Nikon D800
Im a little stoked!
Latest Posts
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Stunning Time Lapse from Space
I think its time to dust off the old dobsonian and get a few astro shots. This video has inspired me!
+ Read more…Friday Video(s) – Thinking Back…
A few years ago I worked on a student film called “The Interview.” This was a collaboration of a bunch of different talents. One of the biggest talents on the project was a videographer named Trent Palmer who makes some of the most mind-blowing short films. Here’s that video:
The interview
After watching this video, I started wondering what Trent was up to. With a quick visit to his Vimeo account I found out his videography has literally taken off using a Canon 5D attached to a R/C Helicopter. He is now the R/C Heli Pilot and head of an operation called Copter Kids. I am completely blown away with some of the work the copter kids have produced. There are some shots that would otherwise be impossible!
Here are a few of my favorite Copter Kids videos:Copter Kids Aerial Reel
Through the Skids
BMW 1M – Walls – MPowered Performance
Downtown Reno Night and Lake Tahoe
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Friday Video + Holi
Today I celebrated Holi and it was awesome! so naturally I wanted to find a video that showcased this amazing Indian festival of color.
This video literally made me cry…
Enjoy
+ Read more…The Kodak Digital Science DC260
April 1, 2012 | Posted By: traviswicks | The Blog |
The Kodak DC260
This is the Kodak Digital Science DC260, a 1.6 megapixel digital camera. When announced (May 19, 1998), this camera was propped up as a professional digital alternative to conventional film cameras of the day. The comen tag for this camera was: “The fastest way to give your business a polished, professional look—and increase your productivity and profits”.
Its fun to look back at the “olden” days when the words “(1) megapixel” and “Unbelievable Image Quality” were used in the same sentence. I guess it was a different time. I even bet that people were lusting over this camera; a camera in this new digital class was like a new toy with massive potential. To put it in modern terms, todays digital SLR cameras are reaching up to 36 megapixels with ISO ratings that make your camera see in the dark! But there is a new nerdy kid on the block called Lytro, and looks like this kid wants to change the way we take photos.
But, back to the DC260. When this camera was hitting the shelves in 1998 I think people wanted to know where this whole digital thing was going. The current competition of film and darkrooms was the industry standard for quality. In 98 the only alternative was only available if you wanted to blow $30,000. This could buy you a modified Nikon F3 from Kodak called the DCS-100 with a stunning 1.3 megapixels. It even came with a convenient external storage unit connected via cable. At this time the only “affordable” digital option for photographers was a camera like the DC260 with its few pro features.
If I was in the market for a new camera back in 98 I would have probably lusted over a camera just like this with unhealthy fascination. Looking at this camera today, it seems like a well made toy; but when you look thru the menu of this camera it features many things that were not available without a bag full of gadgetry in the film world of that day. A few features that stand out to me are:
1. Intervalometer called “Time-Lapse” I can’t even think of one film camera outside of video cameras that could even do this past a maximum of 36 exposures. Here is a small time lapse I shot while I was writing this post: Time Lapse (This needed to be resized 1.6 megapixels is massive in the video world, think low HD in todays standards) Please Enjoy!
Photo Taken with DC260 with off camera flash
2. Flash Sync. This is a must have feature for any pro. I can’t even imagine a pro camera not having this today.
3. A digital LCD, this might not seem like a feature, especially in todays “chimping” culture. But believe me this was a new thing back in 1998 giving the photographer the ability to check, focus, and expose out in the field. This was not even a feature on the 30,000 dollar DCS-100 and later models like the DCS-200 with internal memory. So this was huge! One year later this became a standard in pro digital photography with the new Nikon D1. But it was this prosumer toy and others like it that made this feature real.
Photo taken with Kodak DC260
4. Hundreds of exposures on one card with different ISO! Anyone that has ever used a film camera will agree that it is a pain to change the ISO on a film camera. Imagine you are shooting a wedding where the bride and groom are both moving form direct sunlight to indoors and back outside (this happened to me by the way), and the only two ways around this ISO headache are: Carry 2 or more cameras (Like people didn’t know who the photographer was before) or change the film. This sounds easy enough, but if you only used 12 exposures on a roll of 24 you will need to rewind, replace, and shoot. Then when you need to go back to the other exposure you will need to wind the film forward to exposure 13. Believe me after shooting 30 rolls in a day it becomes near impossible remembering which rolls had free space. This often led me to develop rolls with only 5 exposures, waisting tons of money (ISO 800 film 8-12 bucks + development 3 – 5 bucks total = one poor Travis).
The DC260 had a few other features that seem a little unnecessary. For example, it had an audio recorder to allow the user to attach audio notes to photographs. It also had an independent “Info” selection; which does nothing but show a Kodak copyright and firmware on the LCD. There is an overlay feature, but I can’t really understand what it’s trying to do.
Over all, this camera was originally listed for around $900 bucks in 98′ and I bought it for 3 bucks at a local university technology auction. With the few features it offers nothing compares to the experience of me being able to play with a neat peace of photographic history.
+ Read more…Kodak “Winds Of Change”
Writing another blog post I stumbled onto this firkin awesome video from Kodak.Please enjoy!
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50 And Counting
March 12, 2012 | Posted By: traviswicks | The Blog |So I am 50 days into my 365 project and I wanted to take this time to display and discuss a few of my favorites.
Day 3/365 – Lake Tahoe
Day 3 of 365 – Lake Tahoe
This photo was taken on the way home from work. This day was unique because of the new snow and it being so late in the season. I loved the color the setting sun was casting across Lake Tahoe! I had to stop and bag this photo.
Day 11/365 – Travis Wicks
Day 11 of 365 – Travis Wicks
This photo was a self portrait of myself. I just had a haircut and wanted to show it off. This photo features a new lighting style I was determined to master and as this photo shows, I did. I felt this portrait represented who I am so well that I decided to make it my new standard face on all social networks.
Day 31/365 – The Road Home
Day 31 of 365 – Travis Wicks
This Photo was taken on my way home from a ski trip from Mt. Bachelor, Oregon. This was one awesome trip including beer in Bend and amazing ski conditions on the mountain. Needless to say we were all a little sad to be going home.
Day 35/365 – Lorena in Red
Day 35 of 365 – Travis Wicks
This is a photo of my lovely girlfriend and willing lab rat. In this photo she is testing my new strobe. This was very much like a fashion shoot and was received as such on Facebook.
Day 40/365 – Abduction
Day 40 of 365 – Abduction
This was my favorite of all photographs taken in the last 50 days. And as it works out the most challenging. This photo required two sets of triggers. One remote in my right hand to activate the camera, one receiver to fire the shutter on the camera, one to fire both strobes, one receiving and firing the overhead strobe and finally one to receive and fire the strobe behind the subject (myself) in midair. Amazing what you can do with this fancy Tech!
And with a little post touch ups with Magic Bullet (a film industry top level product) voila! You have the photo you see here Dark, Cold, and Creepy!Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed the last 50 days as much as I have! I am looking forward to the remaining 315 photos… Oh $#@%, still 315 days to go! It seems more daunting when it’s written down!
+ Read more…New House Rules, A Portrait a Day will keep Travis Happy
Last night Lorena and I played host to two very awesome people: Joe & Brittany. We where smoking hooka and watching and enjoying each others conversation when for whatever reason we started talking about my studio downstairs. Before we knew it we where all downstairs shooting some pretty sick portraits.Afterwords I got to thinking and realized this is exactly what I should start doing with all our guests. So I decided I want to do something like Chase Jarvis Seattle 100 just on a smaller more personal level. I will be calling it The Everett House and this new personal project will be starting… yesterday. I am really excited to start moving on this.
+ Read more…Levitation, not just for Jesus and David Blaine
本日の浮遊 Photo From yowayowa camera
So I watched a video on youtube called “How to do Levitation Photography” the other day and I was a little inspired. This video was inspired by an artist called yowayowa camera. I thought this was a brilliant concept for a daily photo blog, and some of the images are amazing! If you have a chance, you should definitely click over to her site.
I decided I wanted to do my own version, but there was one problem I discovered right away. In yowayowa camera’s images she is very graceful, almost giving you a sense of true weightlessness. Anyone who knows me knows I am a lot of things, but grace has never been a word used with my name in the same sentence.
Abduction By: Travis Wicks
Being inspired and stoked to try something new I decided to give this little levitation trick a twist. Being a fan of the podcast Mysterious Universe I decided to abduct myself for my own 365 Photo Project. I called my levitation creation “Abducted” and featured it in my 365 Project. It was an awesome day project that needed very little post processing. Honestly my copy of Photo Shop still has it’s metaphorical dust on the icon. This was mostly done in-camera with 2 strobes and a bunch of triggers. You can even see the remote in my right hand.
I was excited to find such a fun genre in the world of photography, and now that I am aware of levitation photography I am seeing it in all kinds of places. One example is a photography magazine featuring user submitted photographs where I noticed at least two levitations sneaking in. I am looking forward to exploring this concept more.
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Fake a Pro Photographer
This was a fun video I found I youtube.
Think of it, making anyone a pro in just one week!
+ Read more…The Canon AE-1
March 1, 2012 | Posted By: traviswicks | The Blog |
My Canon AE-1 with 50mm f1.8 and 80-200mm f4
My first “real” camera and best teacher in Photography was the Canon AE-1. A true classic in photography, and in many circles, this camera is still sought after as an easy introduction to 35mm film photography.
I remember buying the AE-1 from a friend for about a hundred bucks it was a sweet package coming with a 50mm f1.8 and a 80-200mm f4. I was stoked. I was taking pictures of just about everything: my feet, my cat, the ceiling fan… and then I ran out of film. Luckily I was working at a Drug Store, and even luckier I received a discount on about everything including new film, developing, and prints.
Photo taken with Canon AE-1
It seemed perfect and I was on my way to becoming the hottest 16 year old photographer this world had ever seen! The only problem was my prints were… well… They Sucked. So I signed up for a photography class at my local school and it blew my mind. Ideas of composition and depth of field were filling my brain with possibilities! I would even shoot extra shots outside of class to impress the photo girl at my drugstore. It never worked out. But I was excited and this camera lead me to some pretty cool things. People started liking my photography! So much so I shot my first wedding with it. I had no idea what I was doing but neither did the wedding party, so it was all in fun and a nice check at the end. For a kid in my teens I was on top of the world. I even starting traveling with it, taking silver photos everyware I went.
Photo of Ross taken with the Canon AE-1
Eventually I started experimenting with dragging the shutter and creating star tales, light streaks and even ghosts in my photography. This little AE-1 opened the box on my photographic potential. and I truly feel that without it I would have never gone so deep down the photography rabbit hole.
This post is to salute my little Canon AE-1
Here is a fun commercial I found for the cannon AE-1 from 1989, please enjoy:
+ Read more…Flawed Symmetry of Prediction – Optical Illusion Painting and Time Lapse – YouTube
February 29, 2012 | Posted By: traviswicks | Fun Stuff |WOW this video is taking my two favorite things Symmetry and Time Lapse and smashing then together in my brain cave!
Flawed Symmetry of Prediction – Optical Illusion Painting and Time Lapse – YouTube.
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My camera is broke :(
February 28, 2012 | Posted By: traviswicks | The Blog |Yes, it’s true. My D7000 has a cracked bulb in the pop-up flash. Why did this happen? So, here is the skinny. I blame the 365 Project and its amazing ability to bring photographers out of their shell.
I have always treated my technology with the upmost care but the demands of 365 are shattering all my beliefs, concerns, and even cares. I used to wrap my camera in a towel and then place it in a padded bag. Then guard that bag like a new mother would her baby. Now it has no bag, no towel just a sling and if my lens is lucky it may have a lens cap. Why would I do this? How could this have happened? Like I said earlier I blame the 365 Project. I am out pushing myself every day to get that photo of the day, and this has made it impossible to have all the protection. Finding the room to put a towel and a bag was just ridiculous. I was astonished at how fast all my beliefs and protections melted away. Every day I am subjecting my camera to more and more punishment and I am growing more and more proud of this little machine. During this 365 Project I have had soda spilled on it, melted water dripped on it. it has dropped ,it has had me fall onto it. It has even been willing to put up with my horrendous composition. Even with all that; it has survived. Well until the last crash… It was icy and I was expressing a new level of carelessness dangling my camera out like it was a lanyard connected to a set of keys. I was hopping out of my car paying no mind to the pure ice on both sides of me, and that when it happened. I slipped, I fell, and my camera (D7000 with my 50mm 1.8) slammed into the ice at full brake neck speed.
I know. Tragic.
You would think I would have freaked out? You would have thought I would have coddled my poor sweet innocent camera. Well, I didn’t. I looked it over, not even turning it on and smirked. I think I even told all those concerned that, ”It’s okay. It’s built like a tool.” Only later did I realize something was wrong when I handed it off to my dad setting it to auto as I usually do. and watching as he tried to photograph a dark scene with no flash. I ran to my camera, and shaking it I noticed the shards of glass in the flash compartment. I thought that was it. I have gone too far. Its back to the bag with you. Its back to the towel.
And well that sadness has ended and I am back on the photographic horse as they say. I have even found a new sense of pride for my camera’s new situation. I have realized that I hated the pop up flash. I even came to realize that I would only use it as an emergency fill light anyway so why be sad? Why shed the tears?
So onward then. Rather then just forcing me to take many many more photos than I have ever dreamed of, the 365 Project is making me see my camera in a new light: less of a treasured position and more of a tool like a hammer. You are reading this thinking “a hammer? WTF?” but I say “yes, a hammer.” Speaking of this I have a fun video illustrating this metaphor put on by a man I am confident can replace all the Top Gear hosts (British Version).
Please Enjoy:
+ Read more…New Theme, New Face, New Twisted Window!
February 27, 2012 | Posted By: traviswicks | The Blog |This is the First post, I feel like I need to celebrate. sadly all I have is some red bull.
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