On two Winter weekends, not so long ago.

Christmas Eve 2011

Seems the Holidays are not only fast approaching, but there here!  And while I will, like so many, will extend Holiday greetings and wishes for a Happy New Year.  I'd like to slip in a non-holiday thanks you.

First thanks to the Baltimore County Trail Riders Association for all the unsung efforts in making these events happen for 30 some years, and allowing me to capture the digital record of the events..  Thanks to the riders, sponsors, crews, family for their skills and sacrifices to provide us with the finest of 2 wheeled competition.  And thanks to all the fans who brave the cooler temperatures in order to support this effort.

Should one care to visit the 4000 images from these two indoor events, enjoy.

 

BCTRA  "Second Time Around"    12/17/11

 

BCTRA  "Gone in 1 minute, 42 Seconds"  12/10/11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gone in 1 Minute 42 Seconds.... BCTRA Indoor Flat Track Racing 121011 on Vimeo

How bout some back story on this Video? When I shoot motion related events I like to shoot a lot of images, lots a lots of images. Why motion is hard to catch, it's easer out side with lots of light, but that makes indoors is even more of a challenge due to the lower light levels. And it is most important to have the camera pointed in the right direction, and focused on the subject(s). To me more shots = a greater chance of catching that "Once in a lifetime" special moment.

This image i shot at a NASCAR race at Dover Dl. Was totally a fluke. The wreck was already in progress and for once I had the camera to my eye, focused on the action, and a clear view, I actually squeezed off 5 shots before before everyone stood up.

But I ramble .. When one is looking at 1800 images, one better have a great workflow tool, and I use the best. Apple Aperture 3. It only took about 1 hour to do a 3 pass selection to get the real keepers and start post production. And what can I do with 1500 some images that are left? Make a movie out of them.. Of which you seen the first quick version I more or less threw together with Apple Final Cut Pro X NLE (Non Linear Video Editing) software and some event sound I recorded on a Zoom H4n. As long as it stays fun, it's all good right?

How fast is too fast, how close is too close?

Shot the first of two BCTRA indoor events last night.  Had at fantastic time and have 1798 images to proved it.  Of course now I last nights images to deal with but also a backlog of images from Tuesdays Chapelgate There tics, production of "It's a Wonderful Life".   And the Christmas light that don't work… Busy Busy Busy. More on both projects when I'm dug out a little.  The link to images from last night will be posted on the website shortly.

It's a wonderful life"

 

Some teasers from last night to include Megan Bell being awarded for her scholastic achivement .

 

 

And what racing posting would be complete with out a crash?

 

How bout some racing action?

 

 

 

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas. www.wackytackychristmas.com

Firstly I love Christmas, the memories, the songs, the warm feeling of goodwill, but not what it has become..   Think about it 100 years ago Christmas was basically a secular holiday, family gathering, and light gift giving. Largely seeped in Germanic traditions.  Today it's non-stop exposure to print, broadcast media, even the internet, that invites up to Buy Buy Buy.  Santa ditched his traditional sleigh for a new red Mercedes $250,000 SL300. The media would have us believe that many give new cars to spouse, siblings, wrapped in giant red bows.  Giant RedBows where do you get them anyway? They're not sold in Kmart.  What kind of message does this send out to the masses, well at least to the 99%.. Try harder, work harder and someday this could be you. Or sorry looser, maybe you can dream about buying a winning lottery ticket.  The music. Each year I love to hear all the traditional Christmas songs. Once, not over and over and over, no matter where your go.  Food shopping, why do I need to listen to "Santa Clause is Coming to Town" while buying a can of sauerkraut, some milk.  Or while eating lunch in my favorite store front pizza joint?  If a little medicine is good for you then lets take more cus it must be better.  Well at least until the Alzheimer's, or death takes them away I still have those special memories of Christmas as only a 5 year old can have. All was good, all was bright and Santa and his Sleigh were coming tonight..

But how about WackyTackyChristmas I did this website about 6 years ago as a lark, just a virtual sandbox to play around with I feel is an overlooked segment of the Holiday, mainly bad Holiday outdoor lighting.  Tasteless, excesses, all are fare game.

As   Clark Griswold Jr. said to Senior in that venerable holiday classic movie   Christmas Vacation "Dad. I owe everything I learned about outdoor lighting to you"

Currently playing in iTunes: Fir Coat by Widowspeak

Technorati Tags: blogging, Projects

Thanksgiving - A Retrospect.

Well gang, it's time to again turn on Professor Pebody's "Way Back" Machine, and set the dial back to thanksgivings when I was a kid.

For us, or at least me, the Holiday was segmented into two parts.

Part 1…   AM  on TV, Watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, more specifically the toy add, many of which it was the first showing and of course the end when Santa in the Fire Truck arrived at Macy's and climbed up the ladder to take station in Toyland.  That was it! The official start to the Christmas count down.  Before the event, nothing, like trying to Trick-r-Treat before Halloween, after that moment ,All Christmas all the time.  When the New York Macy's Parade was over we sometime would switch over to the Detroit Parade just to kill time.. The Detroit Parade didn't hold the fascination for us as we wen't  familiar with the local Detroit media personalties,  or the sponsoring  local merchants. But I do remember it always seemed to be snowing there, of which we had seen none of since the winter before and they had more toy adds.  Usually we would drift back to our rooms to entrain ourselves until the afternoons event.

Part 2 PM "the meal

I can remember Hot steamy windows, crowded tables. Turkey, always turkey.  Filling/stuffing,  Whipped Sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping.  Mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and the contents from a can of cranberry sauce , laying on it;s side. Sliced for your convenience. ( I swear I was the only one who ate it).  There was always deserts but I can' t remember anything past the pumpkin pie.

 

Here's a link to my Thanksgiving meal on Flickr/Vimeo .

 

Bellydancer's Passionate for the Pink V2 (update 11/11/11 -AM )

Local updates 01/01/12- AM

At least one pic from each act has been posted to the Flckr. Some images may have the wrong performer listed… If so, many apologies. Contact me and I'll correct quickly.

This weekend was the second annual running of "Belly Dancer Passionate for the Pink". To say the large assemblage of amateur Dancers (Middle Eastern, Modern, Ballet ), of all skill levels, coming together to showcase their craft in support of the "Susan G. Komen for the Cure" , was truly awe-inspiring, would be somewhat of an under statement. Captured 60 gig of media (over 1100 images and about 2 1/2 hours of HD video.) and filled my last chip, on the last shot, of the last act. Up side? Venue, performers, their performances, organizers, and of course the audience. Down side? Lugging about 100lbs of kit up three flights of stairs to the balcony, and then back down again to the car. What! Builds character and stamina you say? I'll have to take your word on it. . Hopefully the videos will follow suit. (? They all have some problemst).  Enjoy.

NIK Color Effects 4 "The Cats Meow"

Been a fan of NIK software for some years now with HDR pro and Silver Effect 2 being my go-to Just upgraded to Color Effect 4 and have been trying to get my head around it for about a week now. Are all reworks of old images using the software. The more I play the more impressed I've become .