We have just returned from a week away in the beautiful surroundings of Bancroft Ontario! The landscape is absolutely beautiful with it’s red ragged rocks protruding out on the sides of the roads. But even more, the people we met – incredible, incredible people. I have to say, I am so glad our children chose to go to Joycamp.ca over Disney World! It was certainly the right decision, with memories, and friendships made to last an eternity.
Now Playing At the forest Kineto theatre The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Jul. 30,31, Aug. 1, 3
All Tickets $5 Show Time 8 PM Doors Open at 7:30 PM
Now Playing At The Grand Bend starlite Drive In
Gates Open 8PM
DRAGON @ 9:40PM / SALT @ 11:15PM
GROWN UPS @ 1AM
Evans Monsignac survived 27 buried underneath earthquake rubble, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti Photo: POLARIS
It really has not been that long at all since we first heard of the horrific earthquake that hit Haiti as the year 2010 began. The news was everywhere, and many people where dropping everything to raise funds, or go to Haiti in attempts to help and be used by other helping organizations. During that time you may recall that photographer/teacher Michael Andrew and friend Mathieu decided to do just that, and were able to help locate, gps tag, and deliver much needed supplies to orphanages in the severely shaken country. Shortly before Michael’s departure to return to the US he captured digital memories of an incredible miracle – the recovery of Evans Monsignac – the man who survived 27 days buried alive. Where is Evans now? Currently in a Florida hospital, still very very sick, but recovering, and eagerly looking forward to seeing his family. Evans was able to tell how he was able to survive the 27 days without food or water which had baffled everyone. See the report here. Thank you Michael for posting this update on your blog today. Note, the situation in Haiti has not, and will not rectify itself, you can still help in many ways, including providing clean safe drinking water, please check out how You Can Help. (please make a note with your donation "for Michael's Orphanages", to ensure that the purifier you just purchased goes directly to Michael's Orphanages.)
Most of us post pictures on facebook. We share our images with our friends, and love to see our friends images. For those who are concerned as professional photographers however, you may wish to be aware that Walmart has hooked up with Facebook and now has an add on that allows you, to print yours, or any of your facebook friends pictures directly from the Walmart site. There are two options if you are worried about this, one is described in the video below – which is very easily laid out on how to block Walmart from accessing your account. The other point I would like to make however is to be sure you resize your images prior to uploading to Facebook. Firstly this will allow you to avoid that L O N G upload time of uploading a full size file. Secondly, if you resize your image to 800x600 or less, then the print quality that anyone would receive from trying to print your resized images would be pitiful. In addition, it appears that this is not currently available through Walmart.ca, only at the .com site.
I saw this as a result of a friend posting it on facebook and just had to share it. I mean this was an incredible job by the videographers, not to mention the Bride, Groom and wedding party. Apparently it took 5 takes to get it, still certainly a section out of your Big Day…On the other hand, what an incredibly cool video you have as a result. Great Job Elysium Productions of Orange County!
Angel & Xiaopeng's Rock 'n Roll Same Day Edit from Pelican Hill from Elysium Productions on Vimeo.
I love to have my little fishing trips with the kids, (often taken at the end our our street) The kids have these cute little fishing rods – Star Wars and Barbie style :D They do really well at being patient too, it’s great time to hang out and just enjoy the great outdoors! The end of the day…topped off with a full moon! (Bobber shot taken with point and shoot Casio camera, Moon shoot: f 2.8 1/3sec ISO 400 16-35mm Canon L lens )
I discovered these the other day and thought they were a pretty interesting concept.. Usually underwater cameras are something you basically hold out in front of you and guess. But with this style, you are basically wearing the camera, and where you look, is what you are shooting. I couldn’t really give you a personal review on the item, however I did find it interesting that they are available with a fair bit of technology. For instance this blue mask has a 4G Hard Drive and is a digital camera/video camera,
Product Specification:
2.0 mega pixels CMOS camera high resolution clear digital video recording
Unique magnet switch control, indicated by motor shaking
Motional video recording, instant respond to surrounding light
In-built power cell support up to 2.5 hours long video recording and photographing
Tempered glass lens with anti-fog feature
Ergonomic design, wide viewing angle, comfortable wearing
Power Supply：built-in 360mAh lipolymer battery
Camera hardware resolution: 2.0m pixels.
Built-in 4GB flash memory, support max 32GB
Minimum illumination required: 1Lux
Power Consumption : < 0.59W
Power duration: 2.5 hours
Power Adaptor: 5V DC/500 mAh
Resolution: 1280*960
Recording Speed: 30fps
Audio: Mute underwater
Video Format: AVI
Depth=30 M
The yellow one is has a smaller hard drive, and a slightly different design, both with the same general concept though. Specs:
Technical Specifications:
Image Resolution - 5.0MP CMOS Sensor
Internal Memory - 16MB NAND Flash Memory
External Memory Card - Micro SD Card
Video Mode - 18-25FPS @ VGA
Status Display - LCD Display
Interface - USB
Power - 2 AAA Alkaline 1.5V Batteries
Photographic Distance - 1.2m (5ft)
Auto Off System time - 120 seconds
Modes
High Res - 5.0MP (2560x1920) - 29 Pics
Video - 53S VGA
(Image Qty is based on 16MB internal Memory -
Add a Micro SD Card to add memory up to 2Gb)
Depth = 5 M
Both were found on Ebay :D Enjoy your summer fun!
Photoshop is an absolutely amazing piece of software, and really a must for any serious photographer today. I have really enjoyed Photohsop’s CS3 over the last few years, and when CS4 came out, I chose not to upgrade. Later CS5 came out, again, I did not upgrade…until now. Well, if you have not done so yet, it is well worth it – the main feature I knew of of course was the famous “content aware” feature. WoW – there is sooo much much more! The new masking features, reminiscent of the OnOne Software again makes the change well worth it. The video below (by a very excited photoshop enthusiast) really shows off some of the upgrades available, enjoy!
For all you vampire fans out there
Now Playing at the Forest Kineto Theatre
Twilight Saga: Eclipse
July 23,24,25,27
All Tickets $5 Doors Open at 7:30 Show Time 8PM
Now Playing At The StarLitE Drive In
JULY 16-22
Gates Open 8PM
DESPICABLE ME @ 9:45PM / ECLIPSE @ 11:30PM
Well, today is the day for classroom, e:class style! Photography technology is constantly changing as I”m sure you know, and along with the hardware changes, come the often greater changes in software. Understanding or even realizing the tools are available in the software you are using is incredibly important. As a result, I continue to regularly take classes, often online, like with this e:class being presented tomorrow by world renown teacher/software developer: Kevin Kubota. The class begins at 10AM PST, so we won’t get it here till1pm, but it is scheduled for a full 90 minutes, and includes a video download of the course afterwards, along with live Q&A. Well worth the “tuition fee”. Looking forward to learning all the latest and greatest that Lightroom 3 has to offer. For more details on how you can get in on the class, go HERE.
John & Nicole had one of the most colourful weddings I have seen in a long time! The bright sunflowers were everywhere, mixed with the royal blues as this cowboy wedding went on with smiles and laughter, despite the rain! After the ceremony the couple stopped in at the local Nursing Home where Nicole works to say hello to everyone – I have to say, I have done a number of weddings now where the Bride has done this afterwards – and I for one, always enjoy the bright smiles this brings! Later we stopped back at Nicole’s parents home, where the wedding was originally to take place, to have pictures done, and then back to the party! A great party, a beautiful cake, yummy food, and a dance floor for all - Congratulations John & Nicole!!
I Love this, I think it is great that someone actually goes out and tries something, and compares it honestly, rather than simply going with the philosophy of – Apple is the best. I really feel that Apple markets extremely well, but when it comes to actual product advantages, I think we need to do much more research, instead of simply believe what a company tells us. Take a look at what David Jay’s research is, might make you think before you leap towards the latest and greatest iphone4.
David Jay did a survey of what people like most about their iphones, take a look at what he found:
“I'd ask why people love their iPhone and no joke the ONLY two responses I got from dozens of people were:
1. It looks sexy. 2. It has an Apple logo on it. “
Here's a video of all the reasons I ditched my iPhone for Google's Nexus One. Right now if you have the latest version of Android 2.2 it's A LOT better than the iPhone.
With Android I can:
• Multitask (run GPS Navigation, Pandora and more all at the same time)
• Integrate Google Voice which is a sweet free service from Google. Apple removed and banned this app from the iPhone
• Amazing turn-by-turn GPS included. Apple makes you pay an extra monthly charge for this.
• Turn my phone into a mobile WiFi Hot Spot and connect other devices to the internet. iPhone doesn't allow this.
• Adobe Flash - Apple also blocked this so iPhone users are forced to buy apps from their stores instead of playing Flash games online.
• Adobe and Google partnered up and Adobe gave them access to their API so camera and image editing features on the Android are already more advanced then the iPhone.
• Android is an open system that developers are free to develop for without fear of having their creations rejected whenever Apple feels threatened.
…off for a wedding today – and it looks like the sun is coming out – just in time!
It has only been during this past week that I have known of this sweet little girl. She is battling cancer, specifically a wilms Tumour. The video below tells a bit of how the parents found out, and her road so far. Daisy just underwent a surgery to remove and biopsy the returned tumour. Her parents are asking – if “Anybody knows and/or can connect me with a top Wilms Tumour specialist? Email Britt at britt@realitycarp.com” What an amazing little girl!
When My Heart Is Overwhelmed from Reality on Vimeo.
Now Playing at the Forest Kineto Theatre
Grown Ups
July 16,17,18,20 Doors Open at 7:30 Show Time 8PM
All Tickets $5
Now Playing At The Grand Bend Starlite Drive In
Sports photography is not something I specialize in. That said, if you are into photography, and your children are involved in sports…you’re bound to pull out your camera :D One thing to keep in mind when doing sports photography is that you will need a faster shutter speed, 1/500 to 1/1000 of a second tend to be a good range to work with, depending on how fast your subjects are of course. In my situation, I was shooting in doors at night. This poses additional complications since I am going to some how need to get more light to the sensor since I’m using a fast shutter speed. Can you name two options I have to maintain proper exposure?
Dragon Fly’s are amazing, they are this fairly large flying insect, and they don’t sting or bite you, they simply make a rather odd sound as they buzz around looking beautiful! Their wings are incredible though, seeing the beauty in their detail. Here are a couple of interesting facts if found out about these little creatures:
A bee flaps its wings about 300 times per second, but a dragonfly flaps its wings at only about 30 beats per second. (fact, dragonflies have two sets of wings so they don’t have to beat them as much to fly.)
A dragonfly’s eyes have about 30,000 lenses and a dragonfly can see all the way around it, but they don’t see details very well. (fact, a human eye only has one lens and sees better than a dragonfly, but only to the front and side of them.)
This past week Andrew and Amanda gathered in a very intimate setting with family and friends as they celebrated their wedding nuptials! The ceremony took place at Bellemere Winery just outside of London, followed by a little thunder and lighting, but the rain held off :D A beautiful day with so many personal touches! Congratulations Andrew and Amanda!!!
I really couldn’t tell you how I came across Pam’s site, but what I can tell you, is that it has been a regular encouragement to me. Pam - a Wife, Mom, Grandma, and retired photographer has a blog set up called “Inspired…365”, and today is my day to give a gift, so I’m sharing this blog with you so that you too can be encouraged! I have never met Pam, but I can see that she is creative, and I can just imagine her as an energetic go getter. She has a photography ministry – which I think is really cool, as she shares her talent and wisdom with others. I am a strong believer in sharing with others, what God has given you in talents, Pam does exactly this, and therefore I thought I would just share the love today :D Enjoy!
Now Playing At
Toy Story 3
July 9,10,11,13 Show Time 8PM
All Tickets $5
And at the Starlite Drive In
JULY 9-15
I just received this in my inbox today and really want to pass it along. Kevin Kubota is a master at Lightroom and Photoshop, and really, the name when it comes to professional add-ons etc for your Lightroom and Photoshop software. This 90 minute e:class is only $39, which includes the final 30min for Q&A. If you are interested in seeing the latest from Lightroom 3, or simply checking out how you can improve your workflow, I’d encourage you to catch this live online class.
JOIN US JULY 21, 10AM PDT AND MASTER THE NEW FEATURES OF LIGHTROOM® 3
Adobe has updated another one of their fine products that may have an even greater impact than Photoshop CS5 on your busy life as a photographer — Lightroom 3.
We know you’re a smart photographer who cares about staying competitive and efficient, and you may be asking yourself: “Should I bother upgrading? What’s new in LR3 that will save me more time? Which features will help me
take my business and my creativity to the next level? How did Kubota get my email address?”
Get your questions answered at our LIVE 90-minute interactive e:CLASS with Kevin Kubota.
Who better to teach you these time-saving gems than the guy who produced the Hot One award-winning Workflow Tutorial for Lightroom?
Kevin has been testing (heck, spelunking!) LR3 and has noted the features that will impact your workflow the most,
and you should know about them! More than just a feature overview, this e:CLASS will explain how to best use and incorporate these tools into your workflow.
Get the elite edge on Lightroom 3 workflow for only $39! And if that isn’t enough, enrolled students will take away a recorded video copy AND receive a coupon code good for $20 toward the purchase of any single Kubota Lightroom product through the end of 2010!
Do we love you, or what?!
Mark July 21st at 10:00AM PDT on your calendar for an e:CLASS experience with Kevin Kubota you cannot afford to miss!
Reserve your seat for our LIVE 90-minute e:CLASS
Click here to view more info.
White balance can be a challenge during any time of the year, but summer time in particular, people tend to notice the problem. Maybe your pictures look yellowy, or dull – often, this is simply a white balance issue. Your camera can be set to AWB (automatic white balance), and often if can figure out how to adjust for lighting to make white look white. But, shade can be one of the trickiest spots to get proper white balance.
You camera can manually set for different conditions: sunny, shady, cloudy, tungsten, etc. Shooting with your white balance to shade on a sunny day will cause very yellow pictures, and yet, shooting on an overcast day with your WB set to normal will cause a cold blue look. The next time you are shooting, experiment a little with your white balance.
"Apple of My Eye" - an iPhone 4 movie / film - UPDATE: Behind the scenes footage included from Michael Koerbel on Vimeo.
I saw this the other night on Michael Andrews site while doing some blog surfing, and was totally blown away. Seriously, I never would have imagined that the iphone video would be this good, and on top of that, that you could even edit on the iphone itself! Take a look at this, the first bit is the video, from then on it actually shows the making and editing of the video clip. Be prepared to be speechless!
I found this last night at the Totally Rad site, put out by The Lightroom Lab have yet to completely go through it – but am excited to see if I can really get some of my Rad Actions to work in Lightroom. I’ll let you know how things go :D
Using Photoshop Actions as Droplets in Lightroom from Scott Rouse on Vimeo.
Planning to catch a show, or a play this weekend ?
The Promise is back in Forest for its 12th season
Information below – A great family event filled with music and the story of Jesus.
Also playing at the Kiwanis kineto Theatre The Karate Kid
All Tickets $5 Show Time 8PM
Happy Birthday Canada! I thought I would share with you two well know and incredibly Canadian speeches today. I’m sure you’ll remember the first – I AM CANADIAN. The second, for those who watched the opening 2010 Olympic ceremonies, this was presented there – Both, Very Cool – and Very Proud!!!
Happy 143 Canada!!!
