TheBobBlog: December 2008The Bob Blog

Letterman's Top 10 George Bush moments

This made me laugh a lot, I'm going to miss Letterman making fun of him

My own version of a moss terrarium

So after posting earlier today about the moss terrarium, I decided to make my own. I went to Target and bought two glass cookie jars for $20 then headed to the park to gather some moss. The big one has 4 different mosses, the small one has 3. I added my own touch with the Lego horse :)

awesome moss terrarium

This moss terrarium has very slow growing moss and other tiny plants. Requires very little care, just leave it in a room with bright indirect sunlight. Water every 2-3 weeks and whatever you do don't over water! This little jar will take care of itself.

State of the web, year in review

via: 0at.org

Merry Christmas

Magritte/Dali inspired adds

German agency DDB looked to the art world, specifically to acclaimed surrealists Magritte and Dali, as the inspiration for the adds for the new Volkswagen Polo Blue Motion.
The campaign slogan: "Absurdly low consumption".

Gorillapod

One of my good friends got me a Gorillapod for Christmas and I really don't know how I went so long with out it. This little thing is absolutely amazing and I'm so surprised how stable it is, even when my Canon 50D is on it. The small one is $25 and worth every penny, this is a perfect gift.

SHELBY SLOT CAR RACETRACK

Jer and I were out shopping last weekend and we happened to pass a toy store at the mall. In the front window was a racetrack and Jer mentioned how he use to love playing with those when he was younger. So the yesterday on my lunch break, I went into Restoration Hardware and they just happened to have the most awesome racetrack ever, so I bought it as a Christmas gift to the both of us. The track is over 60ft long and the cars are nicely detailed for $198.

Be sure to check out the youtube video I uploaded of Louie getting shocked when he tries to catch one of the cars.

He gets shocked real good at the end of the video.

Prints for sale

Need some ideas for gifts this holiday? How about buying a print or two :)

Check out my protfolio @ IdeaAttic.com
Each print is individually printed on Canon Photo Pro Paper. I take pride in being able to manage the entire printing process myself in order to ensure the correct color and mood of each print. All prints will be signed.

As of now, I am offering mini poster 13x19" prints for $45 (including shipping within the US). However, smaller sizes are available at lower rates upon request.

My “Tiny Planet” series images are available framed, double matted & signed. Each planet is 11x14” for $225 (including shipping within the US)

Photography Q&A

I get a lot of emails regarding photography question. Here's one I'd like to share:

We corresponded a couple of years ago about a camera purchase. I ended up buying the Rebel Xt and I really like it. I take a lot of pics of firearms (my primary hobby), and they can be difficult to photograph due to the shiny surfaces. I must also admit I haven't really gotten into making a lot of manual adjustments on the camera. I have noticed that my friends sometimes take pics as good as mine with their little point and shoot models, I think because of the image stabilization technology. So, I was wondering if I get a new lens, something quite good with I.S. technology, what you might recommend? I was thinking about an L series Cannon lens, but I am not sure if the lens would be better than my camera, know what I mean? I am not really sure where to invest my money? Also, is there another brand of lens that is as good as Cannon for less money?

Before you invest in a very pricy IS lens or L lens for that matter, try using a tripod with the flash off on your camera. I never use the flash, instead use fill lighting to try to reduce the reflections, normal lamps should do just fine, no need to buy special camera lighting. Yes, almost all of the point and shoot cameras have that image stability in them, but SLRs do not, only the lenses do, I really think a tripod is your answer. You can buy a good one for less then $100 and they come in handy many times, especially when photographing objects. You can just get your camera all set up with the correct lighting , angle and focus.

As for buying lenses, you can never buy a lens that is "too good". I was using a Canon Rebel (the first one they ever made) and I bought some expensive lenses, ones that were more then the actual camera and they really did a good job, plus you can always use the lenses on other Canon cameras. I've been using a Canon fixed 50mm lens and my standard lens and I absolutely love it. I would highly recommend buying it, it's less then $100 and great for close up, detail shots.

Get a tripod, and I mean a good one, not one of those little gorilla ones, and that 50mm lens and I really think you will be happy. Also you asked about other brands... I like Sigma as a secondary brand. Hope this helps.

Here are some examples shot indoors with the 50mm, flash off.

Boardwalk Photo Booth

If you have enough money for this Boardwalk Photo Booth ($11,000), then you have enough "friends" to get some use out of it. A replica of the classics found in amusement parks, arcades, and boardwalks, this booth can capture and print a four-frame strip of pictures in 16 seconds. The booth uses a thermal printer and comes with two rolls of film that provide up to 3,200 pictures.

The Cooliris experience

Transform your browser into a lightning fast, cinematic way to discover the web.

I've been using Cooliris for a few weeks now, and it's definitely a wow factor, especially if you have a laptop as the touchpad interaction is amazing.