Kiddos

I guess it's been a while since I put up photos of the kids.

These are recent:


Harrison @ almost 15 months


Hannah @ 73 months

Photo Friday -- 'Surreal'

Surreal - Having an oddly dreamlike quality.

Google 'Street View' Comes to Town

Looking for something else entirely, I recently discovered that Indianapolis and several surrounding communities (see map) are now included in Google Maps' application, Street View.



For the uninitiated, Street View combines Google's interactive mapping program (which is fantastic, by the way) with street-level photographs. Just to clarify, this isn't top-down satellite imagery -- this is more like you're standing in the middle of an intersection or street and able to spin around, identify landmarks, etc. You've really got to try it yourself to get the full effect.


...and while I'm singing the praises of Google anyway, I had a very positive experience using another one of their services recently:


1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411)
(more on GOOG411)


This is a free phone information service where, using simple voice prompts, you tell them where you're located (or where you're headed, if you're travelling) and then what you're looking for either by specific listing (Fazoli's) or by general category (restaurants). It confirms your prompts back to you and allows you to connect. All for free. Once again, you have to try it to see how well it works, but I can tell you this, I'll never call 555-1212 again!



Films Recently Watched:

Le Samouraï (1967) dir. by Jean-Pierre Melville


Babette's Feast (1987) dir. by Gabriel Axel


Apocalypto (2006) dir. by Mel Gibson


Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) dir. by Gore Verbinski


Casino Royale (2006) dir. by Martin Campbell

SPC -- 'Political' -- #1

I pay attention.
I have a general understanding of what's going on in my community, my state, my country, and the world.

...but, in general, I prefer to keep silent about politics.



The new Self Portrait Challenge theme for the month of March is 'Political.'

It ought to be interesting.

Photo Friday - 'Fuzzy'

SPC - 'Blue' -- #3 (Final Week)

This is the last week for the theme, 'Blue' over at Self Portrait Challenge.

I don't know why all my shots this month, of all months, ended up being outdoor shots.

Perhaps being outside a bit photographing the blues help me to avoid having the blues.

Regardless, I braved the cold, Indiana winter for you all, yet again.


(@ Flickr)

Photo Friday - 'Art'

Lunar Eclipse

There was a lunar eclipse last night (02/20/08).

I stood out in 18 degree cold for about an hour.

Here's my best photo from several attempts:

SPC - 'Blue' -- #2

Here's yet another example of something that I've driven by on my way to work probably thousands of times, but never noticed until this Self Portrait Challenge, 'Blue.'

You'd think I would notice bright blue bricks on even a small portion of a building, but I didn't. That is, I didn't until I started looking for things that are blue for this particular challenge.

It's a Brave New World

If you're a hobbyist or professional photographer and haven't already been approached by police, private security, secret service, rent-a-cop, etc. telling you that 'photography is prohibited on these premises,' then it's probably just a matter of time before you are.

I try to be fairly sensitive about when to leave my camera in the bag, but I can think of a couple of times when I've been 'busted' for using a camera:

One of those was already been mentioned on this site: here. That was at the airport several years ago (I can hardly believe that was 3 years ago!).

The other was more recently, just before Christmas just a couple months ago at a local mall.

Neither were a big deal.

But more and more, photographers' rights to make photographs while on public property are being questioned and threatened.

photopermit.org is a site with hundreds of such stories.

Bert P. Krages II has an excellent website and downloadable pamphlet that explain a photographer's rights and obligations during such confrontations.

USATODAY.com's Andrew Kantor has also written two good articles on the issue [one & two].

Finally, at the PMA (Photo Marketing Association) convention a couple of weeks ago, SIGMA announced a couple of new lenses of interest.

Check it out:

This gentleman is holding the Sigma APO 200-500mm F2.8 lens. See that little object in his left hand? That's a normal-sized SLR camera. In this day and age, try pointing that thing at a Federal Building in any large city and you'll get yourself shot on sight.


Use the military green version of the lens and they'll skip the sniper and just call in an air strike, and ask questions later!

Films Recently Watched:

Blood Diamond (2006) dir. by Edward Zwick

The Da Vinci Code (2006) dir. by Ron Howard
This had been on my 'must see' list for months. Finally got around to it. I really don't see what all the conservative fuss was about.

Flags of Our Fathers (2006) dir. by Clint Eastwood
Interesting story of an iconic photograph.



Happy Feet (2006) dir. by George Miller, Warren Coleman, Judy Morris
Cute. I loved that the DVD includes what may have been the inspiration for the movie, the classic 1936 Warner Bros. cartoon, 'I Love to Singa.' "Enough is too much!" I also love the telegraph gag, too. STOP! Hilarious.

Lilo & Stitch (2002) dir. by Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders

The Queen (2006) dir. by Stephen Frears
Helen Mirren earned her Oscar. She is The Queen

Also, I'm waiting for the final few discs of 'Heroes' - Season 1 to become available at the library -- in the meantime, I found '24' - Season 1 and just finished that. It was kind of strange to be watching it now of all times. I didn't know this when I began watching, but the events of the first season take place on the day of the California presidential primary when one of the candidates in the story is black. Original airdates were in 2001-02.