10 posts tagged “aka vasquez”
Been planning to upgrade my digital compact for a while. Mosh bought me the little Pentax Optio SV about four years ago and it's been brilliant but technology has moved on and, most importantly, so have shutter speeds.
My only real gripes about the SV were the terrible shutter lag which made taking shots of moving objects very tricky if nigh on impossible and the small viewing screen which made it difficult to see the picture, particularly in bright weather.
Anyway Mosh hinted that he might get me a new one for my birthday which would be just in time for our holiday. As I'm familiar with the Pentax and have all the batteries and memory cards that go with it, it made sense to get another, so now I have a shiny new Optio A40.
Haven't really had a chance to play with it much yet as it's only a few days old but I am already impressed with the improvement in the shutter speed and have discovered one or two new little functions that the old model didn't have for example the soft flash:
With full-on flash (left) and soft flash (right) which I think gives the subject a more natural look.
The A40 also has a staggering 12 mega pixel capacity which is way more than I need but nice to have for those one off detailed shots. I remember when Mosh got me the older model which is 5 MP and he said then that was way more than I needed. Technology doesn't half move fast.
So we are off to Greece at the crack of sparrow tomorrow. All the guide books say how photogenic Greece is so I'm hoping to put my new toy through it's paces and you never know I may actually have learnt how to use one or two more functions on it by the end of the fortnight (or Mosh will have worked them out for me, hopefully)
Show us something you own that is from a different country.
Submitted by Rev Stan.
These are my beautiful Apsara from Siem Reap in Cambodia. They are celestial dancers from the Hindu story about the churning of the sea of milk. I fell in love with them while visiting a school that teaches children from very poor, rural backgrounds traditional crafts so they can earn a living. The depict such elegant energy.
I resisted their charms but never forgot them. Luckily neither did Mosh and he bought me them for my birthday and had them shipped over.
Several voxers have already posted about the work of artist Antony Gormley including AKA Vasquez so I apologise for arriving unfashionably late at the party.
These sculptures are decorating the roof tops and pavements around the South Bank as part of his Blind Light exhibition. Supposedly based on his own body, they have become such a feature of my journey to work that I have grown quite fond of them.
Some observers are obviously more moved than others by this art, choosing to respond in their own unique way. For example, it is not unusual to see parts of the sculpture, and you don't need to guess which parts, spray painted or words such as 'cock' written across the torso. Then there is the dressing up and the condom tied on with ribbon. None lasts more than a day leaving the sculptures a 'blank canvas' once again.
I wonder what Gormley's reaction would be?
The exhibition is only on for another couple of weeks and it will be a sad day when the sculptures are taken down. Perhaps I should start a campaign similar to the one initiated at Crosby Sands.
The train I caught up to Manchester last week was all decked out to promote the Manchester International Festival and in particular Monkey: Journey to the West which I'd read about on AKA Vasquez's other blog:
Naturally, I am looking forward to his review but in the meantime this is what one reviewer thought of Monkey: Journey to the West which I believe premiered last night.
I should probably have done this as an answer to AKA Vasquez's Vox Hunt earlier in the week because everyone I
But I am glad at least that The Verve are reforming. For the second time.
I love the whole slightly miserable, north-west England sound that is also so distinctly British. I don't know how successful they were outside Britain but I can't imagine their songs being played and appreciated anywhere other than here. But then the Arctic Monkey's seem to be enjoying some success in America so maybe I'm being unfair.
I hope they stay together long enough to get a new album out but with their history and Richard Ashcroft's ego it's unlikely to be a long and illustrious recording career together.
Here are a couple of tracks and I've purposefully avoided Bitter Sweet Symphony, even though it is an excellent song.
I've submitted suggestion after top suggestion for months only to have the daily disappointment of it not appearing. To add insult to injury I've had versions of MY questions ripped off and used. I have annoyed friends, neighbours and family with moaning about it and abused the good name of Vox but now that is all in the past.
Today it is my QOTD.
Please, dear neighbours, go answer it. Now!
PS Nadia, AKA Vasquez and Adam - I'll shut up now.
Bit behind the rest of the world but following glowing recommendations by several people including Nadia and AKA Vasquez I bought the first series of Six Feet Under on DVD. Three episodes in and it's certainly living up to expectations. Particularly enjoyed the spoof ads for embalming products in the pilot.
But what I can't get out of my head is how much Peter Krause, who plays Nate Fisher, looks like American Idol presenter Ryan Seacrest. And yet I kind of fancy Peter Krause a bit but don't feel the same about Ryan Seacrest.
It's nearly 15 years since I graduated - if I say it fast it doesn't seem like so long. I've been back to Liverpool but haven't had a chance to have a proper look around in recent years and the city is changing fast.
I'm writing a piece on Liverpool so it was the perfect excuse to explore and AKA Vasquez, who knows the city well, obliged taking Nadia and I on a great tour, despite his feeling a little 'self-induced' worse for wear.
There are some fabulous iconic old buildings such as the Liver Building, one of the so called three graces on the waterfront which stand as testament to the city's affluent past.
Now it seems like the city is having its time again with developers scrambling to build the next generation of iconic buildings. In fact much of the city centre feels like a building site which I'm not sure is the most sensible strategy but it does mean older buildings are being given a new
It also means the appearance of some interesting new architecture. The
Unfortunately as our tour came to an end and we were enjoying a much needed cuppa and sit down, time ran away with us. And, for the
The hour long wait for the next train was sweetened though by the fact that Nadia and I managed to talk the Virgin train staff into stamping our ticket so it was valid for the next train, thus saving ourselves the cost of a brand new ticket (£60) and
More pics at Flickr
It's late. Very late and I'm in a hotel in Liverpool staying over night for work. It's a very nice hotel as we managed to negotiate a deal that would get approved by the expenses police. I didn't intend to be in bed this late but the bar was really nice, dark, comfy sofa, good conversation and music that wasn't in your face. Ended up having a champagne cocktail which was v. expensive but hey I don't do it that often.
Liverpool is a city close to my heart because I came here to University. But it has changed so much since then I don't feel like I know it. AKA Vasquez is going to do a grand tour tomorrow morning and I plan, weather permitting, to take some photos to post...
