Playing around with some macrophotography

I was going through some storage bins...trying to purge more shit that I don't use/need since my move to a smaller place last year. I have a bin of memorabilia which contains a lot of "junk," as my wife would say, that I just don't want to part with. Some of it I already had to because it was outside on the patio and rain water got inside due to a crack in the side of the bin. Anyway, much of the stuff got rusted or smelled like rotten ass so I had to purge them. I did come across this little "gem" in my recent browse-through.

This is a "coin" that my previous employer gave out to commemorate or some shit our start date. Below the truck was my signature and below it was my start date. I guess they thought this would make us feel better about working for such a shit-hole boss and employer. It didn't work for me. Some people still think it was one of the best places to work. I don't interact AT ALL with those individuals since I left that job fifteen years ago! They are the kind of people that will probably some day go crazy (that are already slightly bat shit to begin with) or do something crazy and I DO NOT want to be around them when that happens.

 

Anyway, I thought with the chemical reaction of the water to whatever this metal is, it was a good chance to try out some macrophotography with this "macro tube" I got some time ago that attaches between the camera and lens. It's not the easiest to focus and shit but it works. Just takes some playing around with which what doesn't in regards to photography?!

Taos Mountains

Diet Coke Mobile

Door from Dallas to Taos

 

The Soda Gallery, Dallas, Texas

This is The Soda Gallery in the Bishop Arts District in Dallas, TX. I believe this is my first and only time to ever visit this area. I must say that I was not impressed with anything there whether it be shops, food, or atmosphere. But I can say I've been there and done that.

I took this picture of the store for a project in my Digital Color Photography class last semester. Someone in my class told me that the Bishop Arts District has a lot of colorful buildings. They lied. In the area around The Soda Gallery, there are probably 15-20 buildings and they ARE NOT COLORFUL. Maybe one or two, but nothing spectacular. I photoshopped this one to make it look better and colorful.

Anyway, The Soda Gallery is a highfalutin convenience store. The well-known, named-brand sodas like Coke, Dr Pepper, Pepsi and their variations are WAY overpriced! They wanted something like $3.50 for a 12 oz. aluminum can of "regular" Coke in the shape of a regular soda pop bottle. RIDICULOUS!

They had some "exotic"-type drinks but I have no frame of reference for pricing on those but I am sure they too are overpriced. They also sold candy. I don't know what kind in particular but I recall seeing it. I just didn't pay too much attention to anything in the store once I found out about the exorbitant prices.

The store, or actual retail space, is colorful. They have some comical graphic tees or iron-ons for T-shirts on the walls and the colorful bottles in the main storefront window (you can see them in the photo) help decorate the place with the way the sun shines through from the outside.

Other than that, this store is passable and I have absolutely NO IDEA how it's been around as long as it has. Oh wait, stupid rich people who don't know the TRUE value of money.

As far as the Bishop Arts District...I think I'll have to go back when I have a little more time. I don't know if it was really that bad or I just didn't get to the right areas or what. I just know I will give it one more chance before I wonder what the hell is wrong with the people that think or even told me that the District was cool.

A Casita in Taos, New Mexico

The 50 Most Amazing College Campuses

Saw this link to an article on a Facebook friend of mine's wall.

These schools truly do have a beautiful campus. It's interesting to see the variety of architecture from all old, all new, and a hybrid of old/new. For me, the old architecture inflicts a nostalgic feeling. Not that I'm "old," it's just that feeling the architecture and environment bring forth of a time gone by.

Anyway, the funny thing is that #17's main photo IS NOT for the University of Virginia. It is in fact the main/original building of a college in the heart of north Dallas. I'd have say that the copy editor or reporter or whoever is in charge of the final print needs to be put on probation.

So, that's all I got for randomness right now.

UPDATE: The main photo has since been changed from this afternoon to what I assume is the proper building for the University of Virginia.

Cigars

I just recalled something that I learned in my B&W photography class which I never would have imagined. Actually, I guess, I actually got something I previously heard, and possibly learned, verified.

So, what I verified is cigars are not supposed to be inhaled.

Huh? What? I thought all smokes were to be inhaled for their enjoyment. Apparently not!

How I came to this question for my professor is one Saturday I was playing tennis with the regular group of guys. My long-time friend was talking about someone he knew that would smoke cigars and "he'd inhaled!"

He said this like it was a new phenomenon. I, on the other hand, said, "So, what's the big deal?" He went on about how you are not supposed to inhale a cigar because it'll burn out your throat and lungs not to mention make you cough for hours while it's doing it.

I was like, "Really?" I just assumed that smoking something meant inhaling it. We aren't all like Bill Clinton. We smoke it and we want the total effects of it so we inhale it!

Armed with this question, "How do you 'smoke' a cigar," I saw my photography professor the following Monday for class. I waited to ask him because he's been smoking cigars for about forty-five years so I figured he was an "expert" on the cigar-smoking subject.

According to Prof. Photog, "A cigar is meant to be enjoyed by puffing on it and allowing the smoke to circle the pallet and then exit, often blown threw the nose. It IS not meant to be inhaled because, yeah, [said in a humorous tone] it will kill ya. The flavor is supposed to be savored like a wine or a prime cut of steak."

So, in retrospect, I can see this explanation as very valid because I've inhaled cigars, many of them, trying to enjoy the flavor and aroma but not getting anything but a generic tobacco taste and feel. I've tried many brands thinking it was the cheap versus the somewhat expensive or the different flavors where some were stronger than others. But never have I experience an actual flavor but once, mildly.

I haven't tested the theory since learning of this interesting knowledge but I am eager to try just for science's sake...and to put my own curiosity to rest.

What do you think? Do you have a theory on cigars? What is your recommended brand (keeping in mind that I'm middle-class and a $10 cigar is way out of my budget)? I've tried Swisher Sweets and a few other "7-11-type" brands and most of them I liked licking the paper more than I did smoking the cigar.

The sky is on fire

 

Sunset on Waikiki Beach, Hawaii

 

Totems at the Polynesian Center on Oahu, Hawaii

A mountain range of clouds

 

Night time off Waikiki Beach, Hawaii

Boats in the ocean off Waikiki Beach, Hawaii

Some more photos from our trip to Oahu, Hawaii

A yellow hibiscus

The beach where the make-out scene was filmed in "From Here To Eternity"

Palm trees as seen from our 13th floor balcony

A cliff view of the ocean

Busy street on Waikiki Beach, Hawaii

American Flag on the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial

Sunset on Waikiki Beach, Hawaii

Night time on Waikiki Beach, Hawaii

Hotels at night time on Waikiki Beach, Hawaii

Spring 2010 term is done...almost

I have one more thing to do for my Black & White Photography I course and I'll be officially complete with the Spring 2010 term. Summer school, if my class makes, here I come in 30 days.

I have my final critique (crit for short for you artsy people in the know) today at 3 p.m. It's not just mine but the whole class will be presenting their final prints, no more than 10 and no more than 30. I originally was thinking I might do a number somewhere in the middle, around 14-18, but after procrastinating and paying another $30 for a new packet of photo print paper I decided to go with the minimum. I ended up doing 11 but a couple are prints that I already had done previously.

We just didn't have to have prints this time, though. We had to purchase museum (rag) board for our "presentation." We could have 2-ply or 4-ply or higher if we wanted but the cost increases by the ply and the size. I ended up getting the 2-ply 8x10 and then some. It was something like $10 for a 25-pk but you get a little discount if you by more quantities. When I ordered the supplies, he hadn't shared yet on what color he recommended. I wanted to make sure I had the board because of my procrastination. I ordered two 25-packs of white, antique white, and black. I figured whichever color he didn't prefer I would just use for my own personal photos if I wanted to mount them or whatever. My total cost was something like $50 so it's not like I was out a lot of money and I have plans to use what I have left...for something, anything.

I went into the lab Saturday morning to develop my B&W roll of film. I kinked it near the end so a couple of my frames were damaged but luckily they weren't good pictures to begin with. I recommend using a roll of 16 or 24 exposures. Trying to put a roll of 36 exposures onto the reel that goes into the developer tank was easy to begin with but it started getting tricky near the end. I'm not sure if it's because the reel isn't really built for that long of a film roll or what because you have to get it on the reel in pitch dark. So, I can't see what the issue is until I'm done developing it but by that time I forget about checking because it takes about 30 minutes to develop the film. After developing, I put it in the drying closet - a closet to let film sort of drip dry but no actual "drying" done. The professor recommends a drying period of one hour although it probably doesn't actually take that long. I decided it was too nice of a day to spend in the lab so I left intending to return later that evening or the next morning.

Returning Saturday night didn't happen. Sunday morning didn't happen either.

Sunday afternoon I finally get to the lab to make some prints. I took the kids and their cousin with me to get them out of the house. They also helped develop some of the prints after I used the enlarger. They definitely helped speed up the process. I could keep making prints while they were running them through the developer, stop bath, fixer and then the wash. They like seeing the "magic" happen too.

Anyway, 17 prints later (some were dupes of me trying to get the exposure time right for some of the prints) and I was ready to leave for home after about 2 1/2 hours. I missed my roller hockey game. It was at 6 p.m. but I didn't get home from printing until about 5:30 p.m. Not enough time to get home, get ready for hockey and then get there by 6 p.m.

So, I'll be on my way to class in about an hour to leave my prints for my final grade. I think they look pretty good. They good use a little more tweaking here and there but the paper isn't cheap nor is my time. Maybe I'll digitally capture a few and post them for all to view.

It's all in the de-"tails"

So this is a little weird...okay, a lot weird...but that's just how my demented mind works.

A couple of months ago I took the kids and some of their friends to see The Mustangs of Las Colinas. It was a nice day, albeit very windy, and we were all feeling kind a bit of cabin fever because it had rained for a few days previously. The ground was still wet around the house and neighborhood so it wasn't ideal for them to play there. So, a short road trip was decided.

I initially wanted to take the friends to The Mustangs and then the Fort Worth Water Gardens because they'd never been to either but we ended up just going to The Mustangs because one of the friends had to be back home by a certain time to turn around and go to a sleep-over at a friends. Maybe next time.

Anyway, while at The Mustangs, I took a lot of pictures...of the kids, the 'Stangs, the buildings. I noticed something interesting, odd, and disturbing about the detail in some of the Mustang statues.

I won't go into the details but you can basically see what I would be typing about if I typed about it.

I know it's sick, just down right sick! :-)

The Mustangs of Las Colinas

Bee in the first blooms

Icy "waterfall"

Took this from a gas station on our way back home from our trip to Illinois. I believe this was somewhere in Missouri probably south of St. Louis.