Feature Story

Dixie Idol


Since this technically started before D Week, it's something that can be portrayed separately.  :)

I was following and rooting for Mz Bee the whole ay through, and she ended up coming in 2nd!

Dixie Pageant Pt. 3: New D Queen!

This is a great shot of many former D Queens from years past - going all the way back to 1941! (That pre-America WWII) This shot was tough because of all the different light colors and intensities so some ladies are really red and others are washed out....

D Queen 2015 announced: Megan Church!

Love this shot of the hands together.

Dixie Pageant Part 2

Part two: The dresses.

Ms. Dixie Pageant

The first bit of the pageant was the intro dance, each contestant introducing themselves and and talent portion.

One thing i found was that shooting manual under these low-light circumstances brought be better results than on some of the auto modes that I tried. cool.

Too Much Tech... Take Two.

Are we overwhelmed with technology?

ISO: 6400, 29mm, f/4.5, 1/80sec


Physical: 
I moved the scene to my kitchen and draped a white bed sheet behind to simplify the background. I also took away a few gadgets; just a laptop, tablet, phone and it's hard to see but also my 3DS (Blue light). That helps the focus be on just myself and the tech and nothing else.

Psychological: 
All these devices supposedly increase productivity and yet I'm not using any of them and am bored on my phone.

Cultural:
We are all addicted to devices, especially since new ones and iterations are released so frequently.

Temporal:
So much technology is supposed to help us and yet we don't use it.






Bonus photos:

f/3.5, ISO 6400, shutter 1/80.

Shoot to Illustrate: Too Much Tech?

Are we overwhelmed with technology??

I got my first cell phone (Moto RAZR V3 flip phone) when I was 15 way way back in 2006. I also had a GameBoy. And that was it. I was satisfied. But now, with new iPhones, iPads, Galaxy's and everything else suffering new yearly releases, I'm pretty overwhelmed. 

(I tend to keep all my old stuff) 

I don't think it's a coincidence that with each new gadget I obtain there has been a drop in my productivity. It takes longer to upload and edit photos, write essays, play video games and watch movies, play music, surf the web... All of my devices can do all of those things.... so which do I use and for what tasks? I also have adhd which, in my case, makes it hard to commit to any one device, therefore nothing gets done until I can calm down and decide which gadget to use. (Latley, I've been sticking pretty close to my iPad and 3DS.)

I assume most other people don't keep every single old device, that might just be a Mayberry thing, but despite that, I think the whole world is suffering from this in some degree or another. At this point in time, moms and dads are buying in to the yearly updates and giving their "old" stuff to their kids... so now everyone from 3 to 18 seems to have an old iPod, iPhone or tablet. My, how times have changed. It has been proven that devices can distract (See New York Times article below for more info). That's what I wanted to take a picture of - and I can't think of anyone who had accumulated more tech than myself - So this is kind of  a self-portrait.

ISO: 3200, 20mm, f/3.5, Shutter: 1/50

Featuring my iMac and it's second monitor, MacBook Pro, iPad mini 2, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5s, Nintendo 3DS and my iPod classic.

I'm editing photos, reading email, logging onto Netflix, playing iTunes, Super Smash Bros, more music from the iPod, watching YouTube on the iPad and editing important school essays on the MacBook.  WHEW! too much to do. I think I'll take a break and check my FaceBook, Twitter, Pintrist and text messages.

Further reading:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/30/opinion/can-students-have-too-much-tech.html?_r=0

BONUS PHOTOS!!!

I used a home-made light to light the scene.

BREAKING! THIS JUST IN

Not really, but this is my first story post. I was excited to try out the new polarizing filter I just bought, and hurried out to Hurricane to document the bizzare bronze cow structure. (Lets hope Moses doesn't see this one...) I whipped out my DSLR when only to discover the left the SD card in my computer at home. Crap.

So this post is a bit of a cheat - it's with my iPhone 5S' camera, which  is fine, except when I needed to zoom in. Yuck. Full-auto here we go!

ISO: 32 - f/: 2.2 - shutter:  1/2,740

The Bull in question. you can see a flood light conveniently placed and directed toward the testicles for all to see when the sun goes down.

 ISO: 32 - f/: 2.2 - shutter:  1/3,165

The Restaurant. I am actually curious to taste their steak and seafood. Maybe someday.

ISO: 32 - f/: 2.2 - shutter:  1/3,425

Lions and tigers and bulls? The bull kind of fits in with the neighbor to the south: Hurricane High School, and it's mascot the tiger. 

ISO: 32 - f/: 2.2 - shutter:  1/4,566 

The neighbors to the east seem quite bland and tame in comparison. 

ISO: 32 - f/: 2.2 - shutter:  1/2,564

Will this restaurant ever fit in? Well, actually, their westward neighbors seem to sync with them very nicely. If the testes ever have to go, look no further then the Vet next door.

BONUS PHOTOS!

Two extremes in one photo: the bull and Hurricane's own 'H'. (Cropped for dramatic effect) This photo would be extra awesome if the cow and the 'H' were swapped to be on the opposite sides. (left wing vs right wing).

No matter what happens with this bull, we will always have Molly's Nipple close by. 

(Seen to the far left).

Update March 28: it's gone!!!