There's a lot to be said for an 18-200 vibration-stabilized lens. And a good wall, of course.

The irony's just too obvious, isn't it? Well, it is an unsubtle age, after all.

Well, actually, sometimes, it is. Go see "Away From Her", a movie written and directed by Sarah Polley. She deserves an Academy Award for being "Smartest Under-30-Year-Old Writer/Director-Working-Today". For that matter, I'd happily put her name up for "Smartest Writer/Director" period. It's a great movie. It's based on a short story by Alice Munro (in case you weren't aware of that), who is one of the best (or, if you like, the best) short story writers, um, ever. Her stories move along slowly and quietly until somehow, at the end, you realize she's been building a small nuclear bomb underneath you while you weren't looking, and she sets it off. Ms. Polley's movie is very true to this way of working. Quiet details, bits of everyday life anyone would be familiar with, eventually begin to reveal their deeper meanings, and the bomb goes off. Very, very quietly.

The stars are Gordon Pinsent, Julie Christie, Olympia Dukakis, and Michael Murphy. All of whom are, let's face it, old. And that's pretty much how they're shot - they look old. No soft focus. And they're playing people you know, living in homes you recognize, in neighbourhoods you recognize. It's not "Hollywood". Things aren't perfect.

The story involves Alzheimer's, marital infidelity, and - possibly - revenge. And yet, things work out - sort of. Go see it. You'll like it.

Just another part of the downtown in Vancouver that's disappearing fast.

Getting the news.

Hey - an actual "photography oriented" post. Although, it's on a tiny, picky detail. Straps. Shoulder/neck straps. Is there a decent one out there? My camera is a Nikon D50 - nice camera, hideously ugly strap. Who designed this monstrosity? It's been around since the '80s. And I'll bet Canon has something equally ugly. So, when I first got the camera, I headed out looking for a new strap. I wound up buying one of LowePro's. Looks better, but it's a hunk of junk, functionally. I like to carry my camera on one shoulder, rather than around my neck. The LowePro slides off my shoulder like I was made of teflon. It's got a miracle "sticky" pattern on the inside that's simply not. Isn't there something out there that actually stays on your shoulder and isn't uglier than... (supply your favourite ugly thing here).