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Congratulations to Canadian Olympic Athletes! In Vancouver 2010 Olympics, Canada won 14 Gold, 7 Silver, and 5 Bronze medals. Canada holds the record for the most gold medals in a Winter Olympics. All Canadians are proud of all our athletes and their accomplishments.

I just finished watching Hockey gold medal game between the United States and Canada, with Canada winning 3-2 in overtime where it was four on four. Watching Canada give up its 2-0 lead with the last goal scored in the remaining 24 seconds was certainly difficult. I am sure all Canadians were sitting on the edge of their seats. Fortunately, Sidney Crosby scored the goal at 7:40 in overtime.

Team USA played extremely well throughout the entire Olympics. They are a young team that many expected would exit early. In fact, they had to rebook their flights because of their unexpected final gold medal game. Congratulations to Team USA on their silver medal.

Congratulations to all athletes from all countries. I hope you enjoyed your stay in Canada.

Finally, my heartfelt sympathies to the family of Nodar Kumaritashvili and all those who knew him. Nodar Kumaritashvili was the Georgian luger athlete who died while practicing prior to the start of the Olympics. I hope his death causes the International Luge Federation to examine the safety of all tracks.

Again, congratulations to all Canadian Olympic Athletes!

On Thursday, 10 September 2009, I photographed Calgary model Anya near Mount Rundle in Banff National Park, Alberta. If you click on my Flickr profile link, you will be taken to Flickr where you can see more of my pictures.

Last Saturday and today, I went for long bike rides. Each time, I rode for about 75 kms (~50 mi) through Edworthy Park, Glenmore Park, across Fish Creek Park, Carburn Park, Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, parts of downtown, Calgary Zoo and back to Edworthy Park.

For both rides, the weather was great with temperature in the mid 30s C, (~95F). For the most part, the bike and pedestrian paths were not busy. The busiest locations were in the downtown core and at Edworthy Park.

The circuit takes between four to five hours, depending on how fast you want to go as well as how often and how long you want to break. I am not a speed demon and go at moderate speeds, though I tend to take few breaks.

As mentioned, the route is not busy, except for a few locations. Even then, it is great to people watch. It is a large circular route, so I don’t double back on any paths and I get to see a large portion of the city. And, for a large portion of the circuit, I am traveling through various scenic parks, especially through Glenmore and Fish Creek parks. It is a fun, reasonably quiet, and scenic ride.

If you decide to travel this route, I encourage you to stop frequently in Fish Creek Park to check the maps. It is a large park and it is easy to lose your way. You can always ask people nearby for directions. Last week I took a few wrong turns and explored more of Calgary than I anticipated. That, however, is part of the fun.

Also, make sure you have a bell on your bike and use it. Unless the person ahead of you signals that he or she has heard you, you should assume that the person is wearing an iPod. Slow down and provide lots of room. Watch for dogs, as they often move in an unpredictable fashion. Furthermore, wear sufficient sunscreen to protect yourself.

Even though it was hot both Saturdays, I didn’t drink a lot of water. I brought one water bottle with me and refilled at Fish Creek and Edworthy parks.

A great resource for those who enjoy biking is the Calgary Pathway and Bikeway Map - 2006. The map can be purchased online for two dollars plus an additional dollar for delivery. If this link is broken in future years, try going to the City of Calgary website and then finding the online store. From there, search for paper maps. For the pathway and bike map, according to the website, you can contact Guy Beavers by email or by phone at 403.537.7560.

You can also view the maps online at Calgary eMaps. In addition, I encourage using Google Maps to get a sense of your route. I like having a visual idea of various markers before heading out.

The photograph above of Pretty Woman With Orange Pants And A Big Black Dog was taken while leaving the downtown core and on my way to Edworthy Park. I have stopped at this particular location a few times because it offers a great view of downtown. The pictures are hosted on Flickr, and if you click on the top picture, you will be taken to Flickr where you can see more pictures.

As a follow-up to my prior post on photographer James Nachtwey, I encourage you to view the video by XDRTB.org.

Thank you to James DiGiorgio, also known as JimmyD, for bringing James Nachtwey and his cause to my attention.

I met Judith Aldama briefly before our shoot at Heritage Park in Calgary, Alberta. That meeting allowed us to break the ice and to discuss what we wanted to accomplish. Through my discussions and work with Judith, I know that she is extremely focused on her modeling career. She is an extremely determined, passionate, and creative individual and model.

On Friday, 27 July 2007, a hot day with the temperature at 32C (90F), we arrived at Heritage Park for our shoot. We found our first location, and then discussed the general sequence of shots. We began with three quarter length shots and ended with close-ups. Judith moved effortlessly and gracefully through a variety of poses.

Throughout the shoot, I found it extremely easy to work with and photograph Judith because I did not have to provide direction. She instinctively knew what to do. She is able work quickly and efficiently. In every manner, she is a complete professional.

Heritage Park itself is a fantastic location for amateur photographers. There are lots of buildings and props to work with. Our only challenge was a lack of time. We were in the park for slightly less than two hours, when we could have spent much longer. As we were walking back to the vehicle, we were both pointing to each other saying, "That would be a great location for some shots." If you do decide to go to Heritage Park for photography, be sure to allow yourself plenty of time.

If you require a model, I highly recommend Judith—I give her the highest praise. As mentioned, she is determined, passionate, and creative. In addition to her passion for modeling, she has the same intense passion for fitness. When I was with her, I could tell that modeling courses through her veins. Moreover, she is friendly and outgoing. You can read more about her One Model Place or preferably Model Mayhem. I am positive that if you work with Judith, you will enjoy the experience and will create extraordinary images.

The photograph of Judith Aldama is hosted at Flickr. If you click on her picture above, you will be taken to where you can view a larger version. And if you click here, you can see more pictures of Judith. I will be adding pictures over the next few weeks.

These two beautiful women were floating down the Bow River in their kayak yesterday on a very hot Saturday, 14 July 2007. The temperature was about 32C (90F). While these two were using a kayak, many were rafting instead. From the pedestrian bridge where I was standing, there were rafts and kayaks as far as the eye could see. As an aside for those interested, I was standing on a pedestrian bridge located at Bow Green Crescent NW.

The women were friendly enough to smile and wave as I took their photograph, true of their Calgary spirit. All those who were floating down the river enjoyed the hot weather and the experience. I will be uploading more pictures to my Flickr account over the next several days showing other people enjoying themselves as well.

Most people begin their rafting or kayaking journey at Bowness Park, on the west side of Calgary. From Bowness they float toward downtown, about 12 kms (7.5 mi), and usually stop at Prince's Island. Some might go a bit further east toward the Calgary Zoo. If they go much further beyond the zoo, they come to deadly weir. While the logic of risking certain death might not be precise, the danger is real. Two rafters drowned earlier this year, so the threat is real.

The weir itself is deceptively calm and peaceful looking. How could something so calm be so dangerous? You can view another photo of the weir from a different angle.

The pictures are hosted on Flickr. If you click any of the pictures, you will be taken to my Flickr site where you can see even larger images. You can also see my other pictures while there. I hope you enjoy the pictures.