Great New Photo Site: Cameratico Helps You Buy a Camera

Interested in getting a new digital camera? Here's a new website that rates and categorizes cameras in everyday language. Via the Petapixel blog: Cameratico

Instead of comparing specs or writing walls of text, we came up with an unique comparison algorithm called Cameratico CameraIndex. This program is able to translate real world experience into clear and accurate camera recommendations.

 

The Next Timelapse/Composite

It took five tries on five different days but I think I finally got the right background for the next timelapse/composite, which will be departures from San Diego Int. 8000 photos in and I got here, the stormy/churning sky I wanted:

Kickstarter: Thanks

Many thanks to everyone who supported my photo book project financially or otherwise. Though the fundraising goal wasn't realized - your contributions and moral support are deeply valued.

At its peak my viral video was receiving 600,000 views per day and it drove thousands visitors to the Kickstarter page. The numbers were huge but the actual support for this project was improbably small. There is a silver lining though – you. I don't need a million people to make this book but I do need the help of a few people like you to see it through. Your support is truly appreciated.

Look for my second attempt at this sometime in the spring of 2013. I am totally committed to completing this project and plan to see it through.

Happy holidays,

Cy

Kickstarter Day 2: Malawi Family Portrait Photo Book

If you're here for the first time – I'm glad you found my Landings video and I'm glad you followed it back. I'm an independent filmmaker and photographer and I just launched a Kickstarter campaign a couple of days ago that needs your support. Please click on either the image above or below to jump over to Kickstarter page and check it out.  This thing really does need you if I'm going to make it happen.

Cy

Just click the picture below to jump over to the Kickstarter page:

Kickstarter Launch: Malawi Family Portrait Photo Book

This has been amazing. My airplane video had something like 200,000 hits today - wow. I want to try and parley your interest in my Landings at SD video into a new project I've been yearning to do for a while  - a Photo Book to be shot in Malawi, Africa. I know it probably seems odd considering the interest is in something that appears so different but it'll be made by the same (wizard) hands. I'd love to have your support, please take a look, consider a donation and share the project.

Just click the picture below to jump over to the Kickstarter page:

PetaPixel just Viralized!

Wow, this is amazing. The PetaPixel blog just picked my airplane composite video up. 3000 views in under one hour - how exciting! So I'd like to use my 15 minutes seconds of fame to make an appeal to any new visitors who may land here. First - I hope you liked the airplane video and thanks very much for watching it. Second, if I could point you to just one other thing I've made it would be my doc film Bush League. My airplane video took a week to make and I'm proud of it but Bush League took four years to make and it was a true labor of love. Here's the trailer:

Bush League is a CC licensed feature documentary (72 min) that you can download and watch for free that I shot in Malawi, Africa. It's streaming on the Bush League film page and it's also streaming on Amazon. Save it for a rainy night - I promise you'll like it. I've been trying to get it out there into the world for quite some time now so any shares are deeply appreciated. My mission with this film has been to try and tell a deep story about Malawi that puts Malawians right up front. It's a very tough row to hoe when you're as small and as new as I am. Here's Variety's review.

My last little plug - if you're looking for a great film school to learn this stuff - I studied at SDSU and CalArts and I teach film at San Diego City College (RTVC 112 and 167) - I strongly recommend them all. I also teach still photography at Irvine Valley College in OC (dma/photo 51). I'll gladly teach you everything I know.

Thanks again for taking a look and I do hope you visit again,

All the best,

Cy

Video: All Landings at San Diego Int Airport Friday Nov 23 from 1030am to 300pm

Darn, I can't find the link at the moment - but months ago I saw an amazing photo on the Petapixel blog in which a photographer shot every plane that landed at ?Airport? in a day then composited all the planes into one image. Which made me wonder if it could be done with video? It turns out that it definitely can be done but is easiest with a pure blue sky and with the camera facing up not toward the horizon. With an even blue background it's fairly easy to key out each airplane and put them together. The bridge in this shot is an added time lapse under the 1st Street bridge in San Diego.

I was really surprised by two things: the number of planes that landed in 4 hours (close to 70) and the dominance of Southwest Air.