Halfcamera

My wonderfully creative friend Bill introduced me to another iPhone camera app today, Halfcamera. This app imitates the concept of a half-frame camera, even to the extent of saving images on a virtual film strip. adjacent images can be combined into diptychs. You can even include a bit of text between the images. It has a bunch of effects too, mostly garish. I like the concept of the diptych output, but the clunky workflow takes a bit of getting used to. It'd also be nice not to be confined to using adjacent pictures. A fun app despite its peculiarities.

And of course to try it out, my ukuleles always make willing models.

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Pavement circles

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It's been very wet lately in Townsville and there is a thick, slippery coating of dark green algae on the concrete pavement and retaining walls at the DPI Station at Oonoonba, where I work. But there are strange circles in the green. Something seems to be eating the algae. A fungus? A virus? Proto- or metazoan?

See also http://jayavant.tumblr.com/post/4074628909/pavement-circles

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Playing around with Hipstamatic lenses

There are so many virtual lenses, films and even flashes available for the Hipstamatic app that I am bewildered as to which one to choose half the time. Lately I mostly shoot using the app's randomise feature. The results of this on-going experiment are here.

Except that some films are colour and some are black and white, the main difference to the image provided by the choice of virtual film is the frame. Most films have distinct border effects.

The choice of lens has a much stronger bearing on the image. The lenses have distinct optical and colour effects built in. The Salvador 84 lens is especially notable for having a kaleidoscope-like mirror effect.

I shot some images today using each of the lenses I have. The image is simply a view through the patterned glass of my front door. I used Blanko virtual film for every image as it has a neutral border. Here are the results.

1. Salvador 84

2. Melodie

3. Tejas

4. Chunky

5. Bettie XL

6. Roboto Glitter

7. Lucifer VI

8. Helga Viking

9. Kaimal Mark II

10. Jimmy

11. John S

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Daegu's "Beer Factory" : a brief review.

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I was in Daegu, Korea, this week and spent an evening with some very good folks at a microbrewery style of bar called The Beer Factory. They had quite a range of beers from a pale Pilsener to quite a dark stout. I only tried the brown ale and can attest to it's deliciousness. Prices are on the high side but typical for a bar of this type. Food was the usual fried chicken dishes but they were generous with their free "service" dishes. Then again we were a largish party and spent quite a lot.

One thing really amuses me though (see second picture): in the gents, above each urinal, is a menu if their beers so one can plan what to drink next even as one voids the last beer.

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Miyazaki Station

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Just some images I shot with the Hipstamatic App on my iPhone while waiting for the train to Miyakonojo at Miyazaki Station the other evening.

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A bar called "Arse-hole"

똥꼬 (Ddong-ggo) the sign says, over this bar in the PNU area in Busan. That translates as "Arse-hole".

I am so curious…

Love the picture!

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People I met today in Busan

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Warming myself in the sun outside Jagalchi fish markets in Busan today I noticed the woman next to me was using a real camera - a Nikon FM2 to be precise. I asked if I could take her photo and she held up her camera and took mine. I also took a film shot with my Mamiya 7 but that will have to wait. Her name is 이가영 (Ka-yeong Lee).

Later, in Nampodong subway a young fellow saw the Mamiya around my neck and came straight up to me saying, "Take my photo." I shot him with the "pinhole" setting using the Retro Camera App on my iPhone.

"What's your name?", I asked.

"이정진 (Jeong-jin Lee). Remember me!

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Busan views

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From the top of Yongdusan tower. Photos follow a clockwise circle starting facing northward.

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A small piece of beauty - Nature in Busan

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As I walked this afternoon along the Oncheon-cheon, a stream that runs through Northern Busan, I saw a rare thing: a white bird, stalking fish in the near frozen water.

I watched him for a while and saw him catch 3 small fish. Later I saw two more white birds. A good day for nature.

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Konglish, weirdness and old haunts

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After a sub-zero walk along the beach at Haeundae I thought I'd try and find some coffee in the Busan National University (PNU) area.

The search for coffee was a dismal failure. I settled for a weak as piss cappuccino in Starbucks. I did however see some weirdness… and visited an old haunt of mine, though it was closed.

The bag simply defies explanation. The Kenny Rogers Norae-bang is a singing room, rather like karaoke. The Crossroads Bar is one of the better expat-friendly bars in the PNU area. they have an excellent collection of records.

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The End of the Universe - Hong Kong

After the incredible heat of Cairns, several hours of cramped conditions on the flight, it was a relief to wander around Hong Kong International Terminal for a while taking in the Gucci bags and the conspicuous displays of fur coats.

Our flight to Busan leaves from Gate 19; some thousands of metres from the area where we arrived. We travelled a long almost geodesic corridor and found ourselves at the End Of The Universe.

I wonder when the show begins…

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The End of the Universe - Hong Kong

After the incredible heat of Cairns, several hours of cramped conditions on the flight, it was a relief to wander around Hong Kong International Terminal for a while taking in the Gucci bags and the conspicuous displays of fur coats.

Our flight to Busan leaves from Gate 19; some thousands of metres from the area where we arrived. We travelled a long almost geodesic corridor and found ourselves at the End Of The Universe.

I wonder when the show begins…

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The End of the Universe - Hong Kong

After the incredible heat of Cairns, several hours of cramped conditions on the flight, it was a relief to wander around Hong Kong International Terminal for a while taking in the Gucci bags and the conspicuous displays of fur coats.

Our flight to Busan leaves from Gate 19; some thousands of metres from the area where we arrived. We travelled a long almost geodesic corridor and found ourselves at the End Of The Universe.

I wonder when the show begins…

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Stone curlew pair at Oonoonba

via youtube.com

There are stone curlews all over the grounds of the DPI station at Oonoonba where I work. The entire area is to be developed for medium density housing. I worry about the curlews. I hope they will survive.

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A big day for reptiles

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Lizards everywhere at work today. They seem to like the hot wet weather. Also snakes and a turtle...

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