MPH Central

More photo exploration

2010-07-27T14:45:00.001-07:00

For those of you that have never heard of 'panning' you are in for a treat. No, I am not delivering you gold or the opportunity to pan for gold. Panning is the term used when you slow down the shutter speed of your camera and follow the action in a wide panning motion. This combination allows you to creat motion blur without using your photoshop.

So with that, I went out and sat down on the lawn near a major street in the Hammer. I took out the camera and started to shoot. I have no idea if I scared any of the drivers that I was a police officer. I did get a neighbour come and speak to me about what I was doing. I look forward to taking the lovely couples photo in the coming weeks. From the outside it looks like they have a really nice backyard, full of flowers.

Anyways, all I changed was the colour toning in these photos with a slight crop.

As always, stay out of trouble and let everyone know that I can take care of their photographic needs.

RE: July

2010-07-21T21:41:00.000-07:00

It has been an interesting July of 2010. I have had the opportunity to coach with the regional team. We have had training camps in Waterloo and Toronto. One more camp and then the Ontario Summer Games. A great opportunity to work with aspiring elite athletes.

I have also had the chance to do some photography. I spent some time working on some personal projects and will continue to do so for the rest of the summer. Tonight I had the opportunity to check out "Weekend Riot Club" at Rolly Rockets in Hamilton. The duo that will be adding two new members were excellent. They played some sweet tunes and definately brought in the crowd to the bar. I look forward to another opportunity of working with the group in both still and video productions.

Check out some of the photos below:

Thanks for stopping in and checking out my recent photos. Please don't hesitate to give me a shout for any photo opportunity that you may be thinking of.

Hall

I'm Back!

2010-07-03T12:07:00.000-07:00

After a six month absence from the world of blogging (not photography), I have returned. The duties of a teacher and coach have kept me quite busy. During that time, I had plenty of work as a photographer and certainly can't wait to continue shooting all summer long.

I was able to shoot for the school this semester and was able to capture numerous championship photos. Unfortunately, they cannot be shared with you at this time.

The latest photos I took were some Canada Day fireworks in Hamilton, Ontario. I opted not to take them in from Pier 4 park and instead joined the crowds at the top of the escarpment, overlooking the city. Here are some of the favourites.

If you have any thoughts, questions, or photo requests, please let me know at hallmp13@yahoo.ca

mph central has just been updated

2009-12-29T17:39:00.000-08:00

I have just had the opportunity to update my portfolio at www.mphcentral.com. Please take the time to check it out and feel free to send me any thoughts.

In the mean time, there is always so much happening with teaching and with coaching that the photography takes place and the blog sometimes takes a back seat.

It is my hope that you have had a great Christmas and will have a wonderful new year....

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

MPH

The Slow Weekend...

2009-12-05T06:35:00.000-08:00

A bit of a slower weekend... which means some photos and an update for you...

You will still have to wait though... some work to complete first.

MPH

Photos for you and then back to work for me......

2009-11-24T21:04:00.000-08:00

I was looking for something a bit different at the OUA Football semi-final between the Laurier Golden Hawks and the Western Mustangs. I really like that shot and it seems to give you that different view from everyone else. What do you think?

I ran into an old pal that went to Queen's in his prime at the 2009 Yates Cup. An amazing game to be at with seven lead changes and an opportunity for Western to win it on the last play of the game. Go Gaels and nice to see you Mike

Here is an outtake from the 2009-10 Women's Basketball Cover photo shoot. The ladies were very patient and easy to work with. I am grateful for the opportunity to spend time with such excellent student - athletes.

Rugby, LAX, Football and Futebol....

2009-11-08T18:41:00.001-08:00

A lot of photos and a lot of other work that needs to get done. Therefore, there hasn't been much posted and there won't be anything posted today. However, perhaps by the end of the week.....

I hope to have a couple links and photos that you will need to check out.

Stay out of trouble...

MPH

A little later on but still... reaction anyone???

2009-10-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

OUA Baseball Championships... the winning run is scored........

Marauder Volleyball Game Day Covers...

2009-10-22T20:02:00.000-07:00

I had an opportunity to shoot the McMaster Marauders Volleyball Game Day covers last weekend.

It was a pleasure to work with such wonderful athletes. It started with Jenn Holt and Laura Cobb and finished with Jeremy Groenveld, Tyler Santoni and Ryan Hudson.

We didn't have much time and just tried a few different shots.

Here are links to the cover shots:

http://www.athrec.mcmaster.ca/athletics/teams/volleyball/misc/2009/0910-McMaster-Mens-Volleyball-Program.pdf

http://www.athrec.mcmaster.ca/athletics/teams/volleyball/misc/2009/0910-McMaster-Womens-Volleyball-Program.pdf

Keep working hard and being the best that you can be....

More to come soon.

MPH

Western wins OUA Baseball Championship...

2009-10-17T18:33:00.000-07:00

The University of Western Ontario Mustangs took home the OUA Baseball title on Saturday, defeating the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks 3-1 in ten innings and 2-0 in the best-of-three series.

The 'Stangs took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, gave it up in the ninth, made a 'Bill Bucknor' like error but, came back to win.

The first OUA Championship of 2009-10 season has been taken.

Hanging out with Jay and Sarah

2009-10-17T18:25:00.001-07:00

Saturday was full of photography adventures...starting at Dundurn Castle. I had the opportunity to spend some time with Jay and Sarah, along with their dogs, Scout and Chase. It was great to see Sarah again, and finally meet Jay.

The dogs were full of energy and I question if they are on any performance enhancing substances but, I should know better. Sarah would never let that happen.

Anyways, I got to have some fun with the family and enjoy the castle grounds.

As always, the canons are a highlight. Thanks for letting Jay and I play Sarah.

A wise man once said.........

2009-10-10T16:49:00.000-07:00

Friends,

A wise man I know, that you may know, have heard of, work with or worked for, played with or played for, made a comment today that I feel you should remember...

"Change in inevitable, embrace it."

Photos to come in the next few days hopefully... school, school, volleyball, football, swimming, life, etc.....

Look forward to hearing from you!

MPH

Behind the scenes this past weekend...

2009-09-27T19:03:00.000-07:00

This past week was full of volleyball practices and games, lots of fun and hard work.

When it came to photography, I had the opportunity to take some photos at the Junior Football game on Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, I'm not able to share those photos with you here but, I'm confident that I got a few solid snaps. As for the team, they will need to get back on the win train next week.

On Saturday, I was back at the helm of the Ron Joyce Stadium video board as the Marauders hosted the Laurier Golden Hawks. McMaster was unable to put together much of a running game and lost 30-14 to the eighth ranked team from Waterloo.

On the bright side, I was dry inside while the players were soaked. (Still would have preferred to be soaked and taking photos.)

Anyways, look for some updated portfolio photos on www.mphcentral.com in the coming week or so... as well as some more photography pricing information for all of you interested in my creative services.

Stay out of trouble and in the loop...

MPH

The 'Battle of Waterloo'

2009-09-19T20:53:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 19, 2009 was the 'Battle of Waterloo' as seen on The Score television network. The nationally ranked Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks were able to defeat their crosstown rival Waterloo Warriors by a score of 29-18.

With the loss of their starting quarterback to injury, the Golden Hawks relied on 204 yards from Burlington, ON native Mike Montoya. The effort earned him 'Player of the Game' honours.

Here are some photos from the day.

Thanks for checking out my blog, photos and your continued support. If you are looking some photos of you or your loved ones, give me a shout.

MPH

School/Coaching and Marauder Teams...

2009-09-12T12:22:00.000-07:00

School started this past week, no details to provide due to confidentiality but, the students are awesome, the athletes are amazing and the staff provide an unmatched learning environment.

I have the opportunity to work with an amazing coach and look forward to our first volleyball game next Thursday.

On to the photo news of the week.

Last weekend, I was out taking some cupcake photos. They were a nice treat and I am glad that I have access to the weight room at the school. The cupcakes were followed by an opportunity to shoot the McMaster vs. Brock baseball game at Bernie Arbour Stadium. The Marauders won the second game of a double-header and I was hit in the shin with a ball. (Definately not in a spot that I was supposed to be in.

Here is Badgers catcher Cameron Graham watching the ball as it hits me in the shin, while the Marauders Andrew Cochran scores a run...

Last night, I had the opportunity to take photos of the Men's and Women's soccer teams, Women's Rugby and Tennis teams on campus. I love working with large groups of athletes, they are usually patient and always lots of fun, joking around and chirping eachother.

A big shout out to Melanie Van der Hoop and Chantal Malysa, my friends on the Women's Soccer team for being so helpful.

Go Marauders and Go Braves...

MPH

Back to school to prove that I'm not a...

2009-09-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

The month of August has been hectic, I calculated that I spent a total of 15 days in Hamilton this summer.

Photos from Australia have been completed, photos from New Zealand are not complete and neither are the ones from the FIBA U-19 Basketball Championships.

Employment opportunities as a photographer have been amazing, including The Score/OUA photo shoot, McMaster Football Program Cover Shoot, Right Reaction promotional photos and Today's Family photos.

I have also had the fortunate opportunity to take the photo of my dear neighbour Ms. Wilson, which I just finished before posting this blog.

At this time, I'm looking into some food/product photography for Beyond the Batter, a small cupcake shop run out of Stoney Creek. I am pretty sure that Kelly will need to create a few dozen of each flavour so that we have something to take photos of. They are delicious.

With the rest of my time, I will be teaching and coaching this fall in Hamilton, as well as, coaching club swimming and volleyball.

If you or anyone you know is looking for some photos, please feel free to let me know, or have them contact me. I look forward to discussing any ideas or opportunities that you may have.

Thanks for taking the time to check in with me, let me know what you are up to at hallmp13@yahoo.ca.

MPH

M and M's Great Ocean Road and More Trip - Finally

2009-08-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

Miss Meaghan Bell took the time out of her busy schedule as a Vet student at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia to join me on a road trip in July and kidnapped the trip journal. This is how it all went down in her words and I am glad to have had such an awesome young lady join me on the trip.

Read on and enjoy..........

M and M’s Great Ocean Road and More Road Trip!

How fun is it that I get to write the entry for someone else’s blog.

*Prior to the Road Trip - we hit up the Adelaide vs. Gold Coast Ice Hockey game on Canada appreciation day thanks to Miss Amy Danko. They were even selling poutine at the concession stand...*

Day 1 – ROAD TRIP BEGINS! Our road trip got off to a great start when our coupon donated by Amy Danko out of the Entertainment book saved us $100 on our rental car! Which we gladly used to purchase an interesting array of road trip snacks (no soft licorice for Mike though). Despite my awesome driving skills on the other side of the road, it took Mike and I about 20 minutes to navigate our way out of Adelaide (don’t worry we did better for the rest of the trip). But our red Honda Getz drove like a gem! Okay onto the highlights, in chronological order….

- We stopped for a dead wombat (which I initially thought was a decapitated cow…gross…which warranted the turn around, then Mike being a true Aussie running barefoot to take a pic).

- We drove along, waiting for the ocean to come and it never did.
- Two minutes after telling mike that we MUST stop at anything big, there is Larry the Lobster!
- Mike drives on the left hand side of the road. Brutal.
- Detour! To a wind farm! Need I explain how cool this was?!?!?

- Made a last minute change to the road trip plan which landed us in Hamilton for the night!
- Hamilton had nothing to offer. No hostels even! We ended up at a Quality Inn which Mike and I felt was the meeting place for men and their mistresses. Stole two spoons.
- In an intimate conversation from our separate double beds in our classy hotel room, Meaghan admits she likes men with a FU MAN CHU (I must have been sleep-talking) and has never had a peanut butter and banana sandwich, in which Mike eagerly offers to make me one on the trip adding “mine will be her first.” Thanks for the offer Mike.

Day 2
- Meaghan up at 4a.m. for a pee break.
- Mike up at 4a.m. for no reason.
- Meaghan woken up by loud TV next door, Mike shaving *tempted to go for the Handlebars* and using the “good side” of the shower (given it was the men and their mistresses’ hotel, there was a shower with double shower heads)
- Mike floods the bathroom by using the good side of the shower.
- Fuel up at the trusted BP (only one place to get gas on the whole trip...)
- Drive to Halls Gap and Grampians National Park!
- Meaghan freaks out because she almost hits three emus on the drive. Mike thinks I was running them down so I could show off my (totally non-existent) vet skills in emu emergency medicine.
- At the info centre Mike insists to the lady that we are both Canadian (had to be there)
- Made some geriatric friends who want to go to Canada. Mike talks hockey with them.
- We ignored the “do not cross the barriers” signs for good photos. - Meaghan gets annoyed at being Mike’s model and makes dumb poses in hopes he will give it a rest. Nope. Now Mike just has a heap of embarrassing photos of her. *(Dude, I'm in Australia - awesome - and luckily I'm with an intelligent, beautiful young lady - you don't really have a choice but to be the model.)*
- Mackenzie falls so not worth the stop. We agree that Niagara Falls has ruined our enthusiasm for future waterfall sightings.
- Mike would rather play DJ with his tunes then drive while listening to Meaghan’s “feminist music”. Meaghan would rather drive cause she fears Mike driving than listen to her “feminist music”.
- Hit up Warnambool for a whale viewing. Meaghan screams louder than the four year old beside her when she spots one. *Right up close - sweet view*
- Meaghan likes dogs. She asked Aboo a golden retriever how her day is going and if she realizes how sweet she is. Mike expressed he does not like when people ask their dogs questions.
- *Correction - Mike does not like when people ask their dogs questions and then answer for the dog… i.e. ‘You’re a good dog aren’t you? Yes you are, yes you are…” - The same when they do that to their kids...not cool.*
- Decide to touch down at the ocean to officially start the Great Ocean road drive.
- Mike attempts to drive with frozen toes from touching down in ocean (as if he wasn’t bad enough at driving! Cripes!) Then he insists on driving and eating (which I say is against the law in Oz but apparently Mike wants to add “getting arrested” to the trip highlights.

- Meaghan embarrasses herself (no surprise) to guy at hostel front desk and he expresses his sympathy to Mike for having to put up with me. (WHAT?!?!?).
- Meaghan eats a kick-ass veggie meal while Mike reads Cosmo (no wonder he is so good with the ladies..????)

Day 3
- Twelve Apostles for sunrise! Saw them. Loved them. No sun on them.
- Backtracked to cover what we missed: the Grotto where we almost died when this massive wave came crashing into the grotto. Meaghan escaped. Mike got wet. Sucker.
- London Bridge. Check.
- Drove to Otway National Park. Hit up the lighthouse, but opted no lighthouse was not worth the $15 entrance fee. Plus it was torrential rainfall. But being the optimists we are, we decided it was appropriate to drive through the rainforest while it rained! Determined to see Koalas in the wild (the whole reason we came)…we drove 0.2 km into the forest at 5 km/hour and there they were! Koalas in the wild. Check. - Stopped in Apollo Bay to find Meaghan a doctor for her infected potentially necrosing finger.
- After lunch (Mike gets his goat cheese and a debate over what to do given the weather, we keep on trucking to make a pit stop 1 km out of town to check out a beach/rocks/waves where Meaghan is no longer the model type but the guinea pig model-type and gets soaked in the process (ok I admit it was my idea hoping for a good shot). Meaghan is proud she picked up giant seaweed!
- Awesome views. Scary windy road.
- Stop at serene Roo-feeding grounds. Joeys and all!
- Stopped in Lorne (aka the rich people’s ocean front destination).
- Mike and I rent a two story cottage for cheap cheap! Cottage ruled. Free laundry was awesome. Beds sucked!
- At dinner in town, Neighbors is playing on the big-screen with no sound (!) but server confirmed girl is not dead just presumed to be dead. (WORD IS THAT THE GIRL ACTUALLY WAS DEAD - but it is a soap - so she will come back one day soon.)
- Forgot to get photos of chubby lady statues (Mike felt they were not his type).

Day 4
- Bells beach! Home of big surf competition. Smaller than imagined. Coarse sand.
- In Torquay, Mike hits up all the surf shops but finds no surf deals.
- Meaghan gets a doctors’ appointment for her finger! Prognosis is good. Drugs will help.
- Geelong – wandered around the waterfront with all the wooden painted people statues.
- Ate crepes for lunch. Mike and I were ecstatic!
- Rolled on to Melbourne!
- Meaghan throws a tantrum because we are lost in the city *Definately my fault*. Mike redeems himself by finding us a hostel. Which we ditch for another one.
- Hop on the free city tourist tram to check out the night sights around Melbourne.
- Pizza slices for $1.50! Krispy Cream donuts!

Day 5
- Mike leaves for Melbourne Airport with the rental car. Flys to Adelaide.
- Meaghan spends the day in Melbourne alone taking all the good pics Mike misses out on.
- No peanut butter sandwich for Meaghan Bell.

There are some amazing photos from Meaghan and myself that go with the trip and they will be shared eventually, perhaps somewhere soon. For now, stay out of trouble, have fun and remember that the best is yet to come.

MPH and MB

University Rush on The Score

2009-08-10T19:19:00.000-07:00

OUA Football will once again be shown live on the 'Home of University Sports,' The Score this fall. The first game will air during week two of the OUA season.

On Sunday, August 9, 2009, a number of players were invited to take part in a promotional commercial shoot at The Score studios in Toronto.

As the official photographer for the OUA, I was given the opportunity to do some portraits throughout the day. At this time I am still processing the files while on a bit of a vacation but, I can put this one photo out there.

A jacked Chima Ihekwoaba, linebacker with the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, shows of his 'wings.' (Copyright Michael P. Hall)

Cedar Point and beyond

2009-08-07T09:01:00.000-07:00

The trip to Cedar Point was fantastic. We were able to hit up almost all of the roller coasters including 'Top Thrill Dragster" and "Maverick."

Unfortunately we left the Tigers vs. Indians game in the ninth inning tied 5-5. The game went into the 13th inning with Cleveland winning 6-5.

Still working on a number of photos from the Australia/New Zealand trip.

I also have the opportunity to do promotional portraits for the OUA in a few days.

Look for more information to come soon.

MPH

Back in Canada and gone...

2009-07-30T20:40:00.000-07:00

I have arrived home safe and sound from my trip to New Zealand and Australia. It was an awesome trip and I got to spend time with amazing people that I am lucky to know.

The photos are still being looked at, checked out and doctored because of the dust on the camera lens..... we might play a game.... see if you can spot the dust on the photos. I promise some of them are on the way.

In terms of sitting around and really reflecting on how it went......... well there isn't much time for that. Gordon Bell, Scotland's finest to have never played volleyball has arrived. He was already in the country but is chilling in the Hammer at the Hall home.

Gordo and I will be taking a trip with some buddies to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. We will be hitting up the Indians vs. Tigers game first on Friday night. Bring on the rides..........

MPH

P.S. I almost missed my flight from LAX to Toronto, falling asleep in the gate waiting area and getting up to see the gate cleared of people. Apparently they had been calling my name for some time. The plane was late because of ME. I love it. Good times.

P.P.S. If you happen to have any jobs or requests or social ideas or dates that I need to keep free for the rest of the summer, please let me know so I can do my best to sort it out. Anyone looking for portfolio photos? family shots? action shots? party shots? let me know.

Great Ocean Road is coming... and life goes on...

2009-07-28T07:19:00.000-07:00

Friday afternoon was spent at the BMX World Championships. I had the opportunity to meet some really great people while I was there. Talking shop with some awesome photographers and watching some great rides.

The evening was spent watching movies and chilling out with the ladies.

Saturday morning was a photo shoot with Miss Amy Danko. We headed down to the beach in Glenelg and had some fun, messing around.

Here is one of Amy's favourites:

The afternoon was again spent at the BMX. The finals and unfortunately, Canada had qualified for only two final heats and did not make the podium in either one. Still there were a couple cool photos, despite the crappy indoor lighting.

The evening was meant to be a night on the town. It started with a trip to the Mitchem Football Club to see who would be crowned Miss Mitchem 2009. The boys from the A/B/C/D squads had one member dress up as a female. A fun time but, what a gong show. Just too much in many ways.

We left the club and headed for downtown Adelaide, making a number of stops due to sickness. I was the designated driver - yes, driving on the other side of the road....... good times.

After a number of starts, stops and pick-ups, we made it home for a nice sleep.

Sunday was an early rise and a climb up Mount Lofty with Liz. The walk was about 5km to the top, some parts steeper then others. Great company, great conversation, I'm out of shape.

No photos as it is just something that you should be getting done.

Food and a shower gave way to a trip to see the Adelaide Crows vs. Port Adelaide Power in AFL. The game was at the Adelaide home ground. We had seats about 12 rows from the pitch and got caught in two short storms. Good times, not soaked.

Crows won big.

Sunday night was chilling.

Monday was checking out downtown and photo editing.

Tuesday was getting myself in order. Tuesday evening was a great dinner with Miss Danko. Best pizza ever in Glenelg. Love the time with Danks.

Gotta get sleep before the 4:30 drive to the airport.

MPH

Great Ocean Road Trip trailer

2009-07-23T22:57:00.000-07:00

I went on a Road Trip with Meaghan Bell. We travelled from Adelaide, South Australia to Melbourne, Victoria over four days.

We survived and had fun. The story of the trip will be coming in the following days.

Bell has the notes.

I'm in Adelaide right now and have just spent some time at the 2009 World BMX Championships.

More to come later on.

MPH

Some photos from above the clouds

2009-07-18T07:33:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos that I took on my trip from Auckland to Queenstown with Air New Zealand.

MPH

Photo of Mr. Hall for his mother.

2009-07-17T01:33:00.000-07:00

My three days in Brisbane...

2009-07-17T01:05:00.000-07:00

Monday and Tuesday were spent relaxing, catching up on some sleep and picking up some last minute All Blacks gear. Not much happened, and no real fun was had but, it was quite relaxing and a little bit chilly.

On Tuesday afternoon, I headed to the airport and checked in for my flight to Brisbane, where I'm sure my brother would be waiting with open arms. Actually, he was scheduled to be at rugby practice and I would have to find my way to the formerly flooded Swan Terrace residence.

My plane was delayed due to the late arrival of the previous flight, the movies were okay on board and most importantly we were put in a holding pattern above Brisbane. My scheduled arrival of 5:40 p.m. was delayed until 8:00 p.m.

I jumped off the plane, grabbed my bags and headed for the Australian customs, had my passport stamped and my bags checked on the way into the country. I bought myself an Airtrain ticket to Windsor station, which I knew would bring me close but, not that close. The train station was empty, walked down a dark road and found a taxi to take me over to Andrew's place.
My late arrival had allowed my hero, my brother to be home when I got out of the taxi.

Tuesday night was chilling, with some dinner prepared by Andrew and dishes completed by me. I was able to meet some cool roommates and enjoy some more relaxation.

Wednesday involved heading to the Queen Street Mall to look around and check out the Brisbane city centre. We also took a trip in the 'Wheel of Excellence' ferris wheel for a view of the city, some lunch at Southbank and some nice weather.

In the evening, my old roommate and current next door neighbour of Mr. Hall, Julien Galipeau and the Swan Terrace crew went out for dinner and 'Jimmy's on the Mall.' We then hit up O'Malley's to watch game three of "State of Origin." The game was not worth anything but pride as the Queensland Maroons had already won the first two matches against the New South Wales Blues. The Blues won the game, and they clearly won the fight at the end of the game, knocking out a QLD player with a nice forearm to the face.

Thursday was spent with a trip to the large shopping centre and a viewing of Bruno. The movie was alright, in the words of Mr. Hall, 'unfinished.' Some very funny moments but, it didn't really go that far out.

Diana and I grabbed pizza for dinner and Andrew went to rugby practice. Nothing to exciting on the Thursday night.

Today, I did some laundry, cleaned up and packed my bags and waited for Andrew to return from the gym. While waiting, Julien and I had some time to waste. We did what we did best in Scotland, played some sort of sport. We went to the nearby park, heaven if you are a Netball player, hell if you play any other sport. The park is all netball courts, grass, blacktop, just netball everywhere. We had an Australian Rules ball... so we played Aussie Rules Netball 21. The 'Canadian' version of 21 - where you don't get to move from where you pick up the ball.

We quickly tired of that, as there was no backboard. It stunk.

We moved to Andrew's backyard. We found a soccer ball and started playing '1v1 clothes basket' soccer, until I kicked the ball over the fence. Game over. Andrew returned. Lunch time.

A quick lunch at Hungry Jacks (Burger King) and then a trip back to the Queen Street Mall. We grabbed some essentials like a towel for me and some other gear before heading back home.

Julien offered to drive me to the airport and I am very grateful to him and Ashlynne (her four wheels) and lucky to know such great people.

I was also able to put in motion some plans to travel Great Ocean Road with Meaghan Bell of Stoney Creek/Perth fame. Just have to get the car and take care of the rest of the organization.

Checked in, chilling until boarding time and a sweet time with Danks in Adelaide.

MPH

USA wins first title since 1991...

2009-07-13T01:00:00.000-07:00

The USA won the FIBA U-19 World Championships for the first time since 1991. The game saw the U.S. take a 16 point lead into half-time, hold off Greece in the third quarter and finally win the tournament.

Here are some photos from the celebration.

MPH

FIBA World Championships

2009-07-11T21:04:00.001-07:00

Friday, I made the trip to the Bay of Islands and was given the opportunity to see the 'Hole in the Rock' but no dolphins. The trip was alright, nothing too exciting happened and there weren't many exciting things to do.

I'm sure that in the summer, there would be a great party going on in Paihia. Not now.

On Friday evening, I watched the Americans take the Canadians apart on the bar big screen. The U.S.A. was on fire from beyond the three point line.

Also, please remember that when you are in a hostel, to make sure they have an oven before buying frozen pizza for dinner.

Saturday was rain and poor weather. Our stops were cut short and we had a chance to visit some little places. Our quick trip back allowed me to make it to the Canada versus Puerto Rico basketball game. I spent the rest of the evening at the North Shore Event Centre.

Sunday saw Canada win the seventh place game over France.

Milford Sound and back to Auckland

2009-07-09T01:13:00.000-07:00

Wednesday morning arrived quite early and the whole day was spent travelling to, around and back from Milford Sound. It was a huge bus ride.

The views were very nice, the 'Underwater Discovery Centre' was a shame..... seriously, how much money do they spend to make the place and then to staff it, only accesible by boat...brutal. Oh well, it was nice to check out Milford Sound.

Wednesday evening was spent chilling with the Americans in the dorm and chatting about all the big football games, etc. at Kansas and Colorado Universities.

Thursday involved a nice trip back to Queenstown's airport, a solid flight with JetStar and organizing a trip to the 'Bay of Islands' for Friday and Saturday. Hopefully there will be some nice views and I can relax even more.

I hope that Team Canada beats the Americans on Friday and then might have a chance at a top three finish at the World Championships. Either way, I will be shooting photos at their game on Sunday - even if it is for 7th place.

Bay of Islands tomorrow.........

Basketball, Planes and Hiking

2009-07-07T01:49:00.000-07:00

Monday was spent covering Team Canada at the FIBA World Championships. The team fell behind early, came back and took a lead in the third quarter before falling to the Croatians.

The game was held at North Shore Entertainment Centre, which featured added lighting for the competition. The added light was really appreciated and the fan support for the Croatians was unreal.

Following the Canada v. Croatia game, I took in the Spain v. Argentina game. It was alright but, no Ricky Rubio.

Tuesday morning featured an early trip to the Airport and a plane ride with New Zealand Air to Queenstown. They showed us their new safety video that is causing some controversy right now. I got the pleasure of an emergency exit seat with additional leg room and a view of the mountains. Queenstown was a balmy -1 and I had to have information call six different hostels to get me a room.

I dropped my stuff and headed for the trail that led up to the Gondola. It took about an hour to get to the top but, the views were awesome.

Queenstown is definately a Whistler/Banff type of town. With the NZ school holidays starting yesterday, it is chaos here.

I took the Gondola back down, hit up the supermarket and now I'm chilling and watching Rush Hour 2 with the rest of the hostel.

Heading out to Milford Sound tomorrow - tried to go to Doubtful Sound but, apparently it is fully booked for Wednesday.

Lates...

MPH

Buses, Rain and Death...

2009-07-04T18:14:00.000-07:00

On Friday, I thought that I had missed an opportunity to take the Tangorino (sp?) Crossing hike for some unbelievable views. It turns out that only one of the companies went and according to those that made it out, it was not worth the trip. Either way, I spent my Friday wisely and booked the rest of my travels in New Zealand. Friday night was spent reading and watching some movies.

Saturday morning arrived earlier then anticipated, my clock was one hour ahead of the actual time. Once again it was raining in the morning and that continued on throughout the day. There were a few familiar faces on the bus to Mt. Maugenui which was nice. Unfortunately it really started raining before we arrived and no one was willing to hike up the mountain in the rain and fog. A large group of us went to the local 'hot pools' instead for some relaxation and banter. The evening finished with some movies in the common area.

Half-way through the night, some of the boys that had been out on the town returned, pretty drunk and gave us all a good laugh.

Today, I headed back to Auckland, with a stop to taste some "World Famous in New Zealand" soda called 'L & P.' It is Sprite with Lemon or Lime.

Arriving in Auckland, I checked into my hostel and was informed by my new roommate that a man had died in one of the other rooms last night. Perfect stuff. Alcohol poisoning?

I hope to have some photos posted for you in the next few days.

I will also be heading out to cover my first game of the FIBA World U-19 Basketball Championships on Monday.

Looking forward to hearing from you all soon....

MPH

Weather changes quickly...

2009-07-02T18:40:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning and was about to take a 19.4km trip up a mountain with crampons and everything but, the weather looked crap so I went back to sleep.

Sure enough it is a beautiful sunny day........

Needed the extra sleep...

Keep me in the know.

MPH

15,000 FEET IS NOTHING

2009-07-02T02:21:00.000-07:00

Wednesday I left for Rotorua, NZ and had a good time. The bus arrived at 7:25 a.m. and was very far from full. I'm travelling with the 'Magic' tour company.

The highlights from yesterday were - the Glow Worms - aka that glowing magots in the caves... pretty cool stuff, I managed to get in trouble for taking photos - and I didn't use a flash.

We also stopped off to see the Rabbits have their fur cut off while waiting for another group to finish with their activity.

Then we rode the bus to Rotorua and spent some quality time in the evening getting food, chilling out and drinks for a birthday.

Today, we took a short trip to Taupo. On our journey we stopped at Wai-o-tapu to see the Lady Knox geyser and to see all of the sulfer pools in the worlds most active geo-thermal area.

The smell was not at all nice.

The money grab of the day was Skydiving. After consulting with others, I made the leap at 15,000 feet. It was quite a rush and lots of fun, I would even do it again.

Here is a picture from the jump.

Until later...

ALIVE AND AWAKE - SO FAR

2009-06-29T23:30:00.000-07:00

I arrived safely at Auckland's airport at 7:10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 30, 2009. On the flight was Referee Rich, a class act that does a lot of MAC basketball games. Team Angola was also on the plane.

Luckily, I was able to get my bags and get out of through customs quickly because both Angola and Khazakstan (sp?) has students waiting to sing, cheer and perform the Haka for their arrival. I had the opportunity to meet a number of amazing locals and even got a ride to the Tournament hotel from the FIBA people. That was great stuff.

I grabbed a hostel room for the night, set up a four or five day trip around the north island and took a brief walk about the harbour.

I thought I would be able to just grab a cheap phone and a pay as you go card while I was here - similar to what all the Canadians did in Scotland but, all the phones are minimum $199 NZ. That is quite expensive. Nike shoes are $250-300 NZ. Everything at the CCC Canterbury shop was a minimum of $60 NZ.

Crappy weather, light drizzle and kinda chilly. Shorts weather.

Anyways, it is time for bed and an early wake up call.

New Zealand and Australia for a month....

2009-06-27T11:52:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my last post, more photo opportunities would be presenting themselves in the Summer and sure enough, I will be travelling to the Southern Hemisphere to relax and enjoy myself in New Zealand and Australia for the month of July.

While I am there, I will have access to the FIBA U-19 Men's Basketball Championships in Auckland and potentially the 2009 World BMX Championships in Adelaide, Australia.

My flight leaves on Sunday, June 28, 2009. I will be returning to Canada on Wednesday, July 30, 2009.

I hope to document and share as much of the trip as possible with you as I travel and photograph my way down under on this blog.

You can feel free to pass along information, ideas, feedback or even request some photos that I have taken or you would like to have taken.

Just send me a message at hallmp13@yahoo.ca.

The next photo adventure...

2009-06-17T16:30:00.000-07:00

I was hoping to be taking photos at the Hamilton Avalanche photo tonight but, got lazy and decided not to take the camera out in the rain.

The completion of classes at school has provided me with a few extra minutes to complete www.mphcentral.com. Recent updates have included sports photos and a photo from Trieste, Italy that I found in my photo library.

An increased opportunity to take photos should be present in July and I look forward to updating more frequently.

Please check back often for some photo updates.........

MPH

4 teaching days left in 2009........

2009-06-10T14:34:00.001-07:00

Once again, I have neglected to post anything on my blog for the past month.

It has been a fun month, full of hard work, triumph and disappointment (sometimes we need to look back at what we have accomplished...).

Anyways, I'm almost done teaching for the school year, which should lead to more photos, which will hopefully lead to more posts and more opportunities to further my professional development as a photographer.

My first project is to complete the 'Sports' section of www.mphcentral.com.

Until next time........

And now May is here too.........

2009-05-03T16:55:00.001-07:00

I am currently teaching in Hamilton full-time until the end of the school year, which has been my focus for the last number of weeks. I can tell you that it is an exciting opportunity and that the students are fantastic.

As a coach, I have had to put down the camera for the last few events. (Seems like the only teams that never get photos from me are my own players.)

The BSV U-15 girls finished 6th at the Ontario Volleyball Provincials, the Co-ed Secondary School team took home the Eden Championships and the Track team has had their first meet.

On the photo side of things, I had the opportunity to work with the Hamilton Aquatic Club and to take their team and individual photos. A great group of young athletes that will hopefully continue training and represent Canada at the Olympics soon.

My favourite shot of the day was this one..............

Please feel free to contact me with any thoughts, ideas or photo opportunities...... stay fit and have fun......

April is here...

2009-04-04T16:18:00.000-07:00

April is here and I haven't posted anything in a month. The latest and greatest has taken away some opportunities to post on here.

The newest is a long-term occasional teaching position until the end of the school year.

Not much time to post right now. Working on providing you more information in the coming days.

Keep fit, and have fun.

Remote Camera...

2009-03-06T17:37:00.000-08:00

I have started to work with remote camera's, providing a view that most fans, coaches and players can't see during the game.

Prior to the OUA Women's Volleyball Championships at York University, I attempted to work with a remote camera placed above the court.

The camera is triggered via an attached pocket wizard. The camera can be fired by pressing the remote, or placing the second pocket wizard on a second camera and shooting both cameras at the same time.

Either way, this is what I got during the warm-up of the Bronze Medal game - prior to using the remote on the net.

Until the next post...stay out of trouble and have fun!

Bronze is in...

2009-03-02T20:11:00.000-08:00

I travelled to London, ON this past weekend to help coach the BSV U-15 girls at their tournament. The team worked together, passed well, set exceptional and made a dramatic improvement in their overall play. It was an excellent experience and I can't wait to hit the gym, training for Provincials in April.

Here are the BSV girls... (Photo credit: Karin Primorac)

A little more on the OUA Women's Volleyball Championships.

Had a couple of photos that I really liked, thought that I would share them with you. These are from the Marauders semi-final victory over the Toronto Varsity Blues.

Michael P. Hall - in print and online!

2009-02-23T21:12:00.001-08:00

A very entertaining weekend, watching the OUA women's volleyball Championships. I submitted some of my work to The Hamilton Spectator and Ontario University Athletics and it was picked up.

My volleyball net-cam (mounted the camera on the pole opposite of the Head Referee) helped me capture a fantastic view of Nicole Symrnios (Western) and Heather Bansley (Toronto) jousting for the ball during the second set of a five-set thriller for the Bronze medal (Western won).

Here is a screen dump:

You can check it out at: http://www.oua.ca/multimedia/featured/?id=41
(If you keep looking around the OUA website, you will see more OUA photos that I have taken.)

My photo of Elise Michalowski, following McMaster's three set loss to the host York Lions, appeared in the February 23, 2009 edition of the Hamilton Spectator.

Here is the screen dump:

You can check the photo and the article at: http://www.thespec.com/Sports/article/518567

Check back soon for more updates and photos from the OUA Women's Volleyball Championships and more...

Until next time, keep the communication flowing...

Marauders - OUA Men's Volleyball Champions

2009-02-20T11:39:00.000-08:00

McMaster was able to sweep Queen's 2-0 in a best-of-three series for the 2008-09 OUA Men's Volleyball Championships and a berth in the CIS National Championships in Alberta.

The Marauders won game two in front of their fans at home, with a 3-1 victory that included a 25-7 fourth set victory.

It was a pleasure to shoot for the OUA at the game. Here are a few of my favourites.

Tonight is the Women's Semi-Finals at York University. Another night of awesome action is upon us...........

Kawartha Classic Champions...

2009-02-11T21:24:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, the Bishop Ryan Junior Boys' Basketball team took their game to Peterborough and the Kawartha Classic. Facing some tough teams, and running into a couple shooters that could not be stopped (Literally hitting from downtown with everyshot they took).

The boys got together and worked hard, eventually earning the 'B' division championships.

A special thanks to Mr. Peet for providing the room and board for the team. (Photos are being fixed right now)

Unfortunately, I left the tournament early to act as the Public Address announcer at the Marauders final home volleyball games. (No photos, a disappointment on senior night)

It was great to see the Seniors playing at home for the final time in a regular season game. Even better was that the photo presented to Ryan Hudson was taken by me. Glad to see that my work from back in the day is still shining through. (and continues to improve with every shot)

Both teams won their matches, with the women giving York, their first loss of the season.

Sunday was another learning opportunity, taking photos at the last Winterfest event for the City of Hamilton and taking my level 2 technical basketball qualification.

Backing the news delivery truck to last Thursday, the date of the HWCDSB Swimming Championships, I was able to capture some awesome individual images of Bishop Ryan swimmers as the combined to finish third in the overall team division. (This photo was inspired by Mr. Peet, discussing one that he had taken the previous year. He claims that there is steam rising from the water and has the better photo. - What a surprise, coaches being competitive about everything.)

(Alexa Merulla swims her way to GHAC.)

As for the equipment that I spoke of in my last post, I have added pocket wizards, and off camera flash cord and a bogen magic arm to assist in the creation of a remote camera set up. I'm looking for the behind the backboard basketball photo in the coming days, weeks and years.

In the coaching/teaching department, I have been given the opportunity to assist Mr. Kislinsky at Sir Allan MacNab with his volleyball classes. From noon until 2:00 p.m., five days a week, Mr. K. has the opportunity to teach volleyball. What a great opportunity that would be.

Time to get some sleep, big game on Thursday against BT.

Thats just me for now, stay out of trouble until next time...

More to come in the following 24 hours...

2009-02-11T15:36:00.001-08:00

I have been busy, tackling some projects and researching equipment. I will be posting some photos and information in the next 24 hours.

That is me just now, stay out of trouble...

A photo from a friend...

2009-02-03T20:31:00.000-08:00

I woke up yesterday morning to an E-mail with a photo attached. My friend Amy Danko, currently finishing her Masters in OT, took a photo down under in Australia and passed it along. Fantastic photo.Inspired by Miss Danko, I went outside in the snow and checked out the views from the Mountain Brow. I ended up at the Wentworth stairs and here is my favourite photo from the day.
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to capture some Winterfest scenes at Gage Park. The children seemed to be having fun on the toboggans and crazy carpets. Unfortunately, not everyone is excited to see children flying down the hills. I am, and so here are some photos of the fun.

My work as the personal photographer of Chimo allowed me to meet another kool kat, Mr. Drew Wannamaker, the coolest staff member of Hamilton's Children Museum.
I'm looking forward to the cold, followed by a few days of warm weather and perhaps some basketball, volleyball and final Winterfest photos this weekend.

Exams, Winterfest, Marauder Volleyball and MVP Volleyball

2009-01-26T08:34:00.000-08:00

As the first semester of the 2008-09 school year finished for the Secondary schools, exams took over the gyms throughout the city. Basketballs and goggles were put away, the boots, mittens and hat were taken out for the 2009 Winterfest Opening Ceremonies and subsequent events.

Winterfest, organized by the City of Hamilton began on Saturday, January 24th as 'Rock-in' Ray Michaels hosted the opening affair at Gore Park.

Highlights included performances by Hannah Montana (a tribute) and Backbeat, Lumberjack games and an ice carving demonstration.

Mother Nature provided the bright shining sun and -15 degree celsius weather.
The conditions were considerably warmer inside the Burridge Gymnasium at McMaster University on Saturday evening as the Marauders volleyball teams took to the court against the challenging Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks.

My seat for the game was at the scorers’ desk as the public address announcer for the evening. The front row seat was fantastic for both Marauder victories. Both the women's and men's teams won 3-0.

9:00 a.m. comes early on Sunday morning. I made it to the gym on time and spent three hours with about 60 of my favourite U-13 volleyball players in Hamilton. Coach was my role this morning, working on our passing, volleying and hitting, while having fun and giving a great effort.
The afternoon was spent at Gourley Park and Myrtle Park taking photos of more Winterfest events. An outdoor ice rink at Myrtle Park made for some amazing photos. If only I had my skates with me in the trunk of the car...

Sports to start 2009

2009-01-15T20:09:00.000-08:00

Coaching with various teams and various sports has offered multiple opportunities to take a variety of approaches and chances with the camera, to see what works and what doesn't. On the downside, my players are usually the only ones that don't have game photos of themselves, as I'm busy cheering them on.

This past Tuesday was an exception. I was able to keep myself away from marshalling the swim meet for high school students and take some photos of the BR swimmers.

Wednesday evening was time to hit up McMaster University as the host Marauders took on the nationally ranked Windsor Lancers. The Lancer women, led by Dranadia Roc, defeated McMaster by a score of 54-52. With the victory Windsor is now 12-1 in regular season play.

The evening was designated a 'Think Pink' affair to raise awareness and money to eliminate Breast Cancer.

That's me just now, stay out of trouble until next time...

A time to start using the blog

2009-01-15T14:51:00.000-08:00

The first blog I posted was in June 2008 and it is time to start using the blog on a regular basis.

I intend to use the blog as a place to display my work and share my experiences as a teacher, coach and photographer.

Please feel free to contact me with any observations, suggestions, questions or opportunities to share my skills and capture memories to last a lifetime.

Come back for a read/view soon.

Michael P. Hall

June 28, 2008

2008-06-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

By: Michael P. Hall

Just a quick update as I further develop my website.

I am attempting to place a blog on my website. It is my hope that I will be able to make a post once a week, keeping any readers up to date on my writing, photography, coaching and teaching.

At this time, I am also working to develop my Flash and Illustrator skills. If anyone knows how to use either of these programs and is willing to assist me, it would be greatly appreciated.

It is my hope that everyone is doing well and working hard to be the best that they can be.

Please feel free to comment or make suggestions on what you would like to see here.