Call for Help

originally uploaded by billaday.

Quick! Somebody call for help... someone stole the pay phone.

Year 3, Day 212

caught on tape

originally uploaded by billaday.

You know when you leave a 7-11, and it shows the height on the door? That's so they can catch the guy that robs the 7-11, right?

So, here I am at the Home Depot. They have the same measuring system right by the door. Only the height goes up to 10 feet! What's going on? Is Geoffrey the Giraffe stealing lug nuts from Home Depot!?

Year 3, Day 211

Major League Baseball

originally uploaded by billaday.

I had the same great seats to the Angel game. This time, however, I did not bring my dSLR. I forced myself to find a photo-a-day with my Canon point-and-shoot. Why, you ask? Well, I was looking at previous baseball pictures, and discovered that two of my photo-a-days were of a baseball player rounding third base. It's the best shot you can get when you sit at... wait for it... third base. So here's something different. I like it.

Year 3, Day 210

Michael Jackson Memorial Service

originally uploaded by billaday.

So, my wife and I went to the Michael Jackson memorial service at the Staples Center. I was surprised by how somber and respectful the mood was. In fact, I didn't take any photos during the service--it didn't remotely seem appropriate.

Year 3, Day 209

It's world wide

originally uploaded by billaday.

This web was right in front of my house, and my wife almost walked right into it. I moved her just in time (much as Obi Won Kenobi would, I imagine). She demanded revenge, but alas, there was not spider death spray. Instead, she took a spray bottle of (expensive) sun tan lotion, and SPF'd the spider to death. I noticed how the light caught the oils in the web, and busted out the camera.

Year 3, Day 208

the working musician

originally uploaded by billaday.

Here's the stuff I (usually) bring to a gig:
• guitar
• water
• coffee
• amp
• laptop

Usually in that order, too.

Year 3, Day 207

Color burn building reflection on an empty Old Town Pasadena fourth

originally uploaded by billaday.

Not the most poetic name on this one. I wanted to remember lots of information on this shot like...

Photoshopping:
1) Channel mixer (adjustment layer): red 100%
2) Layer blending mode (for channel mixer): Soft light
3) Fill layer: Blue
4) Layer mask (for the blue): I didn't want the reflection to be too blue. btw, that's a newspaper dispenser.
5) Layer blending mode (for the blue): color burn

Interestingly enough, Old Town Pasadena was really empty on the 4th of July. I guess most people were cooking hot dogs at home.

Year 3, Day 206

Ribs Rock at Robin's

originally uploaded by billaday.

Yum. Go eat some ribs at Robin's in Pasadena. Good lunch deals. I hear they're beyond crowded on Sunday afternoons.
Year 3, Day 205

Three hours in traffic

originally uploaded by billaday.

Good news. After getting 13 laptops stolen from my summer school (remember, I'm the computer teacher), we got some local press. CBS 2 news ran a story on us. Then, Dreamworks gives me a call and wants to know more about what we're doing. Long story short, this photo is of my drive back from Dreamworks with 13 computers. Awesome... except for all the traffic.

Year 3, Day 204

The nephew snuggle

originally uploaded by billaday.

Wow. July. I've decided that my photo-a-day uploads are inversely proportional to my exhaustion level.

This shot was taken with minimal light. I knew a flash would kill not only the mood of the moment, but the mood of my photo. So I shot with available light, and ran it through Exposure's filter: Cyan- Sun Bleached Poster. It brightened up the mids, and added a nice blue tone to the shot.

Year 3, Day 203

Digipower

originally uploaded by billaday.

Here's a photo taken in the 11th hour. Some of my favorites shots are taken when I have to take a shot before going to bed. I don't think this is one of them. Hopefully, it'll motivate me to make some more time to take photos (when I have time).

Year 3, Day 202

Found

originally uploaded by billaday.

There was a skunk when I pulled up to my house. I didn't want to get a closeup.

Year 3, Day 201

Mr. Soda Nose

originally uploaded by billaday.

Finally, I'm catching up with my photo-a-day. I've been teaching summer school in the morning and afternoon with kids, and at night with adults. Crazy, crazy times. I'm still shooting (at least) one picture every day. I just haven't remotely had time to sort and upload shots. Free time is a-coming.

Year 3, Day 200

To the beach... and back

originally uploaded by billaday.

We took the San Gabriel Riverbed trail from Whittier to Seal Beach. Then we turned around and came home.

This was my farthest ride, clocking in at 40 miles. I took this photo just after we turned back from the beach. You can see my two riding buddies--my father-in-law and Wayne, just behind me. They look nice when the photo is bigger.

I'm really glad I didn't drop my camera.

Year 3, Day 199

The Infamous Bread Toss of 2009

originally uploaded by billaday.

We went to Disneyland today. I'm such a fan of the annual pass--a couple rides, a bit of food and drink, and that's it.

I taunted the sourdough bread worker at California Adventure. He threw the entire loaf (round?) of bread at me. Fortunate for me and my camera, there was glass between us. This shot was not photoshopped (aside from the basic contrast/crop). I'm pretty proud that I captured this shot in one take... I guess all those that practicing at taking pictures paid off today.

Year 3, Day 198

closing in

originally uploaded by billaday.

Closing in...I hope that you make it.
Closing in...I hope that you find your way.

Year 3, Day 197

endless

originally uploaded by billaday.

Blue skies above. Hot blue skies.

Year 3, Day 196

the best parking spot ever

originally uploaded by billaday.

I was twenty steps away from my classroom with this parking spot.

Year 3, Day 195

REV

originally uploaded by billaday.

This is an example of a reverse shot (in video production). Shoot from one angle, the shoot the reverse of that. Simple enough.

I demo'd nine shot types to my APU digital video in the classroom students. This is one of the shots.

Year 3, Day 194

stepping stones

originally uploaded by billaday.

This shot reminds me of the first Zel picture I saw:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zelnunes/469298182/in/set-72157600357743477/

Not sure if it's abstract enough. Is it obvious what this is (without looking at the tags)?

Year 3, Day 193