have more models that I'm looking to do the Norma Desmond shoot with...
Starting to plan shooting boards...
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Dance card filling up
have more models that I'm looking to do the Norma Desmond shoot with...
Starting to plan shooting boards...
This could be an expensive hobby
So today I decide to go out and get myself a couple of simple things for the camera (I buy it gifts)... wanted something that could blow off the dust (think repurposed douche basically) and a brush small enough to get the skin that flakes from my hands, eyes and forehead in this dry weather off the body and lens ('cause it's stomach churning to look at)
Drove through to Dexter and Huron Photo and they have a huge display case of Minolta lenses. They fit with Sony. Hmmmmm. Surely they couldn't have a used Minolta 50mm f/1.4 lens? Yes they could. Perfect condition. Less than half the new price. Better built than the new Sony. And perfect for portraits and low light.
It really is gorgeous.
Spent the afternoon playing with getting the tip of my nose in focus and the mustache nicely blurred. Then at getting a single hair in focus.
It's been much fun.
Wanted to do some self portraits... but the one thing that I'm missing now is a remote controlled shutter. That way I could sit in a chair with the camera and a tripod and have it focus and shoot - rather than having to find a proxy for where I'll be sitting; focus on that (auto or manually) and run like hell to be looking relaxed in the chair before the 10 second timer pings.
But that will be it (for now).... no more... I'm about to be jobless in Canada for God's sake.
This wasn't the best of today's pics. But for some reason I like it. Think it's the color.
Drove through to Dexter and Huron Photo and they have a huge display case of Minolta lenses. They fit with Sony. Hmmmmm. Surely they couldn't have a used Minolta 50mm f/1.4 lens? Yes they could. Perfect condition. Less than half the new price. Better built than the new Sony. And perfect for portraits and low light.
It really is gorgeous.
Spent the afternoon playing with getting the tip of my nose in focus and the mustache nicely blurred. Then at getting a single hair in focus.
It's been much fun.
Wanted to do some self portraits... but the one thing that I'm missing now is a remote controlled shutter. That way I could sit in a chair with the camera and a tripod and have it focus and shoot - rather than having to find a proxy for where I'll be sitting; focus on that (auto or manually) and run like hell to be looking relaxed in the chair before the 10 second timer pings.
But that will be it (for now).... no more... I'm about to be jobless in Canada for God's sake.
This wasn't the best of today's pics. But for some reason I like it. Think it's the color.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Well equipped
I just bought a Minolta wireless flash from a guy at work. It's nice. You can hide it in corners and surprise granny. Or use it for artistic purposes. It even has it's own little umbrella. I swear one day this camera will be as well equipped as I am...
Perhaps I should post something other than my face on Facebook - it seems that the way I look is my biggest weakness. Other than the fact that I'm not particularly nice.
Here's how my friends (ahem) voted me
STRENGTHS:
best to hang out with for a day
most tech-savvy
most fashionable
WEAKNESSES:
person with the best profile picture
nicest
All I have to say to that is the body dysmorphia had already lowered my self esteem to almost zero - now that I know I'm also a complete tit I can almost smell the oil on the rope of the noose. Thanks 'friends'
Thursday, January 22, 2009
A murder of crows
There is a large Murder of Crows that have taken residence in the trees behind our house. Hundreds, maybe a thousand of them. They're noisy - all of the dogs in the building are freaked. They're messy - my car, my skylight and my patio are covered in crow shit. And they're scary - I understand now why it's a murder of crows.
I'm wondering whether they're also significant,
For the Celts, the crow was sacred and meant the flesh torn by fighting. "The crow pierced him" was a way to to say "he died".
The Bible has a different take. After Adam and Eve were driven away from the Paradise, the crows started to eat carrion - and they became black-feathered. At the end of time, the crows will find their beauty again and sing harmoniously to praise God.
In Africa the crow is a sent as a sign to tell men that menace is on the way.
The Greeks has the crow as a white messenger bird, until it delivered bad news and was turned black by an angry Apollo.
So it's bad news basically. One because it's black. Two because it feeds on carrion.
Bugger.
Wonder if there's a 'loose bowel' crow legend anywhere
I'm wondering whether they're also significant,
For the Celts, the crow was sacred and meant the flesh torn by fighting. "The crow pierced him" was a way to to say "he died".
The Bible has a different take. After Adam and Eve were driven away from the Paradise, the crows started to eat carrion - and they became black-feathered. At the end of time, the crows will find their beauty again and sing harmoniously to praise God.
In Africa the crow is a sent as a sign to tell men that menace is on the way.
The Greeks has the crow as a white messenger bird, until it delivered bad news and was turned black by an angry Apollo.
So it's bad news basically. One because it's black. Two because it feeds on carrion.
Bugger.
Wonder if there's a 'loose bowel' crow legend anywhere
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Step two en route to better pics
Decided that it was time that I stepped up to the plate in terms of the kind of pictures that I want to take and to get a little more excited by the kind of thing that I'm doing.
Luckily I got an invitation to shoot here which seemed like a good thing to me.
The concept is really simple... I'm going to update Sunset Blvd. with a little angst to go with the melodrama. Imagine that Norma Desmond had been a Suicide Girl or perhaps a Pussycat Doll and then spent 30 years waiting for phone to ring.
This is the venue that I'm going to be using...
And this is the first model that I have confirmed
It's going to be great (or a disaster)... but hey if I can arrive in Canada as a member of the Detroit Photo Fetish scene then I'm a happy man
Luckily I got an invitation to shoot here which seemed like a good thing to me.
The concept is really simple... I'm going to update Sunset Blvd. with a little angst to go with the melodrama. Imagine that Norma Desmond had been a Suicide Girl or perhaps a Pussycat Doll and then spent 30 years waiting for phone to ring.
This is the venue that I'm going to be using...
And this is the first model that I have confirmed
It's going to be great (or a disaster)... but hey if I can arrive in Canada as a member of the Detroit Photo Fetish scene then I'm a happy man
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
It's President Obama to you
If you're British and you're reading this that's
O-bam-a
Not
O-bahm-maah
think african chanting O-bam-a, O-bam-a, O-bam-a
Anyway today the new President is sworn in and the country will watch the edited highlights.
I'm on the look out for "Shaving Parties" - there have to be people who are celebrating the end of Bush with a "lose yours" themed event - doesn't there?
O-bam-a
Not
O-bahm-maah
think african chanting O-bam-a, O-bam-a, O-bam-a
Anyway today the new President is sworn in and the country will watch the edited highlights.
I'm on the look out for "Shaving Parties" - there have to be people who are celebrating the end of Bush with a "lose yours" themed event - doesn't there?
Monday, January 19, 2009
Brrrrrr
So the cold of yesterday's shoot took its toll on the number of models that showed up.
It was supposed to be four... then two... then one (and her mom)
Mom carried hairspray and blankets.
Model was sweet and professional.
My pics still have to be 'developed' from RAW (or ARW as Sony call it)
The best are still to come... but I am in love with this lens (a shame as I can't afford it) even though it was perhaps too good (look closely and you'll see that our model has pets)
Today is Martin Luther King day - so we have a break. Jude of course isn't here. We're bad with American holidays. And always seem to have something booked when one occurs. She's off in Whistler for ten days, skiing with 'another man' as I'm sure previous generations would have put it. Very garden fency that statement.
I blame the death of the garden fence conversation for our obsession with celebrity. It used to be that we could tut-tut about our neighbors - the woman that worked, the elderly spinster and her 'sister' in the post office, that Marjory with ideas above her station. But as time to gossip, higher fences and bigger gardens brought seclusion we moved our aim -- to Angelina and jennifer, to J-Lo, to Madge and to all of those women doing the things that we lambasted our neighbors for.
Anyway I'm home alone... and this morning I woke up with a zebra.
Better than a moose I guess
It was supposed to be four... then two... then one (and her mom)
Mom carried hairspray and blankets.
Model was sweet and professional.
My pics still have to be 'developed' from RAW (or ARW as Sony call it)
The best are still to come... but I am in love with this lens (a shame as I can't afford it) even though it was perhaps too good (look closely and you'll see that our model has pets)
Today is Martin Luther King day - so we have a break. Jude of course isn't here. We're bad with American holidays. And always seem to have something booked when one occurs. She's off in Whistler for ten days, skiing with 'another man' as I'm sure previous generations would have put it. Very garden fency that statement.
I blame the death of the garden fence conversation for our obsession with celebrity. It used to be that we could tut-tut about our neighbors - the woman that worked, the elderly spinster and her 'sister' in the post office, that Marjory with ideas above her station. But as time to gossip, higher fences and bigger gardens brought seclusion we moved our aim -- to Angelina and jennifer, to J-Lo, to Madge and to all of those women doing the things that we lambasted our neighbors for.
Anyway I'm home alone... and this morning I woke up with a zebra.
Better than a moose I guess
Saturday, January 17, 2009
A stupid time to look for a job
So with the jobless numbers at their highest since 1945 and with businesses going under faster than a Biggest Loser cruise ship torpedoed by the fat fascists Jude and I decide that it's time for a move.
To a city where I don't speak the language,
And that wouldn't really take to me even if I did.
Of course Judith already has something there... which is good. It just doesn't pay us enough to keep us in the profligate style to which I've become accustomed, or even to keep us in style.
So I'm going to have to work.
Luckily there seems to be a lot of goodwill towards me out there. I'm really good at what I do. Given the right culture.
I'm happy to work on anything - there's no such thing as an ugly brand in my book.
And of course I'm cheaper than I should be.
So while the agencies aren't lining up to sign cheques; they are lining up to have a look, poke around under the hood and work out what might or might not work for them.
I have some ideas too. Less work, more play, better input. But we'll see.
There are worse things in the world than living in a very cool city and having time on your hands.
Looking forward to it
People are perverts two
take a girl in her underwear
give her an apple
shoot her eating the apple in a window
tag the picture with the word "Suspenders"
and you average 50 hits an hour
filthy men
give her an apple
shoot her eating the apple in a window
tag the picture with the word "Suspenders"
and you average 50 hits an hour
filthy men
Friday, January 16, 2009
First blog in a while
It's my first blog in a while... primarily because I've not been able to feel my fingers for the last couple of days - rendering typing somewhat difficult (I thought head-spike but didn't love the look)
It's -25c here today with a wind chill taking us south of -40c.
Now I know that I have to get used to that - but when the ice on the inside of your car is an inch thick and the heater causes it to melt into 'that'll smell later" puddles you know that it's cold.
Frostbite warning is down to five minutes. The tire pressure sensors on every car are going haywire and even though I'm wrapped up as though I were a boy in a bubble about to be shipped by FedEx I feel chilled to the bone.
Brrrrrrrr and GMTFOH
It's -25c here today with a wind chill taking us south of -40c.
Now I know that I have to get used to that - but when the ice on the inside of your car is an inch thick and the heater causes it to melt into 'that'll smell later" puddles you know that it's cold.
Frostbite warning is down to five minutes. The tire pressure sensors on every car are going haywire and even though I'm wrapped up as though I were a boy in a bubble about to be shipped by FedEx I feel chilled to the bone.
Brrrrrrrr and GMTFOH
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Gloomy
It's really cold outside
I'm tired (mainly because while I'm back in the swing of 5,30am to get to the gym I'm not yet at early to bed to make that painless)
One person that I work with is entirely spineless, I'm entirely emotionless. That makes for friction.
But mainly it's just cold outside
Or is it mainly that I'm tired
take your pick
Either way I'm not a smiley person today
I'm tired (mainly because while I'm back in the swing of 5,30am to get to the gym I'm not yet at early to bed to make that painless)
One person that I work with is entirely spineless, I'm entirely emotionless. That makes for friction.
But mainly it's just cold outside
Or is it mainly that I'm tired
take your pick
Either way I'm not a smiley person today
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
GMTFOH - Weather watch
High: -10 °C RealFeel®: -13 °C
Low: -17 °C RealFeel®: -33 °C
Frigid with blowing and drifting snow; considerable clouds with a couple of snow showers
Low: -17 °C RealFeel®: -33 °C
Frigid with blowing and drifting snow; considerable clouds with a couple of snow showers
Dirty old men
The world is full of dirty old men, it seems. I post this wholesome image of a busty young wench dressed as a schoolgirl and suddenly it's on a 'we love knee socks' site and being salivated over by men who, I guess, watch a lot of women's field hockey; remote in one hand, whatever comes TO hand in the other.
Why it's almost enough for me to mark the thing as private. Almost. I need the hits.
Which reminds me - I lost the sitemeter from this site when I updated the look. Partly due to technical incompetence and partly due to the fact that every time I saw the number's dip I'd slide in a phrase like "Lindsay Lohan's Lesbo Snatch" just to get those Middle Eastern hits (go Yemen)
I miss knowing who's been in - but I have to say that freedom from the tyranny of the numbers feels good. Really good.
Why it's almost enough for me to mark the thing as private. Almost. I need the hits.
Which reminds me - I lost the sitemeter from this site when I updated the look. Partly due to technical incompetence and partly due to the fact that every time I saw the number's dip I'd slide in a phrase like "Lindsay Lohan's Lesbo Snatch" just to get those Middle Eastern hits (go Yemen)
I miss knowing who's been in - but I have to say that freedom from the tyranny of the numbers feels good. Really good.
Monday, January 12, 2009
So the auto show starts next week
which means that this week is full of people trying to grab the attention of the press with big announcements, lame stunts and women squeezed into jumpsuits (the politically correct bikini)
Went to the Ford event yesterday. Lots of talk about hybrids (the make a lot) about plug-in hybrids (they're about to make a lot) and about battery electric vehicles. Or BEVs as they're known.
Now there's something about BEV that makes me think busty barmaid. Maybe it's a Bev Callard Coronation Street thing - but I can't think BEV without thinking - probably a bit of a tart. Which would be great for a big white van.
"I'm taking the BEV down the boozer, Shirley"
"Try not to kill another of the twins in the driveway as you come back"
"Will do dahhhhrrrr-lin"
Seems to me that as we get to HEV. P-HEV and BEV cars in addition to PZEVs and ZEVs that we're in need of some new propulsion language.
Any suggestions?
FRIGIDITY WATCH : This week we can look forward to a HIGH temperature of -14c. GMTFOH!
Went to the Ford event yesterday. Lots of talk about hybrids (the make a lot) about plug-in hybrids (they're about to make a lot) and about battery electric vehicles. Or BEVs as they're known.
Now there's something about BEV that makes me think busty barmaid. Maybe it's a Bev Callard Coronation Street thing - but I can't think BEV without thinking - probably a bit of a tart. Which would be great for a big white van.
"I'm taking the BEV down the boozer, Shirley"
"Try not to kill another of the twins in the driveway as you come back"
"Will do dahhhhrrrr-lin"
Seems to me that as we get to HEV. P-HEV and BEV cars in addition to PZEVs and ZEVs that we're in need of some new propulsion language.
Any suggestions?
FRIGIDITY WATCH : This week we can look forward to a HIGH temperature of -14c. GMTFOH!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Weekend almost over
and it's been one hampered by snow... I did manage to get some shots of the increasingly lovely Rebecca post haircut, have dinner at a friend's house, go to a big Ford press conference and get in some time at a camera event (less for sale this time) -- so it wasn't a total washout; it it's felt LONG. Really LONG.
Was planning to be in NYC next weekend but with Jude away and a photo shoot coming up I might have to delay. Right now all I want to do is sleep (sick friend - late night). Might just try to do that.
Was planning to be in NYC next weekend but with Jude away and a photo shoot coming up I might have to delay. Right now all I want to do is sleep (sick friend - late night). Might just try to do that.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Today's Ann Arbor highlight
It's Saturday
There's a fresh 9 inches of snow on the ground
And it's -11C with a real feel temperature closer to -20c
And the highlight, starred, must do event in town?
A guided tour around a trash heap...
Holy sweet Jesus mother of Christ Allah Buddha Krishna get me the fuck outta here
Oh - just read the forecast....
Let me say that again
Holy sweet Jesus mother of Christ Allah Buddha Krishna get me the fuck outta here
There's a fresh 9 inches of snow on the ground
And it's -11C with a real feel temperature closer to -20c
And the highlight, starred, must do event in town?
A guided tour around a trash heap...
Holy sweet Jesus mother of Christ Allah Buddha Krishna get me the fuck outta here
Oh - just read the forecast....
Let me say that again
Holy sweet Jesus mother of Christ Allah Buddha Krishna get me the fuck outta here
Friday, January 09, 2009
Racing the snow
It's cold here today... and getting colder.
Storms are racing in from a shuttered Chicago.
We've been promised 12 inches overnight (I've been promised that before but under more chat room circumstances... didn't ever transpire; c'est la net)
The temperatures here are in Farenheit.... -20f is -33c
Storms are racing in from a shuttered Chicago.
We've been promised 12 inches overnight (I've been promised that before but under more chat room circumstances... didn't ever transpire; c'est la net)
The temperatures here are in Farenheit.... -20f is -33c
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Itching to take some pics
I'm really itching to take some pictures at the moment.
But of course the weather isn't playing ball - and I'm a little short on inspiration at the moment -- there are only so many badly lit self portraits to be taken.
What I need is a trip. A photo trip. Somewhere nearby.
Anyone have any suggestions?
But of course the weather isn't playing ball - and I'm a little short on inspiration at the moment -- there are only so many badly lit self portraits to be taken.
What I need is a trip. A photo trip. Somewhere nearby.
Anyone have any suggestions?
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
This is what I'm thinking about at the moment
The 2010 Ford Fusion kicks ass. Seriously.
The hybrid gets 41mpg in the city (that's 49mpg for the UK folks) - a whopping 8mpg more than Toyota's same sized hybrid. It drives less like a slug too. And it's got a 390W stereo, an 8 inch navigation screen, voice recognition (even for your i-pod), a 6 speed box, blind spot monitoring, cross traffic alert and cup holders that light up in various colors. The last Fusion was America's most reliable car. Every review of the new one has it winning its tests by miles. And I haven't even started on the gauge system - which is very video game-y and really rather fabulous.
Should sell itself right?
Well nobody can get credit right now
And a lot of people are worried about losing jobs; so new cars are out
The auto industry has declined as a whole by about a 3rd vs this time last year
People believe that the big three make shoddy gas guzzlers
And that belief is almost unshakable.
The news is full of bailout stories
And Detroit seems to make people angry
So it's a case of excellence in the face of uncertainty, prejudice and anger.
Should be an interesting couple of months.
It really, genuinely does kick ass though
The hybrid gets 41mpg in the city (that's 49mpg for the UK folks) - a whopping 8mpg more than Toyota's same sized hybrid. It drives less like a slug too. And it's got a 390W stereo, an 8 inch navigation screen, voice recognition (even for your i-pod), a 6 speed box, blind spot monitoring, cross traffic alert and cup holders that light up in various colors. The last Fusion was America's most reliable car. Every review of the new one has it winning its tests by miles. And I haven't even started on the gauge system - which is very video game-y and really rather fabulous.
Should sell itself right?
Well nobody can get credit right now
And a lot of people are worried about losing jobs; so new cars are out
The auto industry has declined as a whole by about a 3rd vs this time last year
People believe that the big three make shoddy gas guzzlers
And that belief is almost unshakable.
The news is full of bailout stories
And Detroit seems to make people angry
So it's a case of excellence in the face of uncertainty, prejudice and anger.
Should be an interesting couple of months.
It really, genuinely does kick ass though
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
All aboard the start-up
2009 certainly is looking kinda scrappy and adventurous for the people that I know at the moment.
I have one friend finishing a book about magician's assistants
Another (less close friend) launching his own yogurt brand
Another has launched a gift exchange / gallery in London
A fourth is looking at a knowledge exchange idea
A smart cookie is looking at the Opportunity Identification market
Another has become a political commentator
Almost all come from advertising and are keeping the money rolling in via that channel. But they all have a better idea. And I like that.
I'm working on a couple of book thoughts that this year will actually get written - mainly because I too am looking to cut my 'working for the man' week by a fair bit. Not sure that they'll get published, but there you go.
I tell you - it's gonna be a year of scary messiness, tangled webs and (hopefully) beautiful model mutations.
I have one friend finishing a book about magician's assistants
Another (less close friend) launching his own yogurt brand
Another has launched a gift exchange / gallery in London
A fourth is looking at a knowledge exchange idea
A smart cookie is looking at the Opportunity Identification market
Another has become a political commentator
Almost all come from advertising and are keeping the money rolling in via that channel. But they all have a better idea. And I like that.
I'm working on a couple of book thoughts that this year will actually get written - mainly because I too am looking to cut my 'working for the man' week by a fair bit. Not sure that they'll get published, but there you go.
I tell you - it's gonna be a year of scary messiness, tangled webs and (hopefully) beautiful model mutations.
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