Last week I went on a 4 day photo road trip with a pal from work. We had a good time and accomplished a lot of sight-seeing and photo making. But, I also came face to face with many of my limitations as a photographer. I had a lot of equipment management problems and operator errors. I've forgotten how to operate some of my lesser-used but vital on this trip accessories, such as my wireless remote shutter controller.
I have mentioned to several people that I need to sit down and literally spread out my gear on the living room floor to do an inventory. I have too much stuff these days and have forgotten what I own. AND it's spread out all over the house too.
For example, I brought two 2 MB cards. I couldn't find one of them after I got to the motel so I had to limp along with just one card, which was filled by the end of the day each day. When I got home Sunday and began the process of transferring the files to my computer I noticed I had an 8 MB card right next to the monitor. A few days later I found my other 2 MB card. I had problems with my remote control. I was messing up camera settings. Battery power was an issue.
I totally did not put 2 and 2 together that my road trip buddy had a DC to AC converter power source; I could have plugged my battery right into my charger right there in the car or even transferred files to the laptop as my single 2 MB card filled up.
I have a dedicated gear spot in my office upstairs, I should start taking that seriously.
I've decided that I need to set up an High Dynamic Range custom function on my camera and want to see if I can force it to take 5 shots instead of the stock 3 shots from AEB. Plus I have decided I need to be in Aperture Priority mode when doing it. For panoramas I need to shoot in a small f-stop especially if I want to do a vertical one. Stay away from 1600 ISO long exposure night work. My night shots need noise reduction on, so now I have to get Noise Ninja to reduce the noise I have in those images I took out there with it off.
I learned a lot on this trip, mostly about how scatterbrained I am. I need a physical checklist of my gear and I need to develop more experience and skills so that I can execute a more accurate mental checklist for each type of shot; HDR, panorama, long exposure night, whatever. I will develop some paper checklists for these different techniques and then take them out with me and work with them until I've memorized them.
This photography stuff is hard, man.
Death Valley photos
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Unceremoniously Dumped
I stopped into the California Surf Museum today to find out why I haven't heard from them in a while. The gal in there told me that they had a new buyer and that he was responsible for gift shop merchandise. She didn't put two and two together though. I had told her I was been selling cards there prior to the move; she wanted to know if I had any samples or business card to give the buyer (as though I was making a sales pitch to be put into the store).
She made me wait, too, she was yacking on the phone for 10 minutes while I was waiting there. During that time I examined the gift shop and realized what had happened; they only had a very small postcards area with a grand total of 6 cards, one of which wasn't even California.
Now, I suppose that their marketing plan is to be international in scope and that the name "California Surf Museum" is not meant to be a local museum or even a California oriented museum but a surf museum located here in California. So, I can accept that, but at the time I was put into the gift shop at the old location the goal was to promote local artists as well as the Museum, so I guess that has gone by the wayside.
So, my only postcard customer has dumped me and didn't even tell me.
She made me wait, too, she was yacking on the phone for 10 minutes while I was waiting there. During that time I examined the gift shop and realized what had happened; they only had a very small postcards area with a grand total of 6 cards, one of which wasn't even California.
Now, I suppose that their marketing plan is to be international in scope and that the name "California Surf Museum" is not meant to be a local museum or even a California oriented museum but a surf museum located here in California. So, I can accept that, but at the time I was put into the gift shop at the old location the goal was to promote local artists as well as the Museum, so I guess that has gone by the wayside.
So, my only postcard customer has dumped me and didn't even tell me.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Condo Living
My brother/biz partner and I own some rental properties, one of which is a condo in north Oceanside near the mission. I had put in a request for a rebuilding and remodeling of my patio cover with the architecture committee, assuming it was no big deal and I'd be approved.
I assumed wrong.
Tonight was the review of the application at the every-other-month association meeting. I was informed that my proposal to replace the large timber beam and cover the frame with 2x2s was not acceptable because the 2x2s mean that when the building was painted next the association would spend more than my fair share of paint on the wood since they (according to them) own that structure.
Which stunned the hell out of me since that part of the building is in my fenced off "backyard."
BUT
They offered a compromise. They would remove the entire wooden structure for free. We would be allowed to put an umbrella in the table or we could install a canvas awning over the slider door. So, OK, I guess we'll remove the entire thing, because I can't have the beam in place like that since it is dry-rotted. "Oh, it's our liability" I was told but I know how that goes.
But then the next order of business was the landscaping. Another couple was there (they were Russian, this is important); they were unhappy with the state of their landscaping and wanted to know what the association was going to do about it. The answer was "nothing." The place ERUPTED with people yelling at each other and saying things like "I won't shut up!" "One person at a time" and the phrase I was waiting for, "I grew up in Soviet Union, I demand democracy!"
He even threw in a reference to World War II and defeating Hitler.
Awesome, simply fucking awesome.
After everyone calmed down the 80 year old grumpy Grandpa president wanted to end the meeting but before anyone could move it or second it I jumped in and asked if that was acceptable under Roberts' and was told it was, but I stated that I thought we should finish the agenda since we were all here.
So, we did.
After the meeting ended I told the Russians to wait for me outside because I wanted to talk to them. They turned out to be very nice people and they seemed just as embarrassed about what happened as everyone else should be. I showed them my place and they showed me theirs; they have done a lot of beautiful work on the interior in the few short months they've been there. We commiserated about the state of the complex and they understood the situation a little better.
God am I glad I live in an HOA-free house.
I assumed wrong.
Tonight was the review of the application at the every-other-month association meeting. I was informed that my proposal to replace the large timber beam and cover the frame with 2x2s was not acceptable because the 2x2s mean that when the building was painted next the association would spend more than my fair share of paint on the wood since they (according to them) own that structure.
Which stunned the hell out of me since that part of the building is in my fenced off "backyard."
BUT
They offered a compromise. They would remove the entire wooden structure for free. We would be allowed to put an umbrella in the table or we could install a canvas awning over the slider door. So, OK, I guess we'll remove the entire thing, because I can't have the beam in place like that since it is dry-rotted. "Oh, it's our liability" I was told but I know how that goes.
But then the next order of business was the landscaping. Another couple was there (they were Russian, this is important); they were unhappy with the state of their landscaping and wanted to know what the association was going to do about it. The answer was "nothing." The place ERUPTED with people yelling at each other and saying things like "I won't shut up!" "One person at a time" and the phrase I was waiting for, "I grew up in Soviet Union, I demand democracy!"
He even threw in a reference to World War II and defeating Hitler.
Awesome, simply fucking awesome.
After everyone calmed down the 80 year old grumpy Grandpa president wanted to end the meeting but before anyone could move it or second it I jumped in and asked if that was acceptable under Roberts' and was told it was, but I stated that I thought we should finish the agenda since we were all here.
So, we did.
After the meeting ended I told the Russians to wait for me outside because I wanted to talk to them. They turned out to be very nice people and they seemed just as embarrassed about what happened as everyone else should be. I showed them my place and they showed me theirs; they have done a lot of beautiful work on the interior in the few short months they've been there. We commiserated about the state of the complex and they understood the situation a little better.
God am I glad I live in an HOA-free house.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Ocean Swimming
I took my parents to the San Diego Fair on Friday. I went last week with the GF but this was a belated Father's Day present. I wanted to show him the woodworking exhibit and the fine art and photography exhibits, too.
I've been swimming in the ocean the past few afternoons, too. So great to do that.
Watched the US v Brazil FIT NIT final today at a bar in Kearny Mesa. Fun time, good first half for the US, bad second half. 3-2 Brazil final score.
I've been swimming in the ocean the past few afternoons, too. So great to do that.
Watched the US v Brazil FIT NIT final today at a bar in Kearny Mesa. Fun time, good first half for the US, bad second half. 3-2 Brazil final score.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Vegas and SD Fair
Went to Vegas for a few days 2 weeks ago for my birthday present. We had a great time. The weather was comfortable; cloudy and warm. It even rained a bit one of the days. Vegas is hurting; even though we were there Sunday through Wednesday the crowds were still exceptionally small. The cabbies asked us if we wanted to ride down the Strip or take the side streets - that's never happened before. Restaurants were 2/3 full, we bought tickets for Cirque du Soleil's "Ka" 24 hours before the show time and landed 4th row center seats. The pool was practically empty and one night we had the entire outdoor patio of the East Side Lounge to ourselves.
I had two photos accepted into the SD Fair this year out of 4 submitted but while the percentage was disappointing the results weren't; both images received "Honorable Mention" awards. We went this last weekend and had beer and brats, walked the fine art and the photography exhibits, she bought some jewelry and we walked the Halls of Crap, too.
I had two photos accepted into the SD Fair this year out of 4 submitted but while the percentage was disappointing the results weren't; both images received "Honorable Mention" awards. We went this last weekend and had beer and brats, walked the fine art and the photography exhibits, she bought some jewelry and we walked the Halls of Crap, too.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Fair Photos and Vegas Getaway
This year I again entered some of my photographic work in the San Diego and Orange County Fairs. This one was accepted in both fairs' competitions, while this one was accepted in the San Diego Fair but rejected by the Orange County Fair.
I also went to Las Vegas last week for a few days as a birthday present. Vegas is dead; lots of empty restaurant tables, empty lounges by the pool and the cabbies would ask us if we wanted to take the Strip or the side roads (in the past the side roads were the only choice due to all the traffic on las Vegas Blvd.).
The guys came over yesterday for a band rehearsal to prep for later this summer's party.
I also went to Las Vegas last week for a few days as a birthday present. Vegas is dead; lots of empty restaurant tables, empty lounges by the pool and the cabbies would ask us if we wanted to take the Strip or the side roads (in the past the side roads were the only choice due to all the traffic on las Vegas Blvd.).
The guys came over yesterday for a band rehearsal to prep for later this summer's party.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
New York City April, 2009
I spent a short but really fun week in New York Ciy last week. Gargoyles, Guggenheim and Gramercy, oh my!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
I went to Shenzhen, Guangdong, PRC and Hong Kong last week for business. Shenzhen is across the harbo(u)r from Hong Kong. It is possible to land at Hong Kong International Airport but never enter Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; you can go straight to the regular PRC via a ferry and then go through passport control into China when you dock.
That's what I did. It's about 2 hours from landing the plane to getting to the hotel.
Coming back I had a driver take from my hotel in Shenzhen to my hotel in Hong Kong via his car; we had to go through a big-ass passport control area prior to driving across Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor bridge back into HK.
My outbound itinerary was SAN to SFO to HKG, ferry to Shenzhen. Return was HKG to SFO to SAN. SFO to HKG was about 14, 14.5 hours. Return tip was around 11, 11.5 hours.
Hong Kong still uses its own currency, the Hong Kong dollar, official exchange rate 1.05 to 1 RMB. Shenzhen is in an economic development zone; 15 years ago it was a tiny fishing village. Now it is a huge city with all the hallmarks of fast money and a bubble economy and infrastructure. I visited a factory that manufactures my company's products; it is out behind the glitz of boomtown Shenzhen. In fact it is what we would call a "company town" from the turn of the last century. The company site is literally miles of 10 story tall buildings full of Chinese workers making our stuff. They live in dorms and eat and shop on the company property.
The engineers I worked with were mid-20's maybe and the workers on the line, many of whom are women, had an average age of 18 or 19. It was a fascinating glimpse into how our economy (meaning the US for me personally but really it's any Western country at this point) and China are inextricably linked.
A headline in the South China Daily one morning was "Finance Minister still buying Treasury bonds."
And now here are some photos.
I also went out to Anza Borrego Desert State Park a few weekends ago and took some night sky photos.
That's what I did. It's about 2 hours from landing the plane to getting to the hotel.
Coming back I had a driver take from my hotel in Shenzhen to my hotel in Hong Kong via his car; we had to go through a big-ass passport control area prior to driving across Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor bridge back into HK.
My outbound itinerary was SAN to SFO to HKG, ferry to Shenzhen. Return was HKG to SFO to SAN. SFO to HKG was about 14, 14.5 hours. Return tip was around 11, 11.5 hours.
Hong Kong still uses its own currency, the Hong Kong dollar, official exchange rate 1.05 to 1 RMB. Shenzhen is in an economic development zone; 15 years ago it was a tiny fishing village. Now it is a huge city with all the hallmarks of fast money and a bubble economy and infrastructure. I visited a factory that manufactures my company's products; it is out behind the glitz of boomtown Shenzhen. In fact it is what we would call a "company town" from the turn of the last century. The company site is literally miles of 10 story tall buildings full of Chinese workers making our stuff. They live in dorms and eat and shop on the company property.
The engineers I worked with were mid-20's maybe and the workers on the line, many of whom are women, had an average age of 18 or 19. It was a fascinating glimpse into how our economy (meaning the US for me personally but really it's any Western country at this point) and China are inextricably linked.
A headline in the South China Daily one morning was "Finance Minister still buying Treasury bonds."
And now here are some photos.
I also went out to Anza Borrego Desert State Park a few weekends ago and took some night sky photos.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
New Year
One month into the new year and only a few things to report.
I went to Santa Barbara between Christmas and New Year's, which was really fun. I spent a day driving around the local Wine Country and went to Solvang for lunch. The Hitching Post was closed, though; they're open or dinner only.
I also caught up with a Rome friend in LA who had come over for a quick 10 day Southwest US road trip.
I continue to work on music and songs in the little recording studio I have and making great progress. It's great to have such talented friends come over and play on my stuff.
I am collecting and shooting images to enter into the San Diego Natural History Museum photography contest also. The last day to enter is March 15. A few weekends ago I shot a bunch of images down at the pier, some of which are decent.
I went to Santa Barbara between Christmas and New Year's, which was really fun. I spent a day driving around the local Wine Country and went to Solvang for lunch. The Hitching Post was closed, though; they're open or dinner only.
I also caught up with a Rome friend in LA who had come over for a quick 10 day Southwest US road trip.
I continue to work on music and songs in the little recording studio I have and making great progress. It's great to have such talented friends come over and play on my stuff.
I am collecting and shooting images to enter into the San Diego Natural History Museum photography contest also. The last day to enter is March 15. A few weekends ago I shot a bunch of images down at the pier, some of which are decent.
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