Call Response contributors shin-dig/sneak-peak party.

Tonight the creators of the Kids Help Phone fund raiser project (via the Call Response Book) held a little get together and early book release for the book's contributors.

The book was well received in my opinion. Great job to all those involved! Books officially go on sale on Saturday!

I don't get out sometimes as often as I'd like, but when I do get out it's always nice to run in to David Seburn. David is Big Woop Magazine's staff photographer and a contributor to the Call Response Book amongst other local publications. He left early to go skateboarding and why not?!

The roommate not only contributed some of his photographs, but also made a contribution by being a subject in one of Joey Senft's shots of his band The ALX.

You can't make a book about Winnipeg's music scene without images from the master himself, Jon Schledewitz.

As the shin-dig wound down,the creators and contributors that were left in the room gathered for a quick shot. Thank you!

A side note: This particular beat down (could have been staged, who can be sure?) took place approximately 21 years ago. At the time I wasn't quite sure why I was throwing down on Scott Bagshaw, but it all came clear to me tonight while being offered "finger food" in his restaurant where this event took place...no vegan snacks! Now we're even! Ha!

Good Karma, Bad Karma you'll get what you deserve...

They say bad things come in threes. Well this week I broke a tooth, I broke a car (R.I.P.) and I broke a flash from my camera.

I usually don't need a reason to do a good deed or to do the right thing, but after having three things break in the same week I wasn't going to say no when some guys called the GVT (Good Vibe Tribe?) approached me on the street and asked me to give their van's battery a boost.

If there was even a chance I was going to deny the request to do a good deed or ignore a chance to earn some good karma, I would have said yes in the end, because who could say no to a dude with a fine mustache?

All this "do gooder" activity caused us to run a little late for our skate session, but it all worked out in the end.

Ross climbing walls.

Grady throwing down a long distance air walk.

Another great session wrapped up with some super duper friends!

Guy Smiley reunion show 2011

Shortly after I took these pictures last night at the Guy Smiley reunion show I had all sorts of things to say about my take on the show. I wanted to write about the out of hand drunk at the front of the stage learning how to behave at the end of my elbow and I was planning to go on from there...

...Instead I'll keep this short and sweet like my own appearance at The Albert last night. Here are the highlights as seen through my lens.

In summary...I was on the fence about attending this event and the reasons not to go were all in place, but all the same I'm glad I was witness to another moment of Winnipeg punk/hardcore history in person.

Inside Out

When it looks like this on the outside...

...you could be better off finding things to do on the inside.

Such as make blueberry pancakes for example...

...and listen to good music.

...tomorrow I venture outside...to get back inside, because it's skateboarding Sunday!

Get Excited!

Call Response Past, Present and Beyond Volume 1 is launched in eight more days!

Check out the Call Response site for details. I receive my sneak peak copy this coming Monday. I can't wait!

Locked in Time -Contest

This just in...

Locked in Time skate contest at The Edge. The last ever contest at the current location with a fun concept by the looks of it. Check it out. Sign up your crew!

It's a shame.

I usually cringe and curse at the idea of European or foreign films being Americanized. All that effort spent just for those who can't stand the thought of reading subtitles or feel it's not worth their while if they don't recognize the actors from a multitude of Hollywood blockbusters put out in the same year?

Two movies that come to mind on their way to the masses with the "American" version are Let The Right One In and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I've already seen them. They were great. Why re-make them? ...WHY? (that's rhetorical of course as the answer is always $$)

So a co-worker tells me to watch the T.V. show Shameless which airs on Movie Central. I had already recorded it based on the commercial and had forgot to check it out until he mentioned it. I loved it...I've been raving about it. I thought it was well written etc...

Well good show or not, the joke is on me...it's not well written. It's re-written. Faulty Towers and Are You Being Served were always some of my favourites....why couldn't they just have aired the original? I would have been content with that.

Pancakes and sweatpants?

Every now and again it's the roommate's turn to host his NFL T.V. parties at our place. This Sunday was one of those days.

I usually don't even enter the room as watching sports on T.V. has never been my thing, but NFL T.V. parties do have a plus side.

Pancakes!

More than just good food... Surprise visits from old friends like Mr. Xso-goodX himself.

Gavin does loves football, but scores bonus points for loving Iron Maiden as well.

Break out your football watching sweatpants! It's the roommate himself. The creator of the Sunday afternoon apple pancakes with almond based whipped cream!

Our stomachs salute you.

Faces and places. River Heights edition.

Today I ran in to Mike while we were shopping. He was doing the leg work for his Sunday night fajita party.

Mike's a bit of a celebrity as he shows up from time to time in the "Cam Nikkel archives". We discussed this very photo while at the grocery store.

1989 mosh pit/2011 food aisle.

Life can be fun! Enjoy!

Gone fishing.

One of the more popular Google searches that lure people to the Pancakes and Skateboards site is "Jake Stewart Winnipeg". Either he owes someone money or more likely people just want to know "whatever happened to Jake?"

I don't have all the answers, but obviously there's interest in Jake so here goes...

I remember this session like it was yesterday expect I think it was 1988. Darren Hull, Doug Robinson, Jake and a couple of other friends taking turns with ollies over the wall to drop at the Manitoba Teachers Union building.

Jake and I sharing our passion for all things straight edge during the summer of 1990.

Skip a year or two forward and here's Jake at The Princeton on Broadway.

We met up in Boston on New Years Eve 1993 for a festival which included Earth Crisis, Strife, Bloodlet, Chokehold, Grip and maybe twenty more bands?

It wasn't too long after that where Jake turned his back on straight edge and went balls to the walls, skateboarding full time.

Rumour has it...he packed it in, hit the ocean and has been fishing ever since. ...Winnipeg isn't for everyone. It was fun while it lasted!

A short story

Ryan P. came to visit. I broke out the Mamiya.

The End.

Pancakes and Skateboards Tees?

Here's a small and simple sample of what we've been working on.

This and more...coming soon-ish.

When life hands you lemons...

...Watch movie trailers...

"Put some relish on your hotdog"

Danny McBride, Zooey Deschanel and Natalie Portman together at last?

Looks interesting?

I wish this one was playing already or still playing?

Who's in Charge

When it's -28.6 degrees Celsius outside (-40 with the windchill) you look for the positive in everything.

Aside from being healthy and well and in the good company of my son...here are the highlights from today.

It was taco night!

...and my very own copy of the Stretch Marks 7" (released in 1983 on Headbutt Records right here in Winnipeg, Manitoba) showed up today! I've been after my own copy since I first borrowed one back in high school to put on a mix tape. The chase is over!

Just another cold winter Sunday afternoon.

It was cold outside. As usual...we were hiding inside.

Mr. French smith grind on the spine.

French feeble.

Brennan with a smith grind.

Keiran with his consistent flip to back lip.

A work in progress....

An impressive plethora of skateboard/punk rock related art work going on in this collection. Yes that is the kid from the SNFU album "And no one Else Wanted to Play" (album artwork inspired by a Diane Arbus photo) wearing a SK8 Skates shirt for that personal twist.

It was a busy day. Thanks to all who joined in on the fun.

A sense of humour.

To shift gears from yesterday's sobering post I'm back with my sense of humour. We go skateboarding in a couple of hours so we're all good moods around here.

Who can't smile when under the influence of Mike Wach's enigma?

An obvious end to a late 80's underground parkade session.

SK8 Skates O.G. clip

The winter is getting to me this week.

I've been in a lazy mood regarding all things internet.

If you've never seen this video before...here's your chance. Jai, Harry, Alex, Chris and Jay. O.G. SK8 Skates action.

Watching this video definitely put a big smile on my face. It also brought up other great memories. Some of those memories unfortunately feel like forever ago and on better days they seem like they were just yesterday.

I miss you friends...

R.I.P.

Pompadour and pink lamme...

It's the tail end of a get together with some photo nerds...everyone has left except for the host and I. Somehow the topic of 7" records comes up and we decide we must find the Dead Kennedys Halloween/Saturday Night Holocaust 7" that he swears is in a box somehwere. Well...that never happened, but while we we searching we came across some treasures...

Some Santa Cruz solid gold.

Minolta SR-7

24 year old Baby Gorillas?

Morrissey

...and a reminder that I am still bummed that I missed Alex's b-day party this past Saturday. Happy b-day Alex!

Photographer Fight Club

From time to time I see photographers pour in to the streets of Winnipeg. Perhaps they're on an outing or more likely on an assignment from their respective photo schools. Hitting the streets to put more experience under their belts or perhaps on the hunt for that perfect shot. I am sure the class teacher gets hit with a dozen or so versions of the same subject matter again and again. Of course this can help the students learn from one another which technique, lens, lighting etc...favoured the subject the most.

Well eventually school ends and you end up shooting on your own. If you're shooting portraiture you are no doubt capturing an image that may be hard to duplicate, but if you're shooting famous or obscure buildings and inanimate objects about town who's to say how many pictures have been taking of that particular object or how many will be in the future.

Yesterday was one of those rare occasions that I wasn't shooting alone.

When my friend Michelle came across this blue door she shot her own version of what she saw. I had posted a picture of the same door in an earlier posts. Different lens, different distance at a different time of day.

This is where the photographer battle comes in. I caught Michele in the act and quickly pointed out in a joking, yet arrogant manner that the image had already been captured! Knowing very well that I doubted I was the first just as I was sure she wouldn't be the last.

She ducks my punch and throws one back at me reminding me that she's been shooting "blue doors" for quite some time and I was merely getting started.

Round one was over!

I gracefully accepted my defeat. To continue showing off Michelle's work in hopes of motivating her to start up a blog or get some more of her images in the public eye whether on a gallery wall or in a publication of sorts...here's a couple more shots showcasing some of the stuff she's been working on.

The Barbie project.

A trip to Brazil.

When she does have something going to showcase more of her photography I'll be sure to keep you posted.