Hello Kitty Microwave Oven

That's right folks, its a real, fully functional microwave oven, and its only $79.99 at Target. I wonder what age group this thing is targeted to? It certainly couldn't be safe to give your 6 year old daughter a 700 watt microwave. Maybe its meant for college students? I wonder how many college girls really want a Hello Kitty microwave in their dorm room or apartment? Does a microwave oven become cute just because its painted pink? Seriously, what is wrong with people? Its a microwave oven. Its a byproduct of radar technology developed for World War II. It heats food by saturating it with microwave radiation! The door has a protective metal layer with small holes punched in it so you don't fry while peering inside to see if your frozen pizza has received enough radiation. Personally, I don't use a microwave. I can't think of any healthy food that needs to be heated in one.

This photo was taken with my EVO 4G.

Otters at the Museum of Discovery and Science

Here's one of the otters in the new wing of the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I was hired by the museum to photograph the interior and exterior of the new building, all of the new exhibits, and of course, the otters! The otters live in an open air habitat with a lake and waterfalls. On the inside of the new building, there's a glass wall where you can watch these playful creatures diving and swimming around underwater.

Nikon D7000 with 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 lens. Exposure: f/4.8 1/125 ISO 800. Weather: cloudy

What Do You Think Keeps Him Jolly?

That's a good question. I really don't know. I also have no idea what this piece of advertising is trying to accomplish. I remember seeing this in a store window but I don't remember the store or what they were selling. Frequently, I see advertising that goes out of its way to be clever and memorable, yet fails to sell the product. So the question remains. Was it a clothing store? A liquor store? A dentist? An adult video store? Anyone have any clue?

This photo was taken with my EVO 4G.

Time Lapse Setup

Today I installed a camera for a 9 month time lapse of a construction project. The camera is mounted to the outside of a parking garage that faces the building under construction. Just below the bumper of my car, you can see the weather housing I built for the camera. The housing is mounted to a small platform that I attached to the side of the garage. I brought a good selection of stainless steel and aluminum hardware, and I fabricated the mounting brackets on site. All the gear you see in the photo used to be in the back of my truck. Now it all fits in the back of my car.

If you are interested in a time lapse film for any purpose, please contact me at www.Design215.com.

QR Codes are Everywhere!

In case you didn't already know, QR codes (Quick Response codes) are those funny looking little boxes filled with a pattern of tiny square "pixels". Normally you see them in print advertising and when you scan them with your smartphone, you can receive more information about the product. Here's one on the door of this van. I took this photo with my phone while we were stopped at a light but I think giving people another reason to do something with their phone while they're driving is a REALLY BAD idea! If you agree with me, call the company and tell them to take the QR codes off their vehicles.

Heavy Duty Urinal

The title says it all. This photo was taken with my EVO 4G.

Sheyenne Rivers at Bull Bar

Here's my friend Sheyenne Rivers at Bull Bar in Delray Beach, singing "Zombie" by the Cranberries. Homero Gallardo is on guitar. I used my Nikon D7000 with a Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 lens and a Zoom H2 recorder for the sound. Exposure was f1.8 1/30 @ ISO 1600. Considering how loud the crowd in the bar was, I'm actually surprised at how well the sound came out. I had the rear mics on the H2 turned off. I think the video quality of the D7000 is excellent, especially at ISO 1600. Watch any of my other videos and you'll see what I'm talking about. I'm usually shooting at night, in some poorly lit venue. Everyone raves about using the Canon 7D for video but I think the D7000 surpasses it for low light capability.

Empty Guacamole Bowl, Available Light

Tonight I went to Rocco's Tacos in Fort Lauderdale for some of their guacamole. They make it fresh, in front of you, when you order it! You watch them cut open fresh avocados and mash them up in a cool looking, stone bowl. Next, they add fresh cilantro, diced tomato and onion, fresh lime juice, and some spices. As many of you know, I try to make raw food a substantial part of my diet and guacamole is one of my favorite raw foods. When I order it, I always ask for extra jalapenos. The chips are certainly not raw, so I try not to eat too many of them. The staff probably thinks I'm crazy because they always return to find my guacamole bowl empty and my basket of chips still full.

After I finished eating, I was talking to my friend Thea in New York. Thea is a dedicated raw foodist who is also studying photography at Columbia. I told her the guacamole story and she prompted me for a photo. It was pretty dark but I didn't use a flash or a tripod. Thea likes taking pictures at night so I added the captions so she could see how I set my camera. I have no idea why I used that font.