"The camera captures light, our minds capture images." - 365 Project, Day 304

My thoughts don't seem to want to be written down today, so I won't write anything down.

Frank

His note: Found the fisheye lens function on my camera.  I guess it pays to read the manual.

Shannon

Her note: This is so good on a day like today.

(For those who aren't here, it was quite cold today.)

My shot

I didn't really have much to shoot, but I did like the shadow on the snow more than the actual sign.  I don't really know if it's supposed to mean anything, considering there's nothing to yield to, or nothing yielding, but it looks kind of pretty.

I will be quite tired tomorrow.

"Any good photograph is a successful synthesis of technique and art." - 365 Project, Day 303

Considering we're now past day 300 into this project, I've put up almost 950 pictures in my Flickr account, which I find pretty impressive.  I also found it interesting that if I don't post for a few days, my view count slowly goes down, whereas when I do post regularly, it's pretty stable.  I wonder how (and if) Flickr rewards active members of its site?

I wonder if we'll be rewarded for this.

Frank

His note: I knew snow came in white but didn't know it also came in green.

Pat

It was my buddy's son's birthday party today and one of the trillion toys he got (being 2 years old) is a set of duplo blocks.  Someone at the party figured it would be a nice idea to build a castle out of these things and this is the result, along with another friend.  The castle was easily about 7 feet tall, to give you an idea of how many blocks the castle needed.

Tomorrow will be tomorrow.

"Saturate yourself with your subject and the camera will all but take you by the hand." - 365 Project, Day 302

One more day where I won't be writing anything and use the excuse that the pictures will talk for me.

The title is also doing part of the talking for me.

Frank

His note: Methinks this looks like a cartoon owl?  It's amazing how one can capture the lookalike images of animals where we least expect them.

Shannon

Her note: Oh, Mother Nature...

My shot

I've taken too many pictures in and around this very spot.  In any case, these two were walking to the bus stop and I just happened to catch them.  There wasn't much going on today.

Tomorrow should be more talkative.

"There is no such thing as a bad assignment, only bad photographers." - 365 Project, Day 301

Today was a very long day and by the end of it I was, well, tired.  Once again, the pictures will do the talking, as will the notes about them.

Here's what we have.

Shannon

Her note: Now that's illegal parking.

My stuff

On my way back home, I saw this little girl running up to the top of a tiny hill in a park and do a snow angel. It was pretty adorable, given how little snow we've had.  The first heavy snowfall we've had was, quite honestly, on Christmas Day.  In any case, I really tried to get her angel, but by the time I grabbed my camera and ran back to the spot, it got darker and this is the best I got.  It's not really that dark, but the best way to notice the snow angel was to darken the picture and boost the contrast and black levels.

Not Boxing Day is next.

"The photojournalist’s job is a simple one.... To create a still image, iconic and truthful, that can replace a thousand words." - 365 Project, Day 300

I don't really have much to say today.  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Frank

His note: MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...

My photo

I simply took a picture of an angel on top of the tree, because it's probably one of those most iconic things about Christmas that's also pretty photogenic, and not overly cheesy.

Boxing Day is tomorrow.  You know what that means for shopping if you're Canadian.

"Composite portraits are absolute quackery! What next, composite landscapes?" - 365 Project, Day 299

I had a thought.  I find it interesting that cameras are getting cheaper and cheaper, yet people's expectations are getting bigger and bigger.  True, technology is getting better, but with the prices getting lower and lower, quality in parts diminishes somewhat, as does materials used in, say, lenses and bodies.  It's funny to know that, if this trend keeps going, people will want medium format quality and clarity inside a cell phone.

Here's what we took with our equipment.


Frank

His note: A birthday gift from a lady friend, what a sweetheart and what a great subject.

Shannon

Her note: Great snack for Christmas Eve.

My shot

On my way home I caught this sight: a completely clear sky, which has been somewhat of a rarity in the past few weeks.  You can also probably tell that it's -20 Celsius, or perhaps not.

Next is next.

"Photography, the universal language that transcends all cultures, all eras." - 365 Project, Day 298

For some reason, I'm alone today, which is a bit ironic considering my picture is of a friend.  In any case, it's been a few days I've posted because of work and life, but here's the next shot in the project.

My picture for today

I was at my friend's place for dinner and drinks and he decided to make a fire just for fun.  I caught this moment where he looks pretty pensive.

What's next?

"No good photograph was ever made in the middle of the day." - 365 Project, Day 297

I suppose there could be a few different reasons for this statement to be true.  I also suppose there could be a few different reasons for this statement to be false, as well.  Well, I'll leave it at that, considering most of the pictures I've been taking for the better part of a month are either very early or in the evening.

Frank

His note: Took this photo off of a puddle in a parking lot.  It looked interesting at the time.

Shannon

Her note: Had to try these and I love them.

My picture

All these people are waiting for the bus.  I walk down this street every time I walk downtown and there are always the same number of people waiting for the bus.  I wanted to capture the anticipation and impatience.  I don't know if I got those, though.  It probably would have worked better if I'd photographed these people from the front, to see their faces.  In any case, it's surprising Ottawa doesn't have a subway system yet.

One last work day before I have a couple of days off.  We'll see how it goes.  I'll just ask you guys to wish me luck.

"Never show a customer two prints of different density. He will ask you to print a third with a density between the two." - 365 Project, Day 296

Anybody that has ever worked retail can understand the meaning behind this sentence.  That's all I'll say.

Here are our pictures.

Frank

His note: Simply black.

Shannon

Her note: Three more nights before he makes his rounds.

My photo

Strange Ottawa weather reared its head again, and the day had nothing but precipitation, ending with freezing rain.  These three were working on getting these cars down for a dealership.  It was pretty slippery outside (which is generally what happens with freezing rain) and I'm wondering how much longer it took them to finish their job, considering it took me about 30% longer to get home than usual.

Onto tomorrow, head first.

"If you can't make it better make it bigger." - 365 Project, Day 295

One of my co-workers (who, incidentally isn't currently a co-worker) bought himself a nice, big SLR with a good lens because he wanted to learn photography.  His plan included taking pictures of things so he could blow them up and put them on his wall.  I don't talk to him too much anymore (because he's not currently a co-worker and all), so I'm not sure how his endeavour is turning out, but he had the right idea.

If you can't make it completely sharp, take a second picture and make every overly-fuzzy, which will give the picture a dreamy feel.

Here are our dreams.

Frank

His note: A little trickery with the silhouette of a tree, playing with saturation and hues.  Should have been part of the Halloween collection.

Shannon

Her note: Couldn't resist taking this picture of my brother's dog.

Myself

Again, walking to work, this same type of scene showed up.  I couldn't help myself.  The black and white makes it more somber, as if it's in the middle of the night.  It's actually early morning, and the lonely person is walking wherever he's going.

I should have a more interesting picture tomorrow.  I have plans.  (In that, I'm planning on doing something, and not I have plans to do something with someone else or someones else.)

"I found the best light in the dark." - 365 Project, Day 294

I remember reading 'Fear', by L. Ron Hubbard (yes, that L. Ron Hubbard) and one bit of imagery that stuck with me was something along the lines of a door being opened, and instead of a sliver of light coming through, a sliver of shadow shone through.  It's really a bit of reading that I enjoyed, especially that one descriptive line.  As such, I'm enjoying the dark in my photographs, except, of course, for today's.

Frank

His note: An exercise in texture.

Shannon

Her note: Mmm, so yummy.

My picture

My note: I'm outside when it's not dark in the past couple of days so I'm showing it off in my photographs.  Oddly enough, it's not getting colder.  It ended up raining a bit, with nice reflections on the streets.  This is not the type of weather we're used to here at this time of year.

What's going to happen next?

"Stop babbling and just take good pictures." - 365 Project, Day 293

Nothing to say today, really.  I suppose I can let the pictures speak for themselves.

Frank

His note: Oil spots everywhere make for interesting patterns.  Not sure what it looks like but perhaps a polar bear?

Pat

My note: I was messing around with the Super Macro setting of the Fuji X10.  It's not true 1:1 macro, but I was about 1 or 2 cm away, which is pretty impressive.  (I've seen some cameras go closer, but I'm not that picky for macro given how little I use it.)

I'm not sure about tomorrow.  We'll see how it goes tomorrow.

"A photographer strives to be fully aware of every moment and to be one with all others every moment." - 365 Project, Day 292

It got real cold real quick.  Two days ago, we were basking in record 10 degrees Celsius, but today I was walking home in -10 degree weather.  I am not going to complain, as the later the winter starts, the later it will end.  I remember earlier this year and, though will not enjoy this cold weather, will at least appreciate it in some small way.

Here are our shots for the day.

Frank

His note: A new door being installed at the drug store.

Shannon

Her note: This is a 2-pack of half-pound Reese peanut butter cups.

Pat

I haven't really seen much of the sun in December, and this is basically what I'm seeing now as I leave work.  It looks nice, though, even if I don't see it too much.

I'm off tomorrow and I will enjoy this day.

"My camera has helped to give me insight to truth. It has helped me to understand that change is wonderful and beneficial." - 365 Project, Day 291

The more I use this Fuji X10, the more I like it.  I'm learning its quirks.  By the same token, the more I use different cameras, the more I enjoy photography.  It shows me what technology can do and it forces me to re-evaluate how to take pictures.  It shows me people doing different things and shows me that the world can be viewed in different angles.

It also allows me to record what the world looks like for short moments at a time to later compare both how the world has changed and how I have changed, as well.

Here's our daily dose of non-celluloid photography.

Frank

His note: Which one shall I buy?

Shannon

Her note: My brother's dog with a stuffed toy fish in his mouth.

Me

Another street shot, of this lady going to work, probably.  Who knows?  I woke up before 4am today and couldn't go back to sleep, so I went outside to take pictures, but the rain, humidity and wind made taking pictures somewhat unpleasant.  By the time it was time to go to work, the rain had stopped, though everything was still wet, like you can see.

I will definitely try to keep up with posts over the next week, so the result may be very short posts.  I don't know how much free time I'll have, but worst comes to worst, I'll post four or five in a day with only pictures and not much talk.

"Anyone can take a picture...a person with a passion sees the picture before it's taken." - 365 Project, Day 290

I could easily walk around all day and take pictures like the one I took today.  There's something about street photography that's always new and different and interesting.  It's challenging (especially when learning the quirks of a new camera) and forces to try to get better.

There are a lot of moments I see that I didn't get, but at least I see them, because every now and them, I am able to get them immortalised.

Here's our passion for the day.

Frank

His note: One of my old cameras.

Shannon

Her note: Watching my soap, "Days of Our Lives".

Myself

When I bring my 7D to my eye to take a picture, I know exactly what I'll see through the viewfinder looking through the 17-40mm lens.  I've taken so many shots with it, I know what I need to do to get the shot I want.  It was the same thing when I had my S95.  Shooting with the Fuji X10 is different, partly because I'm not too sure about the field of view is, and partly because using manual zoom with a screen (as opposed to a motorised zoom and a screen, or a manual zoom with a viewfinder) is a bit of a strange experience.  I still managed to get shots I like, though, like this one.

I will probably have a very crappy picture tomorrow.  I will get into why tomorrow.

"Let's go in the darkroom and see what develops." - 365 Project, Day 289

I've had a day or two to play with the Fuji X10 and I've found the colours to be pretty bright out of the RAW files compared to those of the Canon cameras I've had (XSi, S95 and 7D).  As such, I don't have to add as much saturation or contrast to have them look accurate to the scenes appeared to my eyes.

This is, well, different.  It's not better or worse, it's just different.  It's also to be expected, given the different sensor, processor and lens.  So far, I'm liking the results.

Here are the results, though my picture today is black and white.

Frank

His note: Cool image from my new Boxee Box.

Shannon

Her note: Frosty the Snowman.

Pat

I went climbing with a few friends (and, by the way, 24 hours later my arms are still killing me) and a couple of them are experienced paddlers.  After climbing, at a pub (as you can probably tell from the shot), one of them was trying to convince the newbie to go down the rapids/falls at Hog's Back in Ottawa, which, apparently, if you're new to paddling, is a daunting task, especially after a rainfall, like tonight.

Tomorrow will have a short post, I think.

"Photography must soon become in fact what it is destined to be: the world’s hobby and the world’s helper – universal in usefulness and pleasure-giving." - 365 Project, Day 288

I haven't taken many pictures during the day recently (apart from my sojourn in Tremblant) simply because I don't usually see the sun.  I wake up before it shows its face and scuttles away before I finish work.  That may seem like a long time, but when the the sun is only around for 8 hours, it's not that long.

In any case, I like taking pictures during the evening or the night, but if a nice picture pops up during the day, then I won't miss that chance.  I wonder photographers have a preference to shoot during one time of the day or another, or if it's spread throughout the day.  Some prefer magic hour during dawn or dusk when the sun is at the right angle, but some may not want that look.  I guess it depends on what you want to shoot.

Do these reflect our penchant for any particular thing?

Frank

His note: Great birthday gift!  Thanks Pat and the family!

Shannon

Her note: He stopped to pose for his picture.

My picture

Mao seemed interested in the gifts, but probably not in the same way that my father and brother's girlfriend were.  Mao ended up getting her way and toppling them over to see what was inside them.

I will try to have a day picture tomorrow.

"A beauty to behold, the Fuji X10 combines the charm and aesthetic appeal of cameras from a bygone era with groundbreaking imaging technologies and intuitive operability." - 365 Project, Day 287

This line comes from the Fuji website.  As such, here's a very quick first impression of the Fujifilm X10.

Start with the cons:
- the viewfinder is pretty useless, which is very disappointing.  A) there's no sensor so the screen doesn't turn off when you look through the viewfinder, like in DSLRs.  B) you can turn off the back screen, but if you do that, you can't see any of the settings because it's an optical viewfinder and no has information at all.  C) this is not an issue on the auto modes but completely useless in the manual mode, which is what I prefer.
- manual focusing mode only works through the screen, because the viewfinder doesn't let you know what's in focus.
- the top ISO is 12800, which is impressive, but you can only take 3MP pictures at that ISO.  The highest ISO that utilises the full 12MP is 3200.

Now with the pros:
- the camera feels hefty.  It doesn't feel loose or plastic-y at all.  It's solid from end to end and the slight extra weight over other compacts is very welcome.  You know where the money in this camera went.  Everything is either glass or very solid plastic.
- the panorama mode.  This is the one feature I miss the most from the Sony TX1 I used to have, and I've missed it a lot.  With the X10, you have the choice of 120, 180 and 360 degrees, which will hopefully prove useful.
- the super macro mode.  The camera says it can shoot things at as close as 1cm away.  I will definitely test out this claim.
- the ISO performance.  I've taken a few shots with this at ISO3200 and they look pretty nice.
- the manual zoom.  The battery is a tiny battery for the size of the camera (as far as I know, Fuji only uses one battery model (NP-50) for their cameras released in the past few years (that is, of course, except for their cameras using AA batteries, and the X100).  With manual zoom, there's no need for zoom motors, which eat up a lot of power.  The screen will use up most of the power, with only the buttons and processing handling the power use after that.

Things to figure out:
- the autofocusing speed.  I've heard opposing things from different people.
- battery life.  If I can only take 150 pictures before the battery burns out, it's going to be a bit of a challenge to use this camera.  Most batteries generally last about 200 pictures, or maybe more on bigger cameras (because they have bigger batteries.  I'm not expecting the 800-1000 I get on my 7D, but I'll be happy with 200-250 per charge.
- actual picture quality on this sensor.  I've had Sony and Canon before so I know how they perform.  Anybody can tell me anything about this camera but I still have to figure out if I like the pictures out of this Fuji camera.

All in all, apart from the viewfinder, I'm really happy right now, even as a first impression.  I'll put the camera through its paces over the next few days!

Here are our pictures.

Frank

His note: Something I have not used yet and the way it's going I may not have to!

Shannon

Her note: Another sunrise.

My picture

My frumpy shoes and I waiting for a friend finishing talking to a customer she was helping.  This is me also just goofing off with the camera and figuring out what it can do.  I'm liking this camera.  Even at ISO800, the noise is still pretty manageable and looks pretty film-like (though it seems the noise is a bit smaller than actual film grain).

We'll see how the x10 handles thing tomorrow.  I need to buy a faster card, because the class 4 that seemed to be find on my S95 is a bit sluggish on the x10.

PS.  How perfect is this.  I open up Lightroom, wondering how I'm ever going to edit the RAW files from the x10, and Lightroom is asking me if I want to download an update, which adds support for the x10!

"I hate photos. They speak too much." - 365 Project, Day 286

I'm not too chatty today so I won't jabber on about nothing.  Instead, I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves.

Frank

His note: Could not figure out what this stone structure was: an inukstuk, bones for a snowman, scarecrow?

Shannon

Her note: Went to a friends place and saw these letters and numbers.

Myself

True, I did shoot slightly underexposed to bring out the colours, but there's pretty much no post in this.  This is basically as it was shot.  Nature gives us nice colours, exposing its pretty side once in a while.

I'll say I'm not looking forward to the next week, but I'll see what turns out in the photographic side.