Perspectives of a Traveled Canuck

Well it has been a year now and how things have changed. The Traveling Canuck isn’t doing much traveling these days. Where do I start?

A year ago, I was on what was to be my last trip with the “dreaded company”. Not that I didn’t like what I was doing. It’s just the company itself was lacking, …in respect for its photographers, …in honesty, …in, well, pretty much all the things that would make it a great place to work. Also, as much fun as I had traveling, I came to realize that it wasn’t much fun doing it alone or doing it in places that many would consider “the middle of nowhere”. And who had time to truly experience these places (other than the insides of the hotels I was shooting)? Enough was enough and it was time to make a change.

So the last trip had me shooting casinos (again) in the midwestern United States. I was fortunate enough to be able to end my trip in San Francisco though. Didn’t spend a ton of time there (maybe a week?) but I love that city and it was a good way to conclude my full-time employment with “the dreaded company”. I continued on a part-time basis for about 5 months but in the end, it just wasn’t worth it.

So, what have I been doing since? Well, I started my own architectural and interior photography company: ARC – Architectural Photography. The name of course, speaks for itself and mostly targets high-end hotel brands, construction and real estate.

So far, I’ve gotten a few very interesting clients and interesting potential clients. For now, it’s a matter of getting the word out there. I’m very confident that I’m finally doing what I should have been doing all along.

I’ve also finally completely repainted my condo. As some of you know, when I bought my place, it had been a rental unit for about 9 years. It was also a “leaky condo” and about to be repaired (most of which took place while I was on the road). Soon after I stopped traveling full-time, the project to rebuild the entire building envelop was completed and it was time to start work on the interior.

Over the 9 years my condo was being rented out, some of the renters had casually and poorly slapped on paint on the walls and by the time I got the place, it was just a mess. Drips marks, hand prints, patch jobs that were not sanded down before they were painted on, and semi-gloss paint. It was just an ugly mess. I had been procrastinating over repainting because I knew the prep work would be a complete nightmare. It literally took me weeks to sand everything down, patch, resand, prime and repaint. There was a day I spent probably 10-12 hours straight, just sanding. To make things worse, it turns out that the paint store sold me the wrong primer and on parts of the wall, the new coat of paint was not adhering properly. When I put on the second or third coat, the underlying coat would start to blister, which meant I had to peel it off (it came off in sheets!) and start again! The paint store was kind enough to send in a regional rep to evaluate the situation. He then resupplied me with paint for free and even gave me extra paint for my bedroom, which I hadn’t started working on yet. I have to say, Cloverdale paint provided me with exceptional customer service and I would go back to them the next time I have a project.

Finally, my last big update. I’m a dad, sort of. A month ago, I purchased a purebred Australian Shepherd puppy. Not to be confused with an Australian Cattle Dog (Blue Heeler), the Australian Shepherd is actually an American breed and is considered among the smartest dog breeds out there. They are herding dogs so really need something to do or learn. Very athletic and very loyal, I’m looking forward to playing frisbee or flyball with her.

Here’s the introduction. This is Tobi. She’s about 10 weeks old in the pic and in the last two weeks, have gone from 13.6 lbs to 17.6 lbs! My little girl is growing up!

As for this blog, I’m not quite sure what to do with it. Not being on the road all the time has changed the need to update it regularly. I actually get to spend time with my family and friends now and quite honestly, my adventures at home are nowhere near as interesting as my adventures on the road (at least to me). As I said, it’s been a year and I really wanted to at least write this update. I’m just not sure what I should do from this point on. If you have any ideas, suggestions or comment, feel free to share. I’d like to hear your input.