Earth Day At Victory Park

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Tony

I’m not much of an environmentalist but my friend Noe convinced me to pay Earth Day a visit. It’s held every year at Victory park. My old friend Gemini use to rave about this event like it was the one. I headed down without hesitation. As soon as I got there the first thing I noticed was that it was hot as fuck haha. Almost 90 degrees. I’m a fan of the cold so I was like, non buono. One thing was great though. The music. A band called the Central Latino All Star Band was playing some great Chicano jams. If you’re reading this on a computer you’re listening to one of my favorite jams they played.

Stopped by the booth for the Da Vinci Center a program for innovative learning with Noe and met some cool cats. Canon 5D Mark II, Nikon 85 1.4D

I met up with Noe and explored the various booths at the event. After walking around for a bit we came across the booth for the Da Vinci Center. This is a really cool program that allows creative kids to learn in a distinct environment. Things like robotics, design, media, and the arts. They learn real world skills and work on some really great stuff. They even have access to a 3D printer! After that Noe went to volunteer at the San Joaquin Bicycle Coalition Booth and I went over to the Stockton Aesthetic Initiative’s booth to find Ryan and a bunch of his cronies working on some art. Continue reading →

My Take On Glass

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Tony

My Take On Glass

Good glass is something I hear a lot. What is good glass? To me good glass is a solid set of primes. Why? Because even though I’ve shot with various lenses including the Holy Trinity (both Nikon & Canon), I find that my best shots have always come from primes. Primes have the advantage of being compact, ridiculously light, and very sharp. I can carry all of these lenses with me using the Urban Photo Sling 150 and have it weigh next to nothing. No more heavy distractions. I use a Canon 5D Mark II for it’s video capabilities but prefer Nikon glass. To do this I use a simple Fotodiox Adapter, one for each lens along with Canon rear lens caps. I also enjoy using Nikon Mount Voigtländer, Rokinon, and Zeiss lenses.

Choosing The Right Lenses
Sometimes people say “you have a really nice camera” but the magic is in the mind and the glass is what helps it come to life. You don’t need the holy trinity to make some really great stuff. At the same time you can’t expect to get full body bokeh with a f/5.6 kit lens. Ditch the kit lens or if you can don’t buy it in the first place. Let’s keep it real here. No bullshit advice. Continue reading →

Venture Into Cinema

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Tony

I’ve always been interested in cinematography. Even back when I first started shooting I wondered how the big films achieved those beautiful effects. I knew none of the “high end” video cameras I came across seemed to be able to capture the beauty or depth of field. Then came the 5D Mark II and it changed everything. Since then I’ve wanted one and finally, I have one. I even have some good glass. I look forward to making some really great stuff.

Obesity Is Destroying America (And I’m On The Losing Side)

Posted on December 24, 2012 by Tony

I remember hearing the phrase “Life is short, eat what you want.” It sounds great. The problem is that I also heard a doctor say, “many health issues arise from nutritional ignorance.” On one hand we have a man saying we should live life as much as we can while we’re still alive. On the other a man giving us a warning so we can prevent our premature death as well as chronic debilitating disease. I’m no doctor but I feel both have a good point.

Why would I write about obesity? The truth is it hits close to home. Most of my extended family is obese and they’ve never liked my commitment to health. In fact they try an knock me off the pedestal every time I make a mistake. Despite this, after all this time, most if not all are presently more obese and unhealthy than they’ve ever been. My efforts to convince them to adopt healthier choices have failed miserably. I didn’t realize how bad it had become until one my few health conscious cousins said something to me at a family gathering. “Everyone is hella big! It’s out of control.” She was right. It’s no longer just chubby. We’re talking borderline morbid here. At this rate 80% of my family will be in a wheelchair within 15 years or worse deceased. This worries me.

Continue reading →

Obesity Is Destroying America (And Im On The Losing Side)

The Lie

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Tony

I used to believe this city had hope, yet now the only hope I see is escape. I used to believe that there was more to this place than met the eye, but reality has set in. The Tone, what a fucking joke. As my time in this city comes to an end I’ve come to realize the truth. This place is nothing more than a failed city on a crash course towards mayhem, it always has been. The college was once a haven but the filth has crept into it’s halls as well. What this city needs is a merciless purge of the cancer that grows inside it, but that purge will never come. Some things just aren’t worth saving and this city is one of them.

I wake up every morning only to catch that Stockton stench, that smell of ghetto scum. It’s thick and exhausting. It’s negative culture, it’s negative people, hell, it’s god damn air. It’s made me a negative person once again. Even the college has fallen victim to the city, the counselors preach failure more than anything else. It’s hard to hold on to hope when the people who are supposed to help you move forward feel more like they’re trying to prevent you from moving at all. It’s all bullshit and it’s taken its toll. You can only keep the anger at bay for so long and at some point you can let it consume you or choose to embrace it. I guess you could say this city has broken me. Despite how resilient I thought I was, it’s changed me.

Continue reading →

A Good Cup of Coffee

Posted on September 23, 2012 by Tony

Mornings are often beautiful. They can provide an escape from the everyday stresses of life. The temperature is cool, the ambient light just enough, and the sounds of peace surround you. Sometimes I’ll even play some classical music to enhance the beautiful experience. It’s magical. I find that I get the most work done around those hours. My creativity boosts throughout the night through to the morning and plummets during the day. I guess you could say the morning is the pinnacle moment. Sometimes you need a little boost to reach that pinnacle, that’s where a good cup of coffee comes in.

All you really need to start off the day is an idea, a connection, and nice cup of coffee. I remember how much I used to be against coffee, these days it’s almost daily. Like Mike Ditka said, “Coffee is the lifeblood that fuels the dreams of champions.” It’s good stuff. I’d say my favorite cup of Coffee is surpsingly Denny’s Coffee. It’s simple and get’s the job done and I guess it’s grown on me. It’s helped me get through countless all nighters and the taste is something familiar and comforting, plus it just works.

God I love Coffee.

The End.