Storm Watch

Well I'm having fun with my iPhone and it's helping me with my mapping project even though it doesn't always put images on the map correctly. I think that has more to do with other signals in the location throwing off the GPS. I'll get that sorted out, as it always seems to happen in particular areas - I'd say the mapping is spot on 90% of the time.

Shutterstock®

Looks to me like Shutterstock will hit five million images today. That's really a lot of images. I have to say it's been a real pleasure for me working with them. I look forward to a long and rewarding relationship with them.

Over the Edge

Don't let me hear you say life is taking you nowhere...

Life Guard

Shapes and colors. Can they tell a story?

Hombre del Sol

I've been going through old pictures.... Why? I don't know, just because I can I guess. Anyway, there's tons of stuff I took and never even processed.

For me, it's nice to look at these from time to time (and believe me, that's not too often).

It's a review of where I've been, and gives me some ideas of where I can change. It's also amazing how much technology has changed. Even in the last five years. We can do so much more now. Just think.... where will we be in another five years?

Cuyama Valley

Need we ask for more than a simple statement provided for by Nature?

Three Silhouettes

The tides and light have been in my favor and I'm doing what I can to take advantage of it. I even got some birds to pose for the camera.

Watching the Waves

With a music all its own the crashing waves provide the perfect setting for the end of the day.

Genesis

Sometimes photos are just plain fun. And that's the point really, to have fun with what you're doing and explore the possibilities presented to you. I guess that would apply to life as well.

Sunset Shooter

His canvas is the beach and two sole figures.

Vintage Car in the Rain

Telling a simple story? Do it simply.

Rise and Shine

From time to time I get requests for photos I took ages ago before I bought my first real digital SLR. This shot was taken with an Olypmus C-700 UZ. Nice camera and I still use it from time to time, but not for stock photography.

Camera technology is so much better now, also you get better image control in post processing if you shoot in camera raw.

I do my best to send along a photo from my dark ages. Of course they are "as is", even though I do my best to do a bit of cleaning up of the images. You can't do too much more processing on these old jpg's though, as you will degrade them.

Anyway, just some random thoughts on old images.

Reserved Seating

Saving a place for what's important in life.

On the Shores of Hard Luck

Seems to be a sign of the times.

Evening Shadows

Autumn saturates the mist with a golden glow adding a magic to the sunset along the California Coast. A solitary figure moves along the golden shores.

Road Trip

A little road trip from time to time can awaken the senses. The sights and sounds of a different location have a crispness to them. Things take on an increased vibrancy. In short, travel can be good for the photographer's soul.

Wet and Blue

A little rain is no reason to avoid going to a car show. In fact, the rain can add a whole different set of photo opportunities.

Along the bluff

We're starting to get some negative tides at sunset. This opens up a lot of opportunities for low light photography.

Fido goes surfing

If you ask me, I'd say this dog's having a great time.

Flying Blue

Hang on to your hopes, my friend...

Some Things Speak for Themselves

Palms at Dusk

The right light goes a long way in an image.

Trash

Top ten signs you're destined for management:

1. You can't fill out a time card
2. You have staff to send and receive email for you
3. You think budgets are something someone else is responsible for
4. You hire someone to help you with your calendar
5. You are never on time for a meeting or work
6. You are always bent over
7. You spend more time on vacation than working
8. You have an overbearing sense of entitlement
9. You need someone to answer the phone for you
10. You are the weakest link in your organization

Ces images de la mer

Tu cherches quoi, rencontrer la mort,
Tu te prends pour qui, toi aussi tu detestes la vie

Butterfly Beach

The iPhone isn't the world's greatest camera. It's a photo plus device. What it is doing a good job of is placing shots on a map, allowing me to go back later an geotag other shots taken with the DSLR. So I guess it's geo-slating for me.

When your luck runs out

Sometimes a scene will offer you just the right amount of elements to convey a story. You success in telling the story depends on how you put those elements together.

iStockphoto

I just realized that it's the two year anniversary since I joined iStockphoto as an image contributor. I can honestly say that it's been a rewarding experience.

I continue to learn and value my association with this outstanding microstock agency.

Arlington Theatre

I've been playing with some software for the iPhone called Charlie. It's an application that works with flickr that gives you a nice and very functional interface in which to manage your account and images.

I have to say that I like the software. It's very easy to install, set-up, and use.

When it comes to uploading a photo I've noticed that it seems to remove the exif data (most of it anyway). It does keep the GPS data and does a nice job of getting uploaded images on your flickr map, but this is if you upload the image from where it was taken and just after taking it.

If you upload the image at a latter time, it will use the location and time that you make the upload from, which would put the image elsewhere on the map.

I could be wrong about this and there may be a setting that would keep the orinal photo location and use that whey you upload.

I know that when I've taken a photo with the phone and emailed it to myself and posted it later flickr saw the exif data including the location, but it didn't automatically use that data to map the image.

So, for the time being there's going to be a tradeoff. Map images myself and keep exif data, or upload just after taking an image and get an image automatically mapped sans most of the exif data.

Cadillac

A rainy day cruise. Perfect for a lazy afternoon.

Harbor Patrol

Just a knock off shot. I'm testing out the Charlie software for the iPhone to see how well it works. It's too early for a verdict, but I will share the fact that I tried this earlier and it indicated that I was taking pictures in the middle of a freeway.

I don't think that was the fault of of the Charlie software, it's where my phone thought I was standing. Lucky for me the phone was wrong.

City Hall

If it ain't broke, break it. Seems to be the way governments function these days. I've had just a little too much of dealing with it.

Charlie for Flickr

Charlie for Flickr, originally uploaded by mstephens7.

This looks like the flickr app to use if you've got an iPhone. It's called Charlie and can be found in the app store.

Tech Support (revisited)

On October 3, 2008 - My computer at work was "fixed" by our IS Department. It took 13 months to for them to fix it, but it did get fixed.

The actual fix took less than 30 seconds to make, it was the waiting for them to do the work that was the hard part.

Go figure.

And people complain about government (and rightfully so).

If you want something done....

Morning Palms

I've been playing just a bit with the camera on the iPhone. It's not meant for serious photography, but it does serve a function. I like the fact that it adds GPS data and if you think about the subject matter and compose your photos with the limitations of the camera it works fine.

My next goal is to look into some blogger software fro the phone.

Windward Tilt

Riding with the wind.

Ice House

Okay. The iPhone adds embedded data. Specifically the lat/long which is what I wanted. I can now take a reference shot with my cell phone and use that until I get GPS for my Nikon. This is one way to do some quick geotagging.

Blue Cadillac

Car shows in the rain are perfect opportunities. You get classic automobiles with beaded water on them under great lighting. What more could you ask for?

Beached

Autumn in California isn't what you'd expect. That is if you're along the coast. You're more likely to get images like this rather than stunning photographs of Fall color.

I'm not complaining. I was happy when I saw this boat on the beach, though the owners were not too happy about it.

Danger Ahead

During these uncertain times it's best to be vigilant and try to stay positive. Focus on what's best in life.

Dead Zone

We had a fire recently and this is what the area looks like in the aftermath. The not so funny thing is that this reminds me of what things are like when the government gets involved. It's crash and burn.

Red Skies and Dogs

A little digital mash-up. Sort of a safe haven from the current global madness.

Beach Nostalgia

The things you find at the beach. If it says something, it's a photograph.

Burning Down the House

I'll let this speak for itself.

Lone Oak

Ya' ever feel like you're all alone out there?

Unbelievable that the Senate rushes out to pass a BAD bailout bill. Let's hope it goes down in flames in the House.

And they are doing this for "main street"? Huh, they aren't listening. We don't want to throw good money after bad.

Knock it off already! You've done enough damage!

Fair Skies

Dusk is a great time to shoot provided you have subject matter to complement the light.