By request of one of the regular players, an impromptu game is being held this saturday evening.  Usual low-stakes lunch money game.

If you want in, let me know.

A Mug, Some Tea, and HBW

Originally uploaded by Doc Stampede

The simplest things can lead to contentment.

Happy Bokeh Wednesday! ^__^

Just posting a couple of lighttests I did this past weekend during the poker game.   Had planned on doing some actual photos but we got caught up playing cards.. ^_^;;

So, how are all of you doing?

I’m doing pretty damned swell.  Busy, stressing plenty at work, but all in all I am swell.  

What are YOU up to lately?  Talk to me people!  What’s up?

(I had to post SOMETHING that wasn’t photo or camera related!)

Soft Focus

Originally uploaded by Doc Stampede

This actually *was* shot with the new 85mm f/1.8 lens. I really like how the (accidental) focus of this image is the hair, and how the hair floats around her face. The hair in the background!

The shallow DoF from this lens, I am rapidly learning how easy it is to grow addicted to it.. Must drive self to use for right times… But so fun to play with… XD

Scott was curious as to what kind of work Noise Ninja has on photos.   Sample photos under the cut.

Hey look, its a photo with flash as the only source of light, closeup, at f/1.4 and its NOT harsh or overexposed!

So I went and finished up the “Do It Yourself” Beauty Dish – based partially on instructions over here.  Its basically a slick way to diffuse light for closeups — and a fun little project to jam together over a few days with parts laying around.   Anyway, did some test shots just to play with it.   Shots of the Dish, along with notes and some more photos after the cut.

Ravenclaw by Lamplight

Originally uploaded by Doc Stampede

Last photo for tonight, unless I write up my S90 post.

This one was shot in twilight — with the ambient light dropping fast this one became a bit of a challenge to get a clean shot. The original photo was vastly underexposed, but thankfully RAW processing let me get back some of the detail.

I will freely admit I did some cheating with the lighting and some other tidbits in photoshop.

Other posts from the saturday shoot will go up as I process them in the flickr gallery.

In the Light

Originally uploaded by Doc Stampede

I just love when light filters through tree cover to fall in spotlights!

Watchful Autumn Eye

Originally uploaded by Doc Stampede

Anna spotted this eye staring out from the bark, so I ran over and grabbed a photo.

… Now its staring at me constantly. Daring me to stare… back…..

Ravenclaw by the Tree

Originally uploaded by Doc Stampede

Went to play in Central Park today.

A flash thingy!

Double Exposure Fun

Originally uploaded by Doc Stampede

Have been hellishly busy lately and not posting much in the way of photo work. In light of that, have a photo from my Black Bird Fly series. I have to keep in practice.

This was at the South Street Seaport, playing around with Double Exposures. I fully admit I was drawing upon another photo I’d seen featuring a double exposure with a tourist’s binocular machine when I shot this!

Just for fun. XD

Cripes anyone still buying or just plain collecting Laserdisc? I still have some american release anime on LD…

_MG_9189-Edit

Originally uploaded by Doc Stampede

Playing with the 85mm Lens. Man, when you have multiple different color temp lightsources AND a flash… the colors are just a total PITA.. So prefer real outdoor light…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/docstampede/4059671817/ for one other.

85mm going to take a little getting used to..

New 85mm f1.8 says HBW!

Originally uploaded by Doc Stampede

Just got my new 85mm f1.8.

*drool* *drool* *DROOL*

I cannot wait to take this on a full shoot.

Happy Bokeh Wednesday! XD

Sorry for not posting much this past week or two. Have been alternately busy with real life job, some Bioshock, and getting my rear end spanked at the poker table. But mostly dealing with the day job. I’ll post some fun stuff soon!

Digital age, Paper technique

Originally uploaded by Doc Stampede

My improvised “Film Scanner”…

Testing out a new workflow, so decided to try using Lightroom 2 for the entire gallery. I’m starting to get a feel for how it’ll speed up some of my more casual galleries, and it will definitely make generating galleries easier (with automatic watermarking and border making as provided by LRMogrify — thanks Scott) but its definitely got some… quirks.

Still need to see if I can get Noise Ninja to play nicely with it too. And I’m already thinking I’m going to adjust the border and add some contact information or maybe other info to the bottom.

But for now, some quick pics from my Boston trip – here on Flickr.

So just a few random things I want to feel out for sale.

Would anyone be interested in the X-Japan Reunion concert program book from their March 2008 concert?   I have an extra copy I bought since I knew some people might like it.   Feeling out whether its worth putting up for auction.  (I need some cash to pay off some other Otakon expenses without dipping into personal funds.)

Also have near to the entire set of Kingdom Hearts Foundation arts gashapon (the original ones from Japan, assembled..)

Have some random fun stuff from TAF, like a collectors postcard set of Actors from 2008 idol awards or some such..

Lots of random little gashapon.

Still have statues too...

Anyway let me know.   Main one is that X-Japan book, its just sitting there on my shelf and I feel bad, its looking for a home. ^_^;
 

Spent Friday and Saturday Morning working at the “day job” – keeping busy.

Saturday afternoon was occupied with meeting up with Anna, running home, cooking, then heading over to Radio City Music Hall for the Lord of the Rings orchestra/choir performance. Hobbits!

Epic moments were punctuated by an entire choir standing in unison, and laughs at watching the children’s choir try not to look bored. The show was great, with my only major critique being their sound balancing. See, they showed the movie WITH SFX and dialogue, with the track stripped out and performed instead by the live orchestra. This was a surprise to me already, but their pre-recorded audio was just a hair too loud for the first half of the movie. Thankfully they adjusted for this after the intermission, just in time to hit some of the really epic scenes.

The solo vocalists raised eyebrows, they were excellent. Afterwards, Howard Shore was signing autographs but only for box sets of 60 or 100 dollars each. Seeing the hour long line, we decided to take some photos and hit the road. Went to Roxy’s, where I had a sammich as large as my head.

Sunday was a mostly lazy day filled with Futurama. Went back to Chinatown, saw her off, and rushing home to now work on “real life” work again.

Would gladly repeat weekend, wish it wasn’t abbreviated, and its back to work on Monday.