thepismire » Photography

Penguins Are Great

thepismire — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:09:13 +0000

They just are. This picture by David Burdeny reminded me of that fact. He also has a brilliant gallery of icebergs.

If you’ve seen March Of The Penguins, then you know what I’m talking about, not to mention I wear all their clothes. But my fascination with them started when I was a kid. I would only see them at Sea World, and they had one of the more memorable exhibits because it was kept cold and kind of dark. They don’t do much. They’re either standing, swimming or walking. I think one of my favorite things about them is their walk. Penguins, having the inability to fly, must have gone through scores of generations practicing their walk, and with “survival of the fittest”, their time-tested walk is pure comedic genius. It’s best described as a wobble, and nature wasn’t too kind in granting them a better sense of balance since their arms are always spread out in a constant struggle to keep from falling. I love it. And now, penguins walking:

This is from a penguin parade they hold in Asahiyama Zoo in Japan, which I now need to go to.

If only penguins could fly… Here’s to hoping buddies.

Yue Peng & Sun Qi’s Engagement

thepismire — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:14:03 +0000

My friend Sun Qi asked if I could take some engagement photos for her and her fiance Yue Peng. I’ve never done an engagement shoot, let alone pose people for shots, and found myself being totally nervous. I think it’s because I’ve only been shooting still life and scenery, where I usually take the role of an observer. The subject in the photo takes the focus, and I just get credit for being there at the right time. Not this time. This time, how well the photos come out is all me, and I’m saying that in the most humble way. It’s true, these shots are the direct result of how photogenic the couple is and the location, but the majority comes from whatever my creative brain squeezes out. At first, I was so nervous, I was having them take these shots which I can only describe as “vacation” photos. Very linear, very…safe. It’s kind of scary to think that your photos will be up for criticism, with the two most important critics standing right there. I thought my abilities were being tested. I know I’m no professional, and they knew that too, but still, who wants to show that they suck at something? But, as the day progressed, we kind of got into the rhythm of things, and I was able to relax. Sun Qi and Yue Peng were suggesting a lot of things too so that helped a lot! I guess it was a good first experience. My respect for photographers, and artists in general went way up because I can now see that it takes a lot to put yourself out there for all the world to see. Here are some of my favorites from the day.

This is my favorite one.

NY Times: Lens

thepismire — Wed, 20 May 2009 07:39:58 +0000

The NY Times has a new photojournalism blog called Lens. It has a pretty slick UI. The NY Times has definitely made a name for itself in the tech world. I believe that it is the most progressive newspaper, keeping up with the latest mediums of media. Everything that they put out is visually pleasing. Also they’re not afraid of change, and know that in order to survive and compete with an ever growing paperless society, they have to roll with the punches. Have you seen their Adobe Air application for their newspaper? Honestly, I don’t see a bright future for the newspaper industry, and once that crumbles, the NY Times will already be way ahead in the game. In simpler terms, they know what’s up.