... paparazzi, hmmm
Yesterday 19th March 2010 I almost surprised myself. As we get older we are programmed to expect the worst, or at least to expect and to be satisfied with anything other than God's best. Well I am not jumping to that program because I am of the view, and here I must agree with the Calypso king of the world, the Mighty Sparrow, that age is just a number. But even before Sparrow's lyrics on aging, many other guys waxed eloquent, but many of them did not quote the source that most of us know to be the source. To make a long story short, God did not say we would not get old and older, but he did say that will not stop us from doing what we want to do, nor receiving what we need. Well I had to put that to the test, and I am pleased to report that HE is most correct ... again.
After rubbing shoulders with the paparazzi yesterday, for the first time in a lot of years, I believe that I am really coming out of retirement. I was further encouraged by some folks who made positive comments about my 'comeback'. I did not know that anyone would recognize me and thought they might take me for a new 'tog' on the circuit, complete with 'pony tail', Bermuda shorts, Bobby socks and all. However, I am taking it slow and easy, and in my own deliberate time I will determine when I am paparazzi again. Yesterday,s function was the Queen's Baton Relay, and since I was shooting for myself I decided to take it in the City, in the shade, and be content with that. At Government Headquarters, the Baton was passed to the Prime Minister, and after the 'usual' ceremony, the Prime Minister passed the Baton to the next runner, and the relay continued.
One thing I learned a long time ago is to cover your events like a snowstorm. I don't have first hand knowledge of snowstorms after living in this beautiful and sunny Caribbean all my life. I did have a Canadian winter, without a snowstorm, but I draw the conclusion that everything is to be covered. In the days of old that meant attending an event with a 20-pack of Kodak 36x film for 720 exposures, and at 50-cents a click you had to make every shot count. These days are kinder with an 8 GB CF card holding 895 exposures, shooting RAW.
So I ease my way to the front side, [its nice to be short], and shoot like it is video and going out of style ... and some paparazzi watch me 'funny' because I am shooting WITHOUT a flash. I do not drink or smoke, so I do not see little green men with yellow ties and red socks, so my hands are almost rock steady, and furthermore the blazing midday sunlight is reflecting into the shade of the building. Shadow free lighting, in abundance. Well I am from the old school and did not learn the techniques of using flash on the camera all the time. There is still hope for me.
I am not a Photoshop fan and contend that there may be better software available for less. It is not about the price, but the flexibility. I do not disclose my software tools but suffice to say that I upgraded one software tool to the latest version recently and can now process my RAW image files with one click. Different software tools are used for people and for scenery. I suspect that maybe Lightzone can be that one tool for all images and I will have to test it shortly. At the end of day I had created 599 images with 98% of them from the Queen's Baton Relay. The 'Relay' action continues today, Saturday, but I am staying in the City and will shoot what I can from where I am, this paparazzi thing is not going to kill me ... hmmm.
[continued 25 March 2010]
The Queen's Baton carried by one of the earliest athletes to enter into any International meet [1974] enters the City en route to Govt Headquarters 100 meters down the street..
The Queen's Baton is passed to a younger athlete who carries it the last 20 meters and up the steps of Gov HQ.
At Govt Headquarters the Queen's Baton is passed to the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister, Queen's Baton and runner poses with the "Indian" Representatives and Indian High Commissioner.
The Prime Minister, Queen's Baton and runner poses with the "Indian" Representatives, High Commissioner and organizing committee staff.
The masquerades in attendance to bring a little local culture to the event.
The Queen's Baton.
The Queen's Baton, close up.
An historical overview and demo of the Queens' Baton was given by the official members of the committee.
The Prime Minister passes the Batton to the next runner who will carry it from Govt Hq to another runner 50 meters down the street.
Saturday morning at the War Memorial, The Queen's Baton arrives with the Speaker of the Natoional Assembly, accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Sport and the Minister of Health, Community and Gender Affairs, other Govt. and Public dignitaries.
After rubbing shoulders with the paparazzi yesterday, for the first time in a lot of years, I believe that I am really coming out of retirement. I was further encouraged by some folks who made positive comments about my 'comeback'. I did not know that anyone would recognize me and thought they might take me for a new 'tog' on the circuit, complete with 'pony tail', Bermuda shorts, Bobby socks and all. However, I am taking it slow and easy, and in my own deliberate time I will determine when I am paparazzi again. Yesterday,s function was the Queen's Baton Relay, and since I was shooting for myself I decided to take it in the City, in the shade, and be content with that. At Government Headquarters, the Baton was passed to the Prime Minister, and after the 'usual' ceremony, the Prime Minister passed the Baton to the next runner, and the relay continued.
One thing I learned a long time ago is to cover your events like a snowstorm. I don't have first hand knowledge of snowstorms after living in this beautiful and sunny Caribbean all my life. I did have a Canadian winter, without a snowstorm, but I draw the conclusion that everything is to be covered. In the days of old that meant attending an event with a 20-pack of Kodak 36x film for 720 exposures, and at 50-cents a click you had to make every shot count. These days are kinder with an 8 GB CF card holding 895 exposures, shooting RAW.
So I ease my way to the front side, [its nice to be short], and shoot like it is video and going out of style ... and some paparazzi watch me 'funny' because I am shooting WITHOUT a flash. I do not drink or smoke, so I do not see little green men with yellow ties and red socks, so my hands are almost rock steady, and furthermore the blazing midday sunlight is reflecting into the shade of the building. Shadow free lighting, in abundance. Well I am from the old school and did not learn the techniques of using flash on the camera all the time. There is still hope for me.
I am not a Photoshop fan and contend that there may be better software available for less. It is not about the price, but the flexibility. I do not disclose my software tools but suffice to say that I upgraded one software tool to the latest version recently and can now process my RAW image files with one click. Different software tools are used for people and for scenery. I suspect that maybe Lightzone can be that one tool for all images and I will have to test it shortly. At the end of day I had created 599 images with 98% of them from the Queen's Baton Relay. The 'Relay' action continues today, Saturday, but I am staying in the City and will shoot what I can from where I am, this paparazzi thing is not going to kill me ... hmmm.
[continued 25 March 2010]
The Queen's Baton leaving Port Zante cruise pier.
The Queen's Baton leaving Port Zante cruise pier
The Queen's Baton at the Ports Zante inter-island Ferry Terminal
The Queen's Baton at the Ports Zante inter-island Ferry Terminal. The members of the St Kitts-Nevis Amateur Radio Society, who provided island wide radio communications for the event get a snap with the Queen's baton before it leave for Nevis. .
The Queen's Baton now leaving the Ports Zante inter-island Ferry Terminal for the Ferry Pier to be transported to Nevis by the motor vessel Caribe Queen.
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