This is the first print that I have sold... a photograph of the Susan Constant that was on display at the coffee shop. This is a 12x18 double matted in an 18x24 silver frame. Of course I didnt charge enough to make profit, I was simply happy to sell a print lol... this cost me almost $50 to create, but looks great on this professional paper designed for black and white.

I am compelled to shamelessly promote the coffee shop that has agreed to display exclusively MY photography lol.... where the coffee is always hot and the scones fresh :) (I feel like Garrison Keiller describing Lake Woebegone)
The place is actually very nice, and Allen the owner real friendly... if you happen to be a UT student its the perfect location to study and puruse the internet while grabbing a cup of Joe and admiring my photography. Its located basically across from Hodges library just south of Cumberland (kingston pike) on Melrose. I'm developing a price sheet to post there as well in the off chance that anyone inquires... I've been doing my own custom matting and framing for fairly cheap. I'd be thrilled if anyone would stop by and check it out... I've got a decent collection of photographs on display and it really is a nice quaint place to hang out... when we were hanging the pictures up this morning there was even a couple dancing to the blues/jazz they were playing. Its a pretty neat place :) Here's some pictures I shot of it this morning...

( Golden Roast coffee shop... )

Here's a sample album in facebook of photography taken in 2008.. (album has 2 pages so remember to hit next)

 So far I'm very pleased with the results... These are just around-the-house shots (its been dreary outside), taken in low light, no flash, slow shutterspeed utilizing the IS with no tripod, i.e. handholding around 5-6 pounds of camera.  Pretty darn good considering :) ( handheld 70-200... )

 I told the wife not to get me anything this year... for behold... today I own the fastest, sharpest lens in the 70-200mm range with image stabilizer... as well as a 1.4x converter to turn this into a 90-280 f/4.  The 1.4x will also be able to convert my next lens (a 300mm f/4) into a 420mm f/5.6.  This will give me the highest quality images possible when shooting bear, coyote, deer or even birds of prey in the national park.  I couldnt help myself but to document this monumentous occasion with a livejournal entry :)
( Click here to witness one of the best lenses Canon has ever made... )

Cades Cove this morning...

Thursday night was color tour night for me in the mountains while willow_dragon had her girls gathering. Leaf color was hit and miss along Little River road until I got to Elkmont, where these shots were taken. From there I ventured across Newfound Gap into North Carolina to get this view. Not a bad catch, just a lot of driving... I'm hoping next Sunday might have peak colors at Cades Cove.

Sunset was last night at Clingmans Dome, Cades Cove was this morning. Gate opened at 7:30am but I parked at the end of the lot and walked 2 miles down the loop to arrange a decent shot at around 7.

You are a Social Liberal (71% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (25% permissive) You are best described as a: Democrat Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid Also : The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

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Hey my love! We were all thinking about you so we decided to all get together and send our love. Cant wait to see you tomorrow night!

After my photography class last night, Connie surprised me avec les fleurs et du chocolat :)
I thought I'd take the time to photograph the beauty (and the flowers... sans chocolate... of course that didnt last long enough to record an image) for the journaling world to see.

32" JVC tv... huge and heavy tube type but really nice picture, very sharp and contrasty. Includes Panasonic dvd player for $200 together... also including monster gold plated THX certified component cables.

Poll #1190554 Photo Class Pictures
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 18

Pick your FOUR favorite pictures.

Poll #1120476 magik kitty
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 5

Which is your favorite kitty picture?

Click here to see the scrapbook page with links to bigger file sizes (i.e. for wallpapers)

Click here to see results

76% Mike Gravel
72% Dennis Kucinich
72% Bill Richardson
70% Chris Dodd
67% Barack Obama
66% John Edwards
62% Hillary Clinton
60% Joe Biden
48% Rudy Giuliani
42% John McCain
41% Ron Paul
40% Mike Huckabee
33% Mitt Romney
24% Tom Tancredo
24% Fred Thompson

2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz

ALERT!!  boring post to most people

I find myself going through 'the change'.  <sigh> The switch is being made from Nikon to Canon.  Canon cmos sensors are better at high ISO settings, making pictures with less digital "noise" with faster shutter speeds (i.e. not grainy or blurry).  Also, I then get to try out my dads lenses when I visit... lenses that I could never afford.
I decided with the new 40D 10.1 megapixel magnesium alloy 3" LCD work of art... and I found an unused model selling on ebay for $1075, which is $225 less than new.  Ships on monday :)
I sold my 3 lenses and Nikon body for $1,761... not bad.  I think I originally paid about $2,000 for everything 2 years ago or so... so thats not bad.  Unfortunately with such an expensive body, I dont have much in terms of lens options.
what i'm considering now =

1 Canon 24-70 2.8 L USM = top of the line, highest canon quality lens, pro sharpness but baawwing focal range $850
 
OR

1 canon 17-40 F/4 canons top of the line series design... but not very long top range length $600
1 sigma 105mm macro = $300  great for wildflowers in the spring

OR

1 canon 10-22 f/3.5-4.5 more exciting wide angle focal length, but not pro quality build $600
1 sigma 105mm macro $300

OR

1 sigma 70-200 2.8... great for wildlife, longish telephoto, sharp, REALLY heavy $650
1 sigma 105mm macro $300

OR... i have no idea... its so hard to decide on limited budget

spoiled oak tree i am
things i got for my day of birth...
1)  simcity deluxe edition
2)  civ IV expansion pack
3)  dinner at red lobster
4)  walnut blondie and mudslide at applebees
5)  giftbox made by willowdragon

things i got semi-birthday related...
1) garmin GPS for car (covers christmas gifting too)
2)  prepaid cellphone for our trips to michigan and orlando in the fall

wow, lucky me!! :)

Here are pictures from my progression after nearly 4 months...

( See the pictures under here (pretty much NSFW) )
53 pounds lost so far... only 5 more to go before the goal I set for 7/10... I think at this point for me its time to really hit the gym... especially for my pecs for which I currently have none. Also I'd like to work my legs so that they dont look quite like sticks. I cant wait until Connie reaches her goal in december... she already looks so different! We both look alot younger... it really feels great! Everybody makes it sound like weight loss is so hard, but in actuality if you really want to change your eating habits to adventure into this "grand experiment" its really not that hard.... just alot of patience and tracking. Eventually after the first month or so you just get used to the new habits, and after 3 months you realize that you dont need all your old fattening foods... except for rare treats of course.

I've been really enjoying these last 2 months in my crusade against fat... Connie and I have been hiking every weekend and walking every other evening. The main thing has been simply tracking calories on fitday.com.... this way I can know when I've had enough in a day... and also know when I need to get more protein in versus carbs. Its been a very interesting experiment. I'm eating about 1,900 calories per day on average... and the sites I've seen say that a person my size usually burns between 2,800 and 3,300 per day... so its a pretty big deficit for me. Its going to be harder for connie, because a female her height usually burns about 1,000 less calories per day than I would (plus she's got a desk job). However, I am so proud of her because she's doing it by biking and walking the nearly 4 miles home, and doing a great job on calories. Anyways, I wanted to share the graph of my progress, so here it is (drumroll please)... by the way... I currently have lost 35.6 pounds... currently weight about 218 and plan to get down to 195 by July 26. No sweat! (well maybe a little) :)



The yellow line is my daily weight and the purple equals the previous 5 days average for that day.

The instructor in the photography workshop this morning says this is the worst spring season for wildflowers since 1960... and he should know, he's a retired botany professor at the university. We saw many plants on our expedition this morning at the sugarlands, but they were all pretty raggedy from the cold snap during easter and the rest already past their prime. The more interesting plants were showy orchids, bishops cap, foam flower, crested iris, canadian violet, solomons seal, jack in the pulpit, bloodroot, little brown jugs, squawroot, yellow trilliums and a kind of red trillium. They were all there, but in bad shape.  I'm gradually learning more and more wildflower names... there's so many its crazy. One of the guides had an 800 page wildflower book published recently... it was good to have a knowledgeable guide there. He used the same camera as mine... the extra thing I need for more plant pictures is a white umbrella for diffusion (and actually pack the reflector I have). Anyways, here's a few flower shots I've got so far this week...

( Click to see more... )

Its good to know I've got journaling friends who think I've got some kind of photographic ability...
This morning I decided to venture out into the downtown area in search of more abstract/creative material. I came back kind of discouraged, but I found that I could play with what I took and make some interesting expressions. I think in general, these images express what I feel about downtown life and its chaos.
I just wish I could get over my camera shyness... I'd love to explore more bizarre angles, but I've got some kind of psychological block... in my mind I'm always wondering what people are thinking of me taking pictures of these mundane things. Also I'd love to take pictures of the destitute and homeless... but I'm always worried I'm going to piss somebody off and never know how to approach them... except maybe with a really long lens from far away?? lol
Anyways... everybody please give me your honest opinion, thank you!