D70: Friday Night

It's Friday night, and I feel alright. The party's here on the west side.

If you are younger than 25 you probably don't get the reference.

The funny thing about taking pictures of mixed drinks is that I don't want things to go to waste. So as I mixed liquors and juices to get the color I wanted, I found a tasty new recipe.

Manual: Page 144 - Custom Setting 7: Image Review
I guess its nice that I can choose to show a grid over the top of my images on the LCD, but its not really something I need.

Images: Dennis Stock
Dennis passed away Monday at age 81, after a battle with colon cancer. Dennis is most notably know for capturing images of many iconic people in the 50's & 60's. His photos are timeless, and I think I'd like to add one to my collection.


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D69: Date Night

I'm a big fan of meeting new people, so dates are usually especially interesting.

Those closest to me know why I took a hiatus from the dating world. There were a few dates here and there, but nothing of consequence.

Recently, I took the plunge and re-joined the dating world. Without getting into details, I am definitely enjoying myself.

Manual: Page 84 - Autoexposure Lock
Very interesting. I've never tried this, due to the fact that I shoot mostly in manual mode.

Images: Jason Hooker
No, I am not reviewing myself. This is a different Jason Hooker who is also a photographer. The bastard is actually really good. It appears that he mostly shoots the kind of things that I too enjoy.

It would be interesting to see how many continents have a Jason Hooker tog.


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D68: Relaxing Days & Childhood Treats

There were plenty of things that I probably should have been doing today.

Its strange to think that I never feel like I have enough time to get things done. I have a ridiculously open schedule right now. In fact, I almost feel like I have more free time when I'm working a normal 9 to 5 job.

Today's Costco trip yielded a large box of fruit snacks. Remember those little bags of chewy snacks that your mom used to put in your lunch box? Now I have a month-long supply!

Manual: Page 101 - Compatible Lenses
It's interesting to see how many new lenses Nikon has produced since I first purchased this camera body. There are far too many lenses that I am currently coveting.

Images: Brian Valentine
Brian is the last macro photographer that I'm reviewing this week. I really like how many of Brian's images capture a macro view of water drops. What sets these images apart is that Brian captures images inside of the water drops, making them appear as if he manipulated them.


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D67: Stickin' It To the "Man"

Or perhaps we just took advantage of an offer inspired by the "Man".

I went with the little sister today to watch "The Blind Side". At our local theater, Tuesdays are "Stimulus Days". They offer popcorn & drinks at a fraction of the normal eye-gouging theater prices.

Great movie, great time hangin' with the sis.

Manual: Page 81 - Aperture-Priority Auto
I use this setting most when I'm shooting my fixed 50mm.

Images: Igor Siwanowicz
Igor has a gallery dedicated to macro photos of insects & reptiles. Awesome work!


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D66: Acceptance

Discovering the truth about your dreams can be a hard pill to swallow.

The truth is, photography has become severely undervalued in my community, and it may never recover. Our area has an endless supply of "photographers" who just picked up a $400 SLR with a kit lens. I am saddened when I look at the quality of work being produced around here.

I am a firm believer that you can make it as a photographer without a formal education. However, you still need some type of education. "Spray & Pray" is practiced far too often, and guarantees that you will never progress as an artist.

It really seems that I will have to leave the area if I am to pursue the direction that I so desire. To succeed in my current location would mean high-volume, lower prices. Personally, I feel that is an equation that will result in a love-loss for the art.

What does that mean for me? It means that I'm going to take things one day at a time. It means that my photography will, for now, remain a side-job.

Manual: Page 76 - Exposure Mode
Great. Another reminder of my kryptonite. Perhaps one day I'll make it through an entire month without leaving the ISO on the wrong setting.

Images: Cyrus Khamak
More bug macro work. I really like how his images are vivid, but have a really soft feel.


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D65: The Invisible Difference

One of my specialties in the kitchen in brick-oven pizza. Hand-tossed crust, premium ingredients, even a big wood paddle to shovel the pies into the oven.


My saving grace is cornmeal. Grinding corn into a sand-like substance reduces the dough-paddle friction factor; throwing pizzas becomes a dance.

Manual: Page 67 - AF Area Mode
Pretty similar to last night. When doing product shots, I've always used single area.

Images: Frank Phillips
Frank focuses on bugs, and his work is amazing! I'm really wanting to pick up a macro lens now.


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D64: /sabbatical

Wow. Two months and no posts.

Its almost enough to make me want to quit my 365 project.

Almost.

I'm really good at letting life get in the way of things. I got all tied up doing things that I can't even remember now, and I missed a few days of shooting photos. Days turned into weeks, and I quickly felt lost. I decided that I was going to suspend my 365 project indefinitely. It didn't feel organic anymore, everything felt forced.

I coasted through the holidays, avoiding my cameras. Suddenly we felt like strangers to each other, passing in the hallway with nothing to say. I would occasionally glance over at my shooting table to see my cameras in an unchanging spot. As a photographer, its quite sad to think that your gear may start to collect dust before you pick it up again.

This morning I decided to go through a stack of DVD's sitting on my desk. They had been piling up for months, and it was time for them to find more suitable accommodations.

When I completed my task, I had a small stack of unlabeled DVD's left, waiting to be popped into the computer to ascertain their contents. Before I knew it, I was arranging them in different ways and taking pictures! I was back!

Will I be able to finish my project sans another sabbatical? Hopefully.

Manual: Page 64 - Focus Mode
I have used AF-C in the past, but I have almost exclusively used AF-S on all of my cameras. I'm really excited to put together a day dedicated to testing different settings. I'm thinking that will have to wait until spring.

Images: Igor Siwanowicz
Igor does some killer macro work! Check him out. I think I'll dedicate this week to macro.


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