Happy New Year 2011

Ahh, the new year brings with it, opportunities and, hopes and dreams by an exciting sack-load, how exciting! Having spent much time wondering on the possibilities of dibbling and dabbling in the world of photography, I've finally taken the plunge and gone for it. The weapon of my choosing? The infamous Canon 5D MkII.



Many would say that it is quite overkill for someone's first serious stab at photography and I absolutely agree. It's overkill. It's one thing to be attracted by 'necessities' such as full frame, noiseless high ISOs, L series lenses from the box and HD movie mode, but with it comes some less wanted territory.

For instance, it's quite disconcerting knowing that you're playing around a large body of salt water with cheeky friends while $3.5K worth of gear hangs precariously around your neck. Oh and might I add by a nylon strap that looks not much sturdier than a fireman's shoelace.

If you're the kind of person that feels misfortune follows you closely at your heels, then you'll probably feel uneasy most of the time you're out and about. Speaking of misfortune, I've already lost a polarising lens filter after all but 3 days usage. This is while the camera was stored away in it's bag with the lens cap on. Misfortune much?

I didn't really think about the downside really until about a week into owning it. Call it the end of the honeymoon period if you will, but the scary realisation of potential a expensive encounter came perhaps as a lot of subjects would give me a stunned expression upon discovering I was shooting with a 5D MkII.

"Isn't that a professional camera?" they would ask. The expressions their faces read were, "What is it doing out here in a world filled with liabilities!?". Slowly, a feeling of knowing irresponsibility crept up on me. Then it made sense why people commonly go out and about with nice, cheap cameras instead of fantastic, weapon cameras.

However, let's look at the flipside! This camera is, as my cousin Mick would put it "Oh so worth it!" Sure it's expensive and generously-weighted, but I'm relishing in always being ready to capture a wonderful moment within a sturdy wide-frame. A recent trip to the South Coast has me standing in confidence that I made the right choice of Camera.



I remember being advised by a photographer mate that I don't need to go full frame and it's a knick-knack I'll never really need, but oh let me tell you that some shots would never have been given due justice without the full frame. Oh no, I'm confident this is the right camera for me.

It's just gonna get better to! Just you wait until I get stuck into the video part of this! With our graphic novel "Brutal Prophecy" inching closer and closer into physical production, this camera's going to really step into its role.

Other stuff I'll be experimenting in with this camera? HD movie mode of course, portrait and landscape photography, vehicle and product photography, HDRI (Which I've already made a couple!) and photography for 3D modelling.

Speaking of 3D, here's a wip screengrab of the 180sx model I've been working on.

Comics, films, and AWD drift

Hello and good morning! What a thoroughly enjoyable weekend! Had such an epic meeting on Saturday with Dane in producing the graphic novel! So we moved into storyboarding, oh man we got some killer slide for the novel at the moment... Too bad it was cut short coz he had to go do stuff... But we met later on in the day to catch Watchmen... FAROUT!!! That movie kicked so much arse that even Colonel Guile would be struggling to keep up! I knew that Critics either highly rated that movie or highly floored it... I was kinda worried going in to see it as I hadn't been such a follower of the original graphic novel, but I payed due diligence in reading up on it and doing research on it a while ago before the movie was released... WELL payed off! That was by far one of the most full, layered and thoughtful movies I've seen in a long long time! Superb! For those of you who plan to watch it, I recommend you do some background reading on the watchmen story and characters, all can be found on wikipedia.

Sunday, I spooled out to Oran Park raceway in another production assist role at superlap... A drool-worthy contest of Australia's fastest time attack cars (meaning that they're Jap!!!). Heaps of photo's can be caught HERE! Oh man I got to sit shotgun in an R34 GTR!!! That light blue one GTR088... It belonged to Dom and it was QUICK as a sting!! That thing had no problem lighting up all 4 wheels (GTR's are AWD)... He was telling me there's 4 levels of hecticness they tune the car to, and that on that day it was set to level 2... Enough to break loose but still be in control... Oh man it was EPIC!!! I got to rub shoulders with owner, mechanics, drivers and workshoppers who build australia's fastest street and time attack cars. I even chased and R35 GTR and caught up to it on foot! Hahaha it was driving away with one of Andrews camera's... 400kw in these legs man! So epic day, thoroughly enjoyed, am looking forward to getting trained so I can be more involved with camera setting up and running (which also means getting payed).

I got to ride shotgun in this thing!

And I caught up to this thing on foot!
This thing was WEAPON

Tilton Interiors Evolution was off the hook!

technical articles, comic production, DEBT

I decided yesterday that I'm going to use this blog to host some technical articles on things that some people might find helpful/useful! I started a writeup ages ago in my spare time at work on how to go through a 5-stud conversion and brake upgrade on an S13. It was left unfinished for the longest of times but I started hammering into it while at work yesterday. I think I really like writing technical articles! So that should be coming up quite soon if I keep at it. Hopefully people will find it helpful, there's not that much info out there for DIY 5-stud conversions.

So I'm supposed to meet with Dane today to do more work on our comic, we planned to start working through storyboarding and breaking up key scenes into cells and shots! But silly me stayed up till so late last night writing this bloody article! I don't think I slept until about 3 or so and I couldn't get up in the morning for the meeting! Argh I'm quite irresponsible aren't I? But alas I hope to meet with him in the afternoon after he's day's errands are done. I'm so excitied about getting some story progression stuff done! It's alot easier to spearhead artwork when you know what you're looking for. So at least I think hahaha...

So I was reading on NS this morning about the spending habits of some young car enthusiasts... OMG! I though I was bad! I still owe money on my credit card but am taking care of that as best as I can so I can enjoy my holiday in Japan. I'm in need of some more income to make this work I think. *Frowns* I think the majority of NS members are in debt! It would be so interesting to see figures of what debt is like withing the NS community! I can't wait to be debt free. Must work hard! and be freed from this burden!

So! I'm going to continue working on this article! Oh I've learnt that to make a separate page for articles, all you need to do is backdate that post! I'll give it a try when that article get's done!