner of a temple for about a half hour before this family gradually made its way over to me - only a few feet away.
Then they carried on like I was not there, or was at least non-threating. 
Swaymbhunath Temple is known as "The Monkey Temple" for it's population of these sometimes
quite defensive, even aggresive, but also very curious monkeys.

 

Photographing MAX was a real treat.  I had a spare camera ready when he suddenly climbed
up on the tripod.  I grabbed this shot.  Max grabbed the tripod, pulled it down and started
to run away with it.  I set my hand-held camera on the ground and grabbed the tripod from him.
Clever guy... he grabbed up the camera I had set down and ran away with it, swinging over
his head by the camera strap.  With some gentle persuasion, he gave it back.

 

 

Now imagine being KISSED BY A LION!...

SHERU - a lion raise from a cub at the NAIROBI ANIMAL ORPHANGE.  The doctor who
raised him let me inside Sheru's compound later.

PATRICK HEMINGWAY - the sole-surviving son of ERNEST HEMINGWAY
favored me with this great inscription, complete with sketch!  For 25 years, Patrick had his own
safari company in Africa and worked with wildlife organizations.  Ernest Hemingway was a
recurrent mentor for me during my two-year world journey.

 

And then there are exotic images of romantic places... .

 

 

 

Or get a local to take your photo...

 

Or get your tripod to help you capture a memory of yourself with a new friend...
This particular photo has been used in several newspapers and magazines,
including SCOOTER RIDER MAGAZINE (USA).

Tom and Melawend with Amer Abu Khamis and camel Hassan.

 

 

   
Notice how your photographs can bring back great memories?  This was quite a treat during my two-year
world journey.  The General Commissioner of Khartoum arranged this visit to a school for me where I was
shown wonderful cooperation and initiative by students and teachers.  I also shared breakfast with the staff.
By the way, I took this photo by putting the camera on a tripod that was set up on a desk in an adjacent classroom. 
I tripped the 10-second shutter release and dashed out to Melawend.  It's fantastic that everyone looked at the
camera at just the right instant! 

 

There are those special times in your life for which you want to capture a special visual memory.
After over two years on the road, I am greeted by FRED ECKHARD, Spokesman
for the Secretary General of the United Nations, in his UN office in New York.

 

And treasure such once-in-a-lifetime image as this one wiht POPE JOHN PAUL II.  
I was so blessed to have had this photo arranged by the Canadian Embassy at the Holy See.
A sea of clegy grew like a wave over me!  See the story here: http://www.melawend.com/popejohn1.htm
It was taken by ARTURO MARI - the Official Papal Photographer for the last five popes.

 

And isn't it great when someone you don't know but definitely admire
acknowledges you in a special way on a photograph of themselves
... as TOMMY LEE JONES did...

 

And as did ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER...

 

And then there are everyday special people who simply do a great job for you as part of what they do...

In such a situation, take advantage of mirrors to create truly memorable self-portraits.
Get yourself a tripod, set your camer's timer, and do it with someone special.

 

As Arnie said, "I'll be back."  .... with more images for this gallery.

Again, if you have any questions or comments, please send me an e-mail.

All the best of life and love to you!

Tom Smith
The Scooter Crusader

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