High key shoot

I was finally able to get back into the studio to do some more photo shoots. Did a high key shot with my neighbor for this one. It was a fun setup for the shoot because I used a giant boom to suspend a light dome over her. The light dome was the biggest one I had in the studio, at about 5 feet wide. That’s when you want to make sure it is firmly attached to the boom. It would probably make my model a little unhappy if a giant light dome fell on her in the middle of the shoot. Working with the lighting packs always worries me during setup. I usually work with a 2000 watt lighting pack and as I am plugging lights into the pack, I always hope I didn’t screw up anywhere. A 2000 watt electrocution probably would hurt a bit. I’ve had the pleasure of getting shocked pretty bad once before and that was an interesting experience. I was welding and arced 30 amps through my hand. I was wearing lambskin gauntlet gloves and lit them on fire. I’ll pass on any more of that. Here’s one of the photos that I took.

Late night noises

We have a new security company at my apartment complex to keep the peace on weekends or any other party time. There are several security companies in town and they picked one of the best ones, so my next-door neighbors might be having parties that end at night and not with the rising sun. Speaking of my neighbors I don’t know how a group of people can party that much. I would say from Thursday to Sunday it’s a party. Beer flows like water, or maybe a river, make that a waterfall, did someone say Niagara?

Thankfully, I can go next door and tell the guys that my room is shaking apart from their speakers and the volume drops for about one minute before someone turns it back up again. Music isn’t that big of a deal but when you are not sure if it’s an earthquake or the bass from the latest copy of a copy of rap music it can be annoying. Over on our side we have weapons of our own.

My roommate recently acquired a trombone. There is only one small problem, he plays the cello, not the trombone. So when it’s really loud he decides to practice the trombone, or at least that’s what we call it. He produces his brass weapon from a case that is so broken and abused you can only imagine how bad the instrument is. Then you see the trombone, and it’s just as bad. Sorry roommate, clean that thing. He brings the trombone to his lips and belts out the worst sounding thing imaginable. Imagine a horn section at an orchestra trying to describe the sound of pain, and there you go. They might be able to reproduce his solo born against the midnight breeze.

I’ve been next door and asked the guys, so, did you hear that noise last night? Yah they say, what in the world are you people doing up there?

Keep away from the sharks

This sign is posted as part of several warnings including rip tides and not turning your back to waves. Somehow, it doesn't seem right though. I can understand playing with some wildlife, but gosh, playing with the sharks sounds flat out dangerous. I don't think people have much say in the matter though. If a shark is out there about to nibble on you, I don’t think it’s going to ask you first. Yum, human drumsticks, high in fat, lacking vitamins though.

Fishing at the pier

I have always liked going out and shooting photos at the beach, and especially on piers. With many people walking up and down there are so many different things going on to shoot. I have posted several photos from piers nearby already but I went out and shot a few more this week at a different pier. I will post one for now. I always like to wonder what the person’s story is that I am taking a photo of. This girl was struggling to fish with the big pole. Casting seemed to be hard because of the guardrail. Climbing up it was probably not the safest either.

War of the pollen

There has been a new front in the war of the pine tree pollen. Not only is the outside of my car covered, as well as my room because I had my window open for a little while last week before I realized it was coming in, but now something new. While the yellow pollen is settling on my car, it has found a wonderful way of attacking me, through the air vents. I started my car this afternoon and the cabin was suddenly filled with billows of yellow pine pollen dust. It was horrible. I even had the pleasure of watching the pollen flowing out of the vents, gosh, when will it end? I wish I could just go up to the trees, shake them hard enough, and get it all over with.

As Heard from the Roommates Part III

Time for another episode of As Heard from the Roommates. Things are starting to get strange around here.

It was a calculated risk when I released the mongoose.

The field has gone feral.

No there’s not a body in it.

Moo! Send in the Cowvalry!

Pollen dust

Pine pollen dust has taken over my apartment. There are many pine trees surrounding the complex and they are all spreading fine yellow pollen all over everything. Cars, sidewalks, windows, even the top of a lamp outside my window is covered with yellow dust. My car is completely covered with the pollen, and this must be an allergy sufferer’s worst nightmare. Under a microscope, pollen even looks menacing.

New macro lens

I got a "new" used macro lens for my camera so you will be seeing some more close up shots in the near future. It’s a 100mm f/2.8 Canon macro lens. I’ve previously been shooting macros with another lens that has made life difficult. I will be able to do life size magnification with the new lens.


Macros are always fun to do. Most of the ones I have posted have been shot in the studio. It has been closed for a little bit but I will probably be able to get back in some shooting time next week. Here’s a macro of a disc I did with another lens.

Crazy signs part I

One of the many signs around the city that makes no sense. So we are supposed to stop, yet right above the stop sign is another that reads there is no stopping any time, I’m confused. To make matters worse our crazy cops would probably give us a ticket no matter what.

FictionPress

If anybody has heard of it I have a site at FictionPress.com. It is basically a writers’ forum where anybody can create an account and post their original stories or poems or any type of work. I have been writing and posting on that site for many years. It says I joined December of 2001, scary. The most current things I am working on are some vignettes and a story called Black Skies. Black Skies is in progress. It is kind of a fun side project story. I just added a short poem for those that are interested called Ordinary. The fun thing with it is I increased the words in each line by one in each line. For example, the first line has one word, second line has two words, etc. Once it gets to the climax of the poem it decreases by one word the same way. Check it out if you like. You can find the link in the “My other sites" box to the right or by clicking this link. The two newest entries will be at the top. Enjoy.