Archive for the ‘Random’ Category

Aug
10
2010

Month at the Museum

I know this a little off the beaten path of my previous posts but I can’t resist. I first read about the “Month at the Museum” contest on PopSci.com and have been so excited about the prospect of spending a month in the museum that I have hardly had time for much else. To apply, I created a video displaying my creativity and enthusiasm for science. I also wrote an essay on why I wanted to spend a month in a 14 acre museum and took my own picture for the application.

Nathan Gross Photo for Month at the Museum (MATM)

I took this self-portrait in my garage with no backdrop. It's not where you take a photo, it's how.

It was a challenge to cram my personality and experience into 60 seconds, 500 words, a 5×7 photo and 7 page application but with a little help from my friends I did it.

If selected, I will be staying at Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, IL. I will have limited contact with the outside world, aside from tweeting and blogging. The sleeping arrangements are provided in various exhibits around the museum, like the U-505 German submarine or the “Smart Home” or maybe even on the Pioneer Zephyr. According to the contest site, there will also be public appearances and demonstrations with the museum patrons.

The semi-finalists will be notified by August 25 and by September 1, the semi-finalists will fly to Chicago for an interview. Then, three finalists will have their videos posted for public vote. The winner will be announced on October 6, move into the Museum on October 20 and spend the next month exploring the museum both during and after hours reporting their experiences via tweets, blogging, Facebook and other social media.

Check out the photos I obtained from the press release, this is the “home base” for the winner:

As a complete and over-the-top bonus to this unique experience, the winner gets a laptop, camera, and $10,000!

Thanks to Carrie, Brittany, and Anna for reviewing the essay; Rae for lending her awesome public relations and social media expertise; Rylan, Jay and Sam for being references; the Ellison family, Shala, Caleb, Brandon and James for helping me spot errors in the application and offering suggestions; Kitty and Dan for letting me use their cameras and finally, the neighbor kids for making the science demonstrations fun.

Wish me luck! and leave a comment if you think I’d make a good candidate or just want to comment.

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Posted in Art, Photography, Portraits, Random | 7 Comments »

Aug
05
2010

Flying Dragonfly and Lightning

I’ve finally done it! I mean I’ve taken pictures of dragonflies flying but this photo is better. It took a lot patience and a cooperative California Darner Dragonfly to get this shot.

California Darner

Its not easy to get a photo of a dragonfly.

As a bonus I started my day at 5:15 AM to the sound of thunder. I literally jumped out of bed, ran to the window to make sure it was really lightning and was out the door by 5:23. I try not to miss lightning photo opportunities if I can help it. Here is one shot from the batch:

Lightning over Provo and Orem

I love the smell of lightning in the morning.

I went home, burned a bagel and left for work. All in all, a great day.

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Posted in Art, Bugs, Insect, Lightning, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, Portfolio, Provo, Random, River, Summer, Utah | Comments Off

Aug
03
2010

My Equipment

In case you ever wondered what I use to take photos. I use Nikon. Nikon lens, Nikon camera body, Nikon speed-lights. I prefer the Nikon brand because it is durable and dependable. One of my lens has been dropped off of a short cliff and still performs flawlessly. I left my $300 speedlight on top of my car and it works without a hitch after being tossed to the pavement. I also like the down-to-business, no-gimmick, just-works operation of Nikon products. Another selling point is Nikon lenses made 20 years ago still work with my digital SLR camera.

For those Canon advocates out there, I acknowledge without reservation that Canon makes some very nice camera equipment.

In addition to the Nikon stuff, I have Tiffen filters, Sandisk SD memory cards (in a pinch I’ve used micro SD cards with an adapter), Lowerpro camera bag and a Manfroto tripod.

On any given day I’ll have the following in my camera bag:

  • Nikon D80 (going to upgrading soon)
  • Nikon SB-600 Speedlight

Lenses:

  • Nikon 18-70mm Lens – For general use, landscapes and group shots
  • Nikon 50mm Lens – I use this lens for low light situations, it is considered a “fast lens“
  • Nikon 70-300mm Lens – Typically used for wildlife and portraits

Other Equipment:

  • Batteries (for flash and camera)
  • Pen
  • Paper (notepad and post-its)
  • Lens filters
  • Extra memory cards
  • Business cards
  • Tripod
  • Lens cleaner and cloth
  • Flash light (good to have in dark places and can make interesting illumination for photographs)
  • Camera Remote (for self portraits and long exposures to minimize shake)
  • Bounce cards (for getting the lighting just right)

Let me know if you ever any questions or want tips for taking photos.

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Posted in Landscape, Photography, Random | Comments Off

Jul
26
2010

Freedom Festival – Balloon Race

Alexander’s Print Advantage asked me to take some photos of their balloon for the Freedom Festival Balloon Race. The Alexander’s balloon was the first one up but due to windy conditions, it never got off the ground.

Alexander's Print Advantage Hot-Air Balloon

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Posted in Family Photos, Photography, Provo, Random, Summer, Utah | Comments Off