Wally's Blog: July 2009

Bridging the GAAP

Couldn't think of a better title ... Almost at the end of the trip.

A boat full of actuaries

There is no better way to spend your friday night than this ... booze, boat and baguette ... lets hope we don't run out of math

Green eye look better on TV ...

Started watching Prison Break this weekend and couldn't help but notice every other character has either blue of green eyes, except of course the tokens.

Now it's not a racist thing but green/blue eyes are better on screen. As a videographer, when I take close-ups I would like to enhance the eyes and really make them "pop". To make you audience feel like they are part of the scene you take tight shots and once you are up close and personal you want them to look the actor in the eyes to make a better connection. That also detracts from any imperfections or small marks you have on the face.

For the image above see how there is a small dark rim around the eye. This helps define the eye and enhancese it overall. If I was looking to enhance someone's eye in photoshop that is where I would start, cut it out, drop the opacity and give it an edge ... tha daa .. intant eye pop.

All in all it takes less work in the post and its more engaging to have actors with lighter colored eyes. So if you want to look good on camera or have an upcoming audition do something to make your eyes "pop" on screen and you're golden.

Voltron force assemble

This weekend at a “gathering” of the old timers, a discussion of the golden age (80’s) of all things animated came up. Among many candidates discussed was a legend in it own right ... Voltron.

The other cartoon that we could not recall at the time was Tiger Sharks ...

So let it be written and let it be remembered !!

Nailed it ! A depth of field hack for mobile phones

I'm just fussing about at B&Q looking for washers of all things and something just occurred to me ... A hack.

Here is how you get depth of field from your mobile phone. Get in the face of the thing you want to take a picture of, focus, and the pull back (but not too far) and snap away.

Its nothing new .. this is me wasting time as I wait for some help with the washers ... I'm not even sure what they are for !

When it rains, it pours ... And when it pours I wet myself

For the past three days I have wet myself, without fail, on my way home from work thanks to the rain. No, it's not my attempt to blend in with my surrounding by wetting myself though its been registered as an idea for possible potential use, it's lack of a mud guard.

Today was by far the worse ... wearing cotton track suite bottoms that are designed more specifically for couch critics rather than the actine-runaround-ball-chasers type.

Pedal for the medal

My first ever sports related memorial ... And its not even for winning, just taking part. How american!

Time to make a run for it ...

In tone of martin luther king ... 'I had a plan, a plan that by mid summer I will be able to run for more than 5 min without stopping, a plan to stop out growing my wardrobe, a plan to ... '

Well what can I say spring brings such hopes and plans for the summer, a lot like new years, that you would do anything, including sign up for a 5km run.

At the time I signed up I was sure I will be ready for it, its only 5K, plus I had a plan. Well 7kg, in the wrong direction, later I have been caught by the fan, gulfing down a bar of chocolate, just as it's intercepted a heap of shit.

That's right, the run is tomorrow and the last time I tried running I got half way through 'broken strings' before I was huffed out.

Lets see what happens tomorrow.

It's time to lay off the sweetie when ...

your helmet starts refusing to fit you ... Mind you I can't chalk that down to hair growth when I'm at the losing end of that battle.

I took a stab at immortality ... and killed it !

As a youngling I vividly recall rocking to the “Princes of the Universe” by Queen as the intro to highlanders rolled in the background. The point of this post and the first sentence, if you are wondering, is to answer a question I get asked regularly.

Why the hell do you have a blog?

Well the short of it is ... if you are but a sum of your thoughts ... then this is my attempt at becoming a highlander without all the electromagnetic disruption and the head chopping. Plus, it gives me something to do on my commutes.

People have done this for centuries through biographies, diaries and now blogs (the cheapest of the three). Plus I am hoping to “track changes” from sanity to insanity.

Here is a link to the song if you'd like scratch that itch.

Surplus Stock !!!!

So this weekend I was due to flog off some of my pictures but due to a colossal logistical fubar I am stuck with two sets of prints.

As much as I love some of my pictures, I just don't love it enough to hold onto two sets of prints. I am trying to recover my costs at this point so its 2 pounds a print plus postage if you would like me to post it to you (not adding to those sunk costs .. no sir) If you would like to get the picture just send me a picture.

If its your b-day this month or you have recently graduated, released on probation, married (ie sentenced for life) etc and you like the to have the prints .. they are yours for FREE ... (i'll pay for the post so long as they are not international :) First come first serve.

*all pictures are 8' x 10' inch ... look at the first picture for a scaling reference.

Link to the pictures ... HERE (http://tinyurl.com/wallyoh)

Undiscovered side effect of smoking

Why do people asymetrially squint when dragging on a fag.

Only recently observed, there appears to be a link between squinting and what I call the 'drag coefficient'. Initial research, which has mainly been though experiments, shows that the side of the mouth doing the dragging will force that eye to squint for the duration of the drag.

Potential solution would be to smoke using the center of your mouth. That seems to be the only antidote to this side effect.

Further thought experiments are underway ... until the next distraction which is probably around the corner ,,. Which is why I hate corners ... that and they sometimes tend to have shops on them.

Reflect before reflecting

Here is an HSBC advert where someone has clearly made a copy of the peg layer, flipped it horizontally and dropped the opacity. A lot of work has gone is making the peg seem real its a shame they missed out on the reflection.

For those lost, the reflection of the cables should be running towards the house, the center of the image and not out of the frame.

And yes its a reflection not a shadow. The difference being if you can see the features of the object, its a reflection.

Haha .. There is a price for laziness folks.

Don't overload your plate ... its not a buffet !!!

Today's lesson boys and girls is not to byte more than you can chew because at the end of the day no one really appreciates all the extra effort it takes to churn those jaws, not to mention the digestion that goes with processing the excess ...

I can see me self making the same mistake again ... what can I say .. I take ignorance pills twice a day, one before I get up and one after I go to sleep .. bring on the happy days

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