The Photography Kick

Photos
If you're following me on Twitter, you very well know that I post pictures ... a lot.

This has been in me for awhile, since I've been a kid actually. I've always had this need to record the world around me, originally limited by the physical object of film, but let loose when I got my first digital camera, a Sony Cybershot.

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No matter what, if I went somewhere distant, or just was in the mood, I had that camera on hand, and was taking shots of things. Sometimes plants around the house, sometimes of some family event, but it always found a way in.

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Like this shot (it's been PicPlz'd). I still remember taking that in April of '03, finding it while sitting in the passanger's seat while heading to Idaho, & swearing it looked like the XP wallpaper.

Anyway, photography has always been in my life in some form, toying around with cameras, most shots of not truly shareable quality in my book, but tied to memories unlike anything else I own.

So, circle this back to today, and my photography kick has a rebirth: Mostly365

Take a photo a day for an entire year and share it with the world. Simple, right?

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It started with a shoe & a want to improve. It's been followed by completing 103 of 177 days so far, 459 uploads to PicPlz, & just under 9800 photos taken.

It's something to truly rack your mind around. 9800 photos. That's ~82 a day.

The further I get into this project, the more optimistic I've become that my abilities are improving, but the more I find myself stuck at a brick wall for ideas.

Nonetheless, that photo bug still lives on. It's only June and I have around six months worth of photos left to take. How will I do it? No clue.

Filed under  //   personal   photography  
Posted June 27, 2011
 

What I Use: Winter 2011

So, why am I sharing what I use?

The main purpose of this is just to be objective. I have experience in what I use on a daily basis, and it builds what I believe in, will defend, and where my criticisms are formed from.

So, let's go...

Hardware at Home

Hardware on the Go

OSes

Software Used Regularly

Services Used Regularly [more detail @ Wakoopa]

Websites Visited Regularly

Also to note, I have regular weekly experience with Macs and OS X at the college I'm attending, and that includes using the Adobe suite on that hardware, plus the Safari browser.

So, what's what I use, what do you use?

*Also, I am going to take pictures, albeit likely slow, of what I use here

Filed under  //   personal   tech  
Posted March 30, 2011
 

Apple. Meh.

To be honest, the Apple routine has grown tired to me.

The presentations are one in the same, for products one in the same, and nothing ever changes. Look, it's the same thing, thinner, lighter, faster, and it puts that thing you bought last year out of date. It's the same tired UI that we've thrown so many darts at you can only imagine what comes next. It's the same tired numbers of thousands of apps that someone's apparently using.

It's revolutionary, it's magical, it's, oh shut up already.

Yes, I've never been in the Apple boat, but seriously, what is it people are looking for in these presentations anymore? The same horse and pony show happens every year, and the amazement is gone as Apple becomes as leaky as the next major corporation. They aren't the small company, they aren't the runner up, they are the top media company, probably top phone company, and it just seems like they can't play this game anymore.

Then, this is the thing that drives me nuts, STOP telling everyone they are an artist, seriously!

One of the quotes from today's iPad event was Steve saying "...anyone can make music now..." after the presentation of Garage Band, and you know what, NO. I'm sorry, but the ability to tap on a screen does not equal the years it takes to build up the ability to play an actual instrument, much less actually write music of any decent quality. I get it, everyone is hyped into the dream of being an artist, but stop feeding this lie. People should explore everything they are capable of, and some people need to come to accept that they will probably spend reality working on spreadsheets, sitting in a cubical doing something they are capable of.

I don't know, I'm heading off into a diatribe at this point, but seriously Apple, stop it.

*Oh, and Microsoft, again, where is your tablet?

 

Filed under  //   personal   tech  
Posted March 2, 2011
 

2010 Resolutions

So, the new year is finally here and I'm going to make myself a list of resolutions. While I may not achieve one or two of these, I'm actually quite hopeful for most of them, so let's begin...

  1. Lose remaining weight to 'healthy' per BMI, aka 25lbs Started
  2. Create one functional and working Windows Phone Application Started
  3. Create one functional and working Windows Application Started
  4. Raise my GPA in college to at least a 3.5 by years end
  5. Get a part time job
  6. Make a couple new friends Started
  7. Pursue more assistance this year at college  Started
  8. Finish comprehensive project of "Metro" application concepts Started

I may have a couple more, but I think that's the better part of my list for the year. With any luck, and a lot of determination, and I can definitely finish #1 at a very minimum, but at least half of these by July.

Anyway, Happy New Years to all, see you all later.

Filed under  //   life   personal  
Posted January 1, 2011
 

What I Use, Fall 2010

I thought I'd do a rundown of what I use on a daily basis, technology wise:
 
Computer
Gateway SX 2800-01 (Core 2 Quad 8200, ATI Radeon HD 5500 series, 1TB Western Digital Caviar Green WD10EARS)
 
Monitor
HP w2338h 23" Widescreen LCD @ 1920x1080
 
Keyboard
Microsoft Arc Keyboard
 
Mouse
Logitech Marble Mouse
 
MP3 Player
32GB Platinum ZuneHD
 
Camera
FujiFilm FinePix J100 (yes, very basic)
 
Speakers
Logitech X-530 5.1 Speakers
 
Netbook
HP Mini 1030NR
 
As for software, I'd direct you to my Wakoopa account which is located here: http://wakoopa.com/clindhartsen Also, for all of my gadgets, visit http://user.gdgt.com/clindhartsen/
 
So, that's what I use, what do you use? Reply via. Twitter, posts elsewhere, or what have you, I'd really love to know.

Filed under  //   personal   tech  
Posted September 20, 2010