I mentioned "contagious" in my last post...and I guess it was foreshadowing this week's events.
Right after the "Walk on the Darkside" night shoot on Sunday, I was hit with the worst case of the flu I have ever had. I never get sick - never missed a day of work in over 17 years!!! But wow what i got in Monday has knocked me right out. I'm still down for the count right now - stuffed up and aching...
Anyway, I'll survive. Here's one sample of the Darkside Capers in the meantime.
Have a great weekend - it will have to get warm soon!!!
LAST UPDATED: 10:32 PM 01/05/2008
Phottix Cleon
"OMG, is it contagious!?"
Nah, it’s just the funny name for a very cool little photo gadget. But there’s nothing funny about it’s performance or its ability to help you add way more WOW to many types of photos.
What it is is a very well made but remarkably inexpensive wireless shutter remote for Nikon cameras with the 10 pin connector. It fits these cameras:
So you can use this for night shoots and long exposures, macros, self portraits (ha ha ha) and any other work where perfect stillness or long exposures are needed. I’ll be out on Sunday night (in the black of night) with the coolest group of photographers testing this new toy to the max! But so far it’s worked as advertised. What a find!!!
And compare the price of the Nikon ML-3 Remote Control at $175 US with the Phottix Cleon at $37.00 US and this is a deal that you can refuse!
These cool little accessories work by radio frequency so you don’t have to worry about walls and lines of sight – promo material says the range is 320 ft if there are no obstacles.
And considering the Nikon D300 (and D3) have mirror lock-up functions, you’ll be guaranteed tack-sharp images in low light and time exposure modes.
Have a great weekend - and remember your ABCs of spectacular photography (ALWAYS BRING CAMERA)
(smile)
LAST UPDATED: 08:17 AM 4/25/2008
Two New Toys
As usual I'm overly busy with wrapping up many small projects and I had wanted to get more images up here this week, but as you can see, failed miserably. And combine that with no Internet at home because of yesterdays ice storm (inconvenient weather but everything LOOKS like glass- beautiful! of course pics are coming soon)I'm just so far behind in all my projects. Period!!!
But I do have two new toys you should know about and I will review here with pics as well. The Photox Cleon radio remote control; and a new panorama tripod head for the tiny planet shots and 360 panoramas.
I need a week to get my act together and then lookout world, ha ha.
What's on your agenda for the weekend? Catching up with family, friends, photos? Drop me a line.
Have a great weekend regardless of what your plans are!
See you Monday.
LAST UPDATED: 07:17 AM 4/21/2008
The Power of a Camera
Finally I had had enough. The parking lot that I use also doubles as a garbage dump, where all the crud comes from I do not know, but over the last few weeks more and more garbage of the rotting stinking kind, was appearing in the lot. It was gross! And as the weather warmed up it was stinking even more - this is not a third-world landfill - it's a parking lot, behind a restaurant for pete's sake. UGH!
One morning, after feeling like I wanted barf from seeing and smelling the mess, I took a few photos. I spent about 15 minutes there, also trying to see if I could make anything "artistic" from the disgusting scene.
Well, someone must have seen me because the next day it had all been cleared up! After sitting there for over 8 weeks, and growing (!) the presence of a camera was enough to get someone into action.
Here's the scene:
LAST UPDATED: 07:45 AM 4/18/2008
Photo Op Weekend in Store!
It's Friday! Warm weather in store. Finally got caught up with all my extra curricular projects. So guess what I'll be doing (smile)?
And yes, get ready for all those D300 tips I've been promising for so long.
Last tidbit for today - are your ready for the D3x?Check it out! Thanks to Bruce for the tip. :-)
I don't know where you were yesterday...but if your were anywhere near here, I'm sure you saw the same magnificent sunset I did.
Words can't describe it - neither can a photo capture it.
Once again, one of those rare moments when it's just enough to behold. Not "take."
I just read too that the new beta version of Google Earth shows you sunsets now - how cool. I have a GPS attachment on my D300 now and have been playing with tagging my images with GPS coordinates. More on that soon, too.
manana, my friend - a brand new day. See you then.
LAST UPDATED: 9:15 PM 4/14/2008
Is it all about compromise?
Sorry for this non-photo related musing...A dilemma:
You have an opportunity to work like a dog for 10 - 18 months, maybe even a little longer, doing interesting work but it's not your heart's desire. But you will make a huge amount of money - this is all legal BTW! - Would you take the opportunity, or would you stick with what you're doing right now?
Would you/could you put your career on hold for this time - take a leave of absence, quit, retire early? Or would you pass and stay the career course?
Well, Yappy Hour was a hoot, or should I say a howl! Great fun, and being the weirdo I am, I felt much more at home with the hounds than the humans.
With the exception of a few (smile). And it was tremendous to also run into a few old buddies from the U of W days, truly a small world indeed. I believe that in Winnipeg 6 degrees of separation is too generous - more like 2, or one degree! Everyone knows everyone!
And speaking of degrees, now that the weather is promising to be spring-like I am planning my first of many photo days. I didn't get as many as I wanted to last summer. The first day it hits 20 C (sometime next week they say) I am outta here!
See the puppy pics here next week, and news of the next Big Thing!
Now what are you doing for excitement these days! Maybe I can guess....am I getting warmer?
ttfn
LAST UPDATED: 8:53 AM 4/7/2008
What's up with Dogs?
Sorry I've been kinda bad about keeping in touch these past few days - things are happening!!! I have missed you though. (smile)
I was wanting to get this little snippet out long before today but, well....errands on Saturday, dim sum on Sunday morning, a forgotten CF card and a missed photo op Sunday afternoon...what else can I tell you?
One thing. Yappy Hour. The Humane Society invites all dogs to a pawsitively fun fund raiser. This year's theme for Yappy Hour is the Pawscars (Oscars), and I'll be the Red Carpet "Puparazzi" getting the glamour shots of you and your fury pal as you make the grand entrance!
Bring your pooch down for the star treatment, Wednesday April 9, at the Fairmont - Winnipeg's best puppy-friendly hotel. Fido will be served gourmet treats and get to mingle with all her doggie pals. There will also be bevvies and snacks for humans as well, and it all goes to a good cause.
And no the Rottweiler won't be attending - he's becoming quite a recluse, preferring the excitement of road trips to far away places and big screen TVs!
Bow wow, woof, woof.
LAST UPDATED: 10:44 PM 30/03/2008
Photos from the Pertified Forest
Theres a very weird place I go to periodically - I've been photographing it for many years now. I always expect that this time will be the last time.
It is a 20th century stonehenge - a monument to nothing at all, but the sunset and moonrise. At least that's what i think!
I really need 3 solid days to catch up on pix. But I managed to grab a few hours last weekend, and had some fun in the Petrified Forest.
See what I mean. Leave a comment or two. I'm always curious about what you think. I know you have an opinion!!!!
It's early 6:30am, and me and the Rottweiler are having our morning walk through the deer tails in my "back 40." There's still 6 inches of snow in the bush, and as the dawn spreads its dusty glow over the frozen landscape; my pooch's foggy breath mingles into misty vapor; and I have a little shudder as the cold air breaks its way through my old fur coat.
Not too far beyond the crunch crunch of our feet on the crystaline snow, an unfamiliar sound pierces the otherwise mundane soundscape. HONK HONK. My eyes follow the intrusion, up.
The geese are back! A sure sign of spring?
Personally, I think they must have got a bad travel agent - no sign of spring around here, no water, no grain, just snow.
HONK HONK indeed, "outa my way Bud, I'm heading south!"
LAST UPDATED: 8:22 PM 24/03/2008
Four days of bliss!
Well, almost. It was at least a 4 day long weekend for some, including me. I decided that there was no good reason to be in my studio in the city today - since I was shooting most of last night anyway.
Yes, finally some night shots. I'll post them here this week. Initial peeks at the RAW files look promising. The national PPOC Print Salon is coming up and I'm thinking that a little "night music" may be the ticket...
And I got a call to conduct an digital Infrared Photography Workshop at Winnipeg's first ever Photographic Arts Expo. I'm not at all sure what this will be exactly, but you know how I love to get the word out about infrared so i agreed to do it and will be speaking at this even in June.
The Expo takes place at The Forks from June 18th to 22nd, 2008. It sounds promising but since this is the first time for this event, I can't guarantee its WOW factor. Except of course if you come to my workshop!
Then I can promise you - an infrared hot event indeed!!!! (smile)
So get your gear together and come on down to the Forks in June!
But of course I'll talk to you before then. But there's a lot going on so make sure to sign up for my newsletter as well.
ok, that's too much information for one post!
ciao for now.
LAST UPDATED: 7:35 PM 18/03/2008
NEWS FLASH!!!
Yes......it's a sad tale but true......I'm selling my lovely D2x. We never quite bonded like my D70 and I did, or the way my new D300 and I are bonding now.
I want to make sure it goes to a good home - it's a fine camera and deserves someone who can give it the creative workouts it deserves.
Only 17000 shutter activations. Perfectly new condition. Body only. Bought in late 2006, all original packaging, manuals, strap, charger and auto cable release included. And includes Thom Hogan's Complete Guide to the Nikon D2x CD.
$2100.00 CAD + shipping from Winnipeg.
Call me at 204.942.4704 or 204.955.1830
(sniffff - I hate to see it go....)
LAST UPDATED: 9:37 PM 13/03/2008
No Time
Wrapping up my workshop materials and heading off to Morden bright and early tomorrow - too early!
Have a terrific weekend. (I hear Spring is on its way!)
-toodles
LAST UPDATED: 20:29 PM 10/03/2008
Look out World!
Just playing around, first time I have had time to pick up my camera in several weeks. Isn't that sad!!!! And it's not going to get better anytime soon.
I'm conducting a workshop on Friday and Saturday in Morden, MB, and need to finish preparing for that; and then I have another one at the Canada Manitoba (I always thought it was Manitoba Canada, but anyways...) Business Centre at the end of the month...
AND I gotta get something ready for the National Competition in April. Can you say "threepeat?" Can you say "burnout?"
LAST UPDATED: 7:55 PM 02/03/2008
A Great Way to Unwind
If you've never heard of Josh Ritter before you'd better pay attention now!
Josh is my new "best friend." There's so much about the man to love.
I know for sure my neighbours think I'm nuts! A few were outside last night watching the skyshow as well, and I think they spied my flashlight as I tried to adjust my cameras to the changing moonlight. Both me and my cameras wrapped in furs and fleece!!! Good thing all eyes were looking at the stars. ha ha ha
You DID see it too didn't you? Wasn't it a tremendous display - No NOT me, the moonshow, silly!!! The thing I loved was the configuration of the stars and planets - well, planet, Saturn to be precise.
Here's my interpretation of the Lunar Eclipse in Winnipeg on February 20, 2008.
Nikon D300, manual exposure, mirror lock-up, Nikon 70-200 VR, ISO400, Uniloc tripod, 4 Hotshots (to keep the batteries going in bone-shattering minus 30 weather), one old fur hat (to wrap the camera in to keep the heat in and the cold out).
I have to say, I'm pretty happy with both of these - at 100% there is no perceivable noise and given that the exposure was about 1 second on a moving subject they are also quite sharp.
Now that it's finally warming up I'm feeling motivated again :-). Have a great weekend, see ya soon.
LAST UPDATED: 4:06 PM 17/02/2008
Going Totally "Luny"
On Wednesday February 20th, (one day after my birthday!) there will be a total lunar eclipse, visible from right here in Winnipeg, as well as most places in North America, east of Calgary – or the Mississippi River in the US.
The eclipse process starts at 7:43 pm CDT, with totality starting at 9:01. According to NASA totality will last just under 50 minutes.
I will have 2 cameras set up to capture this heavenly event, the D2x with interval timer, and a wide angle lens; and the d300 with the 70-200 VR zoom. Or maybe the other way around - I haven't decided quite yet.
HOW TO DO IT?
Photographing the full moon is not as tricky as you might think. Since it’s really a sunlit object we can apply the “sunny 16” rule.
Your correct shutter speed for any object lit by the bright sun will be 1 over your ISO, at f16. Or in other words if your ISO is 400 (good for the night), if you’re using a D300 for example, your shutter speed would be 1/400th of a second at f16. Or more likely 1/500th of a second. But always bracket to be sure - remembering that severe noise hides in the shadows in underexposed digital images.
I will be using spot exposure on manual because of the difference in tones between the moon and the night sky. Auto exposure will just get confused and try to average everything out to 18% grey.
So here it is from me - your personal challenge to step outside on Wednesday night at about 8:00 CST, and take a few photographs of this event. Then use my “Show & Tell” page to upload them here so we can see just how good you are!
Heck, just go outside and be a spectator – these are some of the most eerie phenomenon you will ever experience!
Last updated: 2/14/2008 06:11:57
I {HEART} You
Weren't expecting that were you? (hehehe)
It's the element of surprise you know! It makes for great photos too. Whether it's a sunset or a flower or portrait, we have all seen it before.
To make it unforgettable, noticeable and packed with punch, it must be surprising, even startling.
It's so influential the term "Franking" is now used to describe any thing that takes one by surprise, it's even used in poetic writing, marketing and advertising - franking.
And, yes, Route 66, regardless of how dilapidated it is now is still on my list of things to do and photograph. But not in the old way - I'll have to come up with a new take, a new "look."
Frankly my dear, surprise is everything. {smile}
Last updated: 2/08/2008 01:10:34
Why wait - do it now
Well, you already know what I think about Valentines Day - contrived, commercial, insincere...
However I DO like the part about chocolate. I've been trying to eliminate sugar from my life for about 63 days. (It's not salt, it's not transfats, it's SUGAR that's our dietary deamon...)
And for the most part I am feeling 100% better without sugar in my life. Until that trainwreck hit me last week. Ever since I am desperate for chocolate. The good stuff. I guess it must be the stress that creates some kind of chemical imbalance and need for a comfort food.
So send me some chocolate asap! Put it in the mail, send a courier, send your dog, drop it off. I want a ton of chocolate....*
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yum
Last updated: 1/30/2008 20:16:34
The best of times, the worst of times
NON-PHOTOGRAPHY RELATED RANT
I understand that life is a roller coaster, lots of ups, lots of downs, sharp curves that literally throw us for a loop,...it's a great metaphor. Mine is mostly ups, lucky me.
But what is it when the ups and downs happen at the same time? I mean, it defies physics - as well as the nice tidy roller coaster imagery? How can it be - down and up at the same time?
Well it can and does happen, and happened to me to day. Today a rich jerk (a client to boot!) tried to push me off the ride, - no, worse, he wanted (wants?) to kick me out of the amusement park - mostly to soothe his insecure and self inflated ego I'm guessing.
But at that very moment, a new client invited me to ride on a bigger and better roller coaster(?). Talk about ups and downs. I feel so crappy - no wait, I feel so great! No crappy...
I know you are now totally weirded out by this tale, and I'm not having a Sc'air Canada Pilot Meltdown, but I don't really have a conclusion or point either. All I know the universe truly does work in strange ways and if I thought you'd believe me I would tell you the rest of the story in detail, and you'd see just how strange it all really is.
But now I've vented and feel better. Up down, I think it's all the same, depending on where you are looking from. Up Up and away - works for me!
Last updated: 1/27/2008 23:20:11
Photographic Challenges
They call it a stormy Monday - and Tuesday is just as bad...(Sorry I've been waiting years to use that line! he he he. Apologies to BB King)
Yep, a blizzard is on its way and that may explain why I'm feeling so restless and at loose ends. I have tons of stuff to do, but my concentration is shot. I blame it on the impending storm. Oh well.
But its too bad this is all brewing is this week. I have a gig to photograph skiers and snowboarders at the local ski hill. Which is a challenge because a) I haven't been on skis for, like, a thousand years; and b) snow photography is inherently difficult. If you don't do some fancy calculations, your images will be horribly underexposed.
I was never a strong snow photographer (never a strong skier either!). But here are a couple of examples, The first one is way overexposed due to my aggressive measures to prevent underexposure. And the second one was a "save" that, thanks to Photoshop managed to hold its own.
Both these are scans from 35 mm slides, and when they are at full size you can see just how much like slide film digital is - the grain.noise hides in the shadows; and with an underexposed image there will be lots of shadows and lots of noise.
With a little luck the storm will blow over, and I'll have a another couple of days to practice my snow technique!
That's the word for today. Keep warm.
Last updated: 1/25/2008 05:55:21
A COOL Idea
One of the most vexing problems of long exposure digital photography, such as full moon shots,is the noise (digital grain - but ugly). If you've ever, used Photoshop to bring back some exposure on a badly underexposed image, you will have seen the "dark side" of digital photography! NOISE.
This noise happens because the sensor heats up and does strange things to the digital signal. So, my thought is that if the sensor is very cold, would this minimize (somewhat) any noise created by the heat of the photosites on the sensor?
Because it's ungodly cold here I am creating en experiment - long exposure photos at -35C and at more normal temps. If the camera has a chance to "chill" out doors for 20 minutes or so, will this help minimize long exposure noise?
I have to make good use of this hideous cold weather somehow!
That's my cool idea for today.
Stay warm (or cool, if you're into long exposures!)
Last updated: 1/20/2008 19:37:06
My reward!
OK. It's either been balmy and unseasonably warm, with overcast, blah skies; or blastedly frigid but with bright and clear blue skies. I had enough.
Despite the -35C temps this weekend, I braved the cold to finally do some serious testing on the Nikon D300. And I was rewarded. While trying to experiment with the 51 area focus (hmmm, 51 areas; Area 51?) which will track your subject if it moves out of your primary focus area, a large Pileated Woodpecker flew in for some suet at my feeder.
The magnificent birds are very shy, relatively uncommon in populated areas, and extremely nervous. The slightest sound seems to send them flying off to hide!
But here he was, about 30 feet away from me and my camera.
I did have my tripod ready but knowing how these birds are I decided not to use it because the noise would certainly scare him off.
Thankfully I was prepared with the 70-200 VR lens (I should have used teleconverter) set at 200mm. f16, 1/200 ISO 400.
The original is not as sharp as I would have liked but I think this is my poor technique. Even with VR, on a digital sensor the focal length is more like 320mm,and following the INVERSE FL RULE, my shutter speed should have been at least 1/350 of a second. Sure the VR is supposed to give you an extra 2 stops but I'm not sure it applies to fast birds!!!
At 100% you'd see that this image was just on the edge of acceptable sharpness. Now maybe only weirdos like me review their images at 100% since rarely will you ever print anything to that size but it's one more way to be consistent in acquiring perfection.
I also tried it out under the moon. more about this experiment and images later. Also don't forget that the full moon is Tuesday! Digital makes moonlight photography a super creative experience. Now if only I could do something about the cold....brrrr.
later...
Last updated: 1/16/2008 19:56:44
Of Course.
My big teaching gig starts in 6 weeks and I'm putting the final touches on the course outline. Working with young and creative photographers will be an inspirational and motivation experience to be sure.
I hope I can handle all 48 hours of it! Doing a 2 day workshop is a totally different beast from 2 3-hour classes a week - it's just like the old university days, except I can't skip out.
And it's not summer so there's little possibility of field trips...
At the very least it will keep me out of trouble and force me to better document what I do which if you are a Michael Gerber fan, is what you must do to truly create a "business (as opposed to creating just another job)."
Speaking of books, read "The 4 Hour Work Week" by Timothy Ferris. I must add that to the book of the month list! Highly recommended for all photographers (and worker bees) who are still trading hours for dollars.
(what a mixed bag posting this has been, sorry! I'll be more focused next time (yeah, right!)
toodles...
Last updated: 1/13/2008 23:11:13
Winter Road
Last updated: January 9, 2008 22:53:21
Weird Dreams
A place you only experience when you're in another world...
A week into the new year...how are your resolutions coming? Managed to break any yet?
One of my (many) resolutions for this year was to take more time to learn NEW photography-related skills; and to master at least 10 of the ones that I practice all the time but never seem to excel at.
Fractals and panoramas are two I keep promising myself I'll get around to. So my motivation is to finally get the pano tutorial ready for the 360 degree pano photography that I find so addictive.
Also I will state publicly my intention to have at least one of my images licensed by Ikea! There. I did it. I'm committed (or should be). hehehe
One shiny new panorama tutorial coming up!
Last updated: January 1, 2008 17:52:22
It's another NEW YEAR!
Let's hope it's a good one. No reason why it shouldn't be great.I started it off with this...
and a roaring fire out by the Pond. Nothing's better than champagne and a big old bonfire on January 1. HOT, COLD and SPARKLY!
And Moet Nectar Imperial is indeed sparkly nectar - it's my fav!!!While there we no stars to dance under, we all had a great time (too old for hangovers but not old enough to not enjoy a good party)
So in with the new. New Nikon D300, new year, new plans, new business, new ideas, new approaches. New awards? And among those new ideas are a whole pile of new things for this site. Look for more goodies, freebies, products and information added a little at a time over the next while. I love the new year - I feel like I have so much time (I'll end up wasting so much of it though, but who cares today!)
And how did you celebrate the imminent arrival of 365 brand new days? Rowdy? Quiet? Anticipating what's coming up next? Or perhaps nostalgic at what's past? Ah, yes, same Auld Lang Syne indeed...
Rabbie Burns had a way with words didn't he?
Well, cheers my friend, a toast to the new year and I'm happy you're along for the ride.
Weren't expecting that were you? (hehehe)
