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500th Post!

500 posts! How did I manage that?

It started back in July 2006 with a post about my new 30D. I think there may have been a couple of posts before that that got lost in the move to WordPress. Way back then, it was pretty much a blog about the photos I had taken. It just so happened that a month or two after I started the Blog I took off on my first road trip. A lot of the early posts were about that trip and the photos I was taking.

mmmrrrr  mmmmrrrr mmmrrrrrrrrrrr

Shots like that. Obviously, I was in the phase of putting frames around my photos. In August 2006 I published an article that talked about how I learnt about depth of field. My first venture into discussing how I learnt about photography. September 2006 saw my first of many chats about Photoshop and how it was ruining photography. Actually, that first article was pretty tame. I have railed against it much more aggressively since then. I also had a pot shot at security guards and their chest beating tough guy ways.

In October 2006, I discussed my adventures whilst out taking night time photos around Lilyfiled rail yards. Oh the excitement. In February of 2007, I decided to get some thoughts down about the previous year and my photographic adventures. In what has become a yearly event, the first chapter of norbs, a photographic history, hit the digital pipelines that are the internet.

For reasons that escape me now, I then had two rather long breaks. A six month break first, it would be August 2007 before I penned this little rant about crop factor cameras and zoom. Another post in August about the lunar eclipse, and then I had another long break. The next post being the second chapter of norbs, a photographic history. It is my humble opinion that that yearly summary showed off probably the best of my photography.

Air Time

July 2008 and it was film. My first roll of film processed at home gets a mention. We are two years into running the blog and still only done roughly 30 posts. In August 2008, I moved across to WordPress. What a change. Hosted on my own server, it was a great platform. I will for ever be in the debt of Mick Orlosky for the advice he gave me to give WordPress a try.

August also saw me off on another road trip. Bourke and Broken Hill were on the cards for this trip. This trip was the first road trip that I took videos and uploaded them to Vimeo. This blog post lists a heap of them. October 2008 and I started writing what I called discussion pieces. What might be called slightly controversial topics. Things like a discussion on whether photographers are born or trained. And this little beauty that even got a comment from Mr Stobist himself, Dave Hobby. More chat about film and what makes it so addictive.

Yellow Dots

November 2008 and things are hotting up. More posts and more discussion. My take on fanboys was just one of the November posts. It also saw my first, of what would turn out to be many, of the Boston Globe’s excellent site, The Big Picture. I also look into Bokeh, a word that still knocks over my cup of joy.

December 2008 and something new, interviews. The lucky first person was Lakshal โ€œLuckyโ€ Perera. I really should look into doing more of these. I also did a 16 survey.

Sixteen (PSD)

2009 rolled around and I had a bit of a look at Australia Day, through my camera lens. February 2009 saw chapter 3 of the norbs, a photographic history. Also, mistakes were made. And again!

April 2009 saw a lot of black and white action. Street photography and shiny nails. The annual trek to the Sydney Royal Easter show also gets a mention. May, and a bit of patting myself on the back, with my first front page photo. It was also the very first Explorer Shuttle. My fancy way of saying Photo of the Day.

It was about this time that the blog took a slight change of direction. I decided I would try and post the latest and greatest news off the internet regarding photography and cameras. Originally it was going to be a four week trial. It actually went for four months, with some days having four or five posts. From May 4th to the 24th August, there was at least one new blog post every single day! Traffic went through the roof. It proved to be too much work though, and I pulled the plug on it. They were exciting times though. Keeping up with all the latest news and trying to get it out there as quickly as possible.

September was still photographic news, but much less of it. One of my favourites from the month was the bat photos story. Now that’s dedication. October 2009 saw my guide on how to do a road trip. Also, some photos from the most recent of my road trips.

Damn clouds.

And that brings me to now. Post #500. It has certainly been a lot of fun, and a huge learning curve, putting this blog together. I hope people get some enjoyment, and maybe even learn a thing or two. Looking forward to the next 500 posts.

Thanks for all the support.

A change in direction for the blog.

About 3 months ago, I decided I was going to do an experiment, and changed the way I used this blog. From being a blog primarily about my photographic adventures, I changed it into a blog about photographic news and happening from all over the interwebs. It started with a set of interviews I did, and just sort of kept going after that. My original thought was to give it 10 weeks and see how things went. Well it has now been 15 weeks and it has been pretty successful, visitors have increased by a factor of 5, and I have heard some pretty good comments about it.

Well all good things come to an end, and that is the case for the blog. I wont be putting as much time into it as I have over the last 15 weeks. I will still post things which I think are interesting, but less often, and maybe multiple items per post. Despite the amateurish feel to this blog, it is a bit of work, and I find I am stressing trying to find things to fill the pages. I think it also takes me away from photography at times.

So, look forward to more write ups about my own personal experience behind the camera, or in front of it, and less of me copying and pasting random links from around the globe.

And now, here is a photo of a birdeee. ๐Ÿ™‚

William D Wag-Tail Esq

I hope I don’t ruffle too many feathers!

Eye-Fi Introduces New Eye-Fi Geo Wireless Memory Card

Technology, I love it. If only they made Compac Flash cards as well.

Eye-Fi Inc. today unveiled the Eye-Fi Geo card, a new wireless SD memory card exclusive to Apple that allows users to automatically upload photos from a digital camera to a computer and offers lifetime geotagging service. Available today in all Apple stores and online, the Eye-Fi Geo card is the latest addition to the Eye-Fi product family that is built to seamlessly integrate with Mac products and applications, including iPhoto โ€™09 and โ€™08, the iPhone and MobileMe.

eye-fi-introduces-the-eye-fi-geo-apple-exclusive-wireless-memory-card-with-unlimited-geotagging/

After Polaroid, Keeping Instant Photography Alive

Time magazines look at the Impossible project. The most exciting part of the article says.

The trial monochrome version of the film will go into production at the end of October and, if all goes according to plan, should be available to the masses in time for Christmas, “before people start to throw away their old Polaroid cameras,” says Kaps. In 2010, when the color version should hit the shelves, Impossible hopes to sell 1 million new films, with prices likely to range from $23 to $28 for a 10-shot cassette. The company predicts worldwide demand will eventually reach up to 10 million films a year.

Oh boy, for the Polaroid fans, this is a god send.

Two American-made Polaroid SX-70 instant Land Cameras (circa 1970s) with original boxes
George Rose / Getty Images

After Polaroid, Keeping Instant Photography Alive – TIME.