get fresh get fit

just walk it - hike

thanks to the random spurts of rain during the week

the weekend starting out sunny with fresh air

So couple of my friends started to hike at random places near by and i took this opportunity and joined them so i can start getting some sort of exercise. This weekend we hit up a trail up on Topanga Canyon in Chatsworth California. At first we were kind of lost on finding the entrance to the trail since there were more than 3 ways to enter, but we found one of the entrance.

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I was informed this was a beginners trail so i knew i was able to complete it while carrying my camera gear. But as we followed trails and chose different routes we ended up taking a horse trail, which was kind of fun since we got to jump across small creeks and see some frogs. As we ventured more on the horse trail it started to become unfriendly and would have to walk through brushes and duck under tree branches. So we turned around and started back to the fort on the road and followed the dirt road with no trees and creeks.

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Even though we found the clean path, it was constant uphill and in my mind i said i can do this. As we kept going uphill my legs started to give out and i was running out of air, i knew it was my camera gear pulling me down. So i handed my gear to my friend Carl and my body just lifted up and i easily finished the hike. Sadly i wasn't able to take a lot of photos since i was trying to catch my breathe most of the time, but i was able to shoot some videos and shots of the area.

This hike is a reminder that i really need to get in shape. Hopefully i will start eating, not even healthy but at least eat right by not eating past 6-7. Staying away from fast food will probably be the hardest, cheap fast and tasty. I guess i should start getting some subways $5 foot longs! Fun times with friends and getting fresh air. Hopefully i will be more prepared on next saturdays hike!

our next adventure awaits!

HUZZAH!!

"Do you have your drinking papers my lord?"

"HUZZAH!! to the tipper"

"WENCH FOR SALE!!!"

Renaissance Faire is time for laughter, drinking and conversing with great accents.

Luckily this was my second time going to The Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire and knew all the great fun language that was spoken all day long. It takes me back when i used to play Dungeons and Dragons, and i always wanted to live in the era of Knights and Kings. Thanks to the yearly month long event not only myself but others were able to walk and talk through time.

I looked forward going to the Ren.Faire every year, as this time i was able to download the latest firmware for my DSLR which enabled me to record in HD video. Lost like a peasant trying to find his master i did not know the right settings in order to record. ahhhhh which one do i use? and at what settings?!?! i should have read a manual on it, but i figured it wouldn't have been hard. I figured since it will be recording live video would have not been great especially if i have to change the settings constantly. I did do some in but then i realized, no control of the shutter speed might make the shutter go fast. In my mind if that would to happen then there would be no blur. Will it come out like a stop motion video?(that would be awesome in certain videos) So i went ahead and went with why not just keep the shutter speed at 30 thinking it will let lots of motion get captured.

Moonie and Broon

(great improv show)

more videos from the Ren Faire click here (youtube)

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Dress up and have fun

What to expect at a Renaissance Faire? Lots of actors who work at the faire and the people who put a lot of work in their outfits. Usually you will think of Knights, Warriors, Soldiers, Maidens, Noblemen and Women. But the ones that stood out to me was the unexpected Goblin Chief and Engineer. I didn't get to find the Merchant that i saw last year :( Also there was one lady who dressed up as if Paris Hilton would have done if she lived in the Renaissance period.

Goblin Cheif

Rusted Engineer

Paris Hilton? o.o

Hopefully next year i can go as a Thief and i will "steal" peoples souls (old asian belief that when their photos were taken it takes their soul) by taking photos of them. Even better maybe i will wear a sign saying "shout me a big HAZZAH and i shall capture ye soul"

Gather Up!

"Gather up!, it is time to raid"

I used to hear that a lot when i used to raid in the mmorpg World of Warcraft. It popped into my head as i was gathering up all the photos of Aaden that was taken at the park and on his 1st birthday(happy birthday!). And it was time to make my first photobook!

1 2 3 4.. 20... 50.... 100..... there was more than enough photos, but to choose the right ones that will go into the photobook was tough. Smiling, laughing, confused, running, scared.... the actions of a baby sure does make great shots.

Slowly i would pick and placing the photos into the book. I used MyPublisher to create the photobook. At first i was very lost on how i would make the layout since there was many different styles to choose from. Do i go with the pre-made baby boy?(seemed practical) But instead i ended up going with a nice simple clean layout with no fancy tilts, collages or borders.

It took a while but i am very happy with the photos i selected and how i placed them. Since with MyPublisher you can make every page a different layout i think i will make a portfolio with it. But first i will need to shoot some more before i can build one that i will be confident enough to go showing people around.

for the curious ones

here is a link for the

photobook

Book ID: M1505806

PW: 1869527

jerk...ing?

What is Jerking?

it started out with some swift foot work, then the legs started to swing, next thing you know the whole body was jerking!

one of the basic popular moves seen a lot the tippy toe

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A good friend of mine works for Vlado Foot Wear, which held a 40 crew jerking competition at the Los Angeles Convention Center on 4/10/2010. Originally i was asked to work as a staff and help set everything up, but i was lucky and got an all access media pass which allowed me to wonder around and take photographs.

pretty much everyone was wearing Vlado Foot Wear. even i had a pair on for helping out with the staff.

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The things these kids were able to do was pretty amazing. Spinning, flipping, flying, twisting and the agility they contain shows how much they practice. My dad always quoted "practice makes perfect", and these kids really did show it.

amazing happens with great teamwork

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A lot of crews, performers and jerking fans came that day and it just got too crowded to be in the front of the circle so i decided to step back, get on the stage and just shoot the people who came here to enjoy the show.

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It was long and grueling. Leg, feet, arm, wrist, hand all sore from shooting this event from 8am until 6pm. But thanks to my new camera i didn't have to attach my flash!(it was already heavy enough) And thanks to Vlado for giving me this opportunity to shoot this fun event and the free pair of Spectro-3! oh and special guest appearance from Lil Mama and Kel from Kenan & Kel Nicelodeon show.

Kel from Kenan & Kel and Lil Mama

baby baby baby

i was very lucky and got to take pictures of my friend Angie's baby boy Aaden, who is turning one years old in April 8th. i knew taking pictures of babies was going to be tough since it is hard to get them to follow orders. on top of that he fell asleep before we got to the park! no baby likes to get awaken from their nap. but after a little tantrum and running around on the grass he started to laugh and smile, so the clicking begins. overall i had a great time trying to capture his happiness. see you guys soon!

"worry not, worry free, through babies eyes they see" -itzzzdae

A great way to start a new month by selling my old camera + couple of lens to my brother who will love taking pictures of Cora(my niece)! Thanks to my parents and Man(my brother) i was able to upgrade to a Canon 5D Mark II!! ISO of 6400 max made my mind boggle since my previous camera only went up to 1600.

I had the chance to use this high ISO going out to a friends birthday dinner.

happy birthday Calvin Lee! 1 years young!

it is time to start learning the full potential on my new DSLR camera.