blog - emaart.net
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php
yes, i'm still here, somewhere
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php?entry=entry071203-100224
here is an update...
i've been really busy at work and as the end of the year approach things are starting to ease a bit. but that does not mean i have much time yet.
plans for the new year: new site done! emaart.net more cool and hopefully useful info on the blog more photos! more travels
on the more travels and photos... i'm planning to go away for a long time, still don't know where and when exactly. i'm back
until my next update, have a nice day(s) :p ]]>comments & spam
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php?entry=entry070917-145701
dear spammers, fuck off and die]]>mini photo exhibition
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php?entry=entry070620-211847
]]>time for change
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php?entry=entry070302-150139
for now a pre-production concept can be found here
(edit 25-04-2007: project update - ETA: whenever)
:(]]>living live!
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php?entry=entry061120-143603
i wanted to do live concert photography, rock bands to be more specific.
even more recently i lived that dream! this is photography on an new level!
don't be fooled, it is difficult, but rewarding on a personal level. everyone will be in your way, the light is not great, at all. the band members never stand still (which is supposed to happen) and it can get really noisy!
as with everything, there are a few ground rules and standard equipment. i will go into more detail on this in this blog entry.
dubway @ tings & times
the rules
from my little experience, these are my own version of the rules:
1. DO NOT PISS OF THE FANS OF THE BAND!!! always remember that the fans also paid to be there, and it is the fans that make or break the band, not the photographer! pick a spot and stay there, never go around bumping everyone just for that great shot.
2. do not use a flash, especially if you want to take 300 photo's. the flash is going to irritate the band and the fans. and the most important, you are going to lose the feel of the show if you use the flash. the concert lighting is what adds to it.
3. if you are lucky enough to know the band members, they will sometimes let you on and behind the stage, but this comes with GREAT responsibility. take your photo's and get off. never stay longer than necessary. stay out of the band way and to not get in the way of the band and their fans
4. if you get the idea that the band, the bouncer or the fans is getting pissed of at you and you camera, put away the camera and enjoy the show
5. enjoy the show. you'll take much better pictures if you do, especially if you get a feel for the band and the music.
bloodmoney @ foundry fly lounge
equipment
this is the fun part, toys!
i currently use a canon 400d with a canon 50mm f1.8 lens.
the camera is the expensive piece of equipment, you won't get to far with a point and shoot, and the girls won't dig you that much.
the 50mm f1.8 lens is a really cheap piece of glass, it might be one of the cheapest, but it does wonders.
with my 400d set at ISO800, shutter at 1/80 and the lens at f1.8 i get decent exposures even in grim light.
a small camera bag is all you'll need. you basically only want a padded bag to protect your camera after you took your pictures.
secret weapon: earplugs! yes, earplugs at a rock show. you'll look like a dork, but at least you'll still have most of your hearing by the end of the night and a big part of your life.
springbok nude girls @ foundry fly lounge
more on the how...
know your camera, you don't want to miss great shots while you're searching for that one function in a maze of menus.
the first step is to get a great spot in front of the stage. the easiest way in a small venue is to pick and take your spot before the band plays, even before the crowd is there. about 10 minutes before the band plays is a good time.
if you have spot metering on your camera, use it. also set your AF manually and use something like AI servo, this will help with focusing on a moving band member.
wait for special moments. there are always moments when the band members goes into a special trance, even they get swept away by their own music and that is what you want to capture.
try and see if you can pick up the pattern of the lights. the stage lights almost always move in a pattern. this helps to get the most out of the lights for 'n good exposure.
and again, enjoy yourself.
dubway @ tings & times
done?
well, for now that is all i can think off.
:)]]>java and beans go mobile (part 2)
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php?entry=entry060927-143700
1. get the netbeans IDE 2. get the netbeans mobility pack (both can be found here) 3. google! get all the info and tutorials you may need and more, especially if you've never coded in java before. coding MIDlets is NOT the easiest way to learn java.
the netbeans IDE + netbeans mobility pack makes basic MIDlet programming really easy with a visual flowchart type design tool. this enables the programmer to program the basic workings behind a MIDlet by "drawing" a flowchart. a nifty little tool called the screen designer also simplifies the layouts of your screen elements and a virtual mobile phone also enables you to test your application on your pc.
the netbeans mobility pack ships with a few great examples which is ready to build and deploy, a great way to get your feet wet.
to upload (deploy) the MIDlet to a phone is a bit more complicated, it is not a case of just copying it to the phone. but, there are two ways of getting around it. you can upload the files to a host which is enabled to host JAD and JAR files for download by a mobile phone. or you can search the web for a way to upload the files via bluetooth, which is usually very technical or a pain, but it is the cheaper way of doing it.
another thing to get is, spec sheets for your phone. it helps a lot if you know what your phone is capable of doing, ESPECIALLY if you want to play and experiment with the fun stuff.
:)]]>java and beans go mobile (part 1)
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php?entry=entry060927-131743
i am talking about J2ME (Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition). basically, java for small devices, like a mobile phone or pda. the result is called a MIDlet (a MIDlet is a Java program for embedded devices).
(java on mobile phones is not new, it has been with us for a few years now, but it is mainly used for games)
why is J2ME/MIDlets so cool? most new mobile phones, if not almost all, are java enabled and one MIDlet will run on all of them. imagine all the possibilities of a software application on a mobile phone.
banking is a good example. J2ME comes with pretty good security features, and makes sending of data real time, easy. you can can log into your account from basically anywhere and do all your banking with a decent frontend, something that is user friendly.
what about an application for medical people on ambulances? by opening the application and typing in your ID number, they can access a database with all the relevant information about you.
a working example is MXit. an instant messaging application for mobile phones, which is taking the world by storm. currently about 8000 people are joining the MXit network a day.
mobile phones are already such a huge part of our lives. we always have our mobile phones with us, it is the perfect platform for growth and a relatively untapped market.
with the features J2ME brings the possibilities are endless.
:)]]>lomography
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php?entry=entry060913-155436
on second glance i saw raw beauty, the picture got stuck in my mind. so i followed links and read up on the story behind this peculiar picture. it is called lomography!
what is lomography? lomography is a life style. it is taking pictures with toy cameras, point and shoot, everywhere, anywhere, everything. the bad quality of these toy cameras is the gem behind it all, random imperfections that gives every shot personality. the LOMO LC-A was characterized by dark edges and a bright over saturated center in its photo's
most lomographers takes their pictures from the hip, without the use of the viewfinder, never knowing what the result will be until developed. simplicity can be beautiful.
lomography can be a perfect way to capture a special event or it can be your canvas for great works of art, that is the beauty of lomography. simplicity, personality and fun!
lomography even has rules!
10 Rules of Lomography: 1. Take your LOMO everywhere you go & whenever you go. 2. Use it anytime — day or night. 3. Lomography is not an interference in your life, but a part of it. 4. Shoot from the hip. 5. Approach the objects of your lomographic desire as close as possible. 6. Don't think. 7. Be fast. 8. You don't have to know beforehand what you've captured on film. 9. You don't have to know afterwards, either. 10. Don't worry about the rules.
the story behind the phenomenon can be read here and a cool site about lomography can be found here
:)]]>OpenLaszlo
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php?entry=entry060829-115351
OpenLaszlo being a development platform for RIA's (Rich Internet Applications) and Eclipse a platform independent framework which is typically used to build IDE's (Integrated Development Environments) on. Eclipse is also the power behind Adobe's Flex Builder 2.
OpenLaszlo consists of the programming language LZX (an XML and JavaScript description language similar in spirit to XUL, MXML, and XAML.) and the openlaszlo server.
Eclipse is used to code the LZX which makes up your OpenLaszlo powered RIA.
Deployment can be done in two ways, SOLO and as servlets. SOLO is a stand alone way of doing things, no need for the openlaszlo server to be running and can be hosted on basically any host you choose.
OpenLaszlo brings RIA development right to your doorstep on Windows/Linux/Mac and the sky is the limit.
The best of all is that OpenLaszlo is relatively easy to use.
<canvas> <window> <button>Hello World!</button> </window> </canvas> (a piece of code like that should create a little window with a button saying "Hello World!".)
OpenLaszlo is object orientated which opens even more possibilities for coding your RIA. Code one class and use it everywhere.
As soon as I have some time again, I will write simple step-by-step instructions on downloading the right stuff and making it work.
:)]]>medieval 2: total war
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php?entry=entry060821-115947
the next installment of my favourite strategy series. i have been looking for the release date all over the net, the best i could find was november 2006 (edit 05-sep-2006: the expected release date for south africa is the 10th of december)it was released on the 15th of november in south africa.
:)]]>let's bash the ipod!
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php?entry=entry060817-103834
bash is a Unix shell written for the GNU Project. Its name is an acronym for Bourne-Again SHell
with that said... are you a linux user or even thought about using it? well, why not install it on your ipod.
the iPodLinux installation take minutes and is quite safe (i won't take any responsibility if you f*up your ipod though), and the installer makes a backup of your ipod before installation.
at the moment iPodLinux isn't to great with multimedia, it does play your MP3's but not nearly as well as your ipod standard operating system. why then even bother doing it then? i don't know, but you can play doom on your ipod.
doom running on an ipod nano 4GB
:)]]>tri nations 2006
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php?entry=entry060815-085751
Kapa O Pango
on 26 august 2006, south africa is going to take on the mighty all blacks at loftus in pretoria... ...and i am going to be there.
:)]]>OppiKoppi 2006
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php?entry=entry060810-101837
a view from the top, oppikoppi 2006 (photo by frikkie)
:)]]>i survived OppiKoppi
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php?entry=entry060807-094900
and it was worth it
i came back with only minor scratches and bruses (most of them i got when i put up my tent)
:)]]>out of office notice
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php?entry=entry060802-113822
i am going camping, 5 days of no computers, no users, no cellphones. the downside being also no camera. i love my camera too much to subject it to the harsh bush environment
so, let the adventure begin!
until the next update, keep well
:)]]>Whats up
http://blog.emaart.net/index.php?entry=entry060710-113349
Diablo: Score 9.6 - Released Jan 23, 1997 World of Warcraft: Score 9.5 - Released Nov 29, 2004 Unreal Tournament: Score 9.5 - Released Dec 9, 1999 Command & Conquer Red Alert: Score 9.5 - Released Nov 26, 1996 Grand Prix II: Score 9.5 Released - Aug 15, 1996 Taken from Gamespot: link
What is going on with the gaming industry? When was the last time you bought a game, went home and stayed up until the break of dawn, not because you wanted, but time just flew past?
The year is 2006 and if you look at the ratings and release dates of some of the top games out there, you can see it has been a while since the game reviewers played an addictive and fun game...?
Maybe, I am looking at the wrong place... lets have a look at Playstation 2...
PS2 Games Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3: Score 10.0 Released Oct 29, 2001 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: Score 9.6 Released Oct 25, 2004 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City: Score 9.6 Released Oct 28, 2002 NFL 2K3: Score 9.6 Released Aug 13, 2002 Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty: Score 9.6 Released Nov 13, 2001 Taken from Gamespot: link
Not much better either.
I think it is a two fold problem. Game developers are trying to push the GFX too hard too fast. Publishers put too much strain on the developers to complete develompent before unrealistic deadlines.
How many times in the last three years have we seen games that is unplayable until atleast the second patch? Too much. We have become their QA, there just isn't time for developers to make a complete and fun game AND test it...
And what happened to 'game play', the real beef behind the GFX? So many beautiful games out there, but not really much of them are fun to play.
Either I am getting really old really fast or the game industry is going too Hollywood. Flash, glam, big explosions... and nothing behind it... nothing left for the imagination...
