New7Wonders of Nature Advisory week in the Bay of Fundy

Okay, so I've been neglecting my blog but hey I've got a lot of great things to catch everyone up on.

First, if you don't already know, I've been involved with the Bay of Fundy Tourism promoting it in the New7Wonders of Nature campaign.

We spent a great week in April hosting a gentleman be the name of Jean Paul de la Fuente, director of the New7Wonders foundation based in Zurich.

For more info on this campaign, and to vote for the Bay of Fundy as one of the New7Wonders of Nature go to www.votemyfundy.com or www.n7w.com/fundy.

Once you're at the votemyfundy site check out the media page. There are a lot of photos regarding the Advisory week trip to both Hopewell Rocks, NB and Halls Harbour, NS.

Strange "Alien" Clouds

Hey, just thought I'd share this with those of you who follow my blog.

I was driving home the other day, April 17 to be precise, and saw these weird clouds to the north. The first thing I thought of was "Alien Invasion".

The gallery you are about to see are of the images as I shot them. There is no Photoshop touch-ups or even corrections/adjustments to these images. They are as I shot them (Pentax K20, 12-24 smc pentax lens, 1/125 at f9.5, 100 ISO). I did use a ND filter as usual and processed them through LightRoom (since I shoot everything in RAW) to make this gallery. But that's it.

I have never seen anything like them. They gave you a weird sensation. Although you were looking straight at them it was as if you couldn't get them in focus, but they are.

If anyone can pass on a brief explanation, other than hidden space ships, please share it.

Here's the [LINK].

Enjoy, Derek

Okay, so here I was pondering...

Okay, so here I was pondering a seminar I attended, about the wonderful history of the font Arial, a while back. Yeah, really.

Anyway, like I was saying, I was pondering the seminar and what struck me most was the speakers trite remarks, as an "experienced designer", how certain font choices automatically told him that the designer was either experienced or a student straight out of the gate.

It bothered me, as these things sometimes do, that maybe this "experienced designer" needed to take a step back and look at what works with a fresh view instead of a tired eye trying desperately to come up with something fresh. I know I use some of the fonts he talked about, even now. If they work, they work.

In the middle this "pondering" I started watching one of my podcasts of Photoshop TV and had a blog entry brought to my attention. Now you may be saying to yourself right about now, what the F@*! is Derek going on about.

Well I suggest you watch the video on this blog, that caught my attention, I'll give you the link in a moment. It all sort of lead me to understand what we do when others judge us on their standards.

We tend to start judging ourselves on what others think of us and our work instead of just moving forward, learning, growing and creating. Maybe we should use something like a font or technique that a student would use from time to time. After-all if an uncluttered, fresh mind says it works and explains the message easily then why not use it. Hey if it speaks the message we're trying to express then it's right, right?

Hey, maybe I'm reading more in all this then needed. It has been a long winter.

Just watch the video on the Blog [ LINK ] by Zack Arias on Scott Kelby's site and tell me what you think.

until next time, Derek

Last but not least

Okay, last but not least.

This is one of the coolest basses I've ever seen.

It's also a Tim Wilkinson design with Humbucker pick ups, three way toggle, master volume and two separate tone controls.

This has big funk and screaming all over it.

The neck is a solid through neck. Yup, on piece laminated neck from the but to the head all mahogany and maple with a tiger maple top under a loud red sunburst finish.

Photo specs: Pentax K20, smcPemtax 16-50mm f2.8 at 100ISO, 1/10 at f8.0.

That's enough from me for now.

Hope you enjoy, Derek

Gettin' Er Done!

Hey, I'm back. Gone for a while then full er up get it done.

Well I have to attribute it to the weather. Indoors and warm gets me in the studio and this is a great subject as far as I'm concerned.

This is my second guitar. It's a hollow body electric by Crafter. Happened to be in my brother's store ( J and H Music ) while the distributors sales rep was in. She had some sweet deals.

What's interesting with this guitar is not that it's just a hollow body electric but it also has active acoustic pick-ups inside for a very distinctive sound. You can plug this into an A/B switch and use both an electric guitar amp and an acoustic amp.

Anyway I love the tiger maple top on this very sweet guitar.

Hope you enjoy the shots,

Derek

Both were shot with a Pentax K20, 1/90 f6.7 at 100ISO. smc Pentax DA 16-50mm f2.8

One of My "Other Passions"

Okay, so here it is the last day of March and winter just doesn't want to let go. We got 8-10cm here and I'm not liking it one little bit.

Although it did prompt me to share two of my passions with you.

I have recently picked the guitar back up. Mainly because of my brother Jeff took over a guitar store recently and of course I can't resist a good thing.

So here I am playing guitar agin and photographing them as well. Gotta mix them up.

What I'll do is I'll post a couple of each at a time before I make a web gallery of them together.

Here's the first one. It's a Vintage AV1 special gold top. Designed by Tim Wilkinson in the UK and modeled after the famous Les Paul body shape, but

that's the only things they share (along with the fret inlays of course).

She has 2 stacked Humbucker pick-ups which lets you choose a single or double pick-up arrangement along with neck, bridge or both at once. She has an all mahogany body with mahogany neck and rosewood fret board. This is one Boisterous guitar when it wants to be.

Hope you enjoy.

The next one is a unique concept. That's all I'm going to say.

See you next time,

Derek

Smokes was his name!

Okay, here's one from my archives. It's just one of my favourite shots on slide film back in 1981.

This is one of my cats I had then which I saved from the SPCA. He was a siamese mix and about 6 months old when rescued. My wife and I had him, or should I say he had us, for about 10 years.( He's 2 here ).

We lost him in Mount Uniacke to an irresponsible neighbors dog. I mean the neighbor was irresponsible by letting their dog run free not the dog.

Anyway, I would have shot this here in Prospect with my K1000 and probably my smc Pentax-M 1:2 50mm f/2 on Fuji RD 35mm slide film.

Hope you enjoy, Derek