Camaro

Chevy Camaro 2010, SS - idling, ready to be driven.

Woody and Buzz

So... I got a little coop'd up and decided to pose some action figures -- yep... between the re-runs
of "Storage Wars" -- and "Pawn-Stars" I let'er rip.

Processed with an X-Equals preset in the Fuji family and shot with a 50mm f1.4.

 

LOW LEVEL STREET

 
I took some time to go to down town SLC Sunday and shoot the converted Olympus 35mm f2.8 Shift.

In the meantime I also shot some low-level with the 50mm.

These were all developed with X-Equals presets.

 

OLYMPUS ZUIKO 35MM SHIFT f2.8 LENS

Here is a video review of the Olympus Zuiko Shift 35mm f2.8 lens.

Purchased used and converted to a Nikon Mount thru a Spanish company called Leitax.

I incorrectly pronounced their name with a "Z" - my appologies.

Puscifer – Capitol Theater, Salt Lake City Utah

Puscifer – Capitol Theater, Salt Lake City Utah.

Maynard Keenan with his 10 foot airstream trailer in tow approached the stage as a silent crowd

listened to his brief mantra of personal activation and existence, opened the second 

leg of his Puscifer show last night.

Flat screen monitors flanked the stage as behind the band, other projected images lit the white wall.

While talking to the crowd and dressed in jeans and "Blood into Wine" esque cowboy hat, Keenan set

up a pseudo BBQ scene with folding chairs, side tables and a fake Webber Grill as band members

joined him - including the mounted drum set on a modeled hay trailer.

His fan mix was eclectic, either pierced and tattooed or some just leaving their 

offices wearing white button down shirts and all having to enter a TSA type search of your person for cameras and recording devices.

Before the set began a pseudo documentary shown in the background projected on the 

far wall of his previous years act with a mockumentary type style of the past characters male and female which Maynard dropped, for at least this venue. Keenan appears to sarcastically mirror his fan base with the film.  His past character wears a mullet and embraces trailer living with a squeaky voiced female sidekick companion.

The set opened with familar Keenan arrangements with a heavy influence of Tool and Perfect Circle melodies and typical Keenan vocals.  Arrangements were simple but with layering became complex and the crescendo blended sounds brought control to his musical vision.

The technical mix and execution was something only personally comparable to my viewing of Emerson Lake and Palmer early '90's tour.  Puscifer was masterful.

His middle set performance brought the drummer to middle stage on a different rolled portable set of an electronic kit and the band broke from the familiar and entered the into experimental.  The sounds were non-typical combined with a mix of visual with panoramic video and images.  Most of this was melodic.

Two bottles of wine with glasses were on stage and times before and after songs Keenan would imbibe where appropriate. 

Puscifer is a creative experiment of music, visuals and mantra and Keenan's show exposed that his Puscifer performances are very serious business creatively - and he didn't disappoint.  

LIGHTS TOWARD THE TRAXX

I haven't been shooting much lately - the occasional family event will bring my gear out of the bag or of course paid work where I'll be motivated by a job - but lately that has been it.

The excitement of the new Sony Nex-7 is still fresh - yet yesterdays announcement by Sony's delay because of their flooded assembly plants has put a damper on this future format of a smaller less obtrusive camera.

So - as a motivator I decided to shoot on the way home from work, the walk to the UTA Trax line.  The time change made for some surprisingly rich colors - and this experience opened my eyes so to say - that certain times of day add an attractive aspect of color.

The lights - the setting sun and wide open exposures all came together.

SADDLE FENCE

Twin Falls Idaho, in the back country a saddle sits perched atop a split rail fence, frozen and beaten not by a rider or a Neddy - but beaten by time.

IPhone 2007 Print

I just received Duncan Davidson's  IPhone 2007 print and here is the unboxing.

Update -- on the inside cardboard is a signed Certificate - I almost missed that if not for a tweet from the Artist - whew  !!

ZUIKO 35mm F2.8 SHIFT

I've been wanting a shift lens for a while - and I found an Olympus Zuiko 35mm f2.8.

The only trick was figuring out how to mount an Olympus lens to a Nikon and I found an online company in Spain called Leitax - www.leitax.com. The mount wasn't cheap - but it was take it or leave it - so I took it.

So far from initial tests - the lens appears to be amazing - and on full frame I'm at 35mm and on an APS-C sensor I'll be somewhere at 52mm.

This lens hasn't been made in years - a testament to Olympus' optics capability.

- more to come -

MISSION IS A GO

Thursday -- a client asks me if I can shoot a science lab on short notice.  I never say no - so of course I say yes.

The shoot may need to happen today, tomorrow or Monday - they really don't know.  I never say no.

I bring my gear on Friday - the mission is scrubbed.  I'm used to this from happenings in a past life.

I bring my gear on Monday - it's a go.

I get to the site and it's flurry of activity - the punch list is happening as I approach.  I'm the only

one in the place wearing a tie.

I ask some to take two steps to the right - inorder to clear the frame - others I ask to bundle up sets - some are obscured by inches of cabinets in the next room.

All went well - from the looks of it - a cave man could have come out with these images.

 

VIOLET AND BUGS

Violet came into the kitchen, she was outside in the fenced backyard, and let out howl, as best

as cats can - signaling that at her feet was a gift from the hunt.

And there it was - this green bug.

I grabbed the Canon S410 to capture the moment and let it pose atop the fence where it flew off.

LIBERTY

Upon reviewing the archive of photos - funny saying archive, but kept photos really add up, I happened upon this of Liberty from our 2008 NYC trip.

 Developed with an x-equals Fuji 800z preset

PEOPLE IN THE PHOTO

I shoot architecture - and evey once in a while, people get in the shot.

So -- I had about 30 seconds to set up this shot. I knew I would be a distraction and I wanted to get in a and get out as quickly as possible.

I entered the studio - with the 14-24mm f2.8 mounted on the D3s - it was all set - Aperature Priority and since I was going to be all wide, depth of field is good even at aperatures you wouldn't think of.

I set the frame rate to High-speed - approached the middle of the room - framed, and burned 5 frames - Done.

SUNDAY MORNING PRINTS

This morning my wife dug out some empty picture frames - and as It turned out I just bought a new ink set last weekend for the Epson 2880, I think you can see where this is going.

I haven't printed in about 6 months - and printing for me is never a very fun process because my results are never the results I want.

So -- the request came in while sitting on the couch as I was having a cup a coffee - and I knew I couldn't wave this one off... I had the ink - and paper... and this "Fancy Printer".

Long story short - while I'm one-offing the two 5x7 vacation pics - I decided to switch black ink tanks and print one of my favorites of a few weeks ago in B-W on Epson's new Hot Press Bright - of course I can't post the print - but here is where I"m starting from.

The printer hasn't budged a bit after 5 minutes -- after I hit the print button... it kinda has me worried... 

it's Sunday - say a prayer for me.

Update - the print turned out amazing.  Just amazing.  The planets must have aligned - go figure.

HOTEL UTAH - JSMB

JSMB - Joseph smith Memorial Building - aka Hotel Utah - restoration Architect Roger Jackson spoke

last night.

A part of the current ownership of FFKR Architects - www.FFKR.com - Jackson discussed his role on the 6.5 year project during the late 1980's as a new Architect with FFKR.

Of the seismic upgrade, the renovation included the conversion to adminstration offices in keeping with

the soul of the origional public interior spaces.

The even was sponsored by the "Institute of Classical Architecture & Art - Utah Capter"

Motorcycle Utah

I was quickly looking at my LRoom catalog from 2010 and I found this motorcycle shot.

Taken while on I-15 coming back from the 2010 Photo Camp Utah.

I edited it a bit - to add an Apocalyptic look -- almost as if he's running from an exploded Nuke.

New Tripod

My tripod has worn out - it has served me well for when I purchased it as I really didn't know if I would
be using it much upon purchase - so I bought something in-between both quality and price.  I'm now finding out that it's starting to really "loosen" up becoming a bit too flexible.  

I'm shopping -- and looking at this model by Giottos - MTL-9371B

And of course I need a Head - it needs to pan and hold at least 20lbs - by Giottos - MH-1000  

There is nothing more frustrating that getting all set up - and then making all kinds of adjustments to keep your frame square.

***
This comes about because I shot the BYU Idaho Campus - Manwaring building last week the tripod let me know it just isn't handing the task anymore.  Time for some new blood.

Challenges of the shoot - were keeping control of the 24mm PC-e tilt shift lens.  If everything isn't
square, then it can ruin your framing and once that happens the image is un-correctable, even in post.  

If the lens is not perpendicular to the subject and it is tilted or askew then all the shifing in the world isn't
going to help.  Take your time and frame it up - and then shoot a frame, veryify the exposure, adjust
and then shoot for real.

***
This exterior photo was taken at close to 7:30 pm - ASA was fixed at 200 f16. 

I'm pround of this image because it represents a different aesthetic - that being a balance of reflective setting sun.

Idaho - before I left for Alaska, I have breakfast with some of the extended family, on Sunday mornings.

It has become a bit of a tradition.

We meet at the Buffalo, in Twin Falls.

THE FAIR

I couldn't help but notice the colors while standing in line for an Ice-cream at the fair last night.  

I was torn abit for which one to post - as I like the proprietor behind the counter - but I also like the shot of the women in front of me.

Both shot with the IPhone - Hipstamatic app.

I'M BACK

Ok -- I'm back at home - what a great trip - and I'm finally downloading the memory cards and at first glance off the Ipad import these photos look pretty good.  But -- upon inspection compared to a developed raw file - they look like hell.

I've starred the fave's and now I sort two more times for the selections to create a photo book for everyone.  There are some good pics - but only room for the really good ones.