Musings of an Antique Technophyle

Due to my recent carreer change, and subsequent lack of time to pursue the prints. I have officially released the full res files to Kelly. If any of you want copies, talk to her... wanderingwayplayers@hotmail.com

Thanks all for the shoot, and if you like them...I AM for hire for portraits...hint hint... heh. I'll be around.

See you all soon!

Jay

Once you are tagged you MUST write an entry about 6 weird habits/things you do as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose the next six people to be tagged and list their names.

1: I'm OCD about protecting my gadgets. When I buy a new gadget, say my iPod for example, I can easily spend as much on cases as I can on the device itself. For the iPod, I'm on case number six, and searching.

2: I have this nervous compulsion to constantly keep my hands clean. When I'm stressed, I will perpetually wash my hands. The thought of hand cream makes me cringe, since it makes my hands oily, and I'll have to wash them again. If any of my belongings are held by myself when I think my hands are dirty, they get a good cleaning too.

3: I collect fountain pens. To most, they think it's odd that I'd spend $100 on a pen, but I love the connection to history. It's tangible, it's antique, and the only antique that's actually worth MORE restored. I write with one every day as well, and they rotate...I will write with every one, from my Parker 51 ca. 1952, to my Parker Sr. Duofold Streamlined ca. 1927

4: I think the world is going to end. This causes weird behavior out of me to the point where I always have two pocket knives one me, constant survival knowledge...(just ask jone2tone) and a running inventory of where I can get a gun quickly.

5: I'm on a constant knowledge quest. I want to know everything about everything, and until I do, I'm going to think I'm dumb, or not good enough at anything I do...since there will always be better.

6: If something isn't overengineered for my usage, I will find something else. In the case of my cameras, I have to have a pro model to be happy, since I know it was designed to be punished. While I don't punish anything I own, I like to know that it will last longer than I need it to. Right now, I have an N80 that pretty much sits around, while I tote around an F3 manual focus camera ca. 1983, since it is more durable. Before the F3, I had an Olympus OM1 that died due to being sat on.

So, there you go. TMI, Jay style... here's who I'm tagging...

jone2tone
bethanyh
gixpreator
fightorflight05
aifacat


SO THERE!

*gakked from jone2tone...


If you are now or have ever been (or know) a gamer, then note this and pass it along.

Palladium Games, publishers of such games as Rifts®, Ninja Turtles®, Robotech®, Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Heroes Unlimited, Nightbane® and others, is in danger of going under. Why? not because of bad business sense or low sales or anything mundane, but due to embezzlement and theft to the tune of between $850,000 and $1.3 million bucks.

Ouch.

Kevin Siembieda, president & owner, wrote this open letter in the Palladium forums yesterday. Read it, pass it along, talk it up. They've been one of the greats in the gaming world for, sheesh, 25 years, and in a time when tabletop dice-and-paper role-playing is in a slump anyway, it would hurt to see such a powerhouse and fixture of the industry die through no fault of their own.

They've treated gamers right for a long time. Here's a chance to thank them.

So, life is still very much in limbo, and I'm on the last day of a grueling three day gauntlet. I'll explain. Sunday was Danielle's birthday party. Hoping against all hopes, I wanted a sunny day so the kids could play outside, and my family wouldn't hole up inside. It wasn't to be. True to form, the day was overcast and chilly ,and the only one spending the day outside was me, attached to the grill. All in all it was a fun day, but a horribly tiring one. My mother took Danielle that night, which leads me to Monday.

Monday Heather and I were up at 4 in the morning to be out the door at five. The reason for this awakening at such an ungodly hour? Heather FINALLY had her interview in Freetown for the possible transfer over. I went so that after the interview was over, we could go apartment hunting in the area. We were on the road on time, and made it to Freetown Mass. by seven thirty. An hour and a half before her interview. Fortunately for me, I had packed my bag 'o' goodies, of which I used none. Shortly after reaching the parking lot, I fell asleep, and didn't wake until near ten. Upon waking, I did take advantage of my bag, I threw on my iPod, and pulled out the PSP for a little Untold Legends. Heather finally emerged at eleven thirty, and rather discouraged looking. She doesn't think she got the job, and said she flubbed the interview. I'm hoping she's just saying that to not get her hopes up. I'm sure there are those of you reading this that are jumping for joy, because that adds another tick in the Jay's staying column...we'll just have to see yet. What I will say is that the more time I spent in Mass, the more I loved it. The people there are si much friendlier there than they are in CT... always willing to help, and wit ha smile on their faces. Not only that, but if you're waiting to get into an intersection, you'll only be waiting a short while. Someone is bound to stop soon and LET YOU IN. Try getting that this close to NYC... it's not going to happen. We checked out a few apartment complexes (yet again I refuse to move into part of a house...I'm done dealing with finicky landlords and their crazy whims, management companies are just so much easier to deal with, and more reliable). The first one we hit I absolutely loved. The kitchen was huge, and the floorplan was perfect. Heather didn't like it at all, thinking it was dark, and there was nowhere near enough natural light coming in. SO, we're still searching. The second joint we tried to locate turned out to be a hole in the wall, and neither Heather nor I would be caught dead there, so we moved on. The third place we couldn't find, and the fourth, which might have been the winner, as it rather closely resembled the neighborhood we live in now, only with cell service, had no one in the management building, so we couldn't get a tour. I'm hoping on our next trip (yeah, you heard that right) we'll have something set up to check this joint out. That is , if we get the job. That brings me to today.

Today is a little more laid back. I have to go back to Best Buy to return a case I bought for my iPod. It doesn't protect so good, as the first time used it, it scratched up the back of the device. Not only that, but the only headphones I can use with the case are the stock earbuds, and that simply won't do. I like to use the thing in my car, attached to one of those tape deck adapters. So, off I go. I'm probably going to pick up King Kong as well. Tonight is going to be the gauntlet portion. Adam is coming home tonight, and I have to pick him up at JFK. There's the fun part. navigating an airport in New York is never fun, just like the drive there...

So, there you go, up to date on my life...and you asked for this...sucker...

Hello all interested, random night is at my house this week. If anyone needs directions, feel free to email me at: jpolaski@gmail.com. Shane and Matt know how to get here. Dinner is going to be Pasta and Meat sauce... bring what you want. No idea what's going to happen, though thre is WiFi, and movies galore :D

Okay, here goes, I did the Google bit, and here are the answers I got...

-Jason needs a Pismo (one of Mac's codenamed projects)
-Jason needs your micro-cash
-Jason needs to SHUT UP
-Jason needs your help
-Jason needs to eat according to a controlled carbohydrate meal plan so his blood glucose will not get too high

your turn ;)

KEEP FIREFLY ALIVE!!!! Follow the link. sign the form, then add this to YOUR LJ!!!

Right, so I figures I'd put this here for everyone to read, and you can ask me questions from there.

Today, Heather had a meeting at work at 8:30. Now normally, everyone would say "so?", but you have to realize that Heather works second shift. This was really off key to begin with. I ended up going with her to the meeting because I had an appointment with the Neurosurgeons at the VA (worthless bastards). So, as we pull in to the complex, the FIRST thing we noticed is the news crew, followed immediately by the presence of a NUMBER of police cars, the most obvious, a HMMWV. SHIIIIT. Heather and I almost said in unison...we both knew what the meeting was about... layoffs. I tried to stay optimistic, thinking that maybe the police presence meant it was only for the grunt workers, since they are Teamsters, and feared a riot. I couldn't have been more wrong. I don't know if anyone has seen the news yet, but they are shutting down the North Haven branch of the Distribution center as early as March, or as late as June 1. The only real option we have is open slots at the Freetown center... For those of you NOT in the know, that's Massachusets. SO, sometime soon, we'll know if the transfer is approved, and Heather, Dani and I pack our things, and head for MA.

It's funny. Part of me is like...YEAH, Massachusets. That should be fun. The rest of me however, even while knowing what the necessary thing is, doesn't want to go. I would miss ALL of you so much. I've finally rebuilt my life here in CT, after leaving here in 96, and not coming back till 01.

What are the immediate effects? Well, Blue Star Studios is done before it began. Even if we don't get to transfer, I doubt Heather is going to get a job where the pay keeps us as comfortable (though she's ALREADY trying her ass off, and I love her dearly for it). I just can't swing the extra $200 a month for the rent. If I DO move, well, that kind of dissolves the partnership. I'm crushed there. This was going to be my baby...me finally geting to do what I love instead of what I have to. I have yet to break the news to my partner, though I think he's going to see this relatively quickly... I'm sorry Steve...

The other big thing I stand to lose? My gaming group. Now don't get me wrong guys, it's not final yet...and that goes for you too Steve.. but DAMN, my gaming. After having to wait so long for life to give me a night...I may end up in coolsville with noone to game with, and my gaming family happily slaying without me...ugh...
So yeah, now I leve it open. Ask away, and if I know, I'll let you know...

Taken from Reuters...

Konica Minolta Holdings will withdraw from the camera and film businesses, marking the end to one of the best known brands in the photography world.

As part of the surprise move, the Tokyo-based company said Thursday it will sell a portion of its digital single lens reflex (SLR) camera assets to Sony for an undisclosed sum and cease production of compact cameras by March of this year.

The company said it will stop making photographic film and color paper by March 2007, pulling out of a market in rapid decline due to the spread of digital cameras, which store images digitally.

The world's third-largest maker of camera film after Eastman Kodak and Fuji Photo Film had said in November that it would significantly downsize its loss-making camera and film operations, but not completely shut them down.

"I wanted to put a clear end to the matter," Konica Minolta President Fumio Iwai said at a press conference, where the company also announced that Iwai would be replaced by Vice President Yoshikatsu Ota on April 1.

Konica Minolta said in November it expected to post a group net loss of $407.9 million (47 billion yen) in the fiscal year that ends in March.

But the decision to completely pull the plug on the business caught analysts and archrival Fuji Photo off guard.

Konica Minolta, created in August 2003 through the merger of Konica and Minolta, has a long history in the camera and film markets, producing Japan's first photographic paper in 1903 and the country's first color film in 1940.

Following the news, Fuji Photo issued a press release saying it will continue making traditional camera film.

JP Morgan analyst Hisashi Moriyama called Konica Minolta's move a "positive surprise…I was also not expecting Iwai to step down. This is a bold move rare among Japanese firms." He added that the decision could increase pressure on Fuji to downsize its business.

"I think the stock will go up. The traditional camera and film businesses were seen as a barrier to earnings growth and now it will be completely gone."

By ditching the unprofitable operations, Iwai said the company could focus resources on more promising areas such as color office copiers and LCD materials, medical equipment and optical devices.

Sony and Konica Minolta formed an agreement in July to jointly develop digital SLR cameras, which are generally more expensive and offer better performance than point-and-shoot compact models, and typically use interchangeable lenses.

Konica Minolta said it will continue to produce digital SLR camera bodies and lenses for Sony based on its Maxxum/Dynax mount system, meaning that current owners of those lenses will be able to use them on new digital SLR models to be developed by Sony.

But the Konica Minolta brand will disappear, ending a legacy that started when Konica introduced its first camera in 1903.

Sad news was released recently that all but ends an era in photography. The following is a press release from Nikon OK, and confirmed today in the US... this really sucks for us film photogs...

Following the success of our digital line-up over the last seven years, which has resulted in more than 95% of Nikon’s UK business being within the digital area, Nikon Corporation has made the decision to focus management resources on digital cameras in place of film cameras. This decision will allow Nikon to continue to develop products that match the demands of an increasingly competitive market place.


Despite this growing competition Nikon Corporation has continued to outperform the market, and has recently reported positive financial results which saw group net profit climb by 20% in the fiscal first half which ended in September. Group sales also increased by 9.8% to 342.85 billion yen in the same period. Sales of high end digital SLR cameras and the success of products like the D70s and D50 have helped contribute to these positive figures.


As the film camera market shrinks and the popularity of compact digital cameras increases, demand for products that offer advanced features and extra value is continuing to grow. High performance digital SLR cameras are performing well as users shift from film-based SLR cameras or upgrade from compact digital cameras to digital SLR cameras.


As a result of the new strategy Nikon will discontinue production of all lenses for large format cameras and enlarging lenses with sales of these products ceasing as soon as they run out of stock. This also applies to most of our film camera bodies, interchangeable manual focus lenses and related accessories. Although Nikon anticipates that the products will still be in retail distribution up to Summer 2006.


In recognition of Nikon’s commitment to professional photographers we will continue to manufacturer and sell the F6, our flagship film model, as well as a number of manual interchangeable lenses. Sales of the manual FM10 will also continue outside Europe.




Notes to editor

• As well as the F6 film body and the manual FM10 Nikon will continue to manufacturer and sell the following Interchangeable manual lenses:

Nikkor 20mm f/2.8

Nikkor 24mm f/2.8

Nikkor 28mm f/2.8

Nikkor 35mm f/1.4

Nikkor 50mm f/1.2

Nikkor 50mm f/1.4

Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8

Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8

PC Micro-Nikkor 85mm f/2.8D


• After-sales service will continue to be provided as before, according to the policy for each product

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy hnew year! I'm sitting hwere, with more alcohol oinb me than blood, and I hjaust wanted to say HAPPY TNEW YEAR!. Hope all of you get what you want out of it, and those of you who don't knw WHAT you want, get exactly what you need to make it an excellent year! Right, now on to more shots...or so,ething fermented! WPOPPPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :D

So yeah, after a gut busting day of merriment, I am home, and rather not hungry. Lots of good eats yesterday, and some cool new booty to boot-y (yeahm that was bad). So, what did I get? Glad you asked. Mom and Bob got Heather and I am new Camcorder...HOLY CRAP! It's nice...and takes Mini DV. As soon as I get a Firewire card in the ol beast, I'll be able to transfer the video over, and play with it. Should be tons of fun. Mike got ma a laser level, of which I was needing, and Grandma got me sopme gloves and a pen/pencil set...for those of you who know me know I loved that one :D. A few days earlier, Heather and I went to pick out my gift, of whic hI got a new PSP, and the new Prince of Persia game WOO HOO. Greg was also kind enough to give me one of the coolest dice I'd ever seen, it's a 3d6... basically, a clear cube with 3 teeeny d6 in it. You roll the big cube, and that rattles the smaller ones giving you...tada...3d6! It rocks. I had a really good holiday, and I hope you all did too....



... so, that being said, what did you guys get?

So, Mel and I did the math, and the brainstorming tonight, and we figured that the studio SHOULD be openign in February, rental space pending (which really shouldn't be a problem). And the best part, we finally have a name we agreed on. If there is any confusion, check my av, there it is. Simple, and we dig it...so there you have it. The birth and bris of Blue Star Studios!

Okay, how many of you are going to see theis and go HOLY CRAP...HE JUST POSTED ON LJ...













...yeah, I thought so...

I am FINALLY the proud owner of my own domain! If anyone wants to look, check out

www.jpolaskiphotography.com !!

I just added 15 new shots from the second wedding to the weddings section, and I still have more to go. I'm loving the new Nikon, and film in general (though the waiting bites). ANYWAY, go look, and let me know what you think...or don't, I'm just happy to have the domain ;)

Yup, I don't post much, I got it. Most of my postings and goings on have been on deviant art, so if you must know the toilings of my artistic life, check there. For tose of you loyal to LJ, I'm going to post this here (duh).

The second wedding went GREAT. I mean, it was long, but fun. I now know what it means to love your job. The shooting went from 12 PM to 11 PM...ouch. In that time, I managed a decent number of rolls, and I should have the negatives and contact sheets back in about a week.

Yes, you heard me right. I said negatives and contact sheets. I went film. Oddly enough, I don't feel that this is a step back, but rather a step forward. I fyou want my rational behind that one, check my journal at my devART page. I picked up a Nikon N80, which I'm loving. It kind of feels weird though, not being able to check your shots, so I'm a bit nervous about the more creative ones...I guess that isn't a new issue for film photogs.

ANYWAY, Kevin pretty much said that I don't need any more trainng, as by the end of the night, I was running the show, not to mention I had taken and run with the bride and grooms photo shoot, making them do things that had Kevin drop his jaw. I think he was even a little depressed about his lack of creativity (he said so). I'll be posting shots as soon as I get them back. SO, not needing a mentor anymore, I told him that we DO make a good team, and if he wants to use me in hos other weddings, just to cut me in on the profits, and I'll be more than happy to lend him my services...we'll see how that goes.

On the portratiure side, I actually have to put together a price list, as one of my pieces has leaked out, thanks to my mother, and her photographer boss. It's generating a bit of a buzz, and people are asking about sitting fees and the like. I guess I have some homework to do ;).

Well, that's about it for now... I may keep you updated, and then again, I may not... lord knows how lazy I get with my LJ...

The wedding went WONDERFULLY!!! I had so much fun shooting it, and I am looking forward to the next one on June 11 with Kevin. Oddly enough though, I think that before long, I may be taking a step backward in terms of technology. You see, the camera I have now just won't handle what I need it to for weddings, and I've pretty much decided to go with an autoficus film SLR. This should prove interesting.

ANYWAY, I updated my site wit some of the pieces I shot at the wedding. Kevin was very kind in letting me pose, and take some time with everybody. In fact, by the end of the night, we were working pretty much as equals, rather than techer/student. So, please have a look, and let me know what you think.

Wow am I nervous. I'm second camera/assistant for a local wedding
photographer, and the wedding is SATURDAY! I know I've had a while to
prepare, and I put myself into this situation, but that doesn't stave
off the nerves that are wracking my stomach. I've been reading up (as
anyone who decided to check the above ISBN will attest to ),
but reading and doing are two completely different beasts. I just hope
I have what it takes to do this. I mean, tonight, I've been scouring
the net for examples of wedding photography, and I have come to the
conclusion that there are many wedding photgraphers who just plain out
SUCK. Not in a "I don't like your style way", but an "what the HELL
were you thinking" kind of way. Basic errors like direct on flash, poor
composition, and not checking your backgrounds for distractions like
halk-unpacked boxes...that kind of thing...and this HAS helped me to
think I can. ANYWAY... I did this for multiple reasons. ONE, I learn
the trade, and hopefully, pick it up myself. TWO, I get pieces to use
in my portfolio, and my site.
I know that regardless, this will be the outcome, but I still hope for
the best. I want to continue learning from this guy, and if I blow
this, I know I'll have to look somewhere else...which would be bad. SO,
I ramble on here...



The majority of the special equipment I need came in, including my Stroboframe Flash Bracket (I found used on eBay ) and I'm waiting on my Sto-Fen Omni Bounce...which should be here either tomorrow, or early Saturday.



WOW...that actually helped... thanks for reading/listening...

So... a while back, I ordered a catalog from the New York Institute
of Photography. Needless to say, it never showed...I think my mailman
is a bit of a shuterbug...



ANYWAY... I ordered another one. You see, I pretty much knew I wanted to enroll, but I was worried about cost.



It showed up today, and I eagerly tore it open and found the enrollment form. YAY!!! They take payments.



Needless to say, I enrolled. I can't wait for my stuff to show up in
the mail. They're saying that the bill and student ID will be here by
the end of the week, while the first three lessons will be here in two
to three weeks...that's going to be a long wait...let me tell you.

I'm hoping this will go a long way to helping me with my freelance work, and to improving my photography in general...

IN other news, I managed to acquire an old strobe kit, that when I got it...was just this side of electrically safe. I have since been giving it the complete overhaul. It's coming along nicely, and everything is working well...and safe. I just got done putting together a new rechargeable pack... I had to completely retrofit and resolder using D sized NiCaD batteries. I have it charging now, and test fired it once... I want to give it a full test, see how many shots I get out of the pack, but Ianticipate it working nicely... YAY!!!