Say, What Chu Looking At?

For the camera geeks in the audience : A few links from Gizmodo to drool over

Those of you who heard and knew : There are links to a professional photographer who got his hands on a Canon 5D Mark II — and shot HD Video. The video is supposedly unenhanced. Just the screencaps alone illustrate why this has me SO bloody excited.
Canon 5D Mark II: Canon 5D Mark IIs Full HD Video Is So Stunning Our Eyes Explode

Hellbuny has one of these, and I’m quite jealous. The Lensbaby series of experimental lenses for SLR’s basically allows for selective shifting of the focal plane, and can yield some very amusing and funky effects. They just announced a new generation of lenses — and it is making me VERY sad that I sold my SLR. Check them out :
Ball-and-Socket Lensbaby Composer Adds to Distorting Bendy-Lens Line

I don’t know about you, but I’ve got five bazillion negatives sitting around, taking up way too much space. I’ve been very tempted to dump all of the prints and convert all of them to digital images — this might be the simple and @()*%&@) cheap tool to do it.
Ion Audio’s Slides2PC Digitizes Your Old Negatives Simply, for $100

And finally, just for fun, someone photoshopped a Zoom Lens into a Coffee Mug. Now, I had this lens myself (before I sold it) — so the mere concept of taking a zoom lens that costs five hundred dollars and turning it into a MUG is painful. However, the thought of a coffee mug that could extend in size like a zoom lens? Its amusing. “Oh hi boss, wait lemme grab my coffee *retract* OW SHIT COFFEE EVERYWHERE OWOWOW”
Zoom Lens Coffee Mug Helps Keep Photographers Caffeinated

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*EDIT*  Oh. My.  God.  I just saw the video myself.  This video deserves a stolen screencap (courtesy Gizmodo)

Okay, if it wasn’t clear, this is a screen cap from HD Video, unedited off of the camera.  The ONLY resizing Canon did was to drop it to 1/4th the size so it could be served on the internet EASIER.   If it wasn’t clear, this allows shooters to shoot HD Video in low light with 35mm lenses — what would normally have cost 30,000 DOLLARS is now workable at a third of that.   I forsee alot of music videos, indy pieces, and porn being shot on these things.   Its a genre changer.

Sorry ladies, I have a new love of my life.  It is a camera.  The EOS 5D Mark II.  I will have her.

(God I’m such a dork.)

So, in doing some reading, I found some photos shot with what is called a “Beauty Dish” – yet another method of bouncing flash. Reading about this, I’m actually excited, and I think I’m going to have to build one.. Studio Lighting – Flash Mounted homemade DIY Beauty Dish or From Soup Dish to Beauty Dish | DIYPhotography.net

A couple of fun photos today for the various 365 pictures, one night shot and one sunset shot.

Had some fun with christmas lights, some funky positioning, twirling lights, and bokeh. MOAR BOKEH! MOARRRRR!  (Humm.. I should have just started myself on the 365 project — I’ve been posting a pic a day as it is..)

Thai Iced Tea

Originally uploaded by Doc Stampede

Happy Bokeh Wednesday!

Thai Iced Tea this past Monday at Mid Week Eats. This was a candlelit restaurant, so I got really lucky in managing to shoot the photo. Thankfully I had a short water glass to use as a makeshift pod – but I didn’t think the photo had exposed properly.

Camerageekery : Candlelit, custom color balance, photo is SOOC (Straight out of Camera), ISO 80, f3.2, 6 second (??!?!) exposure.)

No photo today.  Hopefully this weekend I’ll set up a mini-studio in my guest room for some photos I have in mind for the Photo Meme.  In the process, I might send glass, ice, and flaming alcohol flying everywhere.  Such is the risk of doing crazy stuff. 

For you photo geeks that shoot in RAW – this is a very good article. It runs almost counter to my own shooting theory, but it makes alot of sense. I’ll be testing the theory out.

http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/pdfs/linear_gamma.pdf

Okay – so last week I threw up a Photo Meme of sorts. The goal was for people to assign me themes to take photos of. Interpretation would be up to me, and I’ll post photos as I shoot them. The catch is, if I post, I want a photo response in kind! (In theme or in response.

So far, the following have been requested.

Diamond in the Rough
To be or not to be
Intersecting Lines and Playing with Perspective (Done!)
Sheer Arrogance
Friendship
Left Behind / Obliviousness
Candy – Done!
Loneliness – Done!
Freezer – Done!
Don’t Blink! – Done!
Failure/Success – Done!
Something Orange

Responses will be posted as I go, and also queued here. Photos under the cut!

Read more…

Okay.. something a little meme-like, just for fun.

I feel like using my camera more. Obviously, since I’ve been trying to post photos at least once a day.

Soooooo….

Tell me what you’d like to see photographs of. You can ask for a topic, but I will exercise discretion on how I interpret your request. However this isn’t a one way street! If you ask me to take a photo, after I’ve taken the photo and posted it, I will expect a photographic response from you!

Come on – there are enough photo geeks out there. And you don’t need to be a photo geek to play! Lets have some fun with this! XD

So this has been making the rounds, but it strikes way too close to home for me to not mention.  See, London photographers have been facing increased scrutiny due to the ongoing fears of terrorism. 

Lets face it, this is happening not just in London but everywhere.

Its gone as far as a new ad campaign by the London Metropolitan Police asking people to identify and report “odd” looking photographers.

… ODD photographers?  Do I even need to get into the insanity of this? 

I take photos of odd places.  I enjoy taking photos of abandoned places, or behind the scenes photos.  I sometimes take notes of where I’m shooting for later discussion and contemplation.

*sigh*  I suspect I won’t be long for this world.  I’ll be taking a photo on one of my walkabouts and I’ll be shot in the head for suspicious activity.  -_-;

Photo is  courtesy of BBC News.   Original post/reference courtesy of this article.

So I’ve been experimenting with Flickr.  While I’m nowhere near as prolific as Alice or Sean, I’m starting to see the appeal in having a captive audience.

The real danger – I discovered a group that’s right up my slightly competitive mindset.   You post a photo, someone else posts a counter – and it goes to head to head competition for best photo.   (Each one is themed, with the first poster setting the theme..) 

Only the winner may be posted in the photo pool.   Challenges fly by pretty fast — and its potentially a huge time sink.  But its fun.   XD

Flickr: Challenge You

Found it and posted yesterday.  I’m 2 for 2 on the direct heads up challenges.   I’m also in a special competition where a photo of Kat has been a steady contender.   (Thanks Kat!)  Photos under the cut.  (Under a cut because these are reposts..)

Read more…

Humm.

I need a WoW or other Fantasy mmorpg costumer, to pose for a random goofy little photo.  This is not for pay or anything serious, just a funny little thought that just crossed my head.

I also need an office location, preferably a cubicle of some sort.

*rubs hands together and snickers*