It DOESN’T Have To Be Expensive
I’m not a wealthy person, I didn’t grow up with money, and I live on a budget. I think a lot (probably everyone reading this?) of people can relate to that. With that said I know for some trying to pick out a photography related gift for your loved
one on that special day, whether it is a birthday, Father/Mother’s Day, Christmas, Hanukkah, or any other day of giving can be tough when it seems that everything related to photography is expensive. Or is it? I will be the first to tell you that there are a LOT of affordable items that will make the photographer in your life happy. And honestly, it is often these little items that we as photographers never seem to have enough of, or often forget to buy ourselves in the endless quest for that next big lens or new camera body. I speak from experience, and I am sure your friend/loved one would concur. So with that said I decided to put together a list of affordable items ranging from the $5 mark up to around say $40. For some $5 is easily doable, for others $40 will be, and for many of you somewhere in-between will be perfect! So scroll down and take a look at some of my ideas and if you have others to ad to this please share them in the comments below!!
Pass this on to others who I may help…I might just hint to my wife to have a look at this post 😉
Have fun and keep them shutters moving!
Jamie A. MacDonald
$5 and under fun!
- Lens pens for cleaning lenses! Cost: $4.99 http://amzn.to/12YZgML
- Microfiber lens cloth: Cost: $4.09 http://amzn.to/11625eY
- Lens cap keeper. Keeps those lens caps from getting lost! Cost: $2.27 (buy a few of them 😉 http://amzn.to/11627n8
- Silica Gel packs (like you find in your shoe box) to keep camera bags low in moisture Cost: $4.99 (10pk) http://amzn.to/14YQDSZ
$10 and under ideas.
- A rocket blower for removing dust. Yes, it looks like a rocket 🙂 Cost: $8.49 http://amzn.to/Zp6GKS
- SD Card (memory cards) case that is weather sealed! Cost: $7.88 http://amzn.to/170yQOI
- CF Card (memory cards) case that is weather sealed! Cost: $7.88 http://amzn.to/170yQOI
- Memory card reader for the iPad! Cost: $9.99 http://amzn.to/14036mt
$20 and under ideas
- Get them a BETTER more comfortable strap! Cost: $19.88 http://amzn.to/10vWS0k
- Forget the shoulder strap and try out a wrist strap! Cost: $20.00 http://amzn.to/14040iR
- More memory =’s more memories! 16GB SD card? Cost: $ 19.80 http://amzn.to/10CqLJ4
- More memory =’s more memories! 16GB CF card? Cost: $ 18.99 http://amzn.to/1164zKp
$50 and under ideas
- The best batteries you can get! Cost: $49.99 http://amzn.to/1405d9O <—This is a mega pack w/ 12 AA and 4AAA batteries.
- New batteries and charger for your Olympus cameras: Cost: All below $50! http://amzn.to/12Z3ELH <—-You just need to locate the camera model 🙂
- New batteries and charger for your Panasonic cameras: Cost: All below $50! http://amzn.to/12Z3PXe <—-You just need to locate the camera model 🙂
- New batteries and charger for your Nikon cameras: Cost: All below $50! http://amzn.to/Zp8VOg <—-You just need to locate the camera model 🙂
- New batteries and charger for your Canon cameras: Cost: All below $50! http://amzn.to/170Brbx <—-You just need to locate the camera model 🙂
And finally we reach the end. I know the last section was all batteries but let me just say..We can never seem to have enough. 🙂
I hope this helps some in making gift giving a little easier for you.
Happy shopping!Jamie A. MacDonald
Surfs up with Olympus!!!
OLYMPUS HITS THE SANDS OF “SURF CITY, USA” FOR THE
2012 U.S. OPEN OF SURFING
For the First Time, Olympus Teams Up with TransWorld Surf Magazine
to Sponsor Fun, Interactive Booth Experience
CENTER VALLEY, Pa., July 27, 2012 – Olympus is proud to partner with TransWorld Surf magazine, the world’s foremost surf magazine, as a sponsor of this year’s U.S.Open of Surfing, in Huntington Beach, California. TransWorld and Olympus have created a co-branded interactive surf photo experience booth on the beach in Huntington Beach, California, offering product demos, product loans and sales of some of the hottest cameras on the beach this summer. Visitors can experience the new weather-sealed, mirrorless Olympus OM-D EM-5®, the most premium Tough® point-and-shoot to ever hit the waves, the Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS®‚ and the sleek and stylish Olympus PEN® cameras from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., each day during the festival (Saturday, July 28 to Sunday, August 6).
Additionally, Olympus has partnered with SocialPix, an experiential photo solutions company, to offer an interactive photo encounter called “Hang 10 with the TG-1,” allowing fans to pose for an instantly shareable Facebook photo on a simulated cover of TransWorld Surf magazine. Attendees are also encouraged to stop by the co-branded booth for chances to win a custom surfboard or Olympus cameras, and, to pick up complimentary copies of TransWorld Surf magazine.
The U.S. Open of Surfing is a week-long surfing competition held annually during the summer, and has become one of the most anticipated surf, music and lifestyle events of the year. This year’s event is expected to attract more than 750,000 fans and onlookers along a 14-acre stretch of sand on the south side of Huntington Beach Pier, showcasing the best in surf, skate, music and art.
Journalists interested in more information should contact Charles Leone, Mullen Public Relations, 212-885-3803, cleone@mullen.com or Jennifer Colucci, Olympus Imaging America Inc., 484-896-5719, jennifer.colucci@olympus.com.
ABOUT OLYMPUS IMAGING AMERICA INC.
Olympus Imaging America Inc. is a precision technology leader, designing and delivering award-winning products for consumer and professional markets.
Olympus Imaging America Inc. works collaboratively with its customers and its ultimate parent company, Olympus Corporation, to develop breakthrough technologies with revolutionary product design and functionality that enhance people’s lives every day. These include:
- Digital Cameras
- Professional and Interchangeable Lens System Cameras
- Related Underwater Products and Accessories
- Digital and Microcassette Recorders
- Digital Media
- Binoculars
Olympus Imaging America Inc. is responsible for sales in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. For more information, visit: www.olympusamerica.com.
It All Happens So Fast………..
It really does.
It happens so fast.
Too fast.
One day you are having a conversation with your grandmother about antiques and gardening, and then before you know it she is in a nursing home for people suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia.
That is where I found myself last month. In Florida on a trip with two purposes. The first being an escape for my family from all the chaos of every day life, the second, a much more somber purpose, to visit my grandmother whom I haven’t seen in a year. One year. That is all it takes. One year and someone can go from the person you know, to the person who doesn’t know you. Well, she knew that she knows me somehow, but who I am, or how we are connected is lost to her. And that is something that has been in my mind ever since I saw her. She is one of the few people who shaped the person I am today, who had a positive influence on me, who instilled a set of moral values that are lost to so many these days. She was so full of life, so full of experiences and stories, and now she spends her free time playing with children’s wooden toys.
As I sat with her trying to carry on a conversation she would often stop, and stare right at me as if trying to find me inside her memories. And no matter how deeply she looked, she only saw the smiling face of a stranger. That hurts so profoundly, so intensely that it was all I could do to continue smiling. But I did, for her.
She would just go on and on talking about things that I didn’t understand. Things I struggled so hard to connect with. Things I felt I HAD to connect with so that I could at least share one moment more with my grandma where we were both on the same page. I wanted that, NEEDED that for myself, as selfish as it may sound, so I could leave feeling better about the situation. And as I was sitting there listening intently, grasping for some bit familiarity with what she was saying or trying to say as she bounced from subject to subject, it happened. She stopped talking, she closed her eyes for what felt like far too long,
and when she opened them she looked at a gentleman seated at another table near us and said, “this is Debbie’s son.” Debbie….My mother. She knew I was my mother’s son. And instantly I felt this huge lump form in my throat, and I looked right at my grandmother, and she looked at me, and there we sat, two strangers talking about nothing. It was brief, maybe it wasn’t even there, but damnitt I needed it to be and she gave it to me.
I love you grandma. I owe more to you than a lifetime of giving could ever repay. God bless you.
Distractions From Life by Jamie MacDonald
Inspiration Can Be Found Anywhere…………
…….So long as you have an open mind and the eyes of a photographer.
This post is the result of a conversation I had the other day with a fellow photographer who lives in the big glorious state of Texas. He sent me a link on Facebook to a series of photos by a photographer in France ( Philippe Sainte-Laudy ) who has some stunning forest scenes on his 500px page. My friend seemed discouraged in his message stating, “this is whats disappoints me a lot about me and photography, first of all i need to find is gorgeous places like this, but how the heck do u take something this breath taking?” I only had to think about a response to his question for a millisecond. There was a time a few years ago when I felt EXACTLY the same way as he did. I had (and still do actually) no real time to dedicate to photography. Well, at least not enough time anyways. Ideally I would like to be able to spend one whole day every week just shooting. 8 hours, all day, no interruptions, just my cameras and I out on the open road exploring and capturing the beauty to be found in my home state of Michigan.
But the reality is I work a full time job, the graveyard shift at that, have two kids, a wife, and little to no time to “dedicate” to my art. Add to that the fact that I live in a little town nestled in the heart of farmland with no major defining landmarks or points of “interest”. But it is because of these limiting factors I have learned to appreciate the complex beauty in the mundane scenes around me. I have also learned that not only is the subject important, but my “lightroom” (or it’s modern equivalent) technique is just as and sometimes more important. My post processing frame of mind lately is one of putting a large focus of detail and work on the light in my scenes and not worrying about things like “noise” “sharpness” “DoF” etc….
To get to this new way of thinking and processing a few years ago I challenged myself to make due with the cards I was dealt and to re-imagine what photography can be for me. What I got out of the whole experience was a new appreciation for become more aware of my surroundings. To start I became an observer. What does that mean? It means that I am ALWAYS, camera in hand or no camera in hand, observing the world around me. And I am almost never looking at the objects in the scene as much as I am looking at the LIGHT in the scene. This last statement has never been more true than in this past year for me. I have gone through a sort of renaissance in my photography where the primary focus is light as much as it is subject and composition. I suppose for many this maybe has always been the case, and for those people I applaud your ability to have grasp what has taken me several years to finally realize! I have adopted this mentality so much so that I have new business cards with the quote,”I MANIPULATE PHOTONS” emblazoned on them. Funny right? Ok, maybe it IS a bit geeky but it does exemplify where my heart is at in regards to my photography as of late.
I also feel the need to mention a new piece of kit that has totally made my way of thinking that much easier to pull off no matter where I am. That bit of wonder in the new Olympus PEN E-PM1. This camera is TINY and has the same size and quality (actually a little bit better) sensor that my big heavy Olympus E-3 has! But because of its diminutive size I am able to have it with me ALL THE TIME. It is that fact that allows me to capture those moments of wonder that I observe on my daily travels to and from work and picking up and dropping off kids.
I apologize if this post was hard to follow and the subject changed too frequently or lost its coherence. It is a Saturday morning and my kids are already bouncing off the walls and I am starting to think about a shoot I have coming up in a few hours. But anyways…I want to share a few photos that I feel represent this new approach of mine. These are all things that I “observed” while out and about and not necessarily looking to make a photo.
2nd Annual Photowalk is Here!!!!
Hey everyone,
Last year I put on a photowalk as a way to meet up with some new photographers and to finally pay a visit to the famed Kensington Metropark. It was in my opinion a very successful first attempt at organizing a photowalk. I was fortunate enough to have a good turn out and to be supported by the companies whose products I use with some prizes to be awarded at random. I went into last years walk with the hopes of making it an annual event and it would be a sad thing if I didn’t do it again…So what do you say?! Want to go on another photowalk?!
If you do then here are the details.
When? October 1st
Where? Kensington!! I had such a great time there and never had a chance to explore all of it. So I want to go back!
Who? Hopefully everyone from last year and many more new faces! If you have a friend who likes to shoot, or one who has always wanted to try their hand at photography then bring them too!
What? What you need is a good pair of comfy shoes, a camera (ANY kind will do!) and a positive attitude. Kensington will supply the rest.
Why? Do you really need to ask? If so then…Because it is FUN! And there is a chance I may have some freebies to give away! No guarantees on that, but who knows?!
Now for more details.
I chose October 1st because it is as some of you may know, day one of the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk. I HAVE applied to get our walk listed as an official walk! So let’s hope we get approved!
What does that mean? Well, in addition to it being our own little walk we’ll also be taking part in a global photowalk and there are prizes involved in that too! And it may also help us to add more people to our group, and in my opinion the more the merrier!
I will be posting this same message in MANY Flickr groups and I hope you will do the same. I would also like to ask those of you who are users of social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook to please do me a favor. Please click the LIKE button on our Facebook page and PLEASE mention this photowalk on Twitter and direct it to @Getolympus @thinkTANKphoto @BlackRapid @Zenfolio Why? When you do these things these companies get a feel for turnout…And generally the larger the turnout the more likely they are to support our walk!
Below is a list of relevant links.
Twitter profile pages for potential sponsors. FOLLOW them! They are AWESOME companies!
https://twitter.com/#!/getolympus
https://twitter.com/#!/thinkTANKphoto
https://twitter.com/#!/BlackRapid
https://twitter.com/#!/Zenfolio
If you have ANY questions on this event please feel free to email me at sl33stak@gmail.com or message me on Twitter I’m @sl33stak or add me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/JamieAMacDonald
Keep your eyes open on this blog AND on our Facebook page for sponsor news and updates on our acceptance into the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk.
Take care and hope to hear from you soon.
Jamie A. MacDonald
And suddenly I am off in a whole new direction…….
So how is that for a catchy title?
I find myself writing this post because at some point in the recent past my photography took a turn in a different direction. This change was sudden, unexpected, a complete 180° turn from what I had been doing. But the thing is, I am probably for one of the first times in my brief photographic journey…100% happy in what I have been capturing. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t been utterly unhappy with what I’ve been doing so far. I just haven’t been happy enough or proud enough to call what I had been doing “good”. It has been “OK” up until now. Now I get a feeling of confidence and pride in my work that I had not felt very often before.
So w/ all this gloating and bragging about myself (something I NEVER do) I suppose I should actually say what this change in my style has been. It has been the removal of color from my work. It has been the focus of only seeing the light in my image. Not worrying about realistic color reproduction, whether my white balance is correct color temperature is accurate. Is that blue “REALLY” blue? Or is it too purple.
Screw all that! For once I am 100% focused on the light.
I have always been aware of light, and have always made sure that I worked with it to achieve a certain look. For example, this image would not be what it is if I had waited another hour to shoot it. But it is just another morning shot to me.
So let’s change things up a bit. Let’s focus on the light…Let’s make sure the light is THE player in this scene. What do we end up with?
THIS:
Take away the color and only see the light. I suppose for many photographers this is nothing new. We are all told that photography is all about the light. And yet..it took me three years to fully realize what the hell that REALLY means. I have always been one to see what goes unnoticed by those around me, to find wonder in the mundane, and to capture that trivial moment in a way that makes it beautiful to those who would have otherwise ignored it. But I now feel like maybe I too was ignorant of the world around me, and that maybe I was blinded by color and hue and saturation. But I think now I am starting to fall in love with a world in black and white, a world in which all I need to be happy is light.
Sorry if this was too eccentric or “out there” I sometimes get that way. It’s not easy to stand alone.
Ooh I have a cool idea……Or so I thought.
That’s how yesterday evening started out. I knew that we had some storms rolling in and that they were packing wind gusts to 60mph. The storm system was moving at 40+mph so that meant that the clouds would be cruising across the sky. I instantly envisioned a long exposure black and white landscape shot, with the silky stream of storm clouds moving through the frame. Maybe if I was lucky I could sneak in a lightning bolt or two, well, only if Mother Nature was being cooperative.
So I scoped out the Doppler radar, and based on the storms path I knew where I wanted to be. I jumped in my truck with my E-3 and the Zuiko Digital 12-60mm SWD mounted plus two Hoya ND8 filters in my bag.
I got to my field with a few minutes to spare so I mounted my camera to the tripod, anchored it with a log (no sandbag),stacked the ND8’s, set focus to infinity, set my white balance, and adjusted my aperture to f/11. This combo yielded me a 25 second exposure. I set my camera to remote and waited for the show to begin.
Off in the distance I could see the lightshow ramping up and I knew that I would get some lightning in my shot. When the leading edge of the storm was where I wanted it I fired off my shot. While the shutter was open I was floored to see a wicked bolt of lightning streak across the horizon. It was like a living spiderweb being spun before my eyes.
I did this several more times, and once more I was able to have the shutter open while lightning streaked across the sky. No cloud to ground lightning, but still a cool show across the storm front.
When I started to process my images today this is what I found.
NO LIGHTNING! What?!?!? Yup….It would appear that stacking two ND8’s was enough to keep the lightning from showing up? The lightning was thin and thready, like a spiderweb streaking across the sky. And while I thought it was bright, my camera thought otherwise.
Chock that up to a lesson learned. Next time I’ll run without stacking ND filters because the lighting was going to be a key component in this shot.
Live and learn I guess.
Do YOU have any experience with stacking ND filters? Or with shooting lightning with ND filters mounted? Is there something here I should have known about?
I’d love to hear from you.
Take care,
Jamie A. MacDonald
I should have been a Boyscout…….
Odd title isn’t it? “I should have been a Boyscout”? What I am talking about here is being prepared, and this past weekend I was not. So how about an explanation?
I was fortunate enough to have been invited to hang some of my prints at a local Art Tour this past weekend. This was an event in which local galleries and artists opened their facilities to the general public to view art of all kinds created by local artists. The opportunity to get some much needed exposure, and the chance at maybe selling a print or two was something I had been hoping to do. So I eagerly accepted the invitation without even considering what I would bring. So a week before the show I ordered a few prints that were favorites of mine. Two were 12×18 prints. One was this one titled Escapism and the other was this self portrait titles Apocalyptica-Self Portrait. I also decided to order a 10×20 pano of this scene titled Cold Serenity. Three prints….What was I thinking? Not even three that much thought went into.. I’ve been so depressed about my “day job” which is actually a third shift job, that I wasn’t even focused on selecting a cohesive series of photos to bring. How pathetic. So as a last minute effort to “bring more to the table” I brought along this floral photo titled Drink Up printed out at 16×24…That’s it…
Failed. OMG I’ve FAILED! Sigh
There was no continuity of flow to the images selected, there was no feeling of cohesiveness, no theme, no sense of direction. Oh my God what have I done? My first public exposure and I totally bombed.
Or did I?
After thinking about it the last few days I have come to the conclusion that this tragedy is actually a blessing in disguise. But before I explain why, I feel I should let you know that I DID get good feedback from patrons, and that of the 70 business cards I had set out, 40 of them were taken and my site has since received 83 new visitors (all from local IP addresses too..Yes I am a geek like that).
So why was my epic shortcoming, failure, ill preparedness a blessing in disguise? Because I LEARNED SOMETHING FROM IT that’s why. Yes, it really is as simple as that.
So here’s is what I’ve learned, and why it will make my next showing so much better.
#1. It made me realize I need to focus myself on a few subjects and get really good at them. It doesn’t mean stop shooting all the other things I shoot, it just means that I need to build a solid portfolio based on 1 or 2 subjects. Not a mish mash of things.
#2. Only the best gets printed, only the best gets displayed, only the best is visible on my site. That simple. The theme here is ONLY THE BEST. PERIOD.
#3. Now I’m not sure if this is something everyone does, because to be 100% honest, I spend very little time on other people’s sites. But I think I need to develop a series of shots. What the heck does that mean? Well to ME it means that the images need to share a sense of commonality. They don’t necessarily have to be “of” the same thing but they have to “feel” like they are a part some unified thing. Whether this is achieved through processing, or through perspective, or yes, through subject matter, they need to be a part of something that works together.
#4. Make sure that my collection is large enough to impress (both in volume AND in print size). I feel that although 12×18 prints are nice, people are enamored with big prints. 16×24 and up. And very wide prints seem to garner the same reaction. In addition to beefing up prints, I am going to make sure each photo has a NICE description tag to go along with it. People connect to an image better when it has a name, and a description or location to go with it.
So that it’s it for now, but I’m sure I’ll come back here and edit this post before long. I know I’ll think of a few more things I need to do to make the next event even better. I hope that those of you with experience as either an artist OR as a purchaser of art may have some advice to share. I will be glad to hear what you have to offer.
Take care.
Jamie
Black Rapid RS DR-1 Mini Review
Hello,
I want to thank you for stopping by to read this little review of the Black Rapid RS DR-1 dual camera harness system. I imagine you are here to learn whether or not this system is the answer to your dual camera wielding troubles. So before I even start the review I can save you some reading if you’d like by just stating that as a matter of fact..YES! This will make your life with two cameras so much easier!
I also want to mention that I will not be going into detail on how to use the system, but rather how well it is made, and how well it performed in daily use for me. For info on setting up the RS DR-1 and how to use it..Follow this link. RS DR-1 VIDEO
And before I go any further, as a matter of full disclosure, this harness was given to me by the wonderful people at Black Rapid to help with a project I am trying to undertake. But I will NOT, let that influence me in this review. I hold no allegiance to any one company other than my own. 😉
And now I present, The Black Rapid RS DR-1
When I received the RS DR-1 I already had some familiarity with the product line offered by Black Rapid. I suppose anyone who is starting to get serious about shooting will at some point want to get away from the strap that came with their camera and move on to something that allows for a little more freedom of movement. And I think that Black Rapid’s incredible social media and web marketing will ensure that those looking for an upgrade will come across their products. I know I did.
The RS DR-1 arrived in the snazzy mesh bag you see below. Along with it came a Black Rapid Sticker (which promptly became an ornament on my 50-200’s lens hood) and another piece of kit that I honestly don’t know what to do with.
Were you ever told by your mother to,”never judge a book by its cover”? If so, I can tell you she was wrong. The fact that the RS DR-1 came in this handy little mesh bag and not a boring brown box, or a plastic bag instantly led me to have elevated hopes for the product within. I was judging the book by its cover.
When I removed the RS DR-1 from the bag and laid it out on the table I was immediately impressed. I’ve had enough experience with well made camera bags to know when I see good, tightly woven nylon strapping that will hold up under continuous use and abuse. And these straps are made to take it. The sternum strap (which joins both sides of the strap system together) is secured simple locking plastic buckles. The buckles actually felt pretty rigid, which is a good thing, and took away the fears I’d initially had about this being a weak link in the system. The shoulder pads are super comfy neoprene and actually contoured to fit the form of your shoulder and cut out around where your neck meets your shoulder so as to reduce the chance for rubbing. Simple..and brilliant.
I also want to mention that the shoulder pads will accept the modular components that Black Rapid makes. These components are designed to hold a cellphone, extra memory cards, spare batteries, or any number of other things you might need quick access to. Again, another simple idea well implemented.
To attach your cameras to your RS DR-1 system you start by threading in the included FR-3. The FR-3 (shown below) is actually a beautiful piece of machined stainless steel with a cool black nickel coating. It even has the Black Rapid logo laser etched onto it. Something of note, if you look closely at the image below you will notice that the shape of the FR-3 is contoured so that when you are tightening it down onto the camera’s(or your lens’s) tripod mount, your finger just falls into this groove. It is a comfortable feel, and it shows the level of design detail the people at Black Rapid put into this product. The underside of the FR-3 has a rubbery (sorry, I don’t know what the material is) washer which has raised ridges that help to “lock” the FR-3 to the camera once tightened.
Once the FR-3’s are attached to your cameras (or lenses), you will now attach those to the CR-2’s, those are shown in the image below. The CR-2’s are NOT your typical carabiners! These have a locking mechanism to help ensure that there is no way your precious cameras and lenses can become detached from the RS DR-1. You can see below a “barrel” on the carabiner. This is a threaded barrel, and all you need to do is twist it loose so that it allows the carabiner to open and accept the FR-3’s. Once that is done…you are done! It’s time to go shoot.
And now a little about what it is like to wear TWO cameras at one time.
I’ve taken the RS DR-1 out shooting 4 times now, 3 times with two bodies, and once with one body and using one side of the RS DR-1 as a stand alone Black Rapid strap. What’s that? Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that you can separate the two straps if you want and use a single strap……Nice isn’t it?
The distribution of weight using this system was excellent. It only took me a few minutes to get used to the fact that I was walking with two cameras. One camera was an Olympus E-3 w/ battery grip attached and a 50-200mm f/2.8, the other camera was a smaller Olympus E-520 w/ a 12-60mm f/2.8. I found it very easy to reach down to my side, grab a camera (either one) and draw it right up to my eye to shoot. I was able to walk easily, climb up over obstacles in my path in the woods, and pretty much function as normal. The only thing I couldn’t do well was squat down low to shoot. If I wasn’t careful my cameras would drop to the ground, but there is no way to prevent that, and it IS NOT a flaw in the product. You just need to be wary of that fact. So make sure you hold your cameras if you decide to get low to the ground for a shot.
The longest I wore the RS DR-1 was for roughly 2 hours straight. In that period of time I never got tired of carrying my cameras. I’ve shot several weddings wielding two cameras. I wish that at the time I’d owned the RS DR-1!!! I used to carry one body in my hand, and have the other slung over my shoulder with the manufacturer’s strap. After a 10 hour day I was in SEVERE pain. My arms were cramped, my shoulder and neck were in pain. It was AWFUL!
Now though I am extremely excited to shoot an upcoming wedding because I know I will not require medical attention when it is over.
I hope this review was informative, and of some value to you if you are considering a Black Rapid RS DR-1. I honestly could not find any faults with it other than it coming with a component that I had no idea how to utilize. I will post an update to this if my feelings change about this product, and I’ll also update after the wedding shoot to let you know how well it wears for extended periods of time.
Take care and go shoot something!
A little update:
The wonderful folks over at Black Rapid gave me access to a few of their images to use in this review. Since I didn’t have a model to show you how the RS DR-1 is worn I am inserting one of their press images. Along with one that shows the RS DR-1 hanging freely.
Enjoy!
Sin
This is shot number three in my Nine Inch Nails inspired series of black and white photographs.
Photos inspired by music………….
I’m not sure where I read it, but there was an article by a photographer who said that when he is shooting he likes to listen to music from his iPod so as to block out any ambient noises from the scene he is in. His rationale is that it helps to keep the emotion of the surrounding activity from influencing his work. Interesting concept, unless of course you are a photojournalist and the emotion of the area needs to be a contributing factor to your work maybe. Like I said, interesting concept, and one that I am drawing upon for my latest project. Rather than using music to separate me from my subject, I am going to use music to help me locate and capture my subject. And nit just any random song or artist either. I am going to start out with an artist whose music was some of the first music that really stood out to me growing up. I think maybe his music made an impression on me because it was during a critical time in my development as a youth. Whatever the case may be, Trent Reznor makes incredible music. The music he created with his band Nine Inch Nails is what the focus of this project will be, and more importantly the band’s debut album Pretty Hate Machine.
I suggest you listen to this album to get a feel for what the images in my project represent.
As I go for walks around my sleepy little country town, with my earbud in and Nine Inch Nails playing my camera is used sparingly, and only when a particular subject seems to represent the song that is currently playing. This means that not every walk will be successful in capturing an image, nor will I easily be able to recreate the mood+environment+song conditions and get the same results. So far there have been 3 walks, and only two images captured. And both images were taken on the first walk taken. The images are shown below with the corresponding song title above each one. To follow the project you can see their group on Flickr Here.
Thanks for visiting. Take care.
Something I Can Never Have
Sanctified
A Project I Know I Can Stick With……………
A 365 project?…… A 52 week project?…….. Nothing but self portraits?…….
All projects I’ve attempted……..
All projects I’ve abandoned……..
What could it be? When so many other projects failed, what could I possible have the drive to stick with?
I’ll post a few images below and let you see if you can figure out the theme of this project.
It’s going to last until I feel like it is interfering with my creative process and I can’t make pictures I like.
It’s going to tech me to slow down and think about my shot before it happens.
It’s going to make me a better photographer. ( I hope )
It’s going to be fun.
So there it is….The answer is right in front of you.
Wish me luck.
New Kickstarter Project!!!!! And it’s in Detroit!
Hey everyone,
Many of you are aware of my first Kickstarter Project about the wolves of Isle Royale. And while this project isn’t 100% funded yet, I am not giving up hope on making it happen! But while promoting this project I became involved in some discussions on a few photography websites about the subject of urbex. What is urbex? Urbex is short for urban exploration. It involves exploring abandoned and derelict buildings. For some it’s about the exploration, but for others it is about photographing the surreal settings found inside these locations. But with the rewards of incredible imagery often come the dangers of sneaking into defunct factories with unstable floors, falling debris, and even the occasional nefarious persons looking to snatch thousands of dollars worth of camera gear from the un-suspecting explorers. There have even been deaths while partaking in urbex adventures, but to the artist/explorers involved this is something they are willing to risk for their art.
My goal is to create a documentary that follows a group of urbexer’s as they explore some of Detroit’s most incredible urbex locations. The focus is going to be on the art produced and the people making it. I am hoping that I can count on YOU to help get this project funded. The budget is quite low for this project as I already have almost all the equipment needed to produce it. If you are interested please take a moment to swing over to the PROJECT PAGE and make a pledge, and please help me spread the word about this project. Time is limited on getting funding so let’s do this!! There are gifts for people who pledge at the $25 mark or higher too!
Thanks for your time, and here are a few of my own urbex images to give you an idea of the kids of photographs being created in these locations!
It’s Review Time!!! Up next..The Shapeshifter from Think TANK Photo!
Happy holidays everyone! I have an exciting review for you today, but first I have to say as a matter of disclosure that the bag I am reviewing was donated by Think TANK Photo to be used on a documentary outing I am hoping to undertake next summer. Details can be found here about that. And now, without further delay, I give you the Think TANK Photo Shapeshifter backpack!!
Let’s start with a full frontal shall we?
From this view we can see that this pack is typical of Think TANK Photo products. The material used in its construction is a very high quality tightly knit nylon that is probably some of the most rugged I’ve seen in a camera bag. The stitching matches the sturdy materials used and it is these details that you notice the minute you lay hands on a Think TANK Photo bag. On the front of the bag you’ll notice there are two pouches plus a zippered opening that can accept tripod legs allowing you to carry your tripod on the pack. The two pouches are chock full of organizational compartments to stow everything from memory cards and pens, to lens filters and batteries. They seal closed with YKK zippers with convenient drawstrings. Also on the front of my pack you can see the supplied tripod straps. They are mounted at the top and bottom of my pack.
Next we’ll take a look at the profile of this bag. And immediately one word should come to mind…SLIM!
I have sitting next to the pack an Olympus E-520 body for a size comparison. The E-520 is 3.6″ tall, and you can see that the Shapeshifter backpack is hardly any taller than that. Mind you, there is nothing in the pack yet, but for travel and storage purposes this is great! And one more thing, about a third of the “height” in this shot is from the pack resting on the thick neoprene straps.
So what do you say we make this thing do a little “ShapeShifting”???
And there she is! In all her expanded glory. This pack has now tripled in depth all by unzipping the zipper you see in the lower center portion of this shot. This is what this bag is all about,expandability. And it has it in spades.
Let’s have a look inside shall we?
And as the saying goes, this is where the magic happens. Inside the pack we find 5 neoprene pouches that all have drawstring bungies to close them up. The pouches are big. Yes that is a very short sentence but it is one that sums up the the size of these things. They are BIG. The two pouches on the right can EASILY house my Zuiko Digital 50-200mm ED lens and my Zuiko Digital 12-60SWD lens. And although these lenses are not huge by any stretch, the 50-200 is just over 9 inches long and roughly 6 inches tall w/ tripod foot attached. And it just disappears into the pouch without a trace. The two uppermost pouches on the left are where I store my bodies. In the top pouch I put my Olympus E-3 w/ HLD-4 battery grip, and in the lower the E-520. Both bodies,like the aforementioned lenses, just vanish into the vastness that are these pouches.
The next shot (taken w/ my iPhone so forgive the quality) shows what I pack into the main compartment of the pack.
So now that you know where the bodies and lenses go, we have to take a look at where everything else goes!
Opposite the pouches we find these big mesh pouches. The top is zippered and is where I store my speedlights. Yes, plural, as this pouch will accomodate two full sized speedlights without issue. The lower pouch can be used to store pretty much anything you can think of. In my case I store the included rain sack that can be used to seal up this pack. As well as a few other items I like to carry on a shoot.
Details….It’s what makes a European luxury car a joy to drive, and it is what separates Think TANK Photo from the other bag manufacturers. Well, that and build quality, and materials, and design, and..Oh wait, we were talking about details right?
Detail? Sure everyone has those little springy things to keep your bungy cords in place. But does everyone make sure that they feel good in your hands? Look at the contouring of the lock. Curved. Your finger just nestles in. It’s the little details that make a great bag a perfect bag.
Oh, of course the ability to lock your bag is a nice tough isn’t it? Details people..details. This bag like ALL OTHER Think TANK Photo bags is full of those little details.
The human bag interface is a critical point that must be looked at. Agreed?
In all honesty I could type for hours about the strap system alone on this pack. But I’m sure you have shooting to do, or maybe you are going to swing over to Think TANK Photo and pick this bad boy up today so I won’t drag it out for too long. I’ll just point out the “details”.
As you can see from the image above that the straps are wide, padded, and ergonomically designed for comfort. (note the curvature) The steel eyelets on the straps can serve many purposes but for me, and probably you, they will support your camera. Just below them you can see more neoprene pouches, and to be honest, I never even realized they were there until I took this shot! These would be perfect for a gps device, cell phone, energy bar or many other things. I laughed when I “found” these because I am STILL finding little details in my other Think TANK Photo bags after months of ownership!
You can also see a few other things in this shot too. Like the white shiny pouch at the top. That will hold your business cards perfectly! Don’t have any? Well now you have a reason to order some! You will also notice the waist strap at the bottom. Remember one thing, this is a backpack, not just a camera bag! This pack can also be used with the Think TANK Photo Pro Speed Belt system. So this is a truly modular piece of kit. And one more detail to note. The last photo shows a channel or valley running right up the center of the pack. There is a pad on the left, one on the right, and one on the bottom. The pads keep the pack pushed out from your body enough to allow airflow through this channel you see. This is a VERY effective means of keeping your back from sweating. I’ve tested this out on a hike recently and swear by its simple and effective design.
So there you have it folks, my review of the Think TANK Photo Shapeshifter backpack.
Wait..What? You want the downsides of this pack? The negatives?
Fine.
This pack makes me wish I had more gear to stuff into it. It is a vast nylon and neoprene blackhole that I just don’t have the gear to fill.
That objective enough? 😉
Take care and keep shooting!!
Jamie
About to embark on a new chapter in my photography
Good morning world!
Well, it looks like I finally did it. I finally got up enough courage to sign up with Kickstarter and pitch my idea. It’s an idea that has been floating around in my head for almost a year now. It’s big, bigger than anything I have attempted before. But I know I can do it. I know that I have the drive and the inspiration to make it happen. But what is all this about? What could be so big and important that I have been holding onto it for a year? Instead of answering that here I’d like to direct you to the projects page on Kickstarter. It is all explained there. And while you are there, please take a moment to pledge something to my project. I hope this project appeals to you and it means enough to you that you decide to share the link with others. I’m excited to do something bigger than myself, something with reach, something that maybe inspires others. It is exciting.
Take care and follow this link!!!!! http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jamiemacd/the-wolves-of-isle-royale
Time to Move On Ten Steps at a Time.
As many of you may know I was lucky enough to have been loaned a wide assortment of Olympus gear. That gear was boxed up and will be returned today. This has been both an extremely exciting time, and now one that is slightly depressing. I doubt I will be able to afford the Zuiko Digital 7-14mm lens any time soon, and it was heartbreaking to have to return it. But, rather than dwell on that loss I have decided to start a project.
For the next 60 days using the great Olympus gear I DO own, I will do the following.
Rain or shine at some point during each day (or night) I will get up from where I am at, step out doors, and take ten cumulative steps, and make a photograph. What does that mean? Well, day one will be ten steps, day two will be TWENTY steps, day three? THIRTY steps and so on. I won’t be restricting myself to only shooting while at home. I will ALWAYS have a camera with me. Whether it is my E-3, my E-520 or my rugged Stylus Tough 6020. I will always have an Olympus by my side.
My hope is that I will be shooting and loving what I have and not dwelling on my loss of the ZD 7-14mm. LOL…I know, I sound pathetic, but if YOU had the chance to use that lens you would understand.
Stay tuned to my Flickr page to see my project progress!
Take care and see you around.
Jamie
The Opportunity of a Lifetime
As any of my readers will know I am an Olympus shooter. My first dSLR was an Olympus E-500, and my current cameras are an Olympus E-520 and an Olympus E-3. I have worked my way through the world of photography with the help of a strong community of Olympus users on Flickr, and also through many many hours of trial and error. I have gone from crooked snapshots of my kids, to being paid to shoot large weddings, and most recently to being paid for my nature photography. And along this journey I have watched as Olympus got involved with the social side of the web. They started up a Twitter account, a Facebook and Flickr account. They engaged their users, they asked questions, they answered questions. And most of all they were there for us users.
I myself have always been a socially active person on the web. So when I saw that a company whose products I loved was engaging users online I decided I better get involved. I started posting on Facebook and linking my images on Twitter using the #olympus hashtag and always including @getolympus in the post. I did it because I wanted to show them I am a fan, I am a regular guy using their equipment every day. I wanted my voice to count.
And it did. They noticed me. They noticed and reached out to an average every day guy like me. And one day while I was camping with my family (and out shooting actually) I received a phone call from Olympus’ P.R. people. I almost passed out on the spot! In a nutshell I was given an opportunity to be loaned some Olympus gear that I would probably not be able to afford any time soon. And before I knew it I had two big boxes on my porch full of gear and prizes to be given away at a photowalk I had put together. What was the catch? What did I have to do with this gear as payment? NOTHING. I was told to just shoot and enjoy and keep doing what I had been…Being social.
How is THAT for a company that stays involved with its customers? I won’t drag this out any longer other than to say thank you from the very core of my being to Olympus and the PR people at Mullen for making this past fall one I will not soon forget. I am deeply indebted to you guys for the opportunity of a lifetime.
The loan package is being picked up by Fedex today and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t deeply saddened to see the gear go. I will especially miss the Zuiko Digital 7-14mm That lens moved me.
Take care Olympus and I hope one day to get to experience this again!!
Success!!! And now to start planning again!
Success? What was successful? My photowalk was!!! It was a blast. The only things that were not great though were that, #1: Only half the people who said they were going to show up actually did. And #2 I didn’t get to spend more time with each person on the walk. All told I think the count was at 26 people. Pretty good for my first time organizing an event. Everyone who came wanted to know when and where the next walk would be!! That is VERY encouraging!! I had about a dozen people tell me that they were going to bring along more people for the next event and that they would be spreading the word. So with that said I am already in the planning phase of the next walk.
I was able to hand out a lot of freebies donated by Olympus cameras, Think Tank Photo, and Zenfolio! How exciting is that?!!?
Here are a couple of shots from the walk.
This is half of our group.
Some of us went for a bite to eat afterward. Funny how uncomfortable photographers look on the OTHER SIDE OF THE CAMERA!
Fellow Olympus Shooter Jason Gatti
Preston and Bob heading down the trail.
Did someone say PHOTOWALK?????
Hello friends,
I’d like to invite everyone to a photowalk I am hosting on Saturday September 25th at Kensington Metropark in Milford. The purpose of this walk is primarily to get as many Michigan (Ohio is welcome here too 😉 photographers together as we can to exchange tips and tricks, let others try out new and different gear, expand our networks and most importantly….to make great images!!! We will meet on the West side of the park near the nature center at 10:00 a.m. in the parking lot there. Once we have everyone gathered up we’ll head out either in small groups or if possible two large groups to explore the parks trails and shoot. We will wrap the walk up somewhere around 1 p.m. and at that time I will have a few gifts to award randomly. One of those gifts is a brand new bag from Think Tank Photo. details about the exact bag I am giving away can be found HERE. This was graciously given to me by http://www.thinkTANKphoto.com to award to one of you! If you are interested in a quality bag ( I own several Think Tank products myself) swing over to their website and if you use this promo code AP-447 or use this link http://www.thinktankphoto.com/affiliates.aspx?code=AP-447 and when you spend $50 dollars or more they will let you pick out a FREE gift!!!
I am also pleased to to let everyone know that http://www.zenfolio.com is sponsoring this walk as well!! The folks at Zenfolio have given me a few items to give away as well. I have some shirts and I also have a promo code to be used by our group that gives you 15% off a new subscription to their incredible service. Want to see an example of a site YOU can set up in minutes, a site that YOU can use to sell your images? Well, look at mine! http://vistudios.zenfolio.com/ Zenfolio is partnered with http://www.mpix.com so you know that any prints you order or your future clients order will be perfect!!!
There may also be a third sponsor for this event, but I am keeping this a secret until the day of the walk, and this sponsor may be offering a VERY cool prize…..But you won’t know if you don’t show!!!
So with all that said, I really hope to see you there. And if you know ANYONE who may be interested in this event please pass this info along!!!! And please, don’t be shy about coming. This is NOT reserved for seasoned pro’s or people w/ the latest and greatest gear. This is for people who want to take pictures, who want to learn and grow their love of photography.
And here are a few links that may be of interest, and a few maps too!
http://www.photowalklist.com/jamp-kensington-metro-park-photowalk/
A Google map of where Kensington is. http://fwd4.me/aTU
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=136959373012207
http://www.flickr.com/groups/absolutemichigan/discuss/72157624601514683/
See you soon.
Jamie A. MacDonald
A Chance to follow a dream……………
As many of you know the one true passion in life I have (aside from my family of course) is photography. And what enables me to pursue this passion is my Olympus camera gear. Actually, my passion began with my Olympus E-500 and two lens kit a few years ago. I’ll not go on and on about what I love about photography in this post, but I will ask a favor of you if that is all right.
Olympus is currently sponsoring a contest called the “PEN Your Story Challenge”. They are asking people to submit to them a short video explaining what they would create with a new Olympus E-PL1 and $5000 cash. They will select six winners based on the number of ‘votes’ each video gets. Then, one of those six will be selected to have their ‘creation’ broadcast at the U.S. Open on a jumbtron screen!! This is simply an incredible, once in a lifetime opportunity to say the least.
For me, it could potentialy be a life changing experience. It could be just the thing to get me going on my own as a photographer. But in order to make it happen I need YOUR help. And to be honest..I need the help of everyone you know too. The way it works is you need to go to the Youtube video I made and click on the ‘LIKE’ button below the video. Now here is the part that has made it difficult for me to get votes I think. If you are not signed up with Youtube, the vote won’t count. That’s a bummer for me because so many people have clicked the LIKE button…But none of the votes counted!! It only takes maybe 1 minute to sign up, and Youtube won’t send you junk mail or anything so you won’t be out aything by signing up. So if you could PLEASE go over to Youtube and sign up to vote for me. I would bear a debt of gratitude to you that I will carry my whole life, and you will live knowing you may have changed someones life for the better.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and to help by casting a vote for me. I would also love to hear back from you about what you thought of my idea for the competition. By the way..all the links you see in this post point to my video. 😉 I’d also like to point out that I feel pretty deserving of winning because I am a HUGE supporter of Olympus..Just look through some of my older blog posts.
Take care.
Jamie A. MacDonald
My Karate Kid
I just realized that I didn’t let the world know that Mason has started taking Karate classes! He’s actually already on his second month of classes and has obtained his orange belt. We just got him a Gi and belt this past week (we wanted to make sure that he really wanted to stay in karate) from http://www.karatedepot.com We did a fair amount of research online before we found a company that offered a good product for a fair price. I just wanted to let you know that if you need to order a Gi, Karatedepot is the place to look. And just so you know…The Karate Depot has a LOT more than just gi’s. They carry everything from weapons to gear bags to exercise equipment!
Take a look at the picture of Mason below…Awesome!!
Thanks Karate Depot!!!
A downgrade that wasn’t.
As many of my friends and online cohorts know, I am a photographer who is an avid proponent and preacher of the Olympus line of cameras. I got my first dSLR (digital SLR) 3 years ago when I purchased an Olympus E-500. It came with two lenses (a 14-45mm and a 40-150mm). This was at the time, an entry level dSLR and had a VERY entry level price. That price is what led me to make that purchase. Little did I know that the low barrier to entry would lead me to become an Olympus enthusiast and a person in love with and consumed by photography.
After a few years with the E-500 and roughly 23,000 shutter actuations I was ready to upgrade. I was also at a point in my photography where I was being asked by people to do paid work for them. I knew that as reliable and incredible as my trusty E-500 was, I would need something even more reliable and geared more toward a professional’s expectations.
Since I already had invested in what is considered to be one of the finest lenses available today, the Zuiko Digital 50mm f/2.0 macro, and the incredibly lengthy and light Zuiko Digital 70-300mm I knew I’d be sticking with Olympus. So to get into the pro series of camera bodies that left me with one option, their flagship dSLR, the Olympus E-3. This camera has been incredible to put it mildly. It is built like a tank, it is sealed against the elements (I have actually stayed outside shooting in a torrential downpour without giving it a second thought!), and it has a rated shutter life of at least 150,000 actuations! That is a LOT of shooting. After obtaining the E-3 and shooting with it for nearly a year I decided to sell the old trusty E-500 and kit lenses. I didn’t need the wide E-500 kit lens (the 14-45) because during the year I also got my hands on the incredible Zuiko Digital 12-60mm f/2.8! This lens is ASTOUNDING to say the least. But I mainly sold the E-500 because I wanted a second body that was newer than the E-500 and had features like image stabilization and Live View.
I waited around for news of a new flagship dSLR to replace the E-3 but after months of waiting decided to just go with something cheaper for now, and that would allow me to purchase more accessories as well.
So what did I buy? I purchased an Olympus E-520. I know what you are thinking. The E-520? That is a DOWNGRADE from the E-3!!!! I know that this is NOT one of the newest cameras from Olympus, nor is it the top of the line, but you sure could fool me. This camera has been incredible to shoot with. It fully lives up to the Olympus name and expectations. Out of the box my first impression was that it, like the E-500 is a small camera. But the ergonomics make it a joy to hold and shoot with. While I have only captured maybe 150 or so photos so far, I can say that this camera is going to remain in my bag for several years to come….Even when I do get a second flagship dSLR to use a back up.
The reason I wrote this little post is because I had a friend tell me that he had read somewhere that the Olympus E-520 was listed as a steal due to its very low price point and its quality as a low to mid level dSLR. And from the first 150 or so photos I’ve taken I’d have to agree with that article. I also wanted to thank Olympus for making great equipment affordable and easy to use.
Let the confusion begin!
As you may know I have decided that the year 2010 is the year I become a better custodian of my body. I quit smoking a year ago, and that was one step towards a better me. But I like so many other ex smokers, packed on some extra weight in the process…to the tune of 30 pounds. So like any other tech headed social media junkie I decided that my whole weight loss process would be documented on the web. I’m Twittering it, Facebooking it, blogging it (obviously eh?) and I am also taking advantage of a nice “Web2.0” site called Daily Burn (http://www.dailyburn.com).
And like any tech/web savvy person looking to lose weight I have embarked on a fact finding mission to help determine what I can, and more importantly CANNOT eat and drink while trying to lose weight. And I will now share with you that vast amount of knowledge which I have gleaned from the multitude of interweb sources…..Ready?….Are you REALLY ready?
OK……
No one knows for sure.
Shocked? Disappointed? Upset?
Yeah…Me too.
I have found from digging around online that there is no one silver bullet to kill your fat gut. There is no single dietary regime to skinny you up. Nope, there isn’t anything that is sure fire except watching what you eat, how much you eat…and WHEN you eat, and of course the one thing we all hate..EXERCISE. Yup, that’s right…Ya have to actually DO SOMETHING to lose weight..weird I know. Well…There are the “obvious” things..I mean you can’t eat Big Mac’s© and Whoppers© everyday right? Ice cream and candy? Really? You didn’t think THAT was on the menu did you?
The only real consensus I have found is that you should eat multiple small meals of HEALTHY (veggies,fruit, and some source of protein) a day (between 5&7) six seems to be the magic number most often cited…So that’s what I am aiming for.
For ME a caloric intake of about 1800-1900 calories a day would be good if I was planning on doing zero exercise. But alas I am actually motivated and will be DOING exercise, so I am getting more out of my 1800-1900 calorie diet than if I chose to sit on my ass all day.
I am doing 30 minutes of fast walking/jogging on a treadmill every other day, the other every other days I’ll be strength training.
So I urge you all to drop by here on a semi regular basis to see how I am progressing. I will tell you now that I am currently at 207.5 lbs, I started at 210.5 lbs three days ago.
My GOAL is 160-170 lbs. I know that 10lbs. is a big range in my goal weight but I am sure I will have a more defined goal within the next year…..And a year is how long I am giving myself to meet this goal.
So with that I shall leave this post open for discussion……
I join the millions of New Years Resolution makers today………….
And so it begins. Like last year this year promises to see me kick a habit and get healthier. Last year I quit smoking (yay me!), and in the process of kicking that God awful habit I gained 20+ pounds of FAT. My smoking habit was replaced with a munching habit. When I would have stepped outside for a smoke, I stepped into the kitchen and got a bowl of chips or Cheeze-its. Instead of stepping out and walking around the yard with a smoke, I would sit down at Mac and surf. You can see how smoking actually kept me on my feet and moving more than NOT smoking did. And to be honest, that little bit of movement 15-20 times a day must have been just enough calorie burning to keep me at a steady 180 lbs (which by the way is still to much). But over the course of a year, by removing that little bit of extra activity, and adding those extra “snack calories” I have packed on enough weight to become disgusted with myself.
So when my old friend Jeremiah proposed a wager between himself,his brother and I, a little bet to see who can lose and keep off 30lbs (or more) by next year at this time I was in! It helps to have competitive motivation to lose weight. There IS a bit of irony in this contest (but then again Jeremiah is known for ironic acts), the winner buys the losers dinner. LOL…Trying to lose weight to win a dinner. Go figure. I just suppose that the winning dinner will be at Subway or something. Maybe a sushi joint would work.
So I guess as part of MY weight loss program I am going to blog about it the way I did about my smoking cessation. It kind of helped to “put it all out there” so to speak. I also think that at the end of it all I am going to post some photos that show where I started and how I go to my final weight. It ought to be an interesting (if not slightly disturbing) pictorial. LOL. The other part of the program is split into two common sense approaches. One is portion control, I am going to start eating HALF of what I normally would have at each meal. That starts this morning. The other is movement. I need to make sure that I am in motion MORE than not. So if you see me on Facebook outside of my normal working hours of 7a.m. to 3:30p.m. then tell me to get off my ass and do something. We have a very nice expensive treadmill that is just sitting here waiting for some attention so I plan on using that EVERY DAY, for two 30 minute jogs (cardio) and I will of course be spending time outdoors doing things.
So with the new year…..I resolve to lose AT LEAST 30 pounds. My goal is to weigh in at 175 pounds.. That would still be “over weight” but I would never want to look skinny…I don’t even think my body is capable of skinny….But my starting weight is (brace yourself) 210 pounds. TWO HUNDRED AND TEN! I’m only 5′ 6″!!!!
So there…I told you how much I weigh..now the whole world has access to my obesity (ewwww), and now that it is public knowledge, it is time to change it!
Good luck to me.
Jamie MacDonald Photographer/Artist 