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the Immersion Room

10/23/2021

10 Comments

 
Our youngest son and his partner are working on setting up a new movie studio in Toronto. It's an 'immersion room', which is the newest technique in shooting movies, where the background scenery is provided digitally on giant LED screens surrounding the entire 'set'. It's been an interesting process to watch. We went a few months ago to see the LED panels installed....which were in the process of being attached together to make one seamless surface....
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Sophisticated computer technology put the desired images up on the panels....
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Yesterday we went again to see their newest development - 3 dimensional images. I'm a total techno-boob, but as I understand it, the cinematographer's camera somehow works with the image on the panels, so that when he moves, the scenery behind the actor(s) does as well, so that the background is no longer a flat image like a giant poster, but the background actually changes, so what's behind a tree or pillar comes into view, just like in real life.

Yesterday when we visited, there was a cinematographer, a director, several actors, as well as the technical crew, and they were in the process of filming promotional material to show a versatile range of their capability.  First an everyday apartment interior....
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It was very interesting to see how professionals deal with the same issues I have taking doll photos at home.  Like the big white paper screen that filters one of the lights. 

Then they tackled a 'jungle scene'. The trees swayed, leaves floated down, and the computer controlled where the sun shone through the foliage - and to what intensity....
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They strategically placed some fake plants in the foreground, and they were ready to go....
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Someone supported a huge styrofoam 'white card' as the cinematographer filmed....
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Checking the footage. It was amazing how believable it all looked on their monitors... 
​(my camera doesn't show the true real colour)
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Then they wanted to work on light bouncing off a reflective surface...like an astronaut's visor...
​So they went to Mars...
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It was absolutely fascinating to watch, and I couldn't help thinking how I deal with many of the same issues as the movie professionals, especially when it comes to the lighting and depth of field issues.  But they have a whole team, and tons of expensive equipment,  and I have just me, my camera, and my dining room table.

I can see that this kind of technology would be a fantastic tool for doll photography as well, and one day it would be nice to take a group of my dolls there. I can picture a short video of an aerial view of my Medieval Fantasy crew on a mountain top like in Lord of the Rings, with the camera recording the scene from all round them.  That would be so cool! Who needs to pack all my dolls into the RV, drive for a week to the Rockies, and set them all up in who knows what kind of weather and lighting condition, when it can all be 'faked' a half hour from home??

 Immersion Room website
10 Comments

Northland Creek

10/23/2021

4 Comments

 
While exploring the Searchmont area, Baron and Naomi came across a waterfall....
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....cascading down the mountainside...
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...and stopped to take a better look....
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And posed for some pictures...
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Then on our way back to Sault Ste Marie for the night, we made a short stop at Havallind Shore...
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..but it started to rain, so Baron and Naomi stayed in the RV....
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4 Comments

Searchmont

10/22/2021

6 Comments

 
It had rained all night, with more in the forecast, but first priority the next morning was to go to Canadian Tire...
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...to buy some new light bulbs to replace the burned out brake and signal lights we discovered last night.  Safety first!
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Then with all the RV lights working again, we headed north to Searchmont. It was dull and drizzly....
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....along the Goulais River....
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...but it stayed 'dry' long enough for Baron and Naomi to go for a horseback ride....
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They rode through a birch forest where the ground was overgrown with lichens....
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Naomi spotted some ruins in the trees....and got off her horse to investigate...
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It was an old abandoned church....
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...from a time long ago, when the town had seen better days.
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So they rode on...
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6 Comments

Rest Stop

10/21/2021

2 Comments

 
Heading towards Sault Ste Marie, we stopped for a break at the picnic area along the St. Joseph Island causeway on the north shore of Lake Huron....

​"Would you like a snack?"
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There were still a few coloured leaves on the trees....
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..and there were clusters of huge mushrooms everywhere....
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It was just nice to be able to stop and get out for a little....
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After arriving in the Soo, we continued on to land's end at Gros Cap where the Great Lakes open up into Lake Superior...
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It had stopped raining, and there was actually a bit of blue sky peaking through
​- over the American side....
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Hopefully tomorrow would be better weather....
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2 Comments

Heading North

10/20/2021

4 Comments

 
The first day started out with periods of heavy rain as we headed down the Trans Canada Highway west towards Sault Ste Marie. We took a little break at Serpent River during a 'dry spell' to stretch our legs...
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It was nice to just get out for a bit....
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Most of the trees were almost bare, and there were mushrooms popping up everywhere through the fallen leaves....
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4 Comments

We're Back!

10/19/2021

8 Comments

 
We arrived back home yesterday evening after a week up north. It was nice to get away, even if the weather didn't exactly cooperate.  But then, cloudy skies are better for doll photography anyways - so I took a LOT - between rain storms.

I only took along Baron and Naomi with lots of warm clothes, and a box of props for whatever opportunity would present itself. But with it being so wet and rainy, there wasn't much opportunity for anything other than photographing them posed on top of a picnic table, or hand held by Jan.  Plus my spinal issues were really acting up, so even when it was somewhat 'dry' I didn't get down very often, although I did manage a couple of times. The challenge was always to make use of 'forced perspective' to make the dolls fit into the landscape.

So I took 'travel photos' of Baron and Naomi, as if they were on an RV trip regardless of the weather. I plan to post the photos day by day, or from certain places they visited, but will give you a sneak peak first.....

​Stopping for a break between rain storms.....
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Overlooking the Trans Canada Highway at the Agawa Bay overlook.....
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Trying to stay warm in the strong winds off Lake Superior....
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Hiking in the woods...
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Trying to stay dry....
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Enjoying the view....
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Trying to stay warm in the frigid wind off the lake, while watching the sunset....
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8 Comments

Happy Thanksgiving!

10/11/2021

3 Comments

 
Today is Thanksgiving here in Canada,
​so I'd like to wish all my Canadian friends a very Happy Thanksgiving!
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3 Comments

Fall Trip

10/11/2021

8 Comments

 
Baron and Naomi are ready to leave on a short fall trip into the wilderness....
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They'll  be back when they're back....
8 Comments

Lord of the Manor

10/10/2021

4 Comments

 
I had been dreaming all summer of taking photos of Jude and his family at 'their' estate while the flowers were still blooming, and we finally went last week.

Parkwood Estate in Oshawa is a National Historic Site, often used as a set for movies and television shows, and the surrounding grounds are open to the public. Even though the mansion is just over a century old, I thought it would make a great stand-in for an eighteenth century 'home' for Jude and his family.  At least the exterior. 
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4 Comments

A Gift

10/9/2021

8 Comments

 
Naomi held out a big manilla envelope...
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"This for the two of you.
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"I had my lawyer transfer ownership of this shop...."
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"...to the two of you..."
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They were shocked, and didn't know what to say....
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"..But....why?"
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"We thought you had dreamed about having a shop like this your whole life..."
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"I did.    And I still do...."
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"But...another one of my lifelong dreams has also come true..."
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"I found my true love....my 'knight in shining armour'...."
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"...and I can't have both.  At least not here. So I'm going away with Baron,
​and I hope one day to start another shop in his town."
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"Well..... we are really going to miss you."
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"I'm really going to miss the both of you as well..."
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Baron felt sad for Naomi, as it was very clear just how much she was giving up to be with him.
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Naomi said one last 'Good bye'....
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...and she managed to hold it together as they left...
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...ready to start a whole new life with Baron.
8 Comments
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    Author

    Martha Boers is an award-winning Canadian doll maker and costumer specializing in fantasy and historical-style costumes.
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