Q&A with an economics-sciences student trying to be a pro photographer

October 29th 2009, Talent Egg Incubator

I have a real passion for photography and would love to do it as a career, but I’m not sure how possible that is for me.

There is an over-saturation of people trying to make it as photographers right now and, from what I’ve seen, many of them aren’t very good.

I don’t really know how to get myself in there without taking a huge risk, so for the time being at least, I am on the fence.

But the same is not true of Jeff Jewiss. He’s a photographer and designer who has captured some pretty impressive artists (Jonas Brothers, IllScarlett, the Weakerthans, and Dallas Green) and organizations as a photographer.

Jewiss’ work focuses primarily on portraiture, promotional and concert photography, but he has also done some work in other areas, such as shooting sports events. In addition to working as a photographer, he attends McMaster University where he is completing a bachelor of economics degree, with the possibility of simultaneously finishing a physical sciences degree.

I interviewed Jeff recently about his work and education while we were people-watching on campus in between classes.

Q. Why did you decide to go to university for science?

A. At the high school I went to that’s what they pushed, mostly the sciences in general. Our school was known for sending kids off to Queen’s, U of T and [McMaster].

We were told to put our time in at high school, get one of these degrees, and get a good job at the end of it all. I applied to those kind of schools, but I have family here [in Hamilton] so here I am.

Q. How did you get started in photography?

A. I worked finance full-time for one and a half years. If you’ve ever worked a job like that, you’d understand there is a lot of downtime. It’s against the corporate culture to talk about it, but there is. So I’d look at photography websites and photos when I had the chance. One day I just walked into a Henry’s and bought a camera.

I’ve always had a love of music, so I’d go to shows and take pictures. I started making friends with people in bands who’d appreciate what I was doing. So I started doing promotional shots, parties, etc., for different bands.

Like anything artistic, you need to continue what you are doing no matter how discouraged you get. You’ll think your stuff sucks, but others will appreciate what you’re doing, and pushing forward and keeping your head up will give you access to bigger and better things. You also have to be realistic.

One of the hardest things – for me at least – was fighting [a] ceiling. I mean kind of like the glass ceiling that women face in the workplace. It’s years of experience, time and equipment that make you successful.

But let me debunk the equipment thing a little bit. Just because you have really good equipment doesn’t mean you will take a better picture; it can make your job easier, though. It’s knowledge that makes you a better photographer, a better everything, really.

The hard thing for me is I’ll soon mark two years of doing this and I’m basically using the same equipment I started with. I haven’t been doing it for very long in terms of freelancing – I’m an amateur at best. I’m thankful for what I have but I want to shoot better bands, take more interesting photos and continue to grow.

Q. How do you think your education has helped you and can help you in the future?

A. All degrees . . . serve a purpose. Still, the person who markets themselves better will make more money, even if they’re not the best. Sadly, incredible talent often goes unnoticed.

It’s frustrating because there seem to be two main types of photographer: those who are technical and those who are artistic. The ones who get paid aren’t necessarily the ones who have a high technical aptitude, since the buyer is often ignorant to these aspects of a photo.

For a lot of people it’s chance. They will take thousands of photos and hope their idea will happen. But I want to be able to make it happen every time.

My hope is that I’ll end up in graphic design or photography. It’ll give me a stable job where I can support myself and do freelance work. That’s the way I’ve chosen to do it and it’s worked [so far]. Degrees are taken seriously, like a diploma from Seneca or degrees from OCAD or Ryerson. I won’t have that, so I’ll have to work harder to get my foot in the door.

Q. What do you recommend to other students who want to pursue a career different that what they have gone to school for?

A. I don’t want to mislead anyone. I’ve made mistakes which have cost me a lot of money. The route I took is probably not [the best] one.

Students need to realize what they’re doing now should be what they want as a career. Take into account the money and effort you’ll invest. From my experience, if you don’t love you subject of study, either stick it out because you’ve committed, or don’t waste [more] time and money and take a step back.

Trying new things and getting out of your comfort zone may let you find your dream job, or let it find you. What it comes down to is if you can afford to make lots of mistakes: mentally, physically, socially, but mostly financially.

You don’t want to be in school forever, but you don’t want a degree you won’t use either.

History 101: The real history behind Halloween

October 27 2009. Launch Magazine.

I have always liked the fall: the yummy food being harvested, the pretty colours of the leaves and warm comfy sweaters all make me happy. I also love Halloween, although more for its associations with fall and the macabre, since getting dressed up (in any way) irritates me.

But like most holidays we celebrate today, Halloween has a historical past that is much different than what we recognize today.

The Celts celebrated Samhain on Nov. 1, the day of their new year. It signified the end of nice weather, the harvest and the upcoming winter months.

It was believed that on the night before Samhain, the ghosts of the dead returned to earth because the boundary separating the worlds of the living and dead became thin. Those who passed that year would also visit their families, so people would hold feasts in their honour and light large bonfires in an effort to help their spirits find their way back home.

The Romans conquered most of the Celtic territory by 43 CE, which caused Samhain to merge with the Roman festivals Feralia and Pomona. Feralia commenced in late October and commemorated the passing of the dead. Named after the Roman goddess of the same name, Pomona honoured the goddess’s connection to fruit and trees. Her symbol is the apple, and the practice of bobbing for apples likely comes from this event.

During the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV created All Saints Day; a time to honour saints and martyrs of the church.

It is believed that the Pope was trying to replace the Celtic festival with one accepted by the church. October 31st was then deemed All Saints’ Eve.

In 1000CE, the Church designated Nov. 2, as All Souls’ Day; a day to honour the dead with bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes like angels, saints, or devils. The three consecutive days (All Saints’ Eve, All Saints’, and All Souls’ Day) was termed Hallowmas.

The mass-migration of people from Europe to North America fashioned Halloween into more like what we know today. Coming from earlier British traditions, people would go door-to-door asking for food and/or money; which we recognize today as trick-or-treating.

During the late 1800’s until the start of the 20th century, Halloween had a community focus, with people celebrating the foods of the season while wearing festive costumes. As time passed, the holiday became more and more removed from its earlier traditions to another Hallmark holiday.

It is also important to note that Samhain is an imperative occasion still celebrated today. It is the most significant of the eight sabbats celebrated in Wicca. It is a day when Wiccans celebrate death and those who have passed away, as well as paying respect to ancestors, friends, pets, and other loved ones. Although the Wiccan sabbat is influenced by the Celtic holiday, it is not considered to be equivalent, since the two faiths are different in many ways.

Other current observances at this time of the year include Dia De Los Muertos in Mexico, Spain, and Latin America (one I find particularly fascinating), as well as Guy Fawkes’ Night in the UK.

McMaster alumnus finds resolution of peace and conflict in her job

October 16 2009. TalentEgg Career Incubator

When we think of peace, many different conceptions of the concept may pop into our minds. Peace can mean settling a dispute with your loved one; a confrontation with a co-worker that still needs to be worked out; or the many of the global issues that plague our world today, such as the numerous conflicts in the Middle East or tensions with North Korea. Very rarely do we think of peace on the micro level. For the most part, we only think of peace in an outward sense and rarely within ourselves.

Danielle Boissoneau comments on peace and conflict and how the two can be resolved as part of her job, as well as in her blog, Sken:nen. Danielle’s academic background is from McMaster where she was a student of Indigenous Studies and Political Science. Danielle is an Annishnaabeq of the Old Turtle Clan, from the Garden River First Nation. She and I recently met up so I could get her perspectives on peace.

Q. Where are you employed right now?

A. I’m working for an NGO: the Canadian Centers for Teaching Peace. [I work at] The Hamilton Centre for Teaching Peace [which] is located in the Skydragon Centre, we call it the Peace Café. Specifically my program is called Indigenous Peace Education.

Q. So what is it exactly that you do?

A. It is a lot of workshops, dialogue sessions, and sharing information with people in different ways. I am putting on a conference on November 11^th called the Indigenous Peace Education Conference. It is in correlation with the National Peace Education Conference from November 12^th-15^th. The whole thing about the conference is that you learn about making peace with yourself and with your community and then take that to the global level. One of the sayings of the conference is about finding peace within yourself, something I think is important.

Q. How has your background influenced your job?

A. I think the current definition of the peace dogmatic, where peace only comes from non-violent resistance and peace outside the thing that is unreachable, is problematic.

We watch on the news that 100 people died today, and that thousands of others are killing people, but all of that is good because we get money from that. My work is part of the counter-sphere education. It’s kind of like Peace Studies: you might as well call it war studies because it is not bringing peace or changing the impact of what is going on.

The things I teach are kinda airy fairy but those are the kinds of things I know. Kind of like the movie What the #$*! Do We (K)now?: It’s about a paradigm shift; the documentary kind of examines that concept through quantum physics, but proves that changing the way you think can have dramatic effects. That’s what I try to share with the work that I do.

Q. How has your degree influenced your job choice?

A. I became very angry and bitter [during] my time at Mac, learning about power relations between state and citizen, the narrow definitions and seemingly twisted diabolic of contemporary society. Instead of feeding into the bitterness and anger, I became proactive; instead propagating the mainstream system, I decided to change the information that was being shared about Indigenous peoples and the narrow definition of peace. My experience through my education taught me that ideas and information are very important facets when discussing power relations.

Q. Do you feel that your background has influenced the way you see the world?

A. Definitely. Because I’m Native I was looking for reassurance for why things were the way they were. The political science degree explained to me who has the power and why they maintain it. All things – background, education, job – compiled together to make me who I am now. I’m kind of living resistance I guess, because instead of settling and being in this angry hole in the ground, I’m sharing info with people. It makes me happy [to do this], instead of dragging me down spirit and soul. I’m awesome.

The Turkey Dump Phenomenon

13 October 2009, Launch Magazine.

When I initially heard of The Turkey Dump, I imagined fowl, feathers and, well, poop. However, it’s actually a phenomenon that afflicts many couples who try to date long-distance during their first year away at college or university.

A Turkey Dump is when a student returns home from school during the Thanksgiving holiday to break up with their significant other. This is usually one of the first times a student goes home for the year and also one of the first times a relationship can be ended in person.

The Turkey Dump and Gen Y

Long distance relationships have been a part of Western culture for centuries. For example, sailors would often be gone for months at a time during the warmer months in order to procure wealth for their families. In 19th century British fiction, females would always be depicted as pining over their lovers. Lastly, whenever a man went to war, he would often leave his girlfriend/fiancé/wife behind, as was evident in both the First and Second World Wars.

On the other hand, The Turkey Dump has become a large part of Generation Y – more so than any other generation. It was not until the apathetic Gen Xers came along that going to college or university was common for all socioeconomic classes and, as a result, more young adults are subject to long-distance relationships than ever before.

But I can’t really say why for sure more of us now break up en masse at this time of year. Maybe it’s because marriage and relationships were a much bigger deal once upon a time. Or perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the parents of Gen Y children always told us we could do and have anything we want to, and thus we never want to settle when things get a little bit tough.

Scott McCarter created a Turkey Dump website in 2006, when he noticed a lot of couples would break up during the Thanksgiving weekend. The site has user-submitted stories, e-cards, and a forum all about the Turkey Dump.

The Turkey Dump has recently become part of academia too. University of Guelph master’s student Duncan Stewart included the Turkey Dump in sociology thesis on Anticipatory Coping. Stewart looked into how people would prepare in advance for negative situations, such as being dumped unexpectedly; which is what often happens in a Turkey Dump.

Other studies, including those in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, state that up to 74% of first-year undergraduate long-distance relationships will fail by the end of first year.

My story

Long-distance relationships (be they with friends, family or romantic partners) can be incredibly difficult. I would know. Everything for me is long-distance. It is about a 20-minute drive for me to get to public transit, which happens to be the distance to Brampton, the next-largest city. Most of the friends I’ve met while studying at McMaster live an hour or more away, so if we ever want to get together, there is a lot of planning involved.

In addition, my partner (who I met at McMaster) is from another province (Alberta), and goes home in the summer to spend time with his family. This fall, he will be doing a post-graduate degree at UBC while I am still at Mac. Although we got through this holiday season, we still have a long way to go before we’ll end up even in the same province.

Why I'm Thankful I Know the Real History Behind Thanksgiving

13 October 2009, Launch Magazine

At McMaster every fall, there is a mass exodus of students who head home to spend time with their families and consume lots of turkey, or sometimes tofurkey. But I am never one of them.

For all of the years I’ve been in university, I only managed to make it home for Thanksgiving in my first year. When I mention this to people they think my parents want nothing to do with me and I must have starved over the weekend. That, or I’m really anti-social. I assure you none of this is true, but we are a bit non-traditional when it comes to Thanksgiving.

My parents are cool with this arrangement. I’m their only child and have left the nest. They have adjusted to life without me being around and I have done the same. It’s not that we don’t talk often (we do), but it seems we do things differently than most families.

My parents drove down to visit me last weekend, took me out for Thai food, and then spent Thanksgiving weekend at their cottage. I, on the other hand, spent the weekend frantically working on the three essays I have due between Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. Maybe this is our Thanksgiving tradition because it seems to happen every year.

Interesting fact: grocery stores still sell pumpkin pie to you even if you’re not with your family over the weekend.

As part of one of my lectures last week, I learned about the Haudenoshonee Thanksgiving Address, also known as Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen, or “words that come before all else.” This ceremony is important to the Haudenoshonee peoples and is a means of thanking the natural world for all of the things it provides. Traditionally, the address can go on for days at a time, and is recited in one of the six Haudenoshonee languages.

However, there are now short summations in English. Although I am not advocating for cultural co-option, I firmly believe we should all be giving thanks every day, instead of once a year. I really dislike that everyone feels obligated to give thanks because it’s a holiday. It seems to cheapen the meaning behind everything.

This time of year also makes me reflect on how much we actually know about the holidays. I’m sure you all know the real history of Thanksgiving, right? Sometime in the sixteenth century, the pilgrims and Native Americans came together and celebrated, as the Native people were preventing the British separatists from suffering from starvation. Everyone was happy, food was plentiful, and the world was full of rainbows, cuddly kitties, cute puppies and magical unicorns.

In case my sarcasm didn’t register with you, what we are taught about the first Thanksgiving is actually a huge myth. There was no Thanksgiving feast and relations were not good. Although the puritans were starving (they ate their dogs, boiled their clothes for the starch, and even cannibalized each other) and the Tsenacomoco did help them survive the first winter, there ends the truth behind the Thanksgiving narrative.

Once the colonists gained more supplies the following spring, they turned against the Tsenacomoco; a trend toward Indigenous people that has lasted for centuries.

Although there have been commonalities in the way Canadians and Americans treated and continue to treat our Indigenous populations, there are many differences between the two nations. The story of the foundation of Canada is based on both British and French colonists, creating a different narrative and thus a distinct culture down the road. The first Canadian Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1859, it had a pro-British, white, Christian, Anglo-Saxon message, and was incredibly anti-American. However, by the 1870’s the American “traditions” as stated above took hold on Canada much against the chagrin of our religious leaders of the time.

Since then, the holiday’s meaning has changed yet again for Canadians. The holiday we celebrated in the Victorian era wanted us to express thanks for the things in our world and the people around us. It was in 1957 that Parliament passed a law that Thanksgiving would move to the second Monday in October, and that is how it has remained, along with the American story. This has lead to Thanksgiving becoming yet another Hallmark holiday.

For Indigenous people, Columbus Day and Thanksgiving represents a celebration of ethnocide, since their population has decreased as a result of colonialism and the xenophobia that accompanied it. Copies of the May 4, 1493, Papal Bull “Inter Caetera” – the document that allowed colonizers divine rule over North America – are burnt as a form of protest. The Papal Bull stated only Christians had rights to the land and since the continent was inhabited by heathens, their rights were revoked as possessors of the land. The myth of terra nuellis followed and also “allowed” Europeans their claim to North America.

I am thankful that I have my health, a roof over my head, a family that loves me, and fridge full of food. I am thankful that my parents instilled in me the desire to keep learning new things. I am even thankful for the ability to attend university, even though I am not all that impressed at the due dates my professors set out for me this year.

What I am most thankful for is that Hamilton does not have a wild turkey population. Those bastards are mean and will chase you.

The History of Thanksgiving Part II

October 8 2009: http://www.macinsiders.com/showthread.php?t=24316

Most people do not know the real history of Thanksgiving, and I don't begrudge you that completely. We are simply not taught what really happened during the course of our education. Last year, I wrote an article about the real History of Thanksgiving. I suggest you check it out.

As part of one of my classes this week, we learned more things about the real history of Thanksgiving that I didn't cover in the article last year. What I learned mostly pertained to the "original" US Thanksgiving, which is the one ours is modeled after. Nevertheless, I learned some things I hadn't learned before. We also watched a clip from The Addams Family Values. You can check it out below.

YouTube Video.

Perhaps the most interesting thing I learned was about the Haudenoshonee Thanksgiving Address, also known as Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen, or "words that come before all else". This ceremony is important to the Haudenoshonee peoples and is a means of thanking the natural world for all of the things it provides. Traditionally, the address can go on for days at a time, and is recited in one of the six Haudenoshonee languages. You can find out more information about Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen here and read a short summation of it in English here.

Thanksgiving and/or Columbus Day also happens to be a day of protest for Indigenous persons, which I mentioned briefly last year. This year will be the twelfth annual papal bulls burning, where copies of the May 4th 1493 Papal Bull "Inter Caetera"; the document that allowed colonizers divine rule over North America. The Papal Bull basically stated that only Christians had rights to the land, and since the continent was inhabited by heathens their rights were revoked as possessors of the land. The myth of terra nuellis followed and also "allowed" Europeans their claim to North America.

I firmly believe, and have for some time, that we should all be giving thanks every day, instead of once a year.

Turning an interest in environmental advocacy into a career

October 7 2009: http://talentegg.ca/incubator/2009/10/turning-an-interest-in-environmental-advocacy-into-a-career/

Gen Y is one of the “greenest” generations to date. We grew up learning how to recycle as small children and were taught conservation methods by David Suzuki on TV. As a result, many of us have philosophies toward our environment and its protection which are drastically different than that of older generations. We don’t like how quickly resources are being used and how much the planet has changed in terms of climate and ecology in our lifetimes. We sincerely believe that if the degeneration of Earth continues at this rate, future generations will be doomed.

Conferences and protests have been happening all over the world in recent years to try to create solutions for these issues. Only some of these events have targeted those of us who have the most to lose and the most to say: youth.

Thus, in 2007 the first Power Shift conference was held in Washington DC, and due to its success a second event occurred early this spring. Power Shift Australia was held this July, with the UK Power Shift following suit on October 9-12, and finally an event in Ottawa being held from October 23-26.

Power Shift Canada is two days of training, action and strategy, and one day of lobbying to hold our elected officials accountable to the people they serve: those who want a solution to the climate crisis and those who want to build a successful youth climate movement. The event has sprouted a large following due in part of social networking media such as a Facebook Fan Page, a Twitter account, and a YouTube Channel.

One thousand youth from all of the provinces and territories will be converging on Parliament Hill to make a statement about the environmental procedures in this country as a part of Power Shift Canada. Will you be one of them? Katie Stiel will be there.

Katie is a recent McMaster graduate with a degree in philosophy and geography. In her last year at Mac, Katie was the director of MACgreen, the McMaster Student Union’s student-run service whose mission is to serve the greater McMaster community in creating a more sustainable campus. She currently works for Environment Hamilton and is also responsible for recruiting participants from the greater Hamilton area to come to Power Shift. You can check out an article she wrote about Power Shift for McMaster students here.

Katie and I chatted recently about how her extra-curricular involvement has helped her get involved in various environmental issues in Canada.

Q. How do you think your education helped you land the current opportunities you have?

A. To be honest, it hasn’t. I took some Geo[graphy] courses that piqued my interest. But it was mostly through extra-curriculars and students leadership activities I participated in that gave me the opportunity to explore. If philosophy taught me anything, it was I can’t be a philosopher and that I don’t want to be a philosopher.

Q. How did you get involved in environmental advocacy programs?

A. It started when I was a community advisor in Brandon Hall [a residence at McMaster]. There is a four-pillar programming plan you follow, and one of the areas is awareness. I did it on an environmental event … and wanted to take it to a larger scale. I kept on getting involved in different groups because I wanted to keep taking things to a larger scale.

Q. What sorts of organizations have you been involved with recently?

A. The Sierra Youth Coalition is something I got involved in during my fourth year. Greenpeace has really sparked my interest in the last couple of months. And the Polaris Institute is something I’ve been really interested about because they deal with water justice, which is a passion [of mine]. My interest in the Sierra Youth Coalition has sparked interest in others, like the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition, which in turn sparked an interest in Power Shift.

Q. What have you learned from being involved in these groups?

A. On a more selfish level, geared to me personally, I’ve learned some things skill-wise like different organizational techniques. But these are things I had before but learned some more while working within a national network. I’ve done some things on a smaller scale, in Hamilton and in Ontario. Although the Sierra Youth Coalition is on a national scale, you don’t really get involved with people in other areas. For the Polaris Institute, with conference calls you learn different perspectives of the same things which is awesome.

Q. What do you hope to gain from the Power Shift experience?

A. Personally, I don’t think I’ll gain too much; I’m going more based on interest. I do appreciate taking on the leadership role on something I’m passionate about. But I want to see how this will impact Canada as a whole and how youth will be impacted. It’s a critical time of the year for us because of the [United Nations Climate Change] conference in December [also known as the Copenhagen 15, or COP15]. Hopefully it will make an impact like it did in Australia and the US.

Q. How do you recommend that other students and youth in general get involved in environmental organizations?

A. My personal suggestion is to find an issue you’re passionate about and search from there. To use the Polaris Institute as an example: water justice and water issues were something I was passionate about so I looked them up. Don’t try to get involved with everything because you’ll just get overwhelmed. Also, look to your schools because at this point all [post-secondary] schools should have some sort of organization on campus.