
Sooke Whale Watching
Design + HTML/CSS + WordPress
I specialize in WordPress development and have been working in the web industry for over 20 years.
In my spare time, I enjoy playing video games and have published 157 game reviews.
Design + HTML/CSS + WordPress
HTML/CSS + WordPress + WooCommerce
HTML/CSS + WordPress
Design + HTML/CSS + WordPress
Website Design
Thoughtfully crafted designs that are as functional as they are beautiful.
Website Development
Hand-coded HTML & CSS goodness. None of the fluff, all of the awesome.
Website Maintenance
Cloud backups and monitoring tools to ensure your site is safe and secure.
WordPress Expertise
I've built well over 100 sites on WordPress since the beta was released in 2003.
One Man Army
I can cover all of the required bases and will be with you every step of the way.
The Devil's in the Details
I have a knack for finding little intricacies that make my designs stand out.
Happy New Year! 2020 is finally in our rearview. Here's hoping things turn around in 2021.
Back in the Spring, out of the blue, I decided to stop putting off something I’ve always been interested in. It could have been the fact that I was about to turn 40, or it could have been the need to focus my energy on something positive in the midst of the early days of the pandemic. Whatever the case, I bought a camera and dove head-first into the world of photography.
After taking to YouTube to learn the basics, I quickly discovered a handful of awesome content creators who got me up and running quicker than I had hoped. Leading the pack was @petermckinnon. I spent hours watching his videos with my 7 year-old step-daughter, who was equally enthralled. It didn’t take long for me to discover his side project, @petespiratelife; limited edition goods branded with his very own Jolly Roger. Everything from pens to hot sauce, but the most coveted are his pirate coins. These drops (as he calls them) typically sell out in minutes, and when I caught wind of the Kraken V2 coin’s last run, I hinted heavily to my girlfriend that I would love one. To my surprise, a few months later, I opened an awesome little box on Christmas morning that contained a puzzle crate. Inside, the Kraken V2 coin. It’s been months since I took my camera out, and once again I owe it to Peter for getting me behind the lens.
I did this little shoot on my living room coffee table while my daughter played games on her iPad and the dog slept on the couch. I’ve been making excuses about not having time or space to take photos, but I realized I just need to try harder and work with what I have. I’m starting this year off with a fresh set of photos, and hope to continue this trend.
I can’t decide which is my favourite. How about you?
#flytheflag #petespiratelife #piratecoin #coin #medallion #productphotography #photography #50mm #niftyfifty
It’s hard to believe that I haven’t even picked up my DSLR in about a month. Especially given that I have a puppy running around the house, but then again, she’s most of the reason I’ve been absent.
Meet Ellie, my 11 week old pup! She’s a Rottweiler/Shepherd mix, and she’s absolutely adored in this household. The biting sucks, but having a nap buddy who loves to cuddle is awesome.
#puppy #puppylife #puppygram #puppyoftheday #puppydog #rottweiler #germanshepherd #mutt #muttsofinstagram #dog #dogsofinstagram #doglife #dogoftheday
I just can't get over these backyard sunsets! Tonight we had some visitors at the perfect moment.
#vancouverisland #sooke #explorebc #westcoastlife #westcoastliving #deer #wildlife #backyard #sunset #lensflare
I’ve walked this path countless times and someone never noticed this old rail. The Galloping Goose Trail ran from Victoria to Leechtown, which is now a ghost town just north of the town I live in. The stretch I normally walk has 2 train trestles and cuts through the forest. Would have loved to have seen a train cross them back in the day. The name Galloping Goose comes from a gas-powered passenger car that ran the line from 1922-1931.
#vancouverisland #gallopinggoose #trail #hiking #rail #abandoned #leaves #sooke
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been in a weird space these past few weeks. Overwhelmed and mentally exhausted, I broke some habits that were clearly keeping me in check. As the smoke clears (literally, I’m on the west coast of Canada) and the leaves begin to fall, I’m working to rectify this mistake. I’ve walked this path twice in as many days and am hoping to get my drone in the air tomorrow, weather permitting.
Does getting out in nature do wonders for you, like it does me?
#vancouverisland #sooke #gallopinggoose #trail #trees #fallenleaves #fall #autumn #autumnvibes #autumncolors
Back in the garage with @rychrist77, and I think we nailed it this time. Really happy that I decided to reshoot this scene, as it gave me the opportunity to correct some mistakes I made the first time around, and we came up with a much cooler background. Big thanks to Ryan for his patience while I worked all this out, and for being willing to step in (literally) when needed.
I've lived in BC for just over 8 years, and have known Ryan most of that time. We met early on through a family get together, but became friends years later when we realized we had so much in common -- music being at the centre. Over the years, we've spent many evenings playing music and drinking whiskey, so it seemed fitting that we went this route with the shoot. Fun fact -- Ryan's wearing a Social Distortion button-up shirt he was wearing the very first time we met. That was the ice breaker that drove me to strike up a conversation with him.
This is the second in my series of personal scenes. If you missed Pam, head over to my profile and go back two posts. Not sure who's next, but I'm looking forward to it!
#guitar #acousticguitar #seagullguitars #norlanglass #whiskey #bourbon #bulleit #bulleitbourbon #mic #microphone #shuresm58 #capo #thaliacapo #singersongwriter #wasted
Spent last night in the garage, sipping bourbon and talking music with one of my best buds. We staged a scene and took some photos, but I’m not overly happy with them so we’re doing a reshoot tomorrow. I’m a bit conflicted, as part of me wants to post the scene and point out the mistakes as a learning exercise, the other part wants to nail it. I don’t want to settle for mediocrity, so we’ll try again.
In the meantime, here’s a cool shot of his guitar, face down on a bourbon soaked antique desk. We had fun! Bonus points if you can name the brand of guitar.
#acousticguitar #guitar #folk #folkmusic #headstock
I have a love/hate relationship with whiskey. The love part is self explanatory -- the stuff is fucking delicious! The hate part is a little more complicated. The short version, is that I have chronic sinus issues that flare up when I drink alcohol... but not all the time. These days, I'm able to enjoy a dram without suffering from an excruciating sinus headache for hours on end, and I'm counting my blessings.
My lady surprised me with this bottle of bourbon last week. When I shot this (Monday evening), I actually didn't even drink the whiskey. I put it back in the bottle without spilling a drop, and revisited a couple days later. On the nose, it's quite fruity, but also smoky. I'm a big fan of whiskey stored in sherry barrels, and this one is no exception. It's very sippable and has a sweet finish. I typically enjoy bourbon on ice, but I always try a new bottle neat first.
Anyway, this was more so an experiment with my some of my new equipment. Let me tell you though, one of the best pieces of kit I've bought so far was the $22 remote shutter release. I use it with almost every shoot, unless I'm shooting handheld. I know there's an app I can use on my phone, but the remote shutter is just so much quicker and more responsive. Highly recommend.
And finally, how beautiful is this glass? A good friend gave me a set for my 40th birthday, and I absolutely love them. Super comfortable in the hand, they have a nice little lip, and they look so cool since they're double-walled. They're made by @norlanglass, if you're interested.
#whiskey #bourbon #legent #legentbourbon #productphotography #norlan #norlanglass
Over the weekend I cleared a space in the garage to shoot some photo projects I have in mind. This is something I've been kicking around for months, and I'm stoked to finally get started on it.
Basically, I've created a scene using items that represent someone important to me. In this case, my partner @pambalamm. Our relationship has revolved around music since day one. We met playing music at a local pub, and our first date was spent sipping our favourite drinks and listening to records.
Some of the other items to note -- the leather purse in the back is vintage from the 70s, and I gave it to Pam for her 40th birthday a couple months ago. The ring is fashioned from an antique spoon that was over 100 years old. I bought it for her years ago at the night market in Victoria just after watching The Black Seeds perform.
And you guessed it; her favourite drink is gin and soda (not tonic). We have an award winning distillery right here in Sooke, @sheringhamdistillery and their #SeasideGin is one of Pam's absolute favourites.
I'm pleased with the results here and had fun constructing the scene. I probably spent a couple hours on it before firing a single shot. Then I ended up doing a few rounds of shots, making minor tweaks and adjustments along the way. Looking forward to shooting more of these.
#photography #photographyproject #stilllife #turntable #crosley #crosleyrecordplayer #recordplayer #record #vinyl #gin #ginandsoda #banjo #goldtone #goldtonebanjo #sunglasses #jewelry
Had a lot of fun with this one! Since I started my photography journey, I've wanted to try a levitation photo. Of course, I had to use something geeky as my subject.
I'm really happy I got my hands on this cute little piranha plant. I missed the boat when it was first released and price skyrocketed, but I kept it in my wishlist and was notified out of the blue, several months later when it went on sale. I managed to get it for just $20!
#levitation #levitationphotography #floatingobject #makeitfloat #supermario #supermariobros #piranhaplant #smashbros #smashbrosultimate #productphotography #nintendo #playforever
Took this a few weeks ago, but didn’t post it at the time as it didn’t fit with the rest of my feed. Well, things have changed and now it fits right in.
I love wandering around after a rainfall with my macro lens and shooting fresh rain drops. My lady’s Jeep emblem looked just awesome, and reminded me of the old chrome filter in Photoshop.
#jeep #jeeplife #jeeplove #logo #chrome #macro #macrophotography #rain #raindrops #raindroplets
Spent my Friday evening shooting a can of beer in my living room. 😂 Was excited to try out some of my new gear, and am happy with most of my purchases. More on that later.
Guinness in a can is good, but nothing beats a fresh pint at the pub. I had my first pint since COVID hit this past week, and it was the best I ever had. What's your go-to beer at the pub?
#guinness #guinnessbeer #stout #beer #productphotography #macro #macrophotography #drops #droplets #waterdroplets #blackandgold #irish #irishbeer
Minecraft Dungeons is a family-friendly loot-based dungeon crawler set in the Minecraft universe. While mining and crafting is absent, it absolutely looks, sounds, and feels like Minecraft.
Jedi: Fallen Order has turned things around for the franchise in the video game space and delivered an experience that is true to the source material and immensely satisfying.
Dead Cells is a fantastic action platformer, with beautifully illustrated 2D landscapes and incredibly satisfying combat. Its risk and reward system will drive you insane, in the best way possible.