Late night noms

I was feeling a bit hungry, so I looked into the fridge to find that there were some beans left in fridge from earlier today. Awesome! Anyways, I thought I might try experimenting with a little different editing style today. I'm finding that it's often easier to convey a certain message in a photograph is post production. Of course, composition is no. 1 for sure, but editing helps. I wanna go try this out on a few more photos later and see what I can come up with.

Graduated?

It's been several months since I graduated from Windsor Secondary. Months. What's up with that? I'm only starting to grasp the scale of everything going on. I'm no longer just some high school student. On the other hand, I'm still a kid in many adults' eyes. I'm not currently in school, but I think I'd like to be. After working several days a week, I'm starting to get an idea of what "work" is. Sure it's not the typical office job, Monday to Friday from 9-5, but it's starting to feel like it. I'm just realizing how important it is to cherish the time we have to ourselves. If you've got the day off, don't spend it sitting in front of your computer reading useless crap. Go do something!

Mountaintop

Another sunny day, how fortunate! I was out with my camera today and saw the sun shining of the side on the mountain. I always liked how you could see different parts of mountains depending on what angle the sun strikes it at. If you look at this photo, you can see all the little trees on the top of the mountain. Only thing is, they aren't so tiny when you get up close lol

Greeeeaaat

So, there's a big hole in the roof of our basement. Long story short, some pipe didn't work the way it was supposed to, and there was water everywhere. I was at work when this all went down, so I guess I missed out on all the action. It's been this way since Saturday night, but I had considered not taking a photo of it.

But then it hit me, this blog isn't just some place where I post photos. It's a record of what I've been doing for this past year. So long as the internet doesn't just, you know, end, I'll be able to look back at this and remember what my life was like when I was 18 years old. Cool story bro.

Droplets

Yesterday was nice, but today really felt like the North Vancouver I know. It was just kinda rainy and cloudy all day. Though it might not sound too glamorous, it's what we're all used to lol. I went out and took this photo in my backyard when I saw the little droplets of water. You know, the first thing that came to mind when I saw these droplets was this video I saw a while back. I swear I've watched that video at least a dozen times by now haha

Green and Brown

So it's currently pouring rain outside, but it was super nice out earlier today. I went out for a walk with my camera and realized how much had changed already. The leaves are just so vibrant with colours and its awesome. I also got some ideas for some future photo projects I'll do later on, so that should be good.

Come to papa!

So today was a little hectic, but in the end a few of us got together for a nice dinner. We went to that restaurant on the second floor of Lonsdale Quay called the Cheshire Cheese. It was my first time there, and I was quite impressed. The food was pretty good but more importantly, the atmosphere was just right. We were seated in this little alcove in the back of the restaurant and everything was just right. It was a little cold and wet outside, so it made the place seem so much warmer in contrast. I'm deffs looking forward to coming back form some brunch or something lol

Memories

I'm trying to put together a portfolio of my best images, and it's been quite interesting so far. As I looked through the thousands of images on my computer, I found myself stopping to admire the most unusual photos. From a technical standpoint, they're not all that impressive, but they stood out to me at least. I imagine this whole process will take quite a while to complete haha.

Dissapointment, acceptance to come later

So as I learned this morning, something very interesting happened today. Basically a full moon appeared in the sky at the same time as the sun was setting, on the day summer ends. It's a very rare combination, and I was ready to go photograph it. I knew that I had to get out somewhere where I could see the moon while it was still quite low, so I got a ride up Mt Seymour. And this is where I wanna just smack myself. See, I had the perfect chance to get the perfect photo of the moon. It was absolutely b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l. And on top of that, it was perfectly visible, and was perfectly framed between the road and the houses on either side of the road. But no, I was somehow convinced that I would get a better shot from the mountain.

I didn't.

It's been a long time since I've felt this much regret for making one little mistake. Usually I just brush it off and move on with life, but I'm having a lot of trouble this time. I just can't let go of the fact that I could've gotten the shot. Not just any shot, the shot. But yeah, when I got up there, I tried a few shots, but nothing really stood out. So I just got a nice panorama and it turned out alright I guess. I'm still super bummed out though.

New tricks

As I was heading out to band practice tonight, the moon caught my attention. It was just beginning to show and looked really sweet. Now I didn't have the time to get my tripod set up before leaving, so I decided to try out a new technique I learned recently. Basically when it's dark out, it's easier to get blurry photos. So to counteract this, you gotta get a tripod or hold your camera real steady. The technique I tried was to put on the neck strap, and pull the camera as far away from your face as possible. Doing so will increase the tension in the neck strap, providing extra stability. It's not perfect, but it certainly helps.

Tomato

There's a interesting story behind this tomato here. Well, it's not that interesting, but whatevs. Anyways, it started out as a tomato on my one of my mom's tomato plants, but it fell off prematurely. So it's been sitting here on the window sill for a week or so, and now it's looking pretty red and delicious. Originally I took this photo to show a friend who saw the tomato when it was still green and was doubtful that it would mature properly. Now what the part that makes me think is that most tomatoes available in stores are picked prematurely and develop on the way to their destination. They might look fresh when you see them on shelves, but they would be so much tastier if they had been picked ripe. So um yeah, that's my little story lol

For science!

Well, I guess it's more for my own needs. I got a new phone and it has served me quite well so far. From all the phones available through Fido, this one came out to be the best choice for me. As much as I would love to have an iPhone 4, it would not be a viable option at this point. It would cost me over $700 because I'm already on a 2 year contract, and it's also very rarely in stock. So I just went with a good ol' Nokia flip phone. Not the fastest or smartest by any means, but it gets the job done well. On top of that, Nokia flip phones are known to be quite indestructible, so I'm hoping that this phone will last me the for the rest of my contract.

Oh and in case anybody is wondering, I'm calling my new phone from my house phone in order to drain the battery. Gotta make sure I calibrate the battery :P

Peaches

I've got a strange fascination for crunchy foods that usually aren't enjoyed crunchy. Take this peach for example. Most people like a nice soft, juicy peach. But I like mine to be well, crunchy lol. Today I just thought I would try to capture sound in a photo. Actually, this could make for an interesting future project....good idea Kinta...

Slow Mo

Today I was out with some friends, and I remembered a little technique I read about a while back. Basically you get your subject to shake their head like crazy, while you shoot photos at a really fast shutter speed. The idea is that you get some crazy and sometimes unexpected results in the end. Anyways, I looked through the shots and thought this one was kinda neat. Did a bit of editing and bob's your uncle.

Tasty

This has to be one of my favourite things about coming from a Japanese family, okonomiyaki. I don't really know how to describe it aside from saying that it's made of cabbage, eggs, and thinly sliced meat. Trust me, it tastes a lot better than it sounds lol. But yeah, I had an interesting day. I had planned on biking to Cap Mall to get my new phone. But when I got there, it wasn't in stock. So I got back on my bike and went to Park Royal and got it there. I then biked back home to take a shower and grab a bite to eat before heading out for a closing shift. I came home from work, ate this beauty, and then started this post. I really should go to bed son, as I have work again tomorrow morning haha

Your time is near

The phone I hold in my hand is failing me. The screen is all distorted, the top directional button doesn't work, and the screen often turns off unexpectedly. Of course, it's faults are only the result of my actions, but the fact remains that this phone is incapable of performing the tasks I need it to. When it comes to cell phones for me, I'll take functionality over features any day. I'm just really really picky about my phone.

Basically, I need a phone where I don't need to access the menu to get to the things I need on a daily basis. Things like composing a new message, contacts, calculator, calendar, and inbox. I need a phone that doesn't have a limit to the number of messages stored in the inbox. I also need to have a phone that never lags behind my actions. I need to be able to open my phone, text someone, and close it within 5 seconds or so. It's not that I'm so busy that I can't use a slow phone, it's just about my standards of what my phone should be able to do.

TL;DR - my phone is almost broken and I want a new one.

Jackfruit!

You know, I simply love jackfruit. I opened up a can today, and they are just delicious. I'll be looking forward to have some more tomorrow too. The only thing that upsets me is that I've never been able to find them raw. For that matter, I've only ever eaten raw jackfruit once in my whole life. What's up with that? But yeah, I'm hoping that I'll be able to find some. And when I do, it will be a glorious day

Strangers?

Ha! Another photo challenge done! This time the task was to take 10 photos of 10 strangers. So I set my alarm, and bussed down to Deep Cove. I then walked around with camera in hand, and just asked people if I could take their photo for a photo project. I got a lot of rejections, but it felt damn good when people said yes. In all honesty, I was freaked out at first. I just didn't have the balls to ask people. But by the end of the project, I felt totally fine with asking anyone.

It took a lot of time and effort, but it was very rewarding. I'm thinking I'll try for 100 strangers next time :P

Oh boy....

I've got the day off tomorrow, so I'll be going out to do another photography challenge/project. I won't say what it is, but I will say that I'm quite anxious right now. I don't know how it's going to turn out, but I'm not going to let that stop me. Anyways, I need some sleep, so I'm just going to stop here. Wish me luck :P

Amateur

So for quite some time now, I've been thinking about actually learning to play the guitar. I've even got a guitar sitting in my room, I just never got around to it. but hey, since I got so much time on my hands now, why not give it a shot. I found this old book too so that should be helpful to some extent. The rest is up to me and the internet. But more than anything, I'm remembering just how much of a pain the F major chord is haha

Just one

Today I went out to visit some friends after coming home from work. I gotta say, it feels good to come home after an 8 hour shift. It feels, not-so-good knowing that you gotta work another 8hour shift the next day lol. But I digress. Before leaving I picked up my camera, not knowing what to expect. I haven't been taking my camera with me as much as I think I should be. I mean, most books, websites, or even seasoned professions say that you should never be without your camera. I guess the important thing is to be ready for any moment that might present itself, instead of aiming to find something interesting to shoot.

Box of Awesome

So today I went out with a friend to Park Royal. It's been a while since I've just gone around, looking at stuff. The last time I went was to pick up the new desk lol. But yeah, it was fun. Along the way, we stopped for a bite to eat and before we left, I picked up some of these little meringues. I just find them so delicious.

Now as I was editing this photo, I realized how much better I could've done. I mean, this photo isn't all that great. Sure the subject matter is interesting, but from a technical standpoint, this photo is pretty bad. I'm thinking I really need to take this whole taking a photo everyday thing more seriously. It'll take more work, but I'll be much more satisfied at the end of the day.

Alphabet!

So today I finally did one of those projects I was talking about before. You know, where I took a photo of something representing a letter of the alphabet. It was actually a lot of fun. I just went out to Vancouver with my camera, and walked around taking photos of each letter. I took all the photos in order, so that I could keep track easier, and so that the album would be a linear journey through Vancouver. After I got home, I first sorted through the photos, then started editing each photo. After that, I decided to try adding text to the photos. Although I've never really worked with text in my photos, I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome :D

Also, the album can be found here

Yeah, that's a microwave oven

Amazingly enough, it still works great. Basically, you put in your food, close the door, and turn the dial. That's it.

Anyways, I was a little hungry tonight after coming home from band practice. I joined the North Shore Concert Band and went to the first rehearsal of the year. I actually had a ton of fun. It's been a loooong time since I've played with a band, and these guys are damn good. I tell ya, there's no time to be slacking off. For the first time in years, I gotta practice my music for band haha

Mountaintops

As I was taking this photo, I couldn't help but feel like I was flying over a huge mountain range. And then I started thinking about those old Kraft commercials. I can't believe I managed to find that video online lol. Anyways, I just thought it was kinda neat. On a related note, the watermelon was quite delicious, especially considering that it's September :P

Filmtastic

So today I got some film developed. See, I took my film camera for that epic bike ride, so I got some really epic photos too. I think this was the first time I was legitimately excited to get a roll of film developed. I mean the first time, it was more of just an experiment and was just cool because I'd never done it before. But this time, I was in charge of creating physical representations of memories from a very special day. For whatever reason, these photos seem so much more intimate and real than anything I've ever done with my digital camera…or should I say, KINTIMATE

YEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Nah but seriously, if someone had asked me a few weeks ago to choose between film and digital, I would've said digital in a heartbeat. Now I'm not so sure. I've got a lot more technical control and convenience when shooting digital. Before I just thought that I could capture the same event with either film or digital and basically come out with the same result. But everything has changed, and there's quite a lot of excitement within the unknown.

Korea!

Today was actually quite eventful. I worked for the first time in almost three months. It felt a little weird, but I got right back into it after an hour or so. But more importantly, I went out to dinner with some friends afterwards. See, this one lucky fellow had spent the past few months in Korea and just got back. We had some interesting discussions, one of which dealt with friendship. As I have mentioned before, your closest friends become truly apparent after high school. I'm just glad that I got someone I can count on :P

Awww Yeah

Oh man, today was a good day. A few of us went out to Vancouver and rented two tandem bikes and went for an epic bike ride. I've always wanted to try riding a tandem bicycle, and it was quite a lot of fun. Basically we went around Stanley Park, had lunch in Vancouver, then biked down to English Bay. From there we went all the way around False Creek all the way past Science World, and ended up at Granville Island. I did this exact same route last year, and I'm thinking this year was even better.

Lastly, that delicious looking pastry is grape bread that I brought home from Granville Island. I could just eat that all day long lol

Barely Operational

So today I finally finished my desk. Hurray!…except my room is still a huge mess. I mean, it's looking better than before, but it still looks awful. I got all my computer stuff hooked up so I can do everything I need to do, it's just very inefficient at the moment. The desk itself is pretty nice. The only thing I don't like is that the drawer is pretty low, so I can't tuck my chair in all the way without bringing it down quite a bit. A bit of an inconvenience, but I'm sure I'll be able to find a solution eventually. Anyways, I'll post another photo once everything is all done. Shouldn't be long now, right..?

iPods

So today Apple held one of their keynote presentations, and announced a whole bunch of new products. I read through all the details provided by Apple. I even read through some of the "hands on" impressions from various sources. To me, this is pretty normal behaviour, as I've been doing it for the past 4-5 years. And in a week or so, all of my non-geeky friends will be talking about the new iPods.

Thing is, I used to get super excited anytime Apple announced new products. I guess I still do, but not nearly as much as I used to. What's really bothering me is how arrogant I feel about these kinds of things. Now I can choose whether or not to be arrogant, but I can't change how I feel. They say a person's feelings can be influenced by their actions and vice-versa. If that's true, I better just shut my mouth.

But that wouldn't be right. I look through comments and discussion boards and it doesn't make things any better. I just see fellow geeks nitpicking at all the little flaws in the new products, and I can relate to most of them too.

If we live in such an accepting society, why am I afraid to express how I truly feel? Is it because I feel that I should uphold some standard of being a nice guy? Or maybe I'm just being a whiney brat. Maybe I'm I'm just worried that if I pick a side, I'll upset someone and they won't like me! Gasp!

The most rational answer I can come up with is that it's far too late and I'm far too tired to think rationally. Goodnight.