What I've been up to lately...

I have been playing around some more with the Pringles macro tube that I made at the beginning of May. As you noticed from the pictures in my last post, it was a bit unwieldily. Focus was nearly impossible and my tripod was not up to the task. I made some modifications. I may go into painful detail later.

For now, I will say that I devised a system to dynamically set the magnification and added a limited degree of focal control. Then, I had some fun chasing bugs. The ones that can't move anymore are way easier to work with.

Macro albums here (misc incl. bugs) and here (flowers and yard)

I've been a little moody lately, which is why you haven't heard from me. I've also been reading a photographer's blog who gives great advice for using light (but particularly on camera flash). I put my mood together with the learning and got some cool shots using a combination of the sun and my new flash. It was all in the name of a greater personal project that I'm working on. Oh, and until I can afford to hire a model or travel to Africa, you will have to tolerate pictures of me and bugs.

For all the moody, solipsistic and angsty badness you can go here.

I even wrote a depressing poem to go with one of them.

Kind of makes me feel like a teenager again :)

More recently I've been helping to get Saskatoon Summer Players ready to present The Sound of Music this summer at Persephone. I was invited, but declined a villainous role, deciding to concentrate on some behind-the-scenes work. To that end, I helped paint the backdrop (but only a little bit), did an interview with one of SSPs long time volunteers, snapped pics at two photo shoots during rehearsals and I am currently editing biographies for the lobby display. Sadly, I'll be providing no pictures of any of this until the show opens in order to avoid getting in trouble with my fellow board members.