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Outlandish Hats: Bille Dove

2012-02-03T22:00:00.000-08:00

Oh Nurse! Gloria Grahame

2012-02-02T22:00:00.000-08:00

with Frank Sinatra in It Happened in Brooklyn (1947)

The Eyes Have It: Hildegard Knef

2012-02-01T22:00:00.000-08:00

Bevy of Beauties: 42nd Street (1933)

2012-01-31T22:00:00.000-08:00

Una Merkel, Ruby Keeler and Ginger Rogers in 42nd Street (1933)

Una Merkel, Ginger Rogers and Ruby Keeler in 42nd Street (1933)

Light and Shadow: Norma Shearer

2012-01-30T22:00:00.000-08:00

Lady of the Night (1925)

On the Set: Joan Bennett

2012-01-29T22:00:00.000-08:00

on the set of Green Hell (1940)

with Director Fritz Lang on the set of Scarlet Street (1945)

costume selection for Secret Beyond the Door (1947)

with Director Fritz Lang on the set of Secret Beyond the Door (1947)

Fridays Foto Tip - Water Droplets

2012-01-29T02:17:00.000-08:00

Ok so I know it's not Friday, but better late than never right? This week I thought we would tackle that pesky issue of the dreaded water droplet sticking to your lens/port during water photography, and how to promote a quick, smooth and efficient water runoff. Whether you have a professional fish-eye waterhousing or a beginner compact water-camera, if you don't know how to avoid water droplets and initiate good water runoff, capturing a great surf shot can be extremely frustrating. I've had times when a single water droplet has ruined a potential cover.

Problem: Water droplets sticking to camera port/lens.

Cure: Although there are many watery solutions out there, the best and most readily available is your own saliva. What, did AvG just say spit? Yip that be right. Good old gross spit or saliva. I've also heard of potato milk, sweat and "No more Rain", but why spend extra money and lug bags of potatoes in the boot of your car when your body already produces the perfect solution.

While you wade out through the shallows, gather up a big ball of saliva in your mouth for your lens/port. It is interesting to note at this point that some foods or drinks inhibit or promote the build up of saliva. Chocolate or something milky usually works wonders for mucus buildup. Once you have a good supply available, carefully spit out the saliva onto the port of your housing/camera. If this wasn't gross enough, use your tongue to equally distribute the saliva around the port, and then dip the camera in and out of the water. Back this up with another application before diving into the water and swimming out to your chosen spot. If you're having trouble gathering up enough and you're pressed for time, why not get a mate to help you out, or not.

Keep your housing/camera submerged beneath the surface while you wait to capture the action. I usually mix a little saltwater in my mouth with some more saliva, and spit this useful mix onto the port every 15 minutes or so just to keep the layer intact. Once the saliva and saltwater have merged, you should notice a fine layer covering the port. In addition, when you pick up your housing/camera, you should notice the quick and even runoff of any water. This saliva layer will also prevent any water droplets from "sticking" or staying on the port as they should run off just as quickly. Lastly, it is best to keep your housing underwater while waiting, as this will keep it from "drying" out. Good luck and lets see your results.

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The Art of the Dangle: Ruth Roman

2012-01-28T22:00:00.000-08:00

Lightning Strikes Twice (1951)

Modern Femmes Fatale: Part 68

2012-01-27T22:00:00.000-08:00

Monica Bellucci

Maja Latinovic

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Madchen Amick

Trish Goff

Gledis Cinque

Evan Rachel Wood

Elena Cucci

Dree Hemingway

Lidija Hlinova

Adventures in Androgyny: Miriam Hopkins

2012-01-26T22:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my friend Roy Bean for the image.

Dance Hall Demoiselles: Constance Smith

2012-01-25T22:00:00.000-08:00

Imitating anothers photograph - Copyright infringement

2012-01-25T00:47:00.000-08:00

Amateur Photographer magazine published an interesting story about a copyright infringement case of similar, but not directly copied, images. The issue of copyright is thorny, contentious and often misunderstood but this case sheds some light on the current attitude of courts in the UK. Despite significant differences between the two images (there was no implication that the second image was a duplicate of the first), the court found that the second image copied substantially from the 'intellectual creation' of the first (that is the elements that can be protected by copyright in the original image, including a consideration of the composition, lighting and processing of the image).

Amateur Photographer quotes photographic copyright expert Charles Swan as saying: 'The judgement should be studied by anyone imitating an existing photograph or commissioning a photograph based on a similar photograph.'

Click here to read the full judgement of the case

The judge concluded that the claimant (Justin Fielder)'s image is original and that the intellectual creation resided both in the compositional elements of the image and the contrast aspects. Specifically, Judge Birss QC highlighted two visual contrasts: 'one between the bright red bus and the monochrome background, and the other between the blank white sky and the rest of the photograph.'

He also took into account the evidence that Mr Houghton was aware of Mr Fielder's image (the two had previously been to court when they had failed to reach a licensing agreement over Houghton's previous infringement of Fielder's copyright), to conclude the similarities were causally related.

In the end, Birss said a difficult decision hinged on a 'qualitative assessment of the reproduced elements.' He defined Fielder's image a 'photographic work,' as distinct from a simply a photograph, in that 'its appearance is the product of deliberate choices and also deliberate manipulations by the author,' and concluded that those aspects had been copied.

Judge Birss also said that a series of images showing buses on Westminster Bridge and of red London icons on monochrome backgrounds submitted by Houghton 'worked against them because the collection has served to emphasize how different ostensibly independent expressions of the same idea actually look.' - story and info www.dpreview.com

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Rub-a-dub-dub: Vera Zorina

2012-01-24T22:00:00.000-08:00

The Goldwyn Follies (1938)

The life of a cover

2012-01-24T05:53:00.000-08:00

Selecting a front cover of any magazine is a difficult task, almost as difficult as it is to capture one. This particular photograph of mine took a little over a year to get. Mikey February and I must have made at least 10 trips up the West Coast during the past year in search of the perfect conditions and waves for a cover, but alas no worthy cover shot. We didn't let it get us down, and continued to try at Longbeach, Noordhoek, Dias Beach and many others. Finally just two days before he had to leave our beloved South Africa for a year abroad, we nailed this one frame during a short session down the beach at our favourite spot. We weren't out for long; my housing "misted" up for the first 15 minutes, a not-so-friendly kneeboarder burnt Mikey on possibly the best wave of the day, and Mikey only had an hour before a crucial embassy appointment, but we finally nailed it. Thanks for the patience Mikey!

Sometimes, more often than not, photographs are just born that way. You can't force them to come to life or will the opportunity to fit into your schedule; but once you actually stop searching for them, as with most things in life, they flash by in a micro-second, almost too quick to capture. Make the most of life's opportunities when you see them, however brief the moment.

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Live life vicariously

2012-01-24T05:26:00.000-08:00

Inspiration comes from many facets of life. It continues to mould and shape our future, our decisions and our very existence. A good friend of mine suggested the following: www.thegoodwinproject.com (click) A story about a family in search of something different, who packed up and took their children on the journey of a lifetime. Immersing themselves in the world outside their own, vicariously living life.

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Inside Looking Out: Ladies Behind Bars 28

2012-01-23T22:00:00.000-08:00

Gene Tierney in Whirlpool (1949)

Smoking in Bed: Silvana Mangano

2012-01-22T22:00:00.000-08:00

Anna (1951)

Tracking with Closeups: Barbara Steele

2012-01-21T22:00:00.000-08:00

Sweater Girl: Rita Moreno

2012-01-20T22:00:00.000-08:00

Friday's Foto Tip

2012-01-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

Greetings followers, friends and family. My newly instituted "Friday's Foto Tip" is a new weekly post I'll be bringing you with useful tips and advice which I hope will help shed some light on certain questions and difficulties photographers sometimes face. Some you may already know and have dealt with, in which case I apologize, but since we are always learning as photographers, there will always be something new to learn at some point, and there are always others who don't know what you already know.

This week's tip aptly fits in with the harshness of summer, and the problems water photographers face with condensation and the abrupt change from 30 degree land temperatures to 10 degree water temps in places like Cape Town. But in addition, for humid places like Durban and the tropics when moisture can easily get trapped inside your housings.

Problem: Condensation Built up on the port inside a housing.

Cure: Be sure to avoid any moisture on hands or camera when setting up, or going from an air-conditioned environment to a warm exterior. Preferably setup at home in a balanced, normal "room-temperature" environment, and keep your housing in the shad en route to the beach. Once at the beach, and en route to the water, once again keep your housing in the shade, either under a towel or your fins. This should keep your housing from heating up to much, and keep it as close as possible to the water temp. Having done all this, you may still find you experience some condensation problems, but if the water is cold enough, you just can't avoid it entirely I'm afraid. But at least you'll be in for a shorter wait. I usually use the 5-10 minutes to position myself in the lineup and familiarize myself with the conditions.

The above photographers illustrate the frustration of have a good wave come through while the port of my housing was still "fogged" up. The second shot is of Deen Hill about an hour later when my housing and my body were nice a chilled.

Till next Friday's Foto Tip, good luck and pleasant shooting.

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For the Boys: Ingrid Bergman

2012-01-19T22:00:00.000-08:00

Ingrid Bergman visits with Swedish UN troops in Korea, 1951

Bathing Beauties: Frances Robinson

2012-01-18T22:00:00.000-08:00

Reflections: Dorothy Mackaill

2012-01-17T22:00:00.000-08:00

Children Of The Ritz (1929)

January Jewels - Surfline F-Stop editorial

2012-01-16T23:34:00.000-08:00

In the fast-paced world of online surf media, Surfline.com has set the bar as one of the best in the industry. Prestigious and highly respected, it gives surfers, photographs and journalists a unique platform from which to showcase their best work, and to grow their profiles international. Local South African siblings, Donovan and Faye Zoetmulder, score a rare double exposure in this months January F-Stop, Surfline's monthly photographic gallery. Laurie Towner from Australia gets the third and last of my gallery entries with a beautiful turn in remote Madagascar.

For the full collection of awesome January photographs, click SURFLINE.

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Outlandish Hats: Gene Tierney

2012-01-16T22:00:00.000-08:00

The Razor's Edge (1946)

Never Let Me Go (1953)

Oh Nurse! Joan Fontaine

2012-01-15T22:00:00.000-08:00

The Man Who Found Himself (1937)

Quality Street (1937)

The Eyes Have It: Patricia Ellis

2012-01-14T22:00:00.000-08:00

Bevy of Beauties: Sophia, Romilda and Maria

2012-01-13T22:00:00.000-08:00

Sophia Loren with her mother, Romilda and her sister, writer Maria Scicolone, Dec. 1957

Gigabytes and Barrels - A Surfers Path editorial

2012-01-13T11:22:00.000-08:00

After three expeditions to this coast, the saying “We define ourselves by our actions” has redefined itself in my mind. We’re treading a very fine and delicate line by documenting this coast and the amazing waves it holds. Too easily we could ruin what guys mentioned above have come to cherish and hold dear. Who are we to “expose” this area to the world? A good question.

Yes, we’re surfers, through and through, doing our best to live the dream and lifestyle we have all fell in love with. And no, we’re not exposing anything, we’re documenting the dream, and in doing so, keeping it alive for so many who can’t just pack everything up on a whim and go feral for a week or two. The question really is, what will we do with the great responsibility that comes with a discovery of this kind?

“We define ourselves by our actions”, so let those actions speak louder than words, and lets look after the places and people where these beautiful waves are found. - Excerpt from 'Gigabytes and Barrels', originally written for Zigzag, now published in The Surfers Path. For the full story pick up a copy of the latest Surfers Path # 88

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Light and Shadow: Fredric March

2012-01-12T22:00:00.000-08:00

production still from Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1931)
(thanks to Old Hollywood for the image)

On the Set: Gloria Grahame

2012-01-11T22:00:00.000-08:00

Four candid shots of Gloria Grahame during the filming of Human Desire (1954)

with director Fritz Lang

with Glenn Ford

with Broderick Crawford

with director Fritz Lang

A Sinking Paradise - A Saltwater Girl editorial

2012-01-11T09:05:00.000-08:00

If I needed further evidence of shifting shorelines, it came when the Kuda Luat dropped anchor off one of the Mentawais’ most prized waves: Macaronis.
Just 10 years ago, I had seen a line of giant indigenous trees occupying this shoreline, typical tropical lowland rainforest species, characterised by large, straight, buttressed trees such as keruing, meranti and kapur. Already dead by then and saturated with saltwater, they dignifiedly held their ground while the sea clawed at them.

It was only a matter of time before these giants toppled into the ocean and when I had returned a few years later, I captured the last of these impressive trees in some photographs of a particularly good surf session at the break. When a spectacular sunset brought the session to an end, it seemed to me that that was not all we were saying goodbye to.

Sailing back into the bay for the first time since that sunset, I was sad to see that the last mighty tree had indeed gone. But far more shocking was that the entire beach and accompanying forest was gone too, leaving only a deep field of rock and reef, and a few stubborn mangroves - excerpt from "A Sinking Paradise" editorial.

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This Photo is not for free

2012-01-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

A colleague of mine sent me this from America. Classic outlook on the value of photographs in our short-lived world of digital photography:

http://www.petapixel.com/2012/01/10/this-photograph-is-not-free/

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The Art of the Dangle: Stella Stevens

2012-01-10T22:00:00.000-08:00

Remote Madagascar - Surf Portugal Editorial

2012-01-10T08:40:00.000-08:00

But of all the highlights and diverse challenges I faced in 2011, my time in the remote pirate isles of Madagascar stands out most vividly.

We set out in high hopes of finding ourselves a “real” African adventure; no frills and savagely down to earth. Think ‘Lord of The Flies’ but with tents, cameras and surfboards. Shortly after arrival, it seemed Madagascar was intent on giving us exactly what we had asked for, and the saying: “Be careful what you wish for”, was truer than it had ever been for me.

To get to this remote part of Madagascar we were targeting, it required a mammoth pre-project journey, utilising every form of transport available; planes, rusty cars, motorbikes, a gruelling speedboat crossing, and finally ending with a 3-day, post-cyclonic sea battle. And through it all, I was a mere shadow of my usual self, combating an entirely different obstacle, one only I could fully appreciate. Lying in silent agony on an open-decked boat for 2 days, my only thoughts were of survival, and when the next wave of nausea and diarrhoea would present itself. I quickly become accustomed to both port rail and the stern stepladder of our boat ‘Tuna’, and managed not to fall overboard during those rough days at sea. Somewhere along the line, I obviously picked up some hideous bug that my body did its best to eradicate from within.

Try as we might, nature truly is an unpredictable, and unpreventable force.

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Karoo footprints - Runners World Editorial

2012-01-09T11:40:00.000-08:00

Dislodging the first orange-brown pebble on the dusty Touwsberg road, you’re instantly assailed by the freshness of the early morning Karoo air. It lingers cool and motionless on the winding road while the first rays of sun catch the dew on the arid shrubbery alongside you. The route, as
always, is what you make it… Meandering dirt roads disappear into the foothills of the Touwsberg Mountain Range, crisscrossing past peaceful dams and trickling waterways. In addition to stunning scenery, be prepared for regular sightings of Cape mountain zebra and kudu among many others, and even a few giraffe.

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Nikon launches D4

2012-01-09T02:43:00.000-08:00

"Nikon has announced the D4, its latest professional DSLR. The 16MP full-frame camera is capable of shooting at 10 frames per second with full autofocus. In addition to a host of ergonomic improvements, the D4 also sees the expansion of its video capabilities, to the extent that Nikon is describing it as a 'multi-media DSLR.' The cameras gains an Ethernet port, a 91,000 pixel metering sensor and an uprated AF sensor that can work in lower light and with smaller aperture lenses. Its sensitivity range can be expanded to the equivalent of ISO 204,800 and adds illuminated controls to make it easier to work in the low-light situations in which such a setting becomes useful. The D4 also becomes the first camera to make use of the XQD memory card format." - www.dpreview.com

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Random Opportunities - ASL Editorial

2012-01-05T04:19:00.000-08:00

Who would have thought a flat day in Cape Town would have produced a single frame for spreads in three of the most respected and established surf publications - Surfer (August Big Issue), Zigzag and Australian Surfing Life. The best photographs often come from the most random opportunities. Thank you West Coast. We will always love and dream of you.

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Cover and more - Deep Magazine USA

2012-01-05T03:43:00.000-08:00

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Free Wallpaper Download - January 2012

2012-01-02T05:31:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to you all. I pray and hope we all get epic waves like these every other week of 2012.

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Best Galleries of 2011 - Surfer Magazine

2012-01-02T00:24:00.000-08:00

There are few better surprises in the life of a surf photographer than finding your work unexpectedly hailed as one of the "Best Galleries of 2011" by Surfer magazine. Proud and stoked to see this this morning while doing my daily website checks:

"Best Galleries of 2011" - Surfer Magazine (Click)

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Photo of The Year Nomination - Surfer Magazine

2011-12-31T10:05:00.000-08:00

Extremely stoked and proud to have two nominations on Surfer Magazines: Photo of The Year 2011:

http://apps.facebook.com/offerpop/Contest.psp?c=56413&u=15482&a=146623488729946&p=12524098855&rest=0&v=View

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Where is the Love

2011-12-31T09:35:00.000-08:00

Surfing is for the most part a selfish lifestyle. We prioritise our lives according to swell and weather forecasts, and plan work and family commitments as best we can around our next surf. And when we do go surf, chances are we are abandoning a loved one at home with the kids or leaving a loved one alone on the beach, hiding from the harsh elements in the car for a good few hours. For those few of us who have found surfers as our better halves, life is simpler and relatively fair, until the arrival of children that is. But two of the most selfish surfers in my opinion are the egotistical “boardist” type; surfers who for no apparent reason dislike other wave riders to the point of hatred, and then the seemingly entitled “local” type, who claim aggressive ownership over something that can only truly be acquired by mutual respect and a welcome smile. As always it comes down to the individual and our private interaction with the waves, but as experience has taught me, even a poor surf can become one of our most memorable when we open our hearts and minds, and share the love.

In the year 1779, Lieutenant James King recorded the earliest written account of surfing - “But a diversion the most common is upon the water, where there is a very great sea, and surf breaking on the shore. The men sometimes 20 or 30 go with the swell of the surf….” By the time Captain Cook and his ships reached the Hawaiian Islands in 1778, the art, sport and religion of surfing had reached a sophisticated peak. At this zenith of the sport in Old Polynesia, surfing was celebrated and shared by all. No locals, no bigotry, just a communal sharing of a human art form, both “Paipo” (prone) and “Alaia” (standup).

One of the first surf photographs I ever captured was of an unnamed surfer burning and dropping in on another surfer at New Pier, presumably claiming himself a “local”, and thus beyond respecting his neighbour in the water; I was horrified. Sure share the wave if that was his good-natured intent, but I only saw malicious droplets of saltwater dripping from his angry face. This kind of disrespect is not restricted to any one spot unfortunately, and it is worst at renowned spots like New Pier, Jeffrey’s Bay, Muizenberg, and Longbeach. These are among our most celebrated waves in South Africa, but celebrating good surf invariably brings out the dark side of some of our selfish hearts. I’m ashamed to imagine what this must look like to non-surfers, aspiring to be like us, learning from our actions.

Being a traveling surfer and photographer, I do not subscribe to localism or being a local, regardless how often I may surf any one spot, and I try my best to refrain from judging others. I surf and photograph to celebrate life and the gift of surfing, and I want to share our blessings with the greater surf community, whoever they may be. It is all about respecting our fellow surf riders. Did you know that suggested synonyms for the word local are: “Restricted, limited, confined and narrow”. It most certainly is narrow-minded to think you will never surf another spot other than the one you frequent. How you wish to be received away should be how you engage people at home.

I recently stole a day away from the office and embarked on my very first surf trip in 10 years. Some of you may scoff at such a statement, but it is true. I left all cameras at home, and drove up to Elands Bay with just my wetsuit and board, and the basics for a 24-hour strike mission. As fate would have it, the predicted swell was a no show, and I was understandably gutted. What a waste of precious work time and the hard-to-get surf token from the misses! I decided to paddle out anyway, and joined a fellow surfer up the point for the measly 2-3 foot waves on offer. At that precise moment I had one of two options; smile and engage, or scowl and hassle. The rest they say is history and it turned out to be one of the most memorable surfs I’ve ever had. Not because of a particularly long wave, big snap or cozy barrel, but rather because I left all that selfish egotistical competitiveness on the beach, and celebrated the simple act of sharing waves with others, and ultimately sharing the stoke. This is why I surf, and it will be my mantra for any future sessions, both home and away. Smile and engage!

The success of any surf you have will not be determined by the way you interacted with the wave, but rather by the way you interacted with the people sharing those waves.

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2012 and India - SA Paddler Editorial

2011-12-31T09:06:00.000-08:00

Grant Twiggy Baker admires the tropical paradise of remote Madagascar from his SUP in SA Paddlers August 2012 Calendar.

A kayak sized sea turtle grazes while paddlers stroke into view while exploring offshore India in this January/February issue of SA Paddler:

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December Wallpaper - Free Download

2011-12-20T09:19:00.000-08:00

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Africa at it's Best - Weg & Go editorial

2011-12-13T09:51:00.000-08:00

I met my three friends in Casablanca in Morocco, the city made famous by the 1942 film starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.

We managed to decipher the Arabic rail timetable and traveled south for 350 km on a jam-packed train, carrying coffin-sized surfboard bags. Our only refuge was the wind-battered space between two carriages.

At the town of Agadir we met up with another friend who works as a surf guide and drove for 1200 km in his 4x4, through the highlands of Morocco and across the invisible border into the disputed territory of Western Sahara. It's one of the least populated places on earth; a landscape at the mercy of ocean tides and the shifting sands of the desert.

Spain claimed this region in 1884 and it was known as Spanish Shara until 1975, when control was relinquished to a joint administration by Morocco and Mauritania. Those two countries went to war, joined by a rebel group representing the nomadic Sahrawi people who sought to proclaim an independent country of their own. In 1979 Mauritania withdrew and territory has been controlled by Morocco ever since, an unhappy situation that persists today.

Little remains of the Spanish occupation besides the occasional fortress in the desert, slowly being swallowed by sand. This particular outpost, near the town of Dakhla, stands naked on a low hill, overlooking some of the most beautiful beaches in the Western Sahara.

We pitched our tents and camped for two weeks. The waves were epic and the scenery surreal, but each day as I jogged down to the beach with my surfboard underarm, I was sad that the freedom I felt wasn't shared by the people of this wild, empty half-country.

There are no easy answers when it comes to politics, but the trip reminded me how fortunate I am to come and go as I please, living my own personal dream.

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North Africa - Surfline December Best Bet

2011-12-07T20:29:00.000-08:00

Check out the full gallery and story for Surfline's December "Best Bet" - click here

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Taking Off - Surfer Magazine

2011-12-01T00:23:00.000-08:00

On a recent journey to the sun-scoured Atlantic coast of Morocco, Alex Knost laid down some unusual lines with the help of this DIY craft. The Californian has been making his own boards for a while now (he's nearing his 100th self-shaped board), and this particular late -'60s/early - '70s-inspired hybrid is a good example of the kind of shaping he's interested in - transitional designs that incorporate positive elements from different eras. And while riding inconsistent hand-shapes from an inexperienced shaper makes getting consistently god boards infinitely tougher, Knost doesn't seem to mind. "There's no reason I should ride consistent boards," he laughs. "Making my own boards has helped me learn to be more connected. I'm not sure if it makes me surf better, but it certainly makes it more interesting." - Photo caption by Surfer Magazine

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Fun in the Sun

2011-11-20T10:50:00.000-08:00

Fun and outrageous were the order of the day at the inaugural Kommetjie festival surf showdown. Needing little excuse to dress up (or dress down in most cases), local surfers hit the frigid water of Longbeach in an array of crazy costumes and strange craft, hoping to snag one of the events three fun prizes.

Chip Snaddon won an O’Neill wetsuit for the “Best dressed” with his brilliant environ-mimicking of the seasonal blue bottle, while Mikah Burger won a custom surfboard for “Most original craft” with his out-of-this-world alien UFO, but hands down the most radical as usual was Michael Grendon on his “Bob the Builder” ladder and surfboard hybrid, which won him the “Most entertaining” surfer, and it sure was entertaining. Wearing nothing but his trusty speedo, Michael would paddling into the chilly-willy water on his longboard and hastily ascend the steps on his strapped down ladder. Needless to say it was a hilarious sight.

The idea behind the festival was to raise funds for various community organizations and projects and most importantly to build community spirit. A portion of the proceeds will be going towards the Kommetjie Pre-primary swimming pool.

Check the full gallery on: http://www.zigzag.co.za/news/industry/8347/Fun-in-the-Sun

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The Africa Project Surf Film

2011-11-16T10:46:00.000-08:00

The highly anticipated opening premier of Jason Hearn's film, The Africa Project, is set to take place on Friday 25 November 2011 at Trinity, 15 Bennett Street, Green Point, Cape Town.

Featuring the best waves that Africa has to offer, including locations like Morocco, Senegal, Namibia, Reunion, Madagascar and all along our very own coastline, this film is definitely one that is not to be missed.

Entrance is FREE, and all are welcome to attend. Get there at 18h30 for pre-drinks, the film starts at 20h00. After the film you are also invited to stay on and enjoy the afterparty.

The Africa Project Surf Film
"Africa through the eyes of a surfer"

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avg-2010

2011-10-20T22:32:00.001-07:00

welcome to my dear friends from all parts of the world

Redwood National and State Parks

2011-10-19T18:00:00.000-07:00

We began at Shady Cove, Oregon, and decided to drive to see the Redwoods in CA, as Crater Lake got 6 inches of snow overnight and most roads and trails were closed. The drive to Redwoods was long but interesting, following the scenic Redwood Highway up and through the mountains. Skies were mostly cloudy and temps were in the lower 40 when we headed out at about 0900. The trees just kept getting bigger as we neared the ocean.

We reached the Ranger station at about 12:30 pm near the north border of Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park; as soon as we stepped from the car the subtle scent of evergreens told us we had made the right decision to make the drive. We drove through the backwoods on a small one-lane dirt road, Howland Hill Road, and hiked around Stout Grove, curiously named after a lumber baron whose wife preserved the area after worrying it would be logged after his death. Stout Grove was a short easy hike that had great trees, the largest in the area we saw was 36 steps around by my count. The redwoods were incredible, towering above you to the point that you couldn't see where they ended. The temperatures were perfect for hiking, in the low 50s in the shade.

The forest itself was impressive, and the scale of the giant trees was heightened by the clearings, and small groves of low-lying clover and sword ferns that blanketed each hillside between the Redwoods.

After this area, we ate lunch in Crescent City, and headed south on route 101 along the coast. The temperature was in the high 50s at this point, with lots of sun. Lots of vistas on the way, with frequent stops to admire the view of the Pacific from high overlooks, and checking out the rough surf, sandy beaches, and huge beachside boulders from False Klamath Cove. We drove up the winding steep Requa Rd to reach the Klamath River Overlook. Grey Whales had been sighted here, but we didn't see them this day. We hiked a short but steep half mile to the scenic overlook, which was worth the effort as we were the only ones on the trail. It looked like wild raspberries were lining this trail as well, though I would check with someone who knows before eating them.

At about 4 pm, we decided to check out the scenic drive south of the area off exit 765, Newton B Drury scenic parkway, into Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. This drive was marked with roadside giant redwoods everywhere, and many hikes we did not have the time to really investigate further. Each tree looked bigger than the next, the biggest roadside being 48 steps around by Holly's count. We came to a sign that read "Big Tree," which turned out to be a giant thick redwood about 1500 years old, 300 feet high, and 21 feet in diameter. It was lamely roped off. We read that the largest trees get to be 380 feet tall, and about 25 feet in diameter. The trees live about 2000 years.

On the way back to Shady Cove in Oregon, we stopped at a Pizza shop for dinner and caught the last few innings of the Tigers vs Yankees, which was the last game of the ALDS. We found another Tiger fan at the place, and another guy who just hated the Yankees. The Tigers trie hard to blow it with a 3-1 lead, walking in a run in the 7th to make it 3-2, but they were able to close it out and win with a final of 3-2. We finally got home about 9:00 pm.

Things we missed: A 4-hour round trip drive and hike is the Tall Trees trail, which is reachable by permit only, first-come first serve daily. Redwood Creek trail looks like a fine drive as well, and there is an old WW2 radar station in the park apparently disguised as a farmhouse and barn.

More Photos Here

Walk in the Park

2011-08-21T04:42:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I took a walk through the park near my house. This park is one of my favorite places to take pictures. There are ponds, flowers, pagodas, and the park is always busy. The Expo Bridge connects the park to the Expo Center where there is an amusement park, art galleries, etc. Here are a few shots from my walk today.

Hope you enjoyed these shots, next week I'm going to a Mountain Park called"Maisan", it's famous for its rock pagodas and a Buddhist temple built by a hermit monk.

Busan

2011-08-16T18:45:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since my last posting, I've been entering contests and traveling. Here are a few photos I took last year when my son David and his wife Liane came to visit us here in Korea.

Homeward Bound

2011-08-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

Hunting Island, South Carolina

"The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us, and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone." George Eliot

McIntosh Book Shoppe

2011-08-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Sadly, my vacation in Beaufort is coming to an end. So I made one last stop at the McIntosh Book Shoppe on Bay Street (my third this trip). I love old books and the stores that sell them, and dearly miss not having one on Third Street in Geneva.

Today I acquired a new lowcountry cookbook, an autographed first edition of Beach Music, by Pat Conroy, and an older (c. 1912-37) book, Dick Sand, by Jules Verne. This is a book store I could spend the better part of an afternoon browsing, and find something of interest on every shelf.

I found this terrific article about owner, Wilson McIntosh, here.

I am looking forward to being back home soon.

St. Helena's Church

2011-07-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

I am still on vacation in Beaufort, South Carolina. I really do miss Geneva, but today, as I walk through these tree-lined streets, I am daydreaming about perhaps one day writing two part-time blogs that celebrate my favorite places on Earth. Like Geneva Daily Photo, Beaufort Daily Photo has a lovely ring to it too, I think.

This is the of steeple St. Helena's (Episcopal) Church in downtown Beaufort, South Carolina, and the brick wall surrounding the adjoining cemetery. The church was established in 1712, and the first church building erected in 1724. The congregation will celebrate its tricentennial in 2012.

Uncle Bubba's

2011-07-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

A quick side trip to Uncle Bubba's in Savannah, Georgia for lunch. Shown here are the Shrimp and Grits I ordered, and they were GOOD! I think this may well be my new favorite thing to eat, but I will need another bowl to be absolutely sure.

We had a terrific afternoon together, and especially enjoyed visiting with Uncle Bubba, who checked in on us while we were dining, and spent some time chatting with us in the parking lot outside. I hope he remembers to tell his sister, Paula, we said hello!

You can try this lowcountry favorite for yourself! Click here for the recipe!

Life's A Beach

2011-07-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Still on vacation, but missing you, Geneva! After a day spent on the beach, the girls and their cousins have collected a king's ransom in sand dollars, shown here drying as the sun sets.

Frogmore

2011-07-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

A small shop in Frogmore, on historic St. Helena's Island. St. Helena's is one of the sea islands near Beaufort, and many argue it may be the site of one of the oldest European settlements in the new world. The island was home to large plantations that produced indigo, cotton and rice, and were worked by a large slave population. The blending of so many traditions produced the rich Gullah culture which is still in evidence today.

St. Helena's has retained its rural, agricultural character, and unlike many of the islands along the coast, is not dotted with gated resort communities. Frankly, I think that is why I like it so much. There are a couple historic sites that I love to photograph, namely the ruins of the old Chapel of Ease, and the site of the former Fort Fremont, deactivated about a century ago.

They island may be best known as the location of Penn Center, a school which was established in 1862 for newly freed slaves.

Barbeque

2011-07-27T06:30:00.000-07:00

Lunch, Southern style.

Pulled pork, sweet potatoes, squash, cornbread and iced tea. The food at Sgt. White's in Beaufort is out of this world! Which is a good thing, since with such a full plate, I won't be eating again, I don't think, for a couple of days!

Changes In Latitudes

2011-07-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

For the past several days, I have been on vacation. Unfortunately, the images of Geneva that I planned to show you this week didn't make it on vacation with me.

So instead, I bring you sunset in Beaufort, South Carolina. My other adopted home town. The South Carolina lowcountry is quite possibly (after Geneva, of course!) my favorite place in the world.

Getaway

2011-07-25T05:38:00.000-07:00

The Herrington Inn from the east side of the Fox River in Island Park.

A Moveable Feast

2011-07-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, the French Market opens up on South Street, in the parking lot north of the train depot. There are many interesting vendors, bur for me, only two stalls truly evoke memories of my visits to Paris.

One is the antiquarian bookseller, who reminds me of afternoons spent walking along the Seine, and also hours spent hiding from the rain at one of my favorite Paris treasures, located at 37 Rue Bûcherie (5eme). The other is this one, selling lovely damask linens that make me wish I were spending a morning shopping for fabrics in the 18eme (Montmartre), in the shadow of Sacre Coeur.

There is something here for everyone, even if it is French in name only. Maybe you will find your own little bit of Paris here?

You Can Leave Your Hat On

2011-07-23T05:29:00.000-07:00

"I myself have 12 hats, and each one represents a different personality. Why just be yourself?" (Margaret Atwood)

I spied this impressive bit of millinery as I waited for the train last week. This woman, and about a dozen others, were all attired in red hats and purple clothing. One or two went far enough as to accessorize with red shoes. It was like Margaret Atwood's collection of bonnets (each with their own unique character) on parade. Truth be told, one was wearing only a simple red headband in lieu of a flashy chapeau. My teenager gave her very high marks for her comparatively subtle expression of conformity with her party.

Very Short Stories

2011-07-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

They say Ernest Hemingway, on a bet, once wrote a short story in only six words, declaring it one of his finest pieces of writing.

I might be able to tell the story of this photo in only five:

My neighbor has a dog.

Awesome Blossoms

2011-07-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Despite the heat wave this week, I found these sturdy "flowers" in full bloom outside of the Paper Merchant on Third Street.

Not A Sound From The Pavement

2011-07-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Twelve o'clock.
Along the reaches of the street
Held in a lunar synthesis,
Whispering lunar incantations
Dissolve the floors of memory
And all its clear relations,
Its divisions and precisions,
Every street lamp that I pass
Beats like a fatalistic drum,
And through the spaces of the dark
Midnight shakes the memory
As a madman shakes a dead geranium.

T. S. Eliot

Reaching

2011-07-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

"It is not from ourselves that we learn to be better than we are." Wendell Berry

In The Pink

2011-07-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

Sort of an overcast day here in Geneva, and just far too hot and humid for a photo safari. These flowers, planted by Geneva Beautification volunteers, seem to be tolerating the heat better than I am.

From His Footprints Flowed A River

2011-07-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

This sculpture stands just off of Illinois Route 25, on the former estate of George and Nelle Fabyan. Like much of the diverse, and sometimes eccentric, statuary on the grounds, this work is likely attributed to the Fabyan's resident sculptor, Silvio Silvestri.

I have long been curious about the Fabyan Indian statue, but not just because it seems a little bit disconnected from everything else in the park. In particular, I often wonder if it influenced, or was influenced by, The Eternal Indian (more commonly referred to as the Blackhawk Statue) by Lorado Taft. Taft's towering statue, dedicated in 1911, stands on the banks of the Rock River in Oregon, Illinois, on land that was once part of the Eagle's Nest Art Colony.

The Colony itself operated on the summer estate of Wallace Heckman, a prominent Chicago attorney and generous patron of the arts. Like Fabyan, Heckman was a successful businessman, and noted for his diverse interests. Both men were profiled by Halliday Witherspoon in his book, Men of Illinois (1902), so perhaps it is not entirely unlikely the men knew or knew of each of other.

Interestingly, the two statues may have a remote, six-degrees-of-separation sort of connection. The renowned sculptor and medalist, Trygve Rovelstad, studied art at the studio on the Fabyan estate upon graduating from Elgin High School in 1922. He later worked for Taft at his Midway Studio in Chicago.

What, if any, real connection which may exist between the two pieces, I cannot know for sure, but I confess that in my imagination, the vision of two wealthy eccentrics trying to outdo each via sculpture makes for an amusing daydream.

Small Details

2011-07-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

While walking home from the train station earlier this week, I noticed, for the first time, the detail on these sidewalk planters.

Bien Trucha

2011-07-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

Dinner outside on the patio last night at local favorite, Bien Trucha. The setting sun and the watermelon margaritas made for a beautiful summer evening. And, as usual, the service was exceptional!

A Bug's Life

2011-07-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

My daughter and I spent some time yesterday watching hundreds of butterflies at the Geneva Park District's Butterfly House, located west of town at Peck Farm Park. I sat quietly on one of the benches for a pretty long time before this butterfly landed nearby. If you haven't visited yet this summer, I hope you find some time to experience this peaceful spot for yourself. The house is open daily, and the suggested donation is $2.00 per visitor or $5.00 per family.

(I think this one might be a Spicebush Swallowtail.)

The Remains Of The Day

2011-07-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

I took this photo at about 8:00 Monday night from the eastern end of the State Street Bridge. That's the United Methodist church on the corner of Hamilton and Second Streets in the background.

Carry Us Away

2011-07-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

The Fox River looking north from the Island Park footbridge.

Blue Bench

2011-07-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

Several members of my family are away from home this week. It sure is quiet around here.

Geneva Cycling Grand Prix

2011-07-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

Geneva played host to an exciting cycling event yesterday! The 2011 Geneva Cycling Grand Prix was sponsored by local merchant, Bicycle Heaven. For nearly 12 hours, seven separate races featuring approximately 600 cyclists, wound through the historic, tree-lined streets of Geneva.

The race attracted professional cycling talent from around the world, and was the second stop on the International Cycling Classic, which includes 17 consecutive days of races throughout Illinois and Wisconsin. For more information about the tour, click here.

Exploring

2011-07-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

Shoppers explore Dodson Place, located on the site of the former Community Hospital.

Rainy Day

2011-06-25T06:34:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys,

The monsoon season has begun, it has been raining steadily for the past three days and there is rain in the forecast for the next several days. Today I went out during a lull in the heavy rain and took these photos.

Chungju Park

2011-06-19T07:01:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys, Here are a few photos from my trip to Chungju this weekend.

My Weekend

2011-06-13T17:57:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys,
Last weekend I took a bus out to a farm district and spent the day walking through the countryside. Here are a few shots from my walk.

Weekend Photo Trips

2011-06-06T06:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday I went out with the photo club to photograph an old Korean Family home, Monday was a holiday here in Korea so I went to a BBQ with friends. Here are a few shots from my weekend.

Pumba Festival

2011-05-29T03:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys, Yesterday I attended the Pumba Festival and registered to enter the photo contest. I shot over a thousand photos and now I have to sort through them to find my six best to enter into the contest. Here are a few, just to give you an idea of what the festival was like.

Korean Pumbaa (품바) Festival

2011-05-26T21:13:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys, Tomorrow I'm taking the early morning train up to Eumseong (음성) for their annual pumbaa festival.

The festival looks like a mixture of the German October Fest and the Mardi Gras celebration. People dress up in costumes, paint their faces and dance in the streets. There is a photo contest sponsored by the event also, photos to follow. In the meantime, here are a few shots from our trip to China.

I'll post some photos early next week.

Namwon Trip

2011-05-22T06:11:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys...I just got back from Namwon, a town in the southeastern part of Korea, near Jirisan Mountain.
We went there to photograph the royal azaleas up on Brabong Peak, but we spent to much time at other beautiful sites in the area and ended up not having enough time to hike up the mountain and get back down in time to catch our train back to Daejeon.

One of the places I really liked was the Gwanghalluwon Garden. Here are a few photos from our trip..

Update

2011-05-18T07:25:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys, Thought I'd post a few photos and update what I've been doing. A few weeks ago I went to a cherry blossom festival and entered their photo contest.

Last weekend I went out with the photo club to shoot in the local (Daejeon) area. This coming weekend I'm taking a train trip down to the Jirisan area to photograph a flower festival.

I'll try to post on a more regular basis over the next few months. There will be a festival almost every weekend for the rest of the year so there will be plenty of things to blog about

Chungsando Island,Korea

Photo Contest

Take care....Andrew

Fields at Chungsando

Country Stream near Daejeon

Cancelled Outing

2011-03-20T20:42:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,
Well, our photo club members decided to cancel our outing because of a little rain. Instead of going out to shoot new photos, I stayed home and prepared entries for the next few contests.
I'm trying a new program out, it's Corel Paintshop Photo Pro X3. There are a lot of good features, one I'm trying out for the next couple of contests, is a feature that softens the pixels and gives the impression that a filter was used to get the effect. Here are a few examples:

Getting Ready For Spring and Another Contest Season

2011-03-07T19:36:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday my photo club held a meeting to get started shooting photos and entering contests for 2011. We decided to meet on the third Saturday of every month to go out on photo trips. The first outing will be this month on March 19th.

I'll be posting details of our outings along with photos of the places we travel to through out the year. Last year some of our members won gold, silver and bronze medals and many honorable mentions. One member, Yoon Daejin, won two golds, two silvers and other awards. His prize money totaled in the thousands of dolars.

We elected Mr. Yoon our club leader and another gold medal winner his assistant. Also, among our members we have three members who are already well known pro photographers. With their permission, I'll be posting some of their photos also.

The photo to the left was taken at our meeting. Mr. Yoon is in the foreground, yellow shirt, and I'm sitting to his left, wearing a hat, a few members were not able to attend but it looks like we will start the season with about twelve members.

My next post will be on the 21st, after our first outing.

Korean Photography Artist (사진작가)

2011-02-21T21:03:00.000-08:00

Last year after entering my first Korean photo contest at Gyeongju City, Korea I learned about the Korea Association of Photographers (한국사진작가협회). This is the organization that certifies professional photographers in Korea. I found out the process to become a certified photographer (사진작가) and began the task of meeting all the requirements. My photography instructor at MokWon University told me I need to earn 50 points over a two year period in order to become certified. Points are earned through education, seminars, winning certified contests and through publication.

Contest points range from six points to one point depending on the contest and what place the photo wins. Usually the contests have one 1st place gold medal, 1 or 2 silver medals, 1 or 2 bronze medals, 5 meritorious mention, and 12 to 100 or more honorable mention winners. The number of entries usually range in the high hundreds to a few thousand.

My goal in 2011 is to complete all the requirements by winning a few more contests and by attending seminars.
Here are few examples of the certificates and a photo fro the opening ceremony at the Gyeongju contest last June.

Back From A long Winter's Rest (been hibernating)

2011-02-20T20:42:00.000-08:00

My last post was about participating in the SokniSan photo contest. I received honorable mention for that contest an gained a few more points towards becoming a recognized photo artist here in Korea.

Actually my winning photo was taken before the contest began (during the opening ceremony).

Soknisan Photo Contest

2010-10-14T06:37:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to Soknisan to participate in their annual contest, here are few of my photos.
The weather was great, bright sunshine, good light for photography. I used my Nikon D50 with a 70 to 300mm lens and my Nikon D90 with an 18 to 105mm lens.

Photo Contest at the City of Chungju

2010-10-06T19:49:00.000-07:00

Hello again everyone...on Sunday I went to the city of Chungju to participate in their annual photo contest. The entry fee was 40,000 Korean Won (about $38.) but it covered the fee for hiring the models and lunch.

I used my Nikon D90, 18-105mm and my 70-300mm Nikkor lenses. The weather was cloudy but the light was still fairly good most of the day. Here are a few of my shots from that day...

Confession + DALMAC

2010-09-30T21:06:00.000-07:00

So I have not updated this blog in a while, for a few reasons really. Firstly, I haven't been taking many photos since I've been so busy. Second, I've been busy because I've graduated, moved away from Lansing to the Detroit area, and begun looking for a job.

Basically, this leads me to the realization that using such a location-specific URL was probably not a great idea. I'll be deciding on a new name sometime and probably move everything to the new URL. Or maybe just start with a clean slate.

Anyway, my last few days in Lansing were quite interesting from a cyclist's point of view. My wife and I went on our first multi-day bike tour, from Lansing to Seault Ste. Marie*, known to locals as the DALMAC. DALMAC is a sag-supported tour, where you pedal about 60-100 miles a day, set up camp at a high school at a small town, and the volunteers bring along your gear in a UHaul. If you break down terribly they'll help you out and maybe give you a lift to the next stop, but beyond that you're on your own pretty much, as we would find out.

Day 1 was nice, flat, and a good pace. We rode on pretty familiar roads much of the day, and aside from the odd dairy farm and beef farm not much was out there to look at. We set up our tents as it began to drizzle, ate some cafeteria food, and played some cards with the friends we were lucky enough to have with us. Holly's 650b tires showed some cuts, which taught me two lessons: 1, bring a spare if you're rolling on odd-sized tires, and 2, make sure your tires are in good condition BEFORE you're 70 miles from home!

Day 2 was similar, but brought with it some nasty rain showers about 12 miles from camp. We put the hammer down and arrived in camp only to realize the place where the crew had unloaded our gear was now a lake. Lesson: pack your gear in waterproof bags, or in ziplocks within the luggage. So we found a laundromat before closing time, dried out our sleeping bags and clothes, and had a beer or three.

Day 3 was rainy on and off, but the scenery was starting to get more interesting, with pretty rolling hills, pine forests, and friendly people selling pie at a church. A few heavier storms put a bit of a damper on things (har), but in all it wasn't so bad, and we had the opportunity to head over to Short's brewery at Bellaire, Michigan. We'd highly recommend the side trip if you can, as the brewery will be the best food and easily the best beer you'll have all trip. Also, the food at camp was truly awful here. The night fell, and brought with it 50 mph winds and heavy all-night rains. Lesson: Bring rain gear and cold weather gear. Even if you don't use it, it's good to have. You can always pack less warm weather gear and get by, but missing cold and rainy gear sucks when you need it.

Day 4 sucked. No way around it. Heavy winds, biggest hills of the ride, cold, and downpours for all but 10 miles of the day. We started out with about half of the riders who began the tour already having bailed. We would have bailed too at this point if it were an option, but we were up north with nobody to pick us up within hundreds of miles. 14 miles in, after struggling up and braking down difficult hills during the worst rain yet, we flagged down a SAG wagon to see if they'd give us a ride past the hills. No dice said the crew, so we soldiered on until catching up with our friends at a little breakfast spot. We waited through the worst weather while enjoying a hot coffee and warm cinnamon bun.

Heading back out again, it began to look a little nicer (raining on and off instead of constantly), and once we hit Boyne City the sun was downright beaming. At this point our silly crew was actually thinking of going for the century option for the day instead of the 65 mile route. We watched the whitecaps break on the bay as we rolled through town, enjoying the beautiful view. It would be our last fun moment of the day. As we broke north towards Pellston, with about half the day's mileage behind us, the Gods once again showed their anger, gusting winds and stinging rain. In the worst of the weather, we stopped at a McDonalds for respite and food. When the weather continued to worsen, we headed back out to be greeted by a wave of water as we pulled out of the driveway, courtesy of a passing SUV. The roads chosen for this section were the busiest with the worst shoulders of the trip, and combined with the limited visibility I really began to worry for our safety. Lesson: bring along a spare rear blinky light in case. The Superflash in particular seems susceptible to rain-related shorting out, and mine was useless after a couple days of this weather. Also lots of chain lube helps when it rains for 4 straight days.

Eventually we hit the last few miles. I was delirious by this point, egging on fellow riders by conversing, joking, singing aloud, anything I could do to not allow the rain to break me (or had I already broken?) A passerby said "I don't think the heavy stuff's gonna come down for quite a while," to which my Caddyshack-loving wife replied "I'd keep playing." And of course "Rat Farts!" upon reaching the top of the hill. A few miles later I had good reason to proclaim "rat farts" myself, as a shard of glass had worn its way through the casing of my tire, causing a horrible gash. Just like that, my day was over, about 1.5 miles from camp. My wife and I decided to bail out from the last day as the forecast was another rainy day, with winds that would probably prevent a bridge crossing. The last day, the only one we weren't riding, was gorgeous by the way, if anyone was wondering whether we were the jinx.

So would I do DALMAC again? Even if it was guaranteed nice weather, maybe not. I'd do another tour certainly, but honestly DALMAC wasn't really up our alley. Most of the riders are older men who seem to enjoy riding quite a bit faster than we do, and take the ride more seriously than we do in some ways. You certainly need to go with friends, as hanging out at the end of a long ride makes things go a lot better. I'm thinking the easy-riding, hard-partying souls on RAGBRAI might be more our speed.

Buildin' Bikes

2010-07-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

I'm building up quite a few bikes just as I'm ending my tenure as a bike shop employee. I'm through two right now and on to the third, and all of them have my stamp on them for sure - steel-framed bikes that ride fast and smooth, and look clean.

First up is an Austro-Daimler bike that my Dad had given to him mostly intact. This bike basically needed only tires, tubes, cables, and bar tape. I also added on a set of aero brake levers as the originals had long ago stopped functioning well, and also a new saddle to cushion Dad's old butt. I wanted to put some nice 700x28 tires on it to smooth out the ride even more, but the 700x25 was as wide as I had ready access to.

The Austro-Daimler Inter-10 is an interesting bike. Austro-Daimler is the US brand name for Puch before they decided A-D wasn't such an awesome name. Made in Austria from butted Reynolds 531, this bike is actually at the bottom of A-D's offerings, which just amazes me. At 23 pounds, it's pretty darn light for a large steel bike from the seventies. It came with a mix of Suntour Cyclone and Huret shifters and derailers, a Nervex crankset, Atom hubs and Rigida rims, all of which is very nice stuff! Thankfully the bottom bracket is in good shape as I'd hate to try to find out what threading it has. It's a fast bike, and well above my Dad's current skill and fitness level, so it's something he can grow into if he wants. It's too big for me, so I won't be keeping it.

My wife's bike is something I've shown before, an '80s Wisconsin-built Trek 560, built originally for road racing but adapted by me with 650b wheels and fast cushy tires for longer tours. She'll be riding it on this year's DALMAC from Lansing to Seault Ste. Marie. I finally got rid of the old Schwinn steel wheels I used for the conversion at first, replacing them with a 105 set from Velo Orange. If you haven't seen their high-polished aluminum rims in person, it's a sight to behold. Another mechanic in the shop today was convinced they were chromed steel from the shine. Actually many of their bike bits are just great in terms of aesthetics and value, and they make many things that nobody else has, from French bottom brackets and headsets to a new T-A copy crank that I'll have a hard time resisting.

I added on older 8-speed Dura-Ace shifters, a Campagnolo front Derailer and modern Shimano rear, none of which should work together and yet does, amazingly. Because she has long legs and a shorter torso than most riders, she needs a funky stem setup (tall rise and short reach) to get comfortable on these frames, which means that someday she'll probably need a custom frame to fit her correctly. Maybe a Sweetpea.

The final bike is an old Peugeot Mixte that needs a bit of work. No photos of that one yet! I have two other friends I want to build up bikes for, but no donor frames yet. Unfortunately this is more a labor of love than a money-making scheme, as bike parts are too expensive to really make any money doing this the right way; I figure I'm happier building bikes I like for people I love, than building crappy bikes by cutting corners to try to make a buck.

Lansing in the Summer

2010-06-20T17:55:00.000-07:00

Riding bikes to the newly renamed Cooley Law School Stadium (nee Oldsmobile Park) is one of our favorite evenings in the area, and judging from the crowded bike racks this last Thursday, we're not alone. We were running a little late, so we couldn't stop for a bite at one of the many delicious places to eat in the area. If you have the chance, check out Geno's Pizza, Michigan Brewing Company, or the Spotted Dog Cafe on Washington in the downtown area.

Luckily, the Rivertrail is in great shape right now, clear of flooding and well-maintained. We cruised along on our old Raleigh bikes, enjoying a leisurely sweatless ride in the humid heat.

It cooled off a bit as the sun went down and the Lugnuts battled to a loss extra innings. Still, it was another perfect Thirsty Thursday out in left field, and a great day to be in Lansing.

The case for wider tires

2010-06-08T08:35:00.000-07:00

More than any other component, a tire change can radically change the ride of a bicycle. A good road tire can make a bike feel lively, smooth out road vibrations, and speed up the rider, all at the same time. In contrast with the usual skinny high-pressure tires that come standard on road bikes, my experience tells me wide tires with fine tread and light casing have the best combination of speed, smoothness, and roadfeel.

Today, most manufacturers design modern road bikes so they do not accept a tire wider than 700x25c, with tight brake and seatstay clearance that also precludes fender mounting. This is fine for a race bike (though I'd argue room for 28mm tires would be beneficial there too), but a 23mm wide tire is really not ideal for commuting or multi-day rides. Those shopping for a road bike with this in mind would do well to check out brands like Surly, who make steel frames with clearance for wider tires, and cyclocross bikes, which are designed to fit up to 700x35c tires and typically have cantilever brakes. Many older steel bikes did have more clearance for wide tires and fenders, and if you feel like it, a tight frame can get more clearance when converted to the 650b wheel size, which you can read about here.

Even experienced cyclists will repeat the fallacy that skinny tires are faster than wide tires, but tests at Bicycle Quarterly have shown that on imperfect surfaces like, say, Lansing's roads, a well-made ~30mm tire is actually fastest. The reason for this is that the cyclist loses a fair amount of speed to the road vibration that occurs with these narrower tires. Above 30mm, tires typically cannot hold the high pressures that fast road riding requires and tires get heavier, and so speed again starts to fall off, but with an increase in plushness.

A high-quality tire at this width can ride like a dream, and some of the best come from Japan's Grand Bois. They specialize in the 650b wheel diameter, which falls about halfway between 26" and 700c wheels, which no major manufacturer that I can think of supports, but there has been a recent resurgence of interest in thanks in part to companies like Rivendell, Grand Bois, and many custom framebuilders. My wife has been riding on a 650b-converted Trek 560 shod with Grand Bois Cypres 30mm tires for a couple years now, and has nothing but positive things to say about them, and these tires are also available in a more conventional 700cx30 size. The 42mm wide Grand Bois Hetre tires have also proven to be a good combination of speed, comfort, and feel. My friends kid me that I'm riding my beach cruiser when I put the Hetres on my Rawland Sogn, but the tires feel and ride great, plain and simple.

High-end tires like those made by Grand Bois and Challenge are not cheap, running at times well above $100 for a pair, and while folks have shown they are willing to shell out big bucks for a wheelset, pedals, and the like, tires are often a component that people feel they can spend less on. Panaracer's Pasela and Schwalbe's Marathon tires are some of the more moderately priced entries on the market and are available in a wide variety of sizes. These tires come in kevlar-belted varieties for puncture-protection, but in my experience these Kevlar belts actually produce a stiffer ride, and do not provide enough puncture protection to make the trade-off worthwhile.

Depth of Field: Don't Overdo It!

2010-05-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

Taken with my Polaroid 110a at f/4.7

For good or bad, shallow depth of field is the attribute of a photograph that typically strikes a viewer as a quality of professional photography. It is also the subject I'm asked most about by lay photographers. I have seen many uses of shallow depth of field when it's inappropriate, and many budding photographers overuse the hell out of it once they figure out what it is, and how to produce it.

First, "depth of field" is a measure of how much of a photograph is in focus from near to far. Shallow depth of field is produced when the focus point is in focus, and that's about it, while deep depth is produced when essentially everything is in focus. It can be affected by many different things: lens aperture, lens focal length, isolation of subject from background, focal distance, and negative or sensor size.

Essentially, depth of field is at its shallowest when the subject is nearer to the camera, the aperture is set wider than say f/2.8, the lens is about 85e or longer, and the camera has a large negative size. Of these factors, one that seems to play a huge role is sensor or negative size; a large negative will always carry a shallower depth of field. This is why you can't get that background to go out of focus on your point and shoot digital camera, even with a wide open aperture. Really, if you want shallow depth of field, the simplest way to get it is to pick up a cheap 1970s mechanical film SLR with a 50mm f/1.8 lens, and go to town.

Sensor/negative size comparison chart

Aperture is important, sure, but a large negative size will prevail over a narrow aperture in many situations. My Polaroid SX-70 has an effective negative size of 3x3 inches, putting it squarely in medium format territory. Its maximum aperture is only f/8.8, but even as such it has a nice shallow depth of field in many situations:

As I mentioned earlier, shallow depth of field is easy to abuse once you know how to use it. If you want to isolate a subject from a background, it's wonderful; if you would like to take a photo of an object receding into the distance, not so much usually. It's also easy to overdo it at a certain point, where your subject is not necessarily entirely in focus, which can become distracting. You can also miss out on a lot of interesting background images if you become too obsessed with shallow depth of field. Finally, I tend to notice that modern lenses, with their ultra-sharp plane of focus, can produce rather ugly effects as focus falls off and the background becomes blurred.

Here are some of my favorites from others and myself:

(Mine - Tilted film plane adds makes the depth even shallower )

One of Lou O'Bedlam's many awesome portraits.

Some of my friend Andy's amazing work with the old Kodak Aero-Ektar lens.

Finally, though I don't show his work in this post, I also highly recommend checking out the photos of Jonathan Hillhouse. His depth of field usage is often incredible.

Ride of Silence

2010-05-23T15:07:00.000-07:00

This past Wednesday was the annual Ride of Silence in North America. If you're not familiar, the Ride of Silence is a slow group ride to remember those cyclists who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways. If you are interested in finding a ride near you for next year, check out this link.

I took along my Polaroid SX-70 and took some of the last 600 film I have access to.

Happy Polaroid Week!

2010-05-04T04:35:00.000-07:00

This Monday through Friday mark the spring Polaroid week on Flickr, where instant photographers post lots of incredible photos to a group pool to show how distinct and versatile that medium is. People always ask me, "What kind of camera is your favorite?" and my answer always has to be Polaroid, strange as that may seem. There are many reasons for this - my first real camera was a Polaroid SX-70, inherited from my grandfather. Also, I have many fond memories of Polaroids from my youth, when we would go fishing, or at a birthday party. When I got into film photography again, the Polaroid was there for me - easy to scan, instant results, and incredible colors.

But more than that, Polaroid made some very interesting film and cameras. The SX-70 is in my opinion the greatest camera ever made. It's an SLR that folds completely flat and is easy to carry, has a great lens that focuses down to 10 inches, and for the first time a camera developed prints before your very eyes, in daylight no less. It has the ability to amaze everyone from children to ol pro photographers. The film has that unique Polaroid look to it, with faded colors, development abnormalities, and an overall glow. There are photoshop actions that mimic it, but nothing ever gets it quite right.

So whenever Polaroid week comes around, it reminds me to shoot up the remaining film stock that I have, and to enjoy those cameras once more. The film I love is gone for good - Polaroid quite making Time-Zero, 600, 669 and all the rest a couple years ago. Thankfully I can stock up on the equivalent Fuji films for my old packfilm warhorse, and for the SX-70, the Impossible Project is doing some remarkable work bringing new filmstocks to the market. I personally can't wait to try their black and white 600 version of the new Silver Shade films. \

Here are some of my favorite Lansing-themed Polaroids:

Golden Harvest

JJ Live Here

Mt Hope Cemetery