Avenger Type Weekend!!

I thought this weekend was going to be just like any other.
I would go to the midnight showing of The Avengers, write my review, and then maybe see it again.

I was way off.

I did go to the midnight showing, and you would think I would be super tired on Friday while I was at work. Instead I was filled with energy because I was able to convince my station to allow me to cover a charity event involving famed Marvel artist John Romina Jr.

JRJR, as he's known, decided to attempt to break the Guinness World Record for Most Sketching and Signings in 48 hours, which he set himself 10 years ago. This time he is going for 50 continuous hours. People can get him to do personal signings of their comics or get personal sketches all for a donation to the charity Heroes for Jordan.

I am a big fan of JRJR, so to meet him personally and interview him for the news was a great day for me. To my surprise, I also met his niece Jordan whom was also at the beginning of the event. She is the girl that encouraged JRJR to do something like this 50 hour non stop signing session in the first place. She was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of two. She is now 12, and has survived all the tremendous cancer treatment. Her ever continuing medical bills are insurmountable, and without the help of donations her family couldn't possibly pay for all them.

I was very happy to help them get some news coverage for their charity event. After meeting John, Jordan, and her family I felt connected to the event myself. I've been watching live on UStream the whole weekend. I also decided to go back to the event that was on the Las Vegas Strip to meet John again and maybe get some of my comics signed. I was surprised on how many of the people involved with the event instantly remembered me and how gracious they were to my efforts. They told me that many people told them that they saw my story about the event on television and that encouraged them to come to the event. I felt great. That is exactly what journalism is about. Connecting people.

I was always intending to donate to the charity, maybe get a few of my comics signed. I was very overwhelmed what did happen.

John signed my Amazing Spider-Man issue 600

He signed and personalized an amazing poster of his art.



He did a personal sketch of the Hobgoblin



I was interviewed live on the UStream about why I wanted to help the cause Heroes For Jordan, while I waited for the sketch. (time filler)

I also bumped into a some more volunteers of event at a local comic book store. I was covering Free Comic Book Day, which is somewhat tied together with the JRJR event. They were happy to see me, and I was given a small token of appreciation for my efforts.

JRJR signed Uncanny X-Men issue 300



All of these signings and sketches are worth just a few dollars, but to me they are priceless.

Before I was a fan of John Romita Jr. the artist. Now I am a fan of John Romita Jr. the man.



He is very humble. He is not wrapped up in his celebrity. In this era of mega blockbusting comic book movies he uses his celebrity to promote generosity. He is still going strong. He will continue until 2 pm PST today. You can check it out here, if you'd like.

I donated to Heroes for Jordan and if you would like to donate also, I positive that Comic Oasis will have some items for sale from JRJR's record breaking event.

A Day, A Photo: 365 2011 Completed

I've completed my photo a day project, and I can barely believe that I actually did it. It started out strong. I wanted to work on improving some of my skills as a still photographer. I wanted to try new out new techniques. Somewhere along the way, I just wanted to finish the damn project.

As the project is now over, it is time to look back at what I have accomplished. I must have shot over thousands of photos this year. Posting 366. (more on that later) Now I am going to take you on a journey throughout the year, through each month. Discussing what I was thinking as the year passed along. Let's begin.

January

I started this project as a suggestion from a friend to help me build on my ever growing photography skills. I had dreams of practicing depth of field, portraits, lighting, colors, time value, yada, yada, yada. In January, you can see how I much I really tried to accomplished this.





February 

I soon discovered that coming up with ideas for photographs was a lot harder than first thought, and it was only month two. I also had a problem with my work schedule. I was on the nightside shift, not giving me a lot of time with daylight. So I tried my best to take advantage of nighttime photography





March

I think I really found my stride in March. I was cruising along with low light photos, and Las Vegas provides a lot of neon lighted opportunities. Also I started to attempting a simple photography trick, levitation. The trick is in deed very simple, but lighting needs to be nearly perfect for it to work.





April

As Spring approached, I was able to take advantage of the increasing daylight. Hence I also was participating in more outdoor (non work related) events, including to a trip to Atlanta, Georgia.





May

I had a lot of great ideas to do still life or product shots this month. Most days it didn't work out so I had to scramble to make the photo a day deadline. This month had a lot of of days devoted to the Sahara Hotel Casino closing.





June

I think as June came along, I was struggling to find anything interesting to photograph. Pretty much all of these photos are just something I saw that day. It is a good thing I own cats. You may have noticed there are a few cat photos throughout the year.





July

Summer arrived so one would think there would be tons of photos ideas. Not here. The first part of the month was rough. I tried to capture lightning, and fireworks with poor execution. In the middle of the month, I started looking for light art opportunities, and I was looking forward to a vacation back home. There would definitely be photos to take in Montana.





August

Montana was spectacular! No problems finding photographs for that week. It was harder to decide which one would make the cut. I also wanted to document the extreme heat Las Vegans had to experience.







September

I think a got a second wind after I purchased my new Mac Book Pro this month. I started to really work on textures and lighting.



October

This month seemed to flyby. Good photos were everywhere I went. Monsoon season provided great weather with flooding, clouds and lighting. Then there was football games, flag football season, fighter jets, holidays.... it was a plethora of photography.





November

Even though there are some good photos in this month, I think I was getting to the point were I just wanted this project to be finished. I believe there was a lot of "fauxtography" within this month.



December

I got one final burst of endurance as I saw the finish line ahead. I was excited for the holiday season because I could rely on holiday photos being great ideas. As the final week approached, it got increasing more clear that I would finish this project. Shooting those last few photos was very easy.





Conclusion

I am glad I attempted this project. I am definitely proud of myself that I actually completed it. There are so many things that I will start and despite my best efforts I never finish them.

Friends suggested that I continue going, but I remember the mid year frustration and I think I will take a year off. Maybe I will make another attempt in 2013. If you want to check out all the photos from 2011 go to my Flickr site.

I would like to thank all my cats for always being there when I needed a photo idea. Maybe I will start a Cat Photo of the Day website. I am now more obsessed with taking my camera everywhere I go, that is for sure. I may not take a photo every day, but at least I will be ready.

Oh yeah... I almost forgot. I have a total of 366 photos for 365 days in the past year. Way back in January, I had an idea that for special events throughout the year I would occasionally post more than one photo a day. I did it only one time. Ooops!

Happy 2012!!!!

Went to the Moon!!

A few days ago I was lucky enough to meet three NASA astronauts whom all went to the Moon.


Now a lot of people forget that NASA sent multiple missions to the Moon. Skeptics like to spin conspiracy theories concerning the first Moon landing, suggesting that historic moment never happen and was in fact faked. So let's just give them a inch on that and look at it as there was a conspiracy. If the first Moon landing was faked then all the other Moon landings/walks would also be faked. That would also mean that not only were the first crew, but all the crews that went to the Moon are in on the conspiracy. That is hundreds of people involved in these NASA programs over the course of two decades. After meeting three official NASA astronauts, now in their elderly years, I find that very hard to believe.

These three men had amazing detailed stories about their experiences going to the Moon. Their stories were not scripted. They came from emotional memories. Not only did these men have stories about their Moon missions; they also talked about how the Space Program paved the way of our modern day life. Everyday we neglect to recognize all the products that NASA created for the space voyages that we use commonly today. The Astronauts told how velcro was invented to hold objects in place while in zero gravity. Would we have cellphones if there wasn't a need to stay in contact with a spacecraft that was landing on the Moon? Scratch proof plastic was used for astronauts helmets, and we use it for eyeglasses. Each smartphone in a person pocket has more computing power than the first spacecraft. Would laptops, smartphones, or tablets even exist without the need for spacecrafts to jam electronics in the smallest area possible?

Think what you wish about the Moon landings. Is it is conspiracy? I don't believe so. There are too many loose ends to tighten up to make the conspiracy real. The three astronauts I meet would not be doing appearances decades later. Surely someone would slip up by now. Regardless, the stories and documentation these astronauts had was spectacular, and I bet you wished you had the same opportunity I had.

Sorry, you didn't!

PJ20 Kicks and More..

I finally ordered my new pair of PJ20 Vans.



I really like the Flannel sides. Takes me back to the 90's when I used to run home from Catholic High School to throw on my worn out flannel shirts...even on the hottest of days.

 I can't wait for the PJ20 Blu ray to be delivered. No viewing in LV! Hopefully Pearl Jam goes on tour in the U.S. within the next year, so I can wear them to the concerts.

I also started to workout hardcore for the first time in my life. So naturally I had to purchase some BEEFCAKE!!



I am totally getting yoked!!

So go check out some more of my pics on Flickr

I would write more, but I'm in the middle of trying to figure out how Google Music Beta works. So I am leaving you with....BEEFCAKE!!!

I Hate the Heat!!

This week has been awful! The temperature has risen well over 100 degrees all week long. One day it reached up to 115 degrees! I didn't want to go outside let alone shoot any photographs.  Sure I could have taken the easy way out and stayed inside, taking photos of A/C units of something stupid like that.

Nah! I wanted to do something related to the heat and the sun. I wanted to you to feel my pain. Only problem is that it is damn hard to photograph heat. So here are my photos of HEAT WEEK!!! (catchphrase pending)









Also go check out more of my photos posted on my Flickr site. There are a lot of great Yellowstone photos to view!!

Yellowstone Trip and Such

Man, I posted my photos were up pretty much everywhere else, and almost forgot about posting right here. I know, I know...you say I ALWAYS forget, but I am going to really try and change that very soon.

In the mean time check out a few photos from my trip to Montana and Yellowstone right now. To see more click on a post and browse around, or go here

It's been too long

I know I haven't posted anything in a long time. I can't help it that I am always busy. The one thing I have been keeping up with is my photo a day project. I haven't missed a day this entire year....so far. I may have not been posting the pictures here, but I have been posting them all on my Flickr site.

Here is a recent addition.



So as you look through all my photos in the following days, you may notice that the posting are not being updated. I assure you that I will not be missing any of these dates. I am just on vacation and I should have plenty of photos to share once I return.

Check back in after August 8th to see some exciting new Photos a Days!!