Good bye grad school. Hello MBA.

Good bye WoW. Hello EOS Digital Rebel XSi 12.2-Megapixel.

I know that I always end up getting a lot of hate mail when I write a “first impression” post, but hell. It is what I do.

Thus far, my adventure into the lightroom software product has been lack luster. Granted, it does look like it will work out extremely well for organizing my photo collection. Ever since I hit 10,000 they have been a pain in the ass to handle.

Unfortunately, many of the other features are exactly necessary, or just aren’t very good. For example, some of the correction tools have “auto” buttons, which I would not normally use, but since I was testing out the app, I tried it on a few images. To put it lightly, it destroyed them. Things like this carried out throughout the “develop” functional area of the application. So, I’ll probably continue to stick to Photoshop to do any of my real image correction.

There are some functions, that I cannot really see ever using, such as the export to print or web. But, I’ll wait and see if I can find a use for them at some point.

As you can see by the screen grab at the top, the actual interface itself is kind of ugly. I don’t like how it does not fit within the MDI standard of macs. In many ways, it looks like it is just a straight port of a windows application (which it probably is).

That’s all I have to say on it for now. I recently got my digital rebel back (which I am planning on selling – more on that later) , so I will be trying out the raw support pretty quick here.

Thoughts?

New Camera

400D

At some point I would like to pick up a new camera to use this summer. I would really like to pick up the latest 400D model of the digital rebel. If offers some features that should make the user experience quite a lot better. However, I can only get about $200 out of my 300D, and I don’t really want to drop another $600 into a camera upgrade.

SD600 Or, Whatever

The Canon PowerShot SD600 is the most popular point and shoot camera on flickr, and it looks like a pretty decent camera. However, I would have to get the upgrade for it, since I don’t believe you can get that particular version anymore. Regardless, I would really like to get a decent point and shoot that I can just take around everywhere to take a picture when the opportunity presents itself.

Adobe Lightroom

After checking out the latest version of Photoshop, and watching the video for Light room, I have decided that I will buy Lightroom at some point in the not too distant future. It looks like quite a wonderful utility and should help encourage me to take some photos, since the current process of getting them together is quite horrid.

Feedback?

Apparently random $129 task chair > $700 aeron. You do the math.

I think I like carpet better.

Recently, I ordered the special anniversary edition of Transformers the movie. So, in honor of this special occasion I also obtained one of the special 3″ die cast Optimus Prime figurines. Now, I have to say that this like figurine is pretty freakin’ badass.

If you want to look at a good example of supply and demand in the market place, just take a look at the diecast transformers figurines. For the regular 3″ ones, you pay $3.50. I paid $7 for Optimus. For the taller figures, you pay $15, for Optimus you pay $65.

Anyway, the Transformers movie in the original widescreen format improved on perfection in a way that I never believed possible. I highly recommend that everyone pick up the DVD at their earliest convenience. It is crown jewel of my movie.

Would it be considered humanitarian aid to send growth hormones to the Japanese?

Since everyone seems to be slacking a bit on the blogosphere, I have decided to post a challenge.

Given the rather dreadful blizzard conditions we are currently experiencing in the Midwest, it seems appropriate to have some kind of arctic challenge.

As you can see by the photo posted above, the objective of this challenge is to get a shot of yourself wallowing in the snow (clothing optional).

So, take a photo, post it somewhere on the Internet, and then post a link to it in the comment section for this post.

Now, make it so!

Today marks the beginning of the Coast Guard Festival. Granted, there are not fancy boths setup, and the carnival has not started yet, but it is the official start none the less. So, what does this mean for Grand Haven? Ass loads of people.

I took a trip down to the State Park to do some people watching, and bikini hunting. Unfortuantely, the pickings were pretty slim while I was out, as most of the females were either too old or too young. That is why most of the shots are just from the volleyball tournament that was going on.

You can check out the photos I gathered while walking around in the gallery. Oh, and the bikini photos are hosted by vanlandw. Enjoy.

CGF Opening Weekend