The life and times of a true knucklehead – No photos to be used without permission
Yesterday I woke up early to water the plants and noticed our royal star magnolia tree is blooming. Later we had brunch at the new Mexican restaurant in town, Otaez. Sandy had the 3 taco (lengua & fish) plate & I had the huevos con chorizo.
Woke up this morning to find a foggy Sunday. I love days like this, so I picked up my S90 and just shot some stuff in the backyard.
As I was out this morning watering the plants this stupid Humming Bird kept taunting me. So I shot him… 105 times. That’s not an easy task as those little b*stards are really fast.
I’m stuck out here in Grants Pass Oregon til Thursday with not much of anything to do. You could say Grants passing time in Grants Pass. Oh I crack myself up, I’ll be here all week in the LaQuinta lobby, thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. It’d be even better if I can manage to pass some gas.
Actually I’m dying of boredom.
The welcoming crew for the LaQuinta Inn.
The Rogue River obviously.
What a great name, I just had to try a cup.
Tues – Thanks to my co-worker Raymund I had the worst Chinese food for dinner ever. We’re gonna try Italian on Weds.
Weds – I went to White City today for work and thought about driving up to Crate Lake… think I’ll wait for warmer weather.
Thurs – Flying home and I’m sad to report the best meals I had over here were at Taco Bell & Wendy’s.
Sandy suggested that yesterdays sunset would make a good photo. I disagreed thinking it was such a high contrast scene it wouldn’t work. I was wrong and now must apologize to the Filipino Community at large.
Jim asked for a review of my Canon S90. There a number of photo websites that offer reviews of the S90 so I’ll try not to rehash information.
What I use it for:Â my photography pretty much revolves around sharing my life on the blog.
Work – Occasionally I shoot a photo for work if I need to document or see something weird.
Snapshots – Quick shot of people.
Animals – I love to have animals on my blog, but they are challenging. They won’t sit still and can be in bad light.
Landscapes & Panos – I take a fair amount.
Low light shots – this includes taking photos of food in dimly lit restaurants and nightshots.
Close ups – Usually food shots and occasionally, bugs.
What I like:
Good image quality – Just about all compact cameras these days give good IQ in well lit situations, and the S90 is no exception. It even does well in moderate light.
Screen – I love big screens and the S90 has a 3-incher.
Battery life – Appears to be very good, although I haven’t used it for an extended shoot. I tend to capture a quick shot here and there.
Size – I love the small size. It’s for this same reason I don’t use my G11 much. Can you believe I think the G11 is too big now? Don’t even mention my 5D. My arm hurts just thinking about it.
Grid display – Applies a tic tac toe pattern on the screen. Not uncommon these days, it helps for hand holding pano shots. Not to forget the R.O.T. shots for my sister-in-law.
SCN – Scene modes, especially sunset. Good for the novice.
Raw Capture – I shoot exclusively RAW and then I can change parameters later.
Servo focus – Great for moving animals. Koa would be a perfect case study.
Cost – $415 which is much cheaper than a Panasonic GF-1 ($900).
Lens – 28-105mm f2.0 Lens – Pilargo el millio as the Pontiac commercial goes, or wider is better. True for photography too. I don’t care for lenses that only go as wide as 35mm. I’d love a 24mm. The fast f2.0 helps too in low light versus my G11 f2.8. Speaking of apertures, the range on the S90 is only 2.0 – 4.9. That doesn’t seem like much on the small end, but I’m comparing it to a DSLR which for me sets the standards in many areas.
Close up work – I can get as close as 2″ without a special lens, one of the advantages of a compact.
Lens Ring – I can configure the lens ring to make a quick change of: ISO, exposure compensation, white balance, focus or zoom.
Things I don’t like:
Slippery – Needs texture on the right side. You have to use the wrist strap or risk dropping the camera.
Flash – Pops up and you have to make sure your left index finger is not in the way.
Low light image quality – This is very common. The S90/G11 promised to be better – I’m not impressed. Improvements in this area will be incremental. Although I’d rather have the noisy shot rather than not have anything. I try not to go over 400 ISO.
Things I haven’t used:
Movie – That what camcorders are for. Perhaps I’ll post one.
HDMI out – To view on a HD TV. I post my stuff on the blog so I haven’t tried this.
Direct printing – I always print from the home PC or have it professionally done so I’ve never tried this. Not to mention when if I’m gonna print a photo I’ll usually work in Photoshop first.
Custom mode – You can save various settings for recall. Perhaps if i did a lot of street photography this would be useful.
Low light mode – Sets the ISO at 3200 – too noisy
Things I rarely use:
Manual exposure – Used once when shooting a pano in difficult light.
Manual focus – Very hard to use.
Things I want:
Touchscreen – Sandy has one on her SD980.
Remote Shutter – For tripod use and not to forget, drive by shooting.
Hot Shoe – Would like to use a small external flash (Canon 270EX) or IR transmitter
Internal ND filter – Like my G11, which is great for water shots.
Another tripod socket on the left side for portrait pano shooting.
Bottom line – I love my S90, I use it more than any other cam I own. I would not try to shoot a wedding with it but for everyday blog photography it is great. I like control and the S90 offers a number of them, more than those offered on most compacts. I wish the low light problem could be addressed. I can’t wait for the day when compacts can focus as fast as a DSLR.
In 2001 I got my 1st digital camera, a Toshiba PDR-M5 (I still have it). It is a crude camera by today’s standards. Nine years later my S90 is a big step forward. We’ve come a long way and I can’t wait to see what we have in 2021.
I know I was just there last week. If I keep this up they’re gonna give the account to someone else. As usual I didn’t have much time to do anything. I did have my usual coffee from Honolulu Coffee Co.
Everyone thinks it’s glamorous to fly and work in Hawaii. I tell everyone it’s not what it’s cracked up to be and no one believes me. So join me on a trip to Honolulu via my employer.
1:12PM – Receive text message, instrument down in the lab. Troubleshoot over the phone while driving home from Turlock and I can’t get it working.
2:04PM – Arrive home. Make travel arrangements via AMEX. Pack clothes, tools, parts and more importantly camera equipment. Dinner is help yourself Chinese food.
5:00AM – Wake up eat a quick light breakfast. Check email.
6:40AM – Sandy drives me to the airport. I say goodbye to Mommi & Daddy as they are flying out in the evening.
6:50AM – Check in for my flight on Hawaiian Airlines. I get irritated at everyone that is slowing down the ticket counter by being in the wrong line & refusing to use the kiosk. Charge for checking in 3 bags, $175. That’s on top of the $780 last minute airfare mind you.
7:05AM – Get in the security line that almost makes it out the terminal.
7:20AM – Get to gate 8 – I’m annoyed at everyone who puts their bags on the seats rather than allow someone to sit there. Update blog.
7:42AM – Boarding. No one wants to wait til their row is called. They’d rather clog up the gate.
8:05AM – Finally get to my seat 27C
8:40AM – Lift off. Listen to Hawaiian music on my ipod to get in the mood. Guy in 27A is annoying me as he is throwing his trash on the floor.
12:05PM – (local time) – 5½ hours later land in HNL. Guy in 27A is now clipping his fingernails. As I walk past I can see all his nail clippings on the seat. Dodge all the tourist as I race down to baggage claim F1. Send Sandy a text message to let her know I arrived. Release all the gas I’ve been holding from the flight while moving so no one will suspect me. Make sure I gas the guy from 27A. Pile my bags on my luggage cart. I decide to forego the shuttle bus and walk the ¼ mile to the rental counter. The Dollar Rental Car is empty (woohoo!). Pick up my compact car and head out on the H1. Merge onto the H2 and take it until it ends just past Mililani. Enter the base via the Lyman Gate and submit my car to inspection by the military police.
1:30PM – Arrive at the lab. I’m annoyed because the instrument is working fine and I cannot find a problem. This means I spent all this time & money for nothing.
3:23PM – Leave the lab and head to the Waikiki Sheraton.
4:10PM – Park the car in the garage. Drag my bags to the hotel check in. There’s a huge group ahead of me checking in and they’re not happy about their AARP rate.
4:40PM – Get to my room, change clothes.
5:00PM – Arrive at Cheeseburger in Paradise. Dinner for 1 please. Damn that beer tastes good. Having trouble keeping my eyes open.
5:40PM – Finished with dinner, I walk past the shops back to the hotel.
6:00PM – Back to the room. Can’t keep my eyes open. Start to nod off. Try to do some paperwork, it’s no use.
8:00PM – Fall asleep.
7:18AM – Wake up. Go to Honolulu Coffee Company across the street for a cup of coffee and a chocolate croissant. Chat with the gal behind the counter about coffee making techniques.
8:53AM – Back to the room to get ready for a 10:00AM WebEx Meeting.
10:50AM – Meeting done. Run out the door to the airport. Fill the tank before turning the car in. It only takes 3.143 gallons! Car rental is only $27.63, cheap! Throw my crap on the Ag scanner, get a lovely sticker for all that trouble. Once again people refuse to use the kiosk. Guess they just want to talk to someone. Go through security. Yes dear it’s gonna buzz, it’s a metal detector! Now take all stupid jewelery off.
12:20PM – Walk into Stinger Ray’s for lunch. Sit there for 6 minutes as all the waitresses ignore me. Leave and spend my money at Burger King (better service).
12:46PM – Stroll to Gate 60. Eat lunch on my lap.
12:56PM – Start boarding. Everyone enters at once rather than follow directions.
1:25PM – Seat 13B. Woman in 12B bashes me in the head with her purse as she slings it over her shoulder. It leaves no mark but causes me to cuss and think evil thoughts.
1:45PM – Liftoff, start nodding off.
3:03PM – Wake up just in time for drinks.
3:53PM – Dinner is Spinach Manicotti. Pretty damn good.
4:05PM – Finish with dinner. Watch the movie, Love Happens. Good thing it’s dark so no one can see me tearing up.
8:25PM – (Local time) Land.
8:38PM – Baggage Claim, as usual it takes forever.
8:52PM – Get my bags, call Sandy
8:57PM – Sandy picks me up. Hi Hunny!
9:07PM – Arrive home and go straight to bed.
Now wasn’t that exactly what you imagined it would be?
To celebrate 2010 we decided to spend New Years Day at the Ritz at Half Moon Bay. We reserved a suite and shared it with Mommi & Daddy.
Dinner was at Navio in the hotel. I ran into Tyler Florence at the entrance, I was so excited I didn’t think to photograph him. We savored the Froi Groie, Organic Mixed Greens, Scallops, Crispy Skin Duart Salmon, Beef Tenderloin, Halibut and for desert an assortment of Sorbets and a great Apple Cobbler. Thoroughly stuffed, we came back to our room to be greeted by rose petals spread all over the bed (I still have some stuck in my underwear). We finished the evening staring at the TV which had a looping fireplace video. I hope the rest of the year is this good.
The following morning we slept in and had a light breakfast at the hotel. Wanting to get our moneys worth we stayed til 11:59 before checking out. On the way home we stopped off for lunch at L&L Hawaiian BBQ in Pacifica.
I’ve never understood why people settle for the cheap stock headphones/earbuds that come with every consumer portable audio device.
This last trip to Oregon I lost my Bose earbuds. This is probably the 4th time I’ve either lost or destroyed a great pair of headphones while traveling. Let’s see, great audio and the heart wrenching agony of expensive stuff down the drain or substandard audio and I don’t give a rats *ss if they break I’ll just replace em with another cheap pair attitude.
