Lögberg-Heimskringla - 15.11.2012, Blaðsíða 5

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Lögberg-Heimskringla • 15. nóvember 2012 • 5
While I was covering the recent Canadian Power and Sail
Squadrons conference (we
teach and promote safe boat-
ing), I interviewed Don Butt,
our CPS photographer, on ways
to deal with group shots. Don
claims not to be a professional
photographer, that photography
is just his passion. Perhaps.
However, his results are profes-
sional.
We talked mostly about
group shots, because that’s
where Don really shines and
most of us have the most
problems. He said that, in order
to get a good shot of a group,
sometimes the photographer
has to do something really
goofy. I leave it to each of
you to translate “goofy” into
action.
But the best tip was on
photographing people at
a meeting or listening to a
speaker. Don shoots from the
back of the hall. I checked
out some photos of backs of
heads and realized how well it
works.
Shoot from behind the
speaker or entertainer and, in
the front row, there’s sure to be
someone looking bored, looking
down, scratching, or chatting
with a neighbour. No sense of
investment in what is going on.
On the other hand, check out
Dilla’s “from behind” photo
of people listening to speeches
during the “Walk to the Rock.”
Just from their stance, they
look engaged.
So do the two people in
Leona’s Halloween party shot.
Yes, she could have asked
them to turn around, and she’d
have another photo of two
people, rather stiff, looking at
the camera. But these two are
engaged. In fact, they are at the
bar, fixing drinks, and the joke
is that it isn’t a guy and a gal,
but two fellows, and the clown,
the one wearing the curly wig,
is quite bald in real life.
Finally, #3. That’s Don
Butt’s shot of a Governing Board
meeting at the CPS conference.
He provides the setting – a
look at the room, with the GB
officers sitting around the table
and the observers on chairs.
His photo shows how well
attended the session is, and,
with no faces visible, there are
no distractions, no twitching,
scratching or yawning.
Don’t do it all the time,
but the “from the back” shot is
certainly worth trying.
Dealing with crowd shots
Joan Eyolfson Cadham
THE EDITOR’S CORNER
For as long as I can remember, I have known that I am Icelandic. In fact, I’m fairly certain that I knew
I was Icelandic before I knew that I was
Canadian. Our family is delighted by
the fact that we’re Icelandic and when
the inevitable question comes – “Are
you Scandinavian?” we proudly reply
that we’re Icelandic. Helgason. The
son of Helgi. Until I went to Iceland
on the Snorri Program this summer, I
had thought that my great-grandfather
had taken his mother’s name as I did
not know that Icelandic names change
depending on their case. Now armed with
my family tree, courtesy of the Snorri
Program, I discovered that indeed my
great-great grandfather had been Helgi
and hence our last name was born.
But what does being Icelandic
in Canada mean to me? Well, in our
family it means one thing – vínarterta.
No Christmas or special event would be
complete without it. Imagine my shock
and surprise to discover that Icelanders
don’t really eat vínarterta. How can this
be? With my entire knowledge of being
Icelandic taken away, I set out to use my
six weeks in Iceland to determine what
it is that makes me Icelandic.
During the family period, I stayed
with my Grandma’s uncle’s descendants
in Eastern Iceland for the first 12 days and
in Southern Iceland for the remaining 10
days. By discovering that I have living,
breathing, caring family in Iceland who
are as interested in being a part of my
life as I am in being a part of theirs,
my life has irrevocably been altered.
Although we are several generations
removed, they took me in as if I was
their sister or daughter. They introduced
me as their Canadian Icelander frænka.
I love that Icelandic only has one word
for cousin, aunt, niece, etc. because it
just highlights one thing – she is family.
For Icelanders, or at the very least,
for my Icelandic relatives, family is the
cornerstone of being an Icelander. You
can’t be who you are without those
who have come before you and you
are a better you if you are enjoying the
journey with family.
Jolene Helgason
My Icelandic heritage is im-portant to me because it has always been part of me. And
when I say that, I mean it literally. My
middle name is Kisa which means kitty
cat in Icelandic. When I was younger,
people would ask what my middle name
was and I would always reply in the
same way, “It is Kisa, which means cat
in Icelandic.” It is apparently a term of
endearment. I have always been very
proud to be Icelandic.
I call my grandparents amma and
afi. They have always been very close
to me and strong influences in my life.
My afi has supported my knowledge
on my Icelandic heritage by telling me
many stories about Iceland and how our
family immigrated to Canada. When
my grandparents went to Iceland a few
years ago, they came back with so many
stories. And I was eager to hear them.
Growing up, and even still now,
my favourite dessert has always been
pönnukökur. It was such a treat when
my amma would make it for me. I loved
it even more when I got to be part of
the baking process. In Grade 8, we had
Culture Day at my school and my amma
and I made 200 pönnukökurs for it.
When I was younger, we used to go
to Icelandic Christmas and the þorrablót
at the Icelandic Canadian Club of
Edmonton. It was something I would
look forward to every year. I got to meet
people my age with whom I shared
a common heritage and the food was
amazing. I will always remember doing
crafts on Christmas with kids my age.
About Grade 6, I took part in the
Icelandic Christmas play. I remember
how interesting it was to learn about some
of the Icelandic Christmas traditions. It
was a great feeling to perform in front of
the crowd of people who looked forward
to gathering together and celebrating
our heritage. It felt even better to see my
amma and afi in the audience.
Sophie Olsen
Jolene Helgason
and Sophie Olsen
Two views on being IcelandicOp-Ed
GiMli
SElkirk
Betel Home Foundation will continue to be a leader
and innovator in providing the highest quality of life for
each individual in our care. Betel Home Foundation
is an integral part of the community recognizing our
Icelandic roots and respecting others cultures.
Betel Home Foundation
G I M L I 96-1sT AveNue • 204-642-5556 s E L k I R k 212 MANChesTer AveNue • 204-482-4651
Tax receipts available
for donations of either
money or stock.
ARBoRG AsheRn eRiKsdAle FisheR BRAnCh
376-2798 768-2733 739-2137 372-8411
642-6450 389-2550378-5121768-2437
GiMli MoosehoRn RiveRTon WinniPeG BeACh
photo: linda cornell
Sophie and Jolene
Halloween, by Leona Schell
Walk to the Rock, by Dilla Narfason Effective crowd shot, by Don Butt