Random 365 #9
Random 365 #9
Originally uploaded by fcapria
I didn’t want to post another snow in October picture, and this was the closest thing I had to a Halloween appropriate shot.
Random 365 #8 – Beech Sapling by Stream
Originally uploaded by fcapria
A freak October snowstorm painted this beautiful picture. The beech trees’ yellows and browns made a nice contrast to the quickly melting snow. I took several shots this afternoon in the woods. I’ll add them in the coming days.
Random 365 #7 and the politics of deregulation
Originally uploaded by fcapria
With a rare October nor’easter bearing down on us, and threatening widespread power outages, I thought this image appropriate for tonight’s Random 365. The lights have been flickering and parts of town are already without power.
While utilities blame freakish weather patterns for the deterioration of service the past few years, it’s not likely. The culprit is deregulation. Utilities are cutting back on maintenance to improve short term margins and regulators no longer have the necessary tools to force more responsible behavior. Perhaps it’s time the regulatory pendulum swings the other way. We deregulated airlines, and flying is just a miserable experience. We deregulated banks, and we have the mother of all recessions to show for it. Does anyone really think deregulating core infrastructure is a good idea? What pennies we might eventually save each month comes at the cost of Soviet-level quality of service.
Random 365 #6
Originally uploaded by fcapria
I snapped this picture with my BlackBerry on the observation deck of the Stratosphere in Las Vegas. This image proves to me that technical quality is secondary to just capturing the feeling of the moment. We were at the NAB trade show after a long day, and rather than hit a bar we decided to go see the Pawn Stars shop and then hit the Stratosphere.
It just captures the spirit of our team at Avid. We enjoy each other’s company even during our free time, and we’re not ashamed to be just a little bit nerdy in public.
Light Field Camera Coming Soon
It appears the Lytro camera I wrote about last month is almost ready to be released. As much as I want one, I think I’ll wait for a second generation model. Then again at $400 I might succumb to temptation – even if it only yields a 1.2 megapixel image. CNET published a really rough review listing about a dozen other limitations. I don’t think it’s fair to compare it to other commercially available cameras. This camera is all about “fix it in post.” If you’re a photographer like me with better Photoshop skills than compositional skills, the Lytro might just represent the future.
It’s hard to justify yet another new “toy” camera when I’ve yet to really give the new GoPro a good workout. For $300 I got waterproof time lapse photos and full HD video. I’ll be posting something from that camera soon. Promise.
