Quebec City Re-visited

These pictures are from a weekend Gili and I spent in Quebec City about a year ago. I'm trying to figure out which images  work better with HDR treatment. I liked the results I got here, so I'm sharing them with you. The problem with certain images, especially those shot with strong light conditions and heavy shadows, is that you end up with both overexposed areas (sky) and underexposed areas (shadows cast by tall buildings). Processing these images with HDR solves that problem. Whether you like this 'otherworldly' look is up to you to decide. Right now I'm just excited about it, but i think the novelty will wear off in a few weeks.

Cedarvale in HDR

I took a few images in Cedarvale Park this morning and then edited them through a new software which processes HDR (High Dynamic Range) images. It basically blends the same image shot with three different exposures. Let me know what you think.

Family Dinner

One of the nice perks of being married is that now Gili and I have a much bigger family. Gili's mother and my parents share a similar background, culture, and immigrant experience, which might explain why they have been getting along together so well. Gili's family has gotten together every Friday night for Shabbat dinner for the past couple of years, and since we started dating, we have brought the families together numerous times for tasty feasts. 

Well, this Friday my parents hosted dinner at their place, and together with my two aunts, who came from Israel for the wedding, and Gili's mom, they cooked this great-looking and more importantly, great-tasting meal. My aunt Ruty made incredible Moroccan fish, as well as her now legendary purple-root salad and pickled veggies. Bella, Gili's mother, made the Gevetch (?). I'm not sure what it is, but it sure was delicious! Gili made some of the best Humus (Choomoos!) to be found on the continent, and my mother finished it off with a killer apple strudel, topped with french vanilla ice-cream, and a side of mango and kiwi. 

Both Gili and I feel lucky to be surrounded from both sides by supportive and loving families, and we hope we can continue to have these weekly dinners well into the future.

Let me know if you would like to be invited to our next meal!

Two New Composites

Enough with the snow already!

 

My brothers, future brothers-in-law and a few close friends took me on a winter cottage escapade this weekend, two weeks before my wedding (anybody feeling nervous?). We spent the weekend tobogganing, snow-showing, skating, playing hockey (a somewhat scaled-down version of the game), drinking and farting.
I had an awesome time, and also got a chance to take some photos of snow.
I will post photos of actual people from the weekend in the next post, maybe.

A pie in the face, anyone?

 

Gili's friend decided to check an item off her bucket list before 2010 was over. Naturally, Gili was up to the task, so on the last day of the year the pies were bought, the living room was emptied, and the pie-throwing commenced.

What does it feel like to be hit with a pie in the face? "Liberating!" 

Well, the dog was excited about licking pie off the floor, but the three-year-old may never forget the day her mom was transformed into an unrecognizable pie-face...

Next up on the bucket list: pulling the cloth off of an unassuming kitchen-table, thereby clearing its contents right onto the floor...

cars, yes, cars.

These two photos are from the summer. The first was shot through the windshield of a car on a rainy day. I played around with the second image in photoshop. I tried to make it look like a car advertisement, but you can see Gili in the driver's seat, checking her email. If you can figure out the locations of these two images you might get a prize...or something.
Happy New Year!!!