This past weekend was the IBU World Cup stop in Canmore, Alberta. I was happy to get out and watch the best of the best be better than I can ever dream of. I also took some photos.
Bellow are a mix of photos from the men's 10k sprint, women's 7.5k sprint, Men's and Women's mass start, and mix relays.
Send an email to dean.w.thompson@gmail.com with regards to use of any of these photos.
Instagram is my favourite social media platform. And I love analytics. So lets look at my most popular Instagram photos of the year. Disclaimer I'm not valuing myself with "likes". As a photographer I'm learning what of my photos attract the most attention on Instagram. Of 82 photos and video they got a total of 1690 likes. An average of just over 20 likes a post (I'm not instafamous and that's okay!).
I got my top nine with 2015bestnine.com as well as the image above.
A photo posted by Dean W. Thompson (@adventuredean) on
It's funny that 2 of the 9 top photos I didn't actually take, but I did direct them. So I'll take it! This photo of my friend Carolyn and myself from the summer was taken up on top of Ha-Ling in Canmore just at sunset. We made the drive into town right after work, worried that we wouldn't make it back down before dark, but were greeted with a beautiful sunset over the Banff mountains at the summit. Then we proceeded to run back down the mountain.
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2015 was the year I really started taking climbing more serious. Getting outside, starting strength training and all that fun stuff. This photo was of Mr. Brando Bolts spotting me on a unknown boulder in Big Choss, Yamnuska was taken from a makeshift tripod. The boulder itself is maybe only a soft v3 or v2 starting with a nice over hang.
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Also from the spring is this photo of some of my co-workers on the north Mt. Baldy scramble. This was such a fun day and a fun climb. We walked out to the mountain from the YMCA camp we were working at. That hike in it's self was a fun trip. All together we spent the whole day on the trail. Great day, great mountain.
Mike going for par yesterday at the Nordic Center. #Diskgolf #Canmore #FallFun
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This is one of my favourites from the top nine. My friend Mike taking a putt out at the Canmore Nordic Centre. I just love how the colours all work together, the framing with the basket and the look on his face of pure concentration!
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When I took this photo I knew it would be popular. Everybody on the internet likes a nice shot of feet with a view. But really the photo is nothing special. But the day I took it was really nice. It was my first time up Yamnuska and this photo reminds me of that day.
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Another simple photo that's just a little to cliche not to like, but it does represent the work I put into my climbing last year. Sweat and blood.
That's a thumbs up for my first V5 problem completed! #bouldering #climbing #doubletoehook #bathang
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This is a photo that sums up what I always say about great shitty photos. "A photo doesn't need to be good if it's meaningful. There's nothing great about this photo except the humour of me hanging by my feet upside down. That said it represents my first in gym V5 boulder problem. Maybe people ust like to share in my accomplishments?
A video posted by Dean W. Thompson (@adventuredean) on
Another fun one. What else can I say. Me failing on a toe hook.
A photo posted by Dean W. Thompson (@adventuredean) on
Okay. What can I say about a photo being my most liked when I didn't even take it? Well this is instagram, most people follow you because they like you and want to see what you're up to. So a photo of me on a small milestone (quarter mile pebble?) would be enjoyed. And I appreciate the support I received in this photo.
I'm not really going to dig deep into this stuff. I'll continue to post the photos of my life, even the technically crap photos. People seem to like them. Other then that, like I said at the start I don't need the "like" to validate me or my work. I do it because I like it. The analytics just interest me.
Thanks for the likes/support through 2015! More to come in the new year.
The snow is covering the ground here in Canmore and all I can think about right now are the tank top sunburn days. To help you remember the now lost summer, or if you’re somewhere still warm, to motivate you to get outside and get the last of those warm days in the bag. Here’s a photo set from my scramble up the north peak of Mount Baldy this past summer.
The Mount Baldy north peak is my favorite scramble. It’s a short moderately easy scramble that you can drag any of your friends up, given that they are reasonably athletic. And it’s just so picturesque.
