Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Haven’t posted in a while


I haven’t posted in a while on here.  Just a lot of changes over the past year.  Been single for 2.5 years now and wish I had someone but it’s impossible out there now.  Wasn’t extended at work so out of a job right now.  Looking for a new job but it’s tough out there.  Gotta keep doing this photography thing.  Go to my website and purchase a print to help me out.
website

Haven’t posted in a while


I haven’t posted in a while on here.  Just a lot of changes over the past year.  Been single for 2.5 years now and wish I had someone but it’s impossible out there now.  Wasn’t extended at work so out of a job right now.  Looking for a new job but it’s tough out there.  Gotta keep doing this photography thing.  Go to my website and purchase a print to help me out.
website

Monday, December 4, 2023

Recent health issue, leg amputation

Thirteen days ago, I had my left leg amputated below the knee.  It’s been harder on me physically than emotionally.  I used to be outdoors practically every day.  But now I’m stuck indoors.  I was in the hospital for 13 days.  I just got home to the apartment 3 days ago now and it’s hard.  I have no access to a vehicle so it’s hard to go anywhere.  I get tired physically going down the hallway to the garbage shoot.  Mentally I’m ok.  Just the fact I’m indoors is draining.  I’m waiting on a prosthetic leg but I have I have an appointment in 2 months on February 6, 2024 to get a fitting.  I’m on a waiting list to see if anyone cancels so I can get in sooner.  My upper body strength is getting better.  But I’m getting bored and I’m antsy sitting doing nothing in the apartment.  I’m waiting to get approved for OC Transpo which is the local transportation company.  I’m hoping to get approved so I can get outdoors.

In the meantime, I’m uploading shorts and longer form videos to my YouTube channel but I’m not much of a talker.  My channel link is right https://tinyurl.com/dvfk8nzh.  It’d be awesome if you subscribed and watched the some of the videos.  I’m trying to get to 1000 subscribers in the next month or two,  I want to get monetized so I could start making some extra money on the side.  Another side hustle I suppose.  LOL. The goal is to get myself out of the apartment and start doing photography and videography again.  I want to go and move to Calgary and be on my own.  Self reliant.

I am studying Final Cut Pro X on the iPad Pro with the goal of getting a maxed out M3 MacBook Pro laptop so I can edit videos professionally.  That is the goal over the next couple of months until I get my prosthetic leg.  When I do get my prosthetic leg, I’ll be more mobile and I will be out with my Sony FDR AX700B camcorder and my new laptop.  I do have a few goals I’ve set for myself as you can see.  I do have a lot of time on my hands.  So please subscribe to my channel here https://tinyurl.com/dvfk8nzh and watch the videos.  If you wish to contact me, you can email me here.

Sunday, October 8, 2023

The iPhone 15 Pro Max

iPhone 15 Pro Max
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is a game-changer for photographers. Its camera system is nothing short of exceptional, with a large sensor, improved low-light performance, and enhanced computational photography capabilities. The ProRAW and ProRes video features provide unprecedented control and quality for both photo and video enthusiasts.

The Pro Max’s ultra-wide and telephoto lenses offer versatility, while the enhanced ProRAW format allows for extensive post-processing flexibility. The improved Night mode ensures stunning results in challenging lighting conditions.

The A15 Bionic chip’s processing power and machine learning capabilities enable faster photo editing and seamless multitasking. The Pro Max’s ProMotion display with a high refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and precise touch response.

However, the hefty price tag might be a deterrent, and professional photographers may still rely on dedicated DSLRs or mirrorless cameras for certain scenarios. Overall, the iPhone 15 Pro Max sets a new benchmark for mobile photography, making it a compelling choice for photographers seeking convenience without sacrificing quality.

Thursday, June 29, 2023

A review of the Sony RX100 VII

 



The Sony RX100 Mark VII is an exceptional camera that combines powerful features with compact portability. Its 1-inch Exmor RS CMOS sensor and Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens deliver stunning image quality, capturing details and colors with remarkable clarity. The camera's autofocus system is incredibly fast and accurate, making it ideal for capturing fast-moving subjects or shooting in challenging conditions.

One of the standout features of the RX100 Mark VII is its impressive burst shooting capabilities. With up to 20 frames per second continuous shooting speed, you can easily capture fleeting moments and choose the perfect shot later. The advanced tracking autofocus ensures your subjects stay sharp, even when they're in motion.

The camera also excels in video recording, offering 4K UHD and super slow-motion capabilities. The built-in microphone captures clear audio, and the ability to shoot in high frame rates adds a dynamic element to your videos.

In terms of usability, the RX100 Mark VII features a tilting touchscreen and a pop-up electronic viewfinder, providing flexibility in composing your shots. The menu system is intuitive, and the camera offers customizable controls, allowing you to tailor it to your shooting style.

While the RX100 Mark VII is an exceptional camera, it does come at a premium price. However, if you're a serious enthusiast or professional photographer who values both portability and image quality, this camera is definitely worth considering.

Overall, the Sony RX100 Mark VII combines impressive image quality, advanced autofocus capabilities, and versatile shooting options in a compact package. It's a top choice for those seeking a high-performance camera that can fit in their pocket.

Sunday, June 25, 2023

The incoming storm


Black and white photography can be a great way to capture the dramatic essence of an incoming storm. By removing color distractions, it emphasizes the contrast, textures, and mood of the scene. When photographing a storm in black and white, look for strong shapes, striking cloud formations, and play with light and shadow to create a powerful composition. Experiment with different exposure settings and post-processing techniques to enhance the drama and convey the storm's intensity in your photographs. Stay safe while capturing those captivating moments!

Saturday, April 15, 2023

Leica Q2 Monochrom at night


The camera can essentially see at night.  The above shot is taken at ISO 6400.  It’s a 15 second exposure shot about half an hour after sunset.  Shot at ISO 6400, f5.6, 15 second exposure.  You can see the Canadian government buildings on the left with the Ottawa river in front.  In the middle is downtown Ottawa and on the right is the Museum of Canadian History.  I was out for maybe an hour with the Leica Q2 Monochrom.  I know I took a few shots at f16, about a 74 second exposure.  I want to see if I get the starbursts from the lights in the buildings and the lights on the ground.

If you’ve read this far, can you check and subscribe to my YouTube channel here.

Saturday, April 1, 2023

YouTube

If you haven’t followed me on YouTube, please do so here.  If you already have, I sincerely thank you.

Thursday, February 23, 2023

My problems with ADD and ADHD

 

I seriously need to take control of my ADD and ADHD.  My mind is just all over the place.  I just can’t keep concentrating on anything for more than a couple of seconds.  I have so many ideas, so many options.  For example, I’m typing this on my Dell XPS 17” 9700 laptop.  I keep wishing I had brought by 2022 iPad Pro 12.9” instead.  But if I brought in the iPad, I’d wish I brought in the Windows 11 laptop.  I can’t win either way.  I use both of the devices for very different things but they’re all the same.  I could do everything on my laptop and I could do everything on my iPad.  The thing is, is that I have both of them.  I wish I had just one device so I could do everything just on that one device.  I could be using Adobe Lightroom Classic on my laptop along with Davinci Resolve to edit my videos.

Last fall, I purchased the Leica Q2 Monochrom.  Fantastic camera.  Amazing piece of equipment.  It’s the only camera I use.  Yet I still have two Canon G7X Mark III’s at home along with a Sony RX100 Mark VII.  I could use these for video as well.  But I have a Sony FDR AX700 B at home for 4K video.  I have way too many options.  I think when I start doing the nomad life just living in my life, I will just use one camera for the video and one camera for the photos.  I think I’ll be using the Leica for just the photography and the Sony FDR AX700B for video.  I’m going to have to learn how to use Affinity Photo ver. 2 on the iPad Pro and I’ll have to keep learning and using Lumafusion for video editing.

I keep using the iPad Pro for 99.9999% of the work that I do.  Lumafusion and Davinci Resolve both run on the iPad Pro like a dream along with Affinity Photo ver. 2.  The problem with the iPad Pro is it’s only 12.9” large and it isn’t 4K.  My Dell XPS 9700 has a 17” 4K monitor and it’s amazingly gorgeous.  The problem with the iPad is the lousy operating system and the lack of Final Cut Pro on the machine.  Multitasking on the iPad Pro is also a bit problematic.  It’s not true or real multitasking.  If Apple just ported the real Mac operating system onto the iPad, it’d be a fantastic device.

What the iPad line is missing a real operating system and some more pro apps such as Final Cut Pro.  The Apple office suite seems to need more of an update as well.  Since I’m going to be the nomad / living out of my car thing, I can only have so many devices with me.  All I really want is one photo camera, one camcorder and one device to edit all these things on. 

The benefits of a laptop is true multitasking, storage and the versatility of a laptop.  The downsides of a laptop, especially my Dell, is the portability and storage along with power consumption.  I could sit in a coffee shop for hours on end but I don’t want to be doing that.

The benefits of an iPad Pro is the size and weight.  I barely notice it while carrying the iPad Pro around with me.  Another benefit is the Apple ecosystem.  I have several Apple devices including the iPhone, the Apple watch and the iPad Pro.  I also have 2 Toshiba T5 SSD hard drives which are small and light. They’re both 2TB in storage size.

All of this info to summarize is I want to move out west to Calgary and do the landscape photography full time.  I sell quite a few photographs on the various stock agencies a month but you cannot sustain any lifestyle on the amount of photos I sell.  I thought of selling prints but I don’t know how many people buy photography anymore.  I just need multiple sources of passive income to sustain a photography career.  YouTube is difficult to do.  Currently I have 47 subscribers.  I would need a few thousand to get any real income from that.  I use Fine Art America to sell prints but those are far few and in between. 

I have to make my photography career work.  Photography is my passion.  People say follow your passion and the money will come.  I wish the money would come a little bit faster.  So here is a simple synopsis of my ADHD and ADD.  An article all over the place.  Like my wandering mind.

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Time for a change

So, I bought this Jeep Wrangler last weekend.  I am really sick of paying rent to some conglomerate company who doesn’t give a shit about me.  I want to do the nomad life in Ottawa here and I want to go places.  Plus I want to pay off some debt and paying $1,300 a month for rent is just nuts.  Plus you have hydro and internet to pay as well.

I have my 2022 Apple iPad Pro which has cellular capabilities along with my Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max.  I really want to start living the minimal lifestyle.  Just my cameras and my laptop and iPad.  

I’ll have to figure out where to park for the nights and if I’ll have to get hotel rooms for when it’s -40 degrees Celsius.  And of course where am I going to shower.  I’m figuring I’ll find a 24 hour gym with showers.  Actually go to the gym in the mornings before work.  Do a light work out and then shower.  

The next couple of months will be interesting for sure. I’ll be doing a lot more videos and posting them on my YouTube channel as well.

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Time for a total change

The last 7-8 years, I’ve had a deep, constant feeling that I need a change.  A life change.  I’ve been doing the regular 9-5 job since finishing school.  It just doesn’t feel right anymore and has felt completely wrong for at least the last 7-8 years.  It just feels like a need to get out of the apartment.  Get out of the cubicle.  I don’t feel free at all.  Just living the daily grind.  Going through the motions.  When I started in the I.T. field I thought I would be in a better paying job doing something completely different.

I absolutely love photography.  I love shooting photos and video.  I love editing the photos and the videos.  I miss being in the mountains.  I miss seeing the stunning lakes in the Canadian Rockies.  I miss the fresh air of the mountains.  I miss seeing the snow capped Rockies.

What really impacted me the most was my trip in 2016 to Arizona and Utah and of course me working in Calgary back in 2017 for 4 months.  I feel like I just can’t do the office job anymore.  I’m 47, turning 48 in 7 months.  I don’t want to finish living my life this way.  I don’t want to work in an office for the next 20 years wasting my life away..

Monday, January 16, 2023

This is all it takes

 

This is all it takes for me to get out of a funk.  Just go do some photography.  Get out into nature with my camera and go for a walk.  It’s January 16, 2023 and I am moving to Calgary in two and a half months.  The apartment is taken care of.  I just have to find a job out there and I’ll be ok.

I belong to a few photography groups and I’m in love with all the photography from the Canadian Rockies or the western United States.  If I had a choice, I’d choose to live in the mountains or the desert.  I cannot stand living the Ottawa valley anymore.  All we have are the Gatineau Hills which are a majestic joke.  Don’t get me wrong, they’re beautiful in the fall and winter but they don’t compare to the Rockies.  I am excited to go out west.  Just need a job out there and all will be good.

Saturday, October 15, 2022

Alberta here I come

 

Morris Island Conservation Area

I'm sitting here at the Tim Horton's on Lancaster Road in Ottawa.  I just finished keywording and naming pictures that I shot from last winter.  Yup, last winter.  The last 10 or so months have been an emotional hell for me.  I was basically physiologically screwed up by my ex.  It's not easy to admit and it's embarrassing to say and admit.  It basically took me six months to basically get back to being myself and being alright with myself again.  

I don't blame my ex as I should have seen the red flags and I should have bailed years ago but I wanted the relationship to work.  I basically didn't want to give up but I should have.  I actually never should have come back to Ottawa back in 2017 when I was in Calgary for 4 months for work.  But it is what it is.  I've learned from another mistake in my life.  

I think another mistake is staying in Ottawa.  April 1, 2023, I will be going to Calgary.  I am 100% sure of this move.  I just miss the mountains, the fresh air, the lakes in the mountains.  Doing photography in the mountains.  I've been single for 6 months and 1 day as of today.  Will I date again?  Possibly.  In Ottawa?  Probably not.  Right now, I just want to focus on me, my photography and my photography business.

Winter is coming up awfully quickly here in Ottawa.  You can smell and feel it in the air.  I'm going to have to find a part time job here in Ottawa for the winter months.  Just something part time in the evenings and weekends.  I'm going to have to squeeze in photography as well.  And look for a job out west.  I don't know how long I can last at DFO for.  Rumor is we're getting our crappy CS4 back.  He hates us and the team hates him.  

This weekend and/or week I want to actually upload pictures to my other website so I can actually start selling them at reasonable prices.  No more of this micro stock agency shit where you get literally 10 cents on the dollar for a high quality, high mega pixel stock photo.  The return on investment is ludicrious.  I could teach photography as well on a one on one basis but it's hard to get your name out there.  Especially now with people having a camera in their pocket 24/7.  

So this afternoon and evening, I will be learning how to setup a Squarespace website.  Hopefully, I'll learn enough to configure at least most of it.  Tomorrow, configure my website and this week look for a job out in Calgary and temp evening job here in Ottawa for the winter.

Monday, October 3, 2022

It’s time for a huge change



I’m staying with my current employer until March 31, 2023.  After that I’m done.  Moving to Calgary.  I just have to.  Everything in my being is telling me I have to move.  For my own sanity, I have to move.  I’ve been in Ottawa for 39 years.  That’s way too long.  I was in Calgary for 4 months back in 2017.  I fell in love with the nature, the ability to be outdoors, in the mountains within 45 minutes.  I just can’t be in the Ottawa valley anymore. There’s nothing more that I can photograph here in Ottawa.  I have the parliament, some of the museum buildings, some other architecture but that’s about it.  I just miss the mountains, the fresh mountain air, the silence, just being alone in the wilderness.  I really miss it.

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Back at work after a vacation and surgery



I’m back at work finally for good.  I worked one day in the last two weeks due to weeks worth of vacation and then I had surgery to fix a hernia.  Did a lot of photography but not as much as I wanted.  I fixed up my website as well.  

This was the first time I actually had side effects from some of the meds.  Gonna feel like crap for a few more days I think.  

It’s been 5 months now since the ex decided to pull her shit and I’m pretty much back to normal.  I don’t want to date anymore.  It’s just not worth it.  The women out there now lack the feminine qualities I’m looking for.  I really don’t want to talk about it anymore.  I want to focus on my photography, my career and myself.  I’ve been single 2 of the last 25 or so years so it’s time to concentrate on myself.  I want to work and pay off my debt over the next couple of months.

The above picture is of the waterfalls in Almonte, ON - Canada.  I have this coming Friday off so I think I’ll go to Almonte or Algonquin Park and take pictures of the Fall colours.  

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

What a vacation


So I got my Leica Q2 Monochrome last week and I’ve been playing around with it for the last couple of days.  It’s a completely different system than what I am used to.  The menu system is very simple and not overly complex.  The simplicity is actually making the camera a little harder to use because you don’t have as many options.  I’ve had a few photos accepted onto Shutterstock.  Yes, I’m back to uploading to Shutterstock for a little bit just to see how things go.

On a side note, I’ve been dealing with a somewhat crazy ex.  She sent her new boyfriend with a couple of his friends to my apartment and threatened to do me harm.  Emails were sent to leave me alone or the police will be called along with her employer.  Everything seems to have stopped for now.  Time will tell.  

Now it’s just time to focus on my photography and myself.  I’ve been single for 5 months to the day now.  I’m getting much better emotionally.  With what happened yesterday, I’m choosing to be very single and not chase the opposite sex.  I’m watching a lot of YouTube videos now and I’m seeing society pretty much crumble.  I wish I had the money to buy one of those class b camper vans and just go live in one of those in the woods so I don’t really have to deal with people.  I’d love to just drive around and do photography.  Post stuff online and stay away from people.  

Friday, September 9, 2022

Vacation - September 2022

It’s been a while since I’ve been on vacation.  I’d say about a year ago at this time I was in Nova Scotia with my now ex-girlfriend.  I should really go.  I bought all the stuff I need to sleep in my car.  I am very independent.  I don’t need hotels to sleep in as I can sleep in my Santa Fe Sport SUV.  I have an air mattress.  I have a portable power supply which should last me a week to power my camera, camcorder and cell phone.  I really need to get away.  It’s been almost four months now and the pain is still there.  I’ve lost any and all trust in women.  I’m not looking to spend my future with a woman as I don’t trust women anymore since my ex girlfriend cheated on me.  I’ve been on three dates in the past 4 months.  I had to run away from the last date just because it was so weird and awkward. The women on the dating websites are a total shit show.  Completely unreliable and not worth it.  

I absolutely need the break from everything.  I just hope to get a photography job somewhere.  Just so done with the 9-5 office job.

Saturday, September 3, 2022

My YouTube channel

So in the last few months, I've started a YouTube channel.  Haven't really done anything photography wise.  Just uploaded a few videos showing off some fireworks and a few shorts where I get the majority of my views.  You can view the channel here.

I want to get my Google AdSense back so I'm hoping more and more people visit my blog and subscribe to the blog and the YouTube channel.

Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Sony RX100 Mark VII photography and editing on the new M1, 1TB, 16GB Apple iPad Pro


So WWDC21 was a total crap show this year.  It was extremely boring and nothing innovative came out of it in my opinion.  iPadOS 15 was a total failure as far as I’m concerned.  On a side, I’m doing more and more photography with the new Sony RX100 Mark VII pocket camera.  It’s my second time owning till little camera.  It’s got the 24-200MM lens on it and that’s one reason I got it.  I’m still editing on the 2021 M1 base iPad Pro 12.9”.  The only reason I have it is I’m waiting to trade it in for the M1X or M2 based MacBook Pro, whenever they come out.  Hoping that will happen later this summer.  Hope I can pick one up at one of the Apple stores here in Ottawa before I permanently leave for Calgary in the fall.

In the meantime, I’m hoping to get another short contract here with one of the federal departments.  It will be my last one for sure.

Thursday, May 27, 2021

Video only

So there have been a few changes in the past two weeks.  I got my new 2021 Apple iPad Pro with the M1 based processor, 1TB of storage and 16GB of RAM.  I also got a Sony FDR AX700b camcorder which shoots amazing 4K HDR videos.  I am all setup to do great video work.  The weather has fantastic today and should remain so for the next 4-6 days.  No humidity and no heat.  No rain.  Just clear skies with a few big, puffy clouds.  Tonight after work, I will be going out and shoot a video for YouTube and get some stock for Pond5.  I am doing less and less photography and more video.  There is just more money in shooting video then there is in photography.  I’m still going to do photos for Adobe Stock but I’ll be focusing more on video production.

Now if you asked me 10 years ago, I’d laugh at you if you told me I’d be doing video as well as photography.  I actually look forward to getting outside with the camera and camcorder.  I hate being stuck inside behind a computer.  I’d rather be shooting.  Don’t get me wrong, I love to edit videos and photos but I just enjoy setting up a camera and camcorder.  I still hate being in front of a camcorder.  I just hate being on video as a I do not like how l look and sound.

I think this weekend, we’ll be going up to Algonquin Park.  Not the highway 60 route, but we’ll go up to the northern part of the park.  Who knows.  It’s always a last minute decision.