Ai Nguyen Photography

The Switch

2012-02-20T18:16:00.000-08:00

After months of contemplation on whether or not if I should make the switch to Canon or upgrade to a Nikon D2xs lingered in my mind. This was due to Nikon's announcement of their upcoming release of the D800/D800E and the D4. Therefore, this would cause a value deprecation in available Nikon equipment. I was caught between whether to upgrade to a D2xs for it's in camera precise tonality and sharpness or a full frame from Canon (i.e. Canon 1ds Mk2, 5D, etc.).

The reason why I chose the D2xs over the D700 was because of financial reasons. However, after doing research online regarding the switch from a D200 to a D2xs made me contemplate and ponder whether or not it would be worth it to upgrade. Since the D200 can handle higher noise higher than ISO 400 and is lighter and smaller. Well, the noise and ISO is not an issue for me since I shoot outdoors and strobe indoors along with the use prime lens. It picture rendering and color rendering of the D2xs was very appealing to me. However, it was not enough to make me upgrade.

Having the opportunity to use and own a Canon 1ds before allowed me to see the difference between crop and full frame. Canon had more affordable full frame as oppose to Nikon. The depth of field from full frame was more than enough of a reason for me to make the switch.

So why did I stuck with a Nikon lens? To be honest I do not know why. Financial reasons maybe? Not really because I could have traded my Nikkor for a L lens. Maybe, I have been a little biased about L lens after using Nikkor glass and just grew fond of Nikkors. Did I really needed the F1.2 when I already have a F1.4 for the 85mm? Was auto-focusing necessary for me since I don't shoot action? I found an interesting statement from a user online regarding his comments on AF "photographers have been manual focusing for the last 100 years...". If they can do it, so can I with a little bit of practice I should be able to master it. Well after trying manual focusing I can tell you one thing. Leica R and Carl Zeiss here I come for my next set of prime lens! Of course I cannot forget my Nikkors.

A new beginning in strobing

2011-12-22T00:18:00.001-08:00

[AlienBee] 04, a photo by http://ainguyenphotography.photoshelter.com/ on Flickr.

After taking a long break from running to allow my shins to fully recover. I have been drowning myself with books and studies and it sure paid off when finals came.

Despite, losing my stamina and endurance for long distance running. I have been doing the 9-9-9 workout routine from Men's Health. Man did it work because I saw results after doing 3 weeks of it.

Besides running and studying, I have been really MIA from photography. Occasionally I would shoot here and there, but not a full out photo-shoot these past few months. Since my SB-900 was getting replaced by the new SB-910 I was losing value. So I have decided to upgrade to a full studio strobe and see where it will take me. A new adventure begins to unravel for me.

Via Flickr:
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Early Christmas Present. Hello AlienBee goodbye SB-900.

Missing in the photo is a Paul C Buff Octobox.

[Day 10] - Marathon Training

2011-11-09T23:12:00.000-08:00

After running on the track for three times with a duration of ten minutes, I decided to try the treadmill today. Although my shin still hurts the last few run on the track, I felt there was an improvement after a long shin stretch/warm up.

Today was a new beginning for me and it sure felt great and brought a big smile on my face. I was able to carry on a non-stop run for 20 minutes at the speed of 6. This was an overall improvement since the last time I was able to run. My speed has increase to a constant speed of 6 (a .3 speed increase) and it was only 5 minutes shorter than my old time duration. I was extremely cautious when I ran on the treadmill today. Ironically my right shin began to hurt instead of left one within the first 5 minutes. I am glad that I kept pushing on because the pain slowly went away after I hit the 15 minute mark.

My workout routine consisted of:

Streches

4 minutes of my usual stretch

5 minutes of stretches focusing on just my shine

Track

3 laps around the track (walking)

Treadmill

5 minute warm-up walk

20 minutes non-stop run/jog

3 minutes walk

Track

3 laps (walking)

3 sets of 30 sits ups

3 sets of 10 push ups

[Day 9] - Marathon Training

2011-11-02T22:24:00.000-07:00

For the first time in three weeks, I was able to hold a 10 minute non-stop light run. This made me incredibly happy and brought a smile on my face.

Although, I have to start over from scratch and build up my endurance and stamina again, I am up and ready to tackle this obstacle. The last two weeks has been very tough on me because my shin has been failing me with tremendous painful shin-splints. I was unable to hold a run that was longer than 5 minutes. No matter how much I increase my running speed, my max duration was 5 minutes before my shin would begin to hurt. I began to feel very discouraged.

However, today I wanted to push myself to see if I could run again. So instead of running on the treadmill, this time I ran on the track. Although, I still felt pain in my shin, it was not as painful as running on treadmill.

My workout today consisted of:

5-10 minute warm up stretch

10 minute non-stop run/jog (track)

3-5 minute walk

15 minute row machine

3-5 minute walk

2 High Intense Interval (sprinting)

3-5 minute walk

1 mile on the elliptical

3-5 minute walk

My running mate today was Henry Tang. Props to him for sprinting at an avg of 32 seconds per interval.

[Day 8] - Marathon Training

2011-10-18T22:23:00.001-07:00

Strobist Info:
SB-900 above shot through umbrella at 1/2th
Triggered by onboard at 1/128th

In the three weeks of my training for the Marathon, so far this is the most painful experience that I have faced and felt so far. Based on my description of my pain, my friend Highlong told me it was shin splints and indeed it was. I thought it would go away after five to ten minutes of running like how it did with my knees and calves, but it did not. Thank God, I am blessed to have a close friend who is a certified orthopedic surgeon, but if his verdict come down to the lines that my legs are not meant for running or I won't be able to run. I am going to be depressed.

Based on Wiki:

"Most shin splints, known as Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS), can be attributed to overloading the muscles of the lower extremities or biomechanical irregularities. Muscle imbalance, including weakened core muscles lead to more lower-extremity injuries; also the inflexibility and tightness of the gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantar muscles can contribute to shin splints. [1] Increasing activity, intensity, and duration too quickly leads to shin splints because the tendons and muscles are unable to absorb the impact of the shock force as they become fatigued; also, the tibial bone-remodeling capabilities are overloaded...."

There are two types:

1) Anterolateral shin splints where the pain is located on the anterior and the lateral of the shin (on the front and outside of the shin). It is usually felt during running when the athlete’s heel touches the ground.

2) Posteromedial shin splints where the pain in the leg is on the inferior medial portion of the lower leg (the inside of the lower leg above the ankle) and can be triggered by standing on the toes or inverting the ankle.

I believe I was having Posteromedial shin splints.

Today my running exercise consisted of:

A five minute brisk walk at the speed of 3.7 and jog for 20 minutes non-stop.

The original workout following the program:

A brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)

Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)

Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)

Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Via Flickr:

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[ 27th AIDS Walk in LA ]

2011-10-16T22:59:00.000-07:00

It was still pitch black outside filled with fog and cold air. The only sound that disrupted the silence was the sound of my alarm that was set to 5 o'clock in the morning.

Tired and sleep deprived from the previous night, I crawled out of my bed to get ready to join my teammates from CSUF-CSA. Only to find out that my carpool mates were still asleep and not awake.

As you enter Annie's home, you can instantly smell the aroma of fresh baked donuts and fresh toasted bread filled with egg and bacon. Soft mumbles and yawning were heard in the dinning room along with loud sounds of crunches and slurps. Silence was then broken by the arrival of the dynamic duo. They filled the room with their giggles and smiles. However, all that was received back were faces of sleep deprived individuals.

LA, a place filled with smog that looks like fog along with heavy traffic and terrible parking space. Crowded with people from left to right. As the sun began to rise, droplets of sweat began to fall. Traffic lights flicker from red to green. Then came a little push with a little shove. The 10k walk began the day.

[Day 7] - Marathon Training

2011-10-14T19:02:00.000-07:00

Strobist Info:
SB-900 above shot through umbrella at 1/2th
Triggered by onboard at 1/128th

[Nike Free Run V2] 04, a photo by http://ainguyenphotography.photoshelter.com/ on Flickr.

Today was actually my break day from running; however, I decided to join my new running mate, Jacob. Will I run again next Friday? Probably not. Because I don't want to over-exhaust my muscle; even though, I felt no muscle soreness afterwards. Running three times a week is good enough for me, especially if I am slowly increasing my distance.

I notice that I had completely depleted my B supplements and Vitamin C or my intake was not enough to allow my muscles to recover. However, after trying out jelly beans loaded with electrolyte (Sodium and Potassium), B supplements and Vitamin C my muscles rejuvenated. Now, I do not know whether this was a placebo effect, but I did not felt exhausted after my running exercise routine.

My workout today consisted of:

A Brisk five-minute warmup walk at the speed of 3.5-3.7, then jog two miles (or 20 minutes) at the speed of 5.7 with no walking.

After completing my 20 minutes jog, I held a run for 4 minutes at the speed of 7.

Memo to self:

Start drinking vitamins supplements.

Via Flickr:
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I absolutely love these shoes.
J'adore Nike Free Run V2

[Day 6] - Marathon Training

2011-10-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

I was actually somewhat anticipating for today's exercise training.

My exercise consisted of:
A brisk five-minute warmup walk, then a jog for two miles (or 20 minutes) with no walking.

During my first week of training I was able to hold a 15 minutes constant jog. So I assumed that adding an extra 5 minutes should have not been a problem for me. I did not have any problems during my first 5 minutes of running. However, it began to get harder (as in a mental challenge) after the 5 minutes. By the 18 minute mark, I was ready to increase my speed to 6.1 to finish my last two minutes. Then again, I pushed myself and ran for 23 minutes. Originally, I was actually hoping to push myself to 25 minutes, but I became extremely dehydrated and my contacts was getting fuzzy and dry.

Today marks my first time being able to run 20 minutes non-stop and running over 2 miles non-stop!

[Day 5] - Marathon Training

2011-10-12T23:49:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but I always get the jitters before running.

Today my workout routine consisted of:
A brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)
Walk 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)

However, during the the last jog, I pushed myself to a 15 minute jog. During the last two minutes I raised my running speed to 6.8, where I was able to hold for 1 minute.

[Day 4] - Marathon Training

2011-10-11T23:37:00.000-07:00

Today I started my week 5 training of the 5k training program.

My training consisted of:
A Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

However, on the last jog I pushed myself to run at a speed of 6.1 for 10 minutes. The only drawback of my training today was that I did not walk off my run for about 1/4 of a mile and I did not fully stretch afterwards. I will never do that again no matter whatever comes up. Without doing that after my exercise I felt horrible.

Hopefully, playing basketball for an hour did not mess up my left ankle for tomorrow's training. The pressure and ache that I felt after playing basketball is slowly going away.

Poem: Damn you Nikon I am switching to Canon

2011-10-10T00:10:00.000-07:00

Damn You Nikon I Am Switching to Canon

I was happy to hear the news
I swear to God I was
I was even happy to hear the rumors
The rumors that were spread

But, why do I feel this now
This feeling of sadness
This feeling of distraught
Like a child being left behind
Filled with emptiness

Yet, my head is filled with contemplations
The contemplation of leaving you
So I began to ask myself
What were the reasons

Was it because you screwed me over?
Was it because you were a bad investment?
Hell yeah you are!
In about 10 days I will lose 30% of market value

So tell me Nikon
Tell me why shouldn't I leave you for Canon
We know they are a megapixel whore
And as we all know megapixel doesn't do crap
They just blow your image up bigger
But, they are sure damn cheaper than you

You had attracted me with your Nikkor Lens
Not the DX lens, but the prosumer ones
The ones that burn your pockets
The ones that makes you sell an arm and a leg for
But, not once have I regret it

Then again, you never failed me at low light situation
Where you made Canon users cry and weep
But, then again, you are getting too high maintenance
Too high maintenance for me

[Day 3] - Marathon Training

2011-10-06T20:28:00.000-07:00

What an amazing day with a new accomplishment and achievement. To be honest when I look back at today's training I do not know how it was even possible. I think what kept me on was my determination and will.

As usual I began with a 5 minute brisk walk at a speed of 3.5 and my legs felt fine with no tension because I stretched for about 10 minutes.

During 3 minute run my left knee wanted to fail me and I wanted to stop my training. However, as dumb as it sounds I kept moving forward with my training because I wanted to see how my body would react after the 90 second walk break. Unfortunately, my knee pain got worse during the 5 minute jog for about 2 minutes into the run. What made it interesting was that it went from my left knee to my right calf and it went away after my 3 minute walk break. (Yes, I know I took a slightly longer walk break than the program has it.)

What made me extremely happy today was that I was able to hold a 15 minute non-stop run and completed my training over a distance of 3 miles. Usually it would be around a 30 minute training and ending with a distance of 2 or 2 1/2 miles. I am glad that I pushed myself to see whether or not I could hold a run for more than 7 or 8 minutes.

I can now say I have successfully completed a week's training of the 5k training program.

I cannot wait to do next week training.

[Day 2] - Of Marathon Training

2011-10-05T19:22:00.001-07:00

[Nike] 14, a photo by http://ainguyenphotography.photoshelter.com/ on Flickr.

It started with a light drizzle then it just poured down. Contemplation ran across my mind. Maybe I can skip today and give myself a little break. After all, my legs were still recovering from yesterday. One day won't hurt. These thoughts about not running today began to arise in my mind.

Ironically as it may sounds. I love rainy days; however, I just hate getting wet. I do not know why though. Maybe it is the icky feeling of wet clothes and the smell it leaves behind that makes me dislike being wet. Then again, that is a whole different story.

During today's training exercise I felt more tired than yesterday. More exhaustion from my lungs than my legs. This is the result from sleep deprivation and for skipping breakfast and have an extremely small lunch. However, after doing the first set of running exercise my body began to acclimate.

What amazes today was when I pushed myself to hold in a 7 minute non-stop run and my body was able to handle it. Hopefully, I will be able to hold in a 10 minute non-stop run tomorrow.

Via Flickr:
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Determination & Commitment

[Day 1] - Of Marathon Training

2011-10-05T00:12:00.001-07:00

Website

New Goal, New Hobby, & A New Beginning

Strobist Info:
SB-900 fired at 1/2th through umbrella front
Triggered by on-board flash at 1/128th

[Self-Portrait] 16-1, a photo by http://ainguyenphotography.photoshelter.com/ on Flickr.

Today was my first day on the 5k training program. After last Sunday I felt comfortable being able to run for more than 5 minutes non-stop. Therefore, I decided today that I will start on the 4th week of the training program instead of the 1st week training.

This training consist of:
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

To be honest, before my training I was afraid that my knee and feet would fail me. I felt a little tension in my knee before hand. However, to make sure that I stretch out properly, I stretch out twice (2 times before running and 2 times after running). The first set of stretch was 20 seconds then when repeated again 10 seconds.

Hopefully my leg will be up to par for tomorrow's training.

New Hobby New Goal

2011-10-02T23:53:00.000-07:00

[Nike Free Run V2] 07, a photo by http://ainguyenphotography.photoshelter.com/ on Flickr.

Today marks a new chapter in my life. I have decided to take on a new hobby and a new goal.

A new hobby as in running (leaning more towards long distance running). A new goal to participate in as many walks for a cause as possible and to train for a marathon, but before that to be able to accomplish a 5k run then a half marathon.

Ironically, I never liked walking and hated running. However, after preparing for Peru this summer by walking 4-8 miles a day for a duration of 5 weeks, I started to developed a liking for walking. Like a famous saying, "before you can run, you have to learn how to walk".

On Sunday, I was able to achieve 6 miles on the elliptical and 2 miles on the treadmill. I absolutely love my Nike Free Run V2 and it is all thanks to my friend, Buddy for letting me try his pair.

Via Flickr:
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Let the training begin.

[Edison Reception]

2011-05-11T19:38:00.000-07:00

[Edison Reception] 135, a photo by Ai Ng on Flickr.

Back in mid to late April while checking my email inbox. I happen to stumble across a cc email of a sender whom I did not know. Out of curiosity I click on it.

It turns out the email was a recommendation for a photographer for an upcoming event. Seeing and reading this email brought a smile across my face. It feels nice being acknowledge for my previous work at UCI.

This is my first time using an ultra-wide angle lens. It was rough in the beginning, but I pulled through near the end. Through this, it made me realize how attachment I am with prime lens than with zoom lens.

Unfortunately, I did not have time to use the Nikkor 17-35F2.8 for landscape after the event.

Easter Vigil

2011-04-23T19:19:00.000-07:00

[I Believe in You] 113-2, a photo by Ai Ng on Flickr.

On Easter Vigil, I had the privileged to be a part of the video and photography crew for a church, where my cousin was going to be baptized at. The church was filled with hundreds of people. The entrance and the court yard were filled with people standing.

I came to mass with the intention of just taking a few pictures of his baptism. However, as I began to take photographs of my cousin, I was handed a photographer badge.

It so happen that I was the only photographer there with a prime lens, but not just any prime lens, a portrait lens. This was one of my major concerns because I never shot an event with a prime lens before. This was a great opportunity for me to think outside of the box and become creative along with a touch of photo-journalism.

Although, I had my SB-900 attached to my camera as a backup. I hardly had to use it because the 85F1.4 is amazingly fast. The picture it produces is just pure dreamy and creamy.
After capturing this event with the 85F1.4, it made me more confident in myself as photographer who can be versatile because I am not an event photographer.

*All pictures posted on http://lifethroughaieyes.blogspot.com/ are not to be distrubted or used without my permission. Pictures are copyrighted under Flickr from aisphotography.

Flickr Mile Stone and Returning to Blogspot

2011-04-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

www.flickr.com/aisphotography

I know that my birthday was coming up, but I was unaware that I would reach 30,000+ views on Flickr just one day before it.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of my viewers because without you I would never be able to achieve this.

This is the best birthday present ever!

I began to search online for a website where I can upload my photography portfolio. Because my Flickr pro account expires in May.

What really amazed me was how blogspot evolved so much after one year. I fell in love with certain photography templates for blogspot. In the end I chose this particular one for it's clean and professional look.

To a wonderful beginning again with blogspot.

Spring Break Adventure 3 (Recap)

2010-03-30T10:21:00.000-07:00

Day 3
(Monday)

Today I went to the beach to spot out places to do my next photoshoot at. Originally I was going to go to Newport Beach, but I ended up going to Huntington Beach. However, I went around at 7pm just in time to capture the sunset! Despite, it being cold with chilly winds it was worth it.

Despite the cold weather, the water was actually okay in a sense that it was warmer than the cold weather that was outside.

Day 4
(Tuesday)

Although I had work today at the hospital, it was a slow/light day with no traumas. After work I went Karaoke with my sister and a couple of friends. This new Karaoke place was not bad, they had multiple TV screens instead of one large one which is something new. I think the scoring was rigged we kept getting scores of 90+.

Day 5
(Wednesday)

I spent the whole morning at UCI crashing my sister's class. All I can say was that I was brain dead and very sleep deprived. The only thing that I was anticipating was the banquet later on that night. What an amazing night... memories that will last forever!

Memories of DIM 2010

Day 6
(Thursday)
I went to the premiere night of the Clash of the Titans 3D.

All I can say is that this movie was too hyped up. I mean the movie was okay, but not worth watching it on premiere night (IMHO). There was hardly any 3D scenes in the movie!

Spring Break Adventure 2

2010-03-27T23:21:00.000-07:00

Day 2
(Saturday)

Today I went to the San Diego Zoo. Usually going to the zoo would not cross the mind of a college student. Especially to a group of guys, but it however, cross our mind!

Never wear jeans and dark colors on a dark day! A hat is a must! Well I was going to wear shorts and flip flops...

The Zoo was at a reasonable price for us college students. For around $40 we had unlimited access to the sky lift (I forgot what this was called) and a bus tour. One thing I have to comment about the park is that the food they sell is totally a rip off! Come on $30+ for two drinks and two Churros!!

It seem like the zoo is a photographers' paradice... So many people with entry level DSLRs and a few people with prosumer DSLRs. After trying animal photography or nature photography I found out it was not my thing. Since I specialize in portraiture and still-life/abstract photography. Maybe if I had a 200mm or 300mm telephoto lens, it would have been better! But, that focal length would be useless for me if I bought one. I would not use it often enough.

Memo
It was a 2 hour drive there... well we hit rush hour (around 10 AM!! unbelievable...)
No traffic after 730PM (Thank God!)

Spring Break Adventure 1

2010-03-27T23:12:00.000-07:00

After a dreadful and a hectic week of non-stop studying for midterms. It has finally came to an end while a week for relaxation and resting awaits.

Friday
On Friday I watched How To Train Your Dragon in 3D!
At first I just thought it was another kiddie movie and was not worth watching. However, my perspective changed 360 degrees after watching this movie! It has an amazing plot and the graphic is amazing. It is a must watch. It was released yesterday so go watch it folks!

Filming Adventure Coming to an End

2010-03-13T18:20:00.000-08:00

After 10 weeks of filming with over 70gb worth of footage my filming adventure for Diversity in Medicine at UCI (DIM) has finally come to an end. A little sad and happy at the same time. I am happy that it has ended because it has been very stressful and very time consuming. I am sad because such a great experience has come to finish point.

To be able to bond with the guest speakers and to be able to work with other coordinators is something that money cannot buy.

Despite, coming to an end of 10 weeks of winter quarter. I cannot wait until next year when I can film again for this amazing class/group!

Recap of this week

2010-03-06T17:29:00.001-08:00

On Wednesday I used my favorite camcorder, the Sony Handycam HDD camcorder. Our speaker for that day was Dr. Henri Colt was addressing the topic of Religion and Medicine. His speech was moving and heart touching that is hard to describe. I believed he left something special behind.

On Thursday my 24-85mm came! After waiting for a week it finally came! However, I was unable to test it out until Friday. Despite all of that, I was unable to get over the fact that it was a telephoto lens and not a prime lens. Thus, it has such a low aperture and I have to boost up the ISO in order to shoot under low lighting scenarios.

The lens itself was bigger than I thought. It is heavy! and big!

On Friday I took my lens out for a test, but I could not get over the fact that it is not a prime lens and how low the aperture is. However, after extracting my pictures from my camera I was shock! The image was crisp and clear! Wow...

Flickr!

2010-02-21T18:56:00.000-08:00

Today someone favorite my photos! :]

My first Photoshoot!

2010-02-21T18:50:00.000-08:00

So I had an opportunity to do a photo shoot today since I didn't have class. One of my friend volunteered to be my model :]. At first I was worried that my pictures were not going to turn out great and I did not have enough skills to do a photo shoot. Besides the weather was getting hot! and I was afraid that it would be a bad time to do a photo shoot.

In the end it was an amazing experienced for me as a photographer and for my friend who was modeling for me. I shot over 150+ photos in raw format and took over 2 hours (very unexpected! for both me and friend).

It was a great learning experienced. It made me more confident in myself and in my photography.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aisphotography/sets/72157623463854380/

Filming Adventure 7

2010-02-21T18:35:00.000-08:00

Today my sister was presenting the guest speaker. Our guest speakers for today was Eric Handler, M.D. and Paul Leon, R.N. and their topic address Health Care Issues with Homeless Children. Their speech was are very inspiration and touching.

Today I was unable to get my hands on a HDD camcorder therefore, I had to use a DV camcorder. There is absolutely nothing wrong about using a mini DV cam. It is just that I wish I could have used a HDD cam to capture this speech.

I had a choice between the JVC mini DV cam or a Canon mini DV cam. I chose the Canon over the JVC because I wanted to try something new. It was a horrible mistake and I really regret the choice that I made. The zoom on the Canon was horrible... It had a quick zoom instead of a steady slow zoom. No matter how I gently moved the zoom trigger it kept zooming fast. The quality is mediocre.

This time I had no issue with the tripod since the Canon camcorder was so small and compact. Instead the issue I had was the zoom.

Memo:
Stick with the JVC next time if I have to use a DV cam

Filming Adventure Week 6

2010-02-11T20:22:00.000-08:00

Supposedly today was suppose to rain based on the weatherman daily five weather report. However, the clouds had change and it became sunny again which is a good thing.

Originally I was going to use a Canon DV camcorder today because my sister rented one by accident. In the end I had the chance to use my favorite camcorder, the Sony handycam HDD. Honestly, I would not mind using the Canon dv cam. Since I had extra dv tapes I might as well use them and having an opportunity to test out a new camcorder is hard to say no to.

Today's guest speaker was Dr. America Bracho who addressing Latino Health. She is an amazing speaker. Her speech is very firm that delivers a powerful blow on the students. Not only that she also interacts with the crowd of students. It was a privilege to film her.

The Sony handycam is heavy and big compared to most camcorders; therefore, it had tip downwards. Despite being able to capture every moment of her lecture I had technical difficulties. While filming I had to reposition the camera multiple time because it kept tipping downwards. I was also caught off guard a few time when she started to move again when she was interacting with the crowd of students.

Overall, great capture with a few bumps here and there.

Flickr

2010-02-06T23:56:00.000-08:00

Today I hit 500 views on Flickr! Thank You, everybody that supports me!

Filming Adventure Week 5

2010-02-04T22:13:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, I was unable to get my hands on a HD camcorder for this week. I was really hoping to get the SONY handycam again. As a back up I have a JVC DV tape camcorder. Despite, not being a hard drive based camcorder it gets the job done. However, dv tapes can get a little pricey since four dv tapes can cost around sixteen dollars or more.

Today's guest speaker, Dr. Kuon is one of my favorite speaker! Therefore, it was my honor and pleasure to film his speech on international medicine.

As much as your trying to run things smoothly there are always a few bumps here and there. Despite charging the battery, it was not full and the speech was going to start in just a few minutes. I was unable to film the introduction because I was not going to risk the battery dying in the middle of filming. Therefore, I ran frantically trying to find an extension power cord. Fortunately, I had my sister do the filming while I was gone.

For this speech I had brought my camera to take pictures of the guest speaker. However, learning from my previous experience with filming and taking pictures I had one of the coordinators take pictures while I filmed.

I was a little sad that I was unable to record his speech in HD.

Overall, it was an amazing experience!

Memo:
-The camcorder itself is a little too heavy for the stand and tip back

Filming Adventure Week 4

2010-01-28T22:32:00.000-08:00

Originally, it was suppose to rain today. However, the weather man lied and it turn out to be a somewhat sunny then it became cloudy. Fortunately, that was a good thing for me. Less worries for me worrying about my filming equipment getting drench by the rain.

For this week our guest speaker was Dr. LaTanya Hines who is a obgyn. Her topic was on African American Women Med. She used to be a student here at UCI. Despite being twenty to thirty minutes late because she had an emergency with a patient, she was able to deliver a powerful and moving speech.

Today I was using a Sony Handycam HDD to film our guest speaker. I had no clue what it looked like (ergonomics) nor did had time to play with it before hand. The Sony Handycam was the heaviest of all the camcorders that i used so far. Therefore, i was caught off guard because it tip downward while I was filming. I had to hold the camcorder for a majority of the time whereas, all the previous time filming I did not have to hold it.

The tripod that I was using was not sturdy enough to carry the weight of this camcorder. Despite being caught off guard, I was able to capture the introduction of the guest speaker this time. She was like the first guest speaker where he moved around a majority of the time.

A few things I have to mention about the Sony Handycam HDD are:
-The quality on the screen was almost equivalent to the Canon Vixia
-The film exporting was fast and easy
-The film quality is great! Even though it is not in Hi Def
-My laptop wasn't overheating during the export

Overall the Sony Handycam HDD is an awesome camcorder! Good job Sony! You cannot go wrong with a Sony.

Now I am very curious how a Panasonic will be like. Hopefully my next camcorder will be a Panasonic or a JVC. I will keep my fingers cross.

Memos:
-Use a different tripod if I am going to use the Sony Handycam HDD again

Equipment

2010-01-21T18:37:00.000-08:00

My Beloved Toys As of Yesterday!

Filming Adventure Week 3

2010-01-21T17:57:00.000-08:00

Despite it was pouring down hard along with strong winds, I had to bring my filming equipment. As they all say "The show must go on".

I was really worried and concern that my equipment would get wet and it would get damage from being wet. I was lucky enough that my equipment was nice and dry from point A to point B.

Unlike last time where everything went terrible wrong from the beginning then running smoothly, this time it was more organized. I was able set up before the guest speaker arrived and was able to capture everything, except the introduction because of miscommunication.

The guest speaker I was filming this time was Dr. Gibbs who was addressing the topic on geriatric.

The camera that I was using this time was a Canon Vixia like the first time I was filming. Although, I got my hands on a previous camera used before, I shot in standard instead of high def to compensate hard drive space. Before I was provided with a 32gb memory card while this time was provided with a 16gb. I also changed the camcorder setting a bit. As a result this time the quality came out mediocre compared to the previous capture. The camera shake was more visible this time.

As an improvement I will
1) shoot in Hi Def instead of standard (the imported video size was equivalent to the hi def size)
2) not tweak the settings

Self-Reminder
-Splitting the video up was a great idea while filming!
-Guest speaker using the mic had a tad bit effect in audio level
-Increase the class lighting at least to 75% or 100% to reduce noise level/grainy

Filming Adventure Week 2

2010-01-21T17:15:00.000-08:00

This week I had a change in my equipment. I was no longer using a Canon Vixia, but instead I was using a JVC mini dv. It was a huge change from using a hard drive/flash drive based to mini dv tape. I was clueless to how to extract the video that was recorded from the dv tape. I had less than a day to figure how to use it. After a few hours I basically gave up.

The plan was to use connect the JVC camcorder via firewire to my Macbook and use Final Cut to record the video. After testing it the video quality recording via firewire I conclude that it produced a video in decent quality.

Our guest speaker today was JB Fenix, a fourth year medical student.

However, I brought all my equipment except the tripod! Everything went wrong during the preparation before the guest speaker arrived. The cords to the camcorder was not long enough to reach the outlet. Therefore, I had to run around trying desperately to find a power cord extender. As a result, I started filming a little late and missed the introduction of the guest speaker.

To compensate for a tripod I used a podium adjacent to the main podium where the guest speaker was at as a laptop stand and camcorder stand. Fortunately, he was going off his powerpoint slides and did not move around like the previous guest speaker.

However, after ten minutes into filming my laptop started to overheat even with a coolant underneath it. The noise itself was not as loud and noticeable until an hour had past. I hoping and praying that it would not blow smoke out from overheating.

After producing the film I can conclude several things.
1) It produced below mediocre quality (HORRIBLE QUALITY)
2) It took over 30gb
3) Shrinking the video size took a heck of a long time
4) It had the best audio after increasing it to 12dB+
5) I will not record via firewire again

Filming Adventure Week 1

2010-01-21T11:01:00.000-08:00

It was my first day filming again in about almost a year now since I last film. However, unlike the previous time where I was shooting a movie and producing it; this time it I was filming in a totally different environment and scenario. It was to film guest speakers for a class hosted by Diversity in Medicine at UCI.

Our first guest speaker was Dr. Montoya who was speaking about "What is diversity in medicine?".

The camera I was using was a Canon Vixia which was a nice small portable camera that had the capability to shoot in Hi Def. The drawback was importing the film into the computer. I found out from forums and from myself that the only way to import the film was through IMOVIE by Apple. (I tried using Final Cut and Premiere and It did not work) The alternative was to find a program that would translate the file into either mpg, avi, mov. However, that would be such a hassle.

I was a little shaky at first while filming from running back and forth caring and bring supplies. Therefore, I was afraid that the film would come out shaky. Also it was hard to film and take photos of the guest speaker at the same time.

When everything was exported I found out that the Canon Vixia had an amazing image stability capability. Even though I shook the camera a few times by accident, the image came out crisp and you can hardly notice the shake. (very smooth) However, many editing need to be done to the film itself before finalizing it.

Despite increasing it over 12dB+ the volume was horrible! I suggest that the upcoming guest speaker use the mic.

Overall, it was a great first time experience!

A keynote, DSLRs can get very noisy and distracting.

Lost and Confused

2009-05-11T21:32:00.000-07:00

Why do I feel this way
To feel the fustration
The fustration of being
Of being lost and confused

To be condemn without a voice
To be condemn without a say
To be trap within myself
When I am not the one to blame
But, instead it is you

It is you who should be blame
To be blame for this misery
This mockery of me
With no appeal

Like a wound
That cannot be heal
That cannot be mend

May 11, 2009