Photography: Specifically HDR and Light Painting

My grandfather tells some of the best stories.  Everything from his experiences at his alma mater (my current place of residence VMI, go keydets) to rants on the historical significance of damn near everything.  Listening to him is nothing short of a delight. Now, my grandfather is also a great photographer and he was taught by his father. One of my grandfather's many stories is about his father, the one who taught how to shoot pictures.  This man, after acting as a photographer for the marines (I think, I'll double check this within the week) became a photographer for National Geographic.  Yeah, that Nat Geo.  Since I learned this I've been obsessed with photography to some extent.  I don't make enough money to buy myself a good camera and haven't really been taught how.  But, I still can appreciate the art.  Great Grandpa Roberts was a photographer between about 1920-1970, possibly longer, and so was a great photographer for the recreation of life exactly as it is.  He had a phenomenal ability to capture a moment in time or the grand majesty of a thing or place. Examples can be found: here  I have found a love for the more abstract corners of photography specifically HDR Photography and Light Painting.  The two mediums create some of the most interesting compositions I've seen.  I only wish that I could recreate the effects with my shitty equipment.  Examples after the jump

Light Painting

HDR

More legos, this time an engine

I couldn't pass this up.  Check it out.

Legos, the great creator

This past summer I found myself diving head first back into legos.  I currently have 9 models made up sitting on various surfaces in my tiny room. They range from Darth Vader's tie-fighter, acting as a book-end to a eastern style dragon.  Over the summer while perusing the lego store on multiple occaisons I saw the Lego Architecture sets and fully thought that they were badass.  I love the use of a sparse number or selection of pieces to create a model of a famous building.  For example, the John Hancock center is made with 69 (lol, 69) pieces.  By using very simple pieces in a different way the designer was able to create an approximation of the building with less than 100 pieces.  on the other end of the spectrum are the Technic sets.  The engineering marvel they represent is awesome.  I really should invest in a couple.  An example of some homebrew technic can be found after the jump.  I was surrounded by legos on a few occasions and while looking at the architecture sets I thought that my school could use a set designed after itself.  The Virginia Military Institute Barracks should be a lego set.  It's a historical building and easily recognizable!  it would sell great as a special set sold at the book store.  However, I can't find anyway to get it built.  Super sad face on that one.  Well enjoy the video and, to cover my ass, Lego and Avatar both belong to their respective companies I just love the former and the latter made an awesome helicopter.



(I know the videos from february, its still awesome and a great example of lego design)

In the beginning

I've been attending a fine institute of learning for a year now (with a nice little summer in between) and have seen and experienced an array of things.  That is what this blog will be about: my experiences, the more interesting ones, with the occasional nerdy tangent, music, and lots of dry sarcastic humor.  So, please keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times, and enjoy the ride.