Entries written in March 2006

Waiting to cross the street.

Continue Reading »

If you wander into the Old Navy Store on State Street in Chicago you may bump into Fred. He has worked there for years, he’s very patient, nice and accommodating and did his level best to help us get the best bargains while shopping!
This isn’t a great photo, it was a candid photo taken in bad light and the focus settled on the background but I had to include him as a nice memory of our trip.

Continue Reading »

The sign obviously hasn’t worked!
This was on South Wabash, Chicago around the same time this photo was taken.

Continue Reading »

Urban ducks and wild fowl are luckier than their country brethren. People think they are cute and feed them!
This is the same duck I posted before at the Crown Fountains, Chicago.

Continue Reading »

Written March 2, 2006 in Photography, Tutorials, Words

First it was lomo, then cross-processing, and now the latest craze among online photographers seems to be making their photos look like miniture models.
A common side-effect of macro photography is a shallow depth of field (DOF) which means that only a small portion of the scene is in focus. Luckily this effect is very easy to emulate and here’s a tutorial to show you how. Pay attention to Christopher’s advise about what sort of shots work well! You could also buy a Len Baby which does a similar job and more!
Daily Dose of Imagery has a very good example of the “fake model” photo. He blurred the foreground and background, but some middle distance objects are in focus and intersect the blurred area. Nicely done.

Even after an effect becomes stale and overused online, there’s always the print world. People seem to like that sort of stuff all the time!

Continue Reading »

Pictured by the Crown Fountains, Chicago. The guy in the middle was doing handstands in the water earlier and they were having a great time!
He’s also pictured in this photo looking at one of the fountains!

Continue Reading »

A preacher on State Street, just outside Old Navy. I seem to recall he was there way back in 2003 too.
I didn’t listen to anything he said but as I passed he pushed a sheet of paper into my hand. I made to take it but he wanted a quarter for it! In disgust I walked on. I’m not paying for something I won’t read anyway!
Even the guys with megaphones on Patrick Street give their propaganda for free.
A quick search on Google found out more about him: his name is Samuel Chambers, and he is a very youthful looking 66!

Samuel Chambers only wants the best for you.

So, if necessary, he won’t hesitate to tell you that you’re heading straight to hell.

Perhaps he’s told you that very thing as you were heading, instead, straight into the Old Navy store on State and Washington Streets to buy inexpensive summer tank tops. He’s the compact man, about 5 feet 6 inches with a thin moustache, dressed in a double-breasted suit and tie, holding a microphone out front on the sidewalk.

And finally, here’s a man who’ll give him a “big ol’ French kiss” the next time he walks by. “Pucker up” indeed!

Continue Reading »