Tag: Olympus TG-2

Painting Light

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This is one of my favorites. Shot with an Olympus Tough, using an 18mm, wide angle lens. I am inside a one-time, customary beach lodging, in Costa Rica. On the right is a clay oven. The smoke is rising through a roof ventilation.

I have painted, capturing light.

This particular camera was my constant companion for years. It cost 600 dollars, and the wide angle was another 100. You can swim with this camera. You can drop it and it won’t break. That’s part of their advertisement, and I can atest to the validity of that statement.

They say, it works well in snow. I don’t know, I haven’t been in snow in years. But everything touted about this camera, I found to be accurate.

My camera and lens are now retired. And I am proud to say, I wore it out.
specs I see this is a cheaper price than what I paid. Mind was Tough – 2. But that’s the way it goes.

Also, I don’t believe my Tough had RAW option. But, back then it wouldn’t have helped, because I didn’t know what RAW was and did not use Light Room.

If you want to travel with a versatile camera; a one pony of many tricks, this is it.

It’s also great for street photography. However, when choosing a camera color or a wrist attachment, it’s always best to go black.

My camera was black, with a red wrist, float attachment for when I was in the water.

In my photography life, “you can’t have it all.”

But don’t let that stop you.

Get the shot!

The Night

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I was born in a Cross Fire Hurricane

But it’s Alright Now

I Have Never Seen a Wild Thing Feel Sorry For Itself

If you’re not familiar with these lyrics and this quote ~ look em up!

I once had a Science teacher, Mrs. Fowler. That poor woman. I was so disruptive to her class. I asked her every question that was in my head.
She always had the same answer, “Look it up.”

Once again, I’m writing in the dark. I can hear the insects. Crick it. Crick it Crick it. Sometimes with a missed beat. Sometimes with a roll. And out of nowhere a step-child will blllld-
bllld- bllld. They own the night.

I’ll let them have it….

No Coins

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No Coins
No coin-cidence-s
A Penny for your Thoughts
Are they worth that much?

It’s dark outside. I have the white, cotton curtain pulled back, so I will wake up when the sky begins to lighten. I’m laying in my single bed, under a yellow mosquito net. I can hear the churning of the ocean water. The fan drones on ~ right to left-right to left.

I can check this excursion off of my bucket list. I have been Surfing with Amigas.
I came here with no expectations. I have surfed and played in the ocean, like every person should. I took photos and talked and talked.

I always wanted to do something like this.

It’s been a very uptown, coastal jungle, surf experience.

It’s been a bit emotional. Women talk about their families a lot. Their parents and their children.

I miss my family.

All of that and five dollars, will buy me a cup of coffee.

Tragedy Strikes!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThis is a documentation.

I felt shock and dread last night, as I passed this dead deer on Atlantic Avenue. It had been hit by a car. It’s sad. However, it’s something that happens when nature meets development.

Deers don’t travel far from where they are born. I’ve been told, that they will live their life, within a one mile radius. I’m not sure if that’s correct. I’m not an animal expert. And I couldn’t tell you which side of the street that she lived on. I didn’t witness the collision. I don’t know who her survivors are. All I know is, there is one less beautiful deer walking the woods. Continue reading Tragedy Strikes!

Day 5 ~ Turtle Time

Wild Amelia
Several hundred residents of, and visitors to Amelia Island braved rain and wind and were on hand to bid farewell to Captain, released back to the sea today by the wonder-workers of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center staff after being hospitalized for three years with wounds to upper and lower shell and spine. Dr. Norton of the GSTC asked that all who walk the beach keep an eye out for Captain and make sure he/she made it back to the sea safely. Godspeed, Captain! 10/21/2013
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAYesterday, I tried to share a story about this turtle, Charlie. I had stumbled upon his release, by having my coffee at the beach and seeing a sign announcing his arrival, at 2 O’CLOCK.
It was a red carpet, ocean, sea and sand event. Charlie was paraded through the crowd of onlookers, who were held back by ropes. Cameras were everywhere. Charlie was elevated to the celebrity status that he deserved. He was going home.

Continue reading Day 5 ~ Turtle Time

Day 2 ~ A Butt Competition

Amelia is a beautiful city by the sea; but San Francisco it’s not. West Coast/East Coast….Big City/Small Town.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

However, I can always find something to do.
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Southerners take their Cook Offs  seriously, as you can see by the portable smoker.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

And their sitting around.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

This – Cook Team Hilliard – had a great set up.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I am a sucker for old cars.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

And nothing in town would be complete without Felix.

After walking around, smelling the food cook and listening to the good ole’ bluegrass; I walked home with my Olympus TG-2

When I envision all the money invested in this hobby. I don’t feel so conscience-stricken about my own endeavors. Everyone needs something to do that they enjoy. Something that maybe no one else understands, but those that invest in a similar enthusiasm.

Big butts/little butts – Good butts/bad butts ~ How do they judge?

Good photos/bad photos?

The only bad photo is the one you don’t take. I had to get out there to get these pictures.

It’s comparable to a good wave that comes to you and you don’t go for it. You have to charge!

I’m not in San Francisco or New York or even Atlanta, but I live on an island that’s culture is as important as any.

I’m right where I belong.

Andrea Diaz

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWhen I pulled into the Playa Avellanas parking lot, the Roxy/Quicksilver van was there. I’ve seen it, off and on, through the years. A lot of camps transport surfers here, to surf the Dead Tree break. I caught some waves and then got out of the water, to get my Olympus TG-2. There were some local kids out and I wanted the practice.

To my surprise, I came face to face, with Andrea Diaz-the Costa Rican, surf champion. In August of 2012, she placed fifth, at the World Masters, held in Colorado/Nicaragua.

I had just seen her in a presentation, via Jorge Mora, board shaper and owner of Sick Surfboards. It’s on U Tube. The video is called Surf for Youth 2013. Andrea and other surfers are giving back to the local community.

Jorge is here in Costa Rica, doing what he can to help out this super-worth while effort.

Andrea is one of the instructors for the Roxy/Quicksilver Surf Camp ~Waves Costa Rica.

I never know who I’m going to run into.

What an honor-what a good day.

Rocks are My Friends

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThese rocks never let me down.

Playa Avellanas is my Costa Rica, home break.

Once I found this beach, I’ve never wanted to leave it.

Sometimes, because of crowds, or when life gets hard, I think of escaping to Mexico. Me-hee-co is the speedball of adventure. And one day I might get there again. But, until that happens, daydreams are cost effective.

Quien sabe?

Fernandina Beach, the town that I’m from, and where I learned to surf, has a dumping beach break. When I got down here at the age of forty, and discovered point breaks and reefs, I was a changed surfer.

The rocks make the wave more predictable.

I rely on my friends. I don’t need surprises.

Overcoming Obstacles

Life is full of them. At one point, everything was an insurmountable hurdle. Not anymore. If I’m on the track and I fall on my face, I pick myself up and keep going.

Yesterday morning, I left Nicaragua and headed south to the border.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWe had forgotten to call Rooster’s border contact, so we stopped and asked for help from a man in Rivas. He was very helpful. There are good people everywhere. OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI chatted with Domingo, while I watched the truck and waited for Roo to take care of the paper work.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAFinally everything fell into place on the Nica side and we persevered, with what is a grueling task, if I wanted to complain. ~ Things have changed on the south side of the frontera They have a new facility and it is much cleaner. These bus drivers said, “hey lady. Take our photo.” I stopped in the middle of my run to show my passport and snapped and showed. I can’t imagine blowing them off.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThen there was the paper work for the vehicle. That left me once again, taking care of the truck. These innocent looking girls, kept engaging me in a conversation at the back corner of the truck, which is one of the oldest, rip off tricks here. I had to reposition myself and be on my toes every second. The border is full of wolves and you can’t really tell who is who. It’s kind of like surfing, you can’t really tell a surfer by his board or board shorts.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERACompleting that task, we dashed for home. My brain was locked in on my pitt stop, Mussanis. I had an empanada and a cafe con leche. WOWOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWe stopped and bought gas after that. It cost 92 dollars to fill our tank! Another WOW….As we turned the corner to La Huerta, I admired the flora and, with a hint of deflation, accepted the decay of our fence. Pura vida…We’ve been gone for five months.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIt’s all worth it for this.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
*I will add links later…The Shack is closing and I have to go.
*I also want to add that Nica Waves Surf Camp has screaming fast Wi-Fi and is a great place for a working photographer.

(I wrote this partly with an attitude. I can’t believe those boys were scared. – Many people here on the island are scared of foreign breaks and foreign people. It might have something to do with how they treat people. They don’t want to be treated like THAT.)