hypersapiens' photostream  

"The currency of the internet is crediting."
-Ben Hur at ROFLcon - May 1st, 2010.

2/2011
Not here so much now that my day job involves photography. I still do love going out and taking photos though, despite the monster backlog. A 2011 calendar and more reports from events can be found directly via www.hypersapiens.com.

7/16/2010
Still getting out to plenty of TO events however not updating as much as I'd like here... I have many thousands of images in the backlog now, waiting to be processed and uploaded. Backlog goes back to July 2007 now, but big Toronto event updates are getting posted at hypersapiens.com with slight delays.

5/1/2010
Working away at a massive backlog of photos. I've been chained to this computer, editing for days... and all the while anticipating events to come. Because May is when it really starts to kick into gear. First the Gumball Rally comes to town, with 120 cars the likes of which Canada has never seen. Then the photo magnet known as the Toronto Pillowfight kicks off. (Want to bet there will be more fighters than photographers for once? Anyone laying odds?)

I'll get a little bit of down time (ie, costume cram time) after these then things will get down to the wire for Anime North. (This year's AN will be a bit different than previous years; for the first time ever at an anime con, I'll be rocking a press pass.)

I'm also trying to get more content up at hypersapiens.com . At the moment the best thing there is the 2010 events calendar. So many great shots and experiences already in 2010. This year is looking up...

2/22/2009
"Con season" has begun! I'm now working on shots from Con-G 2010, where I was a guest on the photo panel. On top of the tattooing and costume/prop making I'm keeping myself busy - plus I still have to get a watermark going and up a portfolio to my personal site...

12/24/2009 - Merry Xmas to all my flickr contacts! Since I believe in saying it with photos, here's an *ahem* non-traditional greeting for everyone.... Note, please hit "show info" at top right or else it might not make sense. XD
www.flickr.com/photos/hypersapiens/sets/72157623063451140...

12/17/2009: I just became a dot com!

My personal website is now under construction for the purposes of promoting my tattooing & photography. ETA: New Year's Eve! (And yes, it's about time!)

11/2009: Paradigm shift

Greetings netizens of the flickrverse. Thank you for viewing these images and sharing your own.

I am an artist residing in the Toronto area. Photography is only one abiding aspect of what I do. On any given day you might find me tattooing, drawing, writing, sewing, creating props, costumes or clothing, running around the city taking photos, wage slaving to be able to afford these activites, or just editing photos from my perpetual backlog of travels and events.

My educational background is Socio-Cultural Anthropology. Basically I was trained as a participant-observer and usually combine this approach with the gonzo ethos when I go out in the world with a camera. The result... well, you can see for yourself.

The images contained in this flickr account are my personal archive and chart my development as a photographer over the years. (Translation: they're not all great. I tend to post things that show a development-- of skill, vision, editing progressions, etc-- rather than cherry picking the "bests".) One of these days I'll get around to creating a personal site with a detailed CV for photography alone. In the meantime, I'll just say that images from this archive appear on numerous personal and public websites, in publications and in local performers’ portfolios. (More than I can keep track of, these days.)

I love cosplay and event photography and would be happy to work with any cosplayers or costumers who ask me. For that matter, I find that there are few things in life more satisfying than working with talented and creative people. So I'm up for collaborations of all kinds.

Fine art/giclee prints of my work are available on a wide variety of media types by contacting me directly.

I tattoo using mostly Eikon equipment from my private studio in Toronto. I've been tattooing two years now, although it took me considerably longer to learn.

I can even take a great looking picture of you and then tattoo it on your left butt cheek. I'm not sure how many people in the world can say that. So there you have it. Skillz.

My gear list (I hear this is the done thing):
Canon EOS 5D Mk II
Canon 24-105mm f4 L IS
Canon 70-200mm f4 L IS
Sigma 10-20mm
Speedlite 580 EX II
Hoodman CF flash cards
Assorted tricks-of-the-trade kit: backdrops, reflectors, tripod, monopod, gorillapod, filters, hoods, etc
Adobe Lightroom 2 & various Photoshop versions
Epson Stylus Photo R2400
Epson GT-10000 flatbed & Perfection 4990 film scanners
Panasonic Lumix FZ-50 & assorted lenses
Canon AE-1& assorted vintage lenses

And most importantly: a hyperactive curiousity about the world, an overlarge brain, and the will to use them.

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A few random photostream disclaimers:

One. Please ask if you would like to use any of these images. With only a few exceptions, they are all rights reserved. However, providing that there are no legal issues with the usage (which varies depending on the image), we can work something out.

Two. Trolling and ignorant comments will not be tolerated.
--But, on the flipside, I'm usually starved for intelligent conversation, and I love hearing from this international community of photo lovers. So if you leave thoughtful comments you will likely be repaid in kind. (In addition to English, I get by in French, Japanese and Spanish, plus some German and Italian. Oh and l337. So say it anyway J00 want to.)

Three. Please note that if your photostream includes images of you or any of your hairy friends sans pants I may not add you as a contact as I am not prepared to deal with the realities of a pantsless universe. Stay classy plz.

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"Something really weird is happening... and if something weird is happening, I want it to be happening to me."
-Ford Prefect, Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy, Quandary Phase.

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson

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Photo CV
PRESS AND VOLUNTEER WORK

TORONTO STEAMPUNK SOCIETY, 2009-2010: Volunteer event photographer.

ACG NORTH AMERICA, 2008-2010: Event photographer & photo correspondent for Anime North 2010. www.acgnorthamerica.com

CON-G 2010: Guest panellist, Cosplay Photography. www.con-g.com

AD-ASTRA 2009: Event photographer (Next Top Zombie, Steampunk Fashion show, Beefcake-Cheesecake fundraiser). www.ad-astra.org

QUEERPLANET, 2006: Toronto Pride photographer and correspondent. www.queerplanet.ca



EXHIBITIONS

THE DIFFERENCE ENGINEERS: THE ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE STEAMPUNK COUNTERCULTURE MOVEMENT (2011)

Image "The Argyle Avenger and her sidekick Ghost" will be appearing as part of this exhibition at the Ontario Science Centre from March 4th to May 24th. www.ontariosciencecentre.ca/calendar

NUIT BLANCHE 2010

Image of Heather Nichol's "Iminent Departure" appeared in a 5th Year Retrospective Exhibition at Scotia Plaza, September 20-October 3, 2010.



PUBLICATIONS

LANDSCAPE DESIGN MAGAZINE (January 2011, Issue 1)

An image of Ashbridges Bay skatepark appears in an article by Jim Barnum of Spectrum Skateparks.

www.landscapedesign.net.cn/english/index.asp



CANNABIS TRIPS (Nonfiction, Ivy Group UK, 2010.)

Images of the 2007 Toronto Marijuana March to appear in “Cannabis Trips” by Bill Weinberg. www.ivypress.co.uk/resource/item.htm?pid=682



OTHER MEDIA

COSPLAY ETIQUETTE PRIMER (2010)

Images used in “Cosplay Etiquette Primer” leaflet by Liana K.



LEAVING MUNDANIA (Documentary, 2009)

Provided still images and assisted creator Jiro Okada with the production of this cosplay documentary. www.okadajiro.com/?page_id=199



BLACKBOARD (2009)

“Lab Glass” images used in live product demo for Blackboard, an e-learning company.



PRESS KITS

REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA (2009)

Shadow cast live performance images used in the Shadowcats press kit.



THRILL THE WORLD (2007)

Thriller live performance images used in press kit of “Thrill the World” creator Ines Markeljevic.



WEBSITES, BLOGS & ZINES

CAPE BRETON (2006)

Selected images from Cape Breton used by the Northern Cape Breton tourism board at:

northerncapebreton.com/Photo-Gallery.aspx



CONCORDIAN (2008)

“Freezer nap” image requested for use by the Concordian, a student newspaper from Montreal. www.theconcordian.com



COSPLAY RELATED (2007-2010)

“Drunken Reno” photo showcased on cosplay.com (2010): www.cosplay.com/photo/2467862/

Collections of images from various anime conventions and con reports included at: www.nyx.net/~wsantoso/cosplay.html



DISORDER.CL (2008)

“Rock is Dead” image appears on Chilean website: www.disorder.cl/2008/03/04/%c2%bfesta-muerto-el-rock



HANDFUL OF MINUTES (2008)

Images of work by FauxReel (artist Dan Bergeron) appear in an interview with the artist. www.handfulofminutes.com



I LOVE MOM (2009)

Tattoo studio shot for website www.ilovemomtattoostudio.com .



NEWS ASKEW (2009)

"The Further Adventures of Silent Bob & Kevin Smith's clones" blogged at: www.newsaskew.com/view-askew-newsbites-2019



NOW PUBLIC (2007-2009)

Images requested for use in numerous NowPublic news articles, including:

www.nowpublic.com/u_s_canada_weigh_great_lakes_cleanup

www.nowpublic.com/michael_jackson_still_1_among_super_fans

www.nowpublic.com/jack_whites_cousin_ashley_macisaac_to_o...

www.nowpublic.com/culture/marijuana-use-shrinks-brain

www.nowpublic.com/strange/principled-skater-takes-jail-ti...

www.nowpublic.com/environment/man-made-gas-emissions-have...

www.nowpublic.com/tech-biz/maserati-web-site-hacked-durin...

www.nowpublic.com/environment/record-rainfall-set-hit-tor...

www.nowpublic.com/world/canadas-spreading-cannabis-crop

www.nowpublic.com/culture/grateful-dead-regroup-2009-tour...

www.nowpublic.com/culture/neon-returns-vancouver-downtown



SCHMAP! (2007-2008)

Images of Toronto and Vancouver have been incorporated into Schmap! online travel guides including:

Toronto edition

www.schmap.com/toronto/activities_sports/#p=139359&i=...

Vancouver edition

www.schmap.com/vancouver/shopping_business/#p=23122&i...



TAT-OLOGY.COM (2010)

Tatting tattoo blogged on tat-ology.com: www.tat-ology.com/2010/03/shoulder-ing-shuttle.html



TORONTOIST (2010)

"The Boeing Formation" used to herald the airshow's return: torontoist.com/2010/09/holiday_planner_september_46_2010.php



WIKIPEDIA (2009)

Images of the world’s most tattooed man, Lucky Diamond Rich, requested for his Wikipedia entry: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Diamond_Rich



YIPE! ZINE Vol 2 Issue 9 GIANT SIZE OTAKU (2010)

www.yipezine.com



ARTISTS

Photographs from my online archive of more than fifteen thousand images appear in the personal portfolios and profiles of hundreds of artists, performers, costumers and craftspeople.