Mystery Photo 2 Answer

Okay, that one wasn't so great...

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/esEAvLWs7rYBh65X2IRkAg?feat=directlink

Mystery Photo 2

What is this?

Ho Ho Ho!

The lightbulbs were hung, from the eaves with care...

How Dark

While for some the massive power-outage was a time of pouty-outrage, for me it was an opportunity to practice some 30-second-exposure photography. This city scene doesn't seem too dark, but when I took it I couldn't even see the controls on my camera.



The moral of the story:

Things will brighten up if you give it some time.

Mystery Photo 1 Answer

Did you figure it out? Here is the full image:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4iH1yNchyxGhXFGclY3pXA?feat=directlink

Mystery Photo 1

What is this a picture of? Send a guess or comment! The answer will be revealed later... stay tuned!

(click for larger)

Cruising

Unusual circumstances put me in the back seat of Jimbo's 1965 Chevy Impala convertible. Now that's a big car. It was a perfect day to go for a drive.



I can totally take a comfortable nap in this thing.



Thanks for the ride, Jimbo!

Sunset

I think those two dots are planets, but not sure which ones...

Me and the spokesperson for Bic

Lilioukalani Gardens

The class had its final field trip at Lilioukalani Gardens. Emphasis was on shooting people and pets, but I mostly shot this Chinese Crested named Poki, who was an excellent model.

http://picasaweb.google.com/woompood/LilioukalaniGardens#

Kualoa Ranch

Took several shots at our class field trip to Kualoa Ranch. That was a long day but didn't really get too many outstanding photos due to the weather. Anyway, here are the results.

http://picasaweb.google.com/woompood/20081101KualoaRanch#

Rainbow Sherbert Sky

Wow it's been a while since I've posted. Here's a nice little warm-up shot of the late afternoon sky.

Existing light

Class this week was about existing light conditions and shooting at night w/o flash. Learned a pretty cool trick where you have a long exposure for taking say, fireworks, and you cover or reveal the lens with a hat to create a multi-exposed image. Also learned that when you shoot the moon you should use daylight settings because the full moon is actually really bright, especially if you are able to use a long focal length to have it fill the frame. Need to do more shooting!

Magnum

Pretty sweet video podcast from Magnum photography co-op:

http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/podcasts

Outside Mag

For some reason Outside magazine keeps showing up in the mail. I never subscribed to it, but it's a pretty decent mag that talks about a lot of things outdoorsy. Anyway, it's only recently that I've noticed how cool the photos are. I may never visit the exotic locations, but it's neat to imagine what it was like to be there in that spot where the shot was taken. And thanks to my class, I now understand the meaning of all the camera info that they print in the captions.

http://outside.away.com/outside/photos/index.html

Affliction

Lately I've noticed that every time I look at my camera sitting on the table, I have the compulsion to pick it up and take a picture of something. Or at least play around with the settings since I'm still learning what does what. It's a pretty amazing device really... about as many cool features as my laptop but more responsive and more stable. It also doesn't take nearly as long to startup... ... ... ...

Honolulu Zoo

Fresh from a discussion on aperture, shutter, ISO, and depth of field, my photography class took a field trip to the zoo. We were lucky to get in at 8 am to catch the morning light, although not all the animals were awake. But as the day went on we did get quite a lot of shooting in, and it was a really fun time. Get the animal experience.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR

While using Cooliris I just happened to stumble upon an article for this new camera, which is a d-SLR that takes high quality video. Although that may seem like trying to get too much out of one device, the quality is pretty amazing! Check out this movie, created by one of the first photographers to get his hands on one. He doesn't have any film experience, but every frame is a high quality photo!

http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/controller?act=GetArticleAct&articleID=2086

"Making of" video here:
http://vincentlaforet.smugmug.com/gallery/6021407_xEg87/1/#378608891_Jd2CT-A-LB

Waikiki walk-about

Decided to practice shooting in Waikiki today. I made the mistake of going out around noon so the sunlight was pretty harsh. Also realized that there are quite a few power lines, street lamps, and trash cans that tend to ruin every shot. Oh well. I'm definitely still learning how to use the camera. Results here:

Why have a hobby?

People act for two fundamental reasons: to acquire pleasure and to avoid pain. These are the fundamental motivating forces within every sentient being. Among human beings, there are four core needs that must also be addressed. A good hobby will provide a sense of fulfillment by attending to these needs, sometimes in ways that friends, relatives, career, or spouse cannot. Here are the basic needs that all people possess:

1. Certainty - People need to feel safe and to have some degree of predictability in their environment. Most hobbies are conducted in controlled environments with predetermined procedures. The hobbyist knows what to expect.

2. Uncertainty - Although we need security, we also need variety to spice up our lives. A good hobby has enough depth of subject matter that there is always more to discover.

3. Significance - Becoming master of a specific topic makes us stand out. It helps to build identity, e.g. "The Photographer Guy". Sharing this knowledge is even more rewarding.

4. Connectedness - Although we want to stand out, we also want to fit in. Hobby clubs and forums are a way of bonding with like-minded individuals.

Did you notice that these needs are in conflict with each other? This is why animals are simple and humans complex. So the next time someone behaves irrationally, try to figure out what need they think they are addressing. And if you are not getting maximum fulfillment from your present circumstances but can't seem to get around it, a new hobby may help fill in the gaps. Just make sure you don't spend too much time in "hobby-land" to compensate for "real-world" deficiencies.