Andrew Berdan

I have discovered something that may seem obvious to those who have experienced long-distance cycling. There’s a duality of time compression and expansion that occurs when on a long ride.

At once, a cyclist feels the andrenaline-amplified sensation of high speed while barrelling down a hill, yet enjoys the stately progression of being out on the roads for several hours. It it simultaneously both physically exhilirating and mentally relaxing - a fantastic break for the full mind of a knowledge worker.

I’m hooked.

Hi everyone - I’ve recently put a print gallery online, where visitors to my website can order prints, cards and postcards of some of my photos. Have a look at the gallery here. I’m considering splitting it up by category, but for now, let’s try out one simple gallery.

Oh, and just to celebrate the initial launch, the first 10 people to use the code “C898D6” on an order will get 20% off.

Andy.

At my office, we have developed a technique for making coffee with surgical precision. This technique has seen us through some rough times — late nights, big crunches, and office-party hangovers.

The Gear:

1. Water Filtration unit, plumbed in, and providing hot water.
2. Aeropress
3. Blade Coffee Grinder (we haven’t invested in a burr grinder yet)
4. Whole Bean Coffee
5. Kettle
6. Metal Pitcher (the same kind used for steaming milk)

The Rules:

1. First person that wants coffee makes it. If multiple people want it at the same time, they can pair up. More than two chefs get in the way.
2. Whoever is making the coffee is required to ask all coffee-drinking individuals in the office if they want coffee (and optionally other occasional drinkers). If people are wearing headphones, it is appropriate at this time to interrupt their listening experience.
3. Individuals drinking coffee are expected to produce their mugs. They will not be washed, unless said individual has done so themselves.
4. Coffee is produced in the following manner:
   1. Fill kettle with filtered, hot-but-not-boiling water, and plug it in.
   2. Fill grinder with 1 scoop of whole beans per coffee-drinking individual, and grind to appropriate level.
   3. Make coffee with freshly boiled water, through aeropress, over top of the metal pitcher.
   4. All accoutréments are either put away, or cleaned immediately and put onto a drying rack.
5. Metal pitcher filled with delicious coffee concentrate is used to evenly distribute coffee to mugs from step #3. If mugs have not been produced, fair distribution is not guaranteed.
6. Remainder of kettle water may used to make americano-style coffee from the concentrate, as per normal aeropress procedure. If kettle water is exhausted, water filtration unit may be used to make a not-quite-so-hot cup of coffee. Individuals desiring such may also add cinnamon, vanilla, or other additives.

Interestingly enough, we never really discussed any of this. It’s just what evolved over time and works for us. This works very well for up to 4 coffee drinkers. Beyond that, a second aeropress pressing has to be done, and things break down a bit.

I went out to shoot some of the local kids at a skate park. The usual bout of questions came up: “Why are you taking pictures?” “Are you a photographer?” “Do you work for a newspaper?” “Is this going on the internet?”*

This time, things were a bit different. There was one smaller boy — it’s always the younger ones that are more bold with their questions — who asked me as I ripped a sequence shot, “Is that fun?”

I don’t get the impression that he believed my answer of, “Definitely.”

But, it got me thinking about that question. It’s so simple, yet it cuts deep. Are you truly enjoying yourself when you do what you do? I’ve definitely worked places where I dreaded waking up in the morning… and now, I’ve got two jobs where I love what I do. By day, I’m a mild-mannered video game developer. By night, I’m rocking a cam as The Caffeinated Shooter.

Having experienced the excitement of fulfilling work, there’s no way I can ever go back to the world I used to live in, and I try my damnedest to make this experience a similar reality for the people in my life, including the other members of my team.

My question to all of you is, “If you’re not having any fun, why the hell are you doing it?”

* The answers, respectively, are: “It’s what I do.”, “Yes.”, “Nope, freelance”, and “If they’re good, sure.”

I’ve had a portfolio site up for quite a while (at http://berdan.ca/ ), but for a long time, I was dissatisfied with it, and the shots I had available there. In the last two weeks, I managed to get it up and running with a layout I actually like (and some biography help from my professional writer girlfriend).

I am stunned at how much motivation having a decent portfolio site has given me. I’m actually much more interested in giving out my business card; I don’t feel I have to qualify it with comments like, “It’s out of date” or the like. I can just give out the contact info and say, call me if you’re interested in a shoot.

This has led to some new opportunities, and a bright future. I just wish I had done this years ago.

Stereotypes are for people with binocular vision. I prefer daguerreotypes.