the life of the surfbeaver

Jazz in NOLA

2012-01-24T23:07:00.002-05:00

Jazz in NOLA, a photo by surfbeaver on Flickr.

If you find yourself stumbling around New Orleans looking for good live music, check out the Maison on Frenchmen. After a few drinks I pulled up a front row seat to really soak in the sounds. Then I made the above and below image in Pano and then edited them in Snapseed.

The Frenchmen area is much nicer then the Bourbon scene and if the act is too avante guard you at the Maison, go across the street for some hot jazz! There's also a bike shop there if you're a cyclist looking for a rental. The shops not super cheap, but you'll ride away on a decent bike.

The EPSON International Pano Awards - Panoramic Photography Competition, Contest

2011-12-30T17:00:00.000-05:00

Are you into making panoramic photographs? Well you have until April 20th, 2012 to get your images entered into the EPSON International Pano Awards - Panoramic Photography Competition, Contest

Just a FYI

abstract self portrait on the iPhone

2011-10-12T17:39:00.001-04:00

the start of another California adventure, a photo by surfbeaver on Flickr.

I've been fooling around with two apps this week. The first being snapseed, which was designed by Nik Software. The second is one I got for free this past week, Palette0.

Snapseed is amazing. You'll find all kinds of great write ups about the software all over the internet. Palette0 is also great for what it is; it emulates vintage computer and video game outputs.

The self portrait above is a mix of the two apps. Palette0 used first, then Snapseed.

T-Rckr & Titanic Hipstamatic Photo Shoot

2011-09-12T00:14:00.001-04:00

I decided to make some iPhone photographs with the dogs this afternoon. Let me know what you think.

*A special thanks to my models Tucker & Titan

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Nik Color Efex Pro 4

2011-09-07T11:03:00.001-04:00

Hey digital photographers! Did you hear that Nik Software released their new Color Efex Pro 4 today? Just in time for Photoshop World in Las Vegas! They've got 55 filters now! Here's PDN's post about the new software.

the Bean in Chicago

2011-08-20T15:48:00.002-04:00

My two day adventure in Chicago was a blast! I made a new friend who's from NYC and together we did a little urban exploration of the windy city. Above is "the Bean" in Chicago's Millennium park. The place was swarming with visitors from around the world admiring the work of art (or maybe they were just admiring their reflection.) Either way, it's worth a visit if you're in the city.

The Wine Maker had a Pig

2011-08-10T22:40:00.001-04:00

On the way to San Jose there's a wine maker who once told me that he raised a wild boar from birth and it ended up being the best dog he ever had.

He claims the female boar got along great with his other dogs but at the same time scared off any unwanted intruders with ease. Unlike portly domesticated pigs, his hairy beast was slender and lean. The man told me the pig was house trained in less than 3 weeks. He had the Polaroid to prove it (see below.)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

2011-07-25T18:28:00.001-04:00

Although this flower is a little tattered around the edges I still think it's beautiful. I photographed this beautiful iris early this morning then edited with the Nik Software plugins in Photoshop.

Still my favorite beer

2011-07-24T17:53:00.001-04:00

I'm not sure if it's the delicious flowery taste, the intoxicating 9% alcohol/volume or if it's the fact that La Fin Du Monde is produced in the birthplace of my great grandfather, the province of Quebec, Canada, that draws me to this beer. Whatever the reason, I love this beer. If you're new to this malt beverage be ready for a strong flavor and an even stronger kick back for this potent triple fermented ale. To properly enjoy this beer, be sure to seek out the proper glassware.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Keepin it Surreal

2011-07-20T18:27:00.002-04:00

Keepin it Surreal, a photo by surfbeaver on Flickr.

I'm a big Dali fan. So when I see Salvador's face plastered to the side of a utility casing, I make a photograph of it. I really like the surreal quality of the image that happened because I took the photo from the passenger seat of a moving car. Let me know what you think of my Hipstamatic image!

Some Canon 7D Photographs

2011-07-19T19:47:00.000-04:00

Here's a little slideshow of a few photographs I made on my Canon 7D DSLR camera.

a New Blog / Website

2011-05-02T02:12:00.000-04:00

So my cousin Mikey and I are looking to share out photo video skills with the world so we're going to both working on PhotoVideo.Us together. The first post is already up. Mike took a photo of me in Venice.
Anyways, when you have chance, please check it out!

Dawn Patrol in NH

2011-05-02T02:01:00.002-04:00

Dawn Patrol in NH, a photo by surfbeaver on Flickr.

I love surfing New Hampshire in the winter at dawn. You'd be surprised, we get decent little swells that come through. If you're lucky enough to catch a Nor'Easter swell, then you're really stoked.

There's not that much coastline, but we've got a nice selection. As a starting point, most start at the Wall in Hampton and then go from there depending on the swell size. When the surf is good I find myself up at Rye Rocks. Unfortunately, somebody told everyone about RR and now the spot is overcrowded. But then again, as a local I can still catch it with limited traffic at dawn.

venice beach stabbing

2011-04-29T21:43:00.005-04:00

venice, a photo by surfbeaver on Flickr.

On Easter evening my cousin and I headed down to Venice Beach, CA to photograph the weekly drum circle. The beats were intense and I could feel a strange tension in the air. Within minutes of our arrival a fight broke out. At first I though it was just a one on one fist fight, but we quickly realized there was an all out brawl going down. The fight didn't last long and In the midsts of the chaos one man was stabbed. Both sides of the quarrel cried victory but most people scattered as the police arrived on the scene. I'm not sure of any other details, but above is an image I captured and below is the impromptu video my cousin made. Pretty crazy stuff

NYC Hipsta - Sunset

2011-04-06T09:46:00.002-04:00

NYC Sunset, a photo by surfbeaver on Flickr.

I've got an obstructed view of Manhattan from my fire escape. You may of seen this view already in my flickr photostream. Generally, I put the skyline down low and expose for the sky. Otherwise, the image would consist of jumbles of buildings. I like the juxtaposition between the man made skyline and the beautifully lit heavens above. More to come.

pic grunger // the iPhone app

2011-03-16T00:52:00.001-04:00

The San Diego Devil a photo by surfbeaver on Flickr.

Although I don't use the app on a regular basis, I am a fan of Pic Grunger. Sometimes the filters just make sense. I thought the light scratching would make this little dog look just a bit meaner than he actually is (which he isn't at all.) This lil dude enjoys lounging in Southern California and runs at the beach.

Fluffy Dog or Pineapple?

2011-03-01T20:05:00.002-05:00

Fluffy Dog or Pineapple?
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

This has been an insane few weeks. I've been to Paris, Amsterdam, New York City, Savannah, Las Vegas, Portland, Maine and then back to New York City. Wow, my head is spinning. There was ups and downs in the adventure and I definitely made some new friends! Along the way I was offered an opportunity. I'm on the fence on what I should do. Should I get into the rat race and grab all the cheese I can like a mental case or do I continue on my artistic path? It's like choosing between a fluffy dog, who's adorable but he's still gonna poop everywhere and a pineapple, which will rough you up, but the juiciness inside is so awesome! I've got a lot of thinking to do tonight.

BAHHHH!!!! Alright, I'll let you know which path I decided to take. Maybe I'll get to do both.

What a cute dog, right? He was not happy that I put him next to that intimidating piece of fruit. I'm sorry puppy.

the future is in LEDs

2011-03-01T03:47:00.004-05:00

the future is LED
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

I recently worked a tradeshow in Amsterdam at the RAI. The event was filled with AV and high end media delivery devices. Lots of companies in the area that our booth was set up in specialized in insane LED displays. One in particular that caught my eye was the 180º LED wall. It was hard not to stand there and take in the oversize graphics which was mainly intense flight footage. Having this wall in a club would be mental, just think of the possibilities! It's like 3:47am and I can't sleep, so I thought I'd tell you about what I saw.

Flying

2011-02-28T13:06:00.004-05:00

Jersey City
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

Sometimes I have dreams where I can run really fast and like a kite, get enough air underneath me to allow me to float around indefinitely. I wake up feeling great the next morning. Although I do spend a lot of time soaring through the air on commercial airplanes, I've yet to experience flying on a personal level. Maybe I should try hand gliding this year.

Recently, I've been taking a second to photograph with Hipstamatic, images from up high. I've want to recreate snapshots from my dreams of flight. Hopefully they'll inspire you the way they've inspired me to succeed during tough times.

Bikram Yoga Time Lapse

2011-01-13T09:46:00.001-05:00

Cousin Mikey knows Bikram. If you're interested in seeing what the famous Bikram yoga is all about, just watch the video. Do keep in mind the heat in the room is set over 100 degrees. I'm a huge fan of the practice and hopefully after posting this video I'll be inclined to get back into a regular hot yoga routine. Thanks for the video Mikey! (Mikey's older brother, my cousin Bobby also practices Bikram Yoga, you can see photos of him in Bikram's 2nd Edition book.)

craigslist rideshare

2010-12-23T16:58:00.001-05:00

So instead of flying to Florida I decided to explore the Craigslist Rideshare option. So far so good, I'm in NJ. A nice group of people, a son / father duo and Paul from Manhattan. Who knows what will happen (we'll probably just make it to FL on time) but if I see anything cool, I'll let you know.

The photo is sunset over NJ, over Paul's shoulder.

My Location Scout Gig

2010-12-22T09:15:00.003-05:00

John's Barber Shop
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

A few weeks ago, my old college friend Noah Workman posted on Facebook that he was going to be producing a small commercial shoot in the New England area. In his post he asked if anyone knew of any great places to film. I just happen to be back up in NH when I saw this so I commented back that I would be available if he needed any help. By that evening, I was the location scout.

Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side. The director had originally wanted to film a chairlift chugging along over a freshly snow dusted New England ski resort, instead we got rain. I did however manage to secure some great indoor locations in the Portsmouth, NH area including; John's Barber Shop (pictured above,) the Portsmouth Music Hall, Ceres Bakery, Pioneers Board Shop and Timberline Signs.

John's Barber Shop was great! The current owner's father had opened the shop in the late 1920s and it's still going strong! I even sat in as an extra (and got a free haircut from John!) Likewise, it was great to check out the other locations, including my good friend Steve O'Hara's shop.

The commercial was shot on the RED One Camera with the updated sensor. The DP and AC rocked it hard all day and I can't wait to see what they got. I'll let you know.

Astoria Afternoon with Hanging Meat

2010-12-17T23:32:00.002-05:00

Astoria Afternoon with Hanging Meat
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

I'm sorry for the lack of posts as of lately. I've been all over the place and doing all sorts of interesting things. This was the first day I've walked around Astoria in the past 3 weeks. I've mostly been kicking it around New Hampshire and southern Maine. I also just found out I'm going to Paris and Amsterdam for B&H at the end of January! I'm pretty stoked for that and I promise I'll produce a nice solid body of work while abroad. Maybe even shoot my Canon 7D along with the iPhone, who knows. Tomorrow, I'm back to NH for one night to tie up some loose ends, then straight back to NYC. Then somehow, someway I need to get my butt down to Florida for Christmas or I'll have an angry mom on my hands (sorry mom if you're reading this, I love you.) Oh yeah, did I mention I'm shooting a short film for my buddy Andrew (he's currently a grad student at Columbia University.) And umm, that's about all for right now. Again, I'll start posting more regularly and hopefully on some interesting topics. The above photo was adjusted in Tiffen Photo FX, Pro HDR, SwankoLab and then the frame was added in Lo-Mob. Great afternoon pocket of sun in Astoria, NY. A man and some meat. Good night.

Birdman & Bottleman: Photographing People at the Tallahassee Flea Market

2010-11-01T17:53:00.004-04:00

Birdman & Bottleman
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

I've been making a lot of street photography with my iPhone in New York City and that's fun. But in the busy streets of NYC I find it can be easy to breeze through a crowd and capture all kinds of great photographs of people. There's so many people and they're all moving so fast. Sometimes they see you photograph them, but it's usually to late for them to turn around or even begin to think they might ever see you again in the big city. You get ballzy.

In Tallahassee at the local flea market I had to slow down. There was going to be some serious interaction here. And after looking over all the images I made down there, the only good ones were the ones where I approached and engaged the subjects. It wasn't too heavy of an interaction, just a friendly "hello" and maybe permission to make take their picture. I got some decent results. Let me know what you think!

And next time you're in Tallahassee, say hit to the Birdman for me. He'll stick the whole bird's head in his mouth if you ask him. Seriously, he did it.


the Birdman

where does okra come from?

2010-10-23T14:11:00.002-04:00

I'm down in Tallahassee, Florida for the 2010 SPESE regional conference. Early this morning after hitting up a few local yard sales I went to one of the SPESE talks given by Bill Hunt about his experiences as a photography collector. Afterwards, I went out hunting for my lunch. In one of the local city parks I found a farmer's / artisan's market. I bought some tastee dark chocolate and orange bread from the man that baked it this morning, very good stuff. Right after that I made this photograph. Shot in Camera + then adjusted in Tiffen Photo FX, Pro HDR and SwankoLab, i added the frame in PictureShow. Sorry for the quick post, more SPESE to attend to...

iPhone Stop Motion TEST

2010-10-20T07:54:00.001-04:00

I downloaded Stop Motion for the iPhone the other day. I'm really enjoying it. I've been shooting primarily in Manual mode. In Manual you get the options of
size: large or small
quality: low or high
Onion Skin: on or off
Grid: on or off
Clap Shot: on or off
and the seven shooting styles: Original, Lomo, YelloGel, Vintage Green, Instant, Noir, Sepia and Mirror
Pretty straight forward little program with the ability to lock focus and exposure or shot continuous shift. I shot locked in this test and as a result the focus gets soft when I did a push in with the camera. Hopefully, I'll be doing a little bit more formal testing in the coming weeks. Having a little knowledge of technique is nice to have as well. Ciao.

Allagash River 2010 // Polaroid Land Camera

2010-10-16T13:49:00.004-04:00

Allagash River 2010
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

I'm still stoked for the canoe trip I took and the Polaroid images I made at the end of the summer of 2010 up in northern, northern Maine. When I say northern Maine I'm talking the Canadian border, the Allagash River! It was amazing! No, it was better than amazing. So good in fact, I don't recommend you go because I don't want anyone else to go up there spoil how beautiful and quite it is up there.

Unfortunately, the land and the rive aren't truely unspoiled by humans since the entire area was logged absolutely throughout history (post Columbus.) The good news however, is that they've created a sanctuary around the river so there is a living eco-system in play. We saw moose, beaver, bald eagles, all kinds of birds and squirrels. 4 days of canoeing with 3 nights of camping and tons of relaxing and loads of Polaroids. I shot this image on the Polaroid Land Camera using Fuji FP-100C!

It's good stuff and it comes out great when you have plenty of daylight.

the 2nd Mrs. Charles Pratt

2010-10-16T11:43:00.003-04:00

the 2nd Mrs. Charles Pratt

A few months back, a good friend of mine and I went out hunting for some antiques. It wasn't a really productive day, we drove up and down the coast of Maine, found a few little items here and there. But just as we were about to give up we stumbled upon one interesting piece of American History, a drawing of the late 2nd wife of Charles Pratt (Helen Richardson Pratt) by the wonderful artist, Olaf Brauner. (see above)

I'm not sure if you've ever heard of Charlie Pratt, but he was an American capitalist who made lots of money off oil. Although I'm not the biggest oil fan, his successes did allow for the opening of Pratt Institute in Brooklyn (a pretty cool art school named in his honor.)

His wife, I believe she was actually the sister of his first wife, which is kind of interesting. I'm hoping to learn more about him, above and beyond his Wikipedia page. But in the mean time, if you're more of a Pratt fan then I am, this is your opportunity to own this work of art and piece of American History!

That's Mr. Pratt on the left, by the way.

chiaroscuro cellphone photo

2010-10-15T22:09:00.003-04:00

chiaroscuro cellphone photo
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

I've been obsessed with shooting street photography recently. Primarily making images on my iPhone, I've been meaning to take out my Canon 7D (which I love) and make some street photos on that camera as well. I love the challenge of working with models who don't know you're photographing them. Also, I get a kick out of following and breaking the rules of composition at will! I ask myself, how can I get the most out of this scene? Tap (the new Snap) and voila, I've got a pic.

In the included photograph I utilized a little chiaroscuro effect to emphasize the figure's walking and talking on his cellphone action and the parking meter. Pay to talk, pay to park. I love that late afternoon light! It's sometimes tough to find in the city with so many tall buildings. Neat pools of warm colored sunshine form all around, but be quick cause they don't last this time of year.

The image was adjusted in SwankoLab and Pro HDR.

Let me know of any good examples of chiaroscuro that you might know about... (post in comments.)

I'm off to bed. Trying to decide on whether or not to hit up the Garage flea market tomorrow Manhattan. If I do I'll let you know!

Assume // Dog Butt

2010-10-13T10:20:00.004-04:00

Dog Butt
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

So a good friend of mine from the past contacted me yesterday, said he's been following my blog and mention that I must of been quite hungover to not make it into work on Monday. First off, I wasn't sure what he was talking about, then I reread my own blog posting. The sentence that led him to believe that I was hungover reads, "It's been a long day of recovery from the weekend, so much so that I didn't make it into work."

My friend knows me from my days of working in Maine and knows quite well that I've NEVER called in "sick" due to drinking from the night before. Of course not, at MMW my core group of friends worked hard and played hard, we're filmmakers, and burly New England filmmakers at that!

What had happened is he assumed that "recovery from the weekend" referred to being hungover when in fact it was in reference to being incredibly sick with details too inappropriate to share on my blog. Luckily, he's my friend and I can forgive his misinterpretation. I did however remind him of one of my favorite old sayings that goes something like, "When you assume you make an ASS out of U and ME."

Thankfully, he didn't go around spreading his assumptions of my life to others in such a way that it would be harmful to me and could possibly be considered a defamation of character. Phewww! That wouldn't be cool. But being a rational person I forgave him but told him I'm posting the story on my blog along with the picture of a dog's butt. (Made in Hipstamatic)

To end on a positive note, at least I know people are reading my blog. As "they" say, "Any publicity is good publicity."

note to myself: be more like my grandfather (within reason)

Get into the Dance // iPhoneography Street Photography

2010-10-12T07:27:00.002-04:00

Get into the Dance
by surfbeaver

If you're interested in street photography then you've really got to start practicing one thing first and that's looking. Look all around you and see what people are doing. In street photography we're documenting time and space through the actions, the looks and environments of people.

Several more studio based photographers asked me if I get nervous or worried about what people think when I make a photograph of a stranger. Well no. Henry Cartier Bresson, one of my favorite photographers was said to have rarely met his street photography subjects. When we're looking for moments they should just be there, and as unbiased documenters of time we've got jump right into the action and capture it like a wild animal.

iPhone Photography on a Mouse Pad

2010-10-11T21:11:00.002-04:00

Rollinsford, NH Mousepad from Zazzle.com

In efforts to generate some income from all the time I spend making iPhone photographs, I decided to start using Zazzle to market some of my images. My first attempt was a mouse pad and two stamps. If you're in need of a mouse pad and you happen to like Rollinsford, NH or my iPhone photo then please buy mine?

For Sale: Polaroid Land Camera "the BUTTON"

2010-10-11T20:12:00.003-04:00

It's been a long day of recovery from the weekend, so much so that I didn't make it into work. However, in the spirit of not wasting time I listed items on eBay. I listed all kinds of interesting stuff, from a Joyce Tenneson book (which you could also buy from Amazon) to vintage rhinestone glasses, even a portrait of the late Mrs. Charles Pratt (that's right, I had a portrait of her lying around the apartment and yes she is the wife of the wealthy American Charles Pratt) and then there's probably my favorite item of the day, "the Button" a vintage point and shoot Polaroid Land Camera.

"the Button"

After listing the camera I started poking around flickr to see some examples of instant photography done on "the Button" and to be honest, there's some serious work done on this camera. I really enjoyed Second.Daughter's Misshapes and Untitled by ondressingup. Have you made any photographs with "the Button?" Post the links on my comments, I'd be stoked to see them! Have a great night, I've got to go into work tomorrow. We're setting up a trade show at the Javits Center, awesomeness.

Sleeping in the Park // SwankoLab fixes the "blue" issue

2010-10-08T09:59:00.004-04:00

Sleeping in the Park
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

Good morning y'all. I was on my home from work last night and I decided to make a few photographs on my iPhone before the sun disappeared. Walking through a small NYC park I noticed this little old lady sleeping next to a very alive and eclectic grouping of plants (thanks to our taxpayer dollars I'm guessing.) I liked the juxtaposition.

So here's the good news and the real reason I'm posting. SwankoLab, one of my favorite apps (and will be many more people's favorite if they hurry up and offer prints like with Hipstamatic.) Anyways, one of the bugs in the original version was that their desaturating "Blackout" formula left patches of blue on the image. As a result I tended not to use SwankoLab for going black and white. However, I think they fixed it and Sleeping in the Park was my first test result. It was only adjusted in SwankoLab and I see no blue. Well done SwankoLab, I'm proud. Now get your asses in gear with the print service.

don di dieu & la fin du monde // two of my favorite beers

2010-10-07T22:00:00.006-04:00

I'm a big Unibroue fan, but unless you're a beer nerd like me (or Canadian) then you've probably never heard of this wonderful brewery in Chambly, Quebec. Both clock in at 9.0% alcohol so be careful with these beers.

Unibroue

The don di dieu (gift of god) is very nice. A wonderful wheat bear and a good introduction to Unibroue beers. La fin du monde (the end of the world) in my opinion, is unreal! I love this beer, but I don't think it's a beginner beer. It has a distinct triple fermentation taste that lingers nicely on the back of the tounge. Also, it's uniquely intoxicating. The iPhoneograph or photograph (can I just call it a photograph now?) was processed in SwankoLab, then the levels were adjusted in Tiffen's Photo FX and finally the frame was added in Lo-Mob.

I'm actually drinking la fin du monde while writing this blog and damn it's good. It's earthy and delicious. Anyways, I'm not a beer expert, just a nerd for now so I won't fill you with too much fluff. But as I learn more, I'll be sure to share. Give them a try, but remember, 9.0% two of them will rock your socks off. Until next time, goodnight.

10,000+ Hits on Flickr

2010-10-06T19:42:00.003-04:00

30 Ave. Market
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

I noticed I've accumulated over 10,000 hits on Flickr. Granted, I haven't made any money off any of the images, but for now I think the exposure alone is motivation enough for me to continue posting work on the site. Hopefully, within the next few months I'll set out to create a new body of work suited for a book. It's going to be an iPhoneography book and I've yet to decide what direction I'm going to take regarding the style of photography. One thing I do promise is that it'll be good and worth purchasing.

The photograph above was manipulated in SwankoLab. I'm excited because after month of waiting, SwankoLab has finally offered an upgrade to the app. Also, there's new "developer" for us real SwankoNerds. If you have any experience in the darkroom, you might get a kick out of the app's interface.

It's Fall, so have a Campfire!

2010-10-03T10:37:00.004-04:00

fire face
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

Living in New York City is tough for me. Mainly because I grew up in New Hampshire / Maine and I love the outdoors! Fall is also special in the town I grew up in because all the tourists go home, maybe a hurricane or two dumps some epic surf on us and it's perfect campfire weather. Well, it's always perfect campfire weather, but to me they're most rewarding when the weather starts to cool off.

I took this iPhone photograph up in Camden, Maine on the shores of Megunticook Lake. It's a very special image to me since it was taken at "the Cabin." This particular cabin has for years traditionally housed teacher assistants and other various staffers from the Maine Media Workshops in Rockport, Maine. I was up there this summer representing the company I work for and taking Constantine Manos' workshop on street photography.

I'm not usually a fan of shooting my iPhone at night unless of course there's LIGHT! On this particular night there was plenty. Between the campfire and the sparklers it provided enough light for a decent exposure. I adjusted the photo in Tiffen's Photo FX. I kind of get a kick out out of the fact that the guy on the right side of the frame has his entire face blown out by the light. I can't help but think of a couple Harry Potter classmates practicing with their magic wands and one had a mishap.

Check out the work of Constantine Manos! This guy makes amazing images!

Red Bull Arena // iPhoneography using Tiffen Photo FX

2010-09-30T13:58:00.002-04:00

Red Bull Arena
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

I definitely used several apps on this photograph, but I think it's was the Tiffen Photo FX that really helped out the most. I boosted the low and mid levels so I could get back some details in the arena itself then saved it as a copy. I opened the saved new version and the original in Pro HDR and combined the two images. Afterwords, I used the Tiffen app again to drop in a colored gradient filter in the sky for a little extra kick. The frame was added in Pictureshow. Voila.

Photography got you confused?

2010-09-30T11:26:00.003-04:00

Head Scratch
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

Okay, so you can make some beautiful images, but are you ready to take your photography to the next level? It's time for you to make a body of work. Meaning, instead of just taking random pretty pictures start taking pretty pictures with a common thread. Show that you can reproduce a feeling or a style in a series. You don't have to shoot the same thing a million times, although some great photographers often do. But try for a group of 14 at first, then maybe enough to fill a book. Here's an iPhone series I've been working on lately. Shot in Hipstamatic using the John S lens and the BlacKeys Super Grain. I'm really into the look.

Montreal 2010

NYC 2010

Lomography: the Horizon Kompakt 35mm Film Camera

2010-09-29T17:25:00.001-04:00

finger
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

So this is sort of a continuation of the blog I started a few nights ago. The picture here is take with film, that's right I said film. It's the Horizon Kompakt from Lomography and it takes 35mm film. Two words to sum up this camera, "wicked awesome." Although the camera is as basic as it gets when dealing with a swinging 120º shutter, it still rules. The one thing that really surprised me is that there isn't even a screw mount for a tripod to attach. You just handle hold the sucker, or rest it on something. If you prefer a little more control control, Lomography also offers the next step up, the Horizon Perfekt.

my skateboard

2010-09-28T16:26:00.000-04:00

Suncity Cruiserboard

Currently, I'm riding a Globe Skateboard through the streets of NYC, (Globe is more famous for their footwear, but make sick boards as well.) It was recommended to me by my good friend Steve at Pioneers Board Shop up in New Hampshire. It's a city cruiser for sure, hell the name of the deck is the Suncity Cruiserboard. The size is perfect for the city, short but full in all the right places. I keep the trucks loose to avoid the occasional taxi door that swings open unexpectedly. Steve also hooked up another level of risers which proved to come in handy, I've yet to bury the wheel or have any real truck complications. A few days ago I cruised down the Queensboro Bridge which proved to be quite a lot of fun. I don't know if any of my longer downhill boards would of been able to hand this tight little skateable area. I was having to full on through out the tail ever 3 or 4 turns. It was sick but not for beginners. I'm hoping to film it soon. I'll be sure to post it.

Globe Skateboard - Suncity Cruiserboard

Globe Skateboard - Suncity Cruiserboard
Complete deck
Slant T6 Aluminum Trucks
Abec 5 Precision Speed Bearings
High Tensile Hardware
80 Grit Griptape
Discipline: Commuting, Cruising
Swallow tail
Dimensions 30" x 9.25" in length

Lomography Fisheye 2 on the Allagash

2010-09-27T23:05:00.001-04:00

the Allagash
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

Late in the summer of 2010 I had the chance to to take a 4 day canoe trip down the Allagash River in Maine. Originally, I was planning to take my iPhone along with a solar charger since we wouldn't have access to electricity for 4 days. We all know how long that iPhone battery lasts, especially while making photographs.

So I decided to go analog. An analog Allagash adventure. I brought along a few cameras and so did my cousin Tom. I mainly shot on the Lomography Fisheye 2 and the Horizon Kompakt. One of the things about the Fisheye 2 is that you can do multiple exposures.

too be continued... I'm falling asleep.

Wish I had my Polaroid Camera, Luckily I had my iPhone

2010-09-27T11:34:00.001-04:00

lo-mob fakaroid of 34th Street 10/22/2010
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

One day on my way to work I looked back towards the Empire State Building and noticed it was nicely backlighted. Subsequently, so was the American flag on the right side of the frame. Unfortunately, I did not have my Polaroid camera on me, but I did have my iPhone.

I made this photograph in Hipstamatic with the John S lens and the Black Keys Supergrain film. The original was too dark for my taste so I opened it up in Tiffen Photo FX and adjusted the levels. I pulled as much detail as I could out of the mids that I could before it broke up. Then I brought it into SwankoLab and used my own secret formula (it's not really secret, I just can't remember it right now. I'll post it later.) I was really happy with the two tone effect that started with a black and white image.

The last part of the process was Lo-Mob. Craving that Polaroid frame, it's pretty evident what I chose. Any questions?

Orange Hair, Sign & Building

2010-09-23T15:01:00.001-04:00

Orange Hair, Sign & Building
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

For the past several months I've been watching a large dark tower being constructed on the west side of Manhattan. I've been photographing it with my iPhone regularly. I posted this one just the other day and I've already spotted it posted on a skyscraper forum.

link here

I'm glad my images are being seen. It's a good feeling for a visual artist. Next step, getting paid.

birds in lo-mob

2010-09-23T10:50:00.001-04:00

birds
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

I love the Hipstamatic app, I really do. However, the control freak in me sometimes takes over.

Well if you love the square format, but also enjoy the controls of an app like Camera + then here's a compromise, you could start framing your images in lo-mob. One of the beautiful things about lo-mob now, is that you can choose which part of the original rectangular frame you like to use when cropping for a square, not just a straight push in on the original. Make sense?

Hat Man & Eagle (hipstamatic 170)

2010-09-19T11:44:00.001-04:00

Hat Man & Eagle
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

I've been obsessed with street photography and although I prefer the rectangular frame over the square, Hipstamatic definitely offers a dose of uncertainty and magic, doing a great job emulating an analog toy camera.

The other really exciting thing about Hipstamatic is that they're offering a print service in which you can upload your images to them and they'll send back prints at a fair cost. I've yet to see the prints, but I'm willing to give it a go.

About this photograph, it was taken in Manhattan. I had taken a 4 day trip down the Allagash River in Maine just a month ago and it was there I got in the habit of trying to spot eagles. So I saw this one, albeit fake, I still wanted to get it in my frame. I looked around for who else might be worth involving as well. First I spotted a group of girls on cell phones, but the light wasn't right and it didn't make sense, then I looked left and saw the man in his pork pie hat and in perfect profile! Snap.

Here's the rest of the series. I'll be adding to it on a regualar basis, then edit it down to the best ones and then I'm going to make a book, for real.

the flickr set

John McInnis & Park Soo Keun

2010-07-23T23:54:00.001-04:00

John & Park Soo Keun
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

Last week was my uncle John McInnis' chance to sell a second Park Soo Keun painting at auction (the 1st had wonderful results.) This iPhone photo was taken of John and the painting just a few hours before the precious work of art went on the block. Many people have asked me what's so special about this painting and having had the opportunity to get up close and hold the painting in my hands, I'd have to say it was the amazing texture rendered by Park Soo Keun. I read that he was self-taught and I'm lead to believe that the lack of a formal education might allowed him that freedom to experiment. However he came about the results, the painting is quite impressive and it's final hammer price wasn't too bad either.

The image I made was edited in SwankoLab App, one of my personal favorites presently. Afterwards I did add a frame in the PictureShow App too. I wish the frame would not cut into the original photograph, 100% field of view! Either way, I was happy with the results.

Mayor Bloomberg iPhonograph

2010-07-14T12:59:00.001-04:00

Mayor Bloomberg iPhonograph
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

I was cruisin' down 34th Street this afternoon and happened upon Mr. Mayor Bloomberg of New York City. Once again, having the iPhone in my pocket made it possible for me to capture this image. I really have to start carrying around my Canon 7D... Soon, really soon.

Gotta Keep on Bloggin' - John McInnis' Summer Auction

2010-07-07T20:25:00.000-04:00

So I think the only way I'll keep myself interested in the idea of blogging is by writing everyday, or as close to everyday as possible. Today I just wanted to mention that my uncle John McInnis is holding a great summer arts and antiques auction in Southern Maine in just a few weeks. The sale is filled with interesting items from (literally) around the world! Some items of interest include...

Park Sookeun (Korean 1914-1965) A Seated Woman Signed in Hangul, Oil and Mixed Media on Board, Retains the original frame, 10 1/2" X 8 1/2". Dated 1956 verso and retains original paper label. Signed in hangul, ul, Provenance: Howard A. Rusk (1901-1989), known as the father of rehabilitation medicine originally from Brookfield, Mississippi, joined the Army Air Corp in 1942 and retired as a Brigadier General.

In the early 1950’s Dr. Rusk founded the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, New York University Medical Center, In 1984 the center was renamed Howard H. Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine. Dr. Rusk and his wife traveled to Korea on several medical missions between 1953-1967. He was also elected president of the American Korean Foundation (1954). Dr. Rusk was supported by several prominent individuals for his humanitarian efforts. A major supporter was Bernard and Alva Gimbel. Mrs. Gimbel had assisted Dr.Rusk on one of his trips to Seoul, Korea where she acquired a painting by the artist Park Soo Kuen. This painting has been consigned from a family member and has never been out of the family since it was acquired in the 1950’s.

Condition: good, untouched original condition

Estimate: 200,000.00 - 300,000.00

And...

Wonderfully detailed carved stone bust of a woman in Roman period style sitting on top of a ornamental carved fragment of a column, done in a two tone finish, 30"h
Condition: good

Estimate: 2,000.00 - 3,000.00

There is of course many many more wonderful items! If you have a chance, check out the JOHN McINNIS AUCTIONEERS website. And if you have the money, you should definitely consider investing in art or antiques! Life's short! You should be able to enjoy your assets!

Point of Pines

2010-07-05T21:32:00.001-04:00

Point of Pines
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

This is a photograph my mother took just the other day up in Woodstock, Maine. It's my extended family's little secret spot to catch a breathtaking sunset over the lovely Lake Christopher. Thanks for the photo mom! Wish I was there in person.

Gunfight - An iPhone Pano Portrait

2010-07-04T22:23:00.001-04:00

Gunfight
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

I made this photograph up in Rollinsford, NH at my cousin Tom's place. I was showing him my new Pano App on the iPhone when I thought it would be funny to have him shooting at himself. Granted we rushed the process but the result is kinda comical. Let me know what you think.

Furthur in Brooklyn

2010-07-04T22:15:00.001-04:00

Furthur in Brooklyn
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

Another great show boys! This is my third Furthur show this year and I'd say my favorite to date. Admittedly, there are more dedicated fans out there that have seen more shows than me, but I'm going to assume everyone is with me on this one.

The morning of the show I had awoken on the couch of an old college buddy in Portland, Maine. I had no ticket to the show and wasn't even sure if I could make it to Brooklyn, New York by the evening, but a few friends mentioned going so I figured why the hell not. By 7:00pm that evening I was in the lot of MCU Park looking for a miracle. By 7:02pm I had scored a ticket for $20. As my cousin Mark would say back in the 90s, "Mint!"

Anyways, long story short. I took this image on my iPhone about 6-8 rows back from the front. It was a general admission deal, which I love cause I can usually get myself right up there. You can see Bob Weir and Phil Lesh rocking out along with most of the rest of the wonderful band! I later processed the image in Swanko Lab. Any questions? If you love the Grateful Dead, go see Furthur.

Swanko Puppy

2010-06-28T22:29:00.001-04:00

Swanko Puppy
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

My cousin John Logan's girlfriend has the cutest Jack Russell terrier I've ever seen. He's well tempered and does a great job of posing for photographs! Let me know if you need him for you're upcoming photo or video shoot. Izzie is for hire.

Adorama iPhone Contest Revisted

2010-05-20T21:27:00.000-04:00

So, I guess I placed in the top ten of the Adorama iPhone contest. Thank you for voted for me (if you did so.) You can see my online award winning image here. Or just at my previous posting about the contest. It's that picture, the one of the White House. I'm just too lazy to relink it right now.

Good night.

iPhone Contest

2010-02-06T20:19:00.000-05:00

If you have a chance please pop on over to the Adorama iPhone Photo Contest and vote for one of my images.

Rose Williams Native American Navajo Pottery Piggy Bank

2010-02-06T17:59:00.000-05:00

This blog entry was taken directly from my ebay listing.

Several months ago I was at an estate auction in New England and I came across a wonderful tray lot of what I thought was Folk Art pottery. The auctioneer mentioned he was told that the pieces are Native American, but he didn't seem to know much more than that about the pieces. I bought them on a whim, I liked their look. That night I brought the three pieces home and started to inspect them a little closer than at the sale. To my surprise a fragile old piece of paper fell out of the piggy bank. It readsin pen, "Rose Williams Black Mesa Az Maker." I did a little research to find out more about this Rose Williams and found out she's an important Native American artist. The Navajo potter has been prolific for years!

For sale here is the Piggy Bank from the lot. The squirrel mug will be available on eBay as well and as for the large bowl feel free to contact me about that piece. The clay pig measures 6 3/4" long and 4 1/4" high. The adorable Native American folk art bank would be an excellent addition to someone's already impressive Southwestern / Native American / Navajo collection. I'm guessing by the age of the paper that this piece was probably purchased by the New Englander (whose estate later went to auction) back in the 1950s. The condition is very good, no cracks or breaks. A desirable Arizona item!

The Piggy Bank will come with the original piece of paper that states the provenance. Buyers of the other pieces will have to make due with the digital image of the paper.

Pierce

2010-02-06T14:26:00.001-05:00

Pierce
Originally uploaded by surfbeaver

I was going to see Avatar the other night. The movie was playing on the second floor so I had to take the elevator up. Half way to the top I looked behind me and noticed Pierce Brosnan walking down a red carpet. I grabbed my iPhone from my pocket a got a shot that none of thos photographers down on the ground level could achieve. Lucky I guess.

Schlitz Malt Liquor

2010-02-06T11:00:00.000-05:00

Another sweet score at the NYC flea market this past week. This time Rahua gets the credit. It's a Schlitz ship's bell! Like the ones they have in many coastal New England bars. Rang if a good tip is given. Oh, by the way, anyone remember Gilbert's in Camden, Maine? Well, they're closing. Sad.

Juice Night 2010

2010-01-31T16:21:00.000-05:00

I wanted to check out my new iphone app Lo-Mob the other night, so I decided to make some juice and some images at the same time. Not the most amazing photographs I've ever taken but fun iphone pics none the less. Take a peak...

Juice Night

Learn Digital Photography! On a film camera?

2010-01-31T00:47:00.000-05:00

Rahua and I were about to jump on the NYC subway when I noticed something was funny about one of the posters on the wall. Someone at the office had mentioned the said poster to me a few days prior, but I didn't realize it was actually hung up!

So NYFA's new digital photography program has recently stumbled onto the still imaging education scene by showcasing their tech knowledge. In a recent NYC ad campaign for the program is pictured holding a film camera instead of a digital camera. Good job guys! Known primarily for their short intense film and video classes, NYFA is now in the still game too. Watch out ICP.

Digital SLRs / DSLRs on Amazon

Some of my old Surf Art

2010-01-24T23:15:00.001-05:00

In efforts to get myself in the habit of posting to my blog on a regular basis I unfortunately will be subjecting you to old images I have stored on various photo hosting websites (like photobucket and flickr.) Please bare with me and I promise I'll work on fresh content soon. Feel free to click through some of the ads on the page in the mean time.

Above is a mix media / watercolor painting I made several years back. It's quite simple and I clearly had just one thing on my mind.

Antique Eagle

2010-01-23T23:55:00.000-05:00

So last weekend I was out antiquing in NYC with Rahua and I came across this great antique hand carved eagle. Gold gilt painted, I believe the eagle was carved back in the 1800s. The guy I purchased it from said it came from upstate New York, but he didn't know too much more than that. I didn't take the time to clean it. Mainly because I wanted to show the age of the item since it's being sold on ebay.

This American bird is going to glow after a proper cleaning and restoration. I hope the future owner will send me a photo after it's been cleaned. I'd be stoked to see it. If you know anything about the piece I'd love to hear what you have to say.

Follow me on twitter!

My First Two Followers - Mike & Sunny

2009-11-30T22:57:00.000-05:00

I'd just like to give a shout out to my first two followers, Mike and Sunny. Thanks guys for taking the time to login and click the follow button on my blog! I appreciate the support and I promise when I reach 1,000,000 followers I'll take the two of you out to dinner or buy you a beer or something.

Thanks again, I have to run, got to get back to cooking dinner.

Oh, and Mike, where can I score a pair of Bikram Yoga shorts like these? Maybe at your website? www.spinetwist.com

Hopefully for you my blog becomes successful and everyone and their mom will have to own a pair of your tiger shorts.

Jamie O'Brien Video

2009-11-26T21:13:00.000-05:00

Vincent Laforet filming Jamie O'Brien surfing? Okay, you've got my attention. It appears this video might of been shot on the RED and the Canon 5D Mark II. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Oh, and turn down your speakers before playing in the office. The beat gets heavy.

Vincent from the Canon website.

Sony EX3 1/2" Sensor

2009-11-24T20:07:00.000-05:00

Although this camera feels a little funny hand held, I do like the menus. And an interchangable lens system shooting on a 1/2" sensor for under $10,000! How can you beat it? Check out the Sony PMW-EX3... http://bit.ly/5KFphM