SOFTWARE UPGRADE :]

Okay so i was so! pumped to be able to finally install Adobe's Creative Suite 6 and Lightroom 4 to my MacBook Pro today - legally and without fail :]


I had been saving up to purchase these two software packages for a few months now and it felt so goood to finally have it all come together for me. All up it cost a smidge over $460 - awesome!!


I now plan to sit down during the upcoming holiday period and learn as much as i can in my spare time about all of the applications and their functionality, to give me an advantage for the remainder of this years  assignments and any other possible work i don't yet know about.


It is quite an upgrade, but a valuable one at that. I feel because it is so very new/current i won't need to worry about upgrading for quite some time to come. I would however like to now search the internet for any downloadable plug-ins, brushes and/or filters on offer for the latest version of Photoshop - not to mention video tutorials on what is new for users in both LR4 and CS6.


Exciting times ahead i hope, but for now it's off to bed.




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Cranes in Civic.

(29-5-2012)


Okay, so each day from my balcony i seem to be drawn to look at the cranes in civic and enjoy watching them operate and can't help but wish i was up there in that tiny little cabin pushing buttons and pulling leavers myself. It would be an ace job i reckon :]


So whilst walking home from CIT yesterday afternoon i decided to go check them out up close. Here is a collection of photographs i captured on my camera-phone.


Tried to make them interesting.






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Another one of those random opportunities..

(28-5-2012)


Our afternoon class was cancelled today, so i took advantage of this opportunity to head down to Fyshwick to shop for a new bed and a TV receiver software for my laptop i stumbled across this little gem of a modern day sports coupe. The Peugeot RCZ, a car i had scene in magazines before, for never in real life.


As it turned out i was taking a quick iPhone shot of it when the owner arrived. Turns out his name is Michael and he owns a hairdressing salon here in Canberra. He was at a lighting store checking out a few things to help with his new shop fit-out and he mentioned he might look to have some new photographs hung on the walls.


I saw this as an opportunity to offer my skills as a photographer to work with him and his staff to develop a few creative images. I also tried my luck by asking if i could possibly photograph his car one day in the future as part of my assessment - to which he happily accepted.


This was great.






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This being said, i have since done a bit of research on how other photographers have captured, lit and composed this vehicle before to help get some ideas flowing through my own brain in preparation for.

Here are the results.

Digital Sensor - clean again.

Last week i made an attempt to clean some muck from my camera's digital sensor... won't be trying to do that again ':[


After an initial panic, i was given a phone number for a person here in Canberra that apparently offered this service and had quite a good reputation for it. So i jumped on the chance and followed up on it.


Long story short, i am very pleased i did follow up on it, instead of do the usual "send it away to Canon to have it cleaned, might take up to two weeks though" option. This local guy offers overnight and is way cheaper.


He works from home, so i dropped it off to him yesterday afternoon 4:30pm and by about the same time today i collected it. So handy! All appears to be pretty shmick and it only cost me $60 cash.


He is an interesting character and sure sounds like he has a wealth of knowledge and experience. So i am grateful to him and said i would happily recommend people to him in the future.




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Canberra - Sydney - Canberra (DSLR shots)

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Canberra - Sydney - Canberra (iPhone shots)

The following images are from a collection of this and that from my trip to Sydney and back again - this time last week. All images were captured on my camera phone and are un-edited.




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New-Look-Living-Room.

I felt a whole lot better yesterday whilst taking my final day off work to recover from this 'bug' i caught last week, so now with a new burst of energy running through me again, i decided to re-arrange the living room area in a way that was more balanced and free of clutter. I also decided to set up and make use of the desk i had over in the corner (doing nothing) instead of studying on the floor like i have been - and yes i use that little side cabinet as my desk chair :P.


The photograph below was taken during twilight this afternoon with my DSLR with 10-22mm lens attached and set to an ISO of 1600. I like the resulting image and considering it was hand-held at a shutter speed of 1/25 @ f/4 i am pleased with the clarity as well.


The second image is of the gourmet chicken burgers i cooked this evening for dinner. They were good too :]






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Canberra's burning.

10/5/2012


Not sure what this was all about, but yesterday at midday as i was leaving the National Gallery and walking back to where my car was parked outside the National Library i couldn't help but notice a trail of smoke coming from what looked like the vicinity of New-Acton/ANU campus. Thinking back, i do recall hearing an emergency service siren making its way along Parkes Way as i was heading to the gallery 2.5 hours earlier - all makes sense now.


Anyway, here is an edited photograph i took on the iPhone.




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New license.

After 10 long years of service and a variation in the number of demerit points, my QLD license was surrendered over this morning, but was replaced by an ACT license. 


Not a real fan of the overall look of an ACT license, it could do with a bit of a spruce up in my opinion, then again so could i :]


Anyway, here is a merged photoshop image of what i looked like back in 2002 and what i looked like this morning in 2012. I find it interesting to look back at yourself...




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all bound for Sydney-town.

Next Wednesday first year students and myself (maybe others) are heading to Sydney to take in a number of gallery exhibitions as part of the major HeadOn photo festival that's on display at the moment. I look forward to this for a number of reasons.

1. We finally get to go on one of the many 'proposed' class exertions.
2. Take in and learn about a number of exciting and inspirational photographers.
3. An excuse to have a bit more of a look around Sydney.

In addition to what is listed above is the fact i get to spend two nights with my cousin and his young family and two (boxer) dogs who live in Sydney - the best part of all this being i get to meet his new baby boy, Morgan who was born in March :] This will be extra nice for me. Will definitely capture a few images whilst there and enjoy the traditional "a few rums" with Phil.






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They are all smiling because they are out in nature, far
away from the madness of where they live in Sydney.

The! Three! Amigos! One of my favourite photos :]

Anyway, the information below is a post from Belinda Pratten on Facebook - Tuesday May 8, 2012 and gives us students an idea of what is planned for our day in Sydney - Wednesday, May 16 2012. Can't wait for it!

-

Belinda Pratten

HeadOn Festival trip Wednesday 16 May
Here is the guide for our trip next week:
FIRST STEP: Organise your car pools! If you cannot find a car to travel in then ask here on FB or talk to us and we will try and find someone for you to travel with. Talk about splitting fuel and parking costs.
To make logisitics easier I suggest we meet in Sydney at 10.30am. Last year we tried a convoy, but it didn;t work, and some people like drive through, everyone is from different parts of Canberra etc. But if you are organising a car pool then arrange a central meeting spot to leave cars and head off at the same time.
I suggest you aim to leave Canberra, or be in the Federal Highway by 6.30am, at the latest. This will give you time for a pit stop and finding a park in Camperdown. All our other venues will be in the Paddington area.

1. 10.30am Meet at:
Artsite Gallery 
155-157 Salisbury Road (corner St Mary & Probert Streets)
Camperdown
See and meet Megan Lewis
http://headon.com.au/event/artsite-gallery-conversations-mob
http://maps.google.com/?q=155-157+Salisbury+Road+%28corner+St+Mary+%26+Probert+Streets%29%2C+Camperdown%2C+NSW%2C+2050%2C+au

2. NOON: Lunch in Paddington at a cafe/pub near Australian Centre for Photography;
http://www.acp.org.au/information/google_map
Suggestion for lunch (only 99metres from ACP):
The Imperial Hotel Paddington
252 Oxford Street
Paddington NSW 2021
Australia
http://www.imperialhotelpaddington.com.au/knock-off/

3. 12.45pm: The Australian Centre for Photography
http://www.acp.org.au/information/google_map
for 1pm: Talk by the Festival Director Moshe Rosenzveig and viewing of the HeadOn portrait prize.

4. 2pm: Barry Stern Gallery, 19 Glenmore Road, Paddington - works by Andrew Quilty. TBA if he can come and speak.
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-au&oe=UTF-8&startIndex&startPage=1&safe=active&redir_esc&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=barry+stern+gallery+google+maps+where+is&fb=1&gl=au&hq=barry+stern+gallery+google+maps+where+is&ei=FMWoT-yKMcWviQfKnYW9Aw&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=image&ved=0CB0QtgM

5. 2.45/3pm: Global Gallery, 5 Comber Street, Paddington - Australian Street Photography
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?source=embed&geocode&g=3535+High+Street+South%2C+Columbus%2C+OH&ie=UTF8&hq=Global+Gallery+Coffee+Shop%2C&hnear=Columbus%2C+OH&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=106960835577905610997.000488880e0a99b83072f

6. 3.30/4pm: Stills Gallery, 36 Gosbell Street, Paddington - works by Pat Brassington
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&source=embed&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=107061530356562137253.0004835044ae401f05336

7. Some may want to head home after this one, to avoid traffic OR head up to Blender Gallery;
http://www.blender.com.au/
http://www.blender.com.au/contact/

8. The hard core stayers...there is an opening at 6pm at Global Gallery.
I SUGGEST YOU PRINT THIS OFF, AND THE MAPS. Or at least the map of Paddo and a map of Camperdown.
My mobile number is 0409 428 902.

***Once you have formed your car pools please reply to this message and let me know how many vehicles are travelling...and numbers in each car. That way I can help anyone who hasn't got a lift.***

A bit crook :[

I've been suffering from a bit of a phlegm-y cough and sore throat since Monday and it is annoying the hell out of me, because it is keeping me from my study and from going to work and earn money in order to pay rent and purchase food, but i shouldn't really complain for i don't get sick much - it's just when i do i get frustrated.. 


With mum being a pharmacy supervisor and all, I usually just phone her for advice when something's not quite right, but her and the old boy are on a well-desrved holiday in New Zealand right now. 


Anyway, i have purchased some medicine that appears to be helping. 


Felt really bad today, but managed to rest-up and sleep through the afternoon. Feeling slightly better now as i type this blog entry and sure hope it is better again tomorrow, because i have heaps to do and sort out for both CIT and my own personal life.. things like ACT license before Sydney next week, assessment tasks, assignments and work.


Fingers crossed it all gets done :|






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Maintenacne done.

It was nice to have my oven fixed today, can begin to mix up my recopies a little more now - not that the old faithful three-burner gas cooker couldn't produce the goods. Had to laugh at all the surprises i found on the floor once the oven was pulled away from the wall as seen in the below image.


Will hopefully have some new washers installed on all the taps next week so i no longer have to turn them with al my might in order to stop the water dripping out.






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Shooting the moon.

5/5/2012


Wasn't feeling so good today and spent most of the day recovering and re-gathing myself so i would be right again for the week ahead. 


I started to improve as the sun went down and after a bit of soothing chicken soup, i decided to make use of the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM lens that i borrowed from CIT for the weekend by trying to photograph the moon. I had enjoyed using this lens on Friday whilst photographing the greens-keepers, but that was during some absolutely ideal available light during the day - i was yet to test its abilities at night.


So for about an hour i took photographs of the moon through my lounge room window. It was all a learning curve for me, and i enjoyed experiment with different camera settings. Here are a few of the good results from last night :]






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Dispute letter ready to deliver.

It's ready to go. Wish me luck.

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Bath - Fishing.

5/5/2012


Ran a nice hot bath with some muscle-sooth stuff in it yesterday morning, because i was still completely exhausted and sore from my mammoth day the day before. I let the bath fill while i went and made some toast and when i returned to check the level - found the most ironic shape amongst the bobbles / froth.


Life is a funny thing..




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I MANAGED TO FIX IT :)

5/5/2012


Wasn't feeling to good today, so decided to do a few small jobs around the unit that i have been putting off for a while. One of which included trying to fix the lens i accidentally busted-up on Anzac Day.


So i pulled out my collection of screw-drivers (big and small) and started to venture into the unknown... Put simply, it just required a bit of head-scratching, hands-on realignment and it was all done. She is a bit stiff when adjusting the focus ring, but it all still works when attached to the camera body with auto-focus engaged. So i am stoked about this :)


Lets hope it lasts.






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