Posted by ryanjackson on Sep 11, 2012 in
360 Panoramas,
GigaPan,
photos,
portrait The Alberta Legislature building turned 100 years old this year and I was put on the fun project of profiling people who have worked at the Legislature for a long time. I also wanted to capture an epic image of the building from a different perspective.
The Alberta Legislature in Edmonton on August 21, 2012. The building turned 100-years-old this year. This image was created by stitching three separate images together into a panorama. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
A view of the Alberta Legislature building from the roof of the Annex building in Edmonton on August 23, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
A view of the Alberta Legislature building from the roof of the Annex building in Edmonton on August 23, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
A view of the Alberta Legislature building minutes after a severe rain storm taken from the roof of the Annex building in Edmonton on August 23, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal) This is a High Dynamic Range HDR image created from a single RAW image using PhotoMatix Pro.
Ruth Walkters maintains the plants in the building and decorates it for special occasions. She poses for a photo in the Legislature building in Edmonton on August 16, 2012. The Legislature turned 100 years old this year. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Shot available light.
Canon 5D Mark-II. 85mm f1.2L lens. ISO160, f1.2, 1/200.
Ruth Walters maintains the plants in the building and decorates it for special occasions. She poses for a photo in the Legislature building in Edmonton on August 16, 2012. The Legislature turned 100 years old this year. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Canon 5D Mark-II. 85mm f1.2 lens at f1.2. ISO100.
For this image I used strobes so that her watering can would pop more.
Judith Benson, a specialist in government documents as been a librarian at the Alberta Legislature for 26 years. She poses for a photo in the library of the Legislature building in Edmonton on August 21, 2012. The Legislature turned 100 years old this year. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Camera: 5D Mark-II, 24mm f1.4L, ISO 160, F14, 1/200.
June Barker has been a tour guide at the Alberta Legislature for nearly 23 years. She poses for a photo in the rotunda of the Legislature building in Edmonton on August 21, 2012. The Legislature turned 100 years old this year. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Canon 5D Mark-II, 24mm f3.5L Tilt-Shift lens, ISO640, F11, 1/13s.
I used the 24mm tilt-shift lens to make all the lines straight. I used a slow shutter speed so I could get the background lights. The background is pretty overexposed but its better than the horrible tungsten lighting.
June Barker has been a tour guide at the Alberta Legislature for nearly 23 years. She poses for a photo in the rotunda of the Legislature building in Edmonton on August 21, 2012. The Legislature turned 100 years old this year. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
For this image I turned the strobes all the way down to 2.5 w/s and shot wide open f1.2 with my 85mm f1.2 lens.
Alberta Legislature maintenance supervisor Terry LeBlanc stands on the roof beside the building’s cupola on August 20, 2012. The Legislature turned 100 years old this year. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)Canon 5D Mark-II, ISO50, F10, 1/200. Alienbees Einstein strobes.I used the Canon 24mm tilt-shift lens to correct perspective as I was shooting down low.
A panoramic view of the rotunda in the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton on August 22, 2012. This image was created by stitching multiple pictures together. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
I used a GigaPan Epic Pro with a 5D-Mark II and a 50mm f1.2 lens for the Panorama.
Here is my camera mounted on the roof of the Annex building. I set the Canon 1D Mark-III with a 24-105mm lens to take three photos every five minutes. One normal exposure, one -1 stop and one +1 stop. The camera shot RAW and had a 32GB card in it. After three days I just picked the best photos.
Here you can see my lighting setup. I used a large octo-box to give a soft light on Ruth. I had a hair light behind her with a grid on it to narrow the beam. I had one more flash on the ground to pop a little light onto the watering can. This helps separate the can from her black pants. Also notice I got her to stand up on a chair. This was so she would be at the same height as the windows. Otherwise I would have to shoot down low which is unflattering for most portraits.
Here’s me in action. Photo by Karen Kleiss
Here you can see the Paul C. Buff PLM reflector in action. Notice how BIG and net NARROW the light beam is. Normal umbrellas spread the light in all directions where this reflector gives big light that is directional and falls off sharply.
Here is how the background lights were setup. Just normal reflectors on the strobes. Journal reporter Karen Kleiss helped move all the books.
Here’s me in action. Photo by Karen Kleiss. The PLM reflector is so big you can stand in front of it.
Here’s me in action. I LOVE the Paul C. Buff PLM reflector! Photo by Karen Kleiss.
Here is my lighting setup for the portrait of June. I hid the two background lights behind the pillars.
Up on the roof of the Alberta Legislature. One of my favorite things about working for the Edmonton Journal is getting access to cool places that are normally off limits.
For the portrait on the roof I just used two Alienbees Einstein strobes at full power to balance the sun.
The palm room in the main dome of the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton on August 24, 2012. The trees are over 80 years old and no one knows exactly where they came from. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Finally check out http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/insight/legislatureat100/360legdome/index.html to see a 360-degree-view of the off-limits palm room in the Alberta Legislature.
For the 360-degree panorama of the palm room I suspended my 360-degree camera with three 20-pound-test fishing lines. The camera weighs less than five pounds so I had 55-pounds of safety.
I was so terrified to suspend my camera six stories above the ground but it payed off!
Posted by ryanjackson on Aug 6, 2012 in
photos I wanted to shoot something a little different at Big Valley Jamboree this year and I noticed there were certain items that every reveler on the festival camp grounds used to keep the party going.
A multi-hose beer bong called Bongzilla. Why chug one beer by yourself when you can chug six beer with your friends?
A cooler full of ice and drinks. This is more important than a suitcase full of clothes. You can't drink clothes.
A gas-powered margarita blender. A lack of electricity doesn't mean you can't sip classy drinks.
Toilet paper. After three days of camping this becomes a form a currency. Use it to trade for goods and services.
Collapsible table. What, are you supposed to play beer pong on the hood of your car?
Bug spray. Keeps the 'skeeters away and doubles as deodorant. Hello ladies.
Cowboy boots. Show's that you are really serious about this country music thing. Uggs and rubber boots don't count.
Kiddie pool for cooling off in the heat. Just add epsom salts for a full spa experience.
Bottle opener and cork screw. Let’s face it. You're probably not drinking anything that requires one of these but it makes you look refined.
Bag of ice. Keeps your beer cold and magically turns into a handy bag of water for brushing your teeth the next morning.
Paint stick plunger for forced-pressure beer drinking. Probably best if you don't use it for painting first.
Pepto Bismol. Makes a great early morning fruit smoothy after a long night of drinking.
Ping-pong balls for playing beer pong. Can also be used for a popular sport known as table tennis as popularized in the 1994 film Forrest Gump starring Tom Hanks.
Acoustic guitar. You don't even have to be good at playing it. Just know enough chords to pick up girls.
A flying disk and stake for playing beersbee. Finally all those years of intramural ultimate frisbee can pay off
Giant speakers. Why listen to the country music acts on stage when you can blare loud techno music to everyone around you?
Homemade beer bong. Shows that you are committed to to having a good time. Also comes in handy if someone needs a quick oil change.
Cowboy hat. The cheaper the hat, the more likely it is that you only wear it for Big Valley Jamboree.
Pre-made shooters. The ones with dairy go great in your morning cereal.
Collapsible lawn chair. Also doubles as an umbrella when the storm clouds roll in. Don't be the guy that forgets a chair.
Pirate flag. Use it to mark your campsite and scare away 16th-century Spanish treasure ships.
Red Solo cup. Cheap, efficient, red. Also works as a communication device when combined with string and a second cup.
To make these photos I simply borrowed a king-sized bed sheet from my hotel. I then got volunteers to hold up the sheet as a background. It was a bright sunny day so I shot on the shadow side of the sheet. When I exposed for the object (which is in shade) the sheet would blow out white. I then dodged any dark spots in Photoshop to make the background go pure white.
Posted by ryanjackson on Aug 5, 2012 in
photos 
Afternoon party goers play flip cup on the roof of their bus on the camp grounds at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 3, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Eric Brousseau from Bonnyville, Alta. parties on the camp grounds at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 3, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Cody Huculak, 19, from Red Water, Alta. fills up his beer bong on the camp grounds at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 3, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Clockwise from bottom left. Karissa Jarema, 19, from Smokey Lake, Alta., Cody Huculak, 19, from Red Water Alta., Mark Zahacy, 27, from Red Water, Alta., Kori Wallan, 20, from Beaver Lodge, Alta., Larissa Sunshine, 20, from Grande Prairie, and Robin Kruhlak, 19, from Red Water, Alta. drink from their beer bong on the camp grounds at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 3, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
The second day of the Big Valley Jamboree sold out with an attendance of 25,000. Country Music fans watch Kellie Pickler perform on the main stage at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 3, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Braden Paquette, left, and Tara Jackman dance to the music of Kellie Pickler in the beer gardens at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 3, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Left to right. Kelly Baier, Colin Peter, Chantel Naves, Teehan Naves and Penny Peter dance at their campsite surrounded by red Solo cup patio lanterns at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 3, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Stephanie Fleming, 18, left, drinks a beer from a paint stick with the help of Scotia Cline, 18, on the festival camp grounds at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 4, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Lighting strikes in the distance as Toby Keith performs on the main stage at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 4, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Toby Keith fans wait for a thunder storm to pass and Keith to resume his performace on the main stage at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 4, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Toby Keith fans wait for a thunder storm to pass and Keith to resume his performace on the main stage at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 4, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Toby Keith fans wait for a thunder storm to pass and Keith to resume his performace on the main stage at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 4, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Toby Keith fans wait for a thunder storm to pass and Keith to resume his performace on the main stage at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 4, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Toby Keith fans wait for a coming storm to pass before he performs on the main stage at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 4, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Fireworks go off after Toby Keith's performance on the main stage at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 4, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Ty Elliott flies off Cosmo Kramer during the bull riding event at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 5, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Warwick Kime crashes beneath Harrison Flat during the bull riding event at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 5, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Miller Lowe, 19, tries to keep out of the sun with his makeshift umbrella on the festival campgrounds at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 5, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Country music fans keep cool in a "redneck hot tub" on the festival campgrounds at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alta. on August 5, 2012. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Posted by ryanjackson on May 2, 2012 in
360 Panoramas,
360 Video,
photos One year after doing a 360-degree interactive tour of the devastation at Slave Lake I returned to do a before/after panoramic tour.
Go to http://www.edmontonjournal.com/slavelakemap to see a panoramic before and after view of Slave Lake.
A panoramic view of the homes on 13th St. SE near 6 Ave. SE in Slave Lake, Alta. on May 23, 2011 (top) and May 2, 2012 (bottom). Nearly one-year after after a wildfire devastated the neighbourhood. Images were created by stitching multiple pictures taken taken at GPS location N55°16.582' W114°45.476' (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal) To see these images in a 360-degree interactive split screen view, go to http://www.edmontonjournal.com/slavelakemap where you'll find more before-and-after photos and panoramas.
Me and Journal reporter Mariam Ibrahim about to photograph some firemen starting a controlled burn.
Sheldon Houle, Heltack Leader with Alberta Sustainable Resources Development poses for a photo with a drip torch used to start controlled burns in Slave Lake, Alta. on May 2, 2012.
A HUGE timesaver was using the EveryTrail app on my iPhone to map out a GPS trail the first time I shot the 360 tour. Then, one year later I could just retrace my path. I also used the GPSPhotoLinker program for Mac OSX to sync all my photos with GPS so I knew where each photo was taken. Some day I
I had five GoPro Hero 1080p cameras mounted on the roof of the van, They were all shooting at the same time (or close as possible) every 5-seconds.
Here's me with my 360 camera
Posted by ryanjackson on Apr 10, 2012 in
360 Panoramas,
360 Video,
photos,
video As I said in my last blog post I want to get closer to the holodeck in Star Trek. Here is my latest attempt:
Click on the above image to see my 360-degree interview video.
I wanted to present my newest election video for the Edmonton Journal in an interactive way similar to the last election video I did but also combine what I’ve learned from making 360-degree video.
Filming this video was pretty easy and also pretty hard!
I chose the local coffee shop Cafe Rista, 14213 103 ave. in Edmonton because it was quiet during the day and also the owner Simon was super accommodating.
He even let me put marks on the floor so I could keep the chairs and table in the exact same spot for each interview.
I spent a day in the coffee shop shooting test videos with myself in the chairs. I used this time to build templates for stitching the images and also work on the code for KRpano.
For a camera I just used my Canon 5D Mark-II with the Canon 8-15mm fisheye lens at 8mm. I kept the table and chairs in the same position for every video and the stitched them together after.
I used a little slider thing from an old enlarger to offset my lens a bit so I would find the no-parallax point. This helped make stitching the images together easier.
It was very important that I clamped the camera in the exact same spot for all of the interviews and also that the tables and chairs were in the exact same spot every time.
Here’s me interviewing Premier Alison Redford. The wonderful and talented Journal reporter Trish Audette actually came up with all the smart questions that I asked 
For sound I used my Sennheiser wireless lav mic and I had my trusty Olympus recorder as a backup. I used my LitePanels MicroPro as a fill light.
After interviewing each leader separately and in different chairs, I used Final Cut Pro to align all the video clips. I then batch exported all the video clips and used Quicktime Pro to extract the video files into image sequences.
Once all the video was converted into still images I used PTgui to create a template and then batch stitch all of the still images into panoramas.
I them recombined all the panoramas back into video files using Quicktime Pro and synced the audio back.
I explain the process a little better here though my workflow has vastly improved since then. It pretty much changes every time I do a 360-video.
I used the amazing KRpano for displaying the 360-degree video. The HTML and Flash panorama viewer is very powerful. Pretty much anything is possible.
In total there was 31 minutes and 50 seconds of video which works out to 45802 panoramas that I had to stitch together.
Needless to say I’ve been sitting in front of my computer way too much lately!
This has certainly been my most complicated video to date but also one of the most fun an innovative to create.
It’s not the holodeck… but we’re getting closer!
And here’s how it ran in the paper. I was sure that the caption explained that this was created from four separate images and it said “Photo Illustration by Ryan Jackson”
Tags: 360-video, Alberta 2012 Election, Canon 5D Mark-II, immersive media, krpano, panorama, ptgui
Posted by ryanjackson on Feb 16, 2012 in
360 Panoramas,
photos,
Soundslide I got the amazing opportunity to embed with the Canadian military during exercise Arctic Ram. You can also read Journal reporter Elise Stolte’s great stories and see my 360-degree virtual tour of the camp.
Click on the above image to see my 360-degree virtual tour of the camp. It is especially awesome on an iPad2 or iPhone 4G with gyro.
—
A Canadian solder walks past dozens of snow mobiles at a temporary military base during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 13, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
A Canadian solder unloads equipment at a temporary military base during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 13, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
A Canadian solder is camouflaged in the trees and snow during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 13, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Cpl. Wilkinson unloads a supply truck at Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 13, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
8 Platoon commander Lt. Nick Ethier (middle) instructs his platoon during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 13, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Canadian solders line up for supper at Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 13, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
A Canadian solder serves supper during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 13, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Canadian Solders in the mess hall at Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 13, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Canadian solders on night patrol at Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 13, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
The view through a night vision scope of Canadian solders on night patrol at Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 13, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. Journal reporter Elise Stolte and photographer Ryan Jackson were embedded with the military this week and saw the exercise first hand. Go to http://www.edmontonjournal.com/arcticram for photos, blog updates and check out The Journal on Sunday and Monday for the full story on our military in the arctic. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
A Canadian solder loads blanks in his weapon while on night patrol at Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 13, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Canadian solders take a smoke break after completing their night patrol at Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 13, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Members of 8 Platoon debrief in their ten-man tent at Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 13, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Left to right. 8 Platoon commander Lt. Nick Ethier, Sgt. Timothy Nowlan and second-in-command Sgt. Liam Stratton walk to breakfast at the mess hall in the early morning at Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 14, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Diesel trucks and LAVs billow smoke while warming up in the early morning at Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 14, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
8 Platoon commander Lt. Nick Ethier climbs into a snow cave built during winter survival training with the Canadian Rangers at Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 14, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Snowmobiles warm up in the early morning at Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 14, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
8 Platoon second-in-command Sgt. Liam Stratton poses for a portrait at Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 14, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Canadian Ranger John Tinqui from Whati, N.W.T. poses for a portrait at Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 14, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
A Canadian solder stands guard at Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 14, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Canadian Ranger Charlie Quitte from Rae-Edzo, N.W.T. sets a muskrat trap during winter survival training for Canadian solders during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 14, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Snowmobiling with Canadian Rangers through the subarctic forest near Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 14, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Cpl. Amelie Lavoie, vehicle technician with Lord Strathcona's Horse makes a call to her boyfriend back in Edmonton. Every Canadian solder was allowed 10-minutes of satellite phone time on Valentines day to call loved ones during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 14, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
A Canadian LAV Coyote drives up an ice road created near Behchoko, N.W.T. during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 14, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Trooper Pvt. Jason Hall with Lord Strathcona's Horse drives a LAV Coyote up an ice road created near Behchoko, N.W.T. during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 14, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Canadian solders with Lord Strathcona's Horse haul a tow cable from a LAV Bison to a LAV III that was deliberately stuck in a snow pile to test their ability to rescue military vehicles on an ice road created near Behchoko, N.W.T. during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 14, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
A Canadian solder uses a LAV to heat up water during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 14, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
The Aurora Borealis lights up the northern sky above a military ten-man tent at Forward Operating Base Maiden 1 during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 14, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Bravo Company, Third Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry jumped onto Great Slave Lake, near the Edzo Bridge during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 15, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Bravo Company, Third Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry jumped onto Great Slave Lake, near the Edzo Bridge during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 15, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Bravo Company, Third Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry jumped onto Great Slave Lake, near the Edzo Bridge during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 15, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
A paratrooper with Bravo Company, Third Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry jumped onto Great Slave Lake, near the Edzo Bridge during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 15, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Capt. Luke Kittson with 1 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry watches the paratrooper drop zone on Great Slave Lake during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 15, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Master Cpl. Eric Roberts with Combat Engineer Regiment quickly packs up his gear after exiting the ice-cold water after a winter dive on Long Lake during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 16, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Leading seaman Sebastien Guay with Fleet Diving Unit Pacific prepares for a winter ice dive during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 16, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
A Canadian soldier dives under the ice of Long Lake during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 10, 2009. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Eric Roberts / Supplied / Edmonton Journal)
Leading seaman Sebastien Guay with Fleet Diving Unit Pacific pokes up through a hole in the ice during a winter dive in Long Lake during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 16, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
A latrine bucket behind the diving tent on Long Lake during Exercise Arctic Ram near Yellowknife on February 16, 2012. Approximately 1,500 Canadian soldiers and Rangers participated in Arctic Ram to re-familiarize the army with a harsh winter environment and to exercise Canada's Arctic sovereignty. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Click on the above image to see my 360-degree virtual tour of the camp. It is especially awesome on an iPad2 or iPhone 4G with gyro.
Posted by ryanjackson on Feb 3, 2012 in
360 Panoramas,
DIY,
GigaPan,
photos Three years in a row!
In 2010 the University of Alberta set the record for World’s Largest Dodgeball Game and my video got over 775,000 hits.
In 2011 the U of A broke the record again and captured it with a 360-degree video camera that I built.
This year the record would be set again with 5,000 students participating. I figured this was a great opportunity to do a GigaTag where you make a GigaPan image and link it with Facebook so all 5,000 participants can tag themselves and their friends on Facebook.
I’ve shot dozens and dozens of panoramas over the years and one challenge is always movement between frames. I wanted to capture a GigaPan image of the 2012 World Record Dodgeball Game but it would be impossible with one camera shooting multiple images.
The solution?
Here is my crazy “Octo-Cam” made from aluminum and eight Canon Rebel T2i’s with 50mm f1.8 lenses. Each camera shoots 18 megapixels and when I stitched the images together with PTgui I can create a 220MP panorama!
Photo by Fish Griwkowsky.
AMAZING thanks to Don’s Photo for lending me the eight Canon Rebel T2i cameras and Canon 50mm f1.8 lenses.
I went to Metal Supermarkets with my design and they cut all of the 2″ x 4″ aluminum for me in an hour! In total it only cost about $120.
It took about eight hours to drill and assemble the frame and another eight hours to wire everything together. I used a PocketWizard Multi-Max to trigger the cameras.
Eight cameras means eight battery chargers! I was amazed that the batteries were able to last for over 2,700 images. They weren’t even dead!
Stitching test photos with PTgui. The final resolution depends on how much overlap you have between images.
I had PTgui interpolate the image to make it the maximum 25,000 pixels wide that JPEG allows.
So what’s the end result?
Check out http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/u-of-a-dodgeball/index.html where you can zoom-in and tag yourself on Facebook !
What’s next? The Octo-Cam actually shot one picture every second for the whole game!!!
Soon there will be a video time lapse version of the panorama! Stay tuned!
“99% Preparation, 1% Pressing a Button” Ryan Jackson, staff photographer with the Edmonton Journal tells the stories behind his photos and gives tips and advice to students. Failure is always an opportunity to overcome obstacles and win. Sometimes people burn down bridges to see if you can swim across. Recorded in Victoria, BC at the Canadian University Press Conference on Jan. 12, 2012.
Ryan Jackson, multimedia photojournalist with the Edmonton Journal speaks on his “I Was There” music video, the need for multimedia journalists, trends in online video, trends in technology, and tips for student journalists to experiment with video at their papers. “Will cats save Journalism?…. I don’t have all the answers.” Recorded in Victoria, BC on Jan, 14, 2012.
You can find the GoogleDoc presentation at docs.google.com/present/view?id=dhf88d7p_549m8mxppf9
and more on my blog at punkoryan.com/training
Posted by ryanjackson on Dec 26, 2011 in
GigaPan,
photos 
Edmonton Welcomes the World â??Team Canada for the 2012 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship pose for a team photo before their practice skate at Rexall Place in Edmonton on December 25, 2011. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
For the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championship in Edmonton and Calgary I captured a bunch of multi-gigapixel panoramas using a GigaPan Epic Pro.
You can see them all on the Edmonton Journal GigaPan page as well here is a page with links to Facebook-tagging enabled GigaPans like this one.
Here is the final Gold-Medal game. You can ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOO….OOOOOOOOOOOM in with great detail.
GigaPan Epic pro setup in the Saddledome in Calgary for the final Bronze and Gold Medal games.
The GigaPan stich software putting the hundreds of images together into one massive panorama.
GigaPan Epic Pro setup in Rexall Place
Out for drinks after the gold metal game with Calgary Sun and Herald photographers.
Go Canada!
Posted by ryanjackson on Nov 17, 2011 in
music video,
photos,
video This is Part 3 of my experience filming the Paul Brandt “I Was There” Music Video.
You can also view Part 4 – Action and Editing, Part 3 – Real Characters, Part 2 – Video Gear and the 7P’s, and Part 1 – Nashville
My vision for the music video was to have video portraits or “vortraits” of people that embody the spirit of hockey combined with hockey “moments” that would trigger people’s emotions.
As a photojournalist with the Edmonton Journal I wanted to stay true to my roots as a journalist and make sure that all the characters in the film were real people and not actors pretending to be hockey fans.
We put a call for nominations in the Edmonton Journal and got about 100 responses. We contacted the best 20 and with the amazing help of project organizer Taryn Melnyk we created a shooting schedule that would allow us to film as many characters as possible in one month.
—
Here are some of my favourite behind the scenes photos from filming in Calgary, Edmonton and Spruce Grove. All of the portraits are actually video frame grabs from the Panasonic GH2. Untouched and uncoloured except for the first one.
Zamboni driver Jeff Huebner poses for a photo at Signal Hill Outdoor Arena in Calgary, Alta. on November 17, 2011. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Zamboni driver Jeff Huebner poses for a photo for Ryan Jackson at Signal Hill Outdoor Arena in Calgary, Alta. on November 17, 2011
I had a notebook with me at all times and sketched out my shots.
In the fury of shooting it is easy to miss shots to be sure to write them down!
The Journal's Amanda Ash holds on to the back of an Olympia Ice Resurfacer while driver Jeff Huebner does laps around the rink at Signal Hill Outdoor Arena in Calgary, Alta.. while filming the official music video for country music star Paul Brandt's song "I Was There" on November 16, 2011.
The Journal's Ryan Jackson films Donald Boykiw while he floods the hockey rink at Willowridge Community Centre in Calgary, Alta. for the official music video of country music star Paul Brandt's song "I Was There" on November 17, 2011.
The Journal's Ryan Jackson films Donald Boykiw while he floods the hockey rink at Willowridge Community Centre in Calgary, Alta. for the official music video of country music star Paul Brandt's song "I Was There" on November 17, 2011.
The Journal's Amanda Ash, left, and Ryan Jackson setup lights before filming hockey player Carolyn Boykiw, 16 for the official music video of country music star Paul Brandt's song "I Was There" at at Willowridge Community Centre in Calgary, Alta. on November 17, 2011.
The Journal's Ryan Jackson films Carolyn Boykiw, 16 for the official music video of country music star Paul Brandt's song "I Was There" at at Willowridge Community Centre in Calgary, Alta. on November 17, 2011.
Carolyn Boykiw, 16, poses for a photo at the Willowridge Community Centre in Calgary, Alta. on November 17, 2011
The Journal's Ryan Jackson, left, and Amanda Ash film Tim Schneider with his two sons Craig, 8, and Matthew, 5, in their back yard rink for the official music video of country music star Paul Brandt's song "I Was There" in Edmonton on November 14, 2011.
Tim Schneider with his two sons Craig, 8, and Matthew, 5, pose for a photo with their back yard rink in Edmonton, Alta. on November 14, 2011. Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Thumbs up for snow! This was the first night we actually got snow! Good timing.
The Journal's Ryan Jackson films Dean McCarthy with his son Nathan in their back alley in Edmonton, Alta. for the official music video of country music star Paul Brandt's song "I Was There" in Edmonton on November 21, 2011.
The Journal's Ryan Jackson films six-year-old Nathan McCarthy with his table hockey set in his home in Edmonton, Alta. for the official music video of country music star Paul Brandt's song "I Was There" in Edmonton on November 21, 2011.
Nathan McCarthy, 6, poses for a photo in his home in Edmonton, Alta. on November 21, 2011
The Journal's Ryan Jackson films sledge hockey players at the Donnan Arena for the official music video of country music star Paul Brandt's song "I Was There" in Edmonton on November 22, 2011.
My shot list for sledge hockey.
The Journal's Amanda Ash flexes her muscles after moving over five hundred pounds of camera gear before filming sledge hockey with Ryan Jackson for the official music video of country music star Paul Brandt's song "I Was There" at the Donnan Arena in Edmonton on November 22, 2011.
The Journal's Ryan Jackson films a sledge hockey player at the Donnan Arena for the official music video of country music star Paul Brandt's song "I Was There" in Edmonton on November 22, 2011.
A rare photo of Amanda and I together! Since we only had a crew of two people I was usually behind the lens.
The Journal's Ryan Jackson films old timer hockey player John DeGraaf at the Knights of Columbus Sports Complex in Edmonton, Alta. on November 23, 2011 for the official music video of country music star Paul Brandt's song "I Was There" in Edmonton on November 23, 2011.
Old timer hockey player Jack Evans poses for a photo at the Knights of Columbus Sports Complex in Edmonton, Alta. on November 23, 2011
The Journal's Amanda Ash interviews old timer hockey player Jack Evans at the Knights of Columbus Sports Complex in Edmonton, Alta. on November 23, 2011 for her Spirit of Hockey Audio Project. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
Spruce Grove Saints fan Marlene Spidla, 69, at Grant Fuhr Arena in Spruce Grove, Alta. on November 30, 2011
The Journal's Ryan Jackson films Spruce Grove Saints fan Marlene Spidla, 69, at Grant Fuhr Arena in Spruce Grove, Alta. on November 30, 2011. Jackson used a hacked Panasonic GH2 camera with a Canon 300mm lens. Using a 7.4x crop mode Jackson was able to get the equivalent of a 2220mm lens and film Spidla from across the arena for the official music video of country music star Paul Brandt's song "I Was There" in Edmonton on November 30, 2011. (Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal)
A mosaic of portraits from Paul Brant's "I Was There" Music video by Ryan Jackson, edmontonjournal.com
Finally. Speaking of Characters. Journal reporter Amanda Ash interviewed all of the characters in the music video and you can hear what hockey means to them and how they embody the spirit of hockey. The Faces of "I Was There" <-- REALLY COOL!
Tags: #iwasthere
