drone session: Flat top hill run

One of the biggest features on the phantom 3 advanced is the video quality it can take, 2.7k video at 30 fps at the best which is far more than I need it for. I'm more into the photography half of it, but it really shines with video, which is unfortunate for me because i have absolutely no video editing skills or experience in shooting video. That doesn't stop me from taking countless videos in 1080p at 48 FPS and ogling at the scenery, but that also means that I'm not exactly creating professional clips, and they're not exciting enough to be worth sharing most of the time.

Someday i'd like to invest in a camera for the ground, so that I can combine both to make something really worth watching. I'm still working on my video editing skills, which is more of a technical challenge over anything(trying to keep the format correct and not losing quality, finding the right video editing software and actually having to learn how to use it).

Eventually I plan to take a bunch of my clips and combine all the great parts of them into a 'welcome to our city' type thing, maybe I'll convince my good friends to come back to our state, Nothing makes you home sick like seeing your home from the sky..right? sure, we'll go with that.

The video below is the latest (at this time of posting) video that I have taken, This was my first time actually trying to edit, and i also had the exposure too high on my camera so the whole video is a bit bright from the giant ball of fire so  low in the sky. There's a few great shots that could be taken from this video, but since I did not manage to clip out every boring part, the video is a bit long.

I climbed all the way up the hill with my good friend Alex, he helped carry the drone up, while i carried my daughter in a backpack all the way up. As a smoker, I was convinced i'd die before I made it to the top, but I managed to get there without stopping(my friend is in much better shape than I, perhaps it was that as motivation)!

I had reception problems in town here and there but there was definitely a full 3 mile range for me at the top of this hill. I could have gone around the whole town ! but since i was up so high, i didn't want to stray too far from the mountain and smack into a helicopter or something..

I'm pushing 35 miles an hour the whole video, which it doesn't seem like because im typically 1000 feet in the air through most of it.

Hopefully it shows up correctly, haven't yet posted a video here yet, but you can find my whole youtube collection HERE

comment or just give me page views like how you have been doing, whoever you are.

delicious session: FOOD

Ah, food. It speaks for itself.

I work for a catering company that goes by 'castle', were one of the more well known companies in my local areas, I've been in food service for about 7 years now, and this is the best place i have ever worked thus far.

At the end of the day, food isn't what i really want to do, but i've tasted some amazing things and have learned so much about food now, I don't feel like theres anything I couldn't make at this point.

These photos were taken all on my phone, not necessarily professional, I was in a hurry through most of these, some of them were wrapped already and it was hard to get a solid shot on most of these. My phone camera is fantastic but has a very slim angle and has to be pulled back pretty far to capture entire trays.

mm veggie wraps, made them and stacked them so nicely, then after I thought at the last minute i'd take a photo.

This one wasn't mine, one of my bosses usually does these, its a whole smoked salmon, a bit creepy, it's even got jalepeno eyes!

This is one of my favorite cheese trays that I have made thus far

the center is brie, all around with white cheddar cubes and smoked ghouda and manchego slices

The center of these is terrine, which is blue cheese and cream cheese, topped with walnuts/or cherries, you dip it with crackers and as you reach the middle, theres a fine layer of pesto, amazing and delicious. I've made all kinds of different cured veggie/meat/terrine trays, some i used different molds to give them fun shapes and make them eye pleasing.

We made a GIANT cake , made entirely of rice krispies and lined with doughnuts, this cake was over 200 lbs , we all had a blast making it, and it sold for like..800 dollars or more(I don't remember honestly but I remember thinking "DAMN, ITS JUST A SH** TON OF CEREAL AND MARSHMALLOWS"

not entirely completed, but you get the idea, Sadly I wasn't working the day all the doughnuts got finished up.

A few more trays and things i've done below, Honestly I've been wanting make this post for a few days and haven't found time, even today I am cutting it short because theres so much to do and so little time! I will probably elaborate and edit this post later, but it's a quick summary of what I do for a living

If you have any questions or are curious, feel free to comment! I'd be happy to answer them for you

drone session: THE NIGHT

I was hoping to be able to post much more frequently, I've got pictures for days man.. But I am a very busy and very lazy person, and those 2 mix very terribly, leaving me with lots of responsibilities, and when I have free time I just piss it away (or so it seems from my perspective). I've got 3 new posts pending because I simply haven't devoted some time to sit down and make them happen. Even as I write this, my crazy 1 year old is running around causing chaos, I hope to have this written in time before her next target is my laptop!

This post is all about my attempts at night shots from the sky, I have many more to come, but this is where I'm at so far. In my experience up to this point, it has been a bit of a challenge to find night shots worth viewing at all. This is partly due to the fact that my neighborhood and basically my whole city is 80% one color at night time: Orange. 

Those stupid HPS lights that light our streets up, not that they're not essential, but they don't do well for night photography.

Seriously, so much orange.

So far, this has been my favorite shot, especially since they decided "hey, lets put white lights here, just here.". I do quite love the 100% downward angle shots, you really get to see the design of things from this view, I find it quite tranquil.

This shot looks like it was through a much crappier camera, and with the lack of light, I just wasn't getting a cool shot, but I liked the idea that it could have been cool had I been a master with a better camera.

Messing around with catching moving cars, right above my house. If you look closely you can see me on my porch.

This is an older one from one of my last posts, but it so far has been one of my personal favorites(although that doesn't make it a great shot).

Trying to catch symmetry again, I took a bunch of these shots at the corner , but I wasn't wowed by the results.

at some point, id like to go somewhere much brighter and much busier, if you do some quick google searching you can very easily see photos of people taking drone shots in way cooler places. I've seem some particularly amazing night shots from China!

slightly higher quality versions HERE

thanks for reading! the next post will be about foooooooooooooooooooooooooood, so be sure you ate breakfast or dinner or whatever before you look or you will be tempted to eat expensive things.

My Daughter's First Birthday

Being a parent is fun and will also drive you crazy. The love I have for my daughter Alice is beyond measurement, and it's been a fun year learning together. from first teeth to first steps, watching her grow up is beautiful even though 80% of my free time vanished, I suppose it's worth it. She's too cute to deny, I mean come on, this face..

(food on the lips and all)

and thus I decided we should take some photos on a foggy day, although today she decided she was gonna be in a fowl mood all day, but I'd still say I got some okay shots.

This one here has to be my favorite:

probably because that one is the only one she really looked somewhat in my direction, as you'll note below:

Why yes, I did dress her today, what gave it away?

slightly higher quality versions of these can be found here

Reviving The Blog with the blood of photography

Hello all, Tony here, if anyone still see's this blog, well you're in luck! 5 years later..I'm just glad it's still here.

Along with the blog being restored, I have also recently come back into photography. I have many artistic hobbies nowadays, Still making music (which you can always check out here ), although not as much lately, have some new things to upload soon though.

I have recently spent a hefty chunk of money for a Phantom 3 Advanced, been getting back into the RC hobby too especially with the rise of quad-copter technology, I could go on and on about this drone, but so many people on the internet already have, so I wont waste your reading eyes. The camera takes great shots so I've been trying to capture the symmetry of the world around me, as well as any beautiful shot I can find around town, I'm still learning, but I'm having a great time doing it and I hope to share that excitement to you via my results so far.

Many photos to come!

This post's addition is all about symmetry!

1. Here is 400 feet above my house directly, one of my first shots

Here is a very cool shot right above a graveyard, that is right next door to my work..

See those trucks at the bottom? right there, literally a gate away. Although I'm used to it at this point.

Another shot in my neighborhood , just a random street corner,

Front entrance of a school behind my house, This was my so-far favorite night Attempt.

Capturing night photos with a quad-copter can be difficult because you're trying to keep the shutter open for a long exposure but even the slightest movement in your quad-copter can cause blur.

And here's our last stop on new post #1, the baseball field behind my house at my school, a game was going on at the time as well, although I was not struck by a baseball. I love the curve of the field's grass.

Thus concludes our first 2016 adventure in the sky. Thanks for consuming some of your precious human time to make me feel important! 

This post will probably change around and may be reposted, I need to find the best way to post these photos, as well as completely learn how to use this whole blog again, took me an hour just to get the account information back!

*update*

So everything seems to be smooth, fixed the photo sizes to fit our blog,  you should be able to open them and get the link for the full size picture and be able to download them if you like! or post the links. If you CAN'T do that, please tell me! suggestions and comments are the internet man's best friend.

-Tony

A journal update/explanation about Pennsylvania, love, Jennie, and loving Jennie

Hi there, how's it going? I hope it's going well with you. I haven't used my blog as a journal in forever, so this is probably going to be a bit of a long post. I have a lot going on, and I'll hop right in.

I'll do a quick summary of the recent events of my life, since there's a lot of blank spots. Two months ago (May 8th, 2010) I visited my friend, Jennie in Pennsylvania. I was taking a bit of a trip to the East coast, as well. And I had intentions of touring, but things never really work out exactly like we plan, do they? Anyways, I was happy that so many factors of my life lined up perfectly to enable me to actually go. The finances were there, the time was there, her family was okay with me staying with them. Everything just seemed to fit perfectly.

Now, before I go on I should note that I've known Jennie for around 4 years, give or take. I met her through a friend through a friend online, and for the longest time I just liked being able to talk to her (she's a great listener). Eventually I realized that she was rapidly becoming the person I could tell anything to, because I was comfortable talking to her. I eventually did grow to like her, but probably loved her as a friend far before that. Anyways, despite the fact that we knew we liked each other, I decided to go on my trip to Pennsylvania as a friend. I didn't want to make silly emotionally rushed decisions, or anything like that. I know that meeting people in person is completely different from having talked to them through chat logs and web cams for years. I was going to be reasonable, logical, and reserved about the whole thing. I failed miserably.

A couple days passed, and I took my time. I analyzed my emotions and talked to her extensively every night, informing her about what I was thinking about and what I thought of everything. I was comfortable talking to her about all of it, and it was great.

Another side note, here. I've never been comfortable around girls that I've had crushes on. I've always been awkward, mentally blank, and unprepared to talk to them. I'm sure a lot of you know the feeling I'm talking about, but imagine that for everyone you'd ever felt attracted to every single time you were around them. Awkward.

So, in all honesty, my focus on touring Pennsylvania didn't last that long. It took a day or two before I realized that it was going to end up being entirely about her. I was okay with that development. I learned to love her family, they’re so unique and connected, and I could just feel the love. Everything about the trip worked out so well. On May 11th we discussed our emotions and thoughts, and I convinced myself that even if the logic didn't completely pan out, the love did. We both knew that it would be years of college that we would both have to complete before we could be together. We'd visit each other a couple times a year, of course, but it would be expensive and rare. We both decided that even with all those completely reasonable factors working against us, it was worth the chance. If you've ever been in unreasonable love, you know exactly what I'm talking about. After hearing that she was willing to wait that long to be with me, and knowing that I could as well, I asked her to be my girlfriend, and she accepted. Butterflies. That lone title means so much to me. To me, a girlfriend is a prospect of forever. The title is a risky investment, to be willing to put your own emotions on the line by binding them to another human being's. I wouldn’t have asked her that unless I was already in love. I spent the rest of my trip relishing the time I had with her, but knowing that I had to leave. When I held her at the security checkpoint and kissed her, I didn't say goodbye. I said "be right back". I had no idea. That was May 22nd, 2010.

A little after midway through June her mom brought up the prospect of me going to school over there. Jennie explained that the tuition rates for non-residents is much more expensive (300%). When Jennie told me about the conversation later that day, we both thought it was funny and adorable. Moving to Pennsylvania to become a student there was a novel idea, but there were too many reasons it wouldn't work. Or at least, that's what I thought. In practicality, it was not only possible, but very possible. We looked up residency laws, began planning in theory the variables that would have to be aligned for such a move to actually take place. The joke was gaining momentum. I expected barriers to pop up and prevent it, but nothing did. This was an opportunity to push myself out of the stagnation I've built up in my life, as of late. I could get a job there, gain residency, go to school, and be with my love, to find out whether or not she's the one. It's easier when you're not 2588 miles away. I talked to my parents about it that same day. My mom said I'd need a car if I wanted to move my stuff out there. The next day a perfect opportunity arrived, and we got the car I own now (Thanks grandma and grandpa).

The people I expected to shoot it down as irrational have supported me in it, I was expecting at least someone wouldn't be a hopeless romantic. Her family approved of it, my family approved of it, and I've been working to prepare for the move in July 2010. My insurance is at the address I'm going to live at. That odd, seemingly random fact is probably what caused me to realize that this is actually happening. Things like this don't happen to me. I sit on a computer for hours daily talking to friends and editing graphics or playing games. Here I am, though, typing out an explanation for those that were interested in one. I'm so happy. Actually happy - for the first time in a long time. Have you ever done the right thing, regardless of logic and reason, put it in God's hands, and let Him be Him? It's a wonderful feeling.

Jennie's flying in on the 13th (9 days, as of this post), and she'll be visiting with my family for the rest of the month, before we both drive back to the east coast with my stuff. I'm so excited.

I completely love everything about her, and I only want what is best for her. I don't pretend to know how everything will work out, but I know that love gives, and love cares, and I want her to know the princess that she really is. And every day is another day to show her what I know she deserves. I love it. I changed a faucet happily on Friday, because I realized that it would be an exercise in responsibility, and also realizing that someday I might need to do it when I get a house. Love changes everything, and it is enough.

Love,
Jake

Tony and I at the wind farm

So a couple days back me and Tony went to Jumpoff Joe hill outside of Kennewick. We got some good pictures of the huge wind generators there as well as a couple of the Tri-Cities at large. I'm testing Picasa slideshows, so I figured I'd link that here. I'd embed it if it was just a slideshow, but there's some videos too (with quality obliterated by upload to Google). Enjoy!

tony and I at the windfarm

Inspiring Comic Day

You've got to

love like semtex. Bring it me. Bring it to me.

Short update before I head off to do my math, on the Jacob side of things I talked with Kelcee at CBC today, which was fun. Hadn't talked to her for awhile, but then added her on Facebook, so it's good to see someone from 1st quarter again.

Aforementioned maths generally kicking my butt, and I've got to really apply myself if I'm going to pass precalculus this quarter. Fun times. I'm probably going to be poor in about a week because I'm in all likelihood buying another retail game, which I don't really have the income to do constantly.

After this quarter I can get a more profitable job hopefully, not that I have any problem with the law office, they are cool folks. Uhhh, I've got a couple things I need to get around to I suppose.

1. Taking more pictures
2. Picking a suitable newer picture of myself
3. Reinstalling photoshop
4. Uploading another YouTube video

That's actually all I can think of at the moment, not a lot of blue text stuff going on lately, so it'll be brief. New purchases:

• Red Faction: Guerrilla (beat)
• The Witcher: Enhanced Edition (about midway I think)
• Saints Row 2 (haven't touched it, too busy)
• World of Goo (Got from the develeper's site for a $5.00 donation, sweet eh?)

I probably own 75+ games by now (whether via steam or disc). I'm getting there. For the people that actually game with me, I'm probably going to buy Borderlands in about a week, which I mentioned up there. Has a current metacritic score of 88/100 for PC, which puts it at 3rd highest rated game for the year thus far. I'm sure that average will be dragged down, but it still looks like a solid game. I need to get 3 people to play with me, haha.

Be cool =)

-Jake-

Heya guys, been awhile

Jacob:
Oh right, my life. So I worked a lot this week, so come next paycheck I'm going to be friggin' rich. Of course that will proceed a math test which I'm fearful about, but meh, it can't all be good I suppose. Coding class is the opposite of math though, in that it is amazingly fun. I'm glad I picked Computer Science as a field, as I'm pretty sure it was specifically designed for me.

Wonder what I'm going to do with my money. Probably save some and spend it on stuff for the blue text.

Recently ran into Riley at CBC, and we talked a bit about God and the conflicts and stuff I've been going through trying to get that all sorted out. I'm not really going to church now, so it's not like my Christian roots are terribly supported. I'm a little bit worried that I don't want them to be...but that's another rant entirely.

I should upload a picture or something seeing how I haven't had a blog post in forever.

EDIT: LOL J/K VIDEO


Video description: A tour of Tony's apartment. We recorded this quite awhile ago, but I never got around to editing it. I assure you that we're still as awesome as we were then.

Japhez:
So there's some games I'm looking forward to which I will list here:
Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic
Diablo 3
Borderlands
Mass Effect 2
Global Agenda

and I might get Sims 3 down the road

I've been playing a lot of TF2, a little Diablo 2, lots of EVE Online, recently beat Jedi Knight II: Outcast, and Batman: Arkham Asylum was pretty friggin' amazing. I'm not much of one for replaying games, but I might have to play that some more.

City of Heroes is going to have a reactivation weekend next week, and I'll be handing out referral codes for friends that want to check it out. You could get a trial without a referral code, but if you do it this way and decide to subscribe to the game I get a free month soooo, be cool.

Speaking of referral codes, I've got my new month's batch for EVE Online as well, so if you're hardcore enough to want to check that out (And the referral codes give more time than the normal trials for EVE), hit me up for that as well.

I think that's it for now. I'll try to keep better updates.

-Jake-