Rain rain go away

It's dreary, gray and rainy here. I've spent nearly one and half days on my couch channel surfing instead of doing anything constructive.

I should be...take your pick:
1. Dancing in the rain
2. Cleaning/packing (hopefully find a new place soon)
3. Reading a book
4. All of above

I've been watching reruns of "What to Not Wear", and I find the concept of the show really appealing. Except the part where Stacey and Clinton makes fun of the poor, hapless victim behind her back. They fly you to NYC, give you a gift credit card to the tune of $5,000 and help you shop for clothes. I hate shopping, so the idea of having someone help me figure out what looks good on me AND giving me money is very appealing. Of course, I'd probably try cheat and use the CC on something else like camera gear. That's part of why I'm bad at dressing...I don't know what to buy, so I go the easy route and buy what I'd rather have - toys.

Someone nominate me. Really.

Please?

I've also decided that Sci-Fi really needs new people in charge. I'm getting tired of seeing the same old movie for the hundreth time in a week. I know there are hundreds, if not thousands, of sci-fi/fantasy movies out there. Let's show the other ones once in awhile, eh?

Here's a list to help you out, on an off-chance that a Sci-Fi manager/producer/director sees this:
Spaceballs
Alien flicks (except for the most recent two)
Red Sonja (or any other B flicks made during this decade other than Kull the Warrior)
Star Wars
Star Trek flicks (don't just show them when a new one is being released - randomize the timing a bit)
The Cave
The Descent
Godzilla
Starship Trooper
Lost in Space
Indiana Jones flicks
Etc.

Please?

Read more...

Commercial Photography

Whadda think? Do I have a shot at commercial photography?

I think this one would look better on a colored background. Oh well.

Decided to test out my new flash (thanks, Santa!). Verdict: I definitely need a diffuser and/or reflector for close-up work. Although I did like the silvering effect in the first picture. It's a neat mistake.

Read more...

Almost New Year's!

With two consecutive short weeks and one of my coworkers being out, it's been insane at work. I come home and collapse. All I could manage to do is take Apollo on semi-satisfactory walks. I had hoped to use the Christmas break to rest up but it wasn't very relaxing. But it's almost over! And this weekend will be relaxing. I hope to get some more photographs up on here tonight/tomorrow.

New Year's, for me, is probably the most important holiday. I've almost always spent it alone, during my adulthood, and I enjoy it immensely. It's a time of boozing, eating and introspective pondering. I use this time to reflect on the past years and decide on my plans for the next year.

Expect a (boring?) post on that in the next few days.

Here's a couple photos in payment.

*snicker* Love his expression in this yawn.

Finally! Apollo's finished bed!

Read more...

Light Painting

A couple weeks ago, I read about this technique called light painting. It's when you photograph in "B" mode (bulb) which, basically, lets you hold the shutter down as long as you like. Ideally whatever you're shooting will be dark, and you illuminate certain areas with a flashlight, strobe, or whatever. A source of light.

I was intrigued and wanted to try it out.

Here's a practice try.

Cut-glass pitcher

Martini glass - one of my all-time favorite drinks.
I admit, it's James Bond's influence.

Old drinking glass

Apollo's beloved ducky

Read more...

A Shot in the Dark

I want to try something for photography. But I need to figure out the answers to these questions first:

1. Will a BB gun shooting beebees break wineglasses?
2. Will my neighbors hear the BB gun firing?
3. Will they call the cops?
4. Will I get in trouble for shooting a BB gun in an apartment complex and need bail money?

Maybe I better think of another way to break the wineglasses.

Read more...

Fa la la la

I got a black posterboard. Well, it's more of a very dark gray. I couldn't find absolute black. It works though.

The balls are pretty.

Why spoons?
I wanted something shiny and contemporary.

If it weren't for the very visible reflection of the mini-studio running down the middle of the bottle, I might rate this ad-worthy.

Someone asked me this recently: "For every mini-studio picture you post [in this blog], how many do you actually take?"

Answer: About 10-20, depending on my mood. Part of the reason I take so many is because I'm still learning the finer points of basic photography. When I feel more comfortable in figuring out the light meter, iso, f-stop, etc etc, I imagine that number will drop. At least, until I add a new element(s) to master (such as shooting with reflectors or real diffusers).

And the other part is because I'm still figuring out my style.

Read more...

Nu-cu-lar Food

(yes, that's a jab at dear ol' President Bush)



Overexposed pictures seem to be the only way I can get nearly-white background with my current setup. Must tweak with my design to see if I can't improve it this weekend.

Read more...

Storytime: Humongous Bird Shit

Another college story. Thanks to KR for reminding me. This story is best told when both KR and I are present because we help each others fill in the gaps in these stories. I'll do my best here in the blog, however.

This took place during the summer I stayed with KR and three other women in the tiny two-bedroom townhouse on the campus. Five women total living in a dump. Fun times.

KR and I were headed out one late morning to, I think, get taco bell for lunch -- we were dirt broke, and they had cheap eats. We walked from our townhouse toward the parking lot, chatting along, when I spotted something weird on my car. At the time, I had an old, ugly Audi that I loved, and it was normally a pretty shade of faded gray-blue.

Here's a crude drawing to illustrate it.

I ran to my car, and much to my horror, there was white stuff on the poor car. WTF? A whiff determined that it was indeed bird shit. I don't think it's easy to explain in text (or verbally) without somehow illustrating just how big this shit was. In person, this is accompanied by a fishing-story style gesture..."It was this big!" So, I'll help you.

Here's a crude drawing to illustrate it.

Some mysterious bird indeed shit on my car...and it was so enormous that it splattered all over the hood and the windshield. KR normally chimes in here; she usually says something like, "My jeep just happened to be parked next to her car that day. I ran to it to see if the bird shit splattered onto it!" accompanied by hysterical giggles. At first, we thought maybe a horde of birds had targeted the cars in the area, but all the nearby cars were fine, including KR's.

I was so pissed that my first instinct was to wash the shit off the car. Which I did. It had pretty much dried up, but the splatter suggested...that the bird had runs? I don't know.

I wish I hadn't been so impulsive to wash the car off, and took a picture first. Years later, KR and I still speculate on the source of this mysterious, humongous shit. Was it a really big bird? Did the said bird have runs? What kind of bird could create this much shit in one go??

I don't think Nancy Drew would want to solve this one.

Read more...

A Wolf Howls...

Yeah, the photo is totally blown (overexposed) but I like it. Out of all the photos I shot, this and one other that was very similar were the only ones that clearly showed off the grains in the wood. And I like "mistake" photos...pictures that are compelling even though they're not the desired shot, if that makes sense. Kinda like how Mona Lisa isn't a great painting (hey, even the painter himself said so), but something about the woman's expression is just fascinating.

Read more...

Ya'all Should Be Worried

Harry Potter Personality Quiz by Pirate Monkeys Inc.


The description fits me pretty well.

Read more...