The Conversation - Episode 11

smithski and his brother mrsmith vs. stuff

Hello More Stuff and thanks for agreeing to join us for a natter. We're both huge fans of yours so we have quite a few questions, some more personal than others, tell us if we are prying too much as we are quite nosey.

A big hello to my two favourite comedians. I'm a big fan of yours too and I always look forward to your journals for my daily dose of laughter. Pry away and be as nosey as you want :)

How did you find out about Blip and what was your motivation for getting started?

I found out about Blip from my good friend Mojopin8. He suggested I join the community. I was a bit leery at first. I kept glancing at the site, seeing amazing shots and thinking to myself that no one would even look at my journal. I was a photography virgin and had a very
cheap camera. After a while I decided to give it a try with my first blip.

It was the best decision I have ever made. Within a few days, I had become a blip addict. I have since learned a few photography techniques and have bought a better camera.

Has your experience of BlipLand lived up to your expectations or has it been a surprise in any way?

BlipLand has surpassed my expectations. Some days I can't believe I belong to such a fantastic community. Through blip, I've experienced new friendships (too many to list) laughter, sadness and some amazing shots.

You have produced some great images in your journal, sometimes with everyday street scenes or objects. How do you decide what to photograph and what in your opinion makes for a great photo? Maybe you could point everyone to two of your images that you are most pleased with and tell us why?

I usually blip while walking to work. I'm fortunate to live close to a school where there's a steady flow of children, traffic and teenagers at bus stops. Spontaneous and candid shots make the best blips.

Following on from the last question you have a very distinctive style to the way you process your images. Is it something you have developed over time, a technique you were taught or did you just slide some buttony/software bits, liked it and stuck with it?

Girl waiting at the bus stop is one of my favourite images. The special effect was created with Picasa. I tune it to the max, saturate then desaturate the colours till I get an image that I like. I'm very picky with my final result and the processing usually takes me 15 minutes to achieve it. I also love shooting plain objects. I think my feather blip turned out quite nice. Again Picasa did the trick.

Do you think the time difference matters on blip?

Yes I think it does. I try to blip early so I can enjoy the steady flow of British and European and New Zealand blips. Most of my viewing and commenting is done at work but I would never hold Blip responsible if I got fired :)

I often go back at night to look at my American subscriptions. If they blip later, then I comment the next morning. It's very difficult and almost impossible to view all the images. I make an effort to check my subscriptions daily and also appreciate 42 with his LOTD. He has very good taste and I've discovered numerous amazing journals from him. A big thank you 42.

If you could only have your hair one colour for the rest of your life what would it be?

Guess. I must have dyed my hair twenty different shades of red. I love the idea of surprise so I never use the same shade. One day I'll wake up with blue hair or no hair at all with all the chemicals. Then Mr Stuff will laugh at me and say I told you so!

Why are you so obsessed with windows?

Oh why did I know this question would come up? I really don't know why I find windows charming . It may because I'm a nosey person (not the peeping tom kinda way) but am always wondering what goes on behind those windows. It may also be cause windows are a means of escape. Smithski thinks I've been imprisonned in the basement all my life :) I also love the thousands of little squares on skyscrapers.

What's the coldest temperature you have experienced where you live?

Most blippers know I live in a very cold part of Canada. The winter temperatures range from -15C to -40C. Last year was one of the coldest winters. I experienced a -46C with a wind factor and a true -38C. You can't survive a Canadian winter without toques, mitts, long johns and tons of cuddling.

What's the biggest snowman you have ever built?

I once built a seven feet snowman. With the amount of snow that we receive, which Brickmaker keeps on reminding me :) I wouldn't surprised if we could build one that could easily reach the moon.

Living close to a lot of wilderness, have you ever shot your own dinner? If you have what was it?

Oh no! I don't hunt or even fish. The idea of hooking a live minnow or worm on a line makes me squirm. I can't even kill a fly. I'm not a vegetarian but I couldn't see myself shooting my meal. I'd rather shoot pictures :)

For someone who is close to retirement you have remarkably good skin, what moisturiser do you use?

The blur effect on Picasa. I also wash my face with Oil of Olay daily wash and moisturize with Yves Rocher's day cream. I try not to sunbathe for long periods of time and use a #30 sunblock.

Raheny asked a really good question when we met him so we thought we'd recycle it as we'd be interested in hearing your answers (and we're too lazy to think up our own questions)

Asking for your favourite blip by another blipper is always a bit of a tough one, this is why I propose to break it down into 4 categories...

Your favourite blip:

For the power of its image

Goodbye

For enabling you to travel from the comfort of your sitting room/work desk

Jan Berghuis Terschelling

For its poignancy

Boston's birth

For the laugh that it gave you

Mr Smith's window shot

And we've saved the big question for last - What's your favourite cheese?

Ah so I see you saved the cheesy one for last eh! Low fat Havarti is my favourite.

Thank you for sharing.

At this time I would like to thank the Smith brothers for granting me this interview.

MrSmith, I love you for your famous sign shots and your family blips.

Smithski, I love you for your humorous blips and your window shots.

It's been such a pleasure conversing with you two. It's a shame we couldn't have done it in person.

Now, on to the next victim!