Here's a first for me: I have two "internet friends" visiting right now from two different states. Both are very dear to me, and I'm glad they could see through my introverted, work-obsessed, hermitage-loving social awkwardness enough to say, "Hey, we want to visit. Cool? Cool." We all went to Universal on Friday, and I brought along a new 2.8 11-16 wide-angle lens to experiment with. I thought you guys might like to see some of my favorite shots! Because you have to take a picture of the dragon. HAVE TO. The stage shows in Diagon Alley are just phenomenal, and I can't recommend them enough. Especially the puppets! I keep trying to get some decent shots of my favorite shop, Wiseacres, but even the wide angle can't seem to capture the magic: I guess I'll just have to keep trying. :) (My lens is about two inches from that Slytherin plaque here.) I'd love to fill my house with all the steampunky telescopes and astrolabes ringing the room: Another pic I've never had much luck with is this owlery tower: I'm looking almost straight up the tower here. So far, this is the best I've managed of that owl, since he's usually lost in deep shadow. The wide-angle also let me capture this whole suit of troll armor; usually you can only see the feet from the window: I managed by leaning waaaay in and craning up. This dress in Madam Malkin's has a subtle projected pattern of cascading flowers on the skirt: A colorful street scape: And possibly my favorite of the day: I like how off-kilter and monochromatic it feels. (I didn't edit the color at all; that's straight off the camera.) In Diagon Alley you'll also find Knockturn Alley, which is so dark you tend to stumble around until your eyes adjust, and even then, you can't see most of the buildings around you: Off to the side of one of the paths is a small iron gate, with a barely illuminated alleyway leading away from it. On a whim, I stuck my lens between the iron bars of the gate and fired off several shots, no flash. Amazingly, one turned out pretty well! Very little of this can be seen with the naked eye. Cool, right? (The sign reads "The White Wyvern.") And finally, not the best shot, but LOOKIE: I was chosen at Ollivander's! Woot woot! This is right at the big dramatic moment, with the angelic music playing and the rushing wind blowing my shirt around. Hee. And while all of Ollivander's wizards are great, this guy was particularly awesome. His inflections and mannerisms were so, so good. Well, guess I better get back to MegaCon photos now, huh? Happy weekend, everyone! *** Note: My camera is a Canon 7D, and all of these photos were edited in either iPhoto or Perfect Photo Suite 7.
Precisely plot your location (or destination) on a map with the transparent and easy to read Westcott C-Thru Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) Grid Reader.
Coleção particular de Luis Cozeto
The portable universal ring sundial allows you to tell the local solar time anywhere on earth. All you need is your current latitude, the date and of course sunlight. But it can do much more, correctly adjusted, it will also show the position of the equator, both poles as well as the position of the meridian. The sundial is 20.5cm in diameter and is available as a complete kit. The kit has all the parts you need, apart from wood glue and sandpaper. I use the same plywood I use for my clock kits, aircraft quality birch ply, which has 10 plies at 5mm thickness, and grade A faces. The sundial parts are CNC routed so no burnt edges as with laser cut. The scales and writing is laser engraved, this allows for a crisp and permanent marking. A 15 page instruction booklet is also included. The Sundial will be sent standard unregistered post you can however upgrade to include a tracking number.
Pictures and art add beauty and style to a bathroom! See this simple trick I use to hang pictures straight, even and at the correct height - no guesswork!
