Guy Using a Jet Pack in the Boat Parade

Tonight I watched the annual Fort Lauderdale Boat Parade with my family. We were on my brother's small boat which he anchored in one of the side canals of the Intracoastal. Although we had front row seats, it wasn't all that exciting. Maybe I had seen this parade too many times and I was tired of the same thing every year. But wait! There WAS something new. Between two garishly decorated yachts, was a person flying what appeared to be a jet pack!

I did some Googling and the company that makes it is JetLev.com. I found a number of videos on YouTube including this one. How does it work? In a nutshell, you are tethered to a small boat by a flexible hose. The boat has a 200 horsepower engine that pumps water through the hose to your jet pack. The water spraying out of your jet pack lifts you off the water. Ever play with a Water Wiggle when you were a kid? Well its basically the same thing, except you sit on top of it and control it. Sadly, it costs a little bit more than a Water Wiggle. Prices start at $99,500.00 USD.

In case you're wondering, those weird colored shapes to the right of the guy with the jet pack are the result of "lens flare". Lens flare is caused by a bright light (usually the sun) pointing directly at the camera, that makes reflections on the glass elements inside the lens. The spotlight pointing at me from the lower left is causing the lens flare in this photo.

Creepy Music Box

Just a little video I made at my friend Kellen's apartment. I used my Nikon D7000 with a Nikkor 35mm f1.8 lens. Sound was recorded using the built in microphone. Exposure was f1.8 1/30s @ ISO 800.

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.