Make My Day
Okay punk. I know what you’re thinking. Does he have one picture in that contest or two? Well punk. Do you feel lucky… (okay, not exactly the line from whichever Eastwood movie but you see where I’m going with this).
I entered an online photo contest at the Central Park site.
If you vote for my Skating Rink picture, maybe I’ll win the contest and then I’ll become so famous for this shot that I’ll be noticed by some museum that will want to buy the picture and finance my travels and buy extra special food for the cat.
Though the cat (Buddy) does have a pretty limited palette. He just likes dry food. Won’t touch tuna fish unless it’s been turned into dried-out flakes. Come to think of it, my dad likes tuna fish when it’s been turned into flakes. Hmmm.
SO HERE’S THE LINK TO THE CENTRAL PARK PHOTO CONTEST.
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Speaking of age (as I was before) I think I’m going to close my Facebook account. I honestly don’t get it at all. I get messages from people that maybe I know, maybe I don’t. How am I supposed to remember all the people I’ve met over my life? Why do I want to remember them? I’m sure this is some sort of group joining (why would I be a member of a group that would have me as a member) sort of thing, but I just don’t get it.
Now I’m part of a community that consists of friends of friends of friends that I never see or talk to in the first place (the first friends that is). And daughters of nephews of cousins of uncles that I didn’t even know existed and don’t want to know about.
I just don’t get it. And if it would just stay away from me, I suppose there’s no harm in it, but it grows like a virus which is what it is, a social virus and I need to stop it in it’s tracks. Pull the plug. No more faces in the book for me. Over-and-out.
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One more P.S. for today that doesn’t seem to need it’s own post:
I AM NOW FREE TO ROAM AROUND THE COUNTRY
I just placed the order for the Dell Vostro 1510 with 3GB Ram, 1.8Ghz, 2MB L2 cache, 250 GB Drive, Windows XP Pro… with free delivery: $750
Also bought a wireless router.
This is going to be fun. I used to love to travel. My favorite part was the packing of photo gear before the trip. Should I take this lens or not…? Maybe I should use the big camera backpack? I can remember having everything out on the floor and trying to figure out the puzzle of what to bring so that I wouldn’t need to check anything in if it were a plane trip. I haven’t taken a plane in years. Definitely not post-9/11. I guess it’s all pretty different now.
A site that I don’t get (and, honestly, I’m lookin’ for help here, ’cause obviously lots of other photographers DO get it) is Flicker. I go there and I browse around, and there are tons of images, most of them ones that my photo 101 teacher would have labeled as “schnapshots!” [he is very German, Klaus Schnitzer is his name and he is still teaching photography, as far as I know, at Montclair University in NJ . . . hi Klaus! (waves)]. Many of those images clearly use a visual vocabulary with which I am not familiar, very post-modern, I guess (am I giving them too much credit? Too little? See, I need help). Nonetheless, I just don’t get Flicker.
Chris Klug
January 12, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Chris – there’s a similar thing going on at Flickr. Let’s put it this way. There’s a Bugs Bunny cartoon in which Bugs, being chased by a horrible monster, breaks the fourth wall and look directly at the audience and see us out there and screams: HUMANS!
Flickr. Facebook. Yourbook. MyBook. Whatever. It’s all part of a cyber social sharing network nexus (and here I am typing an answer to you who I’ve never met in person either) where like-minded people can share their experiences and their creations or put each other down.
There are wonderful artists on Flickr and there are very bad photographers there. But if you can find a group that meets your interests, then you can have a fantastic experience there (or so I’m told).
Dave Beckerman
January 12, 2009 at 3:30 pm
U guyz really dont get it. Like, everybody iz on Facebook or MySpace or CyberHotTub. Bush and Ahmadinejad are both community buddies of mine. Their pix r right next 2 each other and they have shared interests in nucleur prolifteration. So wat iz gonna lead us 2 global hugging? Web luv, bro!!
Lester
January 12, 2009 at 7:37 pm
In case you do travel by plane, Dave, here are some handy tips for post 9-11 photographers:
1. Memory Cards – Airport scanners have no effect on memory cards. However, they are occasionally mistaken for chocolate covered graham crackers by hungry security personnel, so label each card: “Explosive, Do Not Consume.”
2. Tripods – Tripods are often mistaken for rocket launchers. Remove one of the pods and label the other two “U.S. Army Prosthetic Ambulatory Device” and you should have no problem.
3. Digital Cameras – Important!! Do not pack your camera in either luggage to be checked or carry on! Instead, wear loose-fitting pants and strap your camera to one of your buttocks. If you are stopped by security, explain that you are traveling to a clinic that specializes in removal of anal tumors. You will have no problem.
4. Body Scan – We not talking camera body…your body! If you are asked to go through a full body scan device, you have a right to ask for a copy of the photo scan. Upload the photo to ScanMates.Com and you can meet a friend in the city to which you are taveling.
Hpoe these tips will be helpful.
Lester
January 12, 2009 at 8:13 pm
I also gave the contest a shot.
http://www.centralpark.com/members/photos
Craig M. Nisnewitz
January 13, 2009 at 3:06 am