Pair-O-Videos

This was a very unusual week for me. I actually finished up one long open video project, and completed another video project that for various reasons had fallen off the production schedule.

The long open project was a video compilation of images I shot while supporting the "Rebuilding Together, Howard County Project in in April. I made the video right after the project and it sat, I never finished it. It took a request for more images from the project manager to remember this video was sitting around waiting for a home..

The second video project was driven by a capture made in Lancaster Pa. during a photowalk, of a lovely young street performer (Brittany Clawson), entertaining passerby's outside the Central Market with her violin. If memory serves I shot a series of still images of her playing, and walked away. When the softly receding strains of Ashokan Farewell (made famous by Ken Burns classic, "The Civil War") reached me, I stopped in my tracks and quickly returned to request a repeat for the camera. I married up that video with some clips shot last fall in Gettysburg to showcase her talent.

Linthicum 4H Hi Riders 662011

The day started out threatening rain. but then the sun came out and became HOT and dusty. With 56 posted equestrian events, it promised to be a long day.

But seeing how the riders faced the same conditions, I toughed it out. The faces of the competitors after the events made it all worth while. I had a great time and look forward to the next event.

Link to event Galleries

On Public Service

Just finished a string of two public service endeavors on behest of the CMPG

Rebuilding Together Howard County

"Smoky Joe's Cafe' " a musical presentation by Chapelgate Theatrics CPC

Being involved can be a good thing for the psyche, at least for me it is.
Note these events were in April... Maybe some procrastinating going on here.

And the Winner is?...........

Craig Thoburn - Westcott Warrior

Congratulations to my friend Craig Thoburn for his "Westcott Warrior" image being selected as the top prize winner in Westcott's recent "Photo Shop World" photo contest on Flickr. I always felt his skill with a camera and Photo Shop is nothing short of amazing, guess the judges felt the same . Again my heart felt congratulations to Craig on this honor.

About the iPad, Netfix and crackers.

iPad's, Netflix and Crackers. What does that have to do with anything?
Last Thursday Craig, a good friend and incredibly talented photographer lent me his older iPad (V1) for a few days. Of course the official task was to check out, and troubleshoot iPad specific WordPress plugin i've installed over at the Central Maryland Photographers' Guild website. Which was done but sadly most of it's use can be categorized as:

Laying in bed, watching documentaries on Netflix, while my hands are exploring the inside of a not doctor approved, box of crackers .

Of course not all the time was spent on Netflix, I played around with apps mirrored over from my iPhone. (Did I mention I love apps?) Time was spent viewing some training vids on Lynda,com, and maybe even a little "Angry Birds" time was logged.

While all but one of the iPod touch/iPhone apps worked on the iPad, some were standouts
The Audubon app was much better on a bigger screen, MovieSlate likewise. The image slideshows of myHDR's from the Air and Space Museumwere breathtaking, as good or better as portrayed. The Flickr experience was much better than on the smaller devices, much....much better.
As I user the iPod Touch/IPhone apps a lot and is painfully aware of the small screen limitations, I'm not surprised how much I enjoyed the iPad experience overall.
But as in many fairy tails.. this one had to end on a sad note....... Mainly I have to package it up so as to give back tomorrow, and the finances just wouldn't support a iPod purchase in the near term. Guess I'm just left with the Crackers box and the need for a winning lottery ticket for the time being.

Smithsonian Air & Space in HDR - Update

Earlier this week while in Northern Virginia for some Lean Six Sigma Project Management training, I had an opportunity for a short, no cost, visit to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center located off Dulles Air Port in Chantilly.

Let me preface, The Short because we finished class at 4 and while the Center is only about 3/4 of mile away, it closes at 5:30. Free, because the normal $15.00 parking fee is waved after 4 PM. As my cameras and gear ( sorry monopods only) were already packed in the car, I made a mad dash over to the UHC. On the way over I decided tho shoot the entire visit with bracketed exposure so I could make HDR images if warranted. And as it turned out, in the hour or so I was in the Museum there was time for about 100 bracketed shots, of which many were turned into HDR images with NIK Software HDR EFEX Pro , my new HRD favorite, which allows a almost unlimited range of styles and adjustments pre image set.

Not to be forgotten was an attempt at a B&W HDR image

The wealth of subject, just sitting or hanging around.............. make this place a must visit for all in the area... 15 buck a car parking on not.

4/6/2011 More images from another quick visit last week....

View the Flickr Set with images from both Visits

DSLR Video, the shape of things to come..

One item to address before tonight entry.
1. Same great taste but less filling
I've decided to combine the fdphotovideo &dougmillerphotos blogs to reduce my burden. Hopefully this will result in a more consistence posting pattern. As I'd like to start posting several times a week it sounds good right now but only time will tell for sure.

2. DSLR Video the voice that changed the media.
Attended a Penn Camera HD-DSLR Filmmaking training session this weekend led by Tom Sullivan from Gravity Media. Tom's been professional photographer and videographer for over 20 years with a very impressive body of work, and speaks from a wealth of real world, eyes on, knowledge. His message is relativity simple. DLSR HD video is sweeping the industry. Many TV show, parts of some movies and 60% of all commercials are now being shot with Canon 5DMII's. Up from 0% a few years ago. And it's really all about costs, in the industry a $2500 camera, $2000 lens, and a #2500 rig are still almost throwaway items, considering the super high production costs only a very few years ago. Lower equipment costs are also allowing more small production companies to output quality work so they can throw their collective hats into the ring. With the erosion of the mid to low cost, Wedding Photography Business, one of the bright points is the growing demand for quality videos telling the Bride & Groom's story. Which are more and more likely to be shot on DSLRs, by artists who know how to get that film like results, that brides love. The prize will go to those who are quickest to embrace these new technologies and techniques.