Beyond Exposures, Sama Sama Life, & Starbucks Cares
Going Beyond Exposures:
After months of procrastination, I’ve finally gotten back to my Information Technology roots, and completed my Professional Photography website: Beyond Exposures
The site is fully functional, complete with working galleries and donation collection capabilities.
Please take a look and tell me (tactfully) what you think of the site. I feel it is a great v1.0 (version 1). The next release version will have even more features and enhancements, including an Online store, archive, and digital light table for photo collections individuals can create for themselves.
Life is Sama Sama:
My daily life is still the same. I’m holding out for a job that is photography related. But, I may be teaching English online! I’ve found some opportunities that are quite interesting, and lucrative as well. Anyway, we’ll see how things go. I’ve met some interesting people lately, as well as built my personal/professional network quite a bit. I’m trying to arrange some meeting with some key individuals for photography work.
Starbucks Cares:
I had the most unusual phone call this week. I thought it was a potential client calling, but it was one of the ladies who work at Starbucks!
*~ In case you forgot, Starbucks is my second home ~*
- Lady: “Rodney! How are you? Have you been ill? We thought maybe you went back to America!”
- Rodney: “Uh, hi! May I know who this is?”
- Lady: “This is Amanda! I work at Starbucks! Remember me?”
- Rodney: *~thinking: how on earth did she get my number?~* “Hiii, Amanda! I’m not sick, and I’m still in Jakarta. I’m just poor at the moment, as I’m still job hunting. hehehe”
- Amanda: “Hey, we always give you free Mocha Frappuccinos and cookies anyway! But I’m glad you are well. Take care, and come in soon!”
- Rodney: “Thanks! Take care!”
Ever since I fixed Amanda’s iPod, all of the ladies at Starbucks treat me to unlimited mocha frappuccinos and oatmeal raisin cookies! They often join me to just chit chat if I am there alone, and they seem to just like to talk. In all honesty, they are very sweet people. But, I’m still baffled how Amanda got my mobile phone’s number!
Anyway, take a look at the pro website. Let me know what u think.
Cheers!
Good News, Buddhist Monks, and Cambodian Kiddies…
Hello, everyone. I’ve a lot to share!
Good News:
I have some interesting news to share! It seems I will be a participant in a 3 day photography gallery from May 9-11. The competition I entered focus on the development goals within Indonesia (fighting poverty, empowering women, etc). I entered 8 (or is it 10) photographs into the competition’s 8 categories. The field has been narrowed to 96 photos, including my own. The public will have 3 days to view and vote on the best photo. Now, that is the bad news part: public always goes for the bright shinny vibrant color stuff, not the dim, murky Black and White photography. So I am sure I won’t win, but still, good to be in the gallery showing.
If you are in Jakarta between May 9 – 11, and want to visit the gallery, the address is:
Museum Bank Mandiri
Art Center Lantai 2 (lantai=floor)
Jl. Lapangan Stasiun No. 1
Jakarta, 11110
10 AM – 8 PM
Please do attend if you can, and please vote for me (if you feel my images are worth the votes).
Another great news is a photography organization I previously contacted has asked for more samples of my work. I will send that off when I return to Jakarta. I would have sent the portfolios this weekend, had it not been for the HORRIFIC discovery of my gamma 1.8 issue (See the Mac vs. PC portion of the previous blog for details).
I feel pretty confident I’ve solved the gamma issues. Tell me if you feel this blog’s photographs seem “ok” to you. I’m now running on Gamma 2.2, with Daylight setting of 6500K. If you do not know what this means, just assume it is a good thing. I am curious though: If you are a Mac user, and a photographer, what settings do you use for your Monitor calibration?
Buddhist Monks:
I can say I learned a great deal about Angkor Wat, and the neighboring temples. One thing I learned was very few of the monks famous for being at Angkor Wat actually live there! the great majority live in the surrounding areas, or travel from further away to make the once-in-a-life-time journey to see Angkor Wat. So, a lot of photos of those monks are photos of visitors who do love to be photographed! It’s fun to see, because the monks have modern cell phones, and are also shooting photos of the temples, right along with the other tourists.
But I do love how the monks will sit and pose for people. Well, not really pose: they are just sitting and being themselves. When people (such as me) ask for photo, they just nod their head, and give you the “thousand-mile-stare.” If u do the proper bow beforehand, they may even give u a partial hint of a smile! Oh, and if you are allowed to capture their image, please do take a moment to thank them properly. So many tourist would just snap a photo, then run off. Some tourist even would stand over top of the guy below (who gave that partial hint of a smile) and get photos made by their friends, and not even as much as a “thanks!”
Cambodian Kiddies (a.k.a. Naked Toddlers and above):
Ok, some of you have emailed asking to see the naked babies. So, here are a couple of images I hope are tastefully photographed, while not showing their little private parts (afterall, how many of you want your naked baby pictures shown on the Internet?)
*~ Kyaaa, Sorry I chopped your foot off, kid! ~*
Little kids would cry when they see my camera pointing at them. The little girl, above, was the only naked baby to not cry, although she did make a scared face when she heard the “click click click!” of the shutter. The girl below could not hold back her fright, which won over her curiosity and her mom tried to comfort her.
Still, there were many other kids, besides naked babies, to be seen. It seems to me the older they get, the more clothing they wear, but always are topless at young ages. Then again, it’s hard to tell boys from girls at very young ages, except for the long hair, so I guess it is ok… I guess. *~ Perplexed ~*
Still, I do not want to show half naked little girls! My mom would raise from the grave and smack me! So, out of ethical consideration, the girls are either fully clothed, or you can’t see anything.
Still, there are many boys too. The kids, even though they are from different families, are very close to each other. It seems to me the Cambodian communities (I visited) live the motto “it takes a village to raise a kid”
Reminds me of my friend Edward and me at their age. We were super close growing up, but strangely we not stay in contact much after a few years out of high school. I hope these guys remain friends after becomes adult
I should mention something about the above image. The baby is not a natural blond, but suffering partly from malnutrition. The hair turns light color from lack of proper nutrients. But on a lighter (no blond pun intended) note, I noticed kids love those big-wheel rabbit tricycles!
OK enough photos for now! Please take care, and I hope these look ok (but I notice flickr–who houses the photos–dulls the colors, yuck).
Tomorrow morning I fly back to Jakarta.
Take care
Naked Babies, Mac vs. PC, and Gator-ade(less)…
HiHi,
I’m still in Cambodia. I can say while I highly dislike Saigon, Vietnam, I LOVE Cambodia! I love every aspect of this place so far. The people are beautiful and friendly, even to me (who can be scary to little Asians, at first sight, given my Sumo-build and dark skin hahaha). Remember what I said about my theory on there being different types of “poor?” Well Cambodia is definitely in the Indonesia category. A lot of these wonderful people are seriously poor. But, one thing stands out, and I find it quite alarming, yet humorous:
Naked Babies:
OMG, there are so many naked toddlers running around! I am fully aware it is very hot and humid here. Still, I can only think “oh dear, her baby-soft skin will turn to sun-dried leather without a good SPF sunscreen!” Everywhere there are naked babies.
- Running around on the row boats with their banana-selling moms: Naked Babies
- At the street vendor stands selling drinks, running around playing: Naked Babies
- Next to the way-too-innocent 12 year old girls begging you to buy their postcards: Naked Babies
- In the kampung villiage areas, in the streets, grass, and chasing dogs: Naked Babies
Everywhere are Naked Babies laughing, giggling, staring (at me), pointing (at me again) and smiling and waving “Hello!”– Naked Babies!
*~ Can’t their parents at least let them wear underwear? ~*
Mac vs. PC:
I have so many photos of Cambodia, but I noticed on the PCs at the Internet Cafe my recent pics are very dark! I then looked back at older posts to see the black and white images also are very dark! *~ Kyaaa! ~*
Why do my pictures show up too dark and/or over-saturated with color on PCs, yet look wonderful on Mac? My god, I wanted to scream when I saw my color photos on PC. My first thought was ”omg, people are seeing these photos?”
I did some google searches and found out why! Gamma! Macs use Gamma 1.8 and PCs use 2.2. This means, everything on mac will show up darker on PC. So I need to reset my Gamma to 2.2 (to match most of the free world…maybe…i’m google searching still)? Strange strange strange. I just had a thought: does this mean photos processed on PC will appear too light/undersaturated color on Mac? Let me check.
Checking… nothing. I forgot, I’m on a pc right now at Internet Cafe grrrr. Will check tomorrow when back in Vietnam….
I made photos for portfolios! I made photos for contests! So what happens if they view on PC? Hmm…
So, I wont post more pics this day, until I find out more. Maybe tuesday I will post, as I want them to seem great to you! But I can say I have some amazing finds to share with you all.
Gator-ade(less):
Today, my buddy, Janet, and I agreed we all needed Gator-ade before heading to the mountains, to help us perform better on the long trek ahead. I pointed out one place that had Gator-ade (the place across the street) but the driver went past it, then said “oh, I know anther place” NO Gator-ade, but some sports-aid stuff.
There is no replacement for Gator-ade: That sports-ade gave me heartburn all day! *~ Cry ~*
*~ Breaking News ~*
I’ve heard back from an organization I find to be very interesting and produce wonderful photographic work. They’ve requested to see my portfolios!
*~ Doing the Happy Snoopy Dance ~*
BUT, see above about Mac vs. PC! Now, 90% of the Photographic (and artistic world) use Mac (as the rest of the world should) but I can’t risk sending portfolios to them without knowing they really do use Mac or PC! I have to reply and ask them (safest thing to do I think).
Anyway, I’m going back to my room. Tonight was not fun at all actually. I will work on my photos some more, and am curious what will happen if I chage the Gamma to 2.2 (will every photos I’ve worked on need to be reprocessed, OMG…)
*~ P.S. ~*
I’ve found the answer. I need to change my Gamma to 2.2 grrr. And Apple even recommends it Here. Now. why did they ship the bloody machine with 1.8 when they recommend to update it to 2.2 for artisitc work? Grrr. Ok. Fine. I at least know Mac machines are smart enough to auto-switch (I hope) between the two gamma settings, as I sent my portfolio via DHL International Express (at the cost of 1/2 a month’s rent!) with 1.8 gamma images to “The-Photo-Gods” (who happen to use Mac systems…thank god). I praying the images I sent will appear properly! *~ pls Lord pls ~*
Ok, I’m going back to my room (again, for real!) to update my Gamma and see what happens (scared my other photos will change…)
Take care!