More Cars...

Even more traffic! I love driving to Irvine during rush hour!

Song: Blood in the Water - Legally Blonde: The Musical

Sitting in Line

I was in a long enough line driving to school that I could take a picture of the line in the window while I was waiting.

Song: The Harvard Variations - Legally Blonde: The Musical

Green Hills, Act 1

One of the cool things about rain is that it turns the hills green.
Couple that with a really weird colored sky (bluish-purple-grey-brown?) I think the colors are cool
Yes, the composition is not that good, and I probably should have used the D70 with a bigger telephoto. But I was very short on time. So it goes.

Song: White Room - Cream

Cuse You, Windshield!

So there was some really trippy light patterns on the roof of the freeway onramp overpass on my way to school today (today being the 29th... im late again)
Unfortunately, my camera was set on Auto, and it used the flash, which brought out the water drops on my windshield. BOO! By the time I got the flash off, the light was green and I had to drive.

Song: Days of the Week - Stone Temple Pilots

Basket Top

Woo for amber lighting on an already yellowish object. And only a small curve adjustment.

Song: Now - Jonathan Groff

A Master's Tool

I am not that master, by any stretch of the imagination.
This actually isn't the picture I planned for today (today actually being the 27th, I'm backdating this) but I felt like using it. If you want to see the stupid ones I was going to put here (from my friend's b-day party) you can look at my facebook profile.

Song: Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds - Bono (Across the Universe soundtrack)

Cold Winter Wood

I really hope you weren't expecting a forest.
Yes, Liz really does like pictures that aren't over-contrasted/saturated. Everyone has a darker side.
Though I would hardly consider a picture of firewood "dark".

Song: Testosterone Makes the World go 'Round - Death by Stereo

Grass after a Rain

Look at the grass! Its GREEEEEEEEEEN!
As much as this looks like the "parks" in Laguna Woods (aka: the "backyard" of my grandma's house that my uncle now lives in) its this area at IVC right by my math class.

Song: Night of the Living Rednecks - Dead Kennedys

Happiness Is...

BAD RELIGION CONCERT!!!
Yes, 3 straight days of crappy snapshots suck. And it will probably be 4. Hopefully I can get some good stuff done over the weekend so I'm not scrambeling at the last minute to do something .

But yeah, I'm stoked for the Bad Religion concert. I have another ticket if someone wants to go... you know you do...

Song: While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Martin Luther McCoy (Across the Universe Soundtrack)

For Serious?

I know this is lame to have two snapshots in a row, but seriously, this warrents it.
I noticed this coming out of my night class the other day.
Saddleback College has really put credit card machines on their soda vending machine.

Like, that is for real. Use your credit card for your $1.25 soda.

WHY?!!!?!?!

Song: Leave Mine to Me - Bad Religion

Why I Need a Studio

I figured this setup was too stupidly funny that I should find justification in wanting to buy a bunch of studio stuff. Look what I'm working with now (this obviously taken when I was taking the pictures for yesterday's post)

1. The Model. Yep, another freaking Star Wars toy off my shelf. I R Cre8ive.
2. The Model Stand. Also known as, stack of text books that normally sit on the floor nearby (Actually, I'm using the calc and diff eqs books this semester)
3. Lighting Element #1 - my $30 headlamp from REI. I love that little thing. Really bright, and has different modes. Really useful. Just sad that I'm using it to light my photos
4. Lighting Element #2 - green laser pointer! Honestly, I thought this was a cool idea. I'm thinking in the future I will do something better that involves lighting with lasers.
5. Stand #2 - A different stack of books, that I rested my arm on so the laser-holding hand wouldn't shake as much.
6. The Camera! - Nikon D70s. <3.
7. Tripod! I love that little tripod. Its more heavy-duty than my fill size tripod, and its not as much as a hassle, size wise.

Song: Search and Destroy - Iggy Pop and the Stooges

On the Edge of the Dark Side.

This particular picture was lighted entirley by a laser pointer.
Why? Because thats hardcore.
I did take some others with lighting so you can actually see Luke's face, but this one came out the best, IMO.

Once I get a halfway decent mini-studio setup, I have some ideas on lighting using things other than big hot lamps. Lasers are cool.

Song: Breed - Nirvana

Lens Flare!

Thats some crazy symmetric lens flare there. I kinda like it.

Song: Revolution Rock - The Clash

Boogyman?

This is an example of "Ugh I need to go to bed. Crap I haven't taken a picture yet." To which my Dad replies, "Take a picture of that!"
Its some statue figure thing my Mom got somewhere. Probably Mexico. But it has a light on it. That makes some cool shadows. Nifty.

Song: Finale; End Credits - Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back soundtrack

Ooooh, Perspective!

This is a (very noisy) picture of the Saddleback College SM parking lot... at about 7pm. Notice how its pretty much full. And I thought I was the only loser who took night classes. Yow.

This is also the first time I accidentally wrote over a file from an old picture. The rocks. I typed a 07 instead of a 17 in the file name. Good Job Liz.

Song: We Are All On Drugs - Weezer

Rocks in the Sand

More rocks. What can I say I really like patterns and textures, and low tide is good for that.

Hopefully I get out more and get some more interesting stuff. Though its not looking good

Song: One - bare: A Pop Opera

Another Wasted Day

Yes, this is very lame. But there is a story to it.
Basically, I had class in Irvine at 9, meaning I woke up way early, then had to go to work, then finally got home. Checked email and stuff. Took a nap, with the Music Choice Showtunes channel on in the background (on like, volume level 3, barley audible.)
I randomly wake up from my nap, and I see this. Then promptly turn the volume up.

Since I had class later (from 5:30-10-ish) and I was still kind of a zombie, taking another picture just didn't happen. So I use the crappy one I took for totally different reasons. Bah.

Do I really need to type in a song for this one?

Moon Power?

Normally you try to keep the power lines out of the picture. But I think this one would be pretty boring without them.

This is crappy. The ISO is really high, so its all grainy. Especially when I brighten it up. An example of a situation where I really want my SLR with me.

The 13th Picture

Nothing specific about the title. Just something I noticed when I saved the file.

So I (finally) say Juno today. And thats a weird angle of the marquee outside.

Song: Rainy Day Woman 12 and 35 - Bob Dylan

Wasted Day

Ack. Crappy picture day.
A picture of my clock when I realized that, oh crap I didn't take a picture (and I was in the process of trying to go to sleep)
I blame work, because thats basically what I did all day. 12-8 shift => No time to do anything meaningful.

Bars

"Oh crap its 10 and I haven't taken a picture yet."

Maybe less time watching DVD blooper reels, and more time taking pictures. Or at least thinking about what I'm going to take.
Instead, you get more random abstract macro crap. Enjoy.

Song: Save Yourself - Stabbing Westward

Cathloicism, NOW!

This is an example of "Oh crap, its 9pm and I haven't taken a picture yet"

Lessons Learned:
1) Dust everything off before taking the pictures
2) Make sure your background doesn't have blemishes
3) Check the ISO!!! (This is at 400, which for the lighting I had, too high)
4) Cheap plastic toys look really cheap when close-ups are taken

This was also a semi-short experiment with lighting. I actually took a lot of pictures with different lighting angles. I thought this one was cool because the glare kind of looked like a halo (and because the one I really wanted, I took before I realized Christ was really dusty)

Oh, and if anyone care, this is what I used for lighting. Fancy, I know.

Song: Disarm - Smashing Pumpkins

Fond Farewells

Christmas trees are the best houseguests. They smell really good. Alas, all good things must come to an end. Goodbye dear friend, and I hope your trip into the trashtruck isn't too bumpy.

On a side note, that white car in the background (my dad's) also left our family today. It passed on a couple weeks ago, and left for its journey to the afterlife as a High School auto shop project this afternoon.

Song: Wonderland - bare: A Pop Opera

Cursed Aztec Gold!

I'll reiterate that I like macro photography. I also like Pirates of the Caribbean.

Song: Epiphany - bare: A Pop Opera

I think these are rocks...

Yep, they're rocks.
Yay for not waiting until the last minute to take a picture!

Song: Because - The Beatles

That time of the year...

January 6th. The day of the "Epiphany". The day-after the 12th day of Christmas. The unofficial end of the holiday season. The day you're supposed to take down your Christmas decorations.
These particular garlands weren't used this year, but out of all the junk in boxes, these looked the coolest.
And since its raining (and I had stuff going on) we couldn't take down the outside lights yet. Oh Weather, you make procrastination so easy.

Song: Smoke You Out - The Donnas

This Looks Like Yesterday!

Yeah this is kind of a cop out. This was (obviously) taken yesterday during the same time I took yesterday's pic. Excuse: I had work all day leaving me with no time or energy to do anything.
Anyway, I'm still not used to editing .nef files. I guess thats why I'm doing this then, so I can learn what the heck I'm supposed to do.

The Palpy hologram looked really distorted. I don't think I helped that any. I dunno if its a good thing (adding to the illusion that its suppsed to be a hologram signal, not a piece of plastic) or a bad thing (bad representation of the plastic)

Gimmie some criticism yos!

Song: Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan

You know the line...

This was done very hastily, but I auctally learned some stuff from it.
First: Check what ISO you're at before you take the picture (I was at 500, when I normally do stuff the lowest possible [200 on the D70])
Second: Pay attention to the backdrop. You can see the side of the wall on the left side. Initially that was supposed to be the backdrop, but it ended up the dark behind the bust showed more because of the angle I was on. Should move a little more so its uniform.
Third: Pay attention when you're using the Raw editor. Some details that look funky in the final product looked good in the editor
Fourth: Check all of the light sources (this was taking on the hearth over the fireplace, and you can see a little bit of reflection of the fire on Cody's hand)

Fifth: Get your own hosting because blogger reduces the file size and some of the detail goes away :-(
I'm sure I will try and take the same shot again sometime. So I'll use this to compare.

Song: All Grown Up - bare: A Pop Opera

A Symbol for Peace, in another universe

What do you think Darth Vader would do if someone came up and put a flower in his lightsaber?

Do you know what this is?

I like macro photography. I also like abstract photography. These two often go hand-in-hand.
One thing I don't have for the D70 that I wish I had is a macro lens. I have one for my film SLR (that I auctally like using most of the time) but the problem is that... its film. On something like this where I'm somewhat limited on time, development time kinda bugs (plus, I don't have a Costco card, so I either need to drag my parents down there to develop, or pay entirley too much at the place up the street)
But, my new Powershot has a macro feature. Its not as good as I get on my film SLR, or on the D70 if I got a decent lens, but its better than nothing.

So, can you guess what the picture is?


Song: Cabin in the Woods - Evil Dead the Musical (Off-Broadway soundtrack)

New Year's Toast

It wasn't until after I took the picture that I realized that this picture should be of a piece of bread with butter on it.

I'm off to a pretty bad start with this resolution. I had the idea for the picture for a while, but never had time to take it (I blame work). And of course we didn't have any real champagne (or at least, my parents didn't want to give me any to use just for a picture.)

Hopefully I'll never take a picture against the dining room wall ever again, :-P