calgary stampede – heath ofee dot com

Two Bits

Heath OFee — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:10:39 +0000

I’ve got a busy week ahead of me, so I’ll probably be a man of few words here on the blog.

Back to the Calgary Stampede for a simple shot of a 25 cent game at the midway.

Swing Life Away

Heath OFee — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:10:47 +0000

Today, another shot from the midway at the Calgary Stampede. I’ve always loved these swing rides at amusement parks…there’s something about being swung around at the end of a long lead that is quite peaceful. I figured the best way to capture this sense of peace was to keep the frame simple, so I left the swings and riders as a silhouette against the large bank of cloud and sky behind them. Looking for simple frames such as this amid the hustle and bustle of a fairground was a good exercise.

Pinwheel

Heath OFee — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:10:41 +0000

It’s that time of year here in Calgary. The self-proclaimed ‘Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’, The Calgary Stampede, is tearing up the city this week. For some, it’s a week of actual stampeding…bull riding, chuckwagon racing, steer wrestling, etc. But for most of the city it’s an excuse to dress like a cowboy for 10 days and drink your face off as often as possible. I try to stay away from either extreme, and if I could, I’d be away on vacation every year during this time. I’ve been in this city for over 25 years and I enjoyed the Stampede for a good number of them…but now I’m just sick of it all. So, since I’m still in the city for it this year, I figured I’d do Stampede my way: with a camera and a tripod

I made my way down to the grounds two nights ago, did a bit of candid shooting before the sun went down and then pulled out the tripod for a few long exposures of the midway. I was battling rain after sunset, so I didn’t get as many shots as I’d have liked, but I’m satisfied with the few I did get.