I wrote a short introduction post back in January, but after almost two months of Steeming and a big dose of hindsight I realize that my previous introduction was wholly insufficient and said nothing at all about me or what I do.
This is attempt number two and I hope you won't consider it abuse of #introduceyourself, because I never really did introduce myself. This is a long post, and I don't expect you to read it all the way through, but there are a lot of pretty pictures to look at and maybe something I write will jump out at you.
Hello, I'm Derek Kind
Nice to meet you! I'm a landscape photographer from Ontario, Canada: I travel and take pictures of pretty things in nature.
After two months on Steemit I can say with conviction that I'm here for the long haul. My profile has been verified with Instagram.
Before I tell you about myself, here are the kind of photos I like to make:
I'm usually the first to arrive and the last to leave a location, and I'll stay out all night if the sky is dark and the stars are clear. Night photography has always intrigued me, and I love photographing the stars and light painting while everyone else is in bed.
Dead Horse Point, Utah
Stars aren't the only thing to see at night - sometimes the timing is right and you can witness a wonderful display of the Northern Lights!
Lake O'Hara, Yoho National Park, British Columbia
I drive a lot. I love being on the road, especially when there's no destination and I can get lost in a lonely place with moody music playing on the radio. What could be better?
Southern Iceland
My favourite subjects are mountains, but best of all are snowy mountains on a crisp winter morning, lit by a beautiful pink sunrise in the heart of the Canadian Rockies.
Two Jack Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta
My heart is in the mountains, but the sea is beckoning... I can't resist a good long exposure at a rocky coast with a lighthouse in the background.
Portland Head Light, Maine
I have visited many National Parks, both in Canada and the United States. Some of our continent's most beautiful landscapes are preserved in these National Parks systems.
Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
I don't get excited about visiting cities, but there are a few that are fun to photograph. Even so, I prefer when nature steals the show.
Vancouver, British Columbia
I love long exposure photography. Some of my best images were made with longer shutter speeds, like this photo of swirling autumn leaves that reveals a vortex current.
Bears Den Falls, Massachusetts
I like to take portraits of animals when I can, and I'm especially fond of the friendly, cute and curious Icelandic Horses. It's hard to pass them by without stopping and saying hi!
Horses near Keldur, Iceland
Sometimes I include a person in the landscape for scale - when I'm alone the person needs to be me. This night landscape was vast and required a lot of running back and forth with flashlights.
Arches National Park, Utah
I am an artistic landscape photographer.
I make photos that communicate the feeling of a place.
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Where I'm coming from and where I'm going: the story of my photography
People often ask "how long have you been doing photography?" It's a difficult question to answer accurately because memory is hazy, and I've always liked taking photos, with disposable film cameras and later compact digitals. It wasn't until 2010 when my sister and I drove across Canada to volunteer at the Winter Olympic Games in Whistler, British Columbia, that I really started to get the bug for taking good pictures. There's a big difference between photos that tell a story or document a moment and photos that make you feel. Seeing so much of Canada, especially the grandeur of the Rockies, made me want to step up from the snapshot and capture some of that feeling.
Volunteering at the Cross Country/Biathlon/Ski Jump facility in Whistler brought me up close to legendary Olympic athletes like Ole Einar Bjørndalen and Marit Bjørgen. We were able to watch the events from inside the fences - an unforgettable experience - and I photographed the action with my little compact Fuji. It was here that I first took notice of pros with their DSLRs and fancy lenses. The photography germ was planted.
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That year, 2010, was a big one: a few months after the Olympics my sister and I planned a month-long trip to Iceland. My parents' gift, a Pentax K-x DSLR to use on the trip, marked the beginning of my ongoing journey to becoming a "pro" photographer.
Iceland was (and still is) incredible. On that first trip we explored so much of the island, hiking, hitchhiking and driving around and really getting a feel for the country and the people. My photos were terrible. I didn't know how aperture, shutter speed and ISO related. I didn't understand the importance of exposing for the highlights. I didn't really know what HDR was, or maybe I would have come back with some keepers. I drowned my Pentax during a rain storm on the island of Heimaey while out searching for the last stragglers of a puffin colony that was migrating out to sea for the winter, and we replaced it with a new K-x purchased at the one Pentax retailer in Reykjavik (the first camera recovered with the help of a dehumidifier, but not until we were back in Canada). Despite that hiccup we had a great, intensely unforgettable trip and I thoroughly enjoyed taking photos, because I didn't know how bad they were.
This was one of the better ones.
Over the next couple of years I researched photography, hard. As a homeschooler, I've developed the ability to teach myself about anything that interests me; the internet is the best resource in human history, and the information is there for anyone willing to take the time to find it. I read countless articles, watched hundreds of videos, and pored over photographs that stood out to me, analyzing them to see how they were made. When all else failed, I asked questions. I returned to Iceland in 2012 with a new camera and a different attitude. It was my first trip where photography was the main purpose, and this time I knew what aperture and shutter speed meant:
Gaining Confidence
Eventually I came to the realization that there wasn't anything magical about photography. No secret formula, no special "something" that a few photographers have and others don't, except patience, desire and money (to fund gear and travel). Anything that the very best photographers in the world could do, I could do too (in theory) if I worked hard enough at it and got myself in front of amazing locations. I set for myself the highest goal I could think of: to become one of the best landscape photographers in the world. Not because I want to be known as the best or to win awards, but because the higher one aims, the more successful they will be when they fail. Why not emulate the very best and strive for perfection, knowing that I'll never reach it but that I might hit close if I try (aim small, miss small).
Now, patience and desire are not trivial things - they are of paramount importance, but they are within my control. I love photography and have a strong desire to constantly improve in my art, so it's been easy to keep on keeping on, even when the prospects have been bleak (and they usually are). Money is more difficult, but I'm thankful to be in a position where I can allocate a lot of my earnings towards travel instead of student debt, rent, expensive cable and phone plans and other things that are considered a necessary part of growing up. I am grateful that I never went to university or was forced into a premature career path because I couldn't have explored so far down this artistic path if there had been an easy out towards a stable future. It may not be a long-term solution, but I have been willing to sally forth and try for a career in photography.
A Life-Changing Social Network
One of my biggest influences when I was first learning photography was Trey Ratcliff, a pioneer in HDR photography, and I learned so much through his tutorials. Trey had a regular video conference "show", where he would talk to other photographers, and I followed him over to Google Plus to watch these Hangouts. That network would provide the turning point in my life as a photographer, and though Google Plus is often made fun of as a network that failed, it did not fail me: I owe my success to it and the people on it.
It was through Google Plus that I met all of my best photographer friends, directly or indirectly (including Steemian @jarvie!), and it was Chrysta Rae's Scavenger Hunt that pushed my creativity far, far beyond anything I thought was possible. The Scavenger Hunt is a competition where everyone is given 10 words, and you have to make a photo for each word. You can interpret the word any way you like (Photoshop is allowed), but all the pictures are judged and then put into an album for everyone to see and comment on before the winners are announced. It sounds simple, and it is, but nothing has spurred me on to be creative like the Hunt has, and the Scavenger community turned into one of the tightest-knit groups on Google Plus (we had a hundred people meet up in Vegas and it was like a family gathering).
In a previous post I shared the story of how the Hunt changed my life.
Many of my pictures were selfies; often the lighting and sets were MacGyvered from random objects arranged precariously in a small room, and there was usually an element of Photoshopping involved (though not with the "Reflection" photo below - that was an in-camera effect). To give you an idea, here are a few images I made for the Hunt, with the themes written beneath.
A lot happened since joining Google Plus
I won the Scavenger Hunt twice, was added to the G+ suggested user list, had my photos featured on Chromecast (where they apparently appeared several billion times), toured the Googleplex and went to Vegas for the Hunt meetup. I became an Artisan in The Photo Frontier and traveled to Colorado to meet up with them (I hope to do a post about The Photo Frontier soon!). I took up real estate photography with the help of other Scavenger Hunt friends and have been getting into it more regularly, because new adventures don't fund themselves.
I can hardly believe my life the last few years: one or two long trips a year, to places like New England and the Southwest USA (especially Utah). Last fall I photographed the Great American Solar Eclipse from Wyoming and then took three months to drive across Canada (more on that later). These trips have focused my attention more seriously towards landscape photography and away from the kind of digital art I was making for the Scavenger Hunt. Sadly, between work and travel I've had trouble keeping up with the Hunt.
I've been fortunate to meet photographers who have inspired and helped me along the path to becoming a serious photographer. Many of those people have become my good friends, including Scott @Jarvie: it was he who called me up in January to tell me about a new thing called Steemit. Following Scott's advice, I signed up and haven't looked back. My prior positive experiences with Google Plus fuel my enthusiasm for Steemit: I see great potential here for the growing photographic community.
RECENT PHOTOGRAPHY ADVENTURES
The Great American Solar Eclipse
I wrote a big long post story about this which I encourage you to visit (lots of pretty eclipse photos), but here's the super short summary:
On August 21st, 2017, a rare total solar eclipse was visible within a narrow band across the United States. I traveled to a rural part of Wyoming, armed with a telescope and a whole assortment of cameras and gear to photograph not only totality, but something a little more special: a transit of the International Space Station during the eclipse. My mission was successful and you can see the results below. I found out afterwards that I wasn't the only one to capture the ISS: popular Youtube channel Smarter Every Day were just a couple of miles from me in this remote corner of Wyoming doing the exact same thing...which is awesome.
But seriously, please read the full story to see more photos!
Looped video of the International Space Station
Composite showing the different stages of the eclipse.
Capturing Canada - a cross-Canada road trip
I wrote a blog post about this as well, and will be sharing much more in the year to come.
For three months in the fall of 2017 I drove across Canada, visiting and photographing National Parks in all of the provinces and two of the territories. It was my most ambitious photographic road trip to date. Thirty-five thousand kilometers in 101 days.
I'm still in the early stages of sorting and editing photos. Having joined Steemit right after I returned from this adventure, the time that I was planning to dedicate to post-trip organization has been severely and unexpectedly et into. It's all for the best; Steemit quickly proved to be more beneficial than I first dreamed and I've been happy to reprioritize my time to make the most of this opportunity. Ironically, the original plan was to use this network as a platform for sharing photos from the trip, but I've been too involved in other projects on Steemit to take the time to edit photos!
More will be coming soon, I promise you.
The end of the trip - Cape Spear, Newfoundland.
Places I've Visited With a Camera
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NATIONAL PARKS
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United States |
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Banff |
Arches
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Current Camera Gear (as of March 2018)
- NIKON D850
- Nikon 24-120mm
- Nikon 70-300mm
- Tokina 17-35mm
- Rokinon 14mm f/2.8
- Nikon 85mm f/1.8
- Sirui Tripod
Artistic Influences
Influental Photographers |
Quote from Tolkien |
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Favourite Roadtrip Music |
Favourite Editing Music |
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Cool Achievements in Photography
- Won the Photo Decathlon twice as part of The Eh Team
- Photo cover for Digital Photographer, Issue 184
- Photos featured in Digital SLR Photography Magazine (January 2015)
- Many photos featured on Google Chromecast and was on the G+ suggested user list
- My eclipse story was featured by CBC Ottawa and I did a radio interview on Ottawa Today
Fun Facts
I like to make graphite art
Sadly I haven't been able to pursue this hobby since becoming serious about photography, but for a while I dived deep into graphite art. Mostly I'm only good at copying things instead of drawing by eye, but I enjoyed the deep concentration required to meticulously render an image this way using pencil. Maybe some day, in another life, I can take this up again and use it more creatively, drawing from the artistic principles I've learned through photography.
I'm rather a big Tolkien fan
It's no secret that I appreciate the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien. The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and other books from this master of British literature were large influences in my formative years and I spent most of my early internet days hanging out on Tolkien forums. I feel like I belong in his world, and I appreciate the books anew every time I read them and see how the themes relate to our own world.
There's a fabric of truth woven into his stories and histories that makes sense to me on a deep level. His characters are asked to look into the very depths of darkness, to accept that there is darkness and to not shy away but rather travel directly through the dark to reach the light. There is nothing more compelling, frightening or inspiring.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
I have made a couple of fun Tolkien-related Photoshopped images, but hope in future projects to blend photography with the world of Middle-Earth in a more serious way. I'm still trying to figure this one out.
WHAT'S COMING NEXT
Photos of Canada
My original thought when I joined Steemit was "I just got back from a trip across Canada and this is the perfect place to share my photos!" but as I talked about earlier, it wasn't long before Steemit and the Photo Games demanded so much of my time that production and sharing of the Canada photos slowed. This will change once I get my head above the water and can start processing photos and writing about the many locations I visited in this beautiful country of mine (like this waterfall in Vancouver Island)!
I ask for your patience... but meanwhile I'm sharing photos from past travels, and I've enjoyed being able to pull out some old favourites for a new audience.
The Photo Games
I am very excited about this project that @jarvie, @caseygrimley and I have been working on. The @photogames are a series of mini-contests that we host every day or two. The goal is to involve the whole community, photographers and non-photographers alike, through fun challenges involving photography. Every week we invite Guest Photo Stars to play and help us host the games, and we offer public prizes on each Photo Star's blog.
Six weeks after our first Photo Game, we're thrilled with the response and amount of interaction that the games have produced and are hopeful of building strong ties within the Steemit photography community. We have long term goals and are working to improve our system every week with the hopes of offering more serious prizes in the future.
Come and play! Visit @photogames for the details, and keep an eye on my blog for the contest posts.
ONWARDS TO THE FUTURE
Since I'm writing this "Introduction Post" a couple of months after joining, I'm able to speak with some perspective about what Steemit means to me and what you can expect to see on my blog in the future.
This short time on Steemit has changed my life. To paraphrase @yumyumseth, I came for the money, stayed for the people! I am constantly reminded of the golden age of internet forums, because I haven't felt so inspired to write and comment since ezBoard and vBulletin were all the rage. Facebook and Instagram don't inspire this kind of interaction, but the people I've met here on Steemit are interesting and engaging - has the pursuit of SBD brought out the best in us? Whatever the reason, I look forward to checking my replies every morning.
I'm a believer in the idea of a decentralized blockchain social network... I think we all are, whether or not we think Steemit will be The One, but photography is my life and I think the future is bright for photographers on Steemit... I envision many of the same things happening here as happened on Google Plus. I'm looking forward to helping build the photography community, seeing the development of groups and participating in the inevitable meetups, photowalks and conferences.
What can you expect to see on my blog? Well, a lot of pictures for a start: photos are what I do, but along with the photos I will continue sharing stories and talking about different things that are on my mind, photo-related and otherwise. I plan to begin making tutorials and dive into some of the deeper questions about art and photography - we'll see how it goes!
Thank Yous
I know it's unconventional to thank people on an intro post, and dangerous to do it individually, because I will forget people, but I will take that risk, asking the forgotten to forgive.
First of all, I owe a huge thank you to the founders of @photofeed: @aweber, @yumyumseth, @jrue and @cryptoctopus. Their support of my photography and the contributions from @cryptoctopus are a major reason I've been able to dedicate so much time to Steeming every day. More than that, I think their curation of #photofeed is the best thing that's happened for photographers on this network, and I'm sure it will inspire many similar initiatives.
I owe a similar thanks to the @curie team and to voters like @pharesim, @liberosist and @hendrikdegrote, whose significant upvote early on was a practical validation of the power of Steemit, made me dance for joy and has helped spur me on to more and better content. I know they've done the same for others, and I appreciate their efforts!
To the contest and challenge creators, like @czechglobalhosts, @daveks, @jamtaylor, @killerwhale, @juliank, @jasonrussell and @shadalene, to name only a few, thank you for your time and efforts! I love that you've given new Steemians a way to make a bit of money with their photos and know how much work is involved in running these!
Thank you so much to everyone who has followed, resteemed, upvoted and commented on my photos! You guys are awesome. I try to respond to all comments, but a few slip by - doing my best with the time that I have. I've already made friends here - (you know who you are!), and I'll get to know more of you in the coming weeks and months!
A special thank you to @theaustrianguy for @welcoming me and verifying my identity, and to @intrepidphotos for the awesome tips, helping to unlock the many newbie mysteries - this is not an easy network to understand when you first join.
Finally, thank you to @jarvie for introducing me to Steemit and turning the light bulb on; I would still be in the dark if he hadn't called me a couple of months ago, and I'm thankful for all the help in figuring out the nuts and bolts of how Steemit works. It's been fun, and here's to the future! :D
Introduce yourself
That's my story, now let's hear from you. If we haven't met, please leave a comment and say hi, and I will respond!
(If we're already friends you can pretend you're meeting me for the first time!)
Nothing this long is perfect, but who wants to leave bad English on the blockchain? ;)
Wow!
You are a real professional. Magnificent photos. Stemit needs you!
Well, I'm trying. Thank you so much! :)
Really beautiful .. amazing photos
steemit is now the place of creativity
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for stopping by and commenting! :)
I'm looking forward to seeing more of your posts! Upvoted and followed!!
Awesome, thank you, @skycornish! :)
Welcome to Steemit platform, from all of us in promo-nigeria. Steemit is a beautiful place to be and we are sure you will be happy here. Get to know more by blogging consistently. Never be discouraged, seek for assistant when necessary. Cheers!
Thank you, @promo-nigeria! I am happy so far, and when discouragement comes, I will push through it. :)
Great story and bloody brilliant pictures!!
You can get a free Chrome extension called Grammarly which picks up on any spelling or grammar issues.
I love it and has helped me no end over the years.
Nice to meet you and good luck on your adventures.
Take Care
Thank you for the comment and the tip, I'll check that out. Interested to see what kind of grammar miscues it picks up on. :)
Honestly, I feel like an intro post once you've established yourself on this site is almost better. I feel like I already "knew" you in internet terms, so reading this has helped me get a much better background on you now that I have interacted with you.
Anywho, man.. Awesome stuff! I did actually laugh out loud (lol is what the kids say) at the Dr Pepper photo. Too funny. As @yumyumseth pointed out, he was homeschooled. As was I! Homeschooled for 9 years and then finished in a tiny private school, so basically the same thing ha. I also see you like Relient K. I don't listen to them much anymore, but back in the day that was the cream of the crop!
Loved reading this (all of it), and there was a small error in Capturing Canada in the second paragraph. But no need to financially reward me, just an internet high-five, ha. Looking forward to seeing the shots from your recent trip!
I felt the same, Andrew; I saw a few people making belated intro posts, and it was more effective that way. My own intro post was literally my first post, and so I didn't have a clue about how to make it, haha. Also agree that it's nice to read about people's background once you already have a foreground and they aren't strangers.
Wish I'd been able to finish this before the weekend...
Happy to make you "lol" - can't ask for better with a photo like that, haha.
Another kindred spirit! :D I've never gone to a school, but I finished high school online, if that counts. Took me forever because there were so many other important things to learn - school just got in the way. Speaking of Relient K, were you a College Kid? I think their best album was Five Score and Seven Years ago, but some of their more memorable songs were on previous albums. They don't get old. At least their music doesn't. The band members are probably aging at the standard rate.
* internet high five * I'll check that out. Thanks for the great reply! :)
FS7Y was great, but I think I agree with Seth that my favorite album was TLDMARBTD. But honestly, Savannah which isn't that old, is such a good song. I don't listen to them much anymore, but I really should. They had some smart and quirky stuff.
Also, I didn't know you also do real estate photography. That's actually my main during-the-week gig out here, I work for a guy who schedules me houses. How often do you do it?
I don't know Savannah. I'll go listen. I guess I'm weird because while I still like to listen to Relient K, I'm In Love with the Mid-2000s and haven't listened to their recent stuff.
I don't shoot real estate often, but I edit real estate photos regularly as a part-time job.
Savanna is probably right before 2010, so it's late/mid 2000s...close enough right? Ha.
It's on the cusp. ;)
Welcome to Steemit, Derek!
Thank you, @saisei!
I love that photo of me and @jarvie. Man that mustache was sick.
I too am grateful for the G+ days, I learned so much from so many photographers, especially from you and Jarvie.
I wonder where this network will take us and who we will meet from it.
I feel like you had that mustache for a long time right? haha
I saw that and did a double take. You best regrow that nose neighbor!
@aweber I pretty much always have nose neighbor, but is usually accompanied by a chin blanket.
I'd grow a beard if I could but I haven't quite hit puberty yet so my sideburns are lacking.
Nose neighbour? Chin blanket? Where have these phrases been all my life?
Hiding underneath hair.
Is there such a thing as a cheek mullet? There should be.
Yeah, you rocked that mustache!
I always forget the timeline, Casey - you joined the Scavenger Hunt before I met you, right? Or am I just thinking that because you were on G+ long before I met you? :)
I wonder too. Time will tell. Steemit could attract some interesting people before it goes mainstream.
I knew about the Scavenger Hunt before we met (3 years ago btw) but I never did participate until later that same year. 'Sweet 16' was the first one I did.
Okay, that makes sense. You were definitely around on G+ for a while though!
Man, how much has happened since we met in the Arches parking lot (not the Golden Arches) that day.
NOW THAT'S AN INTRODUCTION!!
Also even after 5 years I still learned a decent amount and saw new pictures I've never seen before.
Also look at those formatting skills!! HOT STUFF!
Also I knew you would kill it here, never had a doubt!
#ProudSteemFather
Yeah for real. Some real nice formatting. Doing things I didn't even know you could do!
Necessity is the mother of...discovery? I learned that tables are a versatile formatting tool!
Aw, thanks, #SteemDad! ;)
I learned a few formatting tricks for this post. You like those < tables >? :D
I do send me the code
Also... I prefer #steemfather
Oh, yeah sure, I thought you were using tables already.
If I get a vote in this topic unrelated to me, I choose #steempapa
#steemfather sounds more like GodFather... so i think it'll be catchier.
Soooooo... i'm right.
I know it sounds classier, but.. Why would you choose classy over quirky?
You'd better stop now before you find a unicorn head in your bed, Mr. Weber.
Your work is gorgeous.
I am happy we met playing Photo decathlon and I saw your work then. I have been a fan ever since! I also enjoy your sense of humor.
Thank you so much, Sara! I'm glad we were able to meet at the Decathlon. And also glad you like my sense of humour, even if it is a little weird sometimes. ;)
@derekkind you got me at "hello". It's always good to put a face to person behind the camera. People tend to remember the photo but not the photographer. It most definitely won't be your case. To much of a human being to be forgotten. Thanks for sharing your heart out in this extended journey through your life as a photographer. I would watch the Derek Kind series on Netflix just so you know!
And now, a Lord of the Rings quote. . .
Your journey just begins @DerekKind son of @jarvie. . .
Aww, thanks @gabyoraa, you're too nice! I agree about faces, I don't usually share a lot of photos of myself (well, not normal ones), but I like when other people do - I like to know who's behind the camera and the words. So it would be a kind of hypocrisy to not do it myself, haha. Not sure about Netflix though...
That's a great quote, I love that one and don't come across it often. Way to "steal" my thing and return it to me in a nice way. ;) But seriously, thanks.
What a great introduction. I am looking forward to your Prince Edward Island photos. Are you a secret Anne of Green Gables fan? I noticed you use the words Kindred Spirits a lot! The Iceland photos have convinced me I need to accept my friend's invitation to go for a trip. Look forward to many more of your amazing photos.
Yes, I am! I don't know if it's so much a secret as it is a recent development. Obviously you are too!
As it happens, before my Canada trip I had only read the first Anne book, once, even though my mom and sister are big fans (maybe I thought it was too girly, but I see now that Anne can be appreciated by anyone).
On the way out east I started listening to the whole series on audiobook, and I listened to two full books while I was on the island. It was awesome and oddly surreal to read those while being on location... and I loved Prince Edward Island. Have you been there?
If you have an invitation from a friend to go to Iceland, that would be awfully hard to refuse!
I am a huge Anne fan. I finally made it to PEI last year! It was a dream come true. Loved the beauty of the Island. The red sand and the lighthouses are just like I imagined. I saw the Anne musical and also watched the new Anne series on Netflix but didn't think it was as good as the 80s series by Kevin Sullivan. Glad to find a fellow fan :)
Hold on...when last year? Not December, right?
I can't comment on the TV series (though I wonder if the new one was good). I am interested in what you thought of the commercialization of the area around Green Gables - everything was closed when I was there so I didn't get to visit the attractions, I spent most of my time in parts of the National Parks.
I went in July. Peak season for tourists but I was surprised that it was not as crowded as I expected it to be. I went to Green Gables (free admission for Canada's 150th) but enjoyed the walk behind the house on Lover's Lane more than the house itself. I was also expecting the gift shop to be more full of branded products than what was actually there. I did not have time to go into to the other places but took photos in front to Montgomery's birthplace and Silverbush. I know PEI is supposed to be popular with Japanese tourists but I didn't see many.
How long were you there?
That's surprising, I would have thought last year of all years would be the busiest. Maybe what is considered busy for PEI is not busy compared to what you've seen elsewhere.
I heard that the walk down Lovers Lane was nice! I wish I'd done that - it looked closed but I heard after that I could have walked there. Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I was there a few days...four days maybe?
Hello Derek - thank you for this beautiful pictures and your fascinating story. It clearly shows that if you want something and work on it with passion ..you'll get there. Your pictures are just great.
Good thing that you did not go to university and do some job to survive. We might had missed those gorgeous pictures.
I will follow you and i'm looking forward to more photos, especially from Canada, I love this country.
Thanks @pundito for resteeming this post so i had the chance to find it :)
Hello @psionic-tremors, and thank you! Nothing in life is a guarantee, but I suppose two things are true: if you don't work at something, you definitely won't achieve it, and if you do work at something, you have a reasonable chance at achieving something, though it may not be the something you thought it would be when you started!
Thanks for the follow and thanks to @pundito for bringing you here. :)
Hi Derek,
Welcome to steemit! How do you find steemit so far? I can see you have a very good start. Good luck man.
Hey Joseph, and thanks for the welcome! I'm a big fan of Steemit so far. I hope it takes off in the next year or two! :)
One of the best introductions I have ever seen. Beautiful photography! Can't wait to see more.
Hey, thanks for the great comment! I'll try not to keep you waiting! :)
Hello hello!!...i´m new here, just doing a zapping of the site and i found your beautiful photos!!.... really i love it!! specially "Les Paysages Naturels"........you`re my first comment!!
Wow you really were his first comment @derekkind
Not a bad way to start!
yessss!!! ;););) learning and enjoying!!
Excellent! I hope you stick with it and have fun! :)
Woohoo! The first of thousands, I hope! Welcome to Steemit, and thanks for stopping by! :D
Your pictures are... IMPRESSIVE!!
I was sitting infront of my laptop for more then 10 minutes on this post. I can´t believe that pictures like that can even take. I´ll start photographing as well but I´m faaar away from this perfection!
Your are Amazing @derekkind
I will never catch the beauty of the world and the sky in a picture like you do.
Right now I´m travelling arround in Mexico. Maybe you can have a look at my pictures and give me some tips?
You definitly got a new follower.
Thanks for Introducing again and telling your story.
I might haven´t find you. I´ll already stalked your steemit account XD
Brilliant!
I really love you Canadian landscape photographer ,,,Excellent natural photography ,,,,,,,,Your classic decoration impressed me,,,,Thank you for sharing with us ....
Well, thank you! That's nice of you to say. :)
Welcome @derekkind
Wow! That is an amazing post! Always like to check your stuff and can't wait for your new amazing photos...
Thank you, @crazy-andy, happy to have you as a follower!! :D
My mind is blown! That is quite a story and assemblage of images!
Hehe, thank you! Took me a while to write that. Maybe now that I'm done I'll have more time for Steemit. ;)
P.S. Saw you comment about the comet - that's so cool! Hope to reply to that later.
Your not wrong, that must have taken a huge amount of effort to write. Anyway, I resteemed so hopefully you get some return on your effort!
Thank you for resteeming!! :)
hey, Derek
I was so pleased and pleased to meet you. It's beautiful, comprehensive and great introduction. :)
Hey @artizm! I was pleased to meet you as well! Thanks for saying hi again! :)
hey derek!
i absolutely love your photos! especially the ones with the northern lights - hope i will see them someday.
it's great that you introduced yourself again, if you think that your first post just wasn't enough. really looking forward to hear more from you and now definetly browsing around your previous posts!
kind regards, vari
Hey Vari! Thank you so much! :)
The Northern Lights are worth going to a little trouble to see, in my opinion, especially if you can see a really good display. They may not be as colourful as you see in photos, but because of the movement they are way more impactful!
Thank you for following! I'll try not to disappoint. :)
Welcome to steemit from @lopezdacruz. All the best in your steemit journey.
Thank you @lopezdacruz! :)
I'm impressed @derekkind!
You are not just a photographer but an artist. You don't just take photos but create art.
What a live ... seen so many places on earth and caught them with the camera.
Even though your introduce post is long I still have the idea you could write a book over your life, experiences and photos.
Keep on steeming!
Thank you for the great comment, @pundito!!! :)
I don't know about a book - maybe a photo book - but who knows what the future brings?
You're welcome @derekkind!
I also checked your solar eclipse post - unbelievable!
Keep on that great work!
Thank you so much for checking that one out as well! The two longest posts I've ever written, haha - I hope that doesn't give you false expectations for my future writing. ;)
Hi Derek! Welcome to steemit. Your photography is absolutely amazing! Wishing you so much luck here :-)
Hi there @yasminep, and thank you for the welcome and the kind words!! :)
This has to be one of the most detailed introductory posts on Steemit :) It was interesting reading your story and learning more about you, Derek.
That's Derek... always going above and beyond!
Yes, to a fault probably, haha.
I don't want to say how long it took me to put this together, haha - but now that it's done maybe I'll be able to post a little more. ;)
Really glad you liked it - and thanks for reading it, Dan! :)
Haha, something similar would have taken me several days to complete :)) By the way, it's awesome to see so many meaningful comments!
I was working on it for about a week. ;)
Yes, it's awesome, right? That's what I love about Steemit! I think it starts with people wanting to make money by writing good comments and getting upvoted, but then it turns into a habit...
Absolutely :) What I am most happy about is the connections that I have made so far.
Me as well.
Impressive introduction! As well the photography! We see so much photography that even great photos might seem only decent, but looking at your shots I can definitely tell you know what you're doing. Man... I really want to visit Iceland now, haha!
I'd pump your intro right into to top of trending if it was for me but unfortunately it's being invaded posts pumped artificially by voting bots. Hopefully a whale or two notices this; you would certainly deserve it for the effort and care you've put into this.
Anyway, welcome to Steemit Derek!
Hey, thank you for commenting and for the welcome, @celestal! Iceland is definitely worth the visit. :D
I might vote this up later (for what it's worth, I know it's getting crowded in trending). I'd love to give whales a chance first though. You never know. :)
Awesome post, the best introduceyourself I have seen here! I am glad to know you better Derek!
Well I'm glad you think so! Thanks for reading and commenting on it, Dmytro!!! :D
HI.Your photo is absolutely amazing.
Thank you very much! :)
Great Post Derek! This introduceyourself post should be example to all new-comers how to create posts - not only this one but all - how to create good content which You like to see through, which is interesting, full of informations, great stuff and the author's work. I see we joined steemit almost in the same time and I see how great progress Your blog has. I dont even compare to my site, as I really dont have time lately to work as much as I would want to...but anyway, it is not about me - but about Your great post. Well Done Man! Nice to meet You Derek :). Have a good day and all the best in future!
That's so nice of you to say, thank you for the comment!!! All I can say is I'm glad you liked it! I've been lucky to be able to allocate a lot of time to Steemit and to learn how to create better content over the last couple of months.
And nice to meet you again, Adrian! All the best to you as well, looking forward to seeing your future posts. :)
Really good introduction Derek, nice work.
Thank you, @snaptravel!! :)
BRo i have never read someone introduction which is long but i read and fell nice. My interest is also toward photography but i have to wait more to do it professionally.
Even i don't know that i will do it or not but i will always be the part of photography.
I love to travel so it's beautiful to capture those moments.
Wow, thank you for reading it! I was worried I made it too long, but I figured as long as there were pictures, people could just skim over it and read a bit here and there if they wanted.
Nice to meet you! Sometimes photography is best enjoyed as a hobby - once it's a business there's the danger of it becoming too much like work, but if you love it enough it might be worth it! :)
Happy to get to know your background better Derek, great story. Awesome photos as usual. "I came for the money, stayed for the people" Yeah, I agree, me too. You're one of those people I'm happy to have connected with on steemit.
And you as well, Scott, I'm glad we met here! Thank you!! :D
For the error: "It's all for the best; Steemit quickly proved to be more beneficial that I first dreamed"Nope, flawless! No errors at all!
I knew I could count on you!
turn it into a competition and I am game ;)
Okay, well, lets say that whoever finds the most errors wins, um....a Point!
I achieved perfection!!! (with a little help from my friends)
Ahhhh. Awesome intro. Your photos are amazing and I love learning that you’re a Tolkien fan!
Yes, and I'm always glad to meet other Tolkien fans. Thank you so much! :D
Lovely intro! Your drawing skills are sick, you must have so much patience!! I will follow your tutorials. The night photos you make inspire me to want to give that a try too (which will be hard in a city like Amsterdam)!
Anyway, thank you @jarvie for bringing @derekkind to steemit. He's the only one beating me at #whereisitwednesday and #whenisitwednesday :P
I have patience for some things, some times, haha! ;)
Thank you, @r00sj3! Happy to stump you, once in a while, haha. It's as much of a challenge (or more) for me than for you.
What an awesome introduction post. A lot of people could learn from this on how to do it right.
Well, I had to learn how to do it right. My first intro wasn't very introductory. ;)
Thank you, @choogirl! :)
you have enough long comments and i know you will read it all so to make it easier i will just say "hi, great post and great images" and i see no unicorns here! :)
Haha! Thank you. ;) I rely on you and @vmoldo to bring the unicorns!
@vmoldo is an unicorn master i am still learning :D
That would make you....The Unicorn Apprentice!
I MADE IT TO THE END! Awesome stuff, I can definitely learn a few things from you. You're not kidding, I find the community here supports each other like no other and keeps me from getting lax and slacking off as well.
I was brought here from a resteem from aweber and happy he did did. I'll be on the look out for more of you stuff, keep it up!
Way to go!!! I appreciate you reading it all; seriously, I know it was loooooong.
Nice to meet you, and thank you! Good ol' @aweber, I didn't know he resteemed this. :D
Can I give a 200% upvote?
Such a great and in depth intro and I absolutely love the photos. I'm probably going to come back and read this again. We share many of the same influential photographers and I want to look up the places you've been and probably add them to my to-do list.
Sadly no, but the thought counts for quite a lot. ;)
Thank you so much, @kieranstone!! Wow, I didn't think anyone would even read it once, haha! As for locations, I would just grab a list of all the National Parks in Canada and USA as a starting point. They aren't all picturesque, but most of them are!
Now that is some introduction ! Lovely to get some more of your background and I even get a mention, in about chapter 42, when you start to talk about the meaning of life and the universe ;-).
Seriously though your work has inspired me to try and move to the next level, particularly with my editing. The constancy and quality of your work is incredible.
Its interesting what you say about school and university as I have taken the opposite path in that I have juggled a love of photography on and off for almost 20 years a side to my career in startup companies developing renewable technologies.
There are so many experiences in this world ; and so many concepts and ideas to explore and places to see. Only time will tell where we go from here. However it feels like steemit will a least play a part in at least documenting the next few chapters! It's been a pleasure to get to know you a little.
Thank you, Rob! :)
Haha, yes, something like that. I did carry on rather a long time, but I thought it was a good chance to put some stuff on the record.
I'm honoured to hear that I've inspired in any way, that's pretty cool... thank you.
Yep, a different path. I would never hold up my own path as the best - not even the best for me maybe, but hopefully it will work out in the end. I admire anyone who can make a career and family life work and also do travel and photography!
It's been great to get to know you as well - thank you again! I hope we're at the beginning of something great with Steemit, but even if that doesn't pan out, it will have been worth it. :D
Man this makes me want to redo my intro post. Maybe I'll wait 2 months, heh. You're a great photographer man, your edits are wild.
Also tolkien is my favorite author. Hobbit and LOTR seriously had an impact on me as a kid
Thank you so much, Nathaniel! Haha, maybe we should all reintroduce ourselves every couple of months? Things change so fast on here anyway. :)
Ah man, that's great to hear that you're a Tolkien fan from way back as well! I can't imagine better fiction to be reading as a kid (and as an adult too, but especially as a kid). :)
Dear friend! Next time also use #artzone and follow @artzone to get an upvote on your quality posts!
Thanks, @artzone! :)
This is a shining example of what an intro post should be! I love the images you've showcased here too.. I was hugely influenced by Trey Ratcliff too when I first started out, I found his HDR work ground breaking, especially compared to all the overcooked HDR out there.
I have a feeling you are going to be one of the stars on this platform ;)
Thank you so much, @fiftysixnorth! I'm content to be a planet, not a star, haha.
Yes! Though my style has diverged significantly from his over the years, I was creatively inspired by his HDRs at the right time in my career, I would say, and the photographers he brought together in his hangouts on G+ have also been inspirations - like @jarvie.
That's always a great sign! You want to develop your own style instead of just emulating someone else's. He has done so much to create a good network of photographers. I've wanted to go on some of his photowalks, especially when he was in London (i've tried to get him to come to Scotland to do one but never heard back) but the timing has always worked out against me.
I've learned a lot from him and I think he's also one of the first photographers I learned of that was making a full time career out of photoblogging .. that inspired me for sure! Looking forward to your future work!
Oh man, you should go on one of the photowalks - I went to his Trey USA tour with Ron Clifford - we were kinda like roadies: NYC, Philadelphia and D.C., haha! Was great fun.
Oh I remember that one! I read about it at least. I wish I had the means to do something like that but I just don't. If he does one in the U.K. Again I will definitely try and go on it :)
Can't believe I did it either - was a spur of the moment thing. :)
And Trey will make his way over here... I'll talk to him eventually. Just kinda building a solid foundation for photographers before the huge influx comes over here... worst would be for them to not see the big picture or have great foundations for them to rely on and then get tired and leave.
I totally agree, right now steemit is still a very muddled place with little structure or foundation. Since photography isn't the sole focus of this platform and because its so difficult to sift through content here it doesn't make itself all that attractive to most .. especially if you are already very busy (and successful) on other platforms.
Yes, I hope he will, but I totally agree - too soon!
Wow! Your photos are just breathtaking. Very Professional. Will definitely follow you as a newbie photographer.
Thank you for commenting, I appreciate the follow! :)
what a nice photo and article, please more.
Regards from Germany.
There will be more! Thank you! :)
Australia is missing bud! time to visit us. Great photos and yes, that was a comprehensive intro. Like your hard work man! Take care and stay in touch. @sidsun
I know, I've hardly been anywhere in the world, relative to most photographers! Would love to visit Australia. Thank you! :D
Stunning pictures. I feel the peace and calmness in each one of them. After reading this journey of yours, I'm more inspired to follow my photography dream, so thank you for that.
Also, I agree that after a while, we tend to do the introduction a little better. I'm new to Steemit and honestly, I don't know what to say about myself.
Well that's awesome, happy to inspire anyone towards their photoraphy dream! Thank you!!!
Don't worry about it now, it'll come. Just keep posting content, try to write good content but don't stress it. :)
Thanks for your advice!
What else can I say - welcome Derek!
I'm looking forward to to see new photos coming from you :)
Hey @mariusz-bro, thanks for the welcome. ;) More photos will be coming!!