Photographic Equipment

As some might have noticed on the photoblog, I’m back taking pictures again – abeit at a much slower rate than before. Truthfully, I’ve managed to reach a new part the cycle of photographic equipment insanity. Common wisom is that novice photographers go through several stages of gadget lust before getting to a point where they start actually trying to make good photos. These stages appear to be:

  1. Cameras Everybody wants to believe that whiz-bang camera features will let them take “good” photos. “Clearly the antiquiated junk I’ve been using is worthless in the light of the latest and greatest new technology!”. Yup, Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Dorothea Lange clearly needed 8 fps, auto-focus, and computer-contolled exposure to be successful.
  2. Lenses Once it becomes clear that camera bodies aren’t the magic ingredient, many turn to buying expensive glass to improve their shots. I mean who’s photography wouldn’t improve with 10x zoom, f/1.0 and image stabilization. (Hint: see some of the names above) Latter parts of this phase probably include an infatuation with available light.
  3. Tripods “Clearly good, available light photos require longer exposure times, a tripod will minimize camera shake and therefore my images will improve”, or at least that’s how the rationalization goes. I have to admit this was one of the less painful (ie. expensive) phases of photogear addiction
  4. Lights Well if I want to record light (the purposes of photographic equipment), maybe I should be proactive about controlling light. I’m told that this is a pretty reasonable place to be all things considered.
  5. (I’ll let you know if/when I get there.)

At the beginning of the 2006 I owned preciesly one portable electronic flash. Since then, I’ve managed to obtain three more, associated stands, reflectors, and accessories. Some of the new gear was used to create the latest self-portrait, and hopefully future images will benefit from the added equipment soon.

I also want to point out that I’ve been reading David Hobby’s Strobist blog, dedicated to promoting “more effective use of small, shoe-mount flashes“. David is a professional photographer whose work appears in the Baltimore Sun, and his advice in the blog has inspired me to step up my game, luminally speaking.

The CREATE USB Interface

Ok, this looks kick ass. It’s an interface board to allow direct connection of sensors or other electronic inputs via USB (they also have a bluetooth version) without the need for custom device drivers.

This is totally cool. I wish these had been around when I was a kid, I might have wrecked fewer controllers/computers/stuff. I’m going to want one of these, or maybe I’ll go ahead and build my own (yeah right, like I even have the time to use the thing). I should add that it’s a steal at $50, pre-built.

Update: Mine is now on order.

Uncommon Sense: That About Sums it Up

While I don’t often agree with Richard Nikoley over at Uncommon Sense (not that I always disagree either), his post, “That About Sums it Up” is right on the money (well, except that Democrats are evil bit).

From the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty:

…”Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
with silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Emma Lazarus, The New Colossus, 1883

The difference between Macs and PCs

An excerpt of a question from a friend:

[I didn’t have time to work out an Internet connection before travelling.] Fortunately the neighbors seem to have an open [access point]. 🙂

Any tips on or precautions to observe…?

My response:

Do not start IE under any circumstance, have the latest virus stuff installed, and snag a copy of “SpyBot – Search & Destroy” and “Ad-aware“, you’ll need them.

Unless you’re talking about the Mac, in that case, then “no, you’re fine.” 🙂

That pretty much sums it up.

Corrected Crabcakes

Apparently I shouldn’t write recipes while tired. The crabcake recipe I had online for the last week was a real mess. Part way through the ingredients I forgot I was entering a half-portion recipe. It’s fixed now, and there’s a new picture to go with the recipe.

The side dishes on that plate are: oven-fried potatoes and asian red cabbage slaw. If there is any interest, I’ll add the recipe for the slaw at some point.

Where is the outrage?

I love America. I love the principals it was founded upon. I love the opportunities it has afforded me. And I have a deep and abiding respect and love for its peoples.

But I fear for the America I love so dearly. In the last few months we have seen the government of this great land turn its back on the foundations of this country, but this isn’t the first time that an administration has grossly over-stepped its authority. No, the thing that worries me – that makes me scared for our futures – is the lack of moral outrage on the part of the citizens of the United States.

Before someone trots out terrorism as a justification for all trespass to the Constitution, I’ll quote a famous American:

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

Our current administration has taken great liberties with our Bill of Rights. Just his week it appears that they have abridged the freedom of the press (First Amendment) and without warrants or probable cause violated our rights to be secure in our homes and papers (Fourth Amendment). Terror suspects – or even just those who have the mis-fortune of being mistaken for a terror suspect – are commonly denied due process of law (Fifth Amendment). Detainees at U.S. run facilities around the globe have been shown to suffer cruel and unusal punishment (Eighth Amendment).

And yet inspite the continued erosion of our basic rights, Americans do not seem shocked by our government’s acts. We have let this administration distract us with a host of other issues: illegal immigration, gay marriage, and a war we did not need. But in the end, we are faced with the continued pattern of trampling the Constitution by the government of the United States of America. Where is the outrage?

I love this country, but I wonder about its inhabitants, and fear for it’s future.

European Board Games

Adults in the United States don’t play board games often; it’s not surprising considering the dearth of new board games produced in this country. But in the last 5 years, it has become increasingly easy to obtain highly entertaining board games developed in Germany, and sold here by american suppliers.
For whatever reason the german people seem to appreciate board games, and as a result the very best games in the world are developed there. These modern board games go beyond the play mechanics of Monopoly or Clue and bring new levels of social interaction and critical thinking to non-computerized games.

So before you purchase another video game sequel, or head off to the multiplex, consider spending a night interacting with some friends with soemthing from my list of favorite board games:

Power Grid (2-6 players)
create the most powerful electric conglomerate in the country. Currently the local favorite.
Puerto Rico (2-5 players)
become the most successful manager of a colonial port city. Probably our most played game.
Ceasar & Cleopatra (2 players)
2 players vie for the fate of Egypt. Great when it’s just the two of you.
Settlers of Catan (3-4 players)
explore and settle a resource laden island. The most popular game among board game geeks. A large variety of exapansions will allow up to 6 players with many enhanced rules.
Bohnanza (2-7 players)
plant and harvest an amusing variety of beans. Perennially popular with house guests.
I’m the Boss (3-6 players)
this game strips the away all distractions and focuses exclusively on negotiating deals. A complete blast with the right players.
Chinatown (3-5 players)
bargain for property and shop fronts; any deal you can imagine you can make. The game Monopoly should have been, and my all-time favorite! Not available in the US, and often out of print abroad, eBay is your best bet for this one.

Grilling Season

I inaugurated grilling season last night with: a butterflied chicken, roast corn on the cob, and grilled romaine salad. Unfortunately, the grocer didn’t have any local Silver Queen corn, so we ended up with some random (inferior) variety of yellow corn.
Except for the corn, the recipes were straight out of the grilling section of Alton Brown’s book, I’m Just Here for the Food.

A couple of tips:

  • Charcoal chimneys are a great way to light a grill. They’re fast, easy, and don’t require lighter fluid.
  • Consider using lump charcoal, it’s all natural, burns hotter, and lights faster.

To date or not to date

So currently I’m really busy; I need to propose my dissertation topic in August, and my buddy Scott and I are busy starting up a new Internet company and building a prototype of our software. Add to that sailing two days a week, and the desire to keep posting photos on the photoblog, and you can see that I have a pretty full schedule.

But I’m distracted – or rather I’m dissatisfied, and that’s distracting me. I feel like I’d like to engage with someone romantically, but frankly I don’t know anyone I’m interested in dating. Scott has been taking more proactive steps to meet someone (say, why don’t you blog about that once in a while Scott?), and I’ve been considering taking similar steps myself.

In particular Scott, is on Match.com, and quite frankly I’ve been watching his progress over there. But I’m convinced I wouldn’t do well on Match; you see I’ve been dating interracially for sometime now, and it looks like people mostly keep to their own on Match.

Now don’t get me wrong it’s not that I won’t date a black woman, it’s just that I don’t want to limit myself to dating black women. Personally I’m half-Thai (mom) and half-Haitian (dad), and as a result I’ve never felt the need to date women from any particular race. Superficially, I’m clearly a black man; culturally, I have a lot in common with mainstream white america, and spiritually I’m pretty Thai in my beliefs.

While there are sites that cater to interracial dating: Mixed Race, Interracial Match, Black and White Singles, Salt and Pepper Singles; just to name a few. But, I don’t want to limit myself to only interracial dating.

So I ask you, dear reader, what shall I do? Forego dating for the time being, continue meeting people traditionally, or join an online dating community. Leave me a comment with your opinion, and if anyone would like to suggest a dating site that they think works well, please include a link!