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Lights

A Portrait in the Elevator

As part of my architectural photography class, I took this photograph of a student overseeing a late-night STEM study session. I'd shot his environmental portait earlier in the day, and while we were talking he mentioned that he would be in the building until midnight, helping some younger students cram for their big tests tomorrow. Pleased by his geniality and eagerness to sit for me, I forgot that I needed to get a headshot, too. Much later, I realized my terrible mistake and ran over with my 50mm f/1.4, asking him apologetically for three more minutes of time. He happily agreed, but by that time it was entirely dark outside and the only good lighting was in the elevator. While we were just beginning another student got on with the intent of using the elevator for its proper purpose, so down we went. We all enjoyed the strangeness of the situation. I shot this between the third and second floors, got off on the first, and my subject went back up to the fourth. In a more perfect world, I would have worn a white shirt to lighten his eyes and neck, but overall I'm happy with the photo.

Nikon D200, 50mm f/1.4, 1/30" @ f/4 @ ISO 400

Super Swift 2.0

Puch front suspension fork and Puch front drum hub, laced 1X to a vintage 26" single-wall rim. New Michelin PiLOT Sport tires. It is incredible how much work it took me to lace up the front wheel and get the fork to fit that frame. Puch mopeds don't run 26" wheels, and bicycles don't run such large hubs, so I had to source some very unusually sized spokes and build it myself, hence the non-boxed valve stem. The steerer on the fork is too long for the Monark head tube, and the triple-tree style meant I couldn't simply extend the threading to fit.... I spent several hours grinding and filing various bits of metal to rework the top race. Goodness. Somehow throughout all this the carb autonomously developed a slow leak, I had to rebuild the rear wheel and I found no suitable headlight... Evan and I have bounced some ideas around for the light, ranging from using a mammalian skull to a customized coconut. I'm leaning toward the coconut. All the work and jury rigging has paid off––the ride is actually tolerable now thanks to the fork and road slicks, although I do need to retrue the front wheel.

Earth from a satellite

Go HD and fullscreen with this one, and give it time to load. Slow connection?
Go make coffee or finish that paper you've been writing. It's worth the relatively short wait.

CATS

CATS from john campbell on Vimeo.

References or Copies?

Nothing new under the sun... This happens all the time with art, and with photography especially. Sometimes it's hard to draw the line between intelligently referencing another photographer and either ripping off or unintentionally copying them. I sure hope Noel Camardo was thinking of Daido Moriyama's photograph she made this photo, because I really like both of them. Moriyama's photo is one of those images that produces an uncomfortably visceral reaction in me, and is seared into my memory. Interesting, also, how the similarities highlight the differences.

ה

  Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways. Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared. Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good. Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!

I wish I could read this in Hebrew; I know it is almost infinitely more beautiful as an acrostic. Since it has already lost all of its formal qualities in translation, I see no need to retain the visual format of the original.

Surfing the Human Heart

Photoshop is the most fun.

DANNY, STAY ON YOUR BIKE!

The greatest commentators.

Droning

The more I think about it, the more I love droning instruments, and basically any non-western instrument. A harmonium is next on my list after getting the banjo down. Still can't circular breath, though...

Easy, right? Notice the guy in the top video picks a key in tune with the digderidoo and locks it down for the entire piece––no worries!

Geekhouse Polo Bike

I missed this bike when it was brand-new and shiny at the NAHBS, but it's got some fantastic details. Made for the writer of Urban Velo, it's got track geometry, 26" wheels (135mm front and back), S&S couplers, a bent seat tube for a tighter wheelbase, and something I'd never seen before––disc brakes with recycled discs for guards! Pretty darn brilliant, and a great reuse of what would normally be pitched in the garbage. That one feature, combined with the fact that I'd love to play bike polo someday, makes this a favorite. Geekhouse has some fine bikes, every single one out of my price range.

Muyu Muyari Warmigu

Muyu muyari warmigu,                  Please return, dear woman,
Muyu muyari payagu.                     Please return, dear "old lady."

Kambaj shayashka puistuka,          The place in which you've stood,

Sisagullami vinashka.                     Just a dear flower has grown.

Kambaj shayashka puistuka,          The place in which you've stood,

Sisagullami vinashka.                     Just a dear flower has grown.

Llakiwanguichu warmigu,             Will you be sad to me, dear woman,
Juyawanguichu warmigu?             Or will you be loving to me, dear woman?

Kambaj shayashka puistuka,          The place in which you've stood,

Sisagullami vinashka.                     Just a dear flower has grown.

A Cotacachi Quichua sanjuan by Rafael and Efrain.
World Music might turn out to be the best gen-ed yet.