1.28.2009
somuchtosay:
Hey boo. I am at my new job right now. Cant type much but I read all of your previous posts as to which I was bad to not read sooner. I was cruising w/ Hanson for 6days and then I have no internet but as soon as I get a chance I will respond. I have a lot 2 tell u.(obviously). will write soon. =)
1.14.2009
b&h photo : diamond importer?
What's up chica.
Nothing ever goes as planned, eh? As i wrote before, i was planning on purchasing my camera from b&h last friday (aka payday), but then a couple things happened and goddamnit.
So. Friday. I'm on bhphoto.com, my camera is in stock, and i have the money in the bank. But i'm impatient. I WANT MY CAMERA LIKE NOW! So i have the bright idea of printing out the webpage and driving over to our local camera dude. I'll walk in, the camera will be in stock, then i'll demand that he meets b&h's prices. A perfect no-waiting plan.
I make the 6-minute drive and park. Then i remember that i'm not a complete asshole and fold the printed webpage and slip it into my purse. I figure I'll go in, see if he even has it, feel him out, then spring the Gimme-A-Deal print-out on him. Definitely didn't happen that way.
"local camera dude" is a man named Richard who owns Monterey Bay Photo Mart.
He owns and operates his store, and his is definitely the face you are going to see no matter what day you shop there. He and his store are basically the opposite of b&h. He's small, he's local, he'll be there in-person to help me out should I need it. I have a soft spot for that kind of shit, what with my Environmental-Studies-UCSC-Farmer's-Market-Fair-Trade-Buy-Local background.
Whatever. So I ended up ordering it through his store Monday evening. Maybe I'll have it in my hands this friday...
The interesting part of all this is what Richard told me about b&h. They are setting price standards within the resale industry by selling equipment so cheaply. As with any reseller, b&h buys the epuipment from the manufacturer and then resells it to the consumer. The common business plan is to resell it for a profit, but not so with b&h. According to Richard, they actually sell the equipment for less than they buy it. Makes no sense, right?
Richard knows the owner of another camera shop who matched b&h's prices for an entire year. They lost $50,000 because of it, showing that b&h does lose money on their camera business.
As he is telling me this, I am just totally confused. Then he says, "Well b&h has other sources of income." So I ask him what that could be, and he says "Well, they're the second largest diamond importer in the united states."
HUH?!
All of this of course is what I heard from Richard, but he said that b&h uses their photo/video/audio customers as "the bank" because using the real bank costs $. They undersell their cameras, losing, say $100 on a sale, then they place the money from your purchase into their diamond business. There, they turn a 400% profit overnight.
Good for them of course...
But why? Fuck, if you're in the camera business, why do you need to be in the diamond business, too?
Money.
Duh.
I just carry this feeble hope that maybe people would have moral standards to not ruin one industry (local camera shops) simply to make money through another, completely unrelated field. Especially when diamonds are so strewn with controversy...
Well, after this whole tirade i supppose i should let you know that i haven't been able to verify any of this for myself. I spent considerable time googling phrases like "bh diamond import" and "h schreiber diamond" but to no immediate avail... The closest I came was one comment on some Texas fishing website by a guy who also thought diamonds were the Schreiber's first business, and b&h their second (http://www.2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showpost.php?p=1533000&postcount=4) . I highly doubt that we have anyone else reading this site, but hell, if you are some random person and happen to know whether any of this is true or false, please leave a comment. Lemme know if you happen to discover anything, autie.
Anyway, camera. In my hands. With any luck, before next wednesday. Which means pictures! For you!
Love ya!
Nothing ever goes as planned, eh? As i wrote before, i was planning on purchasing my camera from b&h last friday (aka payday), but then a couple things happened and goddamnit.
So. Friday. I'm on bhphoto.com, my camera is in stock, and i have the money in the bank. But i'm impatient. I WANT MY CAMERA LIKE NOW! So i have the bright idea of printing out the webpage and driving over to our local camera dude. I'll walk in, the camera will be in stock, then i'll demand that he meets b&h's prices. A perfect no-waiting plan.
I make the 6-minute drive and park. Then i remember that i'm not a complete asshole and fold the printed webpage and slip it into my purse. I figure I'll go in, see if he even has it, feel him out, then spring the Gimme-A-Deal print-out on him. Definitely didn't happen that way.
"local camera dude" is a man named Richard who owns Monterey Bay Photo Mart.
He owns and operates his store, and his is definitely the face you are going to see no matter what day you shop there. He and his store are basically the opposite of b&h. He's small, he's local, he'll be there in-person to help me out should I need it. I have a soft spot for that kind of shit, what with my Environmental-Studies-UCSC-Farmer's-Market-Fair-Trade-Buy-Local background.
Whatever. So I ended up ordering it through his store Monday evening. Maybe I'll have it in my hands this friday...
The interesting part of all this is what Richard told me about b&h. They are setting price standards within the resale industry by selling equipment so cheaply. As with any reseller, b&h buys the epuipment from the manufacturer and then resells it to the consumer. The common business plan is to resell it for a profit, but not so with b&h. According to Richard, they actually sell the equipment for less than they buy it. Makes no sense, right?
Richard knows the owner of another camera shop who matched b&h's prices for an entire year. They lost $50,000 because of it, showing that b&h does lose money on their camera business.
As he is telling me this, I am just totally confused. Then he says, "Well b&h has other sources of income." So I ask him what that could be, and he says "Well, they're the second largest diamond importer in the united states."
HUH?!
All of this of course is what I heard from Richard, but he said that b&h uses their photo/video/audio customers as "the bank" because using the real bank costs $. They undersell their cameras, losing, say $100 on a sale, then they place the money from your purchase into their diamond business. There, they turn a 400% profit overnight.
Good for them of course...
But why? Fuck, if you're in the camera business, why do you need to be in the diamond business, too?
Money.
Duh.
I just carry this feeble hope that maybe people would have moral standards to not ruin one industry (local camera shops) simply to make money through another, completely unrelated field. Especially when diamonds are so strewn with controversy...
Well, after this whole tirade i supppose i should let you know that i haven't been able to verify any of this for myself. I spent considerable time googling phrases like "bh diamond import" and "h schreiber diamond" but to no immediate avail... The closest I came was one comment on some Texas fishing website by a guy who also thought diamonds were the Schreiber's first business, and b&h their second (http://www.2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showpost.php?p=1533000&postcount=4) . I highly doubt that we have anyone else reading this site, but hell, if you are some random person and happen to know whether any of this is true or false, please leave a comment. Lemme know if you happen to discover anything, autie.
Anyway, camera. In my hands. With any luck, before next wednesday. Which means pictures! For you!
Love ya!
1.07.2009
Tilt & Shift
Happy Wednesday!
This article: http://photo.net/equipment/canon/tilt-shift How Shift Lenses Change Your Life was written by a guy named Frank Sheeran in 1997 & explains what tilt and shift are and how you can use them to manipulate your images. He explains how it is useful for taking a picture of a mirror without showing your reflection AND while avoiding a parallelogram effect. ...i always wondered about that... He also explains that back in the day when cameras all had bellows, adjusting your tilt and shift to control perspective was just as common and necessary as adjusting your focus and selecting your shutter speed & aperture. Seems like the sort of perspective control that tilt & shift offer the photographer is pretty handy... as of his writing, Canon didn't offer an acceptable 35 mm lens option--according to Mr. Sheeran, at least--I wonder if that has changed since 1997.
oh and i buy my camera in like...... 34 hours. I CANNOT tell you how excited I am!!!
I learned something today. Hooray! My friend Dylan sent me this link earlier this morning:
50 Beautiful Examples of Tilt-shift Photography (Vincent Laforet in Smashing Magazine)
The images are really cute--using a tilt-shift lens (or creating the effect in Photoshop), these photographers make huge real-life scenes look like miniature models.
Toni Hafkenscheid has some interesting T/S landscapes in his fine art section:
http://thphotos.com/index.html
http://thphotos.com/index.html
This article: http://photo.net/equipment/canon/tilt-shift How Shift Lenses Change Your Life was written by a guy named Frank Sheeran in 1997 & explains what tilt and shift are and how you can use them to manipulate your images. He explains how it is useful for taking a picture of a mirror without showing your reflection AND while avoiding a parallelogram effect. ...i always wondered about that... He also explains that back in the day when cameras all had bellows, adjusting your tilt and shift to control perspective was just as common and necessary as adjusting your focus and selecting your shutter speed & aperture. Seems like the sort of perspective control that tilt & shift offer the photographer is pretty handy... as of his writing, Canon didn't offer an acceptable 35 mm lens option--according to Mr. Sheeran, at least--I wonder if that has changed since 1997.
I tried to find tilt-shift portrait photography but didn't really find anything of note, yet.
Dennison Bertram has a tutorial for making your own T/S lens using a small plunger...
He has a portrait posted at the bottom - that is pretty much the only one I found. Surprising, I would think this would be a fun effect to apply to portraiture...
12.19.2008
hey where you at?!
i totally thought you would post before me again.
i've been pretty bad about being on time...
so what are your holiday plans? are you going to be up here at all soon?
lemme know!
just thought i'd check in--i'll get some real content (aka photo related) up here soon.
love ya!
janelle
ps had to add a good pic to the post so i googled "janelle autumn" and picked my fave picture... she's a singer named janelle monae...
12.12.2008
okay so how did it go?!
hey girlie,
So how did it go? I hope it went well because I hate to hear that you are sad or upset! What have you been miserable about? Maybe you should call me... miss ya and would love to see you if you come up. That's the reason why I don't travel--no money!
How's that camera working out for you? You are still borrowing a really nice one from Julian's dad, right?
Well, my website is still utter shite. So that's one month of owning it down the drain... Really need to set a deadline on that. In other news, I was able to rent that studio space I was talking about--moved all my stuff in last weekend and I am getting shelves to organize it today/tomorrow. Doesn't look like I'll be able to buy the camera until January... also, sorry i'm late.
Keep your head up,
janelle
So how did it go? I hope it went well because I hate to hear that you are sad or upset! What have you been miserable about? Maybe you should call me... miss ya and would love to see you if you come up. That's the reason why I don't travel--no money!
How's that camera working out for you? You are still borrowing a really nice one from Julian's dad, right?
Well, my website is still utter shite. So that's one month of owning it down the drain... Really need to set a deadline on that. In other news, I was able to rent that studio space I was talking about--moved all my stuff in last weekend and I am getting shelves to organize it today/tomorrow. Doesn't look like I'll be able to buy the camera until January... also, sorry i'm late.
Keep your head up,
janelle
12.10.2008
Today is the day!!!!?
Well I have been miserable for days. Drinking and crying and whatnot. I am thinking about coming back up for a week or more ( maybe until xmas) and just seeing evryone i luv ( including you....) bc i got to get away! I have no money tho, so its still up in the air.....
Anyways, today is the day! Im supposed to meet mr. Raphael Mazzucco. Mesiah of photography in my world....I have to call him * gulp* scared.......and meet up with him at this hotel in hollywood. Wish me luck I am freaked out!!
<3
No other updates, but with one like that, who needs any?
12.05.2008
gonna buy a dslr...
Hey chica -Looks like we both took last week off! Well I hope things are going well with you down thurr. Your post cracked me up. That is rad that he has been talking to you!
I've decided on the Canon Rebel XSi. For the money and my skill level I think it's a good camera to start with, and I won't feel like I'll need to upgrade right away either... I'm really excited! Canon is having an instant rebate dealie on a bunch of their products until next month, so I feel like I'm gettin' a deal.http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/589090-REG/Canon__EOS_Rebel_XSi_a_k_a_.html#specifications
I want to get this two lens kit because it comes with the stock lens PLUS a lens that retails by itself for like $275. So that's hella savings.
I'm sad to report that absolutely NO progress has been made on my damn website. A friend suggested I get an "intern" to do it for free/cheap from campus or something. Just might have to write out a craigslist ad......MUAH!
Love ya!
j
I've decided on the Canon Rebel XSi. For the money and my skill level I think it's a good camera to start with, and I won't feel like I'll need to upgrade right away either... I'm really excited! Canon is having an instant rebate dealie on a bunch of their products until next month, so I feel like I'm gettin' a deal.http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/589090-REG/Canon__EOS_Rebel_XSi_a_k_a_.html#specifications
I want to get this two lens kit because it comes with the stock lens PLUS a lens that retails by itself for like $275. So that's hella savings.
I'm sad to report that absolutely NO progress has been made on my damn website. A friend suggested I get an "intern" to do it for free/cheap from campus or something. Just might have to write out a craigslist ad......MUAH!
Love ya!
j
12.03.2008
I could have sworn
i could have sworn I wrote on here last week. Must have been an email instead. Or two weeks ago...whatevs.
Anyways beez, Im pretty fucking excited to give you my update bc
1. I did a shoot. Once I get the pictures on a portable drive I will put some up here. It went well. very cool
2. Also, I think maybe I told you but my FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHER in the universe just happens to know someone who is bff with julian's dad and so he is coming into LA from new york next week to shoot and so I wrote him an email on myspace. He gave me his personal blackberry email and has been corresponding with me ever since! COOLEST SHIT EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3
i get to meet him soon. might cry...might barf on him.....try not to
11.20.2008
got a website!
hey!
JanellePhoto.com (one of the domains I looked up, but this chick has some good photos. the one above sooo reminds me of la chappelle):
http://janellephoto.com/html_ver/index.php
* so i bought my website and got hosting service! http://www.littletotheleft.com/
if you look at it now you will see a big fat piece of crap.
BUT! i am taking my first vacation in over a year starting saturday, so i am hoping to get it up and running properly within the next week and a half.
* also (and i am super excited about this! all of it!) Andy is moving in with me Dec. 1st. There are a few fantastic things about this
1 - it was not a money decision, we're just ready to do it! but...
2 - it frees up a bunch of $ for the both of us!
The thing about my apartment now is that my art supplies take up a bunch of room, and i don't even have a proper place to work creatively. With Andy moving in it would only get worse... but I am looking at art studio space today and Saturday! and the rent on those places is SUPER cheap, so I'll still be saving $ and having a good place to work! YAY.
* no other real big news but I have come across a bunch of links lately during my lunch breaks I can share with you:
JanellePhoto.com (one of the domains I looked up, but this chick has some good photos. the one above sooo reminds me of la chappelle):http://janellephoto.com/html_ver/index.php
25 of the Best Photographer Websites
(Judged on web design & functionality, not photos):
Digital Camera Resource
(unbiased reviews on hella cameras):
(unbiased reviews on hella cameras):
Paolo Boccardi
(fashion week kinda stuff, the above is really not representative of his website but i liked the color...):
http://www.fashionphotographer.it/index.html
oops, i'm late
Hey you. I have been having a bit of a mental meltdown (ok, a big one) lately so sorry I didn't write. But here I am a day late.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE CUPCAKE U R SWEET!
here is what I'm up to, then give me ur updates, too:
* I have scheduled a photoshoot for 11/28 and I am pretty excited because it is some promo shots for a website that has gotten 44,000 hits in the last month (and its a brand new website- very exciting)
* I am looking for a job, have applied to 4 so far, all photography related
* BIG NEWS: my FAVORITE photogrpaher in the whole world is coming to LA next month and by some crazy stroke of fucking luck I found out we have a mutual friend! Anyways I contacted the photographer (Raphael Mazzucco) and he gave me his personal blackberry email. We are meeting in 2 weeks! AHHHH
I hope all goes well, I am raring to go- I really want to shoot and work and do so much....oh and meet important people.
luv u bEtch!
11.12.2008
11.09.2008
11.05.2008
11.5.08 - Janie
What I've Done
• Decided on a business name! (Little to the Left Photography)
• Checked domain availability! (http://www.littletotheleft.com/)
• Learned a bit about buying domain names and getting web hosting from Hostgator.com
• Sketched ideas for how my online gallery will look
• Begun to gather images for example galleries
• Doodled endlessly trying to come up with a look/style/logo
Next Steps
• Budget & Plan for the day I will buy a kick-ass digital SLR
• Decide which kick-ass dslr I want... ergggh research....
• Find EVERY damn picture I've taken so I can decide which series' will make it to the ex. galleries
• Create a plan for getting clients
• Find some 1-time assistant gigs on Craigslist
• Buy my domain name
• Do some free shoots with film to build up work
• Decided on a business name! (Little to the Left Photography)
• Checked domain availability! (http://www.littletotheleft.com/)
• Learned a bit about buying domain names and getting web hosting from Hostgator.com
• Sketched ideas for how my online gallery will look
• Begun to gather images for example galleries
• Doodled endlessly trying to come up with a look/style/logo
Next Steps
• Budget & Plan for the day I will buy a kick-ass digital SLR
• Decide which kick-ass dslr I want... ergggh research....
• Find EVERY damn picture I've taken so I can decide which series' will make it to the ex. galleries
• Create a plan for getting clients
• Find some 1-time assistant gigs on Craigslist
• Buy my domain name
• Do some free shoots with film to build up work
10.29.2008
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