Category Archives: Uncategorized
Thank You
Thank you for donating to this worthwhile project.
Two places at once.
I am waiting to find out if and how I can get Internet at my house. I need this to teach, and to reach a level of normalcy. It is very important to me.
I was contacted by Yolanada from the foundation I photograph for, this morning. She would like me to help them inventory the state of disrepair of the houses of blind people they help.
As always I am willing to help her however I can.
My main concern is getting Internet installed in my house. I can’t be both places at once. I have to prouritize…
I will be taking photographs…
I am moving…. again
I haven’t written for awhile, so I thought I would bring people up to date.
I am moving again. I think this is about the 20th time for me.
The place where I am staying is the bottom of the house of a good friend. This place is perfect. But I have to move. When I came to San Clemente I was thinking a 4 to 6 week stay. My friend let me rent her place, and extend my time once I decided to stay longer. The problem is, she has long term renters arriving in December so I have to leave.
I am moving about 5 or 6 kilometers up the road to the village of San Jacinto. It is to a smaller apartment on the third floor right on the ocean. The views are amazing..one of the main reasons I took this place. Another advantage of this apartment is it is in the centre of the village. No more 2 Kilometer walks or bike rides to go to a restaurant.
The big disadvantage is that the apartment is in the centre of the village, which means I get to listen to the disco on Saturday night. I am hoping that the location of my bed, the sound of the crashing waves, and the general wind direction, will keep the levels low enough that it isn’t a problem.
Once I get in, I will post images of the view…. I think, on a clear night, I should be able to see Manta on one side and Canoa on the other.
What they mean
What photographers say and what they mean
a funny ( kinda) post.
http://www.diyphotography.net/24-things-photographers-say-really-mean/
Mancha and Motos
There is a dog, Mancha ( Spanish for spot ( there is some debate whether her name is Mancha ( spot ) or Manchas ( spots)) that lives at Tzanka, who has adopted me. She and Buster don’t get along too well, but she likes to follow me everywhere I go around the city.
If I try and discourage her, she stays about 1/2 a block back…. if I ignore her she usually stays about 3 feet behind me…so even if I am not exactly sure where she is I am always careful how I cross around traffic.
You do not see people walking their dogs here, and I have never seen one tied up outside a store or someplace as an owner was inside. I do get strange looks from people when I do take Buster for a walk on a lead.
When I go into a store or the bank Mancha sits outside…right at the edge of the door. There is nothing to keep her from coming into the buildings, the doors are always wide open or there are no doors, but she very rarely does. People have commented…and it is easier to say that she is my dog than to try and explain that she has adopted me.
She has come into the school a couple of times, and surprisingly, no one seems to care, and of course the kids love it. I decided that this is one place that would not be good so I have actively discouraged her here. The looks of some of the kids when I have done this was enough to send daggers into anyones heart.
I decided a couple of months ago to try for a Motorcycle license…3 months ago actually.
Besides the paperwork needed and the visits to various offices around the city ( with a white dog with a big black spot as my shadow), It has taken me this long because I had to learn enough spanish to try the test.
On my visit today, I was in the office for about 45 minutes ( and I got my license on the first try) When I came out of the office there was Mancha. There is nothing to keep her from coming into the buildings, the doors are always wide open but she very rarely does. As I was walking away I noticed 2 security guards looking and commenting on how happy this dog was, and the fact she had been waiting that long.
I just hope she doesn’t try to follow me when I ride my Moto…..
Fiters on lens or how to keep it clean
In the studio I have always thought that filters on lens were not needed.
Outside, I thought that the were ok, but didn’t think too much about it.
I have spent the last 7 days at the beach. A very windy beach. With the wind coming off of the ocean. I am surprised at the amount of sand and salt spray that are in the air.
As I was washing my UV filter in soap and water to remove the film I was glad that I do have a good glass filter on the front of my lens.
What to do with my time off- Photo Tour of Ecuador
I have six weeks off between cycles. I wanted to go back to Canada, but the funds just are not there. I make a decent wage here, but it is small compared to first world prices.
So what to do with my time?
Stop and small the flowers?
One option I am considering is an intensive photo tour of Ecuador. I am starting to plan this on my Photo Tours site. My thinking is I should spend the time to work on getting stock images for my library, agencies and my stock image site.
As i scour the net and add ideas for this tour I get really excited…. this is going to be so cool… or hot.
And then I think about spending time in a place like San Clemente… just chillin at the beach… The biggest problem with this is, I might never come back.
So what to do..Intensive Photo tour…six weeks of straight shooting or 6 weeks of chillin.
What would you do?
Back on-line
The site is back on-line.
I had to take it down and make some modifications… it was under attack by some hackers….
I think it is time for a redesign?