Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Guess what I'm doing after work today?

AWWWW YEA!
Going to see the dentist!
WOO HOO!

Leaving work an hour early and heading right to the dental office. And since this is my last visit for the year, *sniff sniff*, I even wore a purdy shirt! heh I'm gonna miss seeing my Dentist, the hawtie that he is! *sigh* And the up side he also lives in the village, so we'll run into him from time to time.

After tonight I will have a gleaming, sparkling, stellar smile. Git yer sunglasses ready kids, cause I'll be all smiles!

Once I'm finished there, *UGH* unfortunatley, I have a Condo Meeting. Our first Annual Assembly. Fun to be sure. (Not!) Fortunately It's in a bar so I'll get me a double anything and settle in with it and a straw. (Remember I'll still be all novicaned up! the straw will ne necessary!)

hmmm I was just thinking... if the Condo meeting was BEFORE the Dentist appointment I wouldn't need any novicane. Oh well, too late the re-arrange the schedule.

But then, the evening improves again... The Fireworks Competition starts tonight and we'll be watching from our roof top deck! YAY! We likey fireworks! --- it's no lie that the location of the condo, in association to the location of the fireworks competion was a factor in our selecting our home --- I'll see if I can take a pic or two... I've never tried to take pics of fireworks before with my digital camera. I'll be using the tripod for sure.

(Milky, you got any recommendations? Shutter rate? Exposure?)


---

Ok, is it 4 pm yet?!?!

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey, you'll be the guy everyone else in your condo association will be talking about after the meeting: The guy in the leopard print shirt, drinking through a straw, and drooling his mojito down his chin, onto the leopard shirt.

Heck, if they're talking about you, they're leaving someone else alone. So drool away (other than just drooling over your dentist).

Maria said...

Its times and people like you that make me wish I lived in a condo - sometimes!

In a condo that has access to the Fireworks Competition is a BONUS!

SO you go Kitty. Be Firm. And if you have to drool so be it!

BTW, if you need supporters you know where to find myself and NGB.

Sean Newbury said...

For the record, I'd NEVER drool an alcoholic beverage... Cola yes, water juice, juice yes, milk yes, for the good Dentist.. HELL YES, but booze, never!

---

It should be interesting tonight. I know one of the discussion topics will be the 'beautification of the entryway', i.e. flowers. And all I can say (in my best 'Faye Dunaway does Joan Crawford' voice) is "NO PLASTIC FLOWERS!"

... not that it should really be necessary, after all it's a building of 8 units, 6 of which are owned by gay men - 2 couples, 4 singles, and two single females. Interestingly enough it will the one of the two 'token' that wants to pretty up the entrance way, and I know that she'll want something fake.(you just know it.) A couple of plants I'm ok with, but there's nothing I hate more than artificial flowers, no matter HOW 'real' they might look.

And before anyone suggests a compromise of dried flowers; one, they are dust traps, and two, I'm allergic to eucalyptus which is a common plant and also an ingredient drying techniques.

Misster Kitty WILL be there, be queer, and not be accepting any faux fleurs.

Meow!

John Mielke Photography said...

I don't know what camera you have... does it allow you to do what's called a "bulb" exposure?

JM

Anonymous said...

You go, Kitty. Be the total Diva and if you have to resort to it, offer to bitch-slap that woman!
Credibility, however, might be a problem, if the novocaine still hasn't worn off. "I'LL BIFF-LAP YOU!"

I don't think you'll have to resort to that, however. Sounds like you have the backing of the Queer Nation and its impeccable flair and taste.

Sean Newbury said...

well it's just an HP jobbie I seem to recall it has 100 200 and 400 what... ASA? for the exposure? Or something similar...

Big help I know....

Sean Newbury said...

Oh now... me likey a good biff-lap!

John Mielke Photography said...

Those are your ISO settings - sensitivity to light. The smaller the number, the more sensitive it is to light. ISO is the digital equivalent of ASA for film.

The BULB setting is on your shutter speed... it basically means that you're going to leave the camera's shutter open and registering all light until such time as the shutter is closed. Typically you'd do that with a cable or remote control so as not to shake the camera.

Your likely doesn't have that feature though... with mine, I'd put the camera on the tripod, and put it on BULB mode. I'd then stand beside the camera and shade the lens with a dark object until I saw a firecracker go off. I'd then remove the dark object so it could register the image, then cover it back up again and wait for the next firecracker... I can then layer 3 or 4 different firecrakers onto an image! Basically I'm painting the censor. So there's how they do that kinda shot. :)

Without the bulb setting, you'll want to use a tripod and a long shutter speed so that you maximize your chances of actually shooting the firecracker. Remember, your camera doesn't take the shot as soon as you hit the button... it's typically delayed slightly with point and shoots... so that complicates things even further.

Try using the Shutter Priority mode on the camera (likely marked S) and set the shutter to about 1/60 seconds - anything longer and you'll see some shaking of the camera from your finger hitting the button.

Photogs will tell you that shooting fireworks can be one of the most frustrating jobs. The BULB feature is really the best way to do it.

Don't let it piss you off too bad... enjoy the show... and worse comes to worse, put 'er back on AUTO or PROGRAM and hope for the best.

JM

Sean Newbury said...

ISO! that's it! ha!

Ok well I'll check for the settings you mention and we'll see what I can manage........... I LOVE fireworks so cannot wait for tonight.


Thanks for the tips Milky!

Someone asked us what was it about fireworks that we liked because he thought they were rather boring. BORING?!?!? not in the least. To me fire works are PURE UNADULTERATED MAGIC. I am truly hypnotized by them. This will be the 16th summer I've watched them and I hope for 30 more years at least!

Maria said...

BIFF-FLAP FUNNY!

AS FOR FAKE FLOWERS... ANY FAKE FLOWERS ARE DAMN UGLY! DON'T LAUGH BUT MY MOTHER USED TO MAKE FLOWERS OUT OF COLOURED PANYHOSE WHEN I WAS A KID AND PEOPLE USED TO BUY THOSE UGLY LOOKING THINGS. EVERYTHING "FAKE" IS UGLY - NO? Well, actually maybe fake boobs are kinda nice if done properly but not so sure I should be talking about boobs here on Kitty's site! Maybe I get me some for Christmas... BOOBS not FLOWERS!

John Mielke Photography said...

Mmmmmmmm... fake boobs!!!!!!!!!!! Now *I'M* drooling!!!!!

Kitty bro... another tip is to shoot wide, and crop the shot later. A tripod is paramount for these kinds of shots in order to reduce the blurr and the shakes. Shakes are a natural thing they can't be avoided, but they can be minimized. Everyone should own a tripod.

I'll be shooting some fireworks over the Canada Day long weekend and will be sure to post a few for you.

John Mielke Photography said...

Oh! And TURN YOU FLASH OFF.

When the camera's flash is ON, it tricks the camera into thinking that it doesn't need as long an exposure.

The flash on a point and shoot camera is good for about 10 feet. You're not gonna light up the sky with it, so turn it off.

Bob said...

What if you ARE a tripod? Do you still need one?

John Mielke Photography said...

Hey! That's 2 days in a row you've said something nice about ME!
;)

JM

Sean Newbury said...

Well tips tips tips and snarky bits! Thanks all! heeheh

Its T minus 20

The Condo meeting was a total snooze fest. I could go for a double root canal!

The dentist went very well and the Dentist, for thanking me for my business and referring others to him offered me a nice bottle of 2005 Argentinian Shiraz.


Time to get ready for the fireworks. Hopefully Pics to follow.