Try different angles and perspectives

Try to take pictures from different angles. You can get some interesting shots by being up close to the object and changing the angle of the camera. For instance, the picture above I took without aiming, but adjusting the angle of the camera so that there are different objects in the background.

I could have just taken a picture of the object on the ground (straight on - see below ) and moved on, but I tried something different and changed the angle (having the camera focus on the arrow and have objects in the background) made the image more interesting.

Carry a gray card

This is one trick that I have yet to try myself. I have read this tip on several sites, and it should be worth a try. (I actually plan to try it this weekend). The purpose of the gray card is so that you can identify the white balance in post production.

The tips is that you should shoot a throw away shot with the gray card every 30 min - 1 hour as the lighting changes around you.

Running Barefoot

Okay this may sound strange, but this actually worked wonders for me. There are a few ways that you can improve your running form/ability. One of these ways is running barefoot.

My Story:

I would say that I was an average runner. At least beginner runner. I could not run long distances, and I had to walk a lot. I ended up entering a 5k race for my company, and I was suffering from horrible pains in my shins and my legs.

I finished the 5k, nothing to write home about, but I was happy with the result, even though I was in pain.

A few days later, I found a story come across my news reader, about how the shoes you wear might not be helping you at all. They could actually be hurting you. Considering I was still in pain from the race, I decided to read the article and the comments.

The comments from the article lead me to this site runningbarefoot.org. Where you read testimonials about how great this is. After about a day or more research, I figured I would try it out. I couldn't be in any worse pain than I already was.

After a few days of trying it out, I must say that I run almost every day now, I even ran 10 miles one morning, and did not hurt one bit (after the initial recovery).

There are several books that also recommend this style of running as a training method.






Check out the resources, give it a try, and evaluate. What do you have to lose? You may find that you enjoy running more.

iPhone camera 3G part 1:camera

One of the things that I hope is improved with the iPhone 3Gs (I do not have the iPhone 3Gs) is the camera. The picture above was taken with my iPhone 3G. Almost half of the pictures that I have taken with the camera are blurred. This can make an interesting effect when you're goofing around, but if you're used to a faster camera, this can quickly get on your nerves.

Of course the performance in low light situations is not the greatest either. The pictures tend to come out grainy.



Of course this is an integrated camera, ipod, phone, mini computer all in one so I guess some features can be lacking. But just be aware that you will need to take a lot of photos for some decent pictures, because several of the pictures will not work at all.

Tip #1 - remember to charge the batteries/have spare batteries before you get to trail

Nothing is worse than having your camera die on trail on you. I have found that I need to carry either an extra camera with me (my iPhone is my back up camera) or carry extra batteries with you.

One of the things that actually helped make my decision is the price of batteries and how easy it is to replace missing or dead batteries. So for my camera, I ended up with a canon A-1000 and it accepts 2 AA batteries. I have found that the 15 minute rechargable batteries from Rayovac do an excellent job of performing.



I do not mean to sound like an advertisement, but if you have to use AA batteries for any reason, these batteries hold their charges, and they take 15 minutes to charge (of course with the special charger). I have other types of rechargable batteries, but they take too long to charge.

Now before I start going off on to a rant (which I appear to be doing), I recommend carrying at least a spare battery for your main camera with you before you go out on trail. I have missed several opportunities, or the back up camera could not take the picture, because the batteries died while you're out for the day.

Introduction

Have you ever seen the movie "Yes Man"? There is a girl in the movie where she has a Saturday morning running group, where they take pictures while they run. That is actually my style of picture taking. That is what this blog will be about. It will be about the various types of cameras that I used and some stories behind the photos that I take while running. I will also explore some techniques on how to improve pictures, settings for various shots, etc.

So as I improve, you will be able to see difference.

Also, I will provide details about the locations of my various runs and any ways that I can find to improve my overall running ability.

My eventual goal is to enter in the upcoming Las Vegas Rock and Roll Marathon that is occurring later this year.

I hope you enjoy the pictures and the stories that I have to share.