Justin's Photos

Saturday, November 15, 2008

STS-126 11/14/08 7:55PM

I watched the shuttle launch from the Cape, about 13.5 miles from launch pad 39-A
I left work early at 1:30pm, and held my spot starting at about 3:00pm- I waited almost 5 hours for these shots! Then it was a 3 hour long drive back to Orlando (normally about an hour or a little less).

National Space Expo and Air Show

Went to the NASA National Space Expo and Air Show on 11/09/08 with a VIP ticket :-)
For all 35 photos visit http://babyboi.net/nasa/nov2008/

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Frog

A frog outside my condo, just hanging out.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

De-Motivator

This is pretty funny stuff. Make your own.. (except for the baby)
http://diy.despair.com/motivator.php

Pet Peeve

"Wow, you must have a really good camera." Yes, yes I do.

But a good piano did not make Bach or Beethoven great composers or pianists.

Some of these photos were taken with a consumer grade Canon point and shoot camera (S2 IS), and a couple even with a 3.1 MP Kodak (DX4330) camera (worth about $75 if you can still find one on eBay).

A great photo requires; Good Composition, Good white balance, Good color (if color), and usually some re-touching in a photo editing program (this is the Digital Darkroom) - I also work in a color calibrated environment. Everything except for the last 2 elements can be achieved with just about any "decent" camera - $25 digital drug store cameras do not apply. It also helps to read your manual.

I don't think anyone told Dizzy Gillespie he must have a really good trumpet did they? He could sound indistinguishable on a student instrument or a professional instrument if he wanted to.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Dayton Beach Vacation with MoM. June/July 2008.

I don't do many portraits or "people pictures" in general. But it's something I am trying to expand on. Presenting my nephew, Carson Scott Hammond (7/2008)

Sunday, April 27, 2008

STS-123

These two photos were taken by me with my Pentax K10D digital SLR camera on March 11, 2008 at 2:28 AM (yes it was AM). I was standing about 12 miles from the shuttle launch pad.

STS-123 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) which was flown by Space Shuttle Endeavour. STS-123 was the 1J/A ISS assembly mission. The original launch target date was February 14, 2008 but after the delay of STS-122, the shuttle was launched on March 11, 2008. It was the twenty-fifth shuttle mission to visit the ISS, and delivered the first module of the Japanese laboratory, Japanese Experiment Module (Kibō), and the Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, (SPDM) Dextre robotics system to the station. The mission duration was 15 days and 18 hours, and it was the first mission to fully utilize the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System (SSPTS), allowing space station power to augment the shuttle power systems. The mission set a record for a shuttle's longest stay at the ISS. The completion of the mission left nine flights remaining in the Space Shuttle program until its end in 2010, excluding two as-yet-unconfirmed Contingency Logistic Flights. Out of 153 manned space launches this was only the 30^th night launch.

March 26 (Flight day 17, landing)

Flight controllers gave a no-go on de-orbit for the first landing opportunity at (19:05 EDT), due to unfavorable weather conditions at the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center.

Weather conditions were acceptable for the second landing opportunity, planned for (20:39 EDT 26 March 2008). The landing occurred at the Shuttle Landing Facility, and was the sixteenth night landing of the Space Shuttle at Kennedy Space Center, 22nd Shuttle night landing overall.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Fun at night

Darn that image stabilization

I think my image stabilization on my fancy camera broke hehehe

Computer Zoom

You can barely tell how messy my desk is. Almost no PhotoShop here, droped down the saturation a bit and that's about all.

Dinner

I decided to take a picture of my dinner. Sorry I didn't wait for you.

With the Pentax K10D 18-55mm kit lens

Monday, December 3, 2007

New Camera! Pentax K10D

After months of consideration, hair pulling and about 50 visits to CompUSA/BestBuy/Circuit City to play with the cameras.... I read a review in the Nov. Popular Photography magazine about the Pentax K10D, AMAZED I thought to msyelf if this review was correct I had to get my hands on one of these (I looked at other online reviews too). Since Pentax is not nearly as popular has Nikon/Canon or even freaking Olymus and Sony I had not seen one in any of the popular electronics stores. Went to my local Ritz camera, held it for about 10 minutes.... left, made a u turn went back and bought it. So far I LOVE IT, I haven't taken any "pro" shots with it yet, but just wait! I was 99.9% sure I would be buying the Canon XTi the day before - it didn't do everything I wanted but if I got everything I wanted I would be in the next price bracket or the one beyond that.... I wanted to keep the camera body and at least 1 lens under $1,000. I got my K10D w/ 55mm lens and a "free" 300mm lens from Ritz on black friday for about $800 (after mail in rebate). I feel like I got SO MUCH more compared to the Canon / Nikon. The Pentax is LARGER (I have big hands) - built solid like a german car, dust/moisture resistant with 72 rubber seals, it's a "little tank" (CNET review). The auto focus isn't as fast as the Canon - that's about the only negative I can really find that affects me. Image quality on the Pentax is very comparable even at the high ISO's compared to the Canon. The Pentax has dual IR sensors for the remote control (one in front and one in back) something I plan on taking advantage of. SDHC compatible, Adobe DNG compliant!!! I'm all about trying to get the camera makers to decide on a standard RAW format, and I use PhotoShop CS3 - 1 potenital less conversion I have to perform. 11 point auto focus. The Pentax K10D is considered a semi-pro model, can't say that about the Nikon 40x or the Canon XTi. I am really happy! **** Santa please bring me the optional battery grip!