Matt Ferrell

Scout website

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:30:43 GMT

In my nephews scout troop, their webmaster doesn't update the site much/when they need it updated.

Their website now:
http://www.pack424.net
(notice their "upcoming activities" still lists February stuff. February was almost half a year ago now!)

So they asked me to take the site over.

I threw this together quickly today:
http://mattferrell.fileave.com/scouts/

The links/navigation don't work yet.
I only made that one page for now just to get a layout going.

I'm not getting paid to do this, so I didn't work too hard on it. But I wanted to make it clean looking, simple.. but nice looking also.

On their events page, I'll upload some of my photos from events (like the 4th of July ones I took, and some from pinewood derby races I took, etc.).. so it'll be promoting my photography also! heheh (on that main page, the top two photos on the left are my shots).

Glowing light bulb..

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:33:52 GMT

Unscrewed light bulb.. still glows.

Scrabble 3D. Whatever word you spell, appears on the board!

There's that saying that many of us have heard before:
"The grass is always greener on the other side (of the fence)".

My play on it:
The light is always brighter on the other side (of the mirror).

Front page of paper. Images!

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 01:19:52 GMT

The local newspaper liked my photos of the 4th of July festival and fireworks (that I posted here).

So much so, that they put them in the newspaper.
On the FRONT PAGE of the newspaper!

Yay! ^_^

Some shots I took of it:
Front page. My shots are the middle photo and the bottom-left photo.

Near the bottom-center they give credit:

Yay! =D

Ian Curtis' gravestone stolen

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:58:01 GMT

July 3rd, 2008
Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis' gravestone stolen

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25513266/

I made the front page!

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:20:19 GMT

160 megapixel

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:45:02 GMT

160 megapixel digital camera

http://uk.gizmodo.com/2008/01/19/the_160mp_digital_camera_its_a.html

Sunday with Austin. Playground and Pool

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:37:56 GMT

On Sunday, Austin put on her dress and we went roaming the apartment complex for some photo taking.

The lighting wasn't the greatest. So I had two options at the time.
1.) Use the built in flash on the camera (which I hate doing unless I'm using fill flash).

2.) Or raise my ISO some, open my aperture some, and try to get the best lighting I could with the fastest shutter speed I could (so everything wouldn't be too blurry).

Usually roaming the apartment taking photos, the lighting isn't a problem. Since the scenes are stationary, I can leave the shutter open to grab as much light as needed [like I did for shots in this recent post]. But since Austin was in these shots, I had movement. So leaving the shutter open too long wasn't a good option.

So alot of the shots either had that icky built in flash look, or were too dark, or Austin was blurry from the shutter speed. So it was tricky.

Some shots did come out okay though.
We plan to do another shoot with her in this dress.
But in an area with better lighting next time.

Anyway, here's some of the shots that came out decent!

First we headed to the playground.

On the bench

Behind the bars

I used a flashlight to illuminate the ground around her feet.

On the playground gym

Yay Target!

Having fun on the bobble horse thing. =D

Then, she decided to get into the pool. While wearing her dress. =D

I like this one. =D

And I will post this one just for fun.
It's blurry. but in an errie way, it's cool.
What if you were swimming in a pool alone at night and you
turned around and saw this staring at you! =P

The End.

Revamped my photography page..

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 04:34:18 GMT

When I created my photography MySpace page, I never did much layout wise. I just uploaded content (photos). So it had the same old boring MySpace layout all this time.

But yesterday/today I decided to totally revamp it from scratch.
http://www.myspace.com/mferrellphoto

I'm still working on it alot. But for now, that's what I've done over the last few hours. Lemme know how it looks. And if you have a MySpace, and you haven't yet, add me if ya want! =)

All content there (photos, graphics, etc) are original works by me.

Austin vs the train

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:52:50 GMT

Austin stands in front of oncoming trains for photo oppertunities. =D

Larger version:
http://i29.tinypic.com/e187k8.jpg

July 4th. Fireworks.

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 18:19:56 GMT

After resting, we returned to Moosehaven on the river for fireworks.
(Photos of the days events can be seen here).

Animation made from photos I took:

They brought out a barge onto the river where they would shoot fireworks from.

Event crowd

Getting darker..

And darker..

Yay!

July 4th Festival

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:05:50 GMT

On July 4th, I headed to the Moosehaven Community in Orange Park, FL on the St. Johns River for their 9th annual "American Pie 4th of July" celebration.
These are shots of the days festivities.
For night / firework photos, see here.

Before everything got really busy. A person relaxing on the river.

The festival had rides.

Whee!

The kids enjoyed the clowns and bubbles.

People retained a spot early on for the fireworks later that night.

The Moosehaven water tower.

Live bands played throughout the day.

Different kinds of food spread all around.

It was HOT (I got a bad sunburn).
So anywhere there were large trees, people were set up under them.

People along the road, waiting for the parade to start.

Lady walking around selling July 4th things.

Then, the parade!

A good deal of the parade was people running for elections.

It made for good photos ops though,
as they shook peoples hands or threw candy out of their cars. =)

Firetruck

Lil kid dressed up in parade

Train full of kids.

After parade crowd.

Fun!
You can view all 80 of my photos on jacksonville . com at:
http://photos.jacksonville.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=550861

Out my window..

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 03:44:50 GMT

Night falls after a hard rain most of the day..

Larger version

Nikon D80.
Tamron 28-80mm Lens + wide angle attachment.

The worlds first digital camera

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:37:28 GMT

Kodak Prototype CCD Digital Camera - 1975
CLICK HERE for another image of it

A Kodak engineer, Steve J. Sasson, holds a camera he constructed, the world's first known still image digital camera. The camera used the newly developed Fairchild black and white 100 X 100 pixel (.01 megapixel) CCD as an image sensor and required 23 seconds to record a single image onto digital cassette tape. The camera weighed 8 1/2 pounds.

Then and now.

Midnight apartment complex roaming...

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:18:34 GMT

Last night,
bored in the middle of the night,
I decided to roam the apartment complex here taking photos.

Apartments

Moon over apartments

This was my first time in this area.
Driving past, I always thought this was a tennis court. Opps!

Gazebo. With the basketball court in the background.

There was another (non-fenced) basketball area nearby as well..

Another view of gazebo

Walkway

Then the sprinklers came on!

Caused water to go everywhere..

Handicapped sign + moon

The pool

5 foot 3. With the moon reflecting in the water..

Still at pool. One of the covered tables.

Heading back to my apartment, came across this dump truck.

Walkway

Stop sign

The End. =)

Photos from hanging out at the pool

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 02:16:07 GMT

Kitty

At the Pool

Armadillo

Wayne

More fun with Mr Happy

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 18:21:03 GMT

If you don't know who Mr Happy is, see here.

More fun last night. =P

Hi

Hi + me

Tada.

Oh no! Not again!

I can shoot lightning outta my bum!!

I can even spell with it!

Look out kitty!!

Lot o me.

Hi on carpet

Whee

Attempting to hold the dot of the "i" in my hands.

[No PhotoShopping or editing was done to these photos. Just good old fashioned photo taking with light sources.]

Mr Happy!!

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 02:14:49 GMT

I did it!
I finally got him on photo!

Sometimes at night.. a friend of mine, Mr. Bright and Happy (I call him Mr. Happy for short) comes and visits me. I've tried taking photos of him before, but he always dims out before I can get him! He doesn't like his photo being taken..

But tonight I was QUICK. And I got him on camera!

See everyone! He does exist!
Meet Mr Happy!

He realized I was taking a photo, but it was too late. I already got him. You can even see in the photo his smile turning into a frown as he realized I was too quick for him this time.

But then things got ugly.
And Mr Happy attacked!

He swirled all around me, faster and faster, lighting up the room with anger!

He demanded I delete the photo.
The photo I've been trying for so long to get!

I told him NEVER!
He just kept going faster and faster around me.
The light coming from him was getting hotter and hotter!
And brighter and brighter that it was blinding me.
And he kept demanding that I delete the photo.

It was then that I told him if he didn't stop,
I was going to invite my other friend Mr. Black Hole over.

He stopped the second he heard the other friends name.
Hooray for being friends with Mr. Black Hole!

I told him I was going to post the photos. And if he didn't like it, he could talk to Mr. Black about it.

He finally agreed to let me post them. But he wasn't happy about it.

=)

[Note: No, I'm not insane or have mental problems. I was just bored and like making weird stories to go along with weird photo ideas. =P ]

No PhotoShopping or editing was done to these photos. Just good old fashioned photo taking with light sources.

Perspective

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 23:21:42 GMT

I didn't take these (except the last couple ones).
Just thought it was neat.
I found them off public photo locations on the web.
They're from the Burning Man event.

At first glance, it doesn't look very odd. Just blocks lined up to spell something.

But look more. Some blocks are only inches tall, while others are 8 feet tall.

Look at the shadows on the ground. The "E" in the center is the closest one. And that block is only a few inches tall.

Behind that, the "C" next to it is positioned further back, then the "P", etc. The ones furthest back is the blue "R" and "I". Those are actually 8 feet tall.

The red "V":

Another view of it all from a different angle:

When viewing it from the right angle, it looks like it's all lined up, even though they're all spaced wayyy apart, and are different sizes.

Just as these people positioned the blocks to make an interesting perspective when viewed at the right angle.. In photography, always look for interesting angles to bend the viewers perspective to make the image that much more intriguing instead of the normal "straight on" snap shots load of people can take. Get down low. Get up high. Get close. Get further away. Position backgrounds to give something interesting when blended with the foreground, etc.

Basically, get creative! =D

Some photos of mine:

Huge monument, from below:

This angel was actually only a few inches tall. getting down low and positioning it with the larger monument in the background bends the viewers perspective though:

Learn to care ("I could care less")

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 19:10:34 GMT

Are you one of those people who likes saying the phrase "I could care less!" ?

You probably do this because you've heard it somewhere before.. and took to saying it. It sounds good, and gets your point across (usually that you don't care at all), right?

Some people say things without actually thinking about what it is they're saying. And this is a good example. You say "I could care less" without actually thinking about what it is you're saying. It just sounds good and gets a point across (so you think), so you say it.

But let's think about it.

If you *could* care less, that means you DO care to some degree. So basically you're saying you care enough to be able to care less then you do now. Which is totally the opposite from saying you don't care at all, Which is what you're really trying to convey.
Opps! Saying before actually thinking = FAIL.

Saying you *couldn't* care less is the correct way of handling this. If you couldn't care less, that means you're at the VERY bottom of caring. There's no way you could care less if you tried. Which is what you are trying to convey.

So, "I could care less" = WRONG. Yet so many people still use it thinking they're being smart with their quick comeback to something.

"I couldn't care less" = Correct.

If you're going to throw your non caring opinions at someone, at least get your dialogue correct.

Moon

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 05:53:40 GMT

Larger version:
http://i31.tinypic.com/2jacnjr.jpg

Nikon D80
70-300mm lens (shot @ 270mm)

Nephew playing Racquetball + Pool

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:36:17 GMT

Last night we took my Nephew to play Racquetball.
It was his 2nd time playing it. Or something like that.
We also took his friend.
While they played, I took photos.
Then we headed to the pool.

Nephew jumping to hit the ball while his friend waits in the background.

Nephew, in mid air:

His friend:

I think he hit the ball, and it was coming right toward me.
I was in the racquetball area WITH them. Probably not the best idea!
Luckly I didn't get hit. But it came close a few times. Like this one.

Ball bouncing in mid air. Nephew thinking this is golf. =P

Nephew in the air again, while the ball comes flying toward him. Will he get it?

Too high.

Hey, no hands!

Nephew thinks this is baseball now. =)

He better hit it! Or else it may be coming right toward me..

Hey, it's *bounce-hit*. Not *bounce-catch*!

Yay. Looks like he hit it.

Again! Maybe hes getting better.

And again!

Maybeeee

Incoming

Hey wait. That's not how you play..

Did he give up? hehe

Another catch

I think he hit it? Otherwise it may be about to hit him in the head!

Looks like he's telling his friend "Yeah, I'm going to kick your butt! Bring it!" hehe

And then doing a weird dance

And then. Frogs.
At the pool. =P

More frogs!

Wayne about to splash me! While he has a leaf stuck to his forehead. =)

Nephew

Nephew using my Snorkel.

The End. =D

My kitty says Hello

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:38:41 GMT

Nephew and my trip to Target..

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:18:50 GMT

Today, Nephew and I went to Target for groceries.
Lunch, snacks, breakfast stuff, etc.
We walked. Since sister is at work with the car.

The trip there was easy. Since I can see the back of the Target wall from my apartment window. We just jumped the apartment fence and we were there. No problem.

So we got there.
And filled up a cart with stuff.
Then..
Pushed the cart back to the apartments.
We couldn't take a cart full of stuff over the fence, so we were going to walk the long way to get home. And it's hottttt outside! Ick. So that sucked enough already.

There was a pathway behind some buildings. I've walked it before. So I thought it'd be a shortcut. And I thought it was pavemented. Like a sidewalk. So I thought it'd be easier to push a cart down there then trying to go down the busy main road to get back (which doesn't have a sidewalk). So I'd be pushing the cart along the road in the grass/dirt.

So I thought this "shortcut" would be easier.

I was wrong.
It wasn't pavemented. And it was right by a ditch. so it leaned.
See, here's a photo I took of it, from one of Austin and my past adventures there:

So, I remembered wrong. It wasn't fully pavemented. Opps!

I was already there though, so I just decided to go for it.
That was crazy. Wish I had my camera. Nephew and I pushing a cart full of groceries down this "alleyway" behind some buildings.. trying not to tip it over into the ditch. Pushing it across the dirt and tree roots and boards and switching from dirt/grass to pavement then back to grass again. Getting stuck in the dirt. While maneuvering our way under under AC units, etc.. (see photo)
hah

Sucked!
Next time ima wait and take a car. =P

Austin and my 1 year in St. Augustine!

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:03:25 GMT

This past weekend Austin and I went to St Augustine, Florida to celebrate our 1 year. We've been together a year already! And St. Augustine was fitting since that's where we were a year ago when we first got together. We roamed the same streets we did exactly a year ago, and sat by the fort in exactly the same spots we did at the same time exactly a year before. =D

(you can see my post & photos I made a year ago here)

SATURDAY
Anyway, we left for St. Augustine Saturday afternoon/evening. We arrived around 6:30-7pm.

We were hungry, so we grabbed the phone book to look up delivery places:

We decided on Chinese

8:03pm.
After we ate. The sun was slowly going down.

8:07pm
We didn't plan on going anywhere that night.
So we just hung out around the hotel.
We went outside to view our surroundings.

8:12pm.
Then headed back to our room.

Happy Austin

8:28pm
View from hotel window. Sun setting.

8:39pm
Being weird

Me taking photos. And Austin on phone

9:30pm
Austin was really into the TV show

9:53pm
Moooooon

Yum!

11pm.
Austin

Austins eyes

My eyes

11:30pm
Then there was a knock at the door.
I said Who is it?
No Answer.
"Who is it??"
Still no answer.
So I went to check, looking out the peephole.
No one there

AHH! Austin! How'd you get out there!

Midnight.
We decided to roam the hotel.

The pool area

Ima ghost!

No one gets into the hotel without a key card!

Heading back to our room on the 3rd floor, we decided to take the stairs.
They were dark. And looks like they didn't get used much.

Coffee!

Drip..

Then, sleep.

SUNDAY

8:30am
We went to get some ice from the ice machine.

We used our ice bucket as a cooler.
But eventually just dumped the ice into the bathroom sink and put our drinks in it, using it as a cooler instead. =D

Then we roamed around some more.
Elevators are for losers. Back to the stairway!

10am
It was like 95ºF outside though!
So we decided to spend most of the day just hanging out in the nice cool hotel room.
Austin:

We had Peanuts!

Austin

Yum

I has my phone

5:22pm
We decided to head out, hoping the heat wouldn't be as bad.
We stopped in the dining area of the hotel for some tea and stuff.

Then off we went!
We came across one of these hotel luggage carrying things in the parking lot.

We were going to ride one of these that night, until we found out it cost $85!

Old City Gate

Tree. As a bird flies over it

I didn't do it!

We found parking, finally, and found a restaurant to eat at.
Afterward, we headed back to the hotel.
Ripley's museum, which we went to the next day.

7:11pm
Back at hotel.
Squirrel!

9:22pm
We headed out again, planning on taking the horse carriage rides. Until we found out the price. So we just roamed around instead

Sitting by the fort as cars pass by

Moon

Austin

Sitting by the fort. In the same spot we sat at exactly a year ago.

Under the stars

10:42pm
We headed back to the hotel
Of course, taking the stairs. =D
Austin danced up them

Then we rested.

MONDAY

10:29am
We headed out for a day of roaming around.
That's our hotel room, the top one.

We went to IHOP for some breakfast, then headed to Ripley's museum

Inside the museum
Jesus! He was drawn on the top of a pin. Or piece of rice. Or something small. I took this looking through the magnifier.

Yay Ripleys

Shrunken Head

Iron Maiden

Mask

Mummified Hand

Creepy

Man. Made out of 1 million dollars

Buddha

Skinny!

Dog with human teeth

Lighthouse man

Snake in nose, out through mouth

Austin and a bear. That was wearing pants. And sitting in a chair.

Farris Wheel and cool ceiling

I wanna live here!

Sculpture

Eep!

Torture area

Austin on stairs.
The Ripley's building used to be an old hotel. Just above where we were on these stairs, a fire broke out in the 1940's, killing 2 people (I have burnt wood from that fire).

Little carved elephants, Can you see them?

Closer

Austin in the spinning walkway

It really did open.

Austin in another the spinning walkway. It made me dizzy! hehe. The outter part spins all around you while you walk down it.

At one part of the museum, there's a mirror where it tell you to try and roll your tongue. People do it. But on the other side of that mirror, people can see you! (you don't find this out till later when you get to that area). I took this while this person was trying without knowing we were on the other side watching her. =D

Fountain, where the water keeps flowing.. but from where?

Then we headed to the Fountain of Youth

It's pretty back there!

There were like 20 or 30-something peacocks roaming freely all around the area

2 huge story globe that tells the story of Ponce de Leon's journey to St Augustine.

White peacock. I think this is the same one I took a photo of like 4-5 years ago!

See, I took this 4-5 years ago:

They uncovered a burial ground here.

Emu!

Trying to recreate a photo I took from this location 4-5 years ago.

See, the photo I took 4-5 years ago from that same spot:

Austin, ready to fire the cannon

Peacock

Then, we headed out. And back home.
We didn't want to leave though! =(
Fun weekend!

Happy 1 year Austin!

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:54:04 GMT

Austin and my 1 year is this Sunday.
We've been together a year already!

We are going to be staying in St. Augustine all weekend.

I made this for her. I know we still have till Sunday,
but since we won't be near a computer all weekend, I will post it now.

Happy 1 Year Austin!
I love you. =D