Trial And Error

Guilted

I've been guilted into posting. I can't believe people have stumbled in here.

So where were we?

I'm in a class called Illustrative II this semester. It's more of the advertising photography that I love.
Here's my food shot:

Sushi. The other white meat.
It looks like I'll be graduating in the Summer of 05. 3 years for a two year degree. That doesn't sound so bad when you realize that I work full time.
I'm off to Long Beach, CA on Thursday, so this is it for a while.
Content yourselves with gazing upon the goodness that is selective focus/perspective.

Crikey.

It's a good damn thing I've been using the other weblog. I certainly haven't been doing anything here. Of course, the other blog has two other authors, so that helps.

Recently in class:
Gels. These are my Apple pro speakers with gels applied to the lights. Purty.

More later. You know, when I graduate and have time because I can't find a job in this crappy economy. I'll have plenty of time to write, then, won't I?

Old/New School

Seen at an old departments store's going out of business sale. They were using this register and the newfangled credit card machines.

Don't Ask Me

I have to go to my camera class tonight. (As opposed to my darkroom or studio management class.) I have to say I'm not really looking forward to it.

See, I've already shot my assignment. Tonight, I'll only be assisting others. The same others who sat on their asses last class and made snide little comments. There were only a few of us actually helping out. And really, you don't need that many assistants. You don't need the smart-ass remarks, either. The same snots who make these comments are the same ones that ask me questions all of the time. Now, what are the odds that I'll be helping them tonight?

Of course, my problem is that I always say that, but more often than not; I end up helping anyway. See, I used to be a bitch. No, really. I would be the last person anyone asked for help. I didn't like my attitude and decided to make some changes when I moved down here. Now, people are walking all over me because they think I'll put up with it.

It's time to find my happy medium again. (A recurring theme with me.) I need to find a way to say, "I don't know, maybe you should ask the instructor." without sounding snotty. Maybe if I say it with a smile?

Double the Fun

You know, I very often post a duplicate (with a few word changes) of some of the things here on another blog. It's called Let's in Keep in Touch and I wonder if people experience deja vu when it comes up on the recent post list.

I set it up to keep in touch with two friends from highschool. Hence the name. But I wanted a totally separate place for my student photography subjects. I don't want my friends to have to go to two different places, so if I think they'll be interested in how I'm doing, I copy stuff over there.

I wonder how soon I'll run out of space, considering that I intend to be prolific in the image area. Hrmmm.

I dropped off my film at API (Austin Photo Imaging, if you care) and I can pick it up after lunch. I'm a wee bit nervous.

Finally

I have time for a post.

I have to shoot our 3rd large assignment tonight. It's blackline glass. That basically means you take a glass object and a solid background and light it in such a manner that you see a black outline of the object. No white reflections.

Now, I was supposed to shoot this on Tuesday. After an hour of screwing around with the lights and the depth of field (this is a large format camera, by the way), I let some one else have a shot at it. I was so frustrated at not being able to get my instructor to communicate what we needed to know. Turns out, she was just as frustrated with herself. She told us she was upset and that we would have an extra shoot night. She's really turning out to be much better than some people have anticipated. This is her first actual camera class (she also teaches digital) and I think she's coming along pretty well for some one who was thrown into it.

Anyway, by the end of the night we had figured it all out and I think I can go in and shoot pretty quickly now. Here's what I'm shooting. I think I'll do it without any thing in it first, and then I'll add ice to the bowl, water to the glass (no alcohol on campus) and 3 olives on a toothpick so that you can't see the toothpick.

*crosses fingers*
*uncrosses fingers realizing that it would be difficult to shoot that way*

Sunrise

Camera phone.

Hey, it's better than nothing.

2nd Assignment: Metals

I'm not very pleased with the light. I'm going to Photoshop this one.
Trying to light a difficult subject while under the influence of cold medicine was a dismal failure.

1st Assignment: Texture

This was my original intention for this shot. But it doesn't crop very well.

This is what I ended up turning into my instructor. The entire class decided that this was a better idea. Especially since my intention was to "sell" the golf ball. I named it "Gimme".

She won't grade it until after Tuesday when everyone else's is turned in (late.)

How Long?

I haven't posted in 6 days? You'd think you would use something you have paid good money to have. See, this is what happens when I actually have to work.

Do you know what a pain in the ass it is to burn 100 cds when you don't have a multiple burner? I do. And why can't Epson, the photographer's printer of choice, make a printer that can handle more than one sheet of thick paper at a time? Why do I have to stand there feeding in the 50 cd label sheets? With the CFO walking by wondering what the hell I'm doing, just standing there with some blank paper in my hand.

Of course, he has a hard time with the fax machine, so I don't know why he wouldn't understand printer problems.

I still post in TypePad far more than I ever did when I had to hand-code this stuff.
See? Silver lining. I swear.